The Killer's Apprentice

by Briana Michaels

My track record as a killer is flawless until a bombshell crashes through a window, leaves fingerprints all over my crime scene, and kills my mark.

Lexi’s a tornado of rage and impulsivity, which is a death sentence in my line of work. But when she begs me to take her on as an apprentice, I accept the challenge because she wants revenge, and I’m a sucker for a kill list.

And though her skill set is impressive, it doesn’t intrigue me nearly as much as the secrets I know she’s keeping. They’re almost as dark as the ones I’m hiding.

Did I just meet my match or my worst nightmare?

Lexi wants to be a killer like me. Fine. I’ll arm her to the teeth and set her loose on the monsters she’s hunting. But there’s one lesson she needs to learn Trust no one.

Not even me.

Genres: Dark Romance

359 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 22, 2026

About the author

Briana Michaels grew up and still lives on the East Coast. When taking a break from the crazy adventures in her head, she enjoys running around with her two children. If there is time to spare, she loves to read, cook, hike in the woods, and sit outside with a fire. She does all of this with the love and support of her amazing husband who always has her back, encouraging her to go for her dreams. Aye, she’s a lucky girl indeed.

Reviews

[litlindseyreads · Rating 4.75 out of 5]

I’ve been a fan of Briana Michaels ever since I read Glitch & Click in 2024 (and proceeded to convince my entire friend group to buy Glitch at a book convention in Miami hehe)

Lexi is on a revenge murder-quest for the team of people that abducted her brother. At the home of one of her targets, Creed is also trying to unalive the man. Murder meet cute! Lexi is a bit messy and Creed needs everything to be tidy and perfectly executed. She asks him to take her under his wing for murder lessons. Perfect!

I almost read The Killer’s Apprentice in one sitting. I just couldn’t put it down. The dynamic between Lexi and Creed (she could be Harley Quinn in another life she’s that unhinged & he has the patience of a saint with her!) was so funny and sweet (& steamy) - it was easy to keep turning the pages to see what would happen next.

And no spoilers but the ending really made the entire book. Are we getting interconnected standalones in this world? Riot next? Please, please, please!

The Killer’s Apprentice hasn’t been marketed as a dark rom com exactly, but it had me laughing throughout so if you don’t mind a little more darkness and enjoy dark rom coms I think you would really enjoy this book (I consider it dark rom com or dark rom com-adjacent).

Thank you so much to The Next Step PR & Briana Michaels for the eARC!

Read on October 22nd!

[Madison · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

4.5⭐️

WHAT DID I JUST READ?! Because that ending has genuinely left me GOBSMACKED. I’m still trying to wrap my head around everything that just happened, and I honestly don’t know how I didn’t see any of it coming!

Creed and Lexi are both absolutely psycho, but in the best possible way. 😂 These two are perfectly unhinged, and I had SO much fun reading about their little serial killer escapades. They had me laughing so much, and I was completely invested in the chaos they brought to the page.

But that ENDING?! My mind is blown. I clocked a few little things along the way, so naturally, I thought I had an idea of what was going on. Oh, how wrong I was. Just when you think you’ve figured it out, BOOM! You’re hit with something you never saw coming, and suddenly you’re questioning EVERYTHING.

Honestly, this book is one hell of a ride from start to finish, and that ending had my jaw on the floor. I’m still baffled by how completely blindsided I was, and I think I need a minute to recover. 😂

If you love your characters a little (okay, a LOT) unhinged and a plot that will leave you absolutely shook, this one is definitely worth picking up! 😍

Thank you Briana for the ARC.

[Chelsea Syrews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Briana Michaels has been one of my auto-buy authors since I read Glitch a few years ago. I’ve bought every book (and SE) of hers to date and it looks like this one won’t be an exception 😅

This one gives us a revenge-driven woman, a killer, and a situation that somehow turns into murder lessons and romance? I mean, what could possibly go wrong??

Also echoing another review: the chapter titles were one of my favorite parts! They give you a little peek at what you’re about to get into.

I’m so excited to see Briana venture into this niche of dark romance. I cannot wait for this series to continue and see who the next pairing might be 👀

Thank you to Briana Michaels for having me on the street team!

[ReneeReads · Rating 4.25 out of 5]

I haven't read a Briana Michaels book since 2024 and now I am kicking myself because I fear I have missed a few and I need to remedy that situation immediately. This is the first Briana book I'm reading since "Stay" in 2024 and now I remember why I love her writing so much. This was sexy and sarcastic with sensitive subjects and everything was written to perfection. Lexi is hilarious and her sugar addiction is commendable. Creed is perfect for her and I love how he will do anything to help her all the while being (mostly silently) annoyed with her. I loved the overall plot of this one and the pacing was great. The steamy scenes were excellent and I was locked in while reading. Whooo boy, they were hot.

I really enjoyed this novel and if you are a fan of any of Briana's other works, you will love this one.

Thank you to the author and The Next Step PR LLC for access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[✿ Raloudi | A Biblio-Traveller · Rating 4.75 out of 5]

𝐴𝑛 𝐴𝑅𝐶 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑣𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑦 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑎𝑢𝑡ℎ𝑜𝑟

So bloody delicious and a love story to kill for. All puns intended, by the way.

I thank my lucky bookish stars that I got to stumble upon this book's ARC sign-up form, and I am even more thankful that I got approved for receiving one. Because this story was everything; also, its plot twist plot-twisted super hard! I'm still not over that, to be honest.

Without a doubt, one of the best-written stories that I had the privilege to read and experience this year. Creed & Lexi - the epitome of meant to be.

𝙒𝙤𝙬, 𝙬𝙚’𝙧𝙚 𝙖 𝙥𝙖𝙞𝙧, 𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙣’𝙩 𝙬𝙚? 𝙄𝙛 𝙛𝙪𝙘𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙤𝙣𝙚’𝙨 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙖 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙪𝙖𝙜𝙚, 𝙄’𝙙 𝙨𝙖𝙮 𝙬𝙚’𝙧𝙚 𝙗𝙤𝙩𝙝 𝙛𝙡𝙪𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙞𝙣 𝙞𝙩. 𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙𝙣’𝙩 𝙗𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙛𝙡𝙚𝙭 𝙄’𝙢 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙩.

A murder-meet-cute in a remote cabin in the woods that turned into a freaking hoootttt, absolutely insane, mind-blowing love with an epic revenge plan as dessert. Both Creed & Lexi's arcs are impeccable and the way they connect with each other from the get go, it's crazy good. They are the yin to the other's yang. I can't think of a better description for what they have. While Lexi is the impulsive, go-with-the-vibe, messy, adventurous killer, Creed comes to complete her with his meticulous planning, extensive color-coded spreadsheet, OCD-level of cleanliness after he is done with his victims.

“𝙎𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙥𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙨𝙖𝙮 𝙞𝙩’𝙨 𝙬𝙧𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙖 𝙠𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙧.”
“𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝙄 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙖𝙧𝙜𝙪𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙞𝙩 𝙙𝙚𝙥𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙨 𝙤𝙣 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙠𝙞𝙡𝙡.”

I was hooked from the start, and as the story progressed and more things about Lexi's past were been revealed, the more intrigued I got. Until I reached the big reveal of everything, which felt quite similar to the Big Bang. I knew something wasn't quite connecting, but I didn't see THAT fully coming.

But beyond the love that these two share, the story is honestly so much bigger than them. They are not murderers just for the hell of it. Their murders aren't only for fun; their targets are what evilness is made of and are reflecting the current status of our world and the society that we live in.

“𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙩’𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙗𝙡𝙚𝙢 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖 𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙩. 𝙉𝙤 𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙧𝙮, 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙘𝙖𝙣’𝙩 𝙠𝙚𝙚𝙥 𝙪𝙥. 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙡 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙 𝙞𝙨 𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙞𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙤 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣 𝙞𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙖𝙣𝙣𝙞𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙚. 𝙈𝙮 𝙟𝙤𝙗 𝙞𝙨 𝙣𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧-𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜."

A book that's incredibly worth reading! Murder, love, dark humor, insanity and very very hooott content. It has everything.

[Robin (DocRobReads) · Rating 4.25 out of 5]

Honestly? This was shaping up to be a 3.5/3.75🌟 for me. And then, around 75%, there was a major twist. Like the kind that makes you stop and reconsider everything you thought you understood up to that point. For that reason alone, I bumped my rating up half a star. 🤣 I can not stress this enough: check the trigger warnings. There are a lot of hard topics in this one (as though the title didn't kind of signal that up front), but given the subject matter, I think Michaels handled it well. This was the first time I've read this author, but it won't be the last. 💖

[Amber | Book Dragon Besties · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lexi is a walking disaster with a deadly plan, Creed has the patience of a saint, and Briana Michaels clearly woke up and chose violence with those twists! I was hooked from the start, and these two had me absolutely glued to the pages. Think Harley Quinn energy, a clumsy girl who refuses to let anything stop her, and a man who deserves serious recognition for keeping up with her. The banter? The one-liners? The chemistry? I was eating up every second!

I was a little hesitant to dive into this one since I haven't been reading much dark romance lately, but Briana Michaels has earned my trust with every book I've read from her. Lexi completely won me over, and watching her navigate her plans with Creed's guidance was ridiculously entertaining. Their dynamic made this story such a blast, and between the sharp banter, undeniable chemistry, and Creed's number one rule, I never wanted to put it down.

And those twists! Just when I thought I knew where Briana was taking this story, she threw another curveball. Near the end, I was ready to be absolutely FURIOUS with her, only for her to pull another twist and turn everything on its head. I swear, this woman cannot be trusted, and I mean that in the best possible way!

If you love your dark romance with an unforgettable heroine, a patient hero, wicked banter, scorching chemistry, and plot twists that leave you questioning everything, The Killer’s Apprentice needs to be on your list!

[Marianne Tuakoi · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

I'm usually not a fan of reading about serial unalivers - I mean, I will definitely read it, and I usually applaud them on their lists of evil doers, BUT it's not a trope/genre that I gravitate towards. This book had a grip on me from the beginning.

First of all - Lexi is completely deranged, unhinged, looney tunes but ohhhh so loveable. I knew there was definitely more to her and her story. But Creed....oh my !!! It wasn't even the sexiness of him, the way he protected her and took her on from the jump that I fell for. It was his patience with her! If you don't fall for him for just that... goodness - every woman should have a man who can show that amount of patience and love without losing his mind is a keeper!!

I will say, the twist towards the end had me GASPING out loud and heart dropping to my feet - I wanted to cry because it went against everything I believed about Creed...it was so unbelievable yet written in a way that I completely believed it ... and it hurt.

Thank you for clarifying and making me whole again. I loved this book.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

🔪 BOOK REVIEW: The Killer’s Apprentice by Briana Michaels 🔪

✨ ARC Review | Thank you to The Next Step PR for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review! ✨

“Basic murder 101: Always put things back in order so the victim doesn’t get suspicious.”

I LOVE Briana Michaels’ writing, and I have been looking forward to this book for so long! The second I got my ARC, I jumped right in, and let me tell you… THIS BOOK DID NOT DISAPPOINT! 🔥📚 I couldn’t put it down… except when that annoying thing called real life got in the way. 😂

I fell in love with Lexi from the very beginning! She is such a dynamic character, and her clumsy-girl-with-a-plan energy had me hooked. And Creed? That man deserves a medal for his patience! 😂 The banter, the one-liners, the chemistry… I was living for ALL of it!

I actually had to start a separate note on my phone just to save all my favorite lines! 🤣 And can we talk about the chapter titles?! Each one has a quote or line from the chapter, and I started trying to guess when it would pop up. Did I get them right? Sometimes! 👀

Lexi has a plan, but she definitely needs Creed’s guidance, and watching their story unfold was SO much fun! Add in twists, turns, and Creed’s number one rule…

DON’T TRUST ANYONE! 🔪👀

“You’re a liability, darling.”
“Only if you let me be.”

Need I say more?! 😏🔥

Briana Michaels did it again! If you love witty banter, unforgettable characters, twists you don’t see coming, and a story that keeps you turning pages, add this one to your TBR! ❤️‍🔥

⭐ My verdict: I absolutely loved it!

#TheKillersApprentice #BrianaMichaels #TheNextStepPR #ARCReview #BookReview #Bookstagram #RomanceBooks #BookRecommendations

[Mary West · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. My mind was blown at the end of this book. I won't spoil it, but Ms. Briana Michaels you had me, you really had me. For a second. I couldn't put this book down and stayed up way too late to finish it last night.
Lexi and Creed are amazing characters. They are both witty and funny. I loved Lexi's sense of humor. I laughed out loud so many times! Lexi's trauma is so relatable. I can see how someone could turn out like her. I could even see parts of my own trauma in her.
I'm usually a fan of dark romance. It always feels so unbelievable and just too.....mean? But this book isn't written that way. I love that it actually feels like something that could happen. Lexi and Creed seem like real people with real pain and real trauma. And Creed doesn't want to further her trauma, he wants to help her heal.
This book so so good. I haven't read anything by Briana Michaels that i haven't loved!

[Brittany Bell · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

Review from Advanced Readers Copy

🔥 Briana has done it AGAIN! 🔥

This book had me hooked from the very beginning, and I was instantly obsessed with Lexi and Creed! They are both crazy and psycho in the very best ways. 😍 The banter between these two had me laughing out loud. Their chemistry is EVERYTHING, and I could not get enough of them! 😂❤️

I was hooked from start to finish and seriously could not put this book down. And THAT ENDING?! 😱 I did NOT see that coming! I love when a book catches me completely off guard, and this one definitely delivered. Honestly, I think I love it even more because of that twist!

Thank you Briana for the ARC


Another hit from Briana ! I need more! 😍🙌

[Bre reads · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

🔪 Book Review 🔪

For the fans of The Serial Killer book club, Butcher and Blackbird, along with the Slaycation series, and dexter this is the book for you.

Creed is just trying to go about his business as any regular old killer does when he is rudely interrupted by a drop dead gorgeous woman. Lexi is out for revenge and is fighting her own demons in her head when they come across the same target. Instead of going separate ways she asked one question teach me how to be like you let me be your apprentice. As they turn into each others partner in crime will they rat each other out? Will they learn to trust each other? Trust is a deadly game among killers find out who will come out on top.

[Chelsey Black · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is Dual Pov between two unhinged people. It has hilarious witty lines that you will feel like highlighting. Some of my favorites:

“Crimes can still have whimsy.”

“You need to be more cuttlefishy. Engage in a dance battle in technicolor for me.”

I loved the banter and chemistry between both Creed and Lexi. There was so much humor while also still showing how deeply traumatized they are as people. There are heartbreaking moments and some intense twist. I enjoy books extremely dark at times while other times I need something like this story to give a good mix of humor with the darkness.

Thank you for the chance to ARC! 🖤

[Taylor · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

Advanced Reader Copy Review

These psychos had me hooked from the first chapter! Lexi and Creed are what hilarious nightmares are made of, but they are somehow prefect for each other. Lexi is insane chaos and while Creed is just as insane, if not more so, he balanced out the chaos very well.

This book had a bit of everything: murder, comedy, sweetness and of course spice. It was written in a way that grabs the reader’s attention so that you only stop reading at the end. And what an ending it was! I’m not sure what I’m supposed to do now.

[Kara · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

I’ve liked everything I’ve read from Briana Michaels and this one might be my favorite. Lexi breaks into a cabin wearing a weighted vest and boots five sizes too big to kill a guy, and Creed is already hiding inside waiting to kill the same guy. He’s furious that she’s leaving fingerprints on everything. That’s how they meet.

He agrees to teach her how to kill without getting caught, so he drugs her drink at a diner to teach her not to trust him. She gets him back by drugging his fries and throwing him in her trunk with a toucan pillowcase over his head. That’s pretty much their whole relationship. He has a color coded spreadsheet of people to kill and throws away her flip flops because they’re too loud. She keeps checking his pants to see if they’re on fire because he’s such a liar. I laughed through most of it.

Lexi has a lot of trauma and the book doesn’t joke about that part, so read the warnings. Lots of spice too. Fight cage, masks, it goes there.

Don’t read spoilers for the ending. Things you wouldn’t think twice about early on end up mattering. I liked it a lot.

[jamies_bookreads · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

Oh the fun that is this book! Briana Michaels I adore Lexi! She is perfectly quirky and chaotic and just enough dramatic that makes her hilarious!

This book was a blend of sweet - humor - darkness and pure spice! It wouldn’t be a a Briana book without the spice.

Creed has the patience of a saint and just as on the right side of unhinged. Lexi a lot of things, but without Creed she would have been lost.

I truly enjoyed this book.

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am at a loss for words... LOL! To say that Lexi was definitely bats**t crazy would be an understatement, but appearances can be deceiving... mostly... you'll just have to read the book to understand that. Creed has his hands full trying to train Lexi, but eventually falls in love with her and loves every crazy inch of her. This book will suck you in and never let you go until the end.

[Missy · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

Holy twist! This book really held my attention and finished in one day. Creed and Lexi meet in an unexpected situation and from there, he takes her on as his apprentice. Showing her the ropes of his lively hood as one may put it, teaching her how to be a better killer. However, things don’t always look as they may appear. The twist had me like whaaaat?! 🌶️🌶️🌶️ on the spice scale. Must read!

[Lauren Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love unhinged feminine rage mixed with a patient, utterly obsessed alpha hitman, you need to read this immediately.! Lexi and Creed's chemistry is off the charts, dangerous, and completely addictive. The spice is top tier (the praise, the bratting, the discipline, 🥵), but the plot keeps you hooked the entire time. Creed is a flawless, calculated professional, and Lexi is a chaotic hurricane of feminine rage who completely upends his structured world. Watching him patiently handle her impulsiveness while slowly letting his dark obsession take over was incredible. She literally crashed his crime scene and he just let her go for it. But THEN. The twist. I can't even tell you about the twist. I want to scream about the twist. Every single scene you thought you understood was a lie, and not a cheap lie, a meticulously constructed method acting operation that recontextualizes the entire book. When you find out what's real and what's performance your jaw will hit the floor. It's fast paced, highly exciting, packed with incredible spice, and emotionally devastating in a way I did not see coming. A standalone masterpiece!

[Petra Hart · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

WOW.

Highly recommended for fans of Brynne Weaver and JT Geissinger. This isn’t just another serial killer romance. With this book Michaels makes the gruesome psychopath x psychopath sub-genre her own.

If I have a complaint it’s that the middle bogs down and gets repetitive.

CW: everything is on-page. Please read the warnings. Seriously.

What I loved
😬Endless surprises. The twistiness is as unpredictable as Lexi is.
🤼‍♂️It’s a masterclass in dual POV. I think I highlighted most of ch 8+9.
🤐Secrets within secrets within secrets.
🫢Holy shit moments out of the blue.

Michaels is hit-or-miss for me. I loved Glitch, but few of the others could hold my interest, especially the supernatural ones. I’m so glad I gave this one a try!

[Kye | Dark Books · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

I was bamboozled by that ending but totally in a good way.

I was sucked in from chapter 1. Creed and Lexi were just complete opposites and it was hilarious to see how their dynamic played out. Creed was the serious, grumpy, black cat while Lexi was the unhinged golden retriever.

While the plot was about teaching young grasshopper Lexi how to be a successful serial killer, it was romance/relationship building foremost. Admittedly, i honestly was disappointed a tad because their shmurder scenes were funny and warranted and wanted more of the “hands-on” experience. With that said - after what I learned at the end with that twist LITERALLY EVERYTHING MADE SENSE on why it played out the way it did. Chef’s kiss, no notes.

As someone who read her Next Level series, I was surprised that the spice level wasn’t through the roof, but I’m not complaining. It allowed the relationship to grow without it being all about sexual attraction. I truly felt the love and devotion Lexi and Creed had for each other.

This was such a fun read!

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

5⭐️
🌶🌶🌶
Dual POV

Killer romance
Dark romcom
Dexter meets Harley Quinn
Age gap (26/32)
Ex military turned killer for hire
Grumpy x sunshine
Partners in crime
Rage/revenge
Obsessed MMC
Touch her and die
Brat taming
Edging
Hand necklaces
Mask play
Toy play
Good girl
Caretaking
He falls first
HEA
TWs

This was an absolute trip and so much more fun than I expected! Going in knowing very little beyond the premise, I wasn't prepared for just how unhinged, hilarious, and entertaining this story would be. It's a dark rom-com wrapped in a killer romance, with a Dexter-coded killer teaching a Harley Quinn-coded woman how to kill ("properly"), and their dynamic is EVERYTHING.

Creed's meticulous, methodical, and always three steps ahead. A man who needs control, plans for every contingency (with his handy dandy spreadsheets), and has spent years channeling his darker urges into taking out truly terrible people. Lexi's an impulsive, chaotic wildcard who runs on emotion and caffeine, and seems determined to poke every button he has. Their meet-cute at a murder scene is basically the perfect introduction to this absolute unhinged pairing.

And then the lessons begin. Watching him try to teach this woman how to kill properly/better while navigating her particular brand of chaos was endlessly entertaining. She's completely unpredictable, and some of the things that come out of her mouth are so wildly out of pocket that I had to highlight them. The Mario coins comment? MA'AM. 💀 Meanwhile, he's observant and patient enough to recognize when she's deliberately pushing his buttons, and his occasional comebacks are just as good.

These two are the definition of *match my freak*. She brings a level of chaos he can't control, and despite himself, he thrives on it. For a man who needs everything planned and organized, there's something fascinating about how much he feeds off having someone around who keeps him guessing. Their growing attraction feels natural, and the dynamic between them is just as entertaining as you'd hope.

Frankly, Creed is the biggest part of why their dynamic worked so well. This man has never really known love or happiness, and watching him fall harder and harder for her is SO satisfying. He's completely fascinated by her chaos, and it's not in spite of her shenanigans but BECAUSE of them. For someone who needs control over practically everything, he's surprisingly patient with her, taking a step back when needed and recognizing when she needs care and understanding rather than frustration. And the further he falls, the more he wants to be the person who takes care of her. He wants her happy, safe, spoiled, and given anything her heart desires, no matter how outrageous the request. This unhinged killer has a whole lot of darkness in him, but the humanity he has left seems to come alive around her. He's not just obsessed with her. He genuinely wants to give her the world, and a man who can kill the bad guys, match your freak, and make it his personal mission to take care of you? HOT.

One thing I really appreciated was how Briana balanced the humor with the darker elements of Lexi's character. Beneath all the unhinged shenanigans, there are glimpses of some seriously heavy trauma in the way Lexi behaves, reacts, and navigates the world. The story doesn't dwell on that darkness, but it doesn't make light of it either. Looking back, some of those signs were there all along, which makes the way everything comes together even more impactful.

And underneath all the humor, there's a solid story driving everything forward. She's working toward a very personal end goal, and watching that unfold alongside their increasingly chaotic dynamic kept me invested from beginning to end. The pacing is snappy, the entertainment value stays consistent, and the payoff is SO satisfying.

And that ending? I was FLOORED. I went into this for the chaotic characters and dark humor, and I left thoroughly impressed by how everything came together. There was a moment when I started questioning whether I was missing something, but I couldn't have anticipated the full extent of where things were going. The reveal completely reframed things for me, and it genuinely elevated the entire reading experience. This is one of those books I'd recommend going into as blind as possible.

My only little wish is that we could've gotten her POV during that final revenge moment. After everything she'd been working toward, I would've loved to experience that moment through her eyes, too. But that's a small wish in an otherwise thoroughly entertaining read.

Briana Michaels stepped outside her usual style with this one, and I'm so glad I gave it a chance! She delivered an entertaining plot, unhinged humor, and a satisfying balance of romance and spice. With a chaotic FMC, a meticulously unhinged MMC, killer chemistry, and a revenge story that delivers right through the end, what's not to love?

Come for the unhinged chaos. Stay for the chemistry. Get absolutely wrecked by the ending.

[Liz · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

My first read from this author, but I’m on a bit of a dark romcom kick at the moment and The Killer’s Apprentice sounded right up my street. I’m a sucker for protagonists who are complete opposites, and these two definitely fit the bill. Both are serial killers, but while he’s methodical and calculated, she’s basically Harley Quinn personified. What could possibly go wrong?

Lexi is bubbly, chaotic and a whole lotta psycho, on a mission to avenge her brother’s brutal murder by taking out his killers one by one. Creed crosses paths with her while preparing to do the same, only to watch in absolute bewilderment as she leaves enough evidence behind to practically convict herself. Somehow, he ends up offering to teach her how to get away with murder, and an unlikely partnership begins. Of course, Lexi seems to have missed one rather important rule along the way: don’t trust anyone especially the teacher!

I really enjoyed the dynamic between these two. Their personalities are so different, which makes for some genuinely funny moments, and the chemistry was definitely there. The dialogue was sharp, the dark humour delicious, and I liked how their connection developed. For me, the contrast between their approaches to pretty much everything was what made their interactions so entertaining. And then, without giving anything away, there’s the twist that completely blindsided me. I genuinely didn’t see it coming but it has left me intrigued at what else this author has up her sleeve

Overall, a fun, twisted read with plenty of dark humour, great character dynamics and just the right amount of spice. Definitely a solid choice if, like me, you enjoy your romcoms with a little murder thrown into the mix.

[Michelle Ottey · Rating 2.5 out of 5]

I don’t know there was something about this one I just didn’t vibe with. The concept sounded really interesting but I don’t know maybe I came into it with the wrong expectations. The mmc was an interesting character and I liked how it looked like there was always more to him. The fmc thou I really just could not stand, it was like it was trying for a ridiculous rendition of Harley Quinn or something. She was utterly insane and I did not get with all the dumb ass decisions that she makes. I was much more interested in who she really was when that ridiculous persona wasn’t at the forefront and she seemed to be more like what she actually is. It showed so much more of her vulnerable and real side, those were the moments I enjoyed. The relationship between her and him was good for the most part. His switch up happens a bit suddenly but they still connected really well. The ending really threw me for a loop thou, I’ve never seen a plot twist so much damage to the story and not positively. It was really just kind of confusing and I felt it took a lot away from the connection we saw get built between the fmc and mmc. It just made the entire story feel almost fake and quite irritating. While there was some revelations that were good for the story there was some that just took the story and made it all irrelevant. In terms of spice, it’s about a 3/5, it starts a bit slow and then picks up really well, I enjoyed the spice, I think they did have some good chemistry at least before that ending. Overall, I don’t know what I was expecting but it wasn’t this. It bypassed funny and went straight to ridiculous unfortunately for me. It’s a 2.5/5 for me.

[Zara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review of Advanced Reader Copy from Author..

Twisted Love

Creed - A serial killer who hunts the bad guys, stumbles upon Lexi, during a killing.

He takes her on to be his apprentice, so he can teach her how to kill properly and not leave a mess.

Yet, all along. Creed has been playing with her, and showing her everything she knows, whilst also lying to her.

She has no memory of her childhood, only knows names of those she wants to kill, and talks to her brother, and Mr.Dark... And yet all along, Mr.Dark, is Creed!

Creed saved "Lexi" (also known as Valerie), when she was locked in a container at 16yr old, by her own father.

And after coming face to face with Riot, who recognises her.. The ending becomes all to clear.

This book had me hooked from the beginning.

Creed & Lexi are the best duo I've come across when it comes to killing off people who deserve it

[Samantha Flory · Rating 4.75 out of 5]

This book was absolute chaos and I ate it up!
Lexi and Creed are both completely unhinged, and honestly, their dynamic was everything. 😂 Lexi is on a revenge mission and ends up asking Creed to take her under his wing, while he’s all about everything being perfectly planned and she is basically chaos personified. 😭
I loved the banter, dark humour and all the craziness between these two. I flew through this book and could barely put it down.
But that ENDING?! 👀💀 I genuinely did not see it coming. I thought I had things figured out and then… nope! Completely blindsided.
Such a fun, chaotic and unhinged read. Definitely one to pick up if you love dark romance with a little humour and twists that will leave you questioning everything! 🖤

[BackwardsBookshelf (Melanie) · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

The Killer's Apprentice is chaotic, addictive, and impossible to put down. Briana Michaels seamlessly combines laughter-out-loud humor with serial killer chaos. From the first page, I was completely invested in Lexi and Creed's chaotic energy. Whether they were testing their limits or creating absolute chaos, their dynamic was so entertaining. Their verbal sparring was hilarious, and their unfiltered inner thoughts took the banter to another level. Dark, hilarious and completely addictive. Do yourself a favour and add this to your TBR.

Thank you The Next Step PR and Briana for the killer read =)

[jules · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

i’ve loved anything from briana michaels since i read glitch but THIS BOOK!!! this book was so interesting and was a really fun dynamic between creed (swoon) and lexi. as someone who loved mindf*ck series i loved reading another revenge killing woman who was a little f*cked up while being completely relatable and amusing to read her inner monologue. briana michaels does an amazing job at making her mmc’s dreamy and her fmc’s easy to like while having plenty of depth and connection.

professional serial x revenge killer
grumpy x sunshine who’s also somehow a black cat
stalking
bratty fmc

[Leah Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

killer good

I really enjoyed this book. Briana has written some pretty good serial killer books. This one had lots of twists, turns, spice, banter, and shock reveal. The ending had me questioning the entire book. I was shook. Lexi was loony as can be and seriously messed up in the head. And she seems so innocent and unstable. Creed was easy to fall in love with, but also felt like I was waiting for the shoe to drop and him to turn evil. Let’s just say, the ending changed everything I thought and knew. Honestly such a good twister of a story.

[Stephie · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW, Thank you to Briana Michaels for the opportunity
Wow wow wow.
Creed is a professional at killing but he only kills the bad people. You know the ones who steal children, gun run, ect.
Lexi is a tornado messy work evidence everywhere.
She wants to learn the clean way, Creed can teach her the way.
Can she be taught his ways, does he have the patience to wrangle her wild ways in.⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🌶🌶🌶