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Virtual Vice #1
Immersed
Love at first death. Obsession at every resurrection. Levi Mercer wanted to honor his brother's memory with a charity stream. The VR horror game was supposed to last a few hours. Instead, it became an endless nightmare where the monsters are predictable, but the man hunting him is not. Death resets the scenario but not his killer's growing obsession.
Through forest slashers and haunted hospitals, their encounters shift from quick murders to lingering touches, from clinical kills to intimate whispers. He's collecting Levi's responses like data, learning what makes him gasp, what makes him shudder, what makes him break. The scenarios grow more complex, but so does the psychological game. When your killer starts protecting you from other threats, when violence becomes indistinguishable from possession, when you realize he's not trying to break you but to remake you—how do you fight back against someone who's rewriting your instincts one death at a time?
This book has a HFN (Happy for Now) ending and a minor cliffhanger for the overall plot that will continue in the next book.
Content This dark romance contains graphic violence, psychological manipulation, attempted SA, dubious consent, trauma bonding, and explicit sexual content within an abusive relationship dynamic. Features virtual reality horror scenarios with repeated character deaths, including suicide, and Stockholm syndrome themes. Intended for mature listeners comfortable with psychologically intense content.
Through forest slashers and haunted hospitals, their encounters shift from quick murders to lingering touches, from clinical kills to intimate whispers. He's collecting Levi's responses like data, learning what makes him gasp, what makes him shudder, what makes him break. The scenarios grow more complex, but so does the psychological game. When your killer starts protecting you from other threats, when violence becomes indistinguishable from possession, when you realize he's not trying to break you but to remake you—how do you fight back against someone who's rewriting your instincts one death at a time?
This book has a HFN (Happy for Now) ending and a minor cliffhanger for the overall plot that will continue in the next book.
Content This dark romance contains graphic violence, psychological manipulation, attempted SA, dubious consent, trauma bonding, and explicit sexual content within an abusive relationship dynamic. Features virtual reality horror scenarios with repeated character deaths, including suicide, and Stockholm syndrome themes. Intended for mature listeners comfortable with psychologically intense content.
Audible Audio
First published October 5, 2025
About the author
Gale Ian Tate
10 books425 followersGale Ian Tate is a Midwest Cornfield Gremlin and will not pay your therapy bills if you read her books. She writes the kind of mm dark romance that makes you question your life choices in the best possible way. When not crafting morally questionable characters doing questionable things, she can be found buried in a book, rolling dice in yet another D&D campaign, or frantically crocheting while binge-watching whatever series has stolen her soul.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 802 reviews
June 3, 2026
This book is unhinged. I haven't read many MM horror stories, but this one has me clutching my metaphorical pearls, screaming at Levi to stop making every classic horror movie mistake in the book.
I loved the mix of first and third person writing. The world building is really well done. The video game setting feels like actual reality for the characters, and it gave me so much anxiety stressing out for them. Everything is chaotic and tense, and I could not put this book down.
I am immediately jumping into the second book. There are clearly a lot of loose ends to tie up, and I can't wait to see how it all resolves.
I loved the mix of first and third person writing. The world building is really well done. The video game setting feels like actual reality for the characters, and it gave me so much anxiety stressing out for them. Everything is chaotic and tense, and I could not put this book down.
I am immediately jumping into the second book. There are clearly a lot of loose ends to tie up, and I can't wait to see how it all resolves.
May 8, 2026
Well, that was just delightful! Immersed firmly belongs to the “hear me out” category, so...HEAR ME OUT 👀
Levi is a small-time streamer who decides to raise some money for mental health awareness, still grieving his late brother, by beta testing a brand new VR set he’s been sent. He hates horror games, but Ethan loved them, so Levi is ready to embarrass himself in front of the handful of people who watch his channel.
The instructions say the game will provide a “psychologically adaptive horror experience”. Levi is about to find out how literal they are - after putting the headset on, he loses consciousness and wakes up in the middle of a forest.
Cue survivalist horror, a killer who’s instantly drawn to Levi, and escape room shenanigans but make it escape virtual reality. While trying not to be seduced by the handsome sociopath with mismatched eyes, of course.
The horror of it all is, after a while, more entertaining than spooky, originating in the situation itself. Being trapped in a reality that’s intent on hunting you is simply horrific. Especially to me, I’ve never played a horror game and never will - Snake on my old Nokia gave me anxiety, I would actually DIE 😅
Now that I think about it, this might be my first MM dark romance?? Though I’m still side-eyeing the word “romance”. The relationship forming between Levi and Asher is very much prey/predator, very toxic, very obsessive...and god help me but they were so HOT! I want to at least add “uncomfortably so” but that would be a fat lie 😏
What I truly loved is how self-aware the book is about Levi and Asher. Levi doesn’t have any delusions about Asher. He knows he’s being manipulated and conditioned into needing and wanting him, he actually resists for the longest time, even while his body was responding. That descent into giving in, accepting Asher as the only constant that actually brings comfort, was probably my favorite part. In a world of horrors, fear, and repeating death, the boy who’s obsessed and intent on saving you seems like a bright light in the dark instead of yet another shadow.
And Asher! Damn but I have to hand it to the author, they threw him at us with a clear “This one is actually fucked in the head, do with that what you will” and I had a great time being gaslit together with Levi. He’s so delulu but...you know what, I accept him, he’s fun! ❤️
(And if I ever encountered him, I would toss Levi at him as a distraction and run like hell. And you should too.)
Did I mention already how unbearably hot they were together?? I think I half expected some boring smutfest but ooohlalaaa was I wrong, the author skillfully edged me with almosts until the anticipation was killing me and I was ready for them to GO at it 😳
I do have to say, the writing was...hmm. Definitely a bit unpolished and very repetitive in the beginning (countless variations of Asher’s touch being “disturbingly tender” or “unexpectedly gentle” and him being a predator in general) to the point I started to roll my eyes...but either it actually got better, or I stopped paying attention. The pace was amazing, the short chapters snappy and kept the story going, so the page count (around 450 pages) felt maybe half of what it actually was!
I don’t even know who to recommend this to because either you’ll thank me, or come back here to stare at me incredulously. I guess, go pick it up if you don’t mind dark yet entertaining “romances” and you love the vibe the cover is giving!
And don’t forget to check the trigger warnings - I adore how absolutely thorough the author was with them!
(Did I go back to them only after reading the book? Possibly.)
Levi is a small-time streamer who decides to raise some money for mental health awareness, still grieving his late brother, by beta testing a brand new VR set he’s been sent. He hates horror games, but Ethan loved them, so Levi is ready to embarrass himself in front of the handful of people who watch his channel.
The instructions say the game will provide a “psychologically adaptive horror experience”. Levi is about to find out how literal they are - after putting the headset on, he loses consciousness and wakes up in the middle of a forest.
Cue survivalist horror, a killer who’s instantly drawn to Levi, and escape room shenanigans but make it escape virtual reality. While trying not to be seduced by the handsome sociopath with mismatched eyes, of course.
The horror of it all is, after a while, more entertaining than spooky, originating in the situation itself. Being trapped in a reality that’s intent on hunting you is simply horrific. Especially to me, I’ve never played a horror game and never will - Snake on my old Nokia gave me anxiety, I would actually DIE 😅
Now that I think about it, this might be my first MM dark romance?? Though I’m still side-eyeing the word “romance”. The relationship forming between Levi and Asher is very much prey/predator, very toxic, very obsessive...and god help me but they were so HOT! I want to at least add “uncomfortably so” but that would be a fat lie 😏
What I truly loved is how self-aware the book is about Levi and Asher. Levi doesn’t have any delusions about Asher. He knows he’s being manipulated and conditioned into needing and wanting him, he actually resists for the longest time, even while his body was responding. That descent into giving in, accepting Asher as the only constant that actually brings comfort, was probably my favorite part. In a world of horrors, fear, and repeating death, the boy who’s obsessed and intent on saving you seems like a bright light in the dark instead of yet another shadow.
And Asher! Damn but I have to hand it to the author, they threw him at us with a clear “This one is actually fucked in the head, do with that what you will” and I had a great time being gaslit together with Levi. He’s so delulu but...you know what, I accept him, he’s fun! ❤️
(And if I ever encountered him, I would toss Levi at him as a distraction and run like hell. And you should too.)
Did I mention already how unbearably hot they were together?? I think I half expected some boring smutfest but ooohlalaaa was I wrong, the author skillfully edged me with almosts until the anticipation was killing me and I was ready for them to GO at it 😳
I do have to say, the writing was...hmm. Definitely a bit unpolished and very repetitive in the beginning (countless variations of Asher’s touch being “disturbingly tender” or “unexpectedly gentle” and him being a predator in general) to the point I started to roll my eyes...but either it actually got better, or I stopped paying attention. The pace was amazing, the short chapters snappy and kept the story going, so the page count (around 450 pages) felt maybe half of what it actually was!
I don’t even know who to recommend this to because either you’ll thank me, or come back here to stare at me incredulously. I guess, go pick it up if you don’t mind dark yet entertaining “romances” and you love the vibe the cover is giving!
And don’t forget to check the trigger warnings - I adore how absolutely thorough the author was with them!
(Did I go back to them only after reading the book? Possibly.)
October 26, 2025
This was a very fun idea of a story for people who sunk a lot of time into games like Silent Hill and Resident Evil. Essentially Levi, our main character, is isekai'd into a horror game, except instead of Truck-kun, there is a mysterious prototype VR headset that is designed to be psychologically adaptive to the user, trapping Levi in an endless loop of death and respawning.
I enjoyed this book but I do think there is an important caveat to be said here that this book is primarily a horror story, and while there is a queer relationship with the MCs I hesitant to say that this is a romance due to the degree of toxicity present ( He wasn’t just the red flag, he was the bubbling vat of dye that made the red flags at the red flag factory ). The best way I can describe the dynamic between Asher and Levi is ‘Pepe Le Pew and Penelope the cat’, except that Pepe Le Pew is a homicidal psychopath who is trapped between the twin desires of wanting to kill Penelope or possess her. Very much a book for the “I don’t want to change him, I want the monster as he is” crowd.
I think that at the 2/3 mark the story did start to drag a little bit and I wish that the plot and details surrounding the horror games was a little tighter but it still remained a good piece of escapism.
I appreciate that the author included an extensive and comprehensive list of trigger warnings and support services at the start of the book, showing that while they might be writing some toxic dynamics there is still a priority placed on the care and boundaries of the reading audience.
All that being said, whilst some of the content was rather graphic, I found that due to violence being viewed through the lens of a video game I didn’t find it particularly dark or confronting, however, the initial interactions between Asher and Levi in the Slasher game, were definitely the ones that I found the most violent and I think the ones people would be the most off put by.
Super excited to read the second half of this duology when it’s released next year!
✨Content Warnings ✨
Repeated graphic violence and character death of the MC by various methods (including at the hands of the love interest), self harm/suicide, medical experimentation and body horror, dubcon/noncon between the MCs, trauma bonding and emotional manipulation.
I enjoyed this book but I do think there is an important caveat to be said here that this book is primarily a horror story, and while there is a queer relationship with the MCs I hesitant to say that this is a romance due to the degree of toxicity present ( He wasn’t just the red flag, he was the bubbling vat of dye that made the red flags at the red flag factory ). The best way I can describe the dynamic between Asher and Levi is ‘Pepe Le Pew and Penelope the cat’, except that Pepe Le Pew is a homicidal psychopath who is trapped between the twin desires of wanting to kill Penelope or possess her. Very much a book for the “I don’t want to change him, I want the monster as he is” crowd.
I think that at the 2/3 mark the story did start to drag a little bit and I wish that the plot and details surrounding the horror games was a little tighter but it still remained a good piece of escapism.
I appreciate that the author included an extensive and comprehensive list of trigger warnings and support services at the start of the book, showing that while they might be writing some toxic dynamics there is still a priority placed on the care and boundaries of the reading audience.
All that being said, whilst some of the content was rather graphic, I found that due to violence being viewed through the lens of a video game I didn’t find it particularly dark or confronting, however, the initial interactions between Asher and Levi in the Slasher game, were definitely the ones that I found the most violent and I think the ones people would be the most off put by.
Super excited to read the second half of this duology when it’s released next year!
✨Content Warnings ✨
Repeated graphic violence and character death of the MC by various methods (including at the hands of the love interest), self harm/suicide, medical experimentation and body horror, dubcon/noncon between the MCs, trauma bonding and emotional manipulation.
September 20, 2026
3.5-3.75 stars but I'll round up because that audiobook thoughhhhh 🫦🫦🫦
Ok so I went in with zero to low expectations tbh. I just wanted to have an unhinged time and this delivered on the unhingedness😅😅 I LOVEDDDDD the whole video game aspect of the book; it was very resident evil/bioshock coded with the creepiness and the little puzzles to solve. That was actually my favorite part of the book and where I had the most fun. The action sequences were entertaining and I enjoyed how the game kept adapting and evolving.
The romance was sooo questionable😅 I liked the characters, but I'm not like obsessed with them yk? They had some hot moments but I feel like there's something missing for me.. I think it's because there are still so many unanswered questions surrounding Asher and why he became so obsessed with Levi. Like are you just a psycho (totally fine with that btw😅) or is there something we don't know yet? (also fine with that too😅) Their romance was very Stockholm Syndrome/codependent coded but I'm not mad about it yk🤣 I'll allow a lot in a dark romance😅
Asher was funny though ngl especially at the end when their lives were literally in imminent danger and he was concerned with the sex tape🤣 He was very much a black flag mmc who had some green flag moments for Levi and only Levi... and yes I did not mind that one bit😅
I liked how Levi sort of grew into his own as the game progressed.. he became more confident but was still somewhat innocent regarding some stuff iykwim😅
Overall, this was genuinely a fun time but I'm sure my enjoyment was enhanced because of the video game aspect.. if you are not a horror video game fan, this would not appeal to you that much. Excited to see what happens in book 2 and will get to it as soon as the audio hopefully drops!
Ok so I went in with zero to low expectations tbh. I just wanted to have an unhinged time and this delivered on the unhingedness😅😅 I LOVEDDDDD the whole video game aspect of the book; it was very resident evil/bioshock coded with the creepiness and the little puzzles to solve. That was actually my favorite part of the book and where I had the most fun. The action sequences were entertaining and I enjoyed how the game kept adapting and evolving.
The romance was sooo questionable😅 I liked the characters, but I'm not like obsessed with them yk? They had some hot moments but I feel like there's something missing for me.. I think it's because there are still so many unanswered questions surrounding Asher and why he became so obsessed with Levi. Like are you just a psycho (totally fine with that btw😅) or is there something we don't know yet? (also fine with that too😅) Their romance was very Stockholm Syndrome/codependent coded but I'm not mad about it yk🤣 I'll allow a lot in a dark romance😅
Asher was funny though ngl especially at the end when their lives were literally in imminent danger and he was concerned with the sex tape🤣 He was very much a black flag mmc who had some green flag moments for Levi and only Levi... and yes I did not mind that one bit😅
I liked how Levi sort of grew into his own as the game progressed.. he became more confident but was still somewhat innocent regarding some stuff iykwim😅
Overall, this was genuinely a fun time but I'm sure my enjoyment was enhanced because of the video game aspect.. if you are not a horror video game fan, this would not appeal to you that much. Excited to see what happens in book 2 and will get to it as soon as the audio hopefully drops!
March 16, 2026
5 ⭐️
That was actually so fun! Like previously mentioned I don't think I've read a book quite like this one. Basically if you put the game Resident Evil and Until Dawn type together, only some scenes also felt to me like watching a Saw movie for a sec, you would get a similar vibe, however the constant which you cannot quite figure out is Asher.
Levi is our main protagonist who is doing a charity stream and testing some VR set that throws him into a survival horror game, where he has to do puzzles and challenges in order to get out.
While doing all of this, the game resets but constants are kept in place. And we also meet our psychotic puppy which is Asher. He's the killer basically, for a while (or is he *hehe*). The idea of intimacy and psychological manipulation were quite explored in this one, as Asher is unpredictable, completely unhinged and makes our poor Levi go through it.
From my perspective the book mainly and heavily focused on the game and its gymnastics, and secondly on the romance between the boys, so if you go into this, you shouldn't expect your average lovey dovey or a lil fiesty MM romance. No hun, this is GORE. This gets a little crazy. This also gets a little unhinged but honestly I ate it up.
There were a lot of scenes that actually made me do a double take, because even as a gore fan, they were quite graphic. But that is something that I like in my horror, to go beyond your standard perception of it. The writing was so immersive specially during those monstrous descriptions juicy bits.
I feel like the author did an amazing job of portraying this but also the obsessive behaviour of Asher, you really ask yourself if you're rooting for them/him or not by the end.
The ending was very cool but leaves you with a lot of questions that will hopefully be answered in book 2, which I'm very much looking forward to!!❤️🖤❤️🖤
______
50% check in, this is different than any other book that I have read, the horror setting is so cool and unhinged at the same time, but also Asher 😏😏😏
______
pre:read
Already started this and I'm so immersed into it, it's already so insane
That was actually so fun! Like previously mentioned I don't think I've read a book quite like this one. Basically if you put the game Resident Evil and Until Dawn type together, only some scenes also felt to me like watching a Saw movie for a sec, you would get a similar vibe, however the constant which you cannot quite figure out is Asher.
Levi is our main protagonist who is doing a charity stream and testing some VR set that throws him into a survival horror game, where he has to do puzzles and challenges in order to get out.
While doing all of this, the game resets but constants are kept in place. And we also meet our psychotic puppy which is Asher. He's the killer basically, for a while (or is he *hehe*). The idea of intimacy and psychological manipulation were quite explored in this one, as Asher is unpredictable, completely unhinged and makes our poor Levi go through it.
From my perspective the book mainly and heavily focused on the game and its gymnastics, and secondly on the romance between the boys, so if you go into this, you shouldn't expect your average lovey dovey or a lil fiesty MM romance. No hun, this is GORE. This gets a little crazy. This also gets a little unhinged but honestly I ate it up.
There were a lot of scenes that actually made me do a double take, because even as a gore fan, they were quite graphic. But that is something that I like in my horror, to go beyond your standard perception of it. The writing was so immersive specially during those monstrous descriptions juicy bits.
I feel like the author did an amazing job of portraying this but also the obsessive behaviour of Asher, you really ask yourself if you're rooting for them/him or not by the end.
The ending was very cool but leaves you with a lot of questions that will hopefully be answered in book 2, which I'm very much looking forward to!!❤️🖤❤️🖤
______
50% check in, this is different than any other book that I have read, the horror setting is so cool and unhinged at the same time, but also Asher 😏😏😏
______
pre:read
Already started this and I'm so immersed into it, it's already so insane
October 22, 2025
⭐️ 5 stars ⭐️
Stuck in the virtual world of the new horror game he’s testing, Liam has to learn how to survive in a reality that is constantly evolving and trying to kill him at very turn.
Groundhog Day meets Outlast meets Russian Doll, a survival horror (mostly) set in an abandoned hospital… that might not be so abandoned after all.
Just that premise alone had me hooked instantly. I’m a horror game fan, I’ve been watching playthroughs ever since I discovered YouTube, so the setting, the spooky atmosphere, the game logic — everything was so perfect and immersive.
Add on top of that a deliciously wrong enemies to lovers romance? AMAZING. And I’m talking true enemies here, like they fight for most of the book, not a two second ‘I hate him!’.
Asher was the villain you’re definitely not supposed to like, but gawd why he gotta be so sexy??
An obsessive and toxic slow burn romance that fit perfectly with the horror scenario.
There was a nice balance between romance and action, and I loved the gradual progression of their relationship, from enemies to allies, from predator and prey to a team, from fear and obsession to need and protectiveness.
The character development was insanely well done. We get to experience both of them change and evolve throughout the book. I loved seeing Levi face his fears, going from a scared streamer to a badass strategist.
Now, this wouldn’t be one of my reviews if I didn’t talk about the spice, would it?
And ohmygod was the smut filthy and intense and wrong and sexy. Their dynamic starts off really iffy, and I loved that slowww build-up, Levi slowly starting to fall for Asher, Asher going from a horrible monster to a patient guard dog waiting for his treat. That’s exactly how I pictured him, just staring at Levi with puppy dog eyes until he says ‘Yes, you can touch me’.
The spice was teasing, dark, seductive.
I loved everything about Immersed. A creative plot, an immersive setting, characters with layers and depth (even the NPCs), a really dark romance, an actual storyline with intrigue and mystery. An instant fave, and I need book two immediately, because sci-fi horror is my second-favorite type of horror and I need more Asher and Levi.
PS — The non-canon bonus short was the cutest side quest ever, the comedic relief I needed after this super intense read.
I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review.
CW and NSFW info (spoilers):
- Body horror
- Violence/gore
- Murder
- Repeated character deaths (virtual)
- Self-harm/suicide (virtual)
- Mentions of death of a sibling (suicide)
- Attempted SA
- Non-con touching
- Dub-con
- Manipulation/trauma-bonding/codependency
- Grief
- PTSD & panic attacks
- Virgin MC
- MC w/ heterochromia
- Top/bottom
- Grinding/coming with clothes on
- HFN ending
“Reality is just the beginning.“
Stuck in the virtual world of the new horror game he’s testing, Liam has to learn how to survive in a reality that is constantly evolving and trying to kill him at very turn.
Groundhog Day meets Outlast meets Russian Doll, a survival horror (mostly) set in an abandoned hospital… that might not be so abandoned after all.
Just that premise alone had me hooked instantly. I’m a horror game fan, I’ve been watching playthroughs ever since I discovered YouTube, so the setting, the spooky atmosphere, the game logic — everything was so perfect and immersive.
“I wish this moment could last forever,” the man murmured, his words growing distant as Levi’s hearing began to fade. “Just you and me.”
Add on top of that a deliciously wrong enemies to lovers romance? AMAZING. And I’m talking true enemies here, like they fight for most of the book, not a two second ‘I hate him!’.
Asher was the villain you’re definitely not supposed to like, but gawd why he gotta be so sexy??
Levi stared back, paralyzed by the realization that whatever game he was trapped in, Asher wasn’t simply its villain. He was playing by rules Levi didn’t understand.
An obsessive and toxic slow burn romance that fit perfectly with the horror scenario.
There was a nice balance between romance and action, and I loved the gradual progression of their relationship, from enemies to allies, from predator and prey to a team, from fear and obsession to need and protectiveness.
He wasn’t just a walking red flag, he was the bubbling vat of dye that made the flags red at the red flag factory. Common sense would tell Levi to run as far and fast away from Asher as he could. But common sense was for a world he didn’t live in anymore.
The character development was insanely well done. We get to experience both of them change and evolve throughout the book. I loved seeing Levi face his fears, going from a scared streamer to a badass strategist.
“Fuck, Levi. You sound so pretty when you’re desperate for me.”
Now, this wouldn’t be one of my reviews if I didn’t talk about the spice, would it?
And ohmygod was the smut filthy and intense and wrong and sexy. Their dynamic starts off really iffy, and I loved that slowww build-up, Levi slowly starting to fall for Asher, Asher going from a horrible monster to a patient guard dog waiting for his treat. That’s exactly how I pictured him, just staring at Levi with puppy dog eyes until he says ‘Yes, you can touch me’.
The spice was teasing, dark, seductive.
This wasn’t mutual attraction; it was conditioning. Training. Asher was teaching Levi’s body to associate him with pleasure rather than pain. And it was working.
I loved everything about Immersed. A creative plot, an immersive setting, characters with layers and depth (even the NPCs), a really dark romance, an actual storyline with intrigue and mystery. An instant fave, and I need book two immediately, because sci-fi horror is my second-favorite type of horror and I need more Asher and Levi.
PS — The non-canon bonus short was the cutest side quest ever, the comedic relief I needed after this super intense read.
“I’ll find you again,” Asher said, voice steady despite the grinding metal closing in around them. “I always do.”
I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review.
CW and NSFW info (spoilers):
- Body horror
- Violence/gore
- Murder
- Repeated character deaths (virtual)
- Self-harm/suicide (virtual)
- Mentions of death of a sibling (suicide)
- Attempted SA
- Non-con touching
- Dub-con
- Manipulation/trauma-bonding/codependency
- Grief
- PTSD & panic attacks
- Virgin MC
- MC w/ heterochromia
- Top/bottom
- Grinding/coming with clothes on
- HFN ending
August 18, 2026
in the minority once again 😍
this had the SEXIEST premise i have read in a minute. truly. our mc levi gets stuck in a vr horror game constantly getting killed. that is, until the killer gets obsessed with him. so now he’s killing all of his npc friends (and him) just to get his attention. i love romance!!!
unfortunately, the sexiness ends there. i won’t be making any ai assumptions without doing my research but, well, this did reek of ai to me. same recycled phrases over and over again. emotions being told instead of shown. overuse of certain words and sentence structures. there was just so much repetitiveness, especially in the second half. the ass half. because the forest/slasher loop? THAT should have been the main setting. mourning the primal play scenes that never were 💔💔
this had the SEXIEST premise i have read in a minute. truly. our mc levi gets stuck in a vr horror game constantly getting killed. that is, until the killer gets obsessed with him. so now he’s killing all of his npc friends (and him) just to get his attention. i love romance!!!
unfortunately, the sexiness ends there. i won’t be making any ai assumptions without doing my research but, well, this did reek of ai to me. same recycled phrases over and over again. emotions being told instead of shown. overuse of certain words and sentence structures. there was just so much repetitiveness, especially in the second half. the ass half. because the forest/slasher loop? THAT should have been the main setting. mourning the primal play scenes that never were 💔💔
October 25, 2026
Wow, just wow 🙌 this was a unique storyline, ı was on edge from the beginning to the end. So good 👌
June 30, 2026
What a RIDE!!! 😍
After reading the warnings, I was a little hesitant about going into Gale Ian Tate's Immersed. Heavy angst is one of those genres that has been hitting me harder than usual these days and I wasn't sure if I was up for the emotional rollercoaster. But instead of finding this depressing and hard hitting, I found myself laughing out loud and smiling like a psycho throughout the whole thing. Let me tell you, this is a very self aware novel that shouldn't be taken too seriously. It's like a carnival ride; scary, exhilarating and out of control. Meant for pure unadulterated enjoyment; even with the very VERY questionable subject matter.
Okay, let's be clear, Asher is toxic as fuck, but in the most endearing way. Weird sentence, I know! Picture big golden retriever energy, but with rabies. That's Asher. The man is so delightfully complex when it comes to his morality, but not so much in what he wants. And he wants Levi...in the best and worst ways. He's a psychopath, a manipulator, and a bit rapey, but he somehow transforms into something softer with Levi, something more human. It all just adds to the complexity of him and who he really is. You can't help but find him a truly fascinating character!
Levi is definitely no two dimensional character either. Instead of just falling for Asher's games, he stays strong for a good portion of the book, knowing EXACTLY how Asher works and how the relationship that's forming between them is not healthy. Levi comes across as meek in the beginning, doubting whether he can play this new horror game without flinching, but when he's in it...for real, he becomes the leader he was meant to be. Strong in his decisions, his morals, and his perceptions. Even when he is getting hot and heavy with Asher, he knows it's a bad idea, knows there will be repercussions, but chooses to be with him anyway. Although, it does take quite awhile to get to that point because Asher is still an obsessive nutcase.
Asher's transition from deadly killer to Levi's protector/tormentor was done in a way that actually had me laughing! Sure, he's creepy and manipulative and handsy, but he does it with such genuine commitment to Levi that I just can't help but be like 🥰
Asher @ Levi at the worst possible moments:
Levi:
Trauma bonded, Stockholm syndrome, call it what you want, in this insane reality, I call it romantic, even if Levi calls it possessive. But, you really have to give Asher credit for the absolute lengths he will go to cop a feel on his boy! OMG, nothing else matters to that touch starved serial killer. It's frighteningly hilarious! His priorities in the hellscape video game are so absurdly wrapped around Levi, you can't help but chuckle.
And boy was the game a hellscape...Think 1999's Virus with Jamie Lee Curtis horror, but in a sanitarium that moves like a puzzle. Some of the scenes are downright disturbing, but if you are a horror aficionado, I think you'll love them!
The NPCs were also a hoot, even though they were mostly cannon fodder and a constant cock block for Asher. 😂
There isn't a whole lot of smut in the novel, but the sexual tension is sizzling! When the spice finally does happen, it's explosive! 🥵💦 Asher being so hot and cold with Levi was just so mentally perplexing and electric. Leave it to Asher to make sex scorching hot while being chased by monstrous abominations, and fearing certain excruciating death. Bless.
Oh man, and Ashers biggest retrieval priority at the end had me HOWLING! If you know, you know! 🤣
This book was so so fun! I am ✨️dying✨️ to read the second installment and see how much more unhinged things will get, especially between Asher and Levi! ❤️🔥
Read
April 8, 2026Wanted to like this so much
I wanted to like this one so much. Reading a little about it gave me Sword Art Online vibes, which immediately had my attention since that’s one of my favorite manga. Add horror and MM to that kind of setup and I was fully in.
Unfortunately, this one just wasn’t my vibe. I loved the concept, but the actual story dragged for me, and I really struggled with Levi and Asher’s constant back and forth. I wanted so much more from this because on paper it sounded like such a good fit, but in the end it just didn’t work for me.
I wanted to like this one so much. Reading a little about it gave me Sword Art Online vibes, which immediately had my attention since that’s one of my favorite manga. Add horror and MM to that kind of setup and I was fully in.
Unfortunately, this one just wasn’t my vibe. I loved the concept, but the actual story dragged for me, and I really struggled with Levi and Asher’s constant back and forth. I wanted so much more from this because on paper it sounded like such a good fit, but in the end it just didn’t work for me.
July 11, 2026
dnf at 50%
the more i read, the more unimpressed this book left me. to put it diplomatically, this reads as a very rough first draft of a story with some potential, but it needs a lot of reworking to become good.
the more i read, the more unimpressed this book left me. to put it diplomatically, this reads as a very rough first draft of a story with some potential, but it needs a lot of reworking to become good.
September 22, 2026
Okay so I read this one because it's a popularly suggested MM read and I was excited for another psycho deranged MMC and even though this delivered on plot, setting, & triggers etc. by the end I actually wanted it to end. Yikes! The truth is, I had figured out some crucial parts of the story long before it was over so i guess the ending turned out extremely anticlimactic for me. Not a dealbreaker altogether, but I didn't fall in love with the overall read either.
October 17, 2026
Immersed by Gale Ian Tate is deliciously chaotic, deeply unnerving, aggressively weird, and impossible to predict, in the best “what the hell am I reading and why can’t I stop?” kind of way. 🎮😳
I was a little skeptical going in because I am not much of a gamer, but that ended up not mattering at all. Tate does a really good job of pulling you into the game right alongside Levi, who I loved. Poor, sweet baby. ❤️ He is sweet, nervous, sad, curious, and very relatable, especially because he is often just as confused and uncomfortable as I was. The whole setup feels like some bizarre Venn diagram of Stephen King horror, The Three-Body Problem -style VR, Groundhog Day, and an escape-room puzzle. The frag/reset structure gets a little repetitive, but honestly, that is kind of baked into the premise, and the streamer interactions at the beginning were especially fun. Even when Levi knew none of it should be real:
And then there is Asher. Oh, my God, Asher. He is a walking parade of red flags wrapped in “I need you / I love you / I’ll kill you / touch him and die” energy, and I enjoyed him but never trusted him for one second. That weird tension between attraction, fear, obsession, possessiveness, and danger is what kept me on edge more than anything else. Some of his behavior is so wildly inappropriate that it becomes darkly funny, like: “Speaking of boundaries, you still owe me three minutes from earlier.” The whole timed sexual encounter thing was absolutely bananas. His emotional logic is even more unsettling when he seems genuinely confused about why Levi might not be feeling particularly romantic while Asher is literally terrorizing him. Sir. Please read the room.
There were also moments where the psychological unease got intense enough that I genuinely had to stop for a minute, especially the barbershop scene. That discomfort felt purposeful rather than gratuitous, but definitely pay attention to the trigger warnings because there is a lot of violence and other disturbing material here. At the same time, the spice is pretty high once you finally get there. There are a lot of almost-scenes before Tate eventually hands us a chapter called Rated E for Explicit. Well yes ma’am, yes it is. 😂 And I have to give major credit to Devon Ryder and Michael Gallagher on the audiobook. Their duet narration blends so seamlessly that it can be hard to tell where one voice ends and the other begins, and they absolutely go full send on the spicy scenes. Aside from accents, spicy scenes are one of my measures of narrator skill, and these two nailed it. 🎧🔥
The ending gave me what I would call a semi-HEA: satisfying enough that Levi and Asher are “back in action,” but still full of unresolved questions and a slightly ominous edge. I really wanted a little more clarity about what physically happened to Levi, what the streamers experienced, and how he ended up in what appears to be a hospital setting, especially with that veiled mention of “others.” I also spent way too much time wondering whether some of the NPCs might actually be players. Asher somehow became even stranger by the end, and I still have no idea what exactly he is - AI, NPC, player, something else entirely - but now I absolutely need to know. Entangled is not out on audio yet, which is a personal inconvenience I may be forced to overcome with my Kindle. 😏
I was a little skeptical going in because I am not much of a gamer, but that ended up not mattering at all. Tate does a really good job of pulling you into the game right alongside Levi, who I loved. Poor, sweet baby. ❤️ He is sweet, nervous, sad, curious, and very relatable, especially because he is often just as confused and uncomfortable as I was. The whole setup feels like some bizarre Venn diagram of Stephen King horror, The Three-Body Problem -style VR, Groundhog Day, and an escape-room puzzle. The frag/reset structure gets a little repetitive, but honestly, that is kind of baked into the premise, and the streamer interactions at the beginning were especially fun. Even when Levi knew none of it should be real:
“None of it made sense anymore. How could this feel so tangible if it wasn’t? How could he taste blood, smell death, feel his heart hammering against his ribs if this was just code and graphics?”
And then there is Asher. Oh, my God, Asher. He is a walking parade of red flags wrapped in “I need you / I love you / I’ll kill you / touch him and die” energy, and I enjoyed him but never trusted him for one second. That weird tension between attraction, fear, obsession, possessiveness, and danger is what kept me on edge more than anything else. Some of his behavior is so wildly inappropriate that it becomes darkly funny, like: “Speaking of boundaries, you still owe me three minutes from earlier.” The whole timed sexual encounter thing was absolutely bananas. His emotional logic is even more unsettling when he seems genuinely confused about why Levi might not be feeling particularly romantic while Asher is literally terrorizing him. Sir. Please read the room.
“Trust me.”
“I don’t,” Levi whispered.
There were also moments where the psychological unease got intense enough that I genuinely had to stop for a minute, especially the barbershop scene. That discomfort felt purposeful rather than gratuitous, but definitely pay attention to the trigger warnings because there is a lot of violence and other disturbing material here. At the same time, the spice is pretty high once you finally get there. There are a lot of almost-scenes before Tate eventually hands us a chapter called Rated E for Explicit. Well yes ma’am, yes it is. 😂 And I have to give major credit to Devon Ryder and Michael Gallagher on the audiobook. Their duet narration blends so seamlessly that it can be hard to tell where one voice ends and the other begins, and they absolutely go full send on the spicy scenes. Aside from accents, spicy scenes are one of my measures of narrator skill, and these two nailed it. 🎧🔥
The ending gave me what I would call a semi-HEA: satisfying enough that Levi and Asher are “back in action,” but still full of unresolved questions and a slightly ominous edge. I really wanted a little more clarity about what physically happened to Levi, what the streamers experienced, and how he ended up in what appears to be a hospital setting, especially with that veiled mention of “others.” I also spent way too much time wondering whether some of the NPCs might actually be players. Asher somehow became even stranger by the end, and I still have no idea what exactly he is - AI, NPC, player, something else entirely - but now I absolutely need to know. Entangled is not out on audio yet, which is a personal inconvenience I may be forced to overcome with my Kindle. 😏
December 18, 2025
⭐⭐⭐.75 (rounded up to 4)
🌶️
Levi’s lungs burned. His vision darkened at the edges. The stranger’s hand continued its gentle motion on his back, even as his other hand maintained its deadly pressure.
He’s comforting me while he kills me.
Tropes:
✨MM
✨Psychological horror
✨Trapped in a VR game/simulation
✨Manipulation, gaslighting, love-bombing
✨Repeated death of MCs on the page
✨Mystery
✨Non-con and dub-con
✨ Reliving the same days and events over and over until they find the solution
⚠️Carefully and thoroughly read TWs before starting this book.⚠️
My review:
I have kind of mixed feelings about this one, but overall I did enjoy it. It worked really well as dark escapism, especially if you’re in the mood for a horror and a little messed up story. That said, around 40-50% of the book, the story definitely started to drag for me. I found myself getting bored in places and even tempted to skim some chapters, especially when the horror game elements started to feel a bit loose and repetitive. The book was mostly interesting because of the dynamic between the two characters, and, sadly, this is one of the books where I found myself not caring much about the actual "plot" or the NPCs. It actually ruined things for me more than anything, because it got slow and boring.
One thing I really appreciated right away though was the care the author took with trigger warnings. The list at the beginning is thorough and clearly thought out, and I liked that it was paired with support resources (I don't know if I've ever seen an author do that before!) . Even though the book plays with toxic dynamics and graphic moments, it still felt like the author was being mindful of readers’ boundaries and making sure we knew exactly what we were jumping into.
“What happened to him, exactly?”
“He was reading your notebook,” Asher said, studying the electronic devices with a frown. “Taking pictures of the pages with his phone. I didn’t like that.” The matter-of-fact admission made Levi’s skin crawl. “So you killed him.”
“I protected your privacy,” Asher corrected.
Content-wise, some scenes are violent, but because so much of it is framed through video game mechanics, it didn’t always feel as dark or heavy as I expected. The exception for me was the early Slasher game interactions between Asher and Levi. Those were the most uncomfortable and intense moments, and probably the ones that will put some readers off. After that, the violence felt more distant and.. well, that's when I started enjoying myself less. Maybe I’m the one who’s fucked up lol, but the author puts a heavy emphasis on this being a horror story, very dark and gruesome. Maybe I expected too much, or maybe something is wrong with me, but I stopped feeling those vibes after the 40–50% mark.
The relationship itself was exactly the kind of messed-up dynamic I was hoping for. Asher’s immediate fascination with Levi is unsettling, and I loved that Levi’s reaction was basically “what the hell is wrong with you, stay away from me, you fucking psycho.” It felt realistic and it only added to the unease we should be feeling when reading a story like this one. I also appreciated that the story acknowledges how much of their early connection is rooted in trauma bonding and survival instincts, especially since Asher can be deeply selfish and unhinged at times. I'm also glad that after that, we dive more into the "psychological" side of things, especially in their relationship; it's full of manipulation, gaslighting, love-bombing until the end, and THAT'S what I signed up for.
Stockholm syndrome, he told himself. Trauma bonding. It doesn’t mean anything.
Levi was mostly relatable, but wow, his lack of self-preservation stressed me out LMAO. There were moments where his decisions felt straight out of a slasher movie stereotype, (which I guess fits?), but it still made me want to yell at him or shake him. It didn’t help that the other characters constantly ignored him/slowed him down, which just added to the frustration, especially since we don’t really know anything about them. They’re presented as NPCs, yet Levi keeps caring about them like they’re real people. So which is it? Are they AI, NPCs, or real people trapped like him? I get that Levi is an empathetic person, but in a setting like this, it felt unrealistic that he would care almost more about their survival than his own.
By the end, I was left with more questions than answers. Some worldbuilding and plot elements never fully clicked for me, and there are big things that feel unresolved, especially regarding the nature of the world itself and certain character motivations. Because of that, I’m not super excited to continue the series. That said, I might still check out book two eventually, mostly because I want answers rather than because I’m emotionally invested. (At the beginning, is Levi already in a simulation or is that the real world??? If Asher is also a real person, why is he so different from the NPCs yet can't remember that he's real? Are the NPCs really NPCs?) I get that we're probably getting those answers in book 2 but... to me, book 1 feels frustrating and not finished because we didn't get those answers or proper hints.
This wasn’t mutual attraction; it was conditioning. Training. Asher was teaching Levi’s body to associate him with pleasure rather than pain.
So yeah, this sits somewhere between a 3.5 and 4 for me. I liked it, I don’t regret reading it, but I was also bored and frustrated in parts, and don’t feel an urgent need to continue right away.
🌶️
Levi’s lungs burned. His vision darkened at the edges. The stranger’s hand continued its gentle motion on his back, even as his other hand maintained its deadly pressure.
He’s comforting me while he kills me.
Tropes:
✨MM
✨Psychological horror
✨Trapped in a VR game/simulation
✨Manipulation, gaslighting, love-bombing
✨Repeated death of MCs on the page
✨Mystery
✨Non-con and dub-con
✨ Reliving the same days and events over and over until they find the solution
⚠️Carefully and thoroughly read TWs before starting this book.⚠️
My review:
I have kind of mixed feelings about this one, but overall I did enjoy it. It worked really well as dark escapism, especially if you’re in the mood for a horror and a little messed up story. That said, around 40-50% of the book, the story definitely started to drag for me. I found myself getting bored in places and even tempted to skim some chapters, especially when the horror game elements started to feel a bit loose and repetitive. The book was mostly interesting because of the dynamic between the two characters, and, sadly, this is one of the books where I found myself not caring much about the actual "plot" or the NPCs. It actually ruined things for me more than anything, because it got slow and boring.
One thing I really appreciated right away though was the care the author took with trigger warnings. The list at the beginning is thorough and clearly thought out, and I liked that it was paired with support resources (I don't know if I've ever seen an author do that before!) . Even though the book plays with toxic dynamics and graphic moments, it still felt like the author was being mindful of readers’ boundaries and making sure we knew exactly what we were jumping into.
“What happened to him, exactly?”
“He was reading your notebook,” Asher said, studying the electronic devices with a frown. “Taking pictures of the pages with his phone. I didn’t like that.” The matter-of-fact admission made Levi’s skin crawl. “So you killed him.”
“I protected your privacy,” Asher corrected.
Content-wise, some scenes are violent, but because so much of it is framed through video game mechanics, it didn’t always feel as dark or heavy as I expected. The exception for me was the early Slasher game interactions between Asher and Levi. Those were the most uncomfortable and intense moments, and probably the ones that will put some readers off. After that, the violence felt more distant and.. well, that's when I started enjoying myself less. Maybe I’m the one who’s fucked up lol, but the author puts a heavy emphasis on this being a horror story, very dark and gruesome. Maybe I expected too much, or maybe something is wrong with me, but I stopped feeling those vibes after the 40–50% mark.
The relationship itself was exactly the kind of messed-up dynamic I was hoping for. Asher’s immediate fascination with Levi is unsettling, and I loved that Levi’s reaction was basically “what the hell is wrong with you, stay away from me, you fucking psycho.” It felt realistic and it only added to the unease we should be feeling when reading a story like this one. I also appreciated that the story acknowledges how much of their early connection is rooted in trauma bonding and survival instincts, especially since Asher can be deeply selfish and unhinged at times. I'm also glad that after that, we dive more into the "psychological" side of things, especially in their relationship; it's full of manipulation, gaslighting, love-bombing until the end, and THAT'S what I signed up for.
Stockholm syndrome, he told himself. Trauma bonding. It doesn’t mean anything.
Levi was mostly relatable, but wow, his lack of self-preservation stressed me out LMAO. There were moments where his decisions felt straight out of a slasher movie stereotype, (which I guess fits?), but it still made me want to yell at him or shake him. It didn’t help that the other characters constantly ignored him/slowed him down, which just added to the frustration, especially since we don’t really know anything about them. They’re presented as NPCs, yet Levi keeps caring about them like they’re real people. So which is it? Are they AI, NPCs, or real people trapped like him? I get that Levi is an empathetic person, but in a setting like this, it felt unrealistic that he would care almost more about their survival than his own.
By the end, I was left with more questions than answers. Some worldbuilding and plot elements never fully clicked for me, and there are big things that feel unresolved, especially regarding the nature of the world itself and certain character motivations. Because of that, I’m not super excited to continue the series. That said, I might still check out book two eventually, mostly because I want answers rather than because I’m emotionally invested. (At the beginning, is Levi already in a simulation or is that the real world??? If Asher is also a real person, why is he so different from the NPCs yet can't remember that he's real? Are the NPCs really NPCs?) I get that we're probably getting those answers in book 2 but... to me, book 1 feels frustrating and not finished because we didn't get those answers or proper hints.
This wasn’t mutual attraction; it was conditioning. Training. Asher was teaching Levi’s body to associate him with pleasure rather than pain.
So yeah, this sits somewhere between a 3.5 and 4 for me. I liked it, I don’t regret reading it, but I was also bored and frustrated in parts, and don’t feel an urgent need to continue right away.
August 9, 2026
♾️⭐️
spice: 🌶️🌶️/5
format: ebook
this, i’m pretty sure, is the best thing i’ve ever read.
spice: 🌶️🌶️/5
format: ebook
this, i’m pretty sure, is the best thing i’ve ever read.
October 31, 2026
I thought I was going to love it, but I just liked.
The premise is strong, the story is super cool, the characters are interesting, it’s MM, it’s a dark romance, so where did it fail to make me love it ?
Before you all get the whip which in here it’s your little fingers to start typing. Let me explain my thoughts and feelings.
The first 30% of the book I was extremely invested,at 70% I was astonished how this was keep going and I still had 30% to go…… so when I finish the book I felt tired.
Like I said the story is EXTREMELY COOL, it gave me Black Mirror vibes because Levi our MMC wants to promote a VR stream in his brother’s memory, his brother die of a suicide. His brother was a gamer and very into horror games which Levi is not. But he started this stream and the AI generated game is so real that he has a very hard time not thinking it’s reality. Think Jumanji 2 but mix with Black mirror to make it horror. They are supposed to win the game but that is proven very difficult because the game learns you, adapts and evolves as they go, pair this with Levi inexperience and you have him dying countless times. Every time he dies the game resets but he remembers, the others don’t. Except for his killer which is the other MMC Asher !
Asher is hunting them but more specifically Levi, he kills him every single time in many ways, but soon he starts to get intrigued by Levi, so there’re some lingering touches, breathless whispers some tension of enemies to lovers. Asher starts to instead of killing him he is now protecting him, and they die together many times too. Asher starts to lay heavy on the obsession but Levi won’t have it, he is smart and he knows Archer is manipulating him, he resists. They just truly get together at the very end of the book.
They do fight together as a group and as individuals, mostly in pairs which ends up always been Levi and Asher (for many reasons), so the story is cool but the romance felt like a subplot to me. I didn’t feel them and didn’t connect to them as a “couple” , I wasn’t obsessed with them, I was more invested in the “how’s and why’s “ of this game…… and after a while like I said , I got tired…..
Will I read the second book ?????? I am still debating about it, it remains to be seen 😂
It’s not a bad book, has excellent reviews and many people loved it but I am not people !
The premise is strong, the story is super cool, the characters are interesting, it’s MM, it’s a dark romance, so where did it fail to make me love it ?
Before you all get the whip which in here it’s your little fingers to start typing. Let me explain my thoughts and feelings.
The first 30% of the book I was extremely invested,at 70% I was astonished how this was keep going and I still had 30% to go…… so when I finish the book I felt tired.
Like I said the story is EXTREMELY COOL, it gave me Black Mirror vibes because Levi our MMC wants to promote a VR stream in his brother’s memory, his brother die of a suicide. His brother was a gamer and very into horror games which Levi is not. But he started this stream and the AI generated game is so real that he has a very hard time not thinking it’s reality. Think Jumanji 2 but mix with Black mirror to make it horror. They are supposed to win the game but that is proven very difficult because the game learns you, adapts and evolves as they go, pair this with Levi inexperience and you have him dying countless times. Every time he dies the game resets but he remembers, the others don’t. Except for his killer which is the other MMC Asher !
Asher is hunting them but more specifically Levi, he kills him every single time in many ways, but soon he starts to get intrigued by Levi, so there’re some lingering touches, breathless whispers some tension of enemies to lovers. Asher starts to instead of killing him he is now protecting him, and they die together many times too. Asher starts to lay heavy on the obsession but Levi won’t have it, he is smart and he knows Archer is manipulating him, he resists. They just truly get together at the very end of the book.
They do fight together as a group and as individuals, mostly in pairs which ends up always been Levi and Asher (for many reasons), so the story is cool but the romance felt like a subplot to me. I didn’t feel them and didn’t connect to them as a “couple” , I wasn’t obsessed with them, I was more invested in the “how’s and why’s “ of this game…… and after a while like I said , I got tired…..
Will I read the second book ?????? I am still debating about it, it remains to be seen 😂
It’s not a bad book, has excellent reviews and many people loved it but I am not people !
Read
February 28, 2026Editing my review. So disappointed. You don’t get to have an ai cover for a year, and then decide to try and brush it under the rug a year later with a new cover. Plenty of people told her it was ai, and she told us she was going to fix it. A year later she did, but lied about why she changed it.
September 29, 2026
• dark romance • m/m •
Levi is trying out new VR gaming tech to fundraise in his brother’s memory who died by suicide. His brother Ethan was big time into horror, but Levi is not. The new game is a horror so real to you, targets your fears, but you can’t escape. Add in an obsessed manipulative, violent sexual predator you can’t trust. And it’s a recipe of nightmares.
Sigh
The premise… I loved it. The execution though, unfortunately just didn’t work for me 😬🫣
I was so into this at the beginning of the book. Really enjoyed the first 25-30% But by the time it got to about 60% I was thinking how can this only be at 60%?
I just wasn’t feeling the chemistry.
The plot… was ok? I guess? But it was very repetitive (which in itself was fine with the characters respawning, you’d expect some aspects to repeat) but there was not a lot going on in the character development department. And it ended up being a totally different type of game to how it started??
If I’m being completely honest, it was just a bit… snore. And it kills me to say that because I REALLY wanted to love this 🫣
I was expecting a lot more psychological turmoil and torture I guess. 🤷♀️ Call me a sadist, but I really wanted it. 👀
The cover however, I absolutely adore that!
2.5⭐️
2🌶️
Levi is trying out new VR gaming tech to fundraise in his brother’s memory who died by suicide. His brother Ethan was big time into horror, but Levi is not. The new game is a horror so real to you, targets your fears, but you can’t escape. Add in an obsessed manipulative, violent sexual predator you can’t trust. And it’s a recipe of nightmares.
Sigh
The premise… I loved it. The execution though, unfortunately just didn’t work for me 😬🫣
I was so into this at the beginning of the book. Really enjoyed the first 25-30% But by the time it got to about 60% I was thinking how can this only be at 60%?
I just wasn’t feeling the chemistry.
The plot… was ok? I guess? But it was very repetitive (which in itself was fine with the characters respawning, you’d expect some aspects to repeat) but there was not a lot going on in the character development department. And it ended up being a totally different type of game to how it started??
If I’m being completely honest, it was just a bit… snore. And it kills me to say that because I REALLY wanted to love this 🫣
I was expecting a lot more psychological turmoil and torture I guess. 🤷♀️ Call me a sadist, but I really wanted it. 👀
The cover however, I absolutely adore that!
2.5⭐️
2🌶️
March 23, 2026
Wowwww! This was trulyyyy incredibleeee. I have never read anything like this beforeee, it’s so outside of what I normally read, and I truly want moreee.
There was soooo much going on, and it honestly felt like it would never end in the best way possible. It was exciting, addictive, mind-blowing, and had me soooo hooked. The creativity of this author… just soo freaking impressive. There wasn’t a dull moment at all. It’s fast-paced, and you really need your imagination working overtime, which made it even more fun.
On top of all that, there’s a real enemies to lovers romance. Asher, and he’s someone you’re not supposed to love but end up loving by the end. The two of them have this toxic, slow burn relationship that honestly stays toxic, but you can’t help loving it anyway.
Don’t get me wrong, Asher is not a good guy, and he does get character development that is really well done, but he’s still definitely morally grey. There is so much mystery about him that I can’t wait to explore more in the next book.
I loved watching Levi’s character development, seeing him grow more confident and become a leader. He really went through it in this book, and we see that fear and pain transform him into the strong and brave character we get by the end.
“This man had hunted him and comforted him. Kissed him and killed him. Hurt him and violated him and was violently possessive and protective in equal measure. He wasn’t just a walking red flag; he was the bubbling vat of dye that made the flags red at the red flag factory. Common sense would tell Levi to run as far and fast away from Asher as he could. But common sense was for a world he didn’t live in anymore.”
“You’re afraid,” he realized aloud, the insight hitting like a revelation. “Of losing me. If the game ends.”
Asher’s jaw tightened, his eyes flickering away briefly before returning with fierce intensity. “I’ve lost you a dozen times already,” he croaked out. “Watched you die. Watched you reset. But you always come back to me.” His fingers traced the mark on Levi’s neck, his thumb pressing into the faded bruise. “You always remember.”
“Asher was beautiful in the way dangerous things often are—he was a weapon in the shape of a man, honed for a singular purpose. And right now, that purpose was Levi.”
There is a really well done balance between the romance and the plot. Neither of them is ever forgotten or reduced in intensity. The author was able to place the spice in the right moments, where it didn’t feel like it was taking away from the importance of the action. Everything about the book was well balanced. There was humor, character depth, spice, romance, and a violent, scary mystery storyline.
This is my first book from this author, and I am definitely a fan. The writing was soo well done, I was able to understand and imagine the scenes and the scenography without getting lost or confused. It is obvious this author knows about video games, and I have to highlight again the creativity becausee I can’t imagine coming up with everything that happened, connecting all of it, and making it cohesive.
This book is heavy on trauma, it is definitely dark, and pleasee check TW. It kind of reminded me of the Saw movies combined with escape rooms and, obviously, scary survival video games, which I know enough about but am not a huge fan of, and I still loved this book so much. Sooo if you like things like that, this book is for you, and I 100% recommend it.
“Levi’s vision began to dim at the edges, his body screaming in protest against the crushing force. His last conscious thought was of Asher’s hand in his, the one point of warmth and connection in a world of cold, impersonal metal. The one constant in this nightmare of death and rebirth.”
and I am so excited for the next oneeee!!
“In that moment—poised between horror and hope, between one nightmare and the next—Levi found himself strangely content. Whatever came next, they would face it together. The game continued, but the rules had changed. And this time, Levi intended to win.”
There was soooo much going on, and it honestly felt like it would never end in the best way possible. It was exciting, addictive, mind-blowing, and had me soooo hooked. The creativity of this author… just soo freaking impressive. There wasn’t a dull moment at all. It’s fast-paced, and you really need your imagination working overtime, which made it even more fun.
On top of all that, there’s a real enemies to lovers romance. Asher, and he’s someone you’re not supposed to love but end up loving by the end. The two of them have this toxic, slow burn relationship that honestly stays toxic, but you can’t help loving it anyway.
Don’t get me wrong, Asher is not a good guy, and he does get character development that is really well done, but he’s still definitely morally grey. There is so much mystery about him that I can’t wait to explore more in the next book.
I loved watching Levi’s character development, seeing him grow more confident and become a leader. He really went through it in this book, and we see that fear and pain transform him into the strong and brave character we get by the end.
“This man had hunted him and comforted him. Kissed him and killed him. Hurt him and violated him and was violently possessive and protective in equal measure. He wasn’t just a walking red flag; he was the bubbling vat of dye that made the flags red at the red flag factory. Common sense would tell Levi to run as far and fast away from Asher as he could. But common sense was for a world he didn’t live in anymore.”
“You’re afraid,” he realized aloud, the insight hitting like a revelation. “Of losing me. If the game ends.”
Asher’s jaw tightened, his eyes flickering away briefly before returning with fierce intensity. “I’ve lost you a dozen times already,” he croaked out. “Watched you die. Watched you reset. But you always come back to me.” His fingers traced the mark on Levi’s neck, his thumb pressing into the faded bruise. “You always remember.”
“Asher was beautiful in the way dangerous things often are—he was a weapon in the shape of a man, honed for a singular purpose. And right now, that purpose was Levi.”
There is a really well done balance between the romance and the plot. Neither of them is ever forgotten or reduced in intensity. The author was able to place the spice in the right moments, where it didn’t feel like it was taking away from the importance of the action. Everything about the book was well balanced. There was humor, character depth, spice, romance, and a violent, scary mystery storyline.
This is my first book from this author, and I am definitely a fan. The writing was soo well done, I was able to understand and imagine the scenes and the scenography without getting lost or confused. It is obvious this author knows about video games, and I have to highlight again the creativity becausee I can’t imagine coming up with everything that happened, connecting all of it, and making it cohesive.
This book is heavy on trauma, it is definitely dark, and pleasee check TW. It kind of reminded me of the Saw movies combined with escape rooms and, obviously, scary survival video games, which I know enough about but am not a huge fan of, and I still loved this book so much. Sooo if you like things like that, this book is for you, and I 100% recommend it.
“Levi’s vision began to dim at the edges, his body screaming in protest against the crushing force. His last conscious thought was of Asher’s hand in his, the one point of warmth and connection in a world of cold, impersonal metal. The one constant in this nightmare of death and rebirth.”
and I am so excited for the next oneeee!!
“In that moment—poised between horror and hope, between one nightmare and the next—Levi found himself strangely content. Whatever came next, they would face it together. The game continued, but the rules had changed. And this time, Levi intended to win.”
July 10, 2026
this was so good wth. and i was pushing it off for quite awhile….wth 🤨. levi and asher have problems and their relationship is nowhere near healthy, but dammit,
their problems are now my problems and i WILL be sticking beside ‘em in the next book
their problems are now my problems and i WILL be sticking beside ‘em in the next book
September 30, 2026
DNF 71% - it’s been days and I haven’t felt any desire to pick this back up again. I’m so sad because it had so much potential! I loved the first 20-30%. But then I got bored bored bored.
The premise sounded so good - trapped in a VR horror game with a twisted, dark, dubcon romance. Unfortunately the writing just didn’t do it for me. It just felt weak in all areas, pretty much once Asher revealed his name and they moved to the ghost hunting part.
476 pages plus another whole book feels way too long for the way this story is written. I get the point of the loops but things still felt painfully repetitive and the stakes seemed to dwindle rather than ramp up.
The first scenes with the headset going on, the camping scenario and Levi’s initial interactions with Asher were great. I’m not sure why the book went in the direction it did with the sanitarium and the main villain, it didn’t seem to fit. At 60% I couldn’t believe we were only half way through. To find out there isn’t even a satisfying ending was really the nail on the head for deciding to dnf.
The romance, again, started promisingly but the chemistry fizzled and I just have zero interest in their relationship or sexual scenes.
Overall - not convincing me on the horror or the dark romance front.
🎧 Narration by Devon Ryder and Michael Gallagher.
The premise sounded so good - trapped in a VR horror game with a twisted, dark, dubcon romance. Unfortunately the writing just didn’t do it for me. It just felt weak in all areas, pretty much once Asher revealed his name and they moved to the ghost hunting part.
476 pages plus another whole book feels way too long for the way this story is written. I get the point of the loops but things still felt painfully repetitive and the stakes seemed to dwindle rather than ramp up.
The first scenes with the headset going on, the camping scenario and Levi’s initial interactions with Asher were great. I’m not sure why the book went in the direction it did with the sanitarium and the main villain, it didn’t seem to fit. At 60% I couldn’t believe we were only half way through. To find out there isn’t even a satisfying ending was really the nail on the head for deciding to dnf.
The romance, again, started promisingly but the chemistry fizzled and I just have zero interest in their relationship or sexual scenes.
Overall - not convincing me on the horror or the dark romance front.
🎧 Narration by Devon Ryder and Michael Gallagher.
May 11, 2026
Not that I am surprised, but this is a very unique book, in the best way. It is kind of implied by the name and the blurb, but still, it was even better than I expected. As a very dedicated gamer in the past and an occasional one now, I was very excited about a VR journey. I remember my first time wearing Oculus Quest 3 and entering Alyx somewhere in the sewers near multiple corpses (thanks to my pranking husband), and how I was screaming and jumping and shooting all over the place 🫠
So I could relate a bit 😬
The level of detail is crazy. The plot, the quests, the challenges, how the game progressed - it was all just perfect, chef’s kiss 🤌 The emotions, suspense, uncertainty, it all really creates an exceptionally immersive (🙃) atmosphere.
And then we have Asher.
“This man had hunted him and comforted him. Kissed him and killed him. Hurt him and violated him and was violently possessive and protective in equal measure. He wasn’t just a walking red flag; he was the bubbling vat of dye that made the flags red at the red flag factory.”
Asher is a kind of psycho obsessive red flag character we all love in our romances. The way his relationship with Levi was gradually shifting from enemies to allies and transforming into ultimate need and protectiveness was done beautifully. The character development is amazing.
“Sometimes I hate that you’ve done this to me, Levi. I never cared about being alone before. Now everything hurts a little all the time.”
And I loved that Levi didn’t simply jump from hate to love, forgiving everything in an instant, far from it. Throughout the book and up till the end he fully understood that he was manipulated and couldn’t trust Asher. We have a delicious slow burn, that actually makes sense considering the setting and the history between both MMCs.
“Good,” Asher whispered, voice thick with satisfaction. “I like the way fear looks on you. It makes your eyes shine.”
This story is very intense, it has you in a chokehold throughout 450 pages and isn’t offering any breaks. And may I say that the horror element is really there, there were multiple instances that left me more than disturbed, so I wouldn’t skip the TW (and the author gives you a very detailed list of them).
Thank God that part 2 is coming soon, for some reason I thought it was a standalone, so I need the next book immediately!!
April 12, 2026
This book was an absolute surprise for me. I didn't know the author and just wanted to have a quick look after it was suggested to me on my homepage. And I did ... for half the night. I enjoyed the story so much that I just couldn't stop. In short: I just loved it.
The ending is a bit unsettling and definitely makes you want more. Luckily, the second book is coming out soon. I'm already looking forward to it.
The ending is a bit unsettling and definitely makes you want more. Luckily, the second book is coming out soon. I'm already looking forward to it.
March 26, 2026
I liked this. Brought something new to the table but damn everything was just so… exhausting. The sigh of relief that I let out in the end was dramatic but needed.
June 9, 2026
I am a WHORE for HORROR. Please tell me you guys remember my FAVORITE 2006 horror video game movie Stay Alive (with a goth Sophia Bush 🥵 don’t even get me started on the sexiness of that)???? Anyway, this book is NOT that but it definitely gives those vibes!! Give me a super gay Stay Alive with Escape Room, Silent Hill, Resident Evil and Doom vibes ANY DAY! I’m here for it!!
Levi Mercer and Asher Kane are TOXICCCCC af. Asher is UN-fucking-HINGED and Levi is his “Good Boy”. Ugh. I love a good boy. And I LOVEEEEE a batshit crazy antihero 🖤 I love how the author “made” Asher… like, we fell for him the same way Levi does. We know he’s the bad guy. We know this is Stockholm syndrome. We know we’re being manipulated. We KNOW HE’S A MONSTER.
Butttttt….. he convinces us that we need/want him. And GODDAMN, do we want him, in all his demented predatory glory 🥵 Levi and Asher together, whether it be when Asher is forcing him against his will or when it’s (somewhat) consensual, it was fierce, overwhelming and hot as hell. I CRAVED moments between them. Every time they died, my heart stopped for a minute until they were back together. Like I said, TOXIC.
When I tell you I was on the edge of my seat for this entire book, I mean it literally. My palms were sweaty, (knees weak, arms heavy - 😂 jk that’s Eminem). But for real, my heart was racing for most of Immersed. This book went so far beyond my wildest expectations!
It’s DARK. If you have triggers of ANY kind, read the TW’s. It’s not dark in the way most dark romances are. It’s so unique and… deep. I’ve never read anything like it. It’s full of gore, death, suicides, body experimentation and violence… SO MUCH DEATH. Immersed is the definition of Enemies to Lovers. It’s the slow burn of all slow burns (mainly because one MC kills the other multiple times and, you know, they’re trying to escape a building that’s literally trying to kill them). The slow burn was so worth it to get to the not-so-endgame- lovers!!
The detail that went into the game was mesmerizing. It’s almost like you’re in it with them. The NPC’s were such a great addition to the story.
I love the emotional elements of this story, Levi had my heart in a blender many times. His character arc from the beginning when he’s shy and nervous about playing a game for his live stream to literally taking command of the game once he’s inside was so fun to watch! His relationship with the NPC’s was so caring. He is genuinely such a good person. And Asher was his complete opposite in every single way. His sole focus was Levi, no matter what. I had chills.
That ending has me in a fuckin chokehold. Book 2, I’m diving in tits first!!
Levi Mercer and Asher Kane are TOXICCCCC af. Asher is UN-fucking-HINGED and Levi is his “Good Boy”. Ugh. I love a good boy. And I LOVEEEEE a batshit crazy antihero 🖤 I love how the author “made” Asher… like, we fell for him the same way Levi does. We know he’s the bad guy. We know this is Stockholm syndrome. We know we’re being manipulated. We KNOW HE’S A MONSTER.
Butttttt….. he convinces us that we need/want him. And GODDAMN, do we want him, in all his demented predatory glory 🥵 Levi and Asher together, whether it be when Asher is forcing him against his will or when it’s (somewhat) consensual, it was fierce, overwhelming and hot as hell. I CRAVED moments between them. Every time they died, my heart stopped for a minute until they were back together. Like I said, TOXIC.
When I tell you I was on the edge of my seat for this entire book, I mean it literally. My palms were sweaty, (knees weak, arms heavy - 😂 jk that’s Eminem). But for real, my heart was racing for most of Immersed. This book went so far beyond my wildest expectations!
It’s DARK. If you have triggers of ANY kind, read the TW’s. It’s not dark in the way most dark romances are. It’s so unique and… deep. I’ve never read anything like it. It’s full of gore, death, suicides, body experimentation and violence… SO MUCH DEATH. Immersed is the definition of Enemies to Lovers. It’s the slow burn of all slow burns (mainly because one MC kills the other multiple times and, you know, they’re trying to escape a building that’s literally trying to kill them). The slow burn was so worth it to get to the not-so-endgame- lovers!!
The detail that went into the game was mesmerizing. It’s almost like you’re in it with them. The NPC’s were such a great addition to the story.
I love the emotional elements of this story, Levi had my heart in a blender many times. His character arc from the beginning when he’s shy and nervous about playing a game for his live stream to literally taking command of the game once he’s inside was so fun to watch! His relationship with the NPC’s was so caring. He is genuinely such a good person. And Asher was his complete opposite in every single way. His sole focus was Levi, no matter what. I had chills.
That ending has me in a fuckin chokehold. Book 2, I’m diving in tits first!!
August 31, 2026
omg!!! Asher is such a huge black flag but he makes it work in the best way possible😫😫. i loved loved loved(damn that’s a lot of love) this book😭❤️
August 13, 2026
Okay, so.... this was crazy. I absolutely loved it, and if you haven't yet, you should read it. If you can handle it, that is. It's so, SO dark. And horror, obviously. I even had a bit of a nightmare about the evil doctor coming to take my cat... 😝
But it was so good! It was so immersive. I loved the mystery of it. Being in Levi's head while he tries to figure things out, and tries to decide whether or not to trust Asher... it was incredible! Some people say it's not really a romance, but I dunno. It's so fucked up, but I still want it to be a romance. He does such horrible things, but I feel so bad for Asher. I want to fix him. I want him to be safe and happy with Levi. I don't know if that can or will happen, but hopefully I'll find out in the next book!
But it was so good! It was so immersive. I loved the mystery of it. Being in Levi's head while he tries to figure things out, and tries to decide whether or not to trust Asher... it was incredible! Some people say it's not really a romance, but I dunno. It's so fucked up, but I still want it to be a romance. He does such horrible things, but I feel so bad for Asher. I want to fix him. I want him to be safe and happy with Levi. I don't know if that can or will happen, but hopefully I'll find out in the next book!
October 7, 2025
This is such a unique book, I was hooked from the first time loop.
Asher is such a god-tier down bad MMC, I mean, he changes the universe so he’s on the same side as Levi. He’s a menace with no shame and a malfunctioning moral compass (warnings included at the start of the book and appreciated) but he is Devoted to the extreme.
Levi is our POV main character and a delightfully refreshing change to standard horror movie/game protags. He is sensible and methodical in his approach to try and work things out about the world around him, and he is written so genuinely that when he does struggle with everything that’s happening, it’s emotionally raw and intense. My concerns about everything being streamed (which Levi doesn’t really bring up past the start?) are thankfully resolved closer to the end of the book.
And what an ending that was! So excited to see that there’s a sequel in the works.
Major kudos to the author for balancing the horror elements of the ‘gameplay’ alongside the romance. It felt so atmospheric and easy to visualise.
Thank you to the author and BookSirens for the ARC. I dropped everything to request this one so I am beyond delighted after reading it 💜
Asher is such a god-tier down bad MMC, I mean, he changes the universe so he’s on the same side as Levi. He’s a menace with no shame and a malfunctioning moral compass (warnings included at the start of the book and appreciated) but he is Devoted to the extreme.
Levi is our POV main character and a delightfully refreshing change to standard horror movie/game protags. He is sensible and methodical in his approach to try and work things out about the world around him, and he is written so genuinely that when he does struggle with everything that’s happening, it’s emotionally raw and intense. My concerns about everything being streamed (which Levi doesn’t really bring up past the start?) are thankfully resolved closer to the end of the book.
And what an ending that was! So excited to see that there’s a sequel in the works.
Major kudos to the author for balancing the horror elements of the ‘gameplay’ alongside the romance. It felt so atmospheric and easy to visualise.
Thank you to the author and BookSirens for the ARC. I dropped everything to request this one so I am beyond delighted after reading it 💜
July 3, 2026
There were too many of the exact same style of sentences which was very much giving AI. So so many times. Which is a shame bc the story was interesting
June 13, 2026
This book was a complete mindfuck.
First of all, I never read horror romance. Horror movies? Sure. I’ve watched those but Horror books? No. Horror romance books? Absolutely not. This was my first one, and honestly, I only picked it up because I’d had it sitting on my TBR forever after I read a friend’s review on this and was hooked on the character dynamic which sounded way too good to ignore
And yes, that dynamic carried this entire book for me.
The story starts with Levi, who is mourning his brother’s suicide and decides to participate in an immersive horror game ( because his brother loved horror games and this makes him feel closer to his memory) while livestreaming to raise money for mental health awareness. What starts as a simple horror game quickly turns into something much bigger when Levi realizes he can’t leave.
The opening level is your classic horror movie setup: a group of campers getting picked off one by one by a killer in the woods. And getting brutally murdered. And the killer is Asher. A beautiful mesmerising killing machine. I loved that guy not for the killing part obviously but his character was interesting
Now, the book is gory. Very gory. People are ripped apart, disemboweled, blah blah. But, the gore wasn’t what hooked me. It didn’t scare me either. The horror was fine, and tolerated by me but what had me turning pages was Asher and Levi.
Levi’s first death was honestly one of the strongest parts of the book. The fear, the confusion, the pain—it hit much harder emotionally than I expected. Then he wakes up again. Respawns. Back at the beginning. To die again and again. And many of those times at the hands of Asher.
And that’s where things get interesting. Somewhere from killing to watching Levi die, Asher gets obsessed and from his killer he turns into his protector. All characters forget the past lives when they die except Levi but Levi isn’t the only one who remembers.
Asher remembers too.
Every level changes the set ups after the camping in the wood same characters are next stuck in an investigation horror movie . they’re trapped in a living building full of horrific experiments made by a mad scientist who experimented on unwilling people and created machines out of them and tuned this building in to a death trap maze with shifting corridors, and deadly puzzles. NPCs die, respawn, die again, and repeat. But through all of it, Levi and Asher carry their memories with them. And their dynamic shifts . It is a slow burn and what moments are there are pushed by Asher and taken by him without much consent. Levi is a blushing virgin by the way and these liberties Asher takes is too much for him but for survival he keeps choosing the lesser evil.
And Asher is batshit crazy in love with him but he truly doesn’t have a clue how these things work.
What he knows is Levi is his everything , he lives and breathes Levi.
Watching that shift was fascinating. He goes from casually killing Levi to comforting him while killing him ( that part was CREEPY) From hunting him to protecting him. From seeing him as another victim to treating him like the only thing that matters.
The thing is, Asher is genuinely messed up. Not book-boyfriend “dark and broody” messed up. Actually messed up. Possessive. Volatile. Controlling. He says he loves Levi, but consent means very little to him, and there were multiple moments where he is abusive to drive his point home and make Levi submit
Yet somehow I couldn’t stop wanting scenes between them.
That’s what makes this book so strange. Levi is terrified of Asher, and honestly, he should be. But Asher is also the only constant in his world. Everyone else forgets. Everyone else resets. Asher remembers. Asher waits. Asher always finds him.
And that left me with so many questions.
Who is Asher really? We know who Levi is in the real world but Asher?
What happens between Levi’s deaths when Asher says he’s looking for him?
What’s happening in the real world while their bodies are trapped inside the game?
By the end, I felt like I’d barely scratched the surface of the mystery.
My only complaint is that I wanted more Asher and Levi. Sometimes the game mechanics and survival elements went on longer than I personally cared for because I was far more interested in the characters than the game set up. I wanted more conversations, more tension, more moments between them.
That said, I wouldn’t actually change much because everything clearly serves a purpose.
I’m already 20% into Book 2, and happy to say I’m getting more Asher and Levi content there than I got in whole Book 1.
So yes, I am officially satisfied for now.
First of all, I never read horror romance. Horror movies? Sure. I’ve watched those but Horror books? No. Horror romance books? Absolutely not. This was my first one, and honestly, I only picked it up because I’d had it sitting on my TBR forever after I read a friend’s review on this and was hooked on the character dynamic which sounded way too good to ignore
And yes, that dynamic carried this entire book for me.
The story starts with Levi, who is mourning his brother’s suicide and decides to participate in an immersive horror game ( because his brother loved horror games and this makes him feel closer to his memory) while livestreaming to raise money for mental health awareness. What starts as a simple horror game quickly turns into something much bigger when Levi realizes he can’t leave.
The opening level is your classic horror movie setup: a group of campers getting picked off one by one by a killer in the woods. And getting brutally murdered. And the killer is Asher. A beautiful mesmerising killing machine. I loved that guy not for the killing part obviously but his character was interesting
Now, the book is gory. Very gory. People are ripped apart, disemboweled, blah blah. But, the gore wasn’t what hooked me. It didn’t scare me either. The horror was fine, and tolerated by me but what had me turning pages was Asher and Levi.
Levi’s first death was honestly one of the strongest parts of the book. The fear, the confusion, the pain—it hit much harder emotionally than I expected. Then he wakes up again. Respawns. Back at the beginning. To die again and again. And many of those times at the hands of Asher.
And that’s where things get interesting. Somewhere from killing to watching Levi die, Asher gets obsessed and from his killer he turns into his protector. All characters forget the past lives when they die except Levi but Levi isn’t the only one who remembers.
Asher remembers too.
Every level changes the set ups after the camping in the wood same characters are next stuck in an investigation horror movie . they’re trapped in a living building full of horrific experiments made by a mad scientist who experimented on unwilling people and created machines out of them and tuned this building in to a death trap maze with shifting corridors, and deadly puzzles. NPCs die, respawn, die again, and repeat. But through all of it, Levi and Asher carry their memories with them. And their dynamic shifts . It is a slow burn and what moments are there are pushed by Asher and taken by him without much consent. Levi is a blushing virgin by the way and these liberties Asher takes is too much for him but for survival he keeps choosing the lesser evil.
And Asher is batshit crazy in love with him but he truly doesn’t have a clue how these things work.
What he knows is Levi is his everything , he lives and breathes Levi.
Watching that shift was fascinating. He goes from casually killing Levi to comforting him while killing him ( that part was CREEPY) From hunting him to protecting him. From seeing him as another victim to treating him like the only thing that matters.
The thing is, Asher is genuinely messed up. Not book-boyfriend “dark and broody” messed up. Actually messed up. Possessive. Volatile. Controlling. He says he loves Levi, but consent means very little to him, and there were multiple moments where he is abusive to drive his point home and make Levi submit
Yet somehow I couldn’t stop wanting scenes between them.
That’s what makes this book so strange. Levi is terrified of Asher, and honestly, he should be. But Asher is also the only constant in his world. Everyone else forgets. Everyone else resets. Asher remembers. Asher waits. Asher always finds him.
And that left me with so many questions.
Who is Asher really? We know who Levi is in the real world but Asher?
What happens between Levi’s deaths when Asher says he’s looking for him?
What’s happening in the real world while their bodies are trapped inside the game?
By the end, I felt like I’d barely scratched the surface of the mystery.
My only complaint is that I wanted more Asher and Levi. Sometimes the game mechanics and survival elements went on longer than I personally cared for because I was far more interested in the characters than the game set up. I wanted more conversations, more tension, more moments between them.
That said, I wouldn’t actually change much because everything clearly serves a purpose.
I’m already 20% into Book 2, and happy to say I’m getting more Asher and Levi content there than I got in whole Book 1.
So yes, I am officially satisfied for now.
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