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The Silent Hollow #3
Save Me
Micah
I’m not a creeper.
Maddox McAllister is my soulmate. He just doesn’t know it yet.
If I’d known I’d meet my soulmate through a pet-sitting service, I would have listed my skunk, Princess, like…way freaking sooner. But Maddox is here now, all dark and broody and scared. And hot. Did I mention hot? I know a few things about Maddox, like his childhood pet, his favorite snack, and what kind of underwear he wears.
Okay, listen, I swear all of this came up in natural conversation. Now it’s my job to figure out why Maddox is scared and show him that we are, in fact, meant to be together. Forever.
Easy peasy! No one can withstand my charm for long.
Maddox
What the fuck did I get myself into?
Micah is…well, my boss. He’s the most eccentric boss I’ve ever had. Did I lie and say I knew how to take care of skunks just to get here? Maybe. Should I run the other way? Probably. But then my apartment burns down and a threat from my past won’t leave me the fuck alone, and somehow I’m stuck with a skunk, a gun, and a man who somehow knows I wear boxers, not briefs.
What could go wrong?
Save Me contains triggering content, please check the author’s website for warnings.
I’m not a creeper.
Maddox McAllister is my soulmate. He just doesn’t know it yet.
If I’d known I’d meet my soulmate through a pet-sitting service, I would have listed my skunk, Princess, like…way freaking sooner. But Maddox is here now, all dark and broody and scared. And hot. Did I mention hot? I know a few things about Maddox, like his childhood pet, his favorite snack, and what kind of underwear he wears.
Okay, listen, I swear all of this came up in natural conversation. Now it’s my job to figure out why Maddox is scared and show him that we are, in fact, meant to be together. Forever.
Easy peasy! No one can withstand my charm for long.
Maddox
What the fuck did I get myself into?
Micah is…well, my boss. He’s the most eccentric boss I’ve ever had. Did I lie and say I knew how to take care of skunks just to get here? Maybe. Should I run the other way? Probably. But then my apartment burns down and a threat from my past won’t leave me the fuck alone, and somehow I’m stuck with a skunk, a gun, and a man who somehow knows I wear boxers, not briefs.
What could go wrong?
Save Me contains triggering content, please check the author’s website for warnings.
454 pages, Paperback
First published September 17, 2026
About the author
Alina May
11 books1,682 followersInternational bestselling author of books like Better Run and Wanna Play a Game? Please check content warnings!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 552 reviews
September 5, 2026
I was so excited for another addition to the Silent Hollows series. This one is significantly less dark than the others. It might just be the sweetest. The romance between these two is incredibly sweet, even if their love story is clouded by pasta trauma.
The relationship may be light, but book doesn't shy away from heavy moments. The flashbacks to Maddox's past shattered my heart. It gave me actual anxiety getting inside his head. You can see exactly how Arthur gaslighted him and skewed his perception of reality. It's terrifying how he justifies their unhealthy relationship, yet it makes complete sense to himself. I felt even worse when that broken thinking pattern enters into his current relationship.
I absolutely adore Micah. He is the definition of patience and kindness. The way he handles Maddox's struggles is so endearing. He handles the situation which such care, understanding, and kindness even when he doesn't fully understand why Maddox behaves this way.
And of course, Alina May is the queen of fun non-human side characters. I loved Buff in Make Me, but I'm now also obsessed with Princess. He's an absolute chaotic little menace who clearly instigated his dad's relationship. I also loved the cameos from Cal, Ryan, Vox, Logan, Dakota, and Ronan.
I have no idea where this series is going next, but I can't wait to find out.
The relationship may be light, but book doesn't shy away from heavy moments. The flashbacks to Maddox's past shattered my heart. It gave me actual anxiety getting inside his head. You can see exactly how Arthur gaslighted him and skewed his perception of reality. It's terrifying how he justifies their unhealthy relationship, yet it makes complete sense to himself. I felt even worse when that broken thinking pattern enters into his current relationship.
I absolutely adore Micah. He is the definition of patience and kindness. The way he handles Maddox's struggles is so endearing. He handles the situation which such care, understanding, and kindness even when he doesn't fully understand why Maddox behaves this way.
And of course, Alina May is the queen of fun non-human side characters. I loved Buff in Make Me, but I'm now also obsessed with Princess. He's an absolute chaotic little menace who clearly instigated his dad's relationship. I also loved the cameos from Cal, Ryan, Vox, Logan, Dakota, and Ronan.
I have no idea where this series is going next, but I can't wait to find out.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Wow did Save Me take me by surprise! Immediately I was captivated by Micah and Princess; I love them so much! Maddox and Micah are truly perfect for eachother and I'm SO glad they got their HEA! I enjoyed the plot, too, even if it was a little cursory for me. I like the nitty gritty and I feel like sometimes things were easy or convenient, but that didn't detract from my enjoyment at all seeings as I finished this in two sittings! Also, peep cameos by other Silent Hollow MCs!
My only wish is that they had opened up and shared their trauma. I feel like once they were on a more even, trusting ground, they could have had the conversation about Micah's dad trauma and his need to feel needed/appreciated as well as Maddox's reliance on alcohol during the hard hitting times. I feel like there was an easy way to tie in Micah's dad's drinking and death with Maddox's alcohol reliance to help him see he was slowly killing his body, it was a shoe-in. Either way, I'm glad Maddox started therapy.
I love Save Me and I can forsee this becoming a comfort read, not only a favorite and top of 2026!
My only wish is that they had opened up and shared their trauma. I feel like once they were on a more even, trusting ground, they could have had the conversation about Micah's dad trauma and his need to feel needed/appreciated as well as Maddox's reliance on alcohol during the hard hitting times. I feel like there was an easy way to tie in Micah's dad's drinking and death with Maddox's alcohol reliance to help him see he was slowly killing his body, it was a shoe-in. Either way, I'm glad Maddox started therapy.
I love Save Me and I can forsee this becoming a comfort read, not only a favorite and top of 2026!
September 4, 2026
Ohh my sweet little broken boys 🥺🥺🥺🥺 This book made me feel so many feelings, and Maddox and Micah made my heart ache for them for the majority of the book. I didn’t expect it to be so painful 😭😭 It was also so funny…Micah is hilarious, and the sweetest, most loving Golden Retriever ever. He and Princess together kept me laughing so hard - I LOVE a book with an unconventional pet who steals the show. I love that Maddox was able to get into therapy and begin the process of healing after all he’d been through.
I do wish that we had more time with Micah and Maddox happy together as a couple. The majority of the book was sweet sunshine Micah pursuing Maddox, who had so much of his own trauma he just kept pushing him away and really treating him unfairly a lot of the time. Micah had his own issues with himself and I felt like we didn’t really get to see him be loved for who he is and exactly who he is like he deserved. Neither of them really shared details of their past with each other at all either.
Honestly Princess Cupcake Sprinkles was my favorite character. The chapter from his POV was perfection 😂🙌🏻
Grumpy/Sunshine
Hurt/Comfort
Unconventional pets
Sounding 🌶️🌶️
Mentions of animal neglect & death (in flashbacks) (animal abuse is my ONLY trigger and it wasn’t bad enough to bother me) and descriptions of DV (not between our two MCs)
THANK YOU to the author for the opportunity to read this ARC! This whole series has been so exciting!
I do wish that we had more time with Micah and Maddox happy together as a couple. The majority of the book was sweet sunshine Micah pursuing Maddox, who had so much of his own trauma he just kept pushing him away and really treating him unfairly a lot of the time. Micah had his own issues with himself and I felt like we didn’t really get to see him be loved for who he is and exactly who he is like he deserved. Neither of them really shared details of their past with each other at all either.
Honestly Princess Cupcake Sprinkles was my favorite character. The chapter from his POV was perfection 😂🙌🏻
Grumpy/Sunshine
Hurt/Comfort
Unconventional pets
Sounding 🌶️🌶️
Mentions of animal neglect & death (in flashbacks) (animal abuse is my ONLY trigger and it wasn’t bad enough to bother me) and descriptions of DV (not between our two MCs)
THANK YOU to the author for the opportunity to read this ARC! This whole series has been so exciting!
September 28, 2026
Very realistic portrayal of mental health, however this is almost the prequel to a romance novel.
Whilst Micah dreams up their possible forever from first glance at Maddox, over ninety percent of this story has Maddox thinking Micah is playing games and has alternative motives. Because of this, we never see the feelings Micah has for Maddox reciprocated. There are ILYs, though once again Micah is first and Maddox replies, with a flippant swear and a brush off too, which doesn't help the reader feel the returned chemistry or love. If an epilogue showed them broken up and Micah pining, I'd believe it.
This story is more like a healing journey than a romance. The love Maddox was learning, though still hasn't learned, was towards himself. Micah learnt to recognise other people's needs, holding himself back and arguably not being himself, in order to be kinder to others.
Whilst Micah dreams up their possible forever from first glance at Maddox, over ninety percent of this story has Maddox thinking Micah is playing games and has alternative motives. Because of this, we never see the feelings Micah has for Maddox reciprocated. There are ILYs, though once again Micah is first and Maddox replies, with a flippant swear and a brush off too, which doesn't help the reader feel the returned chemistry or love. If an epilogue showed them broken up and Micah pining, I'd believe it.
This story is more like a healing journey than a romance. The love Maddox was learning, though still hasn't learned, was towards himself. Micah learnt to recognise other people's needs, holding himself back and arguably not being himself, in order to be kinder to others.
September 19, 2026
2.75⭐
Well... that was extremely disappointing. 😫😫😫
I didn't feel their "love" at all. It was just super OTT, repetitive and toxic.
The writing style was good but that's it.
Well... that was extremely disappointing. 😫😫😫
I didn't feel their "love" at all. It was just super OTT, repetitive and toxic.
The writing style was good but that's it.
Read
September 19, 2026Content warnings and spoilers listed at end of review!! No spoilers in review.
I’m not sure how I feel about this one. I think it just wasn’t for me which is why I won’t give a rating since I don’t think that’s fair. But I’d still like to share my thoughts.
Firstly it was well written. The author really explored the trauma of domestic violence situations. I’ve been blessed to have not experienced a situation like this and it really offered insight into the ptsd associated with DV. Since I haven’t experienced it I cannot say if it is an “accurate portrayal” but I do think everyone’s trauma is expressed differently. It seemed very well done in my opinion.
I loved Princess. I loved that we had a unique pet. I loved seeing his pov at the end, it was hilarious.
I do wish we could have seen Micah and Maddox talk out their childhood trauma. I think it would have added a whole different level of depth. But I respect the authors choice to leave that out.
Here’s why I can’t give a rating. The book doesn’t feel romantic and I guess I was looking for a romance. It’s completely my fault for not taking the TWs seriously enough. I just wish we could have seen more of them being happy. I feel like they didn’t really get together until 80% of the way through. I went into this expecting a romance but it was much deeper than that. I loved that these themes can be explored in a safe and respectful way. It just wasn’t for me.
I do feel like some things weren’t explained. Like what happened to Maddox’s job? Was it not suspicious that he just disappeared after you know what? And Micah’s job isn’t mentioned later on. But that’s probably just me being nit-picky.
Once again it was well written and a big congratulations to the author on such a successful book!
‼️Content Warnings including massive and descriptive spoilers below‼️
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:
:
:
:
:
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Heavy family trauma
Abusive family (both MCs)
Homophobic family
Animal neglect (on page)
Animal death (not graphic but obviously sad)
Animals harmed (not by MCs)
Severe trauma from domestic violence
Self deprecating thoughts
Hallucinations stemming from trauma
On page domestic violence
On page murder done by MCs (self-defense)
Sounding
I’m not sure how I feel about this one. I think it just wasn’t for me which is why I won’t give a rating since I don’t think that’s fair. But I’d still like to share my thoughts.
Firstly it was well written. The author really explored the trauma of domestic violence situations. I’ve been blessed to have not experienced a situation like this and it really offered insight into the ptsd associated with DV. Since I haven’t experienced it I cannot say if it is an “accurate portrayal” but I do think everyone’s trauma is expressed differently. It seemed very well done in my opinion.
I loved Princess. I loved that we had a unique pet. I loved seeing his pov at the end, it was hilarious.
I do wish we could have seen Micah and Maddox talk out their childhood trauma. I think it would have added a whole different level of depth. But I respect the authors choice to leave that out.
Here’s why I can’t give a rating. The book doesn’t feel romantic and I guess I was looking for a romance. It’s completely my fault for not taking the TWs seriously enough. I just wish we could have seen more of them being happy. I feel like they didn’t really get together until 80% of the way through. I went into this expecting a romance but it was much deeper than that. I loved that these themes can be explored in a safe and respectful way. It just wasn’t for me.
I do feel like some things weren’t explained. Like what happened to Maddox’s job? Was it not suspicious that he just disappeared after you know what? And Micah’s job isn’t mentioned later on. But that’s probably just me being nit-picky.
Once again it was well written and a big congratulations to the author on such a successful book!
‼️Content Warnings including massive and descriptive spoilers below‼️
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
Heavy family trauma
Abusive family (both MCs)
Homophobic family
Animal neglect (on page)
Animal death (not graphic but obviously sad)
Animals harmed (not by MCs)
Severe trauma from domestic violence
Self deprecating thoughts
Hallucinations stemming from trauma
On page domestic violence
On page murder done by MCs (self-defense)
Sounding
Review of advance copy received from Author
ARC FOR REVIEW
STORY⭐️⭐️⭐️
SPICE 🌶️🌶️
When “Save Me” Wasn’t Enough
Okay, so this was a really good read, but I have to be honest… it wasn’t my favorite between Make Me and Save Me. I went into this expecting more, and I think that’s where some of my disappointment came from.
Maddox’s story was heartbreaking. The abuse he suffered was such a huge part of the story, and watching his back-and-forth with the “game” he believed he was involved in genuinely hurt my heart. But Micha’s story? That one really got to me. Honestly, I think his story was even more gripping.
I wanted more from Micha. I wanted to see him actually heal—not just because he wanted Maddox and eventually got him, but because he needed to heal for himself. I struggled with the explanation surrounding his family and why they stopped loving him. He goes to therapy and blames himself for everyone leaving, but I never felt like we really got the WHY behind it. They loved him when he was younger, so what changed? That missing piece really bothered me because I felt like there was so much more to his story.
And Maddox… my heart. He started out happy, and then everything spiraled into an abusive relationship after his partner’s father died. The abuse progressed, and I really wanted more of his journey—more of his healing, more of the aftermath, and more of the emotional pieces that came with everything he endured.
Overall, I felt like the story was rushed in places and left me with way too many unanswered questions. There were so many missing pieces that I kept thinking, Wait… but what about THAT? 😩
The spice was okay, but there wasn’t a ton of it. Normally that wouldn’t bother me if the story itself gave me everything I needed, but because I felt like the story needed MORE, I found myself wishing for more spice too. 😂
Was it an easy read? Absolutely. Did I enjoy it? Yes. But I really think Maddox and Micha’s story deserved more. More depth. More healing. More answers. More time to let everything unfold.
I think the story had so much potential, and honestly, the series deserved more than what we got here. 🖤
STORY⭐️⭐️⭐️
SPICE 🌶️🌶️
When “Save Me” Wasn’t Enough
Okay, so this was a really good read, but I have to be honest… it wasn’t my favorite between Make Me and Save Me. I went into this expecting more, and I think that’s where some of my disappointment came from.
Maddox’s story was heartbreaking. The abuse he suffered was such a huge part of the story, and watching his back-and-forth with the “game” he believed he was involved in genuinely hurt my heart. But Micha’s story? That one really got to me. Honestly, I think his story was even more gripping.
I wanted more from Micha. I wanted to see him actually heal—not just because he wanted Maddox and eventually got him, but because he needed to heal for himself. I struggled with the explanation surrounding his family and why they stopped loving him. He goes to therapy and blames himself for everyone leaving, but I never felt like we really got the WHY behind it. They loved him when he was younger, so what changed? That missing piece really bothered me because I felt like there was so much more to his story.
And Maddox… my heart. He started out happy, and then everything spiraled into an abusive relationship after his partner’s father died. The abuse progressed, and I really wanted more of his journey—more of his healing, more of the aftermath, and more of the emotional pieces that came with everything he endured.
Overall, I felt like the story was rushed in places and left me with way too many unanswered questions. There were so many missing pieces that I kept thinking, Wait… but what about THAT? 😩
The spice was okay, but there wasn’t a ton of it. Normally that wouldn’t bother me if the story itself gave me everything I needed, but because I felt like the story needed MORE, I found myself wishing for more spice too. 😂
Was it an easy read? Absolutely. Did I enjoy it? Yes. But I really think Maddox and Micha’s story deserved more. More depth. More healing. More answers. More time to let everything unfold.
I think the story had so much potential, and honestly, the series deserved more than what we got here. 🖤
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Did Not Finish
September 19, 2026DNF.
Not for me.
Not for me.
Review of advance copy received from Author
PRINCESS! Honestly, if we can have a book series just on Princess alone, I would be so happy. I love that adorable and feisty blue tailed skunk!
Micah and Maddox's story is full of TRAUMA and an opposite personalities attract situation. If you love reading books where the characters are flawed and are bleeding on page, you will love this one. While the storyline is slower than other Alina books, she really focuses on the mental health aspect and how two individuals can react very differently to trauma. Its quite the journey seeing both Micah and Maddox overcome obstacles and slowly grow together as a couple.
Also, shoutout for all the amazing cameos we get with all our favorite boys from the Silent Hollow MCs! If you haven't read this series, what are you waiting for? Dive into this world and become obsessed just like the rest of us.
- MM Romance
- Trauma
- Check Triggers
- Pet sidekick
- Slow Burn
- Hurt/Comfort
Micah and Maddox's story is full of TRAUMA and an opposite personalities attract situation. If you love reading books where the characters are flawed and are bleeding on page, you will love this one. While the storyline is slower than other Alina books, she really focuses on the mental health aspect and how two individuals can react very differently to trauma. Its quite the journey seeing both Micah and Maddox overcome obstacles and slowly grow together as a couple.
Also, shoutout for all the amazing cameos we get with all our favorite boys from the Silent Hollow MCs! If you haven't read this series, what are you waiting for? Dive into this world and become obsessed just like the rest of us.
- MM Romance
- Trauma
- Check Triggers
- Pet sidekick
- Slow Burn
- Hurt/Comfort
September 6, 2026
Thank you so much to Alina for an arc copy of this!!
Never in my entire life did I think I would ever want a pet skunk... then I read this book and now I want one 😅
I stayed up all night to finish this book because while it was such a fun read (mainly because of Princess who I love with my entire heart), it was also incredibly emotional and my heart broke for both Micah and Maddox.
Micah believes he is cursed, every person he gets with finds their forever person after meeting him. He feels like he can't do anything right and all he wants is a person to love and to love him. Then we have Maddox, who is just out of an abusive relationship and trying to make money. His view on love is severely impacted by his past, thinking that it's better to not fall for anyone because they are just like his ex and are playing games with him until they hurt him. Maddox finds an ad online for pet sitting a skunk and applies because he needs the money and Micah is convinced Maddox is his future from their first meeting.
I want to wrap both of these characters up in a tight hug and protect them from the world. Both are hurting and suffering in their own ways. I won't lie to you, I did spend part of this book hating Maddox for how he was treating my sweet baby Micah but I also completely understood why he did. I know how hard it can be to trust after all you know is abuse so while it doesn't excuse his actions, I understood the why.
Please make sure to check your triggers with this one, I know I personally had a hard time reading some scenes but I absolutely loved this story with my entire heart.
M&M deserve their happy ending and each other completely. They show how love and healing may not always be easy, but it is worth it.
If you've read the other books in the Silent Hollow series, you'll love the cameos in this! I literally almost cried over a scene with Vox cause it was so sweet.
What you can expect:
🦨 MM
🖤 hurt x comfort
🦨 broken x broken
🖤 trauma healing
🦨 DV survivor
🖤 obsessive mmc
🦨 he falls first
🖤 forced proximity
🦨 grumpy x sunshine
🖤 sounding
🦨 pet skunk
Never in my entire life did I think I would ever want a pet skunk... then I read this book and now I want one 😅
I stayed up all night to finish this book because while it was such a fun read (mainly because of Princess who I love with my entire heart), it was also incredibly emotional and my heart broke for both Micah and Maddox.
Micah believes he is cursed, every person he gets with finds their forever person after meeting him. He feels like he can't do anything right and all he wants is a person to love and to love him. Then we have Maddox, who is just out of an abusive relationship and trying to make money. His view on love is severely impacted by his past, thinking that it's better to not fall for anyone because they are just like his ex and are playing games with him until they hurt him. Maddox finds an ad online for pet sitting a skunk and applies because he needs the money and Micah is convinced Maddox is his future from their first meeting.
I want to wrap both of these characters up in a tight hug and protect them from the world. Both are hurting and suffering in their own ways. I won't lie to you, I did spend part of this book hating Maddox for how he was treating my sweet baby Micah but I also completely understood why he did. I know how hard it can be to trust after all you know is abuse so while it doesn't excuse his actions, I understood the why.
Please make sure to check your triggers with this one, I know I personally had a hard time reading some scenes but I absolutely loved this story with my entire heart.
M&M deserve their happy ending and each other completely. They show how love and healing may not always be easy, but it is worth it.
If you've read the other books in the Silent Hollow series, you'll love the cameos in this! I literally almost cried over a scene with Vox cause it was so sweet.
What you can expect:
🦨 MM
🖤 hurt x comfort
🦨 broken x broken
🖤 trauma healing
🦨 DV survivor
🖤 obsessive mmc
🦨 he falls first
🖤 forced proximity
🦨 grumpy x sunshine
🖤 sounding
🦨 pet skunk
Review of advance copy received from Author
4.5⭐️
This was such a hard read but also, somehow, super sweet. I think because Micah is a ball of absolute sunshine, that even when hurting, he puts a smile on your face. And of course, the comedic relief of a feisty pet skunk around really helps.
Micah and Maddox are two broken guys that are complete opposites in everything, including how their trauma has shaped them. Micah is so over the top happy and friendly, and that man just wants to be loved. As soon as he lays eyes on Maddox, he is already hearing wedding bells and planning their lives together. Unfortunately for Micah, Maddox has sworn of men and has zero faith and trust in people at all. Saying he has trust issues is putting it mildly. These guys have some serious demons whispering in their ears, and its a journey for them to get to the point where they can tune them out.
This was a long long road to the HEA, which of course is always worth the angst and heartbreak, but man... this was rough. These are the kind of characters you just want to wrap up and protect. Really enjoyed the whole story, and we get some really great cameos from almost all the characters in this wonderful universe of ASP and AM. I will honestly read anything that comes from this would they have put together.
MM Contemporary
Emotional > Dark
Chaotic Sunshine MC
One Sided Obsession
Hurt / Comfort
Healing From Trauma
A Feisty Skunk
Slow-ish Burn
Spice: 🔥🔥🔥
This was such a hard read but also, somehow, super sweet. I think because Micah is a ball of absolute sunshine, that even when hurting, he puts a smile on your face. And of course, the comedic relief of a feisty pet skunk around really helps.
Micah and Maddox are two broken guys that are complete opposites in everything, including how their trauma has shaped them. Micah is so over the top happy and friendly, and that man just wants to be loved. As soon as he lays eyes on Maddox, he is already hearing wedding bells and planning their lives together. Unfortunately for Micah, Maddox has sworn of men and has zero faith and trust in people at all. Saying he has trust issues is putting it mildly. These guys have some serious demons whispering in their ears, and its a journey for them to get to the point where they can tune them out.
This was a long long road to the HEA, which of course is always worth the angst and heartbreak, but man... this was rough. These are the kind of characters you just want to wrap up and protect. Really enjoyed the whole story, and we get some really great cameos from almost all the characters in this wonderful universe of ASP and AM. I will honestly read anything that comes from this would they have put together.
MM Contemporary
Emotional > Dark
Chaotic Sunshine MC
One Sided Obsession
Hurt / Comfort
Healing From Trauma
A Feisty Skunk
Slow-ish Burn
Spice: 🔥🔥🔥
September 4, 2026
And suddenly I need a pet Skunk 🤣 I had a really good time with these poor broken men but I do feel like there is still more to their story! I feel with both of their pasts we could have dug so much deeper but regardless I loved it and the slow burn of it all!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I wanted to love this book like I did the other books in this series, but sadly, I didn’t. It’s a hard one for me to review because I truly didn’t connect with the story or the characters.
It just wasn’t for me. I found the story quite repetitive, which made the book feel much longer than it actually was. I know both MCs were dealing with a lot of trauma, but unfortunately, I just didn’t feel that emotional connection.
Maddox didn’t really start opening up to Micah until around 80% into the book, so I didn’t feel any real connection between them until that point. I also struggled to feel any chemistry between the two of them, which made it difficult for me to become invested in their relationship.
It just wasn’t for me. I found the story quite repetitive, which made the book feel much longer than it actually was. I know both MCs were dealing with a lot of trauma, but unfortunately, I just didn’t feel that emotional connection.
Maddox didn’t really start opening up to Micah until around 80% into the book, so I didn’t feel any real connection between them until that point. I also struggled to feel any chemistry between the two of them, which made it difficult for me to become invested in their relationship.
September 23, 2026
“Did I talk to a psychic to see what kind of healing love spells I can cast on Maddox? Yes. Did Princess jump up on the coffee table, light his tail on fire with the candle I was using for the spell, then puke on my toes from the smell? Also yes”
If you haven’t read the Silent Hollow series, this actually isn’t a safe space and I’m judging you.
🦨 Obsessive Goofy Golden Retriever MMC
💙 Hurt/Comfort
🦨 Pet Skunk
💙 Touch Him and Die
I love love LOVE all the characters in this series so much I don’t think I am capable of ranking them, and Micah and Maddox are no exception. I will forever love an unhinged golden retriever MMC like Micah but I was enthralled witnessing Maddox’s healing journey. Seeing the ways Micah actively worked to let Maddox slowly take his power back may have also healed me too.
I love when books highlight how the MC’s anxieties/ insecurities go head to head with each other. Not to even get into how the pets help heal, while subtle, really solidified the importance of the ending.
As a dark romance reader, I think we all have our own variations of trauma and I’m always fascinated to see how authors work through trauma in relationships (maybe because I’m still learning that myself but that’s me and my therapists business). I love reading Maddox’s “mental blocks”, and his outlook on relationships being a “game”. I found this incredibly relatable.
While trauma and the character growth are at the forefront, this book is still a certified toe wiggling and giggling, and had me laughing out loud and pondering the legality of owning a skunk. Every book needs a lil guy and let’s be honest, this is Princess’s book (and world) and we’re just living in it.
This is a book I could talk about forever and will forever be a comfort read like Make Me and the rest of the series is. Alina May is an auto buy author for a reason, and proves it yet again with Save Me.
This if YOUR formal invitation to talk to me about this book (the offer will never expire)!
If you haven’t read the Silent Hollow series, this actually isn’t a safe space and I’m judging you.
🦨 Obsessive Goofy Golden Retriever MMC
💙 Hurt/Comfort
🦨 Pet Skunk
💙 Touch Him and Die
I love love LOVE all the characters in this series so much I don’t think I am capable of ranking them, and Micah and Maddox are no exception. I will forever love an unhinged golden retriever MMC like Micah but I was enthralled witnessing Maddox’s healing journey. Seeing the ways Micah actively worked to let Maddox slowly take his power back may have also healed me too.
I love when books highlight how the MC’s anxieties/ insecurities go head to head with each other. Not to even get into how the pets help heal, while subtle, really solidified the importance of the ending.
As a dark romance reader, I think we all have our own variations of trauma and I’m always fascinated to see how authors work through trauma in relationships (maybe because I’m still learning that myself but that’s me and my therapists business). I love reading Maddox’s “mental blocks”, and his outlook on relationships being a “game”. I found this incredibly relatable.
While trauma and the character growth are at the forefront, this book is still a certified toe wiggling and giggling, and had me laughing out loud and pondering the legality of owning a skunk. Every book needs a lil guy and let’s be honest, this is Princess’s book (and world) and we’re just living in it.
This is a book I could talk about forever and will forever be a comfort read like Make Me and the rest of the series is. Alina May is an auto buy author for a reason, and proves it yet again with Save Me.
This if YOUR formal invitation to talk to me about this book (the offer will never expire)!
September 10, 2026
ARC Review:
This book was endearing and silly while still packing an emotional punch as these broken boys find healing together. This is a sloooooooow burn that makes you work for every inch 😮💨
Micah is so freaking cute I can't handle it. With his silly swear words and his undying determination to find his forever person despite..... resistance lol He just won't give up and in the end that's exactly what Maddox needed, someone who continued to show up for him without any expectations, someone who proved to him that love can exist without abuse.
Maddox must be protected at all costs. This man has been taught to never trust, to always assume the worst, to always expect people to hurt him. He's running from his past and avoiding a future. His mind is a literal battle field and I just wanted to wrap him up in a hug the whole book 😩 I'm so glad my baby found his silly forever person that made him feel safe enough to love again.
Of course Princess Cupcake Sprinkles stole the show and we even get a hilarious chapter from his POV at the end 😂
This book was endearing and silly while still packing an emotional punch as these broken boys find healing together. This is a sloooooooow burn that makes you work for every inch 😮💨
Micah is so freaking cute I can't handle it. With his silly swear words and his undying determination to find his forever person despite..... resistance lol He just won't give up and in the end that's exactly what Maddox needed, someone who continued to show up for him without any expectations, someone who proved to him that love can exist without abuse.
Maddox must be protected at all costs. This man has been taught to never trust, to always assume the worst, to always expect people to hurt him. He's running from his past and avoiding a future. His mind is a literal battle field and I just wanted to wrap him up in a hug the whole book 😩 I'm so glad my baby found his silly forever person that made him feel safe enough to love again.
Of course Princess Cupcake Sprinkles stole the show and we even get a hilarious chapter from his POV at the end 😂
September 4, 2026
Okay so Micah was the absolute cutest sweetest little baby angel and I wanted to snuggle him up in a blanket and keep him safe forever. BUT.. princess stole the show lol yet again, Alina May creates the most perfect side kicks. This book was a slow burn but it made sense to the story. Maddox needed that patience and Micah was his perfect match.
Review of advance copy received from Author
『𝑨𝑹𝑪 𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘』
❝𝐖𝐞’𝐫𝐞 𝐚 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐧𝐨𝐰. 𝐍𝐨 𝐛𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐢𝐞, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐚 𝐬𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐲 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞. 𝐒𝐨 𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐈 𝐩𝐚𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐦𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬’ 𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐬. 𝐎𝐡, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐲 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐩𝐢𝐝 𝐣𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐬. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐧-𝐧𝐞𝐠𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞.❞
𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘯’𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘥 – 𝘐 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶
❤︎ 𝑴𝑴 𝑹𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆
❤︎ 𝑮𝒓𝒖𝒎𝒑𝒚 𝒙 𝑺𝒖𝒏𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒆
❤︎ 𝑶𝒃𝒔𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝑴𝑴𝑪
❤︎ 𝑭𝒐𝒓𝒄𝒆𝒅 𝑷𝒓𝒐𝒙𝒊𝒎𝒊𝒕𝒚
𝐌𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐨𝐱 𝐌𝐜𝐀𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 & 𝐌𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐡 ❝𝐂𝐮𝐩𝐜𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫❞ 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐬
Care Taker & Tattoo Artist
Maddox has been through a toxic relationship, so you know, he's done with men. *Ha* Anyway, enter Micah.
Maddox needs some extra cash and he’s grown up with exotic animals, so he pet sits for Micah. Mostly for Princess, but Micah can’t help himself and he tends to be around as much as possible.
『𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘸𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥–𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘦𝘴, 𝘸𝘦’𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘣𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘢 𝘸𝘦, 𝘩𝘦 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘪𝘵 𝘺𝘦𝘵–𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳.』
Micah is feeling a bit lonely, since everyone around him is all coupled or throupled up, and then there’s Micah. He just wants love and for someone to stay. He’s been made to feel as if he’s too much and that’s just not true. He may be too much for those he’s dated, but he just needed to find the right person. Maddox, I’m looking at you.
Maddox plays hard to get. I have to say, his level of denial is intense. I felt so bad for Maddox. He’s has been through it and he just wants peace.
『 𝘐’𝘮 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘨𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝘐𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘱𝘢𝘺 𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘪𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘯’𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭.』
Maddox gets confused by Micah’s friendly behavior. Due to his last relationship, he thinks that Micah isn’t genuine. Maddox isn’t sure how to take Micah’s interest in him, but he soon learns that Micah is willing to do some shady ish to get some good old revenge on Maddox’s behalf.
『 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘢𝘴 𝘐 𝘴𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦, 𝘢 𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘥𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘧𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘴 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘮𝘦–𝘔𝘢𝘥𝘥𝘰𝘹 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘢𝘣𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦.』
Micah is absolutely the golden retreiver, but if you mess with his man… count your days. Especially with Micah having connections (Aka Logan, Ronan, and Dakota), which he ❝most definitely believes is on the safe❞ side of the law. The throuple may have exposed a bit of their nefarious behavior to Micah and he may have put it together that he can call Logan, who is usually interrupted by Ronan, for assistance… Even if it’s something as simple as needing to operate a rescue mission for an exotic animal.
『 𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘢𝘧𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘧 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘰𝘱𝘴 𝘶𝘱, 𝘐 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘸𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘭𝘦 𝘪𝘵. 𝘔𝘺 𝘸𝘦𝘪𝘳𝘥 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘸𝘦𝘪𝘳𝘥…𝘢𝘨𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴.
𝘕𝘰𝘸 𝘸𝘦 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘙𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘯 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘭 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘰𝘰𝘯. 』
Ronan is still a menace. I love how he’s down to go fuck some shit up with little information. Poor guy just wants a highland cow and no one will get one for him.
❝𝐖𝐞’𝐫𝐞 𝐚 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐧𝐨𝐰. 𝐍𝐨 𝐛𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐢𝐞, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐚 𝐬𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐲 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞. 𝐒𝐨 𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐈 𝐩𝐚𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐦𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬’ 𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐬. 𝐎𝐡, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐲 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐩𝐢𝐝 𝐣𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐬. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐧-𝐧𝐞𝐠𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞.❞
𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘯’𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘥 – 𝘐 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶
❤︎ 𝑴𝑴 𝑹𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆
❤︎ 𝑮𝒓𝒖𝒎𝒑𝒚 𝒙 𝑺𝒖𝒏𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒆
❤︎ 𝑶𝒃𝒔𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝑴𝑴𝑪
❤︎ 𝑭𝒐𝒓𝒄𝒆𝒅 𝑷𝒓𝒐𝒙𝒊𝒎𝒊𝒕𝒚
𝐌𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐨𝐱 𝐌𝐜𝐀𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 & 𝐌𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐡 ❝𝐂𝐮𝐩𝐜𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫❞ 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐬
Care Taker & Tattoo Artist
Maddox has been through a toxic relationship, so you know, he's done with men. *Ha* Anyway, enter Micah.
Maddox needs some extra cash and he’s grown up with exotic animals, so he pet sits for Micah. Mostly for Princess, but Micah can’t help himself and he tends to be around as much as possible.
『𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘸𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥–𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘦𝘴, 𝘸𝘦’𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘣𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘢 𝘸𝘦, 𝘩𝘦 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘪𝘵 𝘺𝘦𝘵–𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳.』
Micah is feeling a bit lonely, since everyone around him is all coupled or throupled up, and then there’s Micah. He just wants love and for someone to stay. He’s been made to feel as if he’s too much and that’s just not true. He may be too much for those he’s dated, but he just needed to find the right person. Maddox, I’m looking at you.
Maddox plays hard to get. I have to say, his level of denial is intense. I felt so bad for Maddox. He’s has been through it and he just wants peace.
『 𝘐’𝘮 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘨𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝘐𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘱𝘢𝘺 𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘪𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘯’𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭.』
Maddox gets confused by Micah’s friendly behavior. Due to his last relationship, he thinks that Micah isn’t genuine. Maddox isn’t sure how to take Micah’s interest in him, but he soon learns that Micah is willing to do some shady ish to get some good old revenge on Maddox’s behalf.
『 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘢𝘴 𝘐 𝘴𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦, 𝘢 𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘥𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘧𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘴 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘮𝘦–𝘔𝘢𝘥𝘥𝘰𝘹 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘢𝘣𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦.』
Micah is absolutely the golden retreiver, but if you mess with his man… count your days. Especially with Micah having connections (Aka Logan, Ronan, and Dakota), which he ❝most definitely believes is on the safe❞ side of the law. The throuple may have exposed a bit of their nefarious behavior to Micah and he may have put it together that he can call Logan, who is usually interrupted by Ronan, for assistance… Even if it’s something as simple as needing to operate a rescue mission for an exotic animal.
『 𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘢𝘧𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘧 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘰𝘱𝘴 𝘶𝘱, 𝘐 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘸𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘭𝘦 𝘪𝘵. 𝘔𝘺 𝘸𝘦𝘪𝘳𝘥 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘸𝘦𝘪𝘳𝘥…𝘢𝘨𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴.
𝘕𝘰𝘸 𝘸𝘦 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘙𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘯 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘭 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘰𝘰𝘯. 』
Ronan is still a menace. I love how he’s down to go fuck some shit up with little information. Poor guy just wants a highland cow and no one will get one for him.
September 10, 2026
Make Me by Alina was my first book by her so I definitely wanted to read the arc for this! Micha is now one of my go to characters when I need a serotine boost! He is such a unique person who I adore so much and I don't want to leave him. After posting an ad online for his absolute world Princess he meets Maddox ( I mean they were always meant to be when someone answers your skunk advert ) and Micha knows that as soon as he meets him.. Literally has to tell himself to slow his roll with already planning their future.. and then Maddox starts working for him. Maddox has his own trauma going on and it really does run deep. This isn't a bubbly romance but it also isn't that dark of romance in my opinion, its kind of in the middle and works well for both characters. I literally love Buff in the first book but I swear Princess Cupcakes has taken over, what a diva and loves both his daddies! Started as a 5 for me but went to 4.5, there was just parts of the book that I couldn't get with and I also wanted to explore their sexual relationship a bit more with regarding Maddox I feel we didn't really get that much till the end of the book and then it ended.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 8, 2026
4.5 ⭐️
This book was like a hot fudge sundae on a summer day. After Make Me, I thought Save Me would have a similar feel with its darker themes, and while it definitely had some dark undertones and TWs you should review, the overall tone felt much “lighter” thanks to how positive and uplifting Micah was, the way he treated Maddox, and the joy our special guest star—aka Princess—brought to the pages. 🥹
I really loved Micah. His sweetness felt rare and refreshing, and his longing to finally be the one who was chosen really resonated with me from a time in my own life. Then you have the hardness of Maddox, rooted in his fear of choosing the wrong person and losing control. I really liked the pacing of how these two came together, their shared love of animals, and, of course, how Princess helped bring them together. I don't know if I will look at M&Ms and not think of these two.
And the appearances by those other three crazies made me smile SO much. OH, and then those other two… a certain Angel and Ginger Snap. When all my favorite worlds collide, there is truly nothing better. I can’t wait to read more from Alina!
This book was like a hot fudge sundae on a summer day. After Make Me, I thought Save Me would have a similar feel with its darker themes, and while it definitely had some dark undertones and TWs you should review, the overall tone felt much “lighter” thanks to how positive and uplifting Micah was, the way he treated Maddox, and the joy our special guest star—aka Princess—brought to the pages. 🥹
I really loved Micah. His sweetness felt rare and refreshing, and his longing to finally be the one who was chosen really resonated with me from a time in my own life. Then you have the hardness of Maddox, rooted in his fear of choosing the wrong person and losing control. I really liked the pacing of how these two came together, their shared love of animals, and, of course, how Princess helped bring them together. I don't know if I will look at M&Ms and not think of these two.
And the appearances by those other three crazies made me smile SO much. OH, and then those other two… a certain Angel and Ginger Snap. When all my favorite worlds collide, there is truly nothing better. I can’t wait to read more from Alina!
September 8, 2026
Micah + Maddox
-dark mm romance
-grumpy x sunshine
-forced proximity
-he falls first
-obsessive mc
-hurt/comfort
-pet skunk
omg my sweet sweet lil bb maddox!! i just want to shake him & tell him to stop listening to the thoughts inside his head but isn’t that really the point of it all?😔😕 he is me, me is him, he is allll of us in a way & im so happy that micah just never gave up & was always truthful to who he is & what he wanted from mads so he could start accepting he is worthy of love!!!
-dark mm romance
-grumpy x sunshine
-forced proximity
-he falls first
-obsessive mc
-hurt/comfort
-pet skunk
omg my sweet sweet lil bb maddox!! i just want to shake him & tell him to stop listening to the thoughts inside his head but isn’t that really the point of it all?😔😕 he is me, me is him, he is allll of us in a way & im so happy that micah just never gave up & was always truthful to who he is & what he wanted from mads so he could start accepting he is worthy of love!!!
September 18, 2026
“I know you’ll keep him safe.” So you’ll keep yourself safe too. Because I’m not sure you will without him.
I definitely cried a few times during this one. Maddox 😭😭😭
And Micah 🥺🥺🥺
These two were so perf and the addition of Princess. 👑
I laughed a lot and I always love the humor Alina puts into her books because it adds a realistic element people often forget when they are wrapped in these books that are heavy on trauma. There is light.
I kicked my feet and thoroughly enjoyed myself on this one.
5 stars because I am a sucker for a good MM
I definitely cried a few times during this one. Maddox 😭😭😭
And Micah 🥺🥺🥺
These two were so perf and the addition of Princess. 👑
I laughed a lot and I always love the humor Alina puts into her books because it adds a realistic element people often forget when they are wrapped in these books that are heavy on trauma. There is light.
I kicked my feet and thoroughly enjoyed myself on this one.
5 stars because I am a sucker for a good MM
September 20, 2026
Wow! This was far from what I expected. Even though both characters are dealing with their own trauma, this ended up being so much sweeter than I anticipated.
Micah was such a patient, sweet, loving MMC, exactly what Maddox needed to start healing. I loved both characters individually and was rooting for their well-deserved HEA.
And Princess!!!! Aghhhhh! I’ve always wanted a skunk, but now more than ever!!! 😂🦨
I also adored their future plans for their property. It’s literally my personal dream. 🥹❤️
Micah was such a patient, sweet, loving MMC, exactly what Maddox needed to start healing. I loved both characters individually and was rooting for their well-deserved HEA.
And Princess!!!! Aghhhhh! I’ve always wanted a skunk, but now more than ever!!! 😂🦨
I also adored their future plans for their property. It’s literally my personal dream. 🥹❤️
Did Not Finish
September 24, 2026The writing isn’t bad, it’s hard to explain I just don’t think this book is for me personally ☺️
September 7, 2026
Save Me is another five star read and one of the best I've read this year! This is one of my favorite book worlds and series, and I always love coming back to it. Micah and Maddox are everything, their chemistry and dynamic had me completely hooked from the start.
This book had all the feels, from butterflies to full-on heartache. I loved how Alina balanced the heavier emotional moments with cute, lighthearted ones. The characters are flawed and imperfect, which only made me more invested in them.
And of course, the spice was amazing. Alina knows how to write tension and intimacy so well, and this book absolutely delivered. I even learned something new.
I couldn't put it down and read late into the evening. Another fantastic addition to a series that's been a five-star read for me every single time!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book.
This book had all the feels, from butterflies to full-on heartache. I loved how Alina balanced the heavier emotional moments with cute, lighthearted ones. The characters are flawed and imperfect, which only made me more invested in them.
And of course, the spice was amazing. Alina knows how to write tension and intimacy so well, and this book absolutely delivered. I even learned something new.
I couldn't put it down and read late into the evening. Another fantastic addition to a series that's been a five-star read for me every single time!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book.
September 14, 2026
4 ⭐
Only Alina can write a deliciously dark and angsty MM romance that will make you cry over a skunk.
PRINCESS CUPCAKE SPRINKLES TO THE RESCUE!
For real. Alina’s side characters in the form of animals are always a delight, and this time was no exception. But it's not only her sidekicks that will make you emotional, this book was also filled with angst in the form of former trauma, and my heart hurt for both men.
Maddox has escaped an abusive relationship and is scraping by while trying to run from his past and present. Meanwhile, Micah thinks himself cursed, everyone seems to find the love of their life and leave him for someone else. But at least he has his beloved skunk, Princess, who also needs some babysitting.
This book hurt in the best of ways. The way we got to follow Maddox try to escape his inner and real life demons drew me in in a way that made me feel his panic and helplessness myself. The way his traumatic mind plays games upon games inside his head captures you. His trust issues with himself and the world made my heart ache for him. He deserves all the love, but doesn't dare to trust in it. I loved Maddox so much, wanting to hold him and tell him everything would be alright.
Then comes Micah, who is actually perfect for Maddox, if only Maddox weren't so afraid and hurt. Micah has enough love to make him burst, which has worked against him his whole life. This man is so precious in a way, and I have a big soft spot for men who love so freely.
All in all, this book got me emotional on several occasions and levels, making me feel a big spectrum of emotions, and for that I love it. It was less spicy than its predecessor Make Me, but heavier on the angst.
In general, its focus is more on overcoming mental demons than the real ones, which made the plot a bit different from what I expected. But a journey I very much enjoyed still!
I had such a fun time reading this! And getting the crossovers to all the other books in the Silent Hollow series Alina has with Alexandra St Pierre was honestly so much fun and made me look forward even more to the coming books in this shared world. 🥹
Though I think I may need to check myself because any mention of a pet (and there were quite a few) is making me cry nowadays, apparently. They are just, like, everything.
Thank you so much Alina May for letting me read this ARC for my honest thoughts! 🖤
Only Alina can write a deliciously dark and angsty MM romance that will make you cry over a skunk.
PRINCESS CUPCAKE SPRINKLES TO THE RESCUE!
For real. Alina’s side characters in the form of animals are always a delight, and this time was no exception. But it's not only her sidekicks that will make you emotional, this book was also filled with angst in the form of former trauma, and my heart hurt for both men.
Maddox has escaped an abusive relationship and is scraping by while trying to run from his past and present. Meanwhile, Micah thinks himself cursed, everyone seems to find the love of their life and leave him for someone else. But at least he has his beloved skunk, Princess, who also needs some babysitting.
This book hurt in the best of ways. The way we got to follow Maddox try to escape his inner and real life demons drew me in in a way that made me feel his panic and helplessness myself. The way his traumatic mind plays games upon games inside his head captures you. His trust issues with himself and the world made my heart ache for him. He deserves all the love, but doesn't dare to trust in it. I loved Maddox so much, wanting to hold him and tell him everything would be alright.
Then comes Micah, who is actually perfect for Maddox, if only Maddox weren't so afraid and hurt. Micah has enough love to make him burst, which has worked against him his whole life. This man is so precious in a way, and I have a big soft spot for men who love so freely.
All in all, this book got me emotional on several occasions and levels, making me feel a big spectrum of emotions, and for that I love it. It was less spicy than its predecessor Make Me, but heavier on the angst.
In general, its focus is more on overcoming mental demons than the real ones, which made the plot a bit different from what I expected. But a journey I very much enjoyed still!
I had such a fun time reading this! And getting the crossovers to all the other books in the Silent Hollow series Alina has with Alexandra St Pierre was honestly so much fun and made me look forward even more to the coming books in this shared world. 🥹
Though I think I may need to check myself because any mention of a pet (and there were quite a few) is making me cry nowadays, apparently. They are just, like, everything.
Thank you so much Alina May for letting me read this ARC for my honest thoughts! 🖤
September 14, 2026
“He’s my M&M, and I want to taste him forever.”
I’m down bad obsessed with this story.
Different vibe and cadence from Make Me, but I was absolutely here for it from start to finish.
Obviously, one character, Maddox, has a story that is far more traumatic. We’re talking like dog-beaten-down, can’t trust anything, constantly looking over his shoulder. He is so badly damaged by the who hurt you trope and has built his walls up like the largest tower in Dubai.
And then you’ve got the other side of the coin, which is this over-hyper golden retriever, Micah, who has SO much love to give but is also internally battling that nobody loves me, I’m not good enough feeling. He’s overcompensating for his own past until he’s just going to crawl inside himself, give up in defeat, and wave the white flag.
And like… I just see myself in Micah in that aspect, and I love him so much. I’m obsessed with his cute self. 😭
Lots of 😩😩😩😩
I also love that we get a new emotional support animal. PRINCESS CUPCAKE. Absolutely obsessed with having a pet skunk, and now I must have one. And now I need a stuffed pet skunk to go with my stuffed Buff. And somehow get a skunk shower curtain to match my Buff one too.
I was also very pleased that we got our honorable mentions of past characters and the other characters in the series itself. The amount of humor those characters brought, but also that Micah brings to this book, made me genuinely laugh out loud. And even Maddox, at times, brought some really dry humor that I loved.
I don’t know. I just loved everything about this book.
The story. The chemistry between the characters. The cute little things they ended up bonding over. The acts of service they did for each other, but in this twisted way that ultimately ended up bringing them together.
I don’t know. I just… I loved EVERYTHING.
I loved how the other characters filled in pieces of the story and brought out different pieces of Maddox and Micah along the way.
I loved it.
And you have to read it.
I’m down bad obsessed with this story.
Different vibe and cadence from Make Me, but I was absolutely here for it from start to finish.
Obviously, one character, Maddox, has a story that is far more traumatic. We’re talking like dog-beaten-down, can’t trust anything, constantly looking over his shoulder. He is so badly damaged by the who hurt you trope and has built his walls up like the largest tower in Dubai.
And then you’ve got the other side of the coin, which is this over-hyper golden retriever, Micah, who has SO much love to give but is also internally battling that nobody loves me, I’m not good enough feeling. He’s overcompensating for his own past until he’s just going to crawl inside himself, give up in defeat, and wave the white flag.
And like… I just see myself in Micah in that aspect, and I love him so much. I’m obsessed with his cute self. 😭
Lots of 😩😩😩😩
I also love that we get a new emotional support animal. PRINCESS CUPCAKE. Absolutely obsessed with having a pet skunk, and now I must have one. And now I need a stuffed pet skunk to go with my stuffed Buff. And somehow get a skunk shower curtain to match my Buff one too.
I was also very pleased that we got our honorable mentions of past characters and the other characters in the series itself. The amount of humor those characters brought, but also that Micah brings to this book, made me genuinely laugh out loud. And even Maddox, at times, brought some really dry humor that I loved.
I don’t know. I just loved everything about this book.
The story. The chemistry between the characters. The cute little things they ended up bonding over. The acts of service they did for each other, but in this twisted way that ultimately ended up bringing them together.
I don’t know. I just… I loved EVERYTHING.
I loved how the other characters filled in pieces of the story and brought out different pieces of Maddox and Micah along the way.
I loved it.
And you have to read it.
October 4, 2026
I love Maddox McAllister, and I’d do anything for him, including loving myself. I’m gonna be okay. We’re gonna be okay.
^ Page 432.
I have to admit that Make Me has been by favourite in this series and by that standard, I did have a little bit of higher hopes for this one.
I also don't know if it's because I wasn't in the mood or what because I found Micah's character annoying most of the book? He doesn't swear and some of the phrases he says are corny and cringey (personal preference, agree to disagree).
And I understand completely that M&Ms are their thing hence the author named them Micah and Maddox. But I lost track of who was who and who was talking from time to time because I'd get confused with the M names.
I did find it funny that Micah had a pet skunk and everyone loves the skunk but based on stereotypes I'd thought we'd see him spray someone or something.
I can't say I didn't enjoy this one, because I did. I just didn't like it anywhere near as much as I liked Make Me. I did like the few scenes we saw of previous characters (even though I had to check my notes as I forgot between Logan and Ronan who was who).
OH and I'm so glad this book wasn't riddled with sex! I feel like almost every book I pick up anymore is all smut no plot. But this book? There was no sex until 87% of the book so I definitely liked that too.
^ Page 432.
I have to admit that Make Me has been by favourite in this series and by that standard, I did have a little bit of higher hopes for this one.
I also don't know if it's because I wasn't in the mood or what because I found Micah's character annoying most of the book? He doesn't swear and some of the phrases he says are corny and cringey (personal preference, agree to disagree).
And I understand completely that M&Ms are their thing hence the author named them Micah and Maddox. But I lost track of who was who and who was talking from time to time because I'd get confused with the M names.
I did find it funny that Micah had a pet skunk and everyone loves the skunk but based on stereotypes I'd thought we'd see him spray someone or something.
I can't say I didn't enjoy this one, because I did. I just didn't like it anywhere near as much as I liked Make Me. I did like the few scenes we saw of previous characters (even though I had to check my notes as I forgot between Logan and Ronan who was who).
OH and I'm so glad this book wasn't riddled with sex! I feel like almost every book I pick up anymore is all smut no plot. But this book? There was no sex until 87% of the book so I definitely liked that too.
September 18, 2026
Save Me is definitely one of the softer and sweetest additions to the Silent Hollows series, but it still delivers plenty of emotional moments. This book took me by surprise in the best way!
Micah completely stole my heart! He’s the ultimate golden retriever, full of patience, kindness, and love. The way he supports Maddox through his trauma was so beautiful, even when he didn’t fully understand what Maddox was going through.
Maddox broke my heart. His past and the way it affected how he viewed relationships were so difficult to read, but I loved watching him slowly find safety and healing with Micah.
And then there’s Princess! I’m officially obsessed with this chaotic little menace. Honestly, I now desperately want a pet skunk!
I loved the softer, more vulnerable feel of this story, the cameos from familiar Silent Hollows characters, and watching Micah and Maddox find their HEA. I flew through this one in two sittings!
A sweet, emotional read with plenty of hurt/comfort, healing, and a little skunk chaos.
Tropes:
🦨 MM Romance
🖤 Hurt/Comfort
🦨 Broken x Broken
🖤 Trauma Healing
🦨 DV Survivor
🖤 Obsessive MMC
🦨 Forced Proximity
🖤 Grumpy x Sunshine
🦨 Pet Skunk
Micah completely stole my heart! He’s the ultimate golden retriever, full of patience, kindness, and love. The way he supports Maddox through his trauma was so beautiful, even when he didn’t fully understand what Maddox was going through.
Maddox broke my heart. His past and the way it affected how he viewed relationships were so difficult to read, but I loved watching him slowly find safety and healing with Micah.
And then there’s Princess! I’m officially obsessed with this chaotic little menace. Honestly, I now desperately want a pet skunk!
I loved the softer, more vulnerable feel of this story, the cameos from familiar Silent Hollows characters, and watching Micah and Maddox find their HEA. I flew through this one in two sittings!
A sweet, emotional read with plenty of hurt/comfort, healing, and a little skunk chaos.
Tropes:
🦨 MM Romance
🖤 Hurt/Comfort
🦨 Broken x Broken
🖤 Trauma Healing
🦨 DV Survivor
🖤 Obsessive MMC
🦨 Forced Proximity
🖤 Grumpy x Sunshine
🦨 Pet Skunk
September 17, 2026
4.5 stars
Okay first of all I would die for Princess Cupcake Sprinkles…and Micha….and Maddox actually.
The way Alina covers mental health rep with PTSD representation was beautifully written. One of my favourite parts. The cameos from other Silent Hollow characters made me scream with delight.
Yes this book is hilarious and chaotic but that never takes anything away from the heavy themes throughout. Both my sweet boys are traumatised and broken in their own ways. What Maddox went through at the hands of someone he loved made me sob. It’s understandable that he was reluctant to let someone else in.
This book had me questioning if I now want a pet skunk and the answer is definitely yes. It also has me wanting to read everything Alina May has written and everything she will write in the future
Okay first of all I would die for Princess Cupcake Sprinkles…and Micha….and Maddox actually.
The way Alina covers mental health rep with PTSD representation was beautifully written. One of my favourite parts. The cameos from other Silent Hollow characters made me scream with delight.
Yes this book is hilarious and chaotic but that never takes anything away from the heavy themes throughout. Both my sweet boys are traumatised and broken in their own ways. What Maddox went through at the hands of someone he loved made me sob. It’s understandable that he was reluctant to let someone else in.
This book had me questioning if I now want a pet skunk and the answer is definitely yes. It also has me wanting to read everything Alina May has written and everything she will write in the future
September 17, 2026
I could have read 400 more pages of Micah & Maddox. Seriously. I truly hope they're getting another book bc I feel like we sure just getting started!
Alina had me hooked immediately and I had to force myself to put the book down to do responsible adult things like make dinner for my family and go to bed!
I love the little bits we get from the other Silent Hollow characters. AND I'm pretty sure I need a pet skunk now. My husband thinks I'm joking. I'm not joking.
The trauma each of the men struggled with or survived through was absolutely heartbreaking and though Maddox's was more immediate; my heart ached for Micah who was just this little ball of happy and hope who wanted so badly to be loved but kept getting the kicked puppy treatment.
Seriously. I need more!
10/10 recommend!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Alina had me hooked immediately and I had to force myself to put the book down to do responsible adult things like make dinner for my family and go to bed!
I love the little bits we get from the other Silent Hollow characters. AND I'm pretty sure I need a pet skunk now. My husband thinks I'm joking. I'm not joking.
The trauma each of the men struggled with or survived through was absolutely heartbreaking and though Maddox's was more immediate; my heart ached for Micah who was just this little ball of happy and hope who wanted so badly to be loved but kept getting the kicked puppy treatment.
Seriously. I need more!
10/10 recommend!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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