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Hunting Ground
I’ve never done anything wrong in my life.
At least, nothing worth getting kidnapped over.
Apparently, someone disagrees.
Now I’m spending the day before Halloween at the abandoned amusement park where I used to work, being hunted by masked psychopaths who kill people because they get bored.
I usually just pick up a hobby.
Then one of the masks comes off.
I know this man. I used to be in love with him—as much as a fourteen-year-old with unrealistic expectations can be.
Going by my reaction to the blood on him, my judgment hasn’t improved.
He says he and his two friends are here to save me. All I have to do is trust them.
Three gorgeous men with knives and a suspicious definition of “safe.”
My standards really should be higher.
But I’m not leaving the others to die. These bastards turned my old summer job into a slaughterhouse, and I intend to make them regret inviting me.
With Halloween dawning, I’m ready to hunt back—and my would-be rescuers seem just as interested in chasing me as saving me.
Unfortunately, being caught is starting to sound like the fun part.
HUNTING GROUND is a dark, Halloween romance. It is MMMF, and a complete standalone ending in an HEA. It is full of questionable content of the halloween-violence kind, including murder, blood, gore, and just about anything else you’d find in an amusement park gone wrong. For a full list of triggers, please look inside the front of the book.
At least, nothing worth getting kidnapped over.
Apparently, someone disagrees.
Now I’m spending the day before Halloween at the abandoned amusement park where I used to work, being hunted by masked psychopaths who kill people because they get bored.
I usually just pick up a hobby.
Then one of the masks comes off.
I know this man. I used to be in love with him—as much as a fourteen-year-old with unrealistic expectations can be.
Going by my reaction to the blood on him, my judgment hasn’t improved.
He says he and his two friends are here to save me. All I have to do is trust them.
Three gorgeous men with knives and a suspicious definition of “safe.”
My standards really should be higher.
But I’m not leaving the others to die. These bastards turned my old summer job into a slaughterhouse, and I intend to make them regret inviting me.
With Halloween dawning, I’m ready to hunt back—and my would-be rescuers seem just as interested in chasing me as saving me.
Unfortunately, being caught is starting to sound like the fun part.
HUNTING GROUND is a dark, Halloween romance. It is MMMF, and a complete standalone ending in an HEA. It is full of questionable content of the halloween-violence kind, including murder, blood, gore, and just about anything else you’d find in an amusement park gone wrong. For a full list of triggers, please look inside the front of the book.
200 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 29, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
Review of advance copy
“But we need to get to the Ferris wheel. I’m not really into the idea of taking a bullet or blade for you before you take me out to dinner.”
^ Page 85.
I loved this one and I loved that there was MM scenes in this one too!
Sable is working at a motel as a night manager when she "accidentally" drops water on an asshole. The asshole and his buddy kidnap her and send her into "The Hunt". She wakes up with a letter informing her she won't make it through Halloween so enjoy running like prey. Only Sable refuses to die and turns the tables on the hunters.
I loved that Ronan and Ansel came back to save her from The Hunt and that they had a relationship together. Especially when they wanted her to come with them and get out of the shitty town in the end.
I will admit, I was a bit confused with Adrien's role for a little while? He was in the hunter's group and informed Ronan and Ansel to come save their woman.
Of course they all end up together which we love 🫶🏻
I read the trigger warnings and was a bit like "oh god am I in the mood for this level of dark?" The only scene that had me somewhat scared (?) was when she woke up with the letter. I don't think scared is the right word but my god.
Definitely don't regret waiting for midnight on release day and staying up til almost 3am reading this one.
^ Page 85.
I loved this one and I loved that there was MM scenes in this one too!
Sable is working at a motel as a night manager when she "accidentally" drops water on an asshole. The asshole and his buddy kidnap her and send her into "The Hunt". She wakes up with a letter informing her she won't make it through Halloween so enjoy running like prey. Only Sable refuses to die and turns the tables on the hunters.
I loved that Ronan and Ansel came back to save her from The Hunt and that they had a relationship together. Especially when they wanted her to come with them and get out of the shitty town in the end.
I will admit, I was a bit confused with Adrien's role for a little while? He was in the hunter's group and informed Ronan and Ansel to come save their woman.
Of course they all end up together which we love 🫶🏻
I read the trigger warnings and was a bit like "oh god am I in the mood for this level of dark?" The only scene that had me somewhat scared (?) was when she woke up with the letter. I don't think scared is the right word but my god.
Definitely don't regret waiting for midnight on release day and staying up til almost 3am reading this one.
October 31, 2026
for a while i loved all of aj merlin's work. and then with every reread, i got nitpicky about little stuff. and now the last few that i've read? just are not great. this feels incredibly rushed, underwritten, and underdeveloped. i don't even really understand what this book is actually going for.
first of all, just generally, what's happening in this book? rich people hunt random people to the death? except for it's not random, apparently it's just something the rich do to people who have "wronged them"??? but we get almost none of the stories. we don't find out where this club came from, how long it's been operating, what each victim did to deserve this, nothing. none of that.
and then we meet the guys, two of whom were apparently sable's best friends when they were kids. and we keep alluding to this big fight they had when the guys moved away, but i don't think we ever really got any background for that either. like why did they leave her, why was she so determined to stay, if they were such good friends, how was this the thing that made them stop talking to each other for years. where did they go? why did they go? why didn't she go with them? and the moment that anyone even brings it up, sable shuts it down immediately, which really feels like shorthand for "don't think about it, i didn't put any thought into what the reason behind their big drama is."
aj merlin also has a tendency to write all the fmcs as so unbelievably stupid. none of them ever have any semblance of self-preservation, and basically every choice she makes in this book is completely pointless. we keep hinting at this weird hidden darkness inside sable, and then she whines about how she doesn't want to leave, she wants to kill more people. and i get that this is the plot and that it's supposed to show how tough and brave she is. but it's insane because when she makes this demand, she has killed exactly one person. so to try to make her out to be this repressed killer just feels dumb. even when we get the flashback of the first (?) "murder" that she committed?? she didn't even touch the guy, she just didn't get him help for something he did to himself. and the worst part is that every time she does something stupid she has a moment in her internal monologue that's like "huh this was an extremely stupid idea." which kills me every time because i need authors to stop hanging lanterns on things that are bad. like "you can't criticize this because the character is aware of how stupid she is." which just sucks. because i would rather these people be written as intelligent rather than tough, and it doesn't seem like the author cares about that. plus even after she decides she wants to stay and hunt all these people down, i think in the end she maybe kills two? and the guys kill everyone else? she gets herself shot at one point because she's stupid?? she refuses to come up with any decent plan and instead just throws herself into a room hoping that the guys will save her when her incredibly stupid actions inevitably go wrong??
the sex in this book is mostly boring, nothing happens in anyone's relationships to actually move the plot forward. she just has sex with her guys (one time? i think?) and then all of a sudden we are supposed to believe that she's actually in love with these guys and will follow them wherever they go.
this just feels like it's trying too hard to be edgy and completely misses the mark.
plus there are so many typos and grammatical errors. half of adrien's sentences just start with lowercase letters for no reason. we have "ned" instead of "need" (during a sex scene, might i add, which just completely broke any sense of seduction, and "died" instead of "dyed." and all those things together just make this book feel sloppy. it feels like it was completely rushed just so that it would come out right before halloween. and it just makes me angry because as a reader, you can feel when something just didn't seem worth the effort to an author. and it's annoying because if you don't care enough to actually come up with a fully developed plot and fully developed characters, and you don't care enough to even edit your book so that it doesn't come out choppy and full of errors, then how do you expect an audience to care???
first of all, just generally, what's happening in this book? rich people hunt random people to the death? except for it's not random, apparently it's just something the rich do to people who have "wronged them"??? but we get almost none of the stories. we don't find out where this club came from, how long it's been operating, what each victim did to deserve this, nothing. none of that.
and then we meet the guys, two of whom were apparently sable's best friends when they were kids. and we keep alluding to this big fight they had when the guys moved away, but i don't think we ever really got any background for that either. like why did they leave her, why was she so determined to stay, if they were such good friends, how was this the thing that made them stop talking to each other for years. where did they go? why did they go? why didn't she go with them? and the moment that anyone even brings it up, sable shuts it down immediately, which really feels like shorthand for "don't think about it, i didn't put any thought into what the reason behind their big drama is."
aj merlin also has a tendency to write all the fmcs as so unbelievably stupid. none of them ever have any semblance of self-preservation, and basically every choice she makes in this book is completely pointless. we keep hinting at this weird hidden darkness inside sable, and then she whines about how she doesn't want to leave, she wants to kill more people. and i get that this is the plot and that it's supposed to show how tough and brave she is. but it's insane because when she makes this demand, she has killed exactly one person. so to try to make her out to be this repressed killer just feels dumb. even when we get the flashback of the first (?) "murder" that she committed?? she didn't even touch the guy, she just didn't get him help for something he did to himself. and the worst part is that every time she does something stupid she has a moment in her internal monologue that's like "huh this was an extremely stupid idea." which kills me every time because i need authors to stop hanging lanterns on things that are bad. like "you can't criticize this because the character is aware of how stupid she is." which just sucks. because i would rather these people be written as intelligent rather than tough, and it doesn't seem like the author cares about that. plus even after she decides she wants to stay and hunt all these people down, i think in the end she maybe kills two? and the guys kill everyone else? she gets herself shot at one point because she's stupid?? she refuses to come up with any decent plan and instead just throws herself into a room hoping that the guys will save her when her incredibly stupid actions inevitably go wrong??
the sex in this book is mostly boring, nothing happens in anyone's relationships to actually move the plot forward. she just has sex with her guys (one time? i think?) and then all of a sudden we are supposed to believe that she's actually in love with these guys and will follow them wherever they go.
this just feels like it's trying too hard to be edgy and completely misses the mark.
plus there are so many typos and grammatical errors. half of adrien's sentences just start with lowercase letters for no reason. we have "ned" instead of "need" (during a sex scene, might i add, which just completely broke any sense of seduction, and "died" instead of "dyed." and all those things together just make this book feel sloppy. it feels like it was completely rushed just so that it would come out right before halloween. and it just makes me angry because as a reader, you can feel when something just didn't seem worth the effort to an author. and it's annoying because if you don't care enough to actually come up with a fully developed plot and fully developed characters, and you don't care enough to even edit your book so that it doesn't come out choppy and full of errors, then how do you expect an audience to care???
October 30, 2026
Great, quick, and spicy Halloween read. You get a fierce FMC and some absolutely feral MMC’s. Sables's inner thoughts and puns were fun. Sable is kidnapped and sent into "The Hunt". She wakes up with a letter informing her she won't make it through Halloween so enjoy running like prey. Only Sable refuses to die and turns the tables on the hunters. That’s when she meets a masked man and his two companions…but are they here to save her? Or hunt her like the others in the game? As always please check the trigger warnings :)
October 31, 2026
This is a short Halloween novella why choose romance with crazy morally grey characters with little to no self-preservation instincts.
Sable is a night manager at a crappy motel. There is nothing special about her life, at least until she pisses off the wrong man. After bruising a gross man's ego, she finds herself trapped in a hunting game. A club of rich people pay to participate in a hunt for their victim, who has wronged them in some way on Halloween. Luckily, the location of this year's hunt is the amusement park Sable worked at with her best friends as teenagers. So, while she doesn't know how many hunters are out there, she is at least familiar with the environment.
When she is separated from the other victims, she runs into several masked men she recognizes. Her two best friends, Ronan and Ansel, who she hasn't seen in almost a decade and their friend Adrien snuck into the hunt to save her. She had missed her friends, and while she had just met Adrien, she was equally interested and infuriated by him. Adrien had heard from acquaintances that she was meant to be prey and told Ronan and Ansel, who apparently still talk about her all the time, so they have a vague plan to getbher out. Only Sable doesn't just want to escape she wants to save as many other victims as possible and get revenge on the other hunters. The guys all quickly agreed to support her.
Even though this was a novella, I still wish there was more to it. In some ways, it felt incomplete. A huge fight between Sable and Ronan and Ansel was referenced several times, but what the fight was about and why they had lost contact was never mentioned. A fight that caused them to go from being inseparable to not speaking for ten years feels too important to the story to leave out, novella or not. Plus, it would have been nice to know more about the guy's lives, Adrien, and how he fit in with them.
Sable is a night manager at a crappy motel. There is nothing special about her life, at least until she pisses off the wrong man. After bruising a gross man's ego, she finds herself trapped in a hunting game. A club of rich people pay to participate in a hunt for their victim, who has wronged them in some way on Halloween. Luckily, the location of this year's hunt is the amusement park Sable worked at with her best friends as teenagers. So, while she doesn't know how many hunters are out there, she is at least familiar with the environment.
When she is separated from the other victims, she runs into several masked men she recognizes. Her two best friends, Ronan and Ansel, who she hasn't seen in almost a decade and their friend Adrien snuck into the hunt to save her. She had missed her friends, and while she had just met Adrien, she was equally interested and infuriated by him. Adrien had heard from acquaintances that she was meant to be prey and told Ronan and Ansel, who apparently still talk about her all the time, so they have a vague plan to getbher out. Only Sable doesn't just want to escape she wants to save as many other victims as possible and get revenge on the other hunters. The guys all quickly agreed to support her.
Even though this was a novella, I still wish there was more to it. In some ways, it felt incomplete. A huge fight between Sable and Ronan and Ansel was referenced several times, but what the fight was about and why they had lost contact was never mentioned. A fight that caused them to go from being inseparable to not speaking for ten years feels too important to the story to leave out, novella or not. Plus, it would have been nice to know more about the guy's lives, Adrien, and how he fit in with them.
November 3, 2026
I received an arc in exchange for an honest review.
Hunting Ground has a great premise and I truly wanted to love it. Unfortunately, this one was a miss for me. I felt as though Hunting Ground had a lot going on for a premise that takes place over one night. A lot of the details were fun and I overall enjoyed reading them, but most of the time I felt like the story and the romance (especially between Sable and Adrian) were rushed. Additionally, it felt as though Sable was meant to be more badass than she was. There were times where her being a badass came through, and other times where she seemed more of a wishy-washy character, which led to some disappointment on my end.
I also usually give books more grace for continuity errors as I understand how they can easily happen during the writing process. This is the first AJ Merlin book where I felt bogged down by their existence, resulting in my rating being lower than usual.
Some of the highlights for me included: (spoilers ahead)
Overall, I enjoyed Hunting Ground, but it’s a 3 star from me.
Hunting Ground has a great premise and I truly wanted to love it. Unfortunately, this one was a miss for me. I felt as though Hunting Ground had a lot going on for a premise that takes place over one night. A lot of the details were fun and I overall enjoyed reading them, but most of the time I felt like the story and the romance (especially between Sable and Adrian) were rushed. Additionally, it felt as though Sable was meant to be more badass than she was. There were times where her being a badass came through, and other times where she seemed more of a wishy-washy character, which led to some disappointment on my end.
I also usually give books more grace for continuity errors as I understand how they can easily happen during the writing process. This is the first AJ Merlin book where I felt bogged down by their existence, resulting in my rating being lower than usual.
Some of the highlights for me included: (spoilers ahead)
Overall, I enjoyed Hunting Ground, but it’s a 3 star from me.
October 31, 2026
i hate saying this, but not my fav book by AJ Merlin. I’m usually obsessed with anything this author writes, esp their Halloween themes books, but this one was just a miss from me. i think it’s bc i wished it was just longer and not a novella bc so much felt like it was missing. it just left me wanting more.
thank you AJ Merlin for an e-ARC of 𝑯𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑮𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅
✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦
MMMF, 1st person single POV
26 fmc / 26 mmcs?
best friends to lovers, stabby fmc, HEA, standalone
thank you AJ Merlin for an e-ARC of 𝑯𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑮𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅
✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦
MMMF, 1st person single POV
26 fmc / 26 mmcs?
best friends to lovers, stabby fmc, HEA, standalone
November 2, 2026
Hunting Ground by AJ Merlin
Sable, Adrian, Ronan & Ansel
What else would I read on Halloween to squeeze one more book into my October count?
A why choose romance where the FMC gets thrown into a spooky abandoned amusement park and has to hunt down the people who put her there.
Obviously.
Sable, Ronan, and Ansel grew up together in foster care, protecting each other, supporting each other, and becoming the family none of them had. Then one fight after graduation tore them apart, and Sable hasn’t seen Ronan or Ansel in years.
Of course, the night she needs them most is when they come crashing back into her life.
Then there’s Adrian, the newest piece of their unconventional little family. He’s the one who gets Ronan and Ansel into the hunters’ group chat and realizes Sable is in danger. We also learn that Adrian is a hitman, because apparently Sable’s dating pool needed just a little more murder in it. His idea of including her in his life is wanting to take her along on some of his jobs.
I love AJ Merlin’s books because I pretty much know what I’m getting when I pick one up: creepy atmosphere, murdery people, unconventional relationships, and characters who love in ways that probably wouldn’t survive a normal relationship advice column.
And I appreciate that there isn’t a ton of hemming and hawing over the why choose aspect. There’s no endless “who do I pick?” or “what will people think?” drama. These characters already understand that their relationships don’t have to look conventional to be real.
Sable is tough as nails and works as a night clerk at a hotel, where not putting up with anyone’s crap eventually lands her in a very creepy, very dangerous abandoned amusement park.
Fortunately for her, she used to work there.
She knows the layout, she knows how to survive, and she definitely isn’t waiting around for someone else to save her. She fights back, takes on the people hunting her, helps other trapped victims, and still manages to get her men in the end.
Spooky abandoned amusement park. Why choose. Found family. A hitman boyfriend. Murdery chaos.
Pretty much perfect Halloween reading.
Happy Halloween.
Sable, Adrian, Ronan & Ansel
What else would I read on Halloween to squeeze one more book into my October count?
A why choose romance where the FMC gets thrown into a spooky abandoned amusement park and has to hunt down the people who put her there.
Obviously.
Sable, Ronan, and Ansel grew up together in foster care, protecting each other, supporting each other, and becoming the family none of them had. Then one fight after graduation tore them apart, and Sable hasn’t seen Ronan or Ansel in years.
Of course, the night she needs them most is when they come crashing back into her life.
Then there’s Adrian, the newest piece of their unconventional little family. He’s the one who gets Ronan and Ansel into the hunters’ group chat and realizes Sable is in danger. We also learn that Adrian is a hitman, because apparently Sable’s dating pool needed just a little more murder in it. His idea of including her in his life is wanting to take her along on some of his jobs.
I love AJ Merlin’s books because I pretty much know what I’m getting when I pick one up: creepy atmosphere, murdery people, unconventional relationships, and characters who love in ways that probably wouldn’t survive a normal relationship advice column.
And I appreciate that there isn’t a ton of hemming and hawing over the why choose aspect. There’s no endless “who do I pick?” or “what will people think?” drama. These characters already understand that their relationships don’t have to look conventional to be real.
Sable is tough as nails and works as a night clerk at a hotel, where not putting up with anyone’s crap eventually lands her in a very creepy, very dangerous abandoned amusement park.
Fortunately for her, she used to work there.
She knows the layout, she knows how to survive, and she definitely isn’t waiting around for someone else to save her. She fights back, takes on the people hunting her, helps other trapped victims, and still manages to get her men in the end.
Spooky abandoned amusement park. Why choose. Found family. A hitman boyfriend. Murdery chaos.
Pretty much perfect Halloween reading.
Happy Halloween.
November 3, 2026
Hunting Ground by AJ Merlin was such a fun, entertaining read. The story kept me engaged, and I loved Sable’s puns and sarcasm. She didn’t always make the smartest choices, and she seemed surprisingly unfazed by a lot of the traumatic things happening around her, but I still enjoyed her character. This definitely had slasher vibes, so the blood and gore didn’t bother me.
I loved the guys and their dark sides, but I wanted more of their history with Sable. What exactly happened during their big fight, and why wouldn’t she go with them? I also loved Adrien joining them, but I wanted to know how he and the guys even met. His chemistry with Sable was off the charts, but without more backstory, his place in the group felt a little random, especially since Sable already had history with Ronan and Ansel. Those details would have helped their relationships feel more developed.
The hunting itself was interesting, too. Rich people hunting down people they believe wronged them wasn’t hard to buy into, but I wanted more of the reasons behind who they chose. And what happens to Elaine? We get this intriguing setup, but some of the explanations felt missing.
Honestly, this could have been a five-star read for me with a little more detail and another round of editing. There were quite a few grammatical errors that stood out throughout the book. There was a lot happening in relatively few pages, but it never felt like too much. Even with the editing issues and the questions I was left with at the end, I had a good time reading it, and that made it a four-star read for me.
I loved the guys and their dark sides, but I wanted more of their history with Sable. What exactly happened during their big fight, and why wouldn’t she go with them? I also loved Adrien joining them, but I wanted to know how he and the guys even met. His chemistry with Sable was off the charts, but without more backstory, his place in the group felt a little random, especially since Sable already had history with Ronan and Ansel. Those details would have helped their relationships feel more developed.
The hunting itself was interesting, too. Rich people hunting down people they believe wronged them wasn’t hard to buy into, but I wanted more of the reasons behind who they chose. And what happens to Elaine? We get this intriguing setup, but some of the explanations felt missing.
Honestly, this could have been a five-star read for me with a little more detail and another round of editing. There were quite a few grammatical errors that stood out throughout the book. There was a lot happening in relatively few pages, but it never felt like too much. Even with the editing issues and the questions I was left with at the end, I had a good time reading it, and that made it a four-star read for me.
October 28, 2026
Hunting Ground - AJ Merlin
5⭐️
3🌶️
🔥🖤 AJ Merlin does it again 🖤🔥
✨ARC Review ✨
Once again, AJ Merlin proves why she deserves a spot in my list of favorite authors.
Hunting Ground follows Sable, a girl who can hold her own and isn’t afraid of making a bad pun or two. Despite her two best friends moving away, Sable stayed in her hometown and is working as a night motel manager and unsuspectingly made an enemy one night that has her caught up in a game fighting for her life at the old rundown Wonderlight Pier. That’s when she meets a masked man and his two companions…but are they here to save her? Or hunt her like the others in the game?
Once I started reading this book I couldn’t put it down, I just had to know what happened next! Sable is such a strong FMC and you can’t help but root for her, and let’s be honest who doesn’t love a terrible pun especially when they are spicy related? Don’t get me started on her three companions, Adrien, Ronan and Ansel. I love them all so much. Each of the boys are so well written and have their own personalities and qualities that you can’t help but love. Hunting Ground is a perfect blend of dark, eerie and spicy, making it a perfect spooky season read.
⚠️ As always please check the trigger warnings ⚠️
5⭐️
3🌶️
🔥🖤 AJ Merlin does it again 🖤🔥
✨ARC Review ✨
Once again, AJ Merlin proves why she deserves a spot in my list of favorite authors.
Hunting Ground follows Sable, a girl who can hold her own and isn’t afraid of making a bad pun or two. Despite her two best friends moving away, Sable stayed in her hometown and is working as a night motel manager and unsuspectingly made an enemy one night that has her caught up in a game fighting for her life at the old rundown Wonderlight Pier. That’s when she meets a masked man and his two companions…but are they here to save her? Or hunt her like the others in the game?
Once I started reading this book I couldn’t put it down, I just had to know what happened next! Sable is such a strong FMC and you can’t help but root for her, and let’s be honest who doesn’t love a terrible pun especially when they are spicy related? Don’t get me started on her three companions, Adrien, Ronan and Ansel. I love them all so much. Each of the boys are so well written and have their own personalities and qualities that you can’t help but love. Hunting Ground is a perfect blend of dark, eerie and spicy, making it a perfect spooky season read.
⚠️ As always please check the trigger warnings ⚠️
November 2, 2026
Hunting ground is a dark Halloween themed serial killer romance which follows the night manager Sable, Ansel and Ronan. True to form this book is about an FMC who becomes the hunted prey/deepest obsession by the MMC‘ S. I love the Halloween theme to this dark serial killer read which has become part of my Halloween tradition as I can always count on this author to release a Halloween themed book.
As always, make sure to note the triggers at the front of the book though considering previous book this one wasn’t too bad. I loved the characters and their previous background with each other and I love the tropes of this book found family and why choose.
Hunting ground is spooky, spicy and full of all the murdery vibes this author is known for and does so well. I also enjoyed the fact the FMC had a bit more fight about her then previous FMC’s.
Overall, this was a creepy quick Halloween. Why choose read that? Definitely hit the spot for this time of the year. I always enjoy how this offer can come up with such unique characters and storylines that I’ve never read before or even thought of. I can’t wait to see what this author does next!
As always, make sure to note the triggers at the front of the book though considering previous book this one wasn’t too bad. I loved the characters and their previous background with each other and I love the tropes of this book found family and why choose.
Hunting ground is spooky, spicy and full of all the murdery vibes this author is known for and does so well. I also enjoyed the fact the FMC had a bit more fight about her then previous FMC’s.
Overall, this was a creepy quick Halloween. Why choose read that? Definitely hit the spot for this time of the year. I always enjoy how this offer can come up with such unique characters and storylines that I’ve never read before or even thought of. I can’t wait to see what this author does next!
November 6, 2026
MMMF
🌶️🌶️
Dark
Sable is kidnapped and wakes up in a closed down amusement park, where she used to work. She had “wronged” the wrong person. She was brought there by a man she poured water on for leering at her while checking him into her hotel. There are several people being hunted by someone from their life. Only the person who brought them there can hunt them down.
She does not go down quietly. She comes across other hunted and tries to help them, killing one of the hunters. She encounters another masked hunter but he is accompanied by two other individuals who have very familiar voices. Ronan and Ansel are her childhood best friends, who she hasn’t seen in a few years. The third is their lover, Adrien, who is a contract killer, and was notified of the hunt asking if he wanted to participate. When he saw Sable’s name he informed the other two, who have pined after her since they met.
After the escape there were a couple spicy scenes but no four-way or any DP. She was with the best friends together but was only fucked by one. And she was with Adrien separately. And Adrien was with Ansel.
🌶️🌶️
Dark
Sable is kidnapped and wakes up in a closed down amusement park, where she used to work. She had “wronged” the wrong person. She was brought there by a man she poured water on for leering at her while checking him into her hotel. There are several people being hunted by someone from their life. Only the person who brought them there can hunt them down.
She does not go down quietly. She comes across other hunted and tries to help them, killing one of the hunters. She encounters another masked hunter but he is accompanied by two other individuals who have very familiar voices. Ronan and Ansel are her childhood best friends, who she hasn’t seen in a few years. The third is their lover, Adrien, who is a contract killer, and was notified of the hunt asking if he wanted to participate. When he saw Sable’s name he informed the other two, who have pined after her since they met.
After the escape there were a couple spicy scenes but no four-way or any DP. She was with the best friends together but was only fucked by one. And she was with Adrien separately. And Adrien was with Ansel.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 31, 2026
this book would have been much better if the author had just delayed the horniness parts. i didn’t mind them at all but they seemed so utterly random and pointless. like i was better off watching the porn titles sable kept mentioning.
maybe if the book gives us more background story between ansel/ronan/sable trio, it could have been better. maybe if we get more taste of their childhood dynamic, which i found quite interesting, by the way. add more of the uncertainty, jealousy and angst between them. like you’re telling me nothing happened between the three before they separated and now they’re an adult meeting for the first time after so many years and they’re somehow okay with doing sexual stuff in the middle of the hunt? please that was so fucking stupid.
adrien was also an interesting addition to the trio but still. A RANDOM ASS ADDITION. BFFR.
maybe i took this book too seriously when it should be treated as a porn without plot video. but can’t you blame me for having expectations? it wasn’t even a high one to begin with. i just needed more meat to the book.
maybe if the book gives us more background story between ansel/ronan/sable trio, it could have been better. maybe if we get more taste of their childhood dynamic, which i found quite interesting, by the way. add more of the uncertainty, jealousy and angst between them. like you’re telling me nothing happened between the three before they separated and now they’re an adult meeting for the first time after so many years and they’re somehow okay with doing sexual stuff in the middle of the hunt? please that was so fucking stupid.
adrien was also an interesting addition to the trio but still. A RANDOM ASS ADDITION. BFFR.
maybe i took this book too seriously when it should be treated as a porn without plot video. but can’t you blame me for having expectations? it wasn’t even a high one to begin with. i just needed more meat to the book.
November 6, 2026
**Hunting Ground by A.J. Merlin**
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
🎃 Kidnapping
🎃 Horror Romance
🎃 Hunter/Hunted
🎃 Why Choose (MFMM)
🎃 Second-Chance Romance
A.J. Merlin wastes absolutely no time dragging you into this story! Within the first chapter, I was hooked!
Sable is working the night shift at an inn when an unfamiliar truck catches her attention. Unfortunately, investigating it leads to her being kidnapped and waking up somewhere she never expected.
Now she's trapped in a deadly hunt where survival isn't guaranteed, and she's about to discover just how dangerous a bruised male ego can be. 🙄
But I love a good revenge story, especially when you throw second-chance romance into the mix!
And Sable? She's not interested in staying the prey.
**She's ready to become the hunter.** 🔥
The suspense, revenge, and romance made this such an entertaining read for me. A.J. Merlin pulled me in immediately and kept me wanting to know what happened next!
*I received an advance reader copy (ARC), and this is my honest review.*
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
🎃 Kidnapping
🎃 Horror Romance
🎃 Hunter/Hunted
🎃 Why Choose (MFMM)
🎃 Second-Chance Romance
A.J. Merlin wastes absolutely no time dragging you into this story! Within the first chapter, I was hooked!
Sable is working the night shift at an inn when an unfamiliar truck catches her attention. Unfortunately, investigating it leads to her being kidnapped and waking up somewhere she never expected.
Now she's trapped in a deadly hunt where survival isn't guaranteed, and she's about to discover just how dangerous a bruised male ego can be. 🙄
But I love a good revenge story, especially when you throw second-chance romance into the mix!
And Sable? She's not interested in staying the prey.
**She's ready to become the hunter.** 🔥
The suspense, revenge, and romance made this such an entertaining read for me. A.J. Merlin pulled me in immediately and kept me wanting to know what happened next!
*I received an advance reader copy (ARC), and this is my honest review.*
October 30, 2026
At this point, AJ Merlin could write just about anything and I’d read it! She’s one of my favorite authors, and Hunting Ground just reminded me why!
I absolutely loved this one! It was dark, being hunted at an abandoned amusement park, creepy, spicy, and had me hooked from the beginning!
Sable was such a fun FMC! I loved her attitude, her terrible jokes, and how she wasn’t about to let anyone take her down without a fight. And let’s not forget about Ansel, Ronan, and Adrien! Each had their own personalities and teir chemistry with Sable was good!
I also loved the whole creepy hunting game and never knowing what was going to happen next. It had just the right amount of suspense, chaos, and spice to keep me wanting more!
This was such a fun, quick read and honestly perfect for spooky season! Another 5 stars for AJ Merlin!
October 30, 2026
Classic AJ Merlin! Murder and love. I adore AJ Merlin, she is an auto read for me. I have said it before but I will say it again, she has a way of writing her characters that makes you fall in love with them. Not just that fact that they are unhinged, but the fact that they somehow work together. Sure, they are broken and have issues, but together, they just click. The broken pieces of each of them just fit together and make a beautiful whole. It is the best part of horror erotica, sure the spice is great and the unhinged dark romance is also fun, but it's the underlying meaning that everyone has the potential for happiness that is the main reason I love these books. This one takes place in a abandoned amusement park on the pier, and it just gets crazier from there! Very creative kills, and excellent spice. 4.0 stars from me, it was too short!!! I needed more!
October 31, 2026
Sable is a night manager at a local motel when one night, just before Halloween, she's kidnapped. She wakes in an old amusement park and finds others like her - only to discover that they are being hunted. While hiding away, she discovers two of the hunters are her former best friends (and a new friend), there to save her. But Sable wants revenge...
This was such a fun Halloween themed read! In true AJ Merlin style, the author creates a gruesome atmosphere while also introducing some MMCs with... proclivities. Serial unalivers, bent on saving their woman and killing anyone who gets in the way? Yes, please. There's plenty of suspense, mayhem, and of course, bloody steamy scenes.
I recommend this if you enjoy dark, obsessive, MCs and FMCs who don't condone bullying, with a side of feminine rage.
This was such a fun Halloween themed read! In true AJ Merlin style, the author creates a gruesome atmosphere while also introducing some MMCs with... proclivities. Serial unalivers, bent on saving their woman and killing anyone who gets in the way? Yes, please. There's plenty of suspense, mayhem, and of course, bloody steamy scenes.
I recommend this if you enjoy dark, obsessive, MCs and FMCs who don't condone bullying, with a side of feminine rage.
November 1, 2026
I really enjoyed this book, but also I really want more for it. The tension is held taut, the creepy moments are creepy, and the story holds with what the emotions Sable (the FMC) is feeling to get the reader to also feel in that moment too. It's perfect for Halloween. I just wish that we got more background on the characters, or at least on the relationships, because a lot of the relationships developed off page. There's enough development in the story that it feels believable, but I would've enjoyed seeing more.
I want to reiterate that this book still does what I think AJ Merlin does best, which is making the reader feel in the moment and the place of the characters POV. It's unnerving, it's unhinged, and it's sexy all at the appropriate times. I'm happy to add this one to my pile of AJ Merlin Halloween rereads forward.
Thanks to the author for letting me be a part of her ARC team.
I want to reiterate that this book still does what I think AJ Merlin does best, which is making the reader feel in the moment and the place of the characters POV. It's unnerving, it's unhinged, and it's sexy all at the appropriate times. I'm happy to add this one to my pile of AJ Merlin Halloween rereads forward.
Thanks to the author for letting me be a part of her ARC team.
November 6, 2026
If ever I wanted one of AJ books to be turned into a movie, it's this one. The haunting imagery of the rundown amusement park half lit with warped carnival music playing combined with the gruesome events taking place there would be such a fun watch. In the meantime, I'll happily settle for keeping this one in heavy rotation on frequently reread list.
It was so much fun watching Sable turn the tables that I started to question my own sanity. Okay, maybe not quite, but I definitely found myself routing for her to give in to her darkest desires ... in every sense because, let's face it. It's AJ Merlin book so there's going to be some spice in there as well.
I know we probably won't because it does seem like a standalone, but I would love another book so we could get to know guys even better.
All-in-all a fun, twisted, spicy time that I'm excited to experience again.
It was so much fun watching Sable turn the tables that I started to question my own sanity. Okay, maybe not quite, but I definitely found myself routing for her to give in to her darkest desires ... in every sense because, let's face it. It's AJ Merlin book so there's going to be some spice in there as well.
I know we probably won't because it does seem like a standalone, but I would love another book so we could get to know guys even better.
All-in-all a fun, twisted, spicy time that I'm excited to experience again.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thank you, as always, to AJ Merlin for letting me be part of her permanent ARC team, which means I get to read her incredible releases early.
As per usual, I LOVED this. It’s a quick, fun, dark read that keeps your mind and heart racing almost the entire time. You never truly know what’s going to happen next and I really loved Sable’s character. She felt really unique and the more you learned about her, the more interesting she got.
And of course, AJ Merlin’s MMCs are always some of my favorite dark romance leads, and Ansel, Ronan, and Adrien were no different there. I loved them altogether and their individual interactions with Sable were so good and together? STEAMY.
I loved this one! It was a great, quick, and spicy Halloween read. 5 stars all around!
As per usual, I LOVED this. It’s a quick, fun, dark read that keeps your mind and heart racing almost the entire time. You never truly know what’s going to happen next and I really loved Sable’s character. She felt really unique and the more you learned about her, the more interesting she got.
And of course, AJ Merlin’s MMCs are always some of my favorite dark romance leads, and Ansel, Ronan, and Adrien were no different there. I loved them altogether and their individual interactions with Sable were so good and together? STEAMY.
I loved this one! It was a great, quick, and spicy Halloween read. 5 stars all around!
October 30, 2026
🔪🎃 **Hunting Ground by A.J. Merlin** 🎃🔪
*I received an ARC copy however that did not influence my opinions stated below.
Masked men, murder, mayhem, and a little romance? SIGN ME UP.
A.J. Merlin delivers a deliciously twisted Halloween romance filled with blood, chaos, morally questionable men, and plenty of spice! The abandoned amusement park setting is the perfect backdrop for this slasher-inspired nightmare, and the whole hunted-turned-hunter concept makes it even better.
Dark, dangerous, and delightfully unhinged, this is exactly the kind of spooky-season read that dark romance lovers crave!
**I shall come back and add more thoughts and feelings later when i have more time - but just know I enjoyed this immensely.
*I received an ARC copy however that did not influence my opinions stated below.
Masked men, murder, mayhem, and a little romance? SIGN ME UP.
A.J. Merlin delivers a deliciously twisted Halloween romance filled with blood, chaos, morally questionable men, and plenty of spice! The abandoned amusement park setting is the perfect backdrop for this slasher-inspired nightmare, and the whole hunted-turned-hunter concept makes it even better.
Dark, dangerous, and delightfully unhinged, this is exactly the kind of spooky-season read that dark romance lovers crave!
**I shall come back and add more thoughts and feelings later when i have more time - but just know I enjoyed this immensely.
November 7, 2026
Very interesting storyline here. Not what I was expecting, as it wasn’t the cookie cutter feral hunt trope I have seen in the past. AJ Merlin gifts us great characters in Sable, Adrien, Ronan, and Ansel. Adding to those great characters, she throws in surprises, twists, high-heat, and originality—making HUNTING GROUND one very enjoyable read.
*** Recommended ***
MMC:
✨Ronan
✨Ansel
✨Adrien
FMC:
✨Sable
HEA/Cliffhanger:
✨HEA
Series:
✨
Tropes:
👉killer romance
👉touch her and ☠️
👉second chance
👉reverse harem
👉polyamory
👉forced proximity
Triggers:🛑see content warning page/author’s website for full list🛑
💥18+
💥 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️, mmmf, mm, mf, open🚪sex
💥profanity
💥violence, gore, guns, drug use, overdose, mutilation
💥death, murder
💥kidnapping, captivity
💥stalking
*** Recommended ***
MMC:
✨Ronan
✨Ansel
✨Adrien
FMC:
✨Sable
HEA/Cliffhanger:
✨HEA
Series:
✨
Tropes:
👉killer romance
👉touch her and ☠️
👉second chance
👉reverse harem
👉polyamory
👉forced proximity
Triggers:🛑see content warning page/author’s website for full list🛑
💥18+
💥 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️, mmmf, mm, mf, open🚪sex
💥profanity
💥violence, gore, guns, drug use, overdose, mutilation
💥death, murder
💥kidnapping, captivity
💥stalking
October 30, 2026
ARC Review
This was a perfect spooky season read and I ate it up. The atmosphere was perfection--an abandoned amusement park on a derelict pier. Our FMC is taken from her job as an overnight motel manager and wakes up on the pier, an unwilling participate in a messed up hunt where people are the prey.
I went into this blind(If A.J Merlin writes it...I will read it) and it really kept me on my toes wondering what would happen next. I enjoyed the dynamic the men had with each other and with Sable. This is one you can easily read in one day/one sitting.
Tropes and Things
*Standalone
*MMMF
*Revenge
*Serial Killers
*Dark Romance
*Gory
This was a perfect spooky season read and I ate it up. The atmosphere was perfection--an abandoned amusement park on a derelict pier. Our FMC is taken from her job as an overnight motel manager and wakes up on the pier, an unwilling participate in a messed up hunt where people are the prey.
I went into this blind(If A.J Merlin writes it...I will read it) and it really kept me on my toes wondering what would happen next. I enjoyed the dynamic the men had with each other and with Sable. This is one you can easily read in one day/one sitting.
Tropes and Things
*Standalone
*MMMF
*Revenge
*Serial Killers
*Dark Romance
*Gory
October 30, 2026
I received an advance copy of this book at no charge. This is my honest, voluntary review.
Sperms of Endearment… 🤣
Sable (FMC) takes no crap and will absolutely mess you up. Her inner thoughts and puns were fun. Ronan and Ansel (MMCs) grew up with her and she hasn’t stopped missing them. Thanks to Adrian (MMC), they get to “reconnect” in a rather violent way. Were these boys normal? Ah no. But that’s what AJ delivers with her MMCs!
There was one plot point that did not get explored and I wish it would have. This was a fun, quick read - perfect for Halloween and masked men vibes. It had a bit of gore for those horror lovers and a splash of spice for everyone.
Sperms of Endearment… 🤣
Sable (FMC) takes no crap and will absolutely mess you up. Her inner thoughts and puns were fun. Ronan and Ansel (MMCs) grew up with her and she hasn’t stopped missing them. Thanks to Adrian (MMC), they get to “reconnect” in a rather violent way. Were these boys normal? Ah no. But that’s what AJ delivers with her MMCs!
There was one plot point that did not get explored and I wish it would have. This was a fun, quick read - perfect for Halloween and masked men vibes. It had a bit of gore for those horror lovers and a splash of spice for everyone.
November 1, 2026
WHAT TO EXPECT:
🩸 Why Choose (MMMF)
🩸 Masked Men
🩸 Childhood Crush
🩸 Protective Psychopaths
🩸 The Prey That Hunts Back
🩸 Murder, Blood & Gore
⚠️ Check trigger warnings; this dark content is for +18 readers
“Come for the childhood crush. Stay because someone locked the exits.”
I really enjoyed this quick Halloween read. Parts of the story went in directions I didn't expect, which I loved. Hunting Ground was dark, spicy, full of dark humour and revenge- the perfect read for spooky season. If you enjoy books where the female lead is also a little dark herself, along with the psychopathic men around her, I suggest checking this one out. I am giving Hunting Ground a 4.5/5 rating.
🩸 Why Choose (MMMF)
🩸 Masked Men
🩸 Childhood Crush
🩸 Protective Psychopaths
🩸 The Prey That Hunts Back
🩸 Murder, Blood & Gore
⚠️ Check trigger warnings; this dark content is for +18 readers
“Come for the childhood crush. Stay because someone locked the exits.”
I really enjoyed this quick Halloween read. Parts of the story went in directions I didn't expect, which I loved. Hunting Ground was dark, spicy, full of dark humour and revenge- the perfect read for spooky season. If you enjoy books where the female lead is also a little dark herself, along with the psychopathic men around her, I suggest checking this one out. I am giving Hunting Ground a 4.5/5 rating.
November 4, 2026
Sable is a kick a$$ FMC. She is a bit unhinged like the men that "saved" her. Ansel, Ronan, and Adrien are all great. I love Ansel and Ronan because of the close relationship that they already shared with Sable. Adrien is the newest addition. He and Sable fed off each other with their banter. Them coming up with bad p@rn movie names is hilarious!
I absolutely love this book. AJ gave me stalking, witty banter, masked men, and why choose all in one book. Ooh and I can't forget some MM action as well. If you are a fan of AJ, you are in for a real treat with this book. Don't miss it. A must read.
I absolutely love this book. AJ gave me stalking, witty banter, masked men, and why choose all in one book. Ooh and I can't forget some MM action as well. If you are a fan of AJ, you are in for a real treat with this book. Don't miss it. A must read.
November 1, 2026
Hunting Ground is a why choose MMMF Dark Halloween Romance by A.J. Merlin. And as always she never disappoints! This Halloween Romance is full of suspense & the banter is halirous. Our FMC, Sable is smart mouthed, sassy af & low key murderous. She is plucked from her job and wakes up in an abandoned amusement park in the middle of a hunt. A HUMAN HUNT! Our MMC's are psychotic, protective & HOT! If you like creepy amusement parks, kidnapping, prey turned hunter, contract killers & murder with just enough spice to make it interesting then check out this Halloween Dark Romance!
November 3, 2026
I need more!!
This was a fast paced and fun read that a blasted through in a few hours. Once I started, I just couldn't stop. Merlin always creates the most interesting and well formed characters. I was invested from the start and this only increased once the MCs were introduced.
I feel like there is so much more that could come next, especially with what Adrian mentioned at the end. I also need far more back story about the separation of our trio for all those years.
I definitely recommend reading this book and hope there is more to come from these characters.
This was a fast paced and fun read that a blasted through in a few hours. Once I started, I just couldn't stop. Merlin always creates the most interesting and well formed characters. I was invested from the start and this only increased once the MCs were introduced.
I feel like there is so much more that could come next, especially with what Adrian mentioned at the end. I also need far more back story about the separation of our trio for all those years.
I definitely recommend reading this book and hope there is more to come from these characters.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Dark, twisted, and full of tension! Hunting Ground pulled me in with its intriguing storyline, suspense, and dark romance elements. The atmosphere is creepy in the best way, keeping you guessing while the chemistry and tension between the characters keep the pages turning. I loved the mix of obsession, danger, and spice woven throughout the story. It's the kind of book that keeps you wanting to read just one more chapter! My only complaint is that its not longer!!!
If you enjoy dark romance, morally gray characters, and a little psychological suspense mixed with your spice, this one deserves a spot on your TBR! 🖤📚
If you enjoy dark romance, morally gray characters, and a little psychological suspense mixed with your spice, this one deserves a spot on your TBR! 🖤📚
October 30, 2026
Another banger
I've read all of Merlin's books and they never disappoint me, really enjoyed the FMC and her personality, she's legit such a badass and snarky and scrappy as hell. Plus the MMCs? They're all what you expect from AJ Merlin. Hot, murderous, and devoted to our girl.
Now the hard part is trying not to reread all Merlin's books again while waiting on her next banger.
I've read all of Merlin's books and they never disappoint me, really enjoyed the FMC and her personality, she's legit such a badass and snarky and scrappy as hell. Plus the MMCs? They're all what you expect from AJ Merlin. Hot, murderous, and devoted to our girl.
Now the hard part is trying not to reread all Merlin's books again while waiting on her next banger.
October 30, 2026
Halloween must read
Super fun and fast paced Halloween book!! I look forward to anything and everything AJ Merlin writes and this definitely did not disappoint. I planned on saving it and reading while handing out candy and just could not wait!! I love Halloween books and love a bad ass girl leading her group of boys even more. It was perfectly short but at the same time I would read 3x the length to get more of this group.
Super fun and fast paced Halloween book!! I look forward to anything and everything AJ Merlin writes and this definitely did not disappoint. I planned on saving it and reading while handing out candy and just could not wait!! I love Halloween books and love a bad ass girl leading her group of boys even more. It was perfectly short but at the same time I would read 3x the length to get more of this group.
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