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The Leander Welles Series #1
The Mystery of Leander Welles
The job was to evaluate him — not to fall in love.
Working with the mentally ill is always a challenge, but one Dr. Lorelei Clayton relishes. As an up-and-coming criminal psychiatrist, she sees all sorts of patients, mostly deranged and violent. None of that prepares her for Leander Welles.
Accused of murdering four people, Leander is sent to Lorelei for an evaluation before the trial can begin. Unlike any patient she has ever encountered, he’s cultured, intelligent, and devastatingly beautiful. It isn’t long before Lorelei is drawn in by his dark magnetism, but admitting those feelings breaks the number one rule of the doctor-patient relationship.
What starts out as an ordinary case becomes an all-consuming quest to save Leander from a world intent on locking him away. The deeper she delves into his haunting past, Lorelei discovers the worst enemy of all — Leander’s own tormented mind. Even if she saves him from one, there is no guarantee she can save him from the other without losing herself along the way.
Working with the mentally ill is always a challenge, but one Dr. Lorelei Clayton relishes. As an up-and-coming criminal psychiatrist, she sees all sorts of patients, mostly deranged and violent. None of that prepares her for Leander Welles.
Accused of murdering four people, Leander is sent to Lorelei for an evaluation before the trial can begin. Unlike any patient she has ever encountered, he’s cultured, intelligent, and devastatingly beautiful. It isn’t long before Lorelei is drawn in by his dark magnetism, but admitting those feelings breaks the number one rule of the doctor-patient relationship.
What starts out as an ordinary case becomes an all-consuming quest to save Leander from a world intent on locking him away. The deeper she delves into his haunting past, Lorelei discovers the worst enemy of all — Leander’s own tormented mind. Even if she saves him from one, there is no guarantee she can save him from the other without losing herself along the way.
320 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 1, 2020
About the author
Ashlyn Drewek
20 books947 followersInternational best-selling and award-winning author Ashlyn Drewek has always been fascinated by "weird" things like Edgar Allan Poe, Halloween, and witchcraft. Not necessarily in that order. But she's also a hopeless romantic who lives for stories about true love conquering all. Since variety is indeed the spice of life, she writes a mix of MM tropes and subgenres to satisfy her rapidly changing whims.
For information on upcoming releases, go to ⇢ https://www.ashlyndrewek.com/upcoming
Have a question? I might have an answer! ⇢ https://www.ashlyndrewek.com/faq
Looking for links? Go here ⇢ www.ashlyndrewek.com/main
For information on upcoming releases, go to ⇢ https://www.ashlyndrewek.com/upcoming
Have a question? I might have an answer! ⇢ https://www.ashlyndrewek.com/faq
Looking for links? Go here ⇢ www.ashlyndrewek.com/main
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
February 14, 2022
"He looked like he belonged on a runway in Milan, not in a psych ward".
The Mystery of Leander Welles was totally bloody fantastic!
I adored Leander 🖤. He seems to be an absolute psychopath (why am I drawn to these characters so much?!) but you can see why he bahaves how he does. Uggggh. I am binge reading the series so that I can read an ARC of book 4.
I'm going to skip book 2 for now (but I will go back to it because I NEED to slip into the dark recesses of Leander's mind!) because I need to find out what's behind the entire revenge plot.
How does Leander really feel about Lorelei?
So many easter eggs in this one.
Ashlyn Drewek you're a genius 🖤.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
5 CRAZY STARS ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Mystery of Leander Welles was totally bloody fantastic!
I adored Leander 🖤. He seems to be an absolute psychopath (why am I drawn to these characters so much?!) but you can see why he bahaves how he does. Uggggh. I am binge reading the series so that I can read an ARC of book 4.
I'm going to skip book 2 for now (but I will go back to it because I NEED to slip into the dark recesses of Leander's mind!) because I need to find out what's behind the entire revenge plot.
How does Leander really feel about Lorelei?
So many easter eggs in this one.
Ashlyn Drewek you're a genius 🖤.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
5 CRAZY STARS ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
February 13, 2024
This was not my usual read since the plot was not romance-centered. However, the psychological aspects explored in the story made this a very enthralling reading experience.
I cannot resist a well-developed tormented character and can't wait to read the next in this series.
Loved the writing style with lots of tension. The end was nerve-racking!
Here are 2 teaser quotes:
I cannot resist a well-developed tormented character and can't wait to read the next in this series.
Loved the writing style with lots of tension. The end was nerve-racking!
Here are 2 teaser quotes:
"Let me tell you a little secret they teach us in school". I leaned forward, speaking in a mock whisper. "Crazy people don't know they are crazy." He mirrored my posture and my tone. "Broken people know they're broken and deep down they know it can't be fixed."
"You see through the masks we wear, Lorelei. You try to save people from the darkness in their minds, in their very souls. What you fail to understand is that it is the light that hurts the most. For those mired in melancholy, it is a reminder of what can never truly be."
January 7, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
BR with my girl Cass!
I wasn’t surprised to find a well written, thought provoking story when I plunged headfirst into a book by Ashlyn Drewek. This woman never fails to mesmerize me with her skills.
Leander Welles in under trial for the murder of 4 people and it’s Dr. Lorelei Clayton’s job to discover if his sanity is in question.
This winding road leads us to several dead ends and even more lost destinations. Is everything a lie or is nothing? Twists and turns around every corner until your head spins out of control.
I’m not sure I’d call this a romance as much as a mystery and/or thriller. I was curious to find an MF book by an author known for MM but she wouldn’t be the first or last. But it wasn’t surprising when any scintillating scenes between Lorelei and Leander faded to black.
Even though I had an inkling that proved to be correct, this book still left a giant question mark seared into my brain. I can’t wait to get to the next one to find more answers yes, but sure to lead to even more questions.
BR with my girl Cass!
I wasn’t surprised to find a well written, thought provoking story when I plunged headfirst into a book by Ashlyn Drewek. This woman never fails to mesmerize me with her skills.
Leander Welles in under trial for the murder of 4 people and it’s Dr. Lorelei Clayton’s job to discover if his sanity is in question.
This winding road leads us to several dead ends and even more lost destinations. Is everything a lie or is nothing? Twists and turns around every corner until your head spins out of control.
I’m not sure I’d call this a romance as much as a mystery and/or thriller. I was curious to find an MF book by an author known for MM but she wouldn’t be the first or last. But it wasn’t surprising when any scintillating scenes between Lorelei and Leander faded to black.
Even though I had an inkling that proved to be correct, this book still left a giant question mark seared into my brain. I can’t wait to get to the next one to find more answers yes, but sure to lead to even more questions.
October 3, 2022
Ok. I'm in.
I'm a freak about reading order but part of me almost wishes I could have skipped this one. Not because I didn't enjoy it, but more because I know that the story changes and the next book takes place at the same time as this one, just from Leander's POV. I wonder if I'd have been better off starting there? I might change my mind though. Who knows? It may make all the difference in the world that I read this first. The Author says it will all make sense in the end. Fingers crossed.
I'll be the first to admit that dark isn't normally my thing but I was very intrigued and have absolutely loved what I've already read by this author so I definitely wanted to give this a go. I wouldn't put this as too terribly dark, just enough for me.
I'm really looking forward to getting Leander's POV though even though I'm not the biggest fan of stories that don't move forward and take place at the same time. I think that Lorelei was a good POV until she wasn't. I felt the change in the story and I almost wanted her gone when it happened. She changed, it all changed and it almost, just almost, felt out of character in a way that I could feel where the author started changing her mind about how this was all going to go. Just almost though. There was a void in Lorelei that I could see would be easily filled by someone like Leander and I guess that was the point. For me though, I was done with her. That statement is so out of character for me but it is the truth. I'm ready for what is going to happen next and I just don't know how she is going to fit in.
We'll see, I'm on to the next now.
I'm a freak about reading order but part of me almost wishes I could have skipped this one. Not because I didn't enjoy it, but more because I know that the story changes and the next book takes place at the same time as this one, just from Leander's POV. I wonder if I'd have been better off starting there? I might change my mind though. Who knows? It may make all the difference in the world that I read this first. The Author says it will all make sense in the end. Fingers crossed.
I'll be the first to admit that dark isn't normally my thing but I was very intrigued and have absolutely loved what I've already read by this author so I definitely wanted to give this a go. I wouldn't put this as too terribly dark, just enough for me.
I'm really looking forward to getting Leander's POV though even though I'm not the biggest fan of stories that don't move forward and take place at the same time. I think that Lorelei was a good POV until she wasn't. I felt the change in the story and I almost wanted her gone when it happened. She changed, it all changed and it almost, just almost, felt out of character in a way that I could feel where the author started changing her mind about how this was all going to go. Just almost though. There was a void in Lorelei that I could see would be easily filled by someone like Leander and I guess that was the point. For me though, I was done with her. That statement is so out of character for me but it is the truth. I'm ready for what is going to happen next and I just don't know how she is going to fit in.
We'll see, I'm on to the next now.
February 6, 2022
What a start to a series! This book has some excellent mystery, threat, and suspense along with a mysterious male lead in the enigmatic Leander Welles.
This sets up the series in a really intriguing way. It's a fascinating read in its own right, but it opens the door to so many questions! I had to immediately start reading the next book. I think, overall, it's not totally necessary to start here, plot-wise - you can pick up fine with The Rationale of Leander Welles for both plot and romance - but I thought it was a great book.
I enjoyed doubling back to compare Lorelei's POV with Leanders POV for shared scenes.
---
Being told entirely from Lorelei's POV introduced and maintained a lot of tension, even as I was desperate to get in Leander's head. It was so masterfully done - I was always on the edge wondering if Leander was just being manipulative or if he was actually invested. There were enough tantalizing hints of Leander having some major plan, yet they were never pinned down. Leander himself was such a constantly shifting puzzle. The secondary characters really increased the stakes and tension as well, I got very curious about them and all the stories they hint at.
My thoughts on Lorelei in general: I was happy to see her stand up to the manipulative mother and ex, you go girl dtmfa. She is a relentless do-gooder/crusader, which is admirable, but it does clearly give her blinders as well. She gets tunnel vision I think, or gets locked onto an idea too hard. She also seems to have a tendency to trample other people in her crusade - I know some of them were unpleasant people, like Nora and Russel - but not all.
This book does leave a lot of threads hanging and open questions, but it's very clear the next books are going to address them, so I didn't mind. It fit very well, given that Lorelei never fully unravels everything...in some ways, I think she doesn't want to see the whole picture, even if Leander would even tell her. Amusingly, she's a little like the serial killer pen pal women, just close enough to danger to feel it, while ultimately being safe.
It is MF, though it is very low steam. I definitely read this because I want to get to the third book, and I'm glad I did.
edit: i have no idea why goodreads deleted(?) and reposted this at a later date lmao what even
This sets up the series in a really intriguing way. It's a fascinating read in its own right, but it opens the door to so many questions! I had to immediately start reading the next book. I think, overall, it's not totally necessary to start here, plot-wise - you can pick up fine with The Rationale of Leander Welles for both plot and romance - but I thought it was a great book.
I enjoyed doubling back to compare Lorelei's POV with Leanders POV for shared scenes.
---
Being told entirely from Lorelei's POV introduced and maintained a lot of tension, even as I was desperate to get in Leander's head. It was so masterfully done - I was always on the edge wondering if Leander was just being manipulative or if he was actually invested. There were enough tantalizing hints of Leander having some major plan, yet they were never pinned down. Leander himself was such a constantly shifting puzzle. The secondary characters really increased the stakes and tension as well, I got very curious about them and all the stories they hint at.
My thoughts on Lorelei in general: I was happy to see her stand up to the manipulative mother and ex, you go girl dtmfa. She is a relentless do-gooder/crusader, which is admirable, but it does clearly give her blinders as well. She gets tunnel vision I think, or gets locked onto an idea too hard. She also seems to have a tendency to trample other people in her crusade - I know some of them were unpleasant people, like Nora and Russel - but not all.
This book does leave a lot of threads hanging and open questions, but it's very clear the next books are going to address them, so I didn't mind. It fit very well, given that Lorelei never fully unravels everything...in some ways, I think she doesn't want to see the whole picture, even if Leander would even tell her. Amusingly, she's a little like the serial killer pen pal women, just close enough to danger to feel it, while ultimately being safe.
It is MF, though it is very low steam. I definitely read this because I want to get to the third book, and I'm glad I did.
edit: i have no idea why goodreads deleted(?) and reposted this at a later date lmao what even
December 13, 2020
Mind blowing and addictive!
Loved it. This book was brilliantly written. My mind, my curiosity, and pulse were spinning the entire time. This is an absolute 5 star MUST READ! Now I’m ready to do it all again from Leander’s perspective, because wow, he is something the heck else.
Loved it. This book was brilliantly written. My mind, my curiosity, and pulse were spinning the entire time. This is an absolute 5 star MUST READ! Now I’m ready to do it all again from Leander’s perspective, because wow, he is something the heck else.
January 9, 2024
BR with my girl Debbie and we diverged on this one.
I LOVE a psychotic killer and then add in their therapist to the mix and I am there for it! For me though, I just couldn't find it in my heart to like Lorelei all that much. She just seemed a bit wet and do-goody. I found some of her actions to be not just naive but also potentially really damaging toward a patient / partner that has apparent mental health issues and I found it hard to forgive her for that. I can live with the magic d*ck factor given she's fairly inexperienced in terms of life (she was all about work).
I appreciated the mystery behind Leander (did he or didn't he kill those people) and my heart went out to him so many times during this book. It was hard to tell if it was authentic or is he manipulating Lorelei (and thus also my heart) in the worst of ways.
I did not appreciate fade to black sex scenes and I really want to know if this is a tricky plot device by the author setting up for the rest of the series.
A decent read and I'll continue with the series
I LOVE a psychotic killer and then add in their therapist to the mix and I am there for it! For me though, I just couldn't find it in my heart to like Lorelei all that much. She just seemed a bit wet and do-goody. I found some of her actions to be not just naive but also potentially really damaging toward a patient / partner that has apparent mental health issues and I found it hard to forgive her for that. I can live with the magic d*ck factor given she's fairly inexperienced in terms of life (she was all about work).
I appreciated the mystery behind Leander (did he or didn't he kill those people) and my heart went out to him so many times during this book. It was hard to tell if it was authentic or is he manipulating Lorelei (and thus also my heart) in the worst of ways.
I did not appreciate fade to black sex scenes and I really want to know if this is a tricky plot device by the author setting up for the rest of the series.
A decent read and I'll continue with the series
October 26, 2020
Found this book by recommendation. Not disappointed one bit.
Absolutely captivating writing. I was sucked into the story right away. The only thing pissing me off right now is that I have pre ordered the second book and i want to read it NOW. lol
I cannot wait to read more in Leander's perspective to see how his twisted mind works and his inner thoughts on Lorelei. An Excellent weekend read!
Absolutely captivating writing. I was sucked into the story right away. The only thing pissing me off right now is that I have pre ordered the second book and i want to read it NOW. lol
I cannot wait to read more in Leander's perspective to see how his twisted mind works and his inner thoughts on Lorelei. An Excellent weekend read!
April 30, 2025
Amazing until the last 20%
The ending was not satisfying and I was extremely disappointed, also Lorelai started as an amazing strong female character and ended like a groupie fangirl.
The ending was not satisfying and I was extremely disappointed, also Lorelai started as an amazing strong female character and ended like a groupie fangirl.
February 1, 2021
This was phenomenal! Full of the mystery, suspense and romance I was looking for and more, it captivated my heart. There’s definitely some trigger warnings that come with this book so please look them up before starting, but if you’re okay with the topics covered, it’s a really fantastic read.
The writing is beautifully structured and flows nicely, and it took me no time at all to fall into the story and its characters. I read this with a friend and I definitely recommend it, as there’s so many moments you’ll want to chat about!
The second book is from Leander’s perspective and I love it when authors give us the chance to look at the book from another angle. I’ll be starting the next one immediately!
The writing is beautifully structured and flows nicely, and it took me no time at all to fall into the story and its characters. I read this with a friend and I definitely recommend it, as there’s so many moments you’ll want to chat about!
The second book is from Leander’s perspective and I love it when authors give us the chance to look at the book from another angle. I’ll be starting the next one immediately!
September 27, 2020
This is a dark romance so I knew what was coming and it was painful waiting for it - but in a good way! If she'd have gone in with the romance too soon it wouldn't have been right, because it wouldn't have been true to the characters. The tension and wait was agonising but perfectly timed!
I've not read a book for a while that's had me searching out quiet moments during the day so that I can pick up on the story again.
I don't want to give too much away, but I've been left wondering if this man is mad, incredibly intelligent, or both. He's definitely intelligent... but mad? To be mad suggests and element of losing control, which is not something he ever truly does?! Yet, the things he's capable of doing would suggest an element of madness?! GAH! These are the questions now plaguing me!! 😂😂😂
The story starts by pulling you into the romantic idea (the dream) that we have of being that one person that can reach, and subsequently save a damaged soul - and I thought that was where the story was going, but then it switched. The power positions suddenly changed.
Leander Welles is certainly damaged, he's had a horrible past, that's for sure, but now I'm finished I'm not so sure he ever needed saving?!
Ashlyn has left me questioning things and is now tormenting my mind in the best possible way! 😂🤯
It's a very intelligent book and Leander is an incredibly unique character. He is the alpaha, he is the bad boy, he is the man that's going to rock Lorelei's world - but there are times when he seems so broken and vulnerable that you forget it.
Lorelei is a strong and intelligent woman, who wants to save everyone. She's haunted by darkness in her past and is plagued by a domineering and unfeeling mother.
I'm looking forward to reading the next one that's written from Leander's POV so I can hopefully answer my lingering questions!
I've not read a book for a while that's had me searching out quiet moments during the day so that I can pick up on the story again.
I don't want to give too much away, but I've been left wondering if this man is mad, incredibly intelligent, or both. He's definitely intelligent... but mad? To be mad suggests and element of losing control, which is not something he ever truly does?! Yet, the things he's capable of doing would suggest an element of madness?! GAH! These are the questions now plaguing me!! 😂😂😂
The story starts by pulling you into the romantic idea (the dream) that we have of being that one person that can reach, and subsequently save a damaged soul - and I thought that was where the story was going, but then it switched. The power positions suddenly changed.
Leander Welles is certainly damaged, he's had a horrible past, that's for sure, but now I'm finished I'm not so sure he ever needed saving?!
Ashlyn has left me questioning things and is now tormenting my mind in the best possible way! 😂🤯
It's a very intelligent book and Leander is an incredibly unique character. He is the alpaha, he is the bad boy, he is the man that's going to rock Lorelei's world - but there are times when he seems so broken and vulnerable that you forget it.
Lorelei is a strong and intelligent woman, who wants to save everyone. She's haunted by darkness in her past and is plagued by a domineering and unfeeling mother.
I'm looking forward to reading the next one that's written from Leander's POV so I can hopefully answer my lingering questions!
December 30, 2021
I didn’t love this but I’m reading it purely to get to the rest of the series. The MC is smart and beautiful and just wants to do some good in the world. She then throws this all away due to the dark charisma of the main character. It’s not a set-up I love as it kind of takes away the agency of the main character. Maybe if Lorelei‘s motivations were a little more selfish, or her narration unreliable, it might have worked better for me? I don’t think anything that happened was surprising or shocking.
Can’t complain too much though as it was a fairly easy read and I’m looking forward to the next in the series.
Can’t complain too much though as it was a fairly easy read and I’m looking forward to the next in the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 5, 2022
This book starts out like your average Law & Order episode and descends into a bananas David Lynch fever dream. Given the fairly detailed violence and dark tone, I was surprised that the sex was all Fade to Black.
I'll read at least one more book to see where this wild ride goes.
Lorelei,
I'll read at least one more book to see where this wild ride goes.
Lorelei,
December 12, 2021
WOW! I went into this series only being interested in the M/M romance in Book 3 but I happily discovered that Books 1 and 2 are a whole separate delight.
Taken by itself, this book starts out pretty average. It's the typical good-girl-falls-for-bad-boy trope. Lorelai represents everything pure and good, she's determined to make the world a better place and she decides she's going to 'fix' Leander too. Why is she interested in Leander? Because he's perfect boyfriend material on the outside (smoking hot, filthy rich, charming, educated) and yeah, there are some nasty rumors floating around about him but he has a Tragic Backstory and that means he's been secretly waiting for a Lorelai his entire life, who will magically heal his wounds and turn him into the Good Human she knows he's capable of being. I hate this trope and it's why I avoided Book 1 in the first place. This trope doesn't just make the heroine (and women in general) look stupid, but it's dangerous and unrealistic and I hate how most authors use this exact trope to create what they believe is a healthy romance, instead of a recipe for abuse and murder that it almost always turns into in the real world.
Book 1 is all about this trope. Lorelai is beautiful, smart and has a good career. When she meets Leaner, she's immediately drawn in by his charm and good looks, but she reminds herself constantly about other charming serial killers (ex. Ted Bundy) who used their charm and good looks to draw in their victims. She's spent loads of time studying serial killers and she's a trained psychologist, so she's very sure that she's perfectly equipped to stay clear of any traps that Leander might set for her. In other words, she decides from the start that she's smarter and better than those other serial killer's victims and that will provide her with all the protection she needs. As her relationship with Leander progresses, she continues thinking that she's got everything under control and that her fairytale romance is proceeding as she imagined it would. That's how Book 1 ends. But then you read Book 2, which is from Leander's point of view...
AND THAT'S WHEN THE MAGIC HAPPENS.
What I also loved is that the author doesn't go overboard with turning Lorelai into a TSTL-heroine. She could have, but the author makes it clear that Lorelai isn't a stupid ninny. Lorelai just decided to get involved with somebody who operates on a completely different level from her and whose way of thinking is completely alien to her. The author demonstrates this by having Lorelai try switching tactics in regards to getting Leander to open up to her when she finally gets tired of having the ask-questions approach fail. So she decides to try using sex, hoping the resulting distraction will make Leander open. Of course, the sex approach fails miserably, although we find out in Book 2 that Leander is really happy to constantly be getting some. I actually laughed at that point because I felt sorry for Lorelai. This poor woman has no idea what she's doing but she can't stand the thought of admitting what a mess she's made of her life that she keeps stubbornly trying, despite constantly failing.
It was amazing how skillfully the author portrayed Lorelai's journey. This is an educated, smart woman who knows all about bad guys...yet she ignores every single huge red flag that gets waved in her face. The amount of self-delusions that Lorelai goes through is incredible. What makes this book even better is to read Book 2 as a companion, where we get to see Leander's perspective and we realize just how easily Lorelai has fallen into his traps. The way the author crafted Lorelai's journey in this book was incredible and left me awe-struck.
The reason I took off 2 stars is because there's very little emotion in the story and we're rarely told/shown how Lorelai feels about anything. Many times, she acts as a talking/walking head who provides the reader with information connected to the mystery (similar to the role of a detective). Another letdown was the mystery aspect because it involved too many different characters who I couldn't keep straight (even after two books). But I had no idea what a fascinating and well told character narrative this series would be. The author took that tired and dangerous good-girl-falls-for-bad-boy trope and turned it on its head in a way that made me speechless. It's not often that a series grabs hold of me so hard that I stay awake for hours thinking about it and that's another sign of how talented this author is.
Taken by itself, this book starts out pretty average. It's the typical good-girl-falls-for-bad-boy trope. Lorelai represents everything pure and good, she's determined to make the world a better place and she decides she's going to 'fix' Leander too. Why is she interested in Leander? Because he's perfect boyfriend material on the outside (smoking hot, filthy rich, charming, educated) and yeah, there are some nasty rumors floating around about him but he has a Tragic Backstory and that means he's been secretly waiting for a Lorelai his entire life, who will magically heal his wounds and turn him into the Good Human she knows he's capable of being. I hate this trope and it's why I avoided Book 1 in the first place. This trope doesn't just make the heroine (and women in general) look stupid, but it's dangerous and unrealistic and I hate how most authors use this exact trope to create what they believe is a healthy romance, instead of a recipe for abuse and murder that it almost always turns into in the real world.
Book 1 is all about this trope. Lorelai is beautiful, smart and has a good career. When she meets Leaner, she's immediately drawn in by his charm and good looks, but she reminds herself constantly about other charming serial killers (ex. Ted Bundy) who used their charm and good looks to draw in their victims. She's spent loads of time studying serial killers and she's a trained psychologist, so she's very sure that she's perfectly equipped to stay clear of any traps that Leander might set for her. In other words, she decides from the start that she's smarter and better than those other serial killer's victims and that will provide her with all the protection she needs. As her relationship with Leander progresses, she continues thinking that she's got everything under control and that her fairytale romance is proceeding as she imagined it would. That's how Book 1 ends. But then you read Book 2, which is from Leander's point of view...
AND THAT'S WHEN THE MAGIC HAPPENS.
What I also loved is that the author doesn't go overboard with turning Lorelai into a TSTL-heroine. She could have, but the author makes it clear that Lorelai isn't a stupid ninny. Lorelai just decided to get involved with somebody who operates on a completely different level from her and whose way of thinking is completely alien to her. The author demonstrates this by having Lorelai try switching tactics in regards to getting Leander to open up to her when she finally gets tired of having the ask-questions approach fail. So she decides to try using sex, hoping the resulting distraction will make Leander open. Of course, the sex approach fails miserably, although we find out in Book 2 that Leander is really happy to constantly be getting some. I actually laughed at that point because I felt sorry for Lorelai. This poor woman has no idea what she's doing but she can't stand the thought of admitting what a mess she's made of her life that she keeps stubbornly trying, despite constantly failing.
It was amazing how skillfully the author portrayed Lorelai's journey. This is an educated, smart woman who knows all about bad guys...yet she ignores every single huge red flag that gets waved in her face. The amount of self-delusions that Lorelai goes through is incredible. What makes this book even better is to read Book 2 as a companion, where we get to see Leander's perspective and we realize just how easily Lorelai has fallen into his traps. The way the author crafted Lorelai's journey in this book was incredible and left me awe-struck.
The reason I took off 2 stars is because there's very little emotion in the story and we're rarely told/shown how Lorelai feels about anything. Many times, she acts as a talking/walking head who provides the reader with information connected to the mystery (similar to the role of a detective). Another letdown was the mystery aspect because it involved too many different characters who I couldn't keep straight (even after two books). But I had no idea what a fascinating and well told character narrative this series would be. The author took that tired and dangerous good-girl-falls-for-bad-boy trope and turned it on its head in a way that made me speechless. It's not often that a series grabs hold of me so hard that I stay awake for hours thinking about it and that's another sign of how talented this author is.
March 21, 2024
londongrayson pg13 version 🤗
October 14, 2024
not giving 5 stars cause i was in desperate need of smut scenes 😣😣😣🙏🏻 but it’s a really good book overall
August 30, 2021
It's not my favorite in the series and I'll openly admit I only read it to get to the MM portion of the story, but this sets up the whole world nicely and introduces you to Leander. The romance is more of an infatuation on Lorelei's part. I was more interested in learning about Leander and trying to figure out if he's a murderer or not. I kept going back and forth until the very end.
June 3, 2021
Beautifully executed story of a forbidden love. This story has strong lead roles and really pulls you in. One day read!
April 4, 2021
Leander is accused of 4 murders and Lorelei is tasked with assessing his mental state for trial, the story is written from Loreleis POV but book 2 is from Leander so questions will be answered there from his side. The book draws you in with the complex but also simplicity of Leander mind. Its twisting tale keeps you engaged and the characters draw you from the get go.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
April 25, 2021
This is an exceptional and unique book featuring Dr. Lorelei Clayton, a criminal psychiatrist, who is to evaluate Leander Wells, who is accused of multiple murders, prior to his trial. As she evaluates him, they become more and more attracted to one another. I highly recommend this dark forbidden romance which is an unpredictable and addictive read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 29, 2020
This has an amazing plot. This book was FANTASTIC! definitely not something I would normally read but if you like anything related to mystery or even cops read this now! She wasn't supposed to fall in love. Her job was to evaluate him.
March 17, 2021
4.5 stars
This book blew my mind! 🤯
This book blew my mind! 🤯
Read
March 5, 2022Tf…this was so bad. Who gaf about Lorelei.
March 8, 2022
So good, this one really keeps you on your toes trying to guess what is real, what is a game, and how can you win!
October 27, 2022
2.5 (le hubiera puesto 3 si no hubiera investigado el resto de la saga...)
no fue malo el libro y me mantuvo entretenida, pero cuando fui a leer el segundo libro me di cuenta que es el mismo que este pero del pov del protagonista masculino, ya ahi me dio paja okay, después todas las reseñas eran minitas enojadas con LA PROTAGONISTA PRINCIPAL porque esta en el medio de su ship de hombres gay.... una neurona les pido que usen (yo no tenia ni idea que el endgame era MM, no me molesta PERO la autora esta me da vibes de que tiene un fetiche con los hombres gays, por eso no voy a seguir leyendo estos libros, aparte todas las minitas enfermas en las reseñas "ayyyyyyy pero ella es insoportable quiero que se quede con el!!!" no martina, sos simplemente misógina
en este libro todas las escenas de sexo son "y al otro día nos levantamos", tipo el famoso faded in black, lo cual NO ME MOLESTA, hay gente que no le gusta escribir escenas de sexo y esta totalmente perfecto PERO esta autora tiene otro libro de dos chicos donde todo el puto libro piensan con la pija y se la pasan calientes cojiendo cada un capitulo muy explícitamente..... hermana te descansas sola, no se a ustedes pero eso a mi me da un poco de vibra de minita que cada vez que ve una pareja de hombres gays básicamente se pajea,
a mi la protagonista en este libro me cayo bien (dada las circunstancias que pasaron y las decisiones que tomo), la unica otra mujer en este libro es la bff del protagonista y es una CONCHUDA con la protagonista, yo lei un poco del segundo libro para ver de que pija hablaban cuando decían que habia un CHABON y las pocas escenas que lei siempre trataban mal a la mina (ella y sus "amigos") TENIENDO EN CUENTA QUE LA PROTAGONISTA SE ENTERO QUE EL ES UN FUCKING ASESINO Y FUE RESPONDABLE DE TODOS ESOS ASESINATOS Y MUCHOS MAS Y SE QUEDO CALLADA, NO DIJO NADA, LO APOYA AL CHABON Y LO RE AMA, ¿¿¿¿¿DONDE VEN QUE ES UNA CONCHUDA????
anyways, una poronga, no voy a leer mas libros de esta mina, si quieren leer cosas de una mina que ve a los hombres gays como una paja mas + las mujeres siempre tienen que ser unas conchudas y odiarse: adelante reinas!
no fue malo el libro y me mantuvo entretenida, pero cuando fui a leer el segundo libro me di cuenta que es el mismo que este pero del pov del protagonista masculino, ya ahi me dio paja okay, después todas las reseñas eran minitas enojadas con LA PROTAGONISTA PRINCIPAL porque esta en el medio de su ship de hombres gay.... una neurona les pido que usen (yo no tenia ni idea que el endgame era MM, no me molesta PERO la autora esta me da vibes de que tiene un fetiche con los hombres gays, por eso no voy a seguir leyendo estos libros, aparte todas las minitas enfermas en las reseñas "ayyyyyyy pero ella es insoportable quiero que se quede con el!!!" no martina, sos simplemente misógina
en este libro todas las escenas de sexo son "y al otro día nos levantamos", tipo el famoso faded in black, lo cual NO ME MOLESTA, hay gente que no le gusta escribir escenas de sexo y esta totalmente perfecto PERO esta autora tiene otro libro de dos chicos donde todo el puto libro piensan con la pija y se la pasan calientes cojiendo cada un capitulo muy explícitamente..... hermana te descansas sola, no se a ustedes pero eso a mi me da un poco de vibra de minita que cada vez que ve una pareja de hombres gays básicamente se pajea,
a mi la protagonista en este libro me cayo bien (dada las circunstancias que pasaron y las decisiones que tomo), la unica otra mujer en este libro es la bff del protagonista y es una CONCHUDA con la protagonista, yo lei un poco del segundo libro para ver de que pija hablaban cuando decían que habia un CHABON y las pocas escenas que lei siempre trataban mal a la mina (ella y sus "amigos") TENIENDO EN CUENTA QUE LA PROTAGONISTA SE ENTERO QUE EL ES UN FUCKING ASESINO Y FUE RESPONDABLE DE TODOS ESOS ASESINATOS Y MUCHOS MAS Y SE QUEDO CALLADA, NO DIJO NADA, LO APOYA AL CHABON Y LO RE AMA, ¿¿¿¿¿DONDE VEN QUE ES UNA CONCHUDA????
anyways, una poronga, no voy a leer mas libros de esta mina, si quieren leer cosas de una mina que ve a los hombres gays como una paja mas + las mujeres siempre tienen que ser unas conchudas y odiarse: adelante reinas!
March 2, 2023
It's not that this is poorly written or anything, it's just that the story seemed very confused on where it was going. I didn't see the connection between Lorelei and Leander and it looks like this turns into an mm by book 3 ish with Leander and another guy. Which makes sense, but why start this out as an mf and make it seem like they are end game in some way? I like mm, but why insert an unnecessary mf romance that doesn't contribute to the plot? It also looks like the series is abandoned since book 4 came out in 2021 sometime. Pretty much I don't want to invest time into a series that is abandoned and switched couples mid series. I guess I'm probably not the intended audience for this.
October 7, 2021
Oh my god, this book was absolute fire. I was so into Lorelei taking no bullshit right off the bat. She was confident and unapologetic and I loved her going down the rabbit hole knowing full well what she was doing. I don't think anyone reads this book and doesn't fall in love with Leander. I am needing more of him like ASAP so heading off to book 2🎉🎉🎉
March 22, 2023
What the actual fuck!!!! I almost had a heart attack. Wtduwokfjdosksnsna. Omg omg what tf did I just read. LEANDER mah boiiiiiiiiiiiii. Okay this is great. A slow burn romance with a hottie. Wow. Just WOW !!
September 6, 2021
Amazing. I did not expect the twist of the story. Captivating with every page turned.
April 20, 2022
Well written enough but very much not my thing.
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