His Obsession

Blackstone Tech #1

by Ann-Marie Davis

Revision in process***

I’ve watched her, looked after her, and now I need to protect her.

***

Alek operates, unapologetically, in a dark and violent underworld, where the ruthless determination he exerts there brings him and his long time friends to the top of their game. 

Loyalty is key, and what binds their friendship together.

When Alek comes into Liz’s world following a chance meeting she isn't even aware of, his obsession is born, and with it the determination to protect her at all costs from a violent past that will come to threaten them both.  

More alike than they can know, loyalty and determination have driven Liz through a life that should have made her weak and vulnerable, but instead only made her stronger.  Though steamy encounters with Alek cloud her judgement, Liz fights him every step of the way, pushing the skills of his team and his patience to the limit as they approach an inevitable showdown.

Obsession, desire, and revenge drive a tale of dark secrets, and a race against time.

Told in first person POV and contains HEA

Warning: This is a dark romance novel with triggers. If you are sensitive in any way, please use discretion.

Genres: Dark Romance, Dark, Romance, Forced Proximity, Contemporary Romance, Billionaires, Contemporary

417 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 12, 2020

About the author

Born on the Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, Ann-Marie grew up learning from strong, confident influences which translates in her writing today.

She acquired the love of writing when she was just 12 years old and at 19; she wrote her first novel, which remains under lock and missing key.

When she’s not writing international bestselling books, she’s traveling around the USA with her 3 children and a camper, tending to her garden and chickens, or fixing something on her mini-ranch. All with the wonderful support of her amazing husband.




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Ann-Marie loves to hear from her fans. So email your questions or comments at AnnMarieDavis88@gmail.com.

Reviews

[Crystal (Crystalreads2) · Rating 4 out of 5]

So happy I found this author on Instagram, another great
Dark romance author.


The book is hot as hell, and I sure the hell didn’t expect that. Such a pleasant surprise. It’s fast-paced and suspenseful. I love how the plot turned out and the character's growth and development. As always, with dark romance, read the trigger warnings. On my dark scale, it’s dark gray.

As much as Alex is swoon-worthy, so many times I wanted to smack him and yell at him to wake up. Ugh, but who doesn’t love a broody bastard ? His total obsession is Liz, and Alex has been stalker her for some time; You would think his focus is unhealthy, right? I embraced that crazy. I thought at first Liz was going to be meek. I was so wrong. The girl had me laughing a time or two—such a great heroine.


I like how the author didn’t shy away from some of the dark parts. Her focus was more on the development of characters, which I can appreciate. If you’re looking for a good stalker romance, I recommend this book. I look forward to the author's future books.

[Angela Schmangela · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hard to read

There were a few grammatical errors and several formatting errors, but it was the misused words that I struggled with the most. Well, that and the inexplicable actions of most of the main characters. I have to assume the author was very young and will hopefully mature with age.

[Helen Power · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a captivating dark romance right from the very beginning! There were a few grammatical errors and typos that could have been fixed, but they didn’t make it too confusing.
I do have to say I am a little confused by the subtitle for this book on Amazon--”A Dark Billionaire Romance”. Is he a billionaire? It’s not mentioned, but he is a career criminal, so touting it as a mafia romance would have made more sense (even though he’s not technically mafia either).
Other than that, this was a gripping book with lots of suspense and romance. Recommended for lovers of the dark romance genre. 4 stars.

[Heather Hahn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is the perfect blend of dark, alpha male (Alek) and sassy, but strong female (Liz). Alek has been watching Liz for some time, wishing that she could be his, but knowing that will never happen, given who he is and what he does. Liz is completely oblivious for a while, but once she begins working for him, things start changing, and quickly. Before long, she’s completely tied up in his world and he’s doing all he can to keep her safe.

Liz has to make the choice of whether she will allow Alek to keep her, and keep her safe. Otherwise, she has to fend for herself in a world where she has no experience. But when long-buried secrets come to light, what will happen?

I loved watching Liz’s character develop throughout the story, becoming more independent, while also growing with Alek as well. Alek also has some fantastic character development, allowing the reader into his mind, his motivation, and his “kryptonite”, if you will. Loved the HEA too! Highly recommend this story!

[Smutty Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Alek comes into Liz’s world following a chance meeting she isn’t even aware of, he is determined to protect her at all costs from a violent past that will threaten them both. Loyalty is key to both, and ultimately what will be needed to get them through this tale of obsession, desire and revenge in the criminal underworld.

From our first encounter we can see Liz is damned determined to do what she needs to get by. Through her relationship with her bestie/only family Lucy we see how kind, strong, independent, and ultimately loyal Liz is. All traits that make Alek love her more, but hells bells she is going to exhaust him and his pretty unwilling team and every skill they possess (I liked that the team weren’t swayed by her - they really did stay pretty true to their dark characters). Her vulnerabilities somehow take nothing from this girls strength - she’s a beast!

Most of us gravitate towards the strong alpha characters, after all that’s why we’re here! Alek will not disappoint. (We have some stalker and control issues going on, so avoid if they are your triggers). He operates in a dark and violent underworld, and there are no apologies for that. That absolute ruthlessness and determination to protect Liz can’t fail to make you weak at the knees, and there some pretty steamy sex scenes that aren’t going to help you there either!

We have a REALLY extended HEA in this book. You know how normally you get a quick ‘phew, they love each other, what a relief’, and then maybe a .... 5 years later...? Once the drama is done, the story isn’t over, and we get to spend a bit of time with our couple. Really nice touch. Great characters, great stand-alone story written in first POV from both characters, and a great read that will draw you in from the off and keep you there until the very end.

[Catherine Leigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, it has a great storyline that keep you intrigued throughout.
The are some quite dark moments, with torture and gore but lots of other intense steamy scenes balancing it all out nicely.
I like how this book kept you in complete suspense the whole time, not knowing what was going to happen next.
Great book,with a perfect ending.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one was a a nice mix of grit and rough edges with plenty of realistically romantic moments. Liz is a woman who doesn't rely on others and Alek is a mysterious man with a dark past that he won't speak of asking for her trust. Together they weave their way through hot sex and a plot to destroy them both. The other characters that are closest to Liz and Alek, Lucy the bartender with no filter, Randall a man of few words, and Jake the tech geek with fighting skills round out this story. Enjoy the ride of sex, lies, and bits of well placed humor.

[Romi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It has just the right amount of detail to keep you turning the page and not get bogged down. I like that Liz isn't a wimpy woman. She's got grit when the goin gets tough.
Alek is a man's man laced with danger. Ya just gotta like him.
If you're looking for a good read, to get lost in and tune out the world, this is a good one.

[Nate · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Alec & Liv's book. Good characters. It was a fast-paced & entertaining read. I received a free copy of the book. And am voluntarily leaving my honest opinion.

[Tammy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Liz lives with her best friend who is a bartender and loves to go hang out where she works. Alek owns the club and is obsessed with Liz, even has cameras in her home. When they meet, sparks fly but can Alek keep his secrets hidden? Fast paced read with loads of drama, suspense and sizzling steam. I really liked it.

[Escape to the pages · Rating 3 out of 5]

There was so much about this book I really liked, but equally so much that gave me problems.

The storyline is intense and ultimately well written (there are some small grammatical and spelling errors but nothing too bad or enough to spoil your enjoyment of the book) but I swung from loving the story to not understanding the actions of the characters so much I almost got whiplash.

Alex adores Liz and has done for a while, from a distance, mainly, except when he’s stalking her and entering her house to watch her sleep...for a year! None of this do adequately explained to Liz, there is an attempt at the end but not really well enough and all Liz is told is to let the last go...
See this is another problem for me, Liz alternates wildly from being a rational sensible person to being a silly screaming emotionally stunted child all within one chapter. She has several and many issues that Alek doesn’t even attempt to help her with (scared of the dark, being tied up, after effects of her first meeting with his enemy) yet he states he loves her. And she continually forgives him. A man she doesn’t know ultimately bringing her into so much danger and without any explanations at all. It’s just a tad too much in the unbelievable scale for me.

The surrounding characters are great yet they are only lightly touched on, Randall and Jake clearly have issues but again their emotions are stunted without either a real explanation or offering a hook to bring you back to any books they might feature in later.
Lucy is equal parts amazing as a friend and utterly annoying. I wanted her to be the mad hatter friend you adore because she loved Liz so much, and I think that’s what the author intended, but it just didn’t come off for me.

Confusing and irritating at times, yet I did find myself turning page after page wanting to find out what happened next.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kat · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF'd

This is pretty hard to read after chapter 5. The writing is all over the place and the scenes and dialog jump rapidly many times not explaining shifts in conversations. The book is like when you are telling someone about something only to get interrupted and forget what your had meant to say. The lack of structure and clarity made this so difficult to read none of the obvious romance was enjoyable. The shifts were too sudden and fleeting to have an opinion.

[Trish · Rating 3 out of 5]

I made it halfway through this book, and I struggled to get that far. The inner dialogue is horrible, the female mc is annoying, and Alek gave me a whiplash with his mood swings.

[Angie Barnes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ann-Marie Davis has written a 5-star book. This is the story of Elizabeth and Alek. Elizabeth has gotten a job at Blackstone Tech as an Admin. Assistant to Mr. Randall, but he is hardly in the office so she works with Mr. Donovan. Becca is Mr. Donovan's assistant and one day her brother, Jake comes to the office with two other men. The two men are Mr. Spence Randall and Mr. Alek Jackson. Elizabeth is told there is going to be a meeting and she needs to be there. She goes to the conference room and Mr. Donovan, Mr. Randall, and Mr. Jackson are there, she is told that Mr. Randall and Mr. Jackson are going to be working out of the office for a while and they will need offices and she is to take care of it. She is told to call Mr. Randall Spence or Randall and to call Mr. Jackson Alek. Since Alek has gotten together with Elizabeth, things have started happening to her. Alek's father, Jimmy, is an evil man and he has escaped from prison and after Alek. Jimmy breaks into Elizabeth's home and tells her that she has a choice, she can bring Alek to him and save her life or it will be her that he kills. Since Jimmy can't get to Alek, he is going after Elizabeth. Jimmy has hired someone to kidnap Elizabeth and get her to him. Elizabeth had a plan to draw Jimmy out but it did not work. She is out with Alek and some friends when she is drugged and taken. When she wakes up, she is told what Alek is like by his dad. Jimmy tells Elizabeth that Alek killed his mother and then blamed Jimmy. She is locked in a room down in a basement and she looks for something to use as a weapon. She finds something and just waits for her chance to get free. Her plan doesn't work the way she wants it to. Jimmy catches her and ties her down to a bed. He then cuts her and burns her with cigarettes. The whole time that Elizabeth has been gone, Alek has been looking for her. He finally gets the information on where she is and he goes after her.
Can Alek get to Elizabeth in time to save her from his father?
If saved, can Elizabeth get past what she has gone through and let Alek in?
This was a wonderful read and I would recommend this book to anyone.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Dee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, the heat is HOT, and the physical chemistry is captivating so be careful you may just get burned all the heat coming off these pages. There were some "oh no" "oh wow" " what the what" moments and add in uncanny mishaps, and shenanigans the good kind that makes you keep turning the pages till last page has been turned. Oh, did I forget to add this little number has drama, suspense, and romance from page one. Liz is a breath of fresh air but will keep you on the edge of your seat the shenanigans she gets into. Alex is this sexy, brooding and did we say sexy with a hint of danger and darkness wellll a little more than a hint but enough to draw Liz into it all. Although, a little stalkerish(not sure if it is a real word but applies) with the watching her sleep and stuff but obsession works that way. Will that obsession work for him or against him when it comes to Liz and can these two find happiness?

[Marcie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This action packed sizzling hot romance hits all the marks!

This is my first read by Ann and I loved it! I was pulled in from the first chapter - I am talking head down, do not disturb sign on the door taken. I really enjoyed the way this plot played out - it was suspenseful, the steamy scenes were 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 and there is perfect amount of action. Ann had me trying to guess what would happen next. The broody, mysterious, protective, and somewhat) scary Alek had me swooning one minute and then wanting to slap the ever loving snot out of him the next. I loved Liz so much, she was the ray of sunshine that had me chuckling with her quips - but I swear Ann gave her 9 lives because I sure her unending curiosity would get her into some horrible trouble, lol. If you are looking for a yummy stalker/obsessive H, this is the perfect story to get your fix for that craving.

[Alison · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Trigger Warning* This book contains graphic violence, violence against women, and torture. If any of these are your triggers, this story isn't for you.

I really enjoyed this book. Once i started it i couldn't put it down. I finished it the same day. The story is so intricate and has so many elements. It's more than a just a dark romance. It also has elements of action and suspense that kept me hooked. I really liked the hero, or should i say anti-hero, Alek. He was certainly a tortured soul and he definitely wasn't a "good guy". I thought his protectiveness of Liz was really sweet though a lot of people will find his methods unorthodox (that's a nice way of saying he's definitely a stalker.).

I highly recommend this book and I can't wait to read more from this author!

[Theodene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recently, I received a reminder email that I promised to write a book review for His Obsession by Ann-Marie Davis. I’m so thankful for that reminder email because I totally forgot about making this promise!

His Obsession by Ann-Marie Davis is an enticing, juicy, action-filled novel that I could not put down once I did start reading it! If you’re looking for a juicy story to light up your weekend, this is definitely the book for you! Unlike my usual genres, this one is full of lust, swearing, and violence!

Oh to be young and hang out clubbing every night again! Liz lives with her best friend, who is a bartender at a popular club, who happens to be owned by bad boy Alek. Alek is obsessed with Liz and sneaks into her townhouse to watch her sleep. He has cameras inside her home where he can keep an eye on her.

My favorite character is actually Jake, who’s Alek’s friend and runs an IT business. Jake’s sister works in the office and is a sweetheart with a temper. Turns out, Jake is also trains in Krav Maga, which is a Jewish martial art. Oh, Jake’s also a very good marksman! If I ever needed a man on my side, Jake would be my first pick!!

My favorite part of the book is when Alek takes Liz to a fancy Italian dinner, their first official date, where Alek teaches Liz how to properly taste wine. She totally thought he was crazy and messing with her, but he so wasn’t! She just needed to learn how to appreciate her wines better than just drinking it!

Okay, that part wasn’t the lusty or action part of the book, but every single time their eyes meet in this story, Liz and Alek seem to eat each other up with just one look. It’s hard to decide which interaction is a favorite!

I received a complimentary digital copy of this book on BookSprout. I give His Obsession by Ann-Marie Davis 4 out of 5 tiaras because it was very intriguing and full of unexpected lust. I recommend this book if you’re looking for an easy read that will take you through a mixed bag of emotions!

[Melissa Howse · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book by Ann-Marie Davis and she nailed it!! Her character development and world building are great and this book has it all. Action, steam, a snarky and strong, yet vulnerable, MC, a hot overprotective H that can show a soft side and this book evokes all the emotions. So many twists and so much discovery in this story as it develops. There is stalking, abuse recalled and brief torture so use caution if you have triggers. This is a standalone with a HEA that you will not be able to put down! I loved it so much that I hope the author does more stories in this world with the supporting characters.

[Dee Kap · Rating 5 out of 5]

A rollercoaster of emotions! Brilliant.

Drama, suspense, lust, passion, angst! This was a really well written story, with very strong characters. I really enjoyed how the author didn't make it all too easy. I felt that the suspense was well written and that while it alluded to a dark career it wasn't a huge focus, the bigger focus was on the characters themselves, which I got really attached to. There was just the right amount of everything! I really enjoyed the different POV! It was quite seemless the way this was done with no overlapping which I love!

[Kavya · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an okay read for me. Honestly I hated how Alek treated Liz and Liz didn't even act like she grew up in foster care. There was very little emotional connection between the H and h which I kept waiting for. It became boring towards the middle and end of the book, I felt like the author stretched the whole thing. A good read tho if you want to read a book not too deep. The most irritating part was when Alek kept saying 'my girl' , the author put stress on these words so much throughout the book that it got irritating and funny because he never acted like it.

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC from the author thru Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving my review. This is a darker love story between Alek and Liz. All it took was was one look at her and he knew she would be his. The story is full of drama, suspense, danger, lust and finally love. It is well written with characters who pull you in and make it hard to put the book down.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Tina Thompson · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5* DNF again! Second time I’ve tried and I give up, it’s boring, and j don’t like Alek or Liz.

I just can’t read this. I’ve tried at least twice and it’s boring! I hate Alek and the way that he dragged Liz into danger but refuses to tell her anything. Then when she gets upset he tells her off like she’s a child!! Nothing is explained and I still don’t know what he does for money. He owns the club? I think, Blackstone Tech, (No idea what that company does.) and he sells guns?

The other HUGE problem I have with this book is Alek stalks Liz for over a year before she actually meets him, and it’s beyond creepy! He strokes her bottom when she’s asleep!!! 😱 Watches her on cameras he has in her house, so she has no privacy!! REALLY, REALLY NOT GOOD!

I really wanted to read this series as the others sound better, but I just can’t as it’s not very well written. It jumps around at times and that stupid pattern that’s in the middle of a sentence is really annoying!!

[Cara · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well written book

I liked this book but the let down for me was the FMC. I didn't like her character. She seemed too full of herself. I just didn't feel the chemistry between them either. Side characters were good. There were a couple things in here that did cause some confusion, made me think she was constantly being drugged or blacking out. I'd give the other books a try seeing as it was just that one character and see how they go.

[Garfield · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a creepy slow-built dark romance that will make you swoon and give you chills at the same time. It does have some things that might be triggering so read with caution. This is a standalone. For me, the book went a little too slowly but it was still enjoyable just mildly boring at times.

After a year of working at the place, Liz finally meets her boss for what she thinks is the first time but in reality he's been stalking her for a while now. He considers her his to protect and his to eventually do what he wants with. Alek had violent tendencies and he's not a man anyone would want to cross. He's been plotting to get the girl for quite a while and he knows she'll soon be officially his. He's been protecting her in the shadows and taking care of her but when the time comes to step out of the shadows and show himself to her can she accept him for what he is?
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.

[Vinessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading about the growth in this relationship. Their paths cross again.
The trials, the drama, fear, the power and the unexpected passion.
The chemistry between the H and h is a powerful motivation to come out of this alive.
So much has been put into the story in such a short time.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[SaDonna Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

The twist and turns of Alek and Liz's story. The obsession with taking care of someone and the lengths he will go to for her to be safe is amazing.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jessica Ziola-Simpson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Liz and Alec's story is captivating! I could not put it down. The roller coaster of emotions and the consistent cliff hangers left me constantly needing to turn the page to see what was next. If you like a Mob romance this is great!

[Nadine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I totally loved this book from the first page it had me hooked.. I had trouble putting it down. It has a great storyline and easy to read. It has passion, drama, suspense and gets you hooked. Totally recommend....

[S. Hammond · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great story however , there was an obscene amount of editing mistakes. I normally don’t care when it’s just a handful or so but this was every other page it seemed like. There were also a few places that didn’t flow, like maybe there was supposed to be a chapter break. Like in one paragraph she’s with Alex at his house and in the next breath she’s at her apartment. All together the story was excellent , Alex is a great stalker but it needs some help to be a 5 star read. It was about 3.5 for me but I’m rounding up because of the potential.