Following Her

HER #1

by Natalie Knight

She needs me. She just doesn’t know it yet.

Dalia is the only one who can fix what’s broken in me. I knew it the moment I saw her.

That red hair, those wounded eyes, the irresistible curves…she’s perfect.

She will be mine.

But first, I have to get rid of her boyfriend.

Don’t feel sorry for him, though. He’s no hero. In truth, he’s a villain.

Good thing I’m better at it than he is.

Because Dalia needs rescuing as much as I do. One day, she’ll thank me for what I’m about to do.

Then she’ll give me everything…

Following Her, book 1 in the HER series, is a dark, gritty, contemporary romance that’s perfect for fans of YOU. So, if you enjoy a sexy antihero who is willing to do anything—go to any lengths—to get what he wants, then James Draper is your next book boyfriend. Download today and get ready to fall for the stalker/kidnapper of your dreams.

Genres: Romance, Dark, Dark Romance, Novella, Erotica, Adult, Contemporary Romance

60 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 25, 2021

About the author

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Reviews

[Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stars: 4
Length: Lunch Break Read
POV: Dual
Series: The HER Series Book 1
Ending: Cliffhanger
Re-read? No

“Why would you want everyone in here to notice me?” she asked as her eyes slid back to the table. “To let everyone know that you’re off-limits.”

This book was rather weird and apparently, I'm okay with that? I realize I wrote that as a question, I'm still not sure wtf is going on and how I feel about it! lol

It starts off with 18 year old James obsessed and peeping on his over 40 year old teacher. Hmmm not my style, I like the reverse of that age gap and the reverse of that student/teacher romance but I decide to just roll with it for the time being.

All of the sudden we're in the future and he's not watching that teacher anymore but is following some random girl he saw on a plane and decides he's over her, she isn't the one for him. What happened to the teacher? But don't worry, he isn't without obsession for long! As he walks home he bumps into Dalia and SURPRISE! SHE'S the one for him. Let the stalking games begin!

There's some other strange things that happen but I don't want to give it away. Despite the overall weirdness, the stalker factor and the story has kept me guessing enough to keep me reading so that says something for Ms. Knights story. I'll certainly be moving onto the next book in this series.

[vxhexn reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating 3.5

Funny how sometimes life can throw you exactly what you need when you need it the most. A childhood infatuation for a teacher never went away. Some years later a woman, a younger spitting image of that teacher, coincidentally pops into his life.

James Draper took his stalking skills to the next level when he joined the military, learning even more tricks to help his secret needs. Should be interesting to see how he’s able to get Dalia especially since he’s getting reckless.

Story ends on a cliffhanger.



𝓋𝓍𝒽𝑒𝓍𝓃 𝓇𝑒𝒶𝒹𝓈
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[Sonya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Umm this S.O.B is Bat Shit Crazy and I'm here for 👏🏽ALL 👏🏽OF 👏🏽IT!!!

James' problems started when he was 18 years old obsessing over his 42 year old American Literature teacher.

Many years later he cross path with Dalia and a new obsession begins. She reminds him of someone from the past. He begin stalking her and watching her every move. Can we say CREEPER?

It ends with a startling revelation 😳

I am definitely about to read every novella in this Series

[Stephanie (Bookfever) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've been going back and forth between 2 and 3 stars with my rating for this book and eventually settled on the middle with 2.5. I really wish I had liked the story more but as always with my lower ratings I will talk about the things I dislike but also about the things I liked.

As you can probably guess from the title and synopsis, Following Her is a stalker romance (that's a thing, right?). Without giving too much away, the story is told in the points of view of Dalia and James. When James comes across Dalia he's reminded instantly about someone from his past and is totallt obsessed with Dalia even though she has a boyfriend (who is an actual bastard) and starts following her.

This book isn't the darkest I've ever come across but it does go into really dark territory if you ask me. You can't say that James is a good guy because he definitely isn't because of his stalking tendencies. This is something I'm used to with this genre and usually don't dislike but I just couldn't like him at all. I do want to say that I prefer him by far to Dalia's scumbag abusive boyfriend so there's that at least.

Too be honest, I wasn't a fan of Dalia either. I might be wrong about this but I don't get the impression that the author wrote either of them to be liked. I like flaws in characters and you always do want to like the main characters in the book you're reading but with Dalia and James I just wasn't feeling it, sadly enough.

As I said there things I liked so I'm going to sum them up here:

-Dalia being a plus sized model. (yes queen!)
-James wanting to get rid of Dalia's boyfriend. (I don't even care what'll happen to that guy)
-At 71 pages it's a short book so it's easy to read. (I only picked up my Kindle twice before finishing)
-The cliffhanger made me intrigued as to what will happen next. (yes I like cliffhangers sometimes)

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon & on Apple iBooks today (5/28/2021)!🎁

[Shedevilreads Bookstagram · Rating 4 out of 5]

Following Her by Natalie Knight is a dark stalker romance. This is the first book in The Her series.

This is the first book of Natalie's that I have read and it definitely won't be my last. I was pulled in from the very beginning and couldn't wait to see what was going to happen next. The book is only 71 pages long and it left me begging for more. I can't wait for the next book Claiming her to be released on April 30, 2021 so I can get more of James and Dalia story.

I would recommend this book if you like stalker romances or dark romances.

[Glowstars · Rating 2 out of 5]

There's an interesting premise to the story but it never really got going. Unfortunately, the cliffhanger felt like more of a "let's chop this book into equal parts regardless of what's happening in the story". It's probably one of those that's best read when you have the entire series in your possession. As it is, I wasn't left hanging enough to pursue the next book.

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

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC from the author thru Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving my review. This is the first book in the series and it is short with a cliffhanger. James is a man with his own code who sees himself as a protector. Dalia is his obsession and answer to what he needs. If we were not allowed inside his head, he would be an unredeemable stalker. There is drama, suspense, secrets, obsession and lust in this part of their story. If you like a darker and unstable love story, this is the book. I wonder where they will go from here

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

[Bee · Rating 5 out of 5]

So far so good. This short story ends in a cliffhanger. I was aware of that when I started reading, so I can't complain. However, the story is good enough that I wish part 2 were available right now so I could find out what happens next.

This was a short read; some 60 pages or so. It's James Draper's story. I was fascinated with how Natalie Knight was able to make the uber-creepy stalker feel like the hottie I want to meet. (Wonder what that says about me.) James has an obsessive compulsion to fixate on specific women, one at a time. His latest object of obsession is Dahlia, a plus sized model with poor judgement in picking friends and boyfriends. James watches Dahlia for a while as he decides if she is going to be his "the one". Seems like the boy is desperately trying to fill an empty spot in his heart. That's adorable until you realize that the guy has dangerous skills and you are not sure how far he is willing to go to possess the object of his obsession. Natalie Knight did a good job guiding us through James' thought process, so we can empathize with his "noble" intentions. Now I'm obsessed too. Can't wait for part 2.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Elsie Pitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the beginning this author begins to cause that anxiousness to settle in and then BOOM she retracts only strike again! Wonderfully written and although it is a quickie it is a really great start! I can not wait to see what is going to happen next. The Her series is turning out to be an wholly addictive series!

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

[J. Ockenhouse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay judge me if you want but I'm a huge dark romance fan but my favorite is stalker.

James and Dalia have opened the door with this quick glimpse and I'm going to run though for book 2. The teaser is done well. The story is different than the typical stalker theme. James is that anti-hero that steals the scenes and has no apologies about it. I received an ARC for an honest and voluntarily review.

[Whitewolfaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book one and the story does not end. I already feel for Dalia and her stalker cares more about her than her boyfriend. So sad. I cannot wait to read more and find out how this story ends! I love it and must know more ASAP. This is a must read!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Sunni · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found James to be an interesting character because he's the kind of guy most people would probably sympathize with but then you realize that he's a little dangerous and you don't really know how far he's willing go for Dahlia. Dahlia was okay but to be honest I didn't really care for her, so I'm glad that the book was also told through James's POV too. I'm really looking forward to where this story goes.

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s You

The story reminded me of Joe from You. But I’m intrigued by what Dalia is hiding and would keep reading the series to find out.

[Taylor Wilson-West · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you BookSirens for and advanced review copy of Following Her for free, this review is strictly voluntary. All opinions are my own.

I'm not going to lie, this book is short.

I'm talking, took me like two hours to read the whole thing, plus the bonus chapter. That's probably on me for not reading all of the details on the author page. (Whoops)

Not that this is particularly a bad thing, I guess I just didn't feel connected to the characters because the story was so short. Obviously it's only the beginning, so I know I'll pick up the sequel.

Overall the story has potential, but I don't think the synopsis really gives you a good idea of what to expect before diving in. The impression I got from the synopsis was; Boy meets Girl, falls for tortured soul, Boy gets rid of all her problems, they fall in love.

Straight up, James, the MC is a stalker. There is no other way to put it, and Dalia, she's just....clueless. I mean can we talk about red flags dear? The writing was great, pacing was a little rushed, and the smut was just okay.

Altogether, the story piqued my interest enough for me to want to pick up Vol. 2, eventually.

[Michelle (Chelle's Book Ramblings) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book in exchange For an honest review.
I'm a sucker For dark romances, and I read a lot of them which sometimes doesn't work well, they tend to blend into one another.. This book wasn't like that At all. First I was very happy to have a Dual POV because It gives us a glimpse into our "hero's" head.. And what a glimpse guys, you'll be hooked.. Even If he is a stalker through and through, and you will question your sanity because How can you be rooting For that Kind of guy?
But that is what makes this type of books great, The obssession, The dark and gritty, The outside of The box relationships (that we wouldn't be caught dead into IRL), this book has It all.
The only downside that I found was that It was Too short.. I wanted more.. And thankfully We will get more because this is just The begining.. If you Love dark romances with great writing and interesting characters don't miss out and give this book and series a chance..

[Maja · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short story was my first read from this author. It's volume 1. It's the story about James and Dalia, told in the dual, first person, point of view, which is always a deal breaker for me. It ends with a cliffhanger so I cannot wait for book 2.
I will read more from this author in the future.

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

[Hazel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great read but I want it all in one book :)
I like the sound of James. Unlike most, he's prepared to do what is necessary to take what is his, in this case the curvy Dalia. I enjoyed his forceful ways and the fact he is man enough to actually do what he wants.
He has known from his teenage years he could do what was required, whether society accepted it or not. And now he does.

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

[Madhur Mehta · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short story is perfect for the people who like YOU. It’s the story about Dalia and James. Going into this story I thought, that this was more of a good girl falling for the dark, and damaged boy. This is what I understood from the blurb.

But the story is not exactly that. James is a stalker and Dalia is oblivious to his stalking her. What really drew me in was the great writing. The writing is pretty good. And another this that I greatly appreciated about this book was that it is told from Dalia as well as James point of views.

However, I didn’t really connect with the characters since this book was too short. I really think this book has a lot of potential. I would love to pick up the sequel in this series.

All in all this was an interesting read.

[Cecilia Navarrete · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok, so I am normally not a fan of reading series before they are complete, especially since this one is only 70 pages, but I completely got sucked in from the beginning. We learn a lot about James and even sympathize with him early on in the book, however since the book is short we don’t have that connection with Dalia, at least not yet. Since it is a series, I am going to stick it out and see where this goes.

I’ve received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[valerieamanda09 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC for my honest review. Loved this book, it was slow to get in for the first few chapters. But once you found his motivation and got a glimpse of him. I was hooked. This book takes you on an emotional Rollercoaster. I can not wait for book 2.

[Marcie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am dead or close to it after finishing this first book. Natalie pulled me in with a very intense start and had me intrigued with James. I was sucked in fully when James ran across Dalia and his laser focus zeroed in on her. The plot was laid out perfectly, the suspense built bit by bit and I have so many questions!!! This book was intense and I am dying to see where Natalie takes this series.

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

[Intel Chicky Reads Romance (Kara Merideth) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked the concept of this story as well as the characters and the storyline. I wish the author had not broken the story up into different books, so maybe it would have flowed a little easier, instead of feeling like a story fragment with an unnatural break.

[teacupsandunicorns · Rating 3 out of 5]

This dude is crazy! Toxic and dysfunctional and he is proud lol.

I like the plus size heroine but I HATE how fat phobic this is. Like I wouldn’t be surprised if the author was skinny as heck and never really was fat ever or even knows a fat person. The protag is a plus size model and she is constantly eating junk food and she says multiple times how eating junk is the only way she feels better….I understand how modeling encourages eating disorders but I find it insulting that the only fat girl in this book is constantly eating junk food and it is presented as an unhealthy coping mechanism and how she literally would lick off crumbs from a plate!!! What the hell!!!! No. Just no.

Also the stalker dude was in the military or something. Which is fine. But also…he’s basically Superman. Super strong and fast and smart. And all this is basically explained by him being in black ops. Sooooo ok I guess. Tbh I would have preferred it if he was just crazy and worked out a lot and was just smart. This is just a trope I’m tired of seeing—an amazing strong and smart dude in the military. He can do anything and is basically Superman because army, duh!!!!

It is a short book. Like a novella. I’ll read the next one!

Some of the prose is awkward too. But overall this is fun!

[R Rais · Rating 3 out of 5]

First of all, this book say volume 1. In marketing word for me it mean that there's one big full book thats being chopped and sold in several volumes.
As marketing plan goes, i highly disagree.

For the content... Not sure what to say since this book is just a little piece of the story. Not even a cliffy aince its not a big book that need to have several books to make a perfect story.

I'll just say from this little snipet, this book can be good. The dark element of stalker romance is there. The abusive boyfriend. The girl who have secret.

The chemistry is non for me. Again, because this is just a snipet. Not even a half of the story.
But from this little snipet one thing that got me cringe is, Dalia isnt the first or the only girl that evoke James's stalker desire.
He done it before with his teacher. In fact, he just decide the previous girl wasn't much his liking after intense stalking until he meet Dalia and decide she's the one.
And his tendency of keep calling Dalia's friends wh**re even İF its the true, is appaling for me. Dirty talk is sexy but calling names in your every day life, just a big no for me.

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

[Cathy Black · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like this plot sort of after we really got into the meat of the story. In the beginning I could not tell if he was a young man who was obsessed with his teacher who was older. But when we finally get to the good parts of this story we find that it is 5 years later and he is still obsessed with meaty curvy women and still likes to stalk them. He stalks this lady in Chicago and realizes she is out for the money and really does nothing for him. On his way back home to his hometown he runs into people who were doing a photo shoot and realize as he is checking Dalia out that this is the women for him. He is so obsessed he plasters his apartment with her and he really didn't know anything about her yet, except that he wanted her. By the way the man's name is James he has a brother named Trevor and a father who is an alcoholic and a mother who he says is the "town whore", which is is why is father drinks so the story goes. Anyways I am giving it four stars because I am interested in the rest of the story. It peaked my attention enough to want to buy the next book in the series. Dalia has secrets that need to be uncovered so I am definitely interested. A good read.

[Scarlett Walters · Rating 2 out of 5]

Speaking for myself, the male main character in this story is too much of a creep. I have read, and enjoyed, dark romances where the main characters are straddling the line between good and bad. However, this one is an obsessive stalker in whom I struggled to find any redeeming qualities. He has a rough childhood, with a drunk for a father and a wh*** for a mother. But, at least in this short read, there was no justification for him to stalk first his teacher, then some random who is barely mentioned in the story before moving on to 'claiming' the plus-sized model for his 'the one'.

The story ends on a cliffhanger, but honestly, the male MC is beyond redemption for me. Just because he plans on removing the jerk of a boyfriend from the female main character's life doesn't mean he is the good guy. The female MC is far more developed and actually has a personality that is fairly well developed. The author has left quite a few breadcrumbs about some devastating secret that she is trying to keep, but unfortunately, that is not enough for me to come back to the sequel.

[KatJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Talk about a stalker complex. Well it is that really lol!

With a his and her perspective the reader gets a indepth idea of what makes not only the stalker tick; but how the moves he makes impact the said woman's life. The author has gone about this rather well. There is a really nice twist towards the end of the book, and we are left on you guessed it, a cliffhanger. The cliffhanger does want you to read the next installment to see how things pan out.

Overal a very decent read. It didn't appear as dark as I thought it might be. The stalker tends to be a bit more manipulative male has a particular type; than completely psychotic OCD level stalker. I think the fact we have to wait and see on the mentioned cliffhanger lends an element of suspense to the book. Ive got no doubt the next book has all the explosive events which I find partly disappointing. I think I would have liked to have seen a little more happening in this book.

I received a copy of this book from the author, via Voracious Readers only, for the pleasure of reading and leaving an honest review.

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a very fast-paced read, I read it all in one sitting. The characters are instantly intriguing and I kept turning the pages to learn more about both of them. I particularly loved the plus-sized representation in this book, there isn't enough of that in romance. And the stalking vibes kept me on the edge of my seat waiting to see if he would get caught or confront the people in her life.

One thing that I do wish the book had more of was action. I feel like the insights into the character's mind that you get are great, but since it was a novella, there wasn't as much movement or action between the characters as I was hoping for. This was a great buildup to more books though, so I will definitely keep reading to see what happens next!

One last note, there was a bit of cheesy references to spicy things, like saying "my milk" when referencing to his self-pleasure. That isn't my taste, but I know some people may like that/not be bothered by it. Other than that, good book!

[Pat · Rating 4 out of 5]

James is an intensely determined ex-military man. He has stalker tendencies but perhaps means well. Currently he is focused on Dalia, a plus sized model with a complicated life and a horrible boyfriend. James is determined to protect Dalia and make her his. This is an intriguing start to a series, an introduction to the characters and their history. I liked this story for it's dual POV, interesting plot, and the way the drama unfolds. There is a lot going on here - blackmail, false imprisonment, obsession, secrets and betrayal all told with descriptive details. These chapters are just the beginning. I'm looking forward to the next installment to see if James will get what he wants because Dalia could use a hero in her life! Very entertaining!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.