Stalked But Not Afraid

Spark of Hope #2

by Nicole Dykes

Roman
He’s an influencer—whatever that means. He’s also stunningly beautiful with a feisty attitude I can’t deny intrigues me.
But more importantly, he’s in trouble.
I’m not like my brother. Except for being a cop, I don’t strive to save the entire world.
However, I find myself compelled to save him.
If he’ll calm down and just let me.

Brooks
He’s everything I despise. He’s a cop. An arrogant tough-guy type who thinks he knows everything.
He drives me insane and won’t take the hint that I don’t want or need his help.
I’m not weak, and I’m not as defenseless as I once was either.
And still, I can’t seem to fully push him away.
Because maybe this time—just this once—I want to be saved.

**Stalked But Not Afraid is a standalone with a HEA in the Spark of Hope Series. It’s set around a trauma-support group and will, therefore, touch on extremely sensitive subjects. I’ll always do my best to handle these topics with care and healing and with no intention of hurting anyone. But please, heed this warning if you have any triggers.

Genres: M M Romance, Romance, Enemies To Lovers, Forced Proximity, Contemporary, LGBT, Audiobook

240 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 2, 2022

About the author

Nicole Dykes is a wife and a professional assistant/mom to two gorgeous girls. Currently residing in Kansas, she’s a lover of coffee, Kansas City Chiefs, and all things romance.

She's found her passion in writing M/M romance because love is love is love. Some popular works include Hostile, The Spark of Hope Series, and The Kensley Panthers Series!

Email at nicoledykes_author@yahoo.com

Or visit my website at Www.authornicoledykes.com

Reviews

[Renae Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

*** I received a complimentary copy of this book.***

Brooks and Roman are everything and more!!!! Stalked But Not Afraid is a fast moving enemies to lovers between an officer and an influencer who is being stalked by a online fan. This is a very interesting premise that leads to many interesting and tense situations that definitely apply to our digital world. The best aspect of this story is the amazing chemistry between the lead MC's.

Brooks and Roman have instant chemistry but due to both of their stubbornness they are resistant to anything further happening between either due to their pride and many other factors. Of course that does not last and leads to such a sweet romance that is consumed with protection and devotedness.

Stalked but not Afraid is a great follow up and continues the tradition of discussing real life issues in a manner that is relevant and respectfully handled. Roman and Brooks earn their HEA, making for another great entry in this series.

[Enay QueerBooklover · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars for this love-to-hate-you romance, where appearances and assumptions aren’t always what they seem, trust is hard-earned, and working on your mental health is life-changing.

Swoon /5 🥰🥰🥰🥰
Angst /5 🥺🥺🥺🥺
Steam /5 ♨️♨️♨️♨️
Plot /5 🧐🧐🧐🧐
LOLs /5 🤭🤭🤭🤭

This is the 2nd book in the “Spark of Hope” series, with one of our MCs, Roman, the brother of Ben from the 1st book. In the 1st book, he’s sarcastic, snarky & abrasive, but still kinda loveable, so I was keen to see him in this book. He’s a cop who’s motivated by the judgements he experienced in his youth, and who aims to see & help the marginalised before it’s too late. He too experienced trauma in his childhood, and has been working on improving his mental health.

Brooks, a friend of their “found family”, is a cam boy who has run from his home in California after being threatened by an obsessive online follower. He’s sassy, bold, proud, & body positive. He won’t admit he’s affected by this stalker, and is reluctant to accept help from any of the group, but tespecially Roman, who he clashes with instantly. As the stalker’s threats escalate, Roman becomes more insistent on helping, & Brooks needs Roman to make him feel safe. As he gets to know Roman, he realises that his assumptions are misconceptions, trust is built, and romantic connection follows. The passion is just like both of them - INTENSE & uninhibited. Phew… 🥵😅

I really love Roman’s character arc from the start of the series to the end of this, particularly regarding mental health concerns. Initially, he’s closed & uncommunicative, angry, & not willing to acknowledge therapy as helpful. By the end of this, he’s more willing to open up, communicates well with everyone around him, and has acknowledged the good he’s done in his job but that it’s not up to him to help everyone. It’s a powerful message about the benefits of counselling. I also love how he accepts & loves every bit of Brooks, with zero judgements about his work.

Another cracker of a story from this author - can’t wait to see who’s next in this series!

Check out my reviews and MM content on Instagram, Facebook, and Bookbub, all under the same name! I gratefully received an advance copy and this is my honest review.

[Julia (bookish.jka) · Rating 4 out of 5]

"He might be the prettiest thing I've ever seen, and he's glaring at me like he hates me. Which, of course, makes my cock unbelieveably hard."

Ah, Nicole Dykes you've done it again with Stalked But Not Afraid, which is book 2 in the Spark of Hope series of linked standalones. This is Roman and Brooks' story. And p.s. it's a steamy one.

Recall, Roman is Ben's brother from book 1 Bruised But Not Broken, the arrogant, tough guy cop with a heart of gold, and I was soooo glad he got his HEA in this book.

This series revolves around a self-help group for survivors of abuse and trauma called Spark of Hope, and in this instalment we meet Brooks, who is an online influencer and sex worker with a stalker. Roman makes it his personal mission to find and catch the stalker - and manages to fall for Brooks at the same time. But will his feelings be reciprocated......?

The storyline may trigger some readers, so do take note of the author's warnings.

"There will always be bad in this world. The best I can hope for is to balance that bad out a little."

4 steamy stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐

[Jamie · Rating 3 out of 5]

It took a good while for me to get into the book. The middle is decent. The end felt rushed - the HEA wasn't very satisfying because the whole romance was so rushed and quickly concluded. The stalker plot line could have been good, but it also resolved too quickly.

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

Another fantastic book from this author. Shh, don't tell Ben, but I adore and love his brother, Roman.

Roman and Brooks are just everything you can imagine and more! This book is everything!

Phenomenal and perfectly flawed characters ✔️

Amazing plot✔️

Great world building ✔️

Spicy ✔️

It blew my mind ✔️


I couldn't put the book down! There should be a warning label. You will want to abandon all adult responsibilities to finish this book.

Here is what I love the originality of the plot. Brooks is an influencer alongside traditional social media; he also has another that is X-rated social media. The author tapped into this and hence the stalker in Brooks’s life. Roman is the cop set to help Brooks and catch the stalker with his unconventional ways. Roman is everything!

If Brooks's page were non-fictional, I would subscribe. I am just saying. As much as I have loved previous books from this author, Stalked But Not Afraid is my favorite.

If you’re looking for a fantastic MM, Read that is spicy and will blow your mind. Run to Amazon. Stalked But Not Afraid is for you.

[Maisha Farzana · Rating 2 out of 5]

First of all, the title of the book is sh*t. Stalked but Not Afraid! Wtf! Could you not find anything better? But joke's on me cause I'm the stupid person who decided to read this book despite hating its name. I have a weird habit of reading random books which I've literally no interest in. I don't why I do that! However, I had been meaning to read a book by Nicole Dykes. Recently lots of readers have been raving about this author and their books. So, I wanted to read their newest realese and decide by myself whether the hype is real or not...

F*ck my luck. This book was so underwhelming! The mystery element was meh. The romance never received the centre focus. It started off suddenly, then ended without giving me the pleasure to enjoy a meaningful connection. The mcs had hot sex, lots of sex. But they had no actual chemistry outside of their sexual relationship. They had no emotional bonding. Literally none. It was supposed to be a enemies to lovers romance. But all I could see was what a judgemental prick Brooks was. He was judgemental, narrow minded and prejudiced. He was proud of being gay. Yet he assumed was Roman straight and a bully because of his outlook. He behaved horribly towards him. His I made a mistake. I shouldn't have make assumptions was not enough. Brooks wasn't sorry enough...

[Megan [Slump City] · Rating 4 out of 5]

MM Romance
Forced Proximity Hurt/Comfort
4 Stars ⭐️


This is the first book I’ve read from this author that I actually liked all the way through and wasn’t left with a mehhhhhh feeling by the end. I had almost given up finding a book I liked especially after hating the sample for the first book in this series but this one just reeled me in from the first page and I couldn’t put it down.

Brooks is an influencer and after getting some real creepy messages his friend convinced him to seek help with her ex, Ben, from book one. Ben’s brother Roman is a cop and he is determined to help Brooks despite Brooks wanting nothing to do with him. It’s hard for Brooks to admit he needs help as he doesn’t want to be seen as weak and he makes a lot of assumptions about Roman due to his attitude. Despite Brooks constantly battling Roman, Roman continues to show up and proves to Brooks that he’s not the guy Brooks assumed he was and he’s Brooks best shot at finding his stalker.

I could relate to how Brooks felt being stalked because I had a stalker when I was a senior in high school. Thankfully my stalker didn’t try to kill me but he also wouldn’t go away. To have someone constantly showing up at my work and school and driving his car past my house was scary especially because I never told him any of those details. I was 17 and at the bank getting a cashier’s check for a speeding ticket and the teller was this cute guy who made me laugh the whole time and when he asked for my number, I didn’t think twice about giving it to him especially because someone was asking me and not one of the friends I was with. He called me that night but by the end of the week he was asking me questions that made me extremely uncomfortable especially when I learned he was 23. When I stopped answering his calls and he couldn’t get in touch with me, he started showing up at random places, places I never told him about so I had no idea how he knew where I worked, lived or went to school. This was a huge drama and I could easily write a 100 pages about what happened but the gist of it was that I had to get my parents involved because I was under age and after an investigation of sorts, it was determined that he got my personal information through the banking system and the police had to get involved. After the police got involved, he got fired from his job among other things and he thankfully never came near me again but the anxiety I felt from that situation lasted for ages. He had taken away my ability to feel safe and I hated how I was so afraid of just doing routine things. I completely understood the way Brooks felt violated after some of the things his stalker was doing as I felt the exact same way.

I really enjoyed Roman and Brooks connection once Brooks let Roman in. This kind of read like enemies to lovers in the beginning because of how hostile Brooks was towards Roman and that made their scenes together full of sexual tension and I loved that. The first time they had sex was super hot because they were annoyed with each other and instead of beating each other up, they fucked instead and I just liked the unbridled passion between them. I also liked how Roman never judged Brooks on what he did for a career and just accepted him for who he was. If it wasn’t for Roman, no one would have helped Brooks with his stalker because the other cops acted like he brought it on himself but Roman was there reminding everyone that no one should be allowed to make another person feel unsafe no matter what and he won me and Brooks over with his dedication to finding this dirtbag.

I did have a few issues though and it’s why I didn’t rate this higher. I thought the outcome of the stalker storyline was very anticlimactic and it just could have been more especially with how the guy was escalating. My other issue is a bit of a spoiler about Roman being a cop so if you don’t want to know, don’t keep reading this. Roman decided to be a cop because he & his brother were failed by the system. Their father murdered their mother and Roman always felt like no one did enough to protect them despite knowing there was trouble happening within the walls of their home. For Roman, being a police officer is a chance to right the wrongs done to his family and help others that may be in similar situations and even though he knows the system is flawed, he makes it his goal to be the kind of cop who can make a difference to his community. So, I found it extremely hard to believe that Roman would quit his job near the end of this book to go on these lush paid influencer vacations with Brooks no matter how much he wanted to travel. Doing this totally contradicts his character and I just didn’t get it until I read the author’s notes at the back where she explains how she is fed up with the system. You and me both Nicole but if you are going to make a character have the traits Roman did and be dedicated to making things better as a cop despite the system, it doesn’t make sense for him to leave that behind completely. This part just didn’t work for me and wasn’t true to who he was as a character and it kept me from rating this higher.

Overall though, I liked this book and the support group they attend and I am glad I didn’t completely give up on this author.

[Llakshmi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Roman : “Because I know I have to let him go.”

Brooks : “Please ask me to stay.”

this was surprisingly sweet and cute? adorable characters falling for each other with a healthy amount of communication and protectiveness. And they’re versatile? Yummy💗

[Kaity · Rating 3 out of 5]

3-3.5 stars

hm, well this was to me better than book one. the relationship while between Roman and Brooks, felt a little rushed at times, felt more realistic than Ben and Colby's.

i still don't think that the ending was realistic... especially with Roman... but it was cute, i guess. Idk compared to the last two Riley Nash books i just finished before this series, these Nicole Dykes books felt really tame haha i guess i wanted more angst with the stalker, something more than what was given, i guess.

Overall, a good middle of the road read, i am looking forward to reading about the other couples, so i am not giving up on this series just yet haha. Also, the narrators did a good job, i think that Stephen Dexter did a little bit of a better job than Michael Dean but they both kept me entertained. haha

[D.L. Howe · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️
🎧🎧🎧

BR with my new buddy Amy @bookworm.247_

At the end of Bruised but not Broken we were introduced to a friend of Ben’s ex-wife who was in need of help. Turns out Brooks doesn’t want any help, at least not from Roman the asshole cop.

But anyone could see that Brooks needed something, especially Roman and he wasn’t taking no for an answer. Even when his partner and the rest of the station didn’t think Brooks had a case with his mystery stalker.

Honestly I found both men to be dicks, but I had already liked Roman’s brand of douche so it took me a hot minute to allow Brooks to grow on me.

Like most relationships that start with so much emotional animosity, these guys were bound and determined to cross that little ole line between love and hate. And when they did it was hot as hell.

And when they moved their steamy shenanigans in front of the camera to draw out Brook’s ghostly stalker I was living for it.

It took a bit of finagling but the boys eventually figured it out and got the HEA they deserved in a way that worked just for them.

[Simona · Rating 3 out of 5]

How much sex do you want?

Yes

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

I loved this even more than the first. The relationship dynamic was completely different; both Roman and Brooks are stubborn and need to be in control. Their first time together was fire 🔥. But beyond the chemistry and the push and pull are two individuals who have a lot more in common than they think, two individuals who are fighting for a safer world in which everyone can be themselves. Brooks' personal journey in this was equally wonderful. This series so far has done an amazing job of empowering its characters. I also loved seeing the family developing among the members of the gym. I'm eager to see it grow even more.

[25 Readings Or More · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5
This series is getting better and better... 🤩🤩
I already liked Roman from Bruised but not broken, but here he made me fall for him.
He is a big and broody cop; he is an
a$$hole (but in a funny way); but what's more important he is a caring man, who try to really help the best he can.
And when Brooks, a beautiful influencer and famous cam boy, is threatened by stalker, he gonna do everything to protect him.
Brooks is confident, strong and he is proud of who he is and what he does... but this creepy man is making him fearful.
Brooks doesn’t want help, but refusing Officer Price's is not easy 😏😌

Oh my gosh 🤩🤩🤩
These two together are freaking amazing!! The banter, the heat 🔥🔥, the stubbornness but also the sweetness .... they are much funnier to read than Ben and Colby (sorry boys, I still love you tho), and I loved it!!
The suspense, the part of the investigations made the story more interesting.
It's really a great book, and i'm looking forward to the next one!!

[Florence . · Rating 4 out of 5]

“𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙜𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙢𝙚 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙄 𝙙𝙞𝙙𝙣’𝙩 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙣 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙄 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙𝙚𝙙. 𝘼 𝙝𝙤𝙢𝙚. 𝘼𝙙𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚. 𝙇𝙤𝙫𝙚. 𝙔𝙤𝙪’𝙧𝙚 𝙛𝙧𝙪𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙡𝙮 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙛𝙚𝙘𝙩.”

Brief summary
Brooks is an influencer who has a stalker. Roman is a cop who tries to protect him. They end up falling in love with each other.

I always love a good opposite attracts book, expecially if the characters cannot stand each other at first. I always love when characters don’t get alone at first and then the more time they spend together, they realize that they are perfect for each other. It was the case for this book and I really enjoyed that. It was just so much fun to read about.

I loved the relationship in this book. They were so well suited with each other and they were the perfect pair to me. They complimented each other perfectly and they were a lovely couple to read about. Roman and Brooks were both wonderful characters and together they made an absolutely stunning pair.

There was a lot of push and pull in this book but it always kept the book super entertaining for me because I wanted to see what would happen next.

I loved how the trauma was handled in this book. It was such a lovely way to handle it with care and pression and I really enjoyed it. It was done in detail and it affected every aspects of the characters life, which I just adored reading about.

Also, the steamy scenes in this book. Wow just wow. I absolutely loved them. They were just absolutely wonderful to me. I always love steamy scenes that involve a webcam and I loved how those were done in this book.

This book was just super fun to read and I had a lovely time reading it.

I received an arc of this book and this is my honest opinion

[✨Lucy IntheSky☄️ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can't say I loved it. 2.75 - 2.9⭐

This book is about Roman, Ben's brother, who's a cop and Brooks, a travel influencer and a minor OnlyFans porn star.

🟣 I was really anticipating Roman's story, because I liked his brash, cocky, outgoing personality and it started out decent with Roman being intense, sexy, larger than life, put a little animosity in there and the dynamic between him and Brooks would've been spectacular, IF the story continued down those lines .

🟢 It went south fast, the plot I didn't like, it was more ridiculous than not , I couldn't imagine one cop putting his job on hold to help one particular influencer and being so unprofessional about it.

🟡 The love story itself was not satisfying, there was hot sex and filming, which was good, but I have no idea where those i-love-yous came from, honestly .


The whole idea of a trauma support group is the foundation of this series, and yet, it hardly gets mentioned.

I'm not impressed so far, I mean, the characters are decent, but the stories are not that interesting.

The one I'm really counting on is Andrew and Miles' story, which is at the moment the last in the series.

[TrippyBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not brooks living my dream life being a travel blogger with a hot man candy. Happy they found eachother & that Roman is not some overbearing jealous a -hole

No but seriously the beginning of this book gave me so much anxiety because i used to have a stalker and he showed up at my house at 1:30 am and my brother & friend had to chase him off. So the fear is real and if you dont have someone to help you in cases like this you feel like u cant even live your life !

[magic_of_darkness_and_books · Rating 4 out of 5]

rtc

[loverexreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stalked But Not Afraid by Nicole Dykes is book 2 in the Spark Of Hope series.

I was really looking forward to reading this one, as I have a soft spot for books about sex workers. I knew before I even started that I would love Brooks and my instincts were not wrong.

I loved that Brooks had a lot of snark and that he was able to stand up to Roman. There was a lot of tension between them...and I mean a lot. I really liked the dynamic between the two MCs, how they grew attached to each other and were both afraid to reveal the true nature of their feelings.

Stalked But Not Afraid allowed us to see Roman from a different angle, and discovered that he was in fact a generous man who would do anything to protect the people he loved. I grew to love him even more for the respect he showed Brooks for his profession as a camboy. There was no judgment and an unquestioning acceptance of who Brooks was. That was the message in this book that resonated with me the most.

I normally read books that have more steam in them, but Nicole Dykes writes her characters in such an engaging way, that the steam becomes something secondary to the story.

So far this is my favorite book in the series and I recommend it for anyone looking for a low angst book with characters you can't help but care about.

[Ziezie · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars

[Miss S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved Nicole Dykes' Kensley Panthers Series, and her book Hostile is one of my favorite mm reads. So of course I needed to read these too!

I was intrigued by the fact that these books revolve around trauma, and the trauma group called "Spark of Hope". I love an emotional and empowering read.

Like the previous book, these books are short and therefor a bit fast-paced.
This book really got to my feels, like I was really scared at some point and I didn't expect it since I felt like it was a low angst read despite the trauma aspect of the book. But still, I got really angsty at some point, and I didn't mind that at all.

So, the only thing that had me like "what are you doinggggg and whyyyy" was the situation where the stalker leaves a little something on Roman's doorstep, and Brooks reaction to that? He was nervous. Let me just tell you, if someone left something like that outside my doorstep, I'd be way more than nervous, I'd probably be prepared to get a new identity and flee the country, but maybe that's just me. It just felt like a really big thing that was made into a really small thing in the book, and I couldn't understand that. Also the fact that Roman is a "mystery man" on Brooks' video, and should be safe from the stalker, but they had already posted selfies together?

Anyways, I did enjoy reading it, and I really liked Roman when he put his walls down and became a much more pleasant human being, and Brooks was my favorite kind of grump.

[taylor :) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great read. While this book has some triggering content, which the author handled delicately, the romance was still very cutesy. And hot. So very hot and spicy. Yum. I really loved Roman in the first book, so I was not let down in this book. He was this loud, cocky guy, but he has such a hard past that you just want to hug him and never let go. I loved Brooks as well, but it’s just hard to beat Roman for me. This was a quick read that I could not put down. As soon as I started it, I didn’t put my kindle down until it was finished. I really enjoyed the first book in this series, and since this one was awesome as well, I am really excited to read the rest of the books. I have fallen in love with all the side characters, so I am super interested to read their stories next.

[Rachel Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book in the Spark of Hope series, but since I jumped right into this one without having read the first book yet, I can say that it’s pretty easy to just jump right on in!

The story revolves around Roman and Brooks, who have a lot of great chemistry right from the start with that animosity-to-lovers goodness. Brooks is a social media influencer who has an online stalker. He doesn’t want to admit that he needs help and has gotten in over his head. Despite their rocky start when they first meet, Roman, a police officer, comes back determined to help him.

I loved how strong Brooks was, and how fiercely independent and determined he was to not be a victim to online harassment. And he and Roman together were just great - perfect matches, really, once they got past that pesky hate and assumptions about the other. Lots of feels in this one, yall!

I also enjoyed the subjects of mental health, therapy, and trauma and recovery. Check out the blurb and give this series a try! There are some warnings for those who need content warnings.

[Heather Duff · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have an absolute soft spot for the big strong gruff men who are misunderstood and people always assume they are the aggressor, top, or couldn’t possibly know pain or fear. Seriously, I will read every single one of those.

Cue Roman. He’s a built cop who comes across as a bull in a china shop. But inside he’s mushy, kind, and loyal. He just wants to make a difference where he can.

When Brooks shows up needing help because of a stalker, Roman wants to help but he’s met his match in the fiery stubborn social media influence who doesn’t want to accept any help. Brooks is prickly and quick to assume the worst. But as these two battle it out in a game of who’s more stubborn, they accidentally start to like each other.

The stalker case heats as quickly as they heat up the sheets - now it’s not just their lives at stake, it’s also their hearts.

Loved how these two came to find their happy ending and a future.

As usual Nicole writes with care and compassion to go with the suspense, fun, and steamy moments she creates for her characters

[Kelly G (Now Accepting Book Boyfriend Applications) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved Roman in the last book, so I was super excited to get his story! I want him to get a HEA!!! Along comes Brooks! Another man that needs protecting but will not admit it no matter what! But Roman knows how to deal with that! Brooks assumes that Roman is straight...which was funny on its own. And the sexual tension...... YES MFkn PLEASE!!! They have it in large quantities!
Loved the suspenseful story line.... that stalker lurking really put me on edge! ..... and don't even get me started on the thing they did to draw him out.... 🥵🥵🥵

Story 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Spice 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Swoon 😍😍😍
Angst 💔💔💔

[Fanni's So Many Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

***I recieved a complimentary copy of this book***

I think I might be alone in this but I don't like this book or this series that much.
Over the last couple of books I read from the author I realized her writing style and my preference in books do not match up anymore. Although I liked some of her earlier MM books now I just feel like we're going through the same patterns over and over again.
Which is not bad at all, it's just not for me anymore.

Stalked but not Afraid is the second book in the author's newest series about men with trauma getting their happily ever after.

In this one we get Brooks's story. He's an influencer and a cam boy and he's being stalked by a creep so he seeks refuge with Ben and Colby (see in the previous book) and of course Roman.

I liked his fiery stubbornness and strength despite his fears. I liked his dynamic with our other MC, Roman who matched him in stubbornness and topped it with loud brashness.
Their back and forth was quite enjoyable.

The story itself revolved around finding Brooks's stalker so that he can go back to his life.
And basically the whole storyline was a mess with zero reality. And I know that it's the author's style. She mentions this in the afterword. But I just don't enjoy it when serious crimes and situations are romanticized and glossed over.
I relaize it was definitely not the author's intention and a lot of people love this kind of storytelling.
But. Not. Me.

I think the strength of this book is definitely the characters and how their strength is emphasized (even when I think their actions are not responsible). I admire that men are depicted in a way that shows they can also have traumatic events in their lives and they need to deal with them. Not just repressing it but talking about it (with firends and professionals) and working through it without the shame of asking for help.

I also like the way acceptance and nurturance is the groundrule for our characters despite whatever questionable past one might have. It is admirable to see the human in everyone behind the occupation and all the misconceptions that might come with it. It is a lovely notion and I think we can all learn to be more like Roman in that way!

Another snippet of inconsistency I did not like though was Roman's relationship with his job. While all throughout the book it is emphasized why he became a cop and why he thinks it important to make his little corner of the world a better place he is easily ready to give that all up by the end. This conclusion and resolution was kind of inevitable but it also kinda went against everything that was said previously in the book.

So while I think the idea behind the characters and the story is good and should be told, I am, unfortunately, not a fan of the storytelling and the story development which feels glossed over lot if the times.

Please, read more revirews because this might actually be a book that you love if you are into easy romantic reads with a lot of hot scenes and fiery dynamics between the MCs. But if your prefer more detailed storytelling with deeper storylines, more character background and character development this might not be up your alley.

[the_bookworm_ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another awesome story by Nicole. Loved the back and forth banter between Roman and Brooks!! Funny guys! My favorite is Roman in this story! 😍😍😍

I can’t wait for book 3 with my book buddy, Debbie!❤️☺️

p.s. the chemistry is palpable in this one!!
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jak pierwsza książka z tej serii była nudna, ta była ciekawa. Warto

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reread 02/2025 review-3.25 stars.

Original 01/2023 review- 4 stars?? Roman really irritated me initially, but it didn’t last too long. Now I really like Roman. 😊

Stalked But Not Afraid Quotes:

☆ But Brooks brings out something in me I can’t quite describe. Something feral—not protective. Not like Ben usually feels, which would be the need to wrap him up in my arms and keep him safe from the world. Fuck. That. That’s impossible, first of all, and second, Brooks isn’t some weakling. He doesn’t need to be coddled. And thank fuck because that’s never going to be me. And I, for sure, don’t want to tame him. Again. Fuck. That.

☆ My best friend is nothing short of amazing. But of course, I don’t tell him that because . . . you know, feelings and shit. Not my forte.

☆ And I’m going to give him his freedom any way I can. (Roman)

☆ “I love it, you know. The teasing. Setting up just the right scene to make them lose their minds.” I smile because I see the passion in his eyes as he’s talking about it. “It’s art.” He actually blushes at that, but I didn’t mean it as a joke. “Yeah, sure.” “Hey.” I take his hands and pull him, rolling onto my back and moving him to straddle my thighs as I look up at him. “You put effort into it. Thought. And it’s beautiful. It is art.” “It’s coming on camera while men jerk off watching me.” I hate the shame coming from him because that’s not the confident man I know he is. I’ve seen flashes of the real him. I know that’s who he is, and this guy—this shy, unsure man who feels ashamed—that’s not the real Brooks. That’s cultivated by this motherfucker calling him a whore and making him feel shameful. From my partner being a dickhead and thinking he isn’t worthy of protecting. Of society. But it’s not who he truly is. “This video you want to make . . .” He looks down at me with interest, his hands resting on my stomach. “You want some company?” 🥺💜💜

☆ “You want to cuff me, Officer Price?” I give one quick shake of my head, too turned-on to think. “No. I want you to cuff me.”

☆ “I’m not letting you lose a part of your life to help me gain a part of mine back.” 💜

☆ “You going to join me, officer?” I don’t have to be asked twice. I wasn’t sure if he’d be feeling too vulnerable to be this close today. I’d have happily checked in on him and then left to give him his space. But if he’s inviting me in, I’m not going to say no. 🥺🥰

☆ “I want this, Brooks. I want to travel the world with you. Hell, I’ll even make more videos if you want.” He kisses my lips, firmly but all too quickly. “I want to spend my life with you.” “The videos were hot as hell, and there’s no one else I want to collaborate with on this planet.” He grins. “You mean that?” I nod quickly, and yeah, I mean it. Roman is it for me. “I’ll quit that part if you want me to.” He seems to be thinking it over for a moment and then shakes his head. “I have the real you. I don’t care if you want to share some parts of yourself with the world. I’m proud as hell to call you mine.” He never judged me for my career. Not one time. And I believe him 100 percent. I’m all-in with this man. “And you’re mine.”

[Jess Brady · Rating 5 out of 5]

*ARC received from author in exchange for my honest review. *

Stalked but Not Afraid is book two in Nicole Dykes Spark of Hope Series. This is Roman's story. If you read book one in the Spark of Hope Series, then you know Roman. The delightfully charming and over the top sexy cop who only wants to make his town a little bit of a better place than it was before he started.

"I'm not letting you lose a part of your life to help me gain a part of mine back."

When Brooks arrives in Kansas after fleeing California from a stalker, he is a bit weary but not afraid. He vowed to never be the scared pretty boy people used to see him as again but even if he is unwilling to admit it, he might need a little bit of help after all.

Roman just wants to help Brooks. He might be playful and not take things as seriously as he should but when it comes to protecting people, he will always take that seriously. If only Brooks would let him in enough to help, Roman would be able to do his job and admire the beautiful influencer while doing it.

Brooks and Roman end up coming to a compromise of sorts and before either one of them knows it they are falling into bed together and the feelings they are both trying to shut down keep coming up to rear their ugly heads. After all this can never be anything more than it is because Roman's life is in Kansas and Brooks life is in California. What happens when the stalker is finally caught, and they both have to realize exactly what these feelings mean?

Nicole Dykes never ceases to amaze me at her way she just pulls you into this story. One minute you're reading a little bit before bed and the next thing you know it is two hours later and you are obsessed. Her Spark of Hope series might be some of her best writing yet. This book was filled with a bit of hurt/comfort themes, enemies to lovers and all the spicy moments.

[_booklover_mamas_tomgirl_ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stalked But Not Afraid by Nicole Dykes is the second book in the Sparks of Hope series. This is Roman and Brooks story.
Brooks, he is a travel and lifestyle influencer, who also has a subscription only fan page as a hobby. On that page he got a stalker, and came to Ben for help ( not willingly).
Roman, Ben's brother who is also a Cop. He comes out as Cocky, Brash, and self-assured but he has a soft heart . Ben assigned Roman to take care of Brooks.
It wasn't easy for Roman to make Brooks talk about the stalking situation. His partner turns out to be an a**hole. And Brooks was sure Roman was straight and Bully. Though slowly the story revolves and Brooks starts to trust Roman. They bring out the best in each other. And found himself a family that he never has.
Roman and Brooks deserved their HEA ❤️😍.

This series revolves beautifully around Trauma, therapy, support, understanding, and family. This is quickly becoming my favourite series. Everyone should give it a try. 😉


#ARC was provided by GRR and This is my honest review.