What do you think?
Rate this book
Pleasure & Prey #1
Depraved
Living and working on a campground with her dogs is not where Sloane Walker saw herself at twenty-seven. But then again, not a lot has gone right for her since her step-father kidnapped her at twelve years old and scarred her both physically and mentally for life. Those actions should’ve left him rotting in prison for the rest of his life, not seeing him out on good behavior and giving him free rein to track Sloane down to make ‘amends.’
But that’s not her only problem, as if she needs more than one. Her second problem comes in the form of the masked stalker that slides into her room at night and takes what he pleases, making sure Sloane enjoys every second of it. What starts as a fantasy soon becomes something inescapable for them both, and Sloane might have to face up to a very important fact about her new friend.
He’s unhinged, psychotic, and utterly obsessed with her. And while those should be very bad things, Sloane can’t help thinking that maybe they aren’t so bad at all, no matter what that might mean for her sanity or her safety in the end.
Author’s note: This is a complete standalone set in the Pleasure & Prey universe. It contains consensual kink, unhealthy relationships, and harmful situations. For a full list of content warnings, please look inside.
But that’s not her only problem, as if she needs more than one. Her second problem comes in the form of the masked stalker that slides into her room at night and takes what he pleases, making sure Sloane enjoys every second of it. What starts as a fantasy soon becomes something inescapable for them both, and Sloane might have to face up to a very important fact about her new friend.
He’s unhinged, psychotic, and utterly obsessed with her. And while those should be very bad things, Sloane can’t help thinking that maybe they aren’t so bad at all, no matter what that might mean for her sanity or her safety in the end.
Author’s note: This is a complete standalone set in the Pleasure & Prey universe. It contains consensual kink, unhealthy relationships, and harmful situations. For a full list of content warnings, please look inside.
224 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 16, 2022
2180 people are currently reading
9219 people want to read
About the author
A.J. Merlin
44 books2,043 followersAJ Merlin would rather write epic love stories than live them. I mean, who wants to limit themselves to only falling in love once? She is obsessed with dark fantasy, true crime, and also dogs. From serial killers to voyeurs all the way down to the devil himself, AJ's specialty is in writing irredeemable heroes who somehow still manage to captivate their heroines (and her readers).
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 766 reviews
March 10, 2023
5/5 🌟 4/5 🔥
"You're lying on your bed, practically naked, with a serial killer tracing shapes on your body with his knife. Does that seem very rational to you?"
Girl with anxiety and PTSD? Check. Masked serial killer who falls for her? Check. Looots of CNC?!?!?! CHECK!
"Which are you? A horny little slut, or do you just love having a masked stranger come in and play with your pussy that much?"
GUYS. This was amazing. It's classified as dark romance but it really wasn't all that dark. We have Sloane, a girl working at a campground. She suffers from anxiety, PTSD, and panic attacks. She has a guard dog and a service dog. What she doesn't know? She also has a stalker... who likes to sneak into her bedroom at night to do dirty, depraved things to her.
"We can pretend that you don't like it. We'll pretend that you don't want me to be on this bed while I wreck you like I did last night. You can tell me to stop all you want, but I won't."
He says he won't stop, but he does allow the usage of a safeword which I appreciated. Virgil is the KING of dirty talk. Best book I've read so far this year with some amazing dirty talk!
"You're going to take everything I give you. You're going to take everything I tell you to take, do you hear me? But beg me to stop. Maybe it'll make a difference. Fucking beg me."
Ahhhhhhh. One more quote for the road!
"I'm going to wreck you. I'm going to ruin you. And the thing that you should be most afraid of?" He leans in until our lips are almost touching once more, and my breath hitches in my chest. "I'm going to keep you."
SAFETY:
Age: 27h, 30H
Cheating: None!
OM/OW drama: None!
Sex scene with OM/OW: None!
Virgin/celibate/manwhore: no virgins, unknown past for both.
Triggers: cnc, dubcon
Kinks: bdsm, breathplay, breeding, cnc, degradation/praise, dubcon, hand necklace, knifeplay, primal, rough sex, spanking
Tropes: masked man, serial killer
HEA?: Yes!
My bookshelves may contain spoilers.
"You're lying on your bed, practically naked, with a serial killer tracing shapes on your body with his knife. Does that seem very rational to you?"
Girl with anxiety and PTSD? Check. Masked serial killer who falls for her? Check. Looots of CNC?!?!?! CHECK!
"Which are you? A horny little slut, or do you just love having a masked stranger come in and play with your pussy that much?"
GUYS. This was amazing. It's classified as dark romance but it really wasn't all that dark. We have Sloane, a girl working at a campground. She suffers from anxiety, PTSD, and panic attacks. She has a guard dog and a service dog. What she doesn't know? She also has a stalker... who likes to sneak into her bedroom at night to do dirty, depraved things to her.
"We can pretend that you don't like it. We'll pretend that you don't want me to be on this bed while I wreck you like I did last night. You can tell me to stop all you want, but I won't."
He says he won't stop, but he does allow the usage of a safeword which I appreciated. Virgil is the KING of dirty talk. Best book I've read so far this year with some amazing dirty talk!
"You're going to take everything I give you. You're going to take everything I tell you to take, do you hear me? But beg me to stop. Maybe it'll make a difference. Fucking beg me."
Ahhhhhhh. One more quote for the road!
"I'm going to wreck you. I'm going to ruin you. And the thing that you should be most afraid of?" He leans in until our lips are almost touching once more, and my breath hitches in my chest. "I'm going to keep you."
SAFETY:
Age: 27h, 30H
Cheating: None!
OM/OW drama: None!
Sex scene with OM/OW: None!
Virgin/celibate/manwhore: no virgins, unknown past for both.
Triggers: cnc, dubcon
Kinks: bdsm, breathplay, breeding, cnc, degradation/praise, dubcon, hand necklace, knifeplay, primal, rough sex, spanking
Tropes: masked man, serial killer
HEA?: Yes!
My bookshelves may contain spoilers.
August 2, 2022
That was hilarious.
The writing is not bad, but the characters are. Virgil told Sloane that he kills people out of fun and she just said ok and asked him about it. WTF. What normal person would do that?
I know it‘s suppossed to be dark romance (it‘s not), but still, she‘s pretty normal and she shouldn‘t just say it‘s fine, because apparently she lives in a dark romance book.
And when Virgil told her about his killings and described them, she was unbothered. Idk that icked me, because this didn‘t feel like a dark romance at all and it wasn‘t fitting.
She knew he kills people after three days or so. She knew his friends do that too the same day and met them like a week later.
Then she proceeds to date Virgil and let the friends stay at her cabin. Considering her past, this is very unlikely. She literally has a trauma and a stepdad that always shows up, and still thinks it‘s a good idea to let four serial killers in her life, after knowing them for a week. AND TRUSTING THEM THAT THEY WON‘T TRY TO KILL HER.
I could never.
And it just got weirder and weirder. She literally didn‘t mind that she was sitting on a table with a cannibal. I-
The only good thing was, that Virgil has a nice way of talking and expressing himself. But that‘s it. I didn‘t really like it. The plot was meh and I could‘ve stopped any time and wouldn‘t have cared how it would‘ve ended.
The writing is not bad, but the characters are. Virgil told Sloane that he kills people out of fun and she just said ok and asked him about it. WTF. What normal person would do that?
I know it‘s suppossed to be dark romance (it‘s not), but still, she‘s pretty normal and she shouldn‘t just say it‘s fine, because apparently she lives in a dark romance book.
And when Virgil told her about his killings and described them, she was unbothered. Idk that icked me, because this didn‘t feel like a dark romance at all and it wasn‘t fitting.
She knew he kills people after three days or so. She knew his friends do that too the same day and met them like a week later.
Then she proceeds to date Virgil and let the friends stay at her cabin. Considering her past, this is very unlikely. She literally has a trauma and a stepdad that always shows up, and still thinks it‘s a good idea to let four serial killers in her life, after knowing them for a week. AND TRUSTING THEM THAT THEY WON‘T TRY TO KILL HER.
I could never.
And it just got weirder and weirder. She literally didn‘t mind that she was sitting on a table with a cannibal. I-
The only good thing was, that Virgil has a nice way of talking and expressing himself. But that‘s it. I didn‘t really like it. The plot was meh and I could‘ve stopped any time and wouldn‘t have cared how it would‘ve ended.
June 22, 2022
4.2 stars.
Ok, so uh, that was good..?
No. No. I liked it.
I’m just a little let down by the lack of anything really happening and the fact the Virgil was not scary in the least.
The dirty talk was hot, the sex was ok, the kinks were mild and barely even there really.
The plot was also mild and barely even there.
It gave the impression of wanting to be a dark romance, with a serial killer who stalks his girl, but it fell short on the scary or dark part and Sloane was just meh.
I don’t know man.
It was a good book, and I liked it.
But it did not achieve the vibe it was so clearly going for.
And. I saw that everyone was saying Virgil was supposed to be Micheal Meyers, but I got more ‘Scream’ guy than anything else from him so I was confused on that too.
🤷🏻♀️I’ll probably check out the other books when they come out but I can’t promise I’ll read them.
Ok, so uh, that was good..?
No. No. I liked it.
I’m just a little let down by the lack of anything really happening and the fact the Virgil was not scary in the least.
The dirty talk was hot, the sex was ok, the kinks were mild and barely even there really.
The plot was also mild and barely even there.
It gave the impression of wanting to be a dark romance, with a serial killer who stalks his girl, but it fell short on the scary or dark part and Sloane was just meh.
I don’t know man.
It was a good book, and I liked it.
But it did not achieve the vibe it was so clearly going for.
And. I saw that everyone was saying Virgil was supposed to be Micheal Meyers, but I got more ‘Scream’ guy than anything else from him so I was confused on that too.
🤷🏻♀️I’ll probably check out the other books when they come out but I can’t promise I’ll read them.
July 7, 2024
A stalker, a serial killer, and a great guy!
The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 🤎🖤💜💚❤️
Heat/Steam: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘📙
World building: 🌏🌍🌎🌏
Character development: ☺️😎😚🥰
The heroine: Sloane - she and her two German Shepherds, Argus and Vulcan, live and work in a campground. She suffers from anxiety and paranoia, stemming from her childhood and being kidnapped by her stepfather when she was a girl. Argus is a service dog that is able to help pull her out of massive panic attacks she sometimes has. Vulcan isn’t a service dog, but he is a good guard dog and helps her feel safe. Especially since her cabin, where she lives year-round, is the most remote cabin at the campgrounds.
The Hero: Virgil - he is a reporter that is on vacation. Her rents a cabin at the campground and puts his fancy speedboat in the lake for the ten days he plans on staying there. He seems to like Sloane and enjoys her company. Though his smiles don’t always show in his eyes. He also keeps showing up where Sloane is and spending time with her. He wants to know everything about her but always finds a way to not tell her much about himself.
The Story: Sloane’s anxiety levels are high since her stepfather Anthony is now out of jail and has been calling her. Her mom told her his new phone number, so she was able to block it, but he found out where she works and called her at the campground store while she was working. He called her again on her cell phone, from a different phone and claims he only wanted to apologize for getting high, kidnapping her and nearly killing her when she was twelve.
It is pretty safe to say that Virgil is most likely the masked stranger who comes into Sloane’s cabin at night. He tells her he had plans to kill her but saw her naked in front of her window and thought she was teasing him. Though her cabin is surrounded by nothing but forest, so she hadn’t known he was lurking in the dark. They end up having a consensual non-consent type of relationship where he tells her he will stop if she wants him to and gives her a safe word.
This wasn’t your standard dark romance. Even though Virgil is a serial killer, and the relationship begins with stalking and breaking into her place, I was surprised at how genuinely nice Virgil was. He also has some pretty cool serial killer friends as well. Though I suppose it helps that Virgil is kind of a Dexter in that he really only kills people that deserve it. I love that he falls for Sloane pretty fast, though they do spend time together doing different things, he knows from the start that it is forever for him. I think I will definitely be reading more of this series. I liked his group of friends and can’t wait to read their stories.
Blog|Goodreads|Facebook|Instagram|Twitter|BookBub
The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 🤎🖤💜💚❤️
Heat/Steam: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘📙
World building: 🌏🌍🌎🌏
Character development: ☺️😎😚🥰
The heroine: Sloane - she and her two German Shepherds, Argus and Vulcan, live and work in a campground. She suffers from anxiety and paranoia, stemming from her childhood and being kidnapped by her stepfather when she was a girl. Argus is a service dog that is able to help pull her out of massive panic attacks she sometimes has. Vulcan isn’t a service dog, but he is a good guard dog and helps her feel safe. Especially since her cabin, where she lives year-round, is the most remote cabin at the campgrounds.
The Hero: Virgil - he is a reporter that is on vacation. Her rents a cabin at the campground and puts his fancy speedboat in the lake for the ten days he plans on staying there. He seems to like Sloane and enjoys her company. Though his smiles don’t always show in his eyes. He also keeps showing up where Sloane is and spending time with her. He wants to know everything about her but always finds a way to not tell her much about himself.
The Story: Sloane’s anxiety levels are high since her stepfather Anthony is now out of jail and has been calling her. Her mom told her his new phone number, so she was able to block it, but he found out where she works and called her at the campground store while she was working. He called her again on her cell phone, from a different phone and claims he only wanted to apologize for getting high, kidnapping her and nearly killing her when she was twelve.
It is pretty safe to say that Virgil is most likely the masked stranger who comes into Sloane’s cabin at night. He tells her he had plans to kill her but saw her naked in front of her window and thought she was teasing him. Though her cabin is surrounded by nothing but forest, so she hadn’t known he was lurking in the dark. They end up having a consensual non-consent type of relationship where he tells her he will stop if she wants him to and gives her a safe word.
“He’s fucking with me.
It’s obvious that he is, and I look up at him with my lips pressed together to assess his expression.
Though what I find is only a polite, friendly smile and an almost-blank expression. Like he’s just some pleasant, empty-headed animatronic running through the motions.
If anything, it’s kind of creepy.”
“You’re lying on your bed, practically naked, with a serial killer tracing shapes on your body with his knife. Does that seem very rational to you?”
This wasn’t your standard dark romance. Even though Virgil is a serial killer, and the relationship begins with stalking and breaking into her place, I was surprised at how genuinely nice Virgil was. He also has some pretty cool serial killer friends as well. Though I suppose it helps that Virgil is kind of a Dexter in that he really only kills people that deserve it. I love that he falls for Sloane pretty fast, though they do spend time together doing different things, he knows from the start that it is forever for him. I think I will definitely be reading more of this series. I liked his group of friends and can’t wait to read their stories.
Blog|Goodreads|Facebook|Instagram|Twitter|BookBub
November 26, 2023
For a serial killer stalker romance, this was also surprisingly sweet in a psychotic unhealthy way. Considering our anti-hero Virgil was slightly unhinged and obsessive he was all about consent with Sloan despite the way he initially stalks her watching from the woods. Sloan well she had her own issues mostly relating to an incident in her past. She’s currently now working at a campground living with her dogs one of those a trained service animal.
When she catches the eye of Virgil it’s game on as he watches her from the shadows befriends her dogs all whilst staking her and creeping into her isolated cabin. Sloan has her suspicions regarding the masked intruder's true identity and when they are finally confirmed she finds that despite the danger she wants to keep her stalker close. When Sloan’s past catches up with her it’s time to make a decision one that her new boyfriend is more than happy to assist her with.
I enjoyed this but it wasn’t really a dark read and the romance despite the dynamic still felt quite sweet and consensual. This is probably a good one for those wanting to dip their toe into darker waters before trying anything truly depraved. It was a well-written easy read and I will more than likely read the next book in the series.
Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
www.beckiebookworm.com
June 6, 2024
4.75 stars!
Depraved is the first book in the Pleasure & Prey series and features Sloane and Virgil. Sloane is a loner and for good reason. A traumatic event from her past has made her weary of the world and it's just her and her two guard dogs that live on a campground (ish) area where she works. One evening a masked man invades her life and she is changed at a cellular level. Never in her life did she think she would crave the dominance and serial killer vibes that her masked stalker gives off but here she is...
But what better person to have in your corner when your past comes back and you want no part of it? It isn't long before Sloane discovers her masked stalker and he's so much more than just a killer.
First, I loved Sloane. I thought she was such a real character with so much depth. Her acceptance and loyalty to Virgil was so sweet and I loved that there wasn't too much angst. Second, Virgil is a dirty talking alpha male that gives off all the protector vibes in the best way. He's obviously a bit deranged but in the hottest way. I loved how he was so surprised by how possessive he feels of Sloane and how desperate he was to make her a permanent fixture in his life. I just really loved this story and can't wait for the others!!
Depraved is the first book in the Pleasure & Prey series and features Sloane and Virgil. Sloane is a loner and for good reason. A traumatic event from her past has made her weary of the world and it's just her and her two guard dogs that live on a campground (ish) area where she works. One evening a masked man invades her life and she is changed at a cellular level. Never in her life did she think she would crave the dominance and serial killer vibes that her masked stalker gives off but here she is...
“You’re lying on your bed, practically naked, with a serial killer tracing shapes on your body with his knife. Does that seem very rational to you?”
But what better person to have in your corner when your past comes back and you want no part of it? It isn't long before Sloane discovers her masked stalker and he's so much more than just a killer.
“I’m going to wreck you. I’m going to ruin you. And the thing that you should be most afraid of?” He leans in until our lips are almost touching once more, and my breath hitches in my chest. “I’m going to keep you.”
First, I loved Sloane. I thought she was such a real character with so much depth. Her acceptance and loyalty to Virgil was so sweet and I loved that there wasn't too much angst. Second, Virgil is a dirty talking alpha male that gives off all the protector vibes in the best way. He's obviously a bit deranged but in the hottest way. I loved how he was so surprised by how possessive he feels of Sloane and how desperate he was to make her a permanent fixture in his life. I just really loved this story and can't wait for the others!!
September 14, 2025
Doesn’t get better than a charming seriaI kiIIer right? I’m excited to read Wrens book! I was slightly spooked for a minute but this was good 👀
May 7, 2023
Then again, all things are possible through good sex and kink, as the saying maybe goes. So who am I to say what I will and won’t do in the future if he keeps coming into my cabin and railing me at night? “Tell me something about you?” It bothers me slightly that he knows more about me than I do about him, and if this is going to be a thing, I want to rectify it.
What would you do if you met someone that made you feel beautiful, safe, interesting and wanted? What if they also hid in your room during some of your most intimate moments? What if they had thought about killing you? What if they killed others?
This was a perfect horror romance, which is currently my favorite thing to read these days.
I get the feeling he’s grinning in approval, though I can’t see if he is. “That’s my good girl,” he says and then throws me back onto the bed, fingers hooking in my panties and jerking them off my legs before I can do more than gasp. I sit up, surprised, only for him to catch me by the hair and jerk me off the bed and down to my knees harshly. “Stay down there where you belong, princess. Being on your knees is a good look for you.”
I even managed to get over the fact that we had a 30 year old, hot as fuck, psychopath named…VIRGIL.
And the sex. Wow. The sex. The only way Virgil was going to kil1 Sloan was through far too many orgasms. And what a way to go it would be 😈
“Come for me,” he murmurs, nipping at the shell of my ear so that I shudder. “God, you’re so fucking perfect for me. On your knees like this, right where I want you, so I can breed that pussy of yours like you deserve. Come for me so I can breed you and we can go back home and do it again.”
CNC
Primal Play
Talk of kil1ing
Talk of abuse, abduction and attempted murd3r
No OW or OM drama
Voyeurism
Stalking
No condoms
Overall a great dark read
What would you do if you met someone that made you feel beautiful, safe, interesting and wanted? What if they also hid in your room during some of your most intimate moments? What if they had thought about killing you? What if they killed others?
This was a perfect horror romance, which is currently my favorite thing to read these days.
I get the feeling he’s grinning in approval, though I can’t see if he is. “That’s my good girl,” he says and then throws me back onto the bed, fingers hooking in my panties and jerking them off my legs before I can do more than gasp. I sit up, surprised, only for him to catch me by the hair and jerk me off the bed and down to my knees harshly. “Stay down there where you belong, princess. Being on your knees is a good look for you.”
I even managed to get over the fact that we had a 30 year old, hot as fuck, psychopath named…VIRGIL.
And the sex. Wow. The sex. The only way Virgil was going to kil1 Sloan was through far too many orgasms. And what a way to go it would be 😈
“Come for me,” he murmurs, nipping at the shell of my ear so that I shudder. “God, you’re so fucking perfect for me. On your knees like this, right where I want you, so I can breed that pussy of yours like you deserve. Come for me so I can breed you and we can go back home and do it again.”
CNC
Primal Play
Talk of kil1ing
Talk of abuse, abduction and attempted murd3r
No OW or OM drama
Voyeurism
Stalking
No condoms
Overall a great dark read
January 11, 2025
Dark fluff at its finest. It’s an easy, don’t need to think hard read.
Also, it wasn’t until my second read through I realized it’s like a reimagining of the Scream character? I blame it on never watching the movies, but the phone calls, “what’s your favorite movie?”, black outfit with a cowl and a white mask, uses a knife. It fits right?? It hit me when I realized Wren sounded like Jason and Cass made me think of Michael Meyers.
Sooooo pretty awesome, yeah?
Also, it wasn’t until my second read through I realized it’s like a reimagining of the Scream character? I blame it on never watching the movies, but the phone calls, “what’s your favorite movie?”, black outfit with a cowl and a white mask, uses a knife. It fits right?? It hit me when I realized Wren sounded like Jason and Cass made me think of Michael Meyers.
Sooooo pretty awesome, yeah?
March 2, 2023
I liked this book... I think? 😂
I was intrigued by the premise of the serial killer stalking and falling for the random girl, but in the end, there's no dark at all in this book.
Don't get me wrong... I listened to this one from start to end, and I liked how it ended.... BUT I was expecting to at least see something "depraved", or even a gory murderer to accompany his serial killer title.
In the end, he was a cutie with a crush on the camp girl! 😂😂
I don't know if this is a debut novel, but it feels like, so I'll try to be constructive here...
The plot was focused on Sloane's boring life with her dogs, while trying to overcome her PTSD from when she was kidnapped 16 years before now.
I couldn't connect much with her cause there's not any then/now POV... Just present days, with shallow mentions of her past trauma.
Same goes to him... I don't know why he became a serial killer, why he kills, or even if he's good at it, cause he didn't kill a single soul until the last chapter.
It was just mentioned that he's a serial killer (which she said OKAY) and that was it.
He stalked her for a couple of days, and then they started a relationship. There's a few holes in this timeline, but I'll skip it.
Although I did felt invested and was anxious to have some action, their interactions were basically physical, and not even that was impressive.
I think a little more plotting and a little less predictability would do amazing things to this book.
The narration though was great, so that helped... A lot!
Will I be listening to the rest of his serial killers buddies? I don't know... Maybe? 🤔
I was intrigued by the premise of the serial killer stalking and falling for the random girl, but in the end, there's no dark at all in this book.
Don't get me wrong... I listened to this one from start to end, and I liked how it ended.... BUT I was expecting to at least see something "depraved", or even a gory murderer to accompany his serial killer title.
In the end, he was a cutie with a crush on the camp girl! 😂😂
I don't know if this is a debut novel, but it feels like, so I'll try to be constructive here...
The plot was focused on Sloane's boring life with her dogs, while trying to overcome her PTSD from when she was kidnapped 16 years before now.
I couldn't connect much with her cause there's not any then/now POV... Just present days, with shallow mentions of her past trauma.
Same goes to him... I don't know why he became a serial killer, why he kills, or even if he's good at it, cause he didn't kill a single soul until the last chapter.
It was just mentioned that he's a serial killer (which she said OKAY) and that was it.
He stalked her for a couple of days, and then they started a relationship. There's a few holes in this timeline, but I'll skip it.
Although I did felt invested and was anxious to have some action, their interactions were basically physical, and not even that was impressive.
I think a little more plotting and a little less predictability would do amazing things to this book.
The narration though was great, so that helped... A lot!
Will I be listening to the rest of his serial killers buddies? I don't know... Maybe? 🤔
March 30, 2024
I read book 3 previously and gave it 5 stars. Unfortunately while I enjoy A.J Merlin writing style this book didn't quite work for me. It was fun, spicy but lacked in some parts. Virgil didn't really stand out as an MC and the plot wasn't plotting for most of it. But it was an enjoyable read nevertheless.
November 15, 2023
i have no words. man admitted he murders for fun and she's like "oh okay"🤷♀️
March 24, 2023
First of all, I'm an absolute slut for all things scary.👻🖤😈🧡🔪🩸
In this story, we have Sloane(h) who lives in a cabin at the campground that she works at. She's trying to start a new life for herself, after being kidnapped and almost killed by her step father, Anthony, when she was 11 years old. Due to this, she struggles with PTSD and panic attacks. She has 2 German shepards- Argus (her service dog) and Vulcan (her guard dog).
Things are going great, until she has this unnerving feeling that she's being watched. She blames this on her PTSD and tries to push it off.
One spooky night, just as she's getting ready for bed- she notices her open window is missing the screen. Suddenly, a masked man appears from under her bed. He gives her 2 choices- if she tells him to leave, he will leave. If she doesn't, he stays and plays. Well.. she doesn't tell him to leave.
This masked man keeps coming back to her every night, having his way with her and making her question her sanity. She likes it, but knows it's wrong. On one of these nights, she sees a familiar tattoo on his wrist, and the masked man calls her by her name, though, she's never told him her name. She's afraid to confront the man she thinks is the monster under her bed, afraid it will ruin the game. But when it's confirmed, the game just gets more interesting.
She learns things about her monster that make her question everything. That is, until, she falls for him- and he falls just as hard. Hard enough, that he'd kill for her.
💭💭💭:
Easily a 5 star read. Horror movie undertones? ✅️ serial killer hero? ✅️ cabin in the woods? ✅️ spicy, steamy, kinky, primal sex? ✅️ over the top, posessive & scary man?✅️ sassy heroine, that finally learns how to stand up for herself?✅️
The chemistry was undeniable, the dialougue was perfect; this story was un-put-down-able.🥵
Triggers-
Non con, 🔪 play, primal play, murder, mentions of cannibalism, mental health issues, PTSD, descriptions of panic attacks, harm to an animal (don't worry, both dogs live), domestic abuse (not between main characters), flashbacks of kidnapping and attempted murder
In this story, we have Sloane(h) who lives in a cabin at the campground that she works at. She's trying to start a new life for herself, after being kidnapped and almost killed by her step father, Anthony, when she was 11 years old. Due to this, she struggles with PTSD and panic attacks. She has 2 German shepards- Argus (her service dog) and Vulcan (her guard dog).
Things are going great, until she has this unnerving feeling that she's being watched. She blames this on her PTSD and tries to push it off.
One spooky night, just as she's getting ready for bed- she notices her open window is missing the screen. Suddenly, a masked man appears from under her bed. He gives her 2 choices- if she tells him to leave, he will leave. If she doesn't, he stays and plays. Well.. she doesn't tell him to leave.
This masked man keeps coming back to her every night, having his way with her and making her question her sanity. She likes it, but knows it's wrong. On one of these nights, she sees a familiar tattoo on his wrist, and the masked man calls her by her name, though, she's never told him her name. She's afraid to confront the man she thinks is the monster under her bed, afraid it will ruin the game. But when it's confirmed, the game just gets more interesting.
She learns things about her monster that make her question everything. That is, until, she falls for him- and he falls just as hard. Hard enough, that he'd kill for her.
💭💭💭:
Easily a 5 star read. Horror movie undertones? ✅️ serial killer hero? ✅️ cabin in the woods? ✅️ spicy, steamy, kinky, primal sex? ✅️ over the top, posessive & scary man?✅️ sassy heroine, that finally learns how to stand up for herself?✅️
The chemistry was undeniable, the dialougue was perfect; this story was un-put-down-able.🥵
Triggers-
Non con, 🔪 play, primal play, murder, mentions of cannibalism, mental health issues, PTSD, descriptions of panic attacks, harm to an animal (don't worry, both dogs live), domestic abuse (not between main characters), flashbacks of kidnapping and attempted murder
September 4, 2023
3.5 ⭐️
We love serial killers hehehe. We have Sloane, who is in the woods living in a cabin with her 2 service dogs dealing with her ptsd and panic attacks after she was dealt with a horrible moment in life.
She helps with the camp site and enjoys her quietness. She thinks she paranoid when she sees things in the woods but tries to remind herself she's alone.
Enter new visitor Virgil he's a nice guy and staying at the campsite. They flirt, and he's handsome. But Sloane knows he's only there for a couple of days.
Her dog loves him, which is wired to her, lol. That should've been a huge clue for her.
Later that day, she gets "attacked" by a masked man who has been watching her and is smitten with her they play games they take and take from each other. It's hot and spicy between them. She has a feeling, but she doesn't speak it until she gets a blast from the past. And she tells mask man info only Virgil knows, so he knows his "secert" is out. And he explains why he's a killer and all that, along with he'll kill anyone for her. We love that.
A couple miss for me. I wish we had the guys' POV. I need to know his thoughts. Another miss we really didn't get to see Vir being a serial killer. I would love to see some blood and him being darker.
No ow/om drama, no cheating, slight secondary character, drama, sexy times, no virgins
Recommend-yes
Cover-⭐️⭐️⭐️
Heat level-🌶🌶🌶
Instalove
27h/30H
Primal play
Cnc
Knife play
Dub-con
Tiny bit of animal cruelty
Tiny Degradation
Tiny humiliation
Ptsd
Mentioned Emotionally/verbally abusive (by a parent)
No condom
Hea
Epilogue
We love serial killers hehehe. We have Sloane, who is in the woods living in a cabin with her 2 service dogs dealing with her ptsd and panic attacks after she was dealt with a horrible moment in life.
She helps with the camp site and enjoys her quietness. She thinks she paranoid when she sees things in the woods but tries to remind herself she's alone.
Enter new visitor Virgil he's a nice guy and staying at the campsite. They flirt, and he's handsome. But Sloane knows he's only there for a couple of days.
Her dog loves him, which is wired to her, lol. That should've been a huge clue for her.
Later that day, she gets "attacked" by a masked man who has been watching her and is smitten with her they play games they take and take from each other. It's hot and spicy between them. She has a feeling, but she doesn't speak it until she gets a blast from the past. And she tells mask man info only Virgil knows, so he knows his "secert" is out. And he explains why he's a killer and all that, along with he'll kill anyone for her. We love that.
A couple miss for me. I wish we had the guys' POV. I need to know his thoughts. Another miss we really didn't get to see Vir being a serial killer. I would love to see some blood and him being darker.
No ow/om drama, no cheating, slight secondary character, drama, sexy times, no virgins
Recommend-yes
Cover-⭐️⭐️⭐️
Heat level-🌶🌶🌶
Instalove
27h/30H
Primal play
Cnc
Knife play
Dub-con
Tiny bit of animal cruelty
Tiny Degradation
Tiny humiliation
Ptsd
Mentioned Emotionally/verbally abusive (by a parent)
No condom
Hea
Epilogue
June 5, 2023
3.5 stars
”My mask stays on. I want to play with you on my terms, princess. And my terms only. But I’m giving you a choice in that. Shall I stay, or shall I go?”
Never thought I’d be so into a book where the male mc was a serial killer, but there you have it… the ultimate antihero.
Romance? Nope.
Love? Oh yes, twisted, obsessed, hot AF love.
Ah, and Virgil… dangerous (truly), slightly scary, and sexy as hell.
”I’m going to wreck you. I’m going to ruin you. And the thing that you should be most afraid of?” He leans in until our lips are almost touching once more, and my breath hitches in my chest. “I’m going to keep you.”
***
“Don’t you think that’s fair?”
When I start to answer, his other hand covers my mouth once more.
“That was a rhetorical question,” he says. “The only things you’re allowed to say are yes, harder, please, and more.”
***
“I thought for sure I’d frighten you enough to tell me to leave the first night. Princess, you really should’ve told me to leave. Look where you are now, hmm?”
I love the tone of his voice and how it goads me as he trails the blade across my chest. “You’re lying on your bed, practically naked, with a serial killer tracing shapes on your body with his knife.”
What a cool idea, that Virgil and his fellow serial killer friends are the bad guys from 80s horror movies all grown up. I’m so looking forward to Wren’s (aka Jason Voorhees) story (rubs hands together and grins).
TW stalking, dub-con, knife play, murder
”My mask stays on. I want to play with you on my terms, princess. And my terms only. But I’m giving you a choice in that. Shall I stay, or shall I go?”
Never thought I’d be so into a book where the male mc was a serial killer, but there you have it… the ultimate antihero.
Romance? Nope.
Love? Oh yes, twisted, obsessed, hot AF love.
Ah, and Virgil… dangerous (truly), slightly scary, and sexy as hell.
”I’m going to wreck you. I’m going to ruin you. And the thing that you should be most afraid of?” He leans in until our lips are almost touching once more, and my breath hitches in my chest. “I’m going to keep you.”
***
“Don’t you think that’s fair?”
When I start to answer, his other hand covers my mouth once more.
“That was a rhetorical question,” he says. “The only things you’re allowed to say are yes, harder, please, and more.”
***
“I thought for sure I’d frighten you enough to tell me to leave the first night. Princess, you really should’ve told me to leave. Look where you are now, hmm?”
I love the tone of his voice and how it goads me as he trails the blade across my chest. “You’re lying on your bed, practically naked, with a serial killer tracing shapes on your body with his knife.”
What a cool idea, that Virgil and his fellow serial killer friends are the bad guys from 80s horror movies all grown up. I’m so looking forward to Wren’s (aka Jason Voorhees) story (rubs hands together and grins).
TW stalking, dub-con, knife play, murder
October 3, 2024
4.5 stars.
i could read a THOUSAND pages of virgil being an intimidating, scary, creepily romantic serial killer, and i wouldn't tire of it. the amount of times he sexily grabs sloane's throat? amazing.
a.j. merlin continues to write the most psycho, obsessed heroes, and im here for it.
i could read a THOUSAND pages of virgil being an intimidating, scary, creepily romantic serial killer, and i wouldn't tire of it. the amount of times he sexily grabs sloane's throat? amazing.
a.j. merlin continues to write the most psycho, obsessed heroes, and im here for it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 3, 2023
I saw someone post about this book on Instagram and I liked the cover, so I gave it a go. Depraved is an interesting read for sure (he’s a stalker AND a serial killer) but I don’t think it achieved all the goals it was aiming for. For one, our hero/villain doesn’t come off as creepy as one would think. I mean, he’s not only a stalker but he’s a serial killer! He should be scary, but I didn’t find him to be like that at all. And our heroine Sloane having SO MUCH TRAUMA in her past wasn’t even remotely bothered by his psychotic behavior and tendencies. I mean I enjoyed it for the fiction it is, but it missed the mark for me in a lot of ways too. It could have been really dark, but it was more kinky and silly instead. Would I read another from the author? Maybe. If I’m looking for a quick and mindless read with characters are on the darker side.
August 3, 2024
★3.5/5! sometimes all you need is a hot masked stalker who’s obsessed with you. smitten psychos will always do it for me. Virgil Olsen yum ( ˶ˆ꒳ˆ˵ ) he calls her princess. enough said he’s perfect. the amount of times i laughed in this book.., dark humour for the win i fear. I need a virgil pov please pleaseeeeee
Sloane honestly her banter/sarcasm is the best, her character was enjoyable not once was she annoying thank god. Personally for me FMCs in serial killer romances are either annoying or stupid as fuck.
“Leather gloves cup my face, holding me in place as their owner presses his nose to the top of my head and sighs.” cutieee (இ﹏இ`｡)
“So don’t take this the wrong way, but I could kill him for you,” he murmurs, pulling me against him more thoroughly. “You could watch, I could video it, or you can help. Or, we can just not talk about it.” HAHAHA STOP IT my humour is broken idc
“then turns to wrap me in a hug and bury his face against my hair.” he may just be the most gentle serial killer alive
the writing style was so easy to get into and i’m actually obsessed with this world. Give me more unhinged psychos obsessed with their girls! I pray she writes about the whole friend group, I KNOW THE NEXT BOOK IS WREN AND IM SO READY!
lets normalise having more doggies in books they’re so precious. VIRGIL BEING SO RESPECTFUL OF THE DOGS ASWELL SO ADORABLE!
Men on cover are icky but this men? nah he fineeee
SPOILERRRRR
“I’m going to cut him up. I’m going to bleed him for you so that you can see how red his blood is.”
now isn’t he just the most romantic man ever! He gets rid of her abuser seriously what more could you want (×_×)
Sloane honestly her banter/sarcasm is the best, her character was enjoyable not once was she annoying thank god. Personally for me FMCs in serial killer romances are either annoying or stupid as fuck.
“Leather gloves cup my face, holding me in place as their owner presses his nose to the top of my head and sighs.” cutieee (இ﹏இ`｡)
“So don’t take this the wrong way, but I could kill him for you,” he murmurs, pulling me against him more thoroughly. “You could watch, I could video it, or you can help. Or, we can just not talk about it.” HAHAHA STOP IT my humour is broken idc
“then turns to wrap me in a hug and bury his face against my hair.” he may just be the most gentle serial killer alive
the writing style was so easy to get into and i’m actually obsessed with this world. Give me more unhinged psychos obsessed with their girls! I pray she writes about the whole friend group, I KNOW THE NEXT BOOK IS WREN AND IM SO READY!
lets normalise having more doggies in books they’re so precious. VIRGIL BEING SO RESPECTFUL OF THE DOGS ASWELL SO ADORABLE!
Men on cover are icky but this men? nah he fineeee
SPOILERRRRR
“I’m going to cut him up. I’m going to bleed him for you so that you can see how red his blood is.”
now isn’t he just the most romantic man ever! He gets rid of her abuser seriously what more could you want (×_×)
March 3, 2023
March 2023
Audiobook edition 1.3x speed
I didn't realize how short this one actually was compared to the other stuff I'm listening to. After reading Wren's story this one felt even more like fluff. Narration wise, could've done with a guy for Virgil. In my head he sounds dark and mysterious, listening to him sounding nothing like was a bit strange. Definitely not a fan of slut shaming or dirty talk over audio. It was good but I preferred the kindle edition.
June 2022
Kindle edition
Breezed through this one. Says Dark but really its more dark fluff and my new favorite thing. The slut and princess thing got a bit repetitive and calling someone a slut never really works for me. They made a cute couple and the dogs were adorable. I liked the friends, curious about them so hope there's more.
Audiobook edition 1.3x speed
I didn't realize how short this one actually was compared to the other stuff I'm listening to. After reading Wren's story this one felt even more like fluff. Narration wise, could've done with a guy for Virgil. In my head he sounds dark and mysterious, listening to him sounding nothing like was a bit strange. Definitely not a fan of slut shaming or dirty talk over audio. It was good but I preferred the kindle edition.
June 2022
Kindle edition
Breezed through this one. Says Dark but really its more dark fluff and my new favorite thing. The slut and princess thing got a bit repetitive and calling someone a slut never really works for me. They made a cute couple and the dogs were adorable. I liked the friends, curious about them so hope there's more.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 17, 2022
I absolutely loved Depraved. It had everything I love in a dark romance. This story was more gray than dark but it was delicious just the same. Sloane and her masked man (no spoilers!) were sexy and I could not get enough of their nighta. This story was very insta but it worked for me. I will say that I wish we learned more about our masked man's serial killer ways as it was just casually mentioned and accepted. It felt like it was really glossed over. Overall, though, this was a quick and enjoyable read and I'm looking forward to more stories in this worldin the future! 4 stars! ~Ratula
February 4, 2025
daddy issues at its finest.
I think for some people it was hard to understand why the FMC would be so easily suede with a psychopath. I, however, just saw it as severe daddy issues. I think that it ends up feeling a little bit like she’s being taken advantage of, since she is isolated herself, and has PTSD and daddy issues and doesn’t view herself in the best light. However, the MMC is honestly a marshmallow serial killer and I was all here for it. So he made it easily a three star and the spice rounded up to four.
I think for some people it was hard to understand why the FMC would be so easily suede with a psychopath. I, however, just saw it as severe daddy issues. I think that it ends up feeling a little bit like she’s being taken advantage of, since she is isolated herself, and has PTSD and daddy issues and doesn’t view herself in the best light. However, the MMC is honestly a marshmallow serial killer and I was all here for it. So he made it easily a three star and the spice rounded up to four.
February 28, 2024
I've loved all of A.J. Merlin's other books but this one was just okay for me. I loved the plot and setting portrayed and Virgil was absolutely to die for! The spice was indeed spicy, but their relationship seemed a bit rushed in a sense and moved so quickly, even for my standards! I really liked hearing about all of his friends so I'll definitely be picking up Wren's book to learn more about his back story! Overall it was a quick and easy read.
Read
November 16, 2022This was a hot and smexy stalker romance on the sweeter side! I love a masked man who comes in the night and just wants to make his girl 😏💥 a delicious read to satisfy your mask and praise kinks.
April 2, 2023
I did not click so to the writing style very well. I didn’t really like the heroine either. She was so dull with her main personality being that she has a service dog for panic attacks and anxiety.
November 18, 2024
Maybe this is a lot to ask of slasher smut but neither of these people had a personality
April 20, 2025
»You're such a jerk.«
»I'm your jerk. All yours, and never anyone else's.«
★ ★ ★ ★
❥ 𝑺𝒍𝒐𝒂𝒏𝒆 𝜗𝜚˚⋆
I liked her although she is kinda naive and crazy. It was fun to read the book through her eyes. She acts like having a serial killer in your bed is a daily business - go girl!
❥ 𝑽𝒊𝒓𝒈𝒊𝒍 ࣪⋆✮
He is such a red flag but so hot. The perfect dark golden retriever who would kill for his woman.
✥ 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌
This book was weird but so entertaining and good. I had a blast while reading it and couldn’t put it down. It‘s the perfect stalker romance with funny characters and a great couple. To be honest THIS is what I expected by Butcher & Blackbird (fyi I sadly didn‘t like this book) and I‘m so happy I picked this story up. It‘s fast paced, crazy and overall amusing. I couldn‘t take it seriously but it was a wild and entertaining ride.
Sloane and Virgil both are crazy in their own way. He is a masked stalker who is a serial killer and she let‘s said serial unaliver in her bed. Crazyyyy. I liked both of them equally and the smut was hot.
Although the characters (especially Sloane) often act unrelatable I liked this crazy bunch of friends.
Overall this was a silly and quick dark stalker romance. Don’t expect a literary masterpiece but it is an enjoyable book and I had a great time reading it.
𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐈 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤?
Yes.
𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝟓 ׂㅤ𐙚 ࣪ ⭒
plot: 3/5
spice: 3/5
humor: 5/5
couple/tension: 4/5
world building: 4/5
happy end?: yes
𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬 ᡣ𐭩ྀི₊ ⊹
possessive and protective hero, instant attraction, stalker, he falls first and harder, touch her and die, dark golden retriever mmc, who did this to you, masked man, serial killer
𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬
#1 Depraved ★ ★ ★ ★
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
#2 Brutal ★ ★ ★ ★
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
#3 Vicious ★ ★
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
#4 Delicious ★ ★ ★ ★
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
#5 Heartless ★ ★ ★
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
»I'm your jerk. All yours, and never anyone else's.«
★ ★ ★ ★
❥ 𝑺𝒍𝒐𝒂𝒏𝒆 𝜗𝜚˚⋆
I liked her although she is kinda naive and crazy. It was fun to read the book through her eyes. She acts like having a serial killer in your bed is a daily business - go girl!
❥ 𝑽𝒊𝒓𝒈𝒊𝒍 ࣪⋆✮
He is such a red flag but so hot. The perfect dark golden retriever who would kill for his woman.
✥ 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌
This book was weird but so entertaining and good. I had a blast while reading it and couldn’t put it down. It‘s the perfect stalker romance with funny characters and a great couple. To be honest THIS is what I expected by Butcher & Blackbird (fyi I sadly didn‘t like this book) and I‘m so happy I picked this story up. It‘s fast paced, crazy and overall amusing. I couldn‘t take it seriously but it was a wild and entertaining ride.
Sloane and Virgil both are crazy in their own way. He is a masked stalker who is a serial killer and she let‘s said serial unaliver in her bed. Crazyyyy. I liked both of them equally and the smut was hot.
Although the characters (especially Sloane) often act unrelatable I liked this crazy bunch of friends.
Overall this was a silly and quick dark stalker romance. Don’t expect a literary masterpiece but it is an enjoyable book and I had a great time reading it.
𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐈 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤?
Yes.
𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝟓 ׂㅤ𐙚 ࣪ ⭒
plot: 3/5
spice: 3/5
humor: 5/5
couple/tension: 4/5
world building: 4/5
happy end?: yes
𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬 ᡣ𐭩ྀི₊ ⊹
possessive and protective hero, instant attraction, stalker, he falls first and harder, touch her and die, dark golden retriever mmc, who did this to you, masked man, serial killer
𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬
#1 Depraved ★ ★ ★ ★
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
#2 Brutal ★ ★ ★ ★
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
#3 Vicious ★ ★
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
#4 Delicious ★ ★ ★ ★
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
#5 Heartless ★ ★ ★
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
November 16, 2023
Title: Depraved
Author: A. J. Merlin
Tropes: stalker, dark romance, kinks, serial unaliver mmc, mental health rep, curvy fmc
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️,5
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
TW: panic attacks, violence, stalking, murder, ptsd
"I’m going to wreck you. I’m going to ruin you. And the thing that you should be most afraid of? I’m going to keep you."
I recently picked up a book from a new author and was excited to dive into it. Sadly, it didn't live up to my expectations. While the beginning of the book was intriguing with its element of mystery and suspense, it quickly lost its charm. The pace slowed down, the chemistry between the characters disappeared, and even the spicy scenes couldn't save it.
In the first half of the book, I was hooked with the masked man and the hot kinks. But in the second half, the story felt flat and lacked depth. The characters fell in love too quickly, without enough backstory to make it believable. And when Virgil revealed that he was a serial killer, the FMC's reaction was just not convincing.
"You’re going to take everything I give you. You’re going to take everything I tell you to take, do you hear me? But beg me to stop. Maybe it’ll make a difference, princess. Fucking beg me."
Overall, I felt let down by the lack of plot twists and the underdeveloped portrayal of the serial killer element. It's a shame because I was really invested in the book at the beginning.
But, I'm not giving up on this author just yet. Maybe I'll revisit this series in the future, but for now, I'm going to explore other authors.
"You’re lying on your bed, practically naked, with a serial killer tracing shapes on your body with his knife. Does that seem very rational to you?"
Author: A. J. Merlin
Tropes: stalker, dark romance, kinks, serial unaliver mmc, mental health rep, curvy fmc
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️,5
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
TW: panic attacks, violence, stalking, murder, ptsd
"I’m going to wreck you. I’m going to ruin you. And the thing that you should be most afraid of? I’m going to keep you."
I recently picked up a book from a new author and was excited to dive into it. Sadly, it didn't live up to my expectations. While the beginning of the book was intriguing with its element of mystery and suspense, it quickly lost its charm. The pace slowed down, the chemistry between the characters disappeared, and even the spicy scenes couldn't save it.
In the first half of the book, I was hooked with the masked man and the hot kinks. But in the second half, the story felt flat and lacked depth. The characters fell in love too quickly, without enough backstory to make it believable. And when Virgil revealed that he was a serial killer, the FMC's reaction was just not convincing.
"You’re going to take everything I give you. You’re going to take everything I tell you to take, do you hear me? But beg me to stop. Maybe it’ll make a difference, princess. Fucking beg me."
Overall, I felt let down by the lack of plot twists and the underdeveloped portrayal of the serial killer element. It's a shame because I was really invested in the book at the beginning.
But, I'm not giving up on this author just yet. Maybe I'll revisit this series in the future, but for now, I'm going to explore other authors.
"You’re lying on your bed, practically naked, with a serial killer tracing shapes on your body with his knife. Does that seem very rational to you?"
September 2, 2023
3/5 ⭐️
4/5🌶
Aunque se venda como una dark Romance, no me pareció tal cosa. No hay relación tóxica, ni maltrato de ningún tipo entre los protagonistas.
La situación es tan inverosímil que no crea espacios para nadie se confunda. Fantasía pura.
Más bien se trata de un Romance hot con un acosador enmascarado de noche y un vecino buenorro de día.
La premisa de que el protagonista es un asesino en serie está tratada con una liviandad que bien podía ser "arquitecto" o cualquier profesión. Sobre todo porque a ella no le parece nada extraño.
Es entretenido. Me gustó la ambientación en el campamento de verano como una película slayer típica. La serie sigue con las historias de los amigos asesinos, que insisto hablan del tema como si fueran a jugar al fútbol.
Escritura fluida y dinámica, cómica por momentos.
Para leer en un par de tardes como mucho.
4/5🌶
Aunque se venda como una dark Romance, no me pareció tal cosa. No hay relación tóxica, ni maltrato de ningún tipo entre los protagonistas.
La situación es tan inverosímil que no crea espacios para nadie se confunda. Fantasía pura.
Más bien se trata de un Romance hot con un acosador enmascarado de noche y un vecino buenorro de día.
La premisa de que el protagonista es un asesino en serie está tratada con una liviandad que bien podía ser "arquitecto" o cualquier profesión. Sobre todo porque a ella no le parece nada extraño.
Es entretenido. Me gustó la ambientación en el campamento de verano como una película slayer típica. La serie sigue con las historias de los amigos asesinos, que insisto hablan del tema como si fueran a jugar al fútbol.
Escritura fluida y dinámica, cómica por momentos.
Para leer en un par de tardes como mucho.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 5, 2023
Wow.. just wow.
AJ Merlin is amazing. This series is amazing.
I hate the name Virgil though, haha.
If you have triggers, be sure to read the trigger warnings before diving in. This book / series isn't a wholesome, cutesy love story. ;x
Sloane and her dogs live & work on a campground. One day, Virgil comes in for a little time away. He is immediately .... enthralled with her... and not in a healthy way. He wins over her doggos with peanut butter so he can get closer to her and stalk her essentially.
There's more details to all of this,but if you enjoy dark romance, serial killers and kink - this book is for you.
AJ Merlin is amazing. This series is amazing.
I hate the name Virgil though, haha.
If you have triggers, be sure to read the trigger warnings before diving in. This book / series isn't a wholesome, cutesy love story. ;x
Sloane and her dogs live & work on a campground. One day, Virgil comes in for a little time away. He is immediately .... enthralled with her... and not in a healthy way. He wins over her doggos with peanut butter so he can get closer to her and stalk her essentially.
There's more details to all of this,but if you enjoy dark romance, serial killers and kink - this book is for you.
July 27, 2023
I’m still giggling with how ridiculously left field this book was this book, went into the absurdity of the shenanigans when it comes to stalker romances and I just ate it up. The spice was spicy I just I eat it up. It made me laugh. Did it feel super dark, Absolutely not!
This is insta everything, obsession, lust and love. Mind you this takes place in 14 days if that!
But it into perspective and just go on the rice. Don’t think just ride!
This is insta everything, obsession, lust and love. Mind you this takes place in 14 days if that!
But it into perspective and just go on the rice. Don’t think just ride!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 766 reviews