Loving Dark Men

by J.A. Huss

A man lures a woman into the woods.
Another ruins the life of his best friend.
And yet another strings them along like puppets.

Dark men.
They are intriguing, and charming, and powerful.
They are changing the world.
They are changing themselves.
They are playing with lust, and love, and fear, and loathing.
Addicted to each other, to their secret, to the seduction, to the sex.
It’s a crash in the making.
And yes, it’s on purpose.
These men are dark.
And this is the story of how Nova Ryan loves them.

Genres: Dark Romance, Dark, Audiobook, M M Romance, Romance, Erotica, M M F

427 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 26, 2022

About the author

J.A. Huss never wanted to be a writer and she still dreams of that elusive career as an astronaut. She originally went to school to become an equine veterinarian but soon figured out they keep horrible hours and decided to go to grad school instead. That Ph.D wasn’t all it was cracked up to be (and she really sucked at the whole scientist thing), so she dropped out and got a M.S. in forensic toxicology just to get the whole thing over with as soon as possible.

After graduation she got a job with the state of Colorado as their one and only hog farm inspector and spent her days wandering the Eastern Plains shooting the shit with farmers. After a few years of that, she got bored. And since she was a homeschool mom and actually does love science, she decided to write science textbooks and make online classes for other homeschool moms. She wrote more than two hundred of those workbooks and was the number one publisher at the online homeschool store many times, but eventually she covered every science topic she could think of and ran out of shit to say.

So in 2012 she decided to write fiction instead. That year she released her first three books and started a career that would make her a New York Times bestseller and land her on the USA Today Bestseller’s List eighteen times in the next three years. Her books have sold millions of copies all over the world, the audio version of her semi-autobiographical book, Eighteen, was nominated for a Voice Arts Award and an Audie award in 2016 and 2017 respectively, her audiobook Mr. Perfect was nominated for a Voice Arts Award in 2017, and her book, Taking Turns, was nominated for an Audie Award in 2018. Johnathan McClain is her first (and only) writing partner and even though they are worlds apart in just about every way imaginable, it works.

She lives on a ranch in Central Colorado with her family.

Reviews

[Kitty Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW. Holy fuck that was brilliant. This is probably my favorite book by this author and it's possibly in my top favorite three books ever. That was a HUGE mindfuck. LOVED it. I'm going to relisten to it tomorrow because now that I know what's really going on I need to be able to relisten to it. This is one of those books that you read (or listen to) more than once so you can catch things the second time with the knowledge you didn't have the first time.

[MissPetiteBrunetteBookBlog · Rating 4 out of 5]

(3.9-4 Stars)
This is one doozy of twists and turns! Nova life changed after meeting the three. Mercer, Olsen & Locke. They were at a place called The Institute. Now out, she started a new life but these men…they have a way of coming back. This is a mysterious story that keeps you guessing and I recommend going in blind. Told in both the past and present tense, this slowly unfolds letting the story be revealed of what’s happening. You may be confused at parts but if you keep going it does come together at the end. Oh, and the movie mentioned in this book is the one I was thinking of the whole time while reading this so props to that! Are you ready for Nova Ryan and her dark men? MF, MFM, MMF, MM; Told in dual POV

[Ꮗ€♫◗☿ ❤️ ilikebooksbest.com ❤️]

DNF at 3 hours into the audiobook. I kept waiting for this one to get more interesting and it is just boring me to tears. I am not really liking any of the characters, especially the heroine. She has this inner voice that not only speaks in a snobbish accent, but talks to her directly like she is having a conversation, even calling her by name. Actually all the characters seem to be very staid and boring so far. I see other reviews and people really like this book, so I am assuming the plot gets more interesting and complex, but as of now I am just not caring enough to get to that point.

[Lg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Julie Huss is the Queen, the master of a love story with so much heat and so many twists she leaves you gasping for so many different reasons.

This book is one of the most intricately crafted stories I have ever read. It is so layered, every page turn is its own adventure. I was enthralled by each character and what they brought out in the others. Their interconnections are a web that is impossible to untangle.

An absolute sexy, mind blowing 5 star standalone which will leave you guessing till the very end.

[❤️ Nanda ❤️]

I'm taking a break from this audiobook.... and that's a first for me!!

I'm 26% and I'm still not connecting with anyone here... It's weird, and I'll go back to it soon, to see why almost everyone loves it.

[Paperback Princess]

DNF @ page 200

This book irritated the fck out my soul…ugh!!!

[Saucy Sierra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best

I love this author. I wasn't sure what I was reading into until she brought the pieces together as magically as always. Nova is embarking on scientific research journey. She's smart and beautiful. And three men want her. They have a game to play. A very serious game. Nova must not only survive the game but she needs to make her own as well.

But ultimately it will be a larger game than the four of them. I love the mm content as well as menage. Always hott. Mm, mf, mmf, this book has it all. And kinky. I love it.

[Jessica Foley Griesbach · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book hangover

I may be processing this one for a while--what did I just read? This is a wild, spicy, ride that will keep you guessing until the end. Highly recommend!

[Min · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF-ed at 30%

The author clearly writes for her fans who a very, VERY specific type of audience (I don't see the appeal but I get it, different strokes for different folks and all that).

I tried to get into the plot, and the writing was so jarring and POVs too random and uninteresting for me to even be remotely interested. I entered the book expecting a unique polyamorous romance, but all I got was a random forest handjob (upon the first meeting between the two characters, with no words exchanged), a baby, confused men and a heroine that felt like a self-insert character (I did not need to know every detail of her dress and hair).

No thanks.

[Mimiorphee · Rating 5 out of 5]

"This is why I’m attracted to the dark ones. They’re bewitching, and complicated, and maybe, if I’m being honest, slightly intoxicating. I’m addicted to this feeling of discovery."
Loving Dark Men blew my mind. I didn't know what to expect, but then again, the best way to enjoy a Huss book is to ho in blind and let the story work its magic.
This is what I did and I am so grinning right now that I got the biggest picture.
The strange atmosphere, mixed with a deep plot, twisted, enigmatic, and so worrisome had me thrilled from the beginning. I kept wondering all along, the several layers of the plot was so brilliant.
Present/Past, Here/There, I couldn't wait to pick up all the pieces of the puzzle.
I cringed, felt overwhelmed, sometimes suffocated and I loved every minute of it. This is my idea of a stellar read. A book that made me think, had me travel into unknown territory. My boundaries were definitely pushed with all the possible implications. The mental experiments are quite scary. Are you ready?

[Karen - Kazza's Books Blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

The title alone grabbed my attention. Who doesn’t like a story about dark men, well I certainly do and also that it is written by J A Huss. She can weave a mysterious story.

Nava, Mercer, Locke and Olsen are 4 of the most intriguing characters that I have read. They all bring their own little something to amp up the story. There are many twists, turns, and mind f***ery that this mysterious story weaves, kept me guessing. Sure enough I figured out some of it but in the whole scheme of it, it was just the tip of the iceberg, so to speak. There were a few ‘wow’ moments and what the heck is going on. Surprises galore. I like to be challenged when reading a story. The more intriguing it is the more I’m invested.

This is definitely a top 10 read for me.

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5-stars!

Loving Dark Men by JA Huss kept me at the edge of my seat from start to finish. Full of twists and turns, I could not stop reading this book. This is a standalone story and is so freaking captivating and just the kind of story this author loves to give us. I devoured it and cannot wait to read it again. Nova is set to start her internship, but she never saw them coming. The Dark Men are Mercer, Locke and Olsen. Who are they and what happens? As we read this story, we go back and forth and slowly get to know what is going on, even though at times, we had no idea what was really going on. There was intrigue, duplicity and steaminess as JA weaved a story that blows readers minds. This is a story best experienced blind and just follow it all the way through!

Happy reading!

[Claire Letnic · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5-4.75⭐️’s rounded up — This was a mind f*ck of a book in a lot of ways… but I enjoyed the world building and back story of all the characters that allowed me to understand what happened in the very deliberate ways it did. And thankfully, which such an intricate book, I didn’t feel like this book was rushed in any way.
I’m debating on adding this to a favorite list because I feel like parts of this book were too over complicated and at times my ADD had me mentally checked out a few times… not in a good way.

[DJO · Rating 1 out of 5]

Virtually nothing happened in the first 80% of this book aside from various iterations of sexcapades between the four MCs and frustratingly vague insights into the nonsensical mind fuckery that was at play. Things finally became somewhat interesting in the end but it was such a muddled mess and I never fully understood what happened. And by then I didn't care. Only stuck with it bc of the many reviews that raved about exciting twists, to which I say “meh”, and bc of the ability to listen at 2x speed.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to confess, I did not see this twist coming. If you have been reading Julie for as long as I have, you know there will be twists and turns, it's inevitable! But this, I was not expecting....this!!!

[Michell Hall casper · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW!!

Huss pulled it off yet again. She sucks you in and gets you so enthralled in her stories you feel as though you are a part of them. This book had me on the edge of my seat, the hairs standing on end. So many twists and turns you didn't see coming.

[Dana Delamar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Soooo many amazing twists in this one! I thought I knew where it was going, but I didn't. Not. At. All.

[Kika · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a ride!!!

[B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Complex & Thought-Provoking Yet Dark & Dirty, This Story Goes Down The Rabbit Hole & Keeps You Guessing. Mercer, Locke, Olsen, & Nova Are Caught Up In An Elite World Where Old Money Buys Anything.


This story largely takes place on Private Island #1 in Meredith Bay, New Hampshire. The ninety-two-acre island houses a research facility run by the Institute. The Institute is a secretive organization operated by the uber-elite, and its motivations are questionable. The organization conducts R&D on world-changing pharmaceuticals. For fifteen years, they have been conducting human trials on the island. Subjects are given the opportunity to live out a fantasy, and the drug being tested allows that memory to become real in the subject’s mind. It has the ability to alter perception. In the wrong hands, it has the ability to change the world. FDA approval is close, and Nova’s role is historic.

Nova Ryanzski, roughly in her late twenties, has just finished presenting her dissertation. She is now a behavioral and systems neuroscientist, though she hardly feels prepared to commence her professional career. She is a little nervous to start her one-year contract to work for the Institute, but she is honored to have been selected for the prestigious position. For a girl raised in a trailer park, it is a fairy tale. She won’t complain about her childhood, though. They might have been poor, but she had two loving parents growing up. Her best friend since middle school lived there, too. She and Travis were inseparable, but they had just been friends. Nova developed a bit of a reputation in high school, but it was Travis that she finally gave her innocence to right before leaving for college. Years of dedication to academics have finally paid off and led her to the first day of her new job.

Silas Mercer, thirty-seven, is the face of the trials. His dark good looks and expensive suits exude power and control. He likes rules and doesn’t care for intimacy. He is cold and calculating. For Mercer, life is a game. If you don’t play, you can’t win. He enjoys provoking others then sitting back to observe their reactions. He lives in a grand home and runs everything on the island. He personally recruited Nova Ryan, and if all works as planned, their work together will soon lead to a breakthrough. Years of research and trials are about to finally pay off.

Michael Locke, thirty-seven, loves life on the island. He helps to recruit new participants for their ongoing trials, travelling across the country in search of candidates. Although his original commitment is largely done, he is allowed to remain living on the island as long as he continues to work under Mercer, with whom he lives. They have been best friends for many years, but they are also more. Their relationship is complicated, to say the least. They each see other people, but at the end of the day, they choose one another. That is part of the complicated game they play. Locke also fools around occasionally with Olsen, but mostly they share women together. They have been friends for seven years now, and they typically attend Institute recruitment weekends together. Mercer and Olsen are not friends, but since there is never any jealousy, it all works out.

Olsen, thirty-ish, has been on the island for seven years. Unlike Mercer and Olsen, he was not born to privilege. His childhood in West Virginia was not a happy one. The island presented an incredible opportunity for someone like him, but he cannot wait to leave. Unlike his friend Locke, Olsen plans to leave the moment his contract expires. He worries about Locke, though, who seems stuck in an abusive relationship.

This is Locke and Nova’s story, but their twisted tale involves the myriad of relationships they share with Mercer and Olsen. Their story finally ends with a happy ending.

Wow! Complex and thought-provoking yet dark and dirty, this story goes down the rabbit hole and keeps you guessing. Mercer, Locke, Olsen, and Nova are caught up in an elite world where old money buys anything. The story has some parallels with Total Recall, an old Schwarzenegger movie. It is also drawn from the quiet but ongoing efforts in real life to perfect mind-control methods. If following this story is confusing, just imagine how confusing a real-life application could become. The story provokes thoughts of ethics, morals, corruption, and the difficulties in oversight.

There are some issues that merit mention. First, there were things I thought might be explained that were not, such as the death of Mercer’s sister. Next, there are many shifts in time, and they are not always smooth. Additionally, the games are an interesting aspect of the story, but they are never fully exposed and they seem to drift later in the story. I feel like they could have been the basis for an entirely separate story, and they could have been eliminated here. The goals did not need to be presented in the form of a game. Finally, since Nova finished her last trial, what happened to the Institute and the trial five years later remains fuzzy. One might have expected progress with another candidate by then. A sentence or two more clarification would have been helpful for detail-oriented readers.

In the end, there is so much that is unanswered that it is a little disappointing. On the other hand, the story was so captivating and the ride so rewarding, that it is forgivable. Had the story not been built upon lies, it would be a bigger sin to leave so many loose ends. Ages, intentions, true feelings – all could have been manipulated. Some is unwound, but not all. One loose end that should have been neatly clarified was Olsen’s participation in the study. There are contradictory statements, and the issue could impact his life afterward. As for ages, note that Olsen is recruited at age twenty-three and Nova at age nineteen. One or both of those ages are wrong, and it is never clarified. Similarly, Mercer and Locke are both thirty-seven, but one or both of those ages is wrong and never clarified. Since none of the facts can be trusted, their real ages are anyone’s guess.

The end leaves me feeling badly for both Mercer and Olsen. How things settled the way they did is not entirely clear. We are privy to their deepest thoughts. Moreover, it is not entirely clear how things actually did settle for them – much is left up in the air. I want to see them all find a happy ending, but as a standalone, this leaves me rather unsatisfied. In the end of the book stuff, the author mentions the possibility of something more about Mercer, and maybe Olsen. I would have preferred this to be presented more like the Taking Turns series (the original series with the first three books). If I knew this was going to be a series, I would be more satisfied.

I didn’t understand the conversation with Eliana at the end. Perhaps it is a lead-in to another book – maybe with Mercer – but the library comment was barely a suggestion. And the idea that Patricia didn’t want the final trial didn’t add up since Patricia was in fact involved in it and could have easily put an end to it herself. My only guess is that Eliana knew what was expected in the final trial and was jealous – hence the possibility of a story with Mercer and Eliana. That would certainly be incestuous since Mercer was Patricia’s pet. But that is strictly speculation, and without more information, Eliana’s comments are just confusing.

Finally, I wanted more from Locke’s POV at the end. This was his and Nova’s story, after all. I wanted to hear more about how things settled with him and Mercer. I also wanted to hear more about his life with Nova. Nova indicates that family is important to Locke, but I want to hear his feelings on the matter. I am unclear that he got his HEA because we don’t know quite how he and Mercer felt after fully crashing – nor how much was real.

This is Locke and Nova’s story, but it is just a small piece of this book. Mercer and Olsen are there at their sides, and their relationships are complex. Their plural relationships are hard to follow at first. It gets more and more twisted as the story unfolds. Eventually, despite the vague information and confusion, the characters do begin to solidify and the complexity of their relationships fades to the background. It takes some patience to get to that point, but it pays off because then the focus can shift to unwinding the nature of what takes place on the island. It feels like an accomplishment when the story finally begins to unwind. The story is smart and well-written written. The storytelling is fabulous. The plot is extremely complex. It is almost too complex, though, because there are unanswered questions. The characters are carefully crafted and three-dimensional. Unfortunately, I wanted more. I wanted to know who they are outside of the trials. I wanted to know what was true as well as what feelings and characteristics carry over. The story ended too quickly for all that. I would love an extended epilogue to give answers to the many unanswered questions and real-life closure for each of the characters. The story is told in first person. The POV alternates between Locke and Nova. I rate this book 4.5 stars.

[Micheala]

Copy received from the author. Voluntarily reviewing and all opinions are objective and my own.

DNF 20%

So I struggled with this DNF because I don’t really think it’s worthy of a DNF. That’s my statement to anyone reading this review. Please take it with a grain of salt. It’s a good book. I made it a chunk through. The beginning really had me hooked and reviews state how they didn’t see the ending coming so no doubt, it ends awesome. And maybe I’d try this book again in the future.

But for me, I wasn’t fully into it. There’s a lot of build up in the beginning, and perhaps I was getting bored. The back and forth between present and past as more is revealed was interesting. But, I dont know, I wans’t as invested as I should be. And right now, with how many books I have on my TBR, I need to be invested in every one to make it worth it. For me, this wasn’t it.

I usually rate DNFs as 1 stars. Because if I didn’t finish it due to not liking it, it’s the equivalent of finishing, hating, and still giving it one star. But this book gets no stars because I truly don’t think it’s worth the low rating. I think if I finished it, I’d be giving it at least 4.

[LillyRose · Rating 4 out of 5]

What in the actual matrix did I just read. It was an amazing plot! Right when I thought I figure things out, baam another curveball. I devoured this book and I never wanted it to end. The four stars because it really REALLY bothers me that the author writes MM and MF novels but it’s a trend with her that the MF characters sex scenes are written pretty explicitly yet the MM never go beyond second base. It’s like she is squeamish about MM sex. Write a MM novels or don’t. But don’t have this double standards. She did the same thing with 321 which bothered me but due to that novels plot, it can be overlooked. But here; there was no excuse. I didn’t read her books for a long time after 321 but this one sounded promising but i was disappointed to see same issue here. If this is how she writes her MM novels by denying all aspect of the relationship vs MF one’s, I def will not be coming back for more even though she is obviously a good story teller.

[Fiction Addict · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dnf at like 2%…. I know I’ll have someone come at me for not giving it a chance with all its 4-5 star reviews but honestly the first chapter is a complete mess! 2-7 word sentences like a teenager has written it 🤦🏼‍♀️ the start of the book doesn’t make any sense. I kept wondering if I had missed something or if there was a book I was supposed to read again.
I read the first chapter twice and was still confused- maybe I’m just an idiot but it put me off
Maybe I’ll come back to it but probably not

[BookLover · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good Lord I love the way JA Huss writes, dirty, erotic and raw. And did I mention dirty 🥵

This is a whole different level of kinky fuckery that blew my mind…and I loved it 😏
This had me questioning my sanity through the twists and turns and never was I more tempted to read ahead. But I didn’t. You will think you will know what is happening and you will be wrong.

This book consumed me.
Bloody Brilliant 👏👏👏👏👏

[Erica Ragland · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF about 50%.

I’m over it. OVER IT.

Everyone is doing each other and idk why. I normally wouldn’t mind this but there’s a non-sexy under tone to it that makes it feel like a science experiment because there’s no connection between the characters. From what I gather it has something to do with the big ole mindfuck this book is supposed to have but I no longer care enough to find out. At least on my own time.

If someone who finishes it sees this, please spoil it for me. Thank you in advance.

[Chelsea · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF. This book was quite difficult for me to get into. This is somewhat slow pace and fell flat. I lost interest. Maybe for someone else.

[Wendy LeGrand · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t even know what to think after finishing Loving Dark Men by J.A. Huss. What the heck did I just read? How does she blow my mind every time I read one of her books? How does she craft these mind-bending books? Usually when I’m reading one of her stories, I have some ideas percolating in my brain as to what I think is going on, but this time around I had absolutely no idea. I felt pretty clueless all the way through this read, but that just lent to the allure of the story because I could not put this book down!

Each one of the main characters was fascinating in their own way. Yes, the three men are dark, and that’s exactly what Nova loves. Nova herself was quite an enigma. Here’s this young woman who grew up in a trailer park, but worked tirelessly to make something of herself, and now she’s a neuroscientist that has been handed a prestigious internship on a secluded island? How is this her life?

Being a long-time reader of J.A. Huss, this book has some serious Company vibes. But was it? I mean, the place IS called The Institute, after all. And the internship that Nova has does involve mind altering drugs. And I can’t forget the secret society that meets monthly…

There are so many twists and turns in this story I was legit getting dizzy! I pretty much just had to hang on tight for the ride because I really wasn’t figuring this out. And in typical Huss fashion, that steady path we start out on suddenly hits terminal velocity and the revelations just start coming left, right and center! I lost count of how many times I uttered, “what the what??” Well, I was saying something else, but we’ll keep it PG here. Eventually I turned the last page, and I was dumbstruck. I didn’t see any of THAT coming!

Seriously, these books need to come with a warning that minds will be blown, emotions will be skewered, and severe book hangovers will commence. At least this is my experience. And I am still thinking about this story days after finishing. I have so many questions! So many thoughts still running through my mind. I just want to sit down with Julie and pick her brain on how she comes up with these ideas. I can’t wait to hear what everyone else thinks after they turn the last page!

[Sharon Kallenberger Marzola · Rating 4 out of 5]

I consider Loving Dark Men a typical JA Huss story. By typical, I mean to expect the unexpected. As a long-time Julie Huss fan, I love her unique writing style and plot devices. I know she will grab my attention early and hold me glued to the pages with her many twists and turns to the end. In my opinion, Loving Dark Men is a dark twist on a Fantasy Island adventure with a bit of secret society and a hefty dose of erotica. Expect MF, MMF, MM, and MFM relationships. Julie knows how to write about intriguing plural relationships.

Nova Ryanski “Ryan” is a beautiful young woman who worked her way up from trailer trash to a 4.0 neuroscience Ph.D. She is starting her new career as an intern on a prestigious research project in New Hampshire at a place known as Private Island #1. Everything about the program is cutting edge and hush-hush. She agrees to live on the island with minimal access to the outside world to protect the secrets of the research.

Michael Locke is the first person Nova meets while she is wandering around the campus. Locke is her first “dark man” and is also involved in the study, but his position is unclear throughout most of the story. The second “dark man” is Olsen, Nova’s advisor, who lives in the cottage across the sidewalk from her. Finally, there is Silas Mercer. He is the darkest of all and her boss.

The story is told from Nova and Locke’s dual points of view. It begins in the present day with Nova and her daughter on their farm. Locke is at Nova’s place for one of his regular visits. One of Nova’s dark men is Veda’s father, but Nova decides to keep the paternity a secret because she loves all three men. Through flashbacks and both characters’ POVs, we learn more about the study, their plural relationships, and the many secrets that unfold are surprising and change the way these characters look at the events in their life and how they plan their future.

Loving Dark Men is a standalone book. Julie didn’t even drop an Easter egg from one of her previous series. I enjoyed this story, but I will warn you that this book is not for everyone. Loving Dark Men is for you if you like kink, plural relationships, and crazy, unexpected twists. I am a fan of it all.

[*-The Pink Dahlia -* · Rating 5 out of 5]

I went into this completely blind.
I’d highly recommend you do the same.

For that reason, I won’t be going into too much depth here.

I can’t recommend this book enough.
I enjoyed it immensely.
It’s going to be confusing. It’s going to be frustrating.
It’s going by to be intriguing and curious and mysterious and contain wisps of darkness that will delight you.

Nova is a neuroscientist who is recruited and contracted to work on a highly elite project on an island dedicated to scientific pursuits.
It’s a small specialized university based on an isolated privately funded island for lack of a better description.
There are NDA’s as far as the eye can see, and life is about as perfect as Nova Ryan could hope for it to be. She is there to change the world. Working on a ground breaking project that will change how the world views neuroscience and how the brain can be manipulated.

When she meets Mercer, her cold and calculating yet highly intelligent and intense lead researcher who dominates her every thought? When she meets Locke, the mysterious silent man who flits in and out of her orbit for secret trysts and then disappears for days at a time? When she meets Olsen, her graduate advisor who is casual and safe, friendly and yet pulls her into his sphere with his lust filled gazes?
And most importantly when she discovers that each of these men have a thing going on with each other?
Well…things in the island begin to change pretty quickly. And life for Nova begins to unravel and disintegrate, reshaping in front of her very eyes in a way she never could have fathomed before.
Because each of these men?
They’re not who they seem.
And they’re all keeping secrets. From her. From each other. And from themselves.

⭐️ Plot: 5/5
🌶️ Spice: 4/5
📖 Genre: Dark Psychological Romance Mystery
🏞️ Setting: Privately Funded Academic Island, Oregon
🗣️ POV: Multiple
🛏️ Tropes:
- Dark Academia
- Mysterious Research project
- MF/ MM/ MFM
- Rags to Riches
- Something doesn’t seem right
- Billionaire Elites
- Drugs (not recreational)

Kinks:
- MF/ MM / MFM
- MM (only kissing, handjobs and blowjobs no sex)
- Dominant/ Submissive behavior
- Voyeur / Exhibitionism
- Filmed without consent/ Knowledge

[Sally · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loving JA Huss books

The storyline of Loving Dark Men, LDM, was not what I was expecting from the title or the introduction to the book. I was thinking a little more on the lines of BDSM but I was so wrong. As the character talks about the plot, suspense and twists of a Dan Brown book. LDM was Dan Brown, Tom Clancy, Steven King and a few other authors rolled into this story. LDM was thought provoking about the idea of altering our brain, the "last frontier". Altering with drugs to erase the bad stuff to be replaced by a perception of I whole different life. " The Institution " was the think tank of, possibly CIA, FBI or three lettered government organization.The most brilliant, young, just graduated scientists from across the world, supposedly, would enter with a one year contract for the secret project already in progress. Was all of the trappings of working for s)uch a Prestigious institution real or a product of a man made pill?
The only problem I had with the book was the time skipping. First the present, then most was five years ago. Then maybe 12 years or seven. Who was the chapter's character POV. Nova Ryan? Michael Loche? Travis Olsen? or Silas Mercer? All had significant, questionable roles in the outcome. The Institution used surnames only, maybe just to dehumanize any people used. LDM was told for the reader to decide if the characters are real or top notch, cutting board science. The men in the study brushed BDSM only for the testing of the complicity of subjects as submissives. Were the characters a part of the game or part of the think tank who were the creators of the game? Thank you JA Huss for another enthralling book. You keep writing. I'll keep reading.

[Pam Schaeffer · Rating 5 out of 5]

We enter the world of The Institute through Mercer, Locke, Olsen, and Nova. What a wild and extremely steamy ride it will be. I never read the blurb for a JA Huss book. I would buy her books without knowing what they are about 100% of the time. I like to go in blind and not knowing what might be lurking in the shadows.

"You can get lost in the right kiss. The right kiss can change a life." That line holds so much truth and its impact on me was mind-blowing. There are other lines I loved, but if I share, it will give too much away.

Nova seems like a "nice" girl that escaped a small town. Mercer is very serious, get the job done kind of man. When he asks you a question, you might feel like you are being tested on what you may say. Locke is best friends with Mercer. They grew up together. Olsen is an "outsider". He is not one of "them", but Locke likes him, so they keep him around. Sounds alright? Sounds somewhat normal? Things are not as they seem.

If you read the blurb, you know what this book is about. If you didn't, I didn't give much to tell you about the book. It is dark, steamy, twisted, and a touch criminal. If you think you have figured things out, I can promise you, that you haven't.

Make sure you have time to sit down and lose yourself in the story. The book goes back and forth between the present time and different time frames. The story is told from different POVs. I am in no way saying that this is bad. It actually helps with keeping you on the edge of your seat and makes you keep on guessing what is going to happen next. Just make sure you block out the time to read the book.