Obsessed: A Dark Age Gap Romance

Obsession #1

by Natalie Knight

I’m obsessed, and she's twenty-four years younger than me.
Everyone thinks my wife’s death was an accident. I know they’re wrong.
I need answers, but at the end of the day, none of it matters. Because without her, I’m nothing. There would never be another woman for me.
Or so I thought…until I saw Meera.

Her resemblance to my dead wife is uncanny, and her demons call to mine. Still, I know I’m not good for her. She’s too young, and I’m busy chasing a ghost.
But I can’t stay away.
She’s irresistible. Her hold on me is effortless—dark and dangerous.
Love almost destroyed me once. Now I must decide if I’m willing to give it a second chance to finish the job.

Obsessed, book 1 in The Obsession Series, is a dark, gritty, age gap romance. If you enjoy a sexy antihero who is willing to do anything—go to any lengths—to get what he wants, then Gideon Chase is your next book boyfriend.

Genres: Suspense, Dark Romance

174 pages, Paperback

Published December 9, 2021

About the author

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Reviews

[❁ lilyreadsromance ❁ · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

Didn't realize it was part of a series. Should've though since we were only introduced to the h at 20%.

Anyhow, it was actually okay. The H is a foul-mouthed, out of control police officer who's still reeling from the death of his wife. The h, a deaf young woman who looks a lot like his dead wife.

There were some dubious scenes here and there but oh you know me, the greyer the better.

[Kadisha (paperbackpassionista) · Rating 1 out of 5]

★/5
🌶🌶🌶/5

Ok. So, I will start with the good.

This book had great potential!! The story starts off with Gideon Chase trying to drown the pieces of his life in the bottom of a bottle and bottom of the nearest hooker after his wife was killed in a car accident two years prior. One of his closest friends gets tired of Gideon throwing his life away so he helps him get into AA and get his job back. One night Gideon is invited out to a new night club and that’s when his life changes forever. He comes face to face with a young girl who is the exact replica of his dead wife.

But....Now for the bad.

This book had too many plot holes that it was hard to focus on one thing. This story didn’t have much of a plot aside from Gideon was a foul mouth angry drunk that wanted to be over the top sexually aggressive towards Meena for no reason at all. Meena was written quite and meek and didn’t have much of a say so or care about what was done to her body by Gideon. She just accepted everything he did to her without any dialogue. There wasn’t any romance between the two characters and it was hard to connect and believe their interactions. Hopefully there will be more resolution and character development in the upcoming books because this one didn’t have it.


***Received ARC for honest review***

[Mysti · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not even sure how to describe this one. It's a very interesting plot, but the quality of the writing needs a lot of improvement.

Gideon Chase (alcoholic detective) is wallowing in his own misery after his wife is killed in a car "accident" (he thinks she was murdered). He's quit the police force and become an alcoholic. The only sexual release he allows himself is with dirty prostitutes. He doesn't clean up, rarely showers anymore, he doesn't groom himself, his apartment is a dump. He also listens to his neighbor raping his girlfriend and doesn't even care, because he honestly doesn't care about life anymore. His BFF is trying to get him to clean up his act and go back to work. When he finally agrees, he meets a girl. Meera (I'm not even sure how to describe her) is kind of deaf (I say kind of because she wears hearing aids and they mention her not being able to hear things, but then there are many, many times where she hears things) and she's working for the forensic department at the police station. Chase sees her and is becoming obsessed and furious because she looks so eerily similar to his dead wife. When she keeps popping up in his life, he finally sneaks into her bedroom and screws her hard and not romantically at all. There's also a serial killer on the loose and it kind of ties into Meera's missing brother and a shady mayor.

This is super seedy, dark, grimy. It's definitely not a romance. Chase is not a hero. This ends on a cliffy and I'm not really sure where the story is going. I know Meera isn't a ghost, but she is definitely not in his life by accident. Oh - there's also a 24-year age gap between them.

This fic is definitely different and I do like that about it. Again, the writing isn't the best, and there are a lot of editing errors.

My intrigue level is a 4, but I think the quality is a 3 (being generous). I'm really eager to read the second part.

[Coastie Mom · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first book I have read by Natalie Knight and I had a very hard time getting into the story. Normally, I am all about the dark romance, but I am still trying to figure out where the romance is? Gideon is an alcoholic detective who lost his wife 2 years ago in a so-called accident. He drowns his sorrows in the bottle and in a hooker once a week. Along comes Meera who is the spitting image of his dead wife only younger. She appears to be quiet and meek, but I had my doubts. The story in my opinion starts off slow, then all of a sudden, Gideon is in Meera’s room pleasuring her and then you get to the cliffhanger.

This story seems to be focusing on several “inner stories” – you have Gideon’s wife who died in a mysterious accident; you have the look alike in Meera; you also have a couple of murders and organ harvesting and then you have the so-called relationship between Gideon and Meera (if that’s what you want to call it!) While I might not finish this series, I will try another series of Natalie Knights just to see if maybe I am missing something.

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

[Yoneidis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gideon Chase is a detective who, after losing his wife a couple of years ago, enters a spiral of self-destruction and turns to drink.
But now he has returned to work and was charged with investigating the disappearance of the mayor's son and his sister, Meera, becomes his new obsession.
Despite the age difference, Gideon can't get her out of his head and eventually gives in to temptation.
I'm dying of curiosity to know how this story continues. The character of Gideon produces me between rejection and sorrow, and I want to see how the case he is investigating ends.

[Jenni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book

This was a good book. Gideon and Meera have great chemistry. Gideon seems like a jerk, and he refers to Meera in some pretty demeaning terms, but I'm hoping he gets it together in book 2.

[Daniela Tavares · Rating 4 out of 5]

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

I gave this 3.5 stars but round it up to 4.
I had a good time with this. Although at the beginning I wasn’t sure where this was going, once the story got going I was invested in it.

I’m not sure about Chase yet, I like him but there’s still so much up in the air. I’m not sure about Meera either. I mean why would she accept everything Chase does to her without uttering a word? I’m intrigued for sure.
Meera is deaf and that was definitely a surprise for me since I haven’t read one book where the H or h were disabled in any way.
Their relationship is interesting to say the least.

I’m not sure what to say about them to be honest. Who was stalking who? What the hell is going on in this town? What is Meera involved in? And why do I have the feeling that a dead person is gonna turn up to be alive and well? That is just some of questions I was left with.

I will for sure read the second book.

[C. Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

W.O.W… I need Seduced NOW please!! This grabbed my attention from the very beginning and held on until the very end. And that ending… OMG 🖤🩸🔥🩸🖤

[Bee]

This is Gideon Chase’s story. It is told from his perspective. The author’s take on how one man deals with grief after his wife’s death is very interesting. There are actually three stories hovering and feeding off of Gideon’s grief being told in this book.

First, Gideon’s wife died over two years ago. Everyone thinks it was a car accident but he thinks it was murder. He is still obsessed with trying to solve her murder. He is a Chicago police detective who at this point is at a standstill in this quest. That fact is eating at him.

Then there is a new murder case he is working on with his partner. It looks like there is some kind of serial killer or organ harvester on the loose. These murders are particularly gruesome and interesting.

Finally, there is the story of Gideon and Meera. There is a lot more going on here than just a twisted love affair. Actually, it’s not at the love part yet. Just the twisted part at this time. The author doesn’t give Gideon’s age but I inferred he is late thirties or early forties. Meera is at the barely legal stage of her life. Since the story is told from Gideon’s perspective, we get a good sense about what makes him tick. Meera on the other hand is a bit of a mystery. I’m excited to find out what her deal is.

I love the gritty feel of this story. From the first page you get this sense of quiet despair pouring out of the main character. The story draws you in with sensory descriptions of smells, tastes, and sights. You almost feel like you are standing there next to Gideon as he goes through his day. The author was very thorough building the raw, seedy world that Gideon lives in.

The story ends in a cliffhanger with the promise to continue as a series. Just like Natalie Knight’s last series, “Her”, this series promises to be a page turner I look forward to reading. Loved part one!

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

[Anna M_82 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m so excited to read this new dark romance from Natalie Knight. She does such a great job building dark characters that you can still be drawn to. This first book is no different. Based on one perspective, Detective Gideon Chase is a deeply tragic character. The loss of his wife, who he’s positive was murdered, has turned him to booze and loose women to cope. I don’t like to read about a main character being intimate with someone else, but it works in this story. Just remember it’s a dark romance as you read more about Gideon. Your heart will break for him even as you want to yell at him.

When he meets Meera, it’s like seeing his wife all over again. She looks just like her, smells like her, and draws Gideon to her in a way no one ever has before. This adds another layer to our H. He struggles between his attraction to her and his hatred of himself for the attraction. This creates his obsession. He can’t stay away from her even as he’s trying to convince himself she’s too young and he’s too broken. Don’t expect gentle steam from him, at least not yet. His hatred of himself and all things around him won’t allow for that. He’s definitely a character I can’t wait to learn more about.

At the same time he’s dealing with a murderer that kills in the most gruesome ways. Killing high profile people and with no apparent motive. There’s a cliffhanger that ends this book (expected from a series) and it creates more questions to which there are no obvious answers yet. I love the build of suspense and I can’t wait to see what happens in the next book!

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

[Allison · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the fact this was told from MMC point of view, even though Gideon was pretty rough around the edges. It was interesting to see from his point of view how he was dealing with his wife's death, the questions surrounding her death, and how he was and wasn't moving on with his life.

Gideon is a police detective trying to get back to work. It seems Gideon was forced to take time off due to his obsession with his wife's death, which he is still convinced was not an accident. He's living a pretty sad life. Alone, finding what he needs on the streets, and drowning his sorrows in booze. His friend, Levi, is on a mission to get him back to work and back into the real world.

But when Gideon comes across a young woman with an uncanny resemblance to his late wife, he becomes obsessed. Meera literally starts turning up everywhere he goes and he's convinced she's stalking him. We get couple different story lines, involving a possible serial killer, more suspicion about Gideon's wife's death, and the obsession he finally acts on with Meera. But Meera seems to be hiding something as well.

I wanted more from this book, definitely more of Meera. I felt like we didn't get enough of her or learn much about her. She's a total mystery still at this point. A lot happened quick in this little read and I feel like there are so many questions that need to be answered. This book does end on an interesting cliffhanger.

[Colleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Obsessed is the first book in ‘The Obsession Series’ and tells the story of Gideon Chase, an alcoholic police detective, and Meera, a trainee forensic scientist working in the coroner’s office. Gideon has been off the force for two years with PTSD following the death of his wife in suspicious circumstances. He finally returns to work and is at a club with friends one evening when he sees Meera, the spitting image of his dead wife. His obsession kicks in and he tries to fight it, but she is irresistible even though she is 24 years his junior!

OMG! What a fab start to the series. The book is well written, I found it to be totally captivating and intriguing, I couldn’t put it down and flew through the whole book in one sitting. So, if like me, you enjoy dark stalker, age-gap romances, then this book could be for you, but be warned, it does end on a cliffhanger - and I mean, leaves you panting for the next novel ‘Seduced’ immediately. So if you don’t like the suspense, maybe you should wait for the full series to be released before starting it.

Overall, I loved this dark stalker romance and can’t wait for the next instalment! Well worth 5 stars.

I received an ARC of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review

[Dee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay first be warned this is a cliffhanger so if you aren’t a fan of them then wait until the series is complete. Gideon sexy as all get out drunk for the most part but let’s back up grief of losing his wife to a car accident, but he doesn’t believe it is what killed his wife and missing her drives him to the bottle or should I say bottles (with an s). He is a mean drunk for the most part, drowning all his sorrows in the bottle until one evening he sees a woman that is his wife’s duplicate. Meera is more on the shy, quiet side out at the bar watching a sexy man who is rude to everyone but yet she is intrigued but they are so different and before any type of attraction Gideon needs to get his act together and with the help of his old partner/friend who gets him into AA and helping him get his job back. So, questions are did his wife really die of a car accident, will he get his job back, is Meera the girl for him or is she being used to replace his wife, is there something really there for them and can they have happiness …well I guess we will find out in the next book?

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

[Peggy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am new to this author. I wanted to like this read much more then I did. I wasn’t aware at the time there was a cliffhanger but there is. For me, I’m missed the romantic connection and without it it felt underwhelming. The story is about Gideon who became an alcoholic in his grief after losing his wife 2 years prior. He doesn’t believe it was an accident. Gideon is a detective. He meets Meera, a hooker, who is the spitting image of his dead wife only when his wife was younger. The cliffhanger came out,of no where and left us with our mouths hanging open so the story we were given just didn’t have any romantic connection as well, Gideon a mean and miserable drunk! There is a lot going on. Too many smaller stories, in my humble opinion, organ stealing and murders, oh my! it just didn’t flow for me, but that’s me. Once the 2nd book is out it might make the sting of being left in the dark a bit less frustrating. The story was between a 3.5 for me.

[Michelle Day · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my first time reading a Natalie Night book and I found this one to be a bit on the depressing side. I realize it is a “Dark” age gap but the “Hero” which I say lightly because he really isn’t, pretty much uses Merra for his personal pleasure when he’s not using the neighborhood hookers to appease his demons. He refuses to get help with his PTSD about the death of his wife and since Merra looks like a younger version of his dead wife he is definitely obsessed with her but not in a good way. He is always drinking on the job (he a cop, HA!) and the book really doesn’t have any ending, It was kind of all over the place and It is abruptly left off with a cliffhanger. So if you don’t like cliffhangers this probably isn’t for you.

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

[Dawnmarie Burke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy WOW! I need to read the next book to continue where this book ended what an ending. Gideon is struggling with the death of his wife and he's looking for answers into what happened because he can't accept her loss. Until he meets Meera a young girl who bears the most striking resemblance to his deceased wife it's uncanny. Meera is a quiet young lady and when Gideon enters her life he very quickly becomes obsessed with her and he hates himself for wanting her. He can't stay away from her unless he's at work trying to stop a killer who kills in the most horrific ways. I don't want to say anymore and ruin it for anyone else with spoilers. You really need to read this intense story to see what happens. I would recommend reading this book.

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

[Pat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 1 in a series. Told from Gideon's POV with the brutal honesty and pain of a man who has lost the woman he loves and is just going through the motions of a functioning alcoholic. He doesn't believe his wife's death was an accident. It's been 2 years and the cop in him can't let her case go. When he meets a younger woman named Meera who resembles her, is it a chance to thaw his cold heart? This is an intriguing story. A little over 100 pages, gritty, good world building details, interesting plot, with mystery, detailed intimacy - not a fairy tale. I look forward to the next part of this story as this ends on a cliffhanger. Will Gideon find out what really happened to his wife? Is Meera too good to be true?

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

[SBee Reviews · Rating 2 out of 5]

★ Definitely an anti-hero in this story ★

—>>> Two years after his wife’s untimely death, Detective Gideon Chase is still dealing with the loss by drowning himself in booze and his weekly, go-to favorite hooker. Barely hanging onto his sanity, if not for his friend Levi and his aforementioned desperate routine. Lightening strikes him when he sees a much younger doppelgänger of his wife at a new bar, Meera, who seems to be everywhere he is, suddenly. He cannot keep his hands off of her, nor can he seem to concentrate enough on solving some very alarming murders with cult-like indications which have the Chicago PD scratching their heads and trying to come up with connections.

I don’t know what to say about this read except that by the end, I felt there were so many elements being juggled at once, many “shock” factors, and many questions raised.

[LeMiliere · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not your typical Age Gap Romance what it is is a dark but tastefully written story about dealing with loss, heartbreak and tragedy. About one man's struggle to deal with the death of his wife and try to find answers when none appear to be available and to hopefully be able to move on.

It's also, as the name implies, deals with Gideon's obsession for a much younger girl, Meera, she's too young yet to be called a woman. As well as the drama there's also suspense. This isn't even just one story as there are sub-plots included too as well as the growing connection between Gideon and Meera. I enjoyed the banter they shared and found myself eager to see what was going to happen as the story as it unfolded.

[Tracy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Man hooks up with his dead wifes much younger look a like

I received an ARC from BookSprout and am leaving my review voluntarily.

Triggers:
alcoholism

Spoilers:
Gideon, a former police officer who is very bitter about his wife dying. he loses his job, turns into a raging drunk who uses hookers. generally unpleasant guy. See's Meera at a club and instantly becomes obsessed with her because of her resemblance to his late wife.

Meera, hearing impaired, biracial, adopted daughter of the corrupt town Mayor. She is young and looks innocent. Seems to be attracted to Gideon.

Gideon and Meera continually run into each other, whether by chance or on purpose is unclear. Gideon has s e x y times with Meera. She never says no.

Ends on a cliffhanger.

[Chey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gideon's wife died two years ago in a car accident (supposedly). Drowning he sorrows, he turns to anything that takes the pain away, believing he can't have anyone else after his wife. Then enter Meena. She's the exact replica of his dead wife, but she's over twenty years younger than him.

While the book had darkish elements to it, I do not consider this to be a dark romance. Gideon is aggressive toward Meena, but she never turns him away or tells him no. With his wife's death, he won't downhill, and now spirals on finding out the real reason she died.

I wished there was more on Meena. I thought she would be an interesting character, but there wasn't much too her. On top of that, there was minimal dialogue and it caused the book to feel flat.

[Brittney · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5
This book was interesting with some stalker tendencies, mystery, homicide investigation, age gap all in the mix.
Gideon lost his wife two years ago and vowed to never love again. So he only sleeps with a hooker to curb his human needs that's it.
He hasn't been to work and gets lost in the bottle daily. Everyone thinks he's crazy for saying his wife was murdered but he knows.
Levi is really the only friend he has. He gets him his job back on the force. He convinces him to come out one night with a couple of the guys. But what happens will turn his world upside down and inside out.
Gideon dances with a much younger woman who is the spitting image of his dead wife and he becomes a little obsessed....

[Jilian McFarland · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was refreshing to read a story in a MMC pov and who is barely scrapping by in life. He was a hot mess. It felt realistic. Only thing I didn’t like was how quick it jumped from scene to another very quickly that I had to re- read the paragraphs again to make sense. Also is she blind too? because it made no sense she’s working in the coroner’s office walking around with no cane or service dog. I kept re- reading the scene to make sense but was still clueless. It made me re visit their other interactions which didn’t help.

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

[Jenni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gideon is wrapped in grief after the loss of his wife, many believe its an accident but his cops instincts tell him other wise, as a dead end draws near another murder is about to shake things up. As well as his attraction towards Meena who appears so much like his late wife but can he open up his life and heart to another? well written ends in a cliffhanger. filled with mystery suspense action drama desires and more!

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

[valerieamanda09 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like reading this book. It had me intrigued at how he came about the missing person file. For myself, it dragged on as to why he was being so hostile at the beginning of the book. At different points in the book, I would have to put it down because I would lose interest in the book if we could have been in the female perspective or seen more of her. That would have kept the reader engaged. I felt like it was there, but it was just missing something. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Obsessed is a aged gap romance book that ends on a cliffhanger. Gideon Chase is an cop detective that just got his job back after being off of it for two years. Two years ago his wife was killed tragically. Gideon knows it wasn’t an accident but the whole police force thinks so. He gets his job back and runs into a girl who resembles his dead wife. He is drawn to her and can’t seem to stay away. Can’t wait for the next book!

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

[Rachel Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Man, this guy is NOT likeable. Hoping he gets better with a more complete backstory. Or some character growth. Grumpy, rude, alcoholic detective who is attempting to get his life back together two years after his wife died.

Meera is a deaf 19 year old who just takes all the rudeness and abuse he throws at her. Hopefully her backstory in the next book explains all this better.

This does end on a cliffy. Not like a pulse pounding, omg kind of cliffy. But it is obvious the story is not done. I will be reading the next one.

Good writing.

[Destinee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can't wait to read more. Gideon is a detective jaded by his wife's death. Alcohol and sex with hookers is the only thing in his life until he stumbles across Meera. Meera reminds Gideon of his late wife and he becomes obsessed with her. If you love dark romances with anti-hero male protagonists you will love Obsessed. If you are not comfortable with darker themes however this isn't for you.

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

[Anne Jenkins · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book, although I did wonder about the direction it was taking in the early part as it seemed to be more than just an age gap story. I was also a little taken aback by what I thought was an abrupt ending.

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

[Shanna D · Rating 4 out of 5]

Obsessed: A Dark Age Gap Romance by Natalie Knight. Tastefully written story surrounding tragedy, heartbreak, and the difficult process of moving on and finding answers. I enjoyed this dark drama with its touches of suspense, the connection between Gideon and Meera, and the banter between them was genuine and made you feel like you were part of the story as it unfolded.