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Follow Me #1

Sígueme en la oscuridad

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A ella le cuesta dejarse llevar... Pero él es un maestro del control.

Skye Manning sabe lo que quiere. Su trabajo como asistente y fotógrafa de una famosa influencer no es perfecto, pero es un peldaño más en su ascenso hacia algo más importante y mejor. Confía en poder trabajar algún día como fotógrafa para National Geographic.

El multimillonario Braden Black no ha llegado donde está aceptando un no por respuesta. Cuando conoce por casualidad a la bella e inocente Skye, ella despierta su interés en más de un sentido y decide hacerla rendirse ante él.

Salir con un multimillonario hace que Skye se sienta como en el cuento de la Cenicienta... hasta que el reloj marca la medianoche y Braden muestra su lado oculto. Un fuego se enciende entre ellos y Skye va directa a las llamas.

Pero Braden no es ningún príncipe azul, y sus oscuros deseos están muy lejos de ser su único secreto.

352 pages, Paperback

First published September 29, 2020

2119 people are currently reading
13461 people want to read

About the author

Helen Hardt

203 books8,325 followers
#1 New York Times, #1 USA Today, and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author Helen Hardt's passion for the written word began with the books her mother read to her at bedtime. She wrote her first story at age six and hasn’t stopped since. In addition to being an award winning author of contemporary and historical romance and erotica, she’s a mother, an attorney, a black belt in Taekwondo, a grammar geek, an appreciator of fine red wine, and a lover of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream. She writes from her home in Colorado, where she lives with her family.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 950 reviews
Profile Image for Ꮗ€♫◗☿ ❤️ ilikebooksbest.com ❤️.
2,940 reviews2,674 followers
February 28, 2022
It’s all about control!



The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 💚💙💜❤️🖤
Heat/Steam: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Story/Plot: 📘📗📕📙
World building: 🌏🌎🌍🌎🌏
Character development: 👤👤👤👤👤

The setting: Boston

The Hero: Braden Black – a self made billionaire playboy. Braden came up from blue collar roots. He and his brother Ben worked for their fathers construction company and Braden came up with a new design for safety goggles, which took off and are the design most used today. Braden started his company and diversified and became a young billionaire. His brother and father now work for the company as well. Braden is into control and is very dominant.

The heroine: Skye Manning – wants to be a photographer featured in National Geographic some day. She graduated with a degree in photography and works as a personal assistant to an instagram influencer, Addison Ames, taking the pictures so they look like selfies.

The love story: Braden meets Skye when he goes to Addison’s office to tell her off because of a disagreement they had over instagram. Braden is immediately taken with Skye and makes no bones about exactly what he wants.


This book is off the charts hot, very near scalding. Braden likes what he likes and is a very sexual being. He almost always wants it when they are together and what he wants most of all is for Skye to give up all control to him. Skye is always in control in life, so with Braden she is slowly learning to give up control little by little and she finds she really likes it.

Though this is a book and so of course there are secrets being held that Skye is dying to find out and Braden is not open to talking about at all. I don’t want to give more away, I try to only give a bit more background information and not to stray to far from what is given away in the blurb. So if you see any spoilers that I shouldn’t include, please let me know.

The world building was great as was character development. Of course we still don’t know all that much about Braden’s past, since was all told from Skye’s POV. However, that is part of what makes it good. There weren’t a bunch of other side stories and there were quite a few intimate encounters. Which were written extremely well and I liked quite a lot. This did end in a big cliffhanger though, hanging by a tiny little thread I might add. I will have trouble waiting till January 2021 for part 2, but I will be one of the first to pick up that book when it is ready.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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Profile Image for TheSassyNerdBlog.
1,100 reviews434 followers
August 21, 2020
Woah... Alright, so where do I start? Follow Me Darkly has been on my radar since it was announced that Helen Hardt was coming out with a new series. The blurb and cover lured me from the beginning and it became one of my most anticipated reads for 2020. I went in not sure what to expect. It's a bit different from this author's normal style, but in saying that, she did not disappoint. AT ALL. I think I may have found my new favorite by this author.

In Follow Me Darkly, we have Braden, the self-made billionaire. He's possessive, dominant, desirable, and sexy as hell. He has worked hard to be where he is and never forgets where he's come from but he holds secrets, making mysterious and intriguing as hell.

Skye is a country girl from Kansas, she is an assistant to social media influencer Addison Ames. Her job lets her do the thing she loves most, and that's photography. She struggles to give up control in most things, even in the bedroom.

These two come together after Braden leaves some comments on Addie's Instagram that Skye manages and that same day they find themselves out for dinner and the moment they are in the same room, the chemistry between them becomes known. The moment Braden met Skye, he knew that he needed her and he makes her a proposition that she can't refuse. The thing is... These two both crave control in the bedroom... So one of them has to give up the control, which is Skye, but will she be able to?

I won't dive in much deeper than that, but I will say that this was so much more than what I expected. I knew the author would deliver an amazing start to the series but this had so much more to it than first met my eye. It's got the dom/sub feel to it, with a nice twist of darkness... and oh how I loved the darkness! It completely consumed me and I'm in love with the mysterious Bredan, I want and need to know more about this man. This was all-consuming, alluring, and addictive and I cannot wait to see what the author has up her sleeve next for these two.

5++++++ Stars!
Profile Image for Diana~ (Kiss Me Books).
453 reviews164 followers
January 17, 2021
This was my first book by Helen Hardt and it made me an instant fan of hers because of how well-written and sexy it was. I have always been curious about her books and will now be interested in reading more from her. Follow Me Darkly was an incredibly sensual, sometimes mysterious, and erotic story about a young woman who finds freedom in relinquishing control. It's a little dark and the characters do dabble in some bondage, but I don't consider it BDSM. There is mystery, intrigue, and passion. Braden and Skye were both really interesting characters and I want to see how their relationship will play out in the end. I was surprised that the book was entirely in Skye's POV. Braden was such a mysterious character and his refusal to tell Skye what happened to him in the past has left both Skye and readers curious and wanting more.
“Do you know what that means to me? It means you’re mine, Skye. In this bedroom—in the dark, you’re mine.”

Although the romance does play a second role in Skye and Braden's relationship, they have a lot of chemistry and it is obvious that they are incredibly attracted to each other. However, Braden's non-commitment to relationships was a big flag to me. I wonder why... The sexual encounters between the two, in my opinion, was the star and main focal point of the story. Braden is obsessed with Skye and I feel like there is more to him than meets the eye. I was completely fine with the romance not being front and center because I feel like Hardt will eventually dive deeper into that aspect in the next book. The book does NOT end with a cliffhanger and we do get "promises" being made by Skye and Braden. There are still a lot of questions that need to be answered, but for now, I am content with the ending.
“I have more in store for you, now that I control you in the dark. Will you follow me, Skye? Trust me to give you all kinds of pleasure?”

In the end, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I can't wait to read more about Braden and Skye in Follow Me Under . Their relationship was all-consuming and passionate. Braden was such a mystifying character and there is definitely a darkness to him that we haven't begun to even scratch the surface to. Skye is equally obsessed with him as well and I liked that about her. For those of you who love to read dark romance and books like Fifty Shades of Grey, I highly recommend this book.

*This ARC was generously provided by Entangled Publishing and Helen Hardt for an honest review*
Profile Image for Chris  C - A Midlife Wife.
1,829 reviews462 followers
August 29, 2020
Mmmm bit by bit give up the control. Yummm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I love billionaire stories. I don’t know why. I think it’s just the fact that they get what they want which as a woman we should run from. LOL

There’s also that control aspect and business knowledge. The sales and negotiation acumen comes into play especially when it comes to negotiating terms of their next conquest.

This book started innocently enough with some great characters: the boss you love to hate and the photography major working for an Instagram influencer. Somewhat naïve but old enough to know what she wants. Then there is Braden! Oh my!

Being swept along by Braden has to be a definite ego trip and Hardt hit it perfectly with her step by step walk down the garden path.

He asked for a little control today. A little more control the next day and he keeps coming back because there truly is something special about her that he finds intriguing.

The author showcases her craft with this awesome story and her timing is perfect. A little mystery of who he is. The apprehension, and then complete all in as Skye starts giving him more and more of her.

This is a super-steamy sexy read that includes a little taste of erotica and BDSM. It’s ramping up hotter and hotter leading to some issues along the way. But then we get tossed right into the cliffhanger. Ack!

Hardt certainly grabbed me hard with this heated story and I cannot wait for the sequel!

Compelling, fabulous character development and connection, a plot that keeps you wondering what is coming, and those sexy times that bring a bit of sweat to your brow!

And that cover? Damn! Right out of the book! Yesssssssss

* Copy received for review consideration
Full review - https://amidlifewife.com/follow-me-da...
Profile Image for Syndi.
3,710 reviews1,038 followers
May 16, 2021
I have to say, Follow Me Darkly is so different than FSOG. Miss Hardt gives a new meaning to the word control. The whole book is just about that. CONTROL. The push and pull between Skye and Braden is frustrating at some times and yet it is sexy.

Miss Hardt never shy about the BDSM part in this book. Although it has more about control. Told from Skye POV, it is difficult to know what was Braden thingking. But it does not reduce my enjoyment reading this book.

5 stars
Profile Image for Catherine  Wright (Cat's Guilty Pleasure).
2,898 reviews1 follower
August 21, 2020
I'm not sure where to begin with the love I have for this book. It will pull you in form the very first page and not let you go until the end, but even then you are left wanting. I had a hard time putting this book down. The romance was secondary to the sexual chemistry between Braden and Skye. I can't say too much or it will give away the story. I really loved this book and I can't wait to see what happens next.
Profile Image for Kelly_Reads_Books.
2,123 reviews190 followers
August 14, 2020
Follow Me Darkly is a beautifully written story about infatuation and possession. Helen Hardt creates her characters and lets them tell their stories in the best way possible.
Braden and Skye come together in an unusual way and they both struggle with their relationship, both trying to hold on to the control they feel they need. The struggle is real, the action and reactions are true to this couple throughout the book.
I am excited to see what happens next for this couple!
Profile Image for Melissasfandomworld.
715 reviews119 followers
August 14, 2020
While the promise of this book was really interesting, the writing style was good to read... the execution was unfortunately not doing it for me.

It has some of the typical '50 shades vibes', which I definitely don't mind though, but without the proper depth and development for my taste. This book had me rolling my eyes so many times.

From time to time I was really enjoying it thanks to the writing style that was, as I said, good to read and for the fact that I thought that Braden was such a mysterious character, but I just couldn’t fully connect and lose myself to this story in the end unfortunately. The mystery and not getting much the wiser during most of the book, the resolving part of it all... It dragged on a bit too much for my taste.

I did really like how the steamy romance went more darker towards the end and I have to say though that I’m still quite curious to see how the story continues in the next installment but I’m not sure yet if I’ll actually pick it up then.

Overall this book had lesser positives than ‘negatives’ for me which I’m really sad about seeing it started off as such a fast paced read.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an arc of this book. My opinions on this book are entirely my own and not influenced by the fact that I got a review copy
Profile Image for ❤️ Nanda ❤️.
781 reviews421 followers
July 13, 2022
Pics-Art-09-06-04-52-19

This series is sitting on my Kindle since before it's release, considering that it was given to me as an ARC, in exchange of my honest review .
I don't know why, but I never started it before, so here I am now, almost 2 years later with my honest, but not so flattering, opinion.

This first book doesn't sell the trilogy very well, and if I had to pay to continue reading the next book, I honestly, wouldn't continue.
Since I do have the next two books, I'll finish them in the hopes that it'll be more mature than what was presented in this first book.

The beginning was a mixture of Gossip Girl after highschool, with a lot of The Old Paris Hilton in the present days, being a social influencer without having any talent besides her money and looks.

When Braden comes into the picture, it was like read Anastasia and Christian Grey first encounter from another perspective, when she just drop to the ground to get the stuff from her fallen purse.

After that the book became a lot of social media posts about lipstick, him trying successfully to get her in bed, petty rivalry and the secret between Braden and Sky's ex boss (the Paris Hilton's wannabe)... And let me tell you this... If what was revealed at the end is really the secret, I'm even more disappointed.

I couldn't feel the chemistry between them, and everything felt really forced.
The way he acted or the way she did ...
It was like watch highschool kids playing around as social media influencer and bondage enthusiastic.

The sex scenes were mildly good, I'll give it that!
If I ignore the words labia or vulva thrown at the mix, or that ridiculous condom talk, it was the best part of the book, which is sad cause I love my smuty books with a good plot!

When the I love yous came, I was like:
Seriously? Why? For what? Just cause she have great tits? (He mentions it every other chapter!)
Yeah... It wasn't my cup of tea!

Will I be reading the next book?
Probably, cause I have the ARC and i seriously want to see what else there is to say about this couple.

Would I recommend it?
Based on this one, I wouldn't.

Pics-Art-09-06-04-52-19
Profile Image for Laurelin Paige.
Author 108 books15.8k followers
December 17, 2020
I'm always in need of a kinky, hot billionaire, and Helen Hardt delivers. I am entranced!
July 25, 2023
2 ⭐️

I feel like I don’t read that many romance books like this so I’m probably a very bad judge of them but this one was okay. I enjoyed reading the first half of the book during his pursuing of her but it sort of got tedious after that.

It’s the tale that’s been told a hundred times of a self made billionaire finding the most normal but still beautiful looking woman and trying to get her into bed. Don’t get me wrong, I love that sort of story but the characters didn’t really have a lot going on. They weren’t funny and they didn’t have dark disparaging pasts that made you sympathetic towards them. To be honest, the characters were kind of flat and all of the “dark” parts were very tame.

That being said, I flew through the book and enjoyed reading it so it was definitely worth the read!

Upon further reflection, I need to bring this down to a 2 star rating. I've been reading a lot of 3 star books and they're far better than this one.
Profile Image for Lizzie S.
452 reviews376 followers
March 30, 2022
I am not 100% sure why I actually read this. It was featured as one of the recommended Kindle Unlimited books for March and I decided to give it a try. It was very, very meh.
Profile Image for Marian.
998 reviews216 followers
April 13, 2023
Malo y entretenido, una combinación que me encanta ;)
Profile Image for Jessica Alcazar.
4,394 reviews622 followers
September 29, 2020
I mean .... WOW

You know what I never get tired of reading? Billionaire alpha heroes that could literally have grown up next door to me. That’s the kind of uber rich alpha male I like to read about. It’s on my level. It’s not out of touch for my realm of possibility so it makes the fiction romance realistic for me and I like to believe :)

I know how this author writes or rather I know the process of her trilogies so I was prepared for the build-up and also the different plot points embedded into the story like breadcrumbs. Have no fear readers, everything has a purpose and its purpose will be revealed in due time. What I was not expecting is how much eroticism there was to the storyline. Yes, I expected the bedroom to be kinky and erotic but the story itself was edgy and passionate and quite frankly was maybe what it feels like to walk a tightrope! I mean I’ve never done it, but I can imagine …

I don’t have very much to share with you now because as these things go, the less you know going in, the better off you will be as the story unfolds. I never ever read the synopsis. All I needed was the cover and I jumped. I am on pins and needles right now waiting to see what comes next in the storyline but I suspect it will be just as edgy and sexy and sensual as it has been. I read in a review earlier that this should be made into a movie if it keeps up the trajectory it seems to be following and they are absolutely correct in that assessment. There’s a lot of passion in this story and I have to agree that it would make for one heck of a Passionflix!
Profile Image for Lilith  *EUPHORIA_READS_*.
565 reviews197 followers
September 29, 2020
THE REVIEW FOR THE BOOK FOLLOW ME DARKLY BY HELEN HARDT.




GENRE: DARK EROTICA ROMANCE.
AUTHOR: HELEN HARDT.
TYPE BOOK #1
POV: SINGLE POV...
MY RATING: 5 hot BDSM Stars...



HOT GUY ALERT!!!
Braden was the billionaire hot guy who relishes control in Bed.
Syke is a small-town girl in a big city with her dreams of photography. She works with a hotel heiress, Instagram Influencer as her social media manager and photographer.
When they both meet, they are instantly attracted to each other and had a one night stand...
But it is not enough, and Braden can't seem to not be with Skye anymore.

“Since I first fucked you, all I can think about is fucking you again. You're all I think about and it... Perplexes me. Not much Perplexes me, Skye. You're like a Narcotic, I hunger for you.”


For a girl who never Relinquishes Control ( a complete control freak!!), to be with a man who dominates and requires her Submission is not going to be easy.
Also, he is also a really mysterious and private person...which starts to grate on Skye as he requires to give him everything but never reciprocates...What if Skye wants more from Braden outside of his bed? Will this ruin their arrangement?

Cliffhanger ahead!!!

Profile Image for Myla.
640 reviews128 followers
April 18, 2021

4.5 Stars

Follow Me Darkly - erotic, dark, intriguing, and risqué! I couldn't put this book down.  The chemistry between Braden and Skye is definitely one for the books. You'll never know who's going to give up control. 

It was well-written and there are twists and turn which makes the story more engaging.  There's so much more to discover about Braden and Skye's relationship in book 2 - Follow Me Under and I cannot wait to read it. Yes, it ends with a cliffhanger. Nevertheless, I enjoyed it. If you're into this kind of read, Helen Hardt won't disappoint you. 
Profile Image for Corinne Akers.
1,144 reviews7 followers
August 22, 2020
When this cover was first revealed, I knew instantly that I wanted to read this book! It just had that instant pull for me that said yes in so many ways! Now that I read the book, I know my gut instincts about this book were right on the money!! Mind blowing is one of the first things to come to my mind in describing this book! I just couldn’t completely let go of it once I started reading it!! So gripping, so intriguing, so remarkably written - you really just can’t help yourself - you have to know what happens next!! Compelling! Consuming! I’m literally just blown away! And I can’t wait for the masses to read this book! Loved it! Everything about it!! It seems also I can no longer speak in complete sentences to describe my feelings or how blown away I am! But I hope you can figure it out and this review, though I feel like I’m babbling, makes sense and encourages you to read this book! It’s amazing!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Profile Image for Nadine Bookaholic.
3,727 reviews526 followers
January 13, 2021
(1/13/21 #Ad) Currently $1.99 grab your copy now https://amzn.to/38FPk42


There was a lot going on in this book but you know I won't spoil anything for you so I will keep this review short and sweet. I loved this book and I cannot wait for the next in the trilogy, FOLLOW ME UNDER, to be released in January. This has a Fifty Shades of Grey feel to it but it's different as well, I will not compare the two because that's not fair to anyone but I will say that if this trilogy continues on the path set forth in this first book I would love to see it be made into a movie one day. Hey PASSIONFLIX, you need to put this on your list of must do's!

You can read my full review here: https://bit.ly/NBReviewFMD

follow me darkly

Nadine's Obsessed with Books **I have voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Readers Copy of this book for my Blog, Nadine's Obsessed with Books**
You can find me here:  https://linktr.ee/NadineBookaholic
Profile Image for Emily.
67 reviews132 followers
January 29, 2022
No. Just no.

Really really choppy writing, one dimensional characters, fights that made no sense, plot that made no sense, smut that defies the female body, and a man with so many red flags and behavioral issues there’s no way any sane girl with a brain would fall for him. Oh wait he has money so I guess there’s that.
Profile Image for Simply Love Book Reviews.
7,046 reviews870 followers
October 1, 2020
3.5 stars

This book just has me completely torn. I honestly don’t know whether I enjoyed it or not. On the positive side, it was extremely readable. Helen Hardt is not a new author by any means, although this is the first story of hers that I’ve read, and her experience as a writer shows. Her style is easy and it flows and held my attention right from the first page to the last.

However, I found that there were a number of things that pushed my buttons, and not always in the best way. First of all, Braden. Braden was a dark and broody billionaire that gets what he wants. And what he wanted was Skye. Why was he so enthralled with her? I’m not quite sure, but it was enough for him to forget common decency, announce to her multiple times that he was going to have sex with her, and then pretty much boot her out of his apartment afterwards. After such an ignominious start, I have no idea why a strong woman with a supposed need for control would keep going back. But Skye does. Despite the fact that Braden seems aloof and wanting just sex and that he’s told her he doesn’t do relationships. Until he suddenly decides that he so enamored with Skye that he apparently does do relationships.

This is just one example of where the actions of the characters in the story were at odds with what they said, and the reasons behind them were never explained. Why was Skye wanting to retain control so much? Why was Braden not interested in relationships? We were just told these things that were integral to creating the story, but never the why behind them.

As a result, I found that I couldn’t really connect with Skye or Braden. The sex was hot, but a little over the top. I mean, how many times can someone truly climax simply because their partner tells them to? Even despite what I may have felt of the physical connection, I still didn’t feel a mental one. There seemed to be no trust or openness in their relationship, yet as the reader we’re supposed to suspend reality and believe that Braden and Skye are in love.

Add to this the utter two dimensional shallowness of Skye’s boss and the supposed secret between the boss and Braden that no one can dare share, and the abrupt end to the book and I’m feeling way more angst reading this than I should.

The strange thing about this book though? Despite the issues I had with it, I’m still wondering what’s going to happen in the continuation of the story. I feel somewhat invested and need to see it through. I didn’t realize that the book was going to just stop on a cliff hanger so now I feel that I need the rest of story to justify my investment of time. This makes it sound as if I disliked the book, which is certainly not the case. I would, however, preferred more realistic characters with more of a connection.

Review copy provided for a voluntary review.
Profile Image for Nadine Bookaholic.
3,727 reviews526 followers
January 13, 2021
If you are looking for a story that will set your kindle on fire look no further because FOLLOW ME DARKLY was SCORCHING! This is a Contemporary Romance that has a Dark feel to it, I loved it so much I devoured it in one day.

Braden and Skye have a connection that was instantaneous and nothing was going to get in the way of them being together, not even the fact that they both craved control. Skye Manning is from a small town in Kansas and is now working in Boston for a Social Media Influencer as her personal photographer, it's not her dream job but it helps pay the bills until that day comes. Braden Black is a self-made billionaire that has a craving for control both in and out of the bedroom.

There was a lot going on in this book but you know I won't spoil anything for you so I will keep this review short and sweet. I loved this book and I cannot wait for the next in the trilogy, FOLLOW ME UNDER, to be released in January. This has a Fifty Shades of Grey feel to it but it's different as well, I will not compare the two because that's not fair to anyone but I will say that if this trilogy continues on the path set forth in this first book I would love to see it be made into a movie one day. Hey PASSIONFLIX, you need to put this on your list of must do's!

If you enjoy Billionaire Romances, BDSM Romances, or are looking for something steamy to read over the weekend I would recommend this book to you.

Happy Reading!!!

**I have voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Readers Copy of this book for my Blog, Nadine's Obsessed with Books. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
Profile Image for Sue.
1,214 reviews
August 15, 2020
Sexy, edgy, a little bit dark. Follow Me Darkly was a well written book that kept me engaged right from the start. Throw in some drama for good measure and you won’t be sorry you picked up this book. I loved it.
1,681 reviews12 followers
September 29, 2020
This has a very “Fifty Shades” vibe to it. Skye works for Addison, a heiress who’s an instagram influencer. She meets Braden at work. He’s attracted to her and on their first “date”, he tells her outright he wants to sleep with her. She’s all about control, but the author never really goes into why. They begin a sexual relationship as he says he can’t have a real relationship. He’s of course into bondage/dominance. There’s a lot of sexy scenes in it, and Skye is obsessed with figuring out the deal with Braden and Addison, but it winds up not being such a big thing in my mind.
This book ends in a cliffhanger like most of Helen Hardt’s books do. Not sure if I’ll read the next book, depends on if this is a duet, or if it’ll drag on for multiple books. I received an arc from Netgalley for my honest review.
Profile Image for Angela.
274 reviews9 followers
August 21, 2020
Skye Manning
Braden Black

Skye and Braden met in a rather unconventional way.

Working for hotel heiress, and social media influncer, Addison Ames. Skye "takes" selfies of Addison, to post, reply too and remove comments on Addison's Instagram. A comment gets passed by. One from Braden Black.

Braden, shows up at Addison's office, and the first person he sees, is Skye. From that moment on, it's been a mysterious and high octane chemistry filled romance.

What will, Helen have in store for us, with this new series? I myself, can't wait to read more about Skye and Braden.
Profile Image for Nursebookie.
2,888 reviews451 followers
December 16, 2020
Follow Me Darkly
By Helen Hardt

This was a fantastic read I truly enjoyed that was as dramatic and sultry as it was provocative, between a sweet photographer from small town Kansas and a dominant and sexy billionaire who sweeps her off her feet. This adult romance book will have you scorching and counting the days to the release of the next book in this trilogy, Follow Me Under.

For a captivating read with fun to read strong male characters, look no further and add this book to your list. It's completely enthralling page turner of a read.
Profile Image for Cheryl .
1,099 reviews150 followers
January 9, 2021
This novel is a step up from Fifty Shades of Grey. The characters are more likeable and the writing, in my opinion, is better.
Profile Image for Alaina.
7,344 reviews203 followers
March 16, 2022
Honestly, that ending was kind of meh.

In Follow Me Darkly, you will meet Skye and Braden. She's an assistant to a social media influencer. He's a self-made billionaire. When they first meet, it's kind of awkward because him and her boss do not get along. Like at all. There's obviously some serious beef between them but the annoying thing about it is they never say what really went down. Like why they despise one another!?!

The unknown really frustrated me. Other than that, Skye is slightly obsessed with the guy, and he seems to only really want sex from her. While their relationship was more like friends with benefits, I wasn't completely invested in them. Sure, some of the smutty scenes were hot but they gave me a lot of whiplash.

In the end, I just have a lot of questions and if the ending was a real cliffhanger, well, I probably would have dived into the sequel right then and there. Unfortunately, it wasn't one in my eyes. So, in other words, I will be saying goodbye to this series and taking an uber into another one.
Profile Image for ⭐Toonasa⭐ •Romance Book Lovers' Haven•.
1,576 reviews295 followers
September 7, 2020
An Unputdownable Story with Great Characters, emotions, Lots of HOTness, A smooth Storyline, Budding Love, Suspenseful Secrets and an ‘OMG!!’ Cliffhanger.
#My 1st by Helen, I'm So gonna read more📕.

Braden is a Self made Billionaire, Got roots From Blue Collar. He's into Control & Deliciously Dominating.
He had seemed assholish, but we hadn't known him well then. Dark+Mysterious but Protective+Caring..

Skye, Professional Photographer, is Personal Assistant to Instagram Influencer Addison Ames, But her dream job is to photograph for National Geographic. She's sweet+Kind AND a Control Freak.

Braden meets Skye when he goes to Addison’s office to tell her off because of a ‘disagreement’ they had over instagram. From 1st Glance, he was taken with Skye. I loved how straightforward he was about what he wanted: Her.

They had One night..
“No more Games, Skye,” he whispers Darkly. “Give in to me tonight, and I promise you more pleasure than you've ever known.”

But NEEDED more..
“Since I first fucked you, all I can think about is fucking you again. You're all I think about and it.. Perplexes me. Not much Perplexes me, Skye. You're like a Narcotic, I hunger for you.”
(He'll get her..But, On Her Terms. *So Fun!*)

This story is HOT from the get go. Braden is very sexual, he wants Skye all times he's with her. AND Her control is what he wants most. With him, She slowly learns to let go.

But Them being together isn't all sunshine & roses. Also He's very private. Though, with her persistence, He opens up bit by bit. But Not Fully, Not Yet..Not here..
(AND The book's from Skye's PoV only, so it adds to the Suspense!)

There're a lot of Sexiness, IG growth, Jealousy Troubles, Dates & Charities, Intimate times, A Start, Growing Feelings, Swoony moments, Love!

But Will His 1 major secret, which has been a big mystery to Skye (& me), Ruin them?
Cue Cliffhanger!! I'm so excited for The next part❤. But,
Gotta wait till Jan 2021...OMG!
I'll just say: Every incident has 2 sides, We Now know 1. What about Braden's Side of it? What exactly happened? Will She ever find out?

P.s. Her bestie-Tessa is Fun!😍.

This has BDSM elements, But he was being lenient here. Maybe we'll see his Even Darker side in the next book!!
Also, I wonder if she'll ever tell him that He gave her ‘Her 1st orgasm’.. Amusing talk that'd be!

ARC Received for A Honest Review.
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Profile Image for Gabbibuu.
406 reviews13 followers
August 17, 2020
4.5 stars
A mysteriously erotic page-turner!
I was so entranced that I did not put it down until I finished it, which is surprising, considering its around 400 pages. Now, beware it is part of a series and ends on a cliffhanger. But it just was so much fun!
I did not expect to enjoy Follow me Darkly as I did. Upon first notice I adored the cover, I thought it was sleek and sexy without being in your face. And the writing was lovely and deeply absorbing.
I liked that we followed Skye's point of view instead of Braden's. That way, we never really know what his thoughts are about the whole situation, making the atmosphere even more sensual. It made me want to know more about him.
The romance between them did play more of a secondary role in this first book, focusing primarily on their sexual encounters, which I wouldn't consider BDSM at the moment. Although, I'm confident the tone of the sequel will be way darker.
It certainly was an addicting story about control and possession. I can't wait to read more about Braden and Skye in Follow Me Under . Their "relationship" was intensely consuming, both for them and me, I'm sure.

ARC provided by Netgalley and the publisher.
Profile Image for Angel Payne.
Author 90 books3,319 followers
October 7, 2020
Oh, Braden Black, I'll follow you anywhere!
This book is a brand-new series launcher for Ms. Hardt, who proves that all dominant billionaires definitely aren't the same. I am so smitten with this leading man, who comes from humble beginnings and actually hasn't forgotten about the fact. His power is the kind that turns this girl into a puddle: it comes from within, and it's communicated through an inner confidence that goes far beyond growls and glowers. I mean, the guy even has a soft spot for rescue puppies. Seriously, just...SIGH.
For all of the lines that Braden is uniquely drawn by, my favorite aspect of the book was actually his heroine. Skye Manning is a fresh face in Boston, hoping to make a name for herself by working up the ranks in the photography world. While she succumbs to an instant and electric attraction to Braden, she's not a wide-eyed innocent needing all her self-validation from a man. She's ambitious, smart, and--on a few occasions--genuinely troubled by the things she feels when she's near this man. Still, she's not afraid to tell him what she needs from him, and is even stands up for their relationship when challenged by her headstrong boss.
Ironically, Helen Hardt's gift for engaging storytelling and unforgettable characters is at its full shine in "Follow Me Darkly". I'm so thrilled there's more of the sexy shadows of this world to come!
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