Scan barcode
spatterson7's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexual content
Moderate: Murder, Kidnapping, Child abuse, Cursing, Stalking, Blood, Body horror, Violence, and Physical abuse
Minor: Gaslighting, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Sexual harassment, Alcoholism, Alcohol, and Self harm
julianacosta_01's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Murder, Gore, Torture, Death, Kidnapping, Self harm, Violence, Blood, Stalking, and Body horror
Minor: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Sexual harassment
queeniecraft's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
That being said, the author does portray the modern female's experience with both topics accurately enough to not be fetishized. The main character Mara is a pretty relatable FMC and I actually liked elements about her, but she was a little flat toward the end of the book.
The MMC Cole is..ehhh. He's not the worst guy, he's certainly not the best. His psychological profile is muddy and he goes through changes that feel like they're purely for plot and not with realistic input.
The writing flows pretty well and did have some good imagery. The world of these artists could've been expanded on more imo, but it fades away pretty quickly when the MCs relationship takes center stage.
This book is very graphic & spicy, so if you aren't into that (I'm not really either), then you'll struggle to enjoy this book. It's much less about the serial killers and more about sex with someone "dangerous". It's not my personal vibe but it's a lot better than 50 Shades and other misogynistic garbage out there.
Graphic: Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Body horror, Child abuse, Gaslighting, Rape, Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, Gore, Sexual content, Blood, Confinement, and Classism
lillyrb's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
I read this book because I didn’t know what to read next and a trusted reviewer (any book i’ve read after their recommendation has been great) really loves this book. Disclaimer, I did not know what I was getting myself into. I’ve never read a dark romance before and I really was not prepared. The beginning made me really quite uncomfortable. However, Sophie Lark’s writing style is incredible and the way she details the thoughts and feelings of the main characters is simply fascinating. Ultimately, I decided to read the whole thing because I enjoyed the writing, was taken with the psychological implications (?) of the main characters and I really really wanted to know what other people see in this book.
I didn’t not enjoy the book but I also didn’t like it in the way I usually enjoy reading books. It’s certainly a gripping read and the characters and writing are intriguing but overall the book not something I could describe as liking. I will read the second book because, again, I kind of need to know what other people are seeing in this and how the story develops, but I don’t think I can rate this book in any comprehensive way.
Graphic: Gaslighting, Gore, Stalking, Violence, Murder, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Mental illness, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Child abuse
Minor: Vomit, Self harm, Suicide, Rape, Misogyny, and Abandonment
annikenr's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Sexual content, Blood, Body horror, Torture, Child abuse, and Kidnapping
Minor: Sexual harassment, Medical content, and Injury/Injury detail
ddaliia's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Murder, Death, Emotional abuse, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Child abuse
Minor: Self harm and Sexual harassment
molliundera_'s review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
0.75
Graphic: Body horror, Domestic abuse, Death, Kidnapping, Murder, Torture, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Stalking, Violence, Blood, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, and Toxic relationship
sashasauroras's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
I hate it all the more for how rarely it happens.
My anger flares at the girl.
This is her fault. Her fault for defying the fate rushing toward her”
important trigger warnings:
-murder
-detailed murder
-abduction
-sexual assault
-sexual harassment
-neglectful parents
-abuse (from parents)
-STALKING!!!! (that’s a big ass part of the book)
-invasion of privacy(also a big part of the story)
-trauma and nobody is going to therapy
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Rape, Trafficking, Body horror, Child abuse, Gun violence, Blood, Death, Emotional abuse, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Body shaming, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Stalking, Abandonment, Animal death, Gaslighting, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, and Violence
jen1804's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
⚠️Significant content warnings⚠️
The difference between Cole and Shaw is made obvious to the reader. Shaw is more impulsive, more gruesome, more aggressive with his victims and leaves remains behind. Cole is more meticulous, more refined, more secretive and gives nothing away.
It was really interesting, and also chilling, to read a book through the perspective of a sociopath, Cole’s thought processes, his coldness towards everything, his lack of empathy.
The book starts at an art show where both Cole and Shaw are showcasing work, jumping straight in with Cole thinking about Shaw’s most recent murder making the headlines.
Cole notices Mara for the first time when someone spills red wine on her white dress but she takes herself to the bathroom, tie dyes the rest of the garment with more wine and manages to turn the spillage into something beautiful. Shaw notices Cole looking at her and naturally decides to kidnap her and “gift” her to Cole, bound and bleeding, leaving her dying and vulnerable not far from the cave where Cole disposes of his victims. (Yeah I know, pretty fucked up.) After Cole is done with his kill of the night he comes across Mara in his path. He knows it’s Shaw messing with him, offering the girl from the art show for him to kill. Cole has never killed a woman before and disturbingly he just stares at Mara for a while before simply stepping over her and walking away, leaving her to bleed out. But Mara is stronger than either Cole or Shaw thought because she uses her survival instincts to get out of the situation, find her way to a road and she somehow survives, albeit with some deep scars.
Thus ensues Cole’s obsession with Mara. He stalks her, breaks into her property, man handles her things. Rents the place next door so he can watch through her window. He sets it up so that Mara is offered studio space at his studio, something she’s elated about because she’s in desperate need of art space. But when they meet she recognises his face as the man who stood over her watching her die in the woods and then walked away. But Mara’s probably a little bit fucked up as well. I mean case and point she very easily returned to normal after said kidnapping. Whereas if that had been me I think I’d be a broken woman for a very long time. She’s had a traumatic childhood and every instinct which tells her to run and be afraid of Cole Blackwell, she ignores, obviously. She’s stubborn and we are rewarded with a tense back and forth between Mara and Cole, each trying to get under the other’s skin.
Ultimately they find themselves attracted to each other and Cole is confused about what’s happening when he starts experiencing jealousy whenever Mara has ‘interactions’ shall we say with other guys. What begins to unfold is some rare tender moments between them as well as a deep lust and Cole’s overprotective need to keep her safe from Shaw. There’s no fully fledged love yet but this book is part of a duet and I suspect their ‘relationship’ will develop in the second book, likely with Mara ending up a little murderous herself, and tbh I’m here for it.
There’s honestly a lot to love about this book. It’s fascinating and sometimes incredibly hot (yeah I probably need a therapist, whatever). But there’s also some scenes I could do without because they’re so dyer and so graphic (but hey this is a book about serial killers so what did I expect) and I’m also not in love with some of the smut either, sorry not sorry.
But overall yes a good read.
Satisfactory ending? Yes, a cliffhanger, onto book 2.
Graphic: Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Child abuse, Death, Gore, Murder, Self harm, Kidnapping, and Mental illness
Moderate: Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Confinement, Gaslighting, and Torture
maddiekbuller's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Kidnapping, Murder, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Stalking
Minor: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, and Sexual harassment
the main character has VERY questionable or nonexistent morals.