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A review by so_many_books
King of Hollywood by Fae Quin
dark
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
When I think about a romance between a serial killer and a vampire, wholesome is not the first word that pops into my head. Well, to be honest, I don't usually think about such a pairing, but still!!
King of Hollywood brings a fun and entertaining romance into a dark romance theme, which is not often described as such. And I absolutely loved it.
I'm not usually a fan of dark romance or any kind of romance featuring serial killers, but I love Fae's writing and I needed to know what kind of twist she comes up with for Marshall and Felix. I am not disappointed, not at all.
Marshall is a recluse, living in a small town, avoiding people as much as he can. It is not stated in the book, but I strongly suspect he's on the autism spectrum. He also has a rather unusual... hobby. It is not really the focus of the book but rather a part of Marshall personality that he is, in fact, a serial unaliver. I would describe him as morally really dark grey.
Felix is his sunshine neighbour who is even more of a recluse than he is. Felix rarely leaves the house, and if he does, it's only at night to walk his cats... or to haul a corpse through his garden. Oh, he's a vampire if you haven't gathered that much.
Their relationship (or something like that) starts when Marshall helps get rid of said body. And from then, there is no going back for either of them.
Their courting is anything but normal working around Felix's night routine and Marshall's social obstacles and their secrets. I can't even describe it properly. It's a perfect mix of creepy and stalkery and sweet. Marshall's obsession with Felix is wild and inappropriate, but Felix likes it somehow. It's infinitely amusing seeing Marshall stumble through his first date and the early days of dating. It's even more funny and entertaining seeing him and Felix navigate their budding relationship. I laughed a lot and smiled at every weirdly romantic moment.
Apart from being sweetly (and a bit creepily) funny, Marshall and Felix's story also delivers a strong message about being outcasts and the strong need to fit in somewhere. Preferably as yourself. Both Felix and Marshall struggle with finding someone they can be open with, so it is extra special when they find each other and their misshapen, special pieces fit right together.
The cats almost stole the show for me, but just because Marshall was so adamant about hating them until he met Felix's cats. Dolly, Tiffany, and Vladimir perfectly round out their budding little family.
After a delicious slow burn, the book gets very spicy and very bloody at some point, at the same time, which is not entirely my jam, but it does fit the story well.
All in all, I quite enjoyed this dip into dark romance, which turned out to be rather wholesome on its own way instead. Marshall and Felix are a perfectly matching pair with all their quirks, secrets, cats, and hobbies. Their courting is sweet and amusing and will definitely make you laugh.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book to share my honest review.*
King of Hollywood brings a fun and entertaining romance into a dark romance theme, which is not often described as such. And I absolutely loved it.
I'm not usually a fan of dark romance or any kind of romance featuring serial killers, but I love Fae's writing and I needed to know what kind of twist she comes up with for Marshall and Felix. I am not disappointed, not at all.
Marshall is a recluse, living in a small town, avoiding people as much as he can. It is not stated in the book, but I strongly suspect he's on the autism spectrum. He also has a rather unusual... hobby. It is not really the focus of the book but rather a part of Marshall personality that he is, in fact, a serial unaliver. I would describe him as morally really dark grey.
Felix is his sunshine neighbour who is even more of a recluse than he is. Felix rarely leaves the house, and if he does, it's only at night to walk his cats... or to haul a corpse through his garden. Oh, he's a vampire if you haven't gathered that much.
Their relationship (or something like that) starts when Marshall helps get rid of said body. And from then, there is no going back for either of them.
Their courting is anything but normal working around Felix's night routine and Marshall's social obstacles and their secrets. I can't even describe it properly. It's a perfect mix of creepy and stalkery and sweet. Marshall's obsession with Felix is wild and inappropriate, but Felix likes it somehow. It's infinitely amusing seeing Marshall stumble through his first date and the early days of dating. It's even more funny and entertaining seeing him and Felix navigate their budding relationship. I laughed a lot and smiled at every weirdly romantic moment.
Apart from being sweetly (and a bit creepily) funny, Marshall and Felix's story also delivers a strong message about being outcasts and the strong need to fit in somewhere. Preferably as yourself. Both Felix and Marshall struggle with finding someone they can be open with, so it is extra special when they find each other and their misshapen, special pieces fit right together.
The cats almost stole the show for me, but just because Marshall was so adamant about hating them until he met Felix's cats. Dolly, Tiffany, and Vladimir perfectly round out their budding little family.
After a delicious slow burn, the book gets very spicy and very bloody at some point, at the same time, which is not entirely my jam, but it does fit the story well.
All in all, I quite enjoyed this dip into dark romance, which turned out to be rather wholesome on its own way instead. Marshall and Felix are a perfectly matching pair with all their quirks, secrets, cats, and hobbies. Their courting is sweet and amusing and will definitely make you laugh.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book to share my honest review.*
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Stalking
Minor: Bullying