Review by darklyreading - The Perfect Fit

darklyreading 's review for:

The Perfect Fit by Sadie Kincaid

2.0

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: N/A

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

I don’t know what I expected… but it wasn’t this feeling.

I picked up The Perfect Fit because, let’s be honest, TikTok made me do it. The edits, the thirst traps, the “you won’t survive chapter [insert dramatic number here]” reactions—I ate it up like candy. I had it sitting on my Kindle forever, just vibing in my TBR purgatory. But then I saw this one review, and something about the way it was written just got me. You know when a stranger's excitement hits you like a friend screaming at you in the DMs? Yeah. So I opened it. Reverse harem? Dark romance? Mysterious men who clearly have issues? Say less.

And, okay—technically it delivered those things. The checklist was there: chaotic men, morally gray vibes, spice, power dynamics. But… I don’t know. Something didn’t click.

I wanted to love it. At first, I thought I would. That opening had me hopeful. The setup was giving danger, secrets, and sexual tension. I was ready to spiral. But then it kind of… didn’t go anywhere? Not nowhere, just not where I wanted.

The biggest thing for me? The guys. They were fine. Like, bad-boy energy, possessive, a little toxic in that “welcome to the genre” kind of way. But I kept waiting for one of them to hit that Villain Era switch and make me scream. I needed that feral energy, that “why am I attracted to this psycho” moment. Instead, they stayed somewhere between broody and bratty, and I didn’t connect.

Except Ezekiel. Oh my God. Zeke is the reason I didn’t DNF. That quiet, unreadable, “I’ll ruin you in complete silence” dominance? Inject it directly into my veins. I don’t even know what it was—he barely said much! But I felt him. He had that still-waters-run-deep vibe. If Sadie ever writes a book that’s just him brooding and fucking up people emotionally, I will be first in line.

The female lead? She went through hell. And I could see the strength in her. But I wanted to feel her pain more. I wanted to get inside her messy little brain and hear the chaos, the fear, the fire. She endured a lot—and some scenes definitely hurt to read—but I still felt one step removed from her emotions. Maybe that’s just a “me” problem. Maybe I wanted too much.

Also, that party scene? Yeah. That one. Whew. My throat closed up a bit. I almost had to get up and pace like I do when I’m overwhelmed by a scene. It almost destroyed me—but didn’t fully tip me over the edge. And that kinda sums up the whole book for me. It kept almost getting there. Almost dark enough. Almost spicy enough. Almost painful enough. Almost unhinged.

Maybe that’s the ADHD talking. I would literally be reading a character-building moment and suddenly realize I was thinking about pasta. Like my brain just noped out of some chapters. And it wasn’t the writing—that part was actually decent. Sadie has a voice. She’s got lines that bite. One quote sat on my chest for an hour after I read it:

“But now you know that the people I allow to see me at my worst are the people I love the most.”

Ouch. That one stung. In a good way. The emotional truth in that line? Slapped me across the face.

And THEN there was that period quote. You know the one. I literally gasped, laughed, and reread it like “Did that really just happen?” THAT’S the chaotic energy I wanted more of. I live for the shock value when it feels authentic, and that moment delivered.

Spice-wise? Solid 🌶️🌶️🌶️. There was heat. Tension. Some kink and degradation. But I’m a goblin. My spice scale is broken. If it doesn’t ruin me emotionally and morally, I barely blink. This was sexy, sure, but not unhinged. It held back a bit—and in dark romance, I want the book to ruin me, not just flirt with the idea.

The pacing? Fast. Which I usually love. It kept me reading, but also made some scenes feel shallow. The plot just didn’t rise to the intensity I was hoping for. And the ending? A little too neat. I like my “happy for now” with more blood on it.

Still, I don’t regret reading it. There’s something in Sadie’s writing that kept me turning the pages. I didn’t slam the book shut in rage, or throw my Kindle across the room (which, let’s be real, has happened before). I just closed it with a soft little sigh. Like, “Damn. I wanted more.” It felt like sitting in a luxury car with the engine turned off—beautiful, well-built, but not moving.

I’d recommend it to anyone new to dark romance. Someone who wants a taste of the vibes without diving headfirst into the chaos pit of Den of Vipers or Haunting Adeline. It’s a gentler intro into morally gray dynamics, with a little spice and drama to wet your feet.

But if Sadie ever writes a darker, messier, more feral follow-up? Or if Ezekiel gets his own spin-off? Best believe I’ll be there, ready to spiral all over again.

Content Warnings