You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
nka_reads 's review for:
The Hunter
by Kerrigan Byrne
Update review:
3.75 rounded to 4/5 "this book is unhinged... but I had a good time" stars
I'm re-reading/re-listening this series and - I think because I've been dipping my toes in unhinged dark romances recently - I liked this way more than on my first read. It is definitely dark romance adjacent and I think if you're not into that vibe, you're not going to enjoy KB books. Would I recommend it widely? Maybe not... but if you like dark romance and you're interested in reading historicals - this series may be for you.
Original review:
TW: Sexual assault in intro chapter
I'd give this like a 2.5/5 overall.
I had really high hopes for this one and it just was not as good as other HRs Byrne has written IMO. In keeping with the theme of men in this series being super fucked up as youths and ending up as violent adult men, this one focuses on a boy who was born in prison who sees his mother sexually assaulted and murdered who grows up to become a hardened assassin. He's hired to murder a woman for his job but then when he meets her he has the hots for her and doesn't want to murder her for money. So what does he do? He says he will keep her safe if she fucks him once. She doesn't want to, but she doesn't want to get murder (or her son to get murdered). You know, your typical will-they-wont-they workplace romance situation.
Honestly, I'm here for a redemptive story about a tortured hero who finds love and heals from his past traumas. That said, I am not into forced sex, and no matter how many suggestions the reader gets that the first sex scene is somehow "consensual" coercion because the woman also has the hots for him - it just doesn't do it for me. I get that sexual fantasy can be subversive but I just could never get into the sexy/romance of it because of this start.
Aside from that the plot also felt labored and slow despite the strong potential of the novel. The ending was also pretty drawn out and would have benefited from more emphasis on the couple coming together.
Plot --- 2/5
Main Characters --- 3/5
Supporting Cast --- 4/5
Romance Level ❤️ --- 2/5
Steam Level
3.75 rounded to 4/5 "this book is unhinged... but I had a good time" stars
I'm re-reading/re-listening this series and - I think because I've been dipping my toes in unhinged dark romances recently - I liked this way more than on my first read. It is definitely dark romance adjacent and I think if you're not into that vibe, you're not going to enjoy KB books. Would I recommend it widely? Maybe not... but if you like dark romance and you're interested in reading historicals - this series may be for you.
Original review:
TW: Sexual assault in intro chapter
I'd give this like a 2.5/5 overall.
I had really high hopes for this one and it just was not as good as other HRs Byrne has written IMO. In keeping with the theme of men in this series being super fucked up as youths and ending up as violent adult men, this one focuses on a boy who was born in prison who sees his mother sexually assaulted and murdered who grows up to become a hardened assassin. He's hired to murder a woman for his job but then when he meets her he has the hots for her and doesn't want to murder her for money. So what does he do? He says he will keep her safe if she fucks him once. She doesn't want to, but she doesn't want to get murder (or her son to get murdered). You know, your typical will-they-wont-they workplace romance situation.
Honestly, I'm here for a redemptive story about a tortured hero who finds love and heals from his past traumas. That said, I am not into forced sex, and no matter how many suggestions the reader gets that the first sex scene is somehow "consensual" coercion because the woman also has the hots for him - it just doesn't do it for me. I get that sexual fantasy can be subversive but I just could never get into the sexy/romance of it because of this start.
Aside from that the plot also felt labored and slow despite the strong potential of the novel. The ending was also pretty drawn out and would have benefited from more emphasis on the couple coming together.
Plot --- 2/5
Main Characters --- 3/5
Supporting Cast --- 4/5
Romance Level ❤️ --- 2/5
Steam Level