DNF at 220 pages (approx. 40%)

[ TW in this review for descriptions of sexual assault and mentions of violence, torture, and human trafficking ]

I really wanted to like this book. I've heard such great things, and dark romance is my JAM. I wasn't even super bothered by the MMC being a literal stalker - it's called "dark" for a reason, after all!

But man... I'll start by saying it took about 200 pages before anything actually happened. The first third of the book is mostly Addy wandering around her house, spending time with her best friend, and reading her great grandmother's diary. There's a couple tense-ish moments, but absolutely no real surprises during this time. Still, I kept reading in hopes that when things got going, it would hit that REALLY good point since people seem to speak very highly of this duology.

In the meantime, the MMC - who is at this point nameless - is... very much Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, albeit not intentionally. I get the impression he's not supposed to seem like he has a split personality, but that's how it comes across nonetheless. He hunts, tortures, murders, and exposes human traffickers and pedophiles, and clearly cares very much about the women and children he saves in the process... but all of that concern and care disappears when it comes to Addy, the subject of his obsession. He sees her for the first time and thinks "yep, I want to BREAK her so that she has no choice but to love me!" - and yes, he's referring to straight-up sexual assault. So he kills people for their sex crimes against women... but it's not wrong at all when HE does it? There's not even any sort of internal struggle or debate there, he really just doesn't think of it at all. WTF???

And then, when things DO finally get going around page 200, it's... weird and cringe-y to say the least. I'm not AT ALL a book elitist and it takes a LOT to make me cringe, but everything (dialogue, thoughts, actions, etc) was just... super awkward. I'd have to write a novel of my own to list every example, but this includes the MMC sexually assaulting Addy with the barrel of a loaded gun and her being SUPER INTO IT (has this girl EVER gone to a gynecologist? a cold metal cylinder in my nether regions is probably the LEAST sexy thing I could possibly think of) as well as Addy using the word "pussy" near-obsessively, even while being raped. If there was actual dark and twisted stuff happening, I could handle it. I really could. But when it's stuff like this, that feels more like the darkest fantasies of a goth teenager... yeah, I just couldn't do it any longer.

Like I said, I'm bummed to be DNFing this book. So many people really seem to have loved it, and I wish I could at least finish the story and have some context for that praise, because clearly those people have found SOMETHING of worth in the story. But honestly, at this point I just want to recoup the hours of my life I've already lost to this book, and I wish these weirdo MCs all the best in their cringey, dubiously-consenting love story. ( )

Cannot believe I read this in a day! Great book. Took a star away because I was disappointed in our main character and that it had several throw backs to 50 shades. The whole if you weren’t hot or rich this would be seriously f’ed up vibes. ( )

I'm not sure what I honestly want to rate this book. I went into this book blind. I thought it was going to be something completely different. There's a lot of spicy spicy smut in this book but it has a whole plot too. I liked some elements of it, while not enjoying other bits. I'm personally not very interested in the stalker trope, "dubcon", and submissive woman thing. The book would probably still stand up just fine without the smut, but now that I have read it, I understand the smut is the real reason why most people read this book. It's laughable to think what I thought this book was going to be like to what it actually is like. I think the one thing I got right is that there is technically a ghost in the book at one point! lol ( )

Well well well what can i say? first dark romance book and got to say im guilty for this smutty and adventurous story. Connected with the characters easily and the story got me HOOKED ( )

Domination power game smut. That is all this is. If you are here for that, go right along. If you are looking for an actual story you probably want to look elsewhere. ( )