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Honestly, one of my least favorite things is when a book feels like it’s trying too hard and sadly, that’s exactly what happened here.
I usually don’t enjoy writing negative reviews because I truly believe every book has something good to offer; that is, some redeeming quality or idea that shines through.
And in this case, the story itself actually had a solid foundation. I could see where the author wanted to go, and that’s why I feel a little sad that it didn’t quite come together the way I hoped. It really could have been so much better.
The book starts off with our female lead, Alana, going through a truly difficult time – she’s just been kidnapped, she’s not in a good place mentally or physically, and understandably, her father is deeply worried.
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So he arranges for her to stay with a bodyguard until the danger has completely passed. Her father had to pay a hefty ransom (twenty million!) to get her back, and the police are still investigating the case.
But here’s where I started feeling a bit confused. Everything – the kidnapping, the ransom payment, the trip to the therapist – happens all on the same day.
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It felt a little rushed, like so much was being squeezed into such a short space of time, and almost as if this was being done in a bid for us to fast-forward to the close proximity stage of their relationship.
And this odd pacing became something I noticed again and again as the story went on. But this was the first moment where it stood out to me and made me pause.
As the story progresses, she starts living with the male lead (her new bodyguard who is un-ironically named Hunter), and that’s when feelings begin to develop between them.
From his point of view, it’s clear that he’s been in love with her for much longer than she’s realized and when the whole bodyguard thingy runs its course, they’re finally made to face how deep their feelings have become. I do love this kind of dynamic when it’s done well, but here it didn’t fully land for me.
Here’s the thing: it was very obvious to me that this book was crafted to fit a certain TikTok market and that took away from the magic for me.
You might remember I mentioned something like this in a previous review; that I’d, when a book feels like it’s designed not to tell a story, but to produce quotes or viral moments. And that’s what this felt like, from the very first line to the last.
I couldn’t shake the feeling that the author was trying to create quotable scenes and dialogue rather than a natural, flowing story.
I wanted to love this. I really did. But the writing felt choppy and overly intense, and it really felt like it was doing too much while actually offering so little in terms of plot or genuine character development.
Everyone in the book is painted as dark, edgy, and mysterious, but their actions and conversations are really quite ordinary. It felt like the story was telling me to feel tension and danger, but not showing me any real stakes. And because of that, I struggled to stay engaged, no matter how hard I tried.
The cover was gorgeous. The title was very promising. Everything about the package said dark romance and I was so ready for that. But unfortunately, the inside didn’t deliver what I expected. I wanted story-driven darkness and not just characters who looked dark but acted completely mild.
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That said, I can see the effort the author put into this. There were trigger warnings, an author’s note, and a clear intention to handle sensitive topics with care. I really respect that. But sadly, even these thoughtful touches couldn’t make up for what felt lacking in the actual plot and character development.
It kind of reminded me of those moments when people mistake being offensive for being dark or edgy. That’s not exactly what happened here, but close.
The dark elements seemed to come from the male lead’s criminal past and the female lead’s trauma, but they felt separate from the heart of the story and almost like they didn’t fully belong. And, I didn’t like that we got the POV of both characters but even at that, the yearning and angst were below mid.
So, would I recommend this to other dark romance lovers? Probably not. I just don’t think it fully delivers on the dark romance promise.
But someone else might pick this up and love it for reasons I didn’t, so don’t take my word for it. Unfortunately, this one just wasn’t for me.
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