Tropes: paranormal, darkromance, steamycontemporary
This book is no longer accepting ARC readers.
Tropes: paranormal, darkromance, steamycontemporary
This book is no longer accepting ARC readers.
Rosario
My alchemy diploma is as useless as the men I’ve been dating.
Blacklisted from the industry, I took the job nobody else would touch: glorified assistant to the Divine Executioner—God’s favorite assassin. He tortures with flair. Kills with a smile… but it’s his longing stares that leave me truly terrified.
This gig is only temporary. Until I save up enough to start my own alchemy boutique. But the Executioner is a ruthless immortal beyond mortal laws, said to tally corpses and lovers in equal measure.
I have a bad feeling he will never let me go.
The Executioner
Humans think I’m a psychopath. I don’t think about them at all.
My routine keeps me sane. Seven days per prisoner. Feed on fear. Dispose. Paperwork. Repeat.
But ever since Rosario became my operations manager, I’ve been lovestruck. For the first time in centuries.
I watch her sleep. I plan our life together. I hear the bells toll.
Till death do us part is a wonderful notion… especially when you’re immortal.
Content note: this is a paranormal dark romance. It contains mature themes that some readers might find very disturbing. Read at your own risk. A full CW list is available on the author’s website.
Tropes:
Icy Black Cat FMC x (Rabid) Golden Retriever MMC
Stalking, Obsession, Intense Devotion
Forced Proximity
Revenge
sex, bdsm, dubcon, cnc, stalking, explicit language, kink, violence
Gore +++ Spice 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ The Storyline 🥵💀🩸
Tropes I should NOT love but have me breathless and wanting more…
☠️Stalker and WILLING prey
☠️TORTURE for her… not just kill!
☠️ Golden retriever MMC 🥵 this was a new one for me!
☠️ And did I mention he has a mask?! 💀💦
I d…
I really enjoyed reading Rosie and Enver's story.
I found refreshing that the concepts of normality and morality were flexible enough.
Still, there were less likeable aspects both in FMC (somehow shallow at times) and MMC (unhinged) that leave a lot of room to growth.
Firesta…
While I enjoyed the story and found the atmosphere captivating, I would have loved to see a deeper exploration of Enver's past and motivations. Understanding more about his family, upbringing, and emotional development would have strengthened my connection to him and made his journey from obsession to love feel more convincing. Additionally, more distinct narrative voices between the dual POVs would have enhanced the reading experience, particularly in the latter half of the novel.
I really enjoyed the gothic atmosphere and found the story highly engaging. The aesthetic remained consistent throughout the novel, and the relationship dynamics kept me invested enough that I am interested in reading the sequel.
A few areas where I felt the story could be strengthened:
Enver's backstory
I found Enver compelling, but I wanted more depth regarding his personal history. His parents' deaths, his relationship with his sister, and his found family are all mentioned, but only briefly. These elements seem important to understanding who he is, and I would have loved to see them explored further.
Obsession versus love
I never struggled to understand Enver's obsession with Rosario. That aspect felt clear and consistent from the beginning. However, I was less convinced by the transition from obsession to love. More scenes showing emotional intimacy, vulnerability, or moments that specifically explain why Rosario became important to him beyond his initial fixation could strengthen the romance.
Dual POV voice differentiation
While I appreciated having both perspectives, I found it increasingly difficult to distinguish between Enver's and Rosario's narrative voices toward the end of the novel. Their personalities remained distinct, but their internal narration often felt very similar. At times, I relied on the chapter headings to remember whose perspective I was reading.
Character development
Both protagonists remain consistent in their actions and motivations, which I appreciated. However, I would have enjoyed more opportunities to explore their individual identities outside of the relationship, especially as the story progressed.
Overall, I found the book entertaining, atmospheric, and emotionally engaging. The dark themes and content warnings felt appropriate and accurately reflected the story's content.