SPLIT: a dark psychological thriller

by C.J. Primer

I'm not sure what’s real or not anymore.

One minute, I’m living a perfectly mundane, comfortable life, and the next, I’m being married off to a man I’ve never met in a quickie ceremony, then whisked away to live in his creepy old mansion.

My new husband is dangerous and unpredictable. Sometimes he’s calm, and sometimes he’s chaos. It’s like his personality is fractured in two halves; I never know which side of him I’m going to get, and the constant looking over my shoulder is starting to take its toll.

Secrets lurk around every corner in the manor, and the more I try to uncover them, the deeper they bury themselves. I’m not sure if this place is haunted by the dead or the living, and I’m beginning to feel like I’m going a little crazy. It isn’t long before I find myself embroiled in a twisted game of cat-and-mouse with the devil I married, and as I unlock the secrets of my new home, it becomes clear that if the patterns of the past repeat themselves, I won’t be making it out of here alive.

* * * * *

WARNING: This book is a DARK erotic thriller with themes and content that may be triggering or upsetting for some readers. It contains graphic and sexually explicit scenes that blur the lines of consent. Please consult the trigger warnings at the start of the book before proceeding to read.

Genres: Dark Romance, Enemies To Lovers, Thriller, Dark, Forced Proximity, Romance, Romantic Suspense

334 pages, Hardcover

Published September 20, 2025

About the author

C.J. Primer is an award-winning, bestselling author of steamy romance novels. She specializes in angsty, spicy love stories full of twists and turns and hard-fought happy endings. She writes in multiple genres, including paranormal romance, dark romance, contemporary romance, and fantasy romance. Her most popular books are the bestselling six-pack series, a collection of werewolf shifter romance novels that have captivated millions of readers worldwide across multiple reading platforms.

Follow CJ on Instagram to keep up with all of her latest releases: @c.j.primer

Reviews

[Lisa Conant · Rating 1 out of 5]

I feel like I read a different book. I really wanted to like this, sounded so good and suspenseful, angsty. But I never felt the split personality angle from Roman at all. She would describe him as jekyll and Hyde but he was always mean, cold, abusive and not likeable at all as a character. Am I alone in this?

FMC goes on about how she acknowledges he's bad and she has to escape (OK, good) but then anytime she has s3x with him, she loves it, loves being forced, abused. And then in the next breath says how she didn't want to be used by him for s3x. I got whiplash from her.

With that said, the twist to this is much too late in the book, like 77%in. It tries to account for his so called different personalities with this revelation and I just didn't dig it... also too late of a reveal. Also it turns into polyamory, which isn't my thing.

This is basically erotica, there's him forcing himself on her at nearly every 20 pages or so on average. So if you're into smut over story then this is for you. I gave it 2 Stars for the atmospherics.

But the the fmc character motivations are not consistent, I just got angry with her. And Roman is just basically r!ping her throughout and morally black.

I would've liked to have really seen the split being his one personality kind and the other more volatile... that's what jekyll and Hyde is! There was no delineated personalities to him as the very title and art suggests.

Sadly disappointed and just felt led astray by the blurb. But it may be too others taste more and that's ok.

[britt · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is cj primer’s FIRST dark romance and she ate down!!!! love love love this pitch black GOTHIC mafia romance sm i want to reread it again immediately!

[Angelina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just finished Split by S.J. Primer and really enjoyed it. It’s the kind of book that keeps tugging at you because the characters are messy in a very real way. They’re flawed, impulsive, and not always easy to root for — but that’s what made them feel alive to me.
What I liked most was the intensity. Every chapter had this undercurrent of tension, whether it was simmering anger, attraction, or conflict that hadn’t fully exploded yet. I love when a story feels like it could tip over at any moment, and this definitely had that vibe. The writing itself was straightforward but sharp — nothing overly flowery, just enough bite to keep it engaging.
That said, there were moments where I wished the book slowed down a little. Some of the big emotional beats came and went so fast that I didn’t get to fully sit with them. And a few of the side characters felt more like background noise than people with their own weight in the story.

[Laura Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

SPLIT BY C.J. PRIMER
5 ✨ ✨ ✨ ✨ ✨s
Release date set for the 30th of January 2025.
Oh my goodness
I love the cover of this book.
The blurb had me like obsessed to read straight away.
I dove straight into this book as soon as it landed on my kindle.
I binge read this book and I couldn't put it down. I was reading welllll past bed time lastnight then I've carried on reading throughout the day today until I was finished.
I love myself a bit of an alpha male and roman did not dissapoint.
And let me tell you she got me good with a good twist.
❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥
I will 1000% be reading more of C.J. PRIMER.
I'm hooked now
There's trigger warnings in place clearly to see.

[Neapolitan670 📚🖤 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating - 3.75

Our FMC is sold in marriage in order to form an alliance within the Bratva. She has no say in the matter and from this moment on is taken to his manor given rules and told she can’t leave the property. What follows is him holding power over, he 🍇 her, torments, degrades and totally demoralises her. She has other ideas and thinks her subservience to him will allow her to escape.

Basically, this back n forth routine goes on for a while. It seemed in parts to me anyway, that the author was trying to stretch out a story that didn’t need it. There are references to Jekyll and Hyde, to DID as it turns out it was neither of those. The SA is a prevalent part of this story until near the end when we find out the truth. The constant reference to escaping only for her to get no where was a moot point really.

It was an ok read, clearly written and though repetitive I got to the end.

[Alax · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️

“𝙏𝙞𝙡 𝙙𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙝 𝙙𝙤 𝙪𝙨 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩, 𝙧𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙢𝙗𝙚𝙧?”

✨this book shook me to my coreeeee. Holy shit I’m obsessed. Eliza and Roman’s marriage was obviously unconventional and she fought like hell to try to find a way to get out of it but the twists and turns throughout this story were WILD. 😮‍💨 & the mouth on that man, gahhh damn. The spice was definitely spicing in this one & THE TWIST HAD ME SCREAMING. I loved every second of this and I DEVOURED IT. it’s the type of book you pick up and just cannot put down because you need to know what happens. It was everything. 👏🏼

[Lia · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.4 ⭐️
Black & Red match made in hell, where sin tastes like pleasure and secrets burn slow 🖤❤️

[Dru · Rating 2 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️
🌶🌶🌶🌶
🔥🔥

I honestly got bored with this book.

Eliza annoyed me so much in this book! She kept saying she was going to escape, and then proceeds to never escape or actually go through with any plans.

The twist at the end came too late, and I was hoping there were more hints to it throughout the book to keep me on edge. This was supposed to be a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde retelling in a sense, and I would not say it actually does that.

The spice is spicy, so there is that plus. Do not expect a huge plot in this book (and that is okay if you know what you are walking into).

Between the annoying FMC, the lack of movement in the plot, and the lack-luster twist at the end, it just wasn't for me.

This probably could have been a 250 page book, majority şmüt, and I think that would have fit it better.

⟣Tropes⟢
✅ Touch her and 💀
✅ Obsessive/JP MMC
✅ Betrayal
✅ Multiple POV’s
✅ FMC not Virgin (but only done it once)
✅ Marriage of convenience
✅ Mafia (I would say light mafia)
✅ Hate-to-Love
✅ Chase/Primal
✅ HEA

***I was given this as an ARC for free and writing a review voluntary. All opinions are my own.***

[Nikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a dark gothic romance about an arranged marriage with Beauty and The Beast vibes. Heavy on the master/pet dynamic. The canine sidekicks Nox and Vesper were definitely my fave characters. I did find the main twist predictable but overall a good, quick read!

[lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so good! Definitely gave me anxiety. The FMC did piss me off at times but I still had a great time!

[mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

i wish my theory wasn’t correct

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This dark mafia arranged marriage story had strong Jekyll and Hyde vibes. When Eliza’s father struck a deal with a powerful mafia family, her defiant nature was no match for the arrangement—her hand in marriage was the price. Before she could process what was happening, she was trapped like a caged bird in a haunting gothic mansion, bound to a man who seemed to possess two completely different sides.

When it came to Roman Volkov, Eliza never knew which side of him she would face—Jekyll or Hyde. He was either cold, aloof, and indifferent or brash and violent. Neither version seemed particularly desirable, and I couldn’t help but question what was really going on beneath the surface.

From the seemingly haunted manor to Roman’s unpredictable personality shifts and the mysterious death of his ex-wife, I was constantly on edge, trying to unravel the twist. I admired Eliza’s strategic approach—rather than fighting every battle, she learned to pick her moments, playing the role to bide her time and plan her escape. But the longer she stayed, the more she was drawn into Roman’s dangerous games, and it became clear that she, too, had a darker side waiting to be unleashed.

I only managed to guess the twist right before it was revealed—and what a fantastic twist it was! And then there was the spice. Phew, fans myself. It started off as a bit of a slow burn, but the buildup was absolutely worth it. By the end… oh my! Let’s just say, if you love those kinds of scenes, you’re in for a treat. But you’ll have to read it to find out.

This was a great introduction to Primer’s storytelling. For me, the darkness had the usual mafia-esque feel, but keep in mind—this is a dark romance through and through.

[Kiki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to C.J. Primer and Book Sirens for the ARC of this book.

Rated 3.5 stars rounded up for the ending.

Let's start with first things first... READ THE TRIGGER WARNINGS before picking up this book. There is a lot of blurred consent, dubcon, etc. If that bothers you, do not even think about this book.

With that said, I enjoyed the journey this book took me on. I like the Mafia side of it, the strong-willed FMC, the MMC, the plot twists, and the dogs. I liked the ending of this book a lot as well, seeing the FMC get something she wanted.

What i didn't enjoy... the dubcon being very heavily blurred. The only reason I knew it was dubcon was because it was told in the FMC POV and the author knows how to write dubcon into her inner thoughts. I also didn't like that the chemistry between the main characters gets kind of sprung on us. Like yes there's spice between them, but there's never feelings shared. Then all of a sudden BAM there's caring for each other? It seemed very sudden.

Things that I didn't like but don't play into the rating. CLARA, because if I was Eliza I would've demanded she be fired on like day 2. Lmao

Overall i enjoyed the book. It was a quick read. I would recommend it to people who like dark romance, thrillers, and dubcon (I'm sticking to this). They have to like ALL 3 to read this.

[Amy Migs Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Split

Eliza is forced into an arranged marriage to one of the leaders of the Bratva. Trapped in a loveless marriage and gothic manor. Her husband has two sides, Jekle and Hyde, both personalities frightful and alarming. Will she uncover the truths and pasts of her husband and the shadows that lurk in the dark corners of the manor?

I received an advanced review cop for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The story is primarily in Eliza's POV, following her and her struggles with her husband's seemingly split personalities. I love the references to Jeckle and Hyde and how she would differentiate between the two personalities of Roman. I felt like every scene with Roman turned spicey, and I am here for it. I was surprised by how much spice this book had and loved how the personalities switched in the bedroom.

I really enjoyed this story; I did, however, feel like the chemistry was lacking. All of a sudden, it goes from hate to lovers with no real relationship built.

The twist of the story was perfect, and I ended the book with all my questions answered. Overall, I really liked Split and will recommend it!

[Hollylovesbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

• Um excuse me C.J.! This book was 𝚒𝚗𝚌𝚛𝚎𝚍𝚒𝚋𝚕𝚎. I thought I was going crazy for a few, then I thought I knew what was going on, and then you hit me with a total 😮 moment I seriously was 𝙽𝙾𝚃 expecting. Fricken delectable.

• Eliza & Roman. These two, whew. From the very beginning. She’s forced into the marriage, and her new husband is certainly an acquired taste. Seeing everything unravel was truly 𝚂𝙾𝙼𝙴𝚃𝙷𝙸𝙽𝙶 𝙴𝙻𝚂𝙴. It’s like a delicious minf*ck but you enjoy every word of it. 😂

• I’m not going to give away too much about this one, because it would ruin it. You 100% should read it. TBH I’m sad I’ll never get to read it again for the first time.

• Also when the last word of a book makes you squeal…. 🤭 𝚁𝚞𝚗

[Bee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jekyll and Hyde

Eliza is sold to Roman Volkov in an alliance transaction by her father. While planning to escape her marriage and her new home at Volkov Manner, she begins to notice two very distinct personalities in her husband and thinks she might be going a little crazy. But is she?
This was an interesting read. Although slow, the intense beginning draws you into the story. It definitely picksup towards the end, though I had the plot twist figured out way before it was revealed.
This whole life is nothing new to Eliza. Having grown up in a Mafia family, she knows the rules; be seen and not heard, do as your husband says, don’t cause a fuss. Her domineering father has drilled these into her since her mother was killed in a car accident. I loved Eliza’s stubborness and her tenacity. She never stops fighting back or planning her escape. She is much stronger than Roman gives her credit for. She plays the long game until she can find her way out.
Roman was something else! Sadistic one minute, aloof the next. Hot and cold. His two distinct personalities are like whiplash. Though, I have to say, I grew a little fond of him towards the end, especially, when reading from his POV.
3.5 stars.

[JackaayReadsallday · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good Lord, this was utterly fantastic! I needed a good palate cleanser after the last few books that I’ve read, and this was exactly what I needed! It is hard to believe that this is the first time that this author has dipped her toe into dark romance because DAYUM… I went and pre-ordered everything that I possibly could, and am about to place an order on her website for physical copies… PLEASE tell me we’re getting more of this world ?!?

Question for the author- Speaking of which when are you getting physical copies of this book so I can get it signed from your website? No rush but I would love to know please and thank you 😊

[Tamara Ellen McCaffrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW!!!!!!! The emotional rollercoaster this book took me on is beyond words!! The angst! The betrayal! The heat! And dare I say the plot twists!! This book had me second guessing myself and even I found myself doubting and feeling like I was going crazy along side Eliza. I just found myself getting lost in the pages right from the start!! Now I refuse to give any spoilers and ruin the journey for anyone…. So all I’m gonna say is steal yourself in and be prepared for a ride!! Trust me it’s worth it!!

[Heather Bailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 The twist was unexpected and the spice be spicin 🥵 It's not my typical genre but it was a book club book so I was forced to read it lol 😆 It definitely kept me on my toes, made me a little squeamish at times because I don't read a lot of spice, but if that's your thing you're probably going to love it, and by my rating you can see I did too. Some spicy books are overwhelming with the naughtiness and lack in plot, but this one came through for me, and held my interest! Read the trigger warnings because there are a few things that some may find icky LOL.

[Aiden | bookrot.bby · Rating 4 out of 5]

That was my first dark romance thriller and you know what, by the end of it I really enjoyed it!

It took me a while to get into the romance of it and get over the non-SSC BDSM 🤣 however, I actually became interested in the plot quite quickly and wanted to know where it was all going!

And although I found that I predicted a couple of things correctly (well, maybe 1.5 things because one of them was only a hunch whereas the other I was certain of😂) I still found the reveals to be satisfying

[Kelly_Reads_Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this story and I especially loved the well thought out and planned twists and turns. At first your heart breaks for Eliza and all that she has endured. Then she is forced into a marriage with Roman and she deems her life is over unless she can escape the Volkov manor.
Just loved these characters and Roman's Jekyll and Hyde resemblance.
I look forward to more from this author ❤️

[RoseInHarlem · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED THIS BOOK. The writing is amazing, I was able to get many highlights out of this one. Such a good start to the spooky season. I love the gothic castle aesthetic this book has. The book really took off at the end. I really wish we could’ve slowly entered the plot twists, it all just happened suddenly.

[Tay_is_reading_again · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love dark romance and I liked the idea of this one; however, the execution fell flat. The twist at the end was decent but this one lacked any kind of tension or romance to me. Roman and Eliza just hate fck each other non stop. It is very high spice but I felt like there was no plot for 80% of the book.

[Sanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy, I did not see that coming.

I love the books of C.J. Primer they are geipping you till the end and I read them very fast. Without spoiling anything just wow.

My feelings went on a rollercoaster ride trough the whole story

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Kendyl Shantz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vibes 10/10, unexpected but appreciated

[BLK 13 · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 🌶️🌶️

[Bianca Serna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book! Went in completely blind and it did not disappoint! It is a quick read with a nice little twist😈

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

I binged read this book so fast! This is her first dark erotic thriller (see trigger warnings before reading), and it did not disappoint at all.
I love all of her books she’s written, and I think this might have just taken the top spot for me.
“Til death do us part, remember?”
I thought I had the book figured out, but then she went and threw in a massive curve ball I DID NOT see coming.
This book is out on kindle unlimited on Jan 30th so you better “run” and add it to your tbr

[Paperback Princess · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars

[Bebe Luna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I never thought about what I just read! I was so excited for the plot into believing that mmc might have split personality disorder (dr jekyll and mr hyde vibe) and fmc thought that too. But as I went on page after page, to reveal that he has a TWIN BROTHER?! The one that has psycho, deranged side, chasing her and playing rough with her... And to come up to my sense and realization that mmc is mr dr jekyll (control) and his bro is hyde...never seen that coming. But overall, I like the book 👍🏻