What do you think?
Rate this book
Dangerous Games #3
The Chase
Elias
I don’t know what’s wrong with me to want something like this. To pay money for something like this. But I love it, even in my terror, even with tears streaming down my face as I race through the dark. What’s happening is my fantasy, isn’t it? Not some random person chasing me? The uncertainty adds to my panic.
But when he catches me and throws me down, when his powerful body dominates mine, I know it’s him. The one who’s been instructing me via text. The one I need.
The problem is, once won’t be enough. But this one brutal, blissful moment is all I can afford.
Andre
I’ve never gotten obsessed with someone whose fantasy I fulfilled. That’s the point. It’s a moment spent, a role played. When it’s over, it’s over. But Elias …
I can’t stop thinking about him, and not just that night. Other times. Little things. Yes, I’m stalking him.
I need to stop, but instead I find myself approaching him, again and again. He doesn’t know who I am, that I’m the one who chased him. So when I offer him a job with the kind of income that could fund another of his dark fantasies? He doesn’t realize that I’ll be fulfilling a fantasy of my own. I’ll be toying with him. Playing two roles.
It’s a bad idea, of course. Everything depends on my control, on keeping things in their own, separate boxes. I tell myself I can do it. But something about Elias—the way he needs me, the way he responds to me—turns this fantasy into a very dangerous game … for both of us.
*Books in the Dangerous Games series can be read as standalones, though some events are connected and characters may cross over. Please note that these dark MM romances have HEAs but contain potentially triggering content. Each book's content list (which will contain spoilers) can be found in its ebook sample.
I don’t know what’s wrong with me to want something like this. To pay money for something like this. But I love it, even in my terror, even with tears streaming down my face as I race through the dark. What’s happening is my fantasy, isn’t it? Not some random person chasing me? The uncertainty adds to my panic.
But when he catches me and throws me down, when his powerful body dominates mine, I know it’s him. The one who’s been instructing me via text. The one I need.
The problem is, once won’t be enough. But this one brutal, blissful moment is all I can afford.
Andre
I’ve never gotten obsessed with someone whose fantasy I fulfilled. That’s the point. It’s a moment spent, a role played. When it’s over, it’s over. But Elias …
I can’t stop thinking about him, and not just that night. Other times. Little things. Yes, I’m stalking him.
I need to stop, but instead I find myself approaching him, again and again. He doesn’t know who I am, that I’m the one who chased him. So when I offer him a job with the kind of income that could fund another of his dark fantasies? He doesn’t realize that I’ll be fulfilling a fantasy of my own. I’ll be toying with him. Playing two roles.
It’s a bad idea, of course. Everything depends on my control, on keeping things in their own, separate boxes. I tell myself I can do it. But something about Elias—the way he needs me, the way he responds to me—turns this fantasy into a very dangerous game … for both of us.
*Books in the Dangerous Games series can be read as standalones, though some events are connected and characters may cross over. Please note that these dark MM romances have HEAs but contain potentially triggering content. Each book's content list (which will contain spoilers) can be found in its ebook sample.
302 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 15, 2026
102 people are currently reading
336 people want to read
About the author
Rina Saint
5 books550 followersRina loves her romances dark and dirty. Her books take you into the erotic lives of her complex, morally gray characters. If you love high intensity and fabulous smut, you're in the right place.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 156 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
THIS BOOK WAS MADE FOR ME🫢😋😋😋😋, AND I DEVOOOOOURED IT LIKE A STARVING ANIMAL...WITH MY TEETH CLENCHED AND MY SOUL WIDE OPEN...LIKE IT KNEW MY HUNGER AND DIDN’T TRY TO SOFTEN IT, FEEDING ME EXACTLY WHAT I’D BEEN STARVVVVVVVVVVING FOR, AND SOMEHOW MAKING EVERY SINGLE DISH MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITEEEEEEEE 🤏😮💨🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤💖🙈🙈🙈🙈🙈
Review of advance copy
ARC achieved please be great please be great...! 🥰
YES!!! Another incendiary winner from Rina Saint, who so far has delivered hit after hit of obsessive-possessive romance that dances in the dark but never over my boundaries. This author understands the assignment!! This story fills in parts from The Contract and The Club, replaying key scenes from Andre’s POV and filling in blanks as it goes. You can read it as a stand-alone and not be confused, though I highly recommend all three books.
This is the third story in a continuing series about men who’ve survived hell, having been sold, collected, or even sent as young boys to an island to be used as sex slaves for rich older men predators who do all the sorts of the worst depraved things you would never want to imagine. (Suspend disbelief that some rich men would do this to their sons and heirs; that’s the premise. Some are lost boys but some are from wealth.) In the present they’ve all been rescued and gone on to claim their fortunes…and seek vengeance.
MC Andre is one such survivor, who built a life and currently runs an exclusive hotel that he acquired as part of his vengeance against one of their abusers.
Elias works in a bodega and keeps to himself, hiding a deep loneliness. He’s scrimped and saved…and bought his secret, most shameful sex fantasy through an app…
Andre receives the assignment, a client asking to be chased down and assaulted, and something about Elias trips him over the line into possessive mode. He stalks Elias while interacting with him as a bodega customer, delivers what Elias wanted, and then…takes over his life.
But Elias is hiding something that will have more impact than either knows, because neither man is who he presents to the world.
Oh, I loved this story! It started a little emotionless? I didn’t have a sense of what was at stake for either of them, it seemed more perfunctory even as Andre’s obsession amped up, and that was a miss for making me care at first. Andre’s “handler,” Wes, who owns (runs?) the dark-sex-fantasy business, seemed to know all about him, but, we never learn much about why Wes is running this dark sex fantasies site in the first place, or why and how Andre wound up working for him. In fact, I kept thinking I should recognize Wes from the first two books, but I…don’t, and I think we needed to learn more about him. He’s so sensitive to Andre’s hair-trigger obsessive nature and knows when he’s going over the line and steps in, but…why? Who is Wes?
Most important, we never hear that Andre quits working for Wes/the app and won’t be taking on anymore assignments, now that he’s fallen for Elias, which was a major weird oversight. He and Elias never talk about it, and I kept waiting and WAITING for it. I got no sense of how long Andre had been doing it and how many clients he might have serviced (it is sex-for-hire for dark fantasies), or that he didn’t want to do it anymore. It was a huge hole in the romance, and puzzling. I assumed he wouldn’t, and that it sure wouldn’t be okay with Elias, but, c’mon, clear that up!
BUT. Once things took off and Andre started making his moves, doing his stalking, taking over Elias’s life and bringing him to work for Andre as Andre’s PA (yep, it becomes boss-employee!) I was HOOKED hard and just loved the read. The author excels at writing the psychology of trauma authentically and respectfully (I think, layperson here, but, I sensed only caring and understanding from the storytelling), and creates strong intimate and sensitive connections, having a sense of whose broken pieces fit someone else’s perfectly in a way that is both affirming and healing to both, and Elias and Andre seemed perfect for each other.
Elias’s backstory is revealed as we go, and is as dramatic and sad as one would expect. I would have loved more insight into Andre. I know he inherited his wealth from his father/parents, but, I’m not even sure what happened to them? I didn’t retain the info (will re-read more carefully, honestly, I was eating it up/just focused on the romance…whoops…!) but I think they’re dead. And I hope Andre killed his father.
Secondary characters from previous books have their moments to shine, and I loved the evolution and new direction that Noah and Andre’s relationship went in this story. Poor Andre, unable to connect to the only people who would understand what he’d gone through…until he needs help for Elias. And now, finally, he’ll have the support system he’d had all along but been too traumatized to see and be part of. It was heartbreaking and ultimately so rewarding! Some characters fell off though, like Andre’s terrific manager, Gina. What happened to her?
The story does involve violence, but don’t worry, only the deserving die in this series. Justice is had again and again.
Overall, the romance delivered all the possessive obsessiveness I was hoping for, and I was immersed and loved this story as hoped! More please, Rina Saint!
HEA, obsession-possession, hurt-comfort, stalking, consensual non-consent (TW! this is delivering on a rape-fantasy), boss-employee, hidden identity, blood and violence. NO OM action or drama (Andre has a tough moment where he doesn’t know what Elias was up to one night, but Elias wasn’t up to anything OM-y), entirely safe for me (except…iI really wanted that “I’m not doing the fantasies anymore” discussion from Andre…! Grrrr.). Highly recommended as is this series for any looking for twisted obsessive romance. This author delivers.
My thanks to Gay Romance Reviews for the ARC; this is my free and impartial opinion.
YES!!! Another incendiary winner from Rina Saint, who so far has delivered hit after hit of obsessive-possessive romance that dances in the dark but never over my boundaries. This author understands the assignment!! This story fills in parts from The Contract and The Club, replaying key scenes from Andre’s POV and filling in blanks as it goes. You can read it as a stand-alone and not be confused, though I highly recommend all three books.
This is the third story in a continuing series about men who’ve survived hell, having been sold, collected, or even sent as young boys to an island to be used as sex slaves for rich older men predators who do all the sorts of the worst depraved things you would never want to imagine. (Suspend disbelief that some rich men would do this to their sons and heirs; that’s the premise. Some are lost boys but some are from wealth.) In the present they’ve all been rescued and gone on to claim their fortunes…and seek vengeance.
MC Andre is one such survivor, who built a life and currently runs an exclusive hotel that he acquired as part of his vengeance against one of their abusers.
Elias works in a bodega and keeps to himself, hiding a deep loneliness. He’s scrimped and saved…and bought his secret, most shameful sex fantasy through an app…
Andre receives the assignment, a client asking to be chased down and assaulted, and something about Elias trips him over the line into possessive mode. He stalks Elias while interacting with him as a bodega customer, delivers what Elias wanted, and then…takes over his life.
But Elias is hiding something that will have more impact than either knows, because neither man is who he presents to the world.
Oh, I loved this story! It started a little emotionless? I didn’t have a sense of what was at stake for either of them, it seemed more perfunctory even as Andre’s obsession amped up, and that was a miss for making me care at first. Andre’s “handler,” Wes, who owns (runs?) the dark-sex-fantasy business, seemed to know all about him, but, we never learn much about why Wes is running this dark sex fantasies site in the first place, or why and how Andre wound up working for him. In fact, I kept thinking I should recognize Wes from the first two books, but I…don’t, and I think we needed to learn more about him. He’s so sensitive to Andre’s hair-trigger obsessive nature and knows when he’s going over the line and steps in, but…why? Who is Wes?
Most important, we never hear that Andre quits working for Wes/the app and won’t be taking on anymore assignments, now that he’s fallen for Elias, which was a major weird oversight. He and Elias never talk about it, and I kept waiting and WAITING for it. I got no sense of how long Andre had been doing it and how many clients he might have serviced (it is sex-for-hire for dark fantasies), or that he didn’t want to do it anymore. It was a huge hole in the romance, and puzzling. I assumed he wouldn’t, and that it sure wouldn’t be okay with Elias, but, c’mon, clear that up!
BUT. Once things took off and Andre started making his moves, doing his stalking, taking over Elias’s life and bringing him to work for Andre as Andre’s PA (yep, it becomes boss-employee!) I was HOOKED hard and just loved the read. The author excels at writing the psychology of trauma authentically and respectfully (I think, layperson here, but, I sensed only caring and understanding from the storytelling), and creates strong intimate and sensitive connections, having a sense of whose broken pieces fit someone else’s perfectly in a way that is both affirming and healing to both, and Elias and Andre seemed perfect for each other.
Elias’s backstory is revealed as we go, and is as dramatic and sad as one would expect. I would have loved more insight into Andre. I know he inherited his wealth from his father/parents, but, I’m not even sure what happened to them? I didn’t retain the info (will re-read more carefully, honestly, I was eating it up/just focused on the romance…whoops…!) but I think they’re dead. And I hope Andre killed his father.
Secondary characters from previous books have their moments to shine, and I loved the evolution and new direction that Noah and Andre’s relationship went in this story. Poor Andre, unable to connect to the only people who would understand what he’d gone through…until he needs help for Elias. And now, finally, he’ll have the support system he’d had all along but been too traumatized to see and be part of. It was heartbreaking and ultimately so rewarding! Some characters fell off though, like Andre’s terrific manager, Gina. What happened to her?
The story does involve violence, but don’t worry, only the deserving die in this series. Justice is had again and again.
Overall, the romance delivered all the possessive obsessiveness I was hoping for, and I was immersed and loved this story as hoped! More please, Rina Saint!
HEA, obsession-possession, hurt-comfort, stalking, consensual non-consent (TW! this is delivering on a rape-fantasy), boss-employee, hidden identity, blood and violence. NO OM action or drama (Andre has a tough moment where he doesn’t know what Elias was up to one night, but Elias wasn’t up to anything OM-y), entirely safe for me (except…iI really wanted that “I’m not doing the fantasies anymore” discussion from Andre…! Grrrr.). Highly recommended as is this series for any looking for twisted obsessive romance. This author delivers.
My thanks to Gay Romance Reviews for the ARC; this is my free and impartial opinion.
January 27, 2026
If you’re looking for a reality check or a healthy, balanced relationship, don’t look this way.
This is not that book.
But if what you want is wrongness—possessive, rough, obsessive wrongness—The Chase is definitely one to read.
Rina Saint leans fully into the darker side of romance: power imbalance, dangerous fantasies, obsession that crosses lines, and situations that feel intense and sometimes unreal. The relationship between Elias and Andre isn’t meant to be safe or aspirational; it’s meant to be consuming and uncomfortable at times, and undeniably hot. The author is very clear about that, and it works because nothing is sugar-coated.
This story is driven by desire and control, by fantasy bleeding into reality, and by characters who don’t make good choices, but make interesting ones. The dynamic is deliberately unbalanced, morally grey, and messy—and the book owns that completely.
I also liked that this story connects to the Island and that we get to see Rafael and Domenic again. Spoiler alert: they are just as unhealthy and possessive as in The Club, maybe even more. There’s a very dark side to this book, from both main characters, and their trauma is explored in a way that felt more grounded and real to me—especially for Andre, but also for Rafael, Domenic, and even Dante. In their own twisted way, they end up acting like vigilantes for a good cause, and I actually enjoyed that part of the story.
That said, I did find the book repetitive at times, especially on the physical side. The sex scenes were hot, but they started to feel very similar. I almost never skim smut, but I admit I did here. Also, after Andre discovers who Elias really is, his sadistic behaviour didn’t fully work for me. The chase and the punishment concept sounded great at first, but after that point it crossed into something that felt abusive, at least to me. I’m not a huge fan of BDSM when the dominant comes across more as a controlling bastard than anything else, and some of the punishments felt unnecessarily cruel.
However—and this is a big but—I loved that Andre recognised his mistake and that we actually got proper grovelling. That part was done really well.
The Chase doesn’t ask you to approve of what’s happening—it asks you to feel it. If you enjoy dark MM romance with possessiveness, obsession, intensity, and heat, this book delivers exactly that.
Just don’t come here looking for healthy. Come here looking for dark, intense, and knowingly wrong.
I received a copy of this book from GRR, and this is my honest review.
This is not that book.
But if what you want is wrongness—possessive, rough, obsessive wrongness—The Chase is definitely one to read.
Rina Saint leans fully into the darker side of romance: power imbalance, dangerous fantasies, obsession that crosses lines, and situations that feel intense and sometimes unreal. The relationship between Elias and Andre isn’t meant to be safe or aspirational; it’s meant to be consuming and uncomfortable at times, and undeniably hot. The author is very clear about that, and it works because nothing is sugar-coated.
This story is driven by desire and control, by fantasy bleeding into reality, and by characters who don’t make good choices, but make interesting ones. The dynamic is deliberately unbalanced, morally grey, and messy—and the book owns that completely.
I also liked that this story connects to the Island and that we get to see Rafael and Domenic again. Spoiler alert: they are just as unhealthy and possessive as in The Club, maybe even more. There’s a very dark side to this book, from both main characters, and their trauma is explored in a way that felt more grounded and real to me—especially for Andre, but also for Rafael, Domenic, and even Dante. In their own twisted way, they end up acting like vigilantes for a good cause, and I actually enjoyed that part of the story.
That said, I did find the book repetitive at times, especially on the physical side. The sex scenes were hot, but they started to feel very similar. I almost never skim smut, but I admit I did here. Also, after Andre discovers who Elias really is, his sadistic behaviour didn’t fully work for me. The chase and the punishment concept sounded great at first, but after that point it crossed into something that felt abusive, at least to me. I’m not a huge fan of BDSM when the dominant comes across more as a controlling bastard than anything else, and some of the punishments felt unnecessarily cruel.
However—and this is a big but—I loved that Andre recognised his mistake and that we actually got proper grovelling. That part was done really well.
The Chase doesn’t ask you to approve of what’s happening—it asks you to feel it. If you enjoy dark MM romance with possessiveness, obsession, intensity, and heat, this book delivers exactly that.
Just don’t come here looking for healthy. Come here looking for dark, intense, and knowingly wrong.
I received a copy of this book from GRR, and this is my honest review.
January 25, 2026
3.5 ⭐️
Elias + Andre
Primal play | CNC | Rich/poor | Touch starved sad boy
This is Rina's darkest book for sure.
It definitely had some questionable things that I don't feel were accurately described in the content warnings. Issues with consent mostly.
But I did enjoy it for the most part, just not as much as her others.
⚠️ potential spoilers below in detailed tropes, content and warning lists
Tropes/content:
Hotel owner and grocery store worker
Eventually boss and employee when Elias is hired as Andre's PA
Sad loner boy (cries himself to sleep most nights)
Smaller age gap (23 and 30)
Rich man/ poor man
Fantasy website
Touch starved
Stalking (physically, cameras, gps)
Butt plugs
Primal play
CNC (safe word was established on the website application)
💦 hands free
Rough sex
Fear kink
Fear boners
Mask w/voice changer
Bareback w/ confirmed test results prior
One sided phone sex/demands
Dildo
Vibrating butt plug
Dark alley sex
Rough sex
Exhibitionism
Club couch sex
Blind fold
Sadist + Masochist
Collar
Anal beads
Face fuck
They're both hard basically 24/7
Strict roles
HFN
No epilogue
They end up getting a cat and its kitten that Elias used to feed when he worked at the grocery store
Warnings:
Andre manipulates Elias's feelings and moods by not giving him attention, making him thinks he's forgotten him, etc.
Insecurity
The apartment that Andre sets up Elias in has cameras that he doesn't know about
Unconsciousness after sex
Non-con vouyerism (watches him jerk off through the cameras he doesnt know about. He later submits a fantasy to be stalked, but this was before that. He later learns about the cameras and he's not happy about it.)
Elias's mom killed herself with pills when he was a baby (not on page or more detailed than that)
Elias's dad hates him for existing. Blamed him for his mothers suicide
Drugging of one MC to another (Elias doesnt know that his stalker is also Andre, his boss. So when they end up having blind folded sex at Lush, Andre ends up drugging Elias to get him home safely without seeing his identity).
Andre has sexual trauma from a pedophile island - he gets slightly triggered a couple times when Elias grabs his dick (Elias has no idea and was blindfolded during it so couldn't see his face. You only know from Andre's inner monologue).
At one point Andre thinks Elias betrayed him (he didn't) - he first bounds him to a chair naked in a cell. When he has to pee, he puts him on the ground face down and spanks him against the ground repeatedly and hard as he pees all over himself. Was not consensual or enjoyed at all. Not part of the CNC either. This wasn't just kinky spanking and it should have been listed as such in the CW.
Self harm in the form of deep scratches on thighs and abdomen
Safe word used
Scars on Andre's back and ass from his abuse
Elias is kind of held hostage for a short time. Ends up stabbing his "dad" in the balls with a letter opener. Elias is not injured.
Elias + Andre
Primal play | CNC | Rich/poor | Touch starved sad boy
This is Rina's darkest book for sure.
It definitely had some questionable things that I don't feel were accurately described in the content warnings. Issues with consent mostly.
But I did enjoy it for the most part, just not as much as her others.
⚠️ potential spoilers below in detailed tropes, content and warning lists
Tropes/content:
Hotel owner and grocery store worker
Eventually boss and employee when Elias is hired as Andre's PA
Sad loner boy (cries himself to sleep most nights)
Smaller age gap (23 and 30)
Rich man/ poor man
Fantasy website
Touch starved
Stalking (physically, cameras, gps)
Butt plugs
Primal play
CNC (safe word was established on the website application)
💦 hands free
Rough sex
Fear kink
Fear boners
Mask w/voice changer
Bareback w/ confirmed test results prior
One sided phone sex/demands
Dildo
Vibrating butt plug
Dark alley sex
Rough sex
Exhibitionism
Club couch sex
Blind fold
Sadist + Masochist
Collar
Anal beads
Face fuck
They're both hard basically 24/7
Strict roles
HFN
No epilogue
They end up getting a cat and its kitten that Elias used to feed when he worked at the grocery store
Warnings:
Andre manipulates Elias's feelings and moods by not giving him attention, making him thinks he's forgotten him, etc.
Insecurity
The apartment that Andre sets up Elias in has cameras that he doesn't know about
Unconsciousness after sex
Non-con vouyerism (watches him jerk off through the cameras he doesnt know about. He later submits a fantasy to be stalked, but this was before that. He later learns about the cameras and he's not happy about it.)
Elias's mom killed herself with pills when he was a baby (not on page or more detailed than that)
Elias's dad hates him for existing. Blamed him for his mothers suicide
Drugging of one MC to another (Elias doesnt know that his stalker is also Andre, his boss. So when they end up having blind folded sex at Lush, Andre ends up drugging Elias to get him home safely without seeing his identity).
Andre has sexual trauma from a pedophile island - he gets slightly triggered a couple times when Elias grabs his dick (Elias has no idea and was blindfolded during it so couldn't see his face. You only know from Andre's inner monologue).
At one point Andre thinks Elias betrayed him (he didn't) - he first bounds him to a chair naked in a cell. When he has to pee, he puts him on the ground face down and spanks him against the ground repeatedly and hard as he pees all over himself. Was not consensual or enjoyed at all. Not part of the CNC either. This wasn't just kinky spanking and it should have been listed as such in the CW.
Self harm in the form of deep scratches on thighs and abdomen
Safe word used
Scars on Andre's back and ass from his abuse
Elias is kind of held hostage for a short time. Ends up stabbing his "dad" in the balls with a letter opener. Elias is not injured.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I always love returning to this fun and enthralling series that plays with pushing the limits while keeping you immensely entertained with the premise and characters. The Chase follows that same tone while providing such a fascinating story within a dark, forbidden romance.
Andre and Elias are complex characters who have specific roles in life, and watching them unravel and slowly succumb to their feelings for one another is so addicting to see. Andre is struggling with his growing feelings, while Elias is not the shy, submissive guy he often portrays himself to be.
Overall, I loved this story from start to finish. I love how exhilarating and intense this love story is and how it kept me on the edge of my seat. I cannot wait for the next entry in this series.
*** I reviewed a complimentary copy of this story.***
Andre and Elias are complex characters who have specific roles in life, and watching them unravel and slowly succumb to their feelings for one another is so addicting to see. Andre is struggling with his growing feelings, while Elias is not the shy, submissive guy he often portrays himself to be.
Overall, I loved this story from start to finish. I love how exhilarating and intense this love story is and how it kept me on the edge of my seat. I cannot wait for the next entry in this series.
*** I reviewed a complimentary copy of this story.***
January 20, 2026
JEEZ! This was intense! And I loved every second. I don't want to talk about it. It would be a shame to give things away. It would ruin the story experience. Just check your triggers and dive into this darkling if you're so inclined.
Favorites
Favorites
January 24, 2026
it's not you, it's me?
my hunt for a dark romance that doesn't make me cringe continues. there's nothing particularly wrong with this book (aside from some moments that really had me grimacing at my kindle), but nothing particularly great about it either. what doesn't work for the book probably just doesn't work for ME, but i'm sure appeals to plenty others.
i just couldn't get over one mc stroking the other's balls, and the other mc thinking "the cum inside them belongs to him"
my hunt for a dark romance that doesn't make me cringe continues. there's nothing particularly wrong with this book (aside from some moments that really had me grimacing at my kindle), but nothing particularly great about it either. what doesn't work for the book probably just doesn't work for ME, but i'm sure appeals to plenty others.
January 18, 2026
Tropes: Rich / poor, secret identity, boss / employee
Feels: 2/5
Steam*: 3/5
Kinks: praise, toys, CNC, dubcon, primal play, exhibitionism, voyeurism, BDSM
Angst: medium
HEA: HEA
Pairing: MM
Triggers/potential icks/content warnings/representation: past CSA, past childhood neglect, murder, drugging, stalking, abduction, mafia, sex trafficking
Cheating between MCs: No
Any cheating: No
Other person drama: neither of them have any interest in anyone else once they meet. Elias tries to make Andre jealous and goes to a sex club, but it was just to draw Andre out into the open.
3.5 stars
Elias ran away from his old Life 5 years ago when he was 18. He's now 23 and working at a bodega and he's bored with life. He saves up money and buys a sex fantasy online, he has dark urges and wants to live out a primal play CNC fantasy. Andre (30) is a filthy rich luxury hotel owner who moonlights working for the website, so that he can indulge his own urges. When he's assigned to Elias he starts stalking him and Elias is a perfect sexual match for him. For a good hunk of the book, Andre interacts with Elias under two identities, his real one and his masked stalker identity. After the fantasy is fulfilled, Andre doesn't want it to be over, so he hires Elias so that for one he will be close to him and for another that he will be able to afford buying another fantasy with him.
When Andre was 15, he was rescued from a sex trafficking ring. He was traumatized from repeated assaults by rich and powerful men. He's gotten revenge on at least some of those men that attacked him. He hasn't been able to open up and have a normal sex life since. With Elias catching his attention, he wants more with Elias, but it turns out Elias has a connection to what happened to Andre that might blow up their relationship, and put them both in danger.
This book was more dark erotica and it was light on the romance to me. Eventually, the mmcs both said they loved the other, but we didn't see much of the softness to their relationship. They spent so much of the book horny and f******. It seems like every opportunity that they had to talk, to get to know each other, to be soft with each other, they were just too horned up. I wish they had talked more and earlier. We only got a little softness towards the end.
I did like the rich / poor dynamic, it was funny at times. I liked that Andre was so obsessed that he went to such crazy lengths for Elias. The steam between them was good.
Some notable moments:
"Elias stares at me. “Is this a joke?” “No.” Elias keeps staring at me like I’m going to reveal that this is, actually, a joke. I just stare back and let him see that I’m dead serious. I know the instant he believes me because his face goes pale. He sways and catches himself against the counter. He keeps staring at me, his eyes huge with shock and maybe a touch of horror. God, I’m enjoying this."
"“It’s just a thought.” “It’s more than a thought. You’re making plans in your head, and you’re including me in them.” “Yeah,” he says as he slips an arm around my waist. “I am.” My breath catches. I set down my knife and turn to him. I tug at him until he jumps up into my arms, wrapping his arms and legs around me. “You can have everything you want,” I promise wildly as I look up at his beautiful, delighted face. Elias smiles down at me with soft, loving eyes and says, “I already do.”"
*FYI about steam: I rate steam based on a combination of quality & quantity. I note kink separate from steam because I don't want to underrate steamy reads that don't have much kink.
**Note about spoilers: I like to comment on the plot of a book in reviews, so I almost always mark my reviews as containing spoilers. But I try to avoid spoiling the big dramatic moments! As a reader, I personally like to know what I'm getting into before I read a book so I know more about the content and if it's to my taste/mood, so I try to give that information in my reviews for myself when I'm considering rereading and also for other readers.
Feels: 2/5
Steam*: 3/5
Kinks: praise, toys, CNC, dubcon, primal play, exhibitionism, voyeurism, BDSM
Angst: medium
HEA: HEA
Pairing: MM
Triggers/potential icks/content warnings/representation: past CSA, past childhood neglect, murder, drugging, stalking, abduction, mafia, sex trafficking
Cheating between MCs: No
Any cheating: No
Other person drama: neither of them have any interest in anyone else once they meet. Elias tries to make Andre jealous and goes to a sex club, but it was just to draw Andre out into the open.
3.5 stars
Elias ran away from his old Life 5 years ago when he was 18. He's now 23 and working at a bodega and he's bored with life. He saves up money and buys a sex fantasy online, he has dark urges and wants to live out a primal play CNC fantasy. Andre (30) is a filthy rich luxury hotel owner who moonlights working for the website, so that he can indulge his own urges. When he's assigned to Elias he starts stalking him and Elias is a perfect sexual match for him. For a good hunk of the book, Andre interacts with Elias under two identities, his real one and his masked stalker identity. After the fantasy is fulfilled, Andre doesn't want it to be over, so he hires Elias so that for one he will be close to him and for another that he will be able to afford buying another fantasy with him.
When Andre was 15, he was rescued from a sex trafficking ring. He was traumatized from repeated assaults by rich and powerful men. He's gotten revenge on at least some of those men that attacked him. He hasn't been able to open up and have a normal sex life since. With Elias catching his attention, he wants more with Elias, but it turns out Elias has a connection to what happened to Andre that might blow up their relationship, and put them both in danger.
This book was more dark erotica and it was light on the romance to me. Eventually, the mmcs both said they loved the other, but we didn't see much of the softness to their relationship. They spent so much of the book horny and f******. It seems like every opportunity that they had to talk, to get to know each other, to be soft with each other, they were just too horned up. I wish they had talked more and earlier. We only got a little softness towards the end.
I did like the rich / poor dynamic, it was funny at times. I liked that Andre was so obsessed that he went to such crazy lengths for Elias. The steam between them was good.
Some notable moments:
"Elias stares at me. “Is this a joke?” “No.” Elias keeps staring at me like I’m going to reveal that this is, actually, a joke. I just stare back and let him see that I’m dead serious. I know the instant he believes me because his face goes pale. He sways and catches himself against the counter. He keeps staring at me, his eyes huge with shock and maybe a touch of horror. God, I’m enjoying this."
"“It’s just a thought.” “It’s more than a thought. You’re making plans in your head, and you’re including me in them.” “Yeah,” he says as he slips an arm around my waist. “I am.” My breath catches. I set down my knife and turn to him. I tug at him until he jumps up into my arms, wrapping his arms and legs around me. “You can have everything you want,” I promise wildly as I look up at his beautiful, delighted face. Elias smiles down at me with soft, loving eyes and says, “I already do.”"
*FYI about steam: I rate steam based on a combination of quality & quantity. I note kink separate from steam because I don't want to underrate steamy reads that don't have much kink.
**Note about spoilers: I like to comment on the plot of a book in reviews, so I almost always mark my reviews as containing spoilers. But I try to avoid spoiling the big dramatic moments! As a reader, I personally like to know what I'm getting into before I read a book so I know more about the content and if it's to my taste/mood, so I try to give that information in my reviews for myself when I'm considering rereading and also for other readers.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 25, 2026
Alright, so going into this, my expectations were already ridiculously high because Rina Saint = usually perfection for me. Her books are intense, obsessive, emotionally unhinged in the best way. Her characters don’t fall in love nicely they spiral, they cling, they need each other like air. So yes, the bar was high high.
And honestly? I did love this book.
The setup alone had me hooked. Elias pays actual money to live out his fantasy being chased, stalked, dominated, fucked and gets paired with Andre to bring it to life , yeah, there’s this online platform that ppl actually submit their darkest fantasies, pay money and get it come to life in a safe process. So The first fantasy which is the chase happens, it’s hot, it works, fantasy fulfilled… except Andre immediately realizes there is no way this can be a one-and-done thing for him. He’s obsessed.
So what does he do? He inserts himself into Elias’s life.
Andre ends up playing two roles:
– the masked, voice-altered man who hunts Elias and owns him in his fantasy
– and the handsome stranger Elias meets at the supermarket where he works , who offers him a high-paying job as his personal assistant, complete with bonus, salary, and housing
And Elias is attracted to both versions of him. Which is delicious. Watching the fantasy slowly bleed into real life, watching Andre lose control while pretending he has all of it that part of the book worked SO well for me.
But then there are parts that I didn’t enjoy much.
The moment Elias’s real identity comes out that he’s actually a mafia heir, running from his abusive father, a man who frequented the Island where boys like Andre were raped and abused everything explodes. Andre completely snaps. He doesn’t listen. He doesn’t pause. He restrains Elias, assumes the worst, and treats him like a threat instead of a person.
And listen I understand Andre. I understand his trauma. I understand why his brain went there. He’s a survivor, deeply damaged, reacting from fear and rage.
But that scene?
It sat heavy in my gut.
I felt genuinely sad for Elias. He felt beaten down, powerless, and undeserving of what was happening to him. Andre does apologize later, and we do see him fall apart over it but for me? I wanted more. More groveling. More accountability. More reassurance that Elias hadn’t done anything wrong. That imbalance lingered longer than I was comfortable with. Elias moved on and forgave but I couldn’t.
Elias himself is okay with it. He forgives Andre. He understands where it came from. He moves forward without holding it against him. So this is very much a me-as-a-reader issue, not the book failing at what it set out to do.
And to be fair, the book does recover. They do find their way back to each other. They do fill something broken in one another. The obsession is mutual, the bond makes sense, and the ending is satisfying.
So yeah I loved The Chase.
It just didn’t hit me as hard other books of this series.
And honestly? I did love this book.
The setup alone had me hooked. Elias pays actual money to live out his fantasy being chased, stalked, dominated, fucked and gets paired with Andre to bring it to life , yeah, there’s this online platform that ppl actually submit their darkest fantasies, pay money and get it come to life in a safe process. So The first fantasy which is the chase happens, it’s hot, it works, fantasy fulfilled… except Andre immediately realizes there is no way this can be a one-and-done thing for him. He’s obsessed.
So what does he do? He inserts himself into Elias’s life.
Andre ends up playing two roles:
– the masked, voice-altered man who hunts Elias and owns him in his fantasy
– and the handsome stranger Elias meets at the supermarket where he works , who offers him a high-paying job as his personal assistant, complete with bonus, salary, and housing
And Elias is attracted to both versions of him. Which is delicious. Watching the fantasy slowly bleed into real life, watching Andre lose control while pretending he has all of it that part of the book worked SO well for me.
But then there are parts that I didn’t enjoy much.
The moment Elias’s real identity comes out that he’s actually a mafia heir, running from his abusive father, a man who frequented the Island where boys like Andre were raped and abused everything explodes. Andre completely snaps. He doesn’t listen. He doesn’t pause. He restrains Elias, assumes the worst, and treats him like a threat instead of a person.
And listen I understand Andre. I understand his trauma. I understand why his brain went there. He’s a survivor, deeply damaged, reacting from fear and rage.
But that scene?
It sat heavy in my gut.
I felt genuinely sad for Elias. He felt beaten down, powerless, and undeserving of what was happening to him. Andre does apologize later, and we do see him fall apart over it but for me? I wanted more. More groveling. More accountability. More reassurance that Elias hadn’t done anything wrong. That imbalance lingered longer than I was comfortable with. Elias moved on and forgave but I couldn’t.
Elias himself is okay with it. He forgives Andre. He understands where it came from. He moves forward without holding it against him. So this is very much a me-as-a-reader issue, not the book failing at what it set out to do.
And to be fair, the book does recover. They do find their way back to each other. They do fill something broken in one another. The obsession is mutual, the bond makes sense, and the ending is satisfying.
So yeah I loved The Chase.
It just didn’t hit me as hard other books of this series.
January 18, 2026
WELL HELLO dark stalker, primal mm romance book that I didn't know I needed in my life until I read it!
This is the first book I have read from Rina Saint, but I am immediately going and buying the first two books in this series. I never felt super lost while reading this one. I only felt like a couple scenes in the late-middle part of the book didn't resonate as strongly with me because there are definitely characters in this who were also in books 1 and/or 2, and I just don't know their stories.
There are so many great, delicious things going on in this book. We have
- Primal chases
- Stalking, controlling, very much red flag of a MC lol
- Mafia vibes
- A masked man
- Rich/poor MCs
And I just ate this book up honestly. I absolutely loved Elias and him navigating his relationships with his stalker-for hire and his new boss - who, of course, is the same man - Andre.
Definitely check trigger and content warnings (I read an arc and there is a full list at the start of the book) as this one is definitely, like LEGIT dark lol.
Honestly, give me more of this please lol
I received an arc in exchange for an honest review.
This is the first book I have read from Rina Saint, but I am immediately going and buying the first two books in this series. I never felt super lost while reading this one. I only felt like a couple scenes in the late-middle part of the book didn't resonate as strongly with me because there are definitely characters in this who were also in books 1 and/or 2, and I just don't know their stories.
There are so many great, delicious things going on in this book. We have
- Primal chases
- Stalking, controlling, very much red flag of a MC lol
- Mafia vibes
- A masked man
- Rich/poor MCs
And I just ate this book up honestly. I absolutely loved Elias and him navigating his relationships with his stalker-for hire and his new boss - who, of course, is the same man - Andre.
Definitely check trigger and content warnings (I read an arc and there is a full list at the start of the book) as this one is definitely, like LEGIT dark lol.
Honestly, give me more of this please lol
I received an arc in exchange for an honest review.
January 8, 2026
I received an advanced copy of The Chase from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review!
Ugh! I’ve missed these boys! The brutally tortured souls from the Island (and Noah❤️).
Everyone already knows that I am OBSESSED with Rina Saint books. And surprise, The Chase can be added to the ‘obsessed’ category! What can I say, the lady knows how to write a DARK EROTIC af MM romance!
The Chase is book 3 in the Dangerous Games series but can be read as a standalone.
Welcome to ForbiddenX, where your darkest fantasies can come to life… all you have to do is pay to play. This was such an intriguing story line, and with the internet and sex being so prevalent today, it made this so much more believable and real.
Andre is the intense, dark, twisted soul who puts himself in the role to act out other peoples fantasies through the ForbiddenX website.
And Elias has been harboring some DARK fantasies. It’s more than just fantasies for him though, he desperately wants/needs to be SEEN. And NO ONE will see him like Andre does. When the two of them are near each other, you will literally be on the edge of your seat. The sexual tension is insane! Andre and Elias, the masochist and the sadist. Their romance is dark, controlling, obsessive and possessive as fuck… but it’s exactly what they both needed from each other.
And let me just tell you, Andre is up there with fucking Michael Myers when it comes to stalking someone who’s running from you. Felt like I was watching a horror movie (and Elias didn’t even have to trip over anything 😂)
Fantasy and reality start to blend in this beautifully chaotic and suspenseful dark love story. I could easily read a 600-700 page book about these characters. 250 pages was not enough for Andre and Elias! The HEA was WELL deserved ❤️ and I can’t wait for more in this series. Keeping my fingers crossed that we get a happily ever after for Noah, god knows that man deserves it.
Rafael 👏🏼 and 👏🏼 his 👏🏼 corset 👏🏼 vests.
That’s all.
As Ludacris says:
“you make it so good I don't wanna leave…. But I gotta kn-kn-kn-know, what-what's your fan-ta-ta-sy?”
Ugh! I’ve missed these boys! The brutally tortured souls from the Island (and Noah❤️).
Everyone already knows that I am OBSESSED with Rina Saint books. And surprise, The Chase can be added to the ‘obsessed’ category! What can I say, the lady knows how to write a DARK EROTIC af MM romance!
The Chase is book 3 in the Dangerous Games series but can be read as a standalone.
Welcome to ForbiddenX, where your darkest fantasies can come to life… all you have to do is pay to play. This was such an intriguing story line, and with the internet and sex being so prevalent today, it made this so much more believable and real.
Andre is the intense, dark, twisted soul who puts himself in the role to act out other peoples fantasies through the ForbiddenX website.
And Elias has been harboring some DARK fantasies. It’s more than just fantasies for him though, he desperately wants/needs to be SEEN. And NO ONE will see him like Andre does. When the two of them are near each other, you will literally be on the edge of your seat. The sexual tension is insane! Andre and Elias, the masochist and the sadist. Their romance is dark, controlling, obsessive and possessive as fuck… but it’s exactly what they both needed from each other.
And let me just tell you, Andre is up there with fucking Michael Myers when it comes to stalking someone who’s running from you. Felt like I was watching a horror movie (and Elias didn’t even have to trip over anything 😂)
Fantasy and reality start to blend in this beautifully chaotic and suspenseful dark love story. I could easily read a 600-700 page book about these characters. 250 pages was not enough for Andre and Elias! The HEA was WELL deserved ❤️ and I can’t wait for more in this series. Keeping my fingers crossed that we get a happily ever after for Noah, god knows that man deserves it.
Rafael 👏🏼 and 👏🏼 his 👏🏼 corset 👏🏼 vests.
That’s all.
As Ludacris says:
“you make it so good I don't wanna leave…. But I gotta kn-kn-kn-know, what-what's your fan-ta-ta-sy?”
January 24, 2026
Rating: 4
Steam: 4
PoV: dual, 1st person
Genre: dark romance, MM
Tropes / tags: past abuse, hurt / comfort, hidden identity
The Chase was a dark and intense romance from Rina Saint!
I'm really enjoying this series so far, the stories are dark and intense, all with characters that have been through a lot. Elias and Andre's story was for sure the darkest book in the series so far, and there were quite a few scenes with dubcon and lack of consent. It started off as a request on a fantasy website, but things quickly turned "real" and Andre didn't exactly follow the script at any point.
Andre was pretty manipulative, and he couldn't stay away from Elias even after the fantasy request had been fulfilled. Elias, on the other hand, was starved for attention and affection, so while he didn't react well to everything that Andre was doing, he was loving the attention of his stalker. There were a lot of 'forbidden' desires and fantasies, obsession and possessiveness, but also elements of self-acceptance and healing from the past.
I liked seeing the pieces fall together when it came to both Elias and Andre's pasts, even if it truly got messy at one point. Elias' past in particular added some suspense, but they had some reinforcements and I loved to see Dante, Rafael and Noah again. It was very easy to get intrigued by the story and plot overall, and I could barely put it down once I started. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we'll get Noah's story at some point, he's been through so much and he deserves a happily ever after more than anything… If you’re looking for a dark romance, I definitely recommend this series - just be mindful and check out the TWs if needed.
-
I received a complimentary copy of this book, and these are my honest thoughts and opinions.
Steam: 4
PoV: dual, 1st person
Genre: dark romance, MM
Tropes / tags: past abuse, hurt / comfort, hidden identity
The Chase was a dark and intense romance from Rina Saint!
I'm really enjoying this series so far, the stories are dark and intense, all with characters that have been through a lot. Elias and Andre's story was for sure the darkest book in the series so far, and there were quite a few scenes with dubcon and lack of consent. It started off as a request on a fantasy website, but things quickly turned "real" and Andre didn't exactly follow the script at any point.
Andre was pretty manipulative, and he couldn't stay away from Elias even after the fantasy request had been fulfilled. Elias, on the other hand, was starved for attention and affection, so while he didn't react well to everything that Andre was doing, he was loving the attention of his stalker. There were a lot of 'forbidden' desires and fantasies, obsession and possessiveness, but also elements of self-acceptance and healing from the past.
I liked seeing the pieces fall together when it came to both Elias and Andre's pasts, even if it truly got messy at one point. Elias' past in particular added some suspense, but they had some reinforcements and I loved to see Dante, Rafael and Noah again. It was very easy to get intrigued by the story and plot overall, and I could barely put it down once I started. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we'll get Noah's story at some point, he's been through so much and he deserves a happily ever after more than anything… If you’re looking for a dark romance, I definitely recommend this series - just be mindful and check out the TWs if needed.
-
I received a complimentary copy of this book, and these are my honest thoughts and opinions.
January 14, 2026
2.5 ⭐️ (rounding up for goodreads).
I received an ARC from from Gay Romance Reviews and here’s my honest opinion. Let’s get into my thoughts.
First, this was marketed as “no prior reading required” meaning I didn’t NEED to read books 1 &2. This was implied that it was a standalone and I would understand everything. The lie detector test determined……….. that was a LIE. I HIGHLY recommend reading books 1&2 before you pick this one up. You will see characters from books 1&2 and the interactions, chemistry, tension, I feel like, is so important to know BEFOREHAND. I felt so lost the last 30% of the book because it was obvious there was something else going on and history there that I didn’t know or understand.
I really struggled with Andre’s “roles”. I understand WHY he needed them and what they represented but I feel like there was no real reason the push and pull between him accepting the roles versus not, should have lasted up until 80% of the book. There were a few plot points with Elias that felt rushed and also not addressed as well.
I struggled really hard to believe remotely ANY kind of “love” and “romance” between them. It wasn’t there, as a reader, I didn’t FEEL it nor did I really see it on the pages. Between the lack of believable romance and the anticlimactic/rushed ending, I can say I think I set myself up for failure by not reading the other books. I fear I wasn’t the targeted audience for this book and that’s okay.
I wish this author nothing but the best on their upcoming release and hope they have a successful launch!
I received an ARC from from Gay Romance Reviews and here’s my honest opinion. Let’s get into my thoughts.
First, this was marketed as “no prior reading required” meaning I didn’t NEED to read books 1 &2. This was implied that it was a standalone and I would understand everything. The lie detector test determined……….. that was a LIE. I HIGHLY recommend reading books 1&2 before you pick this one up. You will see characters from books 1&2 and the interactions, chemistry, tension, I feel like, is so important to know BEFOREHAND. I felt so lost the last 30% of the book because it was obvious there was something else going on and history there that I didn’t know or understand.
I really struggled with Andre’s “roles”. I understand WHY he needed them and what they represented but I feel like there was no real reason the push and pull between him accepting the roles versus not, should have lasted up until 80% of the book. There were a few plot points with Elias that felt rushed and also not addressed as well.
I struggled really hard to believe remotely ANY kind of “love” and “romance” between them. It wasn’t there, as a reader, I didn’t FEEL it nor did I really see it on the pages. Between the lack of believable romance and the anticlimactic/rushed ending, I can say I think I set myself up for failure by not reading the other books. I fear I wasn’t the targeted audience for this book and that’s okay.
I wish this author nothing but the best on their upcoming release and hope they have a successful launch!
January 12, 2026
4.5⭐️
This book feels halfway between an erotica and a dark romance. But one thing is for sure… it’s definitely dark, and definitely erotic 😈
This story follows Andre, a survivor from the island in previous books. The owner of an expensive hotel, he is big rich, and he is big scary.
A special agency hooks him up with Elias, who is looking for a certain erotic experience (CNC). When Andre sees Elias, he knows he has to have him.
However, both characters are not what they seem on the surface!
This book has:
-a dark, erotic plot
-CNC, stalking, and other intense k*nks
-violence and a little action
-characters with layers and interesting backstories
-RED FLAG MC
-obsession
-touch him and 💀vibes
For what it is, this book was well done! The main reason I rated it so high is because it had me HOOKED and excited to read it the whole way through. Though there are some parts of the plot that maybe could have been better executed, I still enjoyed myself the whole way through.
Normally I don’t love books that are overly heavy on the spice, but this one made it work. Though the characters’ relationship is almost entirely based off of their physical connection, their dynamic somehow works for them. Is it healthy? NO. But that’s not what we’re reading dark romance for!
Anyways, definitely don’t miss this one! I think I may like it the most in the series so far! 👍
This book feels halfway between an erotica and a dark romance. But one thing is for sure… it’s definitely dark, and definitely erotic 😈
This story follows Andre, a survivor from the island in previous books. The owner of an expensive hotel, he is big rich, and he is big scary.
A special agency hooks him up with Elias, who is looking for a certain erotic experience (CNC). When Andre sees Elias, he knows he has to have him.
However, both characters are not what they seem on the surface!
This book has:
-a dark, erotic plot
-CNC, stalking, and other intense k*nks
-violence and a little action
-characters with layers and interesting backstories
-RED FLAG MC
-obsession
-touch him and 💀vibes
For what it is, this book was well done! The main reason I rated it so high is because it had me HOOKED and excited to read it the whole way through. Though there are some parts of the plot that maybe could have been better executed, I still enjoyed myself the whole way through.
Normally I don’t love books that are overly heavy on the spice, but this one made it work. Though the characters’ relationship is almost entirely based off of their physical connection, their dynamic somehow works for them. Is it healthy? NO. But that’s not what we’re reading dark romance for!
Anyways, definitely don’t miss this one! I think I may like it the most in the series so far! 👍
January 18, 2026
I have mixed feelings about this book. Maybe it was the pacing, but at some point it lost me. I didn’t like Andre, he invented all these roles for himself I get it was a defensive mechanism, but he kept slipping up. In one role he was the one to fulfill Elias fantasy for cnc, but he brought that behaviour into his other role, where Elias wasn’t being given a chance to consent at all. He was being watch, he was managed, he was left lonely and hurt. I can’t accept that. This was a miss for me. 2,5 ⭐️
January 17, 2026
Forbidden romance, dark fantasies, hurt and comfort, hidden identities, and plenty of spice in this dark mm romance.
Andre and Elias are definitely complex characters, and come with a ton of baggage, but they find what they need in each other.
I liked seeing Elias learning to love himself and see his worth, and Andre helping free him of his burdens and learn to let someone in.
It's a journey of survival and vulnerability, passion, control, and submission.
Andre and Elias are definitely complex characters, and come with a ton of baggage, but they find what they need in each other.
I liked seeing Elias learning to love himself and see his worth, and Andre helping free him of his burdens and learn to let someone in.
It's a journey of survival and vulnerability, passion, control, and submission.
January 23, 2026
Received an ARC from GRR for my Honest Review.
“I know you’re very hung up on this, but you need to let it go. You don’t need to understand why I chose you. You only need to trust that I know what I’m looking for, and it’s you.”
These characters that have come into my life via this new installment of Dangerous Games quickly became my favorite. Although I still have a soft spot for Tristan and Dante, Elias and Andre are definitely top tier for me. They both have secrets that they have hidden so deep, both are so conflicted about what they want and both hate the feeling.
Honestly there isn't a single book of Rina that I haven't read and I so far I haven't complained about a single one. Also she does spice so well but still keeps a good plot going throughout. Although she could write pure spice with hardly a plot bunny to be seen and I would absolutely devour it.
Honestly if you haven't read this series then I am going to need you to get to it. Also devour the audiobooks as well. I cannot wait to see who she has narrate this book as there hasn't been a bad choice yet.
“I know you’re very hung up on this, but you need to let it go. You don’t need to understand why I chose you. You only need to trust that I know what I’m looking for, and it’s you.”
These characters that have come into my life via this new installment of Dangerous Games quickly became my favorite. Although I still have a soft spot for Tristan and Dante, Elias and Andre are definitely top tier for me. They both have secrets that they have hidden so deep, both are so conflicted about what they want and both hate the feeling.
Honestly there isn't a single book of Rina that I haven't read and I so far I haven't complained about a single one. Also she does spice so well but still keeps a good plot going throughout. Although she could write pure spice with hardly a plot bunny to be seen and I would absolutely devour it.
Honestly if you haven't read this series then I am going to need you to get to it. Also devour the audiobooks as well. I cannot wait to see who she has narrate this book as there hasn't been a bad choice yet.
January 16, 2026
Another book from Rina Kent that I have a hard time saying I enjoyed, but in reality, that's exactly what I did. Ha ha. The third book in the series follows Andre and Elias as they navigate a highly complex and very dark arrangement turned lovers. It was a little more difficult for me to get behind the dynamic in this instalment because it had an element of misleading communication. I HATE that trope. It was fairly mild in terms of actual angst from it, but I still found myself vaguely annoyed.
I am enjoying the ongoing resolution of destroying the Society members with each new book, and the start of healing for all the guys that were victims of that fucking Island!
TW for implied child SA, sexual violence between MCs, dubcon,
I received an advanced copie in exchange for a review.
I am enjoying the ongoing resolution of destroying the Society members with each new book, and the start of healing for all the guys that were victims of that fucking Island!
TW for implied child SA, sexual violence between MCs, dubcon,
I received an advanced copie in exchange for a review.
January 23, 2026
It’s been a while since I’ve read something so… intense.
That being said, I did enjoy it. The story developed in ways that I didn’t expect, and I find myself thankful that the blurb didn’t give away much more than the sexual fantasy aspect. I found it close to impossible to put down my kindle in the second half of the book.
If you like morally (very dark) grey MCs with traumatic pasts, read this. If you like stories that slowly uncover themselves in an almost thrillery way, read this. If you like lots of spice with lots of TWs, read this.
A few things to expect from The Chase:
- class difference
- secret identity
- sad!st / masoch!st
- primal play
- exhibition!sm
- check TWs!!!
That being said, I did enjoy it. The story developed in ways that I didn’t expect, and I find myself thankful that the blurb didn’t give away much more than the sexual fantasy aspect. I found it close to impossible to put down my kindle in the second half of the book.
If you like morally (very dark) grey MCs with traumatic pasts, read this. If you like stories that slowly uncover themselves in an almost thrillery way, read this. If you like lots of spice with lots of TWs, read this.
A few things to expect from The Chase:
- class difference
- secret identity
- sad!st / masoch!st
- primal play
- exhibition!sm
- check TWs!!!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I have spent the last week devouring the first 2 books in the Dangerous Games series in preparation for this book and it was sooo worth it. Andre and Elias have a cat and mouse primal/feral relationship going that's got a side of stalker and fantasy fulfillment. But things are not all whips, collars, and safewords. All roads lead back to the Island, the boys who were kept there, the evil who abused them, and Noah, who saved them. I love this series, even though it can be a tough read. Thank you to GRR for the ARC. This is my honest review.
January 21, 2026
This is definitely darker than the other books in the series, but I still enjoyed it overall. Wasn't the biggest fan of Andre sometimes, but I did understand why he was like that. Loved the sweet moments between him and Elias though 💗 Loved the cameos we got too!
At some point though, I was afraid that these men were having medical issues, because they were hard practically 24/7. Jesus Christ.
I'm wondering if we're getting a book about Wes, he was interesting to me.
At some point though, I was afraid that these men were having medical issues, because they were hard practically 24/7. Jesus Christ.
I'm wondering if we're getting a book about Wes, he was interesting to me.
January 15, 2026
Obsessed with this book from start to finish. It was delicious and I need more of them stat. 😂
January 21, 2026
Dark, twisted
Elias has a fantasy, Andre is the one chosen to fulfill it.
Their connection is instant, steamy, and explosive.
The push and pull between them and fantasy and reality kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the entire book.
Elias has a fantasy, Andre is the one chosen to fulfill it.
Their connection is instant, steamy, and explosive.
The push and pull between them and fantasy and reality kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the entire book.
January 16, 2026
This book was incredible! It's the third installment in the series and might just be my new favorite. I couldn't put it down and found myself eager to keep reading. Every aspect of this book was engaging and left me wanting more. Since it's a dark romance, be sure to check for triggers, but if dark romance is your thing, this book is definitely worth your time.
January 22, 2026
omg, omg, omg, what a fantastic story. I love all the series. Please, please, more
Raina, your writing is a brilliant fantastic way you write your story. Thanks for brilliant searies
Raina, your writing is a brilliant fantastic way you write your story. Thanks for brilliant searies
January 25, 2026
You said:
paraphrase and make it different:
Welcome to ForbiddenX, where your darkest fantasies can come to life… all you have to do is pay to play. This was such an intriguing story line, and with the internet and sex being so prevalent today, it made this so much more believable and real.
Andre is the intense, dark, twisted soul who puts himself in the role to act out other peoples fantasies through the ForbiddenX website.
And Elias has been harboring some DARK fantasies. It’s more than just fantasies for him though, he desperately wants/needs to be SEEN. And NO ONE will see him like Andre does. When the two of them are near each other, you will literally be on the edge of your seat. The sexual tension is insane! Andre and Elias, the masochist and the sadist. Their romance is dark, controlling, obsessive and possessive as fuck… but it’s exactly what they both needed from each other.
And let me just tell you, Andre is up there with fucking Michael Myers when it comes to stalking someone who’s running from you. Felt like I was watching a horror movie (and Elias didn’t even have to trip over anything 😂)
Fantasy and reality start to blend in this beautifully chaotic and suspenseful dark love story. I could easily read a 600-700 page book about these characters. 250 pages was not enough for Andre and Elias! The HEA was WELL deserved ❤️ and I can’t wait for more in this series. Keeping my fingers crossed that we get a happily ever after for Noah, god knows that man deserves it.
ChatGPT said:
Here’s a fresh paraphrase with a different flow and voice, while keeping the same punch and vibe:
Welcome to ForbiddenX—a place where the most forbidden desires are only a credit card swipe away. The premise hooked me immediately. In a world where sex and anonymity thrive online, this story feels unsettlingly possible, which makes it hit even harder.
Andre is dark, intense, and deeply unhinged in the best way—a man who becomes the vessel for other people’s hidden desires through the ForbiddenX platform. Elias, on the other hand, isn’t just fantasizing. He’s starving to be noticed, to be truly seen. And no one understands or recognizes him the way Andre does.
Whenever these two share the page, the tension is suffocating. I was holding my breath the entire time. The chemistry? Absolutely feral. Masochist meets sadist in a relationship that’s possessive, obsessive, controlling, and completely unfiltered—and somehow, exactly what both of them have been craving.
Also… Andre’s stalking game? Next level. Honestly, he gave full-on horror movie energy—Michael Myers style. I half expected dramatic chase music while Elias ran for his life (without even tripping once 😂).
This story blurs fantasy and reality in a way that’s chaotic, seductive, and suspenseful all at once. I needed more. I could’ve devoured 600–700 pages of Andre and Elias without hesitation—250 pages barely scratched the surface. Their HEA was absolutely earned ❤️ and I’m already desperate for the next book. And please—let Noah get his happy ending too. That man has suffered enough.
If you want it shorter, spicier, or more review-style vs. gush-post, just say the word 😌📚
You said:
shorter and spicier
ChatGPT said:
Here you go — short, sharp, and spicy 🔥
Welcome to ForbiddenX, where taboo desires are just a click away. The concept is dark, addictive, and disturbingly believable in today’s online world.
Andre is dangerous, intense, and deliciously twisted—living out other people’s fantasies through the site. Elias isn’t just fantasizing, though. He’s desperate to be seen, and no one sees him like Andre does. Every scene they share crackles with tension. Masochist meets sadist, and the result is obsessive, possessive, controlling chaos—in the best way possible.
And Andre? Absolute menace. His stalking skills rival a horror movie villain (Michael Myers energy, for real 😈).
Fantasy and reality blur into a suspenseful, dark romance that I wanted way more of. 250 pages wasn’t enough—these two deserved double. Their HEA was earned ❤️ and I’m already dying for the next book. And please… give Noah his happy ending too.I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review.
January 26, 2026
I feel like this had potential. I've read other books from this author and liked them better, so I expected more and I know that the author is capable of better too. I have lots of mixed feelings, but overall this is a book that didn't work for me unfortunately, although not everything is bad.
When I started the book I was liking it up until 1/3 of the story and thought that so far it'd be a 3 or 3.5 stars book. Despite the mutual insta-attraction (something that isn't a preferred element for me), what I enjoyed how intriguing was the story initially and that the dynamic between MCs shifted to became something more interesting. I was really liking the boss/employee thing and the hidden identity element.
Now is where I begin ranting a bit because this book feels divided in two different storylines that weren't well connected. I understand the reason behind some of the choices made, but I just thought the second part after some of the reveals and getting to know more of both MCs' backstories felt jarring. Like I wasn't sure I was still reading the same book.
I also couldn't take the story seriously in general, one of the reasons being that the characters wouldn't stop getting hard when they were around each other. I get it to a certain degree because the development was expressed partly through to the sex scenes, but it happened so often that at one point I couldn't take it seriously anymore. And I don't like it when dark/darkish books take me out of the atmosphere.
I felt that the characters were written in a way that felt like charicatures because of how ingrained the kinks were to their characterization with little room to actual substance. They felt mostly empty to me despite their backstories appearing in the second half, because as I said before: it didn't feel to me like I was reading the same book.
The themes that the author later tried to incorporate weren't executed to their best due to the small amount of pages left. Everything was resolved way too easily, the hidden identity thing didn't deliver a good payoff, and the constant sex scenes that happened everytime a big event took place had me bored and confused because I wanted an actual connection between the MCs outside of sex and their shared kinks. And I don't mean that it isn't possible to show that through sex, but most of it became repetitive and out of place during the second half. It didn't feel meaningful to their relationship nor story because of how constant it happened on page, except for like the last one.
I just think this book wasn't for me. The first half had me expecting one thing, so when the story shifted into something else that didn't feel recognizable after the first half, paired with the sudden addition of themes that just made it all unnecesarily convoluted when it shouldn't have been for a 250 pages long book, I stopped caring.
I really wish I could've enjoyed this much better. I will keep trying this author's future works, I'm hoping those are more to my liking.
I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review.
Tags: (might miss some of them)
-POV: first person
-Content warnings:
-Elements:
-Kinks:
-Sexual act(s):
-Dynamic:
When I started the book I was liking it up until 1/3 of the story and thought that so far it'd be a 3 or 3.5 stars book. Despite the mutual insta-attraction (something that isn't a preferred element for me), what I enjoyed how intriguing was the story initially and that the dynamic between MCs shifted to became something more interesting. I was really liking the boss/employee thing and the hidden identity element.
Now is where I begin ranting a bit because this book feels divided in two different storylines that weren't well connected. I understand the reason behind some of the choices made, but I just thought the second part after some of the reveals and getting to know more of both MCs' backstories felt jarring. Like I wasn't sure I was still reading the same book.
I also couldn't take the story seriously in general, one of the reasons being that the characters wouldn't stop getting hard when they were around each other. I get it to a certain degree because the development was expressed partly through to the sex scenes, but it happened so often that at one point I couldn't take it seriously anymore. And I don't like it when dark/darkish books take me out of the atmosphere.
I felt that the characters were written in a way that felt like charicatures because of how ingrained the kinks were to their characterization with little room to actual substance. They felt mostly empty to me despite their backstories appearing in the second half, because as I said before: it didn't feel to me like I was reading the same book.
The themes that the author later tried to incorporate weren't executed to their best due to the small amount of pages left. Everything was resolved way too easily, the hidden identity thing didn't deliver a good payoff, and the constant sex scenes that happened everytime a big event took place had me bored and confused because I wanted an actual connection between the MCs outside of sex and their shared kinks. And I don't mean that it isn't possible to show that through sex, but most of it became repetitive and out of place during the second half. It didn't feel meaningful to their relationship nor story because of how constant it happened on page, except for like the last one.
I just think this book wasn't for me. The first half had me expecting one thing, so when the story shifted into something else that didn't feel recognizable after the first half, paired with the sudden addition of themes that just made it all unnecesarily convoluted when it shouldn't have been for a 250 pages long book, I stopped caring.
I really wish I could've enjoyed this much better. I will keep trying this author's future works, I'm hoping those are more to my liking.
I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review.
Tags: (might miss some of them)
-POV: first person
-Content warnings:
-Elements:
-Kinks:
-Sexual act(s):
-Dynamic:
January 18, 2026
💜🖤He's my stalker and my monster. He's my captor. My owner🖤💜
"I know exactly how dangerous I am. I know how twisted and dark my soul is. That's why I have to do things this way."
"This is the truth of what he is, and it's been buried, dormant, half-dead. Now, with me watching him, stalking him, needling him, he's coming to life."
"If he's not home soon, I'll have to hunt him down--along with anyone who's dared touch him. He's mine."
"Elias starts crying after. It's ugly and lonely and desperate. Soon, baby. Soon."
"We are predator and prey, and if he catches me, he will destroy me. That is fear in its purest, truest form."
"I, half savior, half tormentor, crook my finger at him--and he comes to me. God, he's such a good boy. Such a beautiful, obedient boy."
"I see him, despite the mask. My monster. He's always wearing a mask, even when he's not. But he can't hide from me."
"You like that? You like that these men died for you? Or do you like that I killed them for you?"
"He's my stalker and my monster. He's my captor. My owner."
This series keeps getting better and better. This book was fantastic. It was spicy, kinky, dark, unhinged, and emotional. I have read everything this author has written and her stories are always flawless. I love how her characters are flushed out. The plot kept me fully engaged. I love how this series is interconnected with some characters and past trauma. This author writes spice perfectly. This was spicin hot on another level 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥. The trauma and emotional baggage was written with care and so well.
This story follows Elias and Andre. Elias put in for a request to fulfill a fantasy on a website. Andre comes across this fantasy and starts to stalk Elias to see if he can handle this task. Andre ends up becoming obsessed with Elias. He stalks him at work as himself, then he stalks him at night in a mask as a monster. The fantasy gets fulfilled, but they both want more and Andre can't let him go. Andre manipulates the situation and gets Elias to work for him at his hotel. These two get in very deep with obsession and a line blurs between fantasy and reality. Andre is having a hard time coping with things given his past and being a survivor of the island. Elias is hiding secrets and running from his past as well. What will happen when both of their pasts collide? What will happen when Andre finds out who Elias really is? Can both of these men step out of the fantasy and make it real?
Both of these characters were so complex and interesting. Andre is a survivor of abuse. His coping mechanisms are to play certain roles to get out of his head. He is completely unhinged but also such a protective sweetheart 😂🤣. I love this man. Elias feels invisible and lives a lonely boring life. He's hiding from a horrible past. He needs someone to make him feel alive and accept the darkness trapped in him. These two balanced each other so well. I love how Elias could read and understand Andre just by looking at him 🥹. I loved how Andre wanted to care for and protect Elias 🥹. He would burn down the world for his boy. I loved seeing their different roles blur from fantasy to reality. They were both walking a thin line. I loved seeing them also become vulnerable and try new things in their relationship as well. They worked hard for that HEA. Especially since they both had secret identities and secrets between them. Altho we knew Elias always had a feeling it was always Andre 😏😈. The chemistry and spicy scenes between them was 🔥🔥🔥🥵🥵. The kink was delicious 💦😏😉.
I loved seeing the cameos from the other characters in book 1 and 2. I was excited how some of the storyline arc was connected to this book as well. My soul hurts for all these boys and what they enured at the island 😭😭. I love Noah. That man is a godsend and a savior 🥰. I really hope we get a story for Wes. He intrigued me so much. Noah deserves love the most! I can't wait to see what this author writes next!
"I know exactly how dangerous I am. I know how twisted and dark my soul is. That's why I have to do things this way."
"This is the truth of what he is, and it's been buried, dormant, half-dead. Now, with me watching him, stalking him, needling him, he's coming to life."
"If he's not home soon, I'll have to hunt him down--along with anyone who's dared touch him. He's mine."
"Elias starts crying after. It's ugly and lonely and desperate. Soon, baby. Soon."
"We are predator and prey, and if he catches me, he will destroy me. That is fear in its purest, truest form."
"I, half savior, half tormentor, crook my finger at him--and he comes to me. God, he's such a good boy. Such a beautiful, obedient boy."
"I see him, despite the mask. My monster. He's always wearing a mask, even when he's not. But he can't hide from me."
"You like that? You like that these men died for you? Or do you like that I killed them for you?"
"He's my stalker and my monster. He's my captor. My owner."
This series keeps getting better and better. This book was fantastic. It was spicy, kinky, dark, unhinged, and emotional. I have read everything this author has written and her stories are always flawless. I love how her characters are flushed out. The plot kept me fully engaged. I love how this series is interconnected with some characters and past trauma. This author writes spice perfectly. This was spicin hot on another level 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥. The trauma and emotional baggage was written with care and so well.
This story follows Elias and Andre. Elias put in for a request to fulfill a fantasy on a website. Andre comes across this fantasy and starts to stalk Elias to see if he can handle this task. Andre ends up becoming obsessed with Elias. He stalks him at work as himself, then he stalks him at night in a mask as a monster. The fantasy gets fulfilled, but they both want more and Andre can't let him go. Andre manipulates the situation and gets Elias to work for him at his hotel. These two get in very deep with obsession and a line blurs between fantasy and reality. Andre is having a hard time coping with things given his past and being a survivor of the island. Elias is hiding secrets and running from his past as well. What will happen when both of their pasts collide? What will happen when Andre finds out who Elias really is? Can both of these men step out of the fantasy and make it real?
Both of these characters were so complex and interesting. Andre is a survivor of abuse. His coping mechanisms are to play certain roles to get out of his head. He is completely unhinged but also such a protective sweetheart 😂🤣. I love this man. Elias feels invisible and lives a lonely boring life. He's hiding from a horrible past. He needs someone to make him feel alive and accept the darkness trapped in him. These two balanced each other so well. I love how Elias could read and understand Andre just by looking at him 🥹. I loved how Andre wanted to care for and protect Elias 🥹. He would burn down the world for his boy. I loved seeing their different roles blur from fantasy to reality. They were both walking a thin line. I loved seeing them also become vulnerable and try new things in their relationship as well. They worked hard for that HEA. Especially since they both had secret identities and secrets between them. Altho we knew Elias always had a feeling it was always Andre 😏😈. The chemistry and spicy scenes between them was 🔥🔥🔥🥵🥵. The kink was delicious 💦😏😉.
I loved seeing the cameos from the other characters in book 1 and 2. I was excited how some of the storyline arc was connected to this book as well. My soul hurts for all these boys and what they enured at the island 😭😭. I love Noah. That man is a godsend and a savior 🥰. I really hope we get a story for Wes. He intrigued me so much. Noah deserves love the most! I can't wait to see what this author writes next!
January 22, 2026
I received an advance copy through Gay Romance Reviews and this is my honest review.
3.8*
Really enjoyed. What a ride. I didn’t quite know if primal kink on this level was going to work for me, but… yup, it does. 🔥👀 The title of this book could be “The Chases” plural because we get so many different chase scenes. I thought I’d get tired of the concept, but I really didn’t. Andre and Elias mask themselves most of their lives, so when running unrestrained in these primal moments, they both come alive in exhilarating ways. Elias allows himself to want his wildest inclinations, while also venting his inner turmoil into the scene. Andre feels powerful and in control, while also predatory and feral. Both men have past experiences of helplessness and trauma. Primal play allows them to address that damage in their own ways.
A portion of the book is just Andre playing mind games with Elias and it’s excellent. Twisted and messed up, but such a thrill. Andre plays two directions against Elias, who is stuck in between demands that he struggles to satisfy. All of this is the best part of the book. 😆 It’s so sexy and surprising that it really brings Elias out of his shell and into the light. The more Elias submits, the more feral Andre gets. Good times. 👏 That said, there are many moments of let down, disappointment, and angst, since Andre is toying with his prey. Some of these moments feel worse than others. One of my favorite scenes, however, is when Elias manages to turn the tables on Andre. It’s fun, unexpected, sexy, and surprisingly tender.
We learn more about each MC over the course of the suspense plot, and eventually, they start sharing a few of the broken pieces of themselves. They already have a BDSM dynamic, but that shifts to include caretaking that goes both directions pretty equally. Both want the primal outlet, but both also need comfort. That gives me hope for their future.
The ending is too quick and tentative, and if I’m honest, fluffy. I wish we had an epilogue and some more substance about how they go forward. I thought Andre would want to use his resources to fight more bad guys, like his friends. All we get is Elias’s cute, but oddball, dream career path. That feels more like HFN than HEA, but others may disagree.
A few more gripes:
-The “job offer” scene is bizarre. It’s way too much. We know that Elias is smart and perceptive because it’s frequently emphasized, but he gets walked all over really quickly. There’s a better way to approach that situation without some of the toxic red flag stuff. It didn’t need to be a hard sell, at all.
-The ILU scenes didn’t work for me. The first one is intended that way, I guess. The later scene feels too quick and tacked on. I wanted some more emotional resonance.
-Elias is a hellion when locked in the penthouse. He goes full destruction-mode and I don’t know what to do with that. Where did that come from? We need to hear more about the self harm, also. It’s dropped and I don’t feel good about that.
-Elias’s bad plan is bad. Oh man. As soon as I saw where it was going I audibly said “uggh.” 🙄 I hate when characters do that stuff. Then you gotta have a rescue, which happens way too fast with all the people involved. I did like Andre hunting his prey to the woods, using his predator instincts.
-There’s a scene toward the end with a few “hold space” and “I feel” statements, which would be very healthy after a therapy session, but seem out of place with these traumatized, repressive, uncommunicative men. It took me out of the story.
Overall, I enjoyed the primal play and mind games, even if I struggled with the more practical parts of the story. Andre and Elias have a lot of starts and stops, but their chemistry and character development feel authentic. I liked the hurt/comfort development and how it overlaps with their existing BDSM dynamic. The freedom of existing inside a primal or kink fantasy is really well done. I’ll read this book again.
3.8*
Really enjoyed. What a ride. I didn’t quite know if primal kink on this level was going to work for me, but… yup, it does. 🔥👀 The title of this book could be “The Chases” plural because we get so many different chase scenes. I thought I’d get tired of the concept, but I really didn’t. Andre and Elias mask themselves most of their lives, so when running unrestrained in these primal moments, they both come alive in exhilarating ways. Elias allows himself to want his wildest inclinations, while also venting his inner turmoil into the scene. Andre feels powerful and in control, while also predatory and feral. Both men have past experiences of helplessness and trauma. Primal play allows them to address that damage in their own ways.
A portion of the book is just Andre playing mind games with Elias and it’s excellent. Twisted and messed up, but such a thrill. Andre plays two directions against Elias, who is stuck in between demands that he struggles to satisfy. All of this is the best part of the book. 😆 It’s so sexy and surprising that it really brings Elias out of his shell and into the light. The more Elias submits, the more feral Andre gets. Good times. 👏 That said, there are many moments of let down, disappointment, and angst, since Andre is toying with his prey. Some of these moments feel worse than others. One of my favorite scenes, however, is when Elias manages to turn the tables on Andre. It’s fun, unexpected, sexy, and surprisingly tender.
We learn more about each MC over the course of the suspense plot, and eventually, they start sharing a few of the broken pieces of themselves. They already have a BDSM dynamic, but that shifts to include caretaking that goes both directions pretty equally. Both want the primal outlet, but both also need comfort. That gives me hope for their future.
The ending is too quick and tentative, and if I’m honest, fluffy. I wish we had an epilogue and some more substance about how they go forward. I thought Andre would want to use his resources to fight more bad guys, like his friends. All we get is Elias’s cute, but oddball, dream career path. That feels more like HFN than HEA, but others may disagree.
A few more gripes:
-The “job offer” scene is bizarre. It’s way too much. We know that Elias is smart and perceptive because it’s frequently emphasized, but he gets walked all over really quickly. There’s a better way to approach that situation without some of the toxic red flag stuff. It didn’t need to be a hard sell, at all.
-The ILU scenes didn’t work for me. The first one is intended that way, I guess. The later scene feels too quick and tacked on. I wanted some more emotional resonance.
-Elias is a hellion when locked in the penthouse. He goes full destruction-mode and I don’t know what to do with that. Where did that come from? We need to hear more about the self harm, also. It’s dropped and I don’t feel good about that.
-Elias’s bad plan is bad. Oh man. As soon as I saw where it was going I audibly said “uggh.” 🙄 I hate when characters do that stuff. Then you gotta have a rescue, which happens way too fast with all the people involved. I did like Andre hunting his prey to the woods, using his predator instincts.
-There’s a scene toward the end with a few “hold space” and “I feel” statements, which would be very healthy after a therapy session, but seem out of place with these traumatized, repressive, uncommunicative men. It took me out of the story.
Overall, I enjoyed the primal play and mind games, even if I struggled with the more practical parts of the story. Andre and Elias have a lot of starts and stops, but their chemistry and character development feel authentic. I liked the hurt/comfort development and how it overlaps with their existing BDSM dynamic. The freedom of existing inside a primal or kink fantasy is really well done. I’ll read this book again.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 156 reviews