When a man turns the town of Springwood into a slaughterhouse for Quinn’s name, she runs. Five years later, she feels him in Akron searching for her, eager to possess her and take her home. She can’t go back—not after what he did—yet she can’t escape his grasp. When she falls into his snare she expects violence, but monsters are rarely predictable, and this one is eager to show her the truth he believes she’s been missing all along. 

This was my favourite story of the series so far: dark, twisted, and utterly enthralling. I enjoyed the suspense and mystery elements, with enough hints dropped to see the reveal coming, whilst still being satisfying; the pacing was also much improved compared to Depraved and Brutal, which both felt rushed at the end. The vibes for this one were more to my speed, with less of an insta-love feel; the tension and chemistry between FMC Quinn and MMC Gabriel allowed to build through the push/pull and cat/mouse dynamics. Quinn is sassy and snarky, and she’s a real fighter, and seeing her growth through the story was fascinating. Gabriel, unhinged as he is, is one of my favourite morally grey boyfriends: obsessive and rabid for his vicious darling, but also utterly protective in his own sweet way.