Date Read
February 20, 2026
Summary / Synopsis
“I wanted this woman, and I was a man who always got what he wanted.”
Nico “Junior” Trocci knows Lauren Marchetti is off limits. She is sweetness and laughter, whereas Junior exists in a world of violence and depravity. Men like him don’t get to have women like her. It’s why he pushed her away back in high school and kept his distance ever since.
But when Junior looks Lauren up online, he discovers the shy, bookish girl he remembers is gone. In her place is a strikingly beautiful woman whose social media is filled with scantily clad pictures of herself and a connection to a nearby play club. Junior’s innocent curiosity quickly turns into a dark obsession. Watching Lauren from a distance isn’t enough; he needs to make her his.
“He’s ruthless; a walking red flag. Good thing red is my favorite color.”
Lauren is intrigued by the mystery man who keeps showing up at her club, who tempts her white-hot desires. But as their flirty online messages stir up a deeper form of connection, Lauren worries she’s developing real feelings for this brooding stranger. As their combined desire ratchets up to a breaking point, who will seduce who?
Trigger Warnings
Dark romance themes
Obsessive behavior and possessiveness
Power imbalance in relationships
Emotional manipulation
Stalking or surveillance themes
Explicit sexual content (consensual, adult)
Dubious consent dynamics (contextual, genre-typical)
Violence or threats of violence
Trauma and emotional distress
Jealousy and controlling behavior
My Takes
This was not as good as Lights Out. I was not looking for it to be the same book, but I wanted the same banter, the same fun. It wasn't. It was a 2.5 Star book for me and only a 2-chilli pepper, even though there is a lot of sex since most of this happens in a sex club.
