Nunu Banks

I honestly don’t know where to begin. As a writer myself, I’ve never felt more disheartened reading something so brutally tasteless. The book is overwhelmingly centered around sex, and its hypocritical tone makes it difficult to take seriously. Once the plot did start to pick up, it moved far too quickly. And just as I was beginning to feel the slightest interest, it ended—on a full cliffhanger. The writing style is overly descriptive, to the point of being distracting. When a novel relies so heavily on sexual content, it’s hard not to question what exactly the author is trying to achieve. With all the time that could’ve been spent building meaningful depth, this is what we’re left with? It’s embarrassing. The story is filthy, plain and simple—and the fact that this is what readers are clinging to is deeply concerning. The main love interest supposedly wants to help others, yet treats the woman he “loves” with cruelty and violence. I understand this falls under the umbrella of dark romance, but to me, it goes far beyond that. This isn’t dark—it’s outright disturbing. At this point, the protagonist might as well be romantically involved with a serial killer. And seriously—why did you find it necessary to describe the characters’ genitals so often? It feels less like storytelling and more like a fantasy project with one focus in mind. The book heavily features rape and trauma—then attempts to justify it through a bizarre narrative where the male lead is somehow saving women like the very one he’s actively harming. If this were a real woman, no one would find this acceptable. In fact, Adelaide’s situation may be even worse, because unlike the other women, she’s trapped in a romance marketed as desirable. Romanticizing Stockholm syndrome isn’t edgy or bold—it’s dangerous. Especially when it’s masked with half-hearted redemption arcs that rely on the abuser’s so-called “good intentions.” How can you sexualize the pain and suffering of women and expect applause? Are their real-life struggles just a creative prompt for you? It’s deeply shameful. There’s nothing entertaining or clever about this book. It’s dehumanizing, disturbing, and irresponsible. Please—don’t write another book like this again. This wasn’t bold or provocative. It was sick.