Rae finds herself unable to escape her traumatic past as she builds a BDSM-based business with a dear friend.

Told using two timelines, like Levy’s excellent debut novel WALKING THROUGH NEEDLES, HURT FOR ME beautifully shows how the past can inform current events.

I enjoyed Rae’s character arc and seeing her reclaim her power and work hard to be a good mother to her daughter.

The impeccable pacing and short chapters made me devour the book in a single day.

The book is marketed as a dark romance, and while the romantic subplot is rich and well developed, there’s plenty for thriller readers to love.

The brutal portrayal of sex trafficking was difficult to read, but never felt gratuitous.

For me, HURT FOR ME is a four and a half star read rounded up to five.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thanks to Montlake for providing an Advance Reader Copy via NetGalley.

Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for the ARC!

A single mother’s brutal past threatens to destroy the new life she’s built in this suspenseful dark romance set in the underground world of kink.

Fast-paced read. Informative. I like that it delved into a world I am not too familiar with, but normalized it. It was very interesting and I enjoyed Heather’s writing.

This was an okay read for me. I appreciate that it's a very sex- and kink-positive book, which is something that I've been enjoying seeing in the book community. I enjoy a romantic thriller when it's well written, and this delivered on that aspect. The book also shows the great sacrifices that mothers will make for their children, and how past trauma can affect almost every aspect of our lives.

I was intrigued by the premise of this book, but just couldn’t get into it. The characters didn’t strike any chords with me, and the kink aspect seemed very far from the one I know from experience. It seemed more of a pulp thriller than a real experience, which might be just the thing for some readers, but not me - sorry..

Not The Typical Romance Book but…….BDSM

This book was written well. Heather Levy wrote the storyline masterfully. The present and past perspectives really helped understand the direction and how the two relate.

The story is about Rae (Echo) from her younger self to her adult self. How she came to the BDSM world. There is a romantic relationship aspect of the story between her and Dayton and watching the character development was exciting. The main theme of this story was more about high business and wealthy men involved in sex trafficking and the brutality of what they do woman and children. How do they stop them without each of their loved ones or themselves getting hurt or even killed. I believe that is what the author meant by dark was more the subject matter than the actual romance.

There was very little spice in the book and what spice there is was mild between the MMC and FMC. It is more a romantic thriller than a dark romance. That doesn’t mean the story wasn’t well written and kept you engaged throughout starting at page 1.

I would recommend to anyone who is not put off by tough or difficult subject matters and likes a romantic thriller.

Plot ⭐️⭐️⭐️.75
Character Development 🎥🎥🎥🎥
Writing Style ✏️✏️✏️✏️
Spice 🌶️

Tropes;
BDSM
Rape
Kidnapping
Sex Trafficking
Choking
Controlling / Domineering

Rating - 4/5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Date Read - November 22, 2023
Publication Date - February 1, 2024

*I received an E-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review* - Thank you @heatherllevy and @netgalley!

This book handles some tough issues and emotions but in a way that feels authentic and meaningful. I really enjoyed the writing style and the way Heather Levy approached these issues.

Usually going back and forth during books with alternating timelines is hard for me but the author did a good job clearly marking when timelines changed and making sure everything still flowed.

A lot happened near the end but I found that most of the book was spent waiting for something to happen. It was good for the suspense of it all but I wish there was a little more happening in between.

If you don't like darker books, I would stay away from Hurt For Me. However, if you don't mind the darker side, there's also some romance (not the main plot), multiple mysteries and some twists waiting for you in this book.

Get excited to read Hurt For Me, available February 1, 2024! 🎉

*Please check trigger warnings*

Hurt for Me takes you on a dark, thrilling roller coaster ride of trauma, heartbreak and grief, while also being a powerful story of shame demolishing female empowerment.

Rae Dixon, the owner of a thriving dominatrix business, was trafficked and abused when she was 15, and barely escaped with her life. Now, her life as a single mother is under her control, until one of her clients goes missing. With the cops asking questions about her livelihood, and the fears of her past coming back to life, Rae is determined to figure out what is happening to a string of missing women in her community. Creating an alliance with the detective assigned to her case, she re-explores her past to help women who may be in the same situation in the present.

Told in alternating timelines, Rae's heartwrenching story had me glued to the pages, and by the end I was sad to be done with the full cast of characters. Hurt for Me is a character-driven thriller that balances action-packed pacing with fully fleshed out emotional depth, and its depiction of the BDSM community was both respectful and insightful.

This book is INCREDIBLE!! Heather Levy is an incredible storyteller. This is my first ever book by her and I NEED TO READ HER DEBUT NOVEL. If her debut is just as WILD as Hurt for me I am in for a real treat! I love how Heather puts real perspectives about real life things in this story. The characters were such a delight!! I felt awful for Rae but she turned out to be one of my favorite characters!! This is a story that will stick with you. I LITERALLY was flipping through the pages trying to get to the very end to see what happens. I took my time on this one because I LOVED IT SO MUCH! Heather is offically an auto buy author for me now!!

A single mother’s brutal past threatens to destroy the new life she has built in this suspenseful dark romance set in the underground world of kink.

Wow! 🤩 I mean what an incredible story that explores the sensitive topic of trauma and desire. I was absolutely blown away by this book. Rae Dixon is a strong badass woman who has been through a lot in her life. I loved the relationship she has with her daughter, Lily. Lily is your typical hormonal teenage girl, but she also was willing to listen and be understanding of her mother’s life choices. In walks Detective Dayton Clearwater, this gorgeous man who is working on the case that Rae has found herself front and center in. I also absolutely loved that we have Indigenous (Choctaw) representation in this book! I highly recommend this for thriller readers, as well as romance readers because you get elements from both genres!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

CW/TW (possible spoilers): Abuse (all types), Rape, Drugging, Death/Grief, Parental Abandonment, Teen Pregnancy, Sex Trafficking, Abduction, Indigenous Injustice, BDSM, and Consensual Nonconsent/DubCon

I wrote it, so of course I love it! Writing Rae allowed me to explore a different side of sexuality and how it can promote empowerment and healing through agency. She is the heroine I want to be.

I did not know what to expect going in, but this was not it. My jaw was on the floor, in the best way.Such an amazing read.

A lot darker than I was expecting and some great twists. I'd recommend to other readers and would look for this authors work again.

Hurt for Me by Heather Levy is a captivating dark romance that delves into the mysterious realm of kink. This enthralling novel takes readers on a sensual, suspenseful, and occasionally chilling journey through the hidden depths between our professed desires and our true longings. Brace yourself for an unforgettable exploration of the underground world. Once you reach the final page, you'll find yourself yearning for more.

This is a dark and thrilling five-star read, that you must all pick up. This won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but sometimes you need to put your sensibilities aside and just get to grips with the darker side of life, I wouldn’t normally say that as normally I find these types of so overdone, but honestly this author manages to keep it all tight and together and still give you a story that will have you on the edge of your seat. Once you start this story, you will not be able to not finish it, it compels you to keep going. Rae was a character that will stay with you for a long time, the good bits, and the bad, you won’t be able to forget this well written character soon.

I really enjoyed that this was a dark romance novel, it had a great concept and characters overall. I enjoyed how strong the writing was and that it worked in the genre. Heather Levy has a great writing style and I’m glad I got to read this.

This was my first BDSM book I have ever read, and I must say I def fell in love with this book!! I could not put it down I finished it within 24 hours. Every twist and turn in this book derived me down to the core. I did cry when Viv died it took apart of me. Her story was such a Trigger in itself but to see how she pulled out so strong in the end and a great mom was so wonderful a lot of people don't do that. I will recommend this book to everyone I know and will be buying it to add to my collection.

What an interesting and thrilling book…had suspense, a touch of spice and humor all wrapped into one. We are treated to the main character’s past and present POV. Loved the MC…she was blunt and bad ass while encouraging sexual fantasies, hahaha! What a combination! I definitely recommend this book. Hopefully there’ll be audiobook version 🤞

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the gifted ARC…as all opinions are my own.

I’m still a little hungover (in the best way!) from reading Hurt For Me. What a spectacular thriller and romance. So happy I got to read this one early!
With her sophomore novel, Levy offers up a fierce fever dream of sensuality, danger, and human emotion—a tangled web woven with clever twists and propulsive, masterful prose. A darkly romantic triumph of visceral suspense, married with desire and revenge. Unputdownable.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the advance review copy

Thoroughly enjoyed Heather’s new book. She did well with dual timelines that kept me interested on both without muddling Rae’s full story. Sometimes with dual timelines one storyline seems more interesting and attention-grabbing than the other. This was not the case in Hurt For Me. Rae is also a strong female lead that gives a breathe of fresh air to the crime/thriller genre. This sexy romantic thriller is sure to hit that sweet spot many are looking for.

Stunning, new & fresh, and an amazing peek inside the BDSM world. This is a feminist thriller and it's sexy, but not super spicy. More dark romance. Excellent plot with great characters. The MC is a badass and a survivor of sex trafficking/abuse and she builds a life for herself throughout, which was cool, even during murdery stuff and fighting off bad creeps, she stays a bad ass, we all see vulnerability and seeking help. One dashing detective too!
Levy really brought it all together in this one. I was HOOKED from the beginning.
I loved it. All the stars and big recommend. Thriller lovers are going to love this one!!!

I'm a fast reader and still didnt want to put it down.

(It's sex positive, consent is at the forefront and positive about safe sex work.)