I really enjoyed this book but it's not for everyone. It deals with some dark subject matters and the romance between adult step siblings is not for everyone but I stress there is full consent and no dubious consent here.

The stalker element really amplified the story and made it a page turner and not just dark erotica. I fully intend to read the other books in this series. This book is the first.

I received an arc of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book is so so good. Love the kink and their relationship. Both characters were different yet they suit well and compliments each other. There's actions and emotions involved. Looking forward to read the next one. Simply couldn't put it down. I finished it within a day. My first read from the author and definitely not my last.

The intensity of the push and pull between Avery and Shane had me completely hooked!

This book is a stepbrother, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, dark college romance. The spice starts off pretty quickly and every piece of the spice in this book was 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥. The suspense really kept me going. I had my suspicions but the ending was unexpected in some ways which I loved.

I loved this book and I can’t wait for the next book in this series to come out!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Marlee Wray for an eARC to read and review.

I really loved this book!! The chemistry was everything. I literally couldn't put it down. One of the best enemies to lovers book I'v read.

I really enjoyed this story

I thought that it had a strong and well developed storyline

It was another who dunnit story that I thoroughly enjoyed

Romance blooms and trust is restored

It is 4 stars from me for this one, highly recommended!

A dark and steamy college romance, With numerous tropes thrown in that could have easily become tacky this author managed to make it all work! I really enjoyed this dark teen romance and I will definitely be reading more from Marlee Way.

Wow. Raunchy, dark and oh so hot. Many many tropes in this one but they kind of work. I really enjoyed this step-sibling romance.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a digital copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

The author is very descriptive when it comes to details. I really enjoyed both characters and how their relationship was different than most. Even without it being "taboo", The plot of the story was very good and the relationship did not derail from it.

I overall liked this read and would tell others about it in good standing.

This book gave me everything. Irish hero, Dark romance, sooo many spicy scene, mystery, huge plot-twists etc.

During the book, i always tryna find that who’s the killer, i kept guessing and guessing but i always thought the wrong persons i guess. The twists make my heart stop. Like literally. I loved this book for that. Generally dark romances have no twists (at least, to me) but this one had so many twists. Also the obsessive hero though. I can’t say that i liked the heroine but she was ok too.

I received this book from NetGalley. I only write voluntarily.

This book was spicy in all the best ways. It felt elicit with its unconventional main character romance and the added danger of being caught in a taboo relationship while also evading a serial stalker kept me turning pages. The scenes were sultry and satisfying without detracting from the overall plot. While neither of these characters would likely be your best buddies, they're certainly intriguing enough to make me gossip about their affairs.
#MarleeWray #NetGalley

An enemies-to-lovers, dark, college romance with a hint of Irish Mafia thrown in for good measure.

Two years after a massive fall-out with her step-brother, Shane, Avery seeks him out at their college campus when she is targeted by the campus killer, Casanova. With his reputation and the kind of influence he exerts, Avery knows that Shane is the only one who can protect her. Shane, on the other hand, is not willing to forgive Avery for her betrayal two years ago and levies a heavy price in return for his protection. What he doesn't anticipate is the attraction that still continues to simmer between the two of them.

To begin with, this book was hot, dirty, steamy etc; clearly, the author is adept in writing some raunchy material and I am so here for it. The part where I had a problem with was that there were too many tropes thrown in - the step-sibling trope, the enemies-to-lovers, the college romance, a stalker/serial killer and the Irish Mafia. There was an attempt to include the dom-sub trope too, but it didn't go very far, though maybe the rough intimate scenes allude to that. And there were places where Shane refers to himself as Avery's monster, so I wonder if this was also a metaphoric nod to the paranormal trope. All-in-all, the author does make it work, tying in all the tropes together to produce a spicy, compelling story.

There isn't much info on the part that I was most interested in - the serial killer/stalker aka Casanova except for his signature lavender roses and the missing girls. This, IMO, was a big disappointment. But considering that this is a series, I hope, Casanova's identity is revealed in the upcoming books. Also, Shane having his way with Avery despite her clearly not being comfortable with it was more disturbing than romantic.

Overall, a steamy read, if one is into OTT heroes. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a digital copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

This is a new author for me and I absolutely loved this book!
Somewhere in the night there’s a predator called Casanova. He’s transformed a beautiful bastion of higher education into his hunting ground. A lone lavender rose marks Avery as his next victim…unless she’s willing to turn to the most powerful person she knows. Her stepbrother. Shane is devastatingly gorgeous. And secretly dangerous. Their poisonous past has him bent on revenge, so if she wants his protection, she´ll have to submit to his dark demands. From her knees.
I´m a sucker for a stepbrother’s romances. And this is a really good one. Shane is powerful, sexy as hell and hates Avery. Two years ago her silence destroyed his life, so he’s not a fan of helping her out. But once she is under his protection, he’ll do whatever it takes to defend her against any danger.
There are great steamy moments. Shane wants Avery for himself and works hard to destroy all her boundaries. She is kind of naïve and her demands are a bit absurd sometimes. This book is well written, engaging and addictive.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I really enjoyed this read, couldn't put it down and read in 1 sitting!!!

Shane and Avery have a past and as a result all parties were hurt and estranged. But now they go to the same university so when Avery is contacted by a serial killer so she goes to Shane for help. And he has a proposal for her.......

Shane is alpha, protective, has links to the mafia and questionable business practices but he's actually a good guy. ..and I loved him!!!

'It means… she’s the one, and she knows it.'

Avery did get on my wick a few times but her character growth was written so well.

This author is a first for me and wont be the last! I think Declan is next and I can't wait to read it!

A fantastic first experience for myself reading this author's work. It features one of my favourite tropes of enemies to lovers, combined with forbidden romance between a possessive step-brother and a quiet inexperienced step-sister. Alongside this developing romance is the mystery and intrigue of young girls going missing from the university; taken it seems by the elusive 'Casanova'. Threatened and targeted directly by said stalker, Avery seeks the protection from her step-brother Shane who she hasn't spoken to since an incident when she was fifteen.
The twists and turns of this story kept me intrigued until the very end, and the romance was at times intense and sweet throughout. My only quibble is that sometimes I felt like I was missing key information about Shane's 'business' ventures and relationship with his friends but it didn't take anything away from the story, and I cannot wait to read the second one in the series.

If you're into taboo relationships, dark new adult suspense romance, or books where the fmc asks her stepbrother for help and he says yes but only if she sucks him off once a day, everyday, until the end of the school semester, this may be for you.

Yeah, that proposition is actually on the table, and guess what? She accepts.

Avery is attending a university that is currently terrorized by a serial predator calling himself Casanova. He abducts girls that look just like her from campus and leaves a purple rose at the crime scene. Everyone is on alert and many women end up going home to be as far as possible from the school. Avery is determined to stay on campus because she has her sights set on an internship and her application is riding on doing well in her classes. She's unflappable, that is until she comes back to her dorm one night and finds a purple rose in her bed. Refusing to leave the school but hesitant to stay on her own, she seeks out her stepbrother Shane for protection. They have an estranged relationship but this forced proximity makes repressed feelings come to light and things get real hot and heavy.

I honestly could not put this down, it was so good! There's a number of things in play but I think it was all balanced well. Shane is a possessive alpha hero, Avery is an intelligent independent woman, and they have always had the hots for each other. Both characters are well developed and the overall story is intriguing and interesting. I thought the characters were mature in their reactions to what was happening, especially Shane. There's something that happens in the last 30% of the book and while you expect him to be remarkably toxic and aggressive, he exhibits a great amount of control, patience, and consideration for Avery despite his "I control the whole world" default mode.

There are some things mentioned and never addressed, and some unresolved issues, but considering this is only the first book in a series, I'm sure they'll be addressed in the latter books.

Wow, this book is incredible. There's a bit of everything- forbidden love, spice that's out of this world, mystery and suspense! It had me captivated from beginning to end. Shane and Avery are stepsiblings who have quite the history. When Avery needs Shane's help, he makes a very indecent demand in return.

"Still a virgin." He grinds against me, making my traitorous hips circle. "It's mine to take," he husks. "From now on, don't even look at another guy. No one touches you between your legs, Avery. Not even you."

"You're everything. From the second I first set eyes on you." His mouth moves up to suck on my collarbone and then my neck. A soft groan tickles my ear. "You don't know."
"I do know," I whisper, my fingers stroking his back. "I love you, too."

I loved their story, five stars. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this. It's my first book by Marlee Wray but definitely not my last. I recommend it.

This was a spicy book with likeable characters great writing. Great plot and action and suspense. I will love to read more from this author..

Hot mystery was quite the surprise. Crush to enemy to bad guy to protector, but it is all a bit different then it seems, Maybe not a bad guy after all? Or just a different kind of bad guy? Coming home, facing the truth, and the power of real love - with a serial criminal lurking about and plenty of secrets. Yea, really liked this one.

Ok, it’s dark. But it’s oh so good! And then Wray ramps up the storyline and you are left panting for more. This may be college (again it’s dark) but put any age group in and the fire is just as hot. I read nonstop and sometimes they all run together. And then you find a book this yummy and you’re reminded why you keep reading books. You will be left happy until you realize it’s a cliffhanger and then you get to searching for book 2! Can’t wait to continue Shane & Avery’s story!