Thank you @NetGalley and @Dreamscape_media for this Advanced Listener Copy 🫶 I am so happy to be a party of the #NetGalleyReviewer Team

🎧Audiobook Review:

Forbidden Love - Pagan Rituals - Masked Men - Forrest/Cabin Setting - Touch Her & 💀 ‘Heathens’ by @atlahensley has ALL THAT & MORE!

“This man had reached out and grabbed a hold of my barely beating heart and made me feel alive, made me feel like I could do anything.”

I was so excited for the approval of this ALC as I have been trying to dip my toes into the dark romance genre 🖤😉 BUT WOW it looks like I took a page out of our FMC Storee’s book and damn near jumped into the DR ocean 😅

This book was incredible spicy & endlessly entertaining! Its fast paced nature and amazing Dual POV narration made it an easy 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The modern coastal forrest setting paired with ritualistic pagan practices made for a rich, dark, & enticing reading experience. Our MMC Locke was intensely charismatic & his infatuation with FMC Storee was thrilling!

Heathens is a solid dads best friend dark primal play romance. Story sets herself to be part of the Hunt, then somehow seems surprised when she gets exactly what she asks for. Locke is one of the leaders of the Hunt and her dads best friend. Locke also runs a sex club that he has never allowed Story to go to. This book was pretty much what you expect when you think of short erotica novell. Was it mind blowing? Nah, but it kept me entertained. And the spice? Gimme more please lol. Not sure how I feel about the end though, it felt very rushed and jumbled. Hoping it gets cleared up in the next installment. The narrators did a great job with the dual POV and kept me in the story. Planning to check out more of Alta's books ASAP

3.5⭐️ | 3.5🌶️

This was a reread for me, and I had just as much fun this time around as I did the first time!

Listen… is this a literary masterpiece? Absolutely not. But does it deliver on the vibes, the spice, and pure entertainment? 100%. Sometimes, I just want a book that’s easy to sink into, one that doesn’t take itself too seriously but still keeps me hooked—and this one does exactly that.

I really enjoy the premise and found myself invested in the characters all over again. There’s something about the way the story unfolds that makes it such a fun escape. Plus, knowing there’s a book two on the horizon has me lowkey excited to see where things go next!

A huge thank you to NetGalley and the author for the ALC—I had a blast revisiting this book!

I am clearly trying to push my boundries these days with these reads...

First and foremost, it's giving age gap. It's possisive. It's stalker. It's daddy's best friend, dubious consent, and real big, girly that camera was not left by the previous owners, energy.

Straightforward as they come, this read gave me anxiety. By the end my anxiety for the characters certainly felt like Hensley's intention and I can be open to that. Overall, my interest is peaked and intent was clear. To me, that's what is important for an exploratory read.

Heathens- Alta Hensley
Narrated by Marie Hawkins and Robin Blake

Rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Narration 🎧🎧🎧🎧🎧

I really liked the first like 80% of the book, but the ending kind of fell apart for me. It seemed rushed but slow at the same time. I honestly thought Story knew that Locke was her stalker/hunter. I also felt at the beginning that I was missing backstory that was kind of important. Like not vital to get this story, but that would have helped paint a fuller picture had I gotten it. The spice was ✨spoicy✨

Marie and Robin did fantastic in this dual narration. They honestly made this book for me. I’m not sure I would have been quite as interested if they didn’t do such a great job narrating.

Right so the synopsis for this book gives little away and I was in the mood for a dark romance but a shorter read. However it soon became a problematic book for me, not due to the primal play, but how negative connotations and steriotypes were used! We follow Storee and Locke. Locke was her dads best friend before he died and is now her guardian (shes an adult but he promised to take care of her)! He has feelings for her and is battling them (well trying lol). He watches her from the shadows, obsessed with keeping her safe. Storee has been in love with Locke since she was 18, but like Locke wont admit it out loud. Even though Locke is a millionaire who wants to look after her she refuses and works odd jobs for money much to his annoyance.
The small town is not quite normal 😂 Lots of criminal activity, danger, sex parties and Locke owns The Vault, a kink based sex club. After the harvest moon each year there is The Hunt! Woman have the option to take part, if you decide its for you then you change your porch bulb to red. Then comes the Primal Play! The men wear animal skull masks and hunt a woman through the woods, if he catches her he can do as he pleases. Both sides know what they are agreeing too, there are rules and everyones vetted for diseases. The following day the woman are left a basket of VERY expensive gifts on the porch (not sure how I feel about that, many do it for the money) and it's anonymous, so the woman don't know who they f*cked.
You can guess where this is going right!? Storee is against it but......Then I DNFd the book sadly!
As a Pagan myself one thing that did bother me about this book is the constant referral to the parties and hunt as....'its a pagan like THING', 'people will be dressed all pagan and shit'.....like this is pagan behaviour on any level! Primal Play is a sex kink, not related to the path of paganism but based on the primal instincts of humans when they were more connected to their animal/primal urges (think cave man). The more these out dated beliefs, incorrect statements and negative connotations towards people's spiritual beliefs were made, the more I was losing interest in this author.
If you have read Lights Out the very end has a Primal Play scene in the woods done very well!
I don't normally review a DNF but in this case it wasn't just a book not for me, I was offended. Done well I think this book could have been great but I found the author uneducated in the terms she was using and statements she was making. Paganism is a recognised religion in many countries, this is feeding into incorrect negative and outdated connotations/stereotypes. Making out their 'debauchery' (Locke's own words) is based on pagan beliefs or activities.

If you like dark romance this one is for you!
The age gap and mafia/ secret society trope they had going on in the book was addictive and I enjoyed the ride

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 Stars – Dark, Primal, and Deliciously Sinful

Heathens by Alta Hensley is a seductive plunge into the depths of primal desire, where the line between hunter and prey blurs in the most tantalizing ways. From the moment the chase begins, the intensity never lets up, delivering a dark and twisted game of submission that is as thrilling as it is sinful.

The spice in this book is off the charts—raw, uninhibited, and dripping with tension. The dynamic between the characters is electric, filled with an undeniable chemistry that kept me eagerly turning the pages. The masked hunt, the possessive edge, and the unrelenting passion all came together in a way that made this story impossible to put down.

While I loved the intensity, I did find myself wanting just a bit more depth in the emotional connection between the characters outside of the primal play. A little more exploration of their relationship beyond the chase would have made this a five-star read for me.

That being said, Heathens delivers exactly what it promises—a dark, intoxicating, and wildly erotic experience. If you’re in the mood for something primal, possessive, and unapologetically steamy, this one absolutely delivers.

The narrators are definitely what made this book, they did an amazing job!

Okay I didn’t absolutely love it, but I didn’t hate it either. I just had a really hard time connecting to the characters and felt like everything was kind of drawn out. Like I was waiting for something really big to happen…then it didn’t. Felt like we were missing some details that would be importantly to Story and Locks relationship,

Please check your trigger warnings before getting into this book.

Forbidden
Age gap
Dad's best friend
Primal Hunter/ prey

this book was very intriguing to me, I was hooked with the tropes cause age gap with dads best friend yes please sign me up 😅

if your looking for a book with a solid plot keep scrolling. This book does lack in the plot department but the spice be spicing.

The summary book was very interesting to me, I just felt there wasn't a lot going on between the spicy scenes.

All in all it was a good listen, the narrator was great
Thank-you dreamscape and netgalley she the ALC in exchange for an honest review

The narrators were great and easy to listen to. The story was interesting with a good bit of spice, and definitely a lil dark and twisted at times. Overall, it was fast paced and enjoyable if you like dark romance.

This was a pretty good read. The book features the FMC Storee who signs up to be in a hunt to make extra money. She also happens to have a thing for her dad's overbearing best friend. The hunt seemed to unlock something in her she didn't know she wanted. The story and audiobook was enjoyable if not a little predictable. The fmc is VERY stubborn but not quite unlikeable and the Mmc is extremely protective.

First off I’d like to thank NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for this audiobook ARC in exchange for my honest review!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️/5

This audiobook is SPICY! If you like dads best friend, cat and mouse, masked men, CNC and more then this is for you! But PLEASE check trigger ❌warnings before you start! This book has little plot but lots of spice and is a quick and easy read!

I honestly loved the plot and would love to learn more about it! This was my first book by this author but will not be my last! I’m obsessed with The FMC Storee and MMC Locke and wish I could have learned more about them. I love a fast-paced super spicy book that leaves me wanting more!🩷

Of this sounds like it’s up your alley then I absolutely recommend reading this book!

This book wasn’t for me. I wish there was more plot or I should say that the plot was explored more than it was. I was left wanting more of the plot. I would still recommend this to my readers as I think it’s still something a lot of dark romance readers would enjoy.

Hahaahahahha this book was not it. Okay don’t get me wrong, the first 1/2 is decent and engaging. But the. I feel like it just, idk, fell apart. Went nowhere?

This was a quick read. Fast paced. Forbidden Dad's Best Friend trope. I enjoyed it as something to pass the time. Would I go desperately recommending to my friends? Probably not, but if Dad's Best Friend is your jam, give it a try! The narrators were great! I wasn't annoyed with they did the opposite sex voices, but I would have enjoyed it more are a duet. The scenes were spicy! It was fast paced, and some plot.

Is Primal Play and Age-Gap your kink? (Because it sure as hell is mine.) Then you’ll be all over this like sweat on a man who’s been chasing his prey through the woods all night.

First off—Stag mask. Hell yes. Finally, something other than a tired, overused 90s slasher mask, you read everywhere now. This is creativity. This is “I’m about to be hunted through the trees, and I’ve never been more turned on.”

Now, let’s talk about what’s inside this wolf pack of yes, please. We’ve got a large age gap—no exact numbers given, but she’s early 20s, and he’s her dead dad’s best friend, which puts him somewhere 40s? 50s? It doesn't matter when the man is built and ready for a hunt. And oh, does he. (I only have one nit pick with the age-gap which will be at the bottom.)

Plot? Minimal. Smut? Overwhelmingly high. It’s a full send into the depths of a primal play sex club where the whole damn town is either knows about it or has at least taken a turn in the woods. Plus, there is a nice pay day at the end of it.

Now, onto the real kicker: anonymous hunters, no names, no faces, all instinct. If they catch you, you’re theirs. Consensually, of course. There are rules. There’s structure. But once you turn on that red light? Oh, sweetheart, the games begin. And I was obsessed.

Only two things made me pause. One: The male lead (a.k.a. Daddy’s bestie) casually mentions he’s had a crush on her for a while. Which… before she was legal? That was the impression I was getting, which, eh, not my cup of tea. Two: The word “Hollow” was used so many times I thought I’d fallen into an echo chamber.

That aside? Absolute fire. If primal play, an age-gap so wide you need a bridge to cross it, and being chased through the woods by a masked man who’s very motivated to claim you is your thing—this book DELIVERS. (Yeah, say all that fast in one breath. Lol)

Audiobook: A+ on the narrators. They did a really good job!

The audio is good. The story....meh.

I saw stalker, age gap (dad's best friend), dark romance and jumped at the chance to listen. Honestly though, the plot is just so.....not there. I feel like there could have been such potential but it fell so flat for me. When Storee and Locke weren't doing the deed, NOTHING was happening. Lots of filler.

If you want to listen to straight smut, you'll like this. If you want more depth with it, this is not the book for you.

I was first book by Atla Hensley but it definitely won’t be the last. This was also my first story with primal play in it. I wasn’t sure how I would feel about it but I was pleasantly impressed. All of the characters were fleshed out and relatable. The storyline was a bit predictable however it was very enjoyable. This is a very interesting town however I do wish we got to see more of it. I’m excited for the next book.

The tropes are:
Fathers best friend
Primal Play
Secret longing
Stalker

The narration was very good and I would definitely recommend this book and I can’t wait to read the rest of the series.

Thank you to Netgalley, Dreamscape media and Atla Hensley for this ALC.

Thanks NetGalley for the arc
This book was not what I expected from the blurb but still very enjoyable and would continue on with the series.