Exciting, erotic and more lighthearted than expected! I think the content in the book is often found within dark romances, but this story will be so much wider reaching because of its tone. If you're looking for something spicy but with low angst, this is the perfect read.

The cover and the synopsis initially drew me in, and I am so glad I gave it a chance. I did at first think it might be a shifter romance because of the deer on the cover, but once I read the synopsis I was still very intrigued.

If it hadn't been dual POV, this would have been the angstiest story ever because Shane came off like such a DICK from Claires POV! Especially the line about not doing aftercare. But once we learn about Shane, his history with hunting and how he actually had just been holding out for Claire, it makes him instantly likable.

There really wasn't much to review here. The plot is very basic with a lot of spicy parts. Not bad if that's all you're looking for. But if you want a little substance you won't find it here.

Willing Prey is a romance novel about a recently divorced teacher named Claire who finds herself entering an agreement to engage in primal play with Shane, her ex-husband's boss. The book seems to be Berkley/Penguin Random House's attempt to appeal to the high-steam, dark romance fans that made Brynne Weaver's Butcher and Blackbird and and Navessa Allen's Lights Out so popular. That said, this book is not precisely a dark romance. It's more of a kink-forward contemporary romance.

Before I get into the criticisms, I do want to say that I have no issue with romance novels that include a healthy dose of kink, especially ones that portray healthy kink relationships. I believe this is what the author was trying to do with Willing Prey. While I respect the effort, I think the story missed the mark for the following reasons:

1. It had no plot. There was very little propelling the story forward other than the kink. The use of Claire's ex-husband as the external conflict felt forced.
2. I found it a bit odd how kink was treated in the book. Shane was way to nonchalant for someone who had never truly engaged in primal play before doing so with Claire. This kink is no joke. I found it massively unbelievable that Shane would have researched primal play and still be entirely clueless about aftercare.
3. There were stalker-ish elements to the romance that just made me feel a bit icky. Even before Shane propositioned Claire, he was staking her out at her favorite coffee shop and eavesdropping on her personal conversations. While it crosses his mind to admit to these actions toward the end of the book, he ultimately decides to take this information to his grave. Not the vibe I wanted from a contemporary romance no matter how much kink it contains. If this book was clearly a dark romance (read: a highly unrealistic, suspense-your-disbelief story), I may have been able to overlook this. But that's not the tone of the book at all, which made Shane's behavior just creepy.

Unfortunately, I think this is a story that should have stayed as a novella. As a novel, it dragged and had very little outside of just the sex to keep me interested.

Claire, a practical and no-nonsense physical education teacher, views the deal with acquaintance Shane Underwood as a means to an end. Thirty days of wild, kinky sex in exchange for financial freedom? Sounds like a summer vacation well spent, far better than her usual serving job. She's prepared for the carnal, but she's not prepared for the transformation that occurs once they cross the tree line and enter the wilderness Shane has chosen for their "hunt."
Shane, the enigmatic corporate lawyer, sheds his polished veneer in the woods, unleashing a primal, almost feral side. He's brutal, devastatingly direct, and utterly dominant. But the true brilliance of Oleander's narrative lies in Claire's equally compelling evolution. Far from being a helpless victim, Claire discovers her own dormant wildness, a matching ferocity that revels in the chase and the capture. This isn't just Shane's hunt; it becomes a mutual exploration of desire, power, and instinct.
What elevates Willing Prey beyond pure erotica is the surprising emotional tether that slowly forms between Claire and Shane. Every time he catches her, Claire truly does sink her teeth a little deeper into Shane's heart, uncovering a surprising vulnerability beneath his raw desire. Their connection is built not just on physical gratification, but on a shared understanding of their darkest impulses and the liberation found in embracing them.
Overall, Willing Prey is a potent cocktail of primal desire, high stakes, and unexpected emotional depth. It's a bold, uninhibited foray into dark romance that challenges perceptions of control and surrender. If you're seeking an intense, explicit, and utterly captivating read that explores the wild side of human connection, then join Claire in the hunt.

What a delightful read! When I described the plot to my partner, he said "oh, it's like adult hide and seek" which is a fun though not exactly correct way to tell someone about this book. If. you wanted to read Haunting Adeline but were put off by the TWs, Willing Prey might be the book you're looking for.

Also, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE can we have a book about Caine and Margot? please?

First of all, I (mistakenly) judged a book by its cover and thought this was a paranormal shifter romance, so imagine my surprise reading the first chapter.

Second of all, WOW. I absolutely loved this book. The characters felt genuine and unique, the plot was interesting and engaging, and of course the spice was 5/5 peppers 🌶️. Within about 50 pages I told a friend she needed to add this to her TBR immediately because I was consumed by this book.

Fingers crossed there’s a sequel (don’t think I didn’t notice the tiny little breadcrumbs being dropped in the last third for two other characters!!!).

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for this eARC!

This was a quick, fun, and easy read! Enjoyable premise and likeable characters, with good chemistry.
However, I could definitely sense that this began as a novella, and wished for a deeper connection and better explanation and backstory, particularly concerning the MMC's initial attraction to the FMC. The insta-lust, only her, she's the one, etc tropes felt a little thin here.
Despite those shortcomings, I would definitely read more by this author, especially if the brother gets a book :)

Ohhhh mannn the speed with which I read this book. I haven't gotten through one this quickly in a long time.

There were plenty of spicy scenes, but none of them were ever boring or repetitive. The plot was well-paced and held my attention. I really liked Shane with his awkwardness and sweet side, and Claire's resilience was my favorite thing about her. Overall, this book was short and sweet and I loved every second of it.

I'm already obsessed with Caine and Margot so I reeeeeallyy hope a book of theirs is to come in the future (because we all already know that Margot's fiance sucks).

I don't really have any complaints about this once, except maybe that the mild stalking wasn't addressed (but I guess in real life the lipstick/safe word thing would be difficult to figure out?) and that I don't really see how Claire's feelings for Shane evolved over the month. It just... wasn't and then it was.

This book, while a romance at it's core, it's all about the kink. Claire discovered a particular kink that her husband introduced her to. A hunt. She may have found herself getting into it, but that didn't help save her marriage. Meanwhile, her husband, being the douchebag that he is, brags about it to his law firm colleagues. Shane, one of his bosses, overhears about their adventure and finds himself intrigued. Not just with the act of the kink, but with Claire. Once Claire came to her senses and divorced the jerk, Shane finds away to draw Claire in and explore that kink together, for 30 days. She'd get the money she needs after the divorce, and he'd get, well... he'd get his time with Claire. But we all know how those, 'no feelings involved' plans go. It didn't take long before they both realized this was more than a business arrangement, but would they tell the other their feelings or will they walk away when their time is up? Needless to say, this book is intended for mature readers. It has an air of non-con, but that's just part of the kink. It is fully consensual from all parties involved. There is also a bit of an issue with the the ex. Shane's character is an interesting one. At first he's this somewhat mysterious man hiring woman to fulfill his desires without any attachments. But as the thirty days progress, we see his softer side. His vulnerability. Claire's character is smart and strong. She's also very open about what she wants and knows how to get it... even if he's the one pulling the strings. It's a good and well written story. It alternates POVs. It's easy to read, and the story flows nicely.

*I received an ARC from Netgalley.

This book is feral in the best possible way. If you’ve ever wanted a predator/prey kink book that takes itself seriously enough to get you emotionally wrecked but never forgets the safeword (or the spice), you’re in the right forest. Claire is broke, divorced, and saying “yes” to a thirty-day contract as Shane’s prey in the woods, and somehow, I was the one left breathless. The tension? Exquisite. The kink? Well-researched and deliciously explored. The emotional payoff? Worth every step of the chase. This is the kind of book you finish and then stare into the trees wondering if you’re prey… or just very down bad.

When I first saw this book, I was like “This is going to be so unhinged, I gotta read it.” Was there a lot of spice? Of course, I mean did you read what it’s about? But I love that it actually had a plot that made sense. Usually when you read a book like this, the plot makes no sense or there is little to none of it.

I absolutely loved Clair. She is someone who knew her worth, said “f#$& you” to her ex, and moved on to bigger and better, *ahem* aka 🔥Shane🔥 Let’s just say, if he wants you, he will wait until you divorce your POS ex, offer you money to pay off your student loans, and invite you to stay at your massive house, hunt you down like ✨prey✨ and make you fall in love. The notes guys, it isn’t hard and we don’t ask for a lot.

This book was honestly a lot of fun and of course the spice was off the charts. But what made it was the great banter, hilarious side characters, and a man who YEARNS for his woman. I really hope we get a book two for Cain and Margot, because you know they are going to have great banter and chemistry 🤭


*Thank you to NetGalley, Berkley Pub, and the author, Allie Oleander for the ARC!*

Thank you for the free book, Berkley Romance!

In this spicy novella turned full length novel, newly divorced Claire has decided to move in for a month with her ex’s co-worker, Shane. The deal is simple- she will be paid a total of $30,000 to engage in his primal desires and allow herself to become Shane’s prey in the woods. It’s easy for Claire to tell herself that no feelings are involved, and she’s just in it for the money, outdoor time, and outlet for her own desires. She soon realizes that it may be more complicated than she expected.

I wasn’t sure what to expect with this book, as I haven’t read anything in this genre previously. It was definitely full of heat and I would encourage readers to be sure to check content warnings ahead of reading. I enjoyed aspects of the storyline but also would have enjoyed more relationship building- this book definitely had an insta-love feel to it. However, it was enjoyable for the type of darker romance plot that it’s meant to be. I think readers who want to dip their toes into dark romance, enjoy books like Lights Out, or who would enjoy a forced proximity/he falls first and harder primal romance would love this book.

3.5 ⭐️ where do I even begin with this??? I knew what I was getting myself into and wow this was Hot and Unhinged and Feral (which we love to see). I think this was exactly what I needed right now and it definitely scratched that itch.

I didn’t know this was originally a novella turned novel because you’re thrown right into it and I was kind of confused at times and wanted more backstory and character development. But at the same time, I was just vibing??

If you’re looking for low stakes and “plot” (aka a lot of spice), this might be the one for you. But definitely check the content warnings and list of kinks before reading!

Thank you Berkley and NetGalley for the arc.

4.25 ⭐️ Shane Underwood goes from "Don't fight it. Show me how much you like being hunted. How much you like being my prey." to researching aftercare only for her to "The world keeps turning, but if I lose you, I don't think it will. These are higher stakes than I'm used to."

*cue all the screams muffled by a pillow*

Claire's money-miracle to pay for her debts comes in the form of Shane Underwood offering to pay her $30,000 to live in his house with the sole focus of being his prey to chase through the woods for 30 days. I MEAN!! WHY AM I NOT GETTING THESE OFFERS BY HOT BILLIONAIRES?! $30K to be fast, put up a fight, and end up getting hot and heavy with a billionaire? Sign me the fuck up!

From the second chapter, the story doesn’t wait to get spicy, and I was here for it! The heat and tension is immediate and delicious, and the primal play is front and center in the best way. Hallelujah!

"If you're the prey, nothing is capable of slowing me down."

This book should be on the kink dictionary right next to primal play, because it really is the definition of it. Everything from the thrill, the wild dominance, and the push-pull dynamic had me flipping the pages like I was Claire running from Shane with the promise of a fantastic result once caught.

It was refreshing to see primal play handled in a way that was new to me. There’s a slight twist to it that adds a challenging aspect to the setup, and it just tickled something in my brain.

Now, what starts off as a hot and transactional setup quickly turns into something more. Shane is the first to start doing little things that had me swooning! This man is sitting on the couch watching tv with Claire at night, researching aftercare to make sure she feels safe, and being vulnerable with her, among other things! I think my thought process throughout the book was very millennial of me: asdfghjkl

My only negative thing is the pet name. I really couldn't get into "little deer". I tried, okay? But I'm adding it to my list of pet names that shouldn't exist.

Willing Prey by Allie Oleander is a delicious and down-right filthy romance with an emotional slow burn that will have you simultaneously hot and bothered and with tears in your eyes from all the charming and vulnerable moments.

- ex-husband's boss
- he falls first (and HARD)
- mc's in their 30s/40s
- cnc primal chasing

Claire is a divorced teacher in need of money. Shane is her ex-husband's coworker with money to spend, so they come to an arrangement: Shane will hunt Claire for 30 days in exchange for $30,000. Once feelings get involved, they both have to decide whether or not they can open up to each other.

I loved this book! Claire and Shane were great main characters. They both had depth and were so well-written. Claire in particular was great because she was working on not being a people pleaser anymore, but she still had her moments of doubt and insecurity and I think that was very realistic. I really liked that we jumped right into the story and the dual POV was great. I also liked that the MCs were in their 30s and childfree. This wasn't super obvious or thrown in your face, just subtle mentions that are much appreciated.

This book is super spicy and the spice scenes were so entertaining. I don't know that I would call this dark romance, maybe light-dark romance? Five full stars from me!

Didn’t think I was primal play girly, but here we are 😅. The sex scenes were hot and I absolutely have some things I’d like to try myself. That being said, the spice was the only great part about the book. It suffers from the miscommunication trope something FIERCE. I get that we have to have some sort of conflict, but it’s genuinely the most easily resolved and avoidable conflict that I can’t help but detest it. Good book for turning brain off, bad book if you’re looking for something with substance. Thanks to NetGalley for ARC access!

This was a very fast read, and very spicy. I really enjoyed it and I know some of our patrons will as well. We will definitely be purchasing!

Thank you Netgalley, Allie Oleander, and Berkeley Publishing Group for the ARC!

⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

This was a spicy quick read that started off strong and kept going! The book starts off with the fmc Claire who has signed a 30 day contract with her ex husbands boss to be hunted for primal play in the woods at this house for 30k. Shane is an emotionally unavailable lawyer with terrible communication skills but a hot body and the tracking of a skilled hunter!
The spice was fantastic and this book is mainly smut with a few funny cozy scenes. If you enjoy kink and primal play you should absolutely read this book! It started off hot and as they get to know each other it only gets spicier! I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be looking into more books written by Allie!

A wild, steamy adventure, Willng Prey is like nothing I’ve ever read about a kink I never knew existed. Mind blown!

This was a super spicy fun read! It focuses on the development of a relationship that starts out rather sexually transactional and becomes more meaningful over time. If you enjoyed the slightly unhinged personality of Josh Hammond in Lights Out, you’ll like reading about Shane’s pursuit of Claire. Both main characters are refreshingly middle-aged, which is always nice. If you are looking for a slow burn, this is not it. 4 1/2 stars!