If you're looking for a book that's focused on some kinks with a man who is definitely obsessed with the FMC, then overall I think you'll enjoy this one. Things move really quickly between the love interests but their agreement/relationship starts with different circumstances than most romance books. This is my first book that I've read with primal play and it was interesting learning more about this. I would have really enjoyed more tension in the romance, things went from running in the woods to big declaration of feelings and I feel like there was some development missing there. The side characters were also so much fun in this story, I hope that author will write a story with them too in the future!!

I flew through this book faster than Claire running through the woods trying to evade Shane. The premise made me think this book would just be a fun, wild ride, but it was actually so cute and very sweet. Not to mention I appreciated the FMC and the MMC were both older (30-40s), which seems hard to find in the romance genre.

Definitely check the TW before reading this and it’s definitely NSFM (not safe for mom - as in my mother specifically). A spicy, primal good time.

Thank you to NetGalley, Berkley, and the author Allie Oleander for an e-ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC for an honest review.

I’ve seen the book advertised along with Lights Out. I do think those that enjoyed that book will also enjoy this book as well. I wasn’t sure what the expect, but there is more romance in this book than expected. Shane, MMC, is a lawyer who works with Claire’s (FMC) ex-husband. He’s had a thing for Claire since before her divorce and was biding his time to find a way to date her. This is a dark romance and Shane is definitely on the morally grey spectrum. Shane has a lot of character development, as he’s surprisingly not good a relationships or how to effectively communicate, despite being a high powered lawyer. Claire’s internal monologue is relatable and witty. Overall, a super spicy, force proximity quick paced read. Check your trigger warnings as this one definitely won’t be for everyone.

What did I read and why was I hooked? Now first, please make sure that you check all trigger and content warnings. This is not a dark book, it is more of a taboo/kink book. We do get a HEA but it is a battle to get there, which is half the fun to me. Personally, I could not put this book down. I was hooked from the start.

The spice is there and it has a kick. Again, check the content warnings as this is not your normal spice.

Overall ratings 4.5 starts, 5 smiles, 4 peppers, 0 black hearts.

OMG I FREAKING LOVED this book.10/10 all the wayI met Allie over on socials earlier this year and read the novella length Willing Prey - not at all understanding what I was getting myself into - because I was desperate to find some MC's that weren't college age. FMC Claire and MMC Shane both over 30 delivered on this thing that I needed - MC's who had life experiences and were actual grown up's, albit grown up's with a kink I wasn't really sure about! But man - this booked opened up the primal kink I had NO IDEA I LIKED! And reading the this in a full length novel - was perfection! I loved the further development of both Shane and Claire's characters and their relationship. Claire is such a bad a$$ - both in and out of the woods. And Shane - swoon - that man is totally different in the woods and he gets it soooooo bad for our girl! This won't be for everyone - primal play is rough and so, so hot! I love that Claire is a willing participant in this - she's not a "damsel in distress" and goes all out to outsmart Shane and give him a run for his money! I'm so excited to see this indy author get picked up by Beekley. Def check the trigger warnings and enjoy the hunt! Thank you Allie, Berkley Press and NetGalley for a chance to ARC read one of my favorite stories!

I don't want to know where she ends and I begin. All I know is that she is mine, and I'm just as much hers.

Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Oh my gosh this book! I was immediately hooked by the premise! Primal play is such a fun kink to read about and I was so interested to see where this went. The setup was so good, we get Claire - recently divorced and in student loan debt, who ex has blabbed about their private life in the office before. Enter his boss Shane, who has nursed a crush for a while, and had a bit of an 'awakening' when hearing about their hunting escapades.... and then winds up writing up a contact for himself and Claire: last 30 days as his prey, and earn $30k.

A win, win for both of them... but of course, it quickly becomes more complicated than a simple sexual business transaction.

They had such a great attraction, we slowly get to learn about his interest, and how she's the only one that does it for him - and how that attraction so goes the other way as well. "Little deer" got me every time and I loved when she flipped it around on him, the power dynamic swap throughout was so well done and I absolutely inhaled this. The epilogue!!! Loved that we got that.

What I so appreciated as well was how their chase scenes were always so fresh and so so captivating - it's absolutely not the same chase every time, there's a lot of thought put into a range of settings and situations (and even when they were slyly referencing it in public - that was so fun!) They are such a great match, and the way they slowly fall for each other across the 30 days and how mixed up Shane gets with admitting his feelings had me grinning. The personal growth on both sides and how they learn to communicate (and the banter and way they work into each others lives) added so much to this. This was so sexy, spicy, steamy, and sweet - the absolute perfect combo.

I am very excited to read anything and everything else from this author, and hope this isn't the last we hear from this world! I loved learning more about Caine and Margot as well 👀 This is definitely one that I will be reading again ASAP.

Tropes & Tags:
🦌 predator / prey
💖 cat & mouse
🦌 light stalking
💖 dual pov
🦌 he falls first
💖 ex-husband's boss

[I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review, thank you so much to NetGalley, Allie Oleander and Berkley Publishing Group ! 📖]

Absolutely loved this. The spice is unspeakably hot, but there is a whole lot of character development and vulnerable moments as well. I adored Shane and Claire, both separately and together. They're a perfect pair who discover their love under very interesting and woodsy circumstances.

Thank you, NetGalley for an ARC of this amazing debut! Just wow! I can't believe this is Allie Oleander's debut! The story jumps right in the thick of it without feeling rushed, the pacing perfect. I love Shane and Claire. There is so much heart in this spicy read. Shane is not who I thought he'd be going into a story like this. He's layered and surprising and so incredibly sweet...outside of the woods, which is perfect. I'm so looking forward to what comes next for Oleander. She's definitely going on the auto-buy list.

shiiiiiiiit this was so fucking good!! i ate this book up in one day and wanted more immediately!!! the writing was so well done and the plot was so interesting and unique. five stars!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion!!

This book was SO MUCH FUN! A sexy, kinky ride, and I ate it up! A man obsessed?? Give it to me! A teacher ready to get paid to have kinky sex in the woods for the summer? Absolutely yes.

I was in the mood for something a little sexy and feral, but I ended up loving Claire and Shane so much, and watching their relationship grow. I’m hoping to see some of the side characters get their turn for a book, too!!

Perfect for those looking for a healthy amount of spice with their plot!

Not for everyone but oh so spicy. Found this fun book in Buzz Books Romance 2025. It had a high spice rating so I thought I'd give it a try.

Did not disappoint. Read the summary so I won't have to retell the story. (Smile)

Loved it!

10/10! I love this story! The spice was *chef's kiss*, but the story was also really cute! I loved the character development from both of our main characters and how they helped each other grow. I am definitely going to add this author to my list to follow up with their other work. If the premise appeals to you at all, you will not regret picking this one up!

This was an absolute blast! I loved the set up, and honestly the premise itself is very unique. It’s also extremely dark, emotional and wildly fast paced. I literally couldn’t put it down!

Well my oh my, what an amazing read. 0-60 in 2 seconds flat. I loved the characters, such spark and very well written. Storyline spicy but not overly so. I enjoyed the fact that the author wasted no time getting to the good stuff. Fantastic read. I’ll be reading more from this author in the future. Thank you NetGalley for this ARC

What you can expect to find in Willing Prey
-spicy scenes
-dual pov
-primal play
-he falls first
-fast paced

Claire needs some extra cash and she needs it now. Being a teacher doesn't give her a lot of grace to pay off her student loans. And after a messy divorce - she's left with a lot of debt. So when she receives an offer that she really can't refuse - she accepts. The offer in question? A grand a day to stay at his residence and be his prey for 30 days. If Claire makes it to the end of her contract she's guaranteed 30 grand. Only problem? She doesn't know Shane Underwood (the mutual acquaintance that works with her ex) well - only that he's interested in her and specifically hunting her down in his woods. When Claire and Shane's inevitably start to get to know each other and their hearts get involved, will they be able to walk away after 30 days?

I did not know what to expect when I started reading Willing Prey and I went in not knowing anything about this book. Once I started reading this book, I could not stop. I loved the chemistry between Claire and Shane. This book was spicy - right from the get go. But the interactions between Claire and Shane never felt forced. I enjoyed all of the secondary characters as well and hope we get more books from this universe.

If you're looking for a fast paced, spicy romance I highly recommend Willing Prey. Overall 4.5 stars!

This was a fantastic read! I didn't want to put it down and read it in a day.

Willing Prey starts out with Claire arriving at Shane's palatial house in the woods. Claire has made an arrangement to serve as Shane's 'prey' for 30 days in exchange for $30,000 to pay of her student loans. Following a contentious divorce with Shane's co-worker, Claire is desperate for money and open to living life to its fullest at the same time. You quickly learn that Shane's interest in Claire goes much deeper than their contract would suggest.

This is a dual POV, he falls first, primal romance, and it is done immaculately. The plot makes sense, and the pacing is perfection. I will absolutely read another Allie Oleander book.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group, Allie Oleander, and NetGalley for the ebook advanced reader's copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own. Willing Prey is set to be released on October 7, 2025.

4/5 Stars

This was my first venture into a primal play romance and I really enjoyed it. There was some more serious topics to the book with Claire's ex husband and talking about his cheating, etc. And there was also some romance and a lot of good spicy scenes.

I would definitely read another book by this author.

Divorced and drowning in student debt, Claire agrees to a daring arrangement: thirty days as the prey in Shane’s primal hunting games, in exchange for $30,000. What starts as a kinky summer business deal quickly becomes more complicated when attraction, humor, and unexpected tenderness surface between them.

This book doesn’t waste time—the deal is already struck on page one, and the first interaction between Claire and Shane happens right away. From there, it dives straight into a mix of kinky spice with enough humor to keep it fun.

What I appreciated most is that it’s not only about the spice. Both characters come with their own histories, anxieties, and vulnerabilities, which gives the story more depth than I expected. Claire is competitive and learning to be unashamed of it—something Shane not only respects but finds irresistible. Their dynamic is playful and sharp, full of edgy games and push-pull tension.

Shane also stood out to me as a different kind of MMC in the dark romance space. Instead of leaning into the overdone “alpha-hole” trope, he’s evolved in how much he values Claire’s joy and actively learns how to communicate in their relationship. Watching that balance—feral in the woods, but thoughtful in how he loves her—was a refreshing twist.

Overall, Willing Prey is a fast-paced, spicy read, but one with enough emotional grounding to make the romance as satisfying as the heat.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the opportunity to read this book. All opinions are my own.

This was a 5 star read for me! It was a fun and spicy easy read. I loved the FMC and MMC as they learn to explore the dynamic and push the boundaries of their contract. Our MMC was broody with a golden retriever inside. I also loved seeing the character arc of our FMC post-divorce. If you like a dark romance with excellent smut (seriously, so so so good) then I would recommend this to you!

When I read the novella version of Willing Prey, I LOVED Claire and Shane. I loved their chemistry and the primal element of the story. This extended edition, holy hotness and delicious storytelling to boot.
Delving deep in to the backstories of both Claire and Shane - I love the depth and scope of their stories. I love the way everything builds up and becomes such a deep and rich story.
I will absolutely run for Shane. And I don't run.