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**Trigger Warnings: grief, mental illness, suicide ideation, physical and emotional abuse, toxic relationships, stalking, no happy ending.**

This book is a phenomenal dive into grief, mental illness, toxic love, and family trauma. Ariel N. Anderson writes with raw emotional intensity, keeping me braced on the edge of my seat from start to finish. There wasn’t a moment I felt bored—the pacing is tight, and each scene lands with real emotional gravity. The dual narration by Lee Daniels and Joe Arden is outstanding, adding depth and tension to every moment and intensifying the ride of this dark, heartrending story.

Be warned: this is unflinchingly dark, and it does *not* offer a happy ending. It’s more tragic romance than romance, and it left me emotionally wrecked—but in the best possible way. If you’re drawn to character‑driven, psychologically intense stories and can handle the pain, this audiobook delivers in every sense. Highly, *highly* recommend—but please please read those trigger warnings *before* hitting play.

i really liked this! it gave me ALL THE EMOTIONS 😭 i was up till 3am not able to stop listening. the ending?? JAW ON THE FLOOR

Wow. This was a really heavy read. However, even with the extremely dark and tragic storylines, it is written so beautifully. I applaud the author for tackling these heavy themes in a thoughtful way. I also applaud her for going against the grain and not providing us with a happy ending. She provides us with what more realistically happens in real-life dark-themed relationships. What happens when there are heavy mental health concerns, including psychopathy and obsession.

As much as this story completely breaks you, it is still an easy 5 star read. Thank you to the author, their publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with an audio copy of this book.

What starts as a strangely magnetic connection between Elena and the mysterious “Silencer” spirals into a haunting, tragic love story that refused to let go. I stayed up late and found myself thinking about it long after—just like many others online who warned, “the ending absolutely BROKE me”. It’s raw, gut-wrenching, and deeply emotional—definitely not a happy-ever-after, but unforgettable.

🎧 ALC REVIEW 🎧
Under Your Scars by Ariel N. Anderson
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I'm sitting here with goosebumps and a lot of feelings after finishing this book. It has been an intense emotional rollercoaster from start to finish. The book starts off by saying this isn't a 'happily ever after' and it's important to keep that in mind when reading because Ariel N. Anderson was NOT kidding.
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Christian and Elena's story is one filled with an all consuming love, unimaginable trauma and soulcrushing tragedy. No matter what happens, they always choose each other, they heal together, they fight for eachother, they keep rebuilding their lives and their relationship. If you believe in soulmates, they are it.

I will be thinking about The Silencer and The Angel for a long time.
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The book felt like it was inspired by batman/gotham but not in a lame way! Just the dark gritty vibes of the city and the masked vigilante.
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The hidden identities of the silencer and the executioner were pretty predictable but that didn't make the book any less enjoyable.
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🖤 Billionare MMC
✨ He'd burn the world for her
🖤 Major trauma
✨ Serial killer stalker
🖤 Hurt / Comfort
✨ Steamy spice
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🎧 The audio 🎧
The duet style narrated audiobook was great quality, although narrated isn't the correct word to describe the way Lee Daniels and Joe Arden gave it their all, it was an amazing top tier performance, they really brought each unique character to life. Joe Arden's growly voice as the silencer had me pausing the audiobook to collect myself quite a few times :')
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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I need a hug

I knew this would ruin me.
I. Am. Unwell.
Infinity stars.
No regrets, will be thinking about this book for a while.

Check your TW before reading this because it is dark and there is no HEA.

This audiobook is duet narration performed by Lee Daniels and Joe Arden - they both did an amazing job and I couldn’t stop listening to this. They really embodied the characters and made it so much more intense!

Thank you to Blue Nose Audio, Dreamscape Select, and NetGalley for letting me listen to this audiobook

Five stars and extra spicy. 🥵 but goddddddd damn did that book break me. Like when I say break me I mean like kim kardashian ugly cry broke me. My heart was broken into a million pieces. Christian is 😮‍💨 and the way he was so fucked up has me questioning myself. But sweet baby was this story a roller coaster.

This is a Dark Romance, and this is the first book in the Under Your Scars series. I read this book by listening to the audiobook, and I loved it. The narrator did so great, and I loved how the narrator did the silencer's laughed. There are a lot of things in this book that could trigger a reader, and this book is not for anyone under 18 years old or someone that has a light heart. This book took me on the craziness ride ever, but I loved it so much. I could not stop reading this book, and I cannot tell you how much I loved it. I think this is my favorite book I have read this year. Loved it so much, but this book is very dark.I received an ARC of this book. This review is my own honest opinion about the book like all my reviews are.

I had been seeing this title pop up on social media sites and was excited for the chance to listen. I listen to all types of books and don’t have any triggers myself - still though, what a wild fever dream! Definitely read through the trigger warnings before diving in because there is no pulling punches in this book. And definitely be aware there is no HEA.

While there were absolutely parts of the story line that felt unnecessary, situations or characters trajectories that were wholly unbelievable, and times where the clues were obvious in a way one could predict the next move, this book did exactly what it was meant to do - provide a wild, dark, twisted, unhinged journey that will stick with the reader (listener) for a long time. All the credit for making this a memorable book for me goes to the duet narration of Lee Daniels and Joe Arden. I have very conflicting feelings about Joe Arden which makes listening to his works complicated because his performances are always top tier - this book is no exception. Lee Daniels does an amazing job as well, really bringing all the female characters to life. I’m not sure I would have been affected the same way if I read the book as opposed to listening to it as I did.

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Select for access to the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

A tragic dark romance with some cringe and predictable moments. An unpredictable dark ending that will leave you wanting more from the story. Overall, this read will keep your attention, but expect tragedy and insufferable characters along the way.

Audio via NetGalley

Excuse me, did I ask to have my heart ripped from my chest with the most devastating emotionally wrenching romance book I have even read?! Well actually yes I did when I picked this up. But still. This book has been on my TBR for a while as it’s been big on TikTok about how heartbreaking the ending is. When I saw the audiobook on NetGalley I thought to myself “I might as well go all in” if I was going to let this story destroy me. Listening to this gave me chills as well as a deeper connection to the characters and what they were feeling in the moment. This story is a romance drenched in trauma, love, tragedy and plot twists. Please check TW before reading or listening to this story as it a dark rough read.

I seriously could not stop reading this book every chance I got.

What an absolute freaking ride. Just when you think you know where this story is going… no you don’t.

The ending………. What in the actual hell.

If you have triggers, you will want to check the triggers on this one….. just do it.

I received the audio from NetGalley and it is sooooo good.
The duet style narration just brought me so much further in to the story but also just devastated me.

Also…. The author note… read the author note.

I’m going to go cry some more now…

STFU. What the actual fuck. I still have goosebumps from that ending.

I am in shock. This book was so much more than I expected. I was instantly drawn in, and did not stop until I was finished.

A beautiful, yet tragic, masterpiece.

PLEASE PLEASE read trigger warnings!!

I absolutely devoured this book!!! The emotional turmoil the main characters experience is unfathomable. Despite everything they continue to fight for their love. This book is going to live rent free in my head for a very long time.

Just finished the audiobook and am sitting with my jaw dropped and tears. This is definitely a DARK romance and not going to be for every one. There is trauma and healing. you fall in love with the characters and the twist you think you see coming but not all of it. There are surprises right up to the end! This book will stick with me forever!

Go into this book with a healthy amount of caution. check in with yourself mentally and make sure you are in a place where the dark side of humanity wont have a negative effect on your own mentality.

Trying to review this book, for me has been like trying to explain a fever dream that Jumped to too many places. So Ive decided to break it down into pieces.

The over all love story. Its brilliant and beautiful and tragic and could have stood on its own without any of the other things the author decided to add into it. Elana and Christian finding each other, one in their darkest time, and one in their most desperate and saving each other is beautiful. Two broken souls finding love and peace together is beautiful and I loved their Love, even when it was so damaged, they couldn't even touch each other.

Pick a trope: There were so many unnecessary things thrown into this book. They adopt a little girl in the middle of the insanity of their lives, she's poor but a daddy's girl to a well off man. His father figure having memory issues. Everything felt like it needed to be cleaned up and put together or just edited. So much of it was unnecessary and then made the story unbelievable.

Lets start with the fact that she is a law school graduate waiting to pass the bar and she is working in an incredibly illegal establishment. That person, the person dedicated and determine to be a lawyer isn't going to risk their future prospects for some rent money. Effectively her dad is a millionaire, and she is a daddy's girl. There's no way this girl is doing it on her own. Even if I can suspend disbelief enough to think that she wont ask for help and likes dollar store freezer meals, she's still not risking her potential career being involved in a shady night club that is run by the "cities biggest drug dealer"

Next we have the adopted little girl. Can we please normalize giving kids in books skills that they would actually have at that age in real life. This little girl meets this woman twice and then is able to write a whole letter- paragraphs, to a judge to ask for Elana and Christian to be her parents? She's 4. at best, she has letter recognition and the ability to read some small words, she's.

finally you have this man, who raised Christian and pretends to have dementia so that Christian will tell him all about him becoming a serial killer? Why not just be honest? if you dont have an issue with what he is doing (or not enough of one to go to the cops) why not just be honest with him so you can be there for him. It was an unnecessary add on that made no sense to me.

If those things had been taken out, the story would have been in my list of "forever favorites" The dark deranged parts of this book, even the parts that were so hard to listen too because I was sobbing, were beautiful and haunting and I will think about a few of the scenes for the rest of my life. But the fact that so much unnecessary stuff was added to the backdrop, it made me fall out of the story and, because its so dark, it was a struggle to get back into it.

I think I need some time to process…a lot of time actually. Because wow!

I’ve had this book on my TBR for awhile and had heard good things about the audiobook. I was slightly afraid to listen to it though; it’s one thing to read a tragedy but a whole other to listen to it.

I’m so happy that I picked listening to this one over reading. The writing style and depth that is brought to the story and characters is great. When it comes to this type of villain story there are some things that can feel a bit cliché. While there were a few of those moments, the narrators kept me engaged and moving forward. I’m glad I didn’t stop because it’s worth it. The ending…I’m speechless 😬😳😧🤯

Lee and Joe both did a phenomenal job with pulling out every last ounce of emotions while narrating. This is an audiobook you can feel. It gave me the chills, caused my heart to skip a beat or several, and much more. I especially love how unhinged a certain character gets.

There’s so much more I could and want to say but I don’t want to ruin anything. Just know it’s an emotional rollercoaster of a book full of darkness, love, trauma, plot twists, and ultimately tragedy. Be sure to check CW/TW with this one. There is not a HEA so proceed with caution.

Raw, dark, and unforgettable
Under Your Scars is not a light listen—it’s emotionally intense, deeply unsettling at times, and absolutely gripping. The performances by Lee Daniels and Joe Arden are phenomenal, bringing a devastating kind of intimacy to every moment. This is not your typical romance, and there’s no HEA here. The trigger warnings are serious and should not be overlooked. Ariel’s author note at the end? It absolutely gutted me—so personal, so vulnerable. This story will stay with me for a long time.

A modern day twisted tale of star-crossed lovers.
I dabble in dark romance and have read the mainstays but rarely does a book leave such a lasting impression on me. I think it’s a true standout in the genre.

On surface level it will tick a lot of trope boxes for dark romance lovers: stalker/billionaire morally grey MMC (to put it mildly), lots of spice, fast paced narrative and dark themes… but there is so much more raw, vulnerable emotion and suspense that elevates Under Your Scars for me. Elena and Christian go on such a journey together that leaves you genuinely rooting for them long after the book finishes. Their love is all consuming until the very end.

The voice actors were phenomenal, really bringing the complexity of the characters and story to life.

I knew going into it there was no happy ending but I was not prepared for the turmoil. Gut wrenching in the best way.

I've read alot of really dark romance so I was ready for this stalker trope. But I just could not finish this book! This girl was so dumb. The writing felt so very juvenile. I really tried and I hate to give any negative reviews but this didn't have anything to do with content. It was the writing for me.