I am so thankful to have been able to snag an advanced copy through NetGalley, but am so upset with myself for having read it so early. I don’t even know how to feel with that ending. That cliffhanger has been absolutely heartbroken. 🥲 You cannot help but be drawn in by the MC’s. Both have been emotionally damaged in their childhood in different ways leaving them to become the two unhinged individuals in their adulthood. Crossing paths in the unlikeliest of circumstances. The chemistry between Cameron and Emery gave me chills.

Emery is skilled and meticulous at what she does. Following orders hoping she can be the perfect daughter in her father’s eyes. Her training could not have prepared her for what comes next. After the heartbreaking betrayal she finds herself in training for the dark forces. Her life hangs in the balance and heavily depends on her new partner not killing her. She did not expect to find herself attracted to an unhinged man.

Cameron has spent years in the dark forces. He has become the most unhinge and dangerous soldier thanks to the little black pills he takes. Unfortunately, he is unable to keep his hands to himself and keeps unaliving his mission partners. Forced to return to go through the under trials again, he is partnered with someone he never would have expected. Someone that is typically underestimated in this field. He did not expect to have a soft spot for his new partner.

This was a solid 3.5 stars from me! this was my first ever ARC and i am very happy with it! i was constantly wanting to read on to see what was going to happen and it didn’t let me down. the ending was insane and i am so excited for the next one! overall, this was a great first book to the series!

Your Knife, My Heart is an intense,emotional and had me hooked from the start. I wasn’t prepared for how raw and consuming this story would be—it’s dark, sharp, and yet so beautiful in the moments that matter most. The characters are flawed and layered, the kind you can’t help but root for even when they’re breaking your heart.
K.M. Moronova has a way of blending pain and passion that keeps you breathless, and this book is no exception much like all her others. The tension, the emotions, it all cut deep, but in the best possible way. I couldn’t stop turning the pages, desperate to see how it would all play out. Once again she has given me book hangover.
Thank you so much for the chance to read this early—I’m still reeling from this world! #bookhangover

Wow. Just wow. What kind of wild, emotional, soul-crushing ride was that?!😱
I devoured this book like a forbidden dessert – and immediately begged for more.🙏🏼

That mix of suspense, dark atmosphere, and raw desire had me completely hooked.
K. M. Moronova is a master at not just pulling you in, but tearing you apart in the process.
This story is an abyss you fall into, knowing full well: nothing will ever be the same afterward. You don’t just read this book – you experience it. And I savored every single page.😮‍💨🤌🏼

Cameron and Emery are pure chaos, temptation, and destruction wrapped in human form. Their dynamic is explosive, toxic, and yet so moving that you simply can’t put the book down. I live for characters who drive you insane and steal your heart at the same time.❤️‍🔥

An absolute banger – brutal, sensual, and endlessly gripping.
And that cliffhanger? Merciless. Savage. Unfair.
I’m sitting here, shattered and addicted, desperately craving book two.😭

He’s killed every partner he’s ever been paired with. She’s the one, that he can’t.

What could possibly go wrong?

He’s unhinged, and she’s thrust into a new world, and she has everything working against her.

This book gave me exactly what i expected, especially given that i read, and adored Leave me Behind. In my opinion Your Knife, my Heart, is a lot lighter than Leave me Behind. It is very much still dark, don’t get me wrong, but the main couple are a lot lighter, and the whole book seemed a lot lighter than the brutality of Leave me Behind.

Cam is unhinged, and yet, there is something extremely broken, and vulnerable about him. We get to see him in so many different lights. There were some instances that i wasn’t thrilled of, while i understood why given his characteristics, i felt like his actions at certain times (towards the end of the book for instance) and how he treated Em, just felt a little, i don’t want to say out of character, because it wasn’t, but it felt very randomly placed. I adored Cam though, so much; he is so beautifully broken, and he’s wicked and brutal. He’s doing his best to protect what little bits of his shattered soul he has left, and in return, Em as well.

Em is difficult, i feel very disconnected to Em, we don’t really get much of an insight into who she is, she doesn’t feel anywhere near as developed as Cam is, and i find it such a shame because the bits that we do get of her, and the progress she is making, is so beautiful, and it has so much potential, but she just falls a little short.

What is really well done, though, is the relationship between Cam and Em, it is beautiful, and it is done so well. Are they instantly attracted to one another? Yes, it’s a romance story at it’s core, it’s expected. But it’s so much more than that, he kills all of his partners and she’s the one he can’t. She’s terrified of him, and he’s determined to keep her alive, to keep him in the dark forces, and gain some form of acceptance and understanding. You see this beautiful thing blooming between them.

Cam fights it, but he can’t, and the relationship feels real, it’s developed, it’s not this instant thing, it’s broken, and it's raw, and it's filled with both trust, and distrust.

That ending though? Really? Did we have to? Just when it's reaching the height of awesome, we have that ending - in a good way, but still, now I have to wait for the next book, and I have a feeling it’s going to be just as good, if not better than this one. The last chapters really set up the next book.

The side characters are also done well, I find a lot of side characters being a bit, well,in the background, and yes, these are as well, but they are done in a way that you want to care for them, my only downside on this was towards the end of the book, a certain thing happens and i was dying for even a glimmer of how a side character reacted and we didn’t get it. If we did i think the moment would have been even more, i would have gone from gasping, to full-on crying.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me an arc, it was my most anticipated, and it did not disappoint.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ARC Review

Your Knife, Your heart is brutal, bloody, and absolutely intoxicating. This isn’t a love story wrapped in pretty paper—it’s sharp edges, chaos, and two monsters colliding in a world designed to destroy them. From the first chapter, I was hooked, and by the time I reached the end, I was completely undone.

Cameron is unhinged, dangerous, and yet impossible not to crave. Emery isn’t the damsel—she’s just as lethal, just as twisted, and the two of them together? Explosive. Their connection is jagged and raw, blurring the line between ruin and salvation.

And that ending… it wrecked me. A brutal cliffhanger that left me questioning everything I thought I knew. I turned the last page already desperate for the next book.

Some of the lines gutted me:
✨ “I’ll be the ruination of you. I’m going to steal the last glimmers of light you have left inside of you.”
✨ “Maybe two monsters like us really can find happiness.”
✨ “She is my morphine, and without her, I’m nothing more than an aimless monster.”

This book is dark romance at its rawest—violent, addictive, and unforgettable. Basically perfection.

Huge thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. I’ll be haunted by Cameron and Emery until the sequel drops.

I absolutely loved this book! I devoured it in one sitting and couldn’t put it down. The characters completely stole my heart, and the ending left me on the edge of my seat. I’m counting the days until both books are released so I can read book two but will Cameron finally tell Emery he loves her and was she faking it? I need answers 😭

First, I want to say a BIG Thank You! to K.M Moronova, Bloom Books and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to eArc read this book!!

Yet another amazing book from K!
I might of broke my kindle with that ending 🫣 it went on a little trip across the room...
per warning cliffhanger 😵‍💫😵‍💫

Leave Me Behind left me wanting more Dark Forces Military style reads, and this just pushed me over the edge.
Please make sure you read the trigger warnings as it is a Dark theme.

This book had me hooked just by the prologue 🫣 I had to reread it a few times to make sure I didn't miss what just happened, but when I realized what he had done, GOD! I LIKE THEM CRAZY HEHE

I found myself not able to put this book down and read it in less than 9 hrs 🙃

Morally Gray and Kill Crazy MMC ✅️
Strong Willed and Sassy FMC ✅️
She's Mine ✅️
Fuck It scenario (a few times 😉) iykyk ✅️
Trials ✅️
Dual POV ✅️
Spicy 🌶🌶🌶🌶

I feel like this book was more to Cameron's story and I hope we get more of a back story to Emery in the next 🤞🏻

KM Moronova has done it again, writing beautifully unhinged characters like no other. This was irresistibly dark & depraved, with little bits of hope that made me want to keep cheering for these tragic MCs. While Cameron’s mind seemed to be pure chaos at times, I loved seeing his softer side occasionally peek through. His & Emery’s story is destructive & messy, but in the best way. The ending was like a cruel punishment, leaving me on edge for book two!

This book left me staring at a wall at 11 o’clock at night when I finished. It was so good, and I cannot wait for the sequel because I NEED to know what happens next. I love everything I have read by K.M. Moronova so far and cannot wait to continue to read more from her 5/5. Would recommend to lovers of dark romance.

4.5 ⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley for this eARC- releases Nov 11

I ate this up. KM Moronova knows how to write military romance and really good spicy scenes. The overall concept I really enjoyed. I loved the characters, I loved that shocking ending.

This book takes place 10 years prior to Leave Me Behind. There is one character cross over but it’s not imperative to read Leave Me Behind to read this.

The pacing was perfect, I loved the number of pages this book was. Really enjoyed! Need book 2!!

Absolutely heartwrenching and beautiful. This book had taken me by surprise and left me gasping and wanting more!

6 Stars! DARK. DEADLY. ADDICTIVE.

"The ultimate weapon feels no pain"

This book had me hooked from the very first page. Your Knife, My Heart is interconnected and set ten years before Leave Me Behind. Our two main characters, Emery and Cam, both carry dark, mysterious pasts that shaped them into the ruthless killers they’ve become.

Cam, a dark forces agent from the Fury Squad - infamous for killing his partners - is punished by being forced to re-live the brutal Underground trials that killers endure to earn a place in one of the four elite squads. The catch? This time he’s paired with Emery - and if he kills her, it’s game over.

"You’re in the pit of devils now, remember?"

Every trial drips with bloodshed and tension, keeping you braced for the next brutal twist. Amid the carnage, a dangerous bond forms between Em and Cam, with delicious spice threaded through their growing connection. But the trials are designed to break even the strongest soldiers… and not everyone makes it to the end.

This book had me on the edge of my seat - gasping, cheeks flushing and shedding silent tears. It dragged me through every emotion - fear, heat, heartbreak, and everything in between.

The cliffhanger destroyed me in the best way - my head is still spinning, and I have no idea how I’ll survive the wait for the sequel.

K has a gift for building immersive worlds and painting vivid, visceral imagery that makes you feel every emotion right alongside the characters.

Beyond ecstatic that I was given the opportunity to review this book as an ARC by Netgalley

This book has literally ruined my very existence in the worst yet best possible way.

I stayed up until 3am to finish the last 50% of this, and to say I'm currently trying to get my emotions under control and severely failing is an understatement. I got so unbelievably invested in this book, and the emotional hate-love angst relationship between the two characters, that I literally gasped and then proceeded to sob on that last page. That one hurt my heart just a bit 💔💔

I'm going to need some therapy after that literal masterpiece 😭🖤

Thank you NetGalley and to the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own :)

Your Knife, My Heart is the kind of book that grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let go.

I absolutely loved the dynamic between Cameron and Emery. Their connection is raw, emotional, and full of yearning. Not the sweet, sappy kind, but the intense, dark romance kind that makes your heart race. The chemistry between them is immaculate. Cameron is torn between the urge to care and the brutality his past has carved into him, while Emery sees straight through the madness and recognizes the man beneath. Their relationship is chaotic, dangerous and completely addictive.

The concept of the Trials was brilliant. I loved how they weren’t just physical tests of survival, but also a way of forcing the characters closer together. It’s not a typical romance setting, but the author handled it perfectly, turning danger into intimacy in a way that felt fresh and electrifying.

And the ending? I did not see that coming. It was bold, shocking, and left me desperate for the second book in the duology. Honestly, I needed it yesterday.

If you’re looking for a dark, twisted, yet beautifully written romance that balances violence with vulnerability, Your Knife, My Heart will blow you away.

The way I need the next book because I am HURTING!!

This drags you in and doesnt let you go until the last page, its living rent free in my head.

I came for the dark romance and even darker storyline… with Dark Forces, under trials, and a dangerously compelling MMC. It should have been my perfect book—just not quite.

The dedication instantly hooked me: “For those who always fall in love with a fictional man who may or may not unalive you.” Definitely felt like a book that would fit the vibe I was looking for. Something dark and gritty.

This was my first read from this author (though I knew of Leave Me Behind), and Your Heart, My Knife is set in the same Dark Forces military world. It’s a quick, dark read packed with psychological trauma that constantly made me question my morals as I went.

Cameron was easily the most intriguing character—dark, damaged, and entirely focused on keeping Emery alive. I enjoyed how unapologetically messed up he was. Emery, though, really disappointed me. On paper she’s the family executioner, which should have made her a total badass FMC, but instead she often felt weak and in constant need of saving.

The tension between Emery and Cameron also fell flat for me. I typically love a good enemies-to-lovers with lots of angst and slow-burn tension, but Emery just read more like a lust-driven teenager. She’d get turned on by Cameron’s violence one moment, then frustrated by his hot-and-cold behavior the next—it got repetitive fast. I found myself far more invested in the under trials and the survival elements of the story than in their romance.

And then there’s the ending… a cliffhanger with more questions than answers. That’s on me, though—I didn’t realize this was book one of a duology. I’m hoping book two delivers more closure, deeper world-building, and ties up all the loose threads (especially the constant mentions of Reed, who never actually appears here). Honestly, the Dark Forces concept itself was the most fascinating part of this story, and I’d love to see it fleshed out more in the sequel

I was giggling and kicking my feet in excitement that I got to read this book early. It did not disappoint! It's good to be back in the Dark Forces world and Em and Cam are fantastic.

They are both multilayered characters and I loved the progression of their personalities and relationship throughout the story.

There was never a dull moment and throughout the book I laughed, I cried, I gasped in shock, and I loved every second of it. I can't wait to read the second book!

This is a lot darker than most of my other reads and while I did devour it, I found certain elements a little harder to adjust too.
I find myself with a death appreciation for book that’s explore the darker emotions. As much as I adore soft and cosy, there’s a liberating feeling when reading about the trials of heartbreak and psychological pain.
I enjoyed the story immensely and found the writing to be evocative and smooth.
I can not wait for the second part of this book.

This was so good! I love a tortured man who hates everyone but her and this book absolutely delivered.

Your Knife, My Heart is dark, violent, a little toxic, and a lot spicy, while also being genuinely emotional and sweet. The story follows Emery and Cameron, two morally gray (morally black if we’re being honest) professional killers who are forced to be partners and thrown into the Under Trials, a deadly boot camp that only the best of the best can survive. The catch: Cameron has a habit of killing his partners.

I genuinely wish this book was longer because I’m in desperate need for more. I will absolutely be picking up book two!

Thank you NetGalley, Bloom Books, and K.M. Moronova for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review.