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Little Deaths
Rafael Nicastro has a love like poisoned wine—deeper and darker than anything Adonica Blake has ever known. Twenty years ago, she married his father. Ten years ago, she broke his heart. Now he’s the only one she can turn to when everything comes crashing down.
Donni used to be a B-list actress in the Hollywood horror scene but the winery-dappled California suburb she currently calls home has become a real live slasher movie, and her past body of work has become the killer’s inspiration.
But Rafe’s been waiting for her all this time, too. His obsession is the subject of his best-selling series of erotic novels, but he wants the real thing: her. And now that she’s in his grasp, he’ll do anything to possess her fully. Anything.
With love this twisted, even pleasure feels like a little death.
Donni used to be a B-list actress in the Hollywood horror scene but the winery-dappled California suburb she currently calls home has become a real live slasher movie, and her past body of work has become the killer’s inspiration.
But Rafe’s been waiting for her all this time, too. His obsession is the subject of his best-selling series of erotic novels, but he wants the real thing: her. And now that she’s in his grasp, he’ll do anything to possess her fully. Anything.
With love this twisted, even pleasure feels like a little death.
424 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 2, 2022
About the author
Nenia Campbell
57 books20.4k followers
Hi there. I'm Nenia! I'm an author of several villain romances, and creator and moderator of Unapologetic Romance Readers.
I read a lot of amazingly trashy books that I would be happy to rec you. Coffee flows through my veins like ichor. Also, check out what I've written sometime!
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Nenia-Campbell/...
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aficionenias
Instagram: http://instagram.com/alwaysbeebooked
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 52 reviews
Shelved as 'someone-with-my-name-wrote-this'
March 20, 20243/19- Paperbacks are now available! You can get them for yourself or ask your library to order them! https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/litt...
1/6- FREE for TODAY only! https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B...
So does this mean I can call myself an Amazon best-seller now? :D
1/22- After being live for just under two months, LITTLE DEATHS hit 50 ratings! I'm so happy! Thank you so much for reading and talking about and reviewing my book. As an indie author, it seriously means so much and I'm grateful for each and every rating. Thank you! ♥
12/3- IT'S ALIIIIIIIIIVE
Here's the playlist: https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog...
This is a dark slasher movie inspired romance with an ex horror actress and her stepson. The heroine is multiracial and twelve years older than the hero, who is a virgin. TWs include rape, assault, deaths, off page and on page animal deaths (not nice ones though), drug abuse, alcohol use, emotionally abusive parents, discussions of mental health problems, emotionally abusive relationships, death of a parent (off page), and other disturbing themes.
I hope you love Donni and Rafe as much as I do. 🖤
11/23- Publication is going to happen the first week of December. I'm currently on a ship 🚢 (my first time! No sea sickness!) and I thought maybe I could publish abroad but the Wi-Fi isn't good and dammit, I work hard and deserve my vacation. But being the workaholic I am, I'm using this time to edit and make it the best it can possibly be. Thanks for your patience and I'm so excited to share this book with you. 😍
11/16- BOOK BLURB JUST DROPPED
10/19- UPDATE! I'm just a few chapters away from finishing the first draft and I wrote up a draft summary too. I can't wait to talk about this book more. Big thanks to my beta Heather Crews for all her help. 😭
9/22- UPDATE! Heather Crews made a cover and it fits the vibe of the story soooo well. I'm so happy! T_T
Soooo I randomly got inspo for this book that actually jolted me into writing it. I've had this idea floating around in my head for YEARS and already have 10,000 words written.
-
This is one of my upcoming projects! It is going to be a modern gothic
BECAUSE I LOVE THOSE
1/6- FREE for TODAY only! https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B...
So does this mean I can call myself an Amazon best-seller now? :D
1/22- After being live for just under two months, LITTLE DEATHS hit 50 ratings! I'm so happy! Thank you so much for reading and talking about and reviewing my book. As an indie author, it seriously means so much and I'm grateful for each and every rating. Thank you! ♥
12/3- IT'S ALIIIIIIIIIVE
Here's the playlist: https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog...
This is a dark slasher movie inspired romance with an ex horror actress and her stepson. The heroine is multiracial and twelve years older than the hero, who is a virgin. TWs include rape, assault, deaths, off page and on page animal deaths (not nice ones though), drug abuse, alcohol use, emotionally abusive parents, discussions of mental health problems, emotionally abusive relationships, death of a parent (off page), and other disturbing themes.
I hope you love Donni and Rafe as much as I do. 🖤
11/23- Publication is going to happen the first week of December. I'm currently on a ship 🚢 (my first time! No sea sickness!) and I thought maybe I could publish abroad but the Wi-Fi isn't good and dammit, I work hard and deserve my vacation. But being the workaholic I am, I'm using this time to edit and make it the best it can possibly be. Thanks for your patience and I'm so excited to share this book with you. 😍
11/16- BOOK BLURB JUST DROPPED
10/19- UPDATE! I'm just a few chapters away from finishing the first draft and I wrote up a draft summary too. I can't wait to talk about this book more. Big thanks to my beta Heather Crews for all her help. 😭
9/22- UPDATE! Heather Crews made a cover and it fits the vibe of the story soooo well. I'm so happy! T_T
Soooo I randomly got inspo for this book that actually jolted me into writing it. I've had this idea floating around in my head for YEARS and already have 10,000 words written.
-
This is one of my upcoming projects! It is going to be a modern gothic
BECAUSE I LOVE THOSE
January 28, 2024
I loved every single line. Little Deaths is everything I want in a book. Instant fave.
SUMMARY:
The story begins as former Scream Queen Adonica “Donni” Blake finds her husband, Marco Nicastro, dead from a heart attack. Marco’s shady business dealings and resulting lawsuit have left his widow in a financially precarious position. Desperate, Donni contacts Marco’s son/her estranged stepson, Rafael, to save her from destitution.
At 28, Rafe Nicastro is a very successful thriller author, two books into his Madison Hawthorne trilogy. His “notoriously spicy” books follow a PI investigating a series of BDSM-scene murders. They’re also inspired by his stepmom, whom he’s lusted after for over ten years. And now, she’s at his mercy.
Rafe agrees to come to Donni’s aid on one condition—that she be his muse. Meanwhile, ghosts from Donni’s past have returned with a vengeance. Someone is taking inspiration from Donni’s films to scare—possibly even kill—her. Could it be her obsessed stepson? Or does Donni have another “fan”?
Little Deaths tackles topics such as racism, sexism, ageism, classism, toxic masculinity, abuse, sexual assault, entertainment industry exploitation, and how society reinforces the status quo to enable perpetrators and disempower their victims/those in vulnerable positions. As always, look up and review Content Warnings before reading.
REVIEW:
STFU if I simp over this book.
Little Deaths feels like a book you need to read twice—once to absorb the striking imagery, language, and plot; a second time to appreciate the craft and depth.
This book was so highly hyped and delivered on every single promise. Little Deaths was all of my favorite tropes, themes, and dynamics packaged into one excellent and subversive dark romance thriller. An absolute delight to read.
I loved the way media is incorporated to augment the story. From the music, to the articles, reviews, text messages, video and voice recordings, dreams, and photos, at times Little Deaths feels like a collage in text. Every minute detail enhances the scene, with no better example than Rafe’s apartment in the prologue.
To that end, Little Deaths exemplifies the “Show, Don’t Tell” directive. For example, arriving in California, Rafe’s taxi driver asks what brings him to town. Rather than engaging an easy, cliched, exposition opportunity, Rafe shuts the conversation down, saying more in that response than he could in dialogue. In my opinion, this moment well represents the writing throughout the book—what is not said is just as important as what is said.
I loved the callbacks to Campbell’s Horrorscape series, for example, tiger lilies. Flowers are a motif in Terrorscape , even featuring an infamous chapter titled Tiger Lily, so it’s even more interesting that Rafe wants Donni to wear a tiger lily their first time.
Note: If you loved Little Deaths, you probably won’t enjoy Horrorscape. However, if you’re a Horrorscape fan, you might really like Little Deaths! Little Deaths readers, if you decide to pick up Horrorscape next, brace yourselves for a very different, much bleaker, experience and CHECK CONTENT WARNINGS.
The role of time in this novel is also noteworthy. Similar to the way in which the novel Things We Found When the Water Went Down demonstrates that trauma is non-linear, time feels fluid in Little Deaths. Between flashbacks, intrusive thoughts, and interspersed texts about past events, it is easy to see how the past overlaps, lurks behind, the present.
As a slasher-inspired novel, horror is an essential element in Little Deaths, and it is very well-executed. There were numerous times when I was legitimately unsettled while reading. Like any good scary movie, the story repeatedly lulls the reader into a false sense of security, only to make your heart plummet.
The horror genre is often used as a venue for healing and trauma processing. It allows consumers to experience heightened emotions in a safe environment, where they ultimately always have an exit; it’s the reason Donni is such a horror-lover. That is part of what makes Little Deaths’ horror so chilling—Donni can’t escape. The story isn’t one that she’s watching or performing in—she’s living it.
The novel also depicts an intimate connection between fear and sex—both in Donni’s mental associations, desires, and in the story’s action (the sex scenes usually coincide with or adjoin horror scenes).
There is so, so much more I could say about this book, but I won’t. The only critical note I would make is that there are quite a few typos.
CONCLUSION:
Here’s the thing about this review: this book has basically all of my favorite tropes. I had the best time reading it. I absolutely cannot write an unbiased review because Little Deaths is so perfectly up my alley that I can only rave. However, if I was going to try to pinpoint Little Deaths’ ideal audience: if you liked the concept and themes behind My Heart Is a Chainsaw but also crave a taboo (but very sweet) erotic thriller, you will love this book. Read in October for optimal ✨🦇vibes🦇✨.
In conclusion: obsessive, unhinged, dangerous, sexy, fictional simps>>>>>
5/5 ⭐ (meets my full rating scale criteria but is also very much a “Fave” auto-five).
3/5 🌶️(handful of scenes, more plot than spice, not overly descriptive, some kinks/triggers).
Tropes:
• Age gap (28M, 40F)
• Taboo (stepson/stepmother)
• Slasher
• Scream-inspired
• Fiction about fiction
• Murder mystery
• Forced proximity
• Virgin hero
Quotes:
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
SUMMARY:
The story begins as former Scream Queen Adonica “Donni” Blake finds her husband, Marco Nicastro, dead from a heart attack. Marco’s shady business dealings and resulting lawsuit have left his widow in a financially precarious position. Desperate, Donni contacts Marco’s son/her estranged stepson, Rafael, to save her from destitution.
At 28, Rafe Nicastro is a very successful thriller author, two books into his Madison Hawthorne trilogy. His “notoriously spicy” books follow a PI investigating a series of BDSM-scene murders. They’re also inspired by his stepmom, whom he’s lusted after for over ten years. And now, she’s at his mercy.
Rafe agrees to come to Donni’s aid on one condition—that she be his muse. Meanwhile, ghosts from Donni’s past have returned with a vengeance. Someone is taking inspiration from Donni’s films to scare—possibly even kill—her. Could it be her obsessed stepson? Or does Donni have another “fan”?
Little Deaths tackles topics such as racism, sexism, ageism, classism, toxic masculinity, abuse, sexual assault, entertainment industry exploitation, and how society reinforces the status quo to enable perpetrators and disempower their victims/those in vulnerable positions. As always, look up and review Content Warnings before reading.
REVIEW:
STFU if I simp over this book.
Little Deaths feels like a book you need to read twice—once to absorb the striking imagery, language, and plot; a second time to appreciate the craft and depth.
This book was so highly hyped and delivered on every single promise. Little Deaths was all of my favorite tropes, themes, and dynamics packaged into one excellent and subversive dark romance thriller. An absolute delight to read.
I loved the way media is incorporated to augment the story. From the music, to the articles, reviews, text messages, video and voice recordings, dreams, and photos, at times Little Deaths feels like a collage in text. Every minute detail enhances the scene, with no better example than Rafe’s apartment in the prologue.
To that end, Little Deaths exemplifies the “Show, Don’t Tell” directive. For example, arriving in California, Rafe’s taxi driver asks what brings him to town. Rather than engaging an easy, cliched, exposition opportunity, Rafe shuts the conversation down, saying more in that response than he could in dialogue. In my opinion, this moment well represents the writing throughout the book—what is not said is just as important as what is said.
I loved the callbacks to Campbell’s Horrorscape series, for example, tiger lilies. Flowers are a motif in Terrorscape , even featuring an infamous chapter titled Tiger Lily, so it’s even more interesting that Rafe wants Donni to wear a tiger lily their first time.
Note: If you loved Little Deaths, you probably won’t enjoy Horrorscape. However, if you’re a Horrorscape fan, you might really like Little Deaths! Little Deaths readers, if you decide to pick up Horrorscape next, brace yourselves for a very different, much bleaker, experience and CHECK CONTENT WARNINGS.
The role of time in this novel is also noteworthy. Similar to the way in which the novel Things We Found When the Water Went Down demonstrates that trauma is non-linear, time feels fluid in Little Deaths. Between flashbacks, intrusive thoughts, and interspersed texts about past events, it is easy to see how the past overlaps, lurks behind, the present.
As a slasher-inspired novel, horror is an essential element in Little Deaths, and it is very well-executed. There were numerous times when I was legitimately unsettled while reading. Like any good scary movie, the story repeatedly lulls the reader into a false sense of security, only to make your heart plummet.
The horror genre is often used as a venue for healing and trauma processing. It allows consumers to experience heightened emotions in a safe environment, where they ultimately always have an exit; it’s the reason Donni is such a horror-lover. That is part of what makes Little Deaths’ horror so chilling—Donni can’t escape. The story isn’t one that she’s watching or performing in—she’s living it.
The novel also depicts an intimate connection between fear and sex—both in Donni’s mental associations, desires, and in the story’s action (the sex scenes usually coincide with or adjoin horror scenes).
There is so, so much more I could say about this book, but I won’t. The only critical note I would make is that there are quite a few typos.
CONCLUSION:
Here’s the thing about this review: this book has basically all of my favorite tropes. I had the best time reading it. I absolutely cannot write an unbiased review because Little Deaths is so perfectly up my alley that I can only rave. However, if I was going to try to pinpoint Little Deaths’ ideal audience: if you liked the concept and themes behind My Heart Is a Chainsaw but also crave a taboo (but very sweet) erotic thriller, you will love this book. Read in October for optimal ✨🦇vibes🦇✨.
In conclusion: obsessive, unhinged, dangerous, sexy, fictional simps>>>>>
5/5 ⭐ (meets my full rating scale criteria but is also very much a “Fave” auto-five).
3/5 🌶️(handful of scenes, more plot than spice, not overly descriptive, some kinks/triggers).
Tropes:
• Age gap (28M, 40F)
• Taboo (stepson/stepmother)
• Slasher
• Scream-inspired
• Fiction about fiction
• Murder mystery
• Forced proximity
• Virgin hero
Quotes:
To all the dark architects who find themselves masters of their own hells.
-
"You do understand,” he said, very softly, “that you were the inspiration behind those books, don’t you, Donni?” When she didn’t, couldn’t move, he said, “They say life imitates art, but in your case, that’s simply not true. Art—my art—is just a poor substitute for what I really want: you.”
-
"I thought you wanted to talk like civilized, rational people.”
"I lied,” he said. “What I actually want is you.”
-
"You,” she said haltingly, “have no idea what I’ve done or had to do. The things people said to me, the things people did to me—they do not compare to whatever imagined hurts you think I’ve made you suffer.” Her eyes, when they went to his, were electric. “You don’t fucking know.”
"Then show me,” he breathed. “Give me a taste of what you really are.”
-
"I wouldn’t hurt you.”
Rafe let his hands fall from her, sliding one into his pocket. When he pulled out a switchblade, Donni felt her pulse rate kick up. He handled it deftly, she couldn’t help noticing, even though this one had a tricky spring. The sharp point of it sliding out made her flinch.
Watching her, he said, softly, “I could scare you, though.”
-
"People talk about sexism like it’s a single killing blow, but it’s actually a series of little deaths. Women are dying and men are the sickness.”
There was a loud, deafening click.
"I want you to think of me as the cure.”
-
"I’m not a gold-digger,” she said stiffly.
"Then what are you? Tell me. Because I want you to be mine. Just mine.” When she moved her hand, he wrapped his fingers around it. “I didn’t know love could hurt until I met you. That longing could pierce like a knife. You’re the only woman who ever made me feel that way.”
"Rafe—I’m not a good person.”
"I don’t care.” He pressed her hand against his chest. His heart was pounding furiously. “Every time you’re near me, it’s like this. Why do you think that is?”
Her fingers curled, catching on his shirt collar. “I’m going to hurt you.”
"Then do it,” he growled. “Hurt me. Fuck me. Just don’t send me away.”
-
She had fallen in love with horror because it validated her belief that monsters wore human faces, and it provided an outlet for her constant fear without breaking her completely. Every time a movie made her heart pound and she felt the familiar flood of adrenaline and panic, she could stop the movie and leave the room, and it would all subside, and she would still be safe.
Read
September 10, 2022Nenia Campbell has serious talent and honestly one of the most laid back and approachable author’s I have had the honor of interacting it. How many authors can say they acknowledge a review that is less then 5*? I can tell you from my experience with other authors unless you give them 4 or 5* readers like us who are honest in our feelings are ignored by them. I have a serious respect for Nenia as an author because she has a respect for us the honest reader. Any dark book she writes I am on board!
December 27, 2022
DISCLAIMER: I am friends with the author and beta-read an early version of this book, but this does not affect my rating. I bought the final copy from Amazon.
This book filled the void in my life that Watch the Girls created. LITTLE DEATHS had it all: an ill-advised romance, a washed-up horror actress, multiple deaths, multi-media snippets, and smut. I love my romance with a side of toxicity and danger.
I was actually saving this and intended to read it much more quickly than I did, but life got in the way (read: me foolishly checking out library books that needed to be returned in a timely manner). Now that I'm done, I'm happy to compare LITTLE DEATHS to several things: the aforementioned WATCH THE GIRLS, the idea of 80s B-rated slashers rather than any specific one, the movie VALENTINE, and even a little soap opera drama. It's not one of these things, it's all of them. And it's basically everything I've ever wanted.
Rafe is maybe my new favorite hero of Campbell's (sorry, Nick). He was the best-dressed, for one. Oh, and he's a babe. And even though he's toxic, it's a totally acceptable kind of toxic! Nobody worry!!!!!
I was so tense by the end, and my heart was in my throat. Reading this was a rush. It gets to stay on my Kindle in my favorites folder! A huge honor!
This book filled the void in my life that Watch the Girls created. LITTLE DEATHS had it all: an ill-advised romance, a washed-up horror actress, multiple deaths, multi-media snippets, and smut. I love my romance with a side of toxicity and danger.
I was actually saving this and intended to read it much more quickly than I did, but life got in the way (read: me foolishly checking out library books that needed to be returned in a timely manner). Now that I'm done, I'm happy to compare LITTLE DEATHS to several things: the aforementioned WATCH THE GIRLS, the idea of 80s B-rated slashers rather than any specific one, the movie VALENTINE, and even a little soap opera drama. It's not one of these things, it's all of them. And it's basically everything I've ever wanted.
Rafe is maybe my new favorite hero of Campbell's (sorry, Nick). He was the best-dressed, for one. Oh, and he's a babe. And even though he's toxic, it's a totally acceptable kind of toxic! Nobody worry!!!!!
I was so tense by the end, and my heart was in my throat. Reading this was a rush. It gets to stay on my Kindle in my favorites folder! A huge honor!
August 5, 2024
"I don't care if you see yourself as broken. I've been chasing your reflection in a ruin of jagged shards for the last ten years."
Now, this is what I want from a romantic thriller. Equal parts steam and suspense, complete with scenes that legitimately made my jaw drop or had me wondering how the hell these two were possibly going to find a HEA — or even make it out alive, for that matter. Donni was such a fun heroine to cheer for, and Rafe is all the best forms of fucked up.
✨ Representation: Donni is Vietnamese and described as "full-figured"
✨ Content warnings for:
———
bookstagram | booktok | blog | storygraph | twitter/x
May 6, 2024
An obsessed and unhinged erotica author goes back home to collect his gore movie actress stepmother that he could never get out of his mind o.O
The MMC is 28 & the FMC is 40
The premise is simple, the setting is a disgustingly white & judgmental small town where everyone hates the heroine and the MMC is the "touch her and die" kind. Oh, and a crazy serial killer is on the loose, reenacting the former actresses' greatest movie deaths!
There is actually not much I have to say about this novel except that it is criminally underrated & currently on Kindle Unlimited!
The MMC is 28 & the FMC is 40
The premise is simple, the setting is a disgustingly white & judgmental small town where everyone hates the heroine and the MMC is the "touch her and die" kind. Oh, and a crazy serial killer is on the loose, reenacting the former actresses' greatest movie deaths!
There is actually not much I have to say about this novel except that it is criminally underrated & currently on Kindle Unlimited!
February 10, 2024
I’ve never read dark romance before this book so I wasn’t sure what to expect. Well, I DEVOURED this whole thing in a day. There are all these little mysteries mixed in that keep you dying to know either what happened in the past or what’s going to happen next.
I honestly don’t know how on earth I ended up rooting for them as a couple (again, new to the genre here) but I did.
If you’re into dark romance and you haven’t read this book, then, respectfully, WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH YOUR LIFE?
I honestly don’t know how on earth I ended up rooting for them as a couple (again, new to the genre here) but I did.
If you’re into dark romance and you haven’t read this book, then, respectfully, WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH YOUR LIFE?
January 7, 2024
Nenia Campbell does it again.
This was a campy horror fest with some A+ smut to boot!
It was like the very best parts of Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer found their way into a dark reverse age gap romance and it all just fit so very seamlessly.
Rafe will go down as one of my favourite MMCs, dark and broody with the edge of danger but inside he’s all soft and sad, longing for Donni. Big red flag energy, but you don’t even care.
Speaking of Donni, she has a will of her own. She doesn’t suffer fools and she stands up for herself. I liked that at the end of the day she didn’t NEED Rafe to save her, she could handle that sh*t on her own, but she allows him in.
As I read this, the further we got into the story and especially the relationship between Rafe and Donni I kept getting Wuthering Heights vibes and it made me love this even more. Hit me with all the darkness, the doomed love. I’m a sucker for it
I’ll leave it with this quote from the book:
“ “Two Souls, made of the same dark shit.” He breathed in against her hair and laughed throatily.” Maybe I saw myself inside of you.”
I cannot wait to read this again. It’ll stick with me. I loved it.
This was a campy horror fest with some A+ smut to boot!
It was like the very best parts of Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer found their way into a dark reverse age gap romance and it all just fit so very seamlessly.
Rafe will go down as one of my favourite MMCs, dark and broody with the edge of danger but inside he’s all soft and sad, longing for Donni. Big red flag energy, but you don’t even care.
Speaking of Donni, she has a will of her own. She doesn’t suffer fools and she stands up for herself. I liked that at the end of the day she didn’t NEED Rafe to save her, she could handle that sh*t on her own, but she allows him in.
As I read this, the further we got into the story and especially the relationship between Rafe and Donni I kept getting Wuthering Heights vibes and it made me love this even more. Hit me with all the darkness, the doomed love. I’m a sucker for it
I’ll leave it with this quote from the book:
“ “Two Souls, made of the same dark shit.” He breathed in against her hair and laughed throatily.” Maybe I saw myself inside of you.”
I cannot wait to read this again. It’ll stick with me. I loved it.
Want to read
March 7, 2014Why all the hate for Nenia Campbell? Seriously it hasnt even got a blurb yet and people already giving 1 star reviews and putting on negative lists?
Didn't Goodreads just clamp down on Author bashing? :-( seems so unfair, I have read a few books of hers, and blog posts & her reviews - don't know where the hate is coming from!!
Didn't Goodreads just clamp down on Author bashing? :-( seems so unfair, I have read a few books of hers, and blog posts & her reviews - don't know where the hate is coming from!!
April 11, 2024
What is love if not a shift through the illusion
"I didn't know love could hurt until I met you."
Nenia Campbell is an excellent writer. Her lyricism plays like a good meal at a 4 or 5-star restaurant. At the moment, the bitten and consumed morsels feel like butter on the tongue, but afterward, you are left a little wondering. The lofty story is standard Nenia, which means perfectly moody, eerie settings with a gothic feel.
"I don’t care if you see yourself as broken. I’ve been chasing your reflection in a ruin of jagged shards for the last ten years. It’s you I want—flaws and all. No facsimiles. No illusions. Just real flesh-and-blood you.”
#Tropes
The Scream Queen stigma and mystery are the larger tropes being worked in this piece, and as always, trauma is slipped underneath the fabric of the story; noncon, sexual violence and coercion against women, death, and animal abuse are all in the folds but elegantly done. Remember, this is a Nenia Campbell special, which means you should get comfy in your seat because this will take a while. The mystery is top-tier but note the romance is best for those who desire slow burns; while the mystery moves at a good clip, the romance is glacial.
“You’re lucky you’re still young,” she sighed. “You haven’t made any mistakes yet.”
#ColdheartHeartStopper
Even though Donni has her reasons for being closed off, cold, calculating, and mistrusting, it's exhausting not to see the romance move faster. We get barely a crack in her surface by 70%, and we really need to know things because her unfeeling and manipulative persona makes it hard to root for her. Internally, she'll reveal, muse or admit...
•"People don't really know me, my true self." She shrugs; I have my reasons. End scene.
•"I would give in to love, but I won't." She shrugs; I have my reasons. End scene.
•"Oh yeah, I lied, and maybe it wasn't right, but f* it."...shrugs; I have my reasons. End scene.
We, the readers, don't get underneath her reasoning until the latter half of the book, and it makes it all that much harder to understand her. But as with all things, slow burn and slow roll, if that's your spice, you'll love it. The writing is so stellar that it will keep you on the hook.
"Every time she was safe, that raw wound inside her scabbed over just a little bit more."
#PoorLittleRichBoy
The MMC comes across as a dominant milquetoast in the tide of Donni's dis-but-not-really-disinterest-interest. He's mysterious and dark. A lie tore him apart from his family, but did it really? How can he move forward from his form of revenge? Rafe is fascinating. We get these peaks and moments within his life, but it feels watery, like a daze-like state that makes it hard to grasp. He could be layered, but he's so in character that he doesn't fully share his thoughts and musings. As a reader, it feels as if we are distant from his story, a beautiful painting to view.
"Then what are you because I want you to be mine. Just mine."
#RomancePlot
Together, these two love birds are a complicated romance for sure. The quippy and witty lines during their banter is excellent. When they do move together, the heat is electric, leaving you grubby and wanting more, but the romance takes time to get there (the entire book). They don't actually communicate outside of barbs for a long while. They don't actually show vulnerability for a while; when they do, it's either hazed over, glazed over, or left unseen on purpose (top notch mystery). We don't see them working as a unit. Instead, they are two separate beings moving through a connected story. They are players on the stage being moved about. Once again, as a mystery about Scream Queen's persona, it's riveting and grips you, but as a romance, you are left "hmmm..ok".
“You can’t just hurt people to get what you want.”
Bottom line: Nenia does a beautiful job with the layering and melding of story tropes and gives a marvelous true crime whodunit. Her characters often earn their HEA and isn't that sweeter
"I didn't know love could hurt until I met you."
Nenia Campbell is an excellent writer. Her lyricism plays like a good meal at a 4 or 5-star restaurant. At the moment, the bitten and consumed morsels feel like butter on the tongue, but afterward, you are left a little wondering. The lofty story is standard Nenia, which means perfectly moody, eerie settings with a gothic feel.
"I don’t care if you see yourself as broken. I’ve been chasing your reflection in a ruin of jagged shards for the last ten years. It’s you I want—flaws and all. No facsimiles. No illusions. Just real flesh-and-blood you.”
#Tropes
The Scream Queen stigma and mystery are the larger tropes being worked in this piece, and as always, trauma is slipped underneath the fabric of the story; noncon, sexual violence and coercion against women, death, and animal abuse are all in the folds but elegantly done. Remember, this is a Nenia Campbell special, which means you should get comfy in your seat because this will take a while. The mystery is top-tier but note the romance is best for those who desire slow burns; while the mystery moves at a good clip, the romance is glacial.
“You’re lucky you’re still young,” she sighed. “You haven’t made any mistakes yet.”
#ColdheartHeartStopper
Even though Donni has her reasons for being closed off, cold, calculating, and mistrusting, it's exhausting not to see the romance move faster. We get barely a crack in her surface by 70%, and we really need to know things because her unfeeling and manipulative persona makes it hard to root for her. Internally, she'll reveal, muse or admit...
•"People don't really know me, my true self." She shrugs; I have my reasons. End scene.
•"I would give in to love, but I won't." She shrugs; I have my reasons. End scene.
•"Oh yeah, I lied, and maybe it wasn't right, but f* it."...shrugs; I have my reasons. End scene.
We, the readers, don't get underneath her reasoning until the latter half of the book, and it makes it all that much harder to understand her. But as with all things, slow burn and slow roll, if that's your spice, you'll love it. The writing is so stellar that it will keep you on the hook.
"Every time she was safe, that raw wound inside her scabbed over just a little bit more."
#PoorLittleRichBoy
The MMC comes across as a dominant milquetoast in the tide of Donni's dis-but-not-really-disinterest-interest. He's mysterious and dark. A lie tore him apart from his family, but did it really? How can he move forward from his form of revenge? Rafe is fascinating. We get these peaks and moments within his life, but it feels watery, like a daze-like state that makes it hard to grasp. He could be layered, but he's so in character that he doesn't fully share his thoughts and musings. As a reader, it feels as if we are distant from his story, a beautiful painting to view.
"Then what are you because I want you to be mine. Just mine."
#RomancePlot
Together, these two love birds are a complicated romance for sure. The quippy and witty lines during their banter is excellent. When they do move together, the heat is electric, leaving you grubby and wanting more, but the romance takes time to get there (the entire book). They don't actually communicate outside of barbs for a long while. They don't actually show vulnerability for a while; when they do, it's either hazed over, glazed over, or left unseen on purpose (top notch mystery). We don't see them working as a unit. Instead, they are two separate beings moving through a connected story. They are players on the stage being moved about. Once again, as a mystery about Scream Queen's persona, it's riveting and grips you, but as a romance, you are left "hmmm..ok".
“You can’t just hurt people to get what you want.”
Bottom line: Nenia does a beautiful job with the layering and melding of story tropes and gives a marvelous true crime whodunit. Her characters often earn their HEA and isn't that sweeter
November 22, 2023
Exactly why tf doesn’t this book have more hype? I loved the naughty combination of forbidden love and creepy murder mystery. The tension & sex is just amazing, and Rafe is a god-tier book boyfriend.
January 7, 2023
It started off a little slow but i was definitely hooked by the 30% mark. I loved both Donni and Rafe. Rafe was just so cute and the way he adored Donni?? NEED. And Donni i wanted to give her a hug through the whole book she deserved better
February 18, 2024
I swear…
Most people put themselves on book buying bans.
I’m putting myself on a Nenia Campbell ban. I’ve got ish to do but whenever I (metaphorically) crack open one of Nenia’s books, I am useless to the world.
Go away.
Don’t talk to me until it’s over. ✌🏻.
I can’t live my life like this! I have to be productive eventually!!
I will not apologize for my dramatics. Go read Little Deaths. Shoo. Bye. Also, you’re welcome. 🤣🤣
Most people put themselves on book buying bans.
I’m putting myself on a Nenia Campbell ban. I’ve got ish to do but whenever I (metaphorically) crack open one of Nenia’s books, I am useless to the world.
Go away.
Don’t talk to me until it’s over. ✌🏻.
I can’t live my life like this! I have to be productive eventually!!
I will not apologize for my dramatics. Go read Little Deaths. Shoo. Bye. Also, you’re welcome. 🤣🤣
March 21, 2023
I loved every little sentence.
June 30, 2024
I’ve had a rough week and kept begging the universe for some peaceful time so I could finish this book which had me in a chokehold the entire time. I was carrying my ebook everywhere so I could read if I had 5min.
Let me say this: this is the first book in a long time that I truly believe should be made a movie. 5⭐️.
It gives you Hollywood vibes, crime, sex, lies and deception.
I loved that at the end of every chapter there was a critique of either one of her horror movies or from one of Raffi’s books. It was a nice touch that worked beautifully. If Nenia was hoping to portray Donni’s public persona as an average actress and the scrutiny she faced because of those roles and her sexappeal—for the reader—…she succeeded.
Let me say this: this is the first book in a long time that I truly believe should be made a movie. 5⭐️.
It gives you Hollywood vibes, crime, sex, lies and deception.
I loved that at the end of every chapter there was a critique of either one of her horror movies or from one of Raffi’s books. It was a nice touch that worked beautifully. If Nenia was hoping to portray Donni’s public persona as an average actress and the scrutiny she faced because of those roles and her sexappeal—for the reader—…she succeeded.
December 7, 2022
4.5/5 (rounded up: the journey was tough but the ending was *chef's kiss*)
First of all, (unless i missed sth) POWDERPUFF IS FINE. THE DOGGO IS SAFE. That TW for animal death was not for her. I have spent at least 40% anxious about her life since i searched my kindle for her name and it was last found at 75% but SHE IS ALRIGHT.
Now that we're done with the most important thing-
Oh. My. God.
What a book. My heart was racing (for Rafe and for the thriller murder scary stuff), my blood was boiling (on behalf of the heroine), i was completely taken over emotionally by the story and the characters, and since i'm in a semi-reading-slump, it feels like it's been ages since i've been like this.
I wanted to take a bubble wrap and wrap it around Donni and Rafe, and eventually they were given the sweetest, most perfect happy ending ^^. These two and the doggo needed to be protected at all costs, poor little things.
Do you remember Rafe's first scene?
He was in THE club, all but laughing evilly and twirling his nonexistent villain mustache, sooo ready for revenge (kinda like Nick, and we know how "revenge" looked like for that boy-) and i thought, already clutching my pearls: "How bad, on scale from Theo to Gavin, will this guy get?". Turns out - he is even softer than Theodork.
(And he has even better nickname, our little Raffi the Giraffe *happy sigh*)
I am not complaining - also (stares at Gavin pointedly) we, the readers, are done with manwhores. We only want 100% devoted men now.
That's not the kind of book filled with twists of who killed who and why. It's not hard to figure out - especially since we got dual POV and can't blame Rafe ;) - but it's probably one of the reasons the book works so well for me, aka Usually Not a Fan of Thrillers. It's not about cheap plot twists, but the breath-taking action, painful development and amazing characters. It will probably take years for me to reread "Little Deaths" (such a perfect title!), but when I do, it will be so worth it.
Bonus:
Rafe got so many good lines. Too many, actually, and i only had a gif for one:
Why do I always find some nygmobblepot-like scene in Nenia's books? (okay, maybe not always-always, but at least thrice so far!) Maybe it's my stupid heart, or maybe it's the timeless perfection of a great ship?
First of all, (unless i missed sth) POWDERPUFF IS FINE. THE DOGGO IS SAFE. That TW for animal death was not for her. I have spent at least 40% anxious about her life since i searched my kindle for her name and it was last found at 75% but SHE IS ALRIGHT.
Now that we're done with the most important thing-
Oh. My. God.
What a book. My heart was racing (for Rafe and for the thriller murder scary stuff), my blood was boiling (on behalf of the heroine), i was completely taken over emotionally by the story and the characters, and since i'm in a semi-reading-slump, it feels like it's been ages since i've been like this.
I wanted to take a bubble wrap and wrap it around Donni and Rafe, and eventually they were given the sweetest, most perfect happy ending ^^. These two and the doggo needed to be protected at all costs, poor little things.
Do you remember Rafe's first scene?
He was in THE club, all but laughing evilly and twirling his nonexistent villain mustache, sooo ready for revenge (kinda like Nick, and we know how "revenge" looked like for that boy-) and i thought, already clutching my pearls: "How bad, on scale from Theo to Gavin, will this guy get?". Turns out - he is even softer than Theodork.
(And he has even better nickname, our little Raffi the Giraffe *happy sigh*)
I am not complaining - also (stares at Gavin pointedly) we, the readers, are done with manwhores. We only want 100% devoted men now.
That's not the kind of book filled with twists of who killed who and why. It's not hard to figure out - especially since we got dual POV and can't blame Rafe ;) - but it's probably one of the reasons the book works so well for me, aka Usually Not a Fan of Thrillers. It's not about cheap plot twists, but the breath-taking action, painful development and amazing characters. It will probably take years for me to reread "Little Deaths" (such a perfect title!), but when I do, it will be so worth it.
Bonus:
Rafe got so many good lines. Too many, actually, and i only had a gif for one:
December 4, 2022
This is a great read! The thriller aspect with the age gap keeps you on the edge of your seat.
December 13, 2022
I want to eventually write a longer review filled with all the great lines that came out of this book (there are so many). However, I wanted to get it out there as soon as possible to say this is one of my favorite reads of 2022. Please read this book if you haven't. The suspense was A+. The banter between Rafe and Doni A+. Rafe in general I will obsess about until the day I die. The man is smart, caring, sexy, artistic and saved himself for the fmc. No man exists like that outside of fiction, but a girl can dream can't she (or just obsessively re-read this book, you know, options...)?
I like that Doni wasn't perfect, but that she was perfect to Rafe (my favorite trope in the romance genre). She has a complicated past, and she developed a cold personality to protect herself from ever being hurt again. She's a black widow, a swooping raven in a graveyard, a dark icy abyss, but d*mn does she make it all look cool as hell. Rafe and her complemented each other perfectly, because he gazed into that abyss and saw beauty, a beauty which inspired his art.
I don't like easy romances. I like it when the fmc/mmc spit and claw at each other while trying to find their love for one another. This book delivers on that front. I'm a big fan of this author since she always delivers on original content and complicated romances.
Again, please go read this book if you haven't.
Side note: I want Rafe's books to exist in the real world, ex-bratva turned artist/bdsm master who helps a PI solve crimes in the bdsm community sounds like a really cool idea for a story.
I like that Doni wasn't perfect, but that she was perfect to Rafe (my favorite trope in the romance genre). She has a complicated past, and she developed a cold personality to protect herself from ever being hurt again. She's a black widow, a swooping raven in a graveyard, a dark icy abyss, but d*mn does she make it all look cool as hell. Rafe and her complemented each other perfectly, because he gazed into that abyss and saw beauty, a beauty which inspired his art.
I don't like easy romances. I like it when the fmc/mmc spit and claw at each other while trying to find their love for one another. This book delivers on that front. I'm a big fan of this author since she always delivers on original content and complicated romances.
Again, please go read this book if you haven't.
Side note: I want Rafe's books to exist in the real world, ex-bratva turned artist/bdsm master who helps a PI solve crimes in the bdsm community sounds like a really cool idea for a story.
July 11, 2024
When I finished this book yesterday, I closed the cover of my kindle, sat up straight (from the bent over bridge troll position I usually read in), took a deep breath, and said to my husband, “10/10; no notes.” While it was a little silly for me to say because nowhere do I rate books out of 10, the sentiment stands.
(Well, maybe there’s one note: I wanted more Powderpuff. But that’s just because I like dogs and have a soft spot for poms.)
I just loved this book so much. Horror/slasher thriller isn’t my usual fare, but damn did Nenia Campbell deliver with Little Deaths. I spent the pages at-once in awe of Campbell’s prose and the details she chose to include—just so fucking good, omg—and also genuinely scared for and invested in the lives of Rafe and Donni. (I will say knowing this was a romance and that the ill-advised pair would be getting their happy ending did help.)
Speaking of the characters. I loved Donni. She felt real and raw, and her choices throughout the book made so much sense to me. I loved the look into the seediness of the scream queen industry. I loved that we got to see her through the eyes of some pretty gross men with the interspersed reviews of her films—and how that affected her motivations. I loved the details about her wardrobe and her dog, and how out of place she felt in the community. More than anything, I wanted her to get hers.
But I also loved Rafe?? I think it could be easy to read Rafe’s POV at face value. He seems so serious. He seems so dangerous. But then you take a step back and you’re like, “Ohhh, he’s just a grown up emo who’s been pining for his stepmother for the last ten years. So much so that he’s still a virgin, basically wrote (successful) fan fiction about her, and has gone so far as to try and recreate her perfume and buy costume jewelry from her movies. A piece of which he wears to meet her for the first time when they reunite.” Like he’s a little bit loser-ish, but in the best way?
He seemed far less a danger to Donni to me after I realized that. (Which I appreciated, by the way, because she was in enough danger as it was.) And together, Rafe and Donni did make sense. They fit together like two really messed up puzzle pieces. He saw her when no one else did, and my little heart found that very romantic, despite some of his more fucked up actions.
There’s so much else I could say about this book, but I can’t give it all away in the review. But yeah, pretty near a perfect book from my POV.
(Well, maybe there’s one note: I wanted more Powderpuff. But that’s just because I like dogs and have a soft spot for poms.)
I just loved this book so much. Horror/slasher thriller isn’t my usual fare, but damn did Nenia Campbell deliver with Little Deaths. I spent the pages at-once in awe of Campbell’s prose and the details she chose to include—just so fucking good, omg—and also genuinely scared for and invested in the lives of Rafe and Donni. (I will say knowing this was a romance and that the ill-advised pair would be getting their happy ending did help.)
Speaking of the characters. I loved Donni. She felt real and raw, and her choices throughout the book made so much sense to me. I loved the look into the seediness of the scream queen industry. I loved that we got to see her through the eyes of some pretty gross men with the interspersed reviews of her films—and how that affected her motivations. I loved the details about her wardrobe and her dog, and how out of place she felt in the community. More than anything, I wanted her to get hers.
But I also loved Rafe?? I think it could be easy to read Rafe’s POV at face value. He seems so serious. He seems so dangerous. But then you take a step back and you’re like, “Ohhh, he’s just a grown up emo who’s been pining for his stepmother for the last ten years. So much so that he’s still a virgin, basically wrote (successful) fan fiction about her, and has gone so far as to try and recreate her perfume and buy costume jewelry from her movies. A piece of which he wears to meet her for the first time when they reunite.” Like he’s a little bit loser-ish, but in the best way?
He seemed far less a danger to Donni to me after I realized that. (Which I appreciated, by the way, because she was in enough danger as it was.) And together, Rafe and Donni did make sense. They fit together like two really messed up puzzle pieces. He saw her when no one else did, and my little heart found that very romantic, despite some of his more fucked up actions.
There’s so much else I could say about this book, but I can’t give it all away in the review. But yeah, pretty near a perfect book from my POV.
July 18, 2024
I picked up Little Deaths by Nenia Campbell last Stuff Your Kindle day and have no regrets. The smuttiest slasher (book in general) I have ever read. Vibes were immaculate, writing was very fast paced. It took me a hot second to immerse myself properly because Campbell doesn’t mince words or give too many grounding details- this means the book reads quickly and there were a couple of times I had to go back to figure out where we were located physically but it was so FUN.
I highly recommend for anyone who is looking to see the smut and thriller genres collide. I want more!
I highly recommend for anyone who is looking to see the smut and thriller genres collide. I want more!
March 26, 2024
While I don't think I'll reread this book (my usual standard for five star reviews) this book did and delivered everything the blurb said. The prose are beautiful and rich and enthralling. Definitely worth your time, and please check out more books by Nenia Campbell. The symbolism and consistency, the surprises and the neat tying up of all threads... This book was poignantly relevant and delightfully disturbing.
September 20, 2024
Wow what an ending!!! The start that will have you suspecting everyone, and possibly disliking everyone. But as you move along and fall for Donni and Rafe and the kills get more intense by the end you’ll be on the edge of your seat lol or standing and shouting at the characters! Such a great ending!
September 1, 2024
Riveting and unputdownable.
This is dark romance for those of us who cannot stand the proliferation and saturation of the idiotic, poorly written Tiktok brand of the genre that victimizes women.
A taboo relationship, a solid, well-developed plot and fully fleshed out characters who aren’t caricatures of horror movies.
An older heroine who is a bada$$ in her own right, not some flailing TSTL eighteen year old.
The suspense at the core of the plot was tackled with a deft hand, and the resolution had me guessing until the end.
My favorite quotes:
“I came down here thinking I could fuck you out of my system,” said Rafe. “But being here only reminded me why I fell for you in the first place. I don’t care if you see yourself as broken. I’ve been chasing your reflection in a ruin of jagged shards for the last ten years. It’s you I want—flaws and all. No facsimiles. No illusions. Just real flesh-and-blood you.”
*********
“They were already monsters,” he said quietly. “Fuck my father. If he was getting ready to abandon you, then whatever love was ever there had already withered up and died. I don’t care if you’re broken or whole. You could walk through blood or broken glass, and I’d run after you just the same. I’ve already done both.”
****
“I’ve never been loved by anyone the way he loves me. It would honestly be terrifying if I didn’t feel the same way. I remember reading Wuthering Heights in school and thinking, ‘What idiot would marry this man? He’s clearly insane.’ And then recently, when I was doing my makeup in the mirror, I thought about that, and realized, ‘It’s me. I’m the idiot. I married Heathcliff.’ And we clearly deserve each other, because I’ve never been happier.”
***********
“You’ve handed me the keys to all your darkest secrets and dared me to be your jailer, my darling raven. Because deep down, you trust me enough to keep you safe.”
This is dark romance for those of us who cannot stand the proliferation and saturation of the idiotic, poorly written Tiktok brand of the genre that victimizes women.
A taboo relationship, a solid, well-developed plot and fully fleshed out characters who aren’t caricatures of horror movies.
An older heroine who is a bada$$ in her own right, not some flailing TSTL eighteen year old.
The suspense at the core of the plot was tackled with a deft hand, and the resolution had me guessing until the end.
My favorite quotes:
“I came down here thinking I could fuck you out of my system,” said Rafe. “But being here only reminded me why I fell for you in the first place. I don’t care if you see yourself as broken. I’ve been chasing your reflection in a ruin of jagged shards for the last ten years. It’s you I want—flaws and all. No facsimiles. No illusions. Just real flesh-and-blood you.”
*********
“They were already monsters,” he said quietly. “Fuck my father. If he was getting ready to abandon you, then whatever love was ever there had already withered up and died. I don’t care if you’re broken or whole. You could walk through blood or broken glass, and I’d run after you just the same. I’ve already done both.”
****
“I’ve never been loved by anyone the way he loves me. It would honestly be terrifying if I didn’t feel the same way. I remember reading Wuthering Heights in school and thinking, ‘What idiot would marry this man? He’s clearly insane.’ And then recently, when I was doing my makeup in the mirror, I thought about that, and realized, ‘It’s me. I’m the idiot. I married Heathcliff.’ And we clearly deserve each other, because I’ve never been happier.”
***********
“You’ve handed me the keys to all your darkest secrets and dared me to be your jailer, my darling raven. Because deep down, you trust me enough to keep you safe.”
December 28, 2022
Big Basic Instinct energy! Loved it!
December 21, 2022
I told myself I wouldn’t fall for another one of Nenia’s male leads but oops here we are.
January 1, 2024
It is exceedingly rare that a book actually grabs me on page one. Openings are hard, and most of them are fine, but very few are whoa... Little Deaths had me by the heart right from the pre-prologue. I was highlighting lines, phrases, entire paragraphs. In the end, Goodreads shows that I have 65 highlights in this book, which is positively unheard of.
The elements that alone would be enough to earn a 5-star rating (story, characters, romance, sexiness) are just so exquisitely rendered in strikingly gorgeous prose. Really and truly, the writing style left me agog and thinking Where have you been all my life!
I know it's a taboo romance, but it wasn't the trashy, wink-wink version of taboo I've encountered often enough that I approach that tag with caution. The taboo element here was handled with honest emotions throughout, and it felt like we were allowed to overcome our resistance to it right along with the heroine.
And we want to overcome our resistance, because this man is hot as hell--yes, this is the portion of the review where I drop the intellectual examination and just say OMG I need a Rafe Nicastro. His obsession is true and profound--this is not one of those insta-lust stories you just roll with because it's fun, this is a lifelong, psychologically complex emotional and sexual fixation. I referenced the pre-prologue in which I fell in love with the writing; it also made me deeply fascinated with him right from the start.
Donni, our heroine, has been through so damn much in her life that despite her theoretical wealth and B-movie fame, I never envied or rooted against her for a moment (this is a me thing, certainly, but I am prone to scoffing at rich people problems, and that never happened once). I found myself begging her to accept love and let herself be happy--you deserve it, Donni!
This wasn't merely among my favorite reads in recent years, it was a legitimate discovery.
The elements that alone would be enough to earn a 5-star rating (story, characters, romance, sexiness) are just so exquisitely rendered in strikingly gorgeous prose. Really and truly, the writing style left me agog and thinking Where have you been all my life!
I know it's a taboo romance, but it wasn't the trashy, wink-wink version of taboo I've encountered often enough that I approach that tag with caution. The taboo element here was handled with honest emotions throughout, and it felt like we were allowed to overcome our resistance to it right along with the heroine.
And we want to overcome our resistance, because this man is hot as hell--yes, this is the portion of the review where I drop the intellectual examination and just say OMG I need a Rafe Nicastro. His obsession is true and profound--this is not one of those insta-lust stories you just roll with because it's fun, this is a lifelong, psychologically complex emotional and sexual fixation. I referenced the pre-prologue in which I fell in love with the writing; it also made me deeply fascinated with him right from the start.
Donni, our heroine, has been through so damn much in her life that despite her theoretical wealth and B-movie fame, I never envied or rooted against her for a moment (this is a me thing, certainly, but I am prone to scoffing at rich people problems, and that never happened once). I found myself begging her to accept love and let herself be happy--you deserve it, Donni!
This wasn't merely among my favorite reads in recent years, it was a legitimate discovery.
January 8, 2023
Pleasantly surprised by this one.I've read a lot of darker, erotica etc in my time but this is my FIRST EVER reverse age gap when the woman is the older party and can I just say, REFRESHING!! Also my first time reading Nenia, I'll be looking at her books in the future.
The story is fast paced, I really liked Donni and found her relatable especially when I'm closer to her age. I loved learning a bit about her back story and the old reviews of her films in the book was really good too (I'm a horror junkie especially 70/80s films, so even though her films were great I'd have loved them!!). Rafe grew on me as the book went on which I knew was likely to happen. The sex scenes were hot in a weird way and I liked Donni's thought process on 'I shouldn't enjoy this but kind of do'. It was felt real to me in that way. The ending hit right and I left the book satisfied.
I'm only going 3.5 on this one as it didn't blew me away but I did think it was good. A kindle unlimited read, so free if you subscribe to the service.
The story is fast paced, I really liked Donni and found her relatable especially when I'm closer to her age. I loved learning a bit about her back story and the old reviews of her films in the book was really good too (I'm a horror junkie especially 70/80s films, so even though her films were great I'd have loved them!!). Rafe grew on me as the book went on which I knew was likely to happen. The sex scenes were hot in a weird way and I liked Donni's thought process on 'I shouldn't enjoy this but kind of do'. It was felt real to me in that way. The ending hit right and I left the book satisfied.
I'm only going 3.5 on this one as it didn't blew me away but I did think it was good. A kindle unlimited read, so free if you subscribe to the service.
October 24, 2023
The reverse age-gap aspect of this book put me off reading it for ages, I’m sure there’s a reason why but I chose not to be introspective right now. It is definitely the only Nenia Campbell book I’ve not read the second it was published.
Anyway.
This was a super fun read. Loved the thriller aspect and all the fun references to 90’s horror. The plot was a tad predictable but it a good way, like I was 99% sure I knew what the twists would be, but they were still engaging to read. The atmosphere was dark and almost gothic in some ways, and I loved the two central characters.
Also yeah, ok, it had fun shmexy times. Which is always a plus.
This book kind of reminded me of a slightly less dark (in some ways) version of the Fearscape series, particularly the fourth book Escape. Which is my favourite series of all time. So off I go to reread it again, coz who needs variety when creepy comfort books are just so much fun?
Anyway.
This was a super fun read. Loved the thriller aspect and all the fun references to 90’s horror. The plot was a tad predictable but it a good way, like I was 99% sure I knew what the twists would be, but they were still engaging to read. The atmosphere was dark and almost gothic in some ways, and I loved the two central characters.
Also yeah, ok, it had fun shmexy times. Which is always a plus.
This book kind of reminded me of a slightly less dark (in some ways) version of the Fearscape series, particularly the fourth book Escape. Which is my favourite series of all time. So off I go to reread it again, coz who needs variety when creepy comfort books are just so much fun?
June 27, 2024
Actual rating 4.5
This book was so freaking good!! I haven’t been this gripped by a story in a long time. The kind of page turner that has you put off eating until you’re about to pass out, because you just want to keep reading!
It was a dark, spicy romance with a 12 year reverse age gap between a stepmother and stepson. Definitely not something I normally gravitate towards, but I’m glad I took a chance. The murder mystery kept me guessing the whole time and had me on the edge of my seat!
This was also my first time reading one of Nenia’s books, and I will definitely be checking out more. Highly recommend!!
This book was so freaking good!! I haven’t been this gripped by a story in a long time. The kind of page turner that has you put off eating until you’re about to pass out, because you just want to keep reading!
It was a dark, spicy romance with a 12 year reverse age gap between a stepmother and stepson. Definitely not something I normally gravitate towards, but I’m glad I took a chance. The murder mystery kept me guessing the whole time and had me on the edge of my seat!
This was also my first time reading one of Nenia’s books, and I will definitely be checking out more. Highly recommend!!
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