CWW: Game On

 

This week's book is.... Game On

Author: Navessa Allen

Publisher: Slowburn

Release Date: March 31st

Series: Into Darkness

Blurb:

I hate that woman.

Tyler Neumann has spent years looking for his father, and not because he wants to meet the man. No, he wants to destroy him. And he'll manipulate whoever he can to exact his revenge.

Including Stella McCormick. She's everything Tyler hates. Her wealth and privilege have protected her for her entire life, and Tyler thinks it's time she finally paid the price. Whether she's ready to or not.

I hate that man.

Stella might not believe in love at first sight, but loathing at first sight - no question. From the moment she sets eyes on Tyler in her tattoo parlor, she knows he's the devil planning to make her life hell.

Forced to play the part of his girlfriend and invite him into her family's glittering circles, Stella quickly clocks Tyler's ulterior motives. But love and hate are two sides of the same coin, and soon she doesn't know which is being blackmailed by a man who wants to ruin her, or that they can't seem to keep their hands off each other.

Explanation:

I absolutely adored the audiobook of the first book in this series (Lights Out). I finally got my library hold for the second book (Caught Up) this week, so I will be up to date when this book comes out. I can handle a pretty dark romance if there is some humor included, which Allen excels at. I am also sure the audiobook will have great narration too so I am very excited!

Can't Wait Wednesday: Tourist Season

Can't Wait Wednesday

This week's book is.... Tourist Season

Author: Brynne Weaver

Publisher: Slowburn

Release Date: September 23rd, 2025

Series: The Season of Carnage

Blurb:

Welcome to Cape Carnage! Visit Once, Stay Forever.

Cape Carnage is a seaside town of colorful houses, quirky shops, and an unusually high body count. But with tourists comes trouble, and Harper Starling won’t let anyone ruin her picture-perfect home. A skilled gardener with killer instincts, Harper protects her sanctuary at any cost—especially for her aging mentor with a fading memory.

Troublesome tourists don’t check out of Carnage. They compost beneath Harper’s award-winning flowerbeds. But Nolan Rhodes isn’t your average tourist. Devilishly handsome, disarmingly charming, and skilled with a blade, Nolan is relentless in the pursuit of revenge. On every anniversary of the hit-and-run accident that fractured his life, Nolan slays another target. And he’s saved the best for last: the undeniably beautiful Harper Starling.

The problem? Harper isn’t the monster he expected. And she won’t go down without a fight. When an amateur true crime investigator comes to Cape Carnage on the trail of a long-lost serial killer, Harper and Nolan strike an uneasy truce. If Nolan helps Harper protect her town, she’ll keep quiet about his hunting habits . . . for now. But their alliance soon spirals into obsession, one that threatens to shatter every secret in Carnage—including their fragile love.

Tourist Season is a darkly funny, slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance where destruction and desire are balanced on the edge of a blade—and where love is the most dangerous battleground of all.

Explanation:

This is the start of Brynne Weaver's new series. I loved the Ruinous Love trilogy, so I am excited to see what else she has in store. This one has a bit more of a thriller vibe than the other books, which I am additionally excited for as a romance and thriller lover. 

This is one of those moments I am intrigued to see how a writer can expand beyond their series of renown. I hope we all end up loving it!

See you again next week for more excitement! 

Hooked by Emily McIntire Review

 

* This review is spoiler-free *

5/5 ⭐

Tropes

➮ Enemy's daughter

➮ Fairytale retelling

➮ Opposites attract

➮ Off limits

➮ Mistaken identity

➮ Grumpy x sunshine

➮ Dual POV

➮ Kidnapping

➮ Instalust

➮ Forbidden

➮ Mafia romance

Synopsis

James has always had one agenda: destroy his enemy, Peter. When Peter’s daughter Wendy shows up in James’s bar, he sees his way in. Seduce the girl and use her for his revenge. It’s the perfect plan, until things in James’s organization begin to crumble. Suddenly, he has to find the traitor in his midst, and his plan for revenge gets murkier as James starts to see Wendy as more than just a pawn in his game.

Wendy was hidden away most of her life by her wealthy cold father, but a spontaneous night out with friends turns into an intense and addictive love affair with the dark and brooding James. As much as she knows James is dangerous, Wendy can’t seem to shake her desire for him. But as their relationship grows, she learns more about the world he moves in, and she's unsure if she’s falling for James or Hook.

Best Quote From the Book

“Darling if I'm the dark, you're the stars."

My Thoughts

It took me a bit to really wrap up all of my thoughts and figure out a way to put them into words. For how dark this one was I am a bit surprised it is a five star but I truly cannot stop thinking about it and really want to continue the series. There is something about the pacing and nuggets of excitement in her writing that makes it really addictive. 

I also have to applaud the narrators for speaking with actual emotion and conviction when appropriate. Recently I've been listening to more audiobooks and wow there are a lot of lackluster narrators out there. The depth of emotion they can convey makes it quite engaging the whole time.

This twist on the original Peter Pan tale felt absolutely perfect. The modern setting with just enough nods to the original kept a lovely balance. I am also super happy to read a fairytale retelling that isn't fantasy. So so many retellings are fantasy and I don't like fantasy so I've always felt left out of an amazing concept. So thank you McIntire for letting us romance fans have a chance to experience it too!

I knew this was a dark romance booked but I was shocked by how quickly things took a very dark and violent turn. James' character is incredibly intense but it makes total sense. It fits really well into a modern-day villain. On the opposite end of the spectrum, I applaud McIntire for creating a multi-faceted villain character. Nobody is all good or all bad, we are all complex creatures. Wendy, James, and Peter strike an excellent balance between the good and bad elements of each of them. Their backstories are also fantastically deep without being overly confusing. 

It felt like the number of characters in total was quite well-balanced. There were a limited number of main characters but enough side characters to make the world feel full. That said, we aren't overintroduced to characters that play no part in the narrative. 

I will admit, the plot twist at the end originally made me a bit uncomfortable. I won't be explaining why to avoid spoilers but just know it isn't my favorite to be sure. For a spell, it was going to drag this star rating down just because of how much it initially made my skin crawl. After sitting with it for a while, I am happy to report that even with my distaste for it, it didn't diminish my enjoyment of the book as a whole in a notable way. Just be prepared for some questionable moral decisions and shocking reveals. 

Please please please look up trigger warnings before reading as there are a lot. Personally, I know I wouldn't be able to stand this one if not for the sped-up audiobook due to the graphic and heavy nature of a lot of the subject matter. This book has some very spicy spice scenes so do not read if that isn't your thing. 

Overall, the writing as a whole is so well-done which is what sold me on this one being a five star for me. McIntire writes balanced worlds with flawed characters with emotional depth and the perfect balance of harking back to the original story. If I had to summarize this story simply, I would call it a beautiful nightmare.