Elisheva Cohen returns to Brooklyn after almost a decade after vowing she'd never return. She grew up in an Orthodox community, shunned because of substance abuse, and fled to LA. Until she lands an amazing opportunity to study photography under her idol and art legend, Wyatt Cole. On her first night back in town, Ely goes out for a celebratory night of dancing with her new roommates and is swept off her feet and into bed by a gorgeous man. The next morning, she wakes up alone and rushes off to attend her first photography class, only to find the mysterious man from last night is her teacher - Wyatt Cole. While being highly respected in the photography scene, Wyatt is wildly reclusive about his personal life. His past is hard for him to publicize - after coming out as transgender, he was dishonorably discharged from the military and disowned by his family. From then on, he committed to sobriety and channeled his pain into his art career. While Ely and Wyatt's relationship started out strictly physical, their similar struggles spark a deep connection. The chemistry is undeniable. But as teacher and student, they desperately want what they can't have.

A story with dark topics, an underlying love story, and so much growth, this was a must read for me. The story was told in dual POV, which makes a book so much better in my opinion, especially when dealing with such raw feelings and emotions. I loved how these two support each other at their darkest times, having an understanding for the pain they're going through on a level other people in their lives don't have. This book also dove into Ely's Jewish background, and I thought this was such a beautiful side story, with Ely working on finding a new community and figuring out what religion means to her.

This book had SO much packed into it, somehow still not feeling like there was too much going on or being too heavy. With darker subject matter, that says a lot about an author! I hope Lee comes out with more books in this wheelhouse, this was a beautiful story!

Big thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballentine for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

All I have to say about this book is…wow.

A SHOT IN THE DARK by @sosaidvictoria was a beautiful romance read and a perfect addition to my pride month lineup 💕 it’s a romance with cute and hilarious moments that also deals with incredibly heavy topics in a way that’s real.

The story follows Ely, who has an incredible night with a gorgeous man after returning to NYC—only to discover the next day that said man is her professor 🫠 as the two navigate their feelings for each other, we learn more about their pasts, including their struggles with addiction and substance abuse, their estranged families, and Ely’s Orthodox Jewish roots.

I loved everything about the book, from the discussion of art as a form of vulnerability to the discussion of communities always being a place you can return to. The inclusion of a trans main character was amazing as well!

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys romance. There are trigger warnings for on-page scenes of substance abuse by characters, so take care when reading! Definitely consider preordering this gem if it seems up your alley—it comes out on September 5! Thanks to the author, @randomhouse & @netgalley for the advanced copy of this read 💕

What a beautiful romance!

We follow the story of Ely, a girl who has been sober for four and a half years after a strong addiction to alcohol and drugs, which led her to get kicked out of her community (she is Jewish) and who now dedicates herself to photography and to art; On the other hand, there is Wyatt, a trans man who has been sober for 10 years after a huge addiction resulting from his father's rejection of him when he came out as a trans man.

These two characters meet one night in a bar, they connect beautifully but then they realize that Wyatt is Ely's new photography teacher and how the inappropriate relationship of power arises, they decide that it is better not to be together. But life takes care of bringing them together at all times.

Throughout the novel, not only is the evolution of their relationship seen, but of them as persons. Ely and Wyatt each on their way reconciling with their past, with their decisions and their mistakes.

It is a beautiful novel of resilience, of inner strength, but also of weakness, of brutal falls and stumbling blocks. Two lives that have suffered unspeakably and have made their loved ones suffer, who now only want peace and a better life, while they realize that being together fits very well with that definition of "better".

It was great to read their lives, to read every failure they had and to understand why they are the way they are now. They are VERY human characters, very relatable. It is impossible not to empathize with them.

At times Ely or Wyatt made me desperate with their actions, but it's part of their development and I love them anyway.

The secondary characters little by little created support networks in the protagonists and I always love when there is this found family vibe in the books.

highly recommended ♥

I was really excited for this book and it still out-performed my expectations. It was one of those books you couldnt get out of your head. I loved the characters so much. Even the B level characters - I wanted more of thier story. (Hi Michal) It was sad. It was spicy. It was hopeful. And it broke a lot of the romance character conventions and plot beats that have grown a little tiring. It's not to say it is without tropes, but Lee's brought a newer viewpoint to them and it feels fresh AND comfortable - an ideal but difficult note to hit.

Overall, this is probably a 3.5 rounded down for me! This is my first read from Victoria, and I've got to say that I find the writing style to be really easy to dive into! The chemistry between Wyatt and Ely was believable and pretty palpable right from the get-go, and the professor/student vibes in the beginning were also pretty strong. Wyatt is 32 and I think Ely is somewhere in her mid-late 20s (a guess based on her history that's explored here)! So luckily it's not as stressful as some taboo reads can be, lol!! 😂

I'll start off with the fact that I really liked the kind of slice of life vibes here coupled with the themes of identity in the sense of both being recovering addicts and also there are themes of religion and belonging. I'd say the Jewish rep appeared to be well-packaged, as someone who is not Jewish. I'm also not really religious at all, but I could understand and sympathize with Ely, and there was a lot I learned about! Just keep that in mind that religion is a VERY important part of Ely's character, and a topic that is discussed HEAVILY. Wyatt is also the first trans man MMC I've read in a romance book, and I really liked him here! His history with addiction, and his estranged relationship with his family was explored really well here. It was really cute watching him be awkward and shy around Ely (and god damn, he was great in the spice).

While I believed in the chemistry in the relationship, and definitely appreciated the exploration of both characters' past and present traumas and the importance of art and photography in their lives, I think that there were still a couple things that didn't work for me. The pacing was something that bugged me by the end, and then the "main-ish" thing that was holding them back from being together. We're told from the get-go from Wyatt that Ely can't be together because she <i>was</i> his student and also tries to keep things professional -- but then they keep texting immediately, and they hang out all the time and learn more about each other after the first night.

Which is fine, but then this ALL culminates to the last <b>10%</b> <spoiler>drama, which is a big oof for me. I know books always needs to be a conflict, and to give this credit, it did get resolved very fast. It was just a bit too fast for me to really believe in the "I love you" exchanges. It's a bit of a nitpick on my end, but the will they, won't they thing didn't quite work for me when they were already acting like they were basically together. And there didn't seem to be any worries from other characters in the first place of Ely being a student? </spoiler>I might've missed it, but to be honest, I'm still not 100% sure if there's technically a taboo after Wyatt had Ely be under another teacher? So it just felt kind of weird that it was talked about again but also nothing really changed, if that makes sense.

But again, I was pleasantly surprised I was able to blaze through this and it was still fun! Really liked the side characters too. I'd definitely try out Victoria's other books!

I’ve just finish reading this and it was good. I always love two different povs. The ending was very good and I want to read more from this author!

The blurb for A Shot in the Dark immediately made me want to read this book. The story itself did not disappoint. This book has alot of heavy hitting topics so definitely check trigger warnings. Victoria Lee though, manages to balance all of the dark with beautiful light. There also was incredible Jewish rep, along with LGBTQ+, and addiction recovery. Do not miss the opportunity to read this book. It was simply stunning. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review this!

4.5 stars. Basically once I started this book it was impossible to put down. So hard to put down in fact that I got distracted reading outside and ended up with a weird embarrassing sunburn. This is meant to be taken as high praise.

A Shot in the Dark follows Ely as she returns to NYC to pursue a summer course in photography at the art school where her favorite, reclusive artist Wyatt Cole will be teaching. In the grand tradition of romance novel plot devices, Ely ends up unknowingly meeting and sleeping with Wyatt the night before her first class. Of course they are able to work things out in the end, but I really enjoyed the journey of both of them dealing with ongoing addiction recovery and facing their estranged families and pasts. I also was especially drawn to the setting of Parker Art School, since once upon a time I spent two summer taking studio art and photography classes at the actual Parsons School of Art and Design in NYC.

Overall, I just really was rooting for both characters, especially Ely as she slowly started to reconnect with her Jewish faith and find community again. It’s also probably important to know that this is a M/F romance that does feature a trans man, but it refreshingly wasn’t really a focal point of the plot or even presented as one of the most interesting things about Wyatt.

Highly recommend! Thanks so much to Random House Ballantine and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I typically don’t prefer the contemporary genre but this book managed to pull on my heartstrings. Ely and Wyatt are so perfect for one another. This book was an easy read that I read in only one day. But, one thing I took issue with at times was some references to pop culture or one liners within the inner monologue that I found to be cringe inducing. I also felt that there was something missing from the plot but the characters’ themselves helped to make up for the sort of void left by the plot. 3.5/4 Stars

Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC! <3

This was such a phenomenal read! From the very beginning, I felt connected to the characters in the best way. This is a love story full of mistakes and trauma that hurt my heart to the core but still managed to make me laugh A LOT. Each character is an amalgamation of flaws and hurts and passions and love and it was so, so real. It felt like I could pluck any of them out of the pages and they'd be one of my best friends.

There was a lot of information to express regarding Jewish culture and the author did an amazing job relaying it all in a thoughtful and impactful way! There was SO much to know (as someone very unfamiliar with it all) and it never felt daunting or like a textbook while reading. I truly adored watching Ely fall back in love with her religion.

If you are looking for a story with the best dialogue, genuine characters that you want to be best friends with, and a compelling plot, then you should look no further! A Shot in the Dark has it all!

I loved this book and will be recommending it to all of my romance loving friends. Victoria Lee does such a wonderful job developing such complexity in the characters and I really enjoyed being a part of Eli and Wyatt’s story unfolding.

There are not enough words to describe how absolutely amazing A Shot in the Dark is! I loved this so so much

Really excited about this book. It was an Absolutely phenomenal read. High will recommend to others to pick up as soon as it is released.

I've been looking for a romance like this for ages.

Victoria Lee's writing style is beautiful and easy to read, I basically flew through this book. I love that the story discusses some really dark and emotional topics, but still manages to stay funny and romantic too. Wyatt is my new book boyfriend, he is just perfect <3

I highly recommend "A Shot in the Dark" to fans of Casey Quiston's "One Last Stop".

A Shot In the Dark is Victoria Lee's adult debut, a contemporary romance that I know will get people complaining that it is not fluffy or light enough. It has something very Victoria Lee to it, while I have only read A Lesson In Vengeance both books share a similar dark plot point.

Elisheva returns to New York City where she grew up in an Orthodox community that later her shunned her for substance abuse. She returns sober and with a plan: to study photography with a legend, Wyatt Cole. On her first night back, she goes to a local queer nightclub and hooks up with a very hot trans stranger. Since this is a romance novel you won't be surprised to learn that it is revealed the next morning that he is her teacher. Wyatt immediatly set strict boundaries so they don't act on their steamy connection. But while they try to ignore their chemistry, they end up bonding and connecting over their addiction recovery and complicated families.

Listen, listen, I LOVED it. I have been asking for a m/f romance with a trans man that feels respectful but accurate, where he is sexy and hot but takes into account his life experience. This is it. But it's not for everyone. It's been a trend for me this year to get super into romance novels that are so much more than romance novels, that have full, complex and messy characters who have so much more going on in their life than just romance. The dialogue is witty, the writing is sharp and hurts when it needs to. Chef's kiss

One thing that I appreciated is how much care is taken to actually build and develop their relationship (yes I think that most romances fail at this particular point, which is supopsed to be at the heart of it). Wyatt and Ely have shared one night together and their desire doesn't go away, they are both very attracted to each other but they're not /in love/ yet. No this comes as the characters learn about each other, their world, pasts and families. As they are vulnerable with each other and learn to trust one another.

Ely is such a complex character and very much a Victoria Lee protagonist. She's a pan girl from a community that has hurt her and that she has hurt. She's no longer the wound we see in flashbacks but is healing and while her recovery journey is not perfectly linear she takes it one day at a time and reconnects as she can with other Jewish people.

It's very obvious that Ely is /the/ protagonist and that Wyatt comes second to her in the novel. He does have some things going on mainly towars the end, but a lot of his character revolves around helping and asissting Ely in her journey. It may be dual POV but she is the star. It does make sense, he's slighlty older and has most of his life together. I did wish we got a little but more from him but that's the rooting for trans characters in me showing.

While it's a romance, there is a large and lively supporting cast in a way that reminded me a bit of Casey McQuiston side characters. They're not just there, they do exist beyond the narrative.

Since both characters are photographers, there are a lot of discussions about art, the process, how it exists in relation to you. Do not expect anything new or groundbreaking about making art but it did flesh out nicely Ely (and a bit) Wyatt as characters.

Oh and the sex scenes (first one mostly) were extremely well-done and respectful of Wyatt's trans identity. Shoutout to Wyatt's trans guy strap on backpack.

A Shot in the Dark by Victoria Lee was a spectacular story.
I honestly don’t think I can give this book enough justice.
What I do know is this was a beautiful book. It was so well written.
The characters were so lovable and easy to route for.
This book is stunning. I found myself totally immersed in this story and hated to see it end but felt very satisfied when I closed the book.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank You NetGalley and Random House, Ballantine & Dell for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

This was a deep romantic story and I really enjoyed it. It was emotional and powerful and a great read. This had topics of grief and trauma but was done so cautiously and so kindly. I highly recommend picking up this book especially during Pride Month!

A really lovely and sweet romance, As an observant Jew, I really appreciated the careful and sensitive portrayal of Orthodox Judaism in the book.

I fell in love with this book at first chapter. The pining, the self-exploration, UGH!! I just loved everything about this book. Going in, I had the idea that this was just going to be romance, but I was so wrong. Yes, it's inherently about the romance between Wyatt and Eli, but above it all, it's about connection and comfort. Wyatt and Eli come from very different backgrounds yet have similar outlooks on their past—regret, trauma, hurt, etc. When the two come together, they learn to be strong when confronting their past and finding the solace they didn't know they even needed.

They're soulmates, both platonically and romantically.

My review is up on Goodreads already. I will be posting on TikTok and Instagram closer to the publishing date.

I loved this rom-dramedy so very much, and it was the perfect read to kick off PRIDE MONTH! 😍 I am typically quite picky when it comes to rom-com type books, as it can be so easy to lean into the cheese or the kitsch, but I found this book entirely palatable, with even the intimate scenes being really well-written (no throbbing members to be found here!). I didn't put it together at first that the author had also written "A Lesson In Vengeance", a book which I had found intriguing but ultimately unsatisfying, but that was not the case at all with this book. Here, I felt each plot point played out well & in a timely way, characters were (mostly) fleshed-out as much as they needed to be and the ending had enough resolution to feel satisfying while still leaving the possibility for future growth for the main characters.

*there should certainly be clearly marked trigger & content warnings for drug use/ abuse/ overdose and depictions of anti-2SLGBTQIA+ actions from family & community, so please read accordingly.*