A Shot in the Dark is the first book I’ve finished reading in 2024, and also my first five-star read of the year!

Ely and Wyatt’s love gives me all of the warm & fuzzies, though their romance isn’t the center of their story. A Shot in the Dark is about second chances, found family, queer joy & liberation, recovering from addiction, and accepting that despite a messy past, we’re worthy of compassion.

This was a truly beautiful, beautiful book.

Thank you to NetGalley, Victoria Lee, & the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read and love this story, as well as share my thoughts on it.

I can absolutely say I have never read a book like this before. I learned so much about Judaism from this book and loved the message it says (hint- the door is never closed).
I loved the LGBTQIA and how this was normalized and not about discovery of oneself (in that aspect).

I didn’t LOVE the story but wanted to know how it ended (since I’ve never read anything like it) and I’m happy I did.

Thank you, Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine, Dell and NetGalley, for the chance to read this book in exchange of an honest review.

After a decade away, Elisheva Cohen has returned to New York, trying to heal from the wounds of her past and after four years of sobriety. Now she has a scholarship to study photography with the art legend Wyatt Cole and she can do everything she puts her mind into. As long she doesn't self-sabotage. After a mind-blowing hookup, Ely is surprised to discover the real identity of the stranger: her own teacher.
Wyatt Cole is an art legend and his being so reclusive made his story even more compelling, but he struggling to heal from a painful past, like his being discharged from the military and disowned by his family because he's transgender. Wyatt has now a different life and he can't risk it for Ely, offering her a strictly professional mentorship, that will change thing for both of them. Thanks to the camera, Ely is forced to deal with her reasons to leave New York years ago: her Orthodox community, their rules, her substance abuse that leads to her being shunned. Slowly their carefully built armors start to peel away, letting love and trust in into a new and exciting love story.

Victoria Lee could write and publish their shopping list and it would be a masterpiece for me! I was so excited to get the chance to read A shot in the dark, because, after falling in love with all their previous books, I couldn't wait to fall in love with this one too and I wasn't disappointed.
In a wonderful, painful and brutal way, as their usual, Victoria Lee wrote a story about art and love, past mistakes and past lives and armours and the strengths of starting anew and being open to love. A passionate, sensual and powerful romance, filled with heart and soul, wounds barely healed and new lives, ready to be filled with love and adventures. Their writing style is rich and sensual and Ely and Wyatt are alive and brimming with their pasts and presents and I loved every single word.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book. I went into this expecting a fluffy queer romance, and what I got was an intense story about two addicts who find love eventually. It was well-written, but much darker than I was expecting. It felt like too many things were trying to happen at once, and at times that muddied the plot.

4 stars.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.

I adored my time with this book so much. From the very first chapter, I was already gripped and invested in this story and its characters. I cared so much about Ely and Wyatt, both as individuals and as a couple. I wanted the very best for them and for things to work out. I was on the verge of tears several times whenever they were hurting and I was giddy out of my mind when they were happy.

There is so much empathy, compassion, and tenderness in how Victoria Lee writes Ely and Wyatt's struggles with addiction and their estranged families. There is never any judgment about the choices that they made or any beliefs that they are "fundamentally bad and irredeemable" after everything they did when they weren't sober. Throughout this story, we are watch these two main characters fight to become better versions of themselves and leaning on each other when times get hard. Seeing the ways that they supported each other was very beautiful and heartfelt. I also really loved how Ely and Wyatt connected through being artists and their photography. I understood why they felt such a strong pull towards each other and I felt the chemistry between them from their first scene.

Seeing Ely's relationship with her faith was so beautiful and intimately done. I don't think I've ever read a book that speaks about Judaism the way that this one has. It was very moving seeing Ely try to find where she fits in her religion and begin to find her community, where she can be herself in her entirety.

I will say that I wish that we got more scenes of Ely and her roommates bonding. I was expecting them to pay a larger role in the story, so I was a bit disappointed that we didn't get to have more development with them. I would have also liked to see a bit more of Wyatt's friends and sponsor. He had such a good rapport with them and it would have been nice to see more of it. I also wish that the ending was a bit longer. It felt like everything wrapped up so quickly and it would have been nice to have an extra chapter or two.

There is so much to love about this book that I can barely cover. I am kicking myself for not reading this sooner, though I feel like I picked this up at the perfect time. Victoria Lee has been an author whose work I'd been meaning to check out for some time, and after finishing this, I'm even more excited to get into their backlist.

I liked how the author tackled addiction and the struggle to remain sober, as well as coming to terms with the ramifications of the choices made while using. Ely’s lost her family, community and faith because of her substance abuse. However, back in NY to attend a prestigious arts program, she is reintroduced to the Orthodox Jewish community by a fellow student (Michal), whose observation of her faith is more accepting/welcoming than Ely could have ever imagined of an Orthodox Jewish community.

One of the main characters, Wyatt, is a trans man. The ostracism from his family that this brings about is one of the subplots. However, as a successful mixed media artist in NY, his transgender identity is a non-issue. One of the best aspects of the Wyatt character is that he is comfortable with who he is as a person; he doesn’t have the self-doubt that is commonly found in transgender characters in books (and often, real life).

The relationship between Ely and Wyatt is an enjoyable aspect of the story, from an intense and intimate first meeting, the unexpected revelation that they are professor and student, Wyatt's resulting efforts to distance himself from Ely to protect both of them, the struggle to maintain those boundaries, and their shared experience of addiction.

I took exactly what this book is titled: a shot in the dark. I had NO idea what I was getting into, but it was a good book! I never would have picked it up had I walked through the bookstore, but I was intrigued by characters who were down in the dumps and having a hard time coming back from their pitfalls, watching them come to life once they found one another. Sometimes, all we need is another person to bring out the best in ourselves. Addiction is a big topic of this book, but it’s also a book about acceptance and love from others. Good book overall! Thanks for the opportunity to read!

4.5 STARS!

soooooo wonderful! the first couple of chapters truly had me so hooked and i still am thinking about this book to this day!

it was an incredible read with complex and fun characters and i was throughly impressed. based on the synopsis, i didn't think i'd enjoy it as much as i did but Lee had such a way of writing these leads in a way that i was interested to know about their characters and who they were and who'd theh become.

the dynamics of the hero and heroine were tricky (student and teacher) but was handled in a way that i could stomach.

the plot and pacing were great and there was a lot that happened in the plot but not so much that i was overwhelmed and turned off by. was really such a great book to me and i can't wait to dive more into Lee's books.

tw: graphic drug abuse, addiction and death (written in past). moderate transphobia, alcoholism, child and physical abuse. minor death of a parent.

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for sending an arc in return for an honest review.

Wow, how to describe this book? It’s a romance, for sure, but so much more! Elisheve/Ely Cohen is in recovery from addiction. She’s got four years sober behind her when she ventures back to NYC (after eight years in California), where she grew up, to study photography under a particular teacher, Wyatt Cole. Ely was raised Chabad in Brooklyn, which - for those who don’t know - is a particular kind of Orthodox/Chasidic Judaism. She left Chabad and New York due to the effects of her addiction, not because of anything to do with being Chabad or Jewish in general. So she is definitely “off the derech”, as the expression goes.

The publisher’s blurb gives a lot away, so if you’ve read it, you know that Ely has a one-night-stand with Wyatt before she knows who he is. When she shows up in class, it creates an ethical/professional problem for them both, but especially for Wyatt. It turns out that Wyatt is also in recovery (10 years for him!) and that he is transgender and has been disowned by his family because of that. These two young people have such a deep connection; I was really rooting for them to figure out a way to be together despite the professional issues. They both have family estrangement issues, although for very different reasons, and that adds a layer to their shared experience of addiction.

Most of the story is told from Ely’s POV but there are several chapters told from Wyatt’s POV, which worked very well. Flashbacks gradually reveal the tragedy that sent Ely fleeing to LA.

I raced through this one because I really, really wanted to find out what would happen next!

Thank you to NetGalley and Dell for the opportunity to read an advance readers copy of this book, although I was rather late to it. I bounced between the ARC and the published audiobook, courtesy of my public library. The narrators, Gilli Messer and Scott Turner Schofield, did a lovely job with the various voices and accents. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for the ARC of this novel. I enjoyed this novel and thought the love story was well done. Both Ely and Wyatt felt like fleshed out characters with journeys to go on and things to investigate about themselves before they can commit. I also liked the view into Orthodox Judaism and the different facets that many do not know. I learned and I also liked learning it to expand my world viewpoint. It was not a fast read but a good one. 4 stars.

A Shot in the Dark is a great book and I think should be widely read. I don't think it was the greatest romance novel.

This book was marketed as a romance which, if you're familiar with the author, is a departure from their usual books. However, after reading it, the dark familiarity of Victoria's past work resonates in this with more mature themes; it wasn't something that I would say the average romance reader would casually pick up (though I'd highly recommend that they do).

That being said, I read this book in one sitting; I really enjoyed it, as I have past works. This book follows two recovering addicts - both artists, one student and the other teacher. That alone is a juicy enough premise to keep readers hooked but what really took my break away reading this was the depth of emotions in this story.

If I had to use one word to describe this book, it would be longing. The story is all longing and sharp teeth: longing for family, for forbidden substances, for faith, for each other. This book and these characters stayed with me for a very long time after finishing the last page.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Dell for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest opinions.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for sending me an eARC of this novel! I truly adored everything about this book. Wyatt and Ely were two incredibly well-fleshed-out characters and I was invested in them both as individuals and as a couple. The story was also well-paced, with each plot element making sense and serving to further the story as opposed to adding unnecessary angst. This book explored religious trauma, addiction, and sexuality with such grace, and I think that everybody should read this.

A Shot In The Dark by Victoria Lee is a touching, emotional, beautiful, and romantic novel. It discussed issues that are serious in nature in a mature and respectful and responsible way. Both main characters are sober and it is referenced in the book and one character is of an Orthodox religion.

Ely has been sober for a handful of years and is starting her University program for photography studying under the great Wyatt Cole. The night before the first day of class she is out and finds herself a sexy hook up. She doesn't catch his name due to the noise in the club but they have a spectacular time. The next day she goes to class and the great Wyatt Cole, mentor of photography students comes in. And he was her hook up.

Wyatt sees Ely in class and he tells her that they must only be student and mentor and must focus on being professional. He sees her incredible talent as a photographer and his feelings start to grow but he knows they must be professional so he pushes them aside.

Read this beautiful, intense, emotional novel that tugs at your heart and hits on some tough topics with grace and love.

The aspect of recovery and addiction in this novel was just done in such a poignant and beautiful way it leaves you in all the feels and it is done so beautifully. The family estrangement could be a trigger for some but was done in my opinion perfectly. The religion representation was done so well I am not Jewish myself, but I learned so much about it myself. The trans/queer identity representation was also done so well. I loved all the representation this book had. It also used New York city as another character which is always a plus for me when an author uses a city as another character.

This book is magnificent, and I encourage everyone to go ahead and read a copy.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for an ARC in exchange for an honest review as always, all words are my own.

I loved Lee's last book, A Lesson in Vengence, and was super excited to see a romance from her. Lee is an incredible writer but some of the writing in ASITD felt a little YA-ish. I think this is her first adult book so I'm okay with letting that slide a little bit.

There were some really insightful and poignant things said about addiction and recovery. As a recovering addict myself, I found it very well done and I highlighted a ton of passages that really spoke to me. I had to put this book aside for now because the content was a little bit triggering but I think it's a really great book and I do hope to finish it one day.

Great except for the last 50 pages or so. Some of the plot points seems convoluted and unnecessary to the story. The book served up some topics that weren't super familiar to me like religious trauma and addiction, but made those topics feel accessible enough for me to follow those parts of the book.

"A Shot in the Dark" by Victoria Lee is a captivating romance that skillfully weaves together themes of identity, redemption, and the complexities of love. Set against the backdrop of the art world in Brooklyn, the story introduces us to Elisheva Cohen, a resilient character returning to her roots after a tumultuous past. The narrative takes an unexpected turn when Ely discovers that her one-night stand from the vibrant queer club Revel is none other than Wyatt Cole, the enigmatic art legend who becomes her photography mentor.

The chemistry between Ely and Wyatt is electric, and their shared struggles create a deeper connection. The chemistry between the characters is undeniable, but equally compelling is the story's investment in their personal journeys. I found myself not only cheering for Ely and Wyatt as a couple but also genuinely caring about them as individuals—an uncommon and delightful experience in contemporary romance. Ely's voice especially resonates with authenticity as she reflects on her journey and the intersections of her identity.

While the pace is a bit slower, the emotional journey and character depth make it a must-read. I cannot wait to pick up this book again and again!

i found this book really interesting. i was intrigued by how victoria lee would discuss addiction and recovery, and i think the way she did it was very artistic and well done. i enjoyed learning about ely and wyatt’s personal stories and also loved watching their paths intertwine. i haven’t read many books with queer relationships before so this was also eye opening and definitely offered me new insight. while this book is marketed as a romance, i think it is much more about the growth of the characters and how they overcome the parts of their past weighing them down. this book is emotional and thought-provoking, a strong piece of contemporary fiction.

i read this a while ago and am only writing a review now so i might not be remembering everything correctly!

*a shot in the dark* follows ely & wyatt, and their (quite confusing) relationship. ely comes back to ny after spending years in another city after getting kicked out of her family home as a young adult. she’s attending an exciting summer photography program by wyatt cole, who is a well-known and loved photographer. ely goes to a night club the night before her first class and hooks up with a guy, only realising the next day in class that it’s her professor, wyatt.

i was super excited to pick this up, and i have to say i actually quite enjoyed my time reading it, but reflecting on it later, i don’t think i’d say i liked it as much. the two main characters share some important common points (being recovering addicts, both being disowned by their families) that were used to connect them with each other but i didn’t really get the chemistry between them, which is probably a me problem! i liked the writing style, and it was interesting to read people in recovery and their struggles, i also liked learning about judaism through ely’s experiences, and absolutely loved ophelia & diego, wish we got more scenes with the two :( i thought we would get more about photography and i feel like i would’ve enjoyed that a lot. i loved seeing wyatt reconnect with his mother and brother, i feel like the emotions in those parts of the book were portrayed well. although i liked seeing ely & wyatt take care of each other, like i said, i didn’t really feel the romance between them. wyatt was so back & forth and just confused the hell out of ely with his “boundaries” that he kept breaking and then putting back up. even though ely brought it up and they argued about it, it felt like it didn’t really lead to a concrete resolution in the end. overall, *a shot in the dark* felt like it wasn’t something special, at least to me. i do think a lot of people will actually love and enjoy this a ton though!

I love my romances to be a bit heavy hitting and deep, and boy did this do it for me. Putting aside how lovely the romance was, I really enjoyed all this book handled throughout it. I feel like I personally know Ely and Wyatt, and hearing their story and how they came together was amazing!