As a big fan of Dark Romances and Morally Gray Heroes, I was excited to get my hands on this book. I think the book had great potential. The storyline was intriguing and captured my interest. Unfortunately, the writing was a bit rough. At times, I did consider DNFing the book, but ultimately decided to stick with it. Once You're Mine does end on a cliffhanger, but only time will tell if I pick up the second book.

In the end, despite the potential, this book was a miss for me.

I posted a review back in July after reading this for bookclub. This is my review I posted on Goodreads. 🥰

I wasn't too sure of this book at first, I loved reading it. My only negative was he got soo possessive and clingy right in the beginning is just not my thing. But the end HOLY CLIFFHANGER!!! 🤯🤯🤯🫨

Okay I went into this as my first dark romance non fantasy that had me praying I didn’t DNF it. Because i didn’t know how dark it would be and if I’m even a dark romance girly. I didn’t DNF it and I flew through this thing thinking I wasn’t even close to the end and the bam it hits you in the face. I’m surprised not only did I read it in less than 24hours but I liked it. Really enjoyed the main characters and how their story is developing. This is so much more than some stalker turned more book and I CANNOT wait to read more of their story. Guess this is my step into this dark romance era. So thank you for this wonderful welcome to this side of book genres.

Hayden is a lawyer that gives off Dexter vibes. He gives vigilante justice to unpunished criminals.

When a senator is murdered it shifts his focus on Calista.

He becomes obsessed with her and keeping her safe.

He takes the touch her and die vibes to the highest degree.

This book gives you a wild ride and takes you through all of the emotions. It does have some spicy heat too🌶️

Leaves you on a cliff hanger and I can’t wait to read the next one!

Quick dark romance read. Really liked the best friend and the banter between characters. Some really good parts but don’t like it when the FMC questions everything and waffles back and forth.

This was a quick, middle of the road dark romance!! I liked the couple once they got together; however, the FMC leaned very naive bordering blind. It was like she was willfully ignoring Hayden constantly showing up around her, stalking her and stating she had no idea who was stalking her. That was a little exasperating but I did enjoy Hayden even if he was over the top at times. If you like:

🖤 Stalker Romance
🖤 Jealous/Possessive MMC
🖤 Spice 🌶️🌶️/5
🖤 Touch Her and 💀

Give this one a try!

Publishing 8/20/24

Thank you so much to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for providing me with this eARC in exchange for my honest review!

This book was everything I needed.

I love dark romance. I love stalker romances. This had the vibes I wanted!

I do wish that the pacing was a little slower at times. I loved Hayden's character where he was so possessive, domineering, and touch her and d!e. Calista's character was cool, and I loved her friendship.

I am very eager for the next book to answer all of my unanswered questions! Especially after that ending!

Personally I liked this book it was good, but it was very repetitive and for majority of the book it was her fighting her feelings for him and for him wondering why she has such a large impact on him, or his interest in her , over all though the plot line to this book is good . I will say the character development and the touch her she’s mine aspect is chefs kiss!

I enjoyed reading this book. I could not understand why someone as smart as Calista didn’t realize that Hayden was her stalker. I plan to read the second book in hopes that Calista figures out the “real” Hayden. This book shows that sometimes the people we put our trust in have dark secrets and are capable of some of the crimes concerning the people they defend or prosecute.

Thank you to Netgalley and to the publisher for letting me access an ARC of this title!

So this is technically the first Dark romance I have read and I have to say, I definitely get the appeal.

It's interesting to think about how these behaviors that are pretty horrific IRL can be explored in a romantic sense through fiction.

I don't think that this book wholly romanticizes Hayden as a MMC. It's made abundantly clear that this is fictional and that his demeanor is only acceptable through this unreality.

There's a reason why yandere characters are popular in fiction and I think this book made me get why.


The dynamic is really interesting as well, the circumstances that start the narrative spark undeniable intrigue and make me want to explore other facets of the genre.

While I think that Bridges leans a little too heavily at times on stereotypical depictions of gender roles, that's not uncommon for authors in the romance genre. That overreliance on tropes and cliché binary descriptions like light versus dark take its toll on the latter half of the narrative.

Oh boy! The author does pre warn you of triggers, so be mindful of that before you start reading! This was definitely different than a typical romance, it’s not for the faint of heart! And Boy does it keep you on the edge!

Don’t want to say ANYTHING because I don’t want to give anything away at all! Can’t wait until Book 2 releases to see what happens next?!?

𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸…
🔎Dark Romance -read TRIGGERS!
🔎Morally Grey MMC
🔎Big Secret!
🔎He Falls First
🔎Touch her and ☠️
🔎Slow Burn
🔎Dual POV
🔎Open Door

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

In this gripping stalker romance, Hayden Bennett serves justice through his own hands, but his latest act of retribution takes a dark turn when he becomes obsessed with Calista Green, the daughter of one of his victims. As Calista grapples with the loss of her father and the destruction of her world, she finds herself entangled in Hayden’s dangerous web.

For fans of stalker romance, this book will undoubtedly resonate. It offers echoes of "Haunting Adeline" while maintaining its unique edge. Although not quite as intense, it delivers a satisfying level of spice that keeps readers hooked from beginning to end. I devoured this book in a single day, captivated by the dynamic between the characters.

Calista's fierce independence is a standout trait, making her a compelling and relatable protagonist. Hayden Bennett's "touch her and die" protectiveness adds an intriguing layer to his character, enhancing the tension and allure of their relationship. This level of protectiveness undeniably adds to the book's appeal.

Overall, I would rate this book 3.75 out of 5 stars, with a spice rating of 2.5 out of 5. It is an engaging read that balances suspense and romance, making it a must-read for fans of the genre.

Never tried this author before this book. The writing choice of style not my cup of tea. Cliffhangers are great to get readers to buy more books but it’s a cheap technique as an author. If the book is good, you don’t need to use a cliffhanger. The audience will want to hear more about your main characters.

This was my first stalker romance so I don't really have anything to compare it with but I loved it!! It started off a tad slow and took me a minute to get into it but once Hayden and Calista started to actually interact I was hooked!! Hayden is a vigilante lawyer who hands out justice to those who escape punishment through the courts and Calista is the daughter of one of the men he dealt out justice too. He becomes instantly obsessed with her and starts stalking her, it's angsty and slow burn, with a crazy cliff hanger that has me aching for the next book!! Calista was a little underwhelming as the lead girl, I was hoping she'd fight back a little bit more against Hayden but she gave in kinda easily. Hayden is crazy jealous and possessive, he breaks into her apartment and watchers her through cameras, steals her underwear, and kills any man who threatens her! Everything you don't want in real life but LOVE in a dark hero!

I really enjoyed this book. I like the dark obsessive behavior; with the way the author took that, and made it also endearing. This book is really good. This book kept my interest from beginning until end! I am going to have start book 2 asap now!

This intense dark romance is book 1 in the possessing her series. This book does have darker themes. Please be aware of all TW’s before consuming this read. The romance in this book is built on obsession, resentment, and secrets. Due to this the romance is more of a slower burn. This book is spicy. The book has several spicy scenes, as well as spicy language. Due to the slower pace of the romance, the majority of the spice is tension filled moments. The book moves at a steady pace following Calista as she is determined to find her fathers killer, all while trying to survive in her new surroundings. Meanwhile Hayden’s obsession with Calista grows to a point of no return. Calista is a sweet character,with baggage, who oozes goodness. Hayden is morally grey, and is more than willing to do whatever it takes to make sure justice is served. This dark romance is contemporary. This makes slipping into the world the author created easy, and enjoyable.

3 stars - This was a fun, quick, easy read. I was interested in the story and characters, but otherwise there wasn’t anything super special or unique about this book 🤷‍♀️. With that said, I’m totally reading book 2!

➡️ ARC read for republishing. Thank you NetGalley and ReadForeverPub 🫶

WHAT IT IS ABOUT:
Calista’s life has recently taken a complete 180 - her father was murdered after begin on trial for murdering his girlfriend, she is now broke, and she has a stalker. She feels like her life is unraveling but she is determined to make her own way and also find who killed her father. On top of this, the prosecutor in her father’s case keeps popping up everywhere she goes and acting weirdly protective of her. Needing more money to fund the PI who is looking into her father’s murder she strikes a deal with the lawyer: she will trade information about her father’s trial if he pays her. Unbeknownst to her, Calista just signed over her life.

WHAT I THINK:
I enjoyed reading this book because I just wanted to know what happened and when/how the stalker was going to get caught. The crazy sexual tension between Calista and the lawyer also keep you wondering when the heck they were just gunna give in! The stalker aspect and “dark” romance of this book was tame compared to other dark romances but at least Calista was taking measures to protect herself unlike another character in different book who’s name starts with “A”... Also, the funny best friend is another reason why I enjoyed this book!

I love a good psychological thriller but this one was a trip! This book was wrong on so many levels. I mean, I knew I was getting myself into some sort of stalker-ish romance, but what was that seriously! She literally fell in love with this dude after talking with him for what 2-3 weeks? She even admitted that she was “falling for him” right after they had s for the first time, hm not so fast there! On top of that, how was miss girl able to sleep peacefully knowing that a STALKER comes into her house at night? And why doesn’t she own a phone? Girl, we are living in the 21st century if you haven’t figured that out yet. Oh, and just in case you forgot: there is also something a important place called the police station where you can go to in case of an emergency like such things as stalking perhaps. I purchased book two but honestly I don't know if ill ever pick it up.

This captivating novel explores the dark depths of obsession and desire. The story unfolds from the perspectives of both the tormentor, Hayden Bennett, and his target, Calista. From the first moment he sees Calista, Hayden is consumed by an unhealthy infatuation. His relentless pursuit of her borders on stalking, as he watches her every move and infiltrates her life. Bridges masterfully portrays Hayden's twisted mindset, delving into the depths of his narcissistic and possessive nature. Calista, on the other hand, is initially unaware of Hayden's sinister intentions. She is drawn to his charm and intelligence, but soon begins to sense his true colors. As the lines between attraction and danger blur, Calista finds herself trapped in a web of manipulation and deceit. Despite their vastly different perspectives, Hayden and Calista share an undeniable chemistry. Their interactions are both thrilling and terrifying, as the tension between them escalates with each encounter. Bridges expertly weaves a web of suspense and uncertainty, leaving readers on the edge as they wonder where the story will lead. At its core, Once You're Mine is a chilling exploration of power and control. Hayden's obsession with Calista is a disturbing reminder of the destructive consequences that can arise when one person seeks to dominate another. With its complex characters, intense chemistry, and thought-provoking themes, it is a must-read for fans of psychological thrillers and stories that delve into the darker aspects of human nature.

Hayden leads a dual life: by day, he’s a lawyer; by night, he becomes a vigilante. When the justice system fails to incarcerate those he believes deserve it, he resorts to taking the law into his own hands—literally. This twisted path began when he first encountered Callie during her father’s trial. Despite his growing fascination with her, she ignored him because he was on the side opposing her father.

Callie’s father, a senator, was accused of murdering his pregnant secretary, but he was acquitted. Hayden couldn’t accept this miscarriage of justice and decided to exact his own form of retribution by killing Callie’s father. His obsession with Callie only intensified over time, leading him to shadow her life closely, eventually crossing the line into stalking and invading her personal space.

Calista is incredibly frustrating—one of the most annoying female main characters I've come across. But Hayden? Now, he’s a whole different story. His dark charisma and obsessive nature are absolutely captivating!

Though the book only features a couple of steamy scenes, Hayden's dirty talk and his relentless obsession made it all worthwhile. On the other hand, Calista is a terrible character. She lacks depth, self-awareness, and almost ruined the experience for me. I’m definitely diving into the sequel just for more of Hayden, but if Calista doesn’t improve, I’m not sure I’ll be able to stick it out.

This book was dark and depraved but kind of reminded me of the Mindf*ck series in a way. I really liked this book and would love to continue in the duet.