Completely delectable dark romcom.
The narration is top tier, hotter than the sun duet narration.

Aly is a trauma nurse in the ER, in her free time she enjoys watching masked men thirst traps on the web. Unbeknownst to her, the faceless masked man is Josh, the roommate of her ex-hookup. Josh is secrecy obsessed with Aly after finding all of her comments on his videos and decides to act on his feelings, but not tell Aly who he is. A bit of cat and mouse stalker, but Josh really cares about her and wants to keep her safe from the actual bad things.

I loved this book so much, so much! Ive read it twice this year. It was funny and sexy, a darker romance that feels like a romcom.

The audiobook for this is perfection I loved both narrators! I truly enjoyed this. It had mafia, stalkers, knife play, mask men, unliving, and just a lot of spice!!! I 10000000% recommend it for my dark romance people!!!

Josh and Aly have weird relationship. It starts off with him being a mystery to her but he knows who she is, what she does, where she lives and everything else about her. The inner monologue from bith characters is comical. This dark humor, stalker, story is odd and so different than any stalker story I have read. I can't describe it, it's kinky, with both characters obsessed with each other in some sort of way. I enjoyed it.

If ”Haunting Adeleine” and ”Butcher & Blackbird” had a love child it would be this book.

Aly loves watching thirst traps of hot men in masks, and when she leaves a comment on one of her favorite creator’s videos, she has no idea what she is about to get herself into.

I’m honestly surprised at how much I actually loved this book. I figured I’d like it sure, but not the point of laughing out loud multiple times. This actually might be my favorite dark romance I’ve ever read!

While this is a stalker romance, much like “Haunting Adeline”, It’s not as dark, and has a lot of humor added. That’s not to say that this isn’t a dark romance, and you should definitely read trigger warnings before reading this book.

If you were to read one dark romance this year, let it be this one. Highly recommended to lovers of the genre and especially to those who enjoyed ”Haunting Adeleine” and ”Butcher & Blackbird”.

Big thanks to Netgalley, Dreamscape Select and the author Navessa Allen for allowing me to listen to an audio-arc of this novel.

This was a rapid fire listen. This was an easy read to devour in one day. I had worried I was walking into a Butcher and Blackbird rip off with the tag line of "The couple that slays together stays together." but I was so happily surprised. This was a surprising read that was dark and fun and totally different than anything I had read before. I loved both the narrators and how well they captured the personalities of both the MMC and FMC, some amazing narration on their ends! If you are looking for a dark, quirky read after you've finished Butcher and Blackbird, and Leather and Lark, look no further!

So glad Brianne convinced me to request this one on NetGalley and that I received a copy of this audiobook!

MaskTok this one is for you!
I LOVE Jacob Morgan!

Publisher's summary
The viral TikTok stalker dark romance, burning with high heat, hilarious banter, and a love story like you’ve never seen before. Can you handle the ride?
I want someone with a soul as black as night. Someone who would burn the world down for me and not lose a single minute of sleep over it.
Trauma nurse Aly Cappellucci doesn’t need any more kinks. She likes the one she’s landed on just fine. To her, nothing could top the masked men she follows online. Unless one of those men was shirtless, heavily tattooed, and waiting for her in her bedroom. She dreams about being hunted by one in particular, of him chasing her down and doing deliciously dark things to her willing body. She never could have guessed that by sending one drunken text, those dreams would become her new reality.
I want things most people don’t, craving darkness and depravity instead of light and love.
Josh Hammond has spent his life avoiding the limelight, but his online persona is another story. At night, he posts masked thirst traps for his millions of fans to drool over, but one follower has caught his eye: Aly. After reading a comment begging him to break into her house wearing a mask, he decides to take her up on her offer.
Together, Aly and Josh live out their darkest fantasies, unaware that Aly has captured the attention of someone else. Someone with far more sinister intentions than a little light stalking. As Josh turns from predator to protector and the stakes heighten, he must ask himself how far he’s willing to go for the woman he’s obsessed with.

Thanks to NetGalley & Slowburn for the ALC of this book!

Lights Out
An Into Darkness Novel
By: Navessa Allen
Narrated by: Elena Wolfe, Jacob Morgan
Series: Into Darkness, Book 1
Publisher: Slowburn
Release date: 08-06-24

DARK and SPICY. Definitely listen to trigger warnings but if you keep going, wow. This is rated highly for a reason. As for the audio- the MMC voice was perfection. No notes. Unfortunately the FMC was really robotic sounding most of the time. But the duet narration is lovely.

ALC REVIEW
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LIGHTS OUT by NAVESSA ALLEN

SERIES: Standalone

FORMAT: Audiobook (Duet narration)
Jacob Morgan
Elena Wolfe

STAR RATING: 5/5 ⭐️

SPICE RATING: 5/5 🔥

NARRATION RATING: 5/5 🎙️

GENRE: Dark Romance

TROPES: Stalker, Fast Paced, Morally Grey MMC, ER Nurse FMC, Mask Kink, Check CWs

BLURB: ➡️ Slide 2

I was so pleasantly surprised by this audiobook! This was a word-of-mouth rec from an audiobook bestie and this is the prefect example of being willing to give a book or new author a chance based on the narrators! I’ve never DNFed an audiobook with Jacob & Elena - I have to assume they have natural “off-mic” chemistry because they play off of each other so well! It just adds another layer to the characters’ existing chemistry. On top of that, the way they interpret and deliver character banter and dry humor is ELITE. For a dark romance, this book was full of funny banter and one-liners delivered with perfect timing from this duo!

Our FMC Aly uses a MaskTok account to satisfy her kinky fantasies and as an escape to her very real life and all the harrowing things she witnesses day in and day out as an ER Trauma Nurse. Our morally grey MMC, Josh, is by, all accounts, a recluse aside from his online mask persona that regularly drops thirst traps on a weekly basis. Their chemistry is electric and they have more in common than they could ever begin to imagine! I loved Aly’s badass, strong persona! She’s not afraid to go after what she wants! I loved that Josh was as protective as he was threatening - almost a Jekyll/Hyde situation, but in a good way - a golden retriever wrapped in a morally grey exterior.

Although this book is categorized as a dark stalker romance and does contain legitimate triggers, I would encourage readers to give it a shot, especially if your triggers are soft instead of hard. The way this story unfolds and develops is unexpected and MAY not bother readers as one might assume. Additionally, if you’ve never read a dark romance, but are interested or curious this is the PERFECT one to get your feet wet with! As always, this is my opinion and recommend always checking content warnings and protecting your mental health.

Lights Out is a standalone novel and will be available in all formats on August 6.

Thank you so much to NetGalley & Navessa Allen for the ALC opportunity!!!

UPDATE AUDIOBOOK:

Narrated in “DUET STYLE” by Elena Wolfe; Jacob Morgan was so good! I highly recommend this version. They even add the voice changer too.

This was pretty much a straight through read. Aly works a hectic job as a nurse and one day falls on a thirst trap video of a ghost masked man which has sparked one of her fantasies. Josh as ghost mask man (who is also Aly’s ex boyfriend’s roommate) has two lives & with a dark past in which they become entwined and tries to see where things could go with Aly. I think it was clever how Navessa brought their worlds together. They fit each other well. I really enjoyed it and that it took me out of a reading slump. I can’t wait for the audiobook on this one too.

I received this book at my request and have voluntarily left this unbiased review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Im always wary of reading a dark romance, this one has dark themes but the writing was lighthearted and there was humor in the story, a dark comedy. Definitely read the trigger warnings. It was a fun read, I enjoyed reading.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced listening copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is a new all time favorite!
The dual narration was absolutely amazing.
The humor and banter between the main characters was top tier.
If you love the viral masked men on social media this one might be for you.
I loved these two characters coming to terms with who they are and overcoming childhood trauma together.
Their "son" (her cat) was so prevalent in this story and I love when animals are included in romance books.
This just checked a ton of boxes for me.

As always this is a dark romance so make sure to check trigger warnings before diving in.

This was deliciously dark and spicy! The narrators were perfection. The voice simulator for the male was everything. This is an audio I can see myself going back and listening too because I enjoyed so much.

Thank you to @navessa.allen @zandoprojects & @dreamscape_media for the #gifted paperback & #audiobook of #LightsOut

I’m in my #Dark #Romance Era & #NavessaAllen DELIVERED!

This one was a slow burn but had the perfect amount of kink & was sizzling!

I highly recommend Lights Out to readers who enjoy:

• Penelope Douglas
• H.D. Carlton
• Brynne Weaver
• Tillie Cole
• S.T. Abby

“The couple that slays together, stays together.”

Aly is our FMC who is a trauma nurse & has become obsessed with a masked man who she follows on a social media app that feeds into fetishes. This particular masked man is in her every fantasy. She wants him to chase her & take her in every way imaginable. After getting herself all worked up one evening, she sends a text message with a screenshot of the video to her current (or so she thought) friend with benefits. Except, he’s now in a relationship & off the market. But as her luck would have it, he shows the text to his roommate who just happens to be that exact masked man & also always had a thing for Aly. Look out, Aly – all of your fantasies are about to become reality!

Content may be sensitive to some readers. It is advisable to review the Trigger Warnings before reading. Those can be found here: https://navessaallen.com/lights-out/

This book was very fast-paced with a super yummy morally grey male lead. I really loved both Aly & Josh. They were both very witty & played off one another really well. Their chemistry was off the charts! Josh was such a good guy - - once us normal folks get past all those red flags! LOL

This was a full 5 Stars from me. I absolutely loved it!

#2024 #August #NewRelease #MustRead #TBR #Bookstagram #Read #Reading #Book #ARC #Audio #Review #Fiction #Adult #Thriller #Suspense #BDSM #Contemporary #Erotica #Humor

🎧AUDIO REVIEW🎧
📚 Lights Out by Navessa Allen
🎤Elena Wolfe & Jacob Morgan

This might be the first time I've listened to a dark stalker romance & was left giggling, kicking my feet & laughing out loud! I mean it you guys, I loved this audio! I took a chance on this & I'm so glad I did. I'm not typically a dark romance girlie but this one had me hook, line & sinker the second I pressed play & it made me laugh the whole way through. This was such an unexpected surprise in the best way! This book is the perfect blend of fluffy, dark, funny & witty. That's right, you've got a masked stalker, a trauma nurse, unexpected twists & turns & LOADS of laughs! These two characters are completely lovable & it's quite possibly the best romcom, stalker romance, thriller of the year, if that's even an thing! Navessa Allen well done.👏👏👏 Please take your bow. Hang on because this is such a wild ride & you'll be so glad you decided to jump on.

It's hard to even describe this book without giving away too many spoilers but think Dexter meets Nurse Jackie.🤷‍♀️ Is this unhinged, absolutely!!! But words can't describe how enjoyable & hilarious this story is. Aly & Josh, two people who like the same kink & although this is on the "darker" side, there is a sweet & genuine love story here. The banter & chemistry between the- MC's is seriously off the charts hysterical. I was rolling so many times while Elena & Jacob spewed forth one-liners left & right. It was fantastic. Navessa is such a terrific writer. Doesn't take herself too seriously but gives you all the heart & warm fuzzies you'd want from a great romcom splashed with suspense & tension.

These two come together over their shared interest in "masked men" thirst traps. Josh makes them & Aly loves them. These two were just made for each other in unhinged heaven. Aly is so over the top & Josh literally worships the ground she walks on. She's smart & keeps her cool even when things get messed up & that's why she's so good at her job but c'mon who really falls for a "masked man" that wants to stalk you? Aly apparently & don't get me started over Josh's character. You'd think one would be weary of some guy stalking you with a mask & voice manipulator but NO! This guy is seriously the biggest cinnamon roll known to man. He's just goo inside & its absolutely adorable even with the mask! This story covers a lot of ground, many plot twists, some tough & tender topics & yes, there's some darker themes. For this occasional dark romance reader, I was was fine because of all the other wonderful things in this book that overshadowed what might have made me a little un-comfy. So much heart & humor that it just made this an absolute treat!

🎧Let's talk narration....because ya'll this is voiced by Elena & Jacob & THEY SLAYED THIS BABY! It's in duet narration, dual POV & this makes the listening experience, banter & story even that much better.🙌 The talent that exudes from both these individuals is utterly astounding. I mean it, they are sooo good. Both have impeccable comedic timing & response. Wolfe is fantastic at voicing Aly, the seemingly responsible, smart one but she's just as unhinged as her masked stalker boyfriend & she's hilarious. Morgan is so endearing, lovable & completely off his rocker in this!😂 He narrates Josh's sarcastic, funny & dark sides so effortlessly.

Definitely check the TW on this one before listening to this. This is spicy, dark & thick with plot that keeps your attention. Lesson learned...come for the story, stay for Fred & trust your cat's judgement. 😂 Do this in audio. That's it!

Thank you so much NetGalley, Navessa Allen & Dreamscape for the ALC & opportunity to review in exchange for my honest thoughts. An absolute party for the ears!

Im not typically a dark romance girly, but this one was done right in my eyes!! There was dark content, but the MMC wasn’t emotionally or physically abusive which is what I can’t handle in typical dark romance novels. Josh was actually a softie internally and I loved to see it! In addition, the audiobook was soooo fun! It was a duet and both narrators did an incredible job adapting to their characters.

Overall such a fun time, wouldn’t highly recommend if you liked “Butcher and Blackbird”. Very similar vibes :)

Thank you NetGalley for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

Absolutely loved this!

I've been dipping my toe into dark romance and this was the perfect book for that. It's dark but also hilarious. Allen did a wonderful job blending dark romance and humor. It reminded me a lot of the book Butcher & Blackbird.

Aly & Josh were incredible characters. I thought their dynamic was a lot of fun. Josh was morally grey but not psycho which I appreciated. Aly was kind but also had a dark side. They were both fascinating characters that I wanted to learn more about. Both were the right kind of wrong for each other. They matched each other's freak if you will (lol).

The spice was fantastic and hot! Phew! Melted my ears it was so hot!

Elena Wolfe & Jacob Morgan were spectacular! Truly embodied the characters and brought so much life and humor to the story.

100% recommend! Would say this is a good book for dark romance beginners like myself.

I read this book when it first came out and loved it so much I wanted to read it again!

The narrators were perfect and I loved the book even more after listening to it. It has a dual narration and both voices make the story.

A good way to describe this book is a better version of Haunting Adeline. Stalker MC who is rugged and hot.

“The couple that slays together, stays together.” Lights Out is what happens when one text leads to living out your deepest fantasies. One of the most surprising elements for me was how much of a cinnamon roll the MMC is despite his unhinged behavior. I also love a fiery FMC, and Aly really showed up for that role as a hardened ER trauma nurse that’s seen and dealt with it all. The plot also kept me on a my toes which I really appreciated. I did not see the different directions it took in the second half of the story, but I appreciate that it kept me fully engaged. I also have to mention the adorable kitty and how much the MMC fully committed to being a cat dad. In general, this gave me the same vibes as The Ruinous Love series. They aren’t similar in terms of plot, but they both straddle the line of dark and humorous, have sizzling chemistry, and fantastic banter. I read this via audiobook and would strongly encourage experiencing it that way. The narrators, Elena Wolfe and Jacob Morgan, really brought the characters to life. Also, the audiobook nailed two key things for me: different narrators for the FMC and MMC as well as duet narration. I’ve found I really love duet narration in these types of reads as it really brings the story to life and really amps up the banter. Make sure to check trigger warnings, but if you’re good with them, I highly recommend checking out the audiobook for Lights Out.

A dark romcom that's packed with kink, humour and the threat of violence.

I love the banter between our main characters. Both Josh and Aly are super likably. Josh is hot, but also funny in a nerdy way, which makes him the perfect book boyfriend. The chemistry is hot and the spice is spicing.

Imaging 💀 Haunting Adeline💀 by HD Carlton, but if both main characters started therapy in their early 20s. That is this book.

If you've read Haunting Adeline you'll remember the (in)famous 🔫💦 scene. That's replicated here with a 🔪 handle, except our stalker (Josh) sanitizes the handle before using and and holds his hand at the bottom of the hilt to protect her.

👩🏽‍⚕️I also love that both our main characters are open about going to therapy.👩🏽‍⚕️ I LOVE when authors add that in. Mental health rep is on point here. 💯

I wished the story was a little tighter and the pacing a little faster. There are a lot of moments of self-reflection/self-talk.

Let's also take a moment to be AMAZED by the duet narration between Lucy Rivers and Jacob Morgan. There is one scene where Jacob moans 'oh fuck' and 📞I might make that my ringtone📞. Lucy was amazing in Butcher & Blackbird and kills it here. Amazing casting all around.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Select for the advanced listener copy.

This book is best read after reading 3D printing your stalker mask. you'll find so many ideas here.

✨Thoughts✨
A masked man obsessed with a trauma nurse? Color me intrigued! Wow, this audiobook is absolutely steamy! It's a dark romance that also includes some fantastic moments of humor. The story had these unique twists that truly set it apart. Right from the beginning, it had me completely engrossed in the storyline. The concept of the stalker theme was flawlessly executed, keeping me on the edge of my seat throughout. The gradual development of the relationship had a nice slow burn that I couldn't get enough of. Allie and Josh's connection was electric, fueled by their shared penchant for the darker side of life and a genuine understanding of one another.

🎧The duet narration by Elena Wolfe and Jacob Morgan was pure brilliance. Both narrators flawlessly captured the depth of emotion and gave each character a distinctive voice. Their performance was an absolute treat for my ears.

♥︎ Overall, if you're a fan of dark romance, Lights Out will provide you with an exhilarating thrill. You need to listen to this audiobook ASAP!

✧ Thank you to the author 𝐃𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭, and netgalley for this ALC. All opinions expressed here reflect my genuine experience listening to this story.