Overall thrilling game of "chaser" and spicy plot.
While I like the major portions that made up the storyline, things at the end could have been done better and felt like some editing could have continued.
The "bad Charlie's angels" was cliche but fun and I was here for it. Badass women supporting each other.
The fight for a state of the art drug to market was interesting. I enjoyed the characters and their interactions with each other, even the secondary characters.
I didn't like the dual pov overlapped with plot points more often than needed. I would prefer the story to continue on, not rehash the same scenes.

Spoiler thoughts...!

I knew where she would eventually get caught by Atlas and he would probably help her escape, but his involvement was a nice twist.

She killed a girl in a bar bathroom and no investigation was ever done?
The ending also was a little jumbled. While I could suspended reality for the adventure context it when too far past anything believable and had me rolling my eyes. What job would take the word of an employee that another employee was working on a job no higher ups seemed to know about but could video call in?
The intermingling of their trauma lines was unnecessary, they already knew each others pain and it connected them.

This book had me turning pages and not able to put it down until it was finished.. The story is jam packed with suspense and intrigue and makes you feel wvery emotion of the characters as if you were right there in the book.. definitely one for everyone to read

Chyler, the FMC, isn't a woman to be messed with; she's an assassin. She doesn't want love, and fluff, she was blood.
Atlas, the MMC, is a CIA agent tasked with hunter down a brutal murderer, Chyler. He's not the morally grey man that we usually see in dark romances, which made their cat-and-mouse routine even better.

The chemistry between Chyler and Atlas was fun to watch, opposites attract fits perfectly. It's a fast-burn story, and certainly spicy. The multiple plot twists were unexpected, and honestly, most of them were good, though it could've held with a few less.
The pacing was pretty good, until towards the end, where it felt like it got tangled a little.

There are plenty of triggers, so make sure you read the list.

Oooo this girl knows how to write some spice! This was all that and a bag of chips. Great couple. Relatable. Good story between them but what are we here for with these books… 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ yes … its there in all its glory. Great job.

Holy cow, where to start?! This book isn’t your typical dark romance. Most dark romances feature a morally grey male character.
However, this books morally grey character is female.
Introducing Chyler Tate, who is a force to be reckoned with…
Chyler has a very interesting job, and she loves to get her hands dirty.
Whilst on a job, she crosses paths with your new book boyfriend, Atlas Jensen. And let's just say sparks fly between these two.
It was very fast-paced and had early spice.
This isn't a slow burn book at all!
I can’t wait to see where this series goes. I will definitely continue reading.

This was an engaging and well written book with palpable chemistry between the two leads. The plot felt quite far fetched at times but I was able to suspend my disbelief because of the sizzling chemistry. It did pain me though that the main characters left a nearly full bottle of Jacques Selosse in the restaurant scene - what a shame!

Beautifully written. Spice was superb. Getting to know the characters and watching them bond was amazing. Can't wait to read more

Wow I LOVED this. It had everything I am ever looking for in a book. Murder, mystery, SPICE. I really didn’t except to love this as much as I did, especially because I kept trying to guess what would come next and I never could. Absolutely phenomenal.

Absolutely flawless execution. Not all nice guy finish last, even with a tabby FMC for a love interest.

I absolutely adored this book, and look forward to more. Just when I thought I had the plot figured out, I was completely wrong and thrown for a loop. This dark romance will have you gripping your seat from start to finish. I never knew what the author was going to throw out at me but I couldn’t get enough.

Okay, this book was awesome! It is giving Charlie Angles vibes, but darker. Also some Mindfu*k vibes are mixed around in there as well.

Chyler is a badass FMC. She may had a dark past, and a crazy job, but she don't take crap from anyone! Atlas, the MMC, is badass as well. He is trying to solve a crime while having a little fun in the new city.

I love the chemistry between the characters. The side characters were awesome and I love how the author mixed that all together.

This overall was a wonderful read! It was a dual POV, mixed with actions, and the spice was spicing!

The book in my opinion was a cliffhanger, so I can't wait to see what happens next.

I would definitely recommend this one and I was happy to be able to take this wild ride!

**Ataraxia** features Chyler Tate, a fierce assassin on a mission to take down a pharmaceutical warlord, and Atlas Jenson, a CIA agent investigating related murders. Both are haunted by their pasts and initially closed off, but their intense chemistry is undeniable when they meet.

While I enjoyed Chyler's complex character, the insta-love romance felt rushed. The last quarter of the book was thrilling, with twists and action that matched the fast pace. Their sizzling chemistry and steamy scenes are a highlight.

With several trigger warnings, this dark romance balances intensity and excitement well. I couldn’t put it down and am eager for the next book!

Wow, what a read. 3 female assassins and CIA agents what more can you ask for. This is Chy and Atlas’s story.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you for allowing me to review

***Received ARC through NetGalley***

Search for trigger warnings before reading this book.

3.5 ⭐

A good start to an interconnected standalone series. I look forward to the rest of this series.

An enjoyable book, but a little too insta-love for me.

Lots of twists and turns, some predictable others not so much.

Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing for this ARC in return for an honest review.

Ataraxia by Jacklyn Parker is a dark romance, full of secrets and trickery. There’s definitely spice pretty quickly from the start of the book, and oh boy is it SPICY. I think my eyes bugged out of my head a few times. Toxic? Maybe. Do we care? Nope!

I really enjoyed reading an FMC who genuinely struggles with human connection. Typically we see MMCs that way, but not so much female characters. Trauma doesn’t discriminate! Chyler has a dark past and a murky present/future, but there were things she mentioned that wouldn’t have flown as an assassin of her caliber. Missing details like that would’ve resulted in her being 💀.

Atlas is…oh my lanta. SO. Freaking. HOT. 🥵 color me intrigued, I highlighted quite a few of the things he said. His traumatic past weaved around Chyler’s and so many secrets couldn’t be contained forever. Predator and prey, but who is who? 😈
There were a couple twists in the book I wasn’t quite expecting and I really enjoyed those moments. It was an easy to follow book right up until the last 20-25% or so.

The writing style was a little off for me in parts, the pace would be really good for a handful of chapters then it felt like the plot was being disrupted or tripping over itself a bit. There was a good chunk of the book where the language was redundant and, in turn, felt like it was going in circles a little given how decisive and determined the characters were to complete their missions.
Overall a decent read!

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
🌶️🌶️🌶️

I was lucky enough to receive a copy of this book through NetGalley. Overall, I enjoyed this book. The badass assassin and CIA agent trope is amazing. The spice was great and kept me entertained. I would recommend this book!

✨️✨️ARC REVIEW✨️✨️
This fast-paced dark romance between a hitman for hire and a CIA agent left me on the edge of my seat. It reminded me of a mix between Charlie Angel's and the Mindf*ck series and would be a great read for fans of both.
The book does have an HEA. However, the ending opens up for the next book and I'm very curious how it'll play out.
This was too much insta-lust for me and did contain a lot of filler, but overall I enjoyed Ataraxia and didn't want to put it down.

[Thank you to Jacklyn Parker and Netgalley for provided this arc in exchange for an honest review.]

Intense, dark, and addictive - clear your calendar for this one. More than romance, more than sizzling heat, complex plot with many layers and secrets that pushes you to the end - relentless. A must read.

〰️Thank you to Net Galley, author Jacklyn Parker, and Victory Editing for the opportunity to receive this eARC. My review is based on an Arc version of this story.〰️

⚠️CHECK YOUR TRIGGERS⚠️
Explicit Sexual Content, blood and gore, violence, suicide, kidnapping and torture, alcohol, drugs/drug addiction, death of family member.

⛓️🥀 Dual POV
⛓️🥀 Enemies to Lovers
⛓️🥀 Secret Identities
⛓️🥀 MFC Assassin x MMC CIA Agent
⛓️🥀 Insta-Love
⛓️🥀 Morally Grey MFC
⛓️🥀 Strong/Badass MFC
⛓️🥀 Obsessive MMC
⛓️🥀 "Touch him and die"
⛓️🥀 Standalone

Atlas was transferred to a special unit tasked with finding those responsible for the murders - Surrounding a large Pharmaceutical Industry - who worked closely with Roman Atwater and his drug named Ataraxia. Roman claimed it a cure for addicts, an instant relief for any and all addictions. Quite a strong claim, wouldn't you say? Intriguing. One by one the lab workers began being picked off by a group of mysteriously clad assassins. Roman, on the other hand, was on the run...

~ "...a drug that rewires the reward circuit of the brain. essentially eliminating a person's addiction and physical cravings."~

Chyler is plagued by her dark, traumatic past and has trained herself to switch off her emotions to let her inner, depraved, messed up side come out and play - something that even her fellow accomplices are afraid to test. Also, I've not read that many books about a female lead who is the morally grey character, so this was quite a refreshing change for me. Oh my Lord, I actually loved her. Such a head-strong and badass female lead? Hell yes.

On top of that, Atlas was so swoon-worthy. I was as enchanted by his tricoloured heterochromatic eyes as she was - even though I wasn't blessed with seeing them in real life, but maladaptive daydreaming does wonders for the imagination. Atlas, you absolute hot mans, you! Double hell to the yes..

This book was full of scorching scenes that left me breathless because I almost needed an inhaler. I am not joking. And then followed by the dirty talk? F**k off, it was so hot! I loved every interaction of theirs and how they got each other so riled up. It was fast-paced, plot twists. For me the plot got interesting after the 18% mark to be honest - basically the moment he is taken by her and the plot thickens from there with a trail of fire in its wake. Literally, I could feel the heat. And I'm using the much tamer excerpts because I don't want to ruin the fun! You'll have to find out for yourself how scrumptious the dirty-talk is...Had me giggling and kicking my feet Got me all flustered and I had to take a mini break staring at the wall before diving straight back in a few seconds later.

~"I had every intention of ruining her. She was mine."~

The descriptions were just right - not overly detailed and not under detailed, fabulous for my imagination to run wild with my maladaptive daydreaming. The flow of the story was easy to follow, not overly complicated, simple and easy to read. The story didn't drag on and on either.

Last but not least, the COVER. It was the first thing that attracted my attention, I won't lie. And to top it off a dark romance? Sign me up. A strongly recommended read! You won't regret it if you liked my review so far. Again, check your triggers beforehand if you don't like going in blind. Your mental health matters.

Anyway, I can't wait for the next installment.

Happy reading ❤️

⛓️🥀 Format: eArc/Digital/Epub
⛓️🥀 Age: 18+
⛓️🥀 Chapters: 26 (not including the extra two of the "Extended Prologue" and "Bonus Spice". Content warnings at the end.)
⛓️🥀 Genre: Romance, Dark Romance, Fiction.

OUT OF FIVES;

Cover: ✨✨✨✨✨
⛓️🥀 Heat: ️‍🔥️‍🔥️‍🔥️‍🔥️‍🔥
⛓️🥀 Darkness: 🖤🖤🖤🖤
⛓️🥀 Romance: ❤️❤️❤️❤️
⛓️🥀 Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
⛓️🥀 Action: 💥💥💥
⛓️🥀 Suspense: ❗❗❗❗
⛓️🥀 Heroine: 🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹
⛓️🥀 Hero: 🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋.
⛓️🥀 Overall Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
⛓️🥀 Character Development: 👍👍👍👍👍
⛓️🥀 World Building: 🌍🌏🌍🌏🌍
⛓️🥀 Would I recommend? Absolutely.

I really enjoyed this story - I thought that it was an excellent read!

The book had a brilliant storyline that was strong and well planned out dark romance.

I found that the book was well written and I liked the character development.

There was a mixture of good meets evil with a twist.

Action and romance and a sexy story overall - well worth a read

It is 5 stars from me for this one - very highly recommended!

4 ½ Stars ... beware of the dark!

This is a great debut novel for this author! It's a nice change that the female lead is the bad guy ... and wow is she twisted! But yet Chyler could be really sweet. I don't know how she was able to turn herself between Jekyll and Hyde so quickly and with such ease. I love how confident Atlas was without being arrogant. The twists and turns had me saying WTF ... I just didn't see them coming. And don't get me started on the steam ... HOT!

Chyler lost her parents when she was 15 and by the time she was in her mid 20s she was a hitman. Chyler and her partners were hired to find a pharmaceutical giant who has the medication to help people with addictions. Atlas is a CIA agent who was recruited from DC to Minneapolis to help with a case of pharmaceutical lab techs showing up dead ... and tortured in a gruesome way. Atlas meets Chyler on a night out at a bar and there is an instant connection between them. But both of them are keeping secrets that will blow up their relationship.

I received an ARC courtesy of the author through NetGalley.