Deviant by Sheri Krom is an intense and sometimes unsettling romantic thriller that pulls readers into a world of obsession, danger, and moral ambiguity. The setup—a glamorous nightclub owner caught in a deadly web of crime and conspiracy—is rich with potential, but the execution doesn’t always match the premise. The story is packed with high stakes and dark intrigue, but it stumbles in places where emotional depth and pacing could have elevated the narrative.

Emma, the protagonist, is compelling in theory—a successful businesswoman surrounded by powerful yet dangerous people. Her exclusive club is a haven for the elite, but it also makes her a target in ways she doesn’t anticipate. When she becomes entangled in a plot that puts her life in jeopardy, she’s thrust into the arms of Austin Campbell, a brooding and capable FBI agent tasked with keeping her alive. Their dynamic is equal parts tension and temptation, but the romantic connection feels a bit rushed, leaning heavily into the "protector falls for his charge" trope without adding much nuance.

Austin is written as the quintessential strong, silent type with a tortured past—a man who’s supposed to remain detached but finds himself unable to resist Emma. His protectiveness is appealing at first, but there are moments when his possessiveness blurs the line between protective and problematic. The romantic tension between them builds quickly, but some of their interactions lack the emotional groundwork that would make their love story feel truly earned.

The thriller elements—the murders, the mysterious stalker, and the overarching investigation—are where the book finds its strongest footing. There’s genuine suspense as Emma’s life unravels and the threats against her escalate. However, the plot can feel disjointed at times, with new twists that pop up abruptly without enough buildup. The villain, who is teased as someone dangerous and calculating, occasionally feels underdeveloped and one-dimensional, more of a shadowy figurehead than a fully realized antagonist.

The dark, obsessive undertones of the story—particularly involving the "deviant" figure whose twisted obsession with Emma sets much of the plot in motion—add an unsettling edge. But instead of diving deeper into the psychology behind the obsession, the narrative often skims the surface, leaving some motivations unclear or overly simplistic.

Where the book shines is in its atmosphere. Krom excels at painting vivid scenes of sweltering city streets, the glamorous haze of Emma’s club, and the ominous feeling of being watched. The sense of paranoia is palpable, and the backdrop of high society mixed with crime adds a layer of decadence to the tension.

At 3 stars, Deviant is an entertaining read for fans of romantic suspense who enjoy fast-paced stories with morally gray characters. However, the romance feels underdeveloped, and some of the thriller elements would benefit from deeper exploration. It’s a story that keeps you reading, but the emotional beats don’t always land as hard as they should. That said, if you’re in the mood for a dark and steamy thriller with a high-stakes premise, Deviant offers a wild, unpredictable ride—you just have to be willing to overlook some of its rough edges.

I absolutely enjoyed every page of this book. I thought that Sheri Krom did a great job with the characters and story line in this novel. I was hooked from the first page, and I couldn't put it down. It was such a good romance, and I highly recommend it to others. I can't wait for more from this author.

Thank you Net Galley ARC and Sheri Krom

Quick and fast moving read - politics, kink, kidnapping, obsession, murder, and quite a bit of spice. Many tense moments, all compressed into a shorter than usual package - which is a nice change of pace!

Deviant thriller

I was very impressed at Sheri' s first book. It was very interesting and kept me involved at all times . It had just the right amount of dirty times to keep to keep it fun and a lot of suspense. I can't wait to read more of her books

The author does know how to write a dirty scene and the idea of the story is intriguing. I struggled to read due to formatting issues, I understand the publisher will improve that before it’s published but I also think it needs a decent editor to cut the story into something more precise.
Thank you NetGalley for letting me read and review

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

Did I enjoy it? Yes. Were there issues? Yes.

I’m very torn about this book. It had a great concept, but I found there were some plot holes. The instant love between the main characters didn't feel justified; the situation didn't seem to be set up properly. It felt like their relationship would have developed naturally over time. However, I did enjoy the characters and felt like I got to know them quite quickly, which is exactly what you want in a shorter book. The spice in the story was well-delivered and didn't feel excessive. However, I found some of the MMC's moments to be a bit cringy at times. The ending had a nice twist, but I felt that my questions throughout the book were answered to create a cohesive conclusion.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for an advanced e-copy of Deviant, in exchange for an honest review.

Deviant is a gripping romantic suspense novel that combines high stakes with intense passion. The story follows Emma, who runs an exclusive club, as she becomes the target of a dangerous threat. To protect her, FBI agent Austin Campbell is assigned to the case. As the tension builds, Emma and Austin’s growing attraction adds another layer of complexity to their relationship. The plot is full of suspense, with plenty of twists and turns that keep the reader hooked. The chemistry between the two main characters is a standout, making their dynamic both captivating and compelling. Overall, Deviant is a fast-paced, thrilling read that I truly enjoyed and would recommend to readers who enjoy suspense/thrillers with spice books.
4.25 Stars!

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this book!!

What a great book!! It had me hooked from page one! I couldn’t put this down. I finished it in one sitting. I enjoyed the storyline and the characters. This was a first for me by this author but it will not be my last!!

2.5 STARS - I had high hopes for this book. Conceptually, it is a great story! The delivery of it is the issue.

The author has a great novel sitting here but really needed a great editor to clean up some of the time jumps and stiff conversations due to writing inconsistencies.

This is an Insta-Love and because of that there are a few interesting assumptions made in that she has a traumatic situation and he jumps in as a protector and ends up in love within about 3 paragraphs, it seems.

The author does not back down from the hot scenes and that does make up for some of the weird assumptions. She is all in for him as well, so I guess that works.

The other supporting characters are great and I can see where more books can spin-off of this, but all of the characters need to be more developed and well-rounded. While I love sexy hot stories, they need to have some depth too.

As a side note, the copy I read was an ARC and I had massive issues with it which made it hard to read and focus. Blended paragraphs. Merged words. Missing letters in words, like double F’s. Hopefully, the sale copy is not full of format issues.

This was my first experience with a book by Sheri Krom. It was very good. I enjoyed the characters, story line, the spicy, and it kept me very invested the whole way through. I can’t wait for the next one.

By 10% in I was having a really hard time with the book. The Kindle formatting was weird so a lot of the words ran together, and there were some random jumps to a new subject which seemed like it should have been a new chapter but there wasn't any separation in the text. One example of formatting error: "Call Gregat myo ice", which should read "Call Greg at my office". Chapter 5 has a couple sentences that are written in first person instead of third person. Chapter 6 has a section where the action is repeated twice as if it had been rewritten and editing missed it. I switched to the Netgalley Shelf app and thankfully the formatting is much better there, though there were still a few mistakes here and there.
The writing is nothing special and honestly reminded me of a young adult book in quality. Very simple wording. However, the sex scenes were very creative.
The relationship went from 0 to 100 really fast. Definitely insta-lust. Spice 🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
Honestly this book didn't keep my attention very well and I didn't really want to finish it, though I persevered till the end to give it a fair review.

Deviant is a steamy romantic suspense novel that pulls you into a world of danger, secrets, and unexpected romance. Emma, the owner of an elite club, suddenly finds herself under threat, protected by the intense and mysterious FBI agent Austin Campbell. The suspense is palpable as the story unfolds, with twists that kept me on the edge of my seat. I especially enjoyed the chemistry between Emma and Austin—it added a layer of tension that made the book impossible to put down.

deviant?
Initially read this book and DNF'd it.
Restarted and read the book in its entirety, but barely.
No character or storyline depth.
POV is too choppy and sometimes hard to follow.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ It was a great story phenomenal spice! Very fast paced. I loved Emma and her brothers relationship. I usually can’t get into law enforcement tropes but this one nailed it.

Deviant is straight-up addictive! Emma’s life goes from glamorous to deadly in a flash, and her bodyguard, Austin, is all kinds of swoon-worthy. Their chemistry is off the charts, but don’t get too comfy because the twists come fast! This book has it all: high stakes, steamy moments, and enough suspense to keep you flipping pages like crazy. If you want a thriller with a heart-racing romance, Deviant is calling your name! 🔥💥

I looove ths book! It's a great thriller and really good read. The book is well written and you really get attached to the main character.

THIS BOOK, OMG. Usually I'm a dark romance reader and an occasional thriller reader, but this? I didn't even know it was a thing to combine the two! The twists and turns on top of the smutty scenes were absolutely delicious. You need to add this to your tbr. And make it very high on the list.

(Review also on Goodreads)

Thank you to Net Galley & Sheri Krom for the e-Arc copy in exchange for an honest review.

Sheri Krom is going to dominate the dark romance world with her first book.
I am also declaring my new favorite genre: Smut Thriller

A book meant for those who want to read and can't fully find the time with 214 pages of fast pace perfection.

This book is smut gold... each page will have your heart thumping as the pace of this book is fast and to the point never giving you a moment to guess or anticipate what is going to happen next.

Emma owns one of the most exclusive fetish clubs in the city - a hit is put out on her. Can Austin Campbell protect her? There is only two people she can fully trust Sky, her best friend with a twisted and dark mind the same as her. Then her brother Steven, who is beyond protective, and thank god for that.

I cannot wait for Sheri's second book. You can now consider me a die hard fan of Sheri Krom. I would also love a physical copy for shelf. This book is too good of a debut to not be displayed.

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This moved quickly - I was into the story even though it isn't my usual genre. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. If you want something different from the norm give it a try.