Navessa Allen

Lights Out

"I don't need another kink." That thought pops into my head whenever I pull up my favorite social media app, but alas, every time I scroll, I learn something new about myself, and another one is born. And yes, I know I'm responsible for what the algorithm shows me, but l'm trying to ignore that fact. Lately, my feed has been dominated by masked men. I've favorited videos with them dressed in full cosplay, decked out in futuristic military apparel, and wrapped up like ghouls. But more than anything else, my FYP is filled with shirtless men wearing ghost masks. Bonus points if they're heavily tattooed, wielding a knife, or covered in fake blood. At night, I dream about being chased by them, of them catching me and doing deliciously dark things to my more than willing body.
I never could have guessed that by sending one drunken text, those dreams would become my new reality. Lights Out is a fast-paced dark romance with a morally grey male lead. Some themes and scenes may be disturbing to readers. Please check the TWs at the beginning of the book.

Sophia

Nico grinned. “Greg’s been preoccupied with his own responsibilities.”

“And what would those be?” Aly asked.

“Janitorial, of course,” Nico answered, looking nonplussed.

Aly glanced around. “Where is he tonight?”

“Busy,” all of her cousins said at once. 

“What’s happening?” Junior demanded, ignoring the earlier call for quiet. “It sounds like you’re fighting. Was someone inside waiting for you?”

I couldn’t keep myself from answering. “Our fearless leader just faceplanted into a Rhododendron, but he’s coming out of it now. He looks embarrassed.” The man swiveled toward me, and even in the darkness, I could tell he was glaring. “Oops, now he looks pissed.”

She flicked the safety into position and set the gun on the nearby table. “Fine. We’ll beat him to death. Quietly. I know people who can dispose of the body.” The look on her face as she strode forward told me she was dead serious.

The blaring of an alarm jarred me out of sleep. I shot up in bed, and for a second, I couldn’t see anything.

Fear punched through me. Had the contacts rolled into the back of my eyes while I slept and severed my optic nerves? Was that even possible?

Aly groaned somewhere nearby. “What is that sound?”

“I don’t know. I’ve gone blind,” I said, voice laced with panic. Fuck, that was the second time I’d forgotten to disguise it.

“What?” she yelped, and the mattress shifted with her movement.

“Help me,” I whimpered, Batman-style, and yes, it was just as pathetic as it sounds.

“Oh my god,” she said with a shaky laugh. “You’re not blind. Your dumb baklava slid sideways.”

“I took a vacation, too. I thought we could spend some quality time together as a family. You, me. Our maladjusted son who just scooted his butt across the carpet behind you.”

There was another yowl, and then a deep, guttural voice broke the silence, too deep to be natural, so low it must have been modulated. “No, Fred. Mommy and Daddy need to have alone time right now.”

“Bad boys don’t get rewarded,” she said.

. Goddamnit. I did not need a brat kink on top of my newly awakened praise kink. The two were supposed to cancel each other out, not act as amplifiers.

Would it ruin my scary masked stalker image if I came too early? Didn’t badasses hold out for a long time? Her hand wrapped around my now-lubricated shaft and started to pump, rotating on the way down just like I liked. I prayed to the gods of longevity and then started naming baseball teams in my head.

Her fingers dropped to the waist of my jeans and ran along the edge. I flexed. Hard. Not to show off but to keep from giggling like a lunatic. I was ticklish, and it was incredibly inconvenient at times like this.

The middle-aged white dude took one look at my mask and reared back in his seat.

His buddy on the passenger side started shoving his shoulder. “Dude, what the fuck?”

I lifted the knife with one hand and twiddled my fingers hello with the other. 

Was he watching me even now through the hospital security cameras? Probably not, but just in case he was, I flipped the bird at the one in the corner of the breakroom.

 phone chimed with a text message. I pulled it up to see an unknown number and a single word: 

I whipped my head to the left, toward the distinctive couch along the far wall that I heavily featured in my videos, then to my bed and the stupid fucking custom headboard I just had to commission because I couldn’t go to Ikea like everyone else on the goddamn planet. No, I had to be special. Unique.

Well, I’d be his next victim over my dead – whoops, wrong phrase for right now. I wouldn’t be his next victim.

I lifted my eyes just in time to watch Aly drop her phone on the comforter and place her head in her hands. “I need so much more therapy than I’m currently getting.”

Okay, so I didn’t want to hurt her, but I did want to scare her. Potentially troubling but far from the worst-case scenario.

We eyed each other in the darkness. It was pretty runty despite the long black and white hair.

Kaitlyn 

Kai_Pie🎧🍂

Good book, would read again. Idk if it can be classified as a dark romance just as it has enough comedic relief that it seems just morally grey but still a great book x 

Coco Hamilton 

Just don’t know if i’m a lover of dark romance 

Ella Williams

It was funny & easy to read

Just don’t know if i’m a lover of dark romance 

Dark romance, cuestionable pero divertido y entretenido. Aunque es dark romance y toca temas delicados y sin sentido fue una historia muy divertida, Me encantó la dinámica de los personajes y el humor de ambos. Fue super fácil de digerir. Los actores de voz hicieron un gran trabajo y le añadieron a los personajes más personalidad. 

Yoli

LOV JOSH SO MUCH I LITERALLY LAUGHED SO MUCH READING THIS AND THE CRIME SCENES? I WAS SO NERVOUS, 10/10 DESCRIPTION. GETTING 4 STARS BECAUSE TOO MUCH SMUT. OTHER THAN TAHT? PERFECT ROM COM MIXED WITH DARKNESS AND ANTICIPATION.

Hannah 

🫣😳🤭… but cute & surprisingly funny 

Lucy Williams

listen, sometimes you just need something fun

ash (smokedshelves)

The banter between the characters provides a lot of comic relief. This book is top tier morally grey smut 😅

Jessy Tatum

no one at me this was truly an experience that the audiobook provide that's unforgettable for me.

I was so freaking entertained,  I couldn't stop listening.

this had so many trigger warnings but like I completely forgot about them and when they showed up I was like fine by them sjjsjssj tho riding a handle was wow.

the ending had a vibe of the end of the movie Secretary that was kinkily beautiful(is this a phrase? Who knows?).

I'll for sure  check the following book if it is similar in being funny and lowkey sentimental.

Josh and Aly are my faves, crazy with a heart of gold 💛. 

no one at me this was truly an experience that the audiobook provide that's unforgettable for me.

I was so freaking entertained,  I couldn't stop listening.

this had so many trigger warnings but like I completely forgot about them and when they showed up I was like fine by them sjjsjssj tho riding a handle was wow.

the ending had a vibe of the end of the movie Secretary that was kinkily beautiful(is this a phrase? Who knows?).

I'll for sure  check the following book if it is similar in being funny and lowkey sentimental.

Josh and Aly are my faves, crazy with a heart of gold 💛. 

I liked this book a lot. I found it strange at times and I definitely wouldn’t called the cops on Josh, but overall it was entertaining and no too bad for the page long of trigger warning. For reference I read like 12 pages of haunting Adeline before DNFing so I got through this on no problem. The mafia subplot was out of left field and to me very unnecessary but other than that I found it entertaining.

Bushra Yenice

he made me feel alive. he'd dragged me out of the gray world i'd been living in and taught me how to see colours again.

LISTEN, i can explain. when i first started this book i genuinely could not stop laughing. it gave me second hand embarrassment and everything that the mmc thought or said made me cringe. 

but i also couldn’t put it down. it sunk its claws into me and it would not let go. yes aly and josh were cute, and he was funny at times. especially when he was talking to fred. 

i feel like this was a hate read, that i hated so much i loved it. does that even make sense? it doesn’t even make sense to me. but that’s how i’m describing it. 

if you want a book that’s spicy, makes you laugh, gives you second hand embarrassment but also makes you kinda swoon? then this is a book i recommend.

he made me feel alive. he'd dragged me out of the gray world i'd been living in and taught me how to see colours again.

~ ♡ 5/5

LISTEN, i can explain. when i first started this book i genuinely could not stop laughing. it gave me second hand embarrassment and everything that the mmc thought or said made me cringe. 

but i also couldn’t put it down. it sunk its claws into me and it would not let go. yes aly and josh were cute, and he was funny at times. especially when he was talking to fred. 

i feel like this was a hate read, that i hated so much i loved it. does that even make sense? it doesn’t even make sense to me. but that’s how i’m describing it. 

if you want a book that’s spicy, makes you laugh, gives you second hand embarrassment but also makes you kinda swoon? then this is a book i recommend.

reread count: ll

I enjoyed this for my first dark romance, it was a roller coaster ride reading this. I appreciate that Josh was so funny despite his role. He had me cracking up 98% of the time!!! His duality is INSANE. I love him! 

I would say this had a strong start but weak finish. I pretty much breezed through the book except the last few chapters because the excitement is over and there weren’t much going on.

I enjoyed this for my first dark romance, it was a roller coaster ride reading this. I appreciate that Josh was so funny despite his role. He had me cracking up 98% of the time!!! His duality is INSANE. I love him! 

I would say this had a strong start but weak finish. I pretty much breezed through the book except the last few chapters because the excitement is over and there weren’t much going on.

The plot was there and good. Josh and Ally had real good chemistry. I loved how Josh (internal) dialogue was written.

The spice and stalking aspect weren’t really for me though but to each their own.

Kyra

I liked this (for the most part)!

The plot was there and good. Josh and Ally had real good chemistry. I loved how Josh (internal) dialogue was written.

The spice and stalking aspect weren’t really for me though but to each their own.

The characters in this book were hilarious, especially the MMC. I was audibly laughing throughout! This book was chef’s kiss!

Gina Crane 

this is such an UNSERIOUS smutty but entertaining read especially the audiobook! the way ally and josh met through tiktok was cringe tho like josh being a thrist trap influencer wearing a mask and ally being one of his obsessed stans

i have never found dark romance an enjoyable experience until now, and that is completely down to two factors:

Laur

i have never found dark romance an enjoyable experience until now, and that is completely down to two factors:

the audiobook;

the fact that josh is extremely self-aware and actually does have a small smidgen of justification (thank you, thirsttok and the unhinged comment section).

Katie Roberts

Holy smokes; this was *chef's kiss*. If I wasn't a dark romance girly this would be a GREAT way to start. 

Tsu 💙

I read the book and heard the audiobook and while I normally don't really like audiobooks I must say this was hilarious.

If you have met me in person and you see that I’ve read this, no you didn’t. This is a dream. 

Sarah Campbell

What a great way to start off my 2025 reading journey!!!!  

Stella 💫

Before I dive into this review, I’ll need to say: I’m sorry, y’all were right, I was wrong. Now, that’s done, I am here to repent for my believe that all hyped books are trash (I do tend to descend into that belief whenever some book is everywhere, I read it and end up disliking it so much it shatters my trust in other people’s reviews) – this one, in fact, is not. It’s also not what some of you claim it to be, but still, this was pure entertainment and I was wrong. Luckily, not even I believe myself if I say I’m gonna steer clear of a book and I didn’t with this one.

Lights Out is set up with two intriguing main characters: Aly, a trauma nurse, in both senses – she’s working as a trauma nurse and this poor girl has lived through some traumatic stuff in her life. She’s fierce, she’s strong, she’s not a skinny, frail girl portrayed as weak, but an athletic, muscular woman trained in Martial Arts and the handling of weapons. To sum it up? She’s badass. And holy, how much I loved that finally a strong, trained woman with a body described like the one I have, is the FMC of a story I read; not thin, but with thick thighs, muscles and the ability to use them. That truly felt oddly nice.

Where there’s a strong FMC, she needs the right counterpart and we find that in Josh, tall, dark, handsome – and the absolute goofball. Honestly, this book got it right with what is attractive and what allows people to bring out their darker sides as well, it’s the balance with the rest of their personality and Josh partially felt like a rottweiler puppy, barging through all reservations I had with this book. He’s hilarious, his banter is top tier and honestly, the way he’s not perfect makes him so much better.

Now, there are reviewers recommending this book to readers who enjoyed Haunting Adeline. People, let’s be real. This is something entirely different. Yes, Lights Out has its darker moments (and I’ll get back to these in a second), but this is comedic. This is a stalker rom-com; nothing like Haunting Adeline. There are scenes that are supposed to induce a bit of fear, true, and there are con-non-con scenes, but this is a whole different ball game from HA. I’m not rating it, but these are just very far from each other. What I am failing to say: Even if you did not like HA, you might end up enjoying this one. Because it’s fun as hell.

Now I said I’d get back to the darker parts of this book: You can basically cut the book in two parts, pretty much in the middle as well. The first part is relationship focused and hilarious, it’s intriguing, had me giggling and I really didn’t want to put the book down. I realise there might be the second half needed, but it did fall a little flatter for me. The plot addition (this sounds harsher than I intend it to) as well as Josh’s background was … not necessary in my opinion. It’s okay it’s there, but I would not have missed a single thing if both were never included in the book and it solely focused on Aly and Josh. That’s my opinion but I did see a lot of similar sentiment in other reviews, so it might not just be me. I would have been absolutely fine of seeing more of Josh and Aly, their relationship and banter, the badass she is and the goofball she accidentally found on the internet.

I had an absolute blast with this book. It was hilarious, intriguing, page-turning and nothing like the book I expected. Honestly, I was so here for it and I’d read ten more books about these two (three). I think this truly might be one of the books I’ll pick up again in the future (and I rarely do with books that aren’t classics), because it was that much fun. It had its flaws and shortcomings, but they did not diminish the enjoyment I got out of reading this. Clearly recommend.  

Leonie

Before I dive into this review, I’ll need to say: I’m sorry, y’all were right, I was wrong. Now, that’s done, I am here to repent for my believe that all hyped books are trash (I do tend to descend into that belief whenever some book is everywhere, I read it and end up disliking it so much it shatters my trust in other people’s reviews) – this one, in fact, is not. It’s also not what some of you claim it to be, but still, this was pure entertainment and I was wrong. Luckily, not even I believe myself if I say I’m gonna steer clear of a book and I didn’t with this one.

Lights Out is set up with two intriguing main characters: Aly, a trauma nurse, in both senses – she’s working as a trauma nurse and this poor girl has lived through some traumatic stuff in her life. She’s fierce, she’s strong, she’s not a skinny, frail girl portrayed as weak, but an athletic, muscular woman trained in Martial Arts and the handling of weapons. To sum it up? She’s badass. And holy, how much I loved that finally a strong, trained woman with a body described like the one I have, is the FMC of a story I read; not thin, but with thick thighs, muscles and the ability to use them. That truly felt oddly nice.

Where there’s a strong FMC, she needs the right counterpart and we find that in Josh, tall, dark, handsome – and the absolute goofball. Honestly, this book got it right with what is attractive and what allows people to bring out their darker sides as well, it’s the balance with the rest of their personality and Josh partially felt like a rottweiler puppy, barging through all reservations I had with this book. He’s hilarious, his banter is top tier and honestly, the way he’s not perfect makes him so much better.

Now, there are reviewers recommending this book to readers who enjoyed Haunting Adeline. People, let’s be real. This is something entirely different. Yes, Lights Out has its darker moments (and I’ll get back to these in a second), but this is comedic. This is a stalker rom-com; nothing like Haunting Adeline. There are scenes that are supposed to induce a bit of fear, true, and there are con-non-con scenes, but this is a whole different ball game from HA. I’m not rating it, but these are just very far from each other. What I am failing to say: Even if you did not like HA, you might end up enjoying this one. Because it’s fun as hell.

Now I said I’d get back to the darker parts of this book: You can basically cut the book in two parts, pretty much in the middle as well. The first part is relationship focused and hilarious, it’s intriguing, had me giggling and I really didn’t want to put the book down. I realise there might be the second half needed, but it did fall a little flatter for me. The plot addition (this sounds harsher than I intend it to) as well as Josh’s background was … not necessary in my opinion. It’s okay it’s there, but I would not have missed a single thing if both were never included in the book and it solely focused on Aly and Josh. That’s my opinion but I did see a lot of similar sentiment in other reviews, so it might not just be me. I would have been absolutely fine of seeing more of Josh and Aly, their relationship and banter, the badass she is and the goofball she accidentally found on the internet.

I had an absolute blast with this book. It was hilarious, intriguing, page-turning and nothing like the book I expected. Honestly, I was so here for it and I’d read ten more books about these two (three). I think this truly might be one of the books I’ll pick up again in the future (and I rarely do with books that aren’t classics), because it was that much fun. It had its flaws and shortcomings, but they did not diminish the enjoyment I got out of reading this. Clearly recommend.  

"On the one hand, this was the hottest thing that had ever happened to me. On the other, it was also the most fucked up. This truly was the horror movie I would die in, wasn't it?"

Well, well, well, that was quite the experience - and for my first proper foray into dark romance, it was certainly enlightening and whole lot of fun. I've never really been drawn to dark romances such as 

 and the most kinky book I have ever read before this was 

 😂 I like my morally grey men to be safely inside a fantasy world where it's less likely their bad acts could ever be replicated in real life, and phycological horror has always spooked me way more than supernatural. But I was recommended this book so many times and by so many people from different circles that I eventually gave in and bought this book to find out what all the fuss was about. I get it, I totally get the hype, this was a wild ride from start to finish and I enjoyed it far more than I thought I would. It had just the right balance of darkness, spiciness, light-hearted humour and plot that I was invested in the characters and story, and the darkness was handled in a way that makes this book brilliant for first time readers to the genre - although, as always, check your trigger warnings with this type of book.

Aly and Josh were absolutely fantastic, their banter and the way they bounced off each other with wit and darkness and care was so fun to read. From my limited understanding of this genre and of the kink community in real life, I think this was handled pretty well. The way Josh was described as struggling with boundaries but knew how to respect Aly's in the bedroom (not always outside of the bedroom though haha) was really reassuring to read. His character was really well written in my opinion, his cheeky, soft side paralleled against his dark, dominating side was a great juxtaposition, and his backstory lent a genuine reason behind his more fucked up tendencies. Aly was great too, she was a badass, never backing down from what she wanted in life or from other people and capable of holding her own. I do think Josh and Aly's characters kind of merged into one a little bit, they didn't quite have enough of a distinct personality for me personally - and in some ways that makes sense because they are meant to alike in many ways, but reading from their POV sometimes got a bit confusing because I struggled to tell them apart.

The plot was good for the most part but I do think this book started to drag at around the 300 page stage and the mafia side of things definitely wasn't my favourite part, I'll just never be a mafia girl I don't think, I can't help but find it really cringy, I have no clue why. The storyline with Brad was fine, but I think it could've been handled in a different way that I would've appreciated more but of course it doesn't work like that, not every book is going to be exactly to my taste. I'm also not a big fan of the able hulking monster of a man, 6'4 and so bulked with muscles that he dwarfs the FMC with an appendage that doesn't fit where it's supposed to - I do like a tall muscular, well endowed man but sometimes when I read these descriptions it just looks silly in my mind and I can never get past it.

But other than those few criticisms, this was a really entertaining read and I absolutely recommend it to anyone who can handle the content. The way I was kicking my feet and giggling over this book like it was a fluffy romcom needs to be studied, but this really was funny, adorable and light-hearted in a way that shouldn't work for a dark romance, but it absolutely did in this book. I too have had a thing for masktok on Tiktok and so this was right up my ally. Although, if anyone knows of a masktok inspired book based on those Deatheater videos I would be greatly appreciative too. I see there is a spin off second book coming next year based on Junior which I am a little apprehensive to read considering it is likely more of a mafia romance than this one was, but we shall see, I might give it a chance!

Genevieve 

"On the one hand, this was the hottest thing that had ever happened to me. On the other, it was also the most fucked up. This truly was the horror movie I would die in, wasn't it?"

4.25 ⭐

Well, well, well, that was quite the experience - and for my first proper foray into dark romance, it was certainly enlightening and whole lot of fun. I've never really been drawn to dark romances such as Haunting Adeline and the most kinky book I have ever read before this was Fifty Shades of Grey 😂 I like my morally grey men to be safely inside a fantasy world where it's less likely their bad acts could ever be replicated in real life, and phycological horror has always spooked me way more than supernatural. But I was recommended this book so many times and by so many people from different circles that I eventually gave in and bought this book to find out what all the fuss was about. I get it, I totally get the hype, this was a wild ride from start to finish and I enjoyed it far more than I thought I would. It had just the right balance of darkness, spiciness, light-hearted humour and plot that I was invested in the characters and story, and the darkness was handled in a way that makes this book brilliant for first time readers to the genre - although, as always, check your trigger warnings with this type of book.

Aly and Josh were absolutely fantastic, their banter and the way they bounced off each other with wit and darkness and care was so fun to read. From my limited understanding of this genre and of the kink community in real life, I think this was handled pretty well. The way Josh was described as struggling with boundaries but knew how to respect Aly's in the bedroom (not always outside of the bedroom though haha) was really reassuring to read. His character was really well written in my opinion, his cheeky, soft side paralleled against his dark, dominating side was a great juxtaposition, and his backstory lent a genuine reason behind his more fucked up tendencies. Aly was great too, she was a badass, never backing down from what she wanted in life or from other people and capable of holding her own. I do think Josh and Aly's characters kind of merged into one a little bit, they didn't quite have enough of a distinct personality for me personally - and in some ways that makes sense because they are meant to alike in many ways, but reading from their POV sometimes got a bit confusing because I struggled to tell them apart.

The plot was good for the most part but I do think this book started to drag at around the 300 page stage and the mafia side of things definitely wasn't my favourite part, I'll just never be a mafia girl I don't think, I can't help but find it really cringy, I have no clue why. The storyline with Brad was fine, but I think it could've been handled in a different way that I would've appreciated more but of course it doesn't work like that, not every book is going to be exactly to my taste. I'm also not a big fan of the able hulking monster of a man, 6'4 and so bulked with muscles that he dwarfs the FMC with an appendage that doesn't fit where it's supposed to - I do like a tall muscular, well endowed man but sometimes when I read these descriptions it just looks silly in my mind and I can never get past it.

But other than those few criticisms, this was a really entertaining read and I absolutely recommend it to anyone who can handle the content. The way I was kicking my feet and giggling over this book like it was a fluffy romcom needs to be studied, but this really was funny, adorable and light-hearted in a way that shouldn't work for a dark romance, but it absolutely did in this book. I too have had a thing for masktok on Tiktok and so this was right up my ally. Although, if anyone knows of a masktok inspired book based on those Deatheater videos I would be greatly appreciative too. I see there is a spin off second book coming next year based on Junior which I am a little apprehensive to read considering it is likely more of a mafia romance than this one was, but we shall see, I might give it a chance!

Lights Out

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