This review post is all about “Lights Out” by Navessa Allen.
CATEGORIES: BOOK BLOG POSTS, BOOK REVIEWS, ROMANCE
ABOUT THE BOOK
title: lights out
AUTHOR: navessa allen
GENRES: dark romance, contemporary romance, comedy, ROMANTIC SUSPENSE
publisher: slowburn
PUBLISHING DATE: AUGUST 6, 2024
FORMAT: AUDIOBOOK
LENGTH: 13 HOURS, 38 MINUTES
NARRATION: ELENA WOLFE AND JACOB MORGAN
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“lights out” goodreads book summary
“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 I’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.
MY THOUGHTS ABOUT “LIGHTS OUT”
This book randomly popped up on my audible suggestions so I really had no idea of what to expect. The promise of a knife wielding stalker creeping on his online admirer peeked my interest.
I love dark romances, but rarely do they live up to the hype. However, with a promising 4+ review from both Goodreads and audible I went in with high hopes. So, was it hot or was it a flop? Let’s discuss.
this review post is all about "Lights Out" by Navessa Allen
"LIGHTS OUT" BOOK REVIEW
UNPACKING THE PLOT OF “LIGHTS OUT”
This R-rated novel was tantalizing from the very beginning. An overworked nurse with no work-life balance develops a kinky obsession. After a stressful long day in the emergency room she is eager to get off to a masked, knife-wielding man posting thirst traps on TikTok.
She thinks this is just an innocent pastime, a dark kink she’s told no one about. But, after months of posting thirsty comments on his page, he decides to call her bluff.
I really enjoyed how the author incorporated the stress of Aly’s work in the hospital, which was reminiscent of a Grey’s Anatomy-esque drama.
When Aly is finally face-to-face with her stalker she doesn’t know whether to be turned on or scared. Yes, this is what she fantasized about, but when he actually shows up wearing a mask and carrying a knife, she’s terrified.
“I didn’t want him morally grey. I wanted 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.”
The cat and mouse chase between Aly and Josh was fun to read. Her mission to discover his true identity really played into the dark kinky fantasy. Aly’s reluctance to admit that she enjoys being stalked, and Josh’s reluctance to let her into his inner world made for a heart-pounding romance.
The addition of an actual predator with his eye on Aly made for a thrilling wild card.
However, this is where the plot faltered. The last 1/3 of the book dragged in pacing and plot, and I felt like the book should’ve ended with a climax involving the villain. The last few chapters did not serve the story at all.
THE CHARACTERS of “lights out”
ALY: THE NURSE WITH DARK FANTASIES
I instantly connected with Aly. Her struggle to balance her demanding job with her personal life, including her romantic relationships, resonated deeply with me. I could even understand, on some level, her attraction to a muscle-bound, masked stranger on TikTok. Danger, after all, holds a certain allure…as a fantasy.
But that’s where my understanding of Aly ended. The image of her working a fourteen-hour shift, then having the energy for self-defense classes and BDSM activities, struck me as not just fictional, but comical. After twelve hours on my feet, the only things on my mind are shedding compression stockings stabbing into my calves, feeding my cats, and swan diving into bed.
Despite the implausibility of her schedule, I appreciated Aly’s independence and selflessness. She was a smart, caring woman who always prioritized others, yet never ignored her intuition or common sense. Her character had potential, even if her lifestyle seemed more fantasy than reality.
JOSH: A MAN WITH A DARK PAST
Because of his troubled past, Josh grew up thinking he was rotten to the core. Despite being stunningly handsome and having a talent for cyber security, he prefers being a recluse. Instead of connecting with the world, he prefers donning a balaclava mask, covering himself with fake blood, and wielding a knife in order to make thirst trap videos on TikTok.
I really enjoyed his character, especially at how giddy he got when he outsmarted Aly. My only criticism is that I couldn’t help but feel his character was too much of a woman’s dark fantasy rather than a fully fleshed out character. I could definitely understand why he developed an unhealthy habit of spying on the people, but outside of that he just seemed too perfect.
“I’m only willing to allow you a few days. After that, I’m coming for you, baby, whether you’re ready or not. And until then, I’ll be watching.”
FRED: THE CAT THAT STEALS HEARTS
One of my favorite characters was Aly’s cat, Fred, who melted the heart of this reader as well as Aly’s stalker. As a cat owner, I appreciated his trouble-making antics, including scratching at the door, ruining curtains, and demanding attention at all times.
“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.”
THE WRITING STYLE THAT MAKES “LIGHTS OUT” MEMORABLE
The first 75 percent of this novel was paced to perfection with delectable twists and turns that kept me up all night. The chemistry between these characters was through the roof. Their banter was funny so I give major props to the author. It’s my opinion that humor is one of the hardest things to write, and this author did a commendable job.
The writing definitely popped, especially in the first and second act. I was really sold on how these characters fell for each other. Both were highly intelligent, at the top of their fields, and had a hard time making healthy connections with people. Also, they both had a kink for BDSM.
However, there were times where the dialogue fell flat – some lines were overly sappy or the it felt like the dirty talk was copy and pasted from a porno movie.
The third act of the novel really dragged in pacing. It relied too heavily on dialogue and went to a little too much into romcom territory. I love romcom, but the synopsis sold me on dark romance and that’s what I thought I was in for.
WAS “LIGHTS UP” SPICY?
Very Spicy! This was so hot I had to hit pause, pick my jaw off the floor, and process what I just heard before pressing play again.
The spice was definitely my favorite part of the novel and even though it was partly BDSM, there wasn’t anything too crazy in it. There is knife play, so if you’re not into that I suggest skipping that scene.
I give it four chili peppers 🌶️ 🌶️ 🌶️ 🌶️!
“I’m only willing to allow you a few days. After that, I’m coming for you, baby, whether you’re ready or not. And until then, I’ll be watching.”
THE NARRATION
The dual POV performed in duet style with Elena Wolf and Jacob Morgan was extremely well-produced and well acted. I loved the small inflections in the steamy scenes and the back and forth during their banter.
I do think that the voice for the female character was a little more prim and proper than Aly’s character so it sounded a little funny hearing her say dirty words. However, other than that, I really enjoyed the performance.
Almost a slam dunk. If I was rating the first 75 percent “Lights Up” would be a five star book. The book had me hooked from the beginning, listening until the wee hours of the night, on the ride to and from work, and while doing chores.
It was a real nail-biter, until it wasn’t. The last quarter fumbled the ball, relying too much on drawn out dialogue and not enough on plot.
Despite this, I will be purchasing the next installment of the “Into Darkness” series because I enjoyed Navessa Allen’s writing.
If you’d like a dark stalker romance with plenty of trigger warnings, witty banter, and hot sexy scenes, then give this one a try.
Let me know in the comments if you’ve read it and share your thoughts. If not, click the button below to purchase it.
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