I don’t read a lot of dark romance, which means K!ll for Me was something of an experiment for me.

I went into it with an open mind. I wanted interesting characters, a compelling romance, and enough darkness to understand why this genre has such a dedicated following. Instead, I got plenty of spice, a fast-moving plot, and characters I struggled to understand, much less root for.

And that’s where things got interesting.

Because I’m willing to follow a book into some pretty questionable territory if the characters give me a reason to care. But if you’re going to make your protagonists murderers, criminals, or generally terrible decision-makers, I need something in return.

For me, K!ll for Me didn’t quite deliver that payoff.

*Spoilers will be hidden and labelled so you can choose to read or skip.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click on them and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Where did I hear about this book: Author’s P.R. Team

Curiosity or Awareness: Curiosity

Would I read it if no one was talking about it? I am

What I want from this book: I want interesting characters who fall in love. I don’t read much dark romance, so I am kinda testing the waters here. I’m not sure what to expect (following curiosity and taking a chance).

K!ll for Me uses all the expected symbols along with an expected palette to indicate that this is a dark romance. The cover design is mostly well done, but there is a weird spring that sits at the jawline of the skull that isn’t really integrated into the imagery well, so it stands out oddly.

Color Story

Standard dark romance fare here on the cover of K!ll for Me – black, white, grey, and red. The greyscale acts as a representation of the moral ambiguity of the subject matter. What is right and wrong? The red doubles down in this genre by indicating both passion and violence.

Typography Notes

The strong serif typeface helps to designate K!ll for Me as a dark romance. If it had been done in sans serif, this might have looked more like a thriller or murder mystery. The distressed treatment applied to the lettering helps it to mesh with the rest of the cover, avoiding too stark a contrast.

Genre Signals

As noted, the color and typography are strong indicators of the dark romance genre. K!ll for Me also makes use of symbolic imagery such as a skull, roses, and a key, which could indicate death, romance, and secrets, respectively. I am unclear on what the spring is supposed to represent. Let me know what you think in the comments!

Hidden Details

A sign for Luscious Dream, the sex club where the main characters meet, hides in the background. So does a quote from the book: “Aren’t we all sinners?”

Mood Check

Dark and dangerous.

Beyond the Dust Jacket

I read this as an ARC, so it is understood that it will undergo revisions prior to being released.

Did the design affect whether I bought the book?

I didn’t see the cover prior to agreeing to read the ARC, so it did not affect my decision to read it.

Mara, the single mother and sous chef, can’t decide whether she is timid and afraid or bold and brazen. Her personality shifts at random and feels hard to pin down. She loves her daughter, Clara, and must remain gainfully employed so that her dirtbag ex doesn’t sue for custody.

David, the hotel manager and son of the hotel owner, comes off as a jerk. His main redeeming quality is that he pays his employees well and that he hates child predators (so like kinda entry-level human stuff).

I had a hard time understanding what I was supposed to like about these characters or why I would ship them at all.

The pace was quick, and the spice was spicy. If you are only reading it for the dark erotica elements, then this will probably work fine for you. However…

The language was odd. It felt like English might not be the author’s first language – which I do not know (if it isn’t, then well done). The syntax was unusual, and the sentence structure sometimes didn’t make sense. Some words were clearly misused, and others were not words at all.

I found the plot to be super far-fetched and unbelievable. There were no supporting facts or evidence to back up any of the decisions or major actions that were taken. Character development like he ‘was a fighter’ in university is supposed to explain not only why he is strong but also why he can shoot a gun or wield a knife?

Are sex and life-threatening situations enough to build a relationship on?

What Worked:

• Decently interesting erotic elements for dark romance readers
• Good pacing; the story didn’t lag anywhere

What Didn’t Fully Click:

• The characters were not particularly likeable or relatable
• The plot had plenty of holes
• Writing style disrupted the reading experience

Overall:

Not really a fan, but some readers might enjoy it.

The author’s team reached out to me on social media and pitched me the ARC. I thought I’d give it a try. I don’t read a lot of dark romance, so this was also an opportunity to try on a genre. I had finished another book early and had some extra time in my week, so I thought, why not?

K!ll for Me definitely had the spice that I expected for a dark romance, but I was left a bit cold by the characters and the plot. I wanted to care more than I did. If you are going to make someone a murderer, you should probably give them something else that is irresistable to make up for it. I didn’t feel like that happened here.

Read if you like:

• Dark romance erotica
• Fast-paced stories with danger

Skip if you dislike:

• Awkward writing
• Plot holes
• Unlikable or poorly defined characters

I read K!ll for Me during the Playing Card Reading Challenge prompt: Read a self-published/indie book.

How much does character likability influence your perception of a book?

May your life be as full as your bookshelf and as long as your TBR list.

Happy Reading!