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In Secret We Sin #1
Adrenaline
Four years ago, I betrayed his trust.
He retaliated by breaking my heart.
Adam Ryan had secrets.
The kind better off where they belonged.
Buried.
As an urban explorer, I’m not afraid of a little trouble.
But when I venture to the one place Adam forbade me from, I get more than I bargained for.
Him and his friends.
Along with their threats.
Their violence.
And their lust.
Adam might claim to still hate me.
What he hates more?
That his friends want me, too.
But they’re not the only threat to my existence.
Someone else is after me.
Someone who knows Adam’s secrets as well as they know mine.
He retaliated by breaking my heart.
Adam Ryan had secrets.
The kind better off where they belonged.
Buried.
As an urban explorer, I’m not afraid of a little trouble.
But when I venture to the one place Adam forbade me from, I get more than I bargained for.
Him and his friends.
Along with their threats.
Their violence.
And their lust.
Adam might claim to still hate me.
What he hates more?
That his friends want me, too.
But they’re not the only threat to my existence.
Someone else is after me.
Someone who knows Adam’s secrets as well as they know mine.
Kindle Edition
First published August 25, 2022
About the author
A.L. Woods
12 books446 followersA.L. Woods is an international bestselling author of dark and contemporary rollercoaster romances, caffeine aficionado, and collector of Sailor Moon paraphernalia.
She lives outside of Toronto, Ontario with her 9lb larger-than-life miniature dachshund, Maia.
She believes that burritos should be in their own food group, loves the fall, winged liner, and listening to metalcore at an offensive level.
Website: https://amandawrites.ca/
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/a-l-w...
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/AmandaLWrites
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amandalwrites/
Reader Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/22739...
She lives outside of Toronto, Ontario with her 9lb larger-than-life miniature dachshund, Maia.
She believes that burritos should be in their own food group, loves the fall, winged liner, and listening to metalcore at an offensive level.
Website: https://amandawrites.ca/
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/a-l-w...
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/AmandaLWrites
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amandalwrites/
Reader Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/22739...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 130 reviews
August 26, 2022
4.5
Adrenaline is the kind of book that makes you FEEL more than anything. When I finished it, my thoughts and feelings were extremely conflicting and all over the place. Honestly, they still are. I keep going back and forth on so many things that happened and even what I think of the couple themselves.
Whether you love it or hate it, you will have strong emotions regarding the characters and the events that take place. Not all of those emotions are good. I was angry for a lot of this book. I wanted to harm the majority of these characters at one point or ten. I felt heartbroken for some of them. I wished some of them would jump off a cliff. I was aggravated with characters that I felt sorry for and then, felt sorry for the ones that aggravated me.
It's a story that I'll need days and maybe even weeks to dissect and marinate on. Most of the things that happen in Adrenaline are not black and white. I can look at the actions of the hero, heroine, and the other people in their lives (mainly Adam's friends) from different perspectives and find myself feeling like I'm going crazy trying to make decisions about if they were justified in their feelings and subsequent behavior. Every single character is incredibly flawed ....except maybe Raquel. I won't hear any conflicting opinions on that. She's a real one. I love her. Period.
Right or wrong, I had the most sympathy for Adam in this story. I felt the most anger on his behalf, and I understood him more than anyone else. That being said, we didn't see Adam and Katrina's breakup when it occurred. We didn't spend time with her for the weeks after her heartbreak, and we didn't experience her devastation for four long years. This book is set fours years after they split up, and I think that could be somewhat to blame for why it was harder for me to sympathize with her at times.
Adam didn't sleep with anyone else in this story either, and we always knew he was completely hers in every sense of the word. He also doesn't do as many hurtful things to Katrina. On top of that, his friends actively try to gut him throughout the book. They were doing it for a good reason, but it's up to you to decide whether the ends justified the means.
I realize I haven't talked a lot about what this story is about, but I imagine there will be a ton of reviewers that will tell you everything you want to know on that end. This review is more of a purge of my thoughts as spoiler free as I'm able to express them, so I apologize if it reads like a jumbled mess. In my opinion, all you actually NEED to know about Adrenaline is that it's a second chance, dark MF romance with MMF, MM, and MMFM scenes. I suggest looking up the trigger warnings if you have any. There is murder, knife play, kidnapping, stalking, and more. I am shit at identifying them all, or I would.
While I may be unclear on a lot of things, the one thing I know for sure is that A.L. Woods is a talented writer. This isn't my first read from her, and there will be plenty more in my future. From the prologue, I was sucked in. Everything felt incredibly real. I could see, taste, and smell everything she described. I felt for the characters immediately and experienced a whole myriad of emotions: happiness, sadness, terror, anxiety, anger, and heartbreak. I had tears in my eyes by the end.
I desperately wanted Katrina and Adam together no matter what transpired over the course of the book, because I believed they wanted each other more than they could ever want anything or anyone else. That's saying a lot considering that Katrina hooks up with everyone Adam knows in one way or another. They aren't officially together, so there is no actual cheating. I want to be clear on that, because I know cheating is a hard limit for a lot of romance readers. I'm personally here for all the messy, toxic, fucked up shit authors want to throw at us as long as they make it okay for me in the end, but in this case, there is no committed relationship at the time of her getting dicked down by his friend group.
Speaking of Adam's friends, those motherfuckers tested me more often than not, but I couldn't help but to love most of them. Vince is easily the most twisted of the bunch, and that's probably why he's my favorite. He infuriated me at times, but he also gave me strong Damon from the Devil's Night series vibes. Enough said. I totally imagined Max as a more fit version of Ryan Phillippe from Cruel Intentions, and I'm dying for his story! I need Lainey to be his love interest. I adore that pairing. Gabe was not my favorite, and that's all I'll say about him. Drew wasn't in the book much, but I like him a lot. He pulled through in the end, and I hope we get his story, too.
Despite my complicated and mixed feelings on certain aspects of this story, I seriously enjoyed it! It gave me lust, love, heartbreak, angst, personal growth, family, friendship, violence, mystery, suspense, and filthy sex. In other words, everything a dark romance fan could want. I can't wait to see what else this author has in store for us with this series, but whatever it is, I know I'll be reading all of it.
Dark romance fans, this one's for you!
Adrenaline is the kind of book that makes you FEEL more than anything. When I finished it, my thoughts and feelings were extremely conflicting and all over the place. Honestly, they still are. I keep going back and forth on so many things that happened and even what I think of the couple themselves.
Whether you love it or hate it, you will have strong emotions regarding the characters and the events that take place. Not all of those emotions are good. I was angry for a lot of this book. I wanted to harm the majority of these characters at one point or ten. I felt heartbroken for some of them. I wished some of them would jump off a cliff. I was aggravated with characters that I felt sorry for and then, felt sorry for the ones that aggravated me.
It's a story that I'll need days and maybe even weeks to dissect and marinate on. Most of the things that happen in Adrenaline are not black and white. I can look at the actions of the hero, heroine, and the other people in their lives (mainly Adam's friends) from different perspectives and find myself feeling like I'm going crazy trying to make decisions about if they were justified in their feelings and subsequent behavior. Every single character is incredibly flawed ....except maybe Raquel. I won't hear any conflicting opinions on that. She's a real one. I love her. Period.
Right or wrong, I had the most sympathy for Adam in this story. I felt the most anger on his behalf, and I understood him more than anyone else. That being said, we didn't see Adam and Katrina's breakup when it occurred. We didn't spend time with her for the weeks after her heartbreak, and we didn't experience her devastation for four long years. This book is set fours years after they split up, and I think that could be somewhat to blame for why it was harder for me to sympathize with her at times.
Adam didn't sleep with anyone else in this story either, and we always knew he was completely hers in every sense of the word. He also doesn't do as many hurtful things to Katrina. On top of that, his friends actively try to gut him throughout the book. They were doing it for a good reason, but it's up to you to decide whether the ends justified the means.
I realize I haven't talked a lot about what this story is about, but I imagine there will be a ton of reviewers that will tell you everything you want to know on that end. This review is more of a purge of my thoughts as spoiler free as I'm able to express them, so I apologize if it reads like a jumbled mess. In my opinion, all you actually NEED to know about Adrenaline is that it's a second chance, dark MF romance with MMF, MM, and MMFM scenes. I suggest looking up the trigger warnings if you have any. There is murder, knife play, kidnapping, stalking, and more. I am shit at identifying them all, or I would.
While I may be unclear on a lot of things, the one thing I know for sure is that A.L. Woods is a talented writer. This isn't my first read from her, and there will be plenty more in my future. From the prologue, I was sucked in. Everything felt incredibly real. I could see, taste, and smell everything she described. I felt for the characters immediately and experienced a whole myriad of emotions: happiness, sadness, terror, anxiety, anger, and heartbreak. I had tears in my eyes by the end.
I desperately wanted Katrina and Adam together no matter what transpired over the course of the book, because I believed they wanted each other more than they could ever want anything or anyone else. That's saying a lot considering that Katrina hooks up with everyone Adam knows in one way or another. They aren't officially together, so there is no actual cheating. I want to be clear on that, because I know cheating is a hard limit for a lot of romance readers. I'm personally here for all the messy, toxic, fucked up shit authors want to throw at us as long as they make it okay for me in the end, but in this case, there is no committed relationship at the time of her getting dicked down by his friend group.
Speaking of Adam's friends, those motherfuckers tested me more often than not, but I couldn't help but to love most of them. Vince is easily the most twisted of the bunch, and that's probably why he's my favorite. He infuriated me at times, but he also gave me strong Damon from the Devil's Night series vibes. Enough said. I totally imagined Max as a more fit version of Ryan Phillippe from Cruel Intentions, and I'm dying for his story! I need Lainey to be his love interest. I adore that pairing. Gabe was not my favorite, and that's all I'll say about him. Drew wasn't in the book much, but I like him a lot. He pulled through in the end, and I hope we get his story, too.
Despite my complicated and mixed feelings on certain aspects of this story, I seriously enjoyed it! It gave me lust, love, heartbreak, angst, personal growth, family, friendship, violence, mystery, suspense, and filthy sex. In other words, everything a dark romance fan could want. I can't wait to see what else this author has in store for us with this series, but whatever it is, I know I'll be reading all of it.
Dark romance fans, this one's for you!
September 28, 2022
I’m going to need the next book right now, please.
AL Woods is a new to me author, one who I can now see myself binging all her works. She’s that good.
This is a dark, M/F, enemies-to-lovers, stand-alone novel that will haunt you in all the best ways.
(Don’t go into this expecting reverse harem. I was tricked before with Credence. 😒Adrenaline does have warnings before you even open this book.)
Not gonna lie, I forgot I was even reading this book at times because I felt like I was watching it play out in front of me, like I was a voyeur to this heartbreaking, angsty, suspenseful yet wonderful story. The prologue has got to be one of the best I’ve read because it had me smiling, tensing, gasping, crying. I felt so much in just the dang prologue. Don’t even get me started on the rest of the book. Let’s just say Adrenaline is a very apt title.
Woods’ writing is like poetry. It flows from one sentence to the next, descriptive, yet leaves things up for you to effortlessly fill in the blanks for. There were characters you loved to hate and hated to love. It was the best. She got me so passionate and invested in everyone. Katrina is one of my favorite FMCs and Adam is a truly broken MMC who, although can be cruel, made me love him, too. I’m glad the next books will be about the other guys!
I do agree with reviewers about going in blind, but there are triggers! So please check them out before if you need. Be kind to yourself. Just avoid the spoilers. 🤧
AL Woods is a new to me author, one who I can now see myself binging all her works. She’s that good.
This is a dark, M/F, enemies-to-lovers, stand-alone novel that will haunt you in all the best ways.
(Don’t go into this expecting reverse harem. I was tricked before with Credence. 😒Adrenaline does have warnings before you even open this book.)
Not gonna lie, I forgot I was even reading this book at times because I felt like I was watching it play out in front of me, like I was a voyeur to this heartbreaking, angsty, suspenseful yet wonderful story. The prologue has got to be one of the best I’ve read because it had me smiling, tensing, gasping, crying. I felt so much in just the dang prologue. Don’t even get me started on the rest of the book. Let’s just say Adrenaline is a very apt title.
Woods’ writing is like poetry. It flows from one sentence to the next, descriptive, yet leaves things up for you to effortlessly fill in the blanks for. There were characters you loved to hate and hated to love. It was the best. She got me so passionate and invested in everyone. Katrina is one of my favorite FMCs and Adam is a truly broken MMC who, although can be cruel, made me love him, too. I’m glad the next books will be about the other guys!
I do agree with reviewers about going in blind, but there are triggers! So please check them out before if you need. Be kind to yourself. Just avoid the spoilers. 🤧
April 9, 2024
- book is delusional af
- break up is so stupid… reason they broke up was bc she searched him up since he was living a facade
- aggravating how the hero didn’t grovel in the beginning like how he did in the end when she was done with his ass
- pissed me off to no ends bc if he really loved you, he wouldn’t have let you and/or his friends fuck you like that. but he wanted her to be a “whore” so he can call the heroine one
- heroine lick back, only way of getting back at the hero is smashing his friends
- he didn’t care enough about the heroine to save her when she was kidnapped… when she NEEDED him the most, instead he chose to get rid of the dead body, that should say a lot
- the thing that erk me is the heroine having the most interactions & intimate scenes with hero’s friends
- this almost like a “Shantel Tessier” type of shit
- break up is so stupid… reason they broke up was bc she searched him up since he was living a facade
- aggravating how the hero didn’t grovel in the beginning like how he did in the end when she was done with his ass
- pissed me off to no ends bc if he really loved you, he wouldn’t have let you and/or his friends fuck you like that. but he wanted her to be a “whore” so he can call the heroine one
- heroine lick back, only way of getting back at the hero is smashing his friends
- he didn’t care enough about the heroine to save her when she was kidnapped… when she NEEDED him the most, instead he chose to get rid of the dead body, that should say a lot
- the thing that erk me is the heroine having the most interactions & intimate scenes with hero’s friends
- this almost like a “Shantel Tessier” type of shit
January 11, 2023
I don’t even have the words to describe this book. It was so full of emotion; heartbreak, lust, terror, sadness, fear, happiness and love. I couldn’t put it down and it had me begging for more. The characters were so complex and I adore every one of them for different reasons. It’s definitely one I plan to reread; I am so glad it’s part of a series because I NEED more Katrina, Adam, Gabe, Vince & Max. Honestly, even the side characters worked their way into my heart.
It’s dark at times, and there’s definitely some scenarios that are hard to get through, but so worth it! Just read it!
It’s dark at times, and there’s definitely some scenarios that are hard to get through, but so worth it! Just read it!
Shelved as 'free-on-amazon-today'
August 25, 2023Free 25 August 2023
August 20, 2022
Adrenaline has soared to my top reads of 2022 and honestly it’s quite possibly one of my favorite books I’ve ever read.
OMG this book! I literally don’t know how to put into words the way this story affected me. From the moment I read the first page I was obsessed and had a hard time putting my kindle down. I literally dreamed about these characters, I thought about them when I wasn’t reading and I even made my husband listen to my ranting when I had to take a step back because things were so intense I needed to collect myself.
The blurb for this book is a perfect representation of the angst, suspense, love and hate that is contained in this story. A.L. Woods absolutely blew my mind and I want more!
OMG this book! I literally don’t know how to put into words the way this story affected me. From the moment I read the first page I was obsessed and had a hard time putting my kindle down. I literally dreamed about these characters, I thought about them when I wasn’t reading and I even made my husband listen to my ranting when I had to take a step back because things were so intense I needed to collect myself.
The blurb for this book is a perfect representation of the angst, suspense, love and hate that is contained in this story. A.L. Woods absolutely blew my mind and I want more!
August 15, 2022
First, this is a long book. Like, 800+ pages long. And while I found myself thinking “this isn’t necessary” at times, it then made sense later why the book is this long. You need to get into Katrina’s head completely to know the torment, the angst, the misery, the desire to be loved and to belong. And to feel the absolute CRUSHING defeat and annihilation that is pressing down on her head and shoulders and body. You also need time to get into Adams’s head. Because while his friends are being truly vile and awful, there’s a reason for it. Not a good reason, but a reason. Their methods suck. Their games leave waste and broken hearts in their wake. But I guess when you’re used to living in the shadows and using the depravity of places long forgotten as your playground, it’s easy to believe that the ends justify the means.
Second, I hated everyone in this book. And I mean everyone. For a long time. Everyone except Raquel. Because she saw far too much for everyone’s liking and she wasn’t afraid to go to bat for Katrina when necessary. Or to stand guard over her when she needed it most. The rest of them though? They could rot for a good portion of this book. But darn this book because when the fit hit the shan, all but one person stepped up and refused to let Katrina down. And even that one person made me feel for her in the end. Because Katrina saw the truth. She saw the lost and scared girl underneath it all. And she gave that person what she needed, knowing that she had her siblings and Adam and his friends at her back if anything went sideways.
Get comfortable. Prepare to need a few breaks from the intensity of this one. And oh boy, be warned that some of the emotions that come with this tale will slap you with the force of a train. And then you’ll sit back down, come back for more, and demand that Katrina find exactly what she deserves most in her life.
Second, I hated everyone in this book. And I mean everyone. For a long time. Everyone except Raquel. Because she saw far too much for everyone’s liking and she wasn’t afraid to go to bat for Katrina when necessary. Or to stand guard over her when she needed it most. The rest of them though? They could rot for a good portion of this book. But darn this book because when the fit hit the shan, all but one person stepped up and refused to let Katrina down. And even that one person made me feel for her in the end. Because Katrina saw the truth. She saw the lost and scared girl underneath it all. And she gave that person what she needed, knowing that she had her siblings and Adam and his friends at her back if anything went sideways.
Get comfortable. Prepare to need a few breaks from the intensity of this one. And oh boy, be warned that some of the emotions that come with this tale will slap you with the force of a train. And then you’ll sit back down, come back for more, and demand that Katrina find exactly what she deserves most in her life.
August 27, 2022
This book is very long but it was so addicting and I got so consumed by it I don’t even notice. There’s is so many things that made me dislike the heroine Katrina and made me want to give the hero Adam a massive koala hug. They were a incredible duo to read about even though us was hard at times cause I genuinely had a love/hate relationship with Katrina but this book was impeccable and even though she doesn’t do anything that pushes my boundaries in books (cause I literally have none lol) I just felt so sad for Adam cause he was in his own personal nightmare and so was Katrina 100% but for some reason he tugged at me a bit more. Such a good book it’s insane
August 26, 2022
| 𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐄𝐖 |
╰─▸ ❝[adrenaline]❞
*thank you to greys promo and a.l woods for sending me an arc*
❥ 5/𝟓
↳ [i need the next book. right.now.
this is my first book by this author and holy sh*t, they’re now in my top favorites.
reading this book felt oddly like watching it go down, in real life. i loved the writing, it made the story so much more captivating. i was completely drawn to the story and couldn’t put it down. the title was also very well chosen. the ADRENALINE i felt while reading? unbelievable.
adam and katrina have a past. they were in love, and she made him want to be a better man. all until she starts digging into his past, and asking questions he isn’t ready to answer. that betrayal causes him to ghost her for four years.
katrina is still very hurt from adam’s abandonment, and now he’s back in town hating her with a passion.
katrina is an amazing fmc. i love her so so much. her character was so passionate and reminded me a lot of myself, that’s probably why i was so engrossed in this book. adam, although broken and on the other side cruel, is also such a great mmc. i love him.
adams friends did test me quite a bit. those fuckers. i’m excited to get books abt them though. i’ll miss them while waiting.
this book was very amazing and i totally recommend it! although i’d suggest you don’t have too much expectations (a lot of people think this is a RH. it’s not! there are multiple mmf/mm scenes.)
i totally recommend it!!
check tw’s before reading.]
ෆ 𝐓𝐑𝐎𝐏𝐄𝐒
-enemies to lovers
-second chance romance
-dark romance
-suspense
╰─▸ ❝[adrenaline]❞
*thank you to greys promo and a.l woods for sending me an arc*
❥ 5/𝟓
↳ [i need the next book. right.now.
this is my first book by this author and holy sh*t, they’re now in my top favorites.
reading this book felt oddly like watching it go down, in real life. i loved the writing, it made the story so much more captivating. i was completely drawn to the story and couldn’t put it down. the title was also very well chosen. the ADRENALINE i felt while reading? unbelievable.
adam and katrina have a past. they were in love, and she made him want to be a better man. all until she starts digging into his past, and asking questions he isn’t ready to answer. that betrayal causes him to ghost her for four years.
katrina is still very hurt from adam’s abandonment, and now he’s back in town hating her with a passion.
katrina is an amazing fmc. i love her so so much. her character was so passionate and reminded me a lot of myself, that’s probably why i was so engrossed in this book. adam, although broken and on the other side cruel, is also such a great mmc. i love him.
adams friends did test me quite a bit. those fuckers. i’m excited to get books abt them though. i’ll miss them while waiting.
this book was very amazing and i totally recommend it! although i’d suggest you don’t have too much expectations (a lot of people think this is a RH. it’s not! there are multiple mmf/mm scenes.)
i totally recommend it!!
check tw’s before reading.]
ෆ 𝐓𝐑𝐎𝐏𝐄𝐒
-enemies to lovers
-second chance romance
-dark romance
-suspense
December 4, 2022
I was captivated by this story from the very beginning!
It’s complex in every way - the characters and their thoughts, the plot… it makes you feel so many emotions.
I loved and hated some of these characters - wishing they were willing to be open with their feelings rather than lash out with actions.
However, it made for a really good story - a story that will stick with me for a while 😏
Watching Katrina and Adam battle their emotions for one another was a lot.. the love they had was stifled by secrets.
Vince and Gabe had me in a spell of some sort.. they were compulsive and steadfast in the bond they had with not only each other but Adam and Max.
I was just enthralled by every aspect of this story.. and the spice was just the topping on the cake🫠
This was my first book by A.L. Woods and I can’t wait to see what’s else she has in store! Will be in-patiently waiting for more of these characters!
It’s complex in every way - the characters and their thoughts, the plot… it makes you feel so many emotions.
I loved and hated some of these characters - wishing they were willing to be open with their feelings rather than lash out with actions.
However, it made for a really good story - a story that will stick with me for a while 😏
Watching Katrina and Adam battle their emotions for one another was a lot.. the love they had was stifled by secrets.
Vince and Gabe had me in a spell of some sort.. they were compulsive and steadfast in the bond they had with not only each other but Adam and Max.
I was just enthralled by every aspect of this story.. and the spice was just the topping on the cake🫠
This was my first book by A.L. Woods and I can’t wait to see what’s else she has in store! Will be in-patiently waiting for more of these characters!
January 18, 2024
Ummm, I don’t even know what to say for this book. I really enjoyed it in a way I didn’t expect. The characters are very messed up and the ideology is rather skewed but you also have moments where you sympathise with them. At times I felt that I got whiplash from the way Adam was being. One minute he was talking about how he loved her, then straight after he was mean and abusive towards her. Huh?!!! I would definitely read the trigger warnings with this one. That all being said, it’s a book that messes with your emotions and really draws you in. It’s full of passion, fear, doubt of self but also teaches you how knowing who you are can bring you great strength. The only thing that brought it down to 4⭐️ for me was there were times where I felt it was a little long and repetitive, but otherwise I really enjoyed it.
March 8, 2024
If ever the term "emotional rollercoaster" was more fitting, it would be with this book. Katrina and Adam's story literally broke me and stitched me back together, over and over again. Right from the beginning, Adrenaline rips your heart out, and you're just left with mere scraps of whatever former sanity you had. It was fast-paced and literally made you feel like you were immersed in the storyline with these characters. This plot was insanely thrilling and kept you guessing until the very end.
The lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers and back and forth with Katrina and Adam was absolutely gut-wrenching in the best way possible. The chemistry, the spice.. all of it was absolute perfection. By the end of the story, I loved all of the characters in their own ways.
This book had me in a chokehold all the way to the bitter end and is definitely one that will stick with me for a long time to come!
The lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers and back and forth with Katrina and Adam was absolutely gut-wrenching in the best way possible. The chemistry, the spice.. all of it was absolute perfection. By the end of the story, I loved all of the characters in their own ways.
This book had me in a chokehold all the way to the bitter end and is definitely one that will stick with me for a long time to come!
August 26, 2022
Adrenaline had me an emotional wreck. Katrina & Adam were intense. They both went through a lot together and on their own. At first I was nervous when I saw it was a pretty long book. Once I started I didn’t even notice, I was too engrossed on the revenge, longing, angst, heartbreak, spice and over all well written characters/plot. I can’t wait to read the rest of the series!
March 14, 2024
4.5/5⭐️
“𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧’𝐭 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐚 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞”
whew this was definitely a rollercoaster! this is definitely the type of book that makes you feel allll the feels. So much tension, torment and angst my goodness. the character growth itself deserves a slow clap, for both Adam and Katrina 👏🏼
“𝑻𝒐 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒎𝒚𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇 𝒅𝒆𝒆𝒑𝒍𝒚 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒖𝒏𝒂𝒑𝒐𝒍𝒐𝒈𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚. 𝑨𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒂𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒓𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓 𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒂 𝒘𝒐𝒍𝒇” and so the little rabbit, turned into the wolf 🖤
My biggest qualm is I felt it could’ve been just a tad shorter, but I still very much enjoyed the shit out of this. AL is a new to me author, and I can’t wait to read more from her!
“𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧’𝐭 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐚 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞”
whew this was definitely a rollercoaster! this is definitely the type of book that makes you feel allll the feels. So much tension, torment and angst my goodness. the character growth itself deserves a slow clap, for both Adam and Katrina 👏🏼
“𝑻𝒐 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒎𝒚𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇 𝒅𝒆𝒆𝒑𝒍𝒚 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒖𝒏𝒂𝒑𝒐𝒍𝒐𝒈𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚. 𝑨𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒂𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒓𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓 𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒂 𝒘𝒐𝒍𝒇” and so the little rabbit, turned into the wolf 🖤
My biggest qualm is I felt it could’ve been just a tad shorter, but I still very much enjoyed the shit out of this. AL is a new to me author, and I can’t wait to read more from her!
Read
January 5, 2024DNF @ 25% — The vibes are in shambles.
I maybe could have pushed through if this book wasn’t 700 pages long. But the vibes just weren’t satisfying my mood…
I maybe could have pushed through if this book wasn’t 700 pages long. But the vibes just weren’t satisfying my mood…
February 13, 2024
I loved this so fucking much and I WANT MORE OF THEM😭 I cannot wait for the other books!!!
September 10, 2022
Where to start with this book. I absolutely loved every part of it. Amanda has out done herself with this beauty of a book! I adore the world and characters she’s built in her books😍 My one of my favourite parts was chapter 30 - steamy yet beautiful 🖤 I am extremely excited to read the rest of this series. If you’re thinking of taking a chance on this book, do it. You will not regret it one bit.
September 1, 2022
I need some time to think of the wording for this review. This review is not going to do the book justice. I really suck at reviews. This book is so good, so hard to put down. The whole mystery between, Adam and Katrina and then there is the "brothers". The relationship between Adam and Katrina is so hateful, so angry but deep down the feelings are still there. They are just not able to get over the past. There is a mystery, a past between Adam and Katrina that is not revealed right away. Which makes you want to keep reading. And the "brothers", they each have a story, their story. I love how they all interact. Can I give 20 stars??? This has a trigger warning so be aware of that.
September 24, 2022
So I just finished reading my ARC copy of ‘Adrenaline’
😳 Speechless! I read the entire book in one sitting. Throughout the book, I was fighting with my psyche. ‘Adrenaline’ combines the worst and best aspects of human nature into one package and then draws you to these characters, no matter how messed up they are.
I absolutely LOVED this book! Adam and Katrina are a perfect match. The angst and back-and-forth between them, the pushing and pulling. The strong love they have for each other, despite everything that is going on (and believe me, there is A LOT), brings out the best and worst in each other.
Also let me just mention that the main group of guys are ��. They are the type of guys who would scare the hell out of me in real life, but in fiction, it's a whole different story.
This author has truly had me battling with myself. This book opens your eyes to the various ways in which people are raised, or what they have experienced at a young age, and how their sense of right and wrong has been tainted as a result.
I keep swinging back and forth about who’s story I want to read next. One minute it's Gabe, the next it's Vince, and I'm not sure where I stand right now. But I desperately want to know more about their histories from the snip bits we do get of them.
Trust me you need to read this book. ‘Adrenaline' will be released on August 25, 2022
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Thank you to the Author and Greys Promo’s for the ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
😳 Speechless! I read the entire book in one sitting. Throughout the book, I was fighting with my psyche. ‘Adrenaline’ combines the worst and best aspects of human nature into one package and then draws you to these characters, no matter how messed up they are.
I absolutely LOVED this book! Adam and Katrina are a perfect match. The angst and back-and-forth between them, the pushing and pulling. The strong love they have for each other, despite everything that is going on (and believe me, there is A LOT), brings out the best and worst in each other.
Also let me just mention that the main group of guys are ��. They are the type of guys who would scare the hell out of me in real life, but in fiction, it's a whole different story.
This author has truly had me battling with myself. This book opens your eyes to the various ways in which people are raised, or what they have experienced at a young age, and how their sense of right and wrong has been tainted as a result.
I keep swinging back and forth about who’s story I want to read next. One minute it's Gabe, the next it's Vince, and I'm not sure where I stand right now. But I desperately want to know more about their histories from the snip bits we do get of them.
Trust me you need to read this book. ‘Adrenaline' will be released on August 25, 2022
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Thank you to the Author and Greys Promo’s for the ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 24, 2022
Adrenaline triggers the body's fight-or-flight response. That's exactly what this book will make you feel.
"She was my personal adrenaline. Nothing I did, nothing I sought, would ever compare to her." A. L. Woods
Let's start off by saying this book was phenomenal. As I was reading, I had a physical reaction. My pulse raced, I got goosebumps and I loved every minute of this cat and mouse chase. Not to mention the amount of research into Massachusetts was rather impressive.
For reference, bang a-uey means U-turn. This book made me feel like I was home.
The story is dark, deep, thought provoking and meaningful. You want to know about spice? It is habanero level hot. It is not why choose, but the heroine does get to have a lot of fun on her journey. The relationship dynamics are varied here, so please read the beginning of the book for detailed pairings. The bro-code was broken.
Adam and Katrina are obvious soul-mates, but have so much hurt, pride and fake hate between them. Reading their journey was rather epic from the way it's told.
Ms. Woods is a master storyteller, in which she allows side characters to have their own POV's. I have read several books like this recently and this one was done to perfection.
I loved the slightly unhinged characters. Oh, who am I kidding, they were all unhinged.
I'm obsessed with this book and look forward to the future books in this series.
Written in multiple 1st POV
HEA
Standalone within a series
What you will find
MF
Enemies to lovers
Second chance
Vi0lence
Adult-napping
St@lking
Dub con
Past ab0rtion
Animal @buse (off page)
SA
Bl00d play
Redrum
Unalive people
Urban exploration
Silent Hill (video game) vibes
Creepy abandoned amusement park
Story ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ (76%)😱
Vi0lence 🩸🩸🩸
Darkness 🖤🖤🖤
"She was my personal adrenaline. Nothing I did, nothing I sought, would ever compare to her." A. L. Woods
Let's start off by saying this book was phenomenal. As I was reading, I had a physical reaction. My pulse raced, I got goosebumps and I loved every minute of this cat and mouse chase. Not to mention the amount of research into Massachusetts was rather impressive.
For reference, bang a-uey means U-turn. This book made me feel like I was home.
The story is dark, deep, thought provoking and meaningful. You want to know about spice? It is habanero level hot. It is not why choose, but the heroine does get to have a lot of fun on her journey. The relationship dynamics are varied here, so please read the beginning of the book for detailed pairings. The bro-code was broken.
Adam and Katrina are obvious soul-mates, but have so much hurt, pride and fake hate between them. Reading their journey was rather epic from the way it's told.
Ms. Woods is a master storyteller, in which she allows side characters to have their own POV's. I have read several books like this recently and this one was done to perfection.
I loved the slightly unhinged characters. Oh, who am I kidding, they were all unhinged.
I'm obsessed with this book and look forward to the future books in this series.
Written in multiple 1st POV
HEA
Standalone within a series
What you will find
MF
Enemies to lovers
Second chance
Vi0lence
Adult-napping
St@lking
Dub con
Past ab0rtion
Animal @buse (off page)
SA
Bl00d play
Redrum
Unalive people
Urban exploration
Silent Hill (video game) vibes
Creepy abandoned amusement park
Story ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ (76%)😱
Vi0lence 🩸🩸🩸
Darkness 🖤🖤🖤
September 10, 2022
Adrenaline is a book I will be thinking about for some time. As I was reading it my mind kept saying, “How did she do this?” Because there were so many moving parts and each connected and flowed so well.
On the edge of my seat through this whole book, it was the perfect little bump of creepy I needed to get me through summer.
I do recommend reading the Toxic novella beforehand for an extra jolt of electricity before diving into this one. Such an incredible story.
Also, I have a new book boyfriend in Vince! 🥵🫠Can’t wait until we get his story.
On the edge of my seat through this whole book, it was the perfect little bump of creepy I needed to get me through summer.
I do recommend reading the Toxic novella beforehand for an extra jolt of electricity before diving into this one. Such an incredible story.
Also, I have a new book boyfriend in Vince! 🥵🫠Can’t wait until we get his story.
August 25, 2022
Holy cow! I couldn't put this 800+ page book down. From the opening chapter with a heartwrenching event, this story did not let up. I was glad I read Veritas and Lies before this so I was able to meet Katrina and her family beforehand and understand the dynamics among all the characters.
Adam Ryan is an angry, broken young man with a dark secret. After finding a girlfriend who makes him want to be a better man, he feels that he could finally be happy until she goes digging into his past and starts asking him things he's not ready to disclose. The betrayal causes him to ghost her for four years until she can't leave well enough alone and invades Adam's central spot where his life changed forever. Time to send the wolves after her.
Katrina Tavares is still reeling from Adam's abandonment four years ago. He wasn't the man he portrayed himself to be. Was everything they had a lie? Now he's back in town and he hates her with a passion. Her invasion of his space spurs his antagonism even further and his friends have a mission to bring them together in a very unorthodox way. Katrina's life is in danger and she doesn't know whom to trust.
What a superb love/hate relationship. Katrina is the black sheep of her family. She really struggles with her own identity and self-worth as she tries to please everyone, including her family. She thinks she's the fuck-up in her family, but everyone in the story has serious issues of their own. It's Adam's psychotic friends who help Katrina discover her inner wolf by establishing an intimate relationship with her against Adam's wishes. After all, Adam refuses to take their advice to claim her as his and says he doesn't want her so she's fair game for them. Adam also struggles with his self-worth and his pride. He refuses to admit his true feelings for Katrina, but he doesn't want anyone else to have her. He is fueled by anger for what happened to his father and revenge got him into trouble. I hate how cruel he is to Katrina. All she ever wanted was someone to love her, but he can't even do that right. And then the plot thickens when someone is trying to kill her and Adam's rage knows no bounds as he tries to protect the one woman who offered him hope for the first time. I was so mad at how Katrina was treated by her family and the big showdown at Thanksgiving had me shaking and fuming, but Katrina was the bigger person as she owned up to her mistakes and forgave, but on her own terms. There is a lot of growing up to do for the main characters and they do it with angst, determination, and lots of groveling at the end.
The band of brothers reverse harem theme is an interesting dynamic. They wanted Katrina to use them, not because they wanted her, but because they loved Adam. And Adam loved her. Gabe is the nice one, Vince is the psychotic one, and Max is the rich kid with a chip on his shoulder. I can't wait to read their stories.
Katrina's siblings are a big part of the story too as they try to understand Katrina's life choices, battle their own personal issues, and deal with a stalker who has targeted their family.
I love Ms. Woods' writing and character development. The fast pace of the story is what drew me in. There is so much action and unknowns at the beginning that kept me riveted to what Adam and his boys were hiding and who was trying to harm Katrina.
If you love action and adventure, angsty characters, hot erotic sex, twisted stalkers, and messy family issues, give this book a try. It's one of my favorite books this year.
Thank you to Ms. Woods for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.
Adam Ryan is an angry, broken young man with a dark secret. After finding a girlfriend who makes him want to be a better man, he feels that he could finally be happy until she goes digging into his past and starts asking him things he's not ready to disclose. The betrayal causes him to ghost her for four years until she can't leave well enough alone and invades Adam's central spot where his life changed forever. Time to send the wolves after her.
Katrina Tavares is still reeling from Adam's abandonment four years ago. He wasn't the man he portrayed himself to be. Was everything they had a lie? Now he's back in town and he hates her with a passion. Her invasion of his space spurs his antagonism even further and his friends have a mission to bring them together in a very unorthodox way. Katrina's life is in danger and she doesn't know whom to trust.
What a superb love/hate relationship. Katrina is the black sheep of her family. She really struggles with her own identity and self-worth as she tries to please everyone, including her family. She thinks she's the fuck-up in her family, but everyone in the story has serious issues of their own. It's Adam's psychotic friends who help Katrina discover her inner wolf by establishing an intimate relationship with her against Adam's wishes. After all, Adam refuses to take their advice to claim her as his and says he doesn't want her so she's fair game for them. Adam also struggles with his self-worth and his pride. He refuses to admit his true feelings for Katrina, but he doesn't want anyone else to have her. He is fueled by anger for what happened to his father and revenge got him into trouble. I hate how cruel he is to Katrina. All she ever wanted was someone to love her, but he can't even do that right. And then the plot thickens when someone is trying to kill her and Adam's rage knows no bounds as he tries to protect the one woman who offered him hope for the first time. I was so mad at how Katrina was treated by her family and the big showdown at Thanksgiving had me shaking and fuming, but Katrina was the bigger person as she owned up to her mistakes and forgave, but on her own terms. There is a lot of growing up to do for the main characters and they do it with angst, determination, and lots of groveling at the end.
The band of brothers reverse harem theme is an interesting dynamic. They wanted Katrina to use them, not because they wanted her, but because they loved Adam. And Adam loved her. Gabe is the nice one, Vince is the psychotic one, and Max is the rich kid with a chip on his shoulder. I can't wait to read their stories.
Katrina's siblings are a big part of the story too as they try to understand Katrina's life choices, battle their own personal issues, and deal with a stalker who has targeted their family.
I love Ms. Woods' writing and character development. The fast pace of the story is what drew me in. There is so much action and unknowns at the beginning that kept me riveted to what Adam and his boys were hiding and who was trying to harm Katrina.
If you love action and adventure, angsty characters, hot erotic sex, twisted stalkers, and messy family issues, give this book a try. It's one of my favorite books this year.
Thank you to Ms. Woods for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.
August 20, 2022
8/10⭐️
4/5🔥
MF/enemies to lovers/second chance/HEA/on page violence/kidnapping/stalking/dubcon/mentions of past abortion/off page animal cruelty/sexual assault/blood&knife play/murder/death
Book 1 of the In Secret We Sin series, a new dark romance series set with in the Reflections Universe. While this is not a reverse harem, there are MF, MFM, mild MM, and MFMM scenes.
When a traumatic event in Adam’s childhood kills his father, his world is forever changed. He spends his days buying his time and making plans to get revenge against his fathers murderer. However his plans go a little awry.. he gets caught and thrown in jail. After serving his time, he’s determine to make a better life for himself… and he does. It even helps that he’s found a girlfriend who makes him want to do and be better. Katrina is everything good in his life… until she goes digging a little to deep into his history and uncovers secrets from his past he wasn’t ready to disclose.
Katrina has spent the last four years trying her hardest to get over Adam. She’s never known a soul level connection like the one they had.. or did they? Was everything he told her a lie? Even his touch still haunts her. When she takes a trip to Elara Park, the old abandon amusement park… the one that’s the center star of Adam’s tragic past, she finds herself being chased away thru the woods. She just knows Adam’s back in town. But why does he want to keep her away from the park? What secrets is he still keeping?
As Adam reinserts himself into Katrina’s life, she struggles with the fact that he absolutely hates her…she was only trying to love him. Why is he doing this to her… better yet, why do his friends keep showing up everywhere she is? When weird unexplainable things begin happening to her, she immediately blames Adam and his friends… but when it seems like it may correlate to other things happening to some of her family members...is it still possible that it could be Adam?
This was a good book and I enjoyed the story. There was a big love/hate dynamic between Adam and Katrina. Great job at showing the fine line between love and hate! Adam struggled a lot with his pride and self worth. He feels that because of his past actions, he’s tainted in someway. He fights with his friends over them pressuring him to ‘claim’ Katrina. But he definitely doesn’t want anyone else to have her. As his friends get involved, they start to encroach on his relationship, or lack thereof, with Katrina… well because if he’s not going to claim her then she’s free game. I really liked watching the dynamic change between Katrina and the guys as they kept pressuring/taunting Adam with their relationships. Though she was ready to kill them over half the time, they always seemed to have her best interest at heart, even if it was in their own twisted psychotic ways. They really seemed to help her grow and become unapologetically herself. Throughout the book, Katrina really struggles with her self worth and desire to please everyone, especially her family. She’s always been the black sheep and it seems she’s always doing the wrong thing. I did feel there were areas of the book where there was just way more information then what seem relevant to what was actually happening but overall I enjoyed this book and I’m looking forward to following up with the other guys and all the little Easter eggs we were given about what’s to come for them!
-ARC Review-
4/5🔥
MF/enemies to lovers/second chance/HEA/on page violence/kidnapping/stalking/dubcon/mentions of past abortion/off page animal cruelty/sexual assault/blood&knife play/murder/death
Book 1 of the In Secret We Sin series, a new dark romance series set with in the Reflections Universe. While this is not a reverse harem, there are MF, MFM, mild MM, and MFMM scenes.
When a traumatic event in Adam’s childhood kills his father, his world is forever changed. He spends his days buying his time and making plans to get revenge against his fathers murderer. However his plans go a little awry.. he gets caught and thrown in jail. After serving his time, he’s determine to make a better life for himself… and he does. It even helps that he’s found a girlfriend who makes him want to do and be better. Katrina is everything good in his life… until she goes digging a little to deep into his history and uncovers secrets from his past he wasn’t ready to disclose.
Katrina has spent the last four years trying her hardest to get over Adam. She’s never known a soul level connection like the one they had.. or did they? Was everything he told her a lie? Even his touch still haunts her. When she takes a trip to Elara Park, the old abandon amusement park… the one that’s the center star of Adam’s tragic past, she finds herself being chased away thru the woods. She just knows Adam’s back in town. But why does he want to keep her away from the park? What secrets is he still keeping?
As Adam reinserts himself into Katrina’s life, she struggles with the fact that he absolutely hates her…she was only trying to love him. Why is he doing this to her… better yet, why do his friends keep showing up everywhere she is? When weird unexplainable things begin happening to her, she immediately blames Adam and his friends… but when it seems like it may correlate to other things happening to some of her family members...is it still possible that it could be Adam?
This was a good book and I enjoyed the story. There was a big love/hate dynamic between Adam and Katrina. Great job at showing the fine line between love and hate! Adam struggled a lot with his pride and self worth. He feels that because of his past actions, he’s tainted in someway. He fights with his friends over them pressuring him to ‘claim’ Katrina. But he definitely doesn’t want anyone else to have her. As his friends get involved, they start to encroach on his relationship, or lack thereof, with Katrina… well because if he’s not going to claim her then she’s free game. I really liked watching the dynamic change between Katrina and the guys as they kept pressuring/taunting Adam with their relationships. Though she was ready to kill them over half the time, they always seemed to have her best interest at heart, even if it was in their own twisted psychotic ways. They really seemed to help her grow and become unapologetically herself. Throughout the book, Katrina really struggles with her self worth and desire to please everyone, especially her family. She’s always been the black sheep and it seems she’s always doing the wrong thing. I did feel there were areas of the book where there was just way more information then what seem relevant to what was actually happening but overall I enjoyed this book and I’m looking forward to following up with the other guys and all the little Easter eggs we were given about what’s to come for them!
-ARC Review-
August 28, 2022
"I'd been an open book, his to read, line by line, chapter by chapter, but he'd been an enigma."
Overall Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 5/5
Spice Rating: 8/10
Characters: 10/10
Atmosphere: 9.5/10
Writing: 9.8/10
Plot: 9/10
Intrigue: 9/10
Logic: 8.5/10
Enjoyment: 9.5/10
Hero: Adam
Heroine: Katrina (Little Rabbit)
Cliff-hanger: No
Triggers: Murder, Abuse, Stalking, Violence, Animal Abuse.
Pages: 814
Style: Contemporary, Second Chance, Enemies to Lovers, Dark, Twisted, Suspense, MF, MM, MFM.
"She was f*cking mine. Mine to mess with, mine to destroy, mine to love."
This was a thick boy at 814 pages... and from page one I was immediately HOOKED! A.L knows how to write, that's for sure. This story is completely consuming, the character development is out of this world. A.L did such a phenomenal job at providing insight into each of the character's thoughts - so much so that I felt like I was living in their minds.
Adam is a tortured soul, he's angry, broken, holding dark secrets and has his mind set on vengeance. It was heartbreaking watching him relive his past and negotiate his regrets. And the grovelling got me good! I was in tears multiple times, Adam is something else! And together Katrina and Adam are breathtaking!
Katrina is such a survivor - she is dealt some pretty rough cards and her desire to be loved and feel like she belongs somewhere is soul-crushing at times, but watching her overcome her own personal struggles and learn 'how to be a wolf' was inspiring.
I LOVED every single character in this, the secondary characters were placed so perfectly and individually brought something to this amazing story. Max, Gabe, and Vince were the perfect morally grey unhinged wolves. I loved the banter between them, and although they may have each gone around things the wrong way, I was totally invested and rooting for each of them. I can't wait to see more from them.
This was my first book from A.L Woods and it certainly won't be my last - hopefully, we get something from the boys soon... Hello Max and Lainey! If you are after an extremely well-written and immersive story about heartache, mystery, suspense, steam, angst, love, growth and friendship then look no further.
"Not having her had nearly destroyed me, because just like we needed adrenaline to survive? I needed her."
*all edits are mine - pictures are not
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August 27, 2022
I received a copy of this book from the publisher/author to review for Stephanie's Book Reports.
I watched my father fall to his death at the hands of another. When I grew up, I hunted down the man who killed him. I got caught and did my time. When I got out, I tried rebuilding my life. Katrina Tavares was part of that. She gave me something I'd never had before. Stability. Hope. Love. But she destroyed us. So I became someone I recognized again. A blood thirsty wolf. Now she's put herself back on my radar. And theirs, too. My friends want me to claim her. My pride won't let me. But something is hunting her, and the threats of an unknown predator isn't all I needed to worry about. It's my friends, too. There's four of us and one of her. Run all you want, Little Rabbit. These wolves run faster.
I don't know that I have ever read a book where I understood the characters so completely. This is a book that is filled with angst and moments that might have you ranting to yourself out loud if your alone with no one to listen. Lord knows my husband got a ear full and had no idea what I was talking about. Katrina is a character that has really been through the ringer. The amount of torment she has gone though and the strong desire to be loved and to belong. This woman has so much one her that you can feel it in your bones. She is for sure defeated and she carries that weight with her all the time never ever letting it go. Adam is a man who wanted revenge for his fathers death and went to get it when he was grown and got caught. He no doubt has feelings for Katrina and she up and disappears and is now back and while he wants her with everything in him he has some friends that are wanting her as well and I have to say I hated them. I thought they were horrible humans but you can't really judge that and I can't say that my feelings changed because like everything in this book there is a reason for it all and you have to let it unravel as it will. But they are game players for sure and it doesn't matter what happens or who gets hurt along the way. There are many a broken heart laying in their path of destruction. However you have to remember that you are dealing with a depraved bunch and they live in the shadows and have the devil's playground so to speak in long forgotten places. The one good girl in this book is Raquel. That girl is Katrina's champion and she is not afraid to stand up for her no matter who she has to stand up too. We all need a friend like Raquel, really. Then you have the whole who the heck is after Katrina and why do they want her so bad and what is going on that will keep you guessing and on the edge of your seat. I can't say that this book isn't long and I can't say that it isn't intense for a good long while and made me a nervous wreck. I know this review probably doesn't make sense but I also think this is a book that needs to be gone in to blind not knowing a thing about the story. I loved reading this book. It was great in the grand scheme of things.
I watched my father fall to his death at the hands of another. When I grew up, I hunted down the man who killed him. I got caught and did my time. When I got out, I tried rebuilding my life. Katrina Tavares was part of that. She gave me something I'd never had before. Stability. Hope. Love. But she destroyed us. So I became someone I recognized again. A blood thirsty wolf. Now she's put herself back on my radar. And theirs, too. My friends want me to claim her. My pride won't let me. But something is hunting her, and the threats of an unknown predator isn't all I needed to worry about. It's my friends, too. There's four of us and one of her. Run all you want, Little Rabbit. These wolves run faster.
I don't know that I have ever read a book where I understood the characters so completely. This is a book that is filled with angst and moments that might have you ranting to yourself out loud if your alone with no one to listen. Lord knows my husband got a ear full and had no idea what I was talking about. Katrina is a character that has really been through the ringer. The amount of torment she has gone though and the strong desire to be loved and to belong. This woman has so much one her that you can feel it in your bones. She is for sure defeated and she carries that weight with her all the time never ever letting it go. Adam is a man who wanted revenge for his fathers death and went to get it when he was grown and got caught. He no doubt has feelings for Katrina and she up and disappears and is now back and while he wants her with everything in him he has some friends that are wanting her as well and I have to say I hated them. I thought they were horrible humans but you can't really judge that and I can't say that my feelings changed because like everything in this book there is a reason for it all and you have to let it unravel as it will. But they are game players for sure and it doesn't matter what happens or who gets hurt along the way. There are many a broken heart laying in their path of destruction. However you have to remember that you are dealing with a depraved bunch and they live in the shadows and have the devil's playground so to speak in long forgotten places. The one good girl in this book is Raquel. That girl is Katrina's champion and she is not afraid to stand up for her no matter who she has to stand up too. We all need a friend like Raquel, really. Then you have the whole who the heck is after Katrina and why do they want her so bad and what is going on that will keep you guessing and on the edge of your seat. I can't say that this book isn't long and I can't say that it isn't intense for a good long while and made me a nervous wreck. I know this review probably doesn't make sense but I also think this is a book that needs to be gone in to blind not knowing a thing about the story. I loved reading this book. It was great in the grand scheme of things.
August 20, 2022
Before I begin, go pre-order this book now. This book was a masterpiece I enjoyed it so much, it truly is the best book I’ve read this year. If you enjoyed The Devils Night Series you will definitely enjoy this book, trust me!!!!
This is the book that pops into my mind when someone says second chance romance, suspense, mystery, literally everything. It is a pretty lengthy book but DO NOT let that discourage you I promise you won’t even realize how long it is. Everything is so set at such an amazing pace, it feels like a walk in the park. I had to put the book down a couple of times because it either got really spicy, really emotional, or I just had to take in what was going. This is not a light read so please check your triggers! With all that being said let’s get into some details about the book. I cried, laughed, had to drink cold water, threw my kindle, triple checked that my doors were locked, I felt every single emotion reading this book. It is literally a roller coaster but it is truly amazing.
Katrina is one of the main characters and you learn about her past and see how she carries those struggles in the present. I loved seeing her character development, seeing the different culture aspects and how it affected her in the future. Adam is the other main character of this story and you also see his beautiful character development.
These two met four years ago and one sentence changed not only their lives but the people around them… “I know what you did”. Fast forward to the present we are faced with Katrina exploring the one place she always wanted to go but was told to stay away from and she’s determined to find out why exactly she was told to stay away from Elara Park; an amusement park that was shut down after a tragedy happened and little boy watched his father fall to his death. As she’s taking pictures and trying to figure out the layout of the park she hears something and realizes she’s not alone. Not only is there another person, there happens to be at least two others, she is out numbered. What happens when you try to run away only be faced with an even greater threat? It’s not about the park anymore, or the man who broke her heart four years ago, Adam… there’s something bigger out there.
Although there are multiple characters you mainly get the POV’s of Katrina and Adam. You get some extra POVs from Gabriel, Vincent, and Max. Trust me you’ll want their POVs, they add so much to the story, it is just the right amount to not over complicate the story. Please go read this book so we can all talk about and go on this roller coaster journey together.
Thank you Grey’s Promotions for this ARC.
This is the book that pops into my mind when someone says second chance romance, suspense, mystery, literally everything. It is a pretty lengthy book but DO NOT let that discourage you I promise you won’t even realize how long it is. Everything is so set at such an amazing pace, it feels like a walk in the park. I had to put the book down a couple of times because it either got really spicy, really emotional, or I just had to take in what was going. This is not a light read so please check your triggers! With all that being said let’s get into some details about the book. I cried, laughed, had to drink cold water, threw my kindle, triple checked that my doors were locked, I felt every single emotion reading this book. It is literally a roller coaster but it is truly amazing.
Katrina is one of the main characters and you learn about her past and see how she carries those struggles in the present. I loved seeing her character development, seeing the different culture aspects and how it affected her in the future. Adam is the other main character of this story and you also see his beautiful character development.
These two met four years ago and one sentence changed not only their lives but the people around them… “I know what you did”. Fast forward to the present we are faced with Katrina exploring the one place she always wanted to go but was told to stay away from and she’s determined to find out why exactly she was told to stay away from Elara Park; an amusement park that was shut down after a tragedy happened and little boy watched his father fall to his death. As she’s taking pictures and trying to figure out the layout of the park she hears something and realizes she’s not alone. Not only is there another person, there happens to be at least two others, she is out numbered. What happens when you try to run away only be faced with an even greater threat? It’s not about the park anymore, or the man who broke her heart four years ago, Adam… there’s something bigger out there.
Although there are multiple characters you mainly get the POV’s of Katrina and Adam. You get some extra POVs from Gabriel, Vincent, and Max. Trust me you’ll want their POVs, they add so much to the story, it is just the right amount to not over complicate the story. Please go read this book so we can all talk about and go on this roller coaster journey together.
Thank you Grey’s Promotions for this ARC.
August 25, 2022
4/5 ⭐️
3/5 🌶
"There was strength to be found in fear if you learn to wield it"
First, this needs to be said, this is a very long book, but when you get to the end you will understand why. I also really liked that it didn't end right where you thought it would. The author didn’t leave you feeling unfulfilled or wondering where they went from there. When I first read the blurb I thought it was going to be RH, and in the end she does make a choice. The author navigates the dynamic within the relationships without making it feel like a love triangle also. This book is suspenseful, dark, with some bullying, and there are a lot of emotions you will experience throughout this book, so buckle up! I promise you will not regret taking the ride. Also, most of the time you can piece together who the stalker is, and this one I did not see coming. It had me going back and rereading certain interactions and trying to piece them together.
This book mainly follows Katrina and Adam, but you get the POV from some of the other characters throughout the story. Like I said before, this book is a long one, but I found myself getting fully engrossed in their heads and it helped me understand why they were doing what they were to each other. The dynamic between the characters was great and very relatable. The FMC, Katrina, grew so much as a character. I am a sucker for the underdog and, in many ways, Katrina continues to find herself coming up short in the eyes of almost everyone, and I loved it when she found her inner wolf and made them regret underestimating her. In most bullying books, the FMC is continually brought to their knees and the bullies always seem to have the upper hand, but I did not feel like this book was like that. I felt like everything Adam did to hurt Katrina only seemed to backfire in some way or another. I want to mention there is actual groveling that did not result in the FMC automatically forgiving the MC and everything becoming instantly better. I loved that Katrina held her ground, and made him prove he actually was going to be there without any assurances from her. All she ever wanted was to love someone who loved her back, and she did not settle for anything less, even when it broke her own heart.
3/5 🌶
"There was strength to be found in fear if you learn to wield it"
First, this needs to be said, this is a very long book, but when you get to the end you will understand why. I also really liked that it didn't end right where you thought it would. The author didn’t leave you feeling unfulfilled or wondering where they went from there. When I first read the blurb I thought it was going to be RH, and in the end she does make a choice. The author navigates the dynamic within the relationships without making it feel like a love triangle also. This book is suspenseful, dark, with some bullying, and there are a lot of emotions you will experience throughout this book, so buckle up! I promise you will not regret taking the ride. Also, most of the time you can piece together who the stalker is, and this one I did not see coming. It had me going back and rereading certain interactions and trying to piece them together.
This book mainly follows Katrina and Adam, but you get the POV from some of the other characters throughout the story. Like I said before, this book is a long one, but I found myself getting fully engrossed in their heads and it helped me understand why they were doing what they were to each other. The dynamic between the characters was great and very relatable. The FMC, Katrina, grew so much as a character. I am a sucker for the underdog and, in many ways, Katrina continues to find herself coming up short in the eyes of almost everyone, and I loved it when she found her inner wolf and made them regret underestimating her. In most bullying books, the FMC is continually brought to their knees and the bullies always seem to have the upper hand, but I did not feel like this book was like that. I felt like everything Adam did to hurt Katrina only seemed to backfire in some way or another. I want to mention there is actual groveling that did not result in the FMC automatically forgiving the MC and everything becoming instantly better. I loved that Katrina held her ground, and made him prove he actually was going to be there without any assurances from her. All she ever wanted was to love someone who loved her back, and she did not settle for anything less, even when it broke her own heart.
December 18, 2022
Adrenaline is a 700-page, second-chance dark romance that follows Katrina and Adam, two broken people that try to deny their feelings for each other amidst a mystery that threatens Katrina and her family's lives.
I am extremely torn on this book for several different reasons. When I first requested an ARC from Grey's Promotions, I didn't realize it was 700 pages long. I hardly ever touch books that are over 400 pages, especially romance. My attention span isn't that long, and I get bored easily. That is what happened with Adrenaline. Although parts of it were GREAT, other parts were extremely boring. Many of the descriptions were confusing, and I found myself having to reread sections semi-frequently. I got annoyed with the back and forth between Katrina and Adam - the will they, won't they - that happened many times during the first 650 pages of the book. It took me over two weeks to read Adrenaline, which is rare for me - I normally finish my books in a couple of days, maybe a week max. I think this book could have done what it did in less than 700 pages.
However, during those 700 pages, I did get attached to Katrina and Adam, as well as his brothers. I did tear up near the end because FINALLY, things started working out for them. Getting both of their POVs as well as Vince, Max, and Gabe's POVs, was very fun, especially as we learned how close all of them really were. I'm giving this book 3 stars because I truly did fall in love with them and their messy but beautiful relationship. I loved (most of) Katrina's family and how they ended up fighting for her amidst everything that happened to her. These characters' lives went so deep, and I couldn't help but end up feeling sad to let them go. They were vulnerable and messy, and that made so many aspects of them real to me.
I do have so many unanswered questions, which is frustrating. I hope we get more of these characters soon, because although Katrina and Adam got their happy ending, there is still so much mystery surrounding some of the other prominent characters.
CW for violence, kidnapping, stalking, dub-c0n, animal cruelty (off page), sexual assault, blood and knife play, murder, and death.
Thanks to Grey's Promotions and A.L. Woods for the ARC of Adrenaline.
I am extremely torn on this book for several different reasons. When I first requested an ARC from Grey's Promotions, I didn't realize it was 700 pages long. I hardly ever touch books that are over 400 pages, especially romance. My attention span isn't that long, and I get bored easily. That is what happened with Adrenaline. Although parts of it were GREAT, other parts were extremely boring. Many of the descriptions were confusing, and I found myself having to reread sections semi-frequently. I got annoyed with the back and forth between Katrina and Adam - the will they, won't they - that happened many times during the first 650 pages of the book. It took me over two weeks to read Adrenaline, which is rare for me - I normally finish my books in a couple of days, maybe a week max. I think this book could have done what it did in less than 700 pages.
However, during those 700 pages, I did get attached to Katrina and Adam, as well as his brothers. I did tear up near the end because FINALLY, things started working out for them. Getting both of their POVs as well as Vince, Max, and Gabe's POVs, was very fun, especially as we learned how close all of them really were. I'm giving this book 3 stars because I truly did fall in love with them and their messy but beautiful relationship. I loved (most of) Katrina's family and how they ended up fighting for her amidst everything that happened to her. These characters' lives went so deep, and I couldn't help but end up feeling sad to let them go. They were vulnerable and messy, and that made so many aspects of them real to me.
I do have so many unanswered questions, which is frustrating. I hope we get more of these characters soon, because although Katrina and Adam got their happy ending, there is still so much mystery surrounding some of the other prominent characters.
CW for violence, kidnapping, stalking, dub-c0n, animal cruelty (off page), sexual assault, blood and knife play, murder, and death.
Thanks to Grey's Promotions and A.L. Woods for the ARC of Adrenaline.
August 29, 2022
This story was so unique and twisted that I devoured it. It was a tad long so it took a few days to get through and a lot of people are mad at Adam, but I found myself loving and sympathizing with him the most Adam and Katrina had a great thing going, but one action by Katrina ruined it all. Adam asked her not to dive into his past, he wasn’t ready to share that part of him and yet she went behind his back to see what he was hiding. While it may have been an innocent move on her part, she still betrayed his trust. Four years later Katrina still misses the man she fell for, but now she’s trying to move on and live her life. This story is twisted and can be dark at times, but it keeps the reader invested because you want to see how things play out. While I did love this book Katrina made me mad at times because she talked a big game and everything she done was out of spite towards Adam. She was constantly looking for attention and when his brothers showed her any, she ate it up and saw an opportunity to get back at Adam again. Adam had every right to be upset with her and not the other way around, but she loved to play the victim. He never cheated or anything like that he just omitted his past to her and when he is trying to win her back even her brother says he had tried to force info out of his now wife and that didn’t end well, yet he tells Adam he needs to stay away from Katrina?!? Shouldn’t that be the other way around because she was trying to force his past out of him when he wasn’t ready yet now, she’s mad at him? Anyways I almost wished it was a true RH because then it would justify all the guys obsessing over her and doing the things they were, but it’s not so we get a little of everything while Adam sits back and must endure this pain of watching her with others. This story was great, and I am dying to see the other guys and their stories, but it may be awkward if they ever find their own person and must hang out with the girl that brought them back to life. Overall, a good story and the writing was amazing just a few times I found it hard to tolerate Katrina.
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