Lights Out by Navessa Allen

Tags: dark-romance-lite • stalker-rom-com • obsessed-men • kinky-girlies • laugh-out-loud • cece-recs

꧁The Hook꧂

I think I discovered Lights Out a little later in my book career, because apparently, the words dark romance made me shove this book further along the darkness spectrum than it actually was.

And then I had to reexamine myself. 😂

꧁The Characters & The Romance꧂

Josh and Aly were the CUTEST pairing!!

Aly is a nursing badass who is overthinking her kinks and wishing for someone to stalk and obsess over her.

Meanwhile, Josh is watching her on a screen, giggling and kicking his feet.

SIR. 😭

He’s so sweet and soft compared to what I apparently expected from this genre.

Exhibit A: using the label boyfriend.

Enough said.

“All thoughts of hurting her fled from my mind. She was a grown-ass woman who knew what she wanted, and if getting railed by her boyfriend in the shower was what she demanded, then I was going to give it to her, just as hard as her greedy little cunt needed it.”

THE WAY HE THINKS ABOUT HER. THE WAY HE CALLS HER HIS GIRLFRIEND.

Enough said. 🫠

And the chemistry? The way these two play off each other had me giggling, shocked, and occasionally wondering if Josh had any idea how much audacity he was walking around with.

꧁The World Building꧂

Okay, can we talk about how well the virtual aspect was done?

I’m NOTTT a big fan of reading text messages in books or when authors try to illustrate handwriting.

I’m like, what is this? Give me the pretty writing I asked for, please. This is a chapter book.

BUT the usernames and online interactions here? SO WELL DONE.

“An hour passed before I sat bolt upright, thumb hovering over the username “aly.aly.oxen.free”. Holy shit, was it her? I clicked on her profile, and, of course, it was private. I leaned in, squinting. The avatar was HER”

Josh getting excited over recognizing Aly’s username was genuinely entertaining. The virtual element felt playful and added to the experience rather than making me want to skip a page.

And then we get to THE MOMENT.

“She was about to cover the camera.
Fuck.
Disappointment and frustration sank straight into my gut, and I couldn’t stop myself from pulling my phone out and typing a one-word message to her.
Don’t.

Her phone pinged onscreen”

SIR. THE AUDACITY. THE CONFIDENCE. THE ABSOLUTE GALL.

And I was SAT.

꧁Overall꧂

I literally bookmarked chapter 20 and saved three chapters with the notes: “Very fun.”

That pretty much sums it up.

I was giggling. I was shocked. I was laughing. I was sitting there thinking, JOSH, YOU DID NOT JUST DO THAT.

Did I expect way more darkness?

Yes.

Did I have to reexamine myself afterward?

GOD, YES.

😂😂😂

If you’re new to dark romance and want to dip your toes into the genre without immediately throwing yourself into the deep end, Lights Out is a FUN place to start.

It’s playful, spicy, and gives you that deliciously unhinged premise without being quite as dark as I apparently imagined.

Cheers to that, ladies. 🥂

And perhaps cheers to me minding my own business and examining my expectations next time. 💀

Read my review on Goodreads: Lights Out by Navessa Allen on Goodreads