dark(ish) billionaire romance • holiday vibes • light obsession
Listen… I knew exactly what I was signing up for with this one. A stalker-ish, morally-gray billionaire wrapped in twinkling Christmas lights and red flags?
Yeah. I clicked buy now without a second thought.
I wanted chaos in a Santa hat.
I wanted morally gray mayhem tied up with a neat little bow.
I wanted dark romance… but festive.
What I actually got?
More like obsession-lite with a splash of billionaire sweetness.
Cute, fun, spicy — but definitely not as dark as the blurb promised.
So, is this a dark romance?
Honestly? No.
Not for me.
This read way more like a contemporary billionaire romance with a slightly edgy MMC. Cole might stalk and monitor Sloane before they officially meet (which sounds darker than it reads), but the man is basically a protective golden retriever with a control kink.
He supports her.
He helps her break her creative block.
He takes care of her every need.
And yes — the spice is hot, but not “drop your Kindle in the snow and pray for forgiveness” hot.
If you’re dipping your toes into dark romance for the first time, this could be the perfect gateway. But for seasoned dark romance girlies like me… it felt more sweet than sinful.
The Characters: Sloane & Cole
Sloane
Our chaotic jewelry designer queen.
She’s been stuck in a creativity-killing job for years until she finally hits her breaking point and quits — right into the arms of a billionaire opportunity. I loved her passion for her craft, but the jewelry design details got very repetitive at times.
Cole
Our morally-gray-but-mostly-sweet billionaire.
He starts off focused solely on revenge for his friend’s death, and Sloane becomes the “perfect tool” for that… but the man loses focus the minute she enters the room. Forced proximity hits, chemistry sparks, and next thing you know he’s questioning his entire identity as a control-obsessed loner.
Their dynamic — her chaos vs. his need for control — was actually really fun to read and definitely fit the tropes well.
“Control wasn’t his obsession; I was. The control was just how he kept me.”
Plot, Mystery & Christmas Vibes
The mystery/suspense element exists… but it wasn’t anything mind-blowing. Predictable, but still provided enough danger to keep the story moving. The Christmas backdrop, though? I loved that. It made everything feel cozy, sparkly, and a little more magical.
That said, I didn’t always buy the plot logic, and some moments had me side-eyeing the page like, girl, be serious.Because of that, I struggled to fully connect with the couple emotionally.
Overall Thoughts
This was a cute, fast-paced, dark-ish (emphasis on ish) holiday romance with spice, charm, and a morally-gray billionaire who’s actually more soft than scary. It won’t satisfy your craving for true darkness, but it’s definitely an enjoyable addition to a festive TBR — especially if you love billionaire romances with a holiday twist.
⭐️⭐️⭐️☆☆ — 3/5 from this “Good Girl”
Would I recommend it?
Yes — but as a contemporary romance with a protective, slightly obsessive MMC. Not as a true dark romance.
It didn’t steal my whole heart, but it was still a fun, cozy, spicy little Christmas read that I’m glad I picked up.
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