Review: Hunted by my Stepbrothers by A.K. Rose & Angel Lawson

Hunted by my Stepbrothers by A.K. Rose & Angel Lawson

Series: Family Confessions #1

Publication date: July 12th, 2022

Pages: 187

Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Synopsis:

I'm not afraid of evil in the world. I'm afraid of them.

Creaking floorboards. Muffled screams. Once night falls I can't remember why I came back to Davenport manor.

What I do remember is why I wanted out of here so badly in the first place.

They aren't men. They're predators.

They don't love. They hunt.

Now that I'm back I'm no longer family. I'm their prey.

Hunted is Kindle Vella serial by best selling authors Angel Lawson and A.K. Rose. This is a collection of episodes 1-20 and is considered on-going. This book is a DARK/BULLY romance. It contains graphic content that some readers may be particularly sensitive to. Readers can expect high heat, lots of twists, and dark gothic family drama.

Please check the author note inside for TWs.

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Review:

I will be honest. I have no idea what Kindle Vella is but the word 'episodes' gives me a clue. That would explain a bit about how two thoroughly esteemed authors wrote something that was very choppy. It felt like there was a 'dun dun dunnn' moment after every chapter and I think that was likely due to trying to keep people engaged in the overall story so they keep tuning in for more episodes of the story. With that in mind I will adjust my viewpoint on the book a bit.

First thing I noticed about this book is that you have no earthly clue how genuine anyone is. The men seem downright cruel to a girl who doesn't seem to really have done anything to them other than exist. She caught them doing something when she was told to stay out of the business and they punished her. The punishment was alluded to quite a few times but it was obvious it was something sexual. Kate is thoroughly and completely abused through every page of this book. I don't care if it was attempted to be prettied up by her getting turned on. That is like rapists who try to excuse their actions because their victim may have had a biological reaction to stimuli so that meant they were thoroughly on board. That doesn't really fly in court and it doesn't really get a pass for me either. I will say, at least the authors didn't try to add flowery situations where Kate would wax on and on about how much she cares for each of them. No, in this book, it is very clear that while Kate's body reacts, her mind thoroughly despises all of them. At least that was the impression I got.

I have read dark romances that start out this hardcore and then suddenly turn soft when the man or men start to see their female counterpart as more than just a means to get off and start appreciating her as a person. I think I kept reading hoping that would happen eventually. Like it would excuse the abuse they heaped on her, but still. Kate was all over the place and I thoroughly understood her mental war. One minute she hated them with every fiber of her being and the next she saw a glimpse of something redeemable in them. She was torn between her body's reactions and cravings and her logic that told her all she could ever expect from them is pain. She had that "I can fix them" feel to her and that felt very real. She also made some incredibly reckless and dangerous decisions to try to get away from them and I felt for her. 

I think that the authors set a foundation that could improve the story and the characters overall if they chose to go that route. Because while I know all the men are horrible and psychotic, I still don't know if I should completely hate them. Davis, I do. But the others... I am not sure. I will have to keep reading. 

I want to believe this series will shift a little and incorporate some affection between the men and Kate which is why I will keep reading.