Pleasure & Prey Series by A.J. Merlin

Living and working on a campground with her dogs is not where Sloane Walker saw herself at twenty-seven. But then again, not a lot has gone right for her since her step-father kidnapped her at twelve years old and scarred her both physically and mentally for life. Those actions should’ve left him rotting in prison for the rest of his life, not seeing him out on good behavior and giving him free rein to track Sloane down to make ‘amends. ’... moreLiving and working on a campground with her dogs is not where Sloane Walker saw herself at twenty-seven. But then again, not a lot has gone right for her since her step-father kidnapped her at twelve years old and scarred her both physically and mentally for life. Those actions should’ve left him rotting in prison for the rest of his life, not seeing him out on good behavior and giving him free rein to track Sloane down to make ‘amends. ’. But that’s not her only problem, as if she needs more than one. Her second problem comes in the form of the masked stalker that slides into her room at night and takes what he pleases, making sure Sloane enjoys every second of it. What starts as a fantasy soon becomes something inescapable for them both, and Sloane might have to face up to a very important fact about her new friend. He’s unhinged, psychotic, and utterly obsessed with her. And while those should be very bad things, Sloane can’t help thinking that maybe they aren’t so bad at all, no matter what that might mean for her sanity or her safety in the end. Author’s note: This is a complete standalone set in the Pleasure & Prey universe. It contains consensual kink, unhealthy relationships, and harmful situations. For a full list of content warnings, please look inside. less

Nothing bad happens at summer camp. That’s what my fellow camp counselors have convinced me of when the nights around the lake get a little eerie. But when the kids all go home and the counselors throw a party on our last night at Camp Clearwater, things change. None of us could have suspected that there was a stranger watching us or that our machete-wielding visitor doesn’t seem to like that we’re here... moreNothing bad happens at summer camp. That’s what my fellow camp counselors have convinced me of when the nights around the lake get a little eerie. But when the kids all go home and the counselors throw a party on our last night at Camp Clearwater, things change. None of us could have suspected that there was a stranger watching us or that our machete-wielding visitor doesn’t seem to like that we’re here. But when I'm attacked in the woods, he unexpectedly comes to my rescue in the most ruthless way. Wren is terrifying, unpredictable, and possessive in a way that terrifies me. I should go to the police and stay away from him at all costs. Instead, I find myself letting him in every time he comes to play. Can a brutal butcher ever really fall for me, or am I going to become his next victim? *Brutal is a contemporary dark romance standalone set in the Pleasure & Prey universe. This is an MF romance. Please see author’s note at the front of the book using the ‘look inside the book’ feature for a full list of content warnings. less

One, two, he’s coming for you. Three, four, better run some more. I never would have accepted his help if I’d known what he’d do. When the stranger who got me out of a mess in Springwood turns the town into a slaughterhouse in my name, I do the only thing I can do. I run. Not far enough, though, because I can feel him in Akron, looking for me. But he wants to take me home, and I can’t go back. Not after what he did. Especially when I know that more than anything, he wants me home with him... moreOne, two, he’s coming for you. Three, four, better run some more. I never would have accepted his help if I’d known what he’d do. When the stranger who got me out of a mess in Springwood turns the town into a slaughterhouse in my name, I do the only thing I can do. I run. Not far enough, though, because I can feel him in Akron, looking for me. But he wants to take me home, and I can’t go back. Not after what he did. Especially when I know that more than anything, he wants me home with him. But when his words betray how he really feels, and instead of violence from the monster of Springwood, I get something completely different. Will I be tricked into going home after all? Or will he drag me away, kicking and screaming,. with his claws so deep I’ll never be free? Vicious is a contemporary dark romance standalone set in the Pleasure & Prey universe. This is an MF romance. Please see author’s note at the front of the book using the ‘look inside the book’ feature for a full list of content warnings. less

When I followed the sound of a chainsaw into the woods, I should’ve known it would end poorly. But when I end up in the killer’s house instead of chopped into little pieces, I don’t know what to think. Not when he promises me that he won’t hurt me, and especially when he tells me that I can’t leave. Not unless he can trust me. He can’t, of course. I’ll tell anyone that will listen that this monster cut up some man in the moonlight, even if he promises that it had been deserved... moreWhen I followed the sound of a chainsaw into the woods, I should’ve known it would end poorly. But when I end up in the killer’s house instead of chopped into little pieces, I don’t know what to think. Not when he promises me that he won’t hurt me, and especially when he tells me that I can’t leave. Not unless he can trust me. He can’t, of course. I’ll tell anyone that will listen that this monster cut up some man in the moonlight, even if he promises that it had been deserved. He’s lying, because there’s no way anyone deserves what he did. Earning his trust is an act, but when the lie starts to fail, I find that the man underneath the terrifying mask is something altogether different than I could ever expect. He’s charming, sweet, and his obsession with me is dangerous enough that I know I should run far and fast before either of us can act on it. Can a monster like him ever love a girl he found in the woods, or am I destined to become Sunday dinner for a recovering cannibal and the family he swears to hate? Delicious is a contemporary dark romance standalone set in the Pleasure & Prey universe. This is an MF romance. less

Fifteen years ago, Cassian Byers murdered his older sister. And I witnessed the whole thing. For years, I’ve fought to bury the memories of my troubled childhood, which includes the haunting image of my babysitter’s murder. Life in Hayden Fields has been eerily calm—no big crimes or chaos—until now. Until the first girl dies. And I see Cassian outside of my work like he never left. It seems he remembers me just as well as I remember him... moreFifteen years ago, Cassian Byers murdered his older sister. And I witnessed the whole thing. For years, I’ve fought to bury the memories of my troubled childhood, which includes the haunting image of my babysitter’s murder. Life in Hayden Fields has been eerily calm—no big crimes or chaos—until now. Until the first girl dies. And I see Cassian outside of my work like he never left. It seems he remembers me just as well as I remember him. And when people I know start showing up dead, there’s only one likely suspect. No matter that he promises me with sweet words and an obsession that makes my heart race, I refuse to believe that he isn't doing this. I refuse to let him in this time. *HEARTLESS is a contemporary dark romance standalone set in the Pleasure & Prey universe. This is an MF romance. This book contains scenes of violence and explicit content that may bother some readers. less

At twelve years old, I killed my mother–. And found my father dead in the bathtub. I didn’t mean to; at least, that’s what I tell myself. Years of neglect, cruelty, and being told I wasn’t really her daughter pushed something inside me past the point of return. When she stood over me with a shattered wine glass, I snapped. Sometimes I think I regret it. Other times, I wonder if she was right—if I was never meant to be human at all. That was a lifetime ago... moreAt twelve years old, I killed my mother–. And found my father dead in the bathtub. I didn’t mean to; at least, that’s what I tell myself. Years of neglect, cruelty, and being told I wasn’t really her daughter pushed something inside me past the point of return. When she stood over me with a shattered wine glass, I snapped. Sometimes I think I regret it. Other times, I wonder if she was right—if I was never meant to be human at all. That was a lifetime ago. I’ve spent years learning how to hide the monster that came out that night. But monsters recognize their own. When my violence resurfaces and blood stains my hands once again, someone notices. Someone who saw me back then too, only he hadn’t found me yet. Larkin never pretended to be anything but a monster. For years, he’s carved a path through the Pacific Northwest, hunting the girl who unknowingly stole his first kill. Instead of ending me, he draws me into a deadly game—one I shouldn’t enjoy, no matter how intoxicating it feels to let go with him, to beg for my hands to be soaked in more blood. As the bodies pile up and Larkin makes it clear he has no intention of leaving, and one truth becomes impossible to ignore. If he brings the monster in me back to life, I may never be able to cage her again. And the most terrifying part? I’m not sure I want to. *HATED is a contemporary dark romance standalone set in the Pleasure & Prey universe. This is an MF romance. This book contains scenes of violence, abuse, and explicit content that may bother some readers. less