Skip to main content

Book Review: Willing Prey by Allie Oleander

I received Willing Prey by Allie Oleander in a recent subscription box, and I have to admit, I didn't think it would be my cup of tea. The trope set up - a primal, high stakes hunter/prey dynamic seemed a little out there for me, and definitely pushed the boundaries of my usual spicy romance reads.

But sometimes, the books you least expect are the ones that absolutely floor you. This book exceeded my expectations, and delivered one of the most unexpected spicy reads of the entire year. The question remains though: Did I survive the hunt? Let's get into the full spoiler-free review.



Synopsis
Newly divorced and deep in student loan debt, Claire Collins agrees to a high-stakes $30,000 agreement to become corporate lawyer Shane Underwood's private prey in a primal hunt. She sees it as a simple summer arrangement, but once they cross the tree line, Shane transforms into a feral stranger. Claire quickly discovers she can be just as wild, and the line between hunter and hunted blurs with every intense encounter. 

Strengths
There were so many things that worked for me in this story, especially the writing - it was immersive and well-executed. Of course, we have to talk about the spice, which was top-tier and delivered all the steam I was hoping for. I've also always been a fan of the "business arrangement" trope, so I enjoyed watching the calculated deal slowly progress into something much deeper and personal than ever intended. To top it all off, Shane was the ultimate obsessed male lead. There is something so addictive about watching a composed corporate lawyer completely loose his cool and become feral for his love interest! 

I also found myself really loving the side characters. They added so much depth to the story, and I am already crossing my fingers that we get more from them soon. I have a very strong feeling that Shane's brother might be the focus of the next book, and after getting a few glimpses of him here, I'm ready to devour his story!

Weaknesses
While I absolutely ate this book up and left no crumbs, there were a few minor things that kept it from being a five-star read. First, we have to talk about the dreaded third-act conflict. It heavily relied on the miscommunication trope, which, let's be real, is something us romance readers will probably never escape in our books. However, it's still not my personal favorite way to drive the tension. Ultimately, while I had a blast reading Willing Prey, it didn't quite give me that "5-star feeling". It was missing that tiny, indefinable, something that makes a book worthy of becoming one of my all time favorites.

Would I Recommend It?
Yes, definitely! Despite my initial hesitation, I would absolutely recommend Willing Prey for anyone looking for a high-intensity, addictive read. If you are a fan of the trope "he falls first", obsessed male leads, and a primal hunt that leaves you on the edge of your seat, this is a must-read. Plus, the spice was truly immaculate! If you are like me and wanting to step a little outside of your comfort zone, then definitely give this one a try. I'm excited to see what Allie Oleander comes out with next!

Ratings
Overall Rating: 4.75/5
Spice Rating: 4/5
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The 10 Best Kindle Unlimited Romance Recommendations You Need to Read in 2025

A few years ago I had a realization many bookworms face: my "to-be-read" pile had become an entire library of unread books, with little shelf space remaining. As new books kept coming out, my book buying habit was easily outpacing my reading speed. So, I decided to take the leap and buy a Kindle to not only save money, but to also reduce the amount of physical books I was buying. While I've found some great free books and monthly sales, nothing has saved me more money than my Kindle Unlimited subscription. I often see people asking if Kindle Unlimited is worth it, and my answer is always a resounding "yes."The monthly subscription costs less than a single paperback book, but also lets you borrow up to 20 books at a time. I love that I can read a book digitally at first, then if I absolutely love it, I can buy a physical copy for my shelves later. Plus, it's a fantastic way to save a significant amount of money if you tend to read a lot. And you don't eve...
Post a Comment
Read more

Book Review: Wild Love by Elsie Silver

 It's no secret that Elsie Silver is the queen of cowboy romance books. Her Chestnut Springs series made it onto many romance readers favorites list over the last few years, so you can guess my excitement (along with everyone else's) when she announced her spin off Rose Hill series. This series not only begins with a book featuring Ford, who is Willa's brother from Chestnut Springs, but also is marketed as being a series where four single dads find love. That's right ladies. Four books all promised to be single-dad romances, taking place in a cozy little mountain side small town. Did I mention they all are on a bowling team for single dads? Here are my thoughts on the first book in her new series, Wild Love . Get the Book Here Synopsis When Rosie Belmont finds herself suddenly back in her childhood town of Rose Hill, her brother's best friend Ford will do everything in his power from crossing a line with her. Things get more complicated when Rosie needs a job, and...
Post a Comment
Read more

Book Review: Leave Me Behind by K.M. Moronova

Although I tend to post romance books on the fluffier and sweeter side of the genre, I also am a big fan of dark romances. Sure, rom-coms are fun, but after a while they often reach a point where they all start to blend together. So what better way to break up the monotony than with a dark romance? One of my favorite aspects about this sub-genre is its willingness to tackle difficult topics, often leading to a much more emotional read. Plus, it doesn't hurt that usually the spice level is through the roof!  Leave Me Behind is a book I probably would have never picked up on my own if it hadn't been featured in one of my book subscription boxes. I don't generally gravitate towards military romances, and at the time this had been a newer release, while also being by an author I hadn't read from before. However, this book has since gained a lot of traction, with readers everywhere sharing their thoughts. Here are my own on Leave Me Behind . Get the Book Here Synopsis Leave...
Post a Comment
Read more