Dark Romance

In this episode, we discuss Depraved by A.J. Merlin.
Having lived through a formative, terrifying experience when she was young, Sloane works and lives at a camp nestled into a residential area. Virgil is a serial killer just trying to get away from it all and take a little mini-vacay. Sloane finds him intriguing with his snake tattoo, charming looks, and easy way with her guard dog. But, once she finds out that he spends his leisure time un-aliving people, can she ever feel her heart is safe with him?
Content warning: Minimal animal cruelty, kidnapping, panic attacks/anxiety/PTSD, trauma survivorship. Dark romance including stalking, knife play, light strangling, primal play, light BDSM, consensual non-consent, and dubious consent.
Website: romanceMEpodcast.com | Coming next: Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert

In this episode, we discuss Killing Sarai by J.A. Redmerski.
For nine years, Sarai was trained to be arm candy in public and a sex toy in bed. At 23, she meets Victor, who she uses to escape her captivity. Unbeknownst to her, he has his own history of abuse and grooming.
They begin to develop romantic feelings for each other as they navigate the dangerous world of sex trade and hired assassins. 
Content warning: Sex trafficking, sex slavery, sexual assault and rape, child slavery and implications of child rape. 
Website: romanceMEpodcast.com | Twitter: @romanceMEcast

In this episode, we discuss Tears of Tess by Pepper Winters. 
While on a romantic anniversary trip with her vanilla boyfriend, Tess still feels like something is missing from her seemingly perfect life. While trying to ignore the absence of a certain je ne sais quoi and appreciate what she has, she is abducted and sold to a mysterious man who may be able to fulfill her long-wished, unspoken fantasies, if she can fulfill his.
Content warning: Sex trafficking, sex slavery, rape, sexual violence, nonconsensual acts, abuse, and assault. There are multiple scenes where the hero harms the heroine.
Note from Erika: Apologies, we forgot the "rate the antagonists" segment for this episode. However, it's probably safe to say, everyone was an antagonist in this story to some degree.