Cait’s Review of “Lights Out” by Navessa Allen

By: Cait Marie

Blurb

I want someone with a soul as black as night. Someone who would burn the world down for me and not lose a single minute of sleep over it.

Trauma nurse Aly escapes her hard-working days by thirsting after masked men online. To her, nothing could top the fantasy of her favorite tattooed and masked man hunting her down. But she never could have guessed that one drunken text would turn those dreams into reality . . .

I want things most people don’t, craving darkness and depravity instead of light and love.

Josh has spent his life avoiding the limelight, but his online persona is another story. At night, he posts masked thirst traps for his millions of fans, until one follower catches his Aly.

Together, Aly and Josh live out their darkest fantasies, unaware that Aly has captured the attention of someone with far more sinister intentions. As Josh turns from predator to protector, he must ask himself how far he’ll go for the woman he can’t live without.

Lights Out is a fast-paced dark romance with a morally grey male lead. Some themes and scenes may be disturbing to listeners. Please check the content warning at the beginning of the book.

Review

If you’re even the slightest bit involved in the book community, especially on Booktok, odds are you have at least heard of Lights Out. It’s been very popular since it’s release last fall, and I finally gave in and listened to the audiobook. I’ve had the paperback on my shelf for months, but I rarely make the time to read physical books, and genuinely… I couldn’t wait anymore.

And it definitely lived up to the hype!

This is a dark romance, but it’s also hilarious. I didn’t know I needed a dark rom-com in my life. Now, I need to find more!

Josh is the absolute best. I get the obsession now. It isn’t like most dark romances where the love interest is all broody and serious. He’s so sarcastic and sassy, despite being a stalker. And he’s a horrible stalker, making it all the more funny. I mean, he’s a genius, so he’s good at it, but he doesn’t want to be. He’s like always questioning himself, telling himself not to be creepy, etc. Him bonding with her cat while sneaking into her house, and then referring to it as his son throughout the rest of the book, is quite literally my new favorite thing.

Aly was just as refreshing. I’m still pretty new to this genre, but the female main characters are often… kind of damsel in distress-y and/or very mousey. But Aly absolutely doesn’t fit in that box. She’s bold and brave, and she knows exactly what she wants. I love that she isn’t afraid to put herself out there. She doesn’t shy away from her desires either, which is never the case.

The two balance each other out perfectly. Their chemistry is fantastic, and it’s just a really fun book. There are still dark elements though, so be sure to read the content warnings before jumping in. The spice is well done, and the story itself is intriguing. Plus, Teddy Hamilton is the narrator… That alone made it wonderful. This is now my new favorite book so far this year. It’s one I’ll definitely reread in the future.

I can’t wait to start Caught Up!