This is a spoiler-free review! Playing with Fyre is currently available on Kindle Unlimited. A list of trigger warnings is available on Goodreads and a more extensive list is available at the beginning of the novella.
Jumping back into my dark romance TBR pile after spending some attention on my fantasy shelf... it is good to be back. Clocking in at just above one hundred pages, this Stuff Your Kindle Day download was calling to me with its short page count and interesting premise. I have not dabbled too much in stalker romance books, with Haunting Adeline being the most notorious read in that genre.
I... literally do not even know where to begin with this novella. It only took me forty-five minutes to read it and yet I have sat with my thoughts for another two hours trying to comprehend what exactly I just subjected myself to reading. Charlotte is dealing with an intense trauma and her art therapy professor, Gideon Fyre, is stalking her for some unknown reason? Honestly I did not need the background for why he was obsessed with her, I just accepted it and moved on since he clearly has some other things to work on.
Charlotte is drawn to Fyre, and the author maintains most of her perspective throughout the novella on how she is dealing with the feelings she has towards him, as well as sprinkling in more information about the trauma she experienced. We as readers learn a lot about her past and her current state of mind, whereas we are left mostly in the dark when it comes to Fyre's own complicated past that has left him broken.
Fyre certainly trends towards the psychotic side, which he openly admits, especially when it comes to watching Charlotte at every chance he gets. He is always there in the background and knows just where to find her. Considering what she has been through, you would think even her stalker would be a little more considerate if he wants her to fall for him and be with her forever. He literally has access to her file and knows everything that she has suffered through, like man use your head for two seconds before you go breaking into her apartment.
There are a lot of complex emotions that Charlotte and Fyre are experiencing throughout the novella -- with Charlotte, she is confronting the attraction she feels towards Fyre, and with Fyre, he is literally suppressing his urge to be violent. One of these things is not like the other!! Fyre is blinded by his lust and obsession towards Charlotte, and essentially becomes her worst fear and most terrifying attraction in one swoop.
Understanding that this is a novella, if it was about fifty to seventy-five pages longer, I think I would have enjoyed the story more. A lot of the details felt rushed, and when the perspectives changed between Charlotte and Fyre, I had a bit of whiplash going from Charlotte's emotional state to Fyre's stalking. The premise and vision are there, the execution could have used some work. If you are looking for a quick dark read, this novella may be your next read.
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