TITLE: KILLING DARKNESS
SERIES: DARKNESS SERIES #1
AUTHOR: J.R. HUNTER
GENRE: WHY CHOOSE | DARK
RELEASE DATE: DECEMBER 20TH, 2025
Synopsis
Once a bright and bubbly young teen, Addison’s nightmares become her reality when family movie night turns into a home invasion. Kidnapped and disappearing without a trace, 11 years of captivity by the hands of one man, grooms our heroine into a ruthless assassin. She managed to survive, but at what cost?
When she finally takes back control, her sights are set on one thing — to keep moving. Gaining a new identity ( Mikayla ), she runs from the demons set out to chase her. But when her past comes hurdling into her present, can she keep those she loves safe from what’s coming? Zane, Kade, Max, and Ryder thought they lost the girl they loved long ago, but that never stopped them from searching. And after years of nothing but disappointment, who would have thought they would each accidentally run into her within a week of each other? Now they know she’s alive, and she’s here, but can they stop her from running again?
Mikayla isn’t the same girl they once knew. The pieces are still there, buried beneath years of blood, obedience, and survival. And while they’re desperate to keep her close, she’s just as desperate to hide those parts of her. The parts of her she fears they will never understand.
But what happens when the men she’s always loved are determined to see through her mask? Because monsters can wear many faces, and now she’s terrified they’ll recognize hers.
My Review
☀︎ KILLING DARKNESS ☀︎Is the first full length dark / why choose romance book in the (Darkness) series by new to me author J.R. Hunter. Multiple POV's, First person POV, Ends in cliffy.
Tropes:
❥ Why Choose
❥ Kidnapped
❥ Trained Assassin
❥ Childhood best friends
❥ Morally grey FMC
❥ On the run
I'm not sure how this even came on my radar but being that it's been a while since I've read a dark romance I hope with that blurb this hits the spot..
Jumping into this we’re introduced to Addison and her guys as they enjoyed their day out at the beach, your lulled into a false sense of security where all those childhood friendships hit you in the feels, the sunshine, the laughter, the teasing, the bonds they had, until the author flipped a switch and it drastically took a turn for the worse and your led down a disturbingly dark path. A movie night with her parents went from happy and carefree to a home invasion, the men in masks, and their leader named Colt..One finger pointing towards her father..We still don't know what he did to get a killer on his tail..
Kidnapped
11 years in captivity
Raped
Trained to be a killer
Her guys were wrapped up in the Addison bubble until the next day that bubble burst, arriving at Addisons place and discovering all the blood and her nowhere to be found broke each of them into smithereens.
For years
They hunted for her
Searched high and low
Until she’s spotted in their city..But she's not staying still for long..
She knows that if she allows them to get close it puts them in danger..She's honed her skills at blending into the shadows and being able to disappear, but these guys have a few tricks up their sleeves too and they aren't going to let her go now that they have her.
Our heroine went from a sunshine American girl next door type of character to one where darkness resides within, she's strong, she's a top notch assassin within the northern hemisphere, and a survivor..
How her boys Zane, Kade, Ryder and Max wore their emotions on their sleeves showcased how much each of them loved her, even this new version of herself. I loved how effortlessly it transitioned from childhood friends to lovers.
Just when she thought she could have a slice of happiness only for a little while she's ripepd out from under the guys feet and thrown back into a world of pain and darkness leading us down a cliffy where we don't know how she'll survive this torture again.
Tropes:
❥ Why Choose
❥ Kidnapped
❥ Trained Assassin
❥ Childhood best friends
❥ Morally grey FMC
❥ On the run
I'm not sure how this even came on my radar but being that it's been a while since I've read a dark romance I hope with that blurb this hits the spot..
Jumping into this we’re introduced to Addison and her guys as they enjoyed their day out at the beach, your lulled into a false sense of security where all those childhood friendships hit you in the feels, the sunshine, the laughter, the teasing, the bonds they had, until the author flipped a switch and it drastically took a turn for the worse and your led down a disturbingly dark path. A movie night with her parents went from happy and carefree to a home invasion, the men in masks, and their leader named Colt..One finger pointing towards her father..We still don't know what he did to get a killer on his tail..
Kidnapped
11 years in captivity
Raped
Trained to be a killer
Her guys were wrapped up in the Addison bubble until the next day that bubble burst, arriving at Addisons place and discovering all the blood and her nowhere to be found broke each of them into smithereens.
For years
They hunted for her
Searched high and low
Until she’s spotted in their city..But she's not staying still for long..
She knows that if she allows them to get close it puts them in danger..She's honed her skills at blending into the shadows and being able to disappear, but these guys have a few tricks up their sleeves too and they aren't going to let her go now that they have her.
Our heroine went from a sunshine American girl next door type of character to one where darkness resides within, she's strong, she's a top notch assassin within the northern hemisphere, and a survivor..
How her boys Zane, Kade, Ryder and Max wore their emotions on their sleeves showcased how much each of them loved her, even this new version of herself. I loved how effortlessly it transitioned from childhood friends to lovers.
Just when she thought she could have a slice of happiness only for a little while she's ripepd out from under the guys feet and thrown back into a world of pain and darkness leading us down a cliffy where we don't know how she'll survive this torture again.
