That’s what my fellow camp counselors have convinced me of when the nights around the lake get a little eerie.
But when the kids all go home and the counselors throw a party on our last night at Camp Clearwater, things change. None of us could have suspected that there was a stranger watching us or that our machete-wielding visitor doesn’t seem to like that we’re here. But when I'm attacked in the woods, he unexpectedly comes to my rescue in the most ruthless way.
Wren is terrifying, unpredictable, and possessive in a way that terrifies me. I should go to the police and stay away from him at all costs. Instead, I find myself letting him in every time he comes to play.
Can a brutal butcher ever really fall for me, or am I going to become his next victim?
*Brutal is a contemporary dark romance standalone set in the Pleasure & Prey universe. This is an MF romance. Please see author’s note at the front of the book using the ‘look inside the book’ feature for a full list of content warnings.
AJ Merlin would rather write epic love stories than live them. I mean, who wants to limit themselves to only falling in love once? She is obsessed with dark fantasy, true crime, and also dogs. From serial killers to voyeurs all the way down to the devil himself, AJ's specialty is in writing irredeemable heroes who somehow still manage to captivate their heroines (and her readers).
This book is basically a Friday the 13th movie if Jason fell in love with one of the camp counselors he tried to murder and had a lot of kinky sex with her.
This second book in the Pleasure and Prey series totally ticked a lot of my boxes. It had a slight edge for me on the first book in terms of enjoyment though I also liked that one a lot. This one focuses on the friend Wren and he may have seemed totally affable in that one but here we saw a whole new side of him and I adored it.
The contrast between his charm and psychotic serial killer tendencies is extreme Wren is the true definition of a sociopath and the fact that he doesn’t really have a victim type and is definitely a spree killer makes his actions definitely more sinister. He very much gave me an old-school slasher-type vibe maybe because of the summer camp references and his machete.
I really liked Hazel like the first heroine she has her issues but she’s very much a good person. She has no idea she has acquired a stalker in Wren and their first encounter was dramatic and intense, to say the least. Wren literally terrorises Hazel chasing her through the woods getting off on her fear before unexpectedly letting her go.
I loved the primal prey-type vibe to their encounters and the fact he calls Hazel Bunny. Wren is unhinged definitely and before he fixated on Hazel he was definitely spiralling. The fact that he appears so sane definitely makes Wren feel more dangerous.
We have appearances from past characters who again pop up here and this also had some added danger in the form of a police detective who is determined to apprehend Wren and uses Hazel to accomplish this. This was sexy and different and very enjoyable. It’s not the darkest serial killer romance I’ve read being quite light in its tone and the romance between these two isn’t really that toxic but I did love them as a unit together and Wren is definitely totally all in and obsessed with his bunny.
A mf dark romance with a serial killer who falls in love with a camp counselor during one of his killing sprees. This book starts off promising as it jumps right into the action and seems to deliver on its dark premise. However, after those first initial chapters, we leave the camp setting and never come back to it. Most of the book is spent at the fmc's apartment with an fmc that shows zero evidence of having any type of survival instinct. She gets over the whole serial killer thing almost immediately and comes across as a total airhead. Both the setting and the fmc's personality took away from the taboo-ness and tension of their relationship and made the majority of the book feel like a regular old rom com with the occasional mention of murder. Two stars for the exciting beginning, but the rest of the book was just... *crickets*
I finished book 2, and I LOVE WREN!! he was alittle craY but had some humor to him. His prey, his little bunny, is Hazel he's been watching her from afar since camp and doesn't like anyone coming after his girl. He makes sure the douche who tried to do stuff to her suffered. That's where the story begins. The up and downs between them were cute she wasn't scared really of him being a serial killer she was okay. Which made me laugh. All these girls are super chill that the men are killers.
He does use her for like 2.5 seconds as a cover up incase someone tries to arrest him. And he leaves her alone, but it doesn't last he's back, showing his bunny all the love. We also get to meet some friends of there's and we have a problem with an ex-cop who wants Wren behind bars.
We see new killer who is darker than the guys (I think), and I wish we had more hea for Hazel and Wren lol. But it was a good book.
No ow/om drama (beside one douche), no cheating, slight secondary character, drama, sexy times, no virgins
Recommend-yes Cover-⭐️⭐️⭐️ Heat level-🌶🌶🌶.5
Slowinsta 23h/27H Dub-con Primal play Seperation ( a few times, nothing Long) Cnc Spanking (once) Violence Mild- delegation Choking Murder No condom Hea Epilogue
There is probably even less plot here than there was with the first book, but I cannot help myself from loving them. Also, I'm pretty sure we were introduced to a new possible lead???
I really hope Cass is next because these books have seriously been hyping him, but Jed would be soooo fun. And will we ever see Kat???
I really need to do a re-read of the first book. I think the little murder club was introduced at the end of the first book. I can't remember. Was momentarily confused at the beginning. I was like huh, another camping one? I liked how real Hazel was and Wren-despite what he was-took care of her. They made a sweet couple. I really thought Hazel would be the one offing the cop. Nice to see she didn't have to get her hands dirty. Sloane and Virgil cuddle time was cute. I'm curious about Cass and Jed, although eww to the cannibalism. Will be interesting. Also curious about the stranger that saved them. Why did Wren charge in with a machete? For a killer he was predictable. Its a good thing he has his bunny now.
FMC - Hazel Teague MC - Wren Crystal Supporting characters - Sloane & Virgil (First book couple), Jed and Cass Bad guy - Wren. Cop.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I loved the first book in this series but this one felt like the story was trying to be retold and just didn’t hit the mark for me.
Hazel seemed to just exist and there wasn’t anything I found redeeming about Wren. Are you asking yourself why I want to find something to like in a serial killer? Well the first one had it! 😂
The danger plot that threatened the relationship seemed pulled out of thin air and stretched overboard to make sense.
I might eventually pick up the series if I can find the motivation but this was disappointing.
serial killer H/ primal/rough H/CNC/better than book 1
I’d say 3.5 for this one. Liked this one more than book 1. The H is more my jam.
Some things 💕 -serial killer H that wields a machete. -camp Consoler for the summer h -he’s been watching her all summer from the woods-she’s never noticed … -until one night a douche from camp tries to take advantage of her in the woods and find himself ☠️ in front of her. -H is obsessed, and aggressive. -calls her little rabbit, little bunny -cuts her clothes from her (atleast in the beginning) -spanks her (once) -has dominate vibes and feels more aggressive than the last H -primal scenes -H likes the fight -dub con/CNC vibes but theirs not safe words in this one and I love it -h bites H during smex and he is lovin it. This isn’t usual and I was down for it lol -throat grabs and squeezing 🤤 -mild degradation that she likes (basically he makes her feel embarrassed by doing things or making her so things) -some care taking like brushing her hair, feeds her -breeding talk -the dirty talk is good I think I highlighted so much lol 😆 -there’s moments where stuff is just missing. Example: the group of killer friends are in the living room making a plan and next paragraph it seems as if the H kicked everyone out and is upset? The fuck happened 😆
-separations: these are minimal but it’s there 1. after their initial meeting- I think it’s 1-2 weeks … possibly to a month before H shows up again and then reveals himself to her ((I can’t remember how long it may only be a week or so lol)) 2. They have an arrangement and after it’s “ended”. He again disappears for 3 days I think saying he tried but he can’t stay away lol -HFN… I wish we got more of an epilogue here but I’m guessing each book we will see prev couples a little
-NO OW/OM drama-No cheating- No sharing- in the beginning a guy into the h lured her into the woods but she doesn’t like him and well… he gets cut up for touching her lol 😆
This book to me was a lot better than book 1. In this book the H called Virgil from book 1 “soft” and I’d say that’s accurate. This H is def more primal, and rough. I enjoyed this and I’m sad no other books are out yet. I’m curious about Jed’s crazy and to learn more about Cass and idk who Kat is but i don’t like her already and idk why lol 😝
This definitely at first gave me Jason vibes & that's what I was expecting at first, so it threw me off guard when her serial killer actually showed some personality. I liked how his character was portrayed, but I'm not really sure the love interest was THAT believable.. (straight arrowed girl falls for a serial killer right away.) This was a fun and good book to read though and I loved the twist that it had.
Tropes: 🖤Michael Myers inspired MC 🖤Stalker 🖤Age Gap 🖤CNC
This second book in the Pleasure and Prey series totally ticked a lot of my boxes. It had a slight edge for me on the first book in terms of enjoyment though I also liked that one a lot. This one focuses on the friend Wren and he may have seemed totally affable in that one but here we saw a whole new side of him and I adored it.
The contrast between his charm and psychotic serial killer tendencies is extreme Wren is the true definition of a sociopath and the fact that he doesn’t really have a victim type and is definitely a spree killer makes his actions definitely more sinister. He very much gave me an old-school slasher-type vibe maybe because of the summer camp references and his machete.
I really liked Hazel like the first heroine she has her issues but she’s very much a good person. She has no idea she has acquired a stalker in Wren and their first encounter was dramatic and intense, to say the least. Wren literally terrorises Hazel chasing her through the woods getting off on her fear before unexpectedly letting her go.
I loved the primal prey-type vibe to their encounters and the fact he calls Hazel Bunny. Wren is unhinged definitely and before he fixated on Hazel he was definitely spiralling. The fact that he appears so sane definitely makes Wren feel more dangerous.
I just finished "Brutal," the second book in A.J. Merlin's Pleasure and Prey series, and I absolutely loved it! This story is about Wren, who is Virgil's best friend from Depraved. The novel kicks off with an 80’s horror, Friday the 13th vibe with Wren playing the role of our favorite machete-wielding killer.
When the story begins, it’s the end of summer camp and all of the kids have gone home, only the camp staff remain. Our FMC Hazel is worried since a murder has recently occured about 10 miles from their camp. Brett, Hazel's coworker, offers to talk to her about it. While they walk around the camp grounds, he leads her into the woods. It doesn't take long for him to start touching her inappropriately, and Hazel tries to fight him off. As she struggles to get away, she feels his arms fall away from her. As she looks up at Brett, blood splatters across her face and neck. It is then that she sees the tall man standing behind him, wearing a hockey mask with a bloody machete by his side. Hazel is certain that she is about to die, but that is not the killers intention, Wren has other plans for his little bunny!
Much like Depraved, this book was also quite sweet and not at all what I would consider to be a dark romance. However, if you aren't in the habit of reading dark romance books, you may disagree with me. Check the T/W to be certain. Another thing I really enjoyed about both books was the dark humor. The banter between Wren and Hazel was hilarious!
I'm glad I learned more about Wren and how he is far more vicious than his friends and has killed more people than all of them combined. I only wish they had shown him acting like a serial killer rather than just talking about him being one. Don't get me wrong, I still loved the book. I just wanted more gruesome moments.
The sex scenes in this book were fantastic. I am such a fan of primal play and I just love "the chase," I'm happy to say that those moments did not let me down. They were insanely hot, as was Wren! A.J. Merlin writes one hell of a sexy serial killer, from the way they talk to the way they... ahem, well you get the picture. It makes me wish I had one of my own!
Before I wrap up my review, I want to briefly talk about the new serial killer that was introduced at the end of the book. This guy intrigues me, and I can't wait to learn more about him. There's something about him that makes me think he could be more violent than the rest of the guys. At least, that's what I hope for; a girl can dream, you know. Fortunately for me, I won't have to wait long because the next book in the series is all about this mysterious man. It's already downloaded and ready to read on my Kindle. I am thoroughly enjoying this series and definitely suggest you read it for yourself.
If I could give more than 5 stars for this series, I would. Is it the best written ever? No, of course not but it has serial killers and they are "based" on those I love so, for me, that's the best ever! And the spice is... *chef's kiss* ...HOT!
I devoured that book (Jed pun intended) (granted being on vacations does help with my reading time). Loved Wren's nickname for Hazel.
So far, in both books, I think the blurred line between obsession and love, psychopathic tendencies and protectiveness, are well rendered. They are not nice guys, far from it and Wren is 100% not a nice guy. After all, he kills because he wants to and for no other reasons. He doesn't really have a trigger like other killers.
Could Hazel depression be more explained? Sure but for some people, their depression is just not easily defined. It just IS and that's how I see Hazel's.
By the way, loved how she quickly called him her serial killer.
But yes, I did love the book and that ending! Like OMG!!!! Best ever so much I'm actually fan-girling hard here! I mean, I do have several tattoos of my 3 favourite guys : Micheal, Jason, and Freddy. What can I say? I love them. They would totally kill me but I still crush hard enough on them to make diamonds.
So now on to the 3rd book while knowing there won't be another one before next year. Sadness!
Brutal by AJ Merlin is a contemporary dark romance that I listened to on audio narrated by Victoria Connolly. This is the second book in the Pleasure and Prey series and can be read as a standalone.
I was pulled in from the first chapter and couldn't wait to see what was going to happen next. I really enjoyed the fast-paced relationship between Wren and Hazel.
I can't wait for the next book in the series Vicious to be released on audio so I can get Gabriel's story.
Victoria did a great job on the narration. I look forward to listening to more of her work in the future.
I would recommend this book if you like dark romances, stalker romances, serial killer romances, or romantic suspense.
Another great book by AJ Merlin. I really liked Wren and Hazel! The only reason why I took away a star is because it felt less suspenseful than the first book. And that's probably because we already knew who the guy was. The first book had this unique feel to it because we knew nothing about what was happening, but for the story we've already met Wren in the first book before.
The ending also felt a little bit rushed but the introduction of that random character made me intrigued for the future.
Serial killer Wren x camp councelor Hazel Serial killer romance, very kinky, chasing kink, breeding kink, dirty talk, some outdoor hanky panky!!! The setting was fun, it starts off in a summer camp where rumours of a serial killer start spreading. There some kind of party for the end of camp and the son of the owner of the camp who has a crush on Hazel takes her to the woods to be alone and it backfires on him. The serial killer shows up. It was fun for the first 50 pages then it got sweet if you like sweet serial killers lmao.
I mean… I loved Depraved… but somehow I loved Brutal even more. The action (bloody and spicy) starts right away, then we get some great time getting to know the characters (I swoon for Wren!) and see them getting to know each other. Throw in some more spice (hello primal 🔥) and some more blood… and it’s perfection. I also loved the peek back at Virgil and Sloane, plus the rest of the gang. And umm… the mystery guest?! I’m so excited about what else is coming.
Whew never though I’d be enamored by a serial killer. This collection just keeps getting better, Wren is probably my most favorite serial kill of the two. He’s sweet in the crazy stalk you kinda way. The fun scenes in this book are 🥵🥵. AJ’s writing just keeps getting better and the development of this world is keeping me hooked and ready to learn more about the rest of the… gang? What is a group of serial killers called? Whatever, I just need more and can’t wait for it!
The lack of morals, a lot of blood, questionable mental health of a few characters, and suspense galore all within the first few pages and it truly sets the tone for the rest of the book. It’s fabulously dark, full of hot as all get out spice🔥🌶️, a hot stalker, a quirky & down to earth FMC, & a supporting boy’s club that all makes it a pretty perfect storm of darkness that I enjoyed a lot!
I don’t usually read MF romance books -but this author is too good to pass up. It’s spicy, it has Friday the 13th inspo vibes, it’s a little mürder-y, and….it’s a standalone in a series of standalones. I like the flow of the story and the characters are just delicious. It’s a great winter read that makes me crave late summer.
I f'ing LOVED this book!!! AJ Merlin has an AMAZING ability to make her readers root for and fall head over heels over a freaking serial killer!! Omg! There must be something wrong with me to now want a serial killer of my own lol 😂😂 this series is getting better with each book and I can't wait for more!!
3.5 star This one was good, I wanted it to be better, but I definitely liked the first book more and that got 4 stars, so I figured this was a fair rating. Overall though, I’m having so much fun working through this series. It’s easy, it’s funny, it’s quick reads, and a lot of their aspects really do resemble an 80s horror flick if it just included romance and smut lol
Probably more like 3.5 stars. I really liked Wren in this but Hazel..man she was TSTL. If that's your bag then this might be the book for you but even I was rolling my eyes at her behaviour and I let a lot of stuff slide in my romances.
Brutal • Rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ • This was a very different book. Easy to read however the ending was disappointing, it felt rushed off and had little to no explanation about the killer that was introduced at the last two chapters. • 25/200 •