Here's "Heat Lightning" by A Knightley. This is the first novel in the Masked Mates series.
["Max
Having a stalker should be thrilling in a ‘run for the hills screaming’ kind of way, not a ‘lights me up from the inside’ kind of way. Alas, here we are. To my great dismay, I want to climb that big, scary, masked man like a tree. But seriously, can I be blamed? Have you seen him
My life has always been black and white, good and bad, right and wrong—but my Masked Man revels in the gray. He kills bad guys. Which should terrify me, except it only adds to the magnetic pull that reels me in time and again. He’s my stalker, my rescuer, my alpha, and my soul's deepest, darkest desire. Even still, he insists on keeping secrets. And when I finally find out the truth?
They become life or death.
How much can I overlook for the man who makes my omega scream, mate, mate, mate?
The Masked Man
I’m a hunter—a killer. I live by a simple set of rules, and I don’t break them. Playing the hero? Not interested.
Until him.
From the very first moment, the omega calls to me. His cautious curiosity makes my alpha’s mouth water, aching to bite and claim. He’s mine. Mine to hunt, mine to protect, mine to watch.
But never mine to have.
So, I’ll do everything—and I mean everything—in my power to keep him safe, even if that means longing from the shadows forever."]
I've been waiting MONTHS for this! Soo many teasers and art and quotes on socials. I kept checking A's IG for an official release date and then for arc sign-ups. So. Worth. The. Wait.
The time jump between Part 1 and Part 2...it was one of those moments where, logically and realistically, you understand. Like those horribly noble and sadly needed third act break-ups. It makes sense. But that doesn't make it less sad. And me being sad about that, when these two didn't even know each other well, or at all, in Part 1, says something about my dark romance habit. But it also says a lot about The Masked Man.
Part 1 was all mystery and danger and hesitant inevitability. It teetered on the edge of want and mates and fate being a bit of a bitch. Part 2 was angst and want and danger. It was mutual desire and mutual destruction, destruction of sanity and fate continuing to push two people together but they push each other apart. Part 3 still had the angst but the inevitability was there and fate was there and love was there; so was the utter devastation. Part 4 started with nearly breaking me, just like Part 3 ended. Then came the danger and the threats and the guilt and the negotiating and the denial. All followed with some groveling, some much-needed cuddles, and a HEA. It was protective and possessive in equal parts by equal partners.
It was a hot mess all around. But honestly? It was SO fucking good. Easily top ten (top five) of the year.
I canNOT wait for the next one.
Trigger Warnings: violence, murder, noncon drugging leading to attemped SA, forced/drug-induced heat, descriptions of domestic violence, witnessing domestic violence as a child, past child abuse, stalking, home invasion, past parental loss, and more.
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