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His Perfect Darkness #1
His Perfect Darkness
The Stalker
The first time I saw my little bird, I knew she belonged to me.
She’s new to the city, all alone. She doesn’t know who I am, but I’ve been watching her. Stalking her in the shadows, keeping her safe. Killing anyone who threatens her.
I’ve built a cage around her, luring her in. And when it’s time to reveal myself to her, she won’t be able to escape.
In every way, she will be mine.
His Perfect Darkness is a dark billionaire romance with intense, sensual themes.
The first time I saw my little bird, I knew she belonged to me.
She’s new to the city, all alone. She doesn’t know who I am, but I’ve been watching her. Stalking her in the shadows, keeping her safe. Killing anyone who threatens her.
I’ve built a cage around her, luring her in. And when it’s time to reveal myself to her, she won’t be able to escape.
In every way, she will be mine.
His Perfect Darkness is a dark billionaire romance with intense, sensual themes.
344 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 16, 2025
186 people are currently reading
17109 people want to read
About the author
Lee Savino
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 348 reviews
August 5, 2025
Holy hotness! This “Batman” has a lot of kinky tricks up his sleeve,and i love it!
The only thing i wasn’t sure about is if it was a slowburn or not….
Because even though it took them most of the book to finally have actual sex,the things they did until that happened were hot enough to burn my iPad to a crisp!
Inara was orphaned by the Bondage Killer at age 10.
And Rex was orphaned at the same age after his parents were shot.
The difference between them?
He inherited his parents fortune and had the family butler to help him throughout his life.
She went into fostercare and became a detective/FBI profiler.
He removed criminals from the streets in a different way,though….a more permanent way.
From the moment Rex found out she was out there somewhere….a girl that was just like him….he started searching for her.
Until he found her,and made sure she was heading in his direction until he could claim her.
She may fight,she might resist,but lure her in he would.
Starting with a scene at Club Empire….
Inara had the second sight ever since her parents died and while it had been helpful throughout the years,it worked against her now.
She could “see” him before she actually did,but it confused her when all she felt was safe.
Because she knew he was the killer in the case they were investigating….
But still she trusted him not to hurt her beyond what she could take….nor kill her for finding out the truth about him.
And the more she saw of him,the more she she liked how he did everything he could with her safety in mind…..even if she hated the fact he was a killer and got away with it.
And then there was the cliffhanger…..the one that makes me run to start Darkest Before Dawn,straight away!
The only thing i wasn’t sure about is if it was a slowburn or not….
Because even though it took them most of the book to finally have actual sex,the things they did until that happened were hot enough to burn my iPad to a crisp!
Inara was orphaned by the Bondage Killer at age 10.
And Rex was orphaned at the same age after his parents were shot.
The difference between them?
He inherited his parents fortune and had the family butler to help him throughout his life.
She went into fostercare and became a detective/FBI profiler.
He removed criminals from the streets in a different way,though….a more permanent way.
From the moment Rex found out she was out there somewhere….a girl that was just like him….he started searching for her.
Until he found her,and made sure she was heading in his direction until he could claim her.
She may fight,she might resist,but lure her in he would.
Starting with a scene at Club Empire….
Inara had the second sight ever since her parents died and while it had been helpful throughout the years,it worked against her now.
She could “see” him before she actually did,but it confused her when all she felt was safe.
Because she knew he was the killer in the case they were investigating….
But still she trusted him not to hurt her beyond what she could take….nor kill her for finding out the truth about him.
And the more she saw of him,the more she she liked how he did everything he could with her safety in mind…..even if she hated the fact he was a killer and got away with it.
And then there was the cliffhanger…..the one that makes me run to start Darkest Before Dawn,straight away!
May 23, 2025
His Perfect Darkness is book one of the a new series, "His Perfect Darkness", by Lee Savino. With this story, you get murder, mystery/suspense and a whole lotta spice! From beginning till the very end, you are on a dark roller coaster ride with many twists and turns... keeping you on the edge of your seat till the end. She's the detective... He's a billionaire vigilante. Be ready for one intense ride.
𝙃𝙚𝙧𝙤/𝙃𝙚𝙧𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙚 = Rex Roy and Inara Ramos
𝘾𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙛𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧 = Yes
𝙎𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙖𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙚 = This is Book 1 of a duet
𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙢𝙚(𝙨) = Dark Romance • Stalker • BDSM • a Billionaire, Kinky Batman MC • a Detective FMC w/ a psychic gift • Psychological/ Suspense • Dual POVs
𝙏𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙜𝙚𝙧𝙨 = Language • Sexual Content • Murder • Childhood trauma • Predator & Prey
𝙃𝙚𝙖𝙩 𝙇𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙡 = 🔥🔥🔥🔥 1/2
𝙎𝙩𝙖𝙧 𝙍𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 = ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2
𝙃𝙚𝙧𝙤/𝙃𝙚𝙧𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙚 = Rex Roy and Inara Ramos
𝘾𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙛𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧 = Yes
𝙎𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙖𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙚 = This is Book 1 of a duet
𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙢𝙚(𝙨) = Dark Romance • Stalker • BDSM • a Billionaire, Kinky Batman MC • a Detective FMC w/ a psychic gift • Psychological/ Suspense • Dual POVs
𝙏𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙜𝙚𝙧𝙨 = Language • Sexual Content • Murder • Childhood trauma • Predator & Prey
𝙃𝙚𝙖𝙩 𝙇𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙡 = 🔥🔥🔥🔥 1/2
𝙎𝙩𝙖𝙧 𝙍𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 = ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2
July 3, 2025
Kinky Batman? Bet.
It was fantastic, personally I love Lee Savino’s work, she’s an incredible author.
This story follows Rex Roy (our MMC) billionaire philanthropist and an overall Batman vigilante badass & Detective Inara (our FMC) who has kind of psychic abilities and is a profiler for the police. This is quite a tense cat and mouse interaction full of twists, actions and fantastic accurate BDSM spice! Be warned it is a duet and leaves off on a cliffhanger that will leave you begging for book two!
(Good news, book two is releasing July 24th 2025!)
M/F
Kinky Batman
Strong female detective
Stalking
Vigilante
GOOD BDSM
flogging/impact play
Billionaire romance
Spice 5/5 (rare from me) 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
It was fantastic, personally I love Lee Savino’s work, she’s an incredible author.
This story follows Rex Roy (our MMC) billionaire philanthropist and an overall Batman vigilante badass & Detective Inara (our FMC) who has kind of psychic abilities and is a profiler for the police. This is quite a tense cat and mouse interaction full of twists, actions and fantastic accurate BDSM spice! Be warned it is a duet and leaves off on a cliffhanger that will leave you begging for book two!
(Good news, book two is releasing July 24th 2025!)
M/F
Kinky Batman
Strong female detective
Stalking
Vigilante
GOOD BDSM
flogging/impact play
Billionaire romance
Spice 5/5 (rare from me) 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
May 29, 2025
this book takes you into a world full of mystery and intense emotions. I liked it because it was a new idea and I didn't like it because it was heavy.
Inara, a detective with a painful past and a strange ability to see murders, is trying to escape her memories.
Rex, a wealthy and enigmatic man, sees in her everything he's been missing. Their similar pasts brought them together, but watching from the shadows isn’t enough for him-he wants to claim her. Yet he’s not the only one keeping an eye on her... 👀
If you love mystery with a dark romantic twist, "His Perfect Darkness" will hook you. Inara’s gift lets her see crimes, and Rex is obsessed with her in a way that’s both terrifying and fascinating. This isn’t just a love story—it’s a game of shadows and danger.
Rex&Inara ♡
_________
- I’m the only one who can breach those walls. I will be her safe place, her dark knight, willing to destroy anything and anyone who will hurt her.
We are made for each other.
- Even fighting with her, I want to hold her in my arms.
Inara, a detective with a painful past and a strange ability to see murders, is trying to escape her memories.
Rex, a wealthy and enigmatic man, sees in her everything he's been missing. Their similar pasts brought them together, but watching from the shadows isn’t enough for him-he wants to claim her. Yet he’s not the only one keeping an eye on her... 👀
If you love mystery with a dark romantic twist, "His Perfect Darkness" will hook you. Inara’s gift lets her see crimes, and Rex is obsessed with her in a way that’s both terrifying and fascinating. This isn’t just a love story—it’s a game of shadows and danger.
Rex&Inara ♡
_________
- I’m the only one who can breach those walls. I will be her safe place, her dark knight, willing to destroy anything and anyone who will hurt her.
We are made for each other.
- Even fighting with her, I want to hold her in my arms.
June 3, 2025
This is how you do a dark Batman retelling! This is a fun twist on a fan fave with a billionaire, vigilante, and a side of Dom/sub relation.
Inara and Rex both have tragically similar pasts. How they’re dealt with them is very much the same, but one takes justice into their own hands while the other fights for it.
Inara is new to the force and with her special ability makes a great asset. However, the city has a vigilante who’s willing to take justice into his own hands by any means necessary. Inara is on a mission to bring him down, but there is an undeniable pull between the two. She needs to decide which is the lesser of two evils.
When someone from Inara’s past makes a return, she may just find that she needs this vigilantes help and protection.
This was absolutely fantastic, it does end on a minor cliffhanger but book 2 is releasing 7.24!!
Inara and Rex both have tragically similar pasts. How they’re dealt with them is very much the same, but one takes justice into their own hands while the other fights for it.
Inara is new to the force and with her special ability makes a great asset. However, the city has a vigilante who’s willing to take justice into his own hands by any means necessary. Inara is on a mission to bring him down, but there is an undeniable pull between the two. She needs to decide which is the lesser of two evils.
When someone from Inara’s past makes a return, she may just find that she needs this vigilantes help and protection.
This was absolutely fantastic, it does end on a minor cliffhanger but book 2 is releasing 7.24!!
July 30, 2025
Dark billionaire kinky Batman?? Say less.
Inara becomes a detective to try and right the wrongs of her tragic past, using her gift for solving crimes. She’s closed off her heart and the rest of the world. Little does she know she’s been baited and led to be exactly where they wanted her.
“It’s not the touch that hurts. It’s the attachment. Not the close feelings, but the loss of them when they’re ripped away.”
Rex is our billionaire vigilante, the only one who knows exactly what Inara feels and went through. “He wants to own everything, control everything. And to do that, he has to know everything.”
This was my first time reading Lee’s writing and was hooked. The suspense and thrill of the chase held me tight and I was clawing for answers. This is book 1 in a duet and from start to finish you’re trapped in the story with them, only to be left with more questions on a cliff and you bet I’m going to need book 2.
“I came here to entrap him. But he’s trapped me. Not with chains or rope but with his compassion.”
Thank you Lee and LovenotesPR for the gifted e-copy. These are my honest opinions.
Inara becomes a detective to try and right the wrongs of her tragic past, using her gift for solving crimes. She’s closed off her heart and the rest of the world. Little does she know she’s been baited and led to be exactly where they wanted her.
“It’s not the touch that hurts. It’s the attachment. Not the close feelings, but the loss of them when they’re ripped away.”
Rex is our billionaire vigilante, the only one who knows exactly what Inara feels and went through. “He wants to own everything, control everything. And to do that, he has to know everything.”
This was my first time reading Lee’s writing and was hooked. The suspense and thrill of the chase held me tight and I was clawing for answers. This is book 1 in a duet and from start to finish you’re trapped in the story with them, only to be left with more questions on a cliff and you bet I’m going to need book 2.
“I came here to entrap him. But he’s trapped me. Not with chains or rope but with his compassion.”
Thank you Lee and LovenotesPR for the gifted e-copy. These are my honest opinions.
July 21, 2025
Oh babygirl… buckle up, because this book didn’t just take me on a ride—it slammed me into the backseat of a blacked-out luxury car with tinted morals and a man behind the wheel who doesn’t believe in brakes. 😮💨🖤
When the author said “morally grey,” she wasn’t playing. This man isn’t fifty shades—he’s one shade, whatever the color is just before black. Like “watching Gotham burn while he smirks from the shadows” black. It would be easy to make a comparison to Batman on this one… But I feel I would be remiss in noting that Inara was giving Dr. Harley Quinn and Rex was giving The Joker if he was morally grey and obsessed with HQ…
Yeah. That it’s that dark. And I was feral for it. 👏
The storytelling? Sharp. Twisted. Deliciously layered. Even the side characters had flavor. But our dark darling? He’s always ten steps ahead. Calculated, unhinged, devastatingly in control, and the FMC? Sweet thing never stood a chance. She knows he's dangerous. She knows he's a walking red flag in designer armor. But guess what? So do we. And we still melt for him!
As for the ending… when their pasts snap together like a lock clicking shut? I felt something. Warm. Human. And I’m not sure what that says about me. 🙃
Highly recommend if you're into shadow-drenched vigilantes, emotional damage, and a man who calls the shots and makes you thank him for it. Check your trigger warnings and brace yourself, love. Book 2 Darkest Before Dawn drops July 24th and I’m already sharpening my claws. 😈📚
A dark and delicious thank you to the author for gifting me this e-book. Every thought, every opinion that has dropped from my lips? All mine, freely given, unfiltered, and just a little bit dangerous. 💋
When the author said “morally grey,” she wasn’t playing. This man isn’t fifty shades—he’s one shade, whatever the color is just before black. Like “watching Gotham burn while he smirks from the shadows” black. It would be easy to make a comparison to Batman on this one… But I feel I would be remiss in noting that Inara was giving Dr. Harley Quinn and Rex was giving The Joker if he was morally grey and obsessed with HQ…
Yeah. That it’s that dark. And I was feral for it. 👏
The storytelling? Sharp. Twisted. Deliciously layered. Even the side characters had flavor. But our dark darling? He’s always ten steps ahead. Calculated, unhinged, devastatingly in control, and the FMC? Sweet thing never stood a chance. She knows he's dangerous. She knows he's a walking red flag in designer armor. But guess what? So do we. And we still melt for him!
As for the ending… when their pasts snap together like a lock clicking shut? I felt something. Warm. Human. And I’m not sure what that says about me. 🙃
Highly recommend if you're into shadow-drenched vigilantes, emotional damage, and a man who calls the shots and makes you thank him for it. Check your trigger warnings and brace yourself, love. Book 2 Darkest Before Dawn drops July 24th and I’m already sharpening my claws. 😈📚
A dark and delicious thank you to the author for gifting me this e-book. Every thought, every opinion that has dropped from my lips? All mine, freely given, unfiltered, and just a little bit dangerous. 💋
September 5, 2025
Batman BDSM. I decided to read this because I'm currently in the mood for detective/investigative erotic thrillers. Stalker hero who is into kink and consensual. I usually read CNC, that kind of stuff, so I felt like I had to clarify the type of kink. There were some good scene scenes, but the investigation was a little flat, and I needed more depth to the plot, so I did skim a lot. I felt the author was most inspired when conjuring the mythos of Batman and Gotham City (here, it is New Rome).
September 1, 2025
I got the opportunity to read this book as a paid ad and I have to say I actually really enjoyed it, as someone who loves both marvel and dc I loved the fact that this was a Batman retelling. I really enjoyed the plot and the level of spice and how dark it got, I was really spicy 🥵
August 7, 2025
4.5⭐️
3🌶️
🔥Dark Billiionaire
🔥BDSM
🔥Kinky Batman
🔥Stalker
🔥Vigilante
🔥Possessive Hero
🔥Detective/Profiler FMC
Kinky Batam retelling….thats the review. Period.
.
.
.
.
.
Just kidding, His Perfect Darkness is dark billionaire romance with heavy BDSM themes and relationship between a dominate and submissive. Inara has closed herself off to everyone for fear of getting close and loosing them. She is a profiler for the police and new to New Rome. Rex has been watching Inara for years and she is finally in his city. Their relationship starts off anonymously at The Empire Club when they scene together. Inara is trying to solve a murder and as shes putting the pieces together she realizes Rex is responsible. She wants the truth and he tells her everything. She struggles with how she feels for Rex and the fact he is a masked vigilante killer. I loved their relationship how he wants to take care of all her needs and be there for her and she finally lets someone past her walls and feels safe with him. There are all these awesome references to Batman from his suit to his parent’s death. Inara isn’t just any profiler, she has psychic abilities and uses them to help solve cases. There’s another murder and the family was found in the same state as hers. Then she gets letters from signed BK, the serial unaliver who killed her family and was presumed dead. He’s back and he wants her. The BDSM and spice is hot but what is even better is watching Inara open up to Rex.
🚩Be sure to read the author’s note and content warnings before reading
A Few Favorite Quotes:
“It’s not that I don’t feel, can’t feel. It’s that I feel too much. And I don’t know how to filter, how to stop it. So, I shut everything out.”
“I don’t want to, but I need him. He’s the only thing solid in the topsy-turvy world.”
“Fly fast and fly far, little bird. This time, you won’t escape me. Years of searching. Months of planning. And finally, she’s going to be mine. . .”
“I will be her safe place, her dark knight, willing to destroy anything and anyone who will hurt her.”
“He undoes his cufflinks and rolls up his sleeves. At the sight of his veined forearms, my mouth goes dry.”
“I can only continue on, drawn by a compulsion to discover the full truth about him. I will plumb his depths as he’s plumbed mine and drown in his perfect darkness.”
3🌶️
🔥Dark Billiionaire
🔥BDSM
🔥Kinky Batman
🔥Stalker
🔥Vigilante
🔥Possessive Hero
🔥Detective/Profiler FMC
Kinky Batam retelling….thats the review. Period.
.
.
.
.
.
Just kidding, His Perfect Darkness is dark billionaire romance with heavy BDSM themes and relationship between a dominate and submissive. Inara has closed herself off to everyone for fear of getting close and loosing them. She is a profiler for the police and new to New Rome. Rex has been watching Inara for years and she is finally in his city. Their relationship starts off anonymously at The Empire Club when they scene together. Inara is trying to solve a murder and as shes putting the pieces together she realizes Rex is responsible. She wants the truth and he tells her everything. She struggles with how she feels for Rex and the fact he is a masked vigilante killer. I loved their relationship how he wants to take care of all her needs and be there for her and she finally lets someone past her walls and feels safe with him. There are all these awesome references to Batman from his suit to his parent’s death. Inara isn’t just any profiler, she has psychic abilities and uses them to help solve cases. There’s another murder and the family was found in the same state as hers. Then she gets letters from signed BK, the serial unaliver who killed her family and was presumed dead. He’s back and he wants her. The BDSM and spice is hot but what is even better is watching Inara open up to Rex.
🚩Be sure to read the author’s note and content warnings before reading
A Few Favorite Quotes:
“It’s not that I don’t feel, can’t feel. It’s that I feel too much. And I don’t know how to filter, how to stop it. So, I shut everything out.”
“I don’t want to, but I need him. He’s the only thing solid in the topsy-turvy world.”
“Fly fast and fly far, little bird. This time, you won’t escape me. Years of searching. Months of planning. And finally, she’s going to be mine. . .”
“I will be her safe place, her dark knight, willing to destroy anything and anyone who will hurt her.”
“He undoes his cufflinks and rolls up his sleeves. At the sight of his veined forearms, my mouth goes dry.”
“I can only continue on, drawn by a compulsion to discover the full truth about him. I will plumb his depths as he’s plumbed mine and drown in his perfect darkness.”
June 24, 2025
He's been watching her for years. She just doesn't know it yet.
Inara (h) has spent her life trying to stay one step ahead of her past. A homicide detective shaped by trauma, she keeps her emotions locked down and her desires buried under strict rules. Control is her armor. Until one anonymous scene at Club Empire shatters everything.
Rex (H) is a billionaire with a secret empire and a hunger for justice he delivers on his own terms. To the world, he's untouchable. Behind closed doors, he's something else entirely. When the girl from his past finally steps into his world, he doesn't hesitate. He's waited too long.
As bodies start dropping and evidence vanishes, Inara begins to suspect the man unraveling her defenses may be tied to a string of killings the system can't touch. But Rex isn't just a suspect. He's a protector, a predator, and the only one who truly sees her. Every choice she makes pulls her deeper into his control, and closer to a truth she may not survive.
A shadow from Inara's past resurfaces, threatening everything she's come to rely on. And the most dangerous truths may not belong to the man in her bed.
Inara begins as emotionally closed off and rule-bound, using control to manage her trauma, but gradually opens up as she confronts her past and her visions. Rex starts as a cold, obsessive vigilante, but reveals vulnerability through his longing for connection and his need to protect Inara at all costs. Their relationship shifts from a guarded, anonymous power exchange to a consuming, deeply intimate bond where submission and control blur into emotional dependence and obsession.
Ultra-hot and steamy, dark, erotic, stalker, suspense romance, exploring trauma, control, dominance and submission, obsession, identity, justice, power, intimacy, survival, secrecy, and redemption. Rex and Inara's story continues in Darkest Before Dawn.
Inara (h) has spent her life trying to stay one step ahead of her past. A homicide detective shaped by trauma, she keeps her emotions locked down and her desires buried under strict rules. Control is her armor. Until one anonymous scene at Club Empire shatters everything.
Rex (H) is a billionaire with a secret empire and a hunger for justice he delivers on his own terms. To the world, he's untouchable. Behind closed doors, he's something else entirely. When the girl from his past finally steps into his world, he doesn't hesitate. He's waited too long.
As bodies start dropping and evidence vanishes, Inara begins to suspect the man unraveling her defenses may be tied to a string of killings the system can't touch. But Rex isn't just a suspect. He's a protector, a predator, and the only one who truly sees her. Every choice she makes pulls her deeper into his control, and closer to a truth she may not survive.
A shadow from Inara's past resurfaces, threatening everything she's come to rely on. And the most dangerous truths may not belong to the man in her bed.
Inara begins as emotionally closed off and rule-bound, using control to manage her trauma, but gradually opens up as she confronts her past and her visions. Rex starts as a cold, obsessive vigilante, but reveals vulnerability through his longing for connection and his need to protect Inara at all costs. Their relationship shifts from a guarded, anonymous power exchange to a consuming, deeply intimate bond where submission and control blur into emotional dependence and obsession.
Ultra-hot and steamy, dark, erotic, stalker, suspense romance, exploring trauma, control, dominance and submission, obsession, identity, justice, power, intimacy, survival, secrecy, and redemption. Rex and Inara's story continues in Darkest Before Dawn.
August 1, 2025
ARC review
3.5 ⭐️
This book is about Rex Roy, a Batman‑like billionaire with a dark past, and Inara Ramos, a brilliant detective and profiler. What begins with Rex’s long-standing obsession and constant watch over Inara slowly escalates into a story full of secrets, twists, and sizzling dark romance.
I really enjoyed how this book blends mystery and romance. The tension between Rex and Inara is electric, with a perfect mix of danger and spicy BDSM scènes. Rex’s obsession gives the whole story an intense, dark edge that kept me hooked. But he is not the only one obsessed with Inara 👀.
If you like your romance dark, suspenseful, and full of twists that keep you turning the pages late into the night, you’ll love this one!
The book ends with a cliffhanger, so you should definitely read book two right away.
And I can assure you that book is even better 🤩.
3.5 ⭐️
This book is about Rex Roy, a Batman‑like billionaire with a dark past, and Inara Ramos, a brilliant detective and profiler. What begins with Rex’s long-standing obsession and constant watch over Inara slowly escalates into a story full of secrets, twists, and sizzling dark romance.
I really enjoyed how this book blends mystery and romance. The tension between Rex and Inara is electric, with a perfect mix of danger and spicy BDSM scènes. Rex’s obsession gives the whole story an intense, dark edge that kept me hooked. But he is not the only one obsessed with Inara 👀.
If you like your romance dark, suspenseful, and full of twists that keep you turning the pages late into the night, you’ll love this one!
The book ends with a cliffhanger, so you should definitely read book two right away.
And I can assure you that book is even better 🤩.
July 19, 2025
I love a good stalker! Add in the mystery, a strong female detective and a MMC that is morally gray at best with a touch of Batman vibes and I was hooked!
The suspense throughout keeps you on edge and the spice 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🥵
Inara and Rex’s story is all encompassing….good and evil, danger, stong emotions, past, present and future….and leaves you wanting more.
You get some glimpses of Sebastian St. James….you’ll know him from the authors ‘Fraternitas’ series. I’m liking the connection between that series and this soon to be duology.
Beware…..this book does end on a cliffhanger. Can’t wait for the second to come out on the 24th of July. Another book for those of us that love Dark Romance with some twists.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The suspense throughout keeps you on edge and the spice 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🥵
Inara and Rex’s story is all encompassing….good and evil, danger, stong emotions, past, present and future….and leaves you wanting more.
You get some glimpses of Sebastian St. James….you’ll know him from the authors ‘Fraternitas’ series. I’m liking the connection between that series and this soon to be duology.
Beware…..this book does end on a cliffhanger. Can’t wait for the second to come out on the 24th of July. Another book for those of us that love Dark Romance with some twists.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
July 29, 2025
First of all this book was perfectly marketed! It gave exactly what it said it was going to deliver, a morally grey Batman/Tony Stark-esque billionaire, spice, mystery, and intrigue. While the spice is definitely a front seat passenger I think the plot still drove the story in a way that made you want more. And the cliff hanger was just right to make you want to read the next book.
Thanks to Hype Queen PR for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to Hype Queen PR for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
July 31, 2025
I didn’t love or hate this book—it was just okay for me. I enjoyed seeing more of Rex and Inara, and there were a few interesting moments between them. I also liked the suspense and mystery aspect, but overall, nothing really stood out. The story was fine, just not particularly special or memorable.
It’s a decent read if you’re already following the series, but it didn’t leave much of an impact on me.
Thank you to Love Notes PR and Lee Savino for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
It’s a decent read if you’re already following the series, but it didn’t leave much of an impact on me.
Thank you to Love Notes PR and Lee Savino for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 23, 2025
Inara is being stalked by one of New Rome’s biggest billionaires, Rex Roy. She has a feeling she is being watched for awhile, but just isn’t sure. She became a detective because she wants justice after her entire family was murdered when she was just a little girl. And she has a special “gift” that helps her solve crimes. And she has a lot more in common with Rex than she realizes. And Rex is this dark Batman, billionaire, sexy dom. Inara likes the pain to escape the past and Rex likes giving it to her. These two have a very dark and twisted pull and relationship that only makes sense between the two of them. But can she accept who he really is?
May 17, 2025
From the first chapter I knew it would be a 5 stars read and I wasn’t disappointed .
the plot was really tense and the twists at the end had me on the edge of my seat !
THAT BEING SAID, I DEVOURED this book in one sitting!
the plot was really tense and the twists at the end had me on the edge of my seat !
THAT BEING SAID, I DEVOURED this book in one sitting!
August 8, 2025
Inara was orphaned as a little girl by a serial killer. Since Inara was young she gets visions and impressions of people and the future. With this internal need to help and save people Inara becomes a profiler. Inara moves around a lot, never letting people in and never getting too close, but she does require some contact, mostly pain, which she receives at a BDSM club.
There she meets a Dom that gives her everything she wants and more than she knew she could let herself have. This Dom happens to be Rex Roy, billionaire playboy who pretty much owns New Rome. Rex was also orphaned at a young age and has been obsessed with Inara for a very long time, now that she is in his city he won’t be letting her go.
When Inara’s personal and professional life start to clash she doesn’t know how to untangle the two. She knows what is right and what she should do but what she craves takes over everything. When her past comes knocking perhaps the only one who can save her is the killer she’s hunting.
Ok so I have seen a few reviews that describe this book as kinky batman and that is the best, perfect way to describe it. It maybe a bike helmet and not a mask but the utility belt is still there and even Alfred, just called by a different name. It’s giving Batman forever (1995 Val Kilmer) not usually my vibe in books but I am hooked to see what happens next.
There she meets a Dom that gives her everything she wants and more than she knew she could let herself have. This Dom happens to be Rex Roy, billionaire playboy who pretty much owns New Rome. Rex was also orphaned at a young age and has been obsessed with Inara for a very long time, now that she is in his city he won’t be letting her go.
When Inara’s personal and professional life start to clash she doesn’t know how to untangle the two. She knows what is right and what she should do but what she craves takes over everything. When her past comes knocking perhaps the only one who can save her is the killer she’s hunting.
Ok so I have seen a few reviews that describe this book as kinky batman and that is the best, perfect way to describe it. It maybe a bike helmet and not a mask but the utility belt is still there and even Alfred, just called by a different name. It’s giving Batman forever (1995 Val Kilmer) not usually my vibe in books but I am hooked to see what happens next.
August 4, 2025
HOLY CANOLI... Okay I was soo not ready for this book! Ladies strap in cause your in for a ride & a treat🤔👀, cause this is the darkness express & it is not for the faint of heart.
LS does NOT. PLAY. AROUND.👏🏽, she comes out swinging on the 1st page with a letter from "him" and then her dedication quote💯ACCURATE! Giving you all the intrigue to suck you into this rabbit hole of a inky goodness.
This book is full of questionable decisions & the internal struggles that Inara is constantly putting on herself. Filled with mystery,
Rex makes me question my sanity with how deliciously twisted he is. How he's can just torture someone but then make me feel gooey 3 pages later is beyond me- validating Lee's psychological genius in writing about this man.
Its giving Gotham vigilante vibes w/ a side of Christian grey- except more psychotic & dark.
Lets just say Lee has officially popped my cherry with this book.
Cant wait to dive into book 2!
LS does NOT. PLAY. AROUND.👏🏽, she comes out swinging on the 1st page with a letter from "him" and then her dedication quote💯ACCURATE! Giving you all the intrigue to suck you into this rabbit hole of a inky goodness.
This book is full of questionable decisions & the internal struggles that Inara is constantly putting on herself. Filled with mystery,
Rex makes me question my sanity with how deliciously twisted he is. How he's can just torture someone but then make me feel gooey 3 pages later is beyond me- validating Lee's psychological genius in writing about this man.
Its giving Gotham vigilante vibes w/ a side of Christian grey- except more psychotic & dark.
Lets just say Lee has officially popped my cherry with this book.
Cant wait to dive into book 2!
July 13, 2025
3.5-4*
Part one of a duet so there is a cliffy. Do heed the TW. A dark romantic twisty tale that was well written but the pacing was a bit drawn out for me personally. Both main characters have dark traumatic pasts the have you riding the emotion rollercoaster. Rex is a powerful dominant billionaire who plans to make Detective/Profiler Inara his and nothing will stand in his way. It kept me pages in anticipation and left me wanting to read the next in this duet.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Part one of a duet so there is a cliffy. Do heed the TW. A dark romantic twisty tale that was well written but the pacing was a bit drawn out for me personally. Both main characters have dark traumatic pasts the have you riding the emotion rollercoaster. Rex is a powerful dominant billionaire who plans to make Detective/Profiler Inara his and nothing will stand in his way. It kept me pages in anticipation and left me wanting to read the next in this duet.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
July 29, 2025
4⭐️/4🔥
Unhinged Batman?!
His Perfect Darkness is a dark billionaire romance that leaves us on a cliffy. Rex is our MMC who takes vigilante justice to a whole other level. He's got his sights set on a little bird whom he will protect at ANY cost. Inara is our FMC whose mission in life is to seek justice for those who have suffered at the hands of evil. Her special set of skills is something she keeps close to the vest, but something about Rex makes her want to fly free. I need book 2 ASAP to find out who else is hunting our little bird and what will happen to our MCs.
Unhinged Batman?!
His Perfect Darkness is a dark billionaire romance that leaves us on a cliffy. Rex is our MMC who takes vigilante justice to a whole other level. He's got his sights set on a little bird whom he will protect at ANY cost. Inara is our FMC whose mission in life is to seek justice for those who have suffered at the hands of evil. Her special set of skills is something she keeps close to the vest, but something about Rex makes her want to fly free. I need book 2 ASAP to find out who else is hunting our little bird and what will happen to our MCs.
August 26, 2025
3,5 stars
Tropes : BDSM, romantic suspense, rich H, vigilante H, profiler h, J/P H, obsessed H, touch her and 💀
Ending : cliffhanger
Triggers : murder, 💀, psychopath, violence, gore
Spice : 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
Angst : 🔥🔥🔥🔥/5
OM/OW drama : OM (H’s business partner)
Intimacy details: virgin h, BDSM, no condom
Standalone/Series : book 1/2
Hero : Rex Roy (28)
Heroine: Inara Ramos (26)
Tropes : BDSM, romantic suspense, rich H, vigilante H, profiler h, J/P H, obsessed H, touch her and 💀
Ending : cliffhanger
Triggers : murder, 💀, psychopath, violence, gore
Spice : 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
Angst : 🔥🔥🔥🔥/5
OM/OW drama : OM (H’s business partner)
Intimacy details: virgin h, BDSM, no condom
Standalone/Series : book 1/2
Hero : Rex Roy (28)
Heroine: Inara Ramos (26)
August 4, 2025
Dark romance with suspense and twisted drama.
A lot of obsessions and resistance and BDSM following this feelings.
Intriguing and interesting storyline that will make you turning pages and feel darkness.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
A lot of obsessions and resistance and BDSM following this feelings.
Intriguing and interesting storyline that will make you turning pages and feel darkness.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 25, 2025
Stalker theme! Sold from the start. Couldn’t put it down. Absolutely loved every part!!! Can’t wait for more reads of Lee’s ❤️
July 17, 2025
A BDSM billionaire club owner with obsessive tendencies and a Batman vibe? Sign me up! Fantastic read.
Billionaire
Enemies to Lovers
He falls first
BDSM
Stalker
Murder Mystery
Billionaire
Enemies to Lovers
He falls first
BDSM
Stalker
Murder Mystery
July 26, 2025
Okay, so wow. Where do I start? Inara is bada$$ but broken from her childhood trauma. Rex is broken and terrifying. He stalks her. He protects her. This book has all the right amount of suspense and kink. I can't wait to read the next book!
August 25, 2025
Dark romance is not my usual vibe, but I enjoyed this kinky Batman vigilante with an obsession for a traumatized detective.
Two kinds of justice, one epic attraction. Spicy for sure but not the most explicit I've read.
Was not expecting the cliffhanger ending!
Minor annoyance: Could do without calling it her "sex" (my own pet peeve).
Two kinds of justice, one epic attraction. Spicy for sure but not the most explicit I've read.
Was not expecting the cliffhanger ending!
Minor annoyance: Could do without calling it her "sex" (my own pet peeve).
July 10, 2025
QUICK STATS
𝑅𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔: ❤️❤️❤️ (3.75/5)
𝒮𝓅𝒾𝒸ℯ ℒℯ𝓋ℯ𝓁: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
𝓣𝓻𝓲𝓰𝓰𝓮𝓻 𝓦𝓪𝓻𝓷𝓲𝓷𝓰𝓼: Intense BDSM Scenes, Dub/Non-Con, Morally Black MMC, Pain Kink, Trauma/Violence
For HPD trigger list, check out Lee Savino's website!
╚══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╝
OVERVIEW
His Perfect Darkness is book 1 in a duet that follows Inara, a detective with a strong sense of justice who can get visions of impending murders, and Rex, an enigmatic, calculative, obsessive billionaire who moonlights as a vigilante determined to remove any obstacles from Inara's path. The story follows their complex relationship as Inara tries to reconcile the masked Dom she's come to love with the killer who would do anything for her. It's deeply emotional, thrilling, and sexy, and it's a dark romance that, for those who love a good morally black mmc, is a must read!
Inara was an FMC that I was rooting for! She was sweet, but challenged and kept her distance from people because she didn't want to get hurt. Despite this, she longed for connection, and she found that through a private BDSM club, where she could enact her carefully constructed fantasies through mystery Doms. It's here where she meets Rex, though she doesn't know that it's him until chapters later, and while the mystery drags on for a bit longer than I would have liked, the internal conflict that immediately sprouts within her is investing!
Furthermore, her work as a detective made perfect sense in this novel! Inara wasn't helpless. She knew how to defend herself, not only from physical assailants, but also from the mockery that was made of her by her male colleagues. Burgess was a man I loathed, but I loved Bonds because he seemed (out of all of them) to genuinely care about her and her thoughts. At times, I felt like she was being a bit immature and blocking out whatever others were trying to explain to her, like she was the only one right, but it's human nature to think like that, especially in the career that Inara was in.
Rex was hot 😂that's as plainly as I can put it. He's a billionaire but owns half of the city and always gets what he wants. He's enigmatic to hide his dark side, and like most dark romance billionaires, he fit the bill; he was confident in getting what he wanted, suave when he needed to be, and dominant with Inara while also knowing her limits and giving her the aftercare she needed. If you flip to any page at random without reading the entire book, you may be put off by Rex's personality and behavior, but trust me, reading the entire book gave me a whole new perspective!
Rex went through a lot as a child, but unlike other novels where he channels his frustration into borderline dangerous kink, he uses his past to try and build a better future for the city. His company has various branches, all that give him professional and personal benefits. Rex's power is to be admired, but even when he's in scenes with Inara, it's clear to the reader that despite being the Dom, she's the one who controls him. Rex is obsessed with Inara, and we love a possessive king! He was willing to do anything to protect her, even eliminate any adversary. When he left one of her attackers on her doorstep, I couldn't help but imagine him as a cat bringing back its owner a treat (which is also how Inara describes it 😂)
And now, the moment everyone looks forward to...the spice 🥵HOLY MOLY! What else can I say? The spice was there, it was hot, it was nerve-wracking at time (if you know about the pool scene, then you know) but I loved that Rex always took aftercare seriously. Even in the beginning, when Inara specifically said that she didn't want aftercare at the club, he still managed to take care of her from a distance. I loved seeing Inara's internal battle as she fought to control her desire for Rex and her job as a detective, where she felt that her morals collided with his, but Rex's ability to bring out the feisty submissive in her was thrilling to read! The toys he used, the flogging scenes, the way that it was all consensual even in the dub-con moments made me 💖swoon 💖
𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐃
🐦Sebastian St. James: Sebastian is a character who appears later in the book, but holy moly, if Rex had a rival, it would be Sebastian 😂🥵I found Sebastian to be more sure of himself than Rex. He's the co-owner of the club that Inara frequents, and although Rex and Sebastian both have dirt on each other, Sebastian is more composed, more calculated, while Rex is impulsive and violent. I'm so looking forward to seeing Sebastian's story! He's a character that gives me panther vibes, and I have no doubt that his darkness may even exceed Rex's
🐦The Pool Scene: I'll say it again: THE POOL!! It not only captures the vulnerability between Rex and Inara, but it also FINALLY brings them to a more intimate level in their relationship! Rex and Inara share control even though Rex is the Dom, and seeing him explode under Inara's skill had me kicking my feet and cheering for Inara! Seeing her progress to this stage where she knew how to play Rex just as he knew how to play her was exciting and made my skin tingle with anticipation of what was to come next! Savino did an incredible job detailing the atmosphere while not overwhelming the reader, and seeing Rex loose control as Inara brought him to the pleasure she always wanted from him was amazing!
🐦Literally Every Other Sex Scene: Because you can't tell me that having Rex put Inara on her back and spray her with his c*m after taking her to the heights of pleasure isn't hot 🥵Flogging isn't typically my kind of erotic thrill, but Savino was able to craft the scenes in such a way that they became hot, bursting through the pages and making me feel like I was there with Inara, receiving every bite of the belt from Rex. And don't get me started on Rex's nickname for her! Swallow, or Little Swallow, after the bird, is soo heart-melting. It's Inara's sub name, but it also becomes Rex's nickname for her, and I always love when the MMC gives the FMC a nickname!
🐦Inara's Strength: Inara isn't a fragile character by any means (not that there's anything wrong with fragile characters), and she knows her worth, knows how to take charge of her life, and knows her values more than anything. Savino does an incredible job with giving these characters depth, and in particular, Inara had that silent strength that you didn't have to see to know it was there. She was confident in her work and didn't put up with crap from Burgess or any of the other detectives. She played the game skillfully and knew how to change faces to get what she wanted. Seeing her stand up to Rex, placing her morals unwaveringly, was inspiring! And watching her do her detective work, especially in the beginning when our first character is murdered, was fascinating because Savino clearly did her research on the topic.
🐦The Writing Style: What I think works with His Perfect Darkness is its simple writing style. Savino doesn't overwhelm us with fantastical descriptions. She keeps things neat and short while drawing the readers attention through sensory cues. Particularly during Inara and Rex's sex scenes, while they may come off as wordy, she does a great job with making them communicate and filling the pages with dialogue that the reader's don't want to miss.
🐦The Plot Twists: Savino blew me away with this! I think I was more surprised with Inara's plot twist than Rex's (because it's heavily implied throughout the story), but I need to see it developed more! Inara's power is intriguing, and I'm wondering how it fits into this contemporary world while also rethinking the contemporary setting - maybe it's not as contemporary as I thought it was! If you read J.T. Geissinger's PEN PAL, then you have kind of an idea of what Inara's power entails.
🐦Bonds: I have to give my man Bonds some credit 😂He was the only person who listened to Inara when she was speaking, and unlike Burgess, he took her words to their value and worked with her. I'd love to see more of their friendship! That, and with Diego Silva too!
𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐍𝐄𝐄𝐃𝐒 𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐄 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐊
(🇮🇳 🇲🇾 🇴🇵🇮🇳🇮🇴🇳)
❤️The Pacing: Even though we jump right into the story with a bang (quite literally 😂), I felt like the pacing was too slow. Chapters where Inara's job is being executed felt elongated when it didn't need to be. I think seeing more of Inara in action would have been beneficial, rather than seeing a lot of her internal dialogue, her thoughts about Rex, and her flashbacks to her own family. Those scenes, I think, could have been shortened in the chapter so that the reader could understand the crime itself better, because I found myself having to re-read pages to understand what happened in the crime.
❤️Inara's Morals: I loved that Inara was staunch in her morals, and this is probably just a personal preference (so please take this with a grain of salt), but I felt like she wasn't trying to understand Rex's reasoning and morals when he was explaining them to her. Obviously, killing is very, very wrong, especially in Inara's line of work, but he understood her, he listened to her when she needed him to. And even though she had sympathy for Rex, it was the empathy she lacked where I felt like her development went backwards.
❤️Rex's Vulnerability We love it when a man is able to be vulnerable with his woman, and although it took some time, I was CHEERING when Rex finally opened up to Inara. However, I felt like it came out of the blue. There was noting that pushed Rex to open up to Inara, he just did it after one of their scenes. The scene itself wasn't striking different from their previous sex scenes, so I felt like I needed a bit more for Rex to open up.
MY FINAL THOUGHTS
This is kind of my first dive into deep dark romance, and I was not disappointed! Savino brings out the best and worst in humanity within Rex, Inara, and the world they live in, and I found the connections between Rex and Batman amusing and shocking at how seamlessly they were woven together! I'm looking forward to continuing reading Rex and Inara's story in this duology, and I can't wait to see what other characters (like Sebastian) have in store!
Looking for more of my reviews? Want to contact me? Check out my blog! Shreya Reads, Reviews, and Writes
𝑅𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔: ❤️❤️❤️ (3.75/5)
𝒮𝓅𝒾𝒸ℯ ℒℯ𝓋ℯ𝓁: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
𝓣𝓻𝓲𝓰𝓰𝓮𝓻 𝓦𝓪𝓻𝓷𝓲𝓷𝓰𝓼: Intense BDSM Scenes, Dub/Non-Con, Morally Black MMC, Pain Kink, Trauma/Violence
For HPD trigger list, check out Lee Savino's website!
╚══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╝
OVERVIEW
His Perfect Darkness is book 1 in a duet that follows Inara, a detective with a strong sense of justice who can get visions of impending murders, and Rex, an enigmatic, calculative, obsessive billionaire who moonlights as a vigilante determined to remove any obstacles from Inara's path. The story follows their complex relationship as Inara tries to reconcile the masked Dom she's come to love with the killer who would do anything for her. It's deeply emotional, thrilling, and sexy, and it's a dark romance that, for those who love a good morally black mmc, is a must read!
Inara was an FMC that I was rooting for! She was sweet, but challenged and kept her distance from people because she didn't want to get hurt. Despite this, she longed for connection, and she found that through a private BDSM club, where she could enact her carefully constructed fantasies through mystery Doms. It's here where she meets Rex, though she doesn't know that it's him until chapters later, and while the mystery drags on for a bit longer than I would have liked, the internal conflict that immediately sprouts within her is investing!
Furthermore, her work as a detective made perfect sense in this novel! Inara wasn't helpless. She knew how to defend herself, not only from physical assailants, but also from the mockery that was made of her by her male colleagues. Burgess was a man I loathed, but I loved Bonds because he seemed (out of all of them) to genuinely care about her and her thoughts. At times, I felt like she was being a bit immature and blocking out whatever others were trying to explain to her, like she was the only one right, but it's human nature to think like that, especially in the career that Inara was in.
Rex was hot 😂that's as plainly as I can put it. He's a billionaire but owns half of the city and always gets what he wants. He's enigmatic to hide his dark side, and like most dark romance billionaires, he fit the bill; he was confident in getting what he wanted, suave when he needed to be, and dominant with Inara while also knowing her limits and giving her the aftercare she needed. If you flip to any page at random without reading the entire book, you may be put off by Rex's personality and behavior, but trust me, reading the entire book gave me a whole new perspective!
Rex went through a lot as a child, but unlike other novels where he channels his frustration into borderline dangerous kink, he uses his past to try and build a better future for the city. His company has various branches, all that give him professional and personal benefits. Rex's power is to be admired, but even when he's in scenes with Inara, it's clear to the reader that despite being the Dom, she's the one who controls him. Rex is obsessed with Inara, and we love a possessive king! He was willing to do anything to protect her, even eliminate any adversary. When he left one of her attackers on her doorstep, I couldn't help but imagine him as a cat bringing back its owner a treat (which is also how Inara describes it 😂)
And now, the moment everyone looks forward to...the spice 🥵HOLY MOLY! What else can I say? The spice was there, it was hot, it was nerve-wracking at time (if you know about the pool scene, then you know) but I loved that Rex always took aftercare seriously. Even in the beginning, when Inara specifically said that she didn't want aftercare at the club, he still managed to take care of her from a distance. I loved seeing Inara's internal battle as she fought to control her desire for Rex and her job as a detective, where she felt that her morals collided with his, but Rex's ability to bring out the feisty submissive in her was thrilling to read! The toys he used, the flogging scenes, the way that it was all consensual even in the dub-con moments made me 💖swoon 💖
𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐃
🐦Sebastian St. James: Sebastian is a character who appears later in the book, but holy moly, if Rex had a rival, it would be Sebastian 😂🥵I found Sebastian to be more sure of himself than Rex. He's the co-owner of the club that Inara frequents, and although Rex and Sebastian both have dirt on each other, Sebastian is more composed, more calculated, while Rex is impulsive and violent. I'm so looking forward to seeing Sebastian's story! He's a character that gives me panther vibes, and I have no doubt that his darkness may even exceed Rex's
🐦The Pool Scene: I'll say it again: THE POOL!! It not only captures the vulnerability between Rex and Inara, but it also FINALLY brings them to a more intimate level in their relationship! Rex and Inara share control even though Rex is the Dom, and seeing him explode under Inara's skill had me kicking my feet and cheering for Inara! Seeing her progress to this stage where she knew how to play Rex just as he knew how to play her was exciting and made my skin tingle with anticipation of what was to come next! Savino did an incredible job detailing the atmosphere while not overwhelming the reader, and seeing Rex loose control as Inara brought him to the pleasure she always wanted from him was amazing!
🐦Literally Every Other Sex Scene: Because you can't tell me that having Rex put Inara on her back and spray her with his c*m after taking her to the heights of pleasure isn't hot 🥵Flogging isn't typically my kind of erotic thrill, but Savino was able to craft the scenes in such a way that they became hot, bursting through the pages and making me feel like I was there with Inara, receiving every bite of the belt from Rex. And don't get me started on Rex's nickname for her! Swallow, or Little Swallow, after the bird, is soo heart-melting. It's Inara's sub name, but it also becomes Rex's nickname for her, and I always love when the MMC gives the FMC a nickname!
🐦Inara's Strength: Inara isn't a fragile character by any means (not that there's anything wrong with fragile characters), and she knows her worth, knows how to take charge of her life, and knows her values more than anything. Savino does an incredible job with giving these characters depth, and in particular, Inara had that silent strength that you didn't have to see to know it was there. She was confident in her work and didn't put up with crap from Burgess or any of the other detectives. She played the game skillfully and knew how to change faces to get what she wanted. Seeing her stand up to Rex, placing her morals unwaveringly, was inspiring! And watching her do her detective work, especially in the beginning when our first character is murdered, was fascinating because Savino clearly did her research on the topic.
🐦The Writing Style: What I think works with His Perfect Darkness is its simple writing style. Savino doesn't overwhelm us with fantastical descriptions. She keeps things neat and short while drawing the readers attention through sensory cues. Particularly during Inara and Rex's sex scenes, while they may come off as wordy, she does a great job with making them communicate and filling the pages with dialogue that the reader's don't want to miss.
🐦The Plot Twists: Savino blew me away with this! I think I was more surprised with Inara's plot twist than Rex's (because it's heavily implied throughout the story), but I need to see it developed more! Inara's power is intriguing, and I'm wondering how it fits into this contemporary world while also rethinking the contemporary setting - maybe it's not as contemporary as I thought it was! If you read J.T. Geissinger's PEN PAL, then you have kind of an idea of what Inara's power entails.
🐦Bonds: I have to give my man Bonds some credit 😂He was the only person who listened to Inara when she was speaking, and unlike Burgess, he took her words to their value and worked with her. I'd love to see more of their friendship! That, and with Diego Silva too!
𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐍𝐄𝐄𝐃𝐒 𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐄 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐊
(🇮🇳 🇲🇾 🇴🇵🇮🇳🇮🇴🇳)
❤️The Pacing: Even though we jump right into the story with a bang (quite literally 😂), I felt like the pacing was too slow. Chapters where Inara's job is being executed felt elongated when it didn't need to be. I think seeing more of Inara in action would have been beneficial, rather than seeing a lot of her internal dialogue, her thoughts about Rex, and her flashbacks to her own family. Those scenes, I think, could have been shortened in the chapter so that the reader could understand the crime itself better, because I found myself having to re-read pages to understand what happened in the crime.
❤️Inara's Morals: I loved that Inara was staunch in her morals, and this is probably just a personal preference (so please take this with a grain of salt), but I felt like she wasn't trying to understand Rex's reasoning and morals when he was explaining them to her. Obviously, killing is very, very wrong, especially in Inara's line of work, but he understood her, he listened to her when she needed him to. And even though she had sympathy for Rex, it was the empathy she lacked where I felt like her development went backwards.
❤️Rex's Vulnerability We love it when a man is able to be vulnerable with his woman, and although it took some time, I was CHEERING when Rex finally opened up to Inara. However, I felt like it came out of the blue. There was noting that pushed Rex to open up to Inara, he just did it after one of their scenes. The scene itself wasn't striking different from their previous sex scenes, so I felt like I needed a bit more for Rex to open up.
MY FINAL THOUGHTS
This is kind of my first dive into deep dark romance, and I was not disappointed! Savino brings out the best and worst in humanity within Rex, Inara, and the world they live in, and I found the connections between Rex and Batman amusing and shocking at how seamlessly they were woven together! I'm looking forward to continuing reading Rex and Inara's story in this duology, and I can't wait to see what other characters (like Sebastian) have in store!
Looking for more of my reviews? Want to contact me? Check out my blog! Shreya Reads, Reviews, and Writes
June 23, 2025
I went into this blind, not realizing it was a reimagining and I’m glad I did! It was a good time. The mystery was really captivating.
July 18, 2025
This really got bogged down with lots of heaviness. It is an interesting plot but everything gets murky and sluggish with how they get together. It takes so long and there is so much denying in her part. Lots of mysterious going ons. There are lots of scenes but a ton of pain which seems very harsh. It does leave as a cliffhanger.
Received a copy from BookSprout
Received a copy from BookSprout
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