First published in March 2026 by Slowburn, book 3, Into Darkness, is available on Amazon in hardcover, paperback, Kindle, audiobook, at libraries, and on the Libby app.

The audiobook featuring performances by Tara Langella and James Cassidy is delightful. Tara is Stella McCormick in spirit, and James makes Tyler Neumann’s spitefulness come through brilliantly.

Allen keeps up her diligence with her long trigger warning list, a must-read, advising her audience of the darkness ahead on this reading journey.

Tyler Neumann is cold, calculated, and bent on vengeance, using anyone in his path. Settla McCormick is one of those wealthy, privileged, and protected. And he hates her for it. Stella hates being forced into his scheme to be his fake girlfriend, accompanying him to glitzy parties, fundraisers, luncheons, or soirées, so he can blackmail other members of the elite society. To what end, she doesn’t know or care. She just wants her brother’s debt erased.

When the MMC is an emotionless prick, and nothing about him feels real, it makes it hard for readers to root for his cause. And Stella’s reasoning to go with the motion, not rocking the boat or making waves for her family, is ridiculous and implausible. Which again leaves readers with nothing to anchor onto.

The grudge Tyler holds against the wealthy is rooted in his childhood, and he doesn’t have all the facts. Everything is based on fussy memories and assumptions. And in the words of Eric Bogosian’s character Travis Dane, from the 1995 film Under Siege 2: Dark Territory: Assumption is the mother of all f* ups.

The saying runs through for this book. No character development. No chemistry between the MC’s. A weak plot makes this a 1-star read. Readers seeking depth or connection may be left disappointed.