4 stars! Willing Victim by Cara McKenna

For the past couple years Laurel's been coasting, hiding in the backseat while her life drifts off course. Then one summer afternoon a tall, built bruiser named Flynn strides in and steers her straight into an infatuation she never saw coming.Flynn introduces Laurel to things she's never imagined-to the violent but exciting realm of the underground boxing circuit, to rough sex and even rougher role-playing, and to an attraction she craves even as it intimidates her. As Flynn invites her deeper into his world and his life, Laurel has to make a choice-let fear keep her holed up where it's safe, or take a chance and fight for the man who makes her feel more alive than she'd dreamed possible.

Reader Advisory: Although all sex acts are 100-percent consensual, Willing Victim contains role-playing scenarios that may upset some readers who are sensitive about rape, even in a simulated capacity.

Type: Dark Erotica, HFN, Novella
Heat: 4 out of 5
Rating: 4 out of 5

Amazon All Romance Goodreads

Dirty talking, rough sex and kinkery goodness. Yes. Yes, please!! Willing Victim was a incredibly seductive read and I loved every single bit of it as a chance encounter brings fairly straight laced Laurel into the dark and twisty world of an underground boxer named Flynn who helps unleash her inner fantasies. The rough around the edges hero, the curious heroine, the chemistry. It was all so damn good.

“Listen, kiddo,” he said. “I’m a selfish prick, and I want to be the greatest fuck of your life and ruin you for every man who comes after me. But I’m not a mind reader, so I need some help. Otherwise I could end up as the douchebag who’s got shitty taste in wine and totally traumatized you when you were thirty.”

I just...*thud* I fucking love a dirty talker and Flynn is goood at it. Whew. He's not a polished hero in any way shape or form. He fucks another woman in front of Laurel--don't worry she was totally into it and it's before they're together-- he's gruff and forceful and not the sweetest talker. And the man makes absolutely no apologies for any of it. He knows he has some kinks going on and he's good with them and damn it all that is so fucking sexy to me. And Laurel. Hmm. I really love when a heroine is curious and gets into the kinkery too. She didn't wow me quite as much as Flynn but she was held her own.

I really liked how Laurel and Flynn fell in together. Things start out with the only goal between them that of getting each others rocks off but as it goes along you can see them starting to care for each other and it's really rather sweet and romantic and sometimes a bit funny. I loved that they really talk with each other. They find out what the other needs and wants and they go for it.

The sex? It's hot. Holy hell. Yeah. He's good in bed and doesn't mind getting dirty or mixing it up. I really liked that while they have some serious kinks they don't have to indulge in them all of the time. Straight vanilla missionary works for them too and whew yeah... powerful. Though force fantasies are played out in this one it's always very clear it's consensual and that Laurel feels very safe with him. It's definitely not for everyone but it's not nearly as extreme as I thought it would be.

McKenna is an incredible talent and can really make you feel what her characters are feeling. The attraction, the excitement, the tension and awkwardness when things are a bit up in the air. All of it was amazing and damn it makes you wish you were these characters. Just for a little while. My only complaint is that I wish it had been a bit longer. Or was a series. Because dammit I want a hell of a lot more of Flynn and his dirty talking ways. If you like dark erotica Willing Victim will definitely hit the spot.

Have you read Cara McKenna? What did you think?

Do you have a favorite dark romance? 

Or dirty talker?