I loved this. If you’re into dark, obsessive reads featuring morally grey characters with thoughtful, empathetic moments sprinkled in, this could be a hit.

 

Energy: Repulsive. Captivating. Idiosyncratic. 

 

🐩 Tail Wags. The main character was oddly likable because she’s humanized at key moments. The steamy scenes added to the story rather than distracting from it. The twist was surprising and campy but worked well because the story already had those undertones. The character study was show-not-tell, and didn’t feel repetitive or preachy.

 

Scene: 🇺🇸 Set in Orange County, California.

Perspective: A mortgage secretary with a crush on a coworker. After suspecting their spouse of cheating, they decide it’s time to do something about it. We also get a brief perspective from a friend.

Timeline: Late 1950s. Early 1960s. 1970s. Early 1980s. 

🔥 Fuel: Will our main character get caught? What will she do about her unrequited crush? Will her plan work? How far is she willing to go to get what she wants? What happened to make her like this? 

📖 Cred: Campy realism

 

Cake. Expensive cologne. Sugary wine. Hair. Incense. Autumn air. Drive-in. 

 

Adult/minor relationship (abuse, rape, grooming). Body horror, mutilation. Dementia (parent; brief). Drug use (recreational, microdosing; LSD, acid). Drugging, poisoning. Forced institutionalization (legal, psychiatric). Infidelity, betrayal (discovery of). Misandry. Murder, violence, blood (on page). Overdose (brief mention). Self-medicating (food, alcohol). Sexual assault (unwanted advances, bullying). Sexual content (on page; consenting, group, hook ups, desire). Stalking, obsession. Suicidal thoughts, feelings. 

 

Rep: American. Mixed race [Indigenous (American)-Black; Indigenous (American)-Mexican]. Hispanic. Cis. Hetero. Queer. Gay peripheral character. Tan, glassy, black, golden, and ambiguous skin tones. 

 

📚 Format: Kindle Unlimited