Hearts in Darkness by Laura Kaye

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On August 31st, right before bed, I had one prompt left for the Summer of Swoon board 3, in a series. I wanted to pick up a shorter novella once again to finish the board. I went through a couple options, but nothing was really hitting my mood. I thought about picking up one of the novellas I had in paperback and was drawn to Hearts in Darkness by Laura Kaye. It's the first in her Hearts in Darkness series. I actually own the first 2 books in paperback and somehow have never read the 2nd or the follow up novella.

Makenna is headed home and ends up stranded in the elevator in the dark. There's one other person trapped with her, Caden. She didn't really get a good look at him before but is very attracted to his voice. As they wile away the hours, the darkness lends towards a mood of openness and intimacy between the two. Caden has been through some trauma and being trapped with Makenna helps keep his fears from taking over.

I originally heard about this book from the Smart Women Read Romance podcast when they did an episode on it. I immediately added it to my tbr and picked it up shortly after. Upon reread I still give this book 5-stars. Even though it's a little bit insta-love and insta-lust, being in the dark for hours with another person can really up the intimacy level and help stop a lot of preconceptions. I really loved the way they connected and really were attracted to the other person's voice and personality. I loved how they both had their insecurities and were worried about when the lights came back on.

This was also super steamy and the tension between them is just sublime. I definitely want to pick up the next books in the series. I feel like originally it was just supposed to be this as a standalone, but she ended up making a duet and then later adding a novella. I don't remember where I heard that, maybe the podcast, but I definitely need to finish it. I'm not usually the biggest fan of duets, but I don't feel like you're missing out if you just read the first book.

If you like forced proximity, this is a perfect option. I forgot how much I loved this book and it certainly makes me want to be trapped in an elevator with a sexy tattooed paramedic! If you haven't picked it up, I highly recommend it. If you've already read it or want to learn more before reading it, certainly listen to the episode linked above. Smart Women Read Romance is a wonderful podcast I love that they focus on the positives and mostly stick to books they love.

Have you read Hearts in Darkness?

Bookishly Yours,

Stasi🍎

STATISTICS: Hearts in Darkness, Laura Kaye, 5-stars, 0 days, paperback, 112 pages, published in 2011