Willing Prey, the debut novel from Allie Oleander, was quite the wild ride! Having now finished it I’m desperately hoping that Oleander will give us Margot and Caine’s story next as there has to be something there right?!

Drowning in student loan debt, Claire is about to be made an offer she can’t refuse: spend thirty days indulging corporate lawyer Shane’s primal desires in exchange for $30,000. All she has to do is give him the hunt of his life. Claire’s perfectly happy to swap her boring summer job for a wild summer. But once they cross the tree line, she realizes how little she knows about the man paying her to be his prey. Shane is different in the woods. Brutal. Devastating. Feral. That’s okay with Claire—she is, too. And she’s sinking her teeth a little deeper into Shane’s heart every time he catches her.

Owing to the nature of this book no one will be surprised to find that it’s extremely spicy and yet it’s also so much more. Oleander has struck a brilliant balance between a super steamy plot and a whole lot of humour and heart. Claire is a great FMC and I really liked how she was able to really find and be herself during her time with Shane, after years of fitting into the role her ex forced her into. It was also fun to see just how bad Shane had it for Claire and for him to try and get to grips with his feelings. Another thing I really enjoyed was the growing friendship between Claire and Margot, and how Margot went to bat for Claire. I feel we’ve a lot more to learn about Margot and hope we get the chance to in the future.

If you’re looking for a seriously steamy read, with a whole load of banter, emotion and pining on top look no further.

4 out of 5 Stars – Somebody call animal control because this book is feral 🐾🔥

Okay, let’s be honest: I did not expect to enjoy being metaphorically chased through the woods quite this much — but here we are. There’s something about the whole predator/prey vibe that really works when done right. And in this debut? It’s not just right. It’s downright filthy… in the best way.

Claire is recently divorced, in debt, and agrees to be hunted by her ex-husband’s boss for 30 days in exchange for $30k. Sounds insane? It is. But also? Brilliant. Because Shane — the boss, the hunter, the lawyer by day, predator by night — is hotter than should be legally allowed. This man makes stalking sound romantic. (Do NOT try this at home.)

The writing? Surprisingly sharp. The tension? So thick you could cut it with Shane’s jawline. I appreciated that Claire wasn’t just running for her life — she’s smart, strategic, and lowkey having the time of her life. Meanwhile, Shane’s basically losing his mind over her and loving every second.

Yes, it’s kinky. Yes, it’s hot. But it also has real emotion underneath all the chasing, pinning, and panting. These two maniacs somehow make you believe that “getting hunted through the woods” is a legit way to fall in love.

Honestly, I had no idea I needed this dynamic in my life — but now I do. Pray for me.

Huge thanks to Evermore Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC — I’m not saying this book awakened something, but… I’m also not not saying that. 😉

Willing Prey by Allie Oleander was everything I didn’t know I needed—sexy, spicy, and absolutely unputdownable. I fell into this book so quickly and completely, it was like getting swept into a delicious, dangerous whirlwind.

The pacing? Fast. The tension? Off the charts. And the characters? Incredibly well developed. I genuinely cared about them (and wanted some of them, let’s be honest). Oleander balances heat and heart so well—it’s intense and intimate, but never sacrifices emotional depth.

While a few plot moments might’ve benefited from a little more room to breathe (hence the 4 stars instead of 5), it didn’t take away from how hooked I was. I devoured this in one sitting.

Highly recommend if you’re craving something dark, sharp, and scorchingly hot.

Claire & Shane
Primal Play
Praise & Degradation
He Falls First
Cinnamon Roll MMC
Run and catch

I saw the cover for this book and I was sold without even reading the blurb 🤣

I loved this one! It was exactly what I was looking for!

Claire is recently divorced and needing to earn some quick cash, and finds herself agreeing to become "prey" for 30 days

Shane 🤭 this man has it BAD for her!!!

So freaking good! I didn’t want this one to end!!

Finished this book in one sitting! I always worry with spicy books that the plot won't be there but I was pleasantly surprised! I loved this book!

Firstly thank you to Netgalley and PRH/Cornerstone for the eArc.

I picked up Willing Prey on a complete whim as I've been in a reading slump and wanted something different to fantasy. I love a good spicy romance and I'm so glad I gave this book a go! As Shane so eloquently put it I've had a "kinkawakening".

CNC is one of my favourite kinks to read and adding the thrill of the "hunt" element was HOT. The kinks were explored in a healthy and consensual way and I loved the non-judgement from the MCs friends and family. They were just let yo freak flags fly!

Also we need to have more books with older MCs exploring their sexual desires. "Old" people want to get laid too!

Shane was the absolute hero of the story for me. A big scary bear looking man who's really just a shy nerd on the inside. Basically a teddy bear in a grizzly bear's body. His POV had me constantly giggling and kicking my feet with a big stupid grin on my face.

Claire was also easy to like and I think most women will be able to relate to her struggles.

Please make sure to check trigger warnings but Willing Prey is the perfect read for anyone looking for a cute romance with an atmosphere of "happy, happy sexy times".

3.75⭐️
👻 standalone primal romance novella
🍑 open door spice
👻 dual POVs
🍑 MCs in their 30s and 40s
👻 trigger warnings: please check
🍑 kinks including CNC primal play
👻 he falls first and hard
🍑 ex husbands’ boss

Firstly thank you so much Evermore for this eARC!

~My Thoughts~
This was such a fun little spicy read that’s was truly a welcome reprieve from the heavy fantasy books I’m in between.

I am such a big big fan of consensual exploration of sexual kinks and this book does it so so well. There’s no negativity around the primal kink that both Shane and Claire have and everyone that’s in their lives (whether they understand or not) are very respectful which just makes me so happy.

And also? The representation? Older MCs exploring their sexual sides. MORE OF THIS PLEASE 👏 (absolute praise to the author for making the MCs who they are both age wise and experience)

Shane is the epitome of ‘if he wanted to he would’. His feelings for Claire makes him do research into what she likes and ensuring that their ‘extracurricular activities’ are done with care and support of each other.

Claire is such a relatable FMC - going through a horrible relationship and trying to find her footing whilst also exploring herself and growing in who she is too.

And the spice? Y’all I was sat 👀 like hot damn if you catch my drift.

The whole book was just happy sexy vibes with great characters and wonderful relationships. I know this is a standalone but I feel like there’s room for a certain two characters to have their own story 👀

If any of the above tropes suit you, you’ll enjoy this one.

Willing Prey releases 7th October!

Thank you to NetGalley and Allie Oleander for allowing me to read Willing Prey.

I absolutely loved it, ate it up!! I’ve not read spicy hunting before but thought it was top tier! I loved the main characters (and Margot & Caine obvs!) and the references to being neurospicy. I really enjoyed the relatability of the main characters and would’ve loved to hear more about Shane’s back story.

I wasn’t entirely sure with the start of the book, being thrown straight into day one without any back story, but it does make sense in hindsight. I enjoy not always having to wait to 40% to get the good stuff you know! The spice was spicing, but wasn’t over the top or repetitive. I thought it was well paced - in the 24 hours it took to devour this!

I really enjoyed the aspect of them swapping roles. This book is cleverly disguised to boost a woman’s self esteem. Underneath the super hot spicy scenes, I think it tells a story of a real woman going through a terrible time and coming out the other end with the kind of love she deserves.

Will we be reading more about Margot?? There feels like a lot of potential here and I will absolutely be looking out for more from this author!
#NetGalley #WillingPrey #AllieOleander #spiceperfection

Claire needs money and Shane needs the thrill of the chase. All she has to do to get $30000 is to be hunted for 30 days.

I liked the dual POV in this and the storyline is decent alongside the smut. There’s lots of tropes, the main one being primal.

I loved the way Shane was utterly obsessed with Claire and the backstory of her divorce. I’d like to have found out more about Margot and Caine as they were fun extra characters.

I also liked that the characters were over 35 and the FMC wasn’t stick thin.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the advanced copy.

Thank you to Netgalley and Evermore for an e-arc of Willing Prey. All opinions will be my own.

Recently divorced Claire in swimming in student loan debt and is currently strapped for money. When lawyer, Shane, offers her $30,000 for 30 days of being 'hunted', she is more than ready for a wild summer.

I've only read one dark romance before, so I'm quite a newbie to the genre, and oh my goodness this was so much fun! I did not know dark romance books could be so funny, but the banter between Claire and Shane was perfect, along with the side characters.

I love Claire and Shane together. Claire is wonderfully sassy, hilarious and knows her own mind. Shane is a cinnamon roll in human form! I did not expect him to already have it SO BAD for Claire from the start and I absolutely loved it!

Also, it is so cool that this was a novella and is now being published as a full novel!

This was a cracking read. I wasn't sure how much to expect from it, and was kind of blown away. The title definitely sets out the stall for the book: it centres around a primal predator/prey dynamic, and we jump straight in to the action as Claire moves in with Shane to begin her 30-day contract as the titular prey, to be hunted through the woods on his secluded estate. And there're plenty of spicy scenes to drive the narrative, and they're probably as visceral and heart-pounding as I've read, so 10/10 no notes there! But I was surprised by everything else being as good as it was: the writing generally, the wider cast of characters being interesting and engaging, the plot and story development being satisfying and well-paced. It's funny and full of heart as well as heat. The combination of wit, warmth and dark, kinky romance will definitely appeal to fans of Navessa Allen and Brynne Weaver, and I would 100% read anything else Allie Oleander cared to publish. More, please!

This book was wild in the best possible way.
Claire’s drowning in student debt and agrees to let a hot, intense lawyer hunt her through the woods for $30K. Yes, hunt her. But what totally surprised me and what I love was how emotionally intimate it got between Claire and Shane. Like, somehow in between the chasing, these two actually connect. And it works.

Claire’s no damsel, she’s smart, bold, and into the game as much as he is. And Shane is intense, but you can’t help falling for him a little every time he lets his guard down. It’s primal, it’s filthy, and somehow it’s still romantic.
Also, can we talk about Caine and Margot? I didn’t expect to care this much about side characters but now I’m desperate for a book about them.

The spice was spicing, the pacing is great, and it was such a fun mix of dark, thrilling, and addictive. Honestly, my only complaint is that there aren’t more books by Allie Oleander yet. How is this a debut!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

Did I go into this blind, yes
Was this absolutely unhinged? Also yes

I loved it! I read it in one sitting and it was feral, dirty and oh so spicy. I loved that even though it was spicy the storyline incorporated a sweet relationship between Claire and Shane. I really enjoyed how their relationship developed and those woods scenes live rent free in my head.

Thank you Allie, Penguin and NetGalley

4⭐️
#Willingprey #Netgalley

Now I’m the first to admit, ‘dark romance’ isn’t a genre I lean towards all that often but I had so much fun with this.

Wonderfully written, fun and sexy, this ‘little toe dip’ in the sea of dark romance tropes out there felt like an excellent balance for those wanting something a little more light hearted or are wanting to explore the genre.

I liked that the characters were more mature, it felt fitting for the conversations had and that the right level of maturity for the exploration/level of kink that was explored in this story.

A great, fun read, if you are want a little lighthearted danger and to try something new 👀 …

Thanks NetGalley, Evermore and Allie Oleander for the thank to review this ARC.

Firstly, thank you to the team at evermore for sending me an early copy of Willing Prey.
I absolutely adored this book, couldn't put it down.
I loved the character growth, the spice and even the banter throughout the book.
I highly recommend if you like a spicy dark romance!

Willing Prey is a dark, spicy romance that throws you straight into it.
Claire agrees to live in a mansion for 30 days in exchange for $30k… but she must allow herself to be hunted through the woods by Shane - her ex-husband’s boss.
Yeah, you read that right, and yes it’s as hot as it sounds.

What begins as a no strings business arrangement, slowly becomes so much more. The Primal Play, fun in the woods, evolves into something raw, emotional, and very real for them both.
But queue the emotional tension and angst since both Claire and Shane are terrible at communicating their newfound feelings for each other.

I would have loved for more of a deep dive into Shane's childhood and the dynamic with his dad. There really seems to be so much more to this that we are missing out on.

But honestly - I still devoured this in one sitting and enjoyed every sweet & steamy moment. I am hopeful that we will be getting Shane's brother Caine's story next.

Wow!
I raced through this book in a day, I literally couldn't put it down.
Claire is recently divorced after her awful husband Keith cheated on her. Drowning in debt, she agrees to a 30 day contract with Shane (who happens to be Keith's boss) where she will be his willing prey as he hunts her down in the woods.
What I didn't expect -but loved- from this book was the level of emotional intimacy between Claire and Shane. The supporting characters of Caine and Margot were also amazing and I'm desperately hoping that this will develop into a series with their book next.
Top tier spice levels, thrilling, dark, fun, and oh so enjoyable.
My only complaint is that there aren't more books from this author (seriously, this is a debut?!) but Allie Oleander will 100% be on my watch list for new releases.
Thank you so much to Netgalley & Random House UK for providing an advance copy for review.

H.O.T with 5* Spice.

Claire had it rough with Keith, he didn't deserve her, had no respect for women in general and got what he deserved in the end.
Shane was a dark horse, there was A LOT hiding under that sharp fitted suit.

Initially I found it a little cringe the stalker lengths Shane went too just from a conversation of a man boasting about his private life, but as they say everything happens for a reason. Claire wasn't a walk over as I was kind of expecting. She held her own, she was assertive and like the other women in the book, didn't take any crap (apart from Naomi she took the crap out).

Fun, easy read. I hope there's another book with Caine and Margot, loved these two!

When I tell you I have no words for how much I loved this book, I'm not kidding. I was really in the mood for a dark but funny romance, and this hit the spot perfectly. This book follows Claire and Shane. Claire has just divorced her cheating husband and eagerly enters a deal with Shane. For 30 days, she is his prey, and she will receive $30,000 when the days are up. I absolutely devoured this book. I loved every character, and the chemistry between Claire and Shane was incredible. I love how open they are with each other, and I love how their relationship builds through the book! I loved all the sweet moments between the pair, and I loved how protective Shane was. I also loved all the side characters in this book, they were all so funny. I need a book for Shane's brother and Margot!

My only problem this is she hasnt written anymore books, where will i get my fix. This is not usually my bag, I like dark romance but find i get bored when the plot is lacking
This plot is not lacking
Theres a great solid plot that doesnt diminish from the spice. It isn't instalove and the spice doesnt slow down as the book goes on, ticking all the boxes for me.
Im so glad I went into this blind it wasn't atall what I expected. I stayed up reading this all night, no notes, please write more 🙏