I really enjoyed this dark romance novel. Thank you so, so much to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for allowing me to read this title!

Blurb:
CHYLER TATE

I work for Charlotte.
She takes dirty jobs from anonymous clients and feeds them down to us.
I handle the bulk of the dirty work. Spilling blood is nothing to me, it's easy.
We've been hired to hunt down and eliminate a big player in the Pharmaceutical Industry.
The only problem is finding him before we get caught.

HIM

A single night and he had me in his back pocket.
No one touches what’s mine. He is mine.
He doesn't know who I truly am, and I don't know if I'll ever be able to tell him.
But what I do know…
He is going to be the one to ruin me.
He is going to be the one who ruins everything.

ATLAS JENSEN

I'm being transferred to a new CIA Unit in Minneapolis.
We've been tasked with shutting down whoever has been hunting Roman Atwater by picking off his employees for information.
Whoever is doing this is brutal, vicious, and unforgiving.
None of their victims survive.
They need to be stopped.
Their body count is only climbing.

HER

From the moment I saw her, I knew she was mine.
There's a fire to her, and I was drawn in like a moth to a flame.
One night was all it took to bring me to my knees.
She has me wrapped around her finger.
I'd do anything for her.
Anything.

ATARAXIA

A drug that promises the relief of addiction to those who take it.
A single-dose miracle that could give lives back to those who've lost them.
What length would you go to to finally be free of the vice that controls you?
How much faith do you have in the industry?

Chyler isn't your typical female lead - she's a hardened assassin who craves violence, not romance or tenderness. Blood is her currency, not love notes.

On the flip side is Atlas, a CIA agent with a clear mission: track down and capture a vicious killer who happens to be Chyler herself. What makes their dynamic particularly intriguing is that Atlas isn't the morally ambiguous character we've come to expect in dark romances - he's principled, which makes their cat-and-mouse game all the more captivating.

The attraction between these two opposites is electric and entertaining to witness. Their relationship ignites quickly rather than simmering slowly, with plenty of steamy moments throughout. The story delivers several genuine surprises with its plot twists - most of them land perfectly, though perhaps a few too many were packed in.

The narrative maintains a solid pace until the final stretch, where things get a bit tangled. Just a heads-up: this book contains numerous trigger warnings, so definitely check the list before diving in.

For me this had promise for sure ! I couldn't get over the slowwww buildup and the name chyler to be honest.
I loved the assassin heroine and the CIA boyfriend . I loved the 2nd half of this book but as a whole it needed more tension and believability (is that a word).. it felt very flat all the personal stories and stuff I cant mention but it was like

So I put whip cream on my hot dogs
And he's like that's okay
And then we just moved on ....what? (not the true example haha)

Overall thrilling game of "chaser" and spicy plot.
While I like the major portions that made up the storyline, things at the end could have been done better and felt like some editing could have continued.
The "bad Charlie's angels" was cliche but fun and I was here for it. Badass women supporting each other.
The fight for a state of the art drug to market was interesting. I enjoyed the characters and their interactions with each other, even the secondary characters.
I didn't like the dual pov overlapped with plot points more often than needed. I would prefer the story to continue on, not rehash the same scenes.

Spoiler thoughts...!

I knew where she would eventually get caught by Atlas and he would probably help her escape, but his involvement was a nice twist.

She killed a girl in a bar bathroom and no investigation was ever done?
The ending also was a little jumbled. While I could suspended reality for the adventure context it when too far past anything believable and had me rolling my eyes. What job would take the word of an employee that another employee was working on a job no higher ups seemed to know about but could video call in?
The intermingling of their trauma lines was unnecessary, they already knew each others pain and it connected them.

This book had me turning pages and not able to put it down until it was finished.. The story is jam packed with suspense and intrigue and makes you feel wvery emotion of the characters as if you were right there in the book.. definitely one for everyone to read

Chyler, the FMC, isn't a woman to be messed with; she's an assassin. She doesn't want love, and fluff, she was blood.
Atlas, the MMC, is a CIA agent tasked with hunter down a brutal murderer, Chyler. He's not the morally grey man that we usually see in dark romances, which made their cat-and-mouse routine even better.

The chemistry between Chyler and Atlas was fun to watch, opposites attract fits perfectly. It's a fast-burn story, and certainly spicy. The multiple plot twists were unexpected, and honestly, most of them were good, though it could've held with a few less.
The pacing was pretty good, until towards the end, where it felt like it got tangled a little.

There are plenty of triggers, so make sure you read the list.

Oooo this girl knows how to write some spice! This was all that and a bag of chips. Great couple. Relatable. Good story between them but what are we here for with these books… 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ yes … its there in all its glory. Great job.

Holy cow, where to start?! This book isn’t your typical dark romance. Most dark romances feature a morally grey male character.
However, this books morally grey character is female.
Introducing Chyler Tate, who is a force to be reckoned with…
Chyler has a very interesting job, and she loves to get her hands dirty.
Whilst on a job, she crosses paths with your new book boyfriend, Atlas Jensen. And let's just say sparks fly between these two.
It was very fast-paced and had early spice.
This isn't a slow burn book at all!
I can’t wait to see where this series goes. I will definitely continue reading.

This was an engaging and well written book with palpable chemistry between the two leads. The plot felt quite far fetched at times but I was able to suspend my disbelief because of the sizzling chemistry. It did pain me though that the main characters left a nearly full bottle of Jacques Selosse in the restaurant scene - what a shame!

Beautifully written. Spice was superb. Getting to know the characters and watching them bond was amazing. Can't wait to read more

Wow I LOVED this. It had everything I am ever looking for in a book. Murder, mystery, SPICE. I really didn’t except to love this as much as I did, especially because I kept trying to guess what would come next and I never could. Absolutely phenomenal.

Absolutely flawless execution. Not all nice guy finish last, even with a tabby FMC for a love interest.

I absolutely adored this book, and look forward to more. Just when I thought I had the plot figured out, I was completely wrong and thrown for a loop. This dark romance will have you gripping your seat from start to finish. I never knew what the author was going to throw out at me but I couldn’t get enough.

Okay, this book was awesome! It is giving Charlie Angles vibes, but darker. Also some Mindfu*k vibes are mixed around in there as well.

Chyler is a badass FMC. She may had a dark past, and a crazy job, but she don't take crap from anyone! Atlas, the MMC, is badass as well. He is trying to solve a crime while having a little fun in the new city.

I love the chemistry between the characters. The side characters were awesome and I love how the author mixed that all together.

This overall was a wonderful read! It was a dual POV, mixed with actions, and the spice was spicing!

The book in my opinion was a cliffhanger, so I can't wait to see what happens next.

I would definitely recommend this one and I was happy to be able to take this wild ride!

**Ataraxia** features Chyler Tate, a fierce assassin on a mission to take down a pharmaceutical warlord, and Atlas Jenson, a CIA agent investigating related murders. Both are haunted by their pasts and initially closed off, but their intense chemistry is undeniable when they meet.

While I enjoyed Chyler's complex character, the insta-love romance felt rushed. The last quarter of the book was thrilling, with twists and action that matched the fast pace. Their sizzling chemistry and steamy scenes are a highlight.

With several trigger warnings, this dark romance balances intensity and excitement well. I couldn’t put it down and am eager for the next book!

Wow, what a read. 3 female assassins and CIA agents what more can you ask for. This is Chy and Atlas’s story.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you for allowing me to review

***Received ARC through NetGalley***

Search for trigger warnings before reading this book.

3.5 ⭐

A good start to an interconnected standalone series. I look forward to the rest of this series.

An enjoyable book, but a little too insta-love for me.

Lots of twists and turns, some predictable others not so much.

Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing for this ARC in return for an honest review.

Ataraxia by Jacklyn Parker is a dark romance, full of secrets and trickery. There’s definitely spice pretty quickly from the start of the book, and oh boy is it SPICY. I think my eyes bugged out of my head a few times. Toxic? Maybe. Do we care? Nope!

I really enjoyed reading an FMC who genuinely struggles with human connection. Typically we see MMCs that way, but not so much female characters. Trauma doesn’t discriminate! Chyler has a dark past and a murky present/future, but there were things she mentioned that wouldn’t have flown as an assassin of her caliber. Missing details like that would’ve resulted in her being 💀.

Atlas is…oh my lanta. SO. Freaking. HOT. 🥵 color me intrigued, I highlighted quite a few of the things he said. His traumatic past weaved around Chyler’s and so many secrets couldn’t be contained forever. Predator and prey, but who is who? 😈
There were a couple twists in the book I wasn’t quite expecting and I really enjoyed those moments. It was an easy to follow book right up until the last 20-25% or so.

The writing style was a little off for me in parts, the pace would be really good for a handful of chapters then it felt like the plot was being disrupted or tripping over itself a bit. There was a good chunk of the book where the language was redundant and, in turn, felt like it was going in circles a little given how decisive and determined the characters were to complete their missions.
Overall a decent read!

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
🌶️🌶️🌶️

I was lucky enough to receive a copy of this book through NetGalley. Overall, I enjoyed this book. The badass assassin and CIA agent trope is amazing. The spice was great and kept me entertained. I would recommend this book!

✨️✨️ARC REVIEW✨️✨️
This fast-paced dark romance between a hitman for hire and a CIA agent left me on the edge of my seat. It reminded me of a mix between Charlie Angel's and the Mindf*ck series and would be a great read for fans of both.
The book does have an HEA. However, the ending opens up for the next book and I'm very curious how it'll play out.
This was too much insta-lust for me and did contain a lot of filler, but overall I enjoyed Ataraxia and didn't want to put it down.

[Thank you to Jacklyn Parker and Netgalley for provided this arc in exchange for an honest review.]

Intense, dark, and addictive - clear your calendar for this one. More than romance, more than sizzling heat, complex plot with many layers and secrets that pushes you to the end - relentless. A must read.