Wow. Killian and Skye’s had me giggling and kicking my feet. Just like Skye, I found the darkness of Killian alluring. I really loved how Killian found a way to make up for his past choices. The smut was amazing and left me a mess. Both Skye’s and Killian’s stories were sad and seeing how they ended up being connected was something I didn’t see coming.

Stalker, obsessed, soulmates. Killian Asher is a billionaire, who never knew love until he sees her. Skye is a yoga studio owner, who just can't catch a break in the love and personal aspect of her life.
I enjoyed how Skye, after being a "push over" for so much of her life, began to stand up for herself after dealing with Killian.
This story kept my attention and made me want to finish to see how it would play out.
Be sure to check the content warnings. This book had a good amount of spice!!! I enjoyed it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Kimberly Quay for this ARC!

I was drawn to this book because I needed a dark romance and the blurb gave me this vibe.

However, this book does not contain much of stalking, just in the beginning. Tainted Dreams was a mess of everything. It even has a fake dating trope, though why remains unsolved. It could be easily skipped.

So this book is marketed as a dark romance but even though there were some dark scenes it was very light and did not go into details. I felt like all the throat-holding scenes gave this book the privilege to be called dark, otherwise, it wouldn’t be. And all those scenes just didn’t hold my attention because like I said I really didn’t feel like I was reading a dark romance. Killian was intense and he supposedly killed people but not much was done in the meaning of gore and blood to make me feel queasy.

Funny enough, one scene reminded me of the movie/book Confessions of a Shopaholic,

In the end, there were a lot of time jumps and I felt like the ending was a very long epilogue, all wrapped up neatly.

To sum up, 3.5-4ish stars.

I wanted to like this book, I really did!

This ended up being a failed attempt at a Fifty Shade type of story. Nothing in this story was believable and Skye should be in therapy rather than dating Killian. And if I read about one more FMC who is always wet at the drop of a dime and hear one more MMC say "good girl" to his partner as if she was a poodle, I will loose it! Let's retire those two please!

A billionaire personally choosing to get his hands dirty instead of having people doing his dirty work and who stays in a hotel that would offer his room number to the first stranger inquiring about it? Where do these billionaires exist?

And for someone like Skye who is a DV victim/survivor, to be with someone who is capable of murder, who confessed that he has rage issues, who is always squeezing your throat and telling you how you are his and he will never let you do? I cannot think of a bigger red flag. And yet my girl feels "safe" with him! Incroyable!

Billionaire romances are not supposed to be relatable, I understand that! But this one was not even logical!

Kimberly Quay’s “Tainted Dreams: A Dark Billionaire Romance” captivates readers with its thrilling storyline, compelling characters, and scintillating romance.

One of the standout aspects of this novel is its well-crafted characters. Killian, the morally grey antihero, steals the show with his enigmatic personality and irresistible charm. He is a character who constantly keeps you guessing, and his complexity adds a layer of intrigue to the narrative. Skye, the female protagonist, is equally impressive. She possesses a vulnerability when it comes to her love for Killian, yet she remains strong-willed and confident, never hesitating to stand up for herself. Their chemistry is electrifying, and their interactions are filled with tension and fiery exchanges that make their romance utterly captivating.

The author skillfully weaves together the elements of romance, suspense, and sensuality. The love story between Killian and Skye is the beating heart of the novel, and it unfolds with a perfect blend of tenderness and passion. The author does an excellent job of creating an intense connection between the characters, making their relationship feel believable and compelling. The spice factor in their romance is tantalizingly well-balanced, adding an extra layer of heat to the story without overpowering the emotional depth.

Quay’s writing style is engaging and fluid, making it easy to get lost in the story. The pacing is well-maintained, with enough suspense and surprises to keep readers hooked from beginning to end.

In conclusion, “Tainted Dreams: A Dark Billionaire Romance” is an enthralling book that fans of the genre will thoroughly enjoy. With its well-drawn characters, intense romance, and gripping plot, Kimberly Quay has crafted a page-turner that keeps readers engaged until the very end. Prepare to be swept away by the love, passion, and intrigue that fill the pages of this captivating novel.

I cannot rate this as it never showed up in my netgalley app to read. So I'm unable to give a review at this time.

Very good written dark romance book that kept me wanting to read more of Skye and Killian.
Definitely going to read more of the author and I cannot wait for the second book to come out.

This pink cute cover is deceiving, this is an 18+ romance with very dark themes which is great for me. I think this is a great gateway for those who want to delve into dark romance and haven't done so before because there's a lot of tropes but it's very accessible. I enjoyed the character development of the hero in the story, he has been through a lot which was hard to read but his journey to the end of the novel was great.

I enjoyed the writing style, it was fast paced and I didn't find myself bored at all. I think the steamy scenes were written well and other than the occasional cheesy monologue, I had a wonderful time.

The book was quite good, like the personal growth from characters. The only thing i didnt like was how there felt holes in the story because of the writing, but other than that i loved it

I didn't realize if I downloaded it counted towards feedback....I am so sorry I didn't get a chance to read this book....

However I still want to read it so I guess I'll be purchasing a copy.

This book was such an entertaining and consuming story, I literally couldn’t put it down! I really liked the relationship between Skye and Killian, even if it was a bit weird for me that she was so calm about the whole stalking aspect. Also i found myself very interested in the side characters and can’t wait to read their stories. All in all a fun dark romance book!

Spice level: 5/5
Plot rating: 3/5

Talk about morally gray characters — Killian dominates that category.

The spice was top-notch 👏🏻 but the plot itself fell flat for me. I felt like the main plot twist that led to the third act break up wasn’t really that big of a deal and Skye was melodramatic. She was already aware of how Killian made his money and never showed concern herself for what happened to the “little people” so why did she act like Killian not thinking about those people was so awful? And the time frame for their break-up was crazy.

The ending was exactly what I needed it to be to wrap the their relationship up into a spicy little happily ever after.

Ohhh wooow! My, my, the way this just became one of my favorite books!!! Ahhh I absolutely loved this, Skye and Killian are my new favorite couple ❤️‍🔥 I loved the writing, the style, the tropes!! Everything was absolute perfection, I made 117 highlight and I could have easily made more, the way everything is written had me swooning at my fictional new bf lol

From beginning, middle and end, everything went on so smoothly, I absolutely highly recommend Tainted Dreams. It had Billionaire romance, fake dating, forced proximity, touch her and you 💀, who did this to you? And the spice!! 🥵

Seriously, I cannot say enough to rave about this book, the ending!!! I was literally on a rollercoaster of emotions in the best way possible!

Tainted Dreams is a great steamy read if you want something that doesn't make you think too hard. I really enjoyed this. The characters felt a little bit undeveloped, but this was a quick enjoyable read.

I liked Killian and Skye, polar opposites who feel a strong draw toward one another. There is some stalking, some secret-keeping, and some vindictive exes... and it comes together in a delicious package.

*I received a free ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I couldn't finish this book I tried but felt I couldn't get into it. I couldn't connect with the characters and felt the plot was lackluster

A spicy dark billionaire romance is always a win. There’s possessiveness, stalking, and instant obsessive love. So much emotional and intense drama from start to finish

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

This was sexy and sweet and I am looking forward to reading more in the series.

Skye Larsen lives in NYC and owns her own successful yoga studio. She tries to find sunshine in her life after years of darkness…. Her mothers an addict and on life support, and she recently left an abusive relationship. 2 years ago she saw a man that she can’t get out of her head…. So much that she even paints him.
Killin Asher is a NYC billionaire, who thrives on taking down businesses and selling them for scraps. He’s a stereotypical billionaire…. No time for love, but plenty of time for connectionless sex…. Until he sees her.
Skye consumes all of his thoughts…. To the point where Killian takes up casual stalking to keep an eye on her…. And she absolutely THRIVES on it!
A connection made out of darkness, they are determined to be together at all costs.

One of my biggest pet peeves of romances are third act breakups that take FOREVER. I agree with the reason they broke up, but it made me sad that they were apart for so long. Other than that, I really enjoyed the story and the smut was TOP NOTCH!!! I couldn’t get enough of it. Killian Asher is HOT!!
This ended up being a 4 star read for me due to the third act long term break up, but I fully intend on reading book 2!

Tainted Dreams: 4 stars ⭐️
Spice rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️ (full spice)

Absolutely admired this book. The stalking was quite light, I'd definitely recommend for those who want to dive into the trope. The FMC and MMC were both relatable and I loved them so much. I can't wait to read book 2.

LOVED Killian and his "touch her and you die" (literally) vibes. Everything you could really want in a book like this. Well written and plentiful smut, overprotective, gorgeous MMC, and dual POV. Only complaint was that I found FMC POVs a bit annoying, but thats easy enough to deal with