There’s no telling where the money went in this lurid truth or dare sex games gone wild kill or be killed adult fiction, “Behind A Closed Door,” by J.D. Barker.

What starts out as a neighborly tome about childless couples Abby and Brendan and Hannah and Stuckey who enjoy weekly game nights and socializing, soon turns into a horror story about an online App called Sugar & Spice that the couples download.

Before long the Sugar & Spice App is sending frequent challenges offering higher points for undertaking risky actions both sexual and dangerous. Before long it becomes apparent that the App infiltrates every electronic device in its surroundings. It also audio and video records everything. The App, at the direction of its coders, can even deep fake videos at their discretion.

Before long there are millions of Sugar & Spice users around the globe. With this, paranoia and chaos abound, especially if you’re being hunted by the creators of Sugar and Spice.

Something dark is at the center of Sugar & Spice. What is this evil and why is it so ruthless? If you can stomach lots of sexual triggers, as well as gory bloodbaths then this may be the book for you. It’s definitely not my genre. I did persevere to the end, although we are left hanging with another mystery. Oh, well. If there is a sequel, I’m not coming back for seconds.

JoyReaderGirl1 graciously thanks NetGalley, Author J.D. Barker, and Publisher Hampton Creek Press for this advanced reader’s copy for review.

This is another level of horror and thriller written by J.D. Barker. It is truly remarkably indeed like the Fifty Shades of Gray but with a concept that just like Hostel vibe of horror for me.

It started with Sugar and Spice, a dating platform that find you matches but it pays a total price. Some parts haunts me and saddens my entire reading experience because of how darker and darker the story goes.

Writing was good but J.D. Barker needs some improvements in his prose more but still the concept was well crafted.

I went into this book completely blind... and boy am i happy i did!!! Such a great, crazy surprise! Loved everything about it, the spice, the dilemmas, characters, and the just absolute craziness of it all. Barker has become and auto-read/buy for me with his 4th monkey books.... and im so glad i trusted my gut to request and read this one!

I found this to be suspenseful....it just didn't work for me. It got wordy and didn't keep my attention.

In Behind a Closed Door, Abby and Brendan Hollander turn to counseling to rejuvenate their faltering marriage. Their therapist, Dr. Donetti, recommends the trending app "Sugar and Spice," promising to reignite their romance. What begins as a playful experiment quickly spirals into a nightmarish ordeal as the app's increasingly bizarre and dangerous missions take over their lives.

Barker's novel delivers a fresh take on the perils of unchecked technology, blending suspense with a cautionary tale about the risks of blindly accepting app terms. The story is a gripping reminder of the potential dangers lurking behind seemingly harmless digital tools, making you think twice about the true cost of convenience.

4/5.

I have enjoyed every one of J.D. Barker’s books and Behind a Closed Door is no exception. This is a fast-paced, steamy, violent, rollercoaster of a story which showcases what can go wrong with all the new technology that the worldwide population must deal with today. With thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for my ARC.

The book had its moments, but overall, it felt a bit lackluster. The story was decent, and the characters were okay, but nothing really stood out. It wasn’t bad, just not particularly memorable.

I loved the Forth Monkey series, and had high hopes for this one. So much so that I put off reading this one u til the perfect time. Unfortunately, this one did not hit for me. It’s wasn’t bad, and I have recommended it to a couple people looking for something like this. But, it was a little too graphic and too sexual for what I want in a thriller book.

ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS BOOK! I really got into this book so quickly and read through it so fast cause i could bot gwt enough! The writing was amazing and I never got bored with it! It is definitely worth reading!

**Trigger warning: rape, violence, sexual assault**
****I received a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion****
Abby and Brendan Hollander have been married for some time, and the daily and monotonous effects of life are taking their toll. Determined to repair their marriage, the couple attend a therapy session. Their homework is simple: have sex. To aid in their assignment, the therapist even suggests a new app for Brendan and Abby to try. Sugar & Spice has been taking the world by storm. Essentially, the app is an adult (X-rated) version of truth or dare, with no in-app purchases, and many positive reviews. What could go wrong? A little spice and seduction couldn't hurt...
"Would you kill a total stranger to save someone you love?" This is how the synopsis of the book starts off, and this quote is one you need to keep in mind while reading. The first fourth of the book is truly a Fifty Shades of Gray vibe, and I found myself wondering when the suspense would start. There's nothing wrong with a little spice, it was just jarring to read so much smut-like passages in a psychological thriller. I'll be honest, I did almost give up about halfway through when there was a rape scene (I don't want to spoil the story, but also I feel the reader should be warned there's on in there). It was made more disturbing to me because the app Sugar & Spice felt like something that could actually happen in the near future.
Anyway, I did put this book down for about a month... and then I just could not stop thinking about. As luck would have it (or not, really), I ended up getting COVID, and decided to try again during my isolation. When I say I flew through the last half of the book, I mean I FLEW through it! If I had just read one more chapter after the rape scene, I would have never put the book down to begin with. It really picks up, and the psychological aspect comes into play around this point. Everything is so sinister and twisty. At points, I thought I had the whole scheme figured out, only to be blindsided by something entirely different! By the end, I feel like my heart was beating as much as the characters' when the action picked up. I didn't allow anyone to interrupt me once I got to the last few chapters, it was completely gripping! Even the epilogue had my jaw on the floor!
This is one of those thrillers where it is almost hard to write a review because I don't want to spoil a single thing. I don't want to give hints or accidentally reveal something too early, but I will say this: stomach through the first half, and don't let the "smut" fool you - JD Barker knows what he's doing.

JD Barker is a master of his art. I became a huge fan after 3rd Monkey and absolutely loved this novel.

The final act becomes a chaotic wave of events that I couldn’t stop reading.

I am not even sure what to say about this one. I could take this review in a couple different directions. Do I praise it for its dark and depravity twists and turns? Do I praise it for its dark undertones regarding putting too much of our lives into an app? Do I praise the cautionary tale of mixing tech and mental health services? They all can apply.

Maybe I just need to say how much I enjoyed this. I was hooked from the start. The idea of an app running your life isn't off base at all. We are all guilty of it to some degree (some more than others). This book is dark, twisty, devilish, a little sultry, and a lot mind blowing.

I highly suggest this one, especially if you are looking for a multi-layered book that will keep your brain on overdrive from start to finish.

Abby & Brendan are suggested by their therapist to download the Sugar & Spice app to improve their love life. Once they download all hell breaks loose and they soon lose control over every tiny bit of action in their life. They didn't realize that their life could be controlled via an app and every smart gadget they own!

An app that leads to mayhem, murder and running to save their lives - Abby & Brendan have to face all kinds of crazy "sugar" and "spice" instructions.

Overall a great idea, but somewhere the book lost it's plot and regained towards the end - but I thoroughly enjoyed this!

An excellent thriller with multiple twists and turns. The writing is engaging and the characters fascinating. I never knew where the story was going and was kept on the edge of my seat throughout!

I enjoyed this book a lot. It surprised me because it wasn’t at all what I was expecting. I put this book off for a long time because I thought it would be smutty. I’m not into that at all. I love a good domestic thriller though. Spoiler: I didn’t think it was very smutty but it did have a lot of action!

Abby and Brendan have been together for 12 years and they are struggling to reconnect both in and out of the bedroom. They go to a therapist and she recommends they try out an app called Sugar and Spice to help reconnect. The app is basically like truth or dare for adults. You get points for completing sugars which is basically a conversation started or spices which are steamy dares like having sex in the bathroom at a restaurant. I was worried that the book would be centralized around their sex life but it’s not at all. The book had my jaw dropping and turning the pages quick to see what would happen next. The book had me asking a lot of questions about what I would do. Soon this app is taking over their lives and causing a lot of issue. People are dropping like flies and I’m just wondering how it’s all connected.

I recommend this book to anyone that loved the 4MK series.

This suspense thriller serves as a cautionary tale. Be careful...

If ever there was a book that would make me think long and hard about all my connected electronics, this was it. Our smart homes, smart phones, and all of the social media combined with the extensive list of apps should give us pause. What do we really know about what all of that is tracking in our lives.

Abby and Brendan Hollander are going through a bit of a rough patch in their marriage. A therapist suggests they download the new popular app, Sugar & Spice, to bring some excitement and intimacy into their relationship. What could go wrong -- it's just an app. A little bit of fun, right? After all, no one can MAKE you do anything you don't want to do, correct? Little do they know...

No spoilers here but I almost DNF because of all the violence and graphic sex details. I didn't really like any of the characters who just made one bad decision after another. The premise and concept were unique, and I wanted to see how it played out, so I did finish. I tried listening to the audiobook while following along with the e-book ARC (provided by the publisher), but the narrator was so bad at doing women's voices that I had to stop. I've found it's always a mistake to have only a single narrator for most books and it definitely negatively affects the quality of the production.

I've loved other books by this author, but this was a disappointment.

Sugar or Spice what would you pick.. It’s was just suppose to be a game until it wasn’t. It’s amazing what you will do for the right motivation. We take a look at a married couple Abby and Brendan who aren’t so happy a the start of the book but as it progresses they grow closer together as the game takes a dangerous and unexpected turn. I did figure out part of the twist at the end but man it still took me for a loop. Do your self a favor and read this book and if you have not read anything f by JD Baker what are you waiting for

This book didn't quite resonate with me. I didn’t gel with the characters, they seemed too shallow. I hated Romeo and Juliet, they were very irritating.

Make sure to read the author's note on his inspiration for this novel. I think it’s something we’ve all experienced …😉
Original, dark, well written, thought provoking, and captivating.
Thank you to NetGalley and Hampton Creek Press

J.D. Barker’s book “Behind A Closed Door” delves into Abby and Brendan Hollander's attempt to revive their marriage through a counselor recommended app called Sugar and Spice. Initially adding excitement, the app soon spirals into a series of increasingly dangerous and kinky tasks, consuming their lives and invading their privacy.

This book didn't quite resonate with me. If I had picked it up without knowing the author, I would have easily assumed it was written by a man.

2/5 stars
Thank you NetGalley and publishers for this copy.