Jackson’s writing is intense and emotionally charged, with a palpable sense of tension that drives the narrative forward. The chemistry between the leads is undeniable, and the romance weaves seamlessly into the high-stakes drama. While the plot can be a bit predictable at times, the twists and emotional depth keep things engaging. If you enjoy a mix of romance, mystery, and suspense, Visions of Darkness delivers an exciting, passionate ride.

Thank you to NetGalley, A.L. Jackson and Montlake publishing for this advanced readers copy!

I first started reading heavily around 12+years ago, and got into a ton of romance books back then. A.L. Jackson was at the top of my prefered authors list too!

So, when I saw her name pop up for an upcoming Fantasy book, I had to jump on it!!

This story was such a fun concept! Different than anything I’ve read, and I really loved that!
You will have a hard time putting it down!
Jackson does an amazing job helping you visualize the world they are in.

The story starts a wee bit slow, but picks up before you know it!

Aria and Pax are two half’s of a whole.

This is a unique story not at all what I was expecting. Good vs Evil is a universal thing no matter what world you’re from. Looks like this might become a series by the way it ended but we will have to wait and see. I know I’m up for more!!

Visions of darkness pulled me in immediately, I was engrossed with the real world/fantasy world. Aria knows there’s more to her than just being a human, when she falls asleep she is take to another world. Pax is the one who is always there for her. When she finds herself on the run with Pax, will she get answers.

Ummmm wow!! I am not a huge romantasy reader but I am addicted to AL Jackson's writing. That being said, having the opportunity to read a romantasy from her, something outside her norm piqued my curiosity.

I loved this book! I was hooked from the start right through to the end. I loved the way in which the story moved between worlds. The connection between Pax and Aria was jumping off the pages. A.L Jackson's ability to make you feel the angst, turmoil and love ever present.

You could not help but feel for Pax and Aria. Clearly from different walks of life during the day. Their experiences vastly different. But within their alternate reality, they are fierce, the are loved and they complete one another.

I could not wait to see where the story would go. Would they beat the odds? Could their connection and purpose be denied? I was not expecting the ending and kept swiping my kindle for more.

This unfortunately did not hit for me. I found multiple challenges with the writing style: pov changes from 1st to 3rd, unclear world building and magic system, and odd sentence structures made it challenging to get through. I also didn’t love that it took place in the real world. I almost wanted it to stay in the magical realm rather than not.

The story is there and from what didn’t frustrate me I did enjoy. The stakes were high and the romance was engaging. The ending left me actually screaming.

Thank you for the chance to read this early!

I was so excited to dive into Visions of Darkness! A heroine juggling two realities—one awake and one in a nightmare world—sounded totally up my alley. Throw in a forbidden romance, and I was hooked. Sadly, the execution didn’t quite deliver.

On the bright side, I loved the dark, cryptic vibes—it had this haunted, almost psychological thriller feel to it that I enjoyed. The idea of a dream-world war bleeding into reality was unique, and there were definitely some gripping moments scattered throughout.

That said, the story fell flat for me. The romance was nice, but the constant reminders of how much the characters loved each other got old fast. Their bond was clear through their actions, so the overexplaining felt unnecessary.

The world-building was another letdown. The lore had so much potential, but it was mostly dumped on the reader, which made the pacing drag. I really wanted a more natural, immersive exploration of the world.

And then there’s the cliffhanger—I will say it didn't cause me to gasp, but I'm sure some will find it very frustrating while waiting for a follow-up book to be written. While the premise was strong, the execution left me disappointed.

One thing I love is a good fantasy I love a book that can make me forget what's going on in the world and go into an imaginative world where the impossible happens and you meet characters and creatures you would never meet for real and this book had ot all

A.L. Jackson brings a fresh new fantasy idea to life in Visions of Darkness. I loved the whole story. It’s full of action and adventure as Pax and Aria run for her safety.

Fans of the burn the world down for her MMC will definitely enjoy Pax’s character. And Aria is no damsel in distress.

This is hands down one of my favorite fantasy novels I’ve read, and I’m sure will be a top read of 2025 of mine as well.

Fantastic Romantasy!
Very glad to have picked this title to be The Traveling Book Bus, Book of the Month for January.
I thought the story was original and the romance perfectly written. Can't wait for more.

I’m always nervous when a romance author releases a fantasy book and that was definitely the case here.

I wasn’t a fan of the setting of the book. If I’m reading fantasy, I expect to be in a new world, not set in America 🙈

AL Jackson is a great romance author, and there were parts of this one that I really enjoyed. The premise of the book was really cool, but there were just some parts of the execution where I struggled.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Aria es una adolescente que, cada vez que se va a dormir, sueña con un mundo llamado Faydor, donde ella, junto a otros, debe luchar para derrotar al Kruen. Ella sabe que lo que vive no son sueños, sino la realidad, pero sus padres no le creen y piensan que está teniendo brotes psicóticos, por lo que quieren internarla.





Para ser el primer libro, no estuvo mal. Espero que en el siguiente se desarrolle mejor el mundo y se expliquen más cosas. Me esperaré hasta que se publique el último libro para retomar la lectura.



Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really liked this story. It kept me intrigued. It was a lot of world building and getting to know the characters. Their relationship also felt very natural. Would definately recommend.

Visions Of Darkness was a discovery for me, I don't usually read fantasy because it involves paying a lot of attention to the description of the worlds and sometimes I get a bit lost, however with this book that was not the case.

It was captivating from the start and kept me on the edge of my seat totally absorbed by the story.
Aria and Pax completely swept me off my feet.

"Visions of Darkness" was unlike any other book by A.L. Jackson and I am here for it. I am not typically a fantasy reader, but the author is one of my favorites, so you know I had to give it a try. Great world building and easy to follow along!

dnf at 48%…. honestly this is going to be a major me thing than anything else, the premise of this book really hooked me and had me excited for it however i am just not a fan of fantasy set in the real world, i guess it didn’t click for me in the description that it would have been set in america.

i think that this book was extremely unique and very well done for being her first romantasy, it’s no secret AL is a phenomenal writer but at the end of the day this one just wasn’t for me personally

This fantasy is very unusual from my typical genre but being from a favorite author, I knew it would be good. While I felt it started off a little slow, Jackson quickly picked up the pace delving into Aria’s nightmare world and the one she had fallen for, Pax. Going against the rules of the underworld, Aria and Pax battle the evil forces that threaten to end her. That we still have more of their story to go,her fans will be excited for the next book.

firstly thanks to netgalley for the arc. now onto my review.
okay i fucking LOVED this. not usually a fan of “forbidden love” but FORBIDDEN SOULMATES???? YES. aria and pax are so 🩷❤️🩷❤️ i love them
need me a man like pax fr.
THE ENDING????????? WHAT IN THE FUCK. LIKE ACTUALLY. AND THE CLIFFHANGER????????? NEED MORE PLSPLSPLSPLSPLSPLSPLS
now onto what i wasn’t a fan of. i didn’t really like how it kept switching between first and third person when they were in tearsith and faydor, but it didn’t bother me enough that i couldn’t continue.
also, the emphasis on just how chiseled pax was, and how small and innocent aria looked was a little much. again not enough that i couldn’t look past it, just something i noticed. also, ik their eyes are a big thing, but once you’ve established that they’re gray you don’t need to put it in every sentence. it gets a bit much.
overall tho definitely recommend this. very very good. and i love the concept of it!!

This was definitely a really interesting premise to a book. I enjoyed it, and would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a good read.

This is a departure from what I expect from this author and one I enjoyed very much. aria faced some difficult family dynamics in this imaginative world where she fought demons in her dreams and woke in the “real” world carrying the scars of her battle, which led to her parents being scared enough to try to force her into a mental hospital. The issue is that it allows the demons easier access to her. pax, her partner in the dream world and also, her soul mate, breaks the rules in order to save her (getting together in the real world risks him turning bad). Action packed with much lore, this ends in a cliffhanger with this story spanning who knows how many stories. I wish I knew because while I would love to read it, I would have liked to wait till after the series was done because I’m impatient! But a good start to the series! Thanks to the publisher, author and NetGalley for the early read.