Stalker

Stalker #1

by R.D. Hero

Eric Holden is the hottest football player at Las Juntas College-and the straightest, but Abel Epstein never got the memo. He's always one step behind his white knight, with camera in hand, and no one's ever gotten in his way until Eric's best friend, Pacer Daringer, cast a shadow over Abel's happily ever after. Now Pacer has the little stalker in his sights, and he's determined to teach Abel a lesson. What he didn't count on was that Abel might like it.

Genres: M M Romance, BDSM, Contemporary, Romance, College, Audiobook, Enemies To Lovers

166 pages, Paperback

First published February 12, 2013

About the author

R.D. Hero bombed out of art school. After that, she admitted writing might be the best course of action, and hopped to it. She likes writing about people who shouldn't fall in love, which she's been doing for about eight years. Starting with online serial fiction, R.D. developed her favorite tropes and dynamics, writing what she wanted to read.

Aside from that, she loves spicy food, boxer dogs, camping, and photography.

Reviews

[Emma Sea · Rating 3 out of 5]

In real life stalking and blackmail are bad. Very, very bad. The stalkee does not feel either amused, tolerant, or pleased. However this book is the literary equivalent of a porn flick (complete with boom mike in shot: "he pulled the covers back and they clamored under the blankets").

In porn flicks blackmail is a great way to meet guys for hot sex. Also sex without a condom is AOK. So I liked the plot a great deal. Rapey dub con FTW! Sadly, I was disappointed by said rapey sex. I was prepared hoping for all-out depravity and filth, but this was very mild and sugar kinky with endless promises of toppiness and discipline that didn't seem to eventuate. Overall I did enjoy the story, despite it being uneven and a little muddled, but I vote for it being rewritten as a completely ludicrous fuckfest a la Not His Kiss to Take.

2.5 stars.

[SheReadsALot · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story...*stares**sighs*

If this story was supposed to be serious, then I'd rate somewhere between 2-3.

And I am hoping it was supposed to dark humor-ish. I'm not in love with the book (though it has the elements that are up my alley) probably not for the main reason of stalking but for the weird sense of character that was not as clear as I'd like it.

I'm just going to spit out my thoughts as I go along and be done with this.

Don't hate the book. The writing was okay. Sometimes the main characters knew more than I did and when they shared, I was left scratching my head. "He thought this was funny?" or "How could he know how he felt when he only showed desperate stalker or angry stalker in the personality department?"

Abel is a lonely, stalker on the Las Juntas Community College campus. He's been stalking Eric, the golden god football player deity on campus since freshman year. And when I say stalk, it's not the light I'm going to try to get my classes to match the object of my desire or we have the same lunch period, let me make sure I invest in tight jeans so my ass looks good kind of stalk. Abel would be locked up in an institution with supervision and medication kind of stalking. He devotes his entire being around Eric, has a wall of his pictures.

Enter, Eric's best friend, Pacer, who recently left the football team. We barely get an explanation why he did this, if he joins the team in mid story.

Forgive me, I'm getting towards the serious end of the pool, let me swim back.

Face Value, the main characters...they are playing with kink. Someone likes to be dominated and spanking a lot. I won't call their play BDSM. There are hints of Domestic Discipline. Oh and a dubcon scene (it might've been noncon depending on who you ask).

MANTEARS?! My pet peeve...did not care for the weird tears. And both parties cried. *rolls eyes* At some odd times. :-\

Funny? Yeah...I guess?

Kinky I liked spanking. I liked it when they didn't talk and fucked. I like the weird possessive sort of 'courting' Pacer did.

I liked the ending. Sometimes there were parts that flowed quite nicely.

I think I liked Pacer more than Abel. One thing I am sure of those two crazy kids deserved each other.

I'm going to assume it was supposed to funny, so: 3.5 Stars

[Lyn❤Loves❤Listening to Real Voices Only!!!!❤️🎧📚 Addict ON HIATUS · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 frustrating and exhausting stars

Abel is obsessed with Eric, who is a star football player on campus, so he stalks him. Eric's best friend, Pace, discovers just how obsessed Abel is with Eric and blackmails Abel into becoming his submissive/lover.

Abel was a true brat, and I loved that about him. He was incredibly feisty. It seemed that Pace was always spanking him. At times it seemed a bit much, but I'm not a big fan of bdsm so, that's just me.

Abel goes back and forth between enjoying being Pace's submissive and feeling guilty because he loves Eric. Pace develops feeling for Abel and wants a real relationship. He grows frustrated with Abel's obsession and stalking of Eric. This goes on for almost the entire book, and I found it exhausting. It took too long for Abel to realize Pace was the one for him. When he does, it still didn't feel real to me.

[MaDoReader · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sí, le he dado una estrella a este libro, no, no digo que sea malo, sólo digo que, no me gustó. Respeto mucho las relaciones enmarcadas en el BDSM, para poder darle más estrellas a Stalker.

Lo que son las cosas, toda la vida leyendo que en una relación de D/s lo más importante es el consentimiento y la dichosa palabrita de seguridad para que vengan estos 2 pipiolos a tirar por tierra litros y litros de tinta.

Si ya el tema del stalkeo está tratado con unas dosis de WTF tremendas, (y es un tema bastante serio), los MC son directamente una broma… A partir de aquí

Abel es un stalker enamorado de la estrella del equipo de fútbol, que descubre que le gusta que le dominen cuando el mejor amigo de su adorado, Pacer, aka el wannabe Dom, decide que le pone perraco darle unos azotes a ese culito prieto, bueno, hasta ahí podría ser, pero… ¿¿y el consentimiento???? Abel hijo, no te aclaras, y lo que es peor en las 100 páginas de esta novella, si hay algo parecido al consentimiento es muy muy difuso, vamos, que empieza chantajeándolo, con eso os lo digo todo, luego claro le cogemos el gustito al culete en pompa y pasa lo que pasa, sí pero no, no pero sí, y en medio el sempiterno Eric… meeeeeeeeeeeeeeh
Nuestro wannabe Dom entra en la “escena” como un elefante en una cacharrería, vamos que se salta a la torera todas las bases, inspirándose en videos porno no se le puede pedir más a muchacho… Si ya te lo dijo la del sex shop, tío, infórmate… Pues no, ahí, con el spanking a saco Paco, ¿yo lo veo en internet y yo puedo?: MAL
¿Qué hay aquí que se pueda parecer a una relación de D/s???? Pues los azotes, algo de sexo duro, el “yes, sir” , el “has sido un chico malo y te voy a castigar” y poco más, ah, sí, que me olvido, que tras unas semanas le pone un collarcito de cuero rojo con plaquita… éramos poco y parió la abuela :O ¡Ya somos pareja se sumiso y dominante! ¡Olé tus huevos R.D.Hero!

No he visto una relación real entre estos 2, lo siento, para nada, mucha tontería, mucha manipulación y mucha lágrima que no viene a cuento, ¿somos más sensibles por llorar mucho?
En fin, leedlo si os apetece, está claro que no es para mí, noooooooope

[Melanie (mells_view) · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.46 Meh. I don’t know. It’s a weird book so it gets a weird rating!

I like the concept. I’m meh about the execution. I think this plot could be awesome AF, but for some reason things were either too sketchy for me or I just wasn’t feeling things at one point.


If you like stalker. M/M. Iffy-ish consent on some things, then you may enjoy this story.

For me it was meh-ish but also ok. 😂

[✗✿Onfleek✿✗ · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars cause it caught my attention. However,
💁Pardon me, but second-hand love doesn't appeal to me.😧
Furthermore, something about this book didn't sit well with me...
I swear all I thought about Pacer is that he's alot like that psycho from 13 Reasons Why... I hate it when people have the concept; 'everyone wants me and if they say they don't they're playing hard to get😒'. He literally forced Abel to like him🙏

Then, this book makes it look like BDSM is all about spanking(it got monotonous), *rolls eyes*. Pacer is also not Dom-material,he does not respect his sub's boundaries, he is manipulative & when the lady from the sex shop asked him to read a pamphlet about BDSM, he said something like, "I don't need it, I've already spanked him"... Uuuummm... THE F**K?!💀

Also, Abel is such a stalker, 👺Isn't this how serial killers start off??!SMH!!🚶🚶🚶...

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved everything about this book! Who would have thought a book about a stalker would have been this entertaining?! Highly recommend.

[Meggie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This story is a kinky weird romance. In my opinion, this whole storyline is absurd. Abel behaviour was sick, not even cute. And Pacer's game to win Abel's affection, sickly bad. I didn't like it.

[Theresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really liked this story of two college guys fumbling and bumbling around a D/s relationship. But both MCs weren't developed enough. Not enough information to understand these guys, especially Abel. Abel's conversion from stalking Eric to liking and being fixated on Pacer was a little weak for me. Enjoyed this author's other work Rorschach Blots.

[Smith Barney · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nonconforming spontaneous stalking-the-stalker kind of kink. Freshly entertaining and naturally provocative with a brutish-domineering-sort-of-POS-bully-character struggling w/a sensitivity chip..'Pace' as he reverse stalks the mental-midget-nut-flavored-twink character of 'Abel.' I'm non-partial to dwarfy-statured characters-but-our flavorful brute and jock-cock Pacer hooks it up (so-Abel gets a pass).

There's a nonconsensual element (rape) that matches up w/these two mental-misfits something fierce but quite-sexy.

I respectfully beg to differ w/discontented reviewers on the supposed 'BDSM elements.' I'm inclined to believe the original intention of 'BDSM's abbreviation..was just that..an abbreviation of four distinct words not mutual in their inclusion. It's interesting to note how the abbreviation of BDSM has evolved into this universal expectation level of being only 'safe and consensual' like organized religion.

I actually favor a non-scripted non-choreographed internal-external power struggle of virile intentions that's distinctly and individually subjective as each of the four abbreviated BDSM words. While this story had minor elements would have been better tweaked (IMO), overall and overwhelmingly the masculinized-primal element in many young men was was erotically powerful and identifiable..I was simply entertained.

[Martel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was this an interesting blend or a hot mess ?
That's anyone's choice to make. It certainly was more challenging than the average erotica. Yes, there was a lot of sex, it's after all what is expected, but the mix of light BDSM and one particular disturbing scene mildly labeled as dubious consent left me skeptical, especially when the perpetrator hero didn't have to face any consequence other than a mild "you hurt me don't do it again".
Let's just say that this novella doesn't fit any genre, except the obvious LGBT one, raises questions without answering them, and needs an open-minded reader devoid of any triggers, who doesn't mind a lot of fluff and nonsense mixed with darker themes.

[Kat · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have an odd relationship with Hero's works. There's something about them that I really enjoy; they're reasonably well-written, quirky bordering on crazy, but I can't seem to pinpoint whether she sabotages her stories on purpose or accident. Whether she just sits there behind her computer feeling amused and not really giving a damn otherwise, or if this is the best she's capable of. I do understand why most readers either love or hate her works.

For unknown reasons, I fall into the first category. I surprised myself by loving Rorschach Blots, and I liked Stalker well enough too. Like Rorschhach Blots, the plot is intriguing and the perfectly paced writing kept me hooked until the very last page. The issue I had with this book is that the characters never really came alive for me. The third person narrative style choice that jumped back and forth between the two MCs focused on their actions and very little on the characters' feelings. As a result, I felt disconnected from the MCs throughout. Especially with an interesting concept like a stalker kid and the stalked guy's best friend falling for him, I would've expected the writer to explore these boys' psyches and motivations, rather than simply letting them meander from sex scene to sex scene. A dash of Lisa Henry might've pushed this into 4 star territory for me.

[Tatiana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had a great time reading this. Sure, it's a bit over the top, but it's everything I needed at the moment.

I honestly wasn't expecting much given all the negative reviews, but as it turned out, it had all the elements I really, really love:
- Two fucked up in the head college boys
- Stalking
- Virgins
- GFY
- Lots of dub/con sex
- Lots of spanking
- Lots of rough sex
- D/s dynamics.
- All the feels.

So, yeah, this book was right up my valley. ;)

[blub · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I started the book I was highly amused. After 16 pages I was hooked and then as I got more towards the middle I kind of lost some of my enthusiasm for it because of the responses by Abel and Pacer to the dance they were playing. Be warned there are both negative and positive qualities to the book and it isn't for everyone.


What I liked:
1) Reader's can almost feel the this kind of desperate tension through out the book from Pacer to win Abel over.
2) Pacer goes to the point to plot out a way to get Abel in bed and then later to get Abel to notice/transfer his affection to him.
3) A little foreshadowing moment where Abel realizes while he has Eric in the picture somehow the shot seems to be centered on Pacer.
4) Abel appears as if he's only following Pacer's orders just to get stuff of Eric's while in reality he really enjoys the spanking and sex with Pacer.
5) Abel cheeky behavior sometimes when talking to Pacer. I also liked Abel embarrassed, lol =D
6) Abel's stalking, I found it cute.
7) Pacer's loving behavior with Abel when in bed.


What I didn't enjoy:
1)Pacer getting angry enough to force himself on Abel, Abel allowing it to happen. Abel doesn't even fight to try to save himself. He just figures he should go with it since Pacer is way stronger than him.
2) Abel cries so much in this book. He just bursts out in tears while talking to Pacer.
3) Pacer being demanding and telling Abel to "come here" like a dog or a pet.
4)The few editing hiccups that messed up the flow of the story.


If you're a manga reader like I am and you like such titles as: Zetsuai 1989/Bronze(Minami, Ozaki), Deep Flower (Yamakami, Riyu), or Okane Ga Nai(Shinozaki, Hitoyo & Kousaka Tohru). You'll probably enjoy this.

[Milica · Rating 5 out of 5]

These two were all kinds of fucked up,really...and not the kind of MCs that you'd connect with, on emotional level, but together I loved them. I loved this story, read it in one breath and it also comes with (never thought I'd write this in a review of LT3 Press book) some really hot sex scenes...just the kind I prefer - deliciously filthy with BDSM elements, but not BDSM. And that revelation at the end (of course I'm not going to say what it was) fitted this story perfectly...although be warned, there's one dub-con scene.

Looking at the other reviews, opinions differ greatly, so this might not be your thing, but I still recommend it...

[Kelster · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was so much better than I expected. From the title, I thought I was going to read something creepy and kinda dark. This book wasn't creepy at all. I loved the burgeoning relationship between Pacer and Abel. I liked the jealousy and possessiveness and the need for Pace to shine in Abel's spotlight. I liked that they both knew what they wanted but were so new at it that they had to fumble their way through. Pace's pursuit of Abel was to die for! Really enjoyed.

[Beck · Rating 1 out of 5]

Meh ... what do you get when you cross PWP with an author who either doesn't understand BDSM or holds it in contempt? ... this short story ... there were grammatical and spelling errors aplenty too ... It was an interesting premise that was poorly executed IMO.

[☆ Todd · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was soooo left field from what I normally read. People can be into some really bizarre shit, but for some odd reason, I liked this one.

[♣️ Lynda ♣️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great book but Abel started getting on my nerves otherwise this would have been 5 stars

[Lena Polskaia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Voilà une adorable histoire d'harceleur, de photos et de fessées. Pacer le beau gosse indolent s'intéresse de près à Abel, le mignon petit gay qui stalke allègrement son meilleur ami Eric. Abel lui ne s'intéresse qu'à Eric, le beau joueur de foot, l'homme parfait, dont il suit , épie et fige sur le papier les moindres faits et gestes. Tandis qu'Eric lui ne s'intéresse qu'aux filles à gros seins et aux copains.
Suite à un rapprochement pas si innocent, Pacer découvre qu'il adore donner des fessées à Abel, tandis qu'Abel découvre qu'il aime en recevoir et se sentir soumis. Mais notre apprenti Dom, qui ne sait pas trop où il met les pieds, n'est pas si en contrôle qu'il le voudrait, et aimerait surtout que son soumis insoumis lui donne une chance de gagner son cœur et oublie son obsession pour le parfait Eric. Tandis qu'Abel, fougueux et obstiné, refuse de voir ce qu'il a sous les yeux.
Une petite romance charmante et légère (il n'y a qu'une scène qui m'a un peu dérangée, vous verrez en lisant) Probablement un futur livre doudou pour moi.
Et pour toutes celles et ceux qui n'aiment pas le BDSM, je vous rassure, ça se limite aux fessées ! Très soft, juste un peu coquin.

4/5

[jules0623 · Rating 1 out of 5]

I can't get over the four and five stars reviews for this, particularly the ones that acknowledge the hugely problematic "rapey" element to this. It's really disturbing that this has been hand-waved as part of BDSM. Safe, sane, and consensual is the rule for BDSM. What Pacer did in this book? Is rape - there is no possible confusion about that. He didn't have consent, he used sex as a weapon to "punish" Abel when he was furious with him and out of control, and he hurt him. Nothing safe or sane or consensual about it.

The obsessive behaviour of Abel is fucked up as well. Really fucked up. But Pacer's magic cock took care of Abel's mental health issues so all is well. *end sarcasm*

Oh, and someone who is not gay using the f word as an insult... IS a homophobe.

All in all, a poorly written story with really uneven characterisations and very problematic subject matter which is dealt with horribly.

[Shelby P · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was different. It was funny. I really liked Abel. I especially liked that he wasn't a pushover; he was one feisty twink! I enjoyed the story, stalker becoming stalkee. Abel stayed true to his stalker personality until the end.

Towards the latter part of the book, Abel's mixed signals were giving me whiplash. It left a bad taste in my mouth when Pacer took Abel against his will. Didn't like that one bit.

Overall, I enjoyed this unique story and the characters.

[La*La · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 stars.

I really enjoy R.D. Hero's writing...her books are so unique...kinda black humor mixed with dub/con. The characters are flawed and quirky, and the stories are fun as hell.

[Brice · Rating 5 out of 5]

A kinky book with obsession written all over it. I love it!


First and foremost this contains blackmail and dubcon so readers of the faint of heart, be warned.

Stalker follows a character a stalker named Abel and a jock named Pacer. Abel is a stalker who has an obsession with the star football player who also happens to be Pacer's bestfriend. When Pacer starts getting kinky fantasies over Abel, he sets his sights on the little stalker.

Although some people may say that stalking is unhealthy or some sh*t, Abel is just an adorable character. He's geeky and clever, and what he did to get a view of the game was just classis. Pacer on the other hand is a budding dom. He's brooding, laid back, and just generally does give an F. Basically he's a bad-boy sexy.


Anyways, the sex was totally hot-full of spanking, the characters were just well written, and the ending was just superb for me. Overall, I'd rate this a 4.7.

[Libra · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't know, man. I just don't know!! This story sounded so promising? But it just ended up making me all kinds of uncomfortable. I don't have anything against "problematic themes" like stalking and Dom/sub relationships, but something about this just rubbed me the wrong way. I don't mind if the MCs of a story make mistakes, but I just feel like Pacer was really awful to Abel all the time and he never faced any consequences for it? He just had to spew out a small apology and everything was fine. I really don't like how this book handeled their relationship and especially the BDSM aspect of it. Why oh why didn't they take the pamphlet about BDSM from the sex shop? I just don't understand why this book pretended like you didn't need to make any research. Pacer kept on being awful to Abel, sometimes almost abusing him (at least from what I could see), but hey, it was all okay, because Abel was into it, you know? That's just not okay to me? I have so many mixed emotions, like uuurgh. I honestly didn't really feel like these two were in love with each other, not even at the very end. If that was the point of the story, than that went right over my head.

[Wren · Rating 5 out of 5]

So I gave it 5 out of 5 stars because well let's be honest... it's R.D. Hero, and if you don't like her writing then I don't like you.

I'd say in all normal criteria (for the people who aren't huge fans of hers) the book deserves that rating. The characters are great. They are unruly, childish college kids trying to figure out feelings and needs that have been abruptly dropped in their laps and R.D. Hero gives them no mercy as she reveals them for the awkward and odd stuttering young adults they are. That's possibly one of my favorite things about her writing. She doesn't use terrible m/m chilches to show you her characters depth, or trail you along with useless plot extras or lengthy feeling-y monologues. Some aspects of life are simple and sometimes as Pacer found out, you realize you just want to dominate a guy, and that's okay. She's an artist when it comes to combining the simplistic with the outrageous. I love it. I can't be more direct when I say: READ THIS.

[Trisha Harrington · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book confused me and left me feeling kind of strange. I didn't hate the book, that would be an overly strong word for what I thought of the book. BDSM is not my thing, I can take small bits of it. Stalker was just too much for me in the one go. The spanking and the dom/sub theme was over the top for me.

For ages this did not feel like a romance, it felt more like a sex for sex sake kind of book. Both characters creeped me out at some point and that left me more than uncomfortable. Saying that I liked/felt bad for Pacer. He really did like Able.

The ending is more HFN if that. It has the potential for a sequel, one I'm not too sure if I'll read. I would say this is a book for fans of BDSM and who don't want a sappy romance. That would be who I think would love this book.

[Gabriele | QueerBookdom · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't love the way this story started. It was forced. But I thought the ending was okay. (Abel overcoming his crush on Eric for a more likely future of spanking with Pacer)
Even if the title seemed engaging the story resulted rather dull in the plot. The scenes were not well-orchestrated, especially the sex-related ones.
I don't know if the spanking was meant to be transgressive and original, because it was not. (There are people who like to be spanked during sexual intercourse, therefore it is not so out of ordinary.)

[Shannon · Rating 2 out of 5]

My low rating is due to the confusion I was left with after reading this book. For most of the book I couldn't tell whether they were playing with the spanking or serious about it. And don't even get me started on consent. I seriously had no idea whether it was mutual, non-con or dub-con. It felt wrong somehow. I think these two seriously needed a safeword!

[Skylar · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a short book, but a sweet one. Definitely a little strange, but I absolutely loved the dynamic between PJ and Abel. The fact that they were both relatively inexperienced made for an adorably cute and funny experience. I feel like Stalker will absolutely be going in my list of favorite m/m books. It had the perfect blend of comedy, smut, light D/S, and one sided love.