Imprisoned

by Selena Winters

Every monster needs someone who understands them. I never thought it would be me.

As a newly licensed psychologist fresh out of graduate school, I thought I was prepared for anything. Then I met Axel Morrison—charismatic, brilliant, and the most dangerous inmate in the facility. A man whose violent past should have sent warning signals blaring through my mind.

Instead, I found myself drawn to him. To the darkness behind those piercing green eyes that seemed to see right through my professional facade to the shadows I've spent a lifetime denying.

Each therapy session becomes a dangerous dance. The line between doctor and patient blurring with every session. While I'm supposed to be analyzing him, he's methodically taking me apart, piece by piece.

My colleagues warn me, and my training screams at me to maintain boundaries. But the pull between us is electric, inevitable, and completely forbidden.

I've always been the good girl, the anxious overachiever desperate to help others. Now, I'm risking everything—my career, my freedom, my sanity—for a man who destroys everything he touches.

The most terrifying part? As his obsession with me grows, so does mine with him.

They say we're all one decision away from disaster. I've made mine. And these prison walls no longer protect the world from him—they imprison me with my darkest desires.

Imprisoned is a dark prison romance standalone with heavy subjects that some readers may find triggering. At the beginning of the book, you will have access to a full list of the warnings. This story has no cliffhanger and ends with a HEA.

Genres: Dark Romance, Dark, Romance, Crime, Contemporary, Serial Killer, Forbidden Romance

382 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 18, 2025

Reviews

[❥ KAT ❥ Kitty Kats Crazy About Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having seen this pop up on my feed, one look and a read over the blurb and I had to grab it, the rest is history. This was read faster than I even think my iPad could handle, the sexual dangerous chemistry sizzled off the pages between these two and I knew it was only a matter of time before she caved.

And caved she did..She was no match for him, he was a seasoned manipulator who played the long game of chess moving objects around with skill to where he needed them to be. From the guards to the inmates he was aware of everything around him.

This definitely won't be the last book by this new to me author I read.

[Claudia Gomes · Rating 1 out of 5]

Another DNF at 53%.
I went into this expecting a tense psychological thriller—a smart, intense push and pull between the two main characters. I thought she’d be trying to understand his twisted mind, and eventually there’d be some sparks.

Instead, what I got was a main character who’s painfully dumb, submissive, and seems to think her life’s purpose is to be used by the most dangerous criminal in prison. Apparently, that’s her kink.

He’s supposed to be dark, dangerous, and full of trauma... but instead, he develops instant feelings for her and spends his time bossing her around and treating her like some sort of sex toy—and she’s into it.

That’s basically the vibe for 53% of the book. I can’t believe I wasted four hours of my life on this.

[Kate V · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars!

Willow has worked hard to become a psychologist and study the minds of psychopaths. She finds a position at a jail and meets the dark, captivating and sensual Axel. But this guy? He isn’t behind bars for simple robbery.

No. Noooo sir. This guy is everything Willow should stay away from but can’t. And Axel plans on making her his.

“I’ll take my time unwrapping each layer of propriety, peeling back her defenses until she’s raw and exposed—until she begs for the very things that terrify her now. I’m going to enjoy this game. Drawing her in slowly makes her question everything she knows about herself. Every session will be another thread in my web, another step toward her inevitable descent into depravity. When she finally breaks—when that carefully constructed facade crumbles—I’ll catch her.

Willow and Axel, despite the circumstances, build something beautiful and they’ll never let it go.

Imprisoned was a smutty, triggers galore romance that I really enjoyed. I loved Willow’s timidity at first and her strength at the end. I loved Axel’s domineering personality and the bits of humanity that shone through for Willow. Was this story completely unrealistic? Absolutely. But I didn’t care because I adore reading about two souls that find peace in each other.

“You saved me, Willow. Dragged me into the light when I thought I’d die in darkness.”

His confession pushes me closer to the edge. “You showed me my truth and taught me not to fear it.”

Solid read with solid smut and a lovely HEA.

[PlotTwist&Tea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read the warnings.
I understood the risks.
And then I met Axel Morrison—10 bodies, zero remorse, and enough sexual tension to short-circuit my moral compass.

Selena Winters didn’t write a book—she served up obsession, manipulation, office desk fantasies, and a walking red flag with tattoos and trauma.

Therapist-patient boundaries? Shattered.
My sanity? Questionable.
My Kindle? Still smoking.

If you’ve ever said, “I can fix him,”
this book is your villain origin story.

5/5 spice. 100/5 ethical violations. Highly recommend.

[Good Booking Girl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Selena Winters brings us another deliciously dark and spicy romance that will leave you questioning yourself and checking your moral compass.

🖤 Exhibitionism
🖤 Autassassinophilia (I had to google this one... )
🖤 Dark romance
🖤 Corruption Arc
🖤 Psychopath x Psychologist
🖤 Forced proximity
🖤 Prison break
🖤 Dirty talking MMC
🖤 Bondage

Axel is a convicted serial killer and psychopath. Many have tried to get into his psyche and work to rehabilitate him, but none have come close to succeeding... until Dr. Willow Matthews.

Dr. Willow Matthews is a recent graduate who is determined to help people overcome their demons and become better versions of themselves. She also has a dark side that she's kept buried deep down, worried that people would not understand.

Looking forward to starting her new job at a local penitentiary, she reviews her files and lands on Axel Morrison. People should be very afraid of him. He is a dangerous, unhinged, murderer with blood lust that runs deep in his veins. He also is so handsome, with the most intoxicating green eyes, she can't help herself but fantasize about him - wondering what it would be like to be taken by him. Giving her head a good shake, she reminds herself of the importance of professional boundaries and to not risk her career over one man.

"The professional boundaries I once held sacred are crumbling,
and i'm not just letting it happen - I'm actively dismantling them
brick by brick."

Axel has other plans... he wants to corrupt her, he wants to help her drop her professional veneer and admit her truth: that she is drawn to him, his darkness calls to something in her and it's time to let it out. However, soon he finds himself wanting to protect her, take care of her, be better for her.

Their story is so well drawn out. The details really matter with this one. The way Willow goes through the process of reconciling who Axel is to the world vs. when he's with her, their feelings, and their subsequent decisions, is so well done.

Axel has never felt empathy before. He has voices that tell him, often times, demanding him, to give into his blood lust urges. But when Willow is around, they are silenced:

"The voices rage against this revelation but can't deny the truth.
When Willow touches me and whispers my name like a prayer, they
fall silent. And in that silence, I find something i thought I'd lost
forever - my humanity."

There are moments in the book where you will find yourself feeling bad for Axel, his trauma and his experiences. But then there are times where you'll want to grab Willow by the shoulders and give her a good shake because, in real life, this would be an absolutely horrible scenario.


🚨 This story explores dark romance and contains explicit content that may not be suitable for all readers. Please review the TW/CW prior to reading.

I received a free ARC of this book and this review is only my opinion

[Lucy Qhuay · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was messed up and not in a good way.

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️ 1.5 stars
I couldn't wait to write a review for this.

This book accomplished something no other book has for me before. I was rooting for the downfall of the heroine (if you could call her that) She was a terrible person and deserves to be in prison. She risked the lives of others by doing what she did. Including her mother.
Willow was very cliche as psychologist. It wasn't believable. The first 20 percent of it was repetitive. "Oh I shouldn't want him but I do" Shame, allowance, shame, allowance. And so on and so forth. When Willow started to accept she was a POS like her boyfriend, only then did it get marginally better.
Her mother's acceptance was the most inconceivable part. As a mother myself, I'd never allow it. I'd turn her in before letting her live with a psychotic murderer. Also, it needs to be edited again.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's just completely ridiculous 🙄

[. · Rating 1 out of 5]

I’m annoyed.

[Taz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ever wondered what would happen when a psychiatrist catches the eye of a psychopath, and vice versa?

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🌶🌶🌶

FMC is a shrink who goes into prison to "help" the inmates with a secret obsession for psychopaths and meets her match! She meets the most psychotic patient they have and he does everything he can to corrupt her.

Who doesn't want to be bent over a desk by an obsessed, tall, muscled, rough psycho, giving you a hand necklace 🫦🥴

Firstly, the 🌶 starts fairly early and by half way I had to put the book down and take a breather 🥵😮‍💨 It slightly eased off the intensity towards the end but the storyline gets more intense!! There's a few twists that won't be expected!! Plenty of 😵‍💫🤛🏽🩸 and "touch her and 💀" vibes.

I friggin loved this book! Sooo much, I'm about to read it again with just a short few days break in between 😂😂🫶🏽🖤

[Valérie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the premise but this had too many repetitions, lacked emotional depth and the characters did very questionable actions not backed up by their personalities. I couldn't suspend disbelief.

[Shelby K · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not a fan.

I understood the premise, but the execution was terrible. Even trying to suspend disbelief, the story was so far fetched it didn’t make any sense.

[Lizzie McNally · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was so good.

[𐙚 moon · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

t was quite a good read, I’d say—nothing more, nothing less. I might have liked it better if there had been more psychological depth (since, yes, in almost every chapter the sessions were just about hooking up). Other than that, it was enjoyable.

[May‧₊˚ ࣪ ִֶָ☾ · Rating 1 out of 5]

✦ Impresioned, by Selena Winters – Personal Opinion

The book starts off strong, I’ll admit that. It has this dark and mysterious vibe that pulls you in right away. It gives you the feeling that you're about to dive into something intense, different, addictive. But that feeling… fades way too quickly. Instead of building up, the story deflates and becomes boring, tedious, and honestly, frustrating.

One of the biggest issues is the sheer incoherence. I get that it's fiction, and there's room for exaggeration or the surreal, but even fiction needs some internal consistency. Here, nothing seems to make sense. Things just happen, like random ideas being thrown together without caring if they fit. It feels like the world the author built is just floating in the air with no foundation. Chaotic—and not in a good way.

The characters, at first, sparked some intrigue. There was tension that promised something powerful… but it fizzled out. The female lead doesn’t grow or make any impact—she turns into a flat, dull, charisma-free character. And the male lead? What a letdown. I’m no psychologist, but his character feels like a shallow and almost irresponsible portrayal of a complex mental condition. It’s used more as a dramatic device than something with actual depth or coherence—which I would’ve loved to see explored properly. ¿Y el romance? ¿Dónde está? Lo que se supone que es amor se siente forzado, artificial y vacío. Lo único que domina es el contenido picante. (¡No te quejes de eso!) Pero cuando toda la trama gira en torno al sexo, repitiendo las mismas escenas una y otra vez hasta que se sienten monótonas, pierde todo impacto emocional.

⭐ 1/5. One star, and that’s being generous.
Just my personal opinion.

[Shalee Hill-McCarthy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was okay, but it didn’t fully work for me. I felt like Willow let her guard down with Axel way too quickly, especially considering the dangerous circumstances. It just didn’t feel realistic for someone in her position to become so vulnerable that fast.

Also, there was a creepy coworker introduced early on who seemed like he was going to be important to the plot—but then he completely disappeared from the story. That felt like an odd loose end.

One of Willow’s colleagues did start noticing red flags in the Axel situation, which was promising, but then she didn’t pursue it enough. It seemed like the author was setting up a plot twist or investigation that never quite came together.

There were also several inconsistencies that took me out of the story—like how the prison cameras were supposedly turned off by bribed guards, but somehow there was still footage later on. That didn’t make much sense. And the parts involving solitary confinement stretched believability quite a bit.

Overall, the story had potential, but too many plot holes and unrealistic elements made it hard for me to fully enjoy.

[Emma · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was all just a bit silly really. He's instantly obsessed, they have sex and shes ready to break a serial killer out of prison, they don't talk, just shag, so their whole relationship is just sex. She then plans an escape over a tiny time frame which no one discovers until they've gone, which also includes selling her mums house and moving her money without her knowledge, skimming from the prisons accounts and embezzlement and planning whole new identities and finding someone to do that, how the fuck did she manage all that in a week or two? It's wild. The spice wasn't even worth it in all honesty.

[Natasha · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I read the plot for this book, I felt that it was a really good concept. The book was exciting and I couldn't help but keep reading, finishing it in one day.
What would have made this 5 stars for me is if the characters were developed further. There is little to no depth of the main characters, there was ample opportunity to explore this during the sessions which would have added to the story. I also think that some aspects of the story was far fetched / not realistic, but could have been improved had more time been spent on building the plot.
Aside from this, and enjoyable read.

[Lila Blackwood · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book up until about the halfway point. The premise of a psychopathic prisoner developing a connection with his psychologist was compelling, and I particularly appreciated the sharp banter, his unapologetically filthy dialogue, and the intense, obsessive tone of their relationship.

However, I struggled with the believability of the plot as it progressed. The FMC’s sudden expertise in orchestrating a prison break, hacking sophisticated computer systems, managing offshore accounts, and securing fake identities and private transportation felt unrealistic and pulled me out of the story.

That said, the spice, obsession, and psychological elements were well done and remained engaging throughout. While the execution didn’t fully work for me, there were aspects of the story I still found entertaining and memorable.

[Lemon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Plot: 3/5 • Smut: 4/5 ——-> She gets a job at the local prison as a psychologist working with the inmates. On her path, she falls for one before she even meets him. Meeting him just confirms what she already felt. Lust. Sparks fly. Guards are paid off. Plans are made. She gives up her entire life and career for this man. 🤔🤔Points lost? Good ol unexpected pregnancy 👎🏻
Theres a lot of smut, and it is very good. There’s even some primal scene after the escape.

[Nics · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bookclub read - November

I must say, this one is pretty controversial, but I enjoyed it.
I loved how Axel brought out Willow’s dark side, that she kept hidden and felt guilty about, and vice versa, I loved how Willow silenced the voices in his head, the urges.

This was insta attraction, lust/love. I usually don’t vibe with it, but when I’m in the right headspace I enjoy it.

I was in the complete right headspace for this book, it’s a yes from me!

[Maddy Hookom · Rating 3 out of 5]

… like i don’t even know how this story worked out. kinda overwhelmed. Lots of spice, very little cuteness and romantic depth

[Kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolute trash but I still enjoyed it.

[Tina]

dnf 40%

[addie reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/5

this book was delicious!! it was sorta insta love but there was a lot of tension

[Mirfa Migdad · Rating 1 out of 5]

What the hell is this? 75% smut and 25% premises setting. They barely had an actual conversation. All they do is rip each other’s clothes and yk. Huh what a waste of storyline. It had too much potential to be this.

[books2loversss · Rating 2 out of 5]

In 3 months anyone can become a master criminal

I always have to suspend some disbelief going into a book like this, but Imprisoned went way beyond the line of what I could buy into.

Spoilers ahead

You’re telling me this fresh doctoral grad went from years of med school to embezzling prison funds, managing offshore accounts, and finding contacts to forge them illegal documents in a span of a few months? On top of masterminding a high security prison escape, liquidating her mom’s assets without her mom’s knowledge, and mastering bribery? No, just no.

Then there’s the fact that she and Axel have no real relationship besides banging. They never talk. They don’t exchange personal details, and yet she’ll throw away her entire life for him? Being horn dogs is cool and all, but doing all of this for a certified psychopath without anything beyond smexy time is wild in the worst way.

[Rachel · Rating 2 out of 5]

She was obsessed with him before she started their sessions. I know this just a story, but she’s the worst psychologist I’ve ever heard about. But she also can hack and embezzle money? And I swear if I hear she silences the voices one more time I might pull my hair out.

Read the TWs
Tropes:
Dark Romance
Forbidden Romance
Forced Proximity
Prison Break

[Salem Grace · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought I was getting a thriller/romance with some real conflict but this girl didn't even TRY 😭

Willow starts her new job bright eyed and bushy tailed, and is an absolute terrible psychologist. I mean - she does nothing for a few chapters.

Then Axel shows up. Big bad murderer, super manipulative, blah blah blah. Honestly, there was no manipulation necessary. All he has to do is smile and tell Willow all the ways he wants to screw her, and she folds pretty damn quick.

Then - this half cocked escape plan? I'm supposed to believe Willow is a psychologist turned embezzler turned escape artist? I thought the first half of the book was gnarly, but the second was off the rails.

There's no real romance here. I think the "tender moments" between the two are just minutes of post coital bliss mistaken for love. Pity.

And the end of that epilogue?

God help them.

[Book Nook Kitten · Rating 1 out of 5]

Awful. Seriously Boring! With completely unlikable characters. The entire first two chapters was all boring unnecessary filler, of the heroine thinking about herself being a psychologist, obessed with wanting to know how psychos work, then talking to a colleague about being a psychologist, wanting to know how psychos work, then talking to another colleague about being a psychologist, wanting to know how psychos work.

Then she goes home and talks to her mum about her first day, and readers having to read her repeateding it all for the umpteenth time. Painfully boring! That is a tedious start to a book, all unnecessary filler for two entire chapters. Then chapter 3 it repeats it all, with her ignoring her current patient to continue think of the physco, having lunch with her colleague, talking about it her fascination with the psychopath. Argh! It's really awful.

It's chapter 4 before they first meet, and after one second of him seeing her he's declaring in his thoughts that she is so different to all the other women and even men who he's been with in the past. He hasn't even spoken to her, this is the first time he's ever seen her, and only seen her for all if the second it took him to walk into her office but he's declaring she's different, that his feelings for her are different. It's really awful insta stupidness.

The were so many other problems too in the short amount I managed to push myself through. The next biggest problem is the author made both characters completely unlikable. The heroine is a psychologist, as in a doctor, which implies she should care about helping her patients, but no, all she ever thinks here is that the other inmates/patients she's having to see are not him, Axel, the psychopath, the man she's lusting after despite never having met him.

Even after one inmate, with tired eyes, who's struggling to sleep, directly confronts her with the truth that she doesn't care about him needing help, that she's just like all the other so called caring doctors who don't actually care and moved on as soon as a better placement opened up for them, it would give any nice person a kick in the backside to remember they should be more professional and try to help the person who needs help, but no.

She still has no compassion, sympathy, empathy or professionalism. She instead still just thinks that this inmate isn't Axel and how disappointed she is that she hasn't seen Axel yet and won't meet him yet because his first appointment with her isn't scheduled for days. She's a horrible person.

As for Axel, I really do not know what the author was thinking, if she herself actually thinks it's enjoyable reading about a character that's a psychopath, constantly thinking about and wanting to torture innocent people, rip out their entrails and scattered them around. Dark anti-heros are my fav but he's not that. He tortures and kills and constantly wants to torture and kill and that's not the kind of character I want to read.

Another issue, it's not believable. Even fiction should be believable, especially when writing real life contemporary settings, like here, a prison. But from the very first page things had me shaking my head as not believable, when the author has her heroine being walked passed cells in a male prison to catcalls and whistles.

That would never happen, no one working in or visiting prison, except the guards, would be in or near the cells themselves. Not to mention that in prisons they try hard to keep the population of inmates calm, and not rile them up, and having a pretty young woman stroll through the cell blocks of male prisoners wouldn't happen because it could cause the inmates to riot. So it's stupid, not just unbelievable.

From the beginning, before she had even met him, she wants him. She says she only became a physiologist because of the "forbidden thrill" she feels when she thinks of psychopaths like Axel. It wasn't enjoyable to read for two reasons, because it sounded like she didn't beome one to actually help people and it made it sound like she would have lusted over anyone who had been diagnosed a real psychopath like Axel.

So instead of creating a story that made a connection between them for various reasons, there was nothing here except her lusting after someone, who really could have been anyone, as long as they'd been diagnosed a psychopath. Not to mention it made this incredibly basic, because there was no time taken to build a story or attraction or anything between them, only her messed up psycho fetish, who could have been any random as long as he was a diagnosed psychopsth, because that's the reason she's into him. Awful stuff.

So even if I could suspend belief about the many unbelievable parts there are in this story, I hated the heroine, I couldn't stand readiing Axel's thoughts, it's all so boring it was painful to read, and I just couldn't do it anymore. The only good thing is the cover, I did wonder who did it. It proves the famous saying is true, that you can't judge a book by the cover, because this was awful rubbish..1 star. I'd give zero stars of I could, it's that bad.