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The Frequency of Him
“You can run, little nightmare, but I will always find what’s mine.”
When Investigative Journalist, Sloane Keenan, digs into Reverb, the elusive band with a cult-like following, she doesn’t expect to uncover ties to her father’s unsolved murder. The deeper she digs, the darker the truth becomes.
A shadowy corporation.
A dangerous conspiracy.
Two polarizing men who rival her attention.
As the lines blur between obsession and betrayal, Sloane must decide what it’s really worth to uncover the truth.
Are some secrets safer left in the dark?
When Investigative Journalist, Sloane Keenan, digs into Reverb, the elusive band with a cult-like following, she doesn’t expect to uncover ties to her father’s unsolved murder. The deeper she digs, the darker the truth becomes.
A shadowy corporation.
A dangerous conspiracy.
Two polarizing men who rival her attention.
As the lines blur between obsession and betrayal, Sloane must decide what it’s really worth to uncover the truth.
Are some secrets safer left in the dark?
421 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 20, 2026
699 people are currently reading
3402 people want to read
About the author
T.L. Taylor
1 book107 followersT.L. Taylor is an independent author who recently completed her debut novel. She lives in Louisiana with her high school sweetheart, two children, and three cats. She is a full-time nurse practitioner and emergency healthcare provider. When she isn't working or spending time with her family, she enjoys disappearing between the pages of a good dark romance or romantasy. Her other hobbies include attending concerts and drinking iced coffee like it's an Olympic sport. Her passion for writing and storytelling began in her elementary years and blossomed as the years went on. In early 2025, she decided to throw caution to the wind and write a book. She dove in headfirst with nothing but sheer determination and the support of her family and friends. She hopes that her readers enjoy her stories as much as she enjoyed writing them.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 439 reviews
January 26, 2026
I’m gonna start this with I was equal parts cringed out while also being intrigued when I saw this book on TikTok.
It ended up being a no for me. I didn’t like the not so subtle call outs to the band. I didn’t like the Josie and the Pussycats subliminal messaging thing.
And I’m a fan of that movie and the band too.
I felt like our FMC as an investigative journalist couldn’t connect the dots sooner was wild to me.
The MMC lacked depth and I think if someone’s gonna write about a band with so much depth and emotion the characters better break my heart. And sadly these do not.
The sassy friend felt forced and cliche almost.
There was two sections where the smut lasted so long it just felt like filler to make the book longer. And I love smut but just eh.
And Sabel felt too predictable.
It ended up being a no for me. I didn’t like the not so subtle call outs to the band. I didn’t like the Josie and the Pussycats subliminal messaging thing.
And I’m a fan of that movie and the band too.
I felt like our FMC as an investigative journalist couldn’t connect the dots sooner was wild to me.
The MMC lacked depth and I think if someone’s gonna write about a band with so much depth and emotion the characters better break my heart. And sadly these do not.
The sassy friend felt forced and cliche almost.
There was two sections where the smut lasted so long it just felt like filler to make the book longer. And I love smut but just eh.
And Sabel felt too predictable.
October 7, 2025
The Frequency of Him was so easy to get into. I am a HUGE fan of Sleep Token, so I loved the fact that it’s inspired by them. The story line and the plot is intriguing, and I couldn’t put it down. I also loved the character development in the MMC and can’t wait to read more about the other characters!
Want to read
November 2, 2025A book inspired by Sleep Token????? SIGN ME UP RN!!!!!
January 13, 2026
I really wanted to love this book. Sleep Token is one of my favorite bands, and getting the chance to ARC read The Frequency of Him had me so excited. Unfortunately, the book just didn’t land for me.
From the start, things felt rushed and overexplained all at once. There was so much going on that it was hard to follow, but at the same time it didn’t flow naturally. Scenes and plot points often felt forced, like boxes were being checked instead of a story being lived. The pacing was uneven, the characters were frustrating at times, and by the last few chapters I was skipping just to see how it wrapped up.
There were some interesting ideas and the concept itself is compelling, but it didn’t come together in execution. I finished it, but honestly I’m feeling disappointed. I had high expectations, and while I still love Sleep Token and I’m curious about this author’s future work, this one just wasn’t for me.
From the start, things felt rushed and overexplained all at once. There was so much going on that it was hard to follow, but at the same time it didn’t flow naturally. Scenes and plot points often felt forced, like boxes were being checked instead of a story being lived. The pacing was uneven, the characters were frustrating at times, and by the last few chapters I was skipping just to see how it wrapped up.
There were some interesting ideas and the concept itself is compelling, but it didn’t come together in execution. I finished it, but honestly I’m feeling disappointed. I had high expectations, and while I still love Sleep Token and I’m curious about this author’s future work, this one just wasn’t for me.
March 12, 2026
2 ⭐️ || 5 🌶️ || 🚫
DNF @ 51%
Let me start by saying, I think indie authors are incredible. It takes a lot of guts to put your work out into the world and I applaud them for it. This book might be for someone, but it unfortunately was not for me (I’m not here to shame, but to simply leave a honest review of my experience).
As a Sleep Token fan I was SOOOO excited to receive an arc directly from the author and dive headfirst into this story. I thought the summary was interesting, but instead found the plot to be very chaotic. At times it felt like there was way too much going on and could have been narrowed down to just a few different subplots. The MMC is a psychology professor, leader singer of a hugely popular masked band, instrument of mass control experimentation run by the shadow government, AND *checks notes* a serial killer? He’s a pretty busy guy on top of semi-stalking the FMC.
The writing style was also hard to follow. Most chapters felt like they were being described *at* me, instead of *to* me. There was no flow to create the magical immersion you usually get from reading. Instead it felt like a checklist without transition or any allowance for reading between the lines.
Now, why did I not finish? Three words: inappropriate use of ice cream scoop.
Hope to try again with this author in the future :)
DNF @ 51%
Let me start by saying, I think indie authors are incredible. It takes a lot of guts to put your work out into the world and I applaud them for it. This book might be for someone, but it unfortunately was not for me (I’m not here to shame, but to simply leave a honest review of my experience).
As a Sleep Token fan I was SOOOO excited to receive an arc directly from the author and dive headfirst into this story. I thought the summary was interesting, but instead found the plot to be very chaotic. At times it felt like there was way too much going on and could have been narrowed down to just a few different subplots. The MMC is a psychology professor, leader singer of a hugely popular masked band, instrument of mass control experimentation run by the shadow government, AND *checks notes* a serial killer? He’s a pretty busy guy on top of semi-stalking the FMC.
The writing style was also hard to follow. Most chapters felt like they were being described *at* me, instead of *to* me. There was no flow to create the magical immersion you usually get from reading. Instead it felt like a checklist without transition or any allowance for reading between the lines.
Now, why did I not finish? Three words: inappropriate use of ice cream scoop.
Hope to try again with this author in the future :)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 29, 2026
Of course I picked this up when I heard is ST inspired and when I read the premise it sounded really interesting.
Unfortunately it really fell flat for me. Yes, it is a debut novel and I wasn’t expecting perfection but anyway here are my thoughts:
The characters read so immature, like they have around 18 and they’re all over the place (especially our FMC).
We got such an info dump at the beginning of the book and almost nothing was left to be uncovered. When i’m reading about an investigative journalist I’m expecting mistery , plot twists, suspense and actually seeing this character investigate and putting pieces of information together. As the reader I would expect to find out bits and pieces throughout the story, making me engaged.
The dual POV didn’t help in the matter as we had every information needed given to us on a platter by having the MMC POV all along.
(Hot take! I don’t like dual POVs in romance books. I don’t really need to know what goes into the MMCs mind. I would actually prefer not to and keep guessing).
In general nothing was left to the imagination but everything was over explained. We got to read how the characters are feeling but never shown - so not once I felt connected to one of them.
In terms of plot, the idea of having a band and an evil corporation trying to manipulate the masses was really good and there was so much potential in it but as I said - we had almost nothing left to discover . The ending fell flat as well, I can’t believe there were only a couple of people behind that operation and everything got solved just like that.
The pacing was a hot mess at the beginning of the book and some things were not adding up, fortunately it got better in terms of pacing.
Unfortunately it really fell flat for me. Yes, it is a debut novel and I wasn’t expecting perfection but anyway here are my thoughts:
The characters read so immature, like they have around 18 and they’re all over the place (especially our FMC).
We got such an info dump at the beginning of the book and almost nothing was left to be uncovered. When i’m reading about an investigative journalist I’m expecting mistery , plot twists, suspense and actually seeing this character investigate and putting pieces of information together. As the reader I would expect to find out bits and pieces throughout the story, making me engaged.
The dual POV didn’t help in the matter as we had every information needed given to us on a platter by having the MMC POV all along.
(Hot take! I don’t like dual POVs in romance books. I don’t really need to know what goes into the MMCs mind. I would actually prefer not to and keep guessing).
In general nothing was left to the imagination but everything was over explained. We got to read how the characters are feeling but never shown - so not once I felt connected to one of them.
In terms of plot, the idea of having a band and an evil corporation trying to manipulate the masses was really good and there was so much potential in it but as I said - we had almost nothing left to discover . The ending fell flat as well, I can’t believe there were only a couple of people behind that operation and everything got solved just like that.
The pacing was a hot mess at the beginning of the book and some things were not adding up, fortunately it got better in terms of pacing.
January 25, 2026
disgrace to sleep token
The fact that this was advertised that it was inspired by sleep token is a slap in the face to sleep token fans. Who’s to blame? I suppose myself for downloading a book suggested off tiktok it always ends up being a trash book, Every. Singe. Time.
This book was so boring and mid, I’m actually upset I wasted as much time on it as I did. I forced myself all the way through it so I can leave this review.
If your friend recommends this book, they are not your friend.
The fact that this was advertised that it was inspired by sleep token is a slap in the face to sleep token fans. Who’s to blame? I suppose myself for downloading a book suggested off tiktok it always ends up being a trash book, Every. Singe. Time.
This book was so boring and mid, I’m actually upset I wasted as much time on it as I did. I forced myself all the way through it so I can leave this review.
If your friend recommends this book, they are not your friend.
January 25, 2026
oof...
I am very sorry ...i can't understand the positive reviews.
The writing isn't good, it lacks in depths and overall in something to drag the reader in.
The story doesn't make much sense whereas he has too much on his agenda to make it believable. And she lacks in character.
It feels as if this book was written to describe sex scenes and they were wild and unnecessary at time.
And on the other hand, every popular booktok trope seemed to be picked.
I cringed a lot, sadly.
I am very sorry ...i can't understand the positive reviews.
The writing isn't good, it lacks in depths and overall in something to drag the reader in.
The story doesn't make much sense whereas he has too much on his agenda to make it believable. And she lacks in character.
It feels as if this book was written to describe sex scenes and they were wild and unnecessary at time.
And on the other hand, every popular booktok trope seemed to be picked.
I cringed a lot, sadly.
Review of advance copy
Thank you to Happily Booked for the eARC, these are my honest thoughts.
I loved the way I was hooked from the beginning especially with the mystery aspect Riven's story brings. I usually don't read dark romance, I've had very few reads and this one was one I am glad I picked up. Aside from the dark and mysterious aspect, I also loved the rock inspired setting.
I particularly love how the author is able to bring so much between Sloane and Riven, giving us a well-balanced story between the romance and mystery.
I loved the way I was hooked from the beginning especially with the mystery aspect Riven's story brings. I usually don't read dark romance, I've had very few reads and this one was one I am glad I picked up. Aside from the dark and mysterious aspect, I also loved the rock inspired setting.
I particularly love how the author is able to bring so much between Sloane and Riven, giving us a well-balanced story between the romance and mystery.
January 26, 2026
I'm hovering between 1 star and 2, but I think I'm going to be generous because this is a debut indie publication, and it takes a lot to put your work out there. That said...boy, is this book a trainwreck.
I love Sleep Token, I loved all of the ideas underpinning the story...but the execution was pretty bad. It was clear that minimal editing had been done, as there was repetition, continuity errors, and the flow was completely off, starting with so much exposition and ending up with what is basically a sex fest. Sloane (and Lydia, as we know book two will be hers) is a pick-me protagonist with a dribble of personality, and Riven is completely unhinged, but not in the sexy way that we're supposed to believe: he's a serial killer, but he's also a psychology professor (wrong! He clearly states that he didn't get a PhD, so the likelihood of him stepping into a lecture hall to teach is less than 1%) AND he's the lead singer for a masked band that has a cult-like following that is actually the front of a government operation to hypnotise the general public! And we learn all of this...maybe within the first 10% of the book? What I want to know is how someone has so much time in a day to achieve all of this, all the while obsessing over Sloane. Something doesn't add up, sis. Maybe I could have forgiven some of this if the dark romance element was good, but I ended up skim-reading the smut. The Scream mask honestly pushed me to my limit, and I'm laughing even thinking about it because it was just so unsexy.
I feel a bit guilty writing this review, because I don't want the author to see it and be put off continuing to publish her work. The only way to get better at writing is to keep writing, and there are components to this book that indicate she's absolutely onto something, so I hope she continues. I also hope that we get more Sleep Token dark romance - but maybe we can just focus on one element, and not everything?
I love Sleep Token, I loved all of the ideas underpinning the story...but the execution was pretty bad. It was clear that minimal editing had been done, as there was repetition, continuity errors, and the flow was completely off, starting with so much exposition and ending up with what is basically a sex fest. Sloane (and Lydia, as we know book two will be hers) is a pick-me protagonist with a dribble of personality, and Riven is completely unhinged, but not in the sexy way that we're supposed to believe: he's a serial killer, but he's also a psychology professor (wrong! He clearly states that he didn't get a PhD, so the likelihood of him stepping into a lecture hall to teach is less than 1%) AND he's the lead singer for a masked band that has a cult-like following that is actually the front of a government operation to hypnotise the general public! And we learn all of this...maybe within the first 10% of the book? What I want to know is how someone has so much time in a day to achieve all of this, all the while obsessing over Sloane. Something doesn't add up, sis. Maybe I could have forgiven some of this if the dark romance element was good, but I ended up skim-reading the smut. The Scream mask honestly pushed me to my limit, and I'm laughing even thinking about it because it was just so unsexy.
I feel a bit guilty writing this review, because I don't want the author to see it and be put off continuing to publish her work. The only way to get better at writing is to keep writing, and there are components to this book that indicate she's absolutely onto something, so I hope she continues. I also hope that we get more Sleep Token dark romance - but maybe we can just focus on one element, and not everything?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 11, 2026
Songs of the Broken, book 1 takes investigative journalist, Sloan, down a path digging into the elusive band Reverb. Little did she know, she would uncover ties to her father’s unsolved murd3r.
You have a masked, morally grey, rockstar, serial unaliver MMC who does things that absolutely made me blush reading in the privacy of my own home! This book is a mix of music, dark romance, a little mystery, and psychology.
There’s a lot going on in the book, a little chaotic and at times it work and others it didn’t. Overall I finished the book and thought it was a good debut dark romance! I’m sure this will hit closer to home for Sleep Token fans soon once they are the inspiration.
Thank you to the author, TL Taylor, and Happily Booked PR for the opportunity to read this book. I received an epub and am leaving my review voluntarily.
You have a masked, morally grey, rockstar, serial unaliver MMC who does things that absolutely made me blush reading in the privacy of my own home! This book is a mix of music, dark romance, a little mystery, and psychology.
There’s a lot going on in the book, a little chaotic and at times it work and others it didn’t. Overall I finished the book and thought it was a good debut dark romance! I’m sure this will hit closer to home for Sleep Token fans soon once they are the inspiration.
Thank you to the author, TL Taylor, and Happily Booked PR for the opportunity to read this book. I received an epub and am leaving my review voluntarily.
January 7, 2026
Thank you to the author for the Arc.
But I’m sorry. I wanted to love this but I couldn’t.
The premise of the story had a lot of potential, but unfortunately the execution wasn’t on point.
The characters felt flat, and we only got to know them surface level. There was no chemistry between the MMC and FMC, no deep connection or love, there was only lust.
Instead of getting to feel their emotions, and feel what was happening to them we were told only, so there was no connection to the book or story.
I couldn’t connect with the story and characters, and that’s a shame cause this book had a lot of potential.
But I’m sorry. I wanted to love this but I couldn’t.
The premise of the story had a lot of potential, but unfortunately the execution wasn’t on point.
The characters felt flat, and we only got to know them surface level. There was no chemistry between the MMC and FMC, no deep connection or love, there was only lust.
Instead of getting to feel their emotions, and feel what was happening to them we were told only, so there was no connection to the book or story.
I couldn’t connect with the story and characters, and that’s a shame cause this book had a lot of potential.
January 22, 2026
As much as I hate writing not great reviews, I wanted to provide constructive criticism (and I say all of this with so much love for the author because it takes a lot of guts to put out a book!!! So credits to you🩷)
I’m a die-hard sleep token fan, so when this released I was ecstatic to read it. However, I decided to dnf at 66% and that was with me trying to push through it in hopes it got better.
The plot idea is great; murderer who decides to become a masked band member for a social music experiment instead of going to jail. Meets a private investigator who is doing a story on the band. Sounded great. But it quickly became a lot and there was a lot going on at once. The masked singer is a psychology professor during the day, but never once (at 66% in the book at least) see him actually be a professor. It was just talked about in the beginning. There seemed to be a lot of different plots going on at once and it was not cohesive.
With the writing style, I was truthfully not the biggest fan. A lot of it was in the style of stuff being explained, and not making me feel like I was fully immersed in this books world. And as a smut-a-holic, I started to find some of the scenes a little cringe.
It hurts writing this review because I REALLY REALLY REALLY wanted to love this book. Ultimately I decided to DNF because at 66% I couldn’t see myself enjoying the rest of it nor seeing it going in any good direction. I hope to try another book by this author again and see if my feelings change, but unfortunately this book just wasn’t the one for me.❤️
I’m a die-hard sleep token fan, so when this released I was ecstatic to read it. However, I decided to dnf at 66% and that was with me trying to push through it in hopes it got better.
The plot idea is great; murderer who decides to become a masked band member for a social music experiment instead of going to jail. Meets a private investigator who is doing a story on the band. Sounded great. But it quickly became a lot and there was a lot going on at once. The masked singer is a psychology professor during the day, but never once (at 66% in the book at least) see him actually be a professor. It was just talked about in the beginning. There seemed to be a lot of different plots going on at once and it was not cohesive.
With the writing style, I was truthfully not the biggest fan. A lot of it was in the style of stuff being explained, and not making me feel like I was fully immersed in this books world. And as a smut-a-holic, I started to find some of the scenes a little cringe.
It hurts writing this review because I REALLY REALLY REALLY wanted to love this book. Ultimately I decided to DNF because at 66% I couldn’t see myself enjoying the rest of it nor seeing it going in any good direction. I hope to try another book by this author again and see if my feelings change, but unfortunately this book just wasn’t the one for me.❤️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 25, 2026
I DNFed after 5.5 chapters... I REALLY wanted to like it, but from the start the writing was not to my liking, the characters were super flat and just explained everything about themselves to the reader instead of letting me learn about them in a more natural way. The last nail was the mismatched eyes hint and I was done.
Again, I really wanted to read it, but to me it's just not enjoyable at all.
Again, I really wanted to read it, but to me it's just not enjoyable at all.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
3,5 star
Thanks to Happily Booked for providing the eARC. This is my honest opinion.
A Dance Between Darkness and Desire
'The Frequency of Him' grabbed me from the very first page. The story is full of tension and mystery, mainly due to the organization Riven works for. The constant sense of threat and uncertainty keeps the reader on the edge of their seat throughout.
The setting is original and dark: a social underground experiment lab intertwined with a world of dark romance, rock- and cult-band intrigues, and the mystery surrounding an unresolved crime. Following Sloane as an investigative journalist adds an extra sharp edge; her pursuit of the truth steadily heightens the suspense.
The story is compelling and maintains a strong balance between romance, suspense, and darkness. The romantic elements do not soften the atmosphere but instead intensify the tension. The dynamic between Sloane and Riven is particularly well-executed, layered, and convincing. Their interactions are charged, full of secrets and emotional tension.
Taylor’s writing style is smooth and vivid, with careful attention to atmosphere and emotion. She structures the story thoughtfully, knowing exactly when to draw the reader closer and when to create distance. Fans of dark romance and rock-star tropes will definitely enjoy it, especially because of the masked-man vibes, the mysterious band, and the constant underlying tension throughout the story.
At times, certain plot developments felt slightly too convenient, but it hardly detracted from the overall reading experience.
All in all, 'The Frequency of Him' is a dark and intriguing story in which mystery, psychology, and romance come together in a compelling way, primarily carried by the atmosphere and the depth of its characters.
Thanks to Happily Booked for providing the eARC. This is my honest opinion.
A Dance Between Darkness and Desire
'The Frequency of Him' grabbed me from the very first page. The story is full of tension and mystery, mainly due to the organization Riven works for. The constant sense of threat and uncertainty keeps the reader on the edge of their seat throughout.
The setting is original and dark: a social underground experiment lab intertwined with a world of dark romance, rock- and cult-band intrigues, and the mystery surrounding an unresolved crime. Following Sloane as an investigative journalist adds an extra sharp edge; her pursuit of the truth steadily heightens the suspense.
The story is compelling and maintains a strong balance between romance, suspense, and darkness. The romantic elements do not soften the atmosphere but instead intensify the tension. The dynamic between Sloane and Riven is particularly well-executed, layered, and convincing. Their interactions are charged, full of secrets and emotional tension.
Taylor’s writing style is smooth and vivid, with careful attention to atmosphere and emotion. She structures the story thoughtfully, knowing exactly when to draw the reader closer and when to create distance. Fans of dark romance and rock-star tropes will definitely enjoy it, especially because of the masked-man vibes, the mysterious band, and the constant underlying tension throughout the story.
At times, certain plot developments felt slightly too convenient, but it hardly detracted from the overall reading experience.
All in all, 'The Frequency of Him' is a dark and intriguing story in which mystery, psychology, and romance come together in a compelling way, primarily carried by the atmosphere and the depth of its characters.
January 26, 2026
1.5 ⭐️
December 20, 2025
The Frequency of Him (Songs of the Broken) was simply wow. The creativity, the writing, the spice…it was all done with so much passion and intention. You can truly feel the authenticity in the author’s voice. This is dark romance written by a dark romance girlie through and through.
This story beautifully connects pain to music, showing how music becomes a therapeutic release for broken souls. The MMC and FMC perfectly complement each other’s darkness. While the FMC represents purity and light, she becomes the catalyst for his growth and redemption.
Told in dual POV, the story is thrilling and heart-racing from every angle. That said, I experienced this more as Riven’s story than Sloane’s. You’re fully immersed in the band’s journey, and it pulls you in completely.
And the spice… oh, the spice! There was no slow burn for me and I loved that. We got exactly what we needed at the right moments, and it stayed consistent throughout the entire story.
I laughed. I gasped. I was fully invested. The FMC’s best friend needs her own book, and I truly hope she’s book two because that would be the perfect icing on an already incredible story.
If you love dark romance, Easter eggs woven throughout a story, a masked man with a troubled past, and a powerful redemption this book is absolutely for you. 💔🎶🔥
This story beautifully connects pain to music, showing how music becomes a therapeutic release for broken souls. The MMC and FMC perfectly complement each other’s darkness. While the FMC represents purity and light, she becomes the catalyst for his growth and redemption.
Told in dual POV, the story is thrilling and heart-racing from every angle. That said, I experienced this more as Riven’s story than Sloane’s. You’re fully immersed in the band’s journey, and it pulls you in completely.
And the spice… oh, the spice! There was no slow burn for me and I loved that. We got exactly what we needed at the right moments, and it stayed consistent throughout the entire story.
I laughed. I gasped. I was fully invested. The FMC’s best friend needs her own book, and I truly hope she’s book two because that would be the perfect icing on an already incredible story.
If you love dark romance, Easter eggs woven throughout a story, a masked man with a troubled past, and a powerful redemption this book is absolutely for you. 💔🎶🔥
December 20, 2025
YES YES AND MORE YES.
When I first came across this book on TikTok I was IMMEDIATELY drawn to it by the mention of Sleep Token, cause, duh. Immediately added to my TBR. THEN I saw she was looking for ARC readers and I couldn’t open my email fast enough. I am HONORED to have been chosen and I think I’ll be in a reading slump until the next book releases cause it was just THAT good.
I am shocked, stunned, OBSESSED. The writing, phenomenal. The characters, *chefs kiss*. Even the side characters are so fun (every girl needs a Lydia 🤪). The development of Sloane and Riven was so exciting to read. And then you get to the SPICE 🥵 Have mercy. The spice was SO well written, THE PRAISE I MEAN COME ON!🌶️ (Riven>Josh IYKYK).
I haven’t been that wrapped up in a book in a LONG time and when I tell you I was grabbing my Kindle every free second I had, I MEAN IT.
Reading this book, I would have NEVER known it was the authors first published piece! So, CONGRATULATIONS on your first book and you will have me sitting on the edge of my seat waiting (&begging) for the next one!
The dark romance community is going to DEVOUR this scrumptious masterpiece and I am SO excited to see more people talking about it when it officially releases!
When I first came across this book on TikTok I was IMMEDIATELY drawn to it by the mention of Sleep Token, cause, duh. Immediately added to my TBR. THEN I saw she was looking for ARC readers and I couldn’t open my email fast enough. I am HONORED to have been chosen and I think I’ll be in a reading slump until the next book releases cause it was just THAT good.
I am shocked, stunned, OBSESSED. The writing, phenomenal. The characters, *chefs kiss*. Even the side characters are so fun (every girl needs a Lydia 🤪). The development of Sloane and Riven was so exciting to read. And then you get to the SPICE 🥵 Have mercy. The spice was SO well written, THE PRAISE I MEAN COME ON!🌶️ (Riven>Josh IYKYK).
I haven’t been that wrapped up in a book in a LONG time and when I tell you I was grabbing my Kindle every free second I had, I MEAN IT.
Reading this book, I would have NEVER known it was the authors first published piece! So, CONGRATULATIONS on your first book and you will have me sitting on the edge of my seat waiting (&begging) for the next one!
The dark romance community is going to DEVOUR this scrumptious masterpiece and I am SO excited to see more people talking about it when it officially releases!
March 30, 2026
Sure, this book is inspired by Sleep Token, since the band here uses the anonymous concept. And … yeah. That's basically it. Other than that, the whole vibe is different. I didn't feel any mystery at all or anything like that lol, because as readers we already know who the band member is especially Riven or Vantros and all that other stuff. (God I hate 1st person dual POVs). The weird company and subliminal elements are there too, but it all feels very surface level and basic.
December 19, 2025
Congrats on your first book! So happy to be a beta reader and see the whole process of this idea coming to life.
I can’t wait for the dark romance community to get their hands on this book!
I can’t wait for the dark romance community to get their hands on this book!
January 13, 2026
For one I’m a huge fan of Sleep Token so it was an instant sign up as an ARC for me! I love that she gave a playlist to go with the story! I made a playlist from that list on Apple Music so that when she put the music symbol in the book, I knew to start the next song. But other than that, really great story. Great plot, and great characters 5/5 ⭐️
February 20, 2026
Doing too much and giving nothing at the same time. Genuinely awful. Cringed the whole way. Do not recommend x
February 15, 2026
Another rage finish for me. It felt like wattpad fanfiction. The writing was horrible, the characters fell flat when they were supposed to be so emotionally deep. The best friend was incredibly irritating and out of touch. The FMC wouldn’t be able to crack a case if it smacked her right in the head, which is crazy for an investigate journalist. And the MMC lacked depth and made me literally cringe multiple times in the book. As someone who loves dark romance, this was a total miss for me. It also was so long for what? Love spice in a book but some of it was so long it felt like it was just to extend the book and serve no purpose. The banter in the book was SO forced. Instead of making me chuckle I found myself rolling my eyes.
January 30, 2026
So… I started this book fully expecting it to be bad. Surprisingly, at the beginning it was more hilarious than anything else.
But oh. My. God. It ended up being really bad.
I’m sorry, but this was just terrible. Every single dark-romance trope you can think of is in here — every single one, and then some. The MMC is somehow everything all at once, to the point where it becomes completely ridiculous.
By the end, all I wanted was for it to be over. I skimmed through the final chapters just to finish it. And to make things worse, it was long.
Overall, a painfully bad reading experience.
But oh. My. God. It ended up being really bad.
I’m sorry, but this was just terrible. Every single dark-romance trope you can think of is in here — every single one, and then some. The MMC is somehow everything all at once, to the point where it becomes completely ridiculous.
By the end, all I wanted was for it to be over. I skimmed through the final chapters just to finish it. And to make things worse, it was long.
Overall, a painfully bad reading experience.
Review of advance copy received from Author
absolutely loved everything about this book. riven gives off josh(lights out) vibes and I'm here for it. the storyline was intriguing and there was a nice mix of plot and smut lol
January 5, 2026
I had the pleasure of receiving this book as an ARC. This is my honest review with no bs because I don’t do that lol.
I am so pleasantly surprised by this book. I honestly went in a little skeptical because I am a huge Sleep Token fan and I was afraid that a book inspired by them would be a bit cringe. I was totally wrong. T.L Taylor wrote this book so beautifully and did the perfect balance of drawing inspiration from ST but then still creating a totally original storyline. I love the music frequency theme, it felt very new and interesting to me as I have not read anything like this before. It’s paced in a way that keeps you wanting more and more. The side characters are all just as likable as the main characters. Which works out great as it seems there will be more interconnected stand-alones.
I especially loved the balance of plot, romance & spice and action with lots of twists and turns. My absolute FAVORITE thing about this was the little ST Easter eggs. Like using random song names or lyrics to describe feelings or names of places and things. It was done in such a subtle way that only if you know to look for it that you would find it.
Overall it was a very enjoyable read and especially since this is a debut novel, it’s even more impressive. You can feel that the author has taken her time in crafting this. She has become an instant fav for me and I am so excited to read anything else that she writes.
I am so pleasantly surprised by this book. I honestly went in a little skeptical because I am a huge Sleep Token fan and I was afraid that a book inspired by them would be a bit cringe. I was totally wrong. T.L Taylor wrote this book so beautifully and did the perfect balance of drawing inspiration from ST but then still creating a totally original storyline. I love the music frequency theme, it felt very new and interesting to me as I have not read anything like this before. It’s paced in a way that keeps you wanting more and more. The side characters are all just as likable as the main characters. Which works out great as it seems there will be more interconnected stand-alones.
I especially loved the balance of plot, romance & spice and action with lots of twists and turns. My absolute FAVORITE thing about this was the little ST Easter eggs. Like using random song names or lyrics to describe feelings or names of places and things. It was done in such a subtle way that only if you know to look for it that you would find it.
Overall it was a very enjoyable read and especially since this is a debut novel, it’s even more impressive. You can feel that the author has taken her time in crafting this. She has become an instant fav for me and I am so excited to read anything else that she writes.
January 2, 2026
As much as I loved the idea I just couldn’t get into the story the way I wanted to. It’s definitely still a good book for the authors first release and would recommend to anyone who likes a dark romance.
January 11, 2026
This book just wasn't for me but I really tried to enjoy it. I don't know anything about sleep token so I didn't really get the references that were supposedly there. I do enjoy a masked man storyline but with everything else going on, this one just wasn't it for me. There was a ton of spice, I feel like that over powered the plot. The plot was interesting but could have been worked through better. I feel like the resolution was very quick. There was a mention of a tattoo in the beginning of the book that was never mentioned again. I had thought that the tattoo was going to be what gave the identity away but no. I also thought that the main female character was a bit oblivious to what was going on with the "men" in her life. There were also characters thrown in at the end that hadn't been around the whole book and just added more confusion to the conflict. I know this was an ARC so some of the issues I mentioned could have been cleared up before the release. I don't think this was a bad book, it just wasn't something that I enjoyed. I know this is the author's first book so perfection can't be expected. I would try another book from this author, maybe even the next in the series just out of curiosity of what's next.
January 24, 2026
2/5 stars
I am absolutely in love with Sleep Token, so the moment I came across a book inspired by them, I was all in. I think this book and the author holds a lot of potential, but I was not in love with this book.
We follow a professor which is the lead of a band… and a serial killer, all while stalking the FMC and trying to take down a big bad corporation. There is a LOT going on in this story and it just felt so rushed and the pacing was everywhere. I wasn’t obsessed with the FMC either.
I truly love the idea of this book, but did not love the experience and in the end, felt like there was a lot left to be desired.
I am absolutely in love with Sleep Token, so the moment I came across a book inspired by them, I was all in. I think this book and the author holds a lot of potential, but I was not in love with this book.
We follow a professor which is the lead of a band… and a serial killer, all while stalking the FMC and trying to take down a big bad corporation. There is a LOT going on in this story and it just felt so rushed and the pacing was everywhere. I wasn’t obsessed with the FMC either.
I truly love the idea of this book, but did not love the experience and in the end, felt like there was a lot left to be desired.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 30, 2026
First off, let me say that I am a HUGE Sleep Token fan. So of course I jumped at the opportunity to read this book. I wanted nothing more than to be fully immersed into a Sleep Token inspired world. And this really does feel alot like Sleep Token Fanfic.
Tropes:
Masked men
Hidden identities
Dark Rockstar Romance
Morally Grey MMC
There were so many call backs, easter eggs, and references to the band that I absolutely loved.
Worshippers > Acolytes, offerings, 4 masked anonymous men with stage names, who wear black jeans and cloaks? Uh yea, duh. I'm in. At times, I was genuinely giddy, because it reminded me so much of my experience with being a fan but also getting a potential peak inside the curtain. Were some things a little too on the nose? Sure, but it was still fun to see in print.
We start off the book with our FMC getting ready with her bestie to go to a Reverb show. If you have been to a Sleep Token ritual, you know the sheer happiness, and pure joy a ST show brings. It brought me back to those memories, and I absolutely loved that aspect.
The plot is easy to get into and easy to follow. There was a strong theme of music being healing, which I really enjoyed. However, I found certain elements and events far too easy and consequential that gave me pause because they just weren't realistic.
Our MMC Riven is everything you could want in a dark romance. He's morally grey, he's got inner demons and trauma, he's protective (he truly brings "touch her and die" to life), and fiercely loyal. His "double life" trope was very similar to Lights out, (there's mention of our MMC reading Lights Out and with references to Josh, and even a mention of a certain Illyrian warrior too) but there was a third element tied to the double life that felt a lil bit too extra, and unneeded. I really wanted more from Riven as he was obviously inspired by Vessel, but I think maybe the IRL anonymity is for the best.
The romance was much closer to insta-lust than anything else, and we didn't get a lot of build up or banter, which was a bit disappointing. There was no deep connection between our main characters and their emotions aside from lust, which felt very surface level making it hard to connect to them. The spice was pretty well done, but at times I felt like it did overshadow the plot in some areas.
Despite all of that, this was definitely a vibe read for me. It was easy, fun, sexy, and scratched the itch of missing Sleep Token which is why I'm rounding up my rating from 3.75 to 4.
Tropes:
Masked men
Hidden identities
Dark Rockstar Romance
Morally Grey MMC
There were so many call backs, easter eggs, and references to the band that I absolutely loved.
Worshippers > Acolytes, offerings, 4 masked anonymous men with stage names, who wear black jeans and cloaks? Uh yea, duh. I'm in. At times, I was genuinely giddy, because it reminded me so much of my experience with being a fan but also getting a potential peak inside the curtain. Were some things a little too on the nose? Sure, but it was still fun to see in print.
We start off the book with our FMC getting ready with her bestie to go to a Reverb show. If you have been to a Sleep Token ritual, you know the sheer happiness, and pure joy a ST show brings. It brought me back to those memories, and I absolutely loved that aspect.
The plot is easy to get into and easy to follow. There was a strong theme of music being healing, which I really enjoyed. However, I found certain elements and events far too easy and consequential that gave me pause because they just weren't realistic.
Our MMC Riven is everything you could want in a dark romance. He's morally grey, he's got inner demons and trauma, he's protective (he truly brings "touch her and die" to life), and fiercely loyal. His "double life" trope was very similar to Lights out, (there's mention of our MMC reading Lights Out and with references to Josh, and even a mention of a certain Illyrian warrior too) but there was a third element tied to the double life that felt a lil bit too extra, and unneeded. I really wanted more from Riven as he was obviously inspired by Vessel, but I think maybe the IRL anonymity is for the best.
The romance was much closer to insta-lust than anything else, and we didn't get a lot of build up or banter, which was a bit disappointing. There was no deep connection between our main characters and their emotions aside from lust, which felt very surface level making it hard to connect to them. The spice was pretty well done, but at times I felt like it did overshadow the plot in some areas.
Despite all of that, this was definitely a vibe read for me. It was easy, fun, sexy, and scratched the itch of missing Sleep Token which is why I'm rounding up my rating from 3.75 to 4.
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