Handled by Romilly King Blog Tour

Serial killers think if it all goes south and they finally get caught that their swan song is a day in court, making the families relive the agony while they get off on that delicious pain, all over again.

Not happening. Not anymore. We’re not making celebrities out of monsters. We’re not giving them a stage to strut on.

Now they get an audience of two.

One to Handle the problem, one to Witness it.

I’m a Witness. I trained for six years to do my duty, to manage my contracted killer, and to watch justice be done.

I knew it would be hard, the first time, to watch the eye for an eye moment.

I expected to feel a lot of things – fear, disgust, guilt.

I didn’t expect to feel turned on.

And I didn’t expect my contracted killer to look quite so pretty with blood on his hands.

Handled is a dark gay romance with themes of justice, retribution, and unsuitable love. It is not for the faint of heart and contains graphic scenes intended for an adult audience. Further trigger warnings inside.

 

 

Book 1
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
~  Also Available with KindleUnlimited  ~

 

 

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Angie – ☆☆☆☆☆
This isn't my normal genre that I read. I've been bored by a lot of books I've read lately, so I thought I'd give this one a whirl. Wow... I can't even put into words how I feel about this book. I'm glad I read it. I couldn't put it down. It was twisted and pushed some boundaries, but damn I enjoyed it. I definitely wasn't bored with this book and I'm not sure who I'd recommend it to, but I liked it... a lot!


Erica – ☆☆☆☆
Not a standalone novel.

When I decided to give this novel a-go, I said that it could go one of two ways, depending on how it was executed (pun intended). From the first page, I was absolutely hooked. Such a unique premise, the balance between Handler and Witness.

In a world where the justice system has failed, because it is only as blind as those who wield the justice, a new organization was born. Leashed psychopaths are paired with trained witnesses, a governmental program designed to take out serial killers when directly caught in the act.

Gray and Nathan had fully developed backstories that created realism as to why they're in the positions they're in now. Their personalities felt set in stone, never wavering. The author created a perfect balance for Gray and Nathan, as both Handler and Witness, as well in everyday life.

On the romance front, I wouldn't go as far as to say it was traditional romance, which is why I was so drawn into the story itself. Gray and Nathan forge a connection, a realistic bond developed over doing their specific duties, with complementary personalities. They play off each other incredibly well, creating hot scenes that sometimes cross many lines.

Without going deep into the plot, as that is part of the reading experience, the reader is subject to the day to day inner workings of the program, while actively pursuing a new objective to its conclusion.

Intrigued, I look forward to reading more featuring Nathan and Gray, and whomever else may spring up from this world.

Editing issues: Click HERE to read Erica’s full review on Goodreads for editing issues that drew her out of the story, but did not affect her overall rating.


Shannan – ☆☆☆☆
Handled is the first book in a new series. I didn't realize this when I read it, but it does get me excited for the next installment.

Handled is a darker themed suspense fueled read. It is a very unique world you enter into. Gray is a Handler. He’s brought in to kill offenders. Nathan is his Witness. They are given a case, they follow the clues, and Gray delivers the punishment of death while Nathan bears witness to it all.

Gray thrives on pain, giving it, getting it, it doesn't matter it all arouses him. After the kill, Nathan is warned Gray will need "someone" to satisfy that arousal, what Nathan isn't expecting is being that someone.

I was surprised how much I enjoyed this read. The unique storyline was different enough to keep me interested but not so different it was unrealistic. I'm waiting patiently for the next installment!

Romilly King is a new-to-me author.


Sarah – ☆☆☆
This is a dark and creepy read. Set in a slightly dystopian parallel world where the government uses trained psychopaths to hunt and kill serial killers, this is the story of the twisted relationship that develops between one trained killer and the man charged with witnessing his kills.

As a reader who can appreciate a little light kink, the mix of sex and slaughter in this book pushed me well out of my comfort zone. Only the complicated psychology of the relationship that develops between Gray and Nathan kept me reading past some of the more graphic sexual violence. As a sociopath, Gray is intriguing in the way that Jodie Comer is intriguing in Killing Eve. Nathan is both attracted to Gray and repulsed by him – but he can’t stay away.

I feel like this book had more potential than was ever realised. The characters are interesting, but their growth is limited. The pacing is awkward, and the author misses opportunities to build tension and suspense for readers. Even the sexual chemistry between Gray and Nathan isn’t fully explored. I realise that this is the first book in a series, but nothing about this story left me wanting to continue with future books.

I have to be honest and admit that I’m not sure how much of my ambivalence about this book is because the book isn’t a great fit for my personal reading preferences. I know there are readers who enjoy blurring the lines between sex and violence much more than I do and I'd be curious to know their thoughts on this book.

Finally, I read this book pre-publication and the version I read was in dire need of a thorough copy edit. Too many basic errors with commas, apostrophes, spellings, and homonyms took my attention from the story and disrupted my reading. I really hope these issues will be addressed before publication.

 

 

ROMILLY KING is queer. Romilly wakes up every morning and decides which (witch) to be. Some days Romilly is an Imp, some days a Fairy, some days a Stoic, and some days a Gladiator. Romilly has a classical education, a filthy mouth, and loves OTK spankings and strong Sirs who give love and punishment in equal measure.

Romilly is also very shy but makes every effort to engage with people from all walks of life and likes making friends and meeting fans on social media.

Connect with Romilly

Twitter  ~  Instagram  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads

 

 

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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Handled (Handled #1) by Romilly King to read and review for this tour.