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Heartless

Pleasure and Prey

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Heartless

By: AJ Merlin
Narrated by: Marie Hawkins
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About this listen

Fifteen years ago, Cassian Byers murdered his older sister.

And I witnessed the whole thing.

For years, I’ve fought to bury the memories of my troubled childhood, which includes the haunting image of my babysitter’s murder. Life in Hayden Fields has been eerily calm—no big crimes or chaos—until now.

Until the first girl dies.

And I see Cassian outside of my work like he never left.

It seems he remembers me just as well as I remember him. And when people I know start showing up dead, there’s only one likely suspect.

No matter that he promises me with sweet words and an obsession that makes my heart race, I refuse to believe that he isn't doing this.

I refuse to let him in this time.

*Heartless is a contemporary dark romance standalone set in the Pleasure & Prey universe. This is an MF romance. This book contains scenes of violence and explicit content that may bother some listeners.

©2025 AJ Merlin (P)2025 Pink Flamingo Productions Crime
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Listener received this title free

I jumped into this series at Book 4, and surprisingly, I never felt lost. The world is so intriguing that it actually made me want to go back to the beginning to see what I missed. While this installment focuses primarily on Cassian and Winnie, there is some overlap with past characters, who step in to “help” along the way. Now in Book 5 Heartless- the main couple is Cassian and Winnie. Both of them have spent time in juvenile detention center and/or mental health facilities, but have found their way back to their hometown where mysterious deaths start happening again.

Make no mistake- these are morally gray individuals. They are killers. In fact, Cassian murdered his sister (who was Winnie's babysitter) in front of Winnie, the FMC, when they were children, so this story is absolutely not for the faint of heart. There’s a strong element of vigilante justice woven throughout, which adds a dark, compelling edge to every death. Winnie herself carries deep childhood trauma (well beyond witnessing that moment) and because of it, she understands Cassian in a way few others could. Their connection is complex, unsettling, and emotionally layered. There are a lot of moving pieces and players in this story, along with some genuinely unexpected twists. I was fully engaged from start to finish. Definitely worth the credit, especially in audio format. The narrators were fantastic and really brought the intensity and darkness of the story to life.

Very intriguing series. I am hooked

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Listener received this title free

Great narration from Marie Hawkins

Winnie was eight when she saw Cassian who was twelve at the time kill his sister, who was her baby sister. Ten years later the two find their lives intertwined.
With killings and these two having their own dark dark secrets.

Dark and steamy.

Heartless

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Listener received this title free

Heartless by AJ Merlin is a contemporary dark romance that I listened to on audio narrated by Marie Hawkins. This is the fifth book in the Pleasure and Prey series and can be read as standalone.

AJ does an amazing job pulling me into her stories that I can't help but binge them in one sitting. I loved the chemistry between Cassian and Winnie.

I can't wait for the next book in the series Hated to be released on January 30, 2026.

Marie did an amazing job on the narration. She really knows how to bring a story to life. I look forward to listening to more of her work in the future.

I would recommend this book if you're looking for a dark romance, serial killer romance, stalker romance, or romantic suspense.

Contemporary Dark Romance

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