Book Review: 'Does It Hurt?' by H.D. Carlton (Dark Romance)
I picked up Does It Hurt? by H.D. Carlton on a whim, not fully prepared for the wild, dark journey it was about to take me on. It felt like a reading slump was lurking in my periphery so I knew I needed something to keep the beast at bay. And in times of need, in Kindle Unlimited we trust.
Carlton is a name synonymous with the dark romance genre, with ‘Haunting Adeline’ still being lauded over on Booktok. I think you really have to be in the right mood for dark romance, and luckily I was. It was actually this post on Booktok that inspired my renewed love for these books:
Wild. Wild. Wild. It can't be true, right? Well…
I'm still not sure if ‘Haunting Adeline' is my bag, but the absolute audacity of ‘Does It Hurt?’ had me smashing that “read now” button.
Here’s the synposis:
“Who am I?
I've forgotten the answer to that question long ago. Ever since I ran from that house, so desperate to escape, I left with only the clothes on my back and socks on my feet. After that day, I've only ever walked in stolen shoes.
Could I be a girl who is searching for the meaning of life in faceless men? They were all so forgettable. Until he came along. He took me under a waterfall and made me forget my name, and in return, I took his instead.
Enzo Vitale.
An enigmatic man that will only ever love the deep sea. Or rather the predators that inhabit it. Turns out, he's not so different than the monsters he feeds. He lured me onto his boat like a fish in the ocean, seeking vengeance for my crime. Had I realized his intentions, and that a massive storm would leave us shipwrecked, I would've run.
Now, I'm a girl who's seeking refuge in a decrepit lighthouse with a man who loathes me almost as much as he craves me. He wants to hurt me, but the old caretaker of the abandoned island may have intentions far more sinister.
It's no longer a question of who I am, but rather, will I survive?”
From the very first page, the book gripped me. Our protagonists, Sawyer and Enzo, are morally grey at best, and I enjoyed discovering more about their troubled pasts respectively. I do wish there was time to explore Enzo's background and heritage more, though.
Throughout the whole novel there is an unapologetic tension, and a storyline that refuses to let you look away. It's the kind of dark romance that makes you question everything you thought you knew about the genre, honestly.
I don't know what I expected, but the thriller/captive aspect took me by surprise. The way the narrative keeps you guessing as to whether certain “paranormal” elements are real or not was actually unsettling and spooky in places.
This story is packed with twists, turns, and a heavy dose of psychological edge. Carlton's writing dives headfirst into murky waters (literally and figuratively), pushing boundaries in a way that makes you uncomfortable yet unable to stop reading. The romance element isn't your usual kind of budding relationship either. It's messy, toxic and everything you should never hope for, but by the end I was glad they had found each other. Two broken halves, creating a fractured whole.
‘Does It Hurt?’ isn't a light read—it's intense, provocative, and not for the faint-hearted. But if you’re into exploring the darker side of romance, it delivers on all fronts. In fact, finishing this book is what inspired me to start writing a guide to dark romance novels. So if you want help navigating the genre, whether as a curious newcomer or a seasoned fan looking for their next fix, I gotchu.
If you’re ready for a book that will haunt you long after the last page, Does It Hurt? might just be the perfect choice. Just prepare yourself—it’s not for the faint hearted. Sharks, mortal peril, near misses, violent altercations and a twisted kind of romance to boot. It's really something.
Written by Sarah
