Title: Victim or Villain
Author: L.T. Ryan
Genre: Thriller, Mystery
Format: eARC
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐✨ (3–3.5★)
Synopsis
After escaping an abusive past, Gwen Kane finds refuge at a hidden sanctuary for survivors. But when violence follows her into that safe space, she’s forced to make a choice that blurs the line between justice and revenge.
My Thoughts
I requested this book because, honestly, with everything going on, the idea of a little book-justice? Yes, give me morally gray women dealing with bad men! The blurb sounded so good; vigilante energy, hidden sanctuary, secrets, a bit of romance… I was READY.
And then… yeah. Boomerus.
The setup is genuinely strong, after the first 25–30% I was really invested. I liked the ranch, the idea behind it, the women, the whole safe haven concept. It had all the ingredients to be something intense and emotional.
But after that, it slowed down. A lot.
I get that this is book one and we’re laying the groundwork; getting to know the place, the characters, the dynamics, but there were definitely moments where it felt like it was dragging and I found myself wishing for more momentum.
The romance subplot didn’t really do much for me either. It’s not bad, it just didn’t make me feel anything. No tension, no spark, nothing that made me invested in Gwen and Sebastian.
And Gwen… we had a bit of a complicated relationship. There were moments where she felt really judgey, especially when it came to Sebastian. Like… ma’am... it’s just furniture. Please relax.
I also didn’t connect that much with the side characters, which made the emotional stakes feel a bit flatter than I expected.
Honestly, my biggest issue is that the book has so much potential. With that whole “if no one mourns the monsters…” angle, I was expecting more action, more tension, more of that vigilante energy. It’s there, but it never fully escalates the way I thought it would.
And the ending???
You really just left me hanging like that about Simone?? After all that buildup?? RUDE.
Final Thoughts
This is one of those books where the idea is so good that I can’t give up on it.
Even though this one didn’t fully deliver on everything I was hoping for, the potential is definitely there, and I need to see what happens next.
So yes… I will be picking up book two.
ARC Disclaimer
Thank you NetGalley and Podium Entertainment for the advance copy. All opinions are my own.
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