Dunkles Zimmer mit Blick auf nächtliche Fenster als Symbol für Lights Out

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A nurse with a secret fantasy, a masked hacker and a game that turns dangerous: Lights Out by Navessa Allen is one of the big dark romance hits on BookTok. Netflix is developing a series. We analysed press reviews and reader opinions in English and German and summarise what readers love and what they criticize.

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At a glance

  • Author: Navessa Allen
  • Published: 2024, the same year by Slowburn; German edition 2025 by Piper
  • Series: Into Darkness, book 1 of 3
  • Genre: Dark romance with romcom elements, 18+
  • Tropes: Stalker romance, masked hero, morally grey, he falls first, black cat x golden retriever
  • Adaptation: Netflix series in development, no cast yet
  • Goodreads: 4.06 out of 5 from more than 780,000 ratings
  • LovelyBooks (Germany): 4.1 out of 5 from more than 250 ratings

What is it about?

Aly is an emergency room nurse who unwinds with fantasies about masked men. After a drunken message, she invites Josh, a reclusive hacker who posts masked videos, to break into her home and make her fantasy real. Things get dangerous when someone else starts watching her too, with far worse intentions.

What readers love about Lights Out

  • Humour despite the darkness: Many readers call it a dark romcom and laugh a lot despite the subject.
  • Josh as the hero: He is obsessed but tender and vulnerable, and he falls first. Readers compare him to a golden retriever despite the mask.
  • A good entry point: Because the danger stays mostly implied and the dynamic feels consensual, many recommend it as a first dark romance.
  • Spice: Readers praise how hot the book is.
  • Side characters: Aly’s cat Fred, Josh’s roommate and the family go down well. German readers often finished it in one sitting.

What readers criticize

  • A weaker second half: A family and mafia subplot takes over and feels disconnected from the opening, which German readers also note.
  • Thin plot: According to reviews, the middle is mostly a string of fantasy scenes, and some find the book too long.
  • The hype: Some find it less dark and thrilling than BookTok promised.
  • Characters and dialogue: Readers criticize an underdeveloped heroine, insta-love and unrealistic behaviour.
  • Stalking as a premise: Some struggle to accept the core idea, others find the sex scenes too numerous.

Content notes

According to the publisher, the book opens with content warnings. The Trigger Warning Database lists stalking, mentioned rape, recounted child abuse, death of a parent, a mass shooting, and knife and gun play, among others. Reviews also mention consensual non-consent and fear play.

Success

According to Penguin Random House, Lights Out is a number 1 New York Times bestseller. The German edition is already in its 13th printing, according to Hugendubel.

What writers can learn from it

  • The second half decides. When a new storyline pushes out the core, readers lose the thread.
  • Scenes need development. Spice works best when every scene moves the relationship forward.
  • Set honest expectations. If you promise dark romance, deliver it, and if you write a romcom, show it.

Conclusion

Lights Out is a funny, very hot and rather gentle dark romance with a hero many readers adore. Readers who can accept the stalker premise and like humour will be well entertained. Readers expecting real suspense and a tight second half are more likely to be disappointed.

Sources

For this overview we analysed the following reviews and articles:

Ratings as of November 2026.

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