Leigh RiversDark Romance · Romance
Psychotic Obsession
Psychotic Obsession
- Pages
- 391
- Published
- 2025
- Language
- English
Synopsis
Aria Miller is a scientist working on a cure for a rare genetic disease. Her life is thrown off course when she collides with Tobias Mitchell, a handsome stranger. She takes him on as her assistant.
Tobias grows infatuated with her, more than he knows he should. Aria sees him as sweet and calm, and she falls for him without suspecting what he is underneath.
Then circumstances force Aria to leave the country. Facing the loss of the woman he is obsessed with, Tobias lets his mask slip and shows her his real self for the first time. He is determined that she stays his.
The book is a dark romance with a possessive, dangerous hero and a heroine who is nervous and inexperienced. It is an interconnected standalone, set before The Edge of Darkness Trilogy.
The question driving it is what Tobias will do to keep her, and whether Aria can get free of a man she trusted.
How it reads
Prose complexity 1/10
- Psychotic obsession is a dark interconnected standalone in the edge of the darkness trilogy. This book tested my sanity and never gave it back. Spoilers ahead. Check for trigger warnings here. Story : ⭐⭐ Plot : ⭐⭐⭐ Rating : ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Writing style : Leigh Rivers is a really good writer, she writes angst and twists very well. It’s immersive and flows smoothly once you begin reading. MMC : Tobias Mitchell — ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ FMC : aria miller — ⭐⭐ side characters : nobody stood out to me unfortunately. Summary : aria is a scientist working to find cure to rare genetic diseases. Tobias is working with her as her assistant, at first he work with her only because he is slightly obsessed with her, but as time passes, he becomes really obsessed with her. He does some questionable things — because of his psychosis — threatens anyone and everyone who comes close to hurting her or hurt her in the past, threatens ewan too, her ex, and kills her best friend in a fit of rage. They both have a very complicated and toxic relationship. Aria confused me as to where to place her, one moment she wants ewan and the next moment she says she loves Tobias. Tobias drugs her with his own medication, gets her pregnant and also threatens to kill her because he thinks his aria is lost and everyone is trying to take her away from him. Aria is the only one who saw him as a person, and not tried to make him feel like there is something wrong with him. Ewan her ex stays with aria, and chooses to be with her throughout the pregnancy, but he refuses to be in a relationship with aria if she chooses Tobias, i mean he cheated on her and justifies it by saying he was young, wtf was that? The characters in this book are a cluster f•••, and i am too, because i love Tobias. Man was trying so hard to be better for aria, and their babies. This woman is pregnant and still wants to sleep with the ex that cheated on her and wants a relationship with her and not want her running which made me think double standards. He can do whatever he wants, but he will not accept the same? Okay, whatever. Tobias is sent to a mental institution after he is charged with assault, murder attempts, and his mental issues are a bonus, there he spends five years, I guess and we meet a different man than in the middle of the book. He is unhinged, obsessed and really psychopathic, what did he even—? He wants aria to be his to the point he forces a pregnancy on her. Damn, this man. Will i defend him? Yes. Will i run from him? Yes. Do i love him? Also yes. Aria raised ewan’ s son jason as her own, and so ewan chooses to be with aria to take care of her twins too. Tobias is irredeemable, but to me, he is. Think what you think. Aria did not deserve the s••• she went through because f•••••• hell, it was too much. I deliberately read this book first to understand the edge of the darkness trilogy later, because if I had to come back and read about the father’s story like this, I think i would cry a river. They don’t have a happy ending, but my man deserved it. He fought against his demons, and i did not know whether to love him, or run the f••• away. Dedicated to by the author : the author said readers who love dancing in the dark, come out now Tobias is our home. But this man took my sanity and hasn’t given it back. I feel so overwhelmed and I don’t know what even to write here. Pacing : fast. Tropes : ☑️obsessed MMC. (Obsessed is not the correct word, Tobias is psychotic) ☑️touch her and meet god. Literally. ☑️ possessive MMC. ☑️ Tests your sanity. ☑️ Doctor x assistant. ☑️ Forced pregnancy. ☑️ Non consensual drugging. Type of romance : dark. This is dark, please read the trigger warnings on the author’s website. Tags for the book : mental illness, contemporary, romance, dark romance, losing sanity, murder, death, abuse, emotional abuse. What i loved : loved Tobias, his obsession, he’s a quite intriguing character. Favourite parts/ highlights : Tobias’s obsession with aria, and his pov. We don’t get much of it but when we get to be inside his head. It’s a treat. This man did things that shouldn'/’t be forgiven, but he tries his best to be better for aria and their kids. That’s what matters to me. Is a part of a series : yes. Series name : edge of the darkness trilogy. Series order number : 0 of 3. (This book comes before you read kade’s story). It is a prequel to the Trilogy. Plot or character driven : plot. Loveable characters : yes and no. Strong character development : there is character development for Tobias, but not for others. Flaws of characters a main focus : yes. Interconnected/ or standalone : interconnected standalone. Similar books : I have never read a book as dark as this one and it is overloading my senses right now. I need time before i can come back. Last details : Tobias is psychotic and I am too, because I love this man. Inspite of all the s••• he does. Because in the end, he does try, and we get s glimpse of his good self ? That is not psychotic? The title is so on point. The obsession is indeed psychotic. Beyond that even. If you like psychopathic heroes, touch her and die, a bit taboo things, then you might like little stranger by Leigh Rivers, it’s a foster step sibling romance, with a very beautiful mute psychopath. You willl love Malachi as much as I did. I need therapy after this book, wow.
- 4 stars Male Lead: Tobias Mitchell Female Lead: Aria Miller The first two chapters really got me thinking Tobias is really a gentleman. I got fooled by him. I mean, being a stalker is not so gentlemen, right? But I'm kinda surprised that he was able to control himself over Aria. He didn't really do anything bad without her consent. Maybe because he was not only aware of his psycho side, but he was also actually listened to his mom and went to therapy, took his medication on time. So far, the progress is OKAY, that's all I can say. Loved his good sides whenever he's around Lucy, the kid patient. Of course, the sexual tension whenever he's with Aria. Tobias said he can't imagine how he will react if Aria decided to change her mind and go back to Scotland back to her ex. Well, i couldn't imagine what he would do too. Wait— I picked up Kade's book first then suddenly realised about this Tobias' book. So I decided to read this book first then i can pick up Kade's book back. But then, I realised again that this book was released after the trilogy. But it doesn't matter, right? I'm already at 30% of this book when i realised. What the heck, Tobias!? He planted a hidden camera inside her bedroom secretly. When did he even come and how in the world did he get into her room? And in Scotland? When did he plan all of these stalking and disturbing stuff? Oof... Tobias. I'm speechless rn. What in the actual f•••, Tobias!? He really lost his mind when he doesn't recognise Aria. WTF!? He let Justin stabbed Aria. Well, good thing Kade and Luciella are still alive. I couldn't stand the way Aria behaves. Like when she is with Tobias, she somehow feel connected to him, crave him still. Also when she's with Ewan, her ex, she thought to herself that she still wants him. And her being regretful to not forgive him sooner. Sometimes, she's lusting over him for no reason. Like girl, be clear. Which one of them do you want? Of course I understand she's still in her self-repairing phase and that her mental health is still unstable but make up your mind. You know Tobias is dangerous and no longer able to control his demon, stay away from him. Do not ever take his bait. Girl, you did it twice already. I hope you don't repeat it for the third time or I'll curse at you. This book is gonna be my first book where I don't care if the male lead and female lead will get a HEA. As long as both are alive, I guess it's okay.
- <div>Leigh, you’re the queen of messed up romance! This was beautiful in all the right ways, I wish there was more on this couple </div>