Lights Out by Navessa Allen

Before I dive in, let me make one thing clear: my reviews are based on my personal tastes as a reader, not the author’s skill or the book’s quality.

I’m a fantasy lover at heart. I want sprawling worlds, intricate plots, and series I can live in for ages. And that’s simply not what Lights Out is trying to be.

Let’s be real—this book is objectively good. It’s incredibly well-written, entertaining, and balances dark themes with comedic storytelling like a pro. The duet-style audiobook? Chef’s kiss. It’s just that, for me, it didn’t quite hit the mark.

Here’s the thing: I rarely enjoy contemporary books that lack an “other” element—be it magic, dystopia, or deep emotional punches. And Lights Out wasn’t bleak or moving enough to scratch that itch. This one leans heavily into lighthearted erotica, with a comedic edge and taboo flair. While entertaining, it didn’t feel like there was enough depth to the story or relationships to pull me in.

The focus is squarely on the spice, and to be fair, that’s the entire point of the book. But personally, I prefer tension and emotional connection that happens to lead to intimacy—not characters thinking about boning every five minutes. That’s just not my vibe.

I hesitated to pick this up because I had a hunch it’d be a middle-ground read for me—and I was right. FOMO got me, and while I don’t regret reading it, I also wouldn’t say I loved it. It was very fun, but too shallow for me. I need a little more meat on my plot bones. 

That said, I completely understand why people love this book. It’s fun, sexy, and knows exactly what it’s doing. Now that I’ve read it, I can 100% recommend it to anyone who enjoys lighthearted comedic erotica with a focus on spice. If that’s your jam, Lights Out will absolutely deliver.

However, I'm not the person to take advice from here, for more contemporary recs, check out @kaylagetsbookish, @_ihavenoshelfcontrol, or @_shelfindulgences—they’ve got amazing taste in this genre!