This book is intense, and I don’t mean in a fun or dramatic way. It’s heavy and uncomfortable on purpose. Chokehold doesn’t try to make anything pretty or easy to swallow. The characters aren’t just tangled up with each other, they’re trapped in their own trauma, and you feel that the entire time you’re reading.

What stood out to me is that the book doesn’t romanticize the damage. It actually makes you sit with it. Some moments are hard to read, not because they’re shocking, but because they feel too real. You’re constantly aware that these characters are hurting and don’t really know how to stop.

This isn’t a book I’d recommend casually or to someone new to dark romance. It’s for readers who understand that this genre can go to uncomfortable places and are okay with that. I finished it feeling emotionally drained, but also impressed by how honest it was about harm, control, and broken coping mechanisms.
Definitely not an easy read, but if you’re a seasoned dark romance reader who wants something raw and unfiltered, Chokehold delivers exactly that