Phantasma by Kaylie Smith

Tropes: Enemies to Lovers, Forbidden Love, Forced Proximity, Haunted House, Paranormal Romance, Necromancy, Games & Trials, OCD Representation, Touch Her & Die, Morally Grey Love Interest

Content Warnings: contains elements of horror that include gruesome descriptions of gore, torture, death, and lots of blood. Mentions of deaths of family members (the main character’s mother especially), suicide, depression, corpses, and assault also occur. This work contains a heavy emphasis on OCD and OCD tics as well as intrusive thoughts, accidental self-mutilation, and heavy compulsions. There is explicit sexual content, including sexual acts in blood. One scene shows the main character having a drink that is magically drugged and dubious consent occurs (NEVER with the love interest, all sexual acts with the love interest are explicitly consensual), as well as a scene with heavy alcohol use.

“WHERE DO I BEGIN? Has my heart forever!!… I absolutely devoured this… Plenty of spice… Had me on the edge of my seat the entire time, I was hanging onto every word that came out of that man’s mouth… I was sobbing!!… A complete rollercoaster!” Books.and.bunlife ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Welcome to Phantasma.

There are only two rules to the game. Stay alive. And don’t fall in love.

When Ophelia’s sister disappears, there is only one way to save her. Ophelia must enter Phantasma, a deadly contest inside a haunted mansion, and claim its prize—a single wish.

Phantasma is a maze of twisting corridors and lavish ballrooms, of demons and temptations. Ophelia will face nine challenges, each more dangerous than the last. There can only be one winner, and the other contestants will stop at nothing to eliminate their rivals.

Every day the house creates new monsters. But just as Ophelia’s fears threaten to overwhelm her, a mysterious stranger offers her a bargain.

Charming, arrogant and infuriatingly attractive, Blackwell claims he can guide her through the lethal trials ahead. All he asks in return is ten years of her life.

Ophelia knows she shouldn’t trust him. Blackwell doesn’t seem dangerous, but appearances can be deceptive. Worse still, she feels a dark and irresistible attraction drawing them closer and closer.

Her life is on the line. But in Phantasma, the only thing deadlier than losing the game is losing your heart…

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