That Sik Luv by Jescie Hall
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Depravity Delivered — Depth Not Included

Content Warning: Very graphic sex scenes and heavy degradation. If that’s not your thing, I do not recommend this book.

Now, if you're still here after that warning, let me tell you why I pushed through this book.

What’s better than erotica? A dark romance erotica. I’ll admit — my first impression wasn’t great, but there was a plot buried underneath all the filth, and I wanted to uncover it.

(view spoiler)[This is a seriously messed-up story, and with that comes some very messed-up themes. I didn’t enjoy how the book portrayed religion as an all-consuming evil. However, by the end, it became clearer that it was targeting a specific congregation, not the faith as a whole.

Let’s talk characters — starting with Briony. She was, by far, my biggest disappointment. The concept of a heroine trying to find her voice is compelling, but the execution fell flat. She comes across as bland, driven solely by lust and an almost complete lack of awareness. A damsel in distress who doesn’t realize she’s in distress. I couldn’t relate to her, sympathize with her, or even feel for her — mostly because, chapter after chapter, she just grated on me. She teetered endlessly between wanting to submit and resisting it. That said, she did come into her own in the sex scenes — and I mean that as a compliment. Exploring your sexuality isn’t always straightforward, and her response to Aero’s degrading words and actions felt raw, honest, and, yes, hot.

Aero, now. He’s sick and he knows it. Emotionally stunted, socially maladjusted, and yet magnetic in his twisted way. His schemes are complex, private, and often left for both Briony and the reader to unravel. He’s broken, sexy, scared, and absolutely convinced of his own power — a “god,” in his words. But stalking a girl (because let’s be honest — 18 is barely an adult) her whole life will do that to you... and your dick.

We do get answers in the end — barely. Aero “cleanses” Briony, and in return, she... fingers him? Yeah. Even knowing his traumatic history, she does it as part of some self-styled cleansing ritual. Was it hot? Yes. Was it problematic? Also yes. The scene left me conflicted — Briony’s actions were framed as redemptive, but they ignored his trauma. She gave up her virginity; he had to give up everything, including his boundaries. The imbalance was jarring. (hide spoiler)]

What ultimately sets me off about this book is the blandness of the characters. But what kept me going was the sex and the mystery. It's erotica — and it delivered what it promised: filthy, degrading, explicit scenes. And I ate it up. I have no shame in admitting I stuck around just to read the next depraved chapter.

I stayed for the filth. I stayed to make sense of a plot that only really clicked in the final moments — complete with a dramatic "I'm your father" reveal.

So here’s my final verdict:
Read this for the erotica, not the characters.
Don’t expect depth. Don’t expect emotional payoff.
Expect depravity and filth, and you'll be begging for more.
This is exactly what the book is: a dirty, twisted story of two broken people clinging to each other in all the wrong ways — and it works if that’s what you’re here for. "It’s sick love. And it’s entirely ours to own."

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