Review: Scared Sexy Collection — Amazon Original Stories
Scared Sexy Collection — Amazon Original Stories
💋 Featuring Ali Hazelwood, Christina Lauren, J.T. Geissinger, Ruby Dixon, Katee Robert, and Kimberly Lemming
Rating: ★★☆☆☆ (2.5/5 overall)
Genre: Paranormal / Halloween Romance Anthology
When I saw this lineup, I was so excited. Six powerhouse romance authors, all taking on spooky, seductive short stories? That’s my kind of Halloween treat. But unfortunately, the Scared Sexy Collection never quite delivered on its promise.
Each author brought a clever hook — vampires, curses, demons, monsters, and a healthy dose of Halloween chaos — but the execution across the board felt uneven. Too many of these stories read like fun concepts that never had enough page time to develop. There were glimmers of brilliance (J.T. Geissinger’s Spicy Little Curses stood out as the strongest, with its sharp banter and moody New Orleans setting), but others fizzled out just as they started to get interesting.
The biggest issue? None of these novellas had the spark or cohesion that made the earlier holiday collections work. The Valentine’s Day anthology (A Little Bit Cupid) had a real magic — heart, humor, and enough romance to make each story feel complete. Scared Sexy, by comparison, feels rushed and tonally scattered. It’s sexy, sure, but it rarely feels scary, and the emotional connection that should ground the spice is mostly missing.
The narrations across the collection are solid, with a few standouts (Spicy Little Curses nailed the atmosphere, Space Vampire balanced camp with sincerity), but even the best performances couldn’t fix pacing problems or abrupt endings.
If you’re looking for a fun, low-commitment Halloween listen, there’s enjoyment to be found here — a few laughs, some good spice, and creative worldbuilding. But if you’re expecting something cohesive, emotional, or memorable, this one’s more Trick than Treat.
🕯️ Highlights & Misses
Hits:
- Spicy Little Curses (J.T. Geissinger) — best balance of story, spice, and supernatural flair.
- Space Vampire (Ruby Dixon) — bizarre but heartfelt; surprisingly tender.
Misses:
- Falling (Christina Lauren) — gorgeous prose, no ending.
- Hot for Slayer (Ali Hazelwood) — great setup, not enough bite.
- Beautiful Nightmare (Katee Robert) — cute idea, awkward execution.
- My Boyfriends Are All Monsters (Kimberly Lemming) — fun but chaotic and underbaked.
🧡 Final Thoughts
The Scared Sexy Collection had all the right ingredients — a dream author lineup, a Halloween theme, and the potential for heat and heart. But like a half-baked pumpkin pie, it just didn’t come together. After the charm and cohesion of the Valentine’s Day anthology, this one feels like a missed opportunity.
There’s still fun to be had here, but it’s surface-level fun — candy corn when you were hoping for chocolate.
Overall: 2.5 stars — a creative concept that never fully found its rhythm.
