Book Review: The Predator By RuNyx
The Predator By RuNyx
The Predator by RuNyx- Book 1 in the Dark Verse Series
Tropes: dark romance, morally grey hero, enemies to lovers, obsession, possessive love interest, forced proximity, mafia romance, childhood trauma, forbidden romance
The Predator is the explosive first book in RuNyx’s Dark Verse series, a mafia romance that blends action, suspense, and enemies-to-lovers tension with addictive precision.
Tristan Caine is a mystery wrapped in danger. As the only non-blooded member of the feared Tenebrae Outfit, he’s both respected and feared for his lethal skill, cold control, and unreadable motives. Enter Morana Vitalio, the brilliant hacker daughter of his enemy, who’s determined to unravel a twenty-year-old mystery that’s haunted her family. When their worlds collide, hate, history, and heart-stopping chemistry ignite.
What starts as animosity quickly transforms into an unexpected alliance as Tristan and Morana face not only their personal demons but also a threat bigger than them both. In RuNyx’s hands, it’s not just a love story, it’s a battle between fire and ice, hate and desire, predator and prey.
💚 LD
I picked up The Predator during a reading slump, and while the pacing felt slow at first, once I reached the halfway point I was hooked. By three-quarters in, I was completely obsessed. The world-building is phenomenal... dark, intricate, and layered with so many moving parts that you can feel how big this story is going to be across the series.
The mystery elements are what really pulled me in. The tension surrounding the twenty-year-old disappearance and the dangerous underbelly of the Tenebrae Outfit kept me flipping pages late into the night. And of course, the romance! Tristan and Morana’s dynamic is like gasoline and fire. They’re constantly clashing, but when sparks fly, it’s explosive.
This book made me fall in love with RuNyx’s writing. It’s clever, suspenseful, and emotionally charged. I’ll be continuing the series without hesitation.
“Apparently, you're not out of my system, Ms. Vitalio.”
🤍 AD -
This has to be one of the most intense enemies-to-lovers romances I’ve ever read. From the very first encounter between Tristan and Morana, the chemistry practically leaps off the page. Their banter, their tension, their absolute loathing of one another, it was delicious.
Tristan Caine is one of the most compelling antiheroes I’ve come across in dark romance. He’s cold, controlled, and lethal, but there’s so much mystery to him that you can’t help but want to peel back the layers. Morana, on the other hand, is one of the strongest FMCs I’ve read in the genre. She’s smart, bold, and refuses to cower, even in the face of someone like Tristan.
The storyline was full of suspense, with mafia politics, secrets, and an undercurrent of danger that kept me on edge. I devoured this book in record time, it’s dark romance at its absolute best.
“Don't you know not to run away from predators, sweetheart? We like the hunt.”
💙 AG -
The Predator was everything I wanted and more. Tristan and Morana are officially one of my favorite book couples, though calling them a “couple” feels too soft for what they are. They’re enemies, rivals, reluctant allies, and eventually something much deeper. Their journey is raw, gritty, and completely captivating.
Morana stood out to me so much. She’s brilliant with computers, resourceful, and refuses to be a pawn despite being surrounded by men who underestimate her. And Tristan? He’s impossible not to fall for. Mysterious, calculating, and quietly protective beneath all that steel. Their connection is built on tension and necessity, but evolves into something so much more.
The mafia backdrop added depth and danger, and I loved how the personal storylines connected to a much larger mystery. It’s smart, emotional, and thrilling, a perfect blend. Easily one of the best starts to a dark romance series I’ve read.
“One day, I'm going to carve your heart out and keep it as a souvenir. I promise.”
