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Hannah DICKSON
Author
The Story of Emiliah Bent
The Story of Emiliah Bent opens with a career disaster turned viral sensation. Emiliah, a PR executive at a London agency, finds herself in hot water after a frustrated outburst leads her to pen a rude limerick about a client's product and send it to the technology press. To her horror, the limerick goes viral, appearing in major publications. But instead of reprimand, Emiliah’s boss capitalizes on the moment, tasking her with training European managers in this "Limerelease" style. Things take a turn for the worse when the disastrous training session is witnessed by Ben Goodwall, the charming CEO of PeakSleek, Inc., a high-profile sportswear brand. Despite the professional embarrassment, Ben invites Emiliah to pitch for his company and to dinner. Their whirlwind romance begins with excitement and passion but quickly spirals into a toxic and abusive relationship. Emiliah becomes trapped, emotionally and physically, by Ben’s increasing possessiveness. During a violent confrontation, she stabs him in self-defense, killing him. Awaiting trial, she is sent to a psychiatric hospital. As Emiliah reflects on her trauma, her past resurfaces, and the story shifts to her childhood in a small French village. There, as a child, Emiliah bore witness to horrific abuse orchestrated by the village headmaster and mayor, who preyed on vulnerable foster children. Though not directly targeted, Emiliah watched in horror as the headmaster and her own parents trafficked foster children to powerful British dignitaries. A mysterious fire that killed both the headmaster and the foster father launched a brief investigation into the village’s dark secrets. However, the investigation was abruptly shut down, leaving the truth buried. As Emiliah confronts the demons of her past and the trauma of her present, The Story of Emiliah Bent weaves together a dark and powerful narrative about survival, abuse, and the long journey toward healing.
Reviews
Dickson’s debut plunges readers into a world where romance and darkness intertwine. The prologue teases a murder before quickly pivoting to a whirlwind affair between public relations star Emiliah Bent and powerful CEO Ben Goodall, offering readers a captivating blend of allure and danger. When Emiliah initiates an edgy promotional limerick to her entire press list, her unconventional style takes the internet by storm, catapulting her into a new level of fame where she meets Ben, who sweeps her off to private jets and lavish dinners, transforming her world into one of luxury and fulfillment. But soon Ben’s grip on Emiliah tightens, slowly extending to every aspect of her life and gradually stripping away her independence.

From there, The Story of Emiliah Bent morphs into a dark tale of control and danger, as Emiliah refuses to confront her haunting past or challenge the seeming ease of her new lifestyle. The casual first-person narrative pulls readers in with a steady build-up of tension, punctuated by moments of stark intensity as Emiliah’s shifting perception of her relationship moves from dreamlike wonder to desperate urgency. Dickson weaves a treacherous line between romance and thriller, allowing Emiliah and Ben’s relationship to darken with each chapter.

The novel echoes themes of oppression, but with a brutal edge that will push readers to the brink, as Emiliah breaks free from her socially awkward, low-self-esteem prison into a different type of bondage, where tender lovemaking swiftly morphs into something terrifying and Ben progressively becomes more violent and unpredictable. The blend of romance with psychological suspense cuts deep, opening a world of shadows behind a seemingly perfect love story, and Dickson's portrayal of the dangers that can lurk just beneath love’s surface—combined with a killer surprise ending—is sure to resonate with fans of darker romantic thrillers.

Takeaway: Passion, violence, and the past erupt in this dark romance.

Comparable Titles: Nicole Blanchard’s Toxic, Sheridan Anne’s Pretty Monster.

Production grades
Cover: B+
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: B-
Marketing copy: A

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