Review
I’m noticing that spicy slashers, or “horrormance” is rising up in popularity. I’m not one for dark romance, but after reading a few titles like Camera Stays On by Tylor Paige, I’m pretty sure I’m becoming a fan.
The author sets the tone with the prologue. Two middle-grade brothers are vying for the same girl who lives next door. When one identifies a threat to her well-being, he makes a decision he can’t take back.
In present day, readers are somewhat caught up with where the love triangle between Asher, Sawyer, and Andi stands. And we immediately understand that Sawyer, the delusional and problematic brother, hasn’t changed. Asher, the more logical and kind of the two, makes his move for the girl he never stopped loving. It’s only a matter of time before Sawyer’s obsession with Andi turns deadly for everyone involved.
I didn’t expect to finish Camera Stays On as quickly as I did. The story is paced well, with a lurking danger that will keep readers glued to the page. That, and somehow the author balances the slasher vibe with sexy, spicy scenes between the couple we root for.
Besides the horror/romance blend, Camera Stays On provides commentary on women’s choice, domestic abuse, and consent. That being said, readers should be mindful of trigger warnings.
Tylor Paige joins the Cantina Book Club Podcast to talk about what draws her to the horrormance genre and plans for the future. Keep an ear out for the episode and preorder Camera Stays On, available October 6.
Book
Five years ago, Purdy Marin’s wedding was shattered when her fiancé, Sawyer Delambre, accused her of cheating—at the altar. Humiliated and fed up, she ditched town and never looked back.
Years later, Purdy now goes by “Andi,” and has a happy, albeit humble, life in the city. She thought she’d left the nightmare of Sawyer behind, but he has other plans. Sawyer, an aspiring director, assembled the perfect trap—a chilling horror script, the funding to make it real, and Andi cast in the starring role. Strapped for cash, she agrees.
But Sawyer isn’t the only one looking for the spotlight. His older brother, Asher, has quietly loved Andi for years. Now cast as her on-screen husband, Ash has the excuse he’s always wanted—to finally stand where his brother once stood.
As the cameras roll, alliances shift, and buried secrets rise to the surface. Everyone has motives. Everyone believes they’re directing the show. But Andi may be the most dangerous player of all. She’s spent years letting Sawyer tell her story. This is her shot to write her own ending.
But every ending comes with a cost. And in every found footage, the story only survives because someone didn’t.
