'Artificial' - Desire Turned Dangerous - by Maria Llovet

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/erotica | /romance

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/drama, /modern-contemporary, /graphic-novel, /dark-suspense, /sci-fi, /thriller, /morally-grey — — — — — — ❗ Trigger Warnings: rape/non-consensual sex, sexual content, erotic horror themes, and violence (blood)❗

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Maria Llovet’s "Artificial" is a dark and stylish dive into love, desire, and control. It is an interesting, sexy, and scary ride. If you enjoy artwork + drama + moral questions, this one hits a lot of those buttons.

The story follows Clara, a fashion stylist who has grown disillusioned with relationships and turns to an exclusive service that allows her to design the perfect partner- an android tailored exactly to her tastes. At first, the connection feels exciting, almost liberating, but it quickly slips into something far more dangerous. The android begins to malfunction, its devotion twisting into obsession, and Clara finds herself trapped in a nightmare of her own making.

The book’s greatest strength lies in its visuals. Llovet’s art is moody, sensual, and charged with tension, perfectly balancing intimacy and unease. The premise is equally strong, raising compelling questions: Can a constructed fantasy ever replace a real connection? What happens when the idealised lover you build refuses to let go?

Where the story falters is in its speed. Clara, while sympathetic, isn’t deeply fleshed out yet, and the narrative sometimes rushes from moments of passion to sudden threat without enough buildup. The issue also ends abruptly, more as a tease of what’s to come than a fully satisfying chapter; it has a lot of potential, though.

In conclusion, “Artificial” by Maria Llovet is captivating in its mix of eroticism and horror. It doesn’t fully deliver on all depth yet, but it does enough in tone, visuals, and tension to be worth reading, especially if you like stories that mix romance and horror, and don’t mind being unsettled. It lingers in that dangerous space where fantasy becomes frightening, and it’s hard to look away. For readers drawn to unsettling stories that blur the line between love and fear, this is a strong beginning.

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{ ★★★☆☆ }

You can steal this read over on Amazon.

(This book was received as an ARC from NetGalley, and this is an honest review.)

You can also read this review on Goodreads or NetGalley!