Lights Out

Lights Out is a 2024 dark romance novel by Navessa Allen. Allen is a popular romance author, and she has published romances in multiple subgenres, including paranormal, historical, and fantasy. As with many dark romances, Allen provides trigger warnings at the beginning of the novel, which outline the content that readers may find disturbing. Some of these elements are specific to the main characters’ sexuality, while others play into the narrative of killing in self-defense, covering up a murder, and overcoming trauma.

The novel follows Aly and Josh, a nurse and a cybersecurity specialist, respectively, as they find love through social media in an unconventional way. Aly is obsessed with masked men, and Josh makes provocative and arousing videos of himself wearing a mask. After learning of Aly’s affection for Josh’s social media account, Josh starts stalking Aly. As the novel progresses, Aly and Josh move from playful antagonism to outright romance, exploring themes of The Interplay Between Fantasy, Obsession, and Reality; The Psychological Impact of Trauma on Desire; and The Moral Complexities of Control, Consent, and Power Dynamics. Their developing romance moves quickly from pushing the boundaries of the characters’ sexual interests to pushing the boundaries of their abilities to share intimacy and love each other.

This guide refers to the 2024 Kindle e-book edition published by Slowburn, an imprint of Zando.

Content Warning: The source material and guide feature depictions of sexual content, child abuse, death, sexual violence, graphic violence, and cursing.

Plot Summary

Alyssa “Aly” Cappellucci works in the trauma center emergency room as a nurse, and she comforts a new nurse who is struggling with the traumatic work of the center. Aly relies on her friend and coworker, Tanya, but she laments her overall isolation in life. When Aly gets home, she masturbates to videos posted by an account called “the.faceless.man,” a “MaskToker” who posts provocative videos of himself wearing a mask. Aly reaches out to Tyler, a man she used to sleep with, and suggests that he come over wearing a mask like the one in the video. She sends him a screenshot, but he replies that they have not seen each other in months and that he has moved on.

Tyler shows the image to his roommate, Josh Hammond, who immediately recognizes himself as the man in the video. He does not tell Tyler, but he promptly researches Aly. Josh remembers Aly from when she was seeing Tyler, and he is attracted to her. Josh finds hundreds of comments from Aly on his videos in which she fantasizes about Josh breaking into her home and having sex with her.

Josh is the son of a notable serial killer, George Marshall Secliff, and he wears a mask to prevent people from finding out who he is. He also struggles to look at his own face, as it reminds him of the abuse he suffered at the hands of his father. Josh rarely goes out, but he has a well-paying job in cybersecurity. Josh learned to use technology to protect his mother and stepfather after his father was arrested, and he now uses it to find Aly.

Josh starts stalking Aly, and he breaks into her home while she is at work. He films a video on her bed and leaves his mask for her to find when she gets home. Aly sees the video, but she does not realize that it was filmed in her bedroom until she finds the mask. Aly panics, getting her gun and sweeping her house. Josh watches her through a camera placed in her bedroom, and Aly messages him on social media. He sends her a video of himself on her bed with his penis out. Aly is aroused by the video, and she masturbates, though Josh cuts the camera feed when Aly undresses. 

Afterward, Aly feels guilty and does not think she can call the police. The next day, Aly realizes that Josh is watching her through the cameras at the hospital, and they continue to message each other. Josh sends Aly flowers and security equipment, including a device to find the camera he planted in her bedroom. Aly jokes with Josh, but she consistently notes that her flirting is not a sign that she has forgiven him. Josh sends Aly a video of him playing with her cat, which convinces Aly that Josh must be a good person since her cat does not like anyone.

After a hard night at work, Josh shows up to drive Aly home while wearing his mask. He gives her a knife and a gun to protect herself, and Aly accepts. Josh gives Aly snacks, but he does not speak, not wanting her to figure out who he is. Aly threatens Josh with the knife while they are driving and performs oral sex on him. When Josh drops Aly off, she helps clean a cut on his hand. Josh leaves, telling Aly that she needs to sleep. The next day, Aly finds that Josh bought her breakfast, shoveled her driveway, and met her neighbors, Wendy and Clarence. They continue to flirt, and they end up having sex, though Josh is not willing to engage in intercourse until Aly knows his identity. Aly feels that their relationship is moving too quickly, and she tells Josh to give her space. She also keeps some of Josh’s blood and some hairs from his sweatshirt, intending to find out Josh’s identity. Aly contracts Josh, as Tyler’s roommate, to find out who the Faceless Man is, not realizing that Josh is him. However, she strongly suspects that Josh is the Faceless Man after meeting him.

Aly decides that she needs a break from seeing Josh, but he breaks their agreement when a known rapist, Bradley “Brad” Bluhm, threatens Aly and a car accident reminds Aly of her mother’s death. Josh comes to Aly’s house and comforts her as she talks about the trauma of losing her mother. They sleep together, but Josh still does not want to have intercourse. In the night, Brad attempts to break into Aly’s home, and Josh knocks him out. They decide to dump the body with Aly’s uncle Nico, who works for the mafia. However, Brad dies, causing Josh to question whether or not he is the same as his father. Aly tries to comfort Josh, but she does not know why Josh thinks he is destined to be a serial killer.

Nico agrees to help Aly and Josh, noting that Aly is his only remaining family, but he insists on involving Josh in the cover-up. Aly and her cousin bring her car to a shop, where two men take Brad’s body. Josh goes with another cousin and some men to Brad’s home, where they find that the police are already there. Aly goes to Josh’s apartment, and her friend from the hospital reveals Josh’s identity. Tyler explains Josh’s childhood and endorses Aly and Josh’s relationship. Aly understands the trauma that Josh experienced, and she explains her reaction when Josh gets home.

Because Josh and Nico’s men could not get Brad’s laptop or phone, they arrange a plan to return to Brad’s house to erase Aly from his devices. They learn that the police were at Brad’s home investigating his crimes, not his death; however, they know that the police will investigate Aly if they discover that Brad is dead. At the house, Nico’s men abandon Josh in the house when they find dead bodies in Brad’s basement. Aly stays behind, and Josh successfully deletes Aly from Brad’s computer. Brad’s parents show up, and Josh narrowly escapes, intentionally tripping the house alarm to alert the police to the dead bodies. Aly and Josh escape through the woods. In return for Nico’s help, Aly and Josh have to come to Nico’s house for dinner every month.

Aly and Josh confess that they love each other and begin an official relationship. They go to Nico’s for dinner and meet his wife, Moira, whom they both like. Nico makes Josh uncomfortable, but he assures them that he is doing everything possible to protect Aly. Nico threatens Josh, who records their conversation as leverage against Nico. Aly is proud of Josh, and they resolve to continue their relationship. Months later, Josh and Aly propose to each other while playing a sexual game in the woods.