Dark Cravings by Joel Abernathy is the first installment in the Hunters of the Church series, a dark M/M paranormal romance that blends gritty fantasy with high-stakes emotional conflict. Released in 2022, the novel explores themes of redemption, monstrous nature, and the thin line between hunter and prey.
Reviewers from Goodreads and Romance.io praise the world-building for its unique take on shifter lore. While some readers found the early smut scenes particularly brutal and the power imbalance jarring, others highlighted the "exquisite writing" and the emotional depth of the character development. Dark Cravings (Hunters of the Church, #1) by Joel Abernathy
A complex, "aloof and cold" protagonist driven by trauma and a rigid sense of duty. His internal conflict stems from the slow crumbling of his hatred as he begins to see the man beneath Eddie’s wolf exterior.
Eddie encounters , a hardened hunter who views all werewolves as soulless monsters due to the violent loss of his own family. Despite Castor’s coldness and the brutal nature of his captivity, Eddie feels a profound, inexplicable attraction to him—seeing Castor as an "avenging angel" who might offer him the punishment or purpose he craves. As Eddie learns to navigate his human form and the hierarchy of the Church, the two are forced into an uneasy partnership that challenges Castor’s prejudice and Eddie’s self-loathing. Key Characters
The novel heavily utilizes religious imagery to contrast the "righteous" hunters with the "monstrous" shifters. It questions whether redemption is possible through suffering or if one must embrace their darker nature to survive.
A "sweetheart" trapped in a monstrous body, he suffers from immense guilt for his past actions while under the influence of his wolf blood. His journey is one of reclaiming humanity and finding belonging.
A notable side character described by readers as a "psycho" whose presence adds to the dark, unpredictable atmosphere of the series. Thematic Exploration & Literary Analysis
Abernathy employs classic dark romance tropes, including forced proximity , slow burn , and Omegaverse-inspired elements like ruts and pheromonal attraction to build tension. Critical Reception
