Keep Me by Anna Zaires (Twist Me #2)

Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Dark, Romance
Publication Date: September 30th 2014
POV: Alternating - First-person, Present tense
Smut-O-Meter: 10 out of 10
My Rating: Did Not Finish

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Abducted at eighteen. Held captive for 15 months.

It reads like one of those headlines. And yes, I did it. I stole her. Nora, with her long dark hair and silky skin. She’s my weakness, my obsession.

I’m not a good man. I never pretended to be one. She can love me, but she can’t change me.

I can, however, change her.

My name is Julian Esguerra, and Nora is mine to keep.

_______________

I absolutely loved Twist Me by Anna Zaires, and I wrote it a glowing review. I had been impatiently waiting for the sequel, Keep Me, for nearly a year, and doing everything I could to help promote Anna Zaires and her books.

Twist Me was dark and uncomfortable. And although I did not enjoy the BDSM aspects, or the "hero", I was impressed by the psychology of the story, and the way that it played with my emotions.

When I began Keep Me, I still felt uncomfortable with Julian, but I figured it would pass because the story and relationship between Julian and Nora was enough to distract me from any squick factors. I continued to read but it just got worse. Everything Julian said and did disgusted me, and when he took Nora in the gym, I had had enough.

I could not see it as a 'love my captor' story anymore. No matter how I looked at it, I could not see it as a story that intended to entertain. All I saw was an abused and severely traumatized woman who was being used by a monster. I began to see all the woman stuck in abusive relationship, who stay because they think he will change, because they think it is what they deserve, because they are afraid of the consequences of leaving. I can no longer find enjoyment in the glamorization of abuse that is very real for many trapped women.

Sometime between now and when I read Twist Me, I must have experienced a paradigm shift. I cannot explain it. I have longtime enjoyed stories like this, that stir emotions both good and bad, but I think perhaps this just reached a limit I didn't know I had. I quit at 28%. But I will still be following Anna Zaires closely, and reading any more books she releases (not Hold Me, book 3). I still support her efforts and I am really looking forward to more Krinar books.

Breeder by Cara Bristol (Breeder #1)

Genres: Adult, Sci-fi, Romance
Publication Date: October 14th 2013
POV: Alternating - Third-person, Past tense
Smut-O-Meter: 10 out of 10
My Rating: 4 out of 5

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To secure his legacy, Commander Dak, a ruling Alpha of planet Parseon, purchases Omra, a breeder slave. He intends to impregnate her, produce a son, and hand her off to his anointed beta partner. As Dak and Omra discover a sexual bliss banned by law, he begins to question Protocol-sanctioned male domination, causing him to jeopardize his command and endanger the life of the woman he has come to love.

_______________

This book wasn't really what I expected, and although it took a bit of time for me to acclimate myself to its world, I really enjoyed the story.

On Parseon, males rule. But not just males, Alpha males. When a male hits puberty he takes a psychological test to discover if he is an Alpha or a Beta. The Alphas go on to get all the best jobs and ruling positions. The Betas get all the supporting and service jobs. Alphas and Betas marry, or are Anointed, but even then the Alphas rule at home and are allowed, and even expected, to beat their Betas when they disobey. Women only come into the picture once an Alpha decides he wants a son. Woman are viewed as lower than animals. They are an unfortunately necessary part of reproduction. Most men wouldn't touch a woman if they didn't have to, although once a female, or Breeder, is bought and brought into the household, both Alpha and Beta are allowed to take pleasure from her, but only the Alpha is allowed to have vaginal intercourse. Its really an awful place to live for both women and Betas and it was a lot to stomach. 

When Dak went to buy Omra, he found her at a Breeder Containment Facility, which basically seemed like a dungeon. He instantly feels pity for the women he sees there, and especially Omra. He sees an intelligent light in her eyes that he cant resist. And when he takes her home she continues to defy everything he was taught about women; their inferiority and mental deficiency. The things he learns from Omra, and the things they discover together could change all of Parseon.

I really had trouble with the language though. I think with all of Parseons stiff rules, Cara Bristol wanted to use formal language to further portray the people of Parseon. But I had a lot of trouble understanding what was said and I had to use the Define feature on my eReader multiple times. It seemed like the most archaic word was always chosen.

I really enjoyed Omra and Dak although their relationship is not perfect by 'Terran' standards, but I hope to see more of them in Terran. Although it will be about different characters, Dak is a major player, and if Marlix is going down the same path I cant imagine them not working together at some point.

"She provided the answer to the question he hadn't known until now he'd been asking."

Bloodraven by P.L. Nunn

Genres: Adult, High Fantasy, Romance
Publication Date: August 21st 2007
POV: Alternating - Third-person, Past tense
Smut-O-Meter: 10 out of 10
My Rating: 4 out of 5

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A son of a forest dwelling people, Yhalen knows little of the world outside the ancestral forest, until he is captured by a band of ogres on a slave-taking mission. Only grim tales of the barbaric giants had reached the forest, but Yhalen soon learns that even the darkest fireside story only hinted at the brutality of these Northern warriors. He discovers the meaning of true fear at their hands, and only the awakening of ancient magic saves him from destruction.

Surviving ogre viciousness, he finds himself given to Bloodraven, the half ogre, half human war leader as a slave. Yhalen, refusing to bend, soon pays the price for offending prickly ogre pride.

But Bloodraven is no mindless, violent ogrish beast. Bloodraven has an agenda and Yhalen finds himself drawn in the wake into human and ogre politics, into bloodshed and cruelty and into the forbidden magic that is damnation in the eyes of his own people, but which might mean the difference between death and salvation.

_______________

This was my second attempt at M/M and in some ways it was better, and in others it was worse. I really enjoyed the story and world building in this one a lot more. The worlds of both Ydregi and Ogres was laid out smoothly and I had no trouble adapting to the new setting of the book and the new people. I would like to visit the world again.

I really enjoyed Bloodraven's character and have always been fascinated by 'love my captor' stories. And this one had a double twist to it, being both high fantasy and M/M, so it was an exciting new experience for me. I have only ever read contemporary M/F 'love my captor' stories before. I enjoy the moral ambiguity that inevitably comes with loving someone who has kidnapped or enslaved you, but that is what usually happens. And I did love Bloodraven. I loved that odd balance he had between treating Yhalen like a slave, and completely cherishing him. I wouldn't have thought it possible, but somehow he did it. He could refer to Yhalen as "my little human" and it feels like her is saying both "I own you," and "You own my heart". 

But it never quite came to that, and that is my biggest complaint about this book. There were never any declarations of love. Not even close. Yhalen and Bloodraven never discussed their feelings, not even in their own thoughts, and it is never clear what they really wanted from each other besides sex. The strongest words either of them ever used was when Yhalen admits only to himself that he has "affection" for Bloodraven. Affection. Damned Elinor Dashwood! And that was practically at the end!

I definitely feel that Yhalen and Bloodraven made a great pair, and it is clear that all that Bloodraven went through and sacrificed for Yhalen is not just due to pride for his possessions. But the serious lack of any sentiment in this book was definitely felt by me. My only other complaint is what happened between Yhalen and Elvardo. I really did not like that at all. It was pretty dubious consent, but I still feel like Yhalen betrayed Bloodraven and I hold it against him a bit. Nonetheless, I really enjoyed Yhalen and Bloodraven, not only their unique relationship, but their chemistry. This was my first M/M erotica and it was pretty steamy. Although I wouldn't call it BDSM. Sex usually hurt for Yhalen, but it was not intentional. I wish I could live in this story a little longer.

"He wondered dismally when his heart had been so thoroughly lost to an enemy."

Note: I have heard a lot of people say that the cover for this initially turned them off from reading it, but they are glad that they eventually gave it a chance anyway. Its also not the first time I have heard this, as a lot of people complain about the covers by Jet Mykles as well. Call me crazy, but I find that I actually like the cover.

The Silver Devil by Teresa Denys

Genres: Adult, Historical Fiction, Romance
Publication Date: December 1978
POV: Female - First-person, Past tense
Smut-O-Meter: 2 out of 10
My Rating: 4 out of 5

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Amid the gilded opulence and dark intrigue of Renaissance Italy grew a love that knew no bounds.

No woman's heart is safe from the Silver Devil. From the moment he sees the beautiful Felicia, he must have her. Overnight he changes Felicia's nightmare world of tavern drudgery into an erotic adventure as his royal mistress. He is the Duke of Cabria who holds his subjects in constant fear. He is troubled. He is ruthless. And Felicia is hopelessly in love with him - though at times he seems like the devil incarnate.

_______________

This was nothing like I expected. It was hardly even a romance. Primarily it reminded me of the TV show The Borgias, which I loved, so it made me enjoy this book a great deal more, being able to imagine it happening during the setting of that show. Although the book took place about a century after the event of the series, there were a lot of familiar places and prominent family names.

Most of the story was political, but simply seen through the POV of the mistress of the Duke of Cabria, while the Duke, Domenico, fights to keep his position from spies and betraying family. Felicia is always in the background, witnessing it all. She is madly in love with Domenico, to the point of obsession, but she never considers herself more than his possession, and never considers the possibility that he sees her as anything more than that. She is always there for him, in any small way she can be. She is incredibly supportive even as she convinces herself of his complete indifference. She keeps his secrets, she keeps her eyes and ears open to plots against him, she disguises herself and travels with him and his men across Italy in search of allies. She would do anything for him, even die. And if he died she would die with him. Even as he is cold and harsh to her.

 

"Domenico, whether you live or die, let me share it!"

Domenico is one of those romantic heroes that you love even though you know you shouldn't. Like a wounded puppy who bites you. You can't hold it against him. He is tall and lean and strong. He is always the tallest man around. Probably 6 and a half feet. Whenever he meets a man who is taller than him, he orders their legs broken. He is arrogant beyond belief, to the point of narcissism. He is often described as a lounging cat, completely sure and confident and graceful, always cunning and on top. He has hair that is silver-gold, and makes me think of the hair of the Targaryens, and that is where he gets his nickname, the Silver Devil. He is also very pale and only ever wears white, black, or silver. In 17th century Italy he is the epitome of beauty and everyone is in love with him. Man, woman, and child.

"I knew that love would not turn the silver devil into an angel. He would remain what he was--subtle yet childish, unfeeling yet passionate, lost irretrievably to everything but his own desire."

He shows no feelings for anyone. He kills without remorse, he watches and laughs as his men rape women, he is brutal towards Felicia in bed and she is always sporting bruises. He is a complete bastard. But Felicia loves his grace and confidence and intelligence and beauty. But he will never change. He eventually confesses that he has always loved her. Which only goes to show that his feelings towards her have not changed him. If he did not realize until the end that he loved her, then perhaps that would mean he could still change. But no. He has always loved her, and he is still a bastard. But I have to admire the way he fought to be with her. He challenged all his men and his council and kingdom for the right to be with her forever. A former tavern wench. In his own way he loves her. And there is no doubt that Felicia loves him. He owns her soul.

"He was on his knees at my feet, and as I watched he lifted the hem of my gown to his lips and kissed it. I made some sort of sound in my throat, but I could not speak.
"You cannot go." He spoke in a whisper, without lifting his head. "I love you. I have always loved you."

The Tied Man by Tabitha McGowan (The Tied Man #1)

Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Suspense, Romance
Publication Date: January 5th 2013
POV: Alternating - First-person, Past tense
Smut-O-Meter: 10 out of 10
My Rating: 4 out of 5

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Lilith Bresson, an independent, successful young artist, is forced to travel from her home in Spain to the wild borderlands of northern England, to repay her feckless father’s latest debt by painting a portrait of the enigmatic Lady Blaine Albermarle.

On her first night at Albermarle Hall she meets Finn Strachan, Blaine’s ‘companion’, a cultured and hauntingly beautiful young man who seems to have it all. But Lilith has an artist’s eye, and a gift for seeing what lies beneath the skin. She soon discovers that Blaine is more gaoler than lover, and if the price is right, depravity has no limits.

As the weeks pass, Lilith finds that she too is drawn into the malign web that her patron has spun, yet against the odds she forges a strong friendship with the damaged, dysfunctional Finn. In a dark, modern twist to an age-old story, Lilith Bresson proves that sometimes it’s the princess who needs to become the rescuer.

_______________

This book is extremely dark and not exactly erotica. It was very violent and more like a psychological thriller featuring lots of sexual crimes. The characters were strong and the story had me enthralled. As twisted as it was, I read with a morbid fascination. I love dark romances, but I usually steer clear of anything with BDSM because there is nothing that can turn me off quicker than sadism, and in most stories labeled BDSM, the male lead is a sadist. Then that just ruins the whole thing for me if I cant love the male lead. But this one gets through my filters because the sadists are all portrayed as villains, and the two leads are victims in everything.

Lilith Bresson is a famous artist who is commissioned to do a portrait for the rich English heiress, Blaine Albermarle. She is to stay at Blaine's exclusive private resort while she completes the portrait, which at Lilith's usual pace, could be as long as 6 months. But almost as soon as Lilith arrives she finds out that Blaine Albermarle is a completely psychotic sadist. Her "exclusive resort" is a House of Horrors where the rich and powerful come to play out their darkest desires. Blaine tries to force Lilith to participate in the festivities, hoping it will give her some leverage over her, but Lilith refuses. Blaine will not let Lilith leave the island however, and threatens to have Lilith's younger brother killed if she does. So Lilith stays to complete the portrait.

Also living at Albermarle House is Finn Strachan, an angelic young man who Blaine has forced to cater to the depravities of her clients for years, with a threat to the lives of his sisters hanging over his head. Almost every night he is strung up, beaten, raped, and who knows what else. All at the whim of Blaine's clients. And now, during the day, Finn has Lilith.

“The summer I met Lilith Bresson, I had begun to die. Not physically, you understand. I had never been that lucky. But each day a little more of my soul disappeared.”

Blaine has forbidden Lilith from getting a "free sample" from Finn, but she doesn't stop them from spending time together. They begin to become each other's support, the only refuge in the storm. Lilith starts by simply checking on Finn in the morning, tending to his wounds, keeping his mind occupied with conversation or a walk, keeping him company in his garden, which was his only refuge before Lilith. She isn't forceful, she is just there for him. Which is surprising considering what type of person she was.

Before she arrived at Albermarle House, we see her mouthing off and swearing at everyone she meets. She is not a nice person and she is simply rude and mean. But somehow I still liked her. Under it all she still had principles. I never would have expected her to fall for such a broken man though. But Finn is simply a beautiful person, inside and out. He has incredible strength, and is a bit cheeky himself. I don't know how long he had been working for Blaine, but I think it was several years, and he is 24 in the setting of the book. But he was still alive and sane when Lilith found him. If only just barely hanging on to any will to live. Lilith saved him just in time.

Despite my rating of 10/10 on the smut-o-meter, most of the explicit content in this book is the violence, not the sex. There is sex, but it only feels more graphic because of its nature. It is mostly non-consensual BDSM, but it is not particularly descriptive. The amount of violence and sadism is shocking, but the actual sexual aspects are not detailed. Even the one scene between Lilith and Finn is short and vague. The violence that is added to the sexual scenes is what makes it all the more shocking. This is not a book that will turn you on. At least I hope not.

“The momentary discomfort was nothing at all compared to the realisation that she was finding refuge in my flawed embrace.”

My only complaints about this book are the fact that Blaine's business seemed very sketchy. It is obviously illegal, but I mean it didn't seem to be run that well. How could she have gotten away with these activities for so long? Also, no matter how beautiful, Finn would not have satisfied all the clients. It seems a bit far fetched that practically everyone was attracted to him.

This book isn't an epic romance. The romance is slow, but strong. There are no declarations of love, no grand gesture besides risking Blaine's wrath for each other. They never once said the words "I love you", and there was only one consensual sex scene. But I loved their relationship because of the desperation. The need for each other in order to keep going each day. For the fact that in the end, they were each other's salvation. And I am glad to see that there is a sequel that shows us how Lilith and Finn are doing now. How they are surviving. Although, it probably could have been done in an epilogue.

“ I needed the haven that Finn offered more than oxygen.”

Destroyed by Pepper Winters

Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Publication Date: March 4th 2014
POV: Alternating - First-person, Past tense.
Smut-O-Meter: 7 out of 10
My Rating: 3 out of 5

_______________

She has a secret.

I’m complicated. Not broken or ruined or running from a past I can’t face. Just complicated.

I thought my life couldn’t get any more tangled in deceit and confusion. But I hadn’t met him. I hadn't realized how far I could fall or what I'd do to get free.

He has a secret.

I’ve never pretended to be good or deserving. I chase who I want, do what I want, act how I want.

I didn’t have time to lust after a woman I had no right to lust after. I told myself to shut up and stay hidden. But then she tried to run. I’d tasted what she could offer me and damned if I would let her go.

One secret destroys them.

_______________

This book wasn't really what I expected. Its not really the kind of 'dark' that I was thinking of. Its more what I would call 'gritty'. 'Dark' when in combination with romance usually means twisted and psychological. But this was mostly just violent, like some biker romances.

I was really interested in Roan, aka Fox, in the beginning. I love tortured heroes and Roan is nothing if not tortured. He was raised as an assassin in Russia from a young age, and has a lot of behaviour conditioning and brainwashing that he has to fight all the time. There are certain triggers that tell him to kill, and he has to try to fight it, to not hurt the people around him. Its daily, hourly torture for Roan and he has turned to hurting himself to control it. Getting people to beat the crap out of him or cutting can clear his head for a few hours. He is definitely the most tortured hero I have ever read about.

But it eventually became too much. Its a bit far fetched and unbelievable. Not only Roan's behaviour, but his relationship with Hazel. Roan has never been attracted to a woman before, it was bred out of him as an assassin. But for some reason the moment he laid eyes on Hazel he couldn't look away. Its the kind of thing I can usually let slide in a PNR because there are supernatural forces at work, bringing them together. But not in a contemporary. And the fact that he could touch her without flipping out and he couldn't touch anyone else. How he felt like she was his cure. The same goes for Clara. It felt too supernatural. Like there was something greater directing their lives. It was just too much of a coincidence.

The book was pretty long and it just went on and on and on about Roan's problems. And his relationship with Hazel kept going back and forth. One minute she hates him, then she loves him, then she hates him, then she loves him. It was stretched out way too much. I know he is hard to live with, but either love him or don't. Make up your mind and then live with it! She made me so mad in the epilogue. The freaking epilogue! After everything is supposed to be settled and hunky-dory, she flipping changes her mind again and tried to kick him out! Jeez! I couldn't believe she would do that to him after everything they had been through. I know she was just trying to protect someone, but that is not how you treat someone you supposedly love. Especially when it was her fault! She is the one who kept pushing him to do it. If he had actually hurt him, she would have had only herself to blame. But it is not the first time she pushed him too far. Jeez, she never learned. Roan said more than once that she forgave him too often. Maybe she forgave him more than Roan thought he deserved, but she did not forgive him as often as I think someone she loves deserves.

They concept was interesting and overall I like Roan, but this story did not reach its potential IMO. Still recommended for fans of violent heroes.

“My heart cracked, splintered, shattered in my chest. And I knew without a doubt I would love Roan until I died.”

Alpha by Jasinda Wilder

Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Publication Date: April 29th 2014
POV: Female - First-person, Past tense.
Epilogue, Male - First-person, Past tense.
Smut-O-Meter: 10 out of 10
My Rating: 5 out of 5

_______________

The first time it happened, it seemed like an impossible miracle. Bills were piling up, adding up to more money than I could ever make. Mom's hospital bills. My baby brother's tuition. My tuition. Rent. Electricity. All of it on my shoulders. And I had just lost my job. There was no hope, no money in my account, no work to be found. And then, just when I thought all hope was lost, I found an envelope in the mail. No return address. My name on the front, my address. Inside was a check, made out to me, in the amount of ten thousand dollars. Enough to pay the bills and leave me some left over to live on until I found a job. Enough to let me focus on classes. There was no name on the check, just "VRI Inc.," and a post office box address for somewhere in the city. No hint of identity or reason for the check or anything. No mention of repayment, interest, nothing…except a single word, on the notes line: "You." Just those three letters.

If you receive a mysterious check, for enough money to erase all your worries, would you cash it?
I did.
The next month, I received another check, again from VRI Incorporated. It too contained a single word: "belong."
A third check, the next month. This time, two words. Four letters. "To me."
The checks kept coming. The notes stopped. Ten thousand dollars, every month. A girl gets used to that, real quick. It let me pay the bills without going into debt. Let me keep my baby brother in school and Mom's hospice care paid for. How do you turn down what seems like free money, when you're desperate? You don't. I didn't.
And then, after a year, there was a knock on my door. A sleek black limousine sat on the curb in front of my house. A driver stood in front of me, and he spoke six words: "It's time to pay your debt."
Would you have gotten in?
I did.

It turns out $120,000 doesn't come free.

_______________

This book totally blew my mind! It is absolutely only for fans of erotica. For some strange reason it is categorized as NA on Goodreads and I think that is drawing in the wrong readers and resulting in negative reviews. I don't know why it is listed as NA when the heroine is 26 and the hero is 36. This is just full blown Alpha erotica! No ifs, ands, or buts about it. It kind of reminds me of a cross between Beautiful Bastard by Christina Lauren and Twist Me by Anna Zaires, but with a better hero than either of them. A better hero than Bennett and Julian combined and multiplied by 10. And both of those books got a 4.5/5 from me.

If you are a fan of that type of book you know the bulk of the story is just an alpha male who has to win over a woman. There aren't a lot of other characters and it focuses pretty much entirely on their interactions. And if you love the trope, then that is enough for you. And it was enough for me. Valentine comes into Kyrie's life and he is commanding and controlling and he wants her. He backs her into a corner until she has no choice but to accept his offer. He slowly seduces her and wins her heart, as he lavishes every kind of luxury onto her. Food, wine, clothes, jewelry, expensive leisurely activities such as the opera and sailing; and eventually, once she is willing to beg him for it, "earth-shattering" sex.

 

“As you learn to trust me, as you give yourself to me, so will I learn to trust you, and give you myself.”

Valentine is a reclusive millionaire, and although he has no traumatic history, he kind of gives off those tortured hero vibes. Something about his reclusiveness made him feel vulnerable, and in turn irresistible. He really grabbed my heart. And he wasn't a captor. I love "love my captor" stories, but the ones I love the most feature captors who have some sort of excuse. Who aren't really captors. Valentine's excuse is that he always gave Kyrie a choice. The doors were unlocked, she could leave at any time. He is the sort of man who has the power, the commanding presence, the ability to use coercion to that extent. He was obsessed with her but he didn't know her. He didn't expect to love her.

Kyrie (pronounced like Siri) was an independent woman. Forced to take care of her family since her father's death and her mother's schizophrenia landed her in a home when Kyrie was 19. She has financially supported her brother and mother for 7 years. But she has had little time for herself. Valentine helps her see herself more clearly. He challenges her to explore herself and what she really wants. Never lets her make a decision without pushing her to look deeper and not make a knee jerk decision. He understands her better than herself. And even a stubborn woman like Kyrie cannot resist Valentine's confidence and commanding presence. They play off each other well. Before Kyrie was even over her initial unease about the situation, I already felt like she should just throw her troubles to the wind and dive in head first. They just clicked. I was always expecting their taunting and games to suddenly turn into a giggling wrestling match. It never did, but I could totally see them doing something like that, and they had their fair share of funny moments. I eventually felt like they had known each other forever and the games weren't even necessary anymore.

“Of course he would stare at me with eyes so understanding and expressive and intelligent that I couldn't and wouldn't dare look away.”

I knew a conflict would be introduced later in the story, because when Kyrie first arrived in his home, Valentine warned her that he had a big secret, that it would change everything, and that he would tell her when the time was right. But because he was upfront and honest about it, because I knew it was coming, and because it was true, and not just a misunderstanding, I was ok with it. I usually hate conflict in contemporary romances, but this was just the right touch, even though I had suspected what his secret would be. Valentine is not a bad person. He had been planning to tell her the truth even before he fell in love with her. Just everything about the way that it was handled was perfect.

And this is beyond a doubt erotica. I would guess about 50% of the book was sex. That doesn't sound like a lot actually, except it took awhile before it started, but once it did, it did not stop! I just feel like I need to emphasize that since I have seen so many people complaining about how much sex this book had. That is definitely not a bad thing when talking to the right people. The sex scenes in this book were absolutely incredible! They are the kind of sex scenes that are worth re-reading. There was no BDSM besides a little bit of spanking, I think twice, and one time he tied her wrists lightly with a piece of lace, which is on the cover. Valentine is just in general a person who likes to be in control, so that definitely came into play sometimes during sex, but he's not a Dom. He's an Alpha.

“God, Roth.” 

“In your life, at this time, those two words could be considered synonymous.”

Twist Me by Anna Zaires (Twist Me #1)

Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Publication Date: February 10th 2014
POV: Female - First-person, Present tense
Smut-O-Meter: 10 out of 10
My Rating: 4 out of 5

_______________

I never thought this could happen to me. I never imagined one chance meeting on the eve of my eighteenth birthday could change my life so completely.

Now I belong to him. To Julian. To a man who is as ruthless as he is beautiful – a man whose touch makes me burn. A man whose tenderness I find more devastating than his cruelty.

My captor is an enigma. I don’t know who he is or why he took me. There is a darkness inside him – a darkness that scares me even as it draws me in.

My name is Nora Leston, and this is my story.

_______________

This was the darkest book of this genre that I have read yet. It brought me places that I did not know that I wanted to go. It turned me into a willing victim, just like Nora.

I personally love 'love my captor' stories. I love the psychology behind it; seeing how the different women handle their situations, the motives of the different captors, and how things ultimately turn out. Is love able to conquer all the terrible things that happened between them? Or is love even involved at all? This one was different. The biggest difference is the fact that I found nothing redeemable about Nora's captor, Julian. I hated him all along. This is not the kind of leading male I can swoon over.

But he was the cause of all the games being played between himself and Nora. He was the catalyst for everything that had happened, so I accept his role in the story. But I knew unequivocally that Nora did not belong with him. He was not a good person, and he did not love her. And unlike the other books like this one that I have read, where everyone's emotions are shades of grey, I have no doubt that there is a lot of Stockholm Syndrome going on in this book.

Despite the fact that I never warmed to him, as I neared the end, I found myself hoping that they would remain together. I couldn't believe it had happened. I have no idea how or why I had found myself in that position, and I am slightly ashamed. But that is one of my favourite things about this sort of book. You have so many emotions going in different directions that you don't know which ones to follow. It can be overwhelming and it's a bit of a high for me. And Julian did put me at war with myself more often than I had anticipated.

As much as I enjoyed the psychology behind how Julian treated Nora, I did not enjoy the BDSM aspects of the story. That's just my personal preference, but it also definitely has something to do with why I hated Julian. I just can't separate my feelings and be objective about it. I think I remember Anna Zaires saying that the BDSM in this book would be mild, but if this is mild, I shudder at the thought of what true BDSM is like. I am glad I have avoided it thus far.

Another problem I had with this book is Beth. I hated her more than Julian because she seemed to serve no purpose but to piss me off. I don't understand any way that she could approve of what Julian was doing. No matter what she had been through, or what Julian had done for her, it doesn't make rape ok. And if Beth thinks it does, then she has some other, deeper issues besides her tragic past. Or Julian has brainwashed her as well. 

However wrong it may be, I cannot deny how expertly Julian handled and manipulated Nora. I enjoyed seeing her transformation, as Julian molded her into exactly what he wanted, or needed. It was by far my favourite thing about this book, and out of all the 'love my captor' and 'Stockholm Syndrome' books I have read, I think this is the most convincing and realistic. Although, I'm no expert.

I am looking forward to the sequel, Keep Me. I don't know where I would want their relationship to go from here, and I am not even sure that I would want it to change at all. Would I want to risk all of Nora's conditioning being undone? Regardless of what happens, I am excited by the fact that the excerpt was in Julian's POV. Twist Me was solely in Nora's. I cannot imagine what is going on in Julian's head. He treats Nora like a possession and has no regard for her free will, but he risked his life for her. I would love to see how he can reconcile those two things in his mind. He is certainly a complex, fascinating, and incredibly intelligent man, whatever else I may think of him.

Even though I was already in love with Anna Zaires writing and storytelling from The Krinar Chronicles, I was nevertheless impress with Twist Me. This may not have done it for me in the erotica department (and there is a lot of it. This book is like 80% sex!), but it did not take away from my experience. It was about the purpose and motives of Julian's brutality, not the brutality itself. With this new series, Anna Zaires has surpassed my already high expectations.

"He turns me inside out, takes me apart, and puts me back together—all in the span of one night." 

Torn From You by Nashoda Rose (Tear Asunder #1)

Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Publication Date: December 20th 2013
POV: Female - First-person, Past tense
Smut-O-Meter: 9 out of 10
My Rating: 2 out of 5

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Love is like an avalanche. It hits hard, fast and without mercy.

At least it did for me when Sculpt, the lead singer of the rock band Tear Asunder knocked me off my feet. Literally, because he’s also a fighter, illegally of course, and he taught me how to fight. He also taught me how to love and I fell hard for him. I mean the guy could do sweet, when he wasn't doing bossy, and I like sweet.

Then it all shattered.

Kidnapped.
Starved.
Beaten.
I was alone and fighting to survive.
When I heard Sculpt's voice, I thought he was there to save me.

I was wrong.

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I don't even know where to begin. This book infuriated me to no end. I will attempt to start at the beginning.

The prequel novella, With You, was ok, but I didn't feel like the characters were very well developed. Plus, Scuplt was just so forced. Not only is he a fighter, but also a rock star, and he has a bike, and his name is motherf*%#ing Sculpt! What the hell kind of name is Sculpt?! Its like the author was trying to shout in my face, "Hey! Look at this super hot alpha male! Love him!" Ah, no thanks. I'll pass.

Once Emily was taken I got a bit more into the story. I prefer contemporary romances that are also action/suspense. Plus, I love 'Captive Woman' romances. I love seeing a strong woman survive, and finding her light in the darkness. Finding a way to love despite everything, it must be an incredible love to survive that. And as much as I may disapprove of Eme's object of affection, she did fall in love with Sculpt again in that place. And that is the reason for the 2-stars.

Now, Sculpt, aka Logan, is a whole other story. I found him kind of annoying and demanding in the beginning, but once he got into that place, oh man, did he take it to a whole new level. Eme is terrified and alone and will cling to any kindness she receives, I think that that is the definition of Stockholm. So, when she begins to take comfort in Logan, he takes advantage of her. She is not wanting him out of a natural love, but out of her terrifying situation, yet Logan has sex with her over and over again in every manner he can think of. Eme becomes complacent and easier to control. Logan even admits to her that they shouldn't have sex, because Eme needs to act afraid of him, so it wasn't even because he was trying to continue the charade, he was just couldn't control his needs. Every time they had sex while they were there I hated him a little more.

Then they get out, less than half way through the book, and I have over 200 pages left, and I'm thinking," this is gonna be painful." And it was. Logan comes back into Eme's life and is begging her for a second chance. Just the sight of him brings horrible memories back to the surface. But he doesn't take no for an answer. He randomly shows up at her house, shows up when she is hanging out with her friends, constantly calls her. That is harassment even without the history of violence, and I would have gotten a restraining order. She wanted to forget and move on with her life, but he wouldn't let her. He kept bringing it back up to the surface because he is selfish and arrogant and wants her for himself regardless of the consequences to her. He kept throwing their physical attraction in her face, but that is not what you build a relationship on. Especially not one that has such a dark history of objectification. He continued to control her even after she had gained her freedom. He liked to be demanding during sex and sometimes even tied her up. It scared her because it reminded her of what he was like while they were in that place. But he would totally guilt trip her into doing it anyway by saying, "Don't you love me? Don't you trust me?" Gosh, that bastard. I hate him so much. She needs comfort and to regain control of her life. Don't take her control from her during something as personal as sex!

I knew she would eventually give in to him and I was not looking forward to the end. And I got what I expected. He didn't change, he was an asshole to the end. He never eased up his grip on Eme's life. In the last page they even have this conversation,

"You're touring with me."It wasnt a question; it was a statement. "Logan--""Im not asking anymore. This is big and I want you with me.""Dont you think thats kind of selfish? I do have a business to--""No. I told you. We'll try and work in you doing clinics at the stops we make. We need time together, baby.""Logan.""Emily"He leaned in and kissed me, and I melted."

Controlling her with sex to the very end. Charming. I wont be reading the sequel about Kat and Ream. I am the slightest bit curious what they were fighting about, but a sequel would be torture and would probably ruin Ream for me. He would probably end up being portrayed as as big of an asshole as Logan. Now Crisis I might want to read about. :P He is already an ass, but also a total hoot.

Madeleine Abducted by M.S. Willis (The Estate #1)

Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Suspense, Romance
Publication Date: October 15th 2013
POV: Alternating - Third-person, Past tense
Smut-O-Meter: 10 out of 10
My Rating: 5 out of 5

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She was meant to be his destruction…
A pawn played in a perilous game between father and son…
Yet, her strength was more than either man could imagine.
As Maddy learns to save herself…
She becomes the one thing that could set the son free.

Madeleine Clark was raised to become a concert cellist. Sheltered and naïve, she remains hidden behind her music, a protection from the world around her. On the night of her first solo performance, Maddy accepts the admiration of a stranger and finds herself captive in a cruel and twisted power struggle between a sadistic father and his son, Aaron.

Seemingly dangerous and uncaring, Aaron manages the business operations of his father’s estate. Wanting nothing to do with the slaves kept at the Estate, Aaron refuses to take part in the deeper depravities of his father. Despite his resistance, Aaron’s father ‘gifts’ him with a petite, brunette woman he can’t refuse.

A bond forged in conspiracy and deceit, Aaron struggles to save Maddy by teaching her to survive in the world in which he’d been raised. An unlikely union, Aaron soon learns that great strengths can exist within small packages, while Madeleine learns that love and light can exist in the darkest of places.

_______________

This book grabbed me by the horns and would not let me go, and still hasn't.Instantly, I was captivated and amazed by Maddy as a character. The strength she had, despite being a small, shy woman, as she woke up to find herself naked and chained to a cot in a strange, dark room. She didn't scream and despair, she didn't panic. She held herself together long enough to discover that there was a hidden light in the darkness.

 

"...he'd been left with no choice but to turn his own angel against him, to treat a treasured jewel as nothing more than filth scraped across the bottom of his boots."


Aaron was a man lost. Lost in his own darkness. Lost in the life of crime that was forced on him by his father. You could see that he was fighting the life that he had been dealt. Like another Aaron, his father sought to corrupt him, and although he revelled in the control and violence of his position in his father's organization, he had limits. Lines he refused to cross. He wouldn't let his soul be wholly lost.

Aaron has never brought a woman that he could care about into his life, knowing how he would corrupt her. Knowing how his father would use her against him. But, when Aaron shows special interest in the beautiful concert cellist Madeleine Clark, he unwillingly gives his father the tool to control and destroy him. But what his father didn't know, was that by bringing Madeleine and Aaron together, he had also given them both a reason to fight, to face down death and become lions.

"There was light in him, one so bright it could illuminate the entire night sky if only it wasn't covered over by the shadows of his darkness."


The writing and dialogue in this book is beautiful, but you should be warned of the darkness you will find. It is full of abuse, inhumane degradation, and violence; but above all, the strength of the human spirit and enduring love. But the violence did almost overshadow the beauty of this story near the end. It is the reason for the missing half a star. I'm talking about graphic disembowelment, dismemberment, and beheadings. I knew to expect more violence for the climax of the story, but I didn't expect it to be that strong. It was much more than I would have wanted, or what I was comfortable with and it really turned me off for a few moments. But before that I was convinced it was going to be a 5-star book. I still feel like it deserves a 5-star rating rather than 4-star, though.

A bonus point for this book, is that the scene on the cover actually did happen. Its rare that they have such exact representations on book covers. I highly recommend this book for fans of dark and intense romance. You wont soon forget it.

"Through her strength and her bravery, Maddy had not only saved herself, but also Aaron: By opening her eyes and discovering that hidden deeply within the recesses of the executioner's soul, there was goodness, there was compassion, there was love and there was honor; but above it all...deep within the infinite darkness...there was light."