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.
WARNING: This is NOT a traditional romance. It contains disturbing subject matter, including themes of questionable consent and Stockholm Syndrome, as well as graphic sexual content. This is a work of fiction intended for a mature, 18+ audience only. The author neither endorses nor condones this type of behavior.
Nora is senior in high school with her whole life ahead of
her. With her fake ID, one night she
goes out to a club with a friend. While
there, she feels eyes upon her and when she finds the owner of those eyes, she
feels a funny feeling deep inside.
Danger mixed with arousal and attraction. He introduces himself and she quickly
leaves. Over the next few weeks she goes
on with her life, graduating high school, going out on a date with her long
time crush and then she is kidnapped.
And who kidnaps her? The man from
the club, Julian. He takes her to be his
and she finds herself held captive on a private island, at the mercy of
Julian. A man she both loathes and finds
herself drawn to. Why does he want
her? What will he do with her?
For all you “Captive in the Dark” fans, this book is right
up your alley. I’m not really sure that
this is the kind of book that is totally up my alley because it is so dark, but
even I can appreciate when a story is done well, even if the subject matter is
questionable. I don’t really get off on
the whole forced sex/slave dynamic, but enjoyed this book nonetheless because
the writing is so dynamic and well done.
Nora I found to be a bit annoying at the beginning, but I
had to remind myself that she is only 18 years old and innocent. As we see her change through the course of
the book we can see how Julian impacts her growth and identity. It’s a really interesting transformation to
read about, and was one of the aspects of the book I found myself most
enjoying. The same is true with Julian’s
character. He’s mysterious and as his
layers get peeled away you get a glimpse of his twisted mind, but are somehow
able to feel something for him. That’s
always what gets me about books like this.
It’s a tough subject matter and the author must create sympathy for a character
who seriously sick and twisted. The good
authors manage to do it, and I’m happy to say that I think this author was able
to pull it off quite successfully. I
found myself if not liking Julian, feeling something for him. I get it.
Great job.
I’m really looking forward to the next book in this
series. I mean, I assume there’s a next
book, because the end of the book left me really wanting more. I need to understand and learn more about
Julian! And don’t worry, there’s no
frustrating cliffhanger, it’s just made clear that there’s more to know. 4.5 dark and twisty stars.
"I can't be this girl who was drugged
and kidnapped, and who is letting her kidnapper touch her, stroke her all over
her body."
While the synopsis is short and brief, it really just sums it all up. Nora, out
with her fake ID celebrating the eve of her 18th birthday, runs into a handsome
stranger. Little does she know then how deeply that will impact her life.
"No asking for permission, no pausing
to see if I would let him touch me. He just touches me. Like he has the right
to do so. Like I belong to him."
This one is difficult to review. Not so much in that I don't know how I felt
about it but more in a way that this book is just something you need to
experience for yourself. It is really dark. I love dark and this one didn't
disappoint. We go through Nora's captivity with Julian step by step. Nora does
a really good job of trying to stay strong and not fall for her captor although
of course she isn't successful. It was interesting seeing the Stockholm syndrome
played out without it actually crossing her mind that it was happening through
the book. There is loads of excitement towards the end and it leaves you
wanting more. I really hope there is another book telling the next part of
their lives.
"It's not the sweet, tender kind of
love I always dreamed of, but it's love. Dark, twisted, and obsessive, it's
both a compulsion and an addiction."
I seriously highlighted so much of this book. It seemed like every step that
happened was important and I needed to remember it! The one part I was pretty
disappointed in was the fact that of course it is another virgin who can
miraculously orgasm multiple times even her first time. Also, she passes out
during and after sex, a lot. I mean, I understand a lot of this is supposed to
be fantasy but I NEED some realism. Even in a captive dark-romance book. Or
maybe I am just totally with the wrong men. Thoughts? While it was distracting
a tiny bit, I still over all just really enjoyed the story a lot. I makes me
want to just dive into all the other dark romances that are in my TBR list.
Okay one last note. The editing was amazing in this book. I maybe found 2 tiny
errors? And, I enjoyed the writing style a lot. I will definitely not only read
more of this series, I would also read other books by this author.
On my way back, I ask the bartender for a glass of water. I am
thirsty after all the dancing.
He gives it to me, and I greedily gulp it down. When I’m done, I
put down the glass and look up.
Straight into a pair of piercing blue eyes.
He’s sitting on the other side of the bar, about ten feet away.
And he’s staring at me.
I stare back. I can’t help it. He’s probably the most handsome
man I’ve ever seen.
His hair is dark and curls slightly. His face is hard and
masculine, each feature perfectly symmetrical. Straight dark eyebrows over
those strikingly pale eyes. A mouth that could belong to a fallen angel.
I suddenly feel warm as I imagine that mouth touching my skin,
my lips. If I were prone to blushing, I would’ve been beet-red.
He gets up and walks toward me, still holding me with his gaze.
He walks leisurely. Calmly. He’s completely sure of himself. And why not? He’s
gorgeous, and he knows it.
As he approaches, I realize that he’s a large man. Tall and well
built. I don’t know how old he is, but I’m guessing he’s closer to thirty than
twenty. A man, not a boy.
He stands next to me, and I have to remember to breathe.
“What’s your name?” he asks softly. His voice somehow carries
above the music, its deeper notes audible even in this noisy environment.
“Nora,” I say quietly, looking up at him. I am absolutely
mesmerized, and I’m pretty sure he knows it.
He smiles. His sensuous lips part, revealing even white teeth.
“Nora. I like that.”
He doesn’t introduce himself, so I gather my courage and ask,
“What’s your name?”
“You can call me Julian,” he says, and I watch his lips moving.
I’ve never been so fascinated by a man’s mouth before.
“How old are you, Nora?” he asks next.
I blink. “Twenty-one.”
His expression darkens. “Don’t lie to me.”
“Almost eighteen,” I admit reluctantly. I hope he doesn’t tell
the bartender and get me kicked out of here.
He nods, like I confirmed his suspicions. And then he raises his
hand and touches my face. Lightly, gently. His thumb rubs against my lower lip,
as though he’s curious about its texture.
I’m so shocked that I just stand there. Nobody has ever done
that before, touched me so casually, so possessively. I feel hot and cold at
the same time, and a tendril of fear snakes down my spine. There is no hesitation
in his actions. No asking for permission, no pausing to see if I would let him
touch me.
He just touches me. Like he has the right to do so. Like I
belong to him.
I draw in a shaky breath and back away. “I have to go,” I
whisper, and he nods again, watching me with an inscrutable expression on his
beautiful face.
I know he’s letting me go, and I feel pathetically
grateful—because something deep inside me senses that he could’ve easily gone
further, that he doesn’t play by the normal rules.
That he’s probably the most dangerous creature I’ve ever met.
I turn and make my way through the crowd. My hands are
trembling, and my heart is pounding in my throat.
I need to leave, so I grab Leah and make her drive me home.
As we’re walking out of the club, I look back and I see him
again. He’s still staring at me.
There is a dark promise in his gaze—something that makes me
shiver.
Copyright Anna Zaires 2014
Hosted by Between the Sheets Promotions
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