Ember Michaels

Before I say anything, this is three stars "WAS GOOD" and I rated it that because FOR ME, I thought it was good, but not so good FOR ME that I plan on reading further. However, this has nothing to do with any problems in the writing, plot or story. It was just me. I give 4 stars for books I really liked and followed through with the series, and might reread, but am not sure. 5 stars are for books I liked a lot and could see reading again, or have read again.

So this was a prequel book that I picked up from Kindle Unlimited after reading a quick review on the series by another poster. It was claimed to be dark and that the "hero" stayed true to his evil ways and didn't "fall in love and change his ways" as so many heroes do. Since it is a prequel I will spoil the heck out of it, saving you time to determine if you want to get into the story.

Bennett is a capo in his father's crime organization. He has no problems with creativity when dealing with those who need "dealing with". His father calls him into his office to tell him that he needs to go to South Carolina and pick up a "missing package" aka Aurora DuPont. She has been living under the alias Vanessa Taylor under the belief that her father was being paranoid about the people supposedly after her. He never gave her the full story about selling her to the organization before her birth in exchange for is freedom to leave the organization. At 18 she was expected to be turned over, but instead he sent her away when she was eight and tried to keep her hidden.

Aurora Dupont now Vanessa Taylor is the owner of Puppy Love Cosmetics, an overnight smash success of a cosmetics company. Within hours of a product launch she has become a millionaire. She is living her best life with her fiancée Heath, and her best girlfriends. It comes as a complete shock when she walks into her apartment to see her friends and fiancée being held by gunpoint by Bennett, who quickly makes a deal for their silence on the matter, and slings her over his shoulder and carries her off to his jet, but not after forcing her to sign over her company to him.

After waking up on the jet, Vanessa was distracted and rattled. She didn't have her wits about her, but she finally was able to repeat back to Bennet the rules he set out for her survival. Follow the rules and she could be relatively happy (or safe from execution), if not, then pain will be administered. "I will bow. I will bend. I will break."

So Vanessa has been captured, Bennett is looking forward to breaking her and that is where the story ends and begins.

I found this book ok. There was nothing wrong with it, and probably because I have been reading some good books lately that in comparison this one kind of felt like the same old, same old dark mafia type capture fantasy book. That I shelved it as "meh" is on me, and not on the story. I found no faults in the characters. Bennett was sufficiently dark and brutal, he didn't seem to be weakening. He didn't see Vanessa and have that instant flash of lust at her beauty like so many other dark heroes do. Vanessa wasn't strong and stoic, enduring the abduction in order to bide her time for her escape. She didn't secretly find herself attracted to Bennett. The standard tropes didn't really apply here. That was refreshing.

If I weren't swamped with a large TBR backlist, I might have been tempted to read further than the prequel, but it was setting up to be another mafia/sex slave/abduction story, and I have too many of those already. However, I will not say that it looks like it would be a pretty decent series. It is only the two books after it (the prequel being the first in the trilogy), so if you are looking for something along the lines of this type of story, I would recommend it. There didn't seem to be any mixed signals, or over the top actions that were unbelievable. Vanessa didn't come across as TSTL, and was just the right mix of fearful, scared, and rattled and not that "I'm going to stand up for myself and get this guy to lower his guard so I can escape" that I mentioned before. That trope always gets to me because in real life that just doesn't happen.

Oh, there is no sex but it stands to reason that the following books will have it because Bennett is already shaping up to be a dirty-talker.… (mais)

What the holy hell did I just read?

No, seriously, what did I just read!?!!!!? Moreover, why the hell did I like it so much! Actually, like isn't the right word. I am not sure what is. This is twisted and sick, but I couldn't stop reading it. I will give everyone the warning this is brutal. However, the fact that the author can write something this disturbing and still keep me engrossed. Bravo.

This is like if Jigsaw (Saw) and Dexter had a baby. I'm scared of this author and her mind. Her search engine must be insane. Bennett was brutal but Luther has him beat. This author is my favorite discovery of 2020. Read this at your own risk.… (mais)

4.5 I shouldn't like this but I did stars.

I have been waiting for the second book of this trilogy for what feels like forever now. I am not sure I can even call this book romance. It is more a continuation of a messed-up situation between Luther and Sevyn that happened years ago and this is just the retribution for a wrong that should never have happened.

While the first book of this was a mix of Saw and Dexter, this one had less of the gruesome details and instead focused more on the details of the past by way of flashbacks in order to understand what exactly happened between Luther and Sevyn when they were together. Some big things were divulged in this book and new blame could be placed on why Logan, Luther's sister, ultimately did what she did. It made parts of the story really click and further enhanced the story.

I am not sure how this book will conclude, seeing that there are a lot of secrets that still need to happen. I wasn't prepared for the twist at the end of the book but I am here for it. If I thought Luther was a lot to handle before with just vengeance against Sevyn, it is nothing compared to what he has in store for the twist that came at the end of the book. I look forward to seeing where this author takes me. It is bound to be good and keep me on the edge of my seat.… (mais)