From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author J. Kenner comes a new story in her Stark series…
I am Damien Stark. From the outside, I have a perfect life. A billionaire with a beautiful family. But if you could see inside my head, you’d know I’m as f-ed up as a person can be. Now more than ever.
I’m driven, relentless, and successful, but all of that means nothing without my wife and daughters. They’re my entire world, and I failed them. Now I can barely look at them without drowning in an abyss of self-recrimination.
Only one thing keeps me sane—losing myself in my wife’s silken caresses where I can pour all my pain into the one thing I know I can give her. Pleasure.
But the threats against my family are real, and I won’t let anything happen to them ever again. I’ll do whatever it takes to keep them safe—pay any price, embrace any darkness. They are mine.
I am Damien Stark. Do you want to see inside my head? Careful what you wish for.
J. Kenner (aka Julie Kenner) is the New York Times, USA Today, Publishers Weekly, Wall Street Journal and #1 International bestselling author of over one hundred novels, novellas and short stories in a variety of genres.
Though known primarily for her award-winning and international bestselling erotic romances (including the Stark and Most Wanted series) that have reached as high as #2 on the New York Times bestseller list, JK has been writing full time for over a decade in a variety of genres including paranormal and contemporary romance, “chicklit” suspense, urban fantasy, and paranormal mommy lit.
JK has been praised by Publishers Weekly as an author with a “flair for dialogue and eccentric characterizations” and by RT Bookclub for having “cornered the market on sinfully attractive, dominant antiheroes and the women who swoon for them.” A six time finalist for Romance Writers of America’s prestigious RITA award, JK took home the first RITA trophy awarded in the category of erotic romance in 2014 for her novel, Claim Me (book 2 of her Stark Trilogy) and in 2017 for Wicked Dirty in the same category. Her Demon Hunting Soccer Mom series (as Julie Kenner) is currently in development as a television show.
Her books have sold over three million copies and are published in over twenty languages.
In her previous career as an attorney, JK worked as a clerk on the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, and practiced primarily civil, entertainment and First Amendment litigation in Los Angeles and Irvine, California, as well as in Austin, Texas. She currently lives in Central Texas, with her husband, two daughters, and two rather spastic cats.
EEEEEP!!! Nikki and Damien Stark are back with another FULL-LENGTH-NOVEL!
I hope we'll get books and novellas about the Starks forever and ever and ever!☺
This time we finally have Damien's point of view!
And he starts with a little back-in-time moment to Dallas - when he met Nikki at that beauty pageant!
He knew right away that she was the one for him, but it took six years until she was finally his. Adorable.
It's been a week since their little girl Anne has been home after the kidnapping. And poor Damien is still feeling so guilty about everything.
But with Nikki's help he's starting to heal.
Of course many new dangerous and exciting problems and adventures are awaiting our adorable little family in this book!☺
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I just adored reading this book.
I could read a Damien Stark story every month for the rest of eternity!
This was the perfect next chapter for all fans of Damien and Nikki and their friends and family!
Nothing much more I want to say - I don't want to spoil anything.
It was perfect! Beautiful and adorable and sweet and sexy and exciting and suspensy and scary and heartbreaking.
We're meeting old friends - new friends - some who will get their own book - even their own series.
If you're fan of the Starks, you will love this book and if you're not a fan - why are you reading it? You need to get started with book #1 Release Me!!!!!
I never ever want to say goodbye to the Stark world! And I hope I never have to - there's another novella coming soon!!! And we'll get the new trilogy about the Stark Security Group soon too! ☺
The one thing I didn't like? I hated that it wasn't written in the first person! It's so weird when it always says he and Damien when he's talking about himself. No idea why it bothered me so much in this case - maybe I wanted a Damien POV book to REALLY BE IN DAMIEN'S POV! :(
DAMIEN was another amazing #MustRead about Nikki & Damien and their adorable little family and amazing circle of friends!! Finally we're getting that look into Damien's mind! Run to your nearest amazon for your own Mr. Stark - this one is MINE! ☺
ARC provided by author in exchange for an honest review
2019 is the year for me to get really back into my love of reading and thanks to J. Kenner, she has reminded me once again why I fell in love with her books. The story of Damien and Nikki have always held a special spot in my heart. These two had an intense passion and connection like no other and so for all their trials and tribulations, it is no surprise that their love, trust and lives are tested once again in Damien.
Damien and Nikki are one of those beloved characters that you fall in love instantly. They are flawed and imperfect to a certain point that makes them relatable. How could you not fall in love with their devotion? Trust me when I tell you that your hearts will melt and beat for this couple told in the point of view of Damien Stark. Kenner will hold you captive with her powerful and emotional prose. So prepare yourself for one more journey of love, passion, intensity and trust in the story of Damien and Nikki Stark.
I’ve devoured every word related to Damien Stark, Nikki Fairchild and Stark International, and have been dying to get a true peek inside Damien’s head. And, whoa, did I ever in this brilliant, “didn’t put it down until I read every word” book. Seriously, if I could rate Damien 10, 20, 30 stars I would.
Damien’s all encompassing love, devotion and need to protect at all costs dominance leaps off the pages of this book. Damien picks up just where Lost With Me ended and takes off running. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough, read fast enough, breathe fast enough. I was entranced.
Damien is more than just another excellent book in this amazing Stark Saga series. It truly gets inside Damien’s mind. Shows us his inner thoughts, inner doubts, inner love and devotion to Nikki and his girls and his extended family. And it’s all I ever wanted and then some.
I could go on and on and on gushing about Damien but I’m stopping because you need to stop reading this review and go read this book. ~ Missy, 5 stars is really not high enough
Safety is an illusion to a man like Damien unless he can be assured he has all under control. After his daughter Anne's kidnapping, he has taken extreme measures to increase the protection around his family. But is this enough?
In this book, we get to understand just how deeply Damien's guilt runs as he tries to regain control of what surrounds him. Interestingly enough though, no matter how much he has tried to ensure his family's safety, not all closest to him should be trusted and they are about to strike against him deeply.
The plotline is solid and very thrilling. This is an entertaining book and if you are into the Stark epic you will enjoy it. My one little comment though is - do we really need so much of this book to be about sex between Stark and Nichole? I would say that at least 50 percent of this book is their lovemaking. I reacted to that because as a mother if my family was going through what these folks are going through, I do not think I would spend this much time in bed without first making sure my enemies were taken care of first. Am I getting old?
I am voluntarily reviewing this book. Thanks to the author for sharing a copy with me.
I am Damien Stark. From the outside, I have a perfect life. A billionaire with a beautiful family. But if you could see inside my head, you’d know I’m as f-ed up as a person can be. Now more than ever.
I’m driven, relentless, and successful, but all of that means nothing without my wife and daughters. They’re my entire world, and I failed them. Now I can barely look at them without drowning in an abyss of self-recrimination.
Only one thing keeps me sane—losing myself in my wife’s silken caresses where I can pour all my pain into the one thing I know I can give her. Pleasure.
But the threats against my family are real, and I won’t let anything happen to them ever again. I’ll do whatever it takes to keep them safe—pay any price, embrace any darkness. They are mine.
I am Damien Stark. Do you want to see inside my head? Careful what you wish for.
••••••••
REVIEW: 4.5 stars--DAMIEN is the sixth instalment in J.Kenner’s contemporary, adult STARK SAGA erotic, romance series-a spin off from the author’s STARK Trilogy focusing on billionaire businessman Damien Stark, and his wife Nikki Fairchild-Stark. DAMIEN can be read as a stand alone but for cohesion and back story I recommend reading the series in order as there is a continuing story line throughout.
NOTE: If you have not read the previous instalments there may be some spoilers in my review
Told from first person perspective (Damien Stark) DAMIEN picks up shortly after the events of book five –LOST WITH ME- wherein Damien’s family life spirals out of his control attacking his hard fought sense of peace and happily ever after. Continuing threats against his children and his wife find our hero pulling in his security team, friends, and the people he can trust to ensure his family’s safety, once and for all. But all does not go according to plan when Nikki’s life, once again, hangs in the balance because of sins from the past.
DAMIEN is an emotional, heart breaking and erotic story of life, love, friendship and family: a story of betrayal, vengeance, obsession and passion: of past sins, and the fall-out of rejection and lust. The premise is engaging and revealing; the characters are familiar, energetic and charismatic; the $ex scenes are provocative and intense but I continue to struggle with the author’s use of a certain four-letter word I believe has no place in any romance story line. DAMIEN is another fantastic and intriguing addition to Damien and Nikki’s continuing journey.
"His. No matter how much he fucked up, no matter how far off the path he strayed, she would always be his. Always be his beacon back home again. Back to her."
This amazing story has been a long time coming and it was well worth the wait. Damien is a man that knows how to keep a secret and I've been dying to get inside his head. I agree that "In the cutthroat world of buying and selling the universe, it was handy to have a reputation as a major badass." But, it was also that reputation that put him and his family at risk. The threats just keep coming in spite of him having as much security as his billions can buy.
The suspense is cranked up to turbo in this edge of your seat tale. Secrets are revealed and the surprises keep coming. But what is never a surprise is the passion between Damien and his Nikki.
I've read thousands of books over the years, but not many come close to Damien & Nikki's love story. Their love is fated and their connection is soul deep, they are tethered to each other. "We're bound, you and I. And somehow, the thread that connects us would have pulled you to me."
I have enjoyed so many amazing characters in the Stark universe and I feel sure that I'll be seeing them again in future releases. I love how they pop up again and again, always bringing a smile to my face. I'm excited to see what she has for us next. The line forms here...
i will never ever get enough of this series and the characters that are in it because Ms Kenner does such an amazing job writing each and every installment. If we thought that we had enough drama in the last installment, well even more is packed here.
We start off getting into the head of Damien, six years ago when he first crossed paths with Nikki at a pageant in Texas. We've heard the story before, that he was a judge and she was competing and there was a spark, but that nothing could come of it for years. Well, we now get to see what that night was like from his eyes, and then how life has changed for him and by him all for the better...or has it?
we've just come off the story line of Anne being kidnapped, and Bree being taken as well, but no one really understanding the motives. We know who did it (Rory - the boy that Bree was dating) but not the why and how it came to happen. Just when they think that they're going to get insight, Rory's murdered in prison and things are all in the dark again.
Of course, we know that the story line has to become even more complex. That's not enough. Damien is still coping with the feelings that he failed his family by allowing things to happen and not being able to control the world and that pushes another wedge between the couple. Things are strong between them, unbreakable, that is unless Damien breaks them.
Around them we see that others are feeling fragile as well. Evelyn, one of our old favorites seems to be going through things, with Blaine and with Frank (Nikki's dad). There's also Abby, Nikki's business partner who's going through things with Travis, their co-worker and that all amps up the tension in the story.
Sofia of course is the constant - as a reader, you want to hope that she's able to change and that she cares more about having Damien in her life than making waves, but she makes it very difficult to trust her. this story is yet another reason that we question everything.
Then there's the entrance of Quincey, a guy that we sort of met through Dallas' story, and again in the last book when Anne was taken, but i think that we're going to get a dose of him soon since he's got more secrets than we're happy to let lay.
Roller coaster of anxiety and tension here right? so what's the best way to overcome that? the traditional and well written steam and passion that only our author can write. The scenes between Nikki and Damien are dirty, yet so full of passion and heat that you know they are based in love. There's something so intense and on fire between them that they use each other to feel better and use each other to survive. It's really sweet and makes you want to believe that it can be real...right?
We're given closure for some of the story lines, and yet so many are left open which means that this series is far from over (or at least i hope). so....now it's off to find the next book to read while i wait for more STARK!
I fell in love with the story about Nikki and Damien long time ago. I was so happy and excited when I've heard that J.Kenner wrote more about them, especially from Damien POV. It was great to come back to their world like a visit from an old best friends. Note: If you haven't read previous Stark Saga books, then you should start from the beginning to truly understand whole story. There can be some spoilers in my review.
This time I could drown into Damien's head and see his deep fellings, fears and worries. So many things happened in his life. Once he was a successful businessman but now he is foremost husband and a father, and for him the most important thing is to protect his family. This book start from the moment where Damien and Nikki reunited with their kidnapped daughter. Damien was still struggling with his demons which were tearing him apart. It was so hard for the proud man reconciled with defeat. After all they've been through, safety of his family was his main goal. He didn't know how to deal with the guilt which was consuming him from the inside. He felt like his whole world is slipping through and he's losing control. But dark clouds once again gathering around him and his family. Would he have enough strength to fight it back??
This book reminded me why Damien has been one of my favorite book boyfriends. He was a man so powerful, confident and sexy as hell but I could see more of him in this story with his devotion and love to his family. Whole plot was so emotional. Damien and Nikki's relationship was as always full of passion, lust and love. They were supportive to each other and I swooned during the reading over their connection. It was so nice to read how their relationship grew and flourished. J.Kenner did it again! She knows how to surprise and arouse us with her book. Whole story keeps us on the emotional edge and don't let go until the very end.
Advance Reader Copy generously provided by author in exchange for an honest review.
5 books and I don't know how many novellas later we got Damien's book! An entire book from his point of view as we have been asking for a long long time! I wasn't expecting everything we got and a few things came as a surprise to me. During the 27441791 stories about Nikki and Damien, he always seemed to be the kind of man who doesn't let anything bring him down and nothing can shake him. He was the one supporting Nikki and their relationship was rarely about the other way. In this book we I saw the cracks in that facade he was always putting and it made him seem more human and imperfect. A lot of crazy things went down and he couldn't always control them, no matter how hard he tried. The story has some suspense and it was a nice touch overall.
The story began with the first time Damien saw Nikki and it was a sweet note. I am pretty sure this is the last we are going to see from this couple for some time now and it was a nice reminder of how their story began. They had a long way ahead of them, but in the end, everything was worth it.
More books will come that belong in the Stark world, but they will be about other couples and dare I hope that Jamie and Ryan will also get another story? Maybe Ollie. even though he was a douche sometimes? Reading about him in this book made me realize that he is not the same man we knew in release me.
Damien is a book that's a must read if you are familiar with the series. You could even skip some books, but certainly not this one. I don't think there was a fan who didn't want this book to happen and I am grateful that the author heard our demands and gave us what we wanted.
There's no BS with Nikki when she's talking to her man, "her eyes narrowed as she studied him, obviously trying to read his mind. “Bull****. We make our own luck, Damien. You’ve told me so over and over again.” Damien takes some serious disrespect when his woman isn't being treating well, “and I’m the one with the money and the power to make your life miserable if I don’t like the tone you take with my wife. Are we clear?” I loved being inside Damien's head, I enjoyed reading things from his perspective.
We finally get a book told in Damien's POV and I freaking loved it. You see what he thinks about Nikki and everything that goes on his head and world. How he beats himself up and the memories he's keeping. The chemistry between Damien and Nikki is intense that you can't help but love them both. His brain is truly a piece of art.
This one did not go at all the way I expected! Truthfully, I’m glad it took the path it did. There is peace and maybe a real chance at a HEA.
Their love story continues, each holding the other up, truly seeing the other. They are husband and wife, mom and dad, brother, sister, best friend, partner, etc. A lifetime with these two is not enough. I’m honestly hoping for Quincy’s story...what do you think? 😉
Best book in the entire series including the novellas. There’s romance of course. But then there’s intrigue, secrets, lies, mystery, action, and so much more. If this is the last in the Stark series, fine. I’m done as this was a perfect ending. If it’s not, then I don’t need anymore.
I've never made it a secret that I love this series and J. Kenner giving us all those novellas were just the kind of icing I wanted and couldn't have enough of but now at this stage, I think it is time to give up on these characters.
With this book, Kenner was giving us insight into Damien's mind and I don't know... It just didn't seem convincing and honestly, I have a few issues with this book:
1) What is the need to fill page after page after page with sex? And not only that, okay, they had sex and we are not two pages later they have sex again? Why? Yes, the physical aspect of the relationship is important but I want more but I want them to talk. I want a full-fledged conversation between two people who love each other, that they understand what is happening and just a general understanding of each other.
2) We all know Sophie, Damien's childhood friend whom he's had sex with and the whole she-bang and honestly, this is one character that has been stretched for WAAAAAYYY too long. Damien got over-protective when Nikki's best friend Oliver hung out with her but God's sake, Nikki has to be okay with it because Sophie needs help? Because she is too damaged by her past? There are only so many times you can use that excuse before it starts feeling like a cop-out.
3) Damien planning a dinner with Sophie and one other mutual friend of theirs while the kids are home... WHAT THE EVERLOVING FUCK DAMIEN?! You know that Nikki does not trust her and you know the lengths at which Sophie is has gone to hurt Nikki and yet you invite her to your home?
4) Nikki being a tad too complacent and way too submissive when it came to Damien and Sophie's relationship. How can you forgive the man you love so easily, who constantly brings Sophie who by this point in the series is a full-fledged Other Woman? How does not anyone see the manipulative and emotionally abusive person she is.
I haven't read the rest of the book but knowing myself and given that it is Nikki and Damien, Imay go back and skim through it. But I can say it with certainty, that I am not going to be enjoying this one.
IF I COULD GIVE THIS A HIGHER STAR RATING, I WOULD!!!!!
Also, for clarification, this is not my first time reading the lovely J. Kenner books. She happens to be one fo my "very firsts" read from (many years ago). To this day I LOVE her books and writing, not to mention the fact that she is a kind person.
Now reading DAMIEN without reading Book 1 - 5 which i would recommend. It is an AMAZING series!
Now, this book is from Damien's perspective and his head. I didn't know how much I needed this, haha I started reading and got too excited in parts just to be able to get the view from his point only, if that makes sense.
This book is about so much SO SO MUCH love and passion. I couldn't stop reading it! The fact that Damien is still fighting some of his daemons, and Nikki...so strong still by his side. His family means everything to him, but when a tragedy occurs and he can't get over how he "failed" his family...I am so happy to read that Nikki is still so strong, sassy and brave for him. Even though she also went through a dark phase herself.
They seem to uplift one another but also tear one another down. In this book you will love that Damien seems more of a human (in the first books to me he seemed so alpha and sexy and unreal!) here, you get to see that all in all he is a sexy alpha male battling to be the best man possible for his family. The fun and sexy playfulness in this will have you swooning and shivering!
I really really want and need more, but am happy that this book came out. Like i said, recommend reading BOOK 1 -5 to better and fully understand. If not, the book does provide insides from previous occurrences, enough to give you a good idea. The characters are amazing in this and i can't stress enough on J. Kenner's writing, fantastic!!
HIGH 5 RATING FOR THIS BOOK & HIGHLY RECOMMENDED & THE SERIES!
For someone rich and powerful, literally has everything, Damien has moronic security team or alarm system or whatever means he needs in order to protect his family.
First, his kid got kidnapped.
Now, his wife?
And all because of his obsessive ex who's just right under their noses.
And oh, this is a semi-POV of Damien blaming himself of what his family endured because he's Damien Stark.
The first Stark book about Damien & Nikki written from Damien's POV. We finally get to climb into Damien's head & for a man who is so put together on the outside, many demons still lurk on the inside. After the horrific taken of their youngest daughter, Damien has to fight to forgive himself for failing. But just as Damien starts to regain his footing, another nightmare starts.
Damien Stark and Nikki have been one of my favorite book couples since J. Kenner introduced them to her readers in their very first book, Release Me; their love story is one full of passion, devastation, heartbreak, suspense, love, and sacrifice. But through all of the obstacles that they’ve faced, both individually and as a couple, the one thing that has always been clear is that they are the other half of one another’s soul…that they were always meant to be together because they keep each other’s demons at bay and they battle the past and its baggage in order to stay in the present, refusing to sacrifice what they’ve been steadfast at creating and maintaining for all of these years.
Through all of the trials and tribulations that Damien and Nikki have faced, their love has remained strong and while they don’t have a perfect life, they have the life that they fought for with their two sweet little girls, their thriving businesses, and their more than supportive group of friends/family.
So it makes sense that when their reason for living is threatened, the unanswered questions become too much and they find themselves struggling to live in the now and not let insecurities and recriminations of the past invade their present, especially when it comes to their state of minds.
I’ve always seen Damien Stark as an enigma - a man who embodies the belief that failure is not an option and he lives and breathes that idea. In both his personal and professional realms, he prides himself in forward thinking, anticipating the moves of his opponents, being one step ahead of his past, but all of his vigilance...all of his protocols still failed to protect Anne from being kidnapped, from Nikki from reverting back to cutting to stifle the pain and the loss that overwhelmed her. And even though there have been numerous times where Damien has been at a crossroads with his guilt, self-doubt, and self-blame, the biggest miracle of his life is in pain and the threat has not been completely identified, which only makes things worse.
What I loved most about Damien’s perspective is that readers get to hear just how much he values Nikki and how much he relies on her to soothe the monster within him that sometimes wants to break out. She is his world and that’s never been more apparent than in this part of their story.
Nikki and Damien’s desire and need for one another resonates from the pages of Damien. These two characters would be nothing without the other, and it’s been amazing to witness their love and their bond grow, their family expand, and their connection to intensify despite how much time they’ve already been together. Through their words, through their actions, and through the way they desire one another’s heart, body, and soul at all times, there’s no doubt that as long as Damien and Nikki are together that they will overcome even the biggest obstacles and it’s that idea that keeps readers coming back for each installment of their story.
4.5 Poison Apples (The Fairest of All Book Reviews)
Kennt ihr das, wenn man ein Buch liest und sofort das Gefühl hat, in gewisser Weise „nach Hause“ zu kommen? Genauso ging es mir, während ich „Mr. Stark“ gelesen habe: Es war einfach schön, so viele bekannte Gesichter wiederzusehen und zu sehen, wie sie alle mittlerweile zu einer riesigen Familie zusammengewachsen sind. Aber trotzdem ist dieser sechste Band der Stark-Reihe irgendwie anders. Zum einen, weil das Buch komplett aus Damiens Sicht geschrieben ist – man erhält wirklich interessante Einblicke in seinen Charakter und seine Gedanken, was auf sehr positive Art und Weise als „anders“ auffällt. Zum anderen geht aber auch alles unfassbar schnell. Das Buch hat nur knapp 290 Seiten, alles passiert Schlag auf Schlag und wirkt dabei ziemlich überstürzt. Das wird noch dadurch unterstützt, dass Nikki und Damien meiner Ansicht nach diesmal wirklich unverhältnismäßig viel Sex haben (wenn man bedenkt, wie kurz das Buch so oder so schon ist), da dadurch die Story teilweise echt ein bisschen in den Hintergrund gerät. Insbesondere am Ende kommt man der Story kaum hinterher, alles passiert zu „einfach“ und als Leser steht man dann da und fragt sich, ob überhaupt alle Fragen beantwortet wurden, weil man überhaupt keine Zeit bekommt, die Entwicklungen zu verarbeiten. Generell wurden mir die Probleme in „Mr. Stark“ zu häufig auf zu simple Art und Weise gelöst – sowohl zwischen Nikki und Damien als auch in Bezug auf den „Fall“. Das hat mich ein bisschen enttäuscht, denn von J. Kenner bin ich eigentlich anderes gewöhnt! Oft hätten ein paar Sätze mehr der Geschichte einfach gutgetan – oder man hätte den oft gleich scheinenden Sexszenen einfach nicht so viel Raum innerhalb des Buches zugestehen dürfen. Ansonsten hat mir auch dieser Band wieder sehr gut gefallen, insbesondere dadurch, dass er direkt an Band 5 anknüpft und die beiden Geschichten sehr eng miteinander verbunden sind. Vieles wird aufgearbeitet, sowohl Dinge aus Nikkis und Damiens gemeinsamer Gegenwart als auch aus Damiens und Sofias Vergangenheit. Damit hat J. Kenner meiner Meinung nach wirklich einiges, was ich sonst kritisiert habe, zumindest teilweise wieder aufgewogen. Damit ist das Buch für mich zwar der „schlechteste“ Teil der Reihe, aber doch alles andere als ein Flop – meiner Meinung nach hätte man aus dem Potential noch ein ganzes Stück mehr rausholen können. Nichtsdestoweniger ist „Mr. Stark“ eine wirklich schöne und lesenswerte Ergänzung der Reihe, vor allem durch den Perspektivwechsel. Es wurden einige offene Fragen geklärt und die Geschichte in sich abgerundet – weswegen sich mir jetzt die Frage stellt, ob das nun der letzte Teil der Reihe ist? Alles in allem ist „Mr. Stark“ wie immer ein Buch, das sich sehr schön lesen lässt, aber insgesamt einfach zu kurz geraten ist. Trotzdem ist es für Fans des Stark-Universums ein Muss, insbesondere, wenn man tiefere Einblicke in Damien erhalten möchte. Deswegen bekommt das Buch von mir schlussendlich 4 Sternchen! Vielen Dank an das Bloggerportal für die Bereitstellung des Rezensionsexemplars!
In this latest book following the lives of Damien and Nikki Stark, Damien does a lot of soul searching in the aftermath of previous events, his guilt bringing back disturbing and distressing memories of his past. Still the cutthroat businesses man, hearing everything from his point of view, gaining an insight into his thoughts, gives him an air of vulnerability not seen before. His mental torment and distress at not being able to protect his family bleeds from the pages and is almost too much to bear. As it is, it’s well written but just as a personal preference, I would have liked for Damien’s story to have been told in the first person rather than the third.
Ever the voice of reason, I wasn’t sure that this time Nikki was going to be able to convince Damien that he was not to blame for the actions of others. There is so much passion and love between these two. They are soulmates, they are each other’s strength and it was good to see a slight role reversal when it came to the support they gave each other. Whilst I’m not sure I would be finding comfort in quite the same way these two do under the same circumstances, it’s clear that their sexual connection is how they help one another to take back the control when they feel it slipping away. Although, I felt they were slightly more conventional than we’ve seen from this couple in the past, the love scenes were, nevertheless, hot and sensual.
As the story progressed, it picked up pace and turned from heartbreaking to heart stopping when the family’s plans of getting back to normal following Anne’s kidnapping are derailed. It’s all hands on deck when events take a sinister turn and Damien once again fears he will lose everything that matters to him. I won’t go into details so as not to spoil the story but, the suspense, together with the twists and turns, were my favourite parts of the book. There’s plenty of suspects and finger pointing when no one knows quite who to trust.
Damien can be read as a stand-alone but I believe readers would be better invested in the story after having first read The Stark trilogy, followed by Anchor Me and Lost With Me.
"But you do like your secrets, Mr. Stark." "I've lived with them my whole life. They're like old friends." "I get that. But introduce your wife to those friends every once in a while, okay?"
Can we ever get enough of Damien and Nikki? NEVER!!! The ultimate couple - with unwavering love and trust, an unending need for each other in mind, body, and soul. There is nothing Nickki wouldn't do for Damien, and nothing in this world, he wouldn't do for her.
Damien Stark - master of his corporate empire, devoted husband and father, and always in control. But, how does a man who has a need to control handle it when he finds himself in control of nothing? All his money, power, and connections couldn't stop what had happened to his family, and now he may never find the puppet master behind the whole thing. He's failing at his one job - to protect his family. As his team continues to investigate both Anne's kidnapping, and the vandalism at Nikki's new office, his world is spinning out of control. Can he live never finding the culprit and putting an end to the threat? Will he ever be able to forgive himself?
But, when the threat, once again, comes to their door, and Nikki is in danger, will he be able to put all the pieces in place in time to save her? Or will he lose his whole world?
He was Damien Stark. He failed once. He wouldn't fail again.
I loved having this story told from Damien's point of view. I could feel his anguish and helplessness pouring off the pages. I swooned over his love for Nikki, and how the two of them are so connected they know what the other needs, even without those needs being spoken. And of course, their intimate times are off the charts HOT! My heart broke for him as he struggled with knowing they may never find the person responsible, and that his family may never be fully feel safe again. Feeling as though we have failed is something we can all related to, but knowing Damien as we do, having followed him through Ms. Kenner's books, failure is not something Damien can easily accept. Seeing his vulnerable side was amazing. But of course, Nikki will never see him as failing at anything, and neither will we!
This story basically picks up from where "Lost With Me" left off, but now everything is coming from Damien's POV. Even though Anne is now home safe and sound, Damien feels as if he has failed his family because with all he has, he wasn't able to protect them. I realize Damien is broken, but it would have been nice to have been in his mindset hanging out with friends and seeing a lighter side of him. Damien came off as very whiny, to me, in this book, and while I don't expect him to be perfect, it was a tad too much,.
Damien is a well written story, and it will have you guessing who the monster is because you think you know, but then you don't, but then maybe you do. It plays with your head a little and keeps you enthralled. Questions (big and small) left over from the previous story are answered. However, the series has evolved and become more about the Stark family dynamic and all the tragedy that has come their way, than about the kink when the series first started. The series has taken on more of a thriller like component to it. There has always been a theme of picking up each other's broken pieces and being each others rock, but Nikki and Damien have become borderline vanilla since we first met them. I kind of miss that aspect of their story. We got a little more kink in this story than the previous book, but still doesn't compare to earlier stories. Nikki has been the POV for so long that we know the stories of all the cracks in her shell, what makes her tick, and act the way she does, but Damien is still kind of new territory. It was nice to see Nikki play more of the strong role in this story. I do hope we get Damien's POV more, and that we get it during happier times.
I feel like I have waited forever for Damien’s story and while I thought it would be more about his growing up through his eyes, I was more than happy to see it follow on from Lost In Me. With a small recap at his early life and those who made the billionaire man who he is today, we were Thrown into the world just after getting Anne back.
With a man like Damien Stark, life will never be easy, everything is always a complication of one thing or another, but discovering the person behind the kidnapping that through Nikki back into cutting, and Damien a inconsolable man will be the elastic that might just snap for this couple. It no surprise that Damien has enemies, and Nikki has had her fair share of haters once she married one of America’s most eligible bachelors but trying to live their lives and run their companies becomes a very difficult feat.
When the kidnapper is identified and the person responsible for the break in at Nikki’s office is known their whole world is question after question. Damien will stop at nothing to find them and kill them, but that means opening up old wounds and coming face to face with evil. Can those you trust and love be the ones to destroy your whole world, and will Damien’s will for revenge be what will the permanent loss of his wife. As Nikki becomes a target, Damien will stop at nothing to find her and remove the vermin responsible from this earth – if he gets there in the time.
Get ready for a fast paced ride of love, sex, manipulation, desperation and destruction. Damien will have your heart beating overtime, whether at work or at play.
For an obsessed fan of Damien and Nikki Stark this book is literally a dream come true!! I knew the minute I heard Ms. Kenner was writing a book with this title that we were going to get so much background on Damien that we’ve never received before… and I was right!!!
I was giddy with excitement when I started this book and we learn what Damien was thinking when these two first met. I knew they were drawn together like a moth and a flame but holy moly it’s so much more than that!! This book really gives us the entire background of their relationship all from Damien’s POV!!! There were some heartbreaking moments that had tears coming to my eyes. I could almost feel his pain at some of Nikki’s revelations that I knew about, but seeing it from his advantage just made the pain more visceral.
His love for this woman and their children is tested as never before in this book and I had a racing pulse as I read more and more of this book because I JUST KNEW something was going to happen to test everything he holds precious!!
Leave it to Ms. Kenner to write another side to this dynamic man that has just re-fueled my hunger and desire for all things Stark!! I mean the ending of this book had me gasping because just when I thought it was going one way….yeah we do a quick u-turn and it’s something different. I’m not going to lie, there may have been a fist pump involved on my side because..Damien Stark!!!
HOLY SWEET BABY JESUS I LOVE DAMIEN STARK!!!!!!!!!!!! I have to say that he is my first book boyfriend EVER!!!!!!! After reading Release Me in 2013 and I have to say that after reading about Nikki and Damien I was rooting for them all the way. They had their ups and downs but Nikki is one tough cookie but there was something I was missing from this series and that is Damien's POV. I knew he was a tortured soul and I just knew he was twisted. He kept so much inside him and he never really let it out but Nikki being his true soul mate knew what he needed.
In this story lord I could not put it down because I was so engrossed in what was going on because DAMN so much happened to them. I mean man can Damien get a break. After his daughter Anne was kidnapped that really set him into a tail spin and he was more effed up than I thought. His thoughts has me saying HOLY HELL because I thought mama bear was the one who was going to come out with the claws but Damien man what he said and did just blew my mind!
He has it all family, money, and fame but the one thing he wanted was to keep his family safe and when that did not happen he went ape shiz. His family means the world to him and he will go to the ends of the earth for them and in this story we see how far he will go and what happens when you push a man to his limits. Damien and Nikki are the ultimate couple. Nikki knows what he needs and she gives it to him. I can't say enough about Damien but I will say this last thing is that I need me some more Damien in my life. I hope we get more because he is the ULTIMATE ALPHA MALE!!!!!!
I have read all of the books from the Stark series and all the spin off series from the Stark series. This is the first book that we get to read what is happening from Damien's point of view. The story picks up where Lost with Me ends. Damien is questioning himself about how he thinks he has failed his family - Nikki, Lara, and Anne - after the events in Lost with Me. It takes Nikki to remind him that he didn't fail but has always put his family first and tries his best to protect them from harm. Even though the kidnapper was apprehended and confessed to his crime, it appears that there was more than what they first thought. The suspects from Lost With Me are back to being suspects and of course, Damien's father is is one of them.
Damien, Nikki, Ryan and his security team, and their friends continue to try to find the mastermind of the kidnapping as the past keeps coming back to haunt Damien and Nikki. Sophie is still in the picture but Nikki still has a hard time trusting her. Damien and Nikki is there to help Bree (the nanny) decide what she wants to do with her life and lend their support to whatever she decides.
As usual, even with all the craziness that is going on around them, Damien and Nikki's love and attraction are still deep and hot. It is this love that gets them through whatever comes their way and makes them stronger!
I can't wait for the next story about this wonderful couple. I don't think I will ever get enough of reading about Damien and Nikki, their love for each other and their family and friends, and spin off books about their friends!