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The Estate #1
Madeleine Abducted
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.
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.
275 pages, ebook
First published October 12, 2013
About the author
M.S. Willis
14 books789 followersM.S. Willis is a dark writer who likes to dabble on the taboo side of eroticism. She is most known for her Control Series, the Estate Series, Because of Ellison (contemporary romance), and Standard Romance Story (Romance Comedy). When she isn’t writing as M.S. Willis, you can find other books by her under Lily White where she has penned the Masters Series (Her Master’s Courtesan and Her Master’s Teacher), Target This, Hard Roads, and Asylum. She’s co-authored Serial (a four part serial series) as Lily White as well. M.S. Willis enjoys stretching her writing muscles by continuing to challenge herself with each book she publishes.
In addition to writing, she is an avid reader, gummy bear slayer, and a gold medalist in puppy naps.
In addition to writing, she is an avid reader, gummy bear slayer, and a gold medalist in puppy naps.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 414 reviews
October 11, 2013
5++++ Dark Romance Stars
Madeleine, a cellist, she lives to play music. Music is the shield she uses to protect herself from the world around her. With music she can find perfection.
Until one night she is taken from the life she knows. Thrown into a a life of slavery, not knowing if her life might be over in the next minute. She does the only thing she can do, she submits and surrenders to her new life, because that is the only way to stay alive.
Aaron, a man who has only ever know the silver light of a blade and the iron fist of the man who is his father. Everyday is a struggle to resist the darkness his father tries to force upon him. But sometimes he has to succumb to the darkness that wants to take him over in order to survive.
A story about the struggle between good and evil, but sometime the both forces live inside us. A mans struggle to stay good. And a woman, once weak strengthened by her weakness.
Final Thoughts
This book was deliciously dark, the author was bold and did not shy away from a subject we might find too dark. The characters were lewd, depraved and blood thirsty, but because of that the story was easy to believe. The ending wasn't pretty, no pink bows here to make your heart flutter, it was dark it was gritty and it suited the entire story.
This one is definitely for the dark romance lovers, the hero is not glossed over, he is a man who is flawed. I liked the heroine, she found strength in surrender and did it with dignity! Kicking and screaming isn't always the smartest thing to do, although we'd love to think so.
I approve :)
ARC kindly provided by author in return for an honest review
Madeleine, a cellist, she lives to play music. Music is the shield she uses to protect herself from the world around her. With music she can find perfection.
Until one night she is taken from the life she knows. Thrown into a a life of slavery, not knowing if her life might be over in the next minute. She does the only thing she can do, she submits and surrenders to her new life, because that is the only way to stay alive.
Aaron, a man who has only ever know the silver light of a blade and the iron fist of the man who is his father. Everyday is a struggle to resist the darkness his father tries to force upon him. But sometimes he has to succumb to the darkness that wants to take him over in order to survive.
A story about the struggle between good and evil, but sometime the both forces live inside us. A mans struggle to stay good. And a woman, once weak strengthened by her weakness.
Final Thoughts
This book was deliciously dark, the author was bold and did not shy away from a subject we might find too dark. The characters were lewd, depraved and blood thirsty, but because of that the story was easy to believe. The ending wasn't pretty, no pink bows here to make your heart flutter, it was dark it was gritty and it suited the entire story.
This one is definitely for the dark romance lovers, the hero is not glossed over, he is a man who is flawed. I liked the heroine, she found strength in surrender and did it with dignity! Kicking and screaming isn't always the smartest thing to do, although we'd love to think so.
I approve :)
ARC kindly provided by author in return for an honest review
October 9, 2013
5 WICKEDLY SENSUAL AND UTTERLY MINDBLOWING STARS!!!
Recommended for:
- Dark reads fans! *BAM* Stamp of approval!
- Captive romance addicts!
- If you’re in need of a cardio workout! ‘Cuz my heart rate was 250 per minute!
While I was reading:
My face:
My emotions:
My mind:
Thoughts after reading:
Wow. Wow. Wow. It’s been two days since I finished this book and I am still reeling from the explicit scenes, twisted and demented characters, and multi-layered story plot. This book has effectively blown my brains out.
Our heroine, Maddy, is a sheltered cellist and on the night of her solo performance, she crosses paths with Aaron, the dangerously sexy and mysterious man who presents her with a single rose. Maddy unknowingly accepts his gift and her fate is sealed. She is thrust into a game between Joseph Carmichael, the evil and sadistic father, and his son Aaron, the coldhearted killer and executioner for the Estate.
“You are now a slave. You caught the attention of the man to whom you now belong. You are to do as you are told without asking questions and you are to follow instructions exactly as they are given. Obedience is demanded from this point further. Any infraction on your part will have dire circumstances. Do you understand?”
Aaron constantly struggles from being consumed by the same darkness that has infested his father. He is the Executioner, the Lawmaker, the Killer, the Enforcer, and with every act, every kill, he loses a piece of his soul, but is still able to retain his sanity. He needs control and to him, Madeleine is the temptress, the means of destroying him if he caves into his desire, and the ultimate decision that will allow his father to control him.
Yet…there is no staying away, for Aaron and Maddy are bound together in their love for music, creating a thin thread that connects their two hearts and souls in a world full of darkness and pain.
“It wasn’t just music that was elicited from the combination of wood, metal, and Madeleine, it was emotion, thought, a message only understood by those who could appreciate the fine combination of the sea of notes, blended together into an intoxicating song.”
The plot twisted, their battles epic, and there wasn’t a single moment I was left expressionless. Half of the time I was screaming and tearing my hair out, and the other half was a combination of crying and curling up in a corner to get away from the wickedness that emanates from this book. I cringed, I swore, I sobbed, but the feeling that dominated my emotions was fear. Fear that they wouldn’t survive, fear that the monster would overtake them, fear…
Just so you can see how the book builds up in tension and action, here are my spoiler-free status updates I posted while I was reading the book.
1%: YEEEEEHAAA!!! Story not for the faint of heart? No light? Abduction, enslavement, darkness? MY KIND OF BOOK!
4%: Ooooh! Getting shivers!
6%: What did your Mama teach you Madeleine? Never talk to strangers, that’s what!
13%: O.M.G. Literally cannot breathe. Holding my breath the entire time. Damn, this woman can write!
21%: Just WHAT is father and son playing at?! Never mind Madeleine, I might have a mental breakdown
27%: This is so wrong.
46%: Whelp! *clutches throat*
62%: OMG!!! OMG!!! STOP STOP STOP!!!!!!!!! TELL ME THIS ISN’T GOING TO HAPPEN!!! STOP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
69%: Oh my motherfucking lord. This is SO MUCH WORSE than 100 pages earlier. Praying on my knees now. I’m so terrified I can’t read on!!! Somebody do something!!!!
81%: How does M.S. Willis come up with this shit?!?! *sob* OMG. I think this is the worst of them all. Please…please no more!
93%: Scratch that last update! THIS IS IT. Of course she saves the best for last *super-cringe* I’M GOING TO JUMP OFF A BRIDGEEEE. I need help!!!
100%: All done. *breathes out*
So there you have it folks. A dark romance that is a must-read! The heart attack and near death experience is totally worth it, I assure you! *grins*
ARC kindly provided by author in exchange for an honest review
Recommended for:
- Dark reads fans! *BAM* Stamp of approval!
- Captive romance addicts!
- If you’re in need of a cardio workout! ‘Cuz my heart rate was 250 per minute!
While I was reading:
My face:
My emotions:
My mind:
Thoughts after reading:
Wow. Wow. Wow. It’s been two days since I finished this book and I am still reeling from the explicit scenes, twisted and demented characters, and multi-layered story plot. This book has effectively blown my brains out.
Our heroine, Maddy, is a sheltered cellist and on the night of her solo performance, she crosses paths with Aaron, the dangerously sexy and mysterious man who presents her with a single rose. Maddy unknowingly accepts his gift and her fate is sealed. She is thrust into a game between Joseph Carmichael, the evil and sadistic father, and his son Aaron, the coldhearted killer and executioner for the Estate.
“You are now a slave. You caught the attention of the man to whom you now belong. You are to do as you are told without asking questions and you are to follow instructions exactly as they are given. Obedience is demanded from this point further. Any infraction on your part will have dire circumstances. Do you understand?”
Aaron constantly struggles from being consumed by the same darkness that has infested his father. He is the Executioner, the Lawmaker, the Killer, the Enforcer, and with every act, every kill, he loses a piece of his soul, but is still able to retain his sanity. He needs control and to him, Madeleine is the temptress, the means of destroying him if he caves into his desire, and the ultimate decision that will allow his father to control him.
Yet…there is no staying away, for Aaron and Maddy are bound together in their love for music, creating a thin thread that connects their two hearts and souls in a world full of darkness and pain.
“It wasn’t just music that was elicited from the combination of wood, metal, and Madeleine, it was emotion, thought, a message only understood by those who could appreciate the fine combination of the sea of notes, blended together into an intoxicating song.”
The plot twisted, their battles epic, and there wasn’t a single moment I was left expressionless. Half of the time I was screaming and tearing my hair out, and the other half was a combination of crying and curling up in a corner to get away from the wickedness that emanates from this book. I cringed, I swore, I sobbed, but the feeling that dominated my emotions was fear. Fear that they wouldn’t survive, fear that the monster would overtake them, fear…
Just so you can see how the book builds up in tension and action, here are my spoiler-free status updates I posted while I was reading the book.
1%: YEEEEEHAAA!!! Story not for the faint of heart? No light? Abduction, enslavement, darkness? MY KIND OF BOOK!
4%: Ooooh! Getting shivers!
6%: What did your Mama teach you Madeleine? Never talk to strangers, that’s what!
13%: O.M.G. Literally cannot breathe. Holding my breath the entire time. Damn, this woman can write!
21%: Just WHAT is father and son playing at?! Never mind Madeleine, I might have a mental breakdown
27%: This is so wrong.
46%: Whelp! *clutches throat*
62%: OMG!!! OMG!!! STOP STOP STOP!!!!!!!!! TELL ME THIS ISN’T GOING TO HAPPEN!!! STOP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
69%: Oh my motherfucking lord. This is SO MUCH WORSE than 100 pages earlier. Praying on my knees now. I’m so terrified I can’t read on!!! Somebody do something!!!!
81%: How does M.S. Willis come up with this shit?!?! *sob* OMG. I think this is the worst of them all. Please…please no more!
93%: Scratch that last update! THIS IS IT. Of course she saves the best for last *super-cringe* I’M GOING TO JUMP OFF A BRIDGEEEE. I need help!!!
100%: All done. *breathes out*
So there you have it folks. A dark romance that is a must-read! The heart attack and near death experience is totally worth it, I assure you! *grins*
ARC kindly provided by author in exchange for an honest review
October 11, 2013
5 Darkly STARS
"I intend to introduce you to the darker side of life,to teach you what a man can do for you,to make you beg for more."
This is not your typical love story..It's a dark story..
It's a story about a girl Madeleine who is a cellist..she is shy and use her music as a protection to herself from the real world..
One night her life will change dramatically..
She will kidnapped by a cruel man who want to give her as a present to his son...
This is a game to him.He wants to make his son more evil than him.
Now Madeline is Aaron's slave and she must learn how to live in her new life
Aaron kills men for The Estate, in which his father is the controlling head.But he isn't like his father!He is a better person than even he realizes...He cares about Madeleine..She is like a drug for him..
I like Madeleine from the beginning!!She is a strong and brave character!!She tries to stand up against the man who controls her completely..
The bond that grows between them is slow building..and I like it!
"Dream of me Maddy.See me as I want to be; not the nightmare who torments you but the devoted and mystified man who worships at your feet."
She is light while I am darkness, she is raw beauty and so blessedly pure while I am nothing more than a poison to humanity.She deserves her life far more than I deserve mine."
If you want a dark book to captivate and blow your mind..This is what you need!!
"I intend to introduce you to the darker side of life,to teach you what a man can do for you,to make you beg for more."
This is not your typical love story..It's a dark story..
It's a story about a girl Madeleine who is a cellist..she is shy and use her music as a protection to herself from the real world..
One night her life will change dramatically..
She will kidnapped by a cruel man who want to give her as a present to his son...
This is a game to him.He wants to make his son more evil than him.
Now Madeline is Aaron's slave and she must learn how to live in her new life
Aaron kills men for The Estate, in which his father is the controlling head.But he isn't like his father!He is a better person than even he realizes...He cares about Madeleine..She is like a drug for him..
I like Madeleine from the beginning!!She is a strong and brave character!!She tries to stand up against the man who controls her completely..
The bond that grows between them is slow building..and I like it!
"Dream of me Maddy.See me as I want to be; not the nightmare who torments you but the devoted and mystified man who worships at your feet."
She is light while I am darkness, she is raw beauty and so blessedly pure while I am nothing more than a poison to humanity.She deserves her life far more than I deserve mine."
If you want a dark book to captivate and blow your mind..This is what you need!!
October 17, 2013
Ummm, woah!
Madeleine, Abducted was a dark and gritty captivity-themed romance. It read as a standalone and had no cliffhanger but the series is planned to be continued featuring a different couple. While, a few scenes throughout the book definitely pushed the limits of my comfort zones, others were quite romantic (in a dark and twisty way), but overall this book is not for the faint of heart! However, if you’re a fan of (very) dark romances, then definitely check this out!
I'd started reading this book the other night intending to only 'test out' one chapter and before I knew it I was 40% in and still hooked so this became my impromptu next read. I mean, here's a part of the prologue below. It practically begs you to turn the page!
Within these page, you will find a tale typically left unsaid in polite society… It is a story about abduction, enslavement, and the moment when a life is delivered into darkness.
There is no neat and tidy ending, no white knight that rides in and delivers freedom, nor salvation -- there is no escape. Like life, stories don't always end with elegant edges.
A weak woman at one times, she fell victim to evil, disappeared on a fated night never to return to the world again… but not for the reasons you might think.
Her name is Madeleine Clark, and when she was abducted, she was not only dragged into hell...
She took over.
Yup. I had to read this!
So, the story begins when quiet, gentle concert cellist, Madeleine, is abducted following a performance effectively changing her entire life in a matter of minutes. Thrust into a dark, twisted world of sophisticated criminals, her rights, freedom and dignity was stripped away forcing her to assume her new role as slave at The Estate.
"This is your fate, Cricket. Asking why isn't going to do anything for you except make that fate a much more painful journey. You need to learn the rules of your position and learn them quickly if you want to make a smoother transition into your new role."
Isolated from help and now under the control of a sadistic man who lived beyond the reach of the law, Maddy was "gifted" as a birthday present from father to son and suddenly found herself caught in a viscous power play between two powerful opponents: The father, and ruler of Estate, Joseph Carmichael, whose depraved, twisted descent into madness served only to strengthen his ruthless and insatiable taste for cruelty, and his son, Aaron, his executioner, second-in-command, and maybe.... some thing more.
Having seen the brutality of his father, Madeleine was terrified to meet his son but she slowly discovered that there was something a little different about Aaron. There was a spark of.... humanity... buried behind his cold exterior. But he wasn't a good man. While Aaron may not have been as cruel as his father but there was a ruthless side of him as well -- one that took pleasure in the suffering of his enemies. However, he had no desire to follow in his father's footsteps and wanted nothing more than to bring an end to his reign but it soon became apparent that even though he may have been in a position of power in the Estate, while his father ruled, 'freedom' was still all relative.
"He seeks to control you, Aaron; to tame you by forcing you into corruption. It is the same fame you've played with I'm since the beginning."
The term 'hero' though is used rather loosely in regards to Aaron. I think it would be better to call him the 'love interest' instead. He was not a 'good guy" and yet he had a soft spot for this woman who'd been thrust into his life against both their wills. Being around Maddy seemed to bring out a more gentle, compassionate side of him that wasn't in his nature.
Maddy had a quiet strength about her and the instincts of a survivor. She seemed weak on the outside but as the story went on, we began to see just how strong she really was and how big her heart was.
The romance however was very slow-building. It was there and was hinted at from the start but there was no insta-Stockholm-Syndrome or anything like that. It took a while before Aaron's tender side could even be shown to her and for the first while, he actually seemed quite cruel. But because we saw both sides of the story we understood that he too was trapped by his father.
"Dream of me, Maddy. See me as I want to be; not the nightmare who torments you, but the devoted and mystified man who worships at your feet.
Behind closed doors, Aaron began to show Maddy a different side of him but he couldn't fully give into his feelings. It was a combination of ruthlessness and kindness as he fought his feelings for her while being overpowered by his duty.
"You are not allowed thought anymore, your choices are mine, your actions are mine, everything you think or do will only be because I have allowed it… Your life depends on your submission. Do not fight against me now only to be handed over to men far more cruel that I can ever be."
Romance aside, the story itself was quite erotic in a dark, gritty way. But it is not for the faint of heart. Many of the scenes were intense, as it would be expected in a dark romance such as this. But I will admit that here was one scene that just went too far for me. Like really too far . It was gruesome, shocking (and I'm not easily shocked) and honestly just sicking. Overkill. I just wanted to puke. I didn't like what it said about a certain character but in the end, but I guess just served as a chilling reminder that he was in fact a monster... just not in every way and, to a certain extent, that's what we look for in darker reads, right? Things that push the boundaries of our comfort zones? Let's just say though that this one crossed my personal line a little bit.
Also, something random that stood out to me was that, while I understood that this book took place in modern day, it almost felt a little 'removed' from our world -- possibly because of how isolated the Estate was -- but even things like the way they talked was just... different, in places it almost felt borderline historical (even though it wasn't at all). This is not a complaint though, just an observation.
And, while this was not a love triangle book, there were in fact two 'main' men in it -- the first being the 'hero', Aaron, and the second being his bodyguard and close friend, Xander, who ended up taking almost a more friendship-based role with regards to Madeleine. The next book will be his story and I really liked his character in this one and am looking forward to reading his book!
Ohhhh and I thought it was so cool that the image from the cover of the book is actually an exact scene from the book!! Like, everything matches perfectly and it very much captured the 'feeling' of the book. Just a really awesome touch!
Overall, this really is a great dark read. I honestly didn't want to put it down and if you're looking for a book that doesn't hold back and will just deliver the dark and gritty right to you, then this is the one for you!
4 stars (but I'm still totally grossed out by the scene at 89%)
****************************
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December 15, 2014
3 - 3.5 Stars
”She is light while I am darkness, she is raw beauty and so blessedly pure while I am nothing more than a poison to humanity. She deserves her life far more than I deserve mine.”
[image error]
Introvert, Madeleine Clark’s world spins out of control when she is gifted with a rose and complements after her cello performance by a handsome man. Within seconds of exiting her concert, she is kidnapped by the handsome man’s deranged crime boss father.
Aaron Carmichael is torn by having the musically and stunning beauty as his gifted slave. Aaron must treat her coldly and cruelly to keep her from being broken by his father and his men.
”I am your Master, Madeleine, but I am not the worst nightmare you will have to face in this house.”
Madeleine was a sexually naïve virgin and her falling into love with Aaron and vice versa was predictable. I waited for the dark twist that usually accompanies this author’s books but for me it never came. The final outcome while Aaron races to take down the crime boss and overthrow the estate while protecting Madeleine was pretty predictable in this type of story.
Overall, this was a predictable decent read however I am told by friends that the next book which is about Aaron’s crazy father is a book not to be missed.
”She is light while I am darkness, she is raw beauty and so blessedly pure while I am nothing more than a poison to humanity. She deserves her life far more than I deserve mine.”
[image error]
Introvert, Madeleine Clark’s world spins out of control when she is gifted with a rose and complements after her cello performance by a handsome man. Within seconds of exiting her concert, she is kidnapped by the handsome man’s deranged crime boss father.
Aaron Carmichael is torn by having the musically and stunning beauty as his gifted slave. Aaron must treat her coldly and cruelly to keep her from being broken by his father and his men.
”I am your Master, Madeleine, but I am not the worst nightmare you will have to face in this house.”
Madeleine was a sexually naïve virgin and her falling into love with Aaron and vice versa was predictable. I waited for the dark twist that usually accompanies this author’s books but for me it never came. The final outcome while Aaron races to take down the crime boss and overthrow the estate while protecting Madeleine was pretty predictable in this type of story.
Overall, this was a predictable decent read however I am told by friends that the next book which is about Aaron’s crazy father is a book not to be missed.
October 20, 2013
3.5 stars
There was light in him, one so bright it could illuminate the entire night sky if only it wasn't covered over by the shadow of his darkness.
Well...hell. This book...Damn. I struggled with my rating on this one. There were things I loved, things that disturbed the ever loving fuck out of me, and a few things I could have gone without. I love a dark romance, and this book definitely delivered on that front. This is not an easy read by any means. It's dark, gritty, disturbing, somewhat erotic, and not a book I'll be forgetting any time soon. The author does not play around. She tells you exactly what you're in for with the epilogue.
Madeline is a talented yet an incredibly sheltered young cellist. When her talent catches the eye of a certain man, her life takes a dark twist. She is taken from the only life she knows, and is thrown in to a den of vipers where depravity, violence, and brutality become her new surroundings.
Taken by a madman and given as a gift to his son for his 25th birthday, Maddy finds herself in the middle of a deadly game of power. While her new Master might not be quite as evil as the man that kidnapped her, she knows that he's just hiding a different type of darkness.
Aaron is The Estate executioner. While he doesn't blink an eyelash when meeting out death, he's inexplicably drawn to Maddy's innocence. While his brutality is the key to keeping her alive
The man that he hides beneath the violence and death seems to come out in her presence.
I loved Aaron. While he was not a white knight, he still had this soft side to him. It didn't come out very often, but when it did...*sigh*
But then again, I always do seem to go for the tortured and broody ones.
I loved the author's writing style, it was almost poetic at times. There was a flip side of it for me though. I felt it was a bit much at times. There was almost too many descriptive sentences. I lost count of the many different ways that Aaron's green eyes came across. It was a bit much for me. At times it almost read like a historical to me. I struggled to remember that this is set in a modern setting.
The brutality. I am not a virgin to dark and gritty reads, but some of the scenes in this book disturbed even me. The event that takes place at 89% for instance. It takes A LOT, and I do mean A LOT to truly disturb me, but fuck...that scene still fucking haunts me.
The romance. This took a while to really get into. It took a backseat to a lot of other things that were developing in the first half of the book. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't expecting instant Stockholm here. This is not really a complaint, but I do feel it necessary to mention.
Aaron's background. We didn't get much except for little hints and words. This is a continuing series, so maybe it will be covered in the future books.
Aaron's father. Holy shit! Holy fucking shit! I have never...and I mean never spent so much time picturing killing a fictional character in quite such brutal fucking detail as I did here. The man was a sadistic asshole. The things that he did...Holy shit...just holy fucking shit. This book had some of the most brutal and descriptive scenes I have read in a while (And I've read and loved Captive/Seduced in the Dark, SKALS, and all of Madeline Sheehan books. I'm not exactly a fucking innocent here). I was left gaping, reeling, and so fucking disturbed I almost felt like I needed to take a break after reading those scenes. FUCK!
On a lighter note, I loved that even though Maddy was innocent, sheltered, naive, and in an impossible situation, she still came across as strong. Aaron was a great hero as well. My heart broke for him and his struggle. He tries so hard to protect Maddy from the brutality of The Estate, and when he failed at certain times, it was heart breaking.
In short, although this wasn't quite the amazing 5 star read it was to many of my GR friends, I still enjoyed it thoroughly. With the little peaks the author gave us of Xander, I cannot wait for his book next.
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There was light in him, one so bright it could illuminate the entire night sky if only it wasn't covered over by the shadow of his darkness.
Well...hell. This book...Damn. I struggled with my rating on this one. There were things I loved, things that disturbed the ever loving fuck out of me, and a few things I could have gone without. I love a dark romance, and this book definitely delivered on that front. This is not an easy read by any means. It's dark, gritty, disturbing, somewhat erotic, and not a book I'll be forgetting any time soon. The author does not play around. She tells you exactly what you're in for with the epilogue.
Madeline is a talented yet an incredibly sheltered young cellist. When her talent catches the eye of a certain man, her life takes a dark twist. She is taken from the only life she knows, and is thrown in to a den of vipers where depravity, violence, and brutality become her new surroundings.
Taken by a madman and given as a gift to his son for his 25th birthday, Maddy finds herself in the middle of a deadly game of power. While her new Master might not be quite as evil as the man that kidnapped her, she knows that he's just hiding a different type of darkness.
Aaron is The Estate executioner. While he doesn't blink an eyelash when meeting out death, he's inexplicably drawn to Maddy's innocence. While his brutality is the key to keeping her alive
I promised you pain for pain, Madeleine, and it only makes my cock harder when you fight back. Keep writhing beneath me, it’ll only help me along as I fuck your body and as I fuck your mind."
The man that he hides beneath the violence and death seems to come out in her presence.
I loved Aaron. While he was not a white knight, he still had this soft side to him. It didn't come out very often, but when it did...*sigh*
But then again, I always do seem to go for the tortured and broody ones.
I loved the author's writing style, it was almost poetic at times. There was a flip side of it for me though. I felt it was a bit much at times. There was almost too many descriptive sentences. I lost count of the many different ways that Aaron's green eyes came across. It was a bit much for me. At times it almost read like a historical to me. I struggled to remember that this is set in a modern setting.
The brutality. I am not a virgin to dark and gritty reads, but some of the scenes in this book disturbed even me. The event that takes place at 89% for instance. It takes A LOT, and I do mean A LOT to truly disturb me, but fuck...that scene still fucking haunts me.
The romance. This took a while to really get into. It took a backseat to a lot of other things that were developing in the first half of the book. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't expecting instant Stockholm here. This is not really a complaint, but I do feel it necessary to mention.
Aaron's background. We didn't get much except for little hints and words. This is a continuing series, so maybe it will be covered in the future books.
Aaron's father. Holy shit! Holy fucking shit! I have never...and I mean never spent so much time picturing killing a fictional character in quite such brutal fucking detail as I did here. The man was a sadistic asshole. The things that he did...Holy shit...just holy fucking shit. This book had some of the most brutal and descriptive scenes I have read in a while (And I've read and loved Captive/Seduced in the Dark, SKALS, and all of Madeline Sheehan books. I'm not exactly a fucking innocent here). I was left gaping, reeling, and so fucking disturbed I almost felt like I needed to take a break after reading those scenes. FUCK!
On a lighter note, I loved that even though Maddy was innocent, sheltered, naive, and in an impossible situation, she still came across as strong. Aaron was a great hero as well. My heart broke for him and his struggle. He tries so hard to protect Maddy from the brutality of The Estate, and when he failed at certain times, it was heart breaking.
In short, although this wasn't quite the amazing 5 star read it was to many of my GR friends, I still enjoyed it thoroughly. With the little peaks the author gave us of Xander, I cannot wait for his book next.
For more reviews visit
October 15, 2013
Wow.. just holy fucking shit wow. Amazing wow. Fucked up crazy intense WOW. Loss for more words WOW!
November 12, 2013
4.5 EXTREMELY DARK STARS!
Not gonna lie, people. I think about 10% of my Goodreads friends can stomach this book. In fact, I can number them with fingers and not adding toes....this book is disturbingly dark, gruesome, and fucking awesome! Who can stomach this book? Did you love Dark Duet? Tied Man? Take those and add a splash of disembowelment and lotsa graphic violence. Is there a romance, you ask? Buried deep, yes.
So. After reading the reviews, I entered this book feeling a bit......
I mean, who wouldn't be frightened for a beautiful cellist that's abducted by a horrible man to gift to his son as his sex slave. Said son, Aaron, cannot believe his ruthless father abducted this beautiful musician, throwing her into the bowels of The Estate. He can't deny his father....that would be sure death. Her role as a slave has to be training, believable or it's sure death for both of them.
Aaron, executioner for the Estate, is not a good man by any sense of the word. But one thing he refuses to do is violate Maddy. She's not here by choice therefore he will not take her without consent. He's drawn to her innocence, which makes him feel that much more of a monster. He's got to get her to freedom....and the only way is to remove his ruthless father from power. But can Maddy survive until then?
Maddy is confused. She should detest this man whose father abducted her, who calls her slave, makes her feel like filth. But there's something in his eyes, something he hides, that tells her there's a tiny light of goodness within. But can she trust that instinct?
As I said, the book is NOT for the faint at heart. Dark doesn't cover it. But deep down, a love story is present. You want to hate Aaron, I mean, the guy lives for the kill, does things to Maddy to make her feel like a piece of garbage but in the end, you pray for their feelings to grow, a love story to ensue.....
The writing was phenomenal to me. Artistically poetic. I devoured this book. If it's your cuppa, I think those who like to venture on the dark, taboo side of romance will find it a very captivating read. Enjoyable? Hell to the NO! I was looking for a dark read and it delivered in spades. Just consider yourself warned.
That being said, I think a lot of people wonder, in the end, is all the pain, darkness and suffering worth it? Will there be a HEA?
Not gonna lie, people. I think about 10% of my Goodreads friends can stomach this book. In fact, I can number them with fingers and not adding toes....this book is disturbingly dark, gruesome, and fucking awesome! Who can stomach this book? Did you love Dark Duet? Tied Man? Take those and add a splash of disembowelment and lotsa graphic violence. Is there a romance, you ask? Buried deep, yes.
So. After reading the reviews, I entered this book feeling a bit......
I mean, who wouldn't be frightened for a beautiful cellist that's abducted by a horrible man to gift to his son as his sex slave. Said son, Aaron, cannot believe his ruthless father abducted this beautiful musician, throwing her into the bowels of The Estate. He can't deny his father....that would be sure death. Her role as a slave has to be training, believable or it's sure death for both of them.
Aaron, executioner for the Estate, is not a good man by any sense of the word. But one thing he refuses to do is violate Maddy. She's not here by choice therefore he will not take her without consent. He's drawn to her innocence, which makes him feel that much more of a monster. He's got to get her to freedom....and the only way is to remove his ruthless father from power. But can Maddy survive until then?
Maddy is confused. She should detest this man whose father abducted her, who calls her slave, makes her feel like filth. But there's something in his eyes, something he hides, that tells her there's a tiny light of goodness within. But can she trust that instinct?
As I said, the book is NOT for the faint at heart. Dark doesn't cover it. But deep down, a love story is present. You want to hate Aaron, I mean, the guy lives for the kill, does things to Maddy to make her feel like a piece of garbage but in the end, you pray for their feelings to grow, a love story to ensue.....
The writing was phenomenal to me. Artistically poetic. I devoured this book. If it's your cuppa, I think those who like to venture on the dark, taboo side of romance will find it a very captivating read. Enjoyable? Hell to the NO! I was looking for a dark read and it delivered in spades. Just consider yourself warned.
That being said, I think a lot of people wonder, in the end, is all the pain, darkness and suffering worth it? Will there be a HEA?
Shelved as 'maybe-baby'
October 13, 2013I like the synopsis of this book and was going to add it to our page but, as a British blogger, I just can't - this title will go down like a lead balloon in the UK.
If you don't know what I'm referring to - there is an incredibly high profile missing child in the UK - Madeleine McCann and the title of this book, Madeleine Abducted, sadly will just resonate in a bad way with British readers, I feel.
If you don't know what I'm referring to - there is an incredibly high profile missing child in the UK - Madeleine McCann and the title of this book, Madeleine Abducted, sadly will just resonate in a bad way with British readers, I feel.
October 14, 2015
I love a twisted, dark, romance and this book definitely delivered! This story was gritty and raw. It will make you cringe and tremble in anticipation of the depraved acts you know are just around the corner. At the same time, there is an unexpected element of kindness and humanity weaved into the story, as the slave finds a surprising ally in her master.
I figured out quickly that this was not the typical "guy takes girl and falls in love, becomes remorseful, turns a new leaf..." kind of romance. While many of those characteristics are present, this story puts a different spin on the archetypal kidnapper/slave story. It wasn't what I had been expecting. It was much better!
Madeleine, aka Maddy, is a renowned cellist that is kidnapped by a cruel crime boss, Joseph Carmichael. She quickly finds out that she has been taken to be gifted as a sex slave to his son, Aaron. Incredibly shy and naive, Maddy is plunged into a world of sexual depravity and barbarity that she had never fathomed existed in her worst nightmares. She is humiliated and debased repeatedly. Through it all, she manages to grow stronger and never loses sight of her own humanity.
Aaron is appalled by his father's birthday "gift", but knows that he must accept the slave and train her. He immediately recognizes Madeleine as the cellist that he had admired from a distance and knows that she now bears a fate worse than death because of his infatuation with her. Training her to be his slave will break him as well, all for the amusement of his sadistic father.
I don't want to ruin this story for anyone. I'll just say that I could not put this book down once I started. I was pulled into the story and became enraptured with the plight of Maddy and Aaron. There is no knight in shining armor. Aaron is an assassin and revels in the thrill of a kill. He enjoys inflicting pain and struggles against his baser urges not to use and abuse Maddy in the most despicable ways.
This book is gripping, heart-breaking, suspenseful and raw. If you like a dark romance, then you don't want to pass this book by. Don't judge this book by it's cover!
I figured out quickly that this was not the typical "guy takes girl and falls in love, becomes remorseful, turns a new leaf..." kind of romance. While many of those characteristics are present, this story puts a different spin on the archetypal kidnapper/slave story. It wasn't what I had been expecting. It was much better!
Madeleine, aka Maddy, is a renowned cellist that is kidnapped by a cruel crime boss, Joseph Carmichael. She quickly finds out that she has been taken to be gifted as a sex slave to his son, Aaron. Incredibly shy and naive, Maddy is plunged into a world of sexual depravity and barbarity that she had never fathomed existed in her worst nightmares. She is humiliated and debased repeatedly. Through it all, she manages to grow stronger and never loses sight of her own humanity.
Aaron is appalled by his father's birthday "gift", but knows that he must accept the slave and train her. He immediately recognizes Madeleine as the cellist that he had admired from a distance and knows that she now bears a fate worse than death because of his infatuation with her. Training her to be his slave will break him as well, all for the amusement of his sadistic father.
I don't want to ruin this story for anyone. I'll just say that I could not put this book down once I started. I was pulled into the story and became enraptured with the plight of Maddy and Aaron. There is no knight in shining armor. Aaron is an assassin and revels in the thrill of a kill. He enjoys inflicting pain and struggles against his baser urges not to use and abuse Maddy in the most despicable ways.
This book is gripping, heart-breaking, suspenseful and raw. If you like a dark romance, then you don't want to pass this book by. Don't judge this book by it's cover!
July 9, 2014
5 DARK, CAPTIVATING, HEART-WRENCHING STARS!
So when I saw the synopsis to this I thought hell yeah! dark, captivity book? Lets add that to my list.Then I got an arc *happy dance* saw the first page and the warning just got me even more excited!!
This is a story that is not meant for the faint of heart.If you are looking for inspiration, if you are looking for light, if you are looking for something that will help you sleep and dream, you've come to the wrong place.
C'mon after reading that you think..
"Madeleine didn't mind people hearing her music, she preferred not being seen, being protected withing the studia or her home, invisible to the eyes of the world."
Madeleine is a cellist,a shy quiet woman who has been sheltered all her life.She likes to stay hidden and through music she expresses herself.One night after an amazing performance where she takes center stage for the first time things change.That night changes Maddy's whole life, she will never get her sheltered life back again.
She is taken.
Abducted.
To become a slave to her master.
To only speak when told to do so.
She is taken to The Estate.
Joseph Carmichael head of The Estate, a sick, demented, disgusting human who is determined to get his son Aaron to follow in his footsteps, to have the evil consume him and for him to live The Estate lifestyle is the reason Maddy's life is flipped upside down. As Aaron is drawn to her music his father decides Maddy wrapped in a bow would be a suitable present for his son.
The last thing Aaron wants is to be like his father, an evil,sick man but he can't refuse his gift, he can't let Maddy die. Will he allow the evil to consume him?
Deep breaths, Maddy...you can do this..
Aaron has lived in The Estate since he was a child with his best friend and guard Xander..rape, slavery, abuse surrounded them.They have killed but never would they rip apart a life of an innocent and condemn them to slavery, abuse and rape.Together they have a plan to end it all..
I was intrigued and hooked on this, the story is written very well, with a slightly poetic touch to it.The characters were great I loved the light and darkness aspect to it.Even with all the darkness surrounding Aaron he found a way to cling to that little bit of light and Madeleine is a true survivor even with all the lightness she brings to Aaron's life there is much more to her.She is a strong woman who adapts to her traumatic life situation and learns to live, learns to rule and learns to carry on no matter what happens.
"Although it is easy to scream for a victim to run or fight when you see them in a movie or read about them in a book, the futility of the situation is far more evident when you find yourself in their place."
This book is in Maddy, Aaron and even some bits from Xanders POV. I didn't really understand why Xander's POV was required at the start I was worried it would turn into a love triangle, which I would have hated so yeah so glad when that wasn't the case. The next book is on Xander! Yay can't wait!!
"Although it is easy to scream for a victim to run or fight when you see them in a movie or read about them in a book, the futility of the situation is far more evident when you find yourself in their place."
Bravo M.S.Willis you have done an excellent job on this one!
So dark, disturbing book lovers this one is for you, go grab it ;)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~
**ARC courtesy of the author in exchange for an honest review**
Check out my blog for more reviews!
http://zakirrahsbookblog.blogspot.co.uk/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Zakirr...
So when I saw the synopsis to this I thought hell yeah! dark, captivity book? Lets add that to my list.Then I got an arc *happy dance* saw the first page and the warning just got me even more excited!!
This is a story that is not meant for the faint of heart.If you are looking for inspiration, if you are looking for light, if you are looking for something that will help you sleep and dream, you've come to the wrong place.
C'mon after reading that you think..
"Madeleine didn't mind people hearing her music, she preferred not being seen, being protected withing the studia or her home, invisible to the eyes of the world."
Madeleine is a cellist,a shy quiet woman who has been sheltered all her life.She likes to stay hidden and through music she expresses herself.One night after an amazing performance where she takes center stage for the first time things change.That night changes Maddy's whole life, she will never get her sheltered life back again.
She is taken.
Abducted.
To become a slave to her master.
To only speak when told to do so.
She is taken to The Estate.
Joseph Carmichael head of The Estate, a sick, demented, disgusting human who is determined to get his son Aaron to follow in his footsteps, to have the evil consume him and for him to live The Estate lifestyle is the reason Maddy's life is flipped upside down. As Aaron is drawn to her music his father decides Maddy wrapped in a bow would be a suitable present for his son.
The last thing Aaron wants is to be like his father, an evil,sick man but he can't refuse his gift, he can't let Maddy die. Will he allow the evil to consume him?
Deep breaths, Maddy...you can do this..
Aaron has lived in The Estate since he was a child with his best friend and guard Xander..rape, slavery, abuse surrounded them.They have killed but never would they rip apart a life of an innocent and condemn them to slavery, abuse and rape.Together they have a plan to end it all..
I was intrigued and hooked on this, the story is written very well, with a slightly poetic touch to it.The characters were great I loved the light and darkness aspect to it.Even with all the darkness surrounding Aaron he found a way to cling to that little bit of light and Madeleine is a true survivor even with all the lightness she brings to Aaron's life there is much more to her.She is a strong woman who adapts to her traumatic life situation and learns to live, learns to rule and learns to carry on no matter what happens.
"Although it is easy to scream for a victim to run or fight when you see them in a movie or read about them in a book, the futility of the situation is far more evident when you find yourself in their place."
This book is in Maddy, Aaron and even some bits from Xanders POV. I didn't really understand why Xander's POV was required at the start I was worried it would turn into a love triangle, which I would have hated so yeah so glad when that wasn't the case. The next book is on Xander! Yay can't wait!!
"Although it is easy to scream for a victim to run or fight when you see them in a movie or read about them in a book, the futility of the situation is far more evident when you find yourself in their place."
Bravo M.S.Willis you have done an excellent job on this one!
So dark, disturbing book lovers this one is for you, go grab it ;)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~
**ARC courtesy of the author in exchange for an honest review**
Check out my blog for more reviews!
http://zakirrahsbookblog.blogspot.co.uk/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Zakirr...
October 21, 2013
I just finished this gruesome tale, and I have to say at the moment I am kind of speechless! This was a gripping story that caught my attention within the first 20% of starting it. I have been known to enjoy some very dark and twisted stories, and this one definitely had its moments where I was cringing and sick to my stomach as I was reading. There are a few scenes in particular that were very disturbing; but I expected no less from such a dark book! If you are a reader that is looking for a flowery romance book; this is not it..The hero in this story is a man who is labelled "The executioner" for a reason, and he even takes extreme pleasure in spilling the people's blood that he is ordered to kill. The fascinating part about Aaron though, is that somewhere deep down inside himself, there is a small ray of light that is hidden so well that even he is unaware that it is there. It takes a musician that captures Aaron's attention during a concert to recognize that the light is there. Maddy is the one who ends up nourishing that light, and slowly the darness lessens; but only a tiny bit. The truth of the matter is that Aaron has to be a monster for his own protection from the one who is true evil; his father. If any weakness is shown, then his father will destroy the person who shows it and he will enjoy every minute of that person's pain and demise.
All of this brutality takes place at "The Estate." It is isolated and has its own community inside the violent and depraved walls. Aaron's father enjoys to play mind games, and takes great pleasure in others pains. He is a man that is losing his mind to insanity, as well as to the drugs that he ingests. This is the man that abducts Madeline, all because Aaron had shown an interest in her. So, dear old dad brings her to the Estate to be a slave for his son. When Aaron learns of how his father stole an innocent woman all in the name of a sick game for his pleasure; Aaron realizes his father's insanity has gone too far. Aaron decides he needs to do something about his sadistic father, and sets a plan in motion.
Maddy was a pleasant surprise to me, as she starts out very meek in the beginning; but gradually her strength within herself shines through. The way that she was able to see the good in Aaron, even through all his gruesome actions was amazing. Aaron also was an interesting character, because even though he was evil to so many he had an extreme need to protect Maddy. The ironic thing was that sometimes in order to protect her, he would have to do some unforgivable things to her. If he didn't do it, then an even more evil person would deliver a harsher punishment to Maddy.So Aaron protected her in the only way he could.
This book is one that you won't want to put down while you are reading it. For lovers of dark tales this is a book you don't want to miss. It is important no to expect a romance that is full of love and cute moments. It is nothing like that, and it is down right disturbing in certain scenes. There is a relationhip that unites two people who are both stuck living in "Hell", and it is inspiring how Maddy is able to overlook all of Aaron's evil and grow to care about him. Their common cause is to seek retributiion and justice, and the question is..do they win against evil, or do they lose the fight? You will be on the edge of your seat in anticipation, wondering who will come out on top..
All of this brutality takes place at "The Estate." It is isolated and has its own community inside the violent and depraved walls. Aaron's father enjoys to play mind games, and takes great pleasure in others pains. He is a man that is losing his mind to insanity, as well as to the drugs that he ingests. This is the man that abducts Madeline, all because Aaron had shown an interest in her. So, dear old dad brings her to the Estate to be a slave for his son. When Aaron learns of how his father stole an innocent woman all in the name of a sick game for his pleasure; Aaron realizes his father's insanity has gone too far. Aaron decides he needs to do something about his sadistic father, and sets a plan in motion.
Maddy was a pleasant surprise to me, as she starts out very meek in the beginning; but gradually her strength within herself shines through. The way that she was able to see the good in Aaron, even through all his gruesome actions was amazing. Aaron also was an interesting character, because even though he was evil to so many he had an extreme need to protect Maddy. The ironic thing was that sometimes in order to protect her, he would have to do some unforgivable things to her. If he didn't do it, then an even more evil person would deliver a harsher punishment to Maddy.So Aaron protected her in the only way he could.
This book is one that you won't want to put down while you are reading it. For lovers of dark tales this is a book you don't want to miss. It is important no to expect a romance that is full of love and cute moments. It is nothing like that, and it is down right disturbing in certain scenes. There is a relationhip that unites two people who are both stuck living in "Hell", and it is inspiring how Maddy is able to overlook all of Aaron's evil and grow to care about him. Their common cause is to seek retributiion and justice, and the question is..do they win against evil, or do they lose the fight? You will be on the edge of your seat in anticipation, wondering who will come out on top..
March 16, 2018
This was totally great!
I was a little hesitant to start this one because it isn't normally my type of book. But I was very intrigued by the blurb so I decided to give it a try. Much to my surprise, I found it completely engrossing from the beginning to the end and I really had a hard time putting it down. At first, I was afraid the story would be too dark or too twisted, but it turned out to be lighter than I expected. Even so, there were some violent and disturbing scenes that made me cringe and feel a little bit sick.
**Some spoilers ahead**
The hero, Aaron, was forced and trained to be an assassin since he was young. He grew up to be a cold-blooded killer. His father, Joseph, knew that Aaron was interested in Madeleine so he kidnapped this girl as a birthday gift just to corrupt his son. Aaron was ordered to train Madeleine as a slave. He had no choice but to do as Joseph commanded. He treated her badly and got tough with her in order to make sure that she would survive living at the estate. It tortured him to see her terror and suffer in both physical and emotional ways. From his POV, I found out that he was obviously not a monster like he thought he was. He did the best he could to protect her under the circumstances.
I couldn't imagine his childhood, growing up under the same roof with a father whose mind was twisted and so evil!
Madeleine was a shy, innocent musician who was the victim of Joseph's insanity. Aaron became the only person she could trust. She realized that her life would never be the same again since the day she was abducted, and she had to accept her fate. When Aaron risked his life !
After finishing this book, I found myself inordinately impressed with the author's writing style. I liked that the story was fast paced right from the start and the characters were well written. The fight scene was so intense and action-packed, so much so that it made my heart race like crazy while reading. To say I enjoyed this book immensely would be an understatement!
Highly recommended!
I was a little hesitant to start this one because it isn't normally my type of book. But I was very intrigued by the blurb so I decided to give it a try. Much to my surprise, I found it completely engrossing from the beginning to the end and I really had a hard time putting it down. At first, I was afraid the story would be too dark or too twisted, but it turned out to be lighter than I expected. Even so, there were some violent and disturbing scenes that made me cringe and feel a little bit sick.
**Some spoilers ahead**
The hero, Aaron, was forced and trained to be an assassin since he was young. He grew up to be a cold-blooded killer. His father, Joseph, knew that Aaron was interested in Madeleine so he kidnapped this girl as a birthday gift just to corrupt his son. Aaron was ordered to train Madeleine as a slave. He had no choice but to do as Joseph commanded. He treated her badly and got tough with her in order to make sure that she would survive living at the estate. It tortured him to see her terror and suffer in both physical and emotional ways. From his POV, I found out that he was obviously not a monster like he thought he was. He did the best he could to protect her under the circumstances.
Leaning down, he breathed her in, his cock swelling again as he lost control of his body, of his mind. Brushing his lips against the shell of her ear, he whispered, "Do you sleep, my angel?" When she didn't stir, the corners of his lips turned up, betraying his feelings for the beautiful woman who lay beneath him. "Dream of me, Maddy. See me as I want to be; not the nightmare who torments you, but the devoted and mystified man who worships at your feet."
I couldn't imagine his childhood, growing up under the same roof with a father whose mind was twisted and so evil!
Madeleine was a shy, innocent musician who was the victim of Joseph's insanity. Aaron became the only person she could trust. She realized that her life would never be the same again since the day she was abducted, and she had to accept her fate. When Aaron risked his life !
After finishing this book, I found myself inordinately impressed with the author's writing style. I liked that the story was fast paced right from the start and the characters were well written. The fight scene was so intense and action-packed, so much so that it made my heart race like crazy while reading. To say I enjoyed this book immensely would be an understatement!
Highly recommended!
October 16, 2013
Well well.......... I have no words to what I have read!!!! It is definitely dark, twisted, disgusting and miserable read! Angst yeah!
If you are in a mood for dark romance read with open mind, pick this up!
Maddy, brilliant and quiet cello player captures the eyes of my sweet dark mysterious hero, Aaron. What she does know, that meeting of hello with her will change her life!
And Aaron, he's hot!!!!
HOW??? IN AN UNEXPLAINABLE WAY!!!
If you up for an adventure, try this one!
October 28, 2013
3 Twisted Stars!
Her name is Madeleine Clark, and when she was abducted, she was not only dragged into hell...She took over.
Madeleine Abducted was..WOW! I don't even know what to say about this one. There were things that I loved about this book and then there were things that I absolutely hated and was grossed out by. I love a dark romance but even I have limits and this one pushed them a little bit. This is not an easy read! It's dark, disturbing, gory, gritty, violent, sometimes sexy, but mostly just dark! This book is not a 'riding off into the sunset' romance novel by any means! Lets just say you've been warned by the author herself in advance:
"There is no neat and tidy ending, no white knight that rides in and delivers freedom, nor salvation -- there is no escape. Like life, stories don't always end with elegant edges."
Maddy--
Madeleine is a talented and incredibly innocent cellist. When her talent catches the attention of a dangerous man, her life is forever changed. She is thrown into a life of depravity, drugs, prostitution, murder, and slavery.
She is taken by a man consumed with madness and given to his son for his 25th birthday. To be taught the ways of a slave. Or die trying. While her new Master may seem less evil than her captor, she's not fooled, for Maddy can sense the darkness beneath the surface; waiting to strike...
Aaron--
"There was light in him, one so bright it could illuminate the entire night sky if only it wasn't covered over by the shadow of his darkness."
Having seen the brutality of her captor, Madeleine is terrified to meet his son Aaron, but she slowly discovers that there is something a little different about Aaron. There is a hint of light buried deep beneath his cold exterior. Even though she can sense this spark of light, she knows that Aaron is still by no means a good man. He's an executioner, a killer. While Aaron may not be as cruel as his father there is a ruthless side of him as well -- one that takes pleasure in the suffering of the people he kills. However, Aaron has no desire to follow in his father's footsteps and wants nothing more than to bring an end to his fathers control, but it soon becomes apparent that the only way that will happen, is to pretend to be Maddy's Master, and she his slave.
Behind closed doors Aaron begins to show Maddy a different side of himself, but unfortunately Aaron cannot fully give into these feelings that he has for her if he wants to get Maddy out of The Estate alive. Will Aaron succeed in overruling his father? Will Maddy make it out alive? Will Aaron find the light that only Maddy brings out in him?
Putting the romance issue aside, the story itself was quite erotic in a dark, disturbing way. Let me repeat again, this story is NOT for the faint of heart! Many of the scenes were disturbing, as would be expected in a dark novel such as this. I will say that there is one scene that just went too far for me. It was gruesome, disturbing, and honestly just sickening. I just wanted to puke, I literally had to put the book down I was so grossed out.
The character of Aaron was complex. He was not a good man, but yet he had a softness for Maddy that I found endearing. My main problem with Maddy and Aaron was that I found it hard to connect with them. While this story is definitely entertaining, I found that I never cried, never got emotionally worked up, or felt that I couldn't put this book down. I am excited to read Xander's story next, but this isn't a story that will be added to my favorites list. Loose ends are not tied up, there is little to no romance, in fact the word love isn't even mentioned, also there aren't even that many sex scenes in it. I found myself wanting to read a longer story which unfortunately won't happen since this is a standalone for Maddy and Aaron. All in all it was just okay. Entertaining, but just okay.
*I would recommend this novel to anyone looking for a dark gritty read*
Her name is Madeleine Clark, and when she was abducted, she was not only dragged into hell...She took over.
Madeleine Abducted was..WOW! I don't even know what to say about this one. There were things that I loved about this book and then there were things that I absolutely hated and was grossed out by. I love a dark romance but even I have limits and this one pushed them a little bit. This is not an easy read! It's dark, disturbing, gory, gritty, violent, sometimes sexy, but mostly just dark! This book is not a 'riding off into the sunset' romance novel by any means! Lets just say you've been warned by the author herself in advance:
"There is no neat and tidy ending, no white knight that rides in and delivers freedom, nor salvation -- there is no escape. Like life, stories don't always end with elegant edges."
Maddy--
"She was a slave to his lust, while he was a slave to her pain."
Madeleine is a talented and incredibly innocent cellist. When her talent catches the attention of a dangerous man, her life is forever changed. She is thrown into a life of depravity, drugs, prostitution, murder, and slavery.
She is taken by a man consumed with madness and given to his son for his 25th birthday. To be taught the ways of a slave. Or die trying. While her new Master may seem less evil than her captor, she's not fooled, for Maddy can sense the darkness beneath the surface; waiting to strike...
"You are not allowed thought anymore, your choices are mine, your actions are mine, everything you think or do will only be because I have allowed it… Your life depends on your submission. Do not fight against me now only to be handed over to men far more cruel that I can ever be." ~Aaron
Aaron--
"There was light in him, one so bright it could illuminate the entire night sky if only it wasn't covered over by the shadow of his darkness."
Having seen the brutality of her captor, Madeleine is terrified to meet his son Aaron, but she slowly discovers that there is something a little different about Aaron. There is a hint of light buried deep beneath his cold exterior. Even though she can sense this spark of light, she knows that Aaron is still by no means a good man. He's an executioner, a killer. While Aaron may not be as cruel as his father there is a ruthless side of him as well -- one that takes pleasure in the suffering of the people he kills. However, Aaron has no desire to follow in his father's footsteps and wants nothing more than to bring an end to his fathers control, but it soon becomes apparent that the only way that will happen, is to pretend to be Maddy's Master, and she his slave.
"I’m not a good man, Maddy. I’ll never be a person worthy of you, of the beauty and light you provide to this world. I kill, I steal, I lie and I cheat. I take pleasure when I bathe in the blood of another man’s demise, when I watch the life drain from their eyes as they die. I enjoyed you as well, Maddy, not when I had to hurt you, but when I took things from your body that weren't mine to take. I've done nothing for you, Mouse, nothing but what I wanted to do." ~Aaron
Behind closed doors Aaron begins to show Maddy a different side of himself, but unfortunately Aaron cannot fully give into these feelings that he has for her if he wants to get Maddy out of The Estate alive. Will Aaron succeed in overruling his father? Will Maddy make it out alive? Will Aaron find the light that only Maddy brings out in him?
"Dream of me, Maddy. See me as I want to be; not the nightmare who torments you, but the devoted and mystified man who worships at your feet. ~Aaron
Putting the romance issue aside, the story itself was quite erotic in a dark, disturbing way. Let me repeat again, this story is NOT for the faint of heart! Many of the scenes were disturbing, as would be expected in a dark novel such as this. I will say that there is one scene that just went too far for me. It was gruesome, disturbing, and honestly just sickening. I just wanted to puke, I literally had to put the book down I was so grossed out.
The character of Aaron was complex. He was not a good man, but yet he had a softness for Maddy that I found endearing. My main problem with Maddy and Aaron was that I found it hard to connect with them. While this story is definitely entertaining, I found that I never cried, never got emotionally worked up, or felt that I couldn't put this book down. I am excited to read Xander's story next, but this isn't a story that will be added to my favorites list. Loose ends are not tied up, there is little to no romance, in fact the word love isn't even mentioned, also there aren't even that many sex scenes in it. I found myself wanting to read a longer story which unfortunately won't happen since this is a standalone for Maddy and Aaron. All in all it was just okay. Entertaining, but just okay.
"This man, her warrior … a dark knight, if anything, but not really a knight at all. He wasn't a good man, he’d committed countless acts of violence in his life, and he was considered the most lethal man of The Estate. When it came to Maddy, however, he was another man entirely, a man that would kill to set her free, who would lay down his life if it would save her."
*I would recommend this novel to anyone looking for a dark gritty read*
January 9, 2015
4.5 Cricket/Mouse stars!
Introverted Madeleine hides behind her cello. As a talented musician and composer, the shy girl is highlighted during a performance at a concert hall. Afterwards, she is approached by a handsome man who presents her with a single red rose. She thinks nothing of the exchange with the man with the beautiful green eyes.
Upon leaving, Madeleine is greeted by an older gentleman with two companions who drug and abduct her. When she wakes, she is chained to a bed, and then instructed to get into a box. She is going to be a gift to her new master.
She is surprised to see that she will now be owned by the man who was at the concert hall.
***at time of posting I realized that it says legal instead of lethal...oh well**LOL oops!
Aaron is appalled by the birthday gift he has received from his father. He cannot believe that his father has taken the woman whose music has touched his soul. As the leader of The Estate, Joseph is the epitome of depraved and evil. As his son, the role he plays is the executioner for the business. He may be a cold-blooded killer, but he is not interested in owning a woman/slave. Especially the beautiful and innocent Madeleine.
As his father is falling deeper and deeper into madness, there is no way he can refuse this gift. She could be put to death, or worse yet, become a whore for The Estate, where she will be raped, abused, and tortured. The only choice he has is to take Madeleine as his, and try to keep her as much out of harms way until he takes over. He still has to be under the guise that he is using her as his slave, but time may be running out.
While in close quarters, Aaron experiences lust and other protective feelings towards Madeleine. In turn, she is starting to recognize that although she is held captive, he may not be the person she should be fearing.
This was a very enjoyable dark read.
The plot definitely messed with my mind. Even though Aaron is an assassin, he has a kind heart and knows right from wrong. I can't imagine what he went through to keep peace with his deranged father and make it look like Maddy was his slave, yet not step out of bounds when it came to the treatment of her.
Not only did I like Aaron and the strong Madeleine, but Xander, Aaron's right hand man was also a great character. In the beginning I wasn't sure who would be Maddy's love interest, as it seemed Xander was a little smitten by the sweet woman. He was the one to nickname her "cricket", and Aaron referred to her as "mouse". I liked how eventually all of them came together as a team of sorts.
The events that the trio were involved in were cringe worthy, and kept me on the edge of my seat. Joseph was a cruel and vile human being, and the mind games he played with his son were truly fucked up. The ending was especially brutal, and I couldn't read fast enough to see what would happen.
I also want to mention how much I enjoyed the writing. It was descriptive and in a way, beautiful and...lyrical. It really painted a dark picture for what was taking place. The writing is in third person, and has POV's through the three characters.
Overall an awesome dark romance. I would recommend if this is a genre that you like.
BR with the lovely Anna
Introverted Madeleine hides behind her cello. As a talented musician and composer, the shy girl is highlighted during a performance at a concert hall. Afterwards, she is approached by a handsome man who presents her with a single red rose. She thinks nothing of the exchange with the man with the beautiful green eyes.
Upon leaving, Madeleine is greeted by an older gentleman with two companions who drug and abduct her. When she wakes, she is chained to a bed, and then instructed to get into a box. She is going to be a gift to her new master.
She is surprised to see that she will now be owned by the man who was at the concert hall.
***at time of posting I realized that it says legal instead of lethal...oh well**LOL oops!
Aaron is appalled by the birthday gift he has received from his father. He cannot believe that his father has taken the woman whose music has touched his soul. As the leader of The Estate, Joseph is the epitome of depraved and evil. As his son, the role he plays is the executioner for the business. He may be a cold-blooded killer, but he is not interested in owning a woman/slave. Especially the beautiful and innocent Madeleine.
As his father is falling deeper and deeper into madness, there is no way he can refuse this gift. She could be put to death, or worse yet, become a whore for The Estate, where she will be raped, abused, and tortured. The only choice he has is to take Madeleine as his, and try to keep her as much out of harms way until he takes over. He still has to be under the guise that he is using her as his slave, but time may be running out.
While in close quarters, Aaron experiences lust and other protective feelings towards Madeleine. In turn, she is starting to recognize that although she is held captive, he may not be the person she should be fearing.
This was a very enjoyable dark read.
The plot definitely messed with my mind. Even though Aaron is an assassin, he has a kind heart and knows right from wrong. I can't imagine what he went through to keep peace with his deranged father and make it look like Maddy was his slave, yet not step out of bounds when it came to the treatment of her.
Not only did I like Aaron and the strong Madeleine, but Xander, Aaron's right hand man was also a great character. In the beginning I wasn't sure who would be Maddy's love interest, as it seemed Xander was a little smitten by the sweet woman. He was the one to nickname her "cricket", and Aaron referred to her as "mouse". I liked how eventually all of them came together as a team of sorts.
The events that the trio were involved in were cringe worthy, and kept me on the edge of my seat. Joseph was a cruel and vile human being, and the mind games he played with his son were truly fucked up. The ending was especially brutal, and I couldn't read fast enough to see what would happen.
I also want to mention how much I enjoyed the writing. It was descriptive and in a way, beautiful and...lyrical. It really painted a dark picture for what was taking place. The writing is in third person, and has POV's through the three characters.
Overall an awesome dark romance. I would recommend if this is a genre that you like.
BR with the lovely Anna
October 23, 2013
*~*~*4 Deliciously Seductive & Captivating Stars*~*~*~*~
Madeleine Abducted is a uniquely woven tail of a young woman's journey into slavery and her beautiful captor's fascination with her.
We a have Maeleine Clark; a beautiful, shy, successful cellist player.
On the night of her first solo performance, Maddy's life takes a turn for the worst.
Maddy is suddenly thrust into a world of darkness, sadistic, and cruelty, its a life in which she must endure to survive. Along with being captured she finds herself in a cruel and twisted power struggle between sadistic father and son, Aaron.
Her life hangs in the balance of this man.
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 a petite, brunette woman he cant refuse.
A bond is forged in conspiracy and deceit, Aaron struggles to save Maddy by teaching her to survive in the world in which he's been raised. An unlikely union, Aaron soon learns that great strengths can exist in small packages, while Madeleine learns that love and light can exist in the darkest places.
Madeleine learns that there is goodness and light in Aaron's soul and she is willing to sacrifice her freedom in order for him to cleanse his soul. In the process, of learning her role as slave she gets to learn more about Aaron's cruel past and his predicament. As the days turn into weeks, Maddy gets to learn and understand Aaron, and finally succumbs to her true feelings pertaining to Aaron. It also helps that their sexual interludes are HOT & SEXY...
My thoughts: Madeleine Abducted is a good dark read for those of you seeking something gritty and different. It has HOT sexual scenes that leaves you imagining you could be Madeleine Clark. This tale is different from most Stockholm syndrome novels, it is done intricately well, and quite original. My little rant is that the story is told through a 3rd person perspective which in my opinion is harder to connect to the characters. Also, the constant dialogue flip flopping between different characters. I love to have different POV's but this one is a bit messy and all over the place..............
SHOUT OUT to my girl Angie~loves angst for an awesome BUDDY READ
“She is light while I am darkness, she is raw beauty and so blessedly pure while I am nothing more than a poison to humanity.She deserves her life far more than I deserve mine.”
Madeleine Abducted is a uniquely woven tail of a young woman's journey into slavery and her beautiful captor's fascination with her.
We a have Maeleine Clark; a beautiful, shy, successful cellist player.
On the night of her first solo performance, Maddy's life takes a turn for the worst.
Maddy is suddenly thrust into a world of darkness, sadistic, and cruelty, its a life in which she must endure to survive. Along with being captured she finds herself in a cruel and twisted power struggle between sadistic father and son, Aaron.
Her life hangs in the balance of this man.
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 a petite, brunette woman he cant refuse.
A bond is forged in conspiracy and deceit, Aaron struggles to save Maddy by teaching her to survive in the world in which he's been raised. An unlikely union, Aaron soon learns that great strengths can exist in small packages, while Madeleine learns that love and light can exist in the darkest places.
Madeleine learns that there is goodness and light in Aaron's soul and she is willing to sacrifice her freedom in order for him to cleanse his soul. In the process, of learning her role as slave she gets to learn more about Aaron's cruel past and his predicament. As the days turn into weeks, Maddy gets to learn and understand Aaron, and finally succumbs to her true feelings pertaining to Aaron. It also helps that their sexual interludes are HOT & SEXY...
My thoughts: Madeleine Abducted is a good dark read for those of you seeking something gritty and different. It has HOT sexual scenes that leaves you imagining you could be Madeleine Clark. This tale is different from most Stockholm syndrome novels, it is done intricately well, and quite original. My little rant is that the story is told through a 3rd person perspective which in my opinion is harder to connect to the characters. Also, the constant dialogue flip flopping between different characters. I love to have different POV's but this one is a bit messy and all over the place..............
SHOUT OUT to my girl Angie~loves angst for an awesome BUDDY READ
January 30, 2014
4.5 This-book-is-fucking-crazy Stars
Two sum up Madeleine Abducted I would say it’s --- > FUCKING CRAZY!!!!
HUGE DISCLAIMER ---- > This book is not for the faint of heart. There are HUGE amounts of graphic violence, sex and intense scenes.
I love me a good kidnapping book, you throw in an assassin, well there’s gonna be a party in my pants people.
SUMMARY
Madeleine is a cellist, on the night of one of performances, she is abducted by an older wealthy man, who intends to gift Madeleine, as a sex slave, to his son, Aaron, for Aaron’s 25th birthday. Aaron is no angel, as an assassin since the age of 14, he is tired of the way his father rules the estate and Aaron binds his time before he can take over. However, with Madeleine’s presence, she could disrupt Aaron’s plans.
Overall review
Madeleine (Maddy) is quickly abducted within the first chapter of the book. I love this, there is no BS, we get to the heart of the matter. When Madeleine first arrives at the estate she is introduced to Xander, Aaron’s right hand man. She’s been hit and is completely naked as Xander and other men get her ready for Aaron. At first glance you notice that Maddy’s music has sheltered her and she hasn’t really been exposed to the world.
She is weak and she is a true damsel in distress. I freaking love it.
When we first meet Aaron, we find him cold, distant and basically an asshole. He yells commands towards Madeleine and provides punishment when she disobeys him. But not everything is what it seems. Once you get to know Aaron and see what truly lies behind the mask of the monster you start to understand why he is the way he is.
There is plenty of tension between Maddy and Aaron. This is only one of the many things that happen in the book. Many times Aaron’s father comes into the picture to test Aaron’s loyalties and those are probably one the hardest parts to read in the book.
As stated, there is rape, violence and lots of graphic scenes. The author goes into detail of death, blood and the gore that comes along with it. I was not surprised by these parts. I felt like it was a necessary black cloud that was needed to make this book dark.
Madeleine Abducted needed to be longer and needs a new cover. The book was too short to convey its full emotions. I would say the first half was fine, I got it, I was just glued to the pages. When we get to the shift with the second half, it was a bit rushed and as much as I enjoyed the crazy climax, it was a bit rushed. As for the cover, it does no justice for this book. It’s a beautiful story and needs something less in your face.
However, with those minor complaints aside, it’s a beautiful story about pain, manipulation and love.
If you like dark reads, love kidnappings and intense love stories, this one is for you. But I warn you, it’s fucking crazy.
For more reviews - > http://jacquelinesreads.blogspot.com
Two sum up Madeleine Abducted I would say it’s --- > FUCKING CRAZY!!!!
HUGE DISCLAIMER ---- > This book is not for the faint of heart. There are HUGE amounts of graphic violence, sex and intense scenes.
I love me a good kidnapping book, you throw in an assassin, well there’s gonna be a party in my pants people.
SUMMARY
Madeleine is a cellist, on the night of one of performances, she is abducted by an older wealthy man, who intends to gift Madeleine, as a sex slave, to his son, Aaron, for Aaron’s 25th birthday. Aaron is no angel, as an assassin since the age of 14, he is tired of the way his father rules the estate and Aaron binds his time before he can take over. However, with Madeleine’s presence, she could disrupt Aaron’s plans.
Overall review
Madeleine (Maddy) is quickly abducted within the first chapter of the book. I love this, there is no BS, we get to the heart of the matter. When Madeleine first arrives at the estate she is introduced to Xander, Aaron’s right hand man. She’s been hit and is completely naked as Xander and other men get her ready for Aaron. At first glance you notice that Maddy’s music has sheltered her and she hasn’t really been exposed to the world.
She is weak and she is a true damsel in distress. I freaking love it.
When we first meet Aaron, we find him cold, distant and basically an asshole. He yells commands towards Madeleine and provides punishment when she disobeys him. But not everything is what it seems. Once you get to know Aaron and see what truly lies behind the mask of the monster you start to understand why he is the way he is.
There is plenty of tension between Maddy and Aaron. This is only one of the many things that happen in the book. Many times Aaron’s father comes into the picture to test Aaron’s loyalties and those are probably one the hardest parts to read in the book.
As stated, there is rape, violence and lots of graphic scenes. The author goes into detail of death, blood and the gore that comes along with it. I was not surprised by these parts. I felt like it was a necessary black cloud that was needed to make this book dark.
Madeleine Abducted needed to be longer and needs a new cover. The book was too short to convey its full emotions. I would say the first half was fine, I got it, I was just glued to the pages. When we get to the shift with the second half, it was a bit rushed and as much as I enjoyed the crazy climax, it was a bit rushed. As for the cover, it does no justice for this book. It’s a beautiful story and needs something less in your face.
However, with those minor complaints aside, it’s a beautiful story about pain, manipulation and love.
If you like dark reads, love kidnappings and intense love stories, this one is for you. But I warn you, it’s fucking crazy.
For more reviews - > http://jacquelinesreads.blogspot.com
October 15, 2013
3.5 Stars!
These 3/3.5 star books are the hardest to review. While I didn't LOVE this one, I didn't hate it either. It was just okay for me. I didn't feel like there was enough character and story development for this story to feel "real" to me.
The story begins with Madeleine (I am going to call her M for time purposes) playing her cello at a concert. We get little to no background on M other than that she appears to be very naive, very sheltered, very shy, very quiet, very reserved.
She's greeted by a beautiful stranger after the concert, admiring her music. It's when Madeleine is leaving the concert, that she is abducted and sent to The Estate only to discover that she is to be "gifted" as a slave to the beautiful stranger from the concert.
This kind of had a The Tied Man feel to it. Bad things happen at The Estate, which happens to be run by the beautiful strangers father, James. Aaron, the beautiful stranger is the executioner for the Estate. His world is dark and dangerous and dirty. There's no room for the light that is M.
Aaron refuses to "take" M as his slave....not when she has been sent there without choice. But at the same time, she has to appear as the slave she was meant to be. Through the process, the lines blur for Aaron and M. For me personally, I didn't get their relationship, I didn't connect to it.
It all happened too fast. I felt like M did a 180 going from loathing and fighting the fact that she was a slave to having strong feelings for Aaron and wanting to be his slave willingly. IDK. They had some intense moments together I suppose....
This was definitely a gritty, violent read....but for some reason it just didn't all come together for me.
These 3/3.5 star books are the hardest to review. While I didn't LOVE this one, I didn't hate it either. It was just okay for me. I didn't feel like there was enough character and story development for this story to feel "real" to me.
The story begins with Madeleine (I am going to call her M for time purposes) playing her cello at a concert. We get little to no background on M other than that she appears to be very naive, very sheltered, very shy, very quiet, very reserved.
She's greeted by a beautiful stranger after the concert, admiring her music. It's when Madeleine is leaving the concert, that she is abducted and sent to The Estate only to discover that she is to be "gifted" as a slave to the beautiful stranger from the concert.
This kind of had a The Tied Man feel to it. Bad things happen at The Estate, which happens to be run by the beautiful strangers father, James. Aaron, the beautiful stranger is the executioner for the Estate. His world is dark and dangerous and dirty. There's no room for the light that is M.
Aaron refuses to "take" M as his slave....not when she has been sent there without choice. But at the same time, she has to appear as the slave she was meant to be. Through the process, the lines blur for Aaron and M. For me personally, I didn't get their relationship, I didn't connect to it.
It all happened too fast. I felt like M did a 180 going from loathing and fighting the fact that she was a slave to having strong feelings for Aaron and wanting to be his slave willingly. IDK. They had some intense moments together I suppose....
This was definitely a gritty, violent read....but for some reason it just didn't all come together for me.
July 14, 2014
I love it when this type of story is done well..
Madeleine Abducted is one of those stories
Brilliant Dark and delicious 4 Stars
Maddy is a musician, shy and quiet and nervous that she has just had to preformed her solo concert. When a incredibly handsome man comes into her dressing room to see her. Holding a single red rose he tells her how moved he is from hearing her play.
Then he just walks away and leaves...
Later when approached by another man who she thinks is an admirer, this one is asking for a private performance..but Madeline's nervousness is now replaced by fear...
Aaron, a cold bloodied killer. Controlled by his father but totally consumed by Madeleine, wanting to protect her for as long as possible.
His father holds all the cards, its like a game to him. But to Aaron its so much more.
Madeleine knowing the position she is now in and just wanting to stay alive. She is fascinated with Aaron, can he save her? can she be the light in his darkness?
Xander, Aarons closest friend wants to protect both Aaron and Madeline.
Then we have Aarons father, bordering on the point of madness, he brings Maddy into the Estate as a birthday gift for Aaron..
"She is a slave, Aaron. I want to make sure that you understand that fact"
My thoughts
Oh yes just loved this.
This story just sucks you in from the first chapter. Its gripping and at times graphic but addictive.
For a dark story like this to work well, you can't hold back and this doesn't. You feel Madeleine's despair, Aaron trying to be a better person. But at times the darkness reappearing.
My only negative would be the last part, some of the contents may have been a bit over the top but it took nothing away from this story..
Can't wait for Xanders story up next..
Madeleine Abducted is one of those stories
Brilliant Dark and delicious 4 Stars
Maddy is a musician, shy and quiet and nervous that she has just had to preformed her solo concert. When a incredibly handsome man comes into her dressing room to see her. Holding a single red rose he tells her how moved he is from hearing her play.
Then he just walks away and leaves...
Later when approached by another man who she thinks is an admirer, this one is asking for a private performance..but Madeline's nervousness is now replaced by fear...
Aaron, a cold bloodied killer. Controlled by his father but totally consumed by Madeleine, wanting to protect her for as long as possible.
His father holds all the cards, its like a game to him. But to Aaron its so much more.
Madeleine knowing the position she is now in and just wanting to stay alive. She is fascinated with Aaron, can he save her? can she be the light in his darkness?
Xander, Aarons closest friend wants to protect both Aaron and Madeline.
Then we have Aarons father, bordering on the point of madness, he brings Maddy into the Estate as a birthday gift for Aaron..
"She is a slave, Aaron. I want to make sure that you understand that fact"
My thoughts
Oh yes just loved this.
This story just sucks you in from the first chapter. Its gripping and at times graphic but addictive.
For a dark story like this to work well, you can't hold back and this doesn't. You feel Madeleine's despair, Aaron trying to be a better person. But at times the darkness reappearing.
My only negative would be the last part, some of the contents may have been a bit over the top but it took nothing away from this story..
Can't wait for Xanders story up next..
December 5, 2013
4 Twisted and Bloody Stars
The Estate.....
Run by Joseph Carmichael, a twisted, sadistic, warped son of a bitch. He does what he wants and no one can do anything about it.
He is master and ruler of all the Estate encompasses....including its occupants.
Aaron, the son of a monster...the heir to the Estate. He kills and tortures men for the Estate. He is the Executioner. He is in a constant battle with the dark side that is his father.
Madeleine is a cellist....sweet...innocent...timid...brilliant . She finds solace in her music. She lives in her own sheltered world...until one night, she is abducted from the only life she has known and dragged into Hell.
“You are now a slave. You caught the attention of the man to whom you now belong. You are to do as you are told without asking questions and you are to follow instructions exactly as they are given. Obedience is demanded from this point further. Any infraction on your part will have dire circumstances. Do you understand?”
Madeleine is a gift. An attempt by Joseph to reel Aaron into the underworld and make him the rightful heir that he should be.
"She is a slave, Aaron. I want to make sure that you understand that fact"
To survive, Madeleine has no other choice but to submit to Aaron and do as he says. Through her time with Aaron, she sees that he has goodness within his soul and light that tries to shine through. But Aaron is a man filled with hate for his father.....hate for his work...hate for what he must do to Madeleine.
"If I have to make her hate me in order to save her I will, even if it destroys me in the process."
It quickly escalates into a deadly game of power and greed...a tug of war between Aaron and Joseph. Aaron has fallen for the beauty and the innocence that is Madeleine. He will do everything in his power to make sure that she is safe from the claws of the Estate...and from Joseph who has slipped further and further from sanity.
“She is light while I am darkness, she is raw beauty and so blessedly pure while I am nothing more than a poison to humanity. She deserves her life far more than I deserve mine.”
My Thoughts....
I had to sit on this review for a while because I wasn't quite sure how to put into words how I felt about the book. I think it's a great read. Well thought out. Great storyline and great characters. After sitting on it, I did end up changing my rating from 3 to 4 stars.
From about 83% on though....it felt a little Pulp Fiction-ish....and little unbelievable. A bit....ok A LOT of blood and death. I just had a hard time with how unreal it was. Yea yea...I know...IT'S FICTION. But still...pure chaos at the Estate. It was a bit much for me.
I loved Aaron's character. Underneath his armor, he had a heart. His heart beat for Madeleine from the moment he met her. He loved her the only way he knew how...and he loved her hard.
Madeleine for me was for the most part your typical slave. She was scared...as she should have been. She fought back even though her natural personality was timid. She proved though, at the end of the book, that she would take no shit and she would rule Hell the best way she knew how.
Joseph....holy bejesus.. He was scary. Sick...twisted...harsh...brutal. I have never in my life wanted to kill a fictional character as much as I wanted to kill him.
OFF WITH HIS HEAD!!!
A dark, gritty, seductive, torturous book. Lots of twists and lots of surprises.
Go on now and one click this sucker!
The Estate.....
Run by Joseph Carmichael, a twisted, sadistic, warped son of a bitch. He does what he wants and no one can do anything about it.
He is master and ruler of all the Estate encompasses....including its occupants.
Aaron, the son of a monster...the heir to the Estate. He kills and tortures men for the Estate. He is the Executioner. He is in a constant battle with the dark side that is his father.
Madeleine is a cellist....sweet...innocent...timid...brilliant . She finds solace in her music. She lives in her own sheltered world...until one night, she is abducted from the only life she has known and dragged into Hell.
“You are now a slave. You caught the attention of the man to whom you now belong. You are to do as you are told without asking questions and you are to follow instructions exactly as they are given. Obedience is demanded from this point further. Any infraction on your part will have dire circumstances. Do you understand?”
Madeleine is a gift. An attempt by Joseph to reel Aaron into the underworld and make him the rightful heir that he should be.
"She is a slave, Aaron. I want to make sure that you understand that fact"
To survive, Madeleine has no other choice but to submit to Aaron and do as he says. Through her time with Aaron, she sees that he has goodness within his soul and light that tries to shine through. But Aaron is a man filled with hate for his father.....hate for his work...hate for what he must do to Madeleine.
"If I have to make her hate me in order to save her I will, even if it destroys me in the process."
It quickly escalates into a deadly game of power and greed...a tug of war between Aaron and Joseph. Aaron has fallen for the beauty and the innocence that is Madeleine. He will do everything in his power to make sure that she is safe from the claws of the Estate...and from Joseph who has slipped further and further from sanity.
“She is light while I am darkness, she is raw beauty and so blessedly pure while I am nothing more than a poison to humanity. She deserves her life far more than I deserve mine.”
My Thoughts....
I had to sit on this review for a while because I wasn't quite sure how to put into words how I felt about the book. I think it's a great read. Well thought out. Great storyline and great characters. After sitting on it, I did end up changing my rating from 3 to 4 stars.
From about 83% on though....it felt a little Pulp Fiction-ish....and little unbelievable. A bit....ok A LOT of blood and death. I just had a hard time with how unreal it was. Yea yea...I know...IT'S FICTION. But still...pure chaos at the Estate. It was a bit much for me.
I loved Aaron's character. Underneath his armor, he had a heart. His heart beat for Madeleine from the moment he met her. He loved her the only way he knew how...and he loved her hard.
Madeleine for me was for the most part your typical slave. She was scared...as she should have been. She fought back even though her natural personality was timid. She proved though, at the end of the book, that she would take no shit and she would rule Hell the best way she knew how.
Joseph....holy bejesus.. He was scary. Sick...twisted...harsh...brutal. I have never in my life wanted to kill a fictional character as much as I wanted to kill him.
OFF WITH HIS HEAD!!!
A dark, gritty, seductive, torturous book. Lots of twists and lots of surprises.
Go on now and one click this sucker!
October 29, 2013
Deep breaths, Maddy … you can do this …
And..... She Did!
4.3 PASSIONATE, TWISTED, RULING THE HELL SLAVERY AND than.... left you Questioning your mental health Stars ;)
You Are Welcome to 'The Estate' of Hell & Heaven on Mother Earth!
Madeleline Abducted is the story of finding light in the darkness and fighting the evil, it's a story about the woman who'd hide herself behind her music to avoid the cruel realities of the world when one day her own music turned out to be one of her greatest enemy, it's a story about a dark soul who's in sreach for closure to find some good
when living the life of walking nightmare as a Assassinator.....
The taste of Passion so fierce, Shyness and Purity of an Angel, Angst towards the cruelty, Love that lives with in the walls of Hell, Hunger for the Freedom....
That's what you going to get in this twisted dark romantic story which starts when Maddy was abducted after her solo debut using her own music when she was thrown in the hands of the man you'll hate-love because he's so dark and showing the hope of lights in his soul at the same time. Aaron's character is of a dark hero who excite you when he torments, you despise him for what he does to Maddy and then find yourself wishing for the flicker of light in him.
“You are not allowed thought anymore, your choices are mine, your actions are mine, everything you think or do will only be because I have allowed it.”
Aaron was nothing like his father but he's in no position to show his weakness and let the old man strick the final blow, specialy when the life of the women on stake who'd stole his heart that the only way to keep her out of harms hand is to through her into them first....
.....he’d rather lay down his life than witness
her endure further abuse, that he would lay down his life to set her free.
Maddy chased away the darkness that has been lurking around Aaron from years and made him feel the beauty and peace of being loved and cared by someone who won't hesitate to give up her life in a heartbeat for him.....
“I have no idea why you’re frustrated, you’ve taken me to the place where I most want to be; you’ve taken me into your arms.”
And when time came to make a final call, Maddy and Aaron stood beside each other to win the battle at any cost.
“Then you offer to do it; just kiss me as I pass so that I can give you my last breath. We’ll become one and when you succeed in destroying them, I’ll be part of you when you do.”
---------------------------------
This book is nothing I`d expected but everything I`d needed in one Best Written Dark Book!
I`d never read something as Dark and Sensual as this one that I just can't put it down after I`d started reading it.
THIS IS A MUST READ GUYS, A-MUST-F*N-READ!
I`m dying to for Xander's story.... it'll be publish on Jan 30th, 2014.
And..... She Did!
4.3 PASSIONATE, TWISTED, RULING THE HELL SLAVERY AND than.... left you Questioning your mental health Stars ;)
You Are Welcome to 'The Estate' of Hell & Heaven on Mother Earth!
Madeleline Abducted is the story of finding light in the darkness and fighting the evil, it's a story about the woman who'd hide herself behind her music to avoid the cruel realities of the world when one day her own music turned out to be one of her greatest enemy, it's a story about a dark soul who's in sreach for closure to find some good
when living the life of walking nightmare as a Assassinator.....
The taste of Passion so fierce, Shyness and Purity of an Angel, Angst towards the cruelty, Love that lives with in the walls of Hell, Hunger for the Freedom....
That's what you going to get in this twisted dark romantic story which starts when Maddy was abducted after her solo debut using her own music when she was thrown in the hands of the man you'll hate-love because he's so dark and showing the hope of lights in his soul at the same time. Aaron's character is of a dark hero who excite you when he torments, you despise him for what he does to Maddy and then find yourself wishing for the flicker of light in him.
“You are not allowed thought anymore, your choices are mine, your actions are mine, everything you think or do will only be because I have allowed it.”
Aaron was nothing like his father but he's in no position to show his weakness and let the old man strick the final blow, specialy when the life of the women on stake who'd stole his heart that the only way to keep her out of harms hand is to through her into them first....
.....he’d rather lay down his life than witness
her endure further abuse, that he would lay down his life to set her free.
Maddy chased away the darkness that has been lurking around Aaron from years and made him feel the beauty and peace of being loved and cared by someone who won't hesitate to give up her life in a heartbeat for him.....
“I have no idea why you’re frustrated, you’ve taken me to the place where I most want to be; you’ve taken me into your arms.”
And when time came to make a final call, Maddy and Aaron stood beside each other to win the battle at any cost.
“Then you offer to do it; just kiss me as I pass so that I can give you my last breath. We’ll become one and when you succeed in destroying them, I’ll be part of you when you do.”
---------------------------------
This book is nothing I`d expected but everything I`d needed in one Best Written Dark Book!
I`d never read something as Dark and Sensual as this one that I just can't put it down after I`d started reading it.
THIS IS A MUST READ GUYS, A-MUST-F*N-READ!
I`m dying to for Xander's story.... it'll be publish on Jan 30th, 2014.
October 19, 2013
*** 1/2 Captive Stars *** 1/2
How do I start this? I think I may the minority here but I had a very hard time getting into this book. I was looking for a DARK romance and I felt that Aaron didn't come close to it. Yeah, he had a few moments but the only part of the book I felt compared with "dark" was the last 5% of it.
This book was well written and I know there have been a lot of my buddies on Goodreads that are rating this as a "5 Star" - maybe it's just my time of the month and I just wasn't feeling it.
Please don't go solely on my rating system to chose your books, but read the other comments as well. My tastes may fall far from yours.
The story, Madeleine is a proclaimed cellist and composer - something about her songs call to Aaron and pulls him to her. Maddy is an introvert though and more or less is a tiny hermit hiding behind her cello.
Joseph
Aaron's father is "godfather" of The Estate and is losing his mind to alcohol, control, women (slaves) and drugs. Aaron refuses to partake in the slave ring but is the assassin for The Estate. In order to try to corrupt his son, Joseph kidnaps Maddy and gifts her to Aaron for his birthday.
Aaron
Aaron has to battle his inner demons because on one hand he wants to possess Maddy but doesn't want to give up the little bit of morality he has left. It is a constant battle of heart against head which wrestles with Aaron on a daily basis to keep Maddy safe from himself and safe from the monsters of The Estate.
Madeleine
Maddy learns what sexual anticipation is by being Aaron's slave. He continues to torture her to extremes without the final outcome. Maddy learns what it is like to have her freedom taken away and be submissive to her Master.
Zander
Zander is best friend and body guard to Aaron until Maddy shows up. Then he is regaled to take care and train Maddy in order to survive living at The Estate. Zander softens his reserve with Maddy and the two become more than capture r and captive.
There was very little BDSM and dark matter in this book unless Maddy was called into the "Ballroom". On the few times she was there, things happened to others to make my skin crawl. Especially the final scene with the slave whores.
October 20, 2013
"You are a slave. You caught the attention of the man to whom you now belong. You are to do as you are told without asking questions and you are to follow instructions exactly as they are given."
Before starting these kind of books I'm always a little bit scared. I like dark books, but there's always the chance I'll go too dark and then I'll be scarred for life. So I went into this with some trepidation and with Johanna to support me for this BR. The book takes a while before it picks up. In the beginning I was thinking to myself "nothing's happening" and then the pace picks up quite nicely.
Slave
Master
Good
Evil
"I warned you," he said.
In the beginning we meet Aaron who's just received an unusual birthday present from his father: a slave named Madeleine who is a beautiful, timid musician. Aaron is disgusted with his father, and the gift he has bestowed on him. Even though Aaron is not a "nice" guy, he does not participate in the nefarious activities carried on in The Estate. In order to protect Maddy, he has to train her like a slave so she won't be passed on to suffer even more.
"I intend to introduce you to the darker side of life, to teach you what a man can do for you, to make you beg for more."
I liked Maddy instantly, she wasn't whiny, talkative, or overly dramatic. In fact she resigns herself to her situation very quickly after realizing there's no way to free herself. There are some really disgusting parts, that may cause persons with weak stomachs to regurgitate what they've eaten. This may not be very dark for some, but since I'm usually wary of books like this, to me it was. There's no cliffhanger, but the author does set things up for a continuation of the story in book two.
Xander, Aaron's right hand man, was without a doubt my favorite character. I'm beyond thrilled that his story will be told next. I'm guessing we'll see a totally different side of him in his book. I love his loyalty and obedience to Aaron.
Every scene with Aaron's dad, Joseph, and his minions
Why four stars?
My biggest complaint is that there wasn't enough sex and the scenes present were not detailed enough. Jeez! I sound sex obsessed. I can assure you I'm not :)
Rating: 4 Darkly Entertaining Stars
Buddy read with the lovely Johanna!!!
Thanks girlie:)
December 10, 2013
**** 2.5 ****
I love captor stories, kidnapping stories, dark, gritty reluctant romance stories, and despite this book having all of that, it didn't wow me like I was expecting.
It was very dark and disturbing. No, Aaron's father, Joseph Carmichael, was extremely dark and disturbing. Aaron was dark and he did disturbing things being the executioner of "the estate," but he wasn't evil or unredeemable.
I liked the flow of this book and how Maddie turned fierce warrior despite being uprooted and kidnapped by a sadistic pyschopath at the height of her musical career. She was strong and unwilling to face defeat as a coward.
I also liked how her and Aaron came to rely and confide in one another, falling in love and finding good while surrounded by the bad. What I wasn't impressed with was the way the characters spoke in this book. Almost like they were from a different time. I understand refined speech, but this was something that made me question what century they were in sometimes.
It would have been more believable for me if I saw glimmers of Aaron's youth through bouts of vulnerability or just different speech patterns. Maddie was believable but her words of endearment were dated, not reminiscent of a young woman sheltered from the world.
There was lots of violence but I wasn't shocked or disgusted. I don't mind violence but I've seen it written more accurately and more viscerally that I wasn't as affected as I should have been.
Just for example purposes, the Dark Duet, by C.J Roberts is my benchmark for dark, gritty kidnapping-romance. The gore and violence was palpable and done so well I was gasping. It had similar themes but much more affecting.
Regardless, many people have read and loved this book so there are many 5 star reviews to check out for a different opinion, but I wasn't impressed as much as I had wanted to be, so not quite 3 stars for me.
Also, although this is a standalone, the series continues focusing on other characters and the rebuilding of a new era for the Estate.
I love captor stories, kidnapping stories, dark, gritty reluctant romance stories, and despite this book having all of that, it didn't wow me like I was expecting.
It was very dark and disturbing. No, Aaron's father, Joseph Carmichael, was extremely dark and disturbing. Aaron was dark and he did disturbing things being the executioner of "the estate," but he wasn't evil or unredeemable.
I liked the flow of this book and how Maddie turned fierce warrior despite being uprooted and kidnapped by a sadistic pyschopath at the height of her musical career. She was strong and unwilling to face defeat as a coward.
I also liked how her and Aaron came to rely and confide in one another, falling in love and finding good while surrounded by the bad. What I wasn't impressed with was the way the characters spoke in this book. Almost like they were from a different time. I understand refined speech, but this was something that made me question what century they were in sometimes.
It would have been more believable for me if I saw glimmers of Aaron's youth through bouts of vulnerability or just different speech patterns. Maddie was believable but her words of endearment were dated, not reminiscent of a young woman sheltered from the world.
There was lots of violence but I wasn't shocked or disgusted. I don't mind violence but I've seen it written more accurately and more viscerally that I wasn't as affected as I should have been.
Just for example purposes, the Dark Duet, by C.J Roberts is my benchmark for dark, gritty kidnapping-romance. The gore and violence was palpable and done so well I was gasping. It had similar themes but much more affecting.
Regardless, many people have read and loved this book so there are many 5 star reviews to check out for a different opinion, but I wasn't impressed as much as I had wanted to be, so not quite 3 stars for me.
Also, although this is a standalone, the series continues focusing on other characters and the rebuilding of a new era for the Estate.
February 9, 2017
5 Abducted stars!!!
October 29, 2013
*4 solid stars*
Just to put it out there. I was nagged into posting this review, so here it is. You know who you are ;-).
Overall I loved this book. It is a hot, heartbreaking, dark and deeply moving story. Even though the book description sounded very interesting I didn't have any expectations going in. That's a lie. I actually thought it will be just another of those C J Roberts wannabes, that I've read a thousand times since TDD series. With a heroine who is so horrified by her circumstances and yet so horny, spreading her legs for anyone who would have her, but at the same time crying how horrible it all is. That was not the case at all.
No need for a summery, it's in a book description, so I skip that.
Things that I liked:
- Characters, both main and secondary. Well developed, interesting, easy to connect to and believable.
The heroine was just how I would imagine a kidnapped person would behave. She was truly scared and confused. She acknowledged that her captor was a good looking man, but never dwelled on it. She really despised him for what he did, and that's how captive suppose to feel about her captor.
The heroine was sweet, shy and scared, but not at all stupid or naive. She did put up a fight, talked back and defied him. She made a choice to make the best of the bad situation, but not by spreading her legs and moaning. And that's why I liked her.
I like the fact that author took a different approach to this whole kidnapping thing. Our "hero" wasn't the one who instigated the kidnapping.
Chemistry/animosity/hatred between characters was believable.
- The story had quite a few powerful moments. My favorites were the scene where He came into the room and just looked at her for a long time, without saying anything. His silence said so much. The other one was when he made her a bracelet, which played a significant role in the story and made the story come full circle at the end. I loved it.
- The sex scenes. Descriptive and well written. I liked the fact that some of them left me feeling sad and conflicted.
- Writing. It was surprisingly good. It gave me hope that there are some real gems out there and that I shouldn't dismiss self published authors just yet.
Author managed to pack in just the right amount of information in the book. Everything was on point. No unnecessary descriptions or irrelevant scenes.
The reason for my 4 stars rather then 5:
- The writing. I already said that I liked it, but, and it's a big one, the style it was written in would have suited better a historical story, set in a 17th century or something. The time frame is not mentioned in the book, the only things that show that the story is set in a 21th century is the fact that characters uses cellphones, modern weapons and mentioning of having surveillance cameras on the premises.
What modern day badass assassin, son of a ruthless mafioso, talks like this?
-WARNING SPOILERS-
- The ending. Or to be exact, the big fighting scene at the end. Although Miss Willis has an amazing talent to portray character's emotions, she has a lot to learn about writing fighting scenes. That big scene wasn't believable and realistic at all. There were two men against how many? 40, 50, 60? First there were 20 that came at them, they shot them down, then come 20 more, and they just kept coming and falling. How come they never ran out of ammunition? Wouldn't they need to reload at some point? The backup did come after a while, but then, they suddenly found themselves stuck with only two guys guarding the door of his fathers chambers. It didn't made sense.
Upuntil that point I was sure it will be a five star read, but the ending ruined the story a little for me.
-END OF SPOILERS-
All and all, it was a very enjoyable and definitely memorable read.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Here is something interesting I've noticed:
When search for the book on AMZ you get this:
When you click on the book, you get this:
I'm not sure why this happens. I'm guessing it's because I'm from outside the US. But I know for a fact that Norway doesn't put taxes on books, much less double the price. Weird. So for those who noticed the same thing I suggest to buy the book on Smashwords, because there price doesn't change when you click on "Add to cart"
Happy reading!
Just to put it out there. I was nagged into posting this review, so here it is. You know who you are ;-).
Overall I loved this book. It is a hot, heartbreaking, dark and deeply moving story. Even though the book description sounded very interesting I didn't have any expectations going in. That's a lie. I actually thought it will be just another of those C J Roberts wannabes, that I've read a thousand times since TDD series. With a heroine who is so horrified by her circumstances and yet so horny, spreading her legs for anyone who would have her, but at the same time crying how horrible it all is. That was not the case at all.
No need for a summery, it's in a book description, so I skip that.
Things that I liked:
- Characters, both main and secondary. Well developed, interesting, easy to connect to and believable.
The heroine was just how I would imagine a kidnapped person would behave. She was truly scared and confused. She acknowledged that her captor was a good looking man, but never dwelled on it. She really despised him for what he did, and that's how captive suppose to feel about her captor.
The heroine was sweet, shy and scared, but not at all stupid or naive. She did put up a fight, talked back and defied him. She made a choice to make the best of the bad situation, but not by spreading her legs and moaning. And that's why I liked her.
I like the fact that author took a different approach to this whole kidnapping thing. Our "hero" wasn't the one who instigated the kidnapping.
Chemistry/animosity/hatred between characters was believable.
- The story had quite a few powerful moments. My favorites were the scene where He came into the room and just looked at her for a long time, without saying anything. His silence said so much. The other one was when he made her a bracelet, which played a significant role in the story and made the story come full circle at the end. I loved it.
- The sex scenes. Descriptive and well written. I liked the fact that some of them left me feeling sad and conflicted.
- Writing. It was surprisingly good. It gave me hope that there are some real gems out there and that I shouldn't dismiss self published authors just yet.
Author managed to pack in just the right amount of information in the book. Everything was on point. No unnecessary descriptions or irrelevant scenes.
The reason for my 4 stars rather then 5:
- The writing. I already said that I liked it, but, and it's a big one, the style it was written in would have suited better a historical story, set in a 17th century or something. The time frame is not mentioned in the book, the only things that show that the story is set in a 21th century is the fact that characters uses cellphones, modern weapons and mentioning of having surveillance cameras on the premises.
Know this: The corruption has been extinguished, a new leader is among you.
What modern day badass assassin, son of a ruthless mafioso, talks like this?
-WARNING SPOILERS-
- The ending. Or to be exact, the big fighting scene at the end. Although Miss Willis has an amazing talent to portray character's emotions, she has a lot to learn about writing fighting scenes. That big scene wasn't believable and realistic at all. There were two men against how many? 40, 50, 60? First there were 20 that came at them, they shot them down, then come 20 more, and they just kept coming and falling. How come they never ran out of ammunition? Wouldn't they need to reload at some point? The backup did come after a while, but then, they suddenly found themselves stuck with only two guys guarding the door of his fathers chambers. It didn't made sense.
Upuntil that point I was sure it will be a five star read, but the ending ruined the story a little for me.
-END OF SPOILERS-
All and all, it was a very enjoyable and definitely memorable read.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Here is something interesting I've noticed:
When search for the book on AMZ you get this:
When you click on the book, you get this:
I'm not sure why this happens. I'm guessing it's because I'm from outside the US. But I know for a fact that Norway doesn't put taxes on books, much less double the price. Weird. So for those who noticed the same thing I suggest to buy the book on Smashwords, because there price doesn't change when you click on "Add to cart"
Happy reading!
January 10, 2015
review when Kirsten finishis, ok so i personaly enjoyed this book the writing is very diferent from her Lily White writing the story is over all more my thing even though i ussualy prefer first poinet of view narration ,this one is more romance and less abuse and kink and it has a HEA utleast for me but they dont leave the Estate to live in the normal world ,the hero is still a criminal even though far less sadistic than his father and they still have enemies in the crime world but they are in love happy tougether and complitly devoted to each other. i didnt find this book that dark it has a few gory sciens closser to the ending, one FF rape scien, one beating , and one rape attempt but the hero mostly treats heroin very well and the only time he trully abuses her is when he is forced to do it and the heroin askes him anyway because she wants revenge and suffering first is the only way to it,i dont even know if i should consider Aaron an anti-hero him enjoying killing his enemies makes him one but on the other hand he never willingly hurts inocent people and doesnt take plessure from hurting them, his also remourcfull and apologised to Maddie many times which Anti-heroes hardly ever do, Maddie well i liked her Martyr complex closer to the end annoyed a bit i found it unrealistic how she wanted to sacrifise herself to bring down the curupt organization with out siming to feel conflicted abought it Aarons reactions seemed more realistic to me, but i loved that it was her that put a stop to Jacobs vile existence, i also liked tha she used her brain instead of fighting in sutations where she couldnt win the last part seemed very gory and action packed but unrealistic hoW Aaron turned in to a invincible action hero who alone one against and Army of armed man i agree with Kirstens Kill Bill comparison defenetly body parts and organs fliying evry where here, but it was a n intence culmination , i enjoyed this book over all and thank you Kirsten for our BR i wouldnt have read it any time soon with out it
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 5, 2014
There's a reason why "Silence of the Lambs" is a classic, and the average splatter film is released straight to video. This book is the splatter film. Unerotic, coarse, pretentious, and just out to shock the reader.
I can't say I like where this subgenre is heading. All aggression and gore, no elegance, no eroticism.
ETA:
Another pen name of Lily White (or vice versa), no wonder my reaction is so similar, see: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I can't say I like where this subgenre is heading. All aggression and gore, no elegance, no eroticism.
ETA:
Another pen name of Lily White (or vice versa), no wonder my reaction is so similar, see: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
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