Brokered Submission by Claire Thompson

Book Title: BrokeredSubmission
Author: Claire Thompson
Series: Standalone
Genres: Dark Erotica, BDSM
Book Links: Goodreads, Amazon
My Rating: ★★★★☆ 4 Stars

Dylan steers clear of vanilla girls, preferring to find his play partners in the BDSM scene. But something about Zoë Stamos whispers to the Dom inside him. As they work together on a complex multi-million dollar investment deal, it is all too easy to imagine her naked and bound, skin glistening with sweat, her hair wild about her face. He can almost hear her breathy cries as he cracks a whip behind her, letting its sharp tip flick over her skin… 

When a key investor pulls out of a deal Zoë hoped would make her career, Dylan Hart offers to step in and cover the six million dollar shortfall, but his terms are like nothing she’s ever heard before. “You will spend the next forty-eight hours as my sexual slave. You will be confined to my basement dungeon, and you will be subject to my every sensual whim and erotic torture.” 

Zoë, who has a secret cache of dark, edgy erotic romances in her library, never dreams she’d be offered the chance to step right into the pages of one. Fantasy is one thing, real life erotic submission is quite another! But Dylan is waiting for her answer, his self-assured arrogance and intense sexual allure nearly too much for Zoë to handle. Her heart is hammering in her chest, and it’s hard to catch her breath.  

“So,” he says, “do we have a deal?”

QUICK REVIEW:

Wow, what a surprise this book turned out to be. Brokered Submission was a little tame compared to Thompson's usual dark works. There were no non-consensual scenes, no crazy obsessed guy, no abduction whatsoever. But the strong elements of BDSM and actual slavery were still present. I was literally caught off guard by that ending, considering that this author isn't one who would give HEAs to her main characters. While I love extreme non-con and mind-fuckery in Claire Thompson's books, I have to say that this side of Claire really pleased me. The writing was great, as usual. And excellent dialogues were thrown between the two MCs. 

Those who love D/s relationships in books will enjoy this one. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Claire Thompson has published erotic fiction and romance since 1996. Her work includes the sensual exploration of D/s and erotic romance, as well as the darker side of BDSM. Her work includes in-depth exploration of both m/f and m/m relationships, in the context of romance and D/s. She has published over fifty novels and short stories, both in print and ebook format. 

It is important to her to write about real people, characters she and her readers come to care about. She doesn't want to simply provide an erotic thrill or evocative description. With her D/s romances she seeks not only to tell a story, but to come to grips with, and ultimately exalt in the true beauty and spirituality of a loving exchange of power. Her darker works press the envelope of what is erotic and what can be a sometimes dangerous slide into the world of sadomasochism. She strives to write about the timeless themes of sexuality and romance, with twists and curves to examine the romantic side of the human psyche. Ultimately her work deals with the human condition, and the constant search for love and intensity of experience. 

A successful, independent author, Claire Thompson publishes under the Romance Unbound Publising.

STALK CLAIRE:

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Forced Submission by Claire Thompson

Book Title: Forced Submission
Author: Claire Thompson
Series: Standalone
Genres: Dark Erotica, BDSM
Book Links: Goodreads, Amazon
My Rating: ★★★★☆ 4 Stars

Mia is thrilled when she's hired as administrative assistant to handsome millionaire, Ellis Hughes. Her dream job quickly becomes a nightmare when she learns, too late, that Ellis Hughes is a sexual sadist, determined to mold her into his perfect submissive slave girl. Stripped of her freedom and her identity, Mia becomes M, her life focused entirely on the avoidance of pain and the seeking of what pleasure she can find in the dungeon of the man she now knows only as Sir. As M struggles to rekindle the flame of her spirit amidst a constant barrage of erotic torture and sexual subjugation, help is offered from an unexpected source-a tiny spark of hope in the darkness of M's forced submission.

MY THOUGHTS:

4 Gut-Wrenching Stars.

Forced Submission was by far Claire Thompson's most brutal work I've read yet, in my opinion. Whenever I am in the mood for something super dark to read, I always turn to this author, and she never fail to surprise me with her brilliant literary skills in the BDSM, Master/slave genre. This one, however, pushed my boundaries to the extreme, and I almost couldn't take the dreadful events in this novel that I had to put it down for a few days before picking it up again. 

Even now this book still hasn't left my thoughts since I read this a day ago. I will warn you that this isn't a captive/kidnap story about a Dominant and a "natural" submissive who ventures in the BDSM field and eventually falls in love with each other. If you want a BDSM story where the captive falls in love with her captor, this book is not it. This isn't a story that starts off as dark and ends with the MCs kissing and living happily ever after. This isn't Stockholm Syndrome. This isn't a book with happy ever afters. This is pure horror with elements of abuse in its simplest form, a total mind fuck and will most probably give you a nightmare once you've finished reading it.

Everything here was non-consensual. The hero, Ellis, was probably the sickest bastard I know of. He was a monster and a guy like him deserved to rot in hell. I couldn't for the life of me imagine the scenes in this book happening to someone, much less a very helpless woman like a flightless bird trapped in a small cage. I felt so bad for everything the heroine had to endure in the hands of a monster, but I was somehow relieved with how this book ended.

I would've given this a 1 star rating because of how horrid and revolting the story was, but I was once again held captive by Claire Thompson's powerful writing that I couldn't get enough of no matter how dark her works are. She is one of those very few authors who evokes the darkness residing deep within me whenever I indulge in her books. 

And after reading this one, I realized that

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Claire Thompson has published erotic fiction and romance since 1996. Her work includes the sensual exploration of D/s and erotic romance, as well as the darker side of BDSM. Her work includes in-depth exploration of both m/f and m/m relationships, in the context of romance and D/s. She has published over fifty novels and short stories, both in print and ebook format. 

It is important to her to write about real people, characters she and her readers come to care about. She doesn't want to simply provide an erotic thrill or evocative description. With her D/s romances she seeks not only to tell a story, but to come to grips with, and ultimately exalt in the true beauty and spirituality of a loving exchange of power. Her darker works press the envelope of what is erotic and what can be a sometimes dangerous slide into the world of sadomasochism. She strives to write about the timeless themes of sexuality and romance, with twists and curves to examine the romantic side of the human psyche. Ultimately her work deals with the human condition, and the constant search for love and intensity of experience. 

A successful, independent author, Claire Thompson publishes under the Romance Unbound Publising.

STALK CLAIRE:

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The Abduction of Kelsey by Claire Thompson

Book Title: The Abduction of Kelsey
Author: Claire Thompson
Genres: Dark, Erotica, BDSM
Book Links: Goodreads, Amazon
My Rating: ★★★★☆  4 Stars

Formerly released as: Claiming Kelsey "Embark on a journey along a dark path of erotic control and forced submission." 

James Bennett is captivated by his lovely but unattainable coworker, Kelsey Rowan. When she spurns his advances, he unleashes his long-hidden dark passions and takes her by force. Through a regime of erotic training, punishment and domination, James intends to mold Kelsey into the submissive and obedient wife of his dreams. 

Kelsey had no idea her mild-mannered boss was secretly and dangerously obsessed with her. Held against her will in a secluded cabin, she is subjected to a relentless barrage of sexual training and mind control, counterbalanced by James' terrifying declarations of love. As Kelsey succumbs to his rigid control, she must summon the will to survive, while edging precariously close to the brink of madness. 

Not for the faint of heart, The Abduction of Kelsey is a stark, probing look into the inner workings of a twisted mind, and the courage of one woman who never gives up in the fight to keep her spirit alive.  

MY THOUGHTS:

Are you fond of cheesy sweet romance novels with a perfect alpha hero who sweeps the beautiful heroine off her feet, throw in a bit of drama before hearing wedding bells and they live happily ever after? Yes? Well, then, this isn't the book you're looking for. Go on now, look for other books, because you wouldn't find the proverbial rainbows and flowers here, not in any Claire Thompson book for that matter.

Warning: This isn't romance. This isn't a love story.

This is obsession at its finest.

James Bennett is normally the type of guy you would see driving a sleek black sedan or wearing tailored suits. At twenty-nine, he has a good job where he works as Vice President at a large commercial bank. He is at the peak of his career. With a satisfying job career and wealthy living, he is pretty much contented with what he has in his life. Until he sees Kelsey Rowan applying for a job at the office, and his world was turned upside down.

It was as if the two of them spoke a secret, special language. A language that didn't require words or prior knowledge to understand. While he knew it was corny in the extreme, he thought of it as a language of the heart. They were born for one another. She was his soulmate, and as odd as it sounded even to his own ears, he'd known that from the moment he'd laid eyes on her. ~ James

Kelsey Rowan is new at the office. With her gorgeous looks and compelling beauty, men are irresistibly drawn to her. But the last thing she wants is to get involved with someone new. A fresh start is something she's been looking forward to in her new life after a clean break from her past. Little did she know was that one night was all it took, and her life leaps into an abrupt turn to a path that is as dark and terrifying as any.

James has been slowly bidding his time to find the right moment to make his move to the beauty that he couldn't own. Until one night, opportunity comes knocking at his door, and this one in particular he couldn't resist.

The old James was gone, and good riddance. The new James Bennett was a man who took what he wanted—who claimed his woman with sheer, brute strength. Kelsey belonged to him. Whatever he'd dreamed of or planned up to this moment no longer mattered. Kelsey was his and he could never let her go.

"Embark on a journey along a dark path of erotic control and forced submission."

Whenever I read a Claire Thompson book, I get nervous as hell, but all the while feeling thrilled with what she has in store for her novels. And I admit this has been an utterly depressing ride. I find it somehow similar to Enslaved and Obsession: Girl Abducted, the only difference was how the characters were portrayed. Let me just warn you that The Abduction of Kelsey isn't your typical boy-meets-girl romance. This was something darker—a man's deep, intense obsession that started at first sight, and a woman forced to submit to this man against her will.

I love obsessive alpha males in books, but James was nowhere near an alpha, and he was obsessed in a way that would make the hairs at the back of your neck stand. He was an anti hero in every sense of word. The way his twisted mind worked was so sick that it would leave you cringing and wanting to put a bullet in his head. He was so consumed with his obsession for Kelsey to the point of kidnapping her, raping her over and over,and even threatening her with a gun just so she would obey.  At one time he was brutal when losing his temper, and then the next he would feel guilt and would shower her with kindness and "his love and care." In his own sick and twisted way, he loved her. How sick man this man was. The things he did to her were beyond me. It repulsed me, to the point of putting this book down for a moment when the scene was getting worse before continuing it again. James may be a man with sheer strength and brutality, but deep down, he was anything but.

On the other hand, I admire Kelsey. My heart shattered a million times for her in this book but despite everything she has been through with James, in the end, she was the one who was strong enough not to break.

She'd nearly been beaten down, but in the end she'd come alive again, ready to fight, never giving up.

Ms. Thompson is such a great writer and story-teller. Her powerful writing pulled me in and made me feel as if I were with the characters, feeling the onslaught of their pain. I have to say I'm such a huge fan of C. Thompson, I love dark and taboo reads. She's one of the few authors I go to whenever I find myself wanting to delve into the darker side. I've read depressing stories about women who are victims of horrible kidnapping and rape, this book in particular is one I wouldn't forget. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Claire Thompson has published erotic fiction and romance since 1996. Her work includes the sensual exploration of D/s and erotic romance, as well as the darker side of BDSM. Her work includes in-depth exploration of both m/f and m/m relationships, in the context of romance and D/s. She has published over fifty novels and short stories, both in print and ebook format. 

It is important to her to write about real people, characters she and her readers come to care about. She doesn't want to simply provide an erotic thrill or evocative description. With her D/s romances she seeks not only to tell a story, but to come to grips with, and ultimately exalt in the true beauty and spirituality of a loving exchange of power. Her darker works press the envelope of what is erotic and what can be a sometimes dangerous slide into the world of sadomasochism. She strives to write about the timeless themes of sexuality and romance, with twists and curves to examine the romantic side of the human psyche. Ultimately her work deals with the human condition, and the constant search for love and intensity of experience. 

A successful, independent author, Claire Thompson publishes under the Romance Unbound Publising.

STALK CLAIRE:

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Cold-Blooded Beautiful by Christine Zolendz

Book Title: Cold-Blooded Beautiful
Author: Christine Zolends
Series: Beautiful #2
Genres: Dark, Erotica, Contemporary, BDSM
Book Links: Goodreads, Amazon
My Rating: ★★★★☆ 4 Stars

What happens when your past comes back to haunt you?  

Imagine having a secret whispered in your ear, a secret that once revealed, changes everything in your life that you thought to be true.  

What would you do if you learned that everything you had was just a lie, a lie that could end everything you ever worked for and destroy everyone you ever cared about? 

What happens when all your secrets come spilling forth and your past catches up to you? 

Will it consume you? 

Will it destroy you? 

Six months ago Kade Grayson helped Doctor Samantha Matthews hide from a violent past, one that she wants to keep hidden from everyone. Deep in her heart, she hides her secrets, too afraid to hurt the only people she has left to trust. 

What happens when she is forced to face her past?  

Will love be enough to save her?  

Because her deadly game of Hide and Seek is at its end.

MY THOUGHTS:

“She brought me back from the dead. I never realized how ugly my insides were until she showed me what beauty really was.”

Cold-Blooded Beautiful picks up where the previous book left off. After faking Sam's death, she and Kade are now on the run to build a healthy, normal relationship. Both Kade and Sam has a dark and fucked-up past, but Kade has been going to therapy, and Sam is still hiding from the demons that haunt her. She thinks she can live a normal life now that her father and husband know that she's dead. But what happens when her past comes for her and takes her away from her happiness?

Not everyone can run away from their demons. Especially when it's just behind you, waiting for you to turn around and meet him face to face. Again.

Then, I saw the man behind the flowers, standing larger than life, in that darkness full of shadows and emptiness. David. 

This book was an emotional trainwreck. Heartbreaking, tear-inducing, and very suspenseful that you would dare not to put it down. The events were so intense that I refused to do household chores and get out of my room for a day. I really enjoyed both books, but I must say that this one pulled me in even more. I love the angst and suspense, and definitely love the author's writing style, even her attempt to make some dialogues ridiculously funny. 

The only thing that I'd complain about is that some parts of this book were still lacking details. And Kade, God, I swear that guy needs a lot more therapy. He cried a lot in this book, and broke a lot of stuff more. I hate it when a hero throws a fit like a freaking twelve year old. But thank God he didn't do some crazy stuff like sleeping with other women when he thought that Sam left him. And I loved how madly obsessed he was with Sam. And as always, I loved Sam's insanely good sense of humor even when she was confined at the hospital. One of my favorite heroines. Ever.

Now, if you think Brutally Beautiful is dark, wait 'til you read this book. It's far more intense, brutal, and darker than you'd imagine.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Christine Zolendz resides in New York City, and is the author of five novels. Her first series, a paranormal romance (heavy on the romance and light on the paranormal) was published in 2012-2013 and includes Fall From Grace, Saving Grace, and Scars and Songs. Her newest series, published in 2014, includes the dark romance Brutally Beautiful and Cold-Blooded Beautiful.

STALK CHristine:

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Brutally Beautiful by Christine Zolendz

Book Title: Brutally Beautiful
Author: Christine Zolends
Series: Beautiful #1
Genres: Dark, Erotica, Contemporary, BDSM
Book Links: Goodreads, Amazon
My Rating: ★★★★☆ 4 Stars

With blood still on her hands, Samantha Matthews is on the run, running from dark secrets and a man she prays to God will never find her. Running and hiding, just to stay alive. She had no choice but to run, to leave, to hide and forget about her life before. When Samantha believes she's gained enough distance from her past and her demons, she stops running, hoping to find her future in the heavily wooded area of the Adirondack Mountains, a place she never expected to encounter a man with secrets as dark and as sordid as hers.  

Kade Grayson is hiding, not from the demons after him, but from himself and from the entire outside world, wishing every day he could have just died. Arrogant and domineering, he’s tormented and terrorized by his past, seeing nothing good for his future. With the ghosts of his past still haunting him, he has exiled himself to a life of solitude, only living for his words and through his stories. 

Until her. 

An undeniable attraction, turns into hate and then ultimately obsession, an obsession that grows into a powerful story of love and redemption. 

Will the bond they have begun to build between them grow stronger than the tragedies that have scarred both of their lives? Or will they allow their demons to consume them?

QUICK REVIEW:

"I'm falling in love with you, and I'm going to let you destroy me."

This was a pretty great read. I was curious right from the very first page, until curiosity got the better of me and all I know was that I suddenly couldn't put the book down. Brutally Beautiful is the first book I've read by this author and immediately I was captivated by her compelling and very polished writing style. The characters were very unconventional, not the usual or average MCs you would read in a book, but they weren't difficult to like at all. This book was messed up, but I loved and enjoyed it. By 90% of the book and I was like what the hell is going on. I need more details and answers because that ending did not do any justice to how good this book was!

Brutally Beautiful is a dark erotic romance novel which can't be read as standalone, Obviously, you'll need the next book!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Christine Zolendz resides in New York City, and is the author of five novels. Her first series, a paranormal romance (heavy on the romance and light on the paranormal) was published in 2012-2013 and includes Fall From Grace, Saving Grace, and Scars and Songs. Her newest series, published in 2014, includes the dark romance Brutally Beautiful and Cold-Blooded Beautiful.

STALK CHristine:

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I Know What Love Is by Whitney Bianca

Book Title: I Know What Love Is
Author: Whitney Bianca
Series: I Know... #1
Genres: Dark, Erotica, Contemporary, Romance, Adult Fiction
Book Links: Goodreads, Amazon
My Rating: ★★★★★ 4.5 Stars!

This is not a love story.

A chance encounter in a dark bar changed my life forever. I'll never forget the events of that night and the days that followed. I'll never be the same. He tried to break me, but now I'm stronger than ever.

I want him to pay. I want him to suffer. I want to be just as much of a monster as he is.

But maybe, deep down... I want him just as much as he wants me. Maybe we deserve each other. Maybe he knows me better than I know myself.
Maybe.

But I know what love is, and this is not it.

Warning: This dark erotic tale contains violence, explicit sexuality, and adult situations. The content may be considered objectionable, so please read at your own discretion.

MY THOUGHTS:

"He was a murderer and a rapist. He was crazy and unstable and wanted to possess me, body and soul, but when he made love to me, I couldn't stop myself from wanting it. He'd taken everything from me and I was messed up enough to keep giving him more. I was drowning in him." 

What. The. Fuck. This book was utterly maddening and completely insane. Devoured it in a day and I just couldn't put it down. The MCs were plain bat shit crazy and mentally fucked up that I'm afraid I might have lost my sanity too. I've read quite a handful of dark books but I have never came across with anything like this one before. And to top it off, my twisted heart loved every bit of it.

I can't believe this is a debut novel of Whitney Bianca who's a new author to me. She's very talented and writes like a pro! I really look forward to reading the next book, I need more of Joan and Elliot!

To lovers of dark disturbing books that have crazy as fuck characters and a handful scenes of rough & dirty sex, no doubt you'll enjoy this one.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Whitney Bianca is a new dark erotica writer. Her debut book, I Know What Love Is, was first published on August 2014.

She's a true fan of LOVE, romance, and sexy times. She loves writing about power plays between two people, whether they're in love or in lust. She loves the way people can communicate through sex. She loves taking her characters to the edge and shoving them off.

If you like to take a walk on the dark side, you're her kind of person. 

STALK WHITNEY BIANCA:

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Flawed (Butcher, #1) by Francette Phal

Book Title: Flawed

Author: Francette Phal

Series: Butcher #1

Genres: Dark, Erotica, Contemporary, Romance, BDSM

Book Links: Goodreads Amazon

My Rating: ★★★★★ 5 Stars!

"You are this beautiful thing I want to destroy."
Blood. That's the only memory he carries from a childhood he does not remember. And now it is all he knows. Blood is his life.
Knox Bishop has done a lot of horrible things, all at the command of the man who holds his leash. It's a matter of loyalty for him. Allegiance to the man who saved his life when he was a child. So he goes where he is needed and does what he is told. He tortures. He kills. He kills. He tortures. It is an unrelenting cycle that he constantly craves and can never quite satisfy.
Until her.
Eighteen year old Lacey Barnes distributes her assets to fund her dreams. Medical school is the end game and she is determined to get there by any means necessary. But a family member's careless mistake derails her plans and now she must pay a price in order to save him. 
She goes to Knox willingly offering him the only valuable thing she has. Herself. In doing so he allows her into his world, a world she quickly realizes is void of any light and hope for escape is utterly elusive. But escape is something she finds that she no longer wants. 
"He lays a path of pleasure laced agony for me to follow and I do. Stupidly I follow him down the blinding darkness of his euphoric hell."

MY THOUGHTS:

One thing I learned from Flawed: Never read a book this fucking awesome if the second book isn't out yet! But, hell,

I was so engaged in reading this that I couldn't even blink much less breathe for a second. It's raw and gritty and dark throughout the book! The hero and heroine are so messed up and flawed and I was invested in them!

Lacey isn't your average heroine. At eighteen years old, she's already been through hell. Having a mother who's addicted to drugs and a brother who does nothing but fuck up, her life is pretty much messed up. She sells herself no matter how much she abhors it, but sex is her job, the only way she knows how to live and achieve her goals. And her family and her dreams are at the top of her priorities. At some point, things in her life seem to turn much worse when she learns that her brother owes a huge debt to those who work for the Khitrova family, in which she then meets the dark and brooding Knox Bishop, where she offers herself to pay off her brother's debt.

He's immense, intense, and lethal. His eyes... God, his eyes are the most frightening and beautiful thing I've ever seen. There is no escaping them. No escaping him.

Knox is someone you would dare not cross path with. Working for the Khitrova family, he kills for a living without remorse and tortures the victims he prey on. He is every bit fucked up, a psychopath who craves putting his knife on someone else's body and ripping their organs out until there's nothing left. The constant hunger to kill someone has consumed his entire being, until he meets Lacey Barnes, sister of the man who owes a huge debt to the Khitrova family. One look at her and he decides that he wants her, and plans to have her no matter the consequences.

It would be smart of me to live her alone. Her brother will live to see another day. But her...
I release a sharp breath and jam my fingers through my damp hair. And then I smirk. Her fate has been decided. She will not be so lucky. Not this time.

To be honest, it was kind of scary to be in Knox's head. You will see in his perspectives just how fucked up of a man he was. He's definitely an anti hero, but there is something in him that just basically draws me in, and I hate to love this man despite his flaws. When Lacey comes to him to offer herself to pay off her brother's debt, I was screaming at her and telling her to run and never look back! But another part of my messed up mind wants her to go to him.

These two are so complex and flawed that you will deeply feel the depths their characters. I love Lacey's strength. She may not have the easiest life, but she's a survivor and I adore her for it. It surprised me to know at first that she's only eighteen. I mean, aren't eighteen-year-olds supposed to have sleepovers and pajama parties at night? Not have a guy on top of you grunting his own pleasure in a cheap motel? But, as I said, Lacey isn't your average heroine. And that makes me love her even more.

Knox, as Lacey has described, is dark, lethal and intense. He's thirty-two or thirty-three years old, years older than our heroine. He stalks and follows Lacey, desperate to know everything about her as if she was his next target. I just love his stalkerish behavior. Sometimes, it bordered on obsession. He was very possessive too, seeing red when a guy friend touches Lacey in school, or threatening a maniac teacher who harassed her. No matter how scary it was to be in his head, I love it just as equally. The things Knox did in this book were beyond horrifying. It was gut-wrenching that I'm surprised I did not puke my guts out. If you do not know what Sadomasochism is, I think Knox and Lacey's relationship is one to describe it. Knox is a sadist, and Lacey was his equal: the lightness to his dark, this beautiful willing thing he wanted to destroy.

She's a part of me now, her touch, her smell, every single beat of her heart, and all that she is has been permanently etched within the dark recess of my soul. Everything I do now is for her, to protect her.
She is the only one that sustains me. The only person in this world I cannot do without. She is the one person I will not share. She is mine. 

One of the things I loved about this book was that the author did not hold back anything. The scenes were dark and intense all the way, which ends in a major cliff hanger, leaving us in a state of desperation thinking what's about to happen next. I hope the next book will be due soon.  I don't think I will be sleeping soundly tonight, or the many days that will follow, for that matter. *sighs* Overall, I enjoyed reading this book. But beware: some scenes contain explicit descriptions of non-consensual sex, S&M, degradation, human-trafficking and graphic violence.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Francette lives in Massachusetts with her amazingly supportive husband of ten years and her darling two year old son. Reading amazing books has led her to writing and she's dabbled in fan-fiction before self-publishing her own works. She's constantly thinking up new stories to write and does her best work when music is playing in the background. Romance is where she's most comfortable but she hopes to one day venture in mystery novels. She has a weakness for coffee ice cream, tropical fruits and a good glass of wine.

STALK FRANCETTE PHAL:

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Sinister Kisses (SKALS, #1) by Adriana Noir

Book Title: Sinister Kisses
Author: Adriana Noir
Series: SKALS #1
Genres: Dark, Erotica, Contemporary, Romance, Suspense
Book Links: Goodreads Amazon
My Rating: ★★★★☆ 4 Stars

After a chance encounter in the woods leaves her shaken and reeling, the last thing Taylor McAvay wanted to do was accept an invitation to dinner. Then again, after seeing what Sebastian Baas was capable of, she felt she had little choice. The guy did just save her life, and the feel of his partner’s assault rifle pressed against her cheek still lingered in her mind.

What she discovers surprises her. Beneath the armor and fatigues, is a smart, attentive, and sophisticated man. Unable to resist, Taylor finds herself drawn in by the Special Agent’s charm. Everything about Sebastian, from his imposing presence to his hypnotic eyes, pulls her under his spell. When a drive by shooting leaves her apartment riddled with bullets, she falls under his command as well—not to mention the shadow of a lethal, underground organization known as SKALS. 

Her lover has a dark and dangerous side he tries to keep hidden, but when a series of events sends their lives spiraling out of control, she realizes there is much more to him than meets the eye. Whether she wants to leave or not doesn't matter. Taylor soon learns, when it comes to Sebastian and SKALS, there is no escape.

MY THOUGHTS:

When twenty year old Taylor McAvay along with her cousin went to the woods to play airsoft, the last thing she expected was to hear real gunshots. And most definitely, a rifle to her face and a threat to blow hear head off were the last things she wanted. She knew she was in a very dangerous situation that can cost her life, until a man with curly blond hair and the most piercing green eyes she had ever seen saved her from being killed by his ruthless partner, only to ask her to go with him to dinner. But what Taylor didn't know, was that a chance encounter in the woods would lead her fate into the hands of the dark and dangerous Sebastian Baas—a man who would do anything to have her, a man who was more ruthless and sinister and showed no guilt or remorse, and a man capable of being a monster.

Once she accepted, one thing was for sure: there was no going back, and she could never escape the strong grip Sebastian has around her neck for he wouldn't let her go—ever.

"Death is the only thing that could ever tear us apart, even that would fail. It's you and me, Taylor. Nothing else matters."

I wasn't supposed to be reading this book—for the nth time—again, but I accidentally swiped it while scrolling through my reader and damn, once I started reading this even though I have read it a hundred times, I just couldn't stop. I was that hooked! Yes, I admit some parts were boring, but it wasn't a big deal to me. I love this series so much that it's my favorite re-reads of all time and I always find myself coming back for more.

And I have never done a casting for a particular book. Ever. This one's my first.

Please be warned that Sinister Kisses isn't your average romance, as the author says. Sebastian and Taylor's relationship ain't no rainbows and flowers. Their's were darkness that it borders on obsession and hovers over the thin line between dominance and submission. Please also note that this book does not have any aspects of bondage or any kind of play done in the bdsm field. Basically, Sebastian's hunger for complete dominance and Taylor's submission to his every desires are mostly what their relationship is about.

The first book of SKALS series is divided into two parts. In part 1, Sebastian met Taylor in the woods with his partner, Josh, pointing a rifle to her face, accusing her of being a lookout. But then the most unthinkable thing happened. Sebastian saved her from being killed by his partner and proceeded to ask her to dinner. And that's when he began pursuing her. Their relationship blossomed into something more and both agreed to meet each other again. From going out to dinner to bringing Taylor in his home, things between them pretty much started to get intimate. Since then, Sebastian's relentless pursuit of Taylor only showed how overly possessive he can be when it came to the girl he only has his eyes for.

"Sebastian's a very possessive man. He doesn't share, and he will take out anything he sees as a threat. ~ Josh

Basically, in part 1, we get to see how Sebastian and Taylor's relationship progresses. Though their relationship was like a whirlwind, to say the least. I wish we get to see more of the build-up between these two. And when an incident happened in Taylor's apartment that almost put her into danger, Sebastian manipulated Taylor into moving in with him.

"Let you? Taylor, I want you to stay. I didn't bring you home to spend a night or two just so you could turn around and leave. Stay with me. I'll give you whatever you want or need. I will take care of you." ~ Seb

At this point, everything seemed to happen so fast: from the steamy hot sex, to the declaration of their love for each other, and to planning their future together and having kids along the way. Sounds like a fairy tale, right? A beautiful romance where the Prince and Princess live happily every after.

Well, that's where we're wrong. Nothing about this book is a fairy tale. And the problem is, Sebastian ain't no Prince. Not even remotely close. There was just too much darkness in him. His character was so unpredictable that he can go from sweet to rough in a blink of a second. One moment, he and Taylor were laughing, cuddling together and having sweet moments. And then the next, he had his powerful grip around her throat. He was like a ticking time bomb ready to explode in any minute. His temper was so thin that one wrong move or answer and you'll see just how dark he can be. I don't know why, but I love his character. Call me crazy, but Sebastian is and always will be my favorite anti-hero of all time. 

I love his twisted mind and how messed up his thoughts are all the time. He may be scary, intense, lethal, domineering, controlling, abusive, and psychotic but in some sick way, he loves Taylor with all his might even though he manipulates and controls her to always be at his mercy. Years training at SKALS may have made him this way, to be heartless and to show no guilt or remorse in everything he does. But then he loved Taylor, anyway. And I like how overprotective he was of her.

And as for Taylor, I seriously have no words for this woman. She's this girl-next-door type of girl: young, innocent, sweet, and full of light. But she's doormat in every sense of way. She's weak, couldn't stand up on her own, cries all the time and always beg for forgiveness. For some reason I understand her. If I was in her position, maybe I also wouldn't be able to go against Sebastian. I just wish that she was strong enough when faced in a situation with Seb and that she won't cry all the time. I don't know how she could stand being with Sebastian with his overly controlling and abusive nature, but somehow, she did. But that doesn't mean that she knew everything about Sebastian, especially about SKALS. 

Taylor was the one unblemished thing in his life. She didn't look at him like everyone else. She knew a side of him no one else ever would. He'd tried so hard to keep her and his work separate. No matter how good things were between them, he couldn't help but wonder if she would still love him if she knew the things he had done.

At some point near the second half of the book, this was where the intense part of the story began. Sebastian almost killed a man in front of his teammates for touching Taylor at a Christmas party in their home.  This particular scene, I believe, was where Sebastian showed what he's truly capable of doing when it comes to the woman he loves. But then again, SKALS would never let what happened miss. And Marx, the director of SKALS, will do anything in his might to recondition Sebastian and his teammates to where their priorities truly belong to, even if it means killing his brother, his brother's pregnant life, and his nephew. 

The 2nd part of the book consists of how Sebastian and Taylor will keep their relationship tight and will prove how far their love for each other would go with Sebastian's obsessive desire for her, the dark looming shadows of SKALS just behind them, and the watchful eyes of Marx.

Excerpt

"Do you want to leave, Taylor?" he asked softly.

She winced, trembling as the cold press of steel kissed her temple. "N-nooo p-pleaaasee. Please, Sebastian."

"Shh," he soothed, stroking the back of her head. "Listen to me carefully, sweetheart, because I am only going to say this once. This... this is the only way you are ever going to get to leave me."

She sobbed, choking back a scream as his lips settled above the gun, kissing the side of her head.

"Do you understand me?"

Her chest jerked with rapid inhales. She was panting, her breath coming a hundred miles a minute. Slamming her eyes shut, Taylor nodded. God help her, she was going to pee—and then he really would kill her. Her body snapped into rigid tension as she felt him smile into her hair.

"Good girl," he whispered.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Adriana Noir is an avid fan of dark fiction, taboo subjects, and tortured anti-heroes. She also tends to write about these things. Most of the time she can be found plugging away at the computer, guzzling coffee and energy drinks, or mumbling to herself as she sorts out the twisted plots and character conversations in her head. She's also been known to binge read or slip into Netflix comas whenever time allows. Adriana has a weakness for all things Australian. Tim Tams and red licorice are her kryptonite. She's also mildly obsessed with the Cheshire Cat. When Adriana isn't reading or writing, she's usually spending time with her family, sharpening her culinary skills, or interacting on Facebook.

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