August 9, 2015 by Tina Williams

REVIEW ~ Prisoner, by Skye Warren & Annika Martin

Dark Erotic Romance

Deliciously Dark and Dangerous

***** TOP READ!

Blurb

He seethes with raw power the first time I see him—pure menace and rippling muscles in shackles. He’s dangerous. He’s wild. He’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. So I hide behind my prim glasses and my book like I always do, because I have secrets too. Then he shows up in the prison writing class I have to teach, and he blows me away with his honesty. He tells me secrets in his stories, and it’s getting harder to hide mine. I shiver when he gets too close, with only the cuffs and the bars and the guards holding him back. At night I can’t stop thinking about him in his cell.But that’s the thing about an animal in a cage—you never know when he’ll bite. He might use you to escape. He might even pull you into a forest and hold a hand over your mouth so you can’t call for the cops. He might make you come so hard, you can’t think.And you might crave him more than your next breath.

Prisoner is Book One of the Criminals & Captives series.

Buy Links: Amazon UK, Amazon US

My Review

Grayson, Grayson, Grayson – OMG what a fantastic bad boy hero you are! Prisoner, a collaboration between Skye Warren and Annika Martin is without doubt one hell of an awesome read, which pulled me in from the first page. My heart beat with mounting excitement as the tale unravelled and I could not put it down until I knew how it ended.

The chemistry between Aby and Grayson was instantaneous like a lightning bolt and I adored the raw power and dominance he extended over her even when he is a prisoner and she is the teacher in charge of him in the English class. When Aby becomes the prisoner I just loved Grayson’s need to dominate and protect her and his growing desire to make her his, even though her continuing existence jeopardises his overriding mission in life. The way Grayson slowly strips away all Aby’s armour and defences until she succumbs and confides her own dark past to him, while she slowly pieces together his own makes for a compulsive and consuming love story.

The depth of the characterisations in this novel are excellent. There is certainly a great deal more to both Aby and Grayson than what we first see on the surface. Aby appears shy and nerdy but underneath is so strong and resourceful, coping with all that he and other characters we are introduced to throw at her during her captivity. My heart bled at what made Grayson into the violent man he is. For me, the line between hero and anti-hero soon blurred, as I found myself rooting for him and a future with Aby. I adored the fact that two people who seem so opposite complement each other so well and have the potential to change each other’s lives for the better.

There are some disturbing scenes in the book, including references to child abuse and violence, gore and dubious consent. It is very fast paced and also contains some deliciously dark and steamy lovemaking, which both authors excel in.

I really enjoyed the collaboration between these two authors and am chomping at the bit to read any other books planned in this series where I hope to read about other characters featured in this novel.

I recommend this book to fellow addicts of dark romances!

Reviewed by Tina Williams

August 7, 2015 by Tina Williams

REVIEW ~ Her Master’s Courtesan by Lily White

Dark Erotica

Adult/18+ Read

This read contains scenes of violence, including sexual violence, rape and torture.

Blurb

I am a Master.

You must know this fact to understand my story.

I capture women.

I break them down.

And I rebuild them.

If they are lucky, they are sold into the professional hands of another Master. If they are less fortunate, they are buried beneath the ground, never to be thought of again.

I lust for the control, I demand absolute submission and my body yearns to warp the minds of those I train.

Power is the only thing I’ll ever need and I am addicted to the feeling of ultimate control.

I am wealthy, good-looking, educated and charming.

And I am – in no way – a good man.

I do not want love.
I do not want kindness.

She thought she could change me by giving me the two things I knew I never wanted.

She was wrong.

Dark and Disturbingly Addictive

My review

OMG! What on Earth have I just read? I know I like dark reads but this is about as dark as they come and yet somehow deliciously so. After downloading this book I thought I’d just read the first few pages to give myself a taste of it, but by then I was hooked, gorging myself on it, after tumbling into a chasm of depravity created by Ms White! Before you decide to read more of this review or download this book, please note that this is NOT A ROMANCE.

Aiden, the ‘Master’ of the title is most definitely an anti-hero. Let me make no bones about it he is a killer, an abductor of women, who likes to control and destroy his captives, creating the perfect submissive/courtesan from the ashes. He has no guilt or compassion for his victims, even though he knows that what he is doing is very, very wrong. Nevertheless he does it anyway, putting his dark needs and the needs of the debauched society he belongs to above such petty concerns.

As to Rebecca, the young woman he abducts, I don’t know how she survives all that Aiden and others throw at her in this read. She is so, so strong and although she has no choice but to morph into the role Aiden wants her to play she strives to maintain some sense of self. Her captor however, has NO redeeming qualities and yet in a twisted way, given the reality of Rebecca’s new life, I can see why she comes to desire him. Aiden plays her like a violin, setting out to break her and mould her into the perfect slave, a commodity to sell on. I so desperately wanted her to survive but at what cost? This unforgettable piece of dark erotica has so many twists and turns in it and many moments when I could just not believe the actions of the characters and their motivations.

There is a great deal of psychological and physical torture in this novel and if you find such scenes disturbing then this read is not for you. However, if you like to delve into the dark depths of the psyche and explore the relationship between a Master at the top of his dark game and a woman who he tries to break then you are likely to love this read as much as I did! But beware this is not a tale of redemption and there are no hearts and flowers.

Reviewed by Tina Williams

Buy Links

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June 22, 2015 by Tina Williams

BLOG TOUR & ARC REVIEW ~ Relinquish, by M.N. Forgy

Are you ready to meet Landon Blackwell?

RELINQUISH IS NOW AVAILABLE!

**Can be read as a stand alone**

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Blurb

***WARNING*** This novel contains explicit language, sex, drugs, violence, and sexual situations that some might find offensive. This book is intended for adults 18+ years of age.

In my world, there is no such thing as love. It is just a lie we whisper into our client’s ear. Love is foreign and hazardous. What I did not expect was to bare my soul to a man who is as egotistical as he is dangerous.

His name is Landon. Despite his blackened soul, he tried to save me, but what he didn’t expect was my torturous fate to catch up with me.

To your father, I’m the escort.

To your mother, I’m the whore.

To the legal system, I’m the prostitute.

In the end, I’m just the other woman.

I have no idea if I will continue to survive, if I will ever find my path aside from the gritty streets I know so well. There is a good chance I will wind up in the ditch like most women in my position. Surrendering to my fate is the only choice I have. I must relinquish it all.

Excerpt

Following Jayden across the way, I skim the crowd at the café and land on a pair of handsome eyes. So handsome, I stop walking.

Sitting at a table full of sexy men is a short, blond-haired guy, his face hard and chiseled. My God, his arms are pumped with muscle as his hands flex around a brown football. My core blossoms with incredible need as I eye his toned arms, and what I assume is a matching hard chest beneath his jersey.

“Charlie, let’s go!”Jayden yells, making me realize I’ve been standing here like an idiot, staring at a sexy stranger in a café. The guy smirks at me and tosses the football in the air, breaking eye contact.

I tuck my hair behind my ear, giving a small smile in return before walking forward. I suddenly crash into something, the impact throwing me back on my ass hard.

“Shit!”I shout with pain.

“Fuck!”roars a male voice standing above me. My eyes jolt upward to find a broad-shouldered man in a black suit, holding a broken plastic cup in one hand with coffee spilled all down his front. My stomach tangles into a bundle of tight knots, and my hands tremble from the strength and power this man radiates. Oh, shit.

“I am so sorry!”I stand up and start frantically brushing at the man’s very expensive-looking suit. My God, it’s like rubbing a rock. His body is so toned and strong beneath my palms, which isn’t helping me get a grip on myself. My eyes skirt up his arms, finding the fabric stretched tight around his biceps and causing me to swallow the lump forming in my throat. The knots in my stomach crawl into a fit of butterflies, and my heart races. He’s handsome—intimidating, really. The way his toned body and squared shoulders take up the space takes my breath away. His jaw is chiseled to perfection with scruff claiming it perfectly. I bite my bottom lip to keep from moaning.

“It’s fine, really,”he states, his voice deep as he grabs my wrists to stop me from slapping at his stained shirt pathetically. My body sparks with electricity where he grips me firmly. My mouth parts and my breathing shallows as I slowly trail my eyes from his hold on my wrist to his eyes. They’re green with little brown flecks thrown around them. They’re captivating. His jawline is strong and defined, his nose broad, and his dark hair is smoothed back with just a trail hanging loosely out of place on the front of his forehead from our sudden run-in. He’s fucking gorgeous, and I can’t look away.

“Are you all right?”he questions, raising an eyebrow. His voice is low and rough, making my eyes focus on his mouth.

“I-”I stutter, completely lost in the thought of his luscious lips on mine. These lips are not like any belonging to the guys at my high school, that’s for sure. When you look at them, his lips look like they’re made to make love to a woman’s body. The thoughts of the glorious pleasure they could bring make my cheeks warm, my chest ache.

“Charlie, let’s go!”Jayden hollers, catching mine and Sexy Man In a Suit’s attention.

“That your friend?”he asks, his lips that hold the perfect cupid’s bow turn into a slight smirk.

I open my mouth to speak but a wild hiccup noise escapes instead, caused from the wild beat of my heart against my chest. I close my eyes, humiliated.

He chuckles, releasing his hold of my wrists. The way he laughs causes my skin to rise with goose bumps.

“I gotta go,”I whisper nervously. I look down and stride quickly toward Jayden, praying I don’t bump into any more hot men on the way.

“Lord, give me strength. Vegas is already becoming a bad influence,”I mutter, catching up with Jayden.

About the Author:

M.N. Forgy was raised in Missouri where she still lives with her family. She’s a soccer mom by day and a saucy writer by night. M.N. Forgy started writing at a young age but never took it seriously until years later, as a stay-at-home mom, she opened her laptop and started writing again. As a role model for her children, she felt she couldn’t live with the “what if” anymore and finally took a chance on her character’s story. So, with her glass of wine in hand and a stray Barbie sharing her seat, she continues to create and please her fans.

Stalk Her: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

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My Review

A Dark and Passionate Story of Survival

FIVE STARS *****

I absolutely ADORED this dark erotic romance, with the sassy but vulnerable heroine Charlie and the totally irresistible bad boy alpha Landon – he is SO hot! In Relinquish author N. M. Forgy weaves a dark tale of pimps, prostitutes and escorts who populate the underbelly of Las Vegas. It is this world that the heroine Charlie and her friend Jayden find themselves thrust into after they escape the hell of their foster home. The pair are on the run as Jayden has not yet reached her majority and Charlie, a mere year her senior, seeks to provide for them both using the only resource she has – her body. I enjoyed every bit of this read and it was evident that the author had done a lot of research into the harsh, uncompromising and sometimes brutal realities of sex for sale and all that the business entails.

It is not long before Charlie’s life literally collides with the enigmatic Landon, who unbeknown to her heads up the Blackwell Estate which caters for men with money and influence….. Yet is Landon her saviour or is he out to use her like the rest? His world is dark and shady and the more she is drawn into it the more she risks losing her heart and not just her body.

My sympathies went out to Charlie who cannot remember what happened to her parents before entering foster care and is plagued by vivid and disturbing nightmares. She is young in years but oh so strong and determined to survive. The chemistry that she has with Landon makes the pages sizzle and I found myself mesmerized by their developing romance, not to mention the scorching scenes between them – both the dialogue and the sex scenes are superb! I loved Langdon’s growing realisation of how Charlie was the perfect match for him, however much he tries to remain aloof! There is also plenty of danger and suspense as Charlie’s past catches up with her and Langdon, threatening Charlie’s life and very sanity. I am very much hoping that the author will be penning Jayden’s story next!

I thoroughly recommend this read to fans of dark and erotic romance who like a dose of danger and suspense. N.M Forgy is a new author for me and I will definitely be checking out her backlist and future reads.

Reviewed by Tina Wlliams

A copy of this book was given to me for the purpose of a fair and honest review.

May 16, 2015 by Tina Williams

BLOG TOUR & REVIEW ~ Pose for a Billionaire, by Lucee Lovett

Contemporary Erotic Romance/Billionaire Romance

18+/Adult Read

MEET LUCEE

BIO

Lucee Lovett, is a mother of four—five if you include her husband. She grew up in a pretty rough neighbourhood in London. She been told she has a smoky, sexy laugh and voice. If you heard it, you’d want to read her stories.

She has always been a storyteller. Her stories would captivate the hearts and minds of willing listeners, both young and old alike. Her love for romance was born from sneaking off to read her mother’s Mills and Boon books. It led her to make stories short enough for busy people who don’t have time for a lengthy romance fix, and want their romantic fantasies in short satisfying doses.

Although her desire was to write and share what she was writing, Lucee put off this desire due to her learning disability. Then 50 Shades was released… Make of that what you will…

To read the full story, visit Lucee’s website by clicking on the image below:

She has an equal love for the paranormal and is a diehard Steven King fan. Lucee has no trouble meshing the two genres. Although to date most of her stories have an urban, coming of age, contemporary feel to them. She has a number of paranormal WIP’s on the back burner.

She loves animals and has both a dog named Blue and cat called Naila.

BLURB

Mia, a twenty-two year old high school dropout is left to raise her eight-year-old brother. She has no job, no money and very few options.

Forced to use the only asset she has—she poses nude for enigmatic, enticing, billionaire, Roman Evans. Roman makes no secret that he’s attracted to Mia. He eventually persuades her to go out with him.

The morning after their date, Mia is threatened by the landlord’s son with eviction. Either she pays her rent in full or gets out. Witnessing the exchange, Roman offers to help. In a stand for independence, Mia rudely refuses his offer.

Later she accepts a shady proposition from her ex-boyfriend Farrell. A course of action she regrets, but she’s stuck between a rock and a hard place.

In an attempt to forget her troubles, she goes on a dream date with Roman. Only to return to a ransacked apartment, threats and insults from Farrell.

Just when she thinks things couldn’t get any worst—they do.

She now has to pray the man whose aid she’d so coldly refused, cares enough to come to her rescue.

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My Review *****

Romantic and Suspenseful – Adult/18+ Read

The three books which comprise the Pose for the Billionaire series, where the down on her luck Mia meets billionaire Roman, are a truly romantic and sexy read. The unfolding story is also laced with plenty of angst and suspense. I found the writing and plot fresh and believable and I quickly fell in love with the hero and heroine.

When Billionaire Roman seeks out a muse to satisfy his passion for painting he gets a LOT more than he bargains for in Mia, a young woman whose strength and vulnerability call to his heart, not just his paintbrush! Life has dealt Mia a series of bad hands and she struggles to be both the mother figure and the provider to her younger brother Carlos. She is grateful for the chance to earn some badly needed cash and is drawn to Roman’s intensity and kindness as he puts her at ease. She tries to fight their growing mutual attraction to avoid what she thinks will be the inevitable disappointment. However, Roman is a man who has made up his mind to woo Mia and, although he does not force himself on her, he is very persuasive in series of hot and romantic scenes!

However, when a crisis rears its ugly head, Mia makes a decision which threatens to have catastrophic repercussions. How will Mia extricate herself from the seemingly impossible situation she has put herself in? If she does will Roman forgive her? I will not reveal what transpires but I will say that this read is filled with sweet loving, hot lovemaking, plenty of angst, surprise and suspense.

I really liked how the author portrays the growing attraction and the relationship between Mia and Roman. There are some sizzling scenes as Roman is one helluva guy and I felt that Mia definitely deserved his special brand of loving. I enjoyed the contrast between their lives and I particularly liked how the author revealed their back stories, which were pivotal to the plot. Whilst Roman is most definitely the good guy there is a lot more to him than meets the eye. The character of Carlos, Mia’s brother is also well written and believable as are the villains of the piece. All in all a great read. I would definitely read more from this author and recommend this series to lovers of contemporary and erotic romance.

Reviewed by Tina Williams

The books comprising this series were given to me by the author for the purpose of a fair and honest review.

January 5, 2015 by Tina Williams

REVIEW ~ Mr X, by Clarissa Wild

Obsession and Dark Love

18+/Adult Read

Author Note: This is not your average romance story. Some people will kill for love.

He’s come to kill me. I’m a user and abuser of my own body. In my darkest hour I sold my soul to the devil and now I must pay the price. With his gun to my head I have no choice but to listen and obey, but I refuse to go down easily. Nothing is stronger than the will to survive. My instincts kicked into full gear the second he stepped into my motel room.Except when I look at him I see my own heart staring back at me. A history tainted by blood.I don’t know his name, but I know he wants me. To save myself I’ll sacrifice my sanity. My body. My soul. Something tells me the x-shaped scar that marks his eye is the only escape I have. He is Mr. X: the man who comes to claim my life. Can I save myself before he demands my heart?

WARNING: This book contains very disturbing situations, dubious consent, breath deprivation, strong language, drugs and alcohol, and graphic violence.

My Review *****

Obsession and Dark Love

18+ Read. No cliffhanger. Stand Alone

Mr X is a compulsive and scorching dark read about two broken individuals! ‘X’, the hero (or should I say anti-hero), is contracted to kill the heroine Jay, a drug addict, who works at a seedy pole dancing club and who sells sexual favours to feed her addiction.

Jay can remember little of her life before she became addicted to drugs and has no idea who could hate her so much to have her killed. However, she has a strong will to survive and sees that her kidnapper is attracted to her despite himself, and she is willing to submit and sacrifice all to live. At first she is restrained by the physical bonds he puts on her but soon she is also bound to him by the realisation that this violent and twisted man is the only one who just may be able to save her, and she could well lose her heart in the process.

X delights in the suffering of others and enjoys the power he wields over his victims as he takes their lives. He has a heartbreaking and totally f****d up past and a terrifying appearance, including an x shaped scar marking his right eye from which he gets his name. He is gobsmacked when he finds out that his latest hit is someone with whom he has a shared past, a woman who he desires like no other but who he wants to make suffer.

He despises Jay for the part that she played in his past and hates that she does not remember her actions or even recognise him. As Jay surrenders her body and soul to this violent and dominant monster in an attempt to survive, her memories begin to resurface and she wonders if she does indeed deserve redemption. Questions arise about who has put a contract on her head and who has played a part in making her what she is. There are twists and turns a plenty as the past is unravelled and their future is threatened.

The novel is written in the alternating POV of Jay and X, which is highly effective as we are able to witness scenes from both perspectives and experience first hand their emotions. There are also some flashbacks which shed light on their shared history. The novel contains much blood, violence (including sexual violence) and gore and some of the scenes I found ‘Tarantinoesque’. If you are looking for a dark, twisted, erotic read than this is a book I definitely recommend!

Reviewed by Tina Williams

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December 24, 2014 by Tina Williams

REVIEW ~ Broken Dolls, by Kitty Thomas

Literary Erotica: 18+/Adult Read

Contains scenes of BDSM and violence (including sexual violence)

Blurb

Mina Calloway always finds herself in the hands of the wrong master: Gentle at first, then brutally sadistic and abusive. She no longer believes it’s possible to find a man who will be gentle with her. After seeing a kink-friendly therapist for months, the doctor makes her an illicit offer she isn’t yet smart enough to refuse: “Let me find you a good master.”

Brian Sloan is a borderline sociopath with a dark and brutal past. Only taking his sadistic urges out on the women at a submissive training house allows him to sleep through the night. When Brian sees Mina, she should be ripe for the picking, but her damage is too similar to his own. Can he fight past his demons to protect the one person he considers worth saving?

Note: This book happens in the same world as Guilty Pleasures with reoccurring settings and characters. However, it is not a direct sequel and it isn’t necessary to have read Guilty Pleasures first. If you enjoy this book, however, you may also enjoy Guilty Pleasures by Kitty Thomas.

My Review

Compulsive Dark Erotic Read

Broken Dolls is another deliciously dark and dangerously erotic read from the pen of Kitty Thomas.

Kitty Thomas pairs the sadist Brian with an abuse victim Mina. Brian is a psychopath, killer and sociopath rolled into one, and has his own horrific past to contend with. He keeps his demons in check by assuming the role of enforcer at the manor which serves as a training ground for submissives. Mina is broken beyond repair. She agrees to her therapist’s offer so that she does not have to spend her life alone, feeling betrayed when she finds out who her master is. Brian is drawn to Mina recognising her suffering as akin to his own and feels the urge to protect her whilst continuing to dish out his punishment on other women in the manor. How this situation pans out makes this a truly compulsive dark erotic read.

In Kitty’s dark erotica the characters do not redeem themselves, they just unapologetically ARE. They may even be consciously aware that what they are doing is not normal and is morally wrong but they continue anyway. Brian falls very much into this category and although his relationship with Mina feels toxic, it also feels right – it is the best that they will ever have given their emotional scars. Once again it was not long before my concept of what is wrong and right was challenged and blurred and I began to understand and empathise with the monstrous acts that Brian performs to manage his demons.

Kitty’s books stay in my mind long after the read. They test my own boundaries – just as the characters are being tested. They encourage me to examine my own morals and sense of right and wrong. In a twisted way Brian and Mina’s gut-renching relationship works for them and I wanted them to be together. There is a HEA of sorts but it is very much Kitty style in that it is very much up to the value judgement of the reader to judge the extent of it.

Recommended for other Kitty addicts or for those who like a dark read which pushes the boundaries.

Reviewed by Tina Williams

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http://kittythomas.com/

September 20, 2014 by Tina Williams

COVER REVEAL ~ BEND, DON’T BREAK by Skye Callahan (includes excerpt)

After reading Skye Callahan’s Irrevocable, one of this year’s top dark erotic romances, I’ve been SO looking forward to finding out more about Kirk and Silver’s story. We are therefore delighted to be playing a part in the cover reveal for Bend, Don’t Break, its sequel! Tina 🙂

Title: Bend Don’t Break

Sequel to IRREVOCABLE

Author: Skye Callahan

Genre: Dark Erotic Romance

Release Date: November 18, 2014

Presale: Amazon US|UK|CA|AU

Check with your local Amazon, preorders are available internationally.

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Synopsis

I thought I was done.

my End

I couldn’t take my eyes off her as the bullet tore through me, leaving me with nothing but the hope that I had done enough to save her. The darkness tried to engulf me—to brand me as its own and drag me to my fate.

my Darkness

Waking to see her tear-stained face above me was enough to make my heart stutter. I was alive and free from that place—but not from the toll it had taken on my mind and body. My story should have ended, but one woman kept standing in the way of that.

my Strength

The only way I could have her was to find a way to put the darkness to rest.

Warning: This isn’t your rainbows and love sonnets kind of romance. This story explores topics of abduction and slavery, and contains explicit scenes of dubious consent, graphic violence and sex.

About The Author

Skye Callahan is an Ohio-girl who has spent a lifetime chained to the imaginary worlds of the characters who live in her head. Although it was her interest in paranormal that originally inspired her to pick up the pen, she has recently followed her interest in BDSM and dark romance to venture into other realms of fiction. She currently lives with her husband and two ferrets, who keep her plenty busy when she’s not writing.

Mailing List for releases and updates: http://eepurl.com/UW1ET

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Excerpt

“How many women did you have sex with while you were there?”

It was the third time Dr. Combs had asked me that question. And for the third time I wanted to avoid it.

I had just gotten out of that hell, and I still had the bullet hole in my chest to prove it, but it didn’t stop my boss on pushing the psychiatric evaluation.

Dr. Combs cleared her throat, and my jaw clenched.

I didn’t even want to admit the number to myself even though I could se every one of the girls in my head.

Kat, the red-headed braggart who thought she owned every man who walked into the retreat.

Gabby, the indignant curly haired brunette.

Raini a gorgeous but frail girl who was transferred in right after I went undercover. I had feared that one more night in Ross’ bed would kill her before her first week was up.

Alley, a blond sweetheart who belonged to Miles, my unconventional friend.

Silver, the girl who simultaneously ruined and saved me.

She was the only reason I was alive, and the only reason I had what was left of my soul—except she wasn’t real. Like my undercover alias, Kirk, she was forged from necessity and determination.

And somewhere out there Rose was learning to live her own life again.

At least that’s what I hoped. The day after I was shot in the raid on the “sex retreat”, my superiors had me transferred to another hospital and put under protective custody until they were sure I was safe.

I was fairly positive they were more concerned that any real threat to my life would come from me, since there were very few people who knew of my undercover involvement in the operation.

The only company I was allowed was Dr. Combs, my new shrink. I didn’t want a shrink. I wanted the woman who saved me—the only person who stood a chance of bringing me any kind of peace.

The woman I could never have.

First in the series: Irrevocable

Sometimes when you can’t go back, the only way out is to descend into the darkness.
my Captor
When I woke in that place, I just wanted to survive. But survival came at a cost, for which they demanded my will and body.
my Master
With pain came acceptance. Fully-dependent on the man who claimed me, I learned to appreciate what I had-life and relative safety.
my Protector
I watched him spill blood and tend my injuries. With betrayal came a revelation.
The only way out was to bring them all down or die trying.

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July 20, 2014 by Caroline Barker

Milk – Blood by Mark Matthews REVIEW

Blurb: Lilly is ten years old, born with a heart defect, and already addicted to heroin. Her mother is gone from her life, and there are rumors that she was killed by her father and buried near the abandoned house across the street. The house intrigues her, she can’t stay away, and the monstrous homeless man who lives there has been trying to get Lilly to come inside.

For her mother is there, buried in the back, and this homeless man is Lilly’s true father, and both want their daughter back.

Review

Milk – Blood is a completely unique horror, mixing the physical tension of fear, dread and violence with psychological and social concerns of poverty, drug abuse and social care surrounding a motherless young girl, Lilly, who has been struggling with a terrible illness from birth and later comes to learn the true fate of her mother as well as becoming reliant on heroin.

There is a sense of darkness and eeriness in the setting alone, with the story based on a rundown street in Detroit in a poverty-stricken area where virtually every other home is boarded up, the homeless roam the road in need for shelter and crime and drug use is always an issue. Lilly has to walk down this road on the way home from school every weekday evening, with the dark house across the street and a strange, creepy homeless man calling to her. She is teased by school kids and returns home to be ignored regularly and yet still dealing with her illness and pain. And yet these latter issues are nothing compared to the horror she is to encounter deeper into the story.

I found the opening chapters alone of particular interest as Matthews has written the same scene but from each point of view, i.e. the mother’s and her partner’s. This enables the reader from the offset of the story to empathise as much as possible with both sides. I found these chapters, although very tragic concerning the death surrounding the mother, very beautifully written when it came to the partner taking care of the very ill newborn. Such a caring and gently written sequence is rare in many horrors. It is because of this that I believe Milk – Blood begins like a thriller which later develops into a horror.

To use a child, especially one so young and addicted to heroin, I thought was daring of the author in this type of horror and yet it plays out really well. There were moments earlier on in the story that I couldn’t quite comprehend the direction of the story, however these passed very quickly and as the reader continues the story opens out into a great psychological horror that will not disappoint the reader! Due to the content I would recommend that the reader is of mature age of at least 17yrs.

The homeless guy in the boarded up house across the street is also one that has his demons (and for me could have easily been a development of a scavenging character from one of Matthews’ previous books, On the Lips of Children). For he sees and hears more than you would expect. Whether it is partly due to his drug intake or a ‘gift’ he has it adds a deep sense of grittiness, mystery and fear and the reader cannot help but long Lilly to have nothing to do with this character. Of course, Lilly might just get sucked into some inevitable danger as the reader is pulled into the horror too.

Mark Matthews has written Milk – Blood in a clever manner, being able to use some personal experiences and developing them into a suspenseful horror. And not all meets the eye to begin with but as the story wraps up (which it does superbly well) the reader is treated to a little more and realises that there certainly is a purpose for every character mentioned! Despite there being many horrific and tragic scenes, the real horror is where the story takes us – the end result.

This is written in a fantastic way and I love how the reader has no sense of the bigger picture until the conclusion! Although my personal favourite book of Mark Matthews is On the Lips of Children, this one is very close, using a blend of horror from On the Lips of Children as well as the social and dramatic elements of the author’s Stray. (The links of Stray and On the Lips of Children will take you to my previous reviews and some background info on Mark Matthews with On the Lips of Children review.)

A copy of Milk – Blood was provided by the author for the purpose of an honest and fair review.

Milk – Blood is available on Amazon US and Amazon UK.

Milk – Blood was recently released in June 2014. The cover design is from Kealan Patrick Burke of Elderlemon Design, and the story was edited by Richard Thomas, Editor in Chief at Dark House Press.

The term upon which the title is based, “Milk-Blood” was made famous in the Neil Young Song “The Needle and the Damage Done.” A companion piece featuring a character from Milk-Blood, The Damage Done, is available for free on Amazon and has been receiving tremendous reviews.

Reviewed by Caroline Barker

May 29, 2014 by Caroline Barker

21 Hours by Dustin Stevens – REVIEW

Blood-pumping, exhilarating excitement that cannot be missed!

Blurb: Felix “O” O’Connor is an ex-con from central Ohio that has spent the seven years since being released from prison working on a ranch in the Big Horn Mountains of Wyoming. Rarely does he venture out into the world and never does it come looking for him. Both of those things change when his twin sister Alexa “Lex” Borden calls from Columbus, Ohio to ask for his help.

Earlier that afternoon, she and her husband were both beaten unconscious and their two year old daughter abducted from their front yard. Nobody saw a thing, the police are stumped, and it is a well known statistic that if a child isn’t found in the first 48 hours, they rarely are.

O immediately drives back to Ohio and finds himself with just 21 hours to find his beloved niece before potentially losing her forever. Plunging himself into a world he’d long ago left behind, he crosses paths with criminal masterminds, human traffickers, gun runners, drug smugglers, blood-thirsty spectators and suspicious detectives all in the name of bringing her home.

Review:

I absolutely LOVED 21 Hours, a perfect action thriller suspense following the love and determination of an ex-con and uncle willing to do anything to save his niece after she is kidnapped by a gang of criminals during a violent attack of her parents. This story is packed full of tension, action, emotion and pace, leaving the reader no opportunity to disengage.

Not only do we have such an intense situation to begin with, but to add to the tension further we have the time aspect. After realising the police have no leads and seem to be lost, ‘O’ is told that it happens to thousands of children a year – many of whom are never found, and those that are found safely are usually found within 21 hours.

Written in first person, the reader can follow every thought, every move of ‘O’. This sets the reader up knowing that ‘O’ will not stop until the very end or until he no longer can. The pace of 21 hours is therefore fast, exciting, powerful, intense and strongly emotive.

Whilst 21 Hours has it’s fair share of violence, blood and gore it is all necessary for the story. It adds to the tension, action and excitement. There are shootings and fight scenes that become inevitable as there are times when ‘O’ simply has no choice, when it’s his only chance of defence and when he is quickly running out of time. The gangsters and criminal masterminds he is dealing with have no compassion, or remorse, and would shoot him dead in a second. Therefore, the reader is left in no doubt as to the measures ‘O’ is willing to take.

A fascinating aspect of 21 Hours for me was the relationship between ‘O’ and the lead female detective in the case, Watts. Watts is a strong and determined character, who believes she has summed up ‘O’ from her first meeting with him. She and her colleagues have suspicions that ‘O’ could be involved and with his track record of being an ex-con it is a possibility that his past has something to do with this.

Watts provides ‘O’ with another challenge as her methods of investigating and his are completely different. Unfortunately, Watts has seen and heard of too many of these kind of cases, and with no leads she is left to play the waiting game in the hope that the abductors call for a ransom. ‘O’ on the other hand doesn’t want to waste precious time, considering he may only have 21 hours. This is a situation that is certainly unique to ‘O’ and extremely personal, whereas one could argue that Watts has no emotional tie and is not a stranger with working and hearing of these types of situations.

There is a clash between these characters from the offset but the beauty of this is when Watts’ eyes are opened to the different sides of ‘O’. It almost becomes a love/hate relationship. One of which I hoped to blossom into something more. I would love to hear from these two characters again as I believe they are too good to leave alone.

I cannot express how much 21 Hours is right up my street. Being brought up watching many action films of the 1980’s and 1990’s this novel fits easily into this category with many similarities (most notably with Lethal Weapon, Commando, Ransom, and Con-Air for me), and yet still remaining original and exciting to read.

What the reader can’t escape is the sheer desperation ‘O’ has to saving his niece and bringing her home. The reader finds themselves cheering him on and when he becomes injured you feel the need to jump into the novel, pick him up, brush him down and tell him to ‘go get ’em’!!

A copy of 21 Hours was provided by the author for the purpose of an honest and fair review.

21 Hours by Dustin Stevens is available on Amazon UK and Amazon US.

Reviewed by Caroline Barker

February 18, 2014 by Tina Williams

Blood Mate, by Kitty Thomas

Dark and Intense Fairy Tale!

Literary Erotica 18+/Adult read

This is another mind blowing, intense and deeply psychlogical read from Kitty Thomas. Readers of this author will be familiar with her imaginative literary erotica. For my part, I am still working my way through her backlist, having read Tender Mercies, Submissive Fairy Tales and Big Sky. At times I like a dark read that blurs the boundaries between wrong and right, moral and immoral and good and evil and few can equal this author. Kitty Thomas’ books always provoke a moral dilemma in my head, which stays with me long after I have read the book!

In Blood Mate we have a powerful and ancient vampire August, formerly a pious man, who was turned against his will and who bears a terrible curse. He must drink the blood of his terrified human victims night after night, his desperate efforts to end his life being fruitless. The only way that his torment can be assuaged is to find his one and only blood mate, a woman whose mind he cannot enthral but who will be able to satisfy his blood-lust each night, negating his desire for another’s blood, and remain with him for eternity.

But hey, this is in no way your usual tortured vamp meets his mate affair, leading to a HEA. In fact if a neat and tidy HEA is what you are after than this is not the book for you. This is Kitty Thomas and Nicole, the heroine of this story does not play ball and fall at the vampire’s feet, despite her physical attraction to him, for she has already found her soul mate, her husband Dominic, and she is not giving him up without a fight! What follows is a dark and twisted tale examining love, blood-lust, desperation, guilt, torment, sanity and jealousy, peppered with scenes of eroticism and violence which literally took my breath away and had me questioning what was right and what was wrong.

August is a vampire who will go to any lengths to ensure that Nicole accepts him as his blood mate and the lengths he goes to are not romantic by any means. Despite his actions I do have some sympathy towards him as he does retain a spark of humanity. It is this spark of humanity, coupled with the wish to not harm his mate, that drives the plot in directions that only this author could envisage.

Nicole‘s husband Dominic, a strong and sympathetic character, is also a key player in the development of the plot and the ending took me completely by surprise and I have not stopped thinking about it since! I will not say any more as to do so would spoil the plot for those that are tempted to buy the book for a truly entertaining and thought-provoking read. Do not just take my word for it but check reviews elsewhere– just be sure to put on your big girl’s pants if this is your first Kitty Thomas book!

Reviewed by Tina Williams

Amazon US:http://www.amazon.co.uk/Blood-Mate-Kitty-Thomas-ebook/dp/B00I3QKPHQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1392576085&sr=8-1&keywords=kitty+thomas

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.com/Blood-Mate-Kitty-Thomas-ebook/dp/B00I3QKPHQ

Author’s Website: http://kittythomas.com/