Captive by Brighton Walsh: Book Review

Synopsis: He’s the most dangerous man she’s ever met…and she’s falling in love with him.Madison Frost is desperate to escape her life. Daughter of a prominent businessman, she has everything a girl could ask for. Except for a family who’s present in her life, and anyone to talk to outside the four walls of the prison she calls home. Madison dreams of one day leaving her life behind. She never thought being kidnapped is how it would happen.Now she’s being held captive by a man who’s as frightening as he is sinfully gorgeous. Enormous, muscular, and filled with secrets, the man they call Ghost is an enigmatic mercenary, and Madison is trapped with him. She doesn’t know who hired him or why, but the more time she spends at his mercy, the more she realizes he’s not what he seems. Beneath his rough exterior lies an unexpected gentleness and a heart as broken and battered as her own.But as Madison lets down her walls, Ghost holds tight to his, hiding secrets that could destroy everything.

Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin

Date of Publication: March 24, 2015

Date Read: February 10, 2015

No. of Pages: 288

Source: Net Galley

REVIEW

It will be impossible to put this book down. It was so engrossing, it’ll be a stupid idea to stop. 

I received an ARC from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. The only time I put down this book was when I had to participate in this stubborn thing called life which included, work, sleeping, eating and talking to other living and breathing human, take all that and you will find me gushing and swooning over this book, that’s how engrossed I was.  I am such a sucker for this kind of stories, I could read a story like this in any given day. But this book is different from all the stories with the same story line I have read, usually when a man takes captive of a woman, the said man will be rough bordering abusive or downright possessive with next to nothing moral fiber within him. it will be cringe-worthy and you have to stomach everything inhumane done to the woman, but this book is entirely different and that’s the main thing that made me fall in love with this book, and boy I fell fast and hard! Ghost was nothing but gentle, caring and tender it was a side of a captor that was not so commonly painted in other books. And Madison, though naive had balls, had the guts, he was her own heroine.

I loved how the story progressed. How all the secrets unfold, though I already knew that would be the big twist, still it was well played out. I loved how everything happened not in an instant but gradually, it wasn’t like the first time they laid eyes on each other the connection was already palpable, that Madison would easily fall for Ghost’s icy blue eyes, no it wasn’t the case. It was as real as it could get, the author didn’t immediately jump into forcing the main characters into each other and for a reader who have read too much instant affection to last her a lifetime, I really appreciated this one.

I loved the writing style too and the dual point of view, I specifically liked when Ghost was the one narrating. I also commend the fact that Madison was described as lush however it didn’t sit well with me that she had all these insecurities eating her away, but it was part of the story so in the grand scheme of things it was still good. I loved Ghost, did I mention that already? Goodness, why does he have to be so.. so lovable? I mean come on, what is not to love? This guy, is quite the guy!

I loved Captive!!! I can’t wait to read more of Brighton Walsh’s work! I heard she’s an awesome writer, well I could totally see why! Solid five stars for this one!

Rating: 

Sometimes the unknown was better than what was staring you in the face. 

Captive in The Dark by CJ Roberts

Synopsis: Caleb is a man with a singular interest in revenge. Kidnapped as a young boy and sold into slavery by a power-hungry mobster, he has thought of nothing but vengeance. For twelve years he has immersed himself in the world of pleasure slaves searching for the one man he holds ultimately responsible. Finally, the architect of his suffering has emerged with a new identity, but not a new nature. If Caleb is to get close enough to strike, he must become the very thing he abhors and kidnap a beautiful girl to train her to be all that he once was.

Eighteen-year-old Olivia Ruiz has just woken up in a strange place. Blindfolded and bound, there is only a calm male voice to welcome her. His name is Caleb, though he demands to be called Master. Olivia is young, beautiful, naïve and willful to a fault. She has a dark sensuality that cannot be hidden or denied, though she tries to accomplish both. Although she is frightened by the strong, sadistic, and arrogant man who holds her prisoner, what keeps Olivia awake in the dark is her unwelcome attraction to him.

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

Date Published: July 20, 2011

Publisher: Self-published.

Series: The Dark Duet

No. of Pages: 267 pages

Date Read: June 2014

REVIEW:

Let me gather my thoughts first, I seem to have lost it somewhere in the book. I had to pause for a while to come back to my senses.

Okay. (Inhale, exhale)

That was a tough one! I don’t really know what exactly to feel. Should I feel enraged? Should I feel depressed? Should I feel happy?. It was all jacked up emotions plummeting inside me, and I kind of hate it and love it at the same time. This book cut me open letting me bleed with too much raw emotions I can barely handle. It feels like there is this heavy load placed in my chest that I just couldn’t get off me no matter how I want to. But one thing I am very certain of, this book is too heavy to bear. I had to catch my breath every single chapter, I gasped, my heart went into erratic beating, I was at the edge of my seat and at some parts I was speechless and dumbfounded. I was like Livvie who was too confused. And I swear, I have never felt such kind of roller coaster of emotions for the longest time. This book is anything but mediocre. This book CAPTIVATED me in a hundred different ways.

However I fully understand that this book is not easily for everyone, some may hate it with so much passion, some may love it like treasured jewel. On my part I am kind of in the middle, it was really a love-hate relationship. But what important was the book’s capability to suck you in, to engulf you into a wholly different world. I for one, felt really dirty the whole time I was reading it, but that was what made this book good, it can give you the weirdest of emotions yet you would still want to know what will happen in the end. And if I may add this book haunted me for days.
Now please, give me a happy book.

RATING: 

“Love. What the hell did that word even mean? It got tossed around so flippantly, by everyone.”