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Nine Circles #3
You Are Mine (Nine Circles) by Jackie Ashenden
In the Nine Circles Club, there's a fine line between pleasure and pain, sin and salvation, heaven and hell. And it takes one bold pair of lovers to cross it...
He's master of the game.
Zac Rutherford is one of the most powerful and sought-after men in New York's private club scene. Masterful and demanding, he attracts beautiful women willing to surrender to his every whim, every desire, and every command. But Zac is in love with one woman, and one woman only. She is his true passion-and sole obsession. A glorious angel in the flesh...who refuses to be touched by any man.
She doesn't play by the rules.
Eva King owes her life to Zac. Seven years ago, he rescued her from darkness. Still, in spite of her attraction to Zac, she refuses to allow any man to touch her body, let alone her heart. But when a dangerous enemy from Eva's past reappears, Zac is the only one who can save her-if she's willing to bare her soul, shed her inhibitions, and surrender control...to him.
The Nine Circles series is:
"Sexy, emotional." -Laurelin Paige,New York Times bestselling author
"Sinfully sexy" -Opal Carew, New York Times bestselling author
He's master of the game.
Zac Rutherford is one of the most powerful and sought-after men in New York's private club scene. Masterful and demanding, he attracts beautiful women willing to surrender to his every whim, every desire, and every command. But Zac is in love with one woman, and one woman only. She is his true passion-and sole obsession. A glorious angel in the flesh...who refuses to be touched by any man.
She doesn't play by the rules.
Eva King owes her life to Zac. Seven years ago, he rescued her from darkness. Still, in spite of her attraction to Zac, she refuses to allow any man to touch her body, let alone her heart. But when a dangerous enemy from Eva's past reappears, Zac is the only one who can save her-if she's willing to bare her soul, shed her inhibitions, and surrender control...to him.
The Nine Circles series is:
"Sexy, emotional." -Laurelin Paige,New York Times bestselling author
"Sinfully sexy" -Opal Carew, New York Times bestselling author
Mass Market Paperback
First published October 6, 2015
37 people are currently reading
813 people want to read
About the author
Jackie Ashenden
488 books976 followersJackie has been writing fiction since she was eleven years old. Mild mannered fantasy/SF/pseudo-literary writer by day, obsessive romance writer by night, she used to balance her writing with the more serious job of librarianship until a chance meeting with another romance writer prompted her to throw off the shackles of her day job and devote herself to the true love of her heart – writing romance. She particularly likes to write dark, emotional stories with alpha heroes who've just got the world to their liking only to have it blown wide apart by their kick-ass heroines.
She lives in Auckland, New Zealand with her husband, the inimitable Dr Jax, two kids, two cats and some guppies (possibly dead guppies by the time you read this). When she's not torturing alpha males and their stroppy heroines, she can be found drinking chocolate martinis, reading anything she can lay her hands on, posting random crap on her blog, or being forced to go mountain biking with her husband.
She lives in Auckland, New Zealand with her husband, the inimitable Dr Jax, two kids, two cats and some guppies (possibly dead guppies by the time you read this). When she's not torturing alpha males and their stroppy heroines, she can be found drinking chocolate martinis, reading anything she can lay her hands on, posting random crap on her blog, or being forced to go mountain biking with her husband.
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September 21, 2015
Ooooh, the rage!!!
If it were possible for me to rate a book in the minus, this one would walk away with that honour.
This is book three in the Nine Circles series. Referring, fittingly, to the circles of hell, in which I found myself while reading this.
We continue on with Zac and his merry band of mercenaries on the case of a deviant sex trafficker. Zac is obsessed with Eva, his angel, and has been for seven years ever since he saved her from the side of the road. Zac is also a dom, but has lately been unable to get it up for any woman except Eva.
Eva is a runaway who was picked up from the streets and sold into sex slavery. She was blindfolded and tied up for the pleasure of a man she never saw. She has obvious issues with trust and space and hates the thought of a man touching her.
Zac has been her friend for seven years and has never asked her to tell him his secrets, never asked to touch her. Zac has run out of patience (because he’s tried so hard) and is coming to collect what’s owed to him (direct quote). He’s tired of waiting and gives Eva an ultimatum: submit to me completely or I cut you out of my life completely.
“How can she trust you if you force it from her? Good question. But she’d left him with no other choice.”
His answer to gaining her trust and save her from herself is to tie her up and blindfold her, reliving the horror she lived every day for two years.
Eva is obviously traumatised by her experiences as a FUCKING SEX SLAVE and clearly not keen!
“I want some very specific things when it comes to you, angel. Things that you will not want. Yet that’s what I’ll demand from anyway.”
How FUCKING romantic.
Eva decides she cannot lose Zac and so agrees to this. Zac proceeds to demand her complete trust and devotion but oh wait, he can’t give her the same in return because of HIS traumatic past.
The whole thing just left me feeling deeply uncomfortable. The power in this relationship was completely one sided.
For the love of god people. Someone please tell me what is so attractive about breaking a woman’s will?
I really wish that authors would take on some responsibility when writing about subjects such as sex trafficking and rape. Rape victims aren’t healed by a hot guy and submission. When you write about rape, treat it with the necessary reverence and not simply as a shock tactic or plot tool to develop a basis for your story. Women who have lived it DO form part of your demographic after all.
Zac’s trauma, in my opinion was not reason enough for his behaviour and yet we were meant to feel so fucking sorry for this poor sad douchecunt.
Furthermore I had difficulty forming a connection to these characters. A lot of things were repeated. Often a fact would have been stated by way of one character’s inner monologue, then said in conversation, then repeated through flashback of said conversation, then said again in another character’s inner monologue and then again repeated in another conversation. It made for pretty boring reading.
(ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review)
If it were possible for me to rate a book in the minus, this one would walk away with that honour.
This is book three in the Nine Circles series. Referring, fittingly, to the circles of hell, in which I found myself while reading this.
We continue on with Zac and his merry band of mercenaries on the case of a deviant sex trafficker. Zac is obsessed with Eva, his angel, and has been for seven years ever since he saved her from the side of the road. Zac is also a dom, but has lately been unable to get it up for any woman except Eva.
Eva is a runaway who was picked up from the streets and sold into sex slavery. She was blindfolded and tied up for the pleasure of a man she never saw. She has obvious issues with trust and space and hates the thought of a man touching her.
Zac has been her friend for seven years and has never asked her to tell him his secrets, never asked to touch her. Zac has run out of patience (because he’s tried so hard) and is coming to collect what’s owed to him (direct quote). He’s tired of waiting and gives Eva an ultimatum: submit to me completely or I cut you out of my life completely.
“How can she trust you if you force it from her? Good question. But she’d left him with no other choice.”
His answer to gaining her trust and save her from herself is to tie her up and blindfold her, reliving the horror she lived every day for two years.
Eva is obviously traumatised by her experiences as a FUCKING SEX SLAVE and clearly not keen!
“I want some very specific things when it comes to you, angel. Things that you will not want. Yet that’s what I’ll demand from anyway.”
How FUCKING romantic.
Eva decides she cannot lose Zac and so agrees to this. Zac proceeds to demand her complete trust and devotion but oh wait, he can’t give her the same in return because of HIS traumatic past.
The whole thing just left me feeling deeply uncomfortable. The power in this relationship was completely one sided.
For the love of god people. Someone please tell me what is so attractive about breaking a woman’s will?
I really wish that authors would take on some responsibility when writing about subjects such as sex trafficking and rape. Rape victims aren’t healed by a hot guy and submission. When you write about rape, treat it with the necessary reverence and not simply as a shock tactic or plot tool to develop a basis for your story. Women who have lived it DO form part of your demographic after all.
Zac’s trauma, in my opinion was not reason enough for his behaviour and yet we were meant to feel so fucking sorry for this poor sad douchecunt.
Furthermore I had difficulty forming a connection to these characters. A lot of things were repeated. Often a fact would have been stated by way of one character’s inner monologue, then said in conversation, then repeated through flashback of said conversation, then said again in another character’s inner monologue and then again repeated in another conversation. It made for pretty boring reading.
(ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review)
September 28, 2015
ARC received for review
Well, here I am again starting in the middle of the series. The main couples I have no probably understanding their relationships and how they are all interconnected. They make me want to go back and read their HEAs. But the search for the bad guy and all the drama that led up to it was another story. It was almost to the end of the book that I finally understood it.
Now as for Zac and Eva. Zac really had to grow on me. He was a serious jerk and a little bit of a mean Dom. Eva was amazing. She overcomes so much. They were hot together, when they finally got there.
Then that epilogue...
Well, here I am again starting in the middle of the series. The main couples I have no probably understanding their relationships and how they are all interconnected. They make me want to go back and read their HEAs. But the search for the bad guy and all the drama that led up to it was another story. It was almost to the end of the book that I finally understood it.
Now as for Zac and Eva. Zac really had to grow on me. He was a serious jerk and a little bit of a mean Dom. Eva was amazing. She overcomes so much. They were hot together, when they finally got there.
Then that epilogue...
July 25, 2015
Netgalley for honest review
I had a hard time with this story. I normally like most of this authors books but this one had some subject mater that I felt wasn't really dealt with well.
I do believe you need to read the prior books for the full gist of the back drop and interweaving theme/gist of the mystery.
Zac and Eva are part of an exclusive club/group. This group are all effected by something/someone terrible and are trying to solve this mystery as well as find the person/people responsible.
Zac rescued Eva one night seven years ago from a horrible situation. They have been "friends" every since. Zac has always felt something more for Eva but she has never given or indicated she felt anything for him but friendship.
Alright my take here and my issues. I'll start off about the heroine first. As a teenager she was taken off the streets and held in a home for one man's pleasure/raped. Eva is a mouthy and closed off heroine and she is not very likeable. Believe me I totally understand what had to endure but she seemed to have hardly and redeeming qualities. And Zac is her best friend but the way she treats him is just not at all how a best friend should be treated. Another thing that didn't sit well with me. There is a small bit in the book that she reflecting on about how during her time of captivity she felt some pleasure after a while from her captive and even had some orgasims also. OKay, I'm like WHAT!!! And then how her and Zac's relationship all of a sudden changed and how she veiwed him differently all of a sudden. That just didn't seem realistic. Now about Zac. Zac at first I thought was a saint and so patient with Eva. We get a blip at the beginning how he visits BSDM clubs and how hes a Dom. But lately he's just not into because of Eva. We have an event that suddenly changes Zac view on how he's treated Eva and he does a one-eighty and now takes off the kid gloves???? Then from here I really don't like him very much. With what she's had to go through and how he handles it just doesn't work for me, at all!!
Now their relationship, it was just no!!! The way they talked to each other and treated each other with all of their past and being best friends didn't make sense. It was too way out there and almost too harsh for my liking.
The writing is always very good with Jackie Ashenden, her pacing and plot also excellent. Hotness factor very good!! But the premise of what transpired with the heroines past and Zac's handling of her and the relationship didn't set well with me. So I could be in the minority in this but as I stated this one just didn't really work for me.
I had a hard time with this story. I normally like most of this authors books but this one had some subject mater that I felt wasn't really dealt with well.
I do believe you need to read the prior books for the full gist of the back drop and interweaving theme/gist of the mystery.
Zac and Eva are part of an exclusive club/group. This group are all effected by something/someone terrible and are trying to solve this mystery as well as find the person/people responsible.
Zac rescued Eva one night seven years ago from a horrible situation. They have been "friends" every since. Zac has always felt something more for Eva but she has never given or indicated she felt anything for him but friendship.
Alright my take here and my issues. I'll start off about the heroine first. As a teenager she was taken off the streets and held in a home for one man's pleasure/raped. Eva is a mouthy and closed off heroine and she is not very likeable. Believe me I totally understand what had to endure but she seemed to have hardly and redeeming qualities. And Zac is her best friend but the way she treats him is just not at all how a best friend should be treated. Another thing that didn't sit well with me. There is a small bit in the book that she reflecting on about how during her time of captivity she felt some pleasure after a while from her captive and even had some orgasims also. OKay, I'm like WHAT!!! And then how her and Zac's relationship all of a sudden changed and how she veiwed him differently all of a sudden. That just didn't seem realistic. Now about Zac. Zac at first I thought was a saint and so patient with Eva. We get a blip at the beginning how he visits BSDM clubs and how hes a Dom. But lately he's just not into because of Eva. We have an event that suddenly changes Zac view on how he's treated Eva and he does a one-eighty and now takes off the kid gloves???? Then from here I really don't like him very much. With what she's had to go through and how he handles it just doesn't work for me, at all!!
Now their relationship, it was just no!!! The way they talked to each other and treated each other with all of their past and being best friends didn't make sense. It was too way out there and almost too harsh for my liking.
The writing is always very good with Jackie Ashenden, her pacing and plot also excellent. Hotness factor very good!! But the premise of what transpired with the heroines past and Zac's handling of her and the relationship didn't set well with me. So I could be in the minority in this but as I stated this one just didn't really work for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 12, 2015
“Seven years I waited for you, angel. And you were worth every second.”
The Good : I love Jackie Ashenden’s prose and I’d looked forward to seeing how Zac and Eva’s story would work. There were always hints that they had their own personal dysfunction, but I never realized the depth of that dysfunction until this book.
The Nine Circles club is a group of billionaires (natch) who’s first rule is “you don’t talk about your past”...until it’s time for your book. This is no different. Eva and Zac are both billionaires, Zac an aristocrat/former mercenary and Eva’s a computer hacker extraordinaire. The mystery of the head of the group who ran the Seven Devils casino and set into motions the events of the two earlier books, dovetails nicely into this book and the reveal of the man who held Eva as a sexual slave for two years. Zac and Eva have good chemistry and while it takes a while for that part of the story to heat up, it turns in a new direction that I wasn’t expecting but I’m looking forward to the next chapter in this saga.
The...well, not that bad but not my fave : The premise is fantastical and the way things go is pretty fantastical as well. Sexual healing of this kind of trauma is ...a stretch. There’s plenty of time spent explaining to the reader why Zac is pushed to his actions and why Eva is so entrenched in her fear. Their firsts were certainly interesting and brought me deeper into their relationship, which I needed.
“And you’re mine tonight too?” A silence fell and she could almost feel his surprise. Well, good. It was about time she did a bit of shocking herself. The sound of movement, one of his hands tightening around hers. Strong fingers taking her chin and turning her head, the warmth of his breath near her ear. “Angel,” he said in that tone, the one that radiated authority and power. “I was never anyone else’s.”
I’m not sure I bought into it completely, but the sex was hot and completely compelling in a guilty pleasure kind of way. There is a need to put aside any real-life reservations and allow the fantasy to take over, because the reality is - Eva needs therapy to deal with her fears, not the magic of Zac’s peen.
Everything in Between : While I love Ms. Ashenden’s prose, I do think that there’s a bit too much repetition. At times the inner monologue was expressed in dialogue, then again in inner monologue felt like overkill.
I appreciated the villain of the piece being revealed and that fact that there is a payoff in the overarching storyline as well as for Eva and Zac, I just wish that he had been a bit more impressive. Even the physical description of the villain didn’t inspire much fear. Then again, I’m of the firm opinion that the best stories have a strong hero going up against a strong villain. With the condensed timeline that resolves years of tension between Zac and Eva, a charismatic or even just impressive villain would have kicked things up a notch.
I enjoyed it, as long as I put aside any real life qualms. I’m interested in the next chapter of the Nine Circles series.
**ARC provided by publisher via netgalley for review**
September 20, 2015
3.75 honest, trust, and love stars for You Are Mine. I know this is the third book in the series and you can really tell that when beginning the read. A lot of things don't make sense until you are a few chapters in so I definitely struggled that way since I've never read the other two prior novels. I found myself struggling to like the heroine but easily liked the hero given he's a protector by nature.
Zac protects his own, is crafty, clever, passionate, demanding, and darkly delightful. It wasn't hard to like him considering his protected Eva for seven years without asking for anything in return even when she's been his obsession and lustful fantasy lover since he took his first look at her. Zac's reached his breaking point of getting nothing in return but giving Eva everything so he wants her trust and her body, maybe even her heart and soul.
Eva has inner demons and shelters herself by hiding. She completely relies on Zac but never gives him anything in return. When Zac shows up at her apartment and demands things from her for the first time she feels her world crumbling. He gives her an ultimatum that makes her feel all alone. She's smart, driven, broken, and scared.
If Zac and Eva hope to make it together they have to learn to trust each other, be honest with each other, and realize that Zac doesn't always have to save Eva. I found I liked the way the two pushed against and tugged at one another. Eva needed Zac to push her boundaries for her to truly be free and Zac needed Eva to love him to set him free.
Zac protects his own, is crafty, clever, passionate, demanding, and darkly delightful. It wasn't hard to like him considering his protected Eva for seven years without asking for anything in return even when she's been his obsession and lustful fantasy lover since he took his first look at her. Zac's reached his breaking point of getting nothing in return but giving Eva everything so he wants her trust and her body, maybe even her heart and soul.
Eva has inner demons and shelters herself by hiding. She completely relies on Zac but never gives him anything in return. When Zac shows up at her apartment and demands things from her for the first time she feels her world crumbling. He gives her an ultimatum that makes her feel all alone. She's smart, driven, broken, and scared.
If Zac and Eva hope to make it together they have to learn to trust each other, be honest with each other, and realize that Zac doesn't always have to save Eva. I found I liked the way the two pushed against and tugged at one another. Eva needed Zac to push her boundaries for her to truly be free and Zac needed Eva to love him to set him free.
October 16, 2015
Sheer brilliance, I think this is my favourite Nine Circles book so far. More please! X
Read
July 11, 2020This was a hot mess of a book. Refer to my friend Esther’s review which is pretty spot on on my feelings about this book.
It was impossible for me to like the h no matter whatever her situation. She came to Zac from the streets and that’s where she should’ve stayed. Fails me how she acquired all of this coding knowledge while she’s held in abusive captivity.
The h has those bitchy vibes where she’s forever cursing at anyone who talks to her. Abhorrent body language. Didn’t feel any chemistry between her and Zac. Zac also reminisces of having previously been involved in bdsm/dom stuff. 😬
Total fail.
It was impossible for me to like the h no matter whatever her situation. She came to Zac from the streets and that’s where she should’ve stayed. Fails me how she acquired all of this coding knowledge while she’s held in abusive captivity.
The h has those bitchy vibes where she’s forever cursing at anyone who talks to her. Abhorrent body language. Didn’t feel any chemistry between her and Zac. Zac also reminisces of having previously been involved in bdsm/dom stuff. 😬
Total fail.
October 5, 2015
Slick's review posted at Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews
4.5 stars
**While you could probably read You Are Mine as a stand-alone I think you would appreciate it much more if you've read the first two books in this series before reading this one. There is an ongoing suspense arc that as it turns out has affected the characters in this book one way or another so reading the books in order will give you a much better understanding of the way they have uncovered what is going on and how they've dealt with it along the way.
With each book in author Jackie Ashenden's Nine Circles Club series it becomes more and more evident how talented she is and how twisted her mind must be to weave these stories. Please know that's not a diss to this author because I admire her very much and her ability to write such amazingly intricate and warped stories of unspeakable crime, packed with suspense and shocking revelations, yet she still manages to include a romance in them; one that has in this case been brewing for seven long years.
From the first book it was evident that there was something between Zac Rutherford and Eva "Angel" King; that despite their age difference, despite his cool exterior and her standoffish demeanor and despite the fact that why they are both members of the Nine Circles Club they lead very solitary lives. In this book we find out just how they are connected and watch them come to terms with how deeply their lives are intertwined and the strange co-dependent relationship that Zac is determined to change even when he knows it may cost him Eva the one woman to calls out to him like no other.
As their investigation into the Seven Devils club and their members continue it becomes evident that they are getting too close to some key players and their illegal activities when threats are made toward Zac and Eva spurring them to keep on digging and uncovering everything that they can but when it becomes evident to Zac that someone from Eva's past is involved he decides that he's had enough of tiptoeing around her secrets from years ago and demand she trust him with them. So begins a very hard and very necessary journey in which I'll admit was hard to read and in which I questioned Zac's tactics and motivation but on the other hand I could also see that he did it out of his love and concern for Eva's well being. His methods were twisted and there is no doubt they could have backfired and caused more harm than good, but it proved that he really did know Eva, knew her boundaries, knew he needed to push, and knew he needed to be tough to make her understand that he was a man of his word even when it about killed him to do so.
As Zac works to help Eva deal with her fears and become the strong woman she claims to be, the dealings with the Seven Devils becomes even more complex and dangerous forcing all of the members of the Nice Circle Club to spring into action and vow to bring down the key players.
At the end of each book in this series I've had an unsettled feeling and while I don't feel quite as shaken at the end of this one, quite possibly because of the events that took place in this story, there are still a lot of questions unanswered, a network that still must be stopped and no doubt more lives that will be unraveled as this series moves forward. However, I am feeling better about the Nine Circles Club members and as for Zac and Eva I could not be happier that they managed to break through each other's barriers and found the love they both so desperately needed. From start to finish You Are Mine had me on the edge of my seat, it made me uncomfortable but I could not stop reading and it was every bit as provocative and twisted as the other books in this series, but there was something just a little bit more about this book and that is why it is my favorite of this series to date.
Review copy provided for an honest review.
4.5 stars
**While you could probably read You Are Mine as a stand-alone I think you would appreciate it much more if you've read the first two books in this series before reading this one. There is an ongoing suspense arc that as it turns out has affected the characters in this book one way or another so reading the books in order will give you a much better understanding of the way they have uncovered what is going on and how they've dealt with it along the way.
With each book in author Jackie Ashenden's Nine Circles Club series it becomes more and more evident how talented she is and how twisted her mind must be to weave these stories. Please know that's not a diss to this author because I admire her very much and her ability to write such amazingly intricate and warped stories of unspeakable crime, packed with suspense and shocking revelations, yet she still manages to include a romance in them; one that has in this case been brewing for seven long years.
From the first book it was evident that there was something between Zac Rutherford and Eva "Angel" King; that despite their age difference, despite his cool exterior and her standoffish demeanor and despite the fact that why they are both members of the Nine Circles Club they lead very solitary lives. In this book we find out just how they are connected and watch them come to terms with how deeply their lives are intertwined and the strange co-dependent relationship that Zac is determined to change even when he knows it may cost him Eva the one woman to calls out to him like no other.
As their investigation into the Seven Devils club and their members continue it becomes evident that they are getting too close to some key players and their illegal activities when threats are made toward Zac and Eva spurring them to keep on digging and uncovering everything that they can but when it becomes evident to Zac that someone from Eva's past is involved he decides that he's had enough of tiptoeing around her secrets from years ago and demand she trust him with them. So begins a very hard and very necessary journey in which I'll admit was hard to read and in which I questioned Zac's tactics and motivation but on the other hand I could also see that he did it out of his love and concern for Eva's well being. His methods were twisted and there is no doubt they could have backfired and caused more harm than good, but it proved that he really did know Eva, knew her boundaries, knew he needed to push, and knew he needed to be tough to make her understand that he was a man of his word even when it about killed him to do so.
As Zac works to help Eva deal with her fears and become the strong woman she claims to be, the dealings with the Seven Devils becomes even more complex and dangerous forcing all of the members of the Nice Circle Club to spring into action and vow to bring down the key players.
At the end of each book in this series I've had an unsettled feeling and while I don't feel quite as shaken at the end of this one, quite possibly because of the events that took place in this story, there are still a lot of questions unanswered, a network that still must be stopped and no doubt more lives that will be unraveled as this series moves forward. However, I am feeling better about the Nine Circles Club members and as for Zac and Eva I could not be happier that they managed to break through each other's barriers and found the love they both so desperately needed. From start to finish You Are Mine had me on the edge of my seat, it made me uncomfortable but I could not stop reading and it was every bit as provocative and twisted as the other books in this series, but there was something just a little bit more about this book and that is why it is my favorite of this series to date.
Review copy provided for an honest review.
January 16, 2016
Book Review Of “You Are Mine” by Jackie Ashenden
Eva King has never had a family or anyone to love or take care of her. She has been abandoned by her family and has now been kidnapped off the streets by someone who is holding her captive as his sex slave. Eva has come up with a plan to escape her capture and that is to become a hacker and try and get word out to the world that she is being held prisoner.
Eva manages to get in contact with someone named Zac Rutherford, who is going to be more than “her savior.” He is going to be Eva’s rock and foundation, the other half of her heart. But, before that, Eva is going to have to realize that she in return must eventually give Zac Rutherford something in return. Is she willing to go down that road and will it be very much like what her capturer wanted? Will she be just another sex slave in return for Zac rescuing her from her from hellish servitude?
Zac Rutherford has never got over the death of his sister and the fact that his sister went and killed herself. Zac has turned to domination as a way to cope with what has happened to him in his childhood and to close off his heart to any women who he could see himself with. That is, until Zac rescues a women who is broken and hurt one rainy night. That is Eva King, who he nicknames Angel. Zac immediately feels drawn to Eva (his little Angel) who is broken and in need of protection. Zac helps her find a place, gives her a job, and starts to build her up, but little does Zac know he is starting to become attached to her. He is fighting his feelings and desire for Angel.
Zac has finally taken enough of trying to resist Angel’s sexiness and gives her a ultimatum. That is that she either starts giving Zac what he wants, or he will not protect her anymore. Zac wants to Angel to become his submissive and live out Zac’s fantasy of being able to Dominate Eva in the bedroom and see her sexy body. Zac has no idea that when he starts to live out his fantasy and think that he is going to be able to dominate Eva, that he is the one going to be the submissive because Eva King is the one who holds Zac Rutherford’s heart, not the other way around.
Two broken hearts, who have been abandoned by their loved ones, will become one again when Zac and Eva help each other find love in one another as they learn to trust again. Passion will ignite the pages of “You Are Mine” and you will not be able to resist Zac Rutherfords charm as he seduces Eva King into the raw world of BDSM.
Eva King has never had a family or anyone to love or take care of her. She has been abandoned by her family and has now been kidnapped off the streets by someone who is holding her captive as his sex slave. Eva has come up with a plan to escape her capture and that is to become a hacker and try and get word out to the world that she is being held prisoner.
Eva manages to get in contact with someone named Zac Rutherford, who is going to be more than “her savior.” He is going to be Eva’s rock and foundation, the other half of her heart. But, before that, Eva is going to have to realize that she in return must eventually give Zac Rutherford something in return. Is she willing to go down that road and will it be very much like what her capturer wanted? Will she be just another sex slave in return for Zac rescuing her from her from hellish servitude?
Zac Rutherford has never got over the death of his sister and the fact that his sister went and killed herself. Zac has turned to domination as a way to cope with what has happened to him in his childhood and to close off his heart to any women who he could see himself with. That is, until Zac rescues a women who is broken and hurt one rainy night. That is Eva King, who he nicknames Angel. Zac immediately feels drawn to Eva (his little Angel) who is broken and in need of protection. Zac helps her find a place, gives her a job, and starts to build her up, but little does Zac know he is starting to become attached to her. He is fighting his feelings and desire for Angel.
Zac has finally taken enough of trying to resist Angel’s sexiness and gives her a ultimatum. That is that she either starts giving Zac what he wants, or he will not protect her anymore. Zac wants to Angel to become his submissive and live out Zac’s fantasy of being able to Dominate Eva in the bedroom and see her sexy body. Zac has no idea that when he starts to live out his fantasy and think that he is going to be able to dominate Eva, that he is the one going to be the submissive because Eva King is the one who holds Zac Rutherford’s heart, not the other way around.
Two broken hearts, who have been abandoned by their loved ones, will become one again when Zac and Eva help each other find love in one another as they learn to trust again. Passion will ignite the pages of “You Are Mine” and you will not be able to resist Zac Rutherfords charm as he seduces Eva King into the raw world of BDSM.
September 17, 2015
~ ARC provided via Netgalley in exchange for honest review ~
4 lovely stars from me
This book was my favorite from the Night Circles series!!!
I liked a lot this couple, both with a dark past especially Eva..I mean at first i was like..
What happened to her??? Why is she like that??
And what about Zac the Alpha, dominant, sexy dark man...something has also happened to him..
Oooh and then we have the explanations for both of them and blows my mind..
And of course the epilogue was definitely something i wasn't expecting...at all..
Generally a very good work from the author!!!
4 lovely stars from me
This book was my favorite from the Night Circles series!!!
I liked a lot this couple, both with a dark past especially Eva..I mean at first i was like..
What happened to her??? Why is she like that??
And what about Zac the Alpha, dominant, sexy dark man...something has also happened to him..
Oooh and then we have the explanations for both of them and blows my mind..
And of course the epilogue was definitely something i wasn't expecting...at all..
Generally a very good work from the author!!!
October 7, 2015
I had mistakenly thought that the previous book in the series was going to be my favorite and don’t get me wrong….I still love Alex. But damn…Zac is something special. A little bit English gentleman, a little bit guardian angel, and lot of hot sexy Dom. In the past two books the author has teased us with the mystery that is Zac and Eva, what’s going on with these two? Eva always seemed abnormally prickly and Zac was almost too protective of her. All the secrets really come spilling out and boy…..they are dark. I really thought Eva was a great character, multidimensional and intriguing. She gives a lot of attitude and has a “don’t give a damn” persona that I find amusing. She definitely gives Zac a run for his money and it’s always rewarding to see two broken people find happiness together. Jackie Ashenden has a lot of titles under her belt and it shows in her work, flawless grammar and a writing style that will keep you on the edge of your seat, squirming in anticipation. As with the other books in the series there are a lot of conspiracies about and constant suspense and action along with the sexy bits. Let me tell you that the sexy bits are some of the hottest I’ve ever read, these two are romantic napalm! I think I’m still blushing from reading this book.
December 13, 2015
I read this series book out of order - not a good idea. Without reading the two novels leading up to this one, I found myself frequently confused. I ended up glossing over a few names and backstories. I imagine if I would have read the series from the beginning, I would have enjoyed this story a bit more.
March 8, 2022
IF SENSUALITY AND SEXUAL TENSION COULD BE BOTTLED UP, THEN THIS STORY WOULD BE MY PICK OF POISON! I have waited to read Eva and Zac's story and IT DIDN'T DISAPPOINT!!! The sexual tension and angst between them, the awareness and desire...literally had me panting for more. I would love to have my own personal Zac in real life. Not only is he a protector, he's attentive, dominant and a master in the bedroom. NATURALLY the characters weren't perfect and I've come to appreciate even though it frustrates the hell out of me, Jackie Ashenden's signature brand of angst.
EVA was a victim of sexual abuse. It's obvious by now if you've read the other books prior to this, and IF YOU HAVEN'T, PLEASE DO. THE EFFECT OF EVA + ZAC ONLY MAKES IT WORTH READING THIS AFTER YOU DO. Eva and Zac had always had a weird relationship, almost like a symbiosis and it made me damned curious to know what's their story. Here, we not only continue the search for the real bad guy but, Zac's finally had enough of treating her with kid gloves. 7 years and his gentleness and giving her space has had no affect on Eva, and she only treats him like her crutch. TO be used when needed, and tossed aside when not. Man, I could feel Zac's frustration, and not just sexual. ZAC was H.O.T. Not only did he have the whole British gentleman façade going on, he's also a DOM. That had me hooked. I mean, how's a Dom going to work out with a victim of sexual abuse? Mind you, Eva wasn't raped in the literal sense. She was abducted off the streets and used as a rich man's personal fuck toy, but she wasn't physically abused....although her life was threatened should she refuse to have sex. The irony.
ZAC's meticulous planning and psychological manipulation to break Eva from her fear was INTENSE. I loved every moment of it. These two were just so goddamned emotional, in everything they do - their conversations, eye contact, the littlest touch and breath. They were the living breathing couple of sensuality overlaid with their brokenness.
OVERALL this was epic. Sure it could have been more intense but, what I liked best about Ashenden's stories is how the characters always fight for love. It's not the easiest thing, to keep holding out your heart in your hand for someone who constantly stomps on it, or denies it. I won't life. There were times I got angry at the MCs, and I wanted to smack Zac in the head when he denied loving Eva. How can a man spend 7 years protecting and anticipating a woman's needs, holding out so long without even the sex, telling himself he wants to fix and free her from her fears and then expect to let her go?! Well, that's only a taste of what to expect from YOU ARE MINE. But I think this was my favourite book in the series thus far.
EVA was a victim of sexual abuse. It's obvious by now if you've read the other books prior to this, and IF YOU HAVEN'T, PLEASE DO. THE EFFECT OF EVA + ZAC ONLY MAKES IT WORTH READING THIS AFTER YOU DO. Eva and Zac had always had a weird relationship, almost like a symbiosis and it made me damned curious to know what's their story. Here, we not only continue the search for the real bad guy but, Zac's finally had enough of treating her with kid gloves. 7 years and his gentleness and giving her space has had no affect on Eva, and she only treats him like her crutch. TO be used when needed, and tossed aside when not. Man, I could feel Zac's frustration, and not just sexual. ZAC was H.O.T. Not only did he have the whole British gentleman façade going on, he's also a DOM. That had me hooked. I mean, how's a Dom going to work out with a victim of sexual abuse? Mind you, Eva wasn't raped in the literal sense. She was abducted off the streets and used as a rich man's personal fuck toy, but she wasn't physically abused....although her life was threatened should she refuse to have sex. The irony.
ZAC's meticulous planning and psychological manipulation to break Eva from her fear was INTENSE. I loved every moment of it. These two were just so goddamned emotional, in everything they do - their conversations, eye contact, the littlest touch and breath. They were the living breathing couple of sensuality overlaid with their brokenness.
OVERALL this was epic. Sure it could have been more intense but, what I liked best about Ashenden's stories is how the characters always fight for love. It's not the easiest thing, to keep holding out your heart in your hand for someone who constantly stomps on it, or denies it. I won't life. There were times I got angry at the MCs, and I wanted to smack Zac in the head when he denied loving Eva. How can a man spend 7 years protecting and anticipating a woman's needs, holding out so long without even the sex, telling himself he wants to fix and free her from her fears and then expect to let her go?! Well, that's only a taste of what to expect from YOU ARE MINE. But I think this was my favourite book in the series thus far.
February 17, 2017
This third story in the Nine Circles series can be read as a standalone but continues with plot threads begun in the previous books. For that reason, I would recommend reading them first, though there is some explanation to catch up new readers. This story focuses on Zac, a successful businessman and Eva, computer genius extraordinaire, both members of the Nine Circles club. They’ve been secondary characters since the first story, but now we get to see some of their background and it’s pretty dark. They both come from broken homes, and Zac was the one who rescued Eva from a tragic situation seven years earlier. For all this time, he’s been waiting for her to come to him and let him in, emotionally and sexually – and he’s finally not waiting any longer. Confronting her means she’s going to have to share her past or lose him once and for all – will her choice, and his, bring them closer together or destroy them?
Like all the stories in this series, this one is an intense read, though I think it’s the most gripping of the three to date. Zac comes across as a powerful man. And indeed he’s a Dom in his private life when he visits sex clubs, a man who isn’t used to waiting on the sidelines. And he’s been waiting for Eva to acknowledge him, to realize that he wants more from her than her friendship. Their friendship isn’t really a normal one anyway – it’s more just Zac doing whatever Eva needs, her anxiety manifesting in panic attacks that have been getting worse as they’ve been tracking down the secrets revealed in the previous two stories, ones that are hitting too close to home. He’s been her rock to stand on, but no longer. His burning desire for her is finally out in the open and Eva doesn’t have a clue what to do with it. She’s never realized until now how much she relies on him, and when he makes it clear that he wants all of her, not just to be at her beck and call she finds herself drawn into an erotic and deep relationship with Zac, one that is almost painful in its intensity. There were times in this story that I thought Zac pushed Eva too far, that he didn’t understand what she’d gone through and how he was only making things worse. But of course, he knew exactly what she needed to have the breakthrough that would lead to her gaining back her sense of self.
The sex scenes in this story are therefore quite intense and push Eva’s boundaries. But they also push Zac too, as he confronts his own feelings for Eva. And through it all, there is the suspense plot that continues to dig into the Casino underworld, a world that is hiding a secret that the nine circles team is working to uncover fully. The characters from the two previous stories play their part here of course, as well as making it clear that there will be more in the series, with new characters coming to light and gaining importance. The second half of the story is action packed and one of those page turners that you just can’t put down. This isn’t the kind of story you can read on a 15 minute break. You’d better be prepared to spend some time with it once you start. Gritty, erotic and enthralling. A great continuation to the series. 4.5 stars.
Note: a copy of this story was provided by the publisher via NetGalley for review.
Note 2: this review appears as a blog post at: http://straightshootinbookreviews.com...
Like all the stories in this series, this one is an intense read, though I think it’s the most gripping of the three to date. Zac comes across as a powerful man. And indeed he’s a Dom in his private life when he visits sex clubs, a man who isn’t used to waiting on the sidelines. And he’s been waiting for Eva to acknowledge him, to realize that he wants more from her than her friendship. Their friendship isn’t really a normal one anyway – it’s more just Zac doing whatever Eva needs, her anxiety manifesting in panic attacks that have been getting worse as they’ve been tracking down the secrets revealed in the previous two stories, ones that are hitting too close to home. He’s been her rock to stand on, but no longer. His burning desire for her is finally out in the open and Eva doesn’t have a clue what to do with it. She’s never realized until now how much she relies on him, and when he makes it clear that he wants all of her, not just to be at her beck and call she finds herself drawn into an erotic and deep relationship with Zac, one that is almost painful in its intensity. There were times in this story that I thought Zac pushed Eva too far, that he didn’t understand what she’d gone through and how he was only making things worse. But of course, he knew exactly what she needed to have the breakthrough that would lead to her gaining back her sense of self.
The sex scenes in this story are therefore quite intense and push Eva’s boundaries. But they also push Zac too, as he confronts his own feelings for Eva. And through it all, there is the suspense plot that continues to dig into the Casino underworld, a world that is hiding a secret that the nine circles team is working to uncover fully. The characters from the two previous stories play their part here of course, as well as making it clear that there will be more in the series, with new characters coming to light and gaining importance. The second half of the story is action packed and one of those page turners that you just can’t put down. This isn’t the kind of story you can read on a 15 minute break. You’d better be prepared to spend some time with it once you start. Gritty, erotic and enthralling. A great continuation to the series. 4.5 stars.
“You’re panicking.” He kept his voice clear and cold, aiming it with the precision of a scalpel to cut through her unthinking fear. “Take a breath and calm down.”
“No! Let me go, asshole!” Eva pulled at his restraining hands, trying to get free.
“I won’t allow you to run away or hit me again. Now do as I say. Calm the fuck down.”
Her chest heaved, small round breasts pushing against her black t-shirt, her skin flushed pink. Giving him a taste of what it would be like to have her submitting to him.
He’d always tried not to think about it since there was no point fantasizing about something that may never happen, but now, holding her against the wall like this, he could imagine it vividly.
Eva, naked. Her skin glowing in the light, like alabaster lit from within. Her pale hair over her shoulders, covering her breasts. Her silver eyes would find his and stay there as he whispered dirty things to her, playing with her mind to get her as wet as he possibly could without even touching her. Only once she was panting, willing to do whatever he wanted, would he allow himself a touch. His fingers trailing down her throat, between those beautiful little tits, over her stomach, down to the pale curls between her thighs.
More than a touch. A claim of ownership. Making her his in every way that counted.
Note: a copy of this story was provided by the publisher via NetGalley for review.
Note 2: this review appears as a blog post at: http://straightshootinbookreviews.com...
September 28, 2015
I'm going to start out by saying this is the first five star read I have had in a while.
Zac and Eva have a strange relationship, to begin with Zac helped Eva escape from where she was being held as a sex slave for two years. It is now seven years later and Zac has feelings for Eva but she is not only unaware of the way he feels but she cannot stand to be touched by anyone, she doesn't like crowds or new places at all, she uses Zac as a safety net so lets say that all of that makes things difficult for Zac to make any moves on her.
So much is going on in this book but it is so well written you know exactly what is happening and you don't have to go back and re-read passages to figure things out. I love the dynamic between Zac and Eva and I was thrilled with the way things worked out for them. I look forward to the next book in the series Kidnapped by the Billionaire, as a matter of fact since I didn't read the first two books (and I still was able to follow along with no issues) I plan on going back and reading Mine to Take and Make You Mine.
***I have received this book from St. Martin's Press through netgalley in exchange for my honest review*** https://www.netgalley.com/
Zac and Eva have a strange relationship, to begin with Zac helped Eva escape from where she was being held as a sex slave for two years. It is now seven years later and Zac has feelings for Eva but she is not only unaware of the way he feels but she cannot stand to be touched by anyone, she doesn't like crowds or new places at all, she uses Zac as a safety net so lets say that all of that makes things difficult for Zac to make any moves on her.
So much is going on in this book but it is so well written you know exactly what is happening and you don't have to go back and re-read passages to figure things out. I love the dynamic between Zac and Eva and I was thrilled with the way things worked out for them. I look forward to the next book in the series Kidnapped by the Billionaire, as a matter of fact since I didn't read the first two books (and I still was able to follow along with no issues) I plan on going back and reading Mine to Take and Make You Mine.
***I have received this book from St. Martin's Press through netgalley in exchange for my honest review*** https://www.netgalley.com/
February 29, 2016
Review Courtesy of Romance Junkies
Zac Rutherford has been Eva's rock and security for the last seven years. He has been everything she needed, never once has he pushed her about what secrets she hides. Until her past comes knocking, he must get her to open up and tell him everything or everyone will be in danger. The worst part is he loves her, and can't get her out of his head. Can he break down her walls without crumbling himself?
Eva King is a shut in, she doesn't trust anyone but Zac. But even him she keeps at arms length. No one has touched her body or heart in the last seven years and Zac it attempting to break down those walls. Can Eva let him in, let him see how damaged she is?
Either Zac and Eva are each other's salvation or destruction. They have to learn to work together and trust one another if they are going to save themselves and their friends.
I have always told my friends that the only time I think a book will be really really good is if the characters are damaged. I have a reason to believe that of course, and the reason being no one is perfect. Every person has, at least, one thing wrong with them, whether they want to admit it or not.
Things that affect who they are, Eva and Zac, are no exceptions in this story. They both are in a way damaged. They need each other, more than they realize. Zac is an intense character; he is going to push Eva as much as she needs. Eva will do the say to Zac. It's a lot like a push and pull between the characters. They each give a little of themselves and take a little bit of each other.
So I am happy to say that this author now holds the key to my heart. Let's just say I am a new fan of Jackie Ashenden.
Another good thing about this book is even though it is part of a series, it can absolutely stand alone. You do not need to read the other books if you want to sink your teeth into this one. So no worries on that front.
I hope that others will pick up this book and enjoy as much as I did.
Warning* There is talk about rape in this book, sex trafficking, explicit BDSM sex scenes and some violence
Zac Rutherford has been Eva's rock and security for the last seven years. He has been everything she needed, never once has he pushed her about what secrets she hides. Until her past comes knocking, he must get her to open up and tell him everything or everyone will be in danger. The worst part is he loves her, and can't get her out of his head. Can he break down her walls without crumbling himself?
Eva King is a shut in, she doesn't trust anyone but Zac. But even him she keeps at arms length. No one has touched her body or heart in the last seven years and Zac it attempting to break down those walls. Can Eva let him in, let him see how damaged she is?
Either Zac and Eva are each other's salvation or destruction. They have to learn to work together and trust one another if they are going to save themselves and their friends.
I have always told my friends that the only time I think a book will be really really good is if the characters are damaged. I have a reason to believe that of course, and the reason being no one is perfect. Every person has, at least, one thing wrong with them, whether they want to admit it or not.
Things that affect who they are, Eva and Zac, are no exceptions in this story. They both are in a way damaged. They need each other, more than they realize. Zac is an intense character; he is going to push Eva as much as she needs. Eva will do the say to Zac. It's a lot like a push and pull between the characters. They each give a little of themselves and take a little bit of each other.
So I am happy to say that this author now holds the key to my heart. Let's just say I am a new fan of Jackie Ashenden.
Another good thing about this book is even though it is part of a series, it can absolutely stand alone. You do not need to read the other books if you want to sink your teeth into this one. So no worries on that front.
I hope that others will pick up this book and enjoy as much as I did.
Warning* There is talk about rape in this book, sex trafficking, explicit BDSM sex scenes and some violence
September 13, 2015
This review was originally posted on Cocktails and Books
YOU ARE MINE has it all, suspense, drama, action, BDSM and of course, romance. Zac Rutherford and Eva King have been good friends since the day Zac rescued Eva seven years ago and throughout those years, Zac has tried to fight his attraction to Eva. He has been waiting patiently to give her time to heal. Eva lives in constant fear because of her tragic past and she doesn’t trust anyone. On the outside Eva appears cool and tough while she hides how afraid and fragile she really is. Zac wants more than friendship from Eva, but Eva is afraid to get too close to anyone, even Zac. They are both stubborn and constantly arguing and bickering; although it’s obvious they deeply care for each other.
Zac, an alpha male, embraces the BDSM lifestyle and needs to be in control of everything in his life. He has a sexy British accent and is a protector by nature, with a dark side that stems from his past he keeps hidden from everyone. Zac is very patient with Eva. He is sweet and gentle and kind when he needs to be, but he can also be demanding and controlling.
I liked the story, but I had a hard time connecting with the Zac and Eva. I knew Zac cared about Eva and would do anything for her, but Eva has been through a lot and his way of helping her made me uncomfortable. This is the third book in the Seven Circles series and each story is a stand-alone, although all the characters are friends and the stories are interconnected. This is an entertaining, emotional ride.
Reviewer information can be found under the Tags section of the post on our site.
YOU ARE MINE has it all, suspense, drama, action, BDSM and of course, romance. Zac Rutherford and Eva King have been good friends since the day Zac rescued Eva seven years ago and throughout those years, Zac has tried to fight his attraction to Eva. He has been waiting patiently to give her time to heal. Eva lives in constant fear because of her tragic past and she doesn’t trust anyone. On the outside Eva appears cool and tough while she hides how afraid and fragile she really is. Zac wants more than friendship from Eva, but Eva is afraid to get too close to anyone, even Zac. They are both stubborn and constantly arguing and bickering; although it’s obvious they deeply care for each other.
Zac, an alpha male, embraces the BDSM lifestyle and needs to be in control of everything in his life. He has a sexy British accent and is a protector by nature, with a dark side that stems from his past he keeps hidden from everyone. Zac is very patient with Eva. He is sweet and gentle and kind when he needs to be, but he can also be demanding and controlling.
I liked the story, but I had a hard time connecting with the Zac and Eva. I knew Zac cared about Eva and would do anything for her, but Eva has been through a lot and his way of helping her made me uncomfortable. This is the third book in the Seven Circles series and each story is a stand-alone, although all the characters are friends and the stories are interconnected. This is an entertaining, emotional ride.
Reviewer information can be found under the Tags section of the post on our site.
October 1, 2015
**ARC copy provided by author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**
really, really, really wanted to like this book. I was so excited for Zac and Eva's story. And it fell flat. I enjoyed it well enough until Zac decided he was going to take charge. I know he was all "I will never hurt you or push you too far and you are safe with me" but I did not like the way he played with Eva. Most of those scenes had me cringing and shaking my head.
I did enjoy getting Eva's background (even though it was heart wrenching). I liked getting to see another side of Zac, his protective side. I liked that Eva wasn't afraid to stand up to him, that she felt safe enough with him to be herself.
Overall, the book was okay, it finished off the over-arcing plot that had me so hooked. But again, like the rest of the series, there was nothing that sucked me in so much that I couldn't put the book down.
Check out the full review at Bookaholic Raves
really, really, really wanted to like this book. I was so excited for Zac and Eva's story. And it fell flat. I enjoyed it well enough until Zac decided he was going to take charge. I know he was all "I will never hurt you or push you too far and you are safe with me" but I did not like the way he played with Eva. Most of those scenes had me cringing and shaking my head.
I did enjoy getting Eva's background (even though it was heart wrenching). I liked getting to see another side of Zac, his protective side. I liked that Eva wasn't afraid to stand up to him, that she felt safe enough with him to be herself.
Overall, the book was okay, it finished off the over-arcing plot that had me so hooked. But again, like the rest of the series, there was nothing that sucked me in so much that I couldn't put the book down.
Check out the full review at Bookaholic Raves
August 25, 2015
I want to thank Jackie Ashenden for this ARC, Thank you soooo much!
Zac. Rutherford. Damn.
The amount of Alpha male in him just gets me all sorts of excited! Seriously the raw testosterone coming off this guy was on another level. I thought his character completely complemented Eva's. The way he went about pushing through her walls was completely possessive and a little dangerous. How broken Eva was and the limits Zac was pushing was a bit on the risky side. That being said, that just made the steamy scenes even hotter. ;)
Jackie has a way of putting together such an amazing story that this series should not be read alone. Where this book is in the series, I feel you really need to understand what/who they are fighting to understand the gravity of the story and all the character's actions and mannerisms. The series is very well written and will not disappoint!
Recommendation:
READ THIS BOOK.
Alpha male, steamy sex, broken protagonists, true love, psycho billionaires, human trafficking, conspiracy... seriously this whole series is addictive.
Enough said.
Zac. Rutherford. Damn.
The amount of Alpha male in him just gets me all sorts of excited! Seriously the raw testosterone coming off this guy was on another level. I thought his character completely complemented Eva's. The way he went about pushing through her walls was completely possessive and a little dangerous. How broken Eva was and the limits Zac was pushing was a bit on the risky side. That being said, that just made the steamy scenes even hotter. ;)
Jackie has a way of putting together such an amazing story that this series should not be read alone. Where this book is in the series, I feel you really need to understand what/who they are fighting to understand the gravity of the story and all the character's actions and mannerisms. The series is very well written and will not disappoint!
Recommendation:
READ THIS BOOK.
Alpha male, steamy sex, broken protagonists, true love, psycho billionaires, human trafficking, conspiracy... seriously this whole series is addictive.
Enough said.
October 7, 2015
**My thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press, for providing me with a free copy for an honest review**
We do get a lot of answers in this book and the continuance of all the characters putting the pieces together in finding out, not only more about each other, but more about the trafficking scene they are all affected by.
Zac and Eva have been friends for seven years and never once has there been any touching or sharing of their pasts. That all changes in this book when not only do they end up sharing their pasts, but Zac forces Eva into touch and into admitting that she is afraid. He uses his Dom ways to make her open up and admit things to herself and to him.
The book also touches on Elijah and leads into the next book, but leaves many questions about Elijah open.
another great book from Jackie Ashenden.
We do get a lot of answers in this book and the continuance of all the characters putting the pieces together in finding out, not only more about each other, but more about the trafficking scene they are all affected by.
Zac and Eva have been friends for seven years and never once has there been any touching or sharing of their pasts. That all changes in this book when not only do they end up sharing their pasts, but Zac forces Eva into touch and into admitting that she is afraid. He uses his Dom ways to make her open up and admit things to herself and to him.
The book also touches on Elijah and leads into the next book, but leaves many questions about Elijah open.
another great book from Jackie Ashenden.
October 7, 2015
A story of the darkness and evil of humanity and how the two key characters overcome their ordeals and gain back their power and strength by allowing themselves to trust and rely on each other. Eva and Zac have similar childhoods but the journey that brings them together also keeps them holding each other at a distance. Eva's silver to Zac's gold, polar opposites and yet so similar, but they find love and redemption in each other's arms even though each has done their best to drive the other away. A dark, brooding story with thrills and intrigue.
ARC provided in exchange for an honest review
ARC provided in exchange for an honest review
January 3, 2016
NB I haven't read the other books in the series (I think)
We all know this doesn't bother me - but it bothers other people sometimes.
Anyway - interesting story. For some reason I get notes of GWTW from it - mostly in how Rhett walks away from Scarlet although they're not the same at all.
It was neat to see such a badass heroine that was so damaged. (Not that unique, but a nice juxtaposition)
And the human trafficking element ... especially since I've worked with victims. If only they get futures even half as nice as this one. Anyway - really interesting characters.
C
We all know this doesn't bother me - but it bothers other people sometimes.
Anyway - interesting story. For some reason I get notes of GWTW from it - mostly in how Rhett walks away from Scarlet although they're not the same at all.
It was neat to see such a badass heroine that was so damaged. (Not that unique, but a nice juxtaposition)
And the human trafficking element ... especially since I've worked with victims. If only they get futures even half as nice as this one. Anyway - really interesting characters.
C
October 16, 2015
I read and enjoyed the two previous books in this series and was really looking forward to Zac and Eva’s story. There were lots of hints in the previous books about there being more to their relationship than what was on the surface.
I really liked Gabriel and Alex but I think I liked Zac even more. He’s always impeccably dressed. He’s English. Oh and did I mention he’s a sexy Dom?!
You can read my full review here: http://wp.me/p18bP3-2sm
I really liked Gabriel and Alex but I think I liked Zac even more. He’s always impeccably dressed. He’s English. Oh and did I mention he’s a sexy Dom?!
You can read my full review here: http://wp.me/p18bP3-2sm
August 30, 2015
Zac and Eva have this relationship that hasn't gone anywhere because of trauma that Eva has suffered. Due to some current happenings, Eva needs to open up more and Zac is willing to push her buttons to do it. I am on middle ground with this book because while I liked the action surrounding the plot, Zac's methods of pushing Eva don't really convince me that they could have more than something physical.
August 22, 2015
*Review to come closer to release date *
never-want-to-read
July 19, 2016Note for me the heroine is raped and like it! Yucky!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 27, 2017
This is yet another great continuation of the story that i've become quite engrossed with. where we had Gabriel/Honor's story and Alex/Katya, we know that things have to get messy with Zac and Eva. the duo of the group that has a very interesting relationship and one that we know has so much more potential than what's been revealed so far.
So where we left off in the series is with Katya/Alex coming back from Monte Carlo with information leading us to believe that it's not Conrad who was in charge of all that's bad and evil in the mission, but someone else - yet we don't know who it is. We do know that there's a mercenary named Elijah who's close to whoever is the ring leader who's warning them all off from their investigation, but we also know that all these alpha males aren't scared so easily.
Meaning that it falls into the lap of Eva who's one of the best hackers out there and Zac who's got more connections than we can imagine because of his security company and some of the mercenary work that he'd done in a past life.
The journey here is one where we see Zac come to terms with what he's been doing for the past 7 years - protecting Eva because of what she went through, even though he doesn't know the full extent. They met through the fact that she was trying to hack into his computer system and needed to be saved so he did that and they've been close ever since. Because their club doesn't probe into what makes each person into who they are, no one has a clear sense of what it was, but with the nature of some of the stuff that we've uncovered, sex trafficking and the like, we start to put the pieces together to know that perhaps that's what Eva was going through before she was saved. The other bit too is that Zac isn't just alpha, he's a dom, and while that's typical with this type of character, we know that he's in love with Eva and wants to push her to open up even though he knows she's terrified of all that.
So complicated isn't even going to cover it. He gives her tough love throughout the story in the hopes of breaking her open so she can overcome her fears - not just for herself but to help everyone figure out who's behind the casinos and the murders etc. She's the one that can link it all since we learn that it's likely the same man who held her captive. When we learn what that link is, and a few twists along the way, we know that there's potential for their world to be blown up even more.
Where we get the great abilities of our author is not just in the complexity of the story and how well it's been interwoven between each installment in the series, but the different nature of this romantic/sexual relationship that we see bloom between Zac and Eva. Each one of our couples has had their own niche - their unique bit to make it special, and this is no exception. The way that Zac controls and over powers Eva is intense, taking away her ability to do anything aside from just experience and it's hot. I know that if it were me, i'd absolutely be into letting someone like Zac do all that stuff. You even have to feel a bit bad for Eva because regardless of her tough exterior, she really has no chance.
The twist that we have through everything though is Elijah - he's a wild card since he is employed by the man that they want to take down, yet he seems to be on the side of the Nine Circles. I really haven't figured that one out yet and i feel like there's so much more to that story that we don't even know. I have to get into the 4th book since i feel like it's going to get even dicier knowing that it's not a nine circles member being drawn in, but the best friend of Honor - who's got ties to the whole story as well
So where we left off in the series is with Katya/Alex coming back from Monte Carlo with information leading us to believe that it's not Conrad who was in charge of all that's bad and evil in the mission, but someone else - yet we don't know who it is. We do know that there's a mercenary named Elijah who's close to whoever is the ring leader who's warning them all off from their investigation, but we also know that all these alpha males aren't scared so easily.
Meaning that it falls into the lap of Eva who's one of the best hackers out there and Zac who's got more connections than we can imagine because of his security company and some of the mercenary work that he'd done in a past life.
The journey here is one where we see Zac come to terms with what he's been doing for the past 7 years - protecting Eva because of what she went through, even though he doesn't know the full extent. They met through the fact that she was trying to hack into his computer system and needed to be saved so he did that and they've been close ever since. Because their club doesn't probe into what makes each person into who they are, no one has a clear sense of what it was, but with the nature of some of the stuff that we've uncovered, sex trafficking and the like, we start to put the pieces together to know that perhaps that's what Eva was going through before she was saved. The other bit too is that Zac isn't just alpha, he's a dom, and while that's typical with this type of character, we know that he's in love with Eva and wants to push her to open up even though he knows she's terrified of all that.
So complicated isn't even going to cover it. He gives her tough love throughout the story in the hopes of breaking her open so she can overcome her fears - not just for herself but to help everyone figure out who's behind the casinos and the murders etc. She's the one that can link it all since we learn that it's likely the same man who held her captive. When we learn what that link is, and a few twists along the way, we know that there's potential for their world to be blown up even more.
Where we get the great abilities of our author is not just in the complexity of the story and how well it's been interwoven between each installment in the series, but the different nature of this romantic/sexual relationship that we see bloom between Zac and Eva. Each one of our couples has had their own niche - their unique bit to make it special, and this is no exception. The way that Zac controls and over powers Eva is intense, taking away her ability to do anything aside from just experience and it's hot. I know that if it were me, i'd absolutely be into letting someone like Zac do all that stuff. You even have to feel a bit bad for Eva because regardless of her tough exterior, she really has no chance.
The twist that we have through everything though is Elijah - he's a wild card since he is employed by the man that they want to take down, yet he seems to be on the side of the Nine Circles. I really haven't figured that one out yet and i feel like there's so much more to that story that we don't even know. I have to get into the 4th book since i feel like it's going to get even dicier knowing that it's not a nine circles member being drawn in, but the best friend of Honor - who's got ties to the whole story as well
October 6, 2017
I am not familiar with BDSM but this book seems full of clichés! Almost comical but I doubt it was the author's intention haha....
Since this is book 3 in the series and the ongoing mystery behind the secret casinos was developing, it's best to read in order. Or else one cannot appreciate Eva and Zac' relationship and even other members of the Nine Circles could not be quite certain what was going on between these two.
Right from the start we were told upfront Zac was a Dom...as in sexual dominant. Annnnd he's only interested in Eva, whom he rescued seven years ago. While they never shared their background until this series unfolded, we were given enough clues the past two books to guess Eva was some sort of sex slave and might even have been a victim of women trafficking, based on her personal crusade again such criminal rings.
Because Eva could identify someone in the incriminating video from book two she was deemed the best person to attend a charity ball and identify the villain. To do that she had to confront her demons, and Zac realised he's reached his own limits. He wanted Eva, and her total surrender by trusting him.
This is where I went WTF a lot. He KNEW Eva was a victim of sexual assault...yet he demanded she do the same acts with him that brought all her nightmares to life. All the dom-sub sh!t made me roll my eyes.
Yet I can understand his POV. He had bubble wrapped her the past seven years and Eva's fears were just growing instead of getting better. He feared he was just enabling her feelings of being a victim and it's time to make her acknowledge her fears and replace her demons...with him. Ha!
The action and plot only really moved forward fast in the last 10% and we finally resolved some questions left unanswered in previous two books.
Overall I was really looking forward to solving the crime story and this romance was so-so for me.
Looking forward to Know who was the mysterious Elijah...
Since this is book 3 in the series and the ongoing mystery behind the secret casinos was developing, it's best to read in order. Or else one cannot appreciate Eva and Zac' relationship and even other members of the Nine Circles could not be quite certain what was going on between these two.
Right from the start we were told upfront Zac was a Dom...as in sexual dominant. Annnnd he's only interested in Eva, whom he rescued seven years ago. While they never shared their background until this series unfolded, we were given enough clues the past two books to guess Eva was some sort of sex slave and might even have been a victim of women trafficking, based on her personal crusade again such criminal rings.
Because Eva could identify someone in the incriminating video from book two she was deemed the best person to attend a charity ball and identify the villain. To do that she had to confront her demons, and Zac realised he's reached his own limits. He wanted Eva, and her total surrender by trusting him.
This is where I went WTF a lot. He KNEW Eva was a victim of sexual assault...yet he demanded she do the same acts with him that brought all her nightmares to life. All the dom-sub sh!t made me roll my eyes.
Yet I can understand his POV. He had bubble wrapped her the past seven years and Eva's fears were just growing instead of getting better. He feared he was just enabling her feelings of being a victim and it's time to make her acknowledge her fears and replace her demons...with him. Ha!
The action and plot only really moved forward fast in the last 10% and we finally resolved some questions left unanswered in previous two books.
Overall I was really looking forward to solving the crime story and this romance was so-so for me.
Looking forward to Know who was the mysterious Elijah...
March 23, 2017
One of these days I'm going to find a way to purchase books in the order that they were written and released. YOU ARE MINE is book three in the Nine Circles Club Novels. I have yet to purchase books one and two and I will eventually. The fact that I started pretty much in the middle of the series in no way diminished the story.
Eva King and Zac Rutherford are at a crossroad in their semi-friendly relationship. Eve harbors a truly horrible secret, she's struggling to maintain a daily life and wants desperately to live a normal existence. Zac rescued Eve from a horrible existence and gave her the means to become rich. Still, the two have some extraordinary issues and very dark secrets. The one thing that could change and help them both is that Zac is in love with Eve and despite her fears Eve feels an attraction to Zac. Throw in the hunt for a horrible criminal that specializes in Sex Trafficking and the updates on other members involved in Nine Circles and readers will find that they have no time for doing anything but getting to the last page of this book. The story is outstanding and serves to pave the way for the next episode for life among the wealthy and troubled.
Eva King and Zac Rutherford are at a crossroad in their semi-friendly relationship. Eve harbors a truly horrible secret, she's struggling to maintain a daily life and wants desperately to live a normal existence. Zac rescued Eve from a horrible existence and gave her the means to become rich. Still, the two have some extraordinary issues and very dark secrets. The one thing that could change and help them both is that Zac is in love with Eve and despite her fears Eve feels an attraction to Zac. Throw in the hunt for a horrible criminal that specializes in Sex Trafficking and the updates on other members involved in Nine Circles and readers will find that they have no time for doing anything but getting to the last page of this book. The story is outstanding and serves to pave the way for the next episode for life among the wealthy and troubled.
October 13, 2021
Zac met Eva when he picked her up on the side of the road after escaping captivity. Eva has been working with the nine circles for seven years and she recognize a man she believe to be one of her previous captor. Zac has been liking Eva for seven years, having never questioned her want happen to her. Now the time Zac has been for waiting Eva is up and Zac wants to have relations with her. Zac pushes Eva out of her comfort Zone. It might have seemed brutal but Eva was strong, feisty, tough, and a fighter. The nine circle team were there Honor, Gabriel, Alex, and Kayta.
Zac was demanding,alpha, patience, loyal and stoic and endearing. Eva had trauma from her past. , The story had former sexual abuse. This was a strong and compelling, gripping, story great job.
Zac was demanding,alpha, patience, loyal and stoic and endearing. Eva had trauma from her past. , The story had former sexual abuse. This was a strong and compelling, gripping, story great job.
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