Sinister Kisses

SKALS #1

by Adriana Noir

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

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

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

**DISCLAIMER** This is NOT your average romance. It's not a feel good story. It's a dark, gritty, sometimes erotic psychological thriller with a heavy emphasis on plot. It also contains elements of dominance and discipline with dubious consent, psychological conditioning, and mental manipulation. There’s also gunfire and violence. If any of this offends you, this may not be the book for you.

Genres: Dark, Romance, Abuse, Erotica, Dark Romance, Contemporary, BDSM

243 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 23, 2013

About the author

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

https://www.adriananoir.com
https://www.facebook.com/adriana.noir
https://twitter.com/AdrianaNoir
Or email at: adrinoir@gmail.com

Visit the Q & A board here: http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/1...

Reviews

[Christine Wallflower & Dark Romance Junkie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seriously this book was better the second time around! This is pure psychological thriller! Sebastian and Taylor work so well together, thing is Sebby would have never been attracted to Taylor, had she been a stronger and more assertive character. He saw something in her I guess, her brokenness, how demure she was, his perfect submissive mate,and I don't me BDSM lifestyle here.

Their relationship works because they're both broken people. Taylor with her abandonment issues and Sebastian with his control issues. It's a match made in dysfunctional heaven,and I love it!

Sebby I love you.

5 Stars!!!

So when I saw the disclaimer for this book, I was like "Hell yeah, I wanna read that!"

**DISCLAIMER** This is not your average romance. It's a dark, gritty, erotic thriller with a heavy emphasis on plot. It also contains elements of dominance and discipline with dubious consent, psychological conditioning, and mental manipulation. There’s also gunfire and violence. If any of this offends you, this may not be the book for you

Taylor and Sebastian meet when Taylor stumbles in on a a gruesome scene in the woods, it doesn't look good and Taylor fears for her life. But Sebastian Baas steps in and saves her life. His prize? One date with Taylor, even though she sees something sinister lurking beneath his cool demeanor and impeccable manners, she agrees.






And yes it's all about the insta-lust at first, but you have to understand. Sebastian is determined when it comes to Taylor, she never had a chance, when she hesitates he persuades her and she changes her mind. I loved that the author gave us POV's from Taylor and Sebastian even though the story is written in the third person.

We're given a glimpse into what Sebastian does for a living and it isn't pretty. Sebastian is completely different when he's on a job, he's focused, ruthless and absolutely cut-throat. He keeps this side of himself a secret from Taylor, and for awhile she falls for it.

But pieces of he's darker side start leaking into their relationship. Sebastian is a man who likes control, he doesn't use control to get off. No, control for Sebastian is like breathing, he needs it to survive, Taylor had no chance in this case. Her submissive personality fed Sebastian's craving to control everything about her.

This is where the line between possessive and abusive started blurring, the screwed up thing about all of it was that I kept on making up these excuses for Sebastian. And rightfully so because everything went down hill when Sebastian was told to kill his brother's family. Sebastian hesitated and in his line of work that's a weakness, so he was locked up for two weeks and conditioned. This is a way of molding him into the perfect candidate for his job. When he comes back to Taylor he's completely different and Taylor is scared of what he might do.



Taylor's fears are brought to life when Sebastian takes back the control he lost by controlling Taylor. Although Sebastian is a strong man, when it comes to Taylor he is very unsure of himself although he never shows it. He's constantly afraid she will leave him. He doesn't just control her in the bedroom but also in her every day life, telling her who she can see and speak to, keeping her away from friends and family.

"Don't talk back. Don't argue. Just listen and take those warnings to heart because I won't give them again."



Ok I don't wanna ruin all the good bits, but he got pretty twisted, I mean at one point I was like. OMFG!!! He's gonna fuckin' kill her!!!

My final views on this book. Freakin awesome!!! Sebastian isn't your conventional hero, he's broken, twisted and thrives on the pain of others even the woman he loves. The stuff he did near the end was not cool, but it's only a book and it did come with a warning. I feel kinda sick for actually liking this book, but I'm about to start the second one, so there! Hahaha!!!

P.S. This is in no way a BDSM novella! BDSM is consensual and some of the scenes in this book weren't.

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Intense stars!!!



I love it when a book has a disclaimer... LOVE IT! Most people see them and think ‘this book is not for me’. I see them and think ‘dark, gritty, mental manipulation, dominance, violence’ WHERE DO I SIGN UP!?!?!? Safe to say people, take the warning seriously. I was looking for something dark and twisted and this did NOT disappoint!



We start out with Taylor. Taylor is a nineteen year old waitress who doesn’t have much family. She is out in the woods with her cousin and they get separated. She runs into a group of people she does not want to run into, and sees something she should not have seen. It is there she first lays eyes on Sebastian Baas.

Sebastian Baas is a team leader for a group called SKALS Special Kill And Leverage Squad. Sebastian doesn’t know what to do with Taylor when he finds her in the woods. He can tell she is being truthful, that she is sweet and innocent, so he asks her out on a date. Sebastian starts out charming. He seems like an intense, but nice guy. He’s well off, sweet to Taylor, seems to just want to take care of her. Taylor starts to develop feelings for him fast.

“A girl could definitely fall in love with you, Mr. Baas.”

As time goes on, we see another side of this man. Sebastian Baas is intense, possessive, manipulative, and sometimes down right scary. When I first met him, he seemed like a controlling asshole, but as time went on, his dark side came out.

"Don't talk back. Don't argue. Just listen and take those warnings to heart because I won't give them again."

"No," he warned. "The only words I want to hear out of your mouth at this point are, 'yes, Sebastian' or 'I would be happy to, Sebastian.' Anything else is only going to piss me off. Are we clear?"

“If I want to punish you, I will. Avoiding me will only make it worse.”


As terrible as he could be, dammit if I didn’t like him most of the book! Sure, there were times when his crazy came out and even I was like ‘that man is all kinds of fucked up’ but there were other sides of him that I loved. The life Sebastian leads is not an easy one. He has been conditioned to behave this way, to have this attitude. It’s actually part of his job description. He’s seen some messed up things, he’s had to do some messed up things. Some things that just made my heart hurt for him. He tries his best to show Taylor his true side, and I feel that he loves her the best he can. It’s not a love story by any means. Their love is damaged and screwed up, but they do love one another.



As tough as Sebastian is, he is afraid. He’s afraid once Taylor learns who he really is, she will want to leave. Not that he will let her, but still. For the first time in his life, he’s found someone he can love and wants to be with.

“I didn’t want you to see that part of me. I was afraid you would never look at me the same. You were one of the only people who regarded me without loathing or fear, and you are the only person who sees this side of me- the man I really am. Or at least the man I want to be.”

Taylor and Sebastian DO NOT have a healthy relationship. Not at all. In fact, it’s an abusive relationship. If you are looking for a dark read, this is great, just don’t go in expecting to love Sebastian or feel the love he has for Taylor. I saw it, but I don’t think many others would.

I’m excited to read the next book... I want to know what happens between these two. I have a theory, so we’ll see if it’s correct.

I love a dark and twisted read, a good mind fuck. There were some disturbing parts, but honestly I was expecting it to be a little worse. For those of you that have read Consequences/Truth, I felt a little Tony vibe from Sebastian. He is one of those characters that you will hate to love and love to hate. Taylor... she drove me a little nutty at times. I actually preferred Sebastian over her. I have little tolerance for frustrating heroines. I actually think Sebastian’s friend Josh was my favorite character in the book... which is funny because I hated the guy the first few chapters!

I felt like Sinister Kisses had a bit of a slow start, but once it picked up, I loved it. Couldn’t quit reading it and couldn’t get enough of the batshit crazy ride! I also really enjoyed the author’s writing style. This story has a ton of violence, emotional abuse, manipulation and some hot and steamy sex. If your jumping into this one, take the warning seriously and prepare yourself. Next time you are in the mood for something dark, disturbing, gripping and intense, pick this one up!

There was nothing he wouldn’t do to see her again or keep her safe. But what they would never know, what they would never understand, was that she was also his source of strength. Love didn’t make him vulnerable. It made him all the more willing to fight.

Thanks to my bestie Lisa Jayne for going out of her comfort zone and attempting to read this one with me... I promise our next one will be something you will enjoy xo Love ya babe!

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just as awesome as the first time..... .LOVE SEBASTION!!!!

5 AMAZING INTENSE FANFUCKINGTASTIC STARS!!!

Holy shit this book was one crazy ass ride! I started this book last night and finished this afternoon. I could barely put it down. It grabbed me on page one and on the last page I was panting for more.

Let me start by telling you about my new favorite anti-hero Sebastian.... just saying his name makes me shiver.. seriously.. I'm shivering. He brought out so many wild emotions in me...attraction, fear, loathing, compassion...he's such a complex character. Sebastian is part of a secret military branch.. they are totally off the radar. They don't exist as far as the government is concerned. They get things done and it's not pretty at all. It's dirty and it's scary. It's very violent and anyone can be taken out. They are vicious. Sebastian is their team leader and he's one of the coldest of their team. Nothing rattles Sebastian. He gives orders and he expects them to be followed. You do NOT fuck with Sebastian unless you have a death wish...


Now we've got Taylor... Taylor's young, sweet, beautiful and of course innocent... she's just making ends meet by working at a truck stop. She lives in a run down apartment in a bad area of the city. She tries to see the good in everybody...


Sebastian and Taylor meet when she happens to be in the wrong place at definitely the wrong time.. she's stumbles right into the middle of an operation and she nearly gets her head blown off by Sebs partner Josh.. Seb steps in once he realizes that Taylor isn't involved in their take down. For repayment.. he wants to take her out to dinner...

And so it begins...Seb sweeps her off her feet.. he's charming but she senses the danger in him. She know's he's a FED to some capacity but he won't tell her much more. He take over her life full force like a hurricane and little by little he takes more control over her life.. and eventually Sebs darker side comes out.


Whoa!! does this dude have a serious temper!! He scared the shit out of me.. he'd be all calm and cool and then all of a sudden you get the death stare and the you better duck and roll cuz he will cut you up quickly. He demanded that Taylor do exactly what he wanted... but he had more reasons for his demands than it just being his regular alpha self.. he's got to protect Taylor too..there are some serious baddies out there that want revenge on Seb and his team and he'll do anything it takes to protect whats his. Taylor's gonna listen or he's gonna make her listen.

But Seb.. although he could be such a total dickhead and I wanted Taylor to cut his nuts off in his sleep a couple of times, he had such a sweet side too. You could tell that he honestly, truly loved Taylor with ever fiber of his being.... She helped to settle him. His job made him the monster that he is but she brings the human back out in him. And holy hell, this man is sexy.. he's very dominant and possessive in all things.... and I mean ALL things...


This book was way intense.... it was gritty and raw. It make me cringe, it made me nervous... it made me smile, it pissed me off.. the range of emotions were just all over the place. I hated out controlling Seb was but I loved him for it at the same time. He was over the top extreme and possessive. He was an asshole. He was cold hearted and cruel..so very very cruel.. but then you'd get the glimpses of the other Seb.. the one that only Taylor can bring out.

But his job requires him to stay the cold hearted killer..this is a job you don't get out of alive and if you try to leave, your family and those you love don't get out alive either. Seb's walking a fine fine line with his love for Taylor and his inability to leave the SKALS.. something's gonna give, but what's it gonna be?


I absolutely LOVED this book.. it totally owned me the entire time. Don't go into this story looking for hearts, flowers, or any other mushy shit.. you won't get that here. There's definitely love and passion but its very intense and gripping and dark. Sebastian is the ultimate alpha possessive asshole. He's cruel... but.... there's more.. so so much more. I'd actually go so far to say that he's one of my all time favorite characters in a book. His personality just leaps off the pages.

I highly recommend this book to anyone that loves to take a trip on that darker side ..

Now on to book 2!!

[• Lisa •]

DNF AT 65% NO RATING.



What do you do when almost all your friends have four or five star'd a book you don't really care for? Well you try to be honest and true to yourself and hope that you can explain why it didn't work for you ...
This book has been on my 'If I get brave enough shelf' now since I started seeing reviews on this anti hero story, so picking it up I expected some shocks and a dark twisted plot and whilst it did deliver just that I found myself unconvinced by this book for other reasons, here are my 'Sinister kisses' thoughts ...

What's it all about?
Well where do I start? You may want to go and read the official blurb for this one I'm not convinced there are words I can use to describe this books content.

What did I like?
There is no doubt that this author can write, her ability to put together words and make them flow was an impressive feat especially considering the material she was dealing with. I also applaud the author for taking a risk, writing a story about a character than one moment you want to try and love and the next time you read about him you wouldn't mind taking one of his own guns to own his head. This is definitely a gritty, mind mess of a book and it has originality written all over it. Undoubtedly this book has the uncanny ability to churn up all kinds of emotions during its crazy train ride; anger, confusion, fear, curiosity, intrigue to name just a few and this can only come from a book that is cleverly presented to shock its readers.



Why DNF?
I found myself constantly questioning the story, from the beginning I didn't understand the connection between the characters. There was no prelude to their relationship or love everything felt on fast forward so I didn't feel that pull towards the chemistry between the couple. Yes, the book has questionable actions scattered throughout the book but that isn't what distracted me from finishing this story, I felt that I would have engaged more with the story if I understand Sebastian and Taylor more instead I felt disconnected from the story and in turn found myself going through the motions of reading rather than fully invested in what the author was trying to achieve. I missed the true love feel, the part of the story that drags you into the heart of their feelings was missing for me. I felt happy going into this book with open eyes that I would meet an anti-hero and a book that would push me out of my comfort zone but I wanted to understand and live their feelings for each other and sadly that wasn't there for my reading experience. What I was hoping for from this book was a dark, desperate love delivered from a dark and disturbing anti-hero, what I got was a confusing connection coupled with no chemistry. Sad but true, so what I envisioned to be a book that would challenge me was a book that lacked the thing that I crave the most; a honest to goodness we can overcome anything love. If this story had a true love feel to it I think I could have bypassed some of the more crazy scenes, but unfortunately by the time all the messed up action started I was already feeling disconnected from the story and therefore came to the decision to give it up.

Final thoughts ...
You may be thinking to yourself, why did Lisa choose this book? And you would be right to ask this question, the truth is I was curious and I wanted to challenge my book love bubble, what have I learned about myself? Answer: that I need to stick to what I love and the next time I want a challenge ill choose something a little less extreme. I love an alpha male, I also love epic love, I didn't find that here. But this book celebrates a dark and twisted tale of love being found in the hardest of places. This author confidently tells her story in a well written style that I respected but the story just was not for me. Check out other reviews this may just be the ride of your life but sadly for me I felt somewhat distracted and a little bored, I do recommend that future readers take the authors disclaimer seriously, she means what she says ... Go grab it readers, enjoy. Kisses.

*Christy my friend and most trusted buddy read partner, I promised I would not DNF, so my apologies to you friend. Love you*

Additional note: I may revisit this book in the future to finish it, until then I will refrain from rating an uncompleted book.

[Pavlina Read more sleep less blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

4,5 DARK POSSESSIVE STARS


Holy Shit!!!What the hell was that????Wow!



This book is not for everyone!!It is dark and twisted...
Sebastian is not your typical alpha...he is a fucked up, sicko character...

If you like dark books with a sexy, scary, dominate anti-hero then you should read this book!



Taylor...After witnessing something she should have never seen, Sebastian asks her on a date.Sebastian is the team leader for SKALS (Special Kill And Leverage Squad)...

One date leads into a relationship..I can easily see how she became captivated by him..and I understand her because at the beginning I felt the same for him! I was irritated.Unfortunately she has no idea just what kind of darkness he keeps hidden from her until its to late...

"You are mine,Taylor and I protect what is mine.I am the only one that should ever touch you."


Seb mmmm what can I say about him???
He is possessive, controlling, manipulative!One minute he is so loving and sweet and then the next moment he is like a monster and you afraid him!!No one, was safe around him...he was like that with his sister and his mate...However I find his character very interesting!He intrigued me!!

Taylor on the other hand she is so differend..She is so sweet and loyal.But sometinmes really pissed me with her desisions!


The story moved at a good pace,the writing was great, there aren't
boring moments, and the characters development was wonderful!!.I really like Josh and Monique too and I would love to see a book about them!!

[⚔Irunía⚔ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Whoa... the story started with a bloodbath in the woods then switched randomly to a sweet modern fairytale romance only to turn gradually into a dark masochist's dreamland.

Sebastian switched from being that tender and attentive person to a batshit crazy individual who will make you piss in your pants in fear of your life (sorry for the crude details) in a span of a nanosecond. You never know when he snaps the next time which keeps you on edge in anticipation of his mood swing. I loved that about him: he acts perfectly normal when content but then he suddenly finds your smile too crooked for his taste and a big psycho animal inside of him makes an appearance at your doorstep. You never asked for it but got it regardless .

But
on a scale from 1 to 10 how frustrating can it be when such a psychotic and quite interesting male species is being paired the heroine who is as interesting as a piece of furniture? She moves to live with the man who sweeped her off her feet only to realize soon enough he is a very deranged man. Her course of action? Cooking for him incessantly and cleaning his fucking house instead of plotting her goddamn escape and grinding knives.
I have to say the story wouldn't have lost anything if the female protagonist were a chair or a table. Except perhaps the house would have been a little dirtier and the sex scenes a bit weirder.

I feel like a need to read the second book because I'm genuinely intrigued to see how the author tried to keep readers' interest and urge them to continue with the 4 books series, marked so far by an abusive relationship, a very bland heroine and a little suspense. Yet again the heroine is ruining the story for me.

[Debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Love didn't make him vulnerable. It made him all the more willing to fight."

Holy action and twistedness...

I'm not sure how best to describe this book so I'm going to keep it short and sweet.

This book has:

❥ Action.

❥ Suspense.

❥ Mystery.

❥ Romance. (but don't expect hearts and flowers...)

❥ A hot, bossy, controlling alpha male that you'll love to hate and hate to love. I went from loving him one minute to hating him the next. Sebastian is dominant, intense and scary at times and I didn't always like the way he treated Taylor but somehow I found that his love and the sweet moments he had with her, made up for his actions. He really does care about her, but because of his job and training he just doesn't always know how to best convey his emotions.

❥ A slightly naïve, young heroine who still manages to not come across as annoying or weak. Given the circumstances I think her behavior is perfectly understandable, and the fact that she's so young also explains why she's so easily led on by Sebastian's commands. Although, I would like to see her having a little more backbone and I also wanted her to stop apoligizing when she didn't even do anything wrong.

All in all, it was a perfect combination of ingredients that kept me hooked throughout the entire story and I ended up devouring it in a couple of hours. To sum it up , I would say this book is:

It was so good that I had to start the sequel right away! I have a feeling there's much more action and suspense to come in this brilliantly written series... ;-)


4.5 STARS.

[Georgia ♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dark & Twisted, Highly Manipulative and Deliciously Obsessive Stars

“Death is the only thing that could ever tear us apart, and even that would fail. Somehow, some way, I would find you.”



When you think you have read it all and you have survived triangles and polygons, cliffhangers and BDSM, a book such as this comes your way to screw with your mind and haunt your dreams. Evil and suspensful, a love story of another flavor. A hard to swallow romance about cruelty and unexpectingly, passion and once-in-a-life love that might kill you in the process.

Brace yourself and abandon all hope ye who enter here...



Young, naive and kinda doormatish, Taylor McAvay, is in trouble when saved by an agent in action. This seemingly unselfish act of mercy, will change her life forever, introduce her to darkness and obsession. But for her it has always been love and her feelings for Sebastian.

An amazing combination of cajoling and commanding. There was a raw power that rolled off the guy. Everything about him had been terrifying and mesmerizing in the same breath. Sleek, dark, and lethal. No mercy and no frills.



Special Agent Sebastian Baas is a man conditioned to complete missions that others fail. A trained killer, ruthless and insane, with a unique code of honor and a weird sense of duty, he will come to love Taylor with all his being. The only kind of love he knows is abusive and possessive. It takes and keeps taking until it breaks someone... And you can't help to love him and loathe yourself for it.



Seductive and erotic, thrilling and terrifying a story about the limits of insanity, control and its abuse, family ties and love, all consuming and terrifying.

Gritty and twisted, a loving caress and the cold steel of a gun, threatening your life and promising you forever in the same sentence. Pulling your hair and crushing your heart, kicking when you are down and giving you the hand to get back on your feet.



Non-stop action, unexpected turns and what-the-hell moments, will keep you on your toes. Even Taylor, stereotypically young and accepting, usually depicting my least favourite kind of heroine, makes sense. I came to understand her and feel for her as she is struggling to make sense of the darkness. The sheer amount of feelings and roller-coaster of emotions left me crying and exhilarated at the same time, all over the place...



Adriana Noir managed to combine different and highly explosive elements when mixed, that somehow create an unforgettable story. Until the nail biting finale, she keeps you on your toes with equal measures of sizzling chemistry, erotic scenes, death and abuse.
I am pulling my hair out and I can't wait for more Sebby, my favourite anti-hero!

[Mistress · Rating 1 out of 5]

Oh man, this book was not for me. The only emotions Sinister Kisses made me feel were disgust for Taylor for being so naive and stupid and hatred for Sebastian. I didn't like any of the characters. I hated the physical abuse. I kept asking myself if I was missing something for everyone else to love this book, as much as, I disliked it. I kept reading thinking something had to happen, but no, it didn't. There isn't one thing I can say positive about this book.

[Lana ❇✾DG Romance❇✾ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Buddy read with my Pervy


"Death is the only thing that could ever tear us apart, and even that would fail. Somehow, some way, I would find you.


ALL ABOARD!
The crazy train!

Calling all passengers! Calling all passengers!
This is your final call to board the crazy train, destination...fuck if I know!

Please be advised that you may find parts of your journey disturbing, fucked up, and probably unlike any other ride you've ever taken.

I would like to take this time to introduce you to your fellow passengers.
First, let's meet Taylor

No need to apologize just yet Taylor...or do...whatever. Passengers are advised to attempt and disregard her sporadic crying, apologizing for shit she didn't really do, and for just generally being a naive girl that will act like a wounded puppy for the duration of our trip.

Let's now move on to Sebastian, shall we?

Now now Sebby...no need to put it all out there. You're not that bad...err...actually...forget I said anything...please don't hurt me??

Passengers who value their faces as they are, are advised to not speak to, touch, or even probably speak to the general direction of Taylor.

Please also disregard any disputes between Taylor and Sebby here that may look like, or very well be abusive in nature or not consensual...this is just par of the course.

Ah, looks like they're starting early...

Whoa there Sebby! No need to over react here, I was just letting the good people know! I'm sorry! I love you?

Moving along then...
As you may have noticed, we have now reached the half way point of our journey. There will be someone walking around to collect your sanity. Kindly leave behind everything you think you know, and deal with it.

For those that don't think they can't handle this shit, I'd advise you to make your exit now


The rest of you? Good fucking luck and enjoy the ride ;)


My thoughts?
Fuck, fuckity, fucking fuck! What the fuck did I just read?!
I am all for the dark and twisted reads. I love them! But this one disturbed even me. Parts were disturbing because I sorta kinda liked them? Other parts were just plain fucking disturbing!

The writing is fantastic. The main characters? Hoo boy! I'm not gonna lie, characters like Taylor drive me almost as crazy as this book was. I'm not big on the naive, constantly crying, and weak heroines. I could deal with it, however.

Sebastian? The man is on a whole different playing field of crazy. Wow!

I truthfully don't even know how to rate this book. I wanted to hate it...and yet...I couldn't. I hated the fact that I couldn't hate it? GAWD! I don't even know! I feel like I need therapy after this.

This is definitely not a book for the faint of heart.

Will I read the next book? I have to know what happens with these crazies, so yes, I will.

I do have a sudden urge to read a whole bunch of rainbow and unicorns type books after this one. And people, I do NOT enjoy the rainbows and unicorn type books. So that should tell you something.

I still need to think on my rating...I just...I don't...I can't!
3.5 stars??

Now this girl is going to go and attempt to find my happy place again...and maybe try to get some of my sanity back?

And I thank you!


For more reviews visit: Dirty Girl Romance Book Blog

[La-Lionne · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

This is not a love story, or at least not in my eyes. It's a story about abusive relationship, psychological manipulation and power abuse.
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The story is quite interesting and is pretty good developed. The fact that half of the story is told from the abusers point of view makes it even more disturbing.

Things that I liked:

- Well written main male character. There wasn't any questions about who he was and what his intentions were. He isn't a character you will sympathize with. His thoughts and actions were disturbing to the point that it made me want to puke.

"Watching her from the corner of his eye, Sebastian smiled to himself. He was going to enjoy opening her up to new experiences."



"Taylor opened her mouth, but he silenced her with a finger and slow shake of his head.
"No," he warned. "The only words I want to hear from your mouth at this point are, 'yes, Sebastian' or 'I would be happy to, Sebastian.' Anything else is only going to piss me off. Are we clear?"

- The secondary characters (his buddies) were just as screwed up as he was.
- The whole process of him mentally controlling her was sickening, but interesting.

What I didn't like:

- The beginning felt rushed and in my opinion could have been written differently. Especially the part when he asked her to go on a date. For the life of me I could not understand why she said yes. I think if circumstances would have been different, it would have been more believable. She agreed to go on a date with him while she was held at gun point by one of his buddies, with dead bodies splattered around them. If she would have said yes out of fear, I would have understood, but she agreed because she thought he was sweet and somewhat charming (???).

- I would have liked to see her more conflicted. That would have made me sympathize with her easier. She annoyed me more often than not. I didn't get the impression that she had a very hard upbringing so I could not understand why was she trusting him so blindly.

- The most annoying thing of all was characters constantly giggling (52 freaking giggles) and chuckles (53). Beavis and Butthead much? Chuckles and giggles were escaping their mouths, ending their sentences, they bit, smothered, contained, fought, pulled back, spilled, drew back and tamped them. OMG!!



- My biggest problem with this book was the fact that it's placed under the category erotic triller. Just because you trow a bunch of sex scenes in, doesn't make it erotic. It is a triller, yes, but not an erotic one.
I think some of the authors need to get their definition of what erotic is straight. Maybe it's just me, but I don't find psychological manipulation and abuse very erotic.

With that being said, I will read the next book, because I want to know how their story ends. I just hope that the second installment is better.

[Jennifer Kyle · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Death is the only thing that could ever tear us apart, and even that would fail. Somehow, some way, I would find you.”

Taylor McAvay has to be one of the most BLAH heroines I have every read. I think perhaps this chick is a robot because she seriously has been programmed to take a beating, be constantly reprimanded like a dog, she doesn’t have a clue on how to stick up for herself and isn’t even smart enough to see it as an issue?!!!



Sebastian started off all sorts of hot in the beginning, I mean his description is pretty droolworthy.



Personally, I didn’t fear him, I think by the end of the book I got him but man oh man he needs to kicked down a few pegs because his idea of love and protection is teaching lessons physically abusive are utterly degrading. I would love to be the girl to teach a lesson or two on how you treat women.



Overall, this was a well written story, I didn’t find it that dark, there wasn’t any gasping twists. The couple's love connection was lost on me. Taylor doesn't care about her family? She doesn't care about herself just keeping Sebby happy? I would think a man like him would get bored.

This book feels like it lays the ground work for an action packed series centering around Sebastian’s TOP SECRET profession and so if you’re interested in starting a series that has bad guys under the guise of our government getting badder guys this series is for you!

"No one walks away from SKALS. Not without their consent."

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I was told this book was not your average romance, and that it was very dark--they weren't kidding! Phew! What a seriously dark and twisted sort of tale; and I LOVED every minute of it!! I am not sure what that says about me, but I am just going to go with it and continue to enjoy the terrifying world of Sebastian Baas!

Taylor is in the wrong place,at the wrong time and stumbles across something that she shouldn't. This is how she meets up with Sebastian Baas, and luckily something about her intrigues him enough that he saves her from his partner who is more than willing to kill her. He talks Taylor on going out on a first date with him, and once Sebastian realizes that Taylor is the perfect fit for him, there is no turning back for her.

This man is intense and he makes alpha males look like kitty cats! He takes control, possession, and loyalty to a whole other level. At first, it is almost romantic to think how much he is into Taylor; but he has a dark side that bleeds through. This dark side is no laughing matter, and it is flat out scary and abusive. The biggest reason that Sebastian is the way he is would appear to be his job. He needs to be cool, calm and collected to deliver the torture he is expected to do. Unfortunately, the horrors that he does through his job, tends to be seeping through into his treatment with Taylor. One would think that Taylor would run as far and fast as she can away from this sometimes terrifying man. Sebastian picked well though, and Taylor has an extreme submissive side that contributes to her deciding to stay with him. Not to mention the warning that Sebastian delivers that he won't let her go..
He is a very persuasive man, and is able to manipulate Taylor enough that she feels he is justified in his control of her.

This story is not your modern day "lovey dovey" romance. Although, when life is good between Taylor and Sebastian; it borderline's a fairy tale kind of love. But when things take a dive, look out; it isn't pretty and it is a bitter pill to swallow.
For some reason, I am sucked right into this crazy world. I also am intrigued by Sebastian's partner and sister, and would love a story on them to see what goes on behind their closed doors!!
I can't express enough how this series will not be for everyone; but if you like a dark read then do not miss out on this series. It is top quality writing, and will have you on the edge of your seat. The added bonus is that the sex is off the charts hot!!! What more can a girl ask for in a story that is raw and edgy...uh...maybe the next book and quickly!!! LOL

[Farah · Rating 1 out of 5]

Curse this book !!
This has got to be the most disgusting , vile and offensive book I've EVER read. I feel angry no actually angry isn't strong enough , I feel livid , murderous , berserk , furious .. I wanna scream like a banshee and tear furniture into pieces , yes this is how that book made me feel .. R.A.G.E
Alright let's talk about that stupid warning , it states " dark , psychological , mental manipulation and some other shit " the warning lied ... first of all : tea spoons are deeper than this book , second of all : the characters are flat and have zero connection and last but not least the pace is silly and ridiculous , this is not a dark meaningful book , this is not mental manipulation , this is a book that wants to romanticize abuse.


Saying that Taylor is the worst heroine created in the history of books is an understatement , door mat .. pushover .. TSTL ... none of those words truly describe this abomination of a heroine. Taylor is a wimp .. she's a tasteless character that has no backbone whatsoever .. as a matter of fact she's the typical abused person we see in real life .. the fear .. the apologies .. the bowing .. I have no idea how anyone could have the heart to write a heroine like that unless they planned on getting her out of her abusive relationship and make her realize just how much sh*t she got into .. you see the abuse and psycho attitude emerged right after the commitment she makes to Sebastian ... her relationship with him from the start was silly , shallow and unconvincing and that was before we see him for the pig he is but now that we know and she knows .. I can't even grasp or understand how she claims to love him .. how can anyone love a monster like that , I just don't understand .. if the book was deeper at the beginning , if we watched him sweep her off her feet , at least her attachment to him would make sense , but no there's nothing attractive about him , not a single redeeming quality NOT EVEN A HALF ONE. Sebastien abuses Taylor psychically and psychologically .. she's always in fear of angering him or not doing what he wants .. she fears expressing her opinions .. she apologizes for things like not going to sleep when he asked her to ... or forgetting something or asking a question .. there's a lot more that would take forever to list , but it's too sick and sad.


Sebastian is a psychopath .. he's the typical abusive man .. oh and he's also a murderer who has no humanity unless something other than him threatens his family and all of a sudden he has feels , the man has no heart , he kills people with no remorse , he actually looks them in the eye and shoots them in the head , " the man and his wife " scene is something I really want to forget , it was very disturbing and hearing Sebastien's thoughts made me sick .... now back to him and Taylor .. he orders her , he actually orders her ... go to bed right now and if she doesn't he threatens and terrifies her .. she wasn't wearing the necklace he bought her so he punishes her by whipping her with a belt while she screams in pain and begs him to stop ... if she wants to discuss something that he doesn't want to discuss he gets threatening , he gets angry and clearly states that he would hurt her if she doesn't stop talking .. he tells her more than once that her brain isn't needed .. her thoughts are not necessary and that she should always say " yes Sebastian " and never EVER defy him , she is not allowed to make her own decisions .. she is not allowed to question anything he says HELL she's not allowed to be an individual. The scene with Todd was one of the most disturbing scenes I have ever read .. not just because of what happened in it " Sebastien was terrifying " but because of Taylor's reaction .. even if she was somehow blind to everything happening .. blind to Sebastien's blood thirst , the abuse , his mental state .. that scene should have had her running for her life. If this all wasn't enough then here's this scene : when Taylor turns her back on him and moves away " she was upset with him " he backhands her and then he puts a gun .. yes he switches off the safety and then puts the gun to her head and tells her that this is the only way she was ever going to leave him (the scene speaks for itself)


Abuse is not a joke and most definitely isn't romance , books are not just books .. they influence us , they entertain us , they might anger us or change our perspective towards something , this book is not something that should be accepted just because it's fiction , we might make excuses to some of the characters we love in books (I do that sometimes) but there's a limit to the things we can excuse and this book has exceeded that limit by millions of miles away.
I always finish books , if it's a trilogy I'd finish it no matter how much I hated it but I'm not touching the rest !! The only thing I wanna do with this book is throw it into an inferno and watch it burn with a smile on my face.

[Jamie *Gypsy Smut-a-teer* · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm going to start out with this from the blurb...
**DISCLAIMER** This is NOT your average romance. It's a dark, gritty, sometimes erotic psychological thriller with a heavy emphasis on plot. It also contains elements of dominance and discipline with dubious consent, psychological conditioning, and mental manipulation. There’s also gunfire and violence. If any of this offends you, this may not be the book for you. Intended for mature audiences only.

Don't take this disclaimer lightly, it is just as it says. This is a darker read that you won't be getting hearts and flowers from, unless you catch Sebastian in a sweet, giving, mood, and ultimately you better be on his good side as well. With all of that said, I FREAKING LOVED THIS BOOK. It was completely unlike anything I have read lately and literally had me hanging on every word, just wondering what sort of chaos would happen next.

Meet My "Special Agent" Sebastian


"That's the funny thing about life. You never know who is watching and where it might lead. Look at us. One minute I'm involved in a heavy operation. The next I'm staring into your eyes, wondering where this beautiful woman came from."

I really, really want to love this guy. The problem is Sebastian down right scares the pants off me. No, I'm not kidding, this guy is intense, he's like the anti-hero of all anti-heros. Run the other direction if he comes your way, but don't plan on getting away because he can and will find you. He is part of a secret organization, and has been conditioned for years to have no sympathy, starting with being in the army then being recruited into the FBI and now his current job. Years of training has made him ruthless, with no regrets, and no apologies for his actions. I think you get my point, scary dude.

"I have zero tolerance for disrespect. I expect more from my family, and I definitely expect more from you. Don't keep pushing me, Taylor. I will run things as I see fit, especially in my own home. Do you understand me? Don't talk back. Don't argue. Just listen and take those warnings to heart because I won't give them again."

Meet Taylor


"Trust me, Just trust me and let me love you the way you love me. I don't want things. I want you and I want you to trust me enough to be the man you said you wanted to be. That's who I fell in love with."

This poor girl never had a chance. The story begins with Taylor on her knees with a gun held to her head. Turns out she was just in the wrong place at the wrong time, but she has seen too much and it will cost her life. Just flat out bad luck, but then Sebastian steps in and saves her...or does he. Sebastian goes on to ask Taylor out to dinner, and at first she says no, but she can tell no isn't an option so decides to just to go with it. From the very beginning, Taylor can sense Sebastian has a dark side, she just doesn't know how dark that side really is. After that first dinner date goes really well, Sebastian and Taylor start dating, everything goes really well for a while, but Sebastian starts urging Taylor to move in with him. It all seems too soon to her so she declines, but after a drive by shooting at her apartment, her choice is all but taken away from her and Sebastian convinces Taylor now is the time to move in.



Sebastian is controlling, short tempered, and very edgy. I'm talking this guy can change moods like a flip of a switch. Taylor soon learns this after a horrible misunderstanding and starts being cautious around him. But Sebastian loves Taylor and tries to hide his darker side from Taylor, but slowly over time things keep happening and his darker side comes out little by little. Let's just say Christmas Eve was a huge disaster, to say in the least, and ultimately sends everything else spiraling out of control. Just a huge advice from me, when you go to Sebastian's house follow the rules, ha, don't disrespect him and never, whatsoever do you ever, touch what's his, especially Taylor. Unless you don't like your face...hint hint. Okay but that's all I'm spilling. My reaction...lol



I feel like I'm saying the same thing over and over about Sebastian, but I just want that to be out there, so people don't start this book expecting one thing and getting another and then hating it because of that. This book deserves recognition, it's such a complicated, dark, raw, gritty read. Yes, there are times of abuse and violence, the disclaimer says that. Not a shocker. Yes, 75% of the time I was screaming in my head, "RUN, TAYLOR, RUUUNNNN" but once she hit Sebastian's radar she couldn't get away even if she wanted to, and Sebastian made that very clear around 89%. LOL, just read my updates. They all pretty much start with OMG or F bombs, but as the book goes on it gets darker and more intense and I'm going to say this again, I FREAKING LOVED IT. It's not for everyone, if you don't like violence or abuse just don't start it. You'll be highly disappointed and give it a bad rating and I just don't want that for this book.

Sebastian is crazy, lol. No, not in that sense, but I just mean it's a crazy ride. He's hot and he's cold. You don't cross him. He only gives you one warning of what he expects and if you don't get that warning there will be punishment. I'll just say one scene made Christian Grey and a belt seem like a sweet puppy. The thing is, Sebastian wants to be the guy Taylor deserves. Thank goodness, it's duel POV or Sebastian would be hated, because he really does love Taylor, it's just that his need for control and lack of sympathy overpowers everything else.



Taylor has to be Sebastian's soul mate. She has to be, because some of the things that go down between them, would have me running like the wind, even though I know he would find me and punish me, I would have to try. She's brave in her own way. Yes, she caves and just gives him everything that he wants, she's submissive so it's in her nature for starters, also she knows she doesn't have much choice, she's trapped, but she still loves him unconditionally. How she walks after some of their sex scenes is beyond me, especially that first time, but hey, I give her dibs. I know I normally like my heroines fiesty and smart mouthed, but I realize in this book, Taylor doesn't have that option, and if she tried to pull that off she would suffer the consequences. Speaking of Consequences, if you like that book this book is one for you too. Just had to put that in there, lol, because I thought that the entire time I was reading it.

"It doesn't matter how you got yourself into this, cupcake. There's no getting out."~Josh

Go grab this book people. I don't know much more else to say without further repeating myself. It has lots of suspense, violence, and sex. When I mentioned Christian Grey earlier don't confuse it with BDSM. Sebastian is more of punishment and control. Sebastian and Taylor love each other, I just think that Sebastian has been conditioned for so long, he shows it the only way he knows how. He has found something to love and he holds onto it no matter what, even if he has to force her to stay. He's terrified of losing her he just has a different way of showing it, and sometimes the way he does things are ass backward but that's his way. I think he's misunderstood. I could actually go on and on, but I don't even know if this makes any sense, I feel like I have just rambled, but there it is, lol. I love this series and as soon as I run some errands I'm jumping right back into the next book. :)

[Fatima · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 menacingly-sexy stars !!!

“Please don’t hate me,” he begged, his voice breaking. “Please.”
She shuddered as she fought to hold back a sob of her own. Sebastian’s body trembled. His breath came in shaky spurts.
“I don’t hate you, Sebastian. I hate the things you have to do, but I love you.”
“Please don’t leave. Don’t ever leave me. Promise me, Taylor, promise me.”
She reached around his arms to cradle his face. “I promise.”
“I need you. I love you so much. Please don’t do that to me. I couldn’t take it.”



Holy fuckin shit ! This book is one big CLUSTERFUCK !

I'm gonna do a full review after I'm done with book 2 !

I .... I .... I'm just a lost kitten right now !

[♥Trish♥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hate myself for loving this book so damn much..Dark doesn't even begin to cover it. Take the authors warning to heart before you crack the cover! I didn't even look at it before I started, I just thought oh, yummy alpha male...LMAO! Soooo not what I thought.

This book is harsh. Seb is a first class asshole. I've never wished a male lead character dead as much as I did Seb. This book is all about mental/physical conditioning. I feel horrible I like a book with abuse in it, but, it is a book and it fits the story the author is brilliantly putting forward.

I can't tell you the range of emotions this book brought out in me. I'm astounded. I've never cringed so much while reading a book. I did debate putting it down, but the story was so gripping I couldn't.

Well done. I've devoured both books in the series in less than 72 hours, with little sleep, late to work from missing my alarm Fri morning....and I don't regret a minute.

I can only pray the author will keep writing about Seb's group, especially Josh, his story has got to be good, and I imagine he is so much different than Seb.

[Kirsten]

DNF @ 55%

Okay. So I can do possessive males, in fact I practically salivate for them.
Give me a dark and brooding asshole, and I am on board.
Even in EXTREME cases I've been known to fawn over the abusive male (thank you very much, Mr Anthony Rawlings).

I could not go any further with this couple, however. Sebastian was not likable, and I found him to be too mentally abusive. I think this was well written, but I could not find myself feeling anything for this hero, and that is something I need. The fact that Taylor, the heroine, just took it all in stride bugged me. Everything about them just felt off. I also wasn't too impressed by the sex. When you are skimming the sex scenes just to get some excitement, you know it's time to jump ship.

I've been wanting to read this for a very long time, so I'm a little bummed out. :( My GR friends who have the same taste, mostly gave 4+ stars. So don't let my lack of enjoyment deter you in reading.

[Ivy H · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review of book read years before.

This is book one in a four book series and I must say that Sebastian Bass is the most fucked up heroes ever. LOL. This guy takes obsession and possessiveness to the ultimate level. He actually scarred a guy in the face and disfigured his eye because the guy touched the heroine's ass and said crude things about her. Sebastian was so cold at times. Damn I almost wondered if he was a cyborg. When he's good, he's very very good and when he's bad he's just crazy. This novel and the 3 that follow are not for those who only read about light and happy heroes. After reading this novel. I had to rush to begin the sequel just to discover what the future had in store for Sebastian and Taylor. I also found Josh had a lot of potential for a book of his own and wished he hadn't been paired with Monique just so he could get his own separate story. I know some readers found Sebastian a little too crazy at times but I just enjoyed reading this.

[Carol (StarAngel's Reviews) Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Right now I'm totally speechless about the shit I just read. The book started out by not really holding my attention and I decided to take a break and watch "Orange is the New Black" instead but I went back to this book last night and I'm happy that I did!

I keep asking myself "what the fuck just happened?" Was that real? How the hell could Taylor continue a realationship with Seb? Is this what the world is coming to, where woman are so fucking weak? I totally wanted to slap the shit out of her myself during this book and wake her the fuck up. Iwas so frustrated with her .....ugh. I still am.

Now Seb on the other hand, I so hated him through most of the story but then I found myself loving him , but then right back to hating him again. I understand some of the things he had to do but he really pushed the limits of normal with his possesiveness, jealously, rage and control. You would think that after the childhood he had, he would be a little less violent with women. The one positive characteristic about Seb is his capacity to love and fuck......Whew .... STEAMY!!!

I'm off to read the next in this series and see if Taylor can finally grow some balls and maybe Seb can lose his some!

[Sara · Rating 2 out of 5]

This whole series was a roller coaster, I couldn't handle the abuse which the heroine received from the H. I guess the author did warn us so I have no right to complain lol. I just hated how he would abuse her for small things then tell her his reasoning for it, like okkk buddy. I hated the heroine too. She was too weak, she took the abuse then kept going back without a fight. At least give me a strong heroine in this situation so I can deal with the book...

Overall I didn't hate the whole series, I did enjoy the third and forth book. I think the only problem with the book was the abuse otherwise it would of been five stars from me as the series is pretty good.

[♡kitten♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Update 8/25/2021: 5 Stars after a Re-Read.
I haven't read anything great lately so I always end up either re-reading series or standalones in my library or spending hours scouring GR for similar books right up my alley. SKALS is my comfort series and my go-to book whenever I'm in the mood for intense, hella obsessive and super scary heroes like Sebastian which is why, in this case, I'm giving it 5 stars. Hehe <3

---

4 Sinister Stars.



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

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

My Thoughts:

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

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

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



Sinister Kisses is the first book to the SKALS series. Basically, in the first half of the book, we get to see how Sebastian and Taylor's relationship progresses since their encounter in the woods. From going out to dinner to bringing Taylor in his home, things between them pretty much started to get intimate. Sebastian's relentless pursuit of Taylor only showed how overly possessive he can be when it comes to the girl he only has his eyes for. Though their relationship was like a whirlwind, to say the least. I wish we get to see more of the build-up between these two. And when an incident happened in Taylor's apartment that almost put her into danger, Sebastian manipulated Taylor into moving in with him.

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

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

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

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

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

Though being with Sebastian doesn't mean that she knew everything about him, especially about SKALS.

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

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

The 2nd half of the book consists of how Sebastian and Taylor will keep their relationship intact and will prove how far their love for each other would go with the watchful eyes of Marx and the dark looming shadows of SKALS just behind them, and an enemy that threatens to endanger them both.



Adriana Noir is such a brilliant writer. I love how she portrayed her characters especially Sebastian, being the true anti hero that he was. I have read books that were a lot darker than this one, but there's something about Ms. Noir's writing that had me over the edge. I love this author's dark, twisted mind. And I hope she would continue to write more books.

This series will always be a re-read for me. And I'd recommend it to anyone who loves to read dark erotic thrillers and those who would survive a dangerous man like Sebastian. You know what they say, I suggest you strap yourselves in, for you're going to a bumpy ride in hell. ;)

[Beverly · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 HELLAR Stars

Once upon a time lived a big bad wolf named Sebastian. Now Seb wasn’t like normal wolves, no he was handsome, mysterious, and lived in a far away mansion…on the good side of town. One day while doing god knows what in the woods with his scary partner Josh, he comes across a girl. Not just any girl, a special, innocent, virgin Taylor. As you know these virgins are mythical creatures and he realizes he must have her.

STOP...


Let me tell you this story is no fairy tale, Sebastian is a controlling, arrogant, self-righteous ass. He is also caring, compassionate, and protective - TO AN EXTREME. While reading this I felt like a ping pong ball, going back and forth to justifying his actions to hating him with a passion.


In the end…I learned the Sebastian isn’t for me. In my opinion he is abusive and while a lot of people can justify his behavior to me the means didn’t justify the ends.

Oh and Taylor…sweet, sweet Taylor…RUN FOR YOUR LIFE!


Lastly: The writing is phenomenal, and Sebastian is a difficult character to write so I commend the author for her amazing writing. Ms. Noir is amazing in her ability to make sane women fall in love with a man like Sebastian...


Disclaimer: I am probably more sensitive to girlfriend/boyfriend abuse then most. I am sure a lot of people will be okay with Sebastian's actions, it just wasn’t for me. Please do not let me stop you from reading this book.

[Mallory · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Why do I like this stars



That girl on the right... the one who looks half excited and half scared? That was me pretty much the entire book. I can't say I've ever read a romance quite like this.

There are alpha males and then there's Sebastian Baas. He takes the term alpha male, and just bitch slaps it



He scared me the majority of the book, and had me praying Taylor would just leave him. Or at least grow a backbone. And I can't say I've ever wanted that to happen before. The leaving, not the backbone. Taylor is so sweet and compliant that I do truly think she's Sebastian's other half. She complements Seb's cold harshness. They worked together for the most part. I just felt like she apologized constantly for things she never did.

There are things about Seb that I can't say I would ever see myself being accepting of. He's a controversial hero (anti-hero?) and I can totally see where others are turned off and would cry abuse. I mean, I don't even know if I should like this. Would I accept his behavior IRL?



But it works for me in the context of lala romance book land. That's all I can truly say about this book. That and read it for yourself!

[Esther · Rating 4 out of 5]

Have to process this and formulate a review.

[JaHy☝Hold the Fairy Dust · Rating 4 out of 5]

*** 3.5 PSYCHOTIC STARS*** I think a much needed head examination is due, after the fuckery I just witnessed on E- paper. Woo-Woo-Woo! Where do I begin?.. How do I begin?.. Who do I begin with?.. DO YOU SEE WHAT THIS BOOK HAS DONE TO ME?

Alright, let’s start with the main source of my heartburn shall we? Sebastian. I don't know if I love him, hate him, love to hate him, want to kill him or want to fuck the living shit out of him. ( okay, that last one is a yes for sure). Let me give you a visual of my assurance..



My brain knows I should despise this man but my vajayjay refuses such a notion. He is cruel, jealous, arrogant, a selfish bastard to say the least BUT he's also romantic, great with kids, devoted,protective and most importantly ONE SEXY ASS SON OF A BITCH!!. There is a reason behind the madness, you may want to give up before finding out what it is. I ask that you finish SINISTER KISSES and decide your fate from there..

Now, onto his girlfriend Taylor. I HATE HER!!!.. There are no words in the English language to explain the enormity of her ignorance. Folks, I don’t call myself the heroine hitmadam for nothing. I whole heartedly admit to having zero patience for naïve woman and this character was no exception. I found myself shaking my kindle in hopes that Taylor would feel it. She let him walk all over her and said thank you when he was finished. The majority of readers will not be bothered by her but I’m a BITCH--- I own it.

I enjoyed this book more than any sane person has the right to. Maybe its because I was reading it with my bestie. Perhaps Mrs. Noir is truly that brilliant (most definitely) or option C, my ass really is that damn twisted ...Its a mixture of the 3.

If I may make a suggestion?.. Find someone to read it with. The amount of rage you will have with this story should really be shared with a friend. I look forward to reading more books in the series and to my mindfuck chasers out there, I say "FUCK YEAH"!!!

This book is Mrs. Hardy approved (me!)

[✝✝ Ⓓaisy ❣ ✝✝ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good story, love the plot, the mystery and the suspense.
Of course added with HAWT Seb <3




What was desperately lacking was their chemistry and that was a major put off for me!
I was hoping it would get better, but something about their relationship I couldn't feel her love.
It feels that she is with him for comfort and his hottness. GAH!

[LenaRibka · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a big fan of dark, gritty erotic psychological thrillers with an obsessive strong alpha male.
As I’ve read the description I knew that it is one of those must-read-books for me.
And this story delivers EXACTLY what the description and the warning said.
Taylor and Sebastian met each other purely coincidental, thought not under normal conditions as a usual couple. He was “at work” and she crossed unwanted his field of activity. Actually nobody just walks into Sebastian’s work area, because he is not a normal man, he is a team leader of a lethal, underground organization known as SKALS. Taylor was lucky that she survived. But could she count herself luckily? She found herself very quickly caught in an abusive relationship that she will never be able to escape. Sebastian developed into a possessive, obsessive, controlling freak with a major temper; he is dark and dangerous and he’ll never let her go. Is there a way out this trap for Taylor?

“It doesn't matter how you got yourself into this, cupcake. There's no getting out."

I tried to dislike Sebastian, hey he was meant to be a dark demon with all anti-hero issues one can imagine. One minute he was tender, passion and full of love, the next second his domineering possessiveness turns to violence and hate. But I love my men alpha and if they are as intense as Sebastian I am lost. And he is intense, in all of his disturbing and provoking emotions. He tries to change himself for Taylor though it is not that easy for him. Is his dark side may be just a hard shell to defense his sensitive soft core?

I was hooked into the story from the very beginning and finished the book almost in one day. It was absolutely impossible to put this book down. It is for sure not a traditional romance/love story, but it is excellent and brilliant in a way it is written and keeping me constantly on edge!

I am moving on to the second book! I'm so excited and nervous to see what happens next!.

My casting for Sebastian:




..and Taylor:



Yes, there is a very small spoiler for me, though I have to mention it. Since Wallbanger I hate the word “giggle”, it ruined the book for me. And I did it hard with too much giggles for my taste in this book too. It is the only reason I gave the book 4, 8 instead of 5 stars.

[Midnight Bloom · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is the aftermath of books like Twilight and 50 Shades of Gray. Abusive "alpha" males dressed up as tortured romantic heros and young women swoon thinking it's "true wuv". Uh, it's not. Sebastian is nothing more than a typical abuser. This is the story of how a woman gets indoctrinated into a domestic violence relationship.

If you read the "disclaimer" and were hoping for some kind of sophisticated non-con read, you're out of luck. The author doesn't have the skill to pull it off. Taylor giggles about 5 billion times throught the book. Sebastian runs his hair through his unruly curls about 4 million times. It's boring. This is more like a YA cautionary tale of how not to become an abused girlfriend.

Sebastian is nothing more than a bully and Taylor is an unsophisticated doormat who can't spot the most basic warning signs. She isn't savvy enough to negotiate her way into (or out of) any type of consensual bdsm or D/s situation, so this book is really just about abuse by a bully. Neither of them have any redeeming qualities. What saddens me the most is any young woman reading this and thinking, "I want a man like Sebastian!" Barf. Disturbing read.

[Ginette · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 This has to be one of the most intense reads I've ever come across! It is fast pace with intense situations & a very intense main character. I would probably piss my pants in fear if I sat next to him at a party!!!..lol
Now I did like the storyline & subplots, but I felt there wasn't enough description & explanations around them. That is my own opinion. I'm very impatient in know the WHY's. I want to get to know Sebastian, so yes I'll be reading bk 2 & 3!! This book will make you absolutely hate him & love him at the same time. I know how is that possible! But it is. I don't have a big connection to Taylor the female main character in this story. I find her character very poor in lots of areas. I just don't understand her. As for the supporting cast I find the author did a good job with their character developments.
Again this is just my opinions....cheers!