Until We Burn

Beautifully Broken #2.5

by Courtney Cole

Dominic Kinkaide does bad, bad things.

As a 24-year old actor with the world on a string, not many women tell Dominic no. In a life where no doesn’t exist, he stretches the boundaries between what is right, what is wrong and what is downright depraved. Dark and damaged, Dom wants no commitments.

He wants no attachments.

He only wants to disappear into the taboo, into a place where he feels something.

Anything.

But when the aching need to disappear into the darkness is the only thing he has left, Dominic flounders. In a world that is hollow and sexual, without a guiding light or a reason to breathe, Dominic is lost and broken. He knows he’ll never be fixed. So he makes a decision.

If he’s going to hell, he might as well make it worth it.

********
UNTIL WE BURN is a novella (book 2.5 in the Beautifully Broken series) intended to introduce Dominic Kinkaide, to enhance the reading experience of BEFORE WE FALL (Book 3). Please note that because Dom's lifestyle is wild, this novella contains graphic content and adult material.

Genres: New Adult, Romance, Novella, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Erotica, Young Adult

84 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 21, 2013

About the author

Courtney Cole is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling novelist who loves to eat your emotions for breakfast.

She believes in the power of blonde hair dye and red lipstick, and that a well-timed smile can save the world.

Learn more about Courtney and her books at www.courtneycolecreates.com

Find her on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/#!/courtneyc...

Reviews

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Dominic-Fucking-Kinkaide Stars.



Ladies, it’s time to meet Dominic Kinkaide.

“There will be no blacks, no whites, and no rights, no wrong.
I’ll do what feels good, without regard to what society might think.
Because I’m Dominic Fucking Kinkaide...and that’s what I do.”

This novella introduces us to Dominic who we’ll get to know a little bit better in Before We Fall. This gives us a taste of just who he is and how he lives. He’s dark, broken and a serious bad boy.



Courtney Cole has brought us the broken, damaged and some jerks in the past, but Dominic takes the cake. He takes what he wants, the way he wants it, after all there is no woman that would be able to resist him.

This short little glimpse into his lifestyle and personality sets up the next book perfectly. It is just enough to ensure that you want to know more about his dark side and if he can be pulled back into the light. A hot little read that was the same, yet different (style wise) from what I’ve grown to expect from Courtney Cole’s writing.

[Quinn's Quippy Quotes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been on a huge book hangover since finishing If You Leave. It gutted me and I've been struggling to move on to Before We Fall. Not now. Not after reading this. I'm driving right it!!

[maria.g · Rating 2 out of 5]

well ! i had already read Before we fall and i did not know what to feel for Dominic but now we get his story and why he is this way but i think this was not necessary but it sure was enlightening on his character sketch.and i dis like the book but it was a bit too crude for me.So aside from liking Dominic a bit more or rather understanding him a bit more the book was not for me.but as always lest talk about drama, 5 stars !!!!

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

I may love dominic but boy oh boy he really is the ultimate broken bad boy. Damn there is an Emma involved in his destruction.
Reading about backdoor sex makes me feel dirty - I know it must be my age ;)

OMG there is messed up and then there is Dominic Kincaide. Courtney uses this short story to show the emotional and mental state that Dominic is in. Hints of the past that have shaped him into this person whet the appetite for the full length novel published in December.

Dominic isn’t particularly likeable, at this point he has few redeeming features. His celebrity status enhances his disregard for other people and to be completely honest you can understand why. Women throw themselves at him, degrading themselves which does nothing to restore Dominic’s faith in human nature. With everything (and I do mean everything) there for the taking is it any wonder that Dominic turns to kinky shenanigans in order to feel something.

Dominic embraces his lifestyle wholeheartedly, yet there is a hint of vulnerability to him with the pendant he carries and the story behind that and his relationship to the mysterious Emma (yes my heart leapt into my mouth at the name). Being completely honest, certain intimate acts described left me feeling the need for a hot shower to wash away the feelings of dirt (it’s probably my age), yet the story is so compelling; it’s like watching a horrific car crash, you know it’s going to make you squirm yet you can’t drag your eyes away from it.

I cannot wait for Before We Fall, I need to know what happened to make Dominic the way he is and if he ever receives redemption.

[Franchise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hated it until I read the full story. I would suggest reading "Before We Fall" first and then maybe this, so you don't hate Dominic so bad that you have a hard time accepting him in the full length novel.

[Katya2007 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice novella leading up to Dom's full story. Love Courtney Cole and read everything she writes! Great series!

[Kenya Wright · Rating 2 out of 5]

short read.
2 stars just because i didn't get it.
Lovely writing however.

Two friends told me I should read the next book because it's about this hero and it will all make more sense. I'm enjoying the series so I will give the next book a try.

[Hbeebti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow I wasn't expecting that. What a naughty book. I will getting Dominic's book asap.

[Eleanor · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have a feeling Courtney Cole loves Dominic Kinkaide so much, she made the excuse of wanting to gift her readers with a novella with a backstory of the handsome, kinky, bad boy – just so that she can write more Dom.

But you know what? Lucky us! *points at self and grins*

This is going to be short and sweet, in a kinky, cold and brutal kind of way.

Dominic is fucked up beyond belief. He has a great public image, but he is a seriously disturbed and kinky individual. He loves sex, he loves women, he loves sexual satisfaction and he especially loves watching. But his kink is driven by self abstinence of a sort. Or vice versa? I’m not so sure.

Dominic shows some redeeming personality qualities which make him an intriguing contradiction, so again – at this point I don’t know why he’s so cold and dark. But what I do know is that he treats the one woman in his life with whom he’s sexually involved on a semi-regular basis, like trash.

Whether or not she deserves it is not really the question here.

Why that is? This is the 64 million dollar question! And an answer to that we get in Before We Fall, the third novel in the Beautifully Broken series, released December 3rd, 2013.

Until We Burn is not a must read before reading Before We Fall. However, I recommend spending the hour it takes to read it just to get a deeper feel of the extent to which Dominic is damaged. Also, I absolutely loved him right off the bat. There’s something about those kinky boys.

This review and others can be found on The Book Hammock!

[Gayatri · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a quick read novella which gave us an insight on Dominic's life and the fame. This book fully demonstrated how screwed up dominic was and everyone should stay away from him at first sight. But for some reason, I still couldn't dislike Dominic. I just felt extreme pity for him because he thought he deserved this screwed up life, he didn't want anything more because he thought he would cause pain to everyone and find that sad not something to dislike him by. Situations brought him to the nasty person he had become and hopefully situations would bring him back But a nice insight on the next book.

[20012206 · Rating 2 out of 5]

La verdad no sé que decir, no me mato pero si me dio idea de la vida de Dominic, no sé si hubiera sido mejor haberme leído la novela siguiente como para tenerle cariño a Dom, y aguantarse lo idiota que es en este libro

[Cinta · Rating 5 out of 5]

GOSH, talk about a male SLUT!

[SN the Viking · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice prequel to the next book in this series, it is well written and make you see into the heroes nasty way of life so you get where he is coming from.

[Yamna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I LOVE LOVE LOVE Dominic. But i really wish he didn't have a story with Jacey cause i hate her :-(

[AliciaJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like this guy! He's a very naughty boy and I can't wait to see what else he gets up to in the next book.

[Juli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well damn!!! That graphic content warning was no joke, I can’t even believe what I was reading. Dominic has some major demons that’s for sure, but we only get a glimpse into his darkness in this novella. His full story will be told in Before We Fall and I really can’t wait to see what is in store for him.

I haven’t read the previous books in this series and I wasn’t lost reading this novella; not certain if that remains the same for Before We Fall.

Who is Emma? What did she do to Dominic?

[Amur3n · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not needed as s prequel and not that interesting

[Michelle Dietrich · Rating 5 out of 5]

A short but great book

[Karla · Rating 1 out of 5]

I guess this was a record: I read the first line via Amazon “Look inside”, thought “Nope” and clicked off.

[Lizzie the Book Hoarder · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dominic is a broken soul who is empty inside. he uses meaningless hookups to ignore reality for a while. I cannot wait to see his love story.

[Desi · Rating 3 out of 5]

leído en Diciembre

2.75 estrellas

[Lauren - SERIESous Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

I definitely should have read this before Dom's book since this didn't do much for me now years later. Lots of kinky sex but not much else; some sprinkles of depth but nothing is elaborated on.

[Shirley Frances · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dominic is a movie star used to getting his way. He likes what he likes and doesn't care about anyone but himself and his family. His kink is what has been keeping him feeling something for the last few years, but he doesn't think it's working anymore. Yet he continues with his conquests, fulfilling his need for pleasure and release.

Damn that Dominic and his kinky ways!

I'm so glad I got to know Dominic before I started reading his full story because I think that his behavior might have shocked me just a bit. Not that it was so over the top, but not what I was expecting from Courtney Cole, that's for sure!

I loved him! Hell, I even enjoyed his arrogant side. But it was those few moments when he let his guard down that did it for me. I'm more than intrigued by his story and I can't wait to meet the woman who will get under his skin and change his ways (well, hopefully not ALL of them!).

All in all, a very insightful read to prepare me for what's to come in Before We Fall.

If You Stay (Beautifully Broken #1)
If You Leave (Beautifully Broken #2)

[Patti K · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not sure how much this was necessary to read Before We Fall. It gives a little background on Dominic, and I guess since we'd never met him before and he had no connections to other characters in the series, I can understand the thought process behind the story. And I bought it and read it. BUT. I'd already read a bit of Before We Fall when I tossed this into the mix, and I don't think it made much difference. Maybe the explanation for Amy's attitude on the plane made a lot more sense if you knew what happened in Amsterdam. And I guess if you see just how truly depraved Dom had become before he met Jacey, his own character development is more apparent. It's just not necessary. If we'd gotten more insight into what happened with Emma, why he hated Cris, seen more interaction with Sin and Duncan, then it might have been more crucial.

Bottom line, for the content, the impact on Before We Fall isn't enough that it's imperative to read this before you read that book. I think Dominic grows enough from his first scenes, that he has enough interaction with Sin and Cris in that narrative and that it really doesn't matter what he did to Amy (though, damn, that was harsh. Unfortunately necessary to go to that level but YIKES!) But if you love Courtney Cole and you want to read this, go for it. It was a very quick read and it did give a little extra background.

[tyrianpurple · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Dominic Kinkaide stars!

# 5 stars for enjoyment quantity :: drools worthy hero, wet-my-panties sex scene, kinky stuff, hooked-me-up plot, hint of broken and dark story ahead

# 3 stars for literature quality :: few beautiful phrase, no smart dialogue, no inspiring idea, no strong character

its male POV! and not your ordinary hero, but a famous actor with famous rockstar as brothers. a Dominic Kinkaide who enjoys kinky sex, but surprisingly havent had vaginal sex eversince 6 years ago, since Emma. seems this novella is that kind of books which combine between the mildly impressive character with somewhat shocking plot to build the entirely story flow.

are u curious? because i am. this novella basically tell us a brief insight of how wild and kinky Dom's life as a famous actor. give us a hint about something dark that he did back then, when he still a 18 y.o boy with Emma. this darkness hint gradually fed up starts from half end of novella. one hint at every part, but still it ends on the big question of what actually the darkness were? nah, this is what made me give 5 stars for enjoyment.

the heroin, however is not the Emma who mentioned so eagerly in this novella. the heroin is Jacey, from what i read in Before We Fall excerpt. Jacey did not at all make apperance in this novella, but i suspect that Dom will meet her at his bro party back home in Chicago. okay lets see..

Dominic Kinkaide. sigh.. he made it to my fave hero list, yet i havent read his real story.

[Derna · Rating 4 out of 5]

All I can say is wow!! Until We Burn was a great way to get introduced to the crazy antics, and the mind set of Dominic kindaide, and it certainly leaves an impression.

“No one controls Dominic kindaide. Not anymore. I don’t have a heart left to control”

Dominic may have a great public image, but it’s just an act. He is one serious messed up kinky person who is an arrogant, cold-hearted asshole. But as his story slowly started to unfold you could see that he is just going thought the motions, and all is not what it seems. You get some hints that something from his past has left him damaged, and broken and the reason he acts the way he does.

“None of then not one will ever see the real Dominic Kinkaid. If fact I’m not even sure that he excite anymore.”

I Love this little sexy novella from Courtney Cole it doesn’t pull any punches and doesn’t disappoint. I love the way she was able to get me to dislike and love Dominic all at the same time.

You don’t have to read Until We Burn before you read Before We Fall, but I’m glad I did as it increase my eagerness to want to read Before We Fall and find out the answers to questions like. What is the meaning about the pendant that he carries in his pocket, and who is Emma?

I can’t wait get the full story on Dominic kindaide this sexy broken bad boy.

[Michele at A Belle's Tales · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dominic, Dominic, Dominic. Dominic Kinkaide isn't just a bad boy... no... he's THE bad boy. Ruler of all bad boys in the land of bad-onia. I mean, his last name includes the word "kink," and I don't think that's just a coincidence. I didn't find this little novella until after I had already read Before We Fall, but I still wanted to read Dom's introduction. I'm glad it worked out that way because if you know Dominic's true story, then this book will just make your heart hurt for the real Dominic Kinkaide as you read the specifics about the dark path that this broken boy chooses to take. Dominic is not for everyone. He is not warm and snuggly -- he makes a porcupine seem cuddly by comparison. I don't like his lifestyle or most of the people he surrounds himself with or the fact that they enable him. But I do like Dominic -- the Dominic that is buried deep inside this tragic impostor. You won't get the full story until Before We Fall, but you will get to see just how far this character has fallen. Take heed of the note above. This is not for youngsters. This book gets graphic, and Dom is one dirty bird. But when you see just how low Dom sinks, it makes his climb to absolution that much sweeter.

Review originally published at A Belle's Tales.

[Tangled in Text · Rating 1 out of 5]

I downloaded this for free when there was a special on Amazon to my Kindle app. Saying that I'm hoping that the downloadable copy that I received is different from the hardcopies and other downloads out there because there was so many errors in mine that it was distracting.
Some examples:
"I shake my head at thought of Amy Ashby, a woman whose fame is equal to my own, a woman whose jaded outlook on life surpasses even my own."
"She's also a cold-hearted bitch. It's one of things I like about her."
""Seriously?" She stares at me as drop into the driver's seat."
"Trust me, it's for your own good. I won't call you because I want to you protect you from that."
""I'm sorry," I tell them. "I didn't meant offend you."
"And if I'm going to hell for all the shit that I do, I might as well make the crime fits the punishment."
"Glancing down, I see that it's her panties, a tiny piece of silk and lace meant to turn to me on."
"She would horrified if she knew I was here, if she knew how far I've fallen into the darkness."

The book was sex. Every page was sex and not real sex but kinky thrown together pieces that was not a story. This was my first read from this author and I have no interest in reading another if it's about abuse and anal constantly with such a lack of a story line.

Read more at bookfix.weebly.com

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay so this short novella is an introduction to Dominic Kinkaide who lest face it is an uber bad boy, and who here doesn't LOVE bad boys????
Anywho we get a look into Dom’s life before “Before we Fall” and the kink in this is in high doses. You really don’t HAVE to read this novella with the rest of the series, I didn’t read it before starting Before we Fall and I was fine but it does give you a little more insight to Dominic. I honestly started reading it right after I finished Before we Fall just because I like Dom’s character progression and wanted to see just how far he came from then until present.

I must say that Dom has come a long way from Until we Burn to the end of Before we Fall…
There are some things in this book that are referenced in the next book that you won’t get unless you read this book but they aren't really relevant things; i.e. what actually happened in Amsterdam with Sin, and how did things really end between Amy and Dom that makes her so extremely angry with Dom.
In case you’re wondering the whole reason Amy is out for blood with Dom and why Sin got in trouble are NOT related per say other than they both happened in Amsterdam.

[Sheilalalalala · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 stars

I was reading 'before we fall' earlier got a little bored and a little confused (remember my history of forgetting things? Yeah, it stroke again...this...err...memory gap thing sucks in reading...especially with series. Damn. Although if the series were that good: good plot, good characters, good writing, good pacing--Yep, I'll definitely remember...IF that got my attention and I really paid for it, that is.) that's why I checked it out here in goodreads if the reviews were great for the third book of the series then I found out that there was a novella for the hero...I put on hold the third book and read this first since it will...err...introduce him as the new character in series, who he is and why he was like that.

Now. Now. It's the I didn't liked it...I didn't hated it kind of thing. It's just, Meh. Okay. Nice to know. stuff and...not really a fan of soooo messed up characters with bad boy facade, so, I guess, it will be interesting what will be my reading journey for the third book knowing that the heroine and the hero have that kind of personalities. Let's see if I'll like the third book, eh? Hmmm.