Dark Facade: The End To Darkness

Dark Facade Series #4

by Sylvia Hubbard, Keith D. Young (Illustrator)

Maxine, an AA graphic designer who has no life, realizes that her best friend and coworker disappeared the day after telling Maxine she was going out on a hot date with a man she met on the Internet. Now it's up to Maxine to find out what happened to Lisa and who was this mysterious man, who emailed his picture to her friend that Maxine just can't stop thinking about. As the saga continues, Maxine infiltrates The Masquerade, an underground secret society of wealthy men who believe money can buy everything, including treating women however they please. When her membership application is accepted, Maxine braces herself for a weekend where she will have to spend without any contact with the outside world. What Maxine never thought to encounter was the mysterious stranger was now … her master. Maxine breaks the rules determined to find Lisa. Yet she never expected punishment like this. Vowing never to return to the “Society” Maxine tries to return to normal life, but longs for the taste and touch of Philippe, despite the evil that was done to her. Though she tries to deny her needs, Maxine struggles daily to concentrate on the most important project that could escalate her career, all the while STILL trying to find out what happened to Lisa. She prays Philippe isn’t involved in her friend’s disappearance. With nowhere else to go, Maxine realizes she has to return to the “chamber” one… last… time… But her last time may be the end… for her.

Genres: BDSM

145 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 20, 2013

About the author

With twist and turns, Sylvia will make your eyes dance and your mind shudder as you read her short stories. Find out all about this fantastic author of mystery/romance & sensual/noir.
Sylvia Hubbard, single mother of three is from Detroit, Michigan. Dreams of Reality was her first novel, and since then have published over 60 books available wherever books are sold

AUTHOR, MOTHER, SPEAKER, JOURNALIST, CONSULTANT & MORE!

Founder of Motown Writers Network & The African American Electronic Literary Network & Motown Romance Network, Editor of The Essence of Motown Literary Journal.

Owner of HubBooks Literary Service and Co-Founder of Essence of Motown Writers Alliance Literary Conference

Moderator of Detroit Writers Galore & Lulu’s Romance Writers

Board Member of National Association of Black Writers, Michigan Black

Independent Publishers

Present and Past Member of Great Lakes Booksellers Assc, National Association of Black Journalist-Detroit, Sisters In Crime, Black Writers Association, Romance Writers of America, World Romance Writers, Erotic Author’s Association, Real Sister Writers & Essentially Woman Literary Group, & Great Lakes Publishers Assc., Authors Supporting Authors (ASA), The Society of Midland Authors, The Michigan Reading Association

ABOUT HER:
Sylvia Hubbard has independently published 4 paperback books and over 10 e-books. Her foundation genre has always been romance, but she has ventured into suspense, erotic, mystery, paranormal and I/R. Always urban and contemporary styled, her writing is enjoyed all over the world by all nationalities. She’s always available for speaking opportunities at bookclubs, conferences, schools, and writing groups. In the upcoming year, she will be featured in several anthologies & will be publishing another paperback and 4 more e-books. She has a degree in Marketing/Management and minored in journalism, broadcasting (Specs Howard), drama, html programming, teaching assistant, customer service specialist, and commercial art.

Voted by Romance Book Cafe as a Favorite Author

Spirit of Detroit Winner for 2005 by Detroit City Council

2006 State of Michigan Governor’s Certificate of Tribute Emerging Minority Business Leader Award

2005 Stone’s Revenge Voted Best African-American Mystery by Mojolist.com

2006 Triumphant SPIRIT Award Winner (acknowledging Legacy of Bessie Mae Downey Rhoades Martin) by Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc – Rho Sigma Chapter

2006 EbonyAuthor.com To Look Out For

2007 National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) Greater Detroit Chapter’s Top 10 Michigan Business Giving Spirit Award Nominee

2007 Erotic Showdown Author Nominee by Publisher’s Market.

2007 Who’s Who In Black Detroit listing. (2nd Edition)

2007 National Inspiration Role Model Month (November) Literary Leader Award
2007 Powerful Visionary Award by Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc – Rho Sigma Chapter

2008 SORMAG.com Readers Choice Award The Best Multi-Cultural Self-Published Author of the Year

2008 Facilitator at Idlewild Dubois Writing Workshop

2008 Detroit Literary Empowerment Community Champion for Motown Writers Network

2008 Distinguish Service Award Recipient from Detroit City Council

2008 NaNoWriMo Winner for Eve’s Deception @ 56992 words

2008 Metro Times The Best of Detroit Recipient – Best Literary Host and Literacy Booster

2009 Black Author Network Community Literary Legend Author

2009 Who’s Who In Black Detroit listing. (3rd Edition)

Reviews

[Michaela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay wow, this was a lot so I saved my review till the end. This book was an interesting mash of some dark concepts that I must warn now, **may not be suitable for all readers and I do advise a trigger warning.**

Maxine is a graphics designer working for a corporate company, whose had a hard life. Her coworker and only friend since her move to Detroit, Lisa, has gone missing after the night of her date. Under several suspicious circumstances and a website that leads Maxine in search of her, she finds something much more elaborate than a simple missing person's case. Maxine finds a secret society of rich men who are willing to pay for the pleasure of a sex slave. Now it isn't much different than any BDSM sex club for rich men who want mistresses and to keep their identities hidden with lots of NDA forms, but here is where it gets for lack of a better word...uncomfortable.

The secret society preys on low economic African american women with very little chances of rising up out of poverty. And the white only male members pay for the experience of keeping their fetish for black women and slave fantasies, all steeped in racism, a secret. And there isn't much that protects the women from cruel abuse or rape, despite the monetary gifts given in recompense. And on top of that they can not leave of their own free will, but their contracts must be bought.

Now Maxine finds herself entangled in all of this in the search for her missing friend, amidst murder and horrific deeds. On her first weekend, Maxine meets the man who paid for her, Philippe, her new master. Maxine soon begins to realize this may be more than she can handle when she see's that Philippe treats her differently than how the other masters treat their slaves (just barely). She's not sure shell have her heart intact after this experience. But when Maxine disobeys the rules in order to search for her friend Lisa, she is punished in the form of rape while Philippe is forced to watch. She's sent home for her own safety after the ordeal. She angry with Philippe but keeps rationalizing her desire for him.

But at this point I'm thinking she's suffering from slight Stockholm syndrome, after knowing this man for one weekend, (and there wasn't much taking involved) she is convinced she knows all his concepts. And on one end of the spectrum she's terrified of returning, but she can't keep her mind off of Philippe. And when he breaks the rules to see her outside of the club, and sees her outside of her job, his love (obsession) with her is obvious. Even after she begs him not to go back and to be free of this life, he forces her to return again and for what could have been their last time

Now this was an interesting read, and the suspense and mystery of finding out a murder mystery and Maxine's resilience. But what bothers me is that the secret of Maxine's past of being rescued by Philippe when she was a child. He admitted to having a sexual fascination with a child!!! Glossing over that fact does not make you any less than a pedophile, no matter if he was eighteen. There were tried justifications of it on the fact that he saved her life, but he admitted that if he had stayed in contact with her, he would have eventually taken her to the club in order to carry out an affair with her. I just couldn't get passed it. He was like all the other men there, with no noble causes or intentions.

So did I like the hero? Hell no. But the rest of the story was an interesting but frustration read.

[Alisa Keith · Rating 5 out of 5]

🔥🔥🔥

Sylvia Hubbard you did the damn thing on this series. I don’t know how I missed this, but I am elated I found it. This series kept me on the edge on my seat. The balance of suspense, acton, and sexy was on point. Thank you Sylva job very well done.

[Michelle Patterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked it.

It is sickish to in love with a four year old child and later have sexual relationship. But, overall I liked the story. My favorite character is ONYX.

[Royalteabookclub · Rating 4 out of 5]

Facade

Read all 4 books but all were page turners. Need better editors for the books though. Secret society is real glad you explored the subject.

[Joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is whole series is really very good. Maxine infiltrates a secret society in order to find out what happened to her friend who disappeared. It turns out that this society is made up of wealthy men who believe their wealth can buy them women who they treat as they please. You may find the story controversial, but yo cannot deny that is a great story brilliantly told by a master storyteller.