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Hero #1
Hero
Calvin Parish
They call me Hero.
I defend.
I protect.
I ask for nothing in return, and that makes me good.
Doesn’t it?
That which makes me the ultimate predator also feeds dark impulses I’ve learned to control—until I bring her too close. For years I’ve watched her from afar, but what started out as duty has become obsession.
Cataline Ford
I work hard.
I play by the rules.
I’m content.
My scars are quiet and invisible, and that keeps me hidden.
Doesn’t it?
One fateful walk home, I’m taken by someone I didn’t know I should fear. Captive and afraid, nobody will tell me why I’m confined to this hauntingly beautiful mansion. I’m given everything; I have nothing. He takes what he needs from me, and for that I hate him. But I might have loved him once.
And just because you’re reading this doesn’t mean I survive him.
"Escape is now her singular obsession, the need for it all but physiological. But freedom is the only thing I can't give her, because I have an obsession of my own: her safety. Or, maybe now, just her."
HERO is a dual POV, standalone erotic novel. WARNING: meant for a mature audience due to dark themes including non- or dubious-consent.
They call me Hero.
I defend.
I protect.
I ask for nothing in return, and that makes me good.
Doesn’t it?
That which makes me the ultimate predator also feeds dark impulses I’ve learned to control—until I bring her too close. For years I’ve watched her from afar, but what started out as duty has become obsession.
Cataline Ford
I work hard.
I play by the rules.
I’m content.
My scars are quiet and invisible, and that keeps me hidden.
Doesn’t it?
One fateful walk home, I’m taken by someone I didn’t know I should fear. Captive and afraid, nobody will tell me why I’m confined to this hauntingly beautiful mansion. I’m given everything; I have nothing. He takes what he needs from me, and for that I hate him. But I might have loved him once.
And just because you’re reading this doesn’t mean I survive him.
"Escape is now her singular obsession, the need for it all but physiological. But freedom is the only thing I can't give her, because I have an obsession of my own: her safety. Or, maybe now, just her."
HERO is a dual POV, standalone erotic novel. WARNING: meant for a mature audience due to dark themes including non- or dubious-consent.
368 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 26, 2014
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August 6, 2016
It's live!! >> http://amzn.to/1oaKScc <<
4.5 “HERO” STARS
Whenever I see the words “dark themes,” “non-con,” “taken,” “captive” etc…it’s like music to my ears. Hey don’t judge! Besides this is for books only *wink* Anyways, I will be frank and say I was a beta reader for this book. Nowadays I rarely beta because instead of reading for my own pleasure, it becomes a job and sometimes a not-so-enjoyable one. Imagine my surprise and delight that instead of viewing this book as a duty, it quickly became a story I couldn’t put down, and one I finished from 1 to 5 AM.
This is my verdict: for a debut novel, I certainly hope it gets the recognition it deserves for it is one of the most unique and distinctive books I’ve read. I went into the book not knowing anything besides the synopsis and though there were twists that left me questioning what direction the story was going in, the end result left me satisfied and thinking “hey, now that’s something you don’t see everyday in an erotic/love-my-captor story.”
But first, here’s a book stat section for my fellow dark romance junkies:
Dark scale (1-10): 3
Mindfuck scale (1-10): 5
Definitely a love my captor story, but not as intense and gritty as say, the Dark Duet or Madeleine, Abducted. I would classify this story as a mix of erotica and romantic suspense with dark and sci-fi elements (the sci-fi part actually played an impressive role in the story and it was something I didn’t see coming at all).
**Keep in mind that I read a lot of dark romance so what may not be dark for me might be for you. These ratings probably resonate with me and my fellow dark cohorts the most.**
Cataline Ford is a shy and innocent female lead. She’s had a harsh childhood and as a result is a complete introvert who chooses to focus on the basic things in life. Her one vice is Calvin, the reclusive and brooding owner of the company where Cataline works at and believes he is completely inaccessible to her. On the night she meets a potential boyfriend, she is knocked out and kidnapped, thus kickstarting her days as a captive.
Calvin Parish has two lives: one as head owner of his company and another as Hero, the mysterious protector and vigilante of the city. I honestly can’t say more about him or it would be a dead giveaway to his role in the book and the impact he has on Cataline’s life. I will say though that this man is twisted. You can see and feel his frustration about being torn between duty and obsession. As for the erotica….I swear some of the sex scenes were both thrilling but kinky to the point of me cringing and going ouch. Doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy reading about them ;)
So why not 5 stars then?
Now me being my picky self there are just some things I cannot get over no matter how integral it is to the story. For one, I personally don’t like fangirls, and though I completely understood where Cataline’s adoration for “Hero” came from, it doesn’t mean I like it. It’s really hard to explain and only a person who has read the book will get what I mean about Cataline “fangirling” over Hero: in a way it was her coping mechanism and what kept her from losing her shit entirely.
There is a minor revelation scene in the first 25% I didn’t really agree with how it was executed. As the reader, I would like to be shocked/mindfucked/aghast at the same time the character experiences the same emotions, not before. It makes me lose interest and wonder when the character figures it out. If you’re getting worried, don’t be; this isn’t the main point of the story and like I said, it’s the little things that bother me the most and this counted as one.
Though this is a complete standalone, I will never reject the idea of having another book or novella written about these characters. Their story is heartfelt, raw, and tumultuous, and though with their many faults, they are perfect in their imperfection. It’s rare for me to truly enjoy a beta read, 100%, and this book hit all those ‘oomph’ buttons. I will be on the lookout for more from Leighton Del Mia.
Beta reader review.
For more reviews, freebie lists, & giveaways visit my blog!
4.5 “HERO” STARS
Whenever I see the words “dark themes,” “non-con,” “taken,” “captive” etc…it’s like music to my ears. Hey don’t judge! Besides this is for books only *wink* Anyways, I will be frank and say I was a beta reader for this book. Nowadays I rarely beta because instead of reading for my own pleasure, it becomes a job and sometimes a not-so-enjoyable one. Imagine my surprise and delight that instead of viewing this book as a duty, it quickly became a story I couldn’t put down, and one I finished from 1 to 5 AM.
This is my verdict: for a debut novel, I certainly hope it gets the recognition it deserves for it is one of the most unique and distinctive books I’ve read. I went into the book not knowing anything besides the synopsis and though there were twists that left me questioning what direction the story was going in, the end result left me satisfied and thinking “hey, now that’s something you don’t see everyday in an erotic/love-my-captor story.”
But first, here’s a book stat section for my fellow dark romance junkies:
Dark scale (1-10): 3
Mindfuck scale (1-10): 5
Definitely a love my captor story, but not as intense and gritty as say, the Dark Duet or Madeleine, Abducted. I would classify this story as a mix of erotica and romantic suspense with dark and sci-fi elements (the sci-fi part actually played an impressive role in the story and it was something I didn’t see coming at all).
**Keep in mind that I read a lot of dark romance so what may not be dark for me might be for you. These ratings probably resonate with me and my fellow dark cohorts the most.**
Cataline Ford is a shy and innocent female lead. She’s had a harsh childhood and as a result is a complete introvert who chooses to focus on the basic things in life. Her one vice is Calvin, the reclusive and brooding owner of the company where Cataline works at and believes he is completely inaccessible to her. On the night she meets a potential boyfriend, she is knocked out and kidnapped, thus kickstarting her days as a captive.
Calvin Parish has two lives: one as head owner of his company and another as Hero, the mysterious protector and vigilante of the city. I honestly can’t say more about him or it would be a dead giveaway to his role in the book and the impact he has on Cataline’s life. I will say though that this man is twisted. You can see and feel his frustration about being torn between duty and obsession. As for the erotica….I swear some of the sex scenes were both thrilling but kinky to the point of me cringing and going ouch. Doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy reading about them ;)
So why not 5 stars then?
Now me being my picky self there are just some things I cannot get over no matter how integral it is to the story. For one, I personally don’t like fangirls, and though I completely understood where Cataline’s adoration for “Hero” came from, it doesn’t mean I like it. It’s really hard to explain and only a person who has read the book will get what I mean about Cataline “fangirling” over Hero: in a way it was her coping mechanism and what kept her from losing her shit entirely.
There is a minor revelation scene in the first 25% I didn’t really agree with how it was executed. As the reader, I would like to be shocked/mindfucked/aghast at the same time the character experiences the same emotions, not before. It makes me lose interest and wonder when the character figures it out. If you’re getting worried, don’t be; this isn’t the main point of the story and like I said, it’s the little things that bother me the most and this counted as one.
Though this is a complete standalone, I will never reject the idea of having another book or novella written about these characters. Their story is heartfelt, raw, and tumultuous, and though with their many faults, they are perfect in their imperfection. It’s rare for me to truly enjoy a beta read, 100%, and this book hit all those ‘oomph’ buttons. I will be on the lookout for more from Leighton Del Mia.
Beta reader review.
For more reviews, freebie lists, & giveaways visit my blog!
February 14, 2014
4 Original Stars!
Okay so let me just stress how difficult it was for me to wrap my mind around this book. I'm not sure how much to say as I don't want to spoil for anyone, but I will say this. Hero is New Rhone's saviour with the rising crime in the city, and the looming threat that is the cartel, Hero seems to be the towns only salvation. Law enforcement sees him as an annoyance, a vigilante hell bent on showing them up. The public idolises him, he does what Law enforcement has failed to do time and time again. He seeks out villains and vagrants and doles out his own personal brand of punishment.
My bare hands have served me well so far. They are my weapons. My skin my shield, my strength, my lifeline, and Cataline, my motivation
Cataline is a nobody, she's quiet, always in the background. She doesn't date, she's saving herself for the right guy, she worships Hero and covets Calvin her boss. Both these men elude her, but she still daydreams. Until one day she's taken and when she discovers her captor's identity all her dreams and hopes are bashed.
"If you're thinking of flying, Sparrow, know that I will catch you. There is no escape. Fly until your wings fall off, or until there is no sky, but I will always find you."
And that's about all you're gonna get from me about this book!
Analysis
Okay you can't tell me you've never imagined Superman or Batman was for real and that he'd sweep you away and you'd live happily ever after! You haven't??? Well now you my secret!
I've actually never thought to read a book like this, most books with this type of theme are usually lacking in the romance and erotica part. What I mean to say is, they're normally written for men by men... So, here's why I gave this book 4 stars, someone actually wrote a book like this for women! Thank you! Here's why I hesitated to give it a 4, the lack of detail. I won't say exactly what, but I needed more info, the what, why, where and how. Look the book engaged me, shocked me at times. The sex was hot and sometimes uncomfortable to read.
And now for my favourite question... Was it dark?
Yes, in a taboo kind of way, I really don't think there was any non-con maybe some reluctance but all scenes were ultimately enjoyed by both parties involved lol. I think it was the actual sex scenes that were taboo, one in particular that I won't mention. There was also a healthy does of dirty talk. The word that comes to mind when I think of this book is: Questionble. I know it makes no sense, but there you are.
I read it, I was never bored, I loved the characters, although I wanted to kill Cataline at times. But what more do you need from a book???
ARC kindly provided by author in return for an honest review
April 13, 2015
Talk about a shit book.
DNF - Rant time.
Its like the author has read Consequences, Dark Duet and Batman and a little bit of X-Men and decided to mash them up and write this horrendous.. book?
~
Meet Mutant Batman aka Calvin Parish!
**no, he doesn't look that way**
They call me Hero.
I defend.
I protect.
I ask for nothing in return, and that makes me good.
Doesn’t it?
Firstly, they are 'troubled' by you.
They didn't want your protection. Not the police, nor the girl.
Cataline Ford... fucking weird.
My scars are quiet and invisible, and that keeps me hidden.
Wow, some scars you got girl. THEY ARE SO INVISIBLE THAT I ACTUALLY COULDN'T EVEN FIND THEM.
So this weirdo kidnaps this girl for an absolute RUBBISH reason, he keeps her locked up, gives here everything - CONSEQUENCES.. then rapes her... [at least thats what I figured, seeming I could barely understand shit.]
Then the book goes into some fucked up version of - DARK DUET all this while with a - WACKO BATMAN plot playing behind then throw a bit of X-Men with the injections and tadaaaaa!!
His parents are like frankenstein and he is the monster.
The whole base plot was copied from BATMAN then mashed up with more books and this was the disaster we got.
Don't even get me started on the ending. Likeeee...... what the fuck??
Everyone is raving about this book, giving it 4 starts. I mean.. WHAT FOR? SEX? It was rape happening most of the times.. then I started skimming thought because nothing was even hot
Thennn...
*I don't know what happenssss*....
Then he tells her the truth... *what the fuck moment*
..... then comes the ending... **bigger what the fuck moment **
.....
FUCKED UP BOOK. The authors writing was average and the book sucked.
March 7, 2014
Adult review for erotic content. Warning : some spoilers will be present.
There are few story crimes greater than the one of wasted potential.
What I expected : Superhero by day. Sadist by night.
What I got : Passing mentions of a superhero by day. Manufactured Stockholm Syndrome by night.
This was dark erotica with no real direction. The book read like Batman fanfiction without the action and suspense. I need to make a superhero shelf at some point because I don't have it in me to shelve this as sci-fi.
This book was about yet another TSTL female who couldn't make up her mind. It was about yet another TSTL female addicted to a man like he was a drug - for no reason other than he gave her an orgasm.
I'm not making this shit up. It's all right here in black and white.
My mind is as high as heaven...
"Fuck me," I tell him. "I'm so high on you."
I sigh, sated. "Is that what it's like to get high?"
His kiss is like a drug, feeding me, quenching my thirst, my never-ending thirst, my infinite void, and planting himself inside me again.
Prose, thy name ispurple utterly fucking stupid. And don't get me started on the awkward ways the word "sated" was used. It was a verb, a noun, a thought, and a conversational reply.
Let me set the record straight. I like dark/taboo/mindfuck erotica - when it's DONE RIGHT. A big part of the draw when it comes to books like these is getting to dissect what makes a screwed-up character tick.
Hero himself wasn't the issue here. I knew what I was getting into when I picked up this book. I knew that he was a rapist. I knew that he was damaged. I knew that he was a contradiction between caring human and irreparable monster. I didn't flinch when he acted upon evil impulses...because...DUH. Taboo mindfuck erotica. It's an actual book category. I've read it many times before, and been able to (enjoy is so not the right word, is it?) understand the book for what it is.
It always comes back to idiot females. If a man rapes you and takes your virginity (oh and btw, you don't really know him, so there's no emotional connection to start) - that FEAR, that PAIN is real.
It takes time to attach to an abuser. There was absolutely no time (I don't count the time she spent alone) for Cataline to attach. I'm thoroughly sick of dubcon being misused in stories as a means to jump ahead to an emotional attachment. The "no really means yes" type of story has it's own niche in erotica. No, it's not just used in monster porn (although, if I'm going to read dubcon, I'm more likely to seek it out in unusual places).
She got an orgasm, then turned into a cat in heat. The fear didn't even come close to overtaking her lust - not even for a second. The . She went from adamantly stating that she wouldn't give her body to Calvin, then begging for him to take her WITHIN A FEW PAGE SPAN. I'm not expecting full-on accurate realism in taboo erotica, but FFS, I want at least a shred of something that resembles how anyone (yes, even a damaged person) would react. Hell, let me give another taboo example to give some perspective. Take the book Comfort Food. In that book, it was at least explained how the chick would not be able to survive without human contact because she was internally wired to need the companionship of others, so she gave in to her tormentor out of fear of losing herself. It wasn't the most stable explanation, but AT LEAST IT WAS AN EXPLANATION. Cataline's reasons for wanting Calvin/Hero were shaky at best, and explained way after the fact, even though we were in her head and she didn't give me reason to believe she wanted Calvin, other than "it felt good."
Rapists - as long as they're hot and can get you off, it's all good.
My brain hurts.
I wanted to like this story so much. With the right execution, we could have seen a good man fighting his demons with the help of a patient and caring woman.
Taboo erotica is a viable subgenre of erotica. But it's not a trend to be written haphazardly. Unless a dinosaur is running up into the mix and causing havoc, there should be a rational thought process somewhere.
The "superhero" side of the story was COMPLETELY underdeveloped. Outside of a few small snippets scattered throughout the story and some explaining which takes place in the last 20% of the book, this could have been any other kidnap story. I say it all of the time with non-contemporary genres - RESEARCH, DEVELOP, COMMIT to the theme. If you're going to half-ass it, DON'T do it.
Did I mention already that the heroine was TSTL? That entire scene where she threw herself at Calvin and begged him for sex and told him she loved him after he left her alone for a while - that was simply painful to read.
I never realized Hero was different from us.
Wait? Is this the same chick who kept WISHING FOR HERO TO COME SAVE HER? What kind of normal human comes to save the day when he doesn't know where you're at...unless he's DIFFERENT from the rest of you???
Yeah...Cataline. Not the brightest crayon in the box.
Surprisingly enough, the best and most emotional moments came from Calvin/Hero himself. Well, except for this gem of nonsense.
"I bet you taste like cotton candy."
He's the reason I'm not 1 starring the book. Sure, he was a rapist who gave his woman a serious bitch slap (I laughed, I'm not gonna lie). But I wanted to read about a disturbed man who had a shred of humanity deep down inside of him. And I got that.
If I let myself too close, there will be nothing to protect her from the monster that lives in me.
Every day I walk a line between my need to defend and my desire to hurt, maul, and kill. To kill a predator makes me high. What kind of a predator does that make me?
Cataline continues to shake, even after she falls asleep. Or maybe I'm the one shaking. I'm holding her tightly. Too tightly.
I've always loved you, since you were a little girl. I just didn't know I was allowed to.
If this entire book had been in Calvin's PoV and had a little more superhero action, it could have easily been 4 stars. The start of the book was interesting. The emotional connection at the end was actually engaging.
It's really too bad Cataline was such a horrid character, which made being in her head a terrible experience...and it didn't help that most of the middle of the book was frustrating to the point of almost making me DNF.
There are few story crimes greater than the one of wasted potential.
What I expected : Superhero by day. Sadist by night.
What I got : Passing mentions of a superhero by day. Manufactured Stockholm Syndrome by night.
This was dark erotica with no real direction. The book read like Batman fanfiction without the action and suspense. I need to make a superhero shelf at some point because I don't have it in me to shelve this as sci-fi.
This book was about yet another TSTL female who couldn't make up her mind. It was about yet another TSTL female addicted to a man like he was a drug - for no reason other than he gave her an orgasm.
I'm not making this shit up. It's all right here in black and white.
My mind is as high as heaven...
"Fuck me," I tell him. "I'm so high on you."
I sigh, sated. "Is that what it's like to get high?"
His kiss is like a drug, feeding me, quenching my thirst, my never-ending thirst, my infinite void, and planting himself inside me again.
Prose, thy name is
Let me set the record straight. I like dark/taboo/mindfuck erotica - when it's DONE RIGHT. A big part of the draw when it comes to books like these is getting to dissect what makes a screwed-up character tick.
Hero himself wasn't the issue here. I knew what I was getting into when I picked up this book. I knew that he was a rapist. I knew that he was damaged. I knew that he was a contradiction between caring human and irreparable monster. I didn't flinch when he acted upon evil impulses...because...DUH. Taboo mindfuck erotica. It's an actual book category. I've read it many times before, and been able to (enjoy is so not the right word, is it?) understand the book for what it is.
It always comes back to idiot females. If a man rapes you and takes your virginity (oh and btw, you don't really know him, so there's no emotional connection to start) - that FEAR, that PAIN is real.
It takes time to attach to an abuser. There was absolutely no time (I don't count the time she spent alone) for Cataline to attach. I'm thoroughly sick of dubcon being misused in stories as a means to jump ahead to an emotional attachment. The "no really means yes" type of story has it's own niche in erotica. No, it's not just used in monster porn (although, if I'm going to read dubcon, I'm more likely to seek it out in unusual places).
She got an orgasm, then turned into a cat in heat. The fear didn't even come close to overtaking her lust - not even for a second. The . She went from adamantly stating that she wouldn't give her body to Calvin, then begging for him to take her WITHIN A FEW PAGE SPAN. I'm not expecting full-on accurate realism in taboo erotica, but FFS, I want at least a shred of something that resembles how anyone (yes, even a damaged person) would react. Hell, let me give another taboo example to give some perspective. Take the book Comfort Food. In that book, it was at least explained how the chick would not be able to survive without human contact because she was internally wired to need the companionship of others, so she gave in to her tormentor out of fear of losing herself. It wasn't the most stable explanation, but AT LEAST IT WAS AN EXPLANATION. Cataline's reasons for wanting Calvin/Hero were shaky at best, and explained way after the fact, even though we were in her head and she didn't give me reason to believe she wanted Calvin, other than "it felt good."
Rapists - as long as they're hot and can get you off, it's all good.
My brain hurts.
I wanted to like this story so much. With the right execution, we could have seen a good man fighting his demons with the help of a patient and caring woman.
Taboo erotica is a viable subgenre of erotica. But it's not a trend to be written haphazardly. Unless a dinosaur is running up into the mix and causing havoc, there should be a rational thought process somewhere.
The "superhero" side of the story was COMPLETELY underdeveloped. Outside of a few small snippets scattered throughout the story and some explaining which takes place in the last 20% of the book, this could have been any other kidnap story. I say it all of the time with non-contemporary genres - RESEARCH, DEVELOP, COMMIT to the theme. If you're going to half-ass it, DON'T do it.
Did I mention already that the heroine was TSTL? That entire scene where she threw herself at Calvin and begged him for sex and told him she loved him after he left her alone for a while - that was simply painful to read.
I never realized Hero was different from us.
Wait? Is this the same chick who kept WISHING FOR HERO TO COME SAVE HER? What kind of normal human comes to save the day when he doesn't know where you're at...unless he's DIFFERENT from the rest of you???
Yeah...Cataline. Not the brightest crayon in the box.
Surprisingly enough, the best and most emotional moments came from Calvin/Hero himself. Well, except for this gem of nonsense.
"I bet you taste like cotton candy."
He's the reason I'm not 1 starring the book. Sure, he was a rapist who gave his woman a serious bitch slap (I laughed, I'm not gonna lie). But I wanted to read about a disturbed man who had a shred of humanity deep down inside of him. And I got that.
If I let myself too close, there will be nothing to protect her from the monster that lives in me.
Every day I walk a line between my need to defend and my desire to hurt, maul, and kill. To kill a predator makes me high. What kind of a predator does that make me?
Cataline continues to shake, even after she falls asleep. Or maybe I'm the one shaking. I'm holding her tightly. Too tightly.
I've always loved you, since you were a little girl. I just didn't know I was allowed to.
If this entire book had been in Calvin's PoV and had a little more superhero action, it could have easily been 4 stars. The start of the book was interesting. The emotional connection at the end was actually engaging.
It's really too bad Cataline was such a horrid character, which made being in her head a terrible experience...and it didn't help that most of the middle of the book was frustrating to the point of almost making me DNF.
April 28, 2016
4 Dark, Gritty, Twisted stars :D !!
this book is like a sexy version of batman , Calvin Parish ( Hero ) is a superhuero ,New Rhone's saviour but he's a nightmare to Cataline, there's two sides of him, the hero who protect, defend, ask for nothing in return, and there's his dark side , he abused cate many times After kidnapping her for her own safety and then he raped her.......... it was So confusing,
i loved cate's character but also i felt really sad for her, what he was doing to her was heartbreaking, I love this book , I was never bored, I loved the characters, although I wanted to kill Calvin at times, he's such a jerk !!!
this book is like a sexy version of batman , Calvin Parish ( Hero ) is a superhuero ,New Rhone's saviour but he's a nightmare to Cataline, there's two sides of him, the hero who protect, defend, ask for nothing in return, and there's his dark side , he abused cate many times After kidnapping her for her own safety and then he raped her.......... it was So confusing,
“If you’re thinking of flying, Sparrow, know that I will catch you. There is no escape. Fly until your wings fall off, until there's no more sky, but I will find you. I will always find you.”
i loved cate's character but also i felt really sad for her, what he was doing to her was heartbreaking, I love this book , I was never bored, I loved the characters, although I wanted to kill Calvin at times, he's such a jerk !!!
March 4, 2014
4 DARK STARS
Wow! Hero is unlike anything I have ever read,it was weird!This is an intense book!!It's difficult to tell you what the story is without giving it all away so I will try as much as I can to not spoil..
Cataline had a tough childhood. Her parents were killed in a fire when she was young and she was placed in foster care.She lives a quiet life and she secretly has a crush on her boss at the company she works at but she also daydreams about Hero...
New Rhone’s vigilante.
Cataline’s friend encourages her to step outside of her comfort zone and she wants to try..
Until one night everything changes when she kidnapped and all she thought she knew is shattered...
Cataline does not know who her kidnapper is, but she's determined to find out.
But can she handle who really is her captor?
Can she survive the lies and the secrets?
The two main characters are both very determined.
Calvin is sexy,protective and fierce but he's also something else.He is a tortured soul who doesn't believe he needs love and he thinks that he isn't worthy. In the beginning I didn't like him a lot, because he is dark and disturbed. But he is also good and cares a lot for Cataline and that is what make me change my mind. Cataline was determined! She wanted to learn what happened to her and she tried to find a way to escape.
I don't know what to say about the sex scenes...because some of them were really HOT but some of them...was crazy for me and very kinky!
This is a dark romance but it captivated me from the beginning! It was intense with hot and disturbing moments and also there is action!!!
If you like a dark romance with a HERO different from others, then this is what you need!
Wow! Hero is unlike anything I have ever read,it was weird!This is an intense book!!It's difficult to tell you what the story is without giving it all away so I will try as much as I can to not spoil..
Cataline had a tough childhood. Her parents were killed in a fire when she was young and she was placed in foster care.She lives a quiet life and she secretly has a crush on her boss at the company she works at but she also daydreams about Hero...
New Rhone’s vigilante.
Cataline’s friend encourages her to step outside of her comfort zone and she wants to try..
Until one night everything changes when she kidnapped and all she thought she knew is shattered...
Cataline does not know who her kidnapper is, but she's determined to find out.
But can she handle who really is her captor?
Can she survive the lies and the secrets?
The two main characters are both very determined.
Calvin is sexy,protective and fierce but he's also something else.He is a tortured soul who doesn't believe he needs love and he thinks that he isn't worthy. In the beginning I didn't like him a lot, because he is dark and disturbed. But he is also good and cares a lot for Cataline and that is what make me change my mind. Cataline was determined! She wanted to learn what happened to her and she tried to find a way to escape.
I don't know what to say about the sex scenes...because some of them were really HOT but some of them...was crazy for me and very kinky!
This is a dark romance but it captivated me from the beginning! It was intense with hot and disturbing moments and also there is action!!!
If you like a dark romance with a HERO different from others, then this is what you need!
March 17, 2014
4 Uniquely Twisted Stars
Cataline Ford lives a quiet, uneventful life. She works a normal 9 to 5 job, works out every day, keeps to herself, and doesn't date as she is waiting to meet Mr. Right. Her only indulgence in life is her boss, Calvin, Parish, who doesn't seem to acknowledge her existence.
One night, after heading home from work, Cataline is abducted and taken to a mysterious but elegant home. She doesn't know who took her nor does she know the reason why. Her only hope is that Hero, the town's vigilante and local hero will come to save her.
I really don't want to spoil any of the story for anyone so this is where I will end my recap ;)
My Thoughts
Hero was a unique, dark, and twisted novel that kept me hooked from start to finish! I had a lot of questions about who took Cataline, why he took her, and how he is connected to her past. The captor/captive relationship definitely kept me intrigued and I really wanted to see how it played out.
That being said, I did feel like there was some inconsistencies with the characters and plot lines. And to be completely honest, I think that these inconsistencies could have been cleared up by showing more interaction between Cataline and Hero. Time jumped several times throughout the book and I feel like this affected my connection to the characters and their relationship. Showing more interaction between the two of them would help me better understand their feelings for one another.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a mildly dark, erotic, and twisted read. I would definitely describe this book as a complete page turner =) You won't want to put it down!
Cataline Ford lives a quiet, uneventful life. She works a normal 9 to 5 job, works out every day, keeps to herself, and doesn't date as she is waiting to meet Mr. Right. Her only indulgence in life is her boss, Calvin, Parish, who doesn't seem to acknowledge her existence.
One night, after heading home from work, Cataline is abducted and taken to a mysterious but elegant home. She doesn't know who took her nor does she know the reason why. Her only hope is that Hero, the town's vigilante and local hero will come to save her.
I really don't want to spoil any of the story for anyone so this is where I will end my recap ;)
My Thoughts
Hero was a unique, dark, and twisted novel that kept me hooked from start to finish! I had a lot of questions about who took Cataline, why he took her, and how he is connected to her past. The captor/captive relationship definitely kept me intrigued and I really wanted to see how it played out.
That being said, I did feel like there was some inconsistencies with the characters and plot lines. And to be completely honest, I think that these inconsistencies could have been cleared up by showing more interaction between Cataline and Hero. Time jumped several times throughout the book and I feel like this affected my connection to the characters and their relationship. Showing more interaction between the two of them would help me better understand their feelings for one another.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a mildly dark, erotic, and twisted read. I would definitely describe this book as a complete page turner =) You won't want to put it down!
October 26, 2015
4.5 twisted strange love stars
this is the first book from this author that I have read...and was very much surprised by the flow of the plot concerning the "nature" of the story.
Dark.
Gritty.
Twisted.
Yet you can find the reasoning within and you do want the closure for yours and the characters' sake.
Cataline
a shy young woman who lost her real family a long time ago, without the connection to her foster one, without anyone truly close to her,apart from her friend/roomate and her work...one night turns out to be the beginning of the horrible situation. She's been taken and brought to the mansion own by the man who they call the Master of the house!
Calvin Parish/HERO
a man with double identity, with too many secrets to keep, a man who had sacrificed his own inner fulfillment in order to fulfill the promise and obligation, a man who has so many abilities and so many shadows, the biggest one he's hiding behind being guilt and regret
the story takes us through the dual point on view of Cataline and Clavin on a journey of unraveling secrets, deep hidden desires, painful denail and cruel sexual release BUT only on a surfice, what lies beneath them both is much more powerful and strange to them both as the past uncovers their true connection that they are unable to escape...
the captor/captive relationship is dark, cruel, twisted, sinister and they both find the release for them - Cataline is trying to save her own sanity, trying to find an escape and survival...
while Calvin is fighting for a control over his own actions, his past, his hidden demons, his masks and against the deeper emotions he has for her...until the events bring them to a STOP and the dead end threatens them both to choke the mutual connection...when they have to FACE the TRUTH...
I have to admit I was prepared for a much more gross events taking place in the book BUT they were not and the action was moderately interwoven into the story with gradual explanation of the past...
sometimes I did have a feeling like the happening wasn't finished before it continues to evolve into the story...
BUT i liked that it was complicated and the gradual mix of feelings alternating from hate to love but never shadowing one another they were both present and evolving inside the characters...
their inner turmoil was almost visible and palpable while at the same time we know they are both mistified fictional people.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJiSt...
this is the first book from this author that I have read...and was very much surprised by the flow of the plot concerning the "nature" of the story.
Dark.
Gritty.
Twisted.
Yet you can find the reasoning within and you do want the closure for yours and the characters' sake.
Cataline
a shy young woman who lost her real family a long time ago, without the connection to her foster one, without anyone truly close to her,apart from her friend/roomate and her work...one night turns out to be the beginning of the horrible situation. She's been taken and brought to the mansion own by the man who they call the Master of the house!
Calvin Parish/HERO
a man with double identity, with too many secrets to keep, a man who had sacrificed his own inner fulfillment in order to fulfill the promise and obligation, a man who has so many abilities and so many shadows, the biggest one he's hiding behind being guilt and regret
the story takes us through the dual point on view of Cataline and Clavin on a journey of unraveling secrets, deep hidden desires, painful denail and cruel sexual release BUT only on a surfice, what lies beneath them both is much more powerful and strange to them both as the past uncovers their true connection that they are unable to escape...
the captor/captive relationship is dark, cruel, twisted, sinister and they both find the release for them - Cataline is trying to save her own sanity, trying to find an escape and survival...
"Finish what you started. Break me for good. Tell me you don't love me and that you never will."
"I can't tell you that...when the truth is that I do."
"No you don't...you want to control me..."
"You're right. I want to control you. i want to make you love me, own you from the inside out. But that doesn't mean I don't love you too."
while Calvin is fighting for a control over his own actions, his past, his hidden demons, his masks and against the deeper emotions he has for her...until the events bring them to a STOP and the dead end threatens them both to choke the mutual connection...when they have to FACE the TRUTH...
"I don't deserve you, but I won't let you go. I'm back for what's mine, what's always been mine."
I have to admit I was prepared for a much more gross events taking place in the book BUT they were not and the action was moderately interwoven into the story with gradual explanation of the past...
sometimes I did have a feeling like the happening wasn't finished before it continues to evolve into the story...
BUT i liked that it was complicated and the gradual mix of feelings alternating from hate to love but never shadowing one another they were both present and evolving inside the characters...
their inner turmoil was almost visible and palpable while at the same time we know they are both mistified fictional people.
"I've been alone my whole life..."
"I've been there."
"But not like you are here now...I don't want to be alone anymore."
"You are not alone, I'm here now."
"Only lonely" by BON JOVI
Another long and sleepless night
You need someone to hold you tight
Sometimes love don't know wrong from right
Another long and senseless
Fight was all you knew they're all the same
There's no one left to take the blame,
What's behind this masquerade
How do we win these losin'
Games we play, words we say
Cutting wounds we know they run so deep
Leave it all behind you
or someday love will find you
Only lonely -- I can't stop hurting you
Only lonely -- but I can't stop loving you
Only lonely -- how much pain does it take
It's getting sometimes I don't know
When to stop when to go
Sometimes we're so afraid to let it show,
A stolen kiss so out of place
It wipes the smile right off your face,
And when those feelings start
We let them go, let them go...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJiSt...
March 31, 2016
4.5 Heroic Stars!!!
So, raise your hand if you've ever secretly crushed on a superhero and wished that they were real and that they would swoop in your window late at night and whisk you away. No? Just me? Lol. Well, now you know my secret fantasy!!
My bare hands have served me well so far. They are my weapons. My skin my shield, my strength, my lifeline, and Cataline, my motivation.
Hero was a bit of a difficult story to wrap my head around at first. It totally stands apart from anything else that I have ever read. At some points, I wondered if it was gonna go in a paranormal type direction. It just kept me guessing the whole time. I was expecting a Stockholm syndrome story, which it is but there is also a superhero element to it that I LOVED!!! Sure, we have all gotten our share of our fave superheros like Batman, Superman, Iron Man... to name a few of my personal faves...sigh. But, usually those come in big-time blockbusters that are heavy on the action and adventure and kinda low on the romance by comparison, right? Well, this is a superhero story in the dark romance genre and let me tell you, IT TOTALLY WORKS!!
The Story:
Hero is the self-imposed protector of New Rhone. The city has fallen victim to high crime and increased drug activity for which the Riviera Cartel is to blame. The police see Hero as a nuisance and a source of humiliation but to Hero, this is all that he was ever meant to be.
"I have the instincts of a killer, but the intentions of a hero."
He has been watching Cataline from afar for years...16 to be exact. She's an obligation, a resounding reminder of a one time failure, an unpaid debt.
Cataline, on the other hand, leads a quiet life. She has her boring clerical job where she ogles the big boss from afar, by day. By night, she is fascinated by following Hero's current adventures and tales of heroism. She's never experienced much of anything, except for loss, but has dreams for a big, exciting life...one day.
"He's good for this city. Not only does he keep criminals in line, but he also puts fear into would-be criminals. He risks his life daily for this city."
When circumstances that Cataline is totally unaware of bring these two together, the story becomes dark and exciting. It kept me guessing and had me on the edge of my seat the whole time!! At times you will feel confused, at times angry, and at times hopeful for these two.
"Escape is now her singular obsession, the need for it all but physiological. But freedom is the only thing I can't give her, because I have an obsession of my own: her safety. Or, maybe now, just her."
Calvin is an interesting character. He embodies both good and evil. There were many parts of the book that I struggled with hating vs. loving him. Cataline was relatable and I loved the fight that she had in her. I just found her continual indecisiveness annoying at times. It came off more as bitchiness than it did her being conflicted about her situation.
The Sex!:
Um, DAYUM!!! This is a HOT book! The steam had me breaking out in sweats! A lot of the scenes are pretty controversial. I won't spoil any of it but let's just say, I don't think I will ever look at a candle stick quite the same way EVER again, thanks to Calvin...haha! It isn't really non-con. It's more....I don't know, hesitance, maybe? By the end, all involved parties seemed to REALLY enjoy themselves soooo, I will just leave you with that to ponder.
The only one other thing that I struggled with was that I found myself wanting some more background detail in some areas. This is definitely a dialogue heavy book, which is great. But sometimes, some more detail and internal musings are needed to strengthen the story-line. Trust me though, these things were minimal! This is a great book, and I enjoyed the hell out of it!
My favorite parts were the few fleeting moments that we got when Calvin would let his suit of armor down temporarily with Cataline, and we got to see his humanity. Particularly the pool playing scene, the...ah hem, shower scene, and the whole last 10% of the book. In fact, I think I highlighted most of that last 10%!!!
And Norman...oh, I loved sweet Norman!
The Castings*:
The Author:
For this being Leighton Del Mia's first book, I thought that she did a great job! The writing was really very good! She's written a uniquely captivating and intriguing story that is very different from anything else out there right now!
As you may or may not know, Leighton has decided to give Calvin and Cataline fans an optional novella to be read after Hero which follows them after this story ends. I am SOOOO exited for this!! I need more of these two!!
"How can you be evil and good? How can I love you and hate you? How can you be both my savior and my enemy? How can I want both punishment and forgiveness for you?" - Cataline
"I'm nobody without you to care for." - Calvin/ Hero
**ARC courtesy of the author to Rebel Book Chicks as part of Release Blitz promotion.**
* Casting credits go to fellow blogger "Lady Vigilante (Feifei)" who casted Henry Cavill and Lily Collins. Once I saw, I just couldn't picture anyone else as Calvin/Hero and Cataline. They are perfect!
For more honest reviews, book updates, giveaways, and other complete craziness, visit our blog at http://www.rebelbookchicks.com/
Follow us on FB:https://www.facebook.com/rebelbook...
Follow us Twitter: https://twitter.com/RebelBookChicks
So, raise your hand if you've ever secretly crushed on a superhero and wished that they were real and that they would swoop in your window late at night and whisk you away. No? Just me? Lol. Well, now you know my secret fantasy!!
My bare hands have served me well so far. They are my weapons. My skin my shield, my strength, my lifeline, and Cataline, my motivation.
Hero was a bit of a difficult story to wrap my head around at first. It totally stands apart from anything else that I have ever read. At some points, I wondered if it was gonna go in a paranormal type direction. It just kept me guessing the whole time. I was expecting a Stockholm syndrome story, which it is but there is also a superhero element to it that I LOVED!!! Sure, we have all gotten our share of our fave superheros like Batman, Superman, Iron Man... to name a few of my personal faves...sigh. But, usually those come in big-time blockbusters that are heavy on the action and adventure and kinda low on the romance by comparison, right? Well, this is a superhero story in the dark romance genre and let me tell you, IT TOTALLY WORKS!!
The Story:
Hero is the self-imposed protector of New Rhone. The city has fallen victim to high crime and increased drug activity for which the Riviera Cartel is to blame. The police see Hero as a nuisance and a source of humiliation but to Hero, this is all that he was ever meant to be.
"I have the instincts of a killer, but the intentions of a hero."
He has been watching Cataline from afar for years...16 to be exact. She's an obligation, a resounding reminder of a one time failure, an unpaid debt.
Cataline, on the other hand, leads a quiet life. She has her boring clerical job where she ogles the big boss from afar, by day. By night, she is fascinated by following Hero's current adventures and tales of heroism. She's never experienced much of anything, except for loss, but has dreams for a big, exciting life...one day.
"He's good for this city. Not only does he keep criminals in line, but he also puts fear into would-be criminals. He risks his life daily for this city."
When circumstances that Cataline is totally unaware of bring these two together, the story becomes dark and exciting. It kept me guessing and had me on the edge of my seat the whole time!! At times you will feel confused, at times angry, and at times hopeful for these two.
"Escape is now her singular obsession, the need for it all but physiological. But freedom is the only thing I can't give her, because I have an obsession of my own: her safety. Or, maybe now, just her."
Calvin is an interesting character. He embodies both good and evil. There were many parts of the book that I struggled with hating vs. loving him. Cataline was relatable and I loved the fight that she had in her. I just found her continual indecisiveness annoying at times. It came off more as bitchiness than it did her being conflicted about her situation.
The Sex!:
Um, DAYUM!!! This is a HOT book! The steam had me breaking out in sweats! A lot of the scenes are pretty controversial. I won't spoil any of it but let's just say, I don't think I will ever look at a candle stick quite the same way EVER again, thanks to Calvin...haha! It isn't really non-con. It's more....I don't know, hesitance, maybe? By the end, all involved parties seemed to REALLY enjoy themselves soooo, I will just leave you with that to ponder.
The only one other thing that I struggled with was that I found myself wanting some more background detail in some areas. This is definitely a dialogue heavy book, which is great. But sometimes, some more detail and internal musings are needed to strengthen the story-line. Trust me though, these things were minimal! This is a great book, and I enjoyed the hell out of it!
My favorite parts were the few fleeting moments that we got when Calvin would let his suit of armor down temporarily with Cataline, and we got to see his humanity. Particularly the pool playing scene, the...ah hem, shower scene, and the whole last 10% of the book. In fact, I think I highlighted most of that last 10%!!!
And Norman...oh, I loved sweet Norman!
The Castings*:
The Author:
For this being Leighton Del Mia's first book, I thought that she did a great job! The writing was really very good! She's written a uniquely captivating and intriguing story that is very different from anything else out there right now!
As you may or may not know, Leighton has decided to give Calvin and Cataline fans an optional novella to be read after Hero which follows them after this story ends. I am SOOOO exited for this!! I need more of these two!!
"How can you be evil and good? How can I love you and hate you? How can you be both my savior and my enemy? How can I want both punishment and forgiveness for you?" - Cataline
"I'm nobody without you to care for." - Calvin/ Hero
**ARC courtesy of the author to Rebel Book Chicks as part of Release Blitz promotion.**
* Casting credits go to fellow blogger "Lady Vigilante (Feifei)" who casted Henry Cavill and Lily Collins. Once I saw, I just couldn't picture anyone else as Calvin/Hero and Cataline. They are perfect!
For more honest reviews, book updates, giveaways, and other complete craziness, visit our blog at http://www.rebelbookchicks.com/
Follow us on FB:https://www.facebook.com/rebelbook...
Follow us Twitter: https://twitter.com/RebelBookChicks
Want to read
January 2, 2014HERO is a dual POV, standalone erotic novel. WARNING: meant for a mature audience due to dark themes including non- or dubious-consent.
OK.. seriously...
OK.. seriously...
December 4, 2014
dnf at 35%
This book is just weird.
First of all it reminds totally of batman not just slightly!
I love all Nolan's batman movies and I sure I can repeat every sentence of all three movies :D
But you don't need to love batman as much as I do to see the similarities like:
- the city the heroine is living is full of criminals just like Gotham city..
- hero is a masked citizen who takes justice in his own hands just like guess who? batman.
- hero lives in a mansion
- and has a butler who calls him master
- and his parents died when he was at a young age.
And suddenly I felt like I wasn't reading about batman anymore but the incredible hulk..
I stopped at 35% because this book seemed totally weird to me. And after some other reviews I decided I don't want to continue.
I didn't get to the point to find out what's the deal between the heronie and the hero. I just know that But frankly I don't care to find out either..
Don't ask me why I enjoyed Her Master's Courtesan but couldn't finish this one... I really don't know either..
August 8, 2016
4 SUPERHERO STARS
ARC kindly provided by "Leighton Del Mia" in exchange for an honest review (Thank you for this arc)
First off this cover was my undoing!! It's pretty damn hot!! My cover hoe radar went off the scales..
Then the words: Dark..Erotic..Standalone..
So I was hooked and landed twice!!
This review will also be without spoilers as I don't want to wreck it for the readers when it's released..
I didn't find it dark as such unless I'm immune to dark shit now, I found this more erotica than anything..
They call me HERO, I DEFEND, I PROTECT!! And it should've also said I STALK her!!
"Over the years, my obligation to her has morphed into a compulsion, keep her SAFE, Keep her CLOSE, WATCH her"
He's watched her from afar from a young age , and what started out as DUTY fast became his OBSESSION..
Things spiral out of control when Cataline Ford is taken off the streets one night after work, thinking it's one man only to find out it's someone else entirely is her undoing..
KIDNAPPED
The night he took me from the street, I turned from PERSON to POSSESSION..And I know wondering what it would take to make his dark heart light is DANGEROUS..
"Run and I'll chase you, believe me, when I say you do not want that."
"DO I scare you SPARROW?"
"I'm her own personal MONSTER, but tonight, admitting it to myself for the first time, I want to be her HERO"
"YOU'LL ALWAYS BE MY SUPERHERO"
A unique story that drags you in from page one, and am really glad there is more "After breakfast" Beautifully written, captivatimg, intriguing and leaves you breathless for more..
ARC kindly provided by "Leighton Del Mia" in exchange for an honest review (Thank you for this arc)
First off this cover was my undoing!! It's pretty damn hot!! My cover hoe radar went off the scales..
Then the words: Dark..Erotic..Standalone..
So I was hooked and landed twice!!
This review will also be without spoilers as I don't want to wreck it for the readers when it's released..
I didn't find it dark as such unless I'm immune to dark shit now, I found this more erotica than anything..
They call me HERO, I DEFEND, I PROTECT!! And it should've also said I STALK her!!
"Over the years, my obligation to her has morphed into a compulsion, keep her SAFE, Keep her CLOSE, WATCH her"
He's watched her from afar from a young age , and what started out as DUTY fast became his OBSESSION..
Things spiral out of control when Cataline Ford is taken off the streets one night after work, thinking it's one man only to find out it's someone else entirely is her undoing..
KIDNAPPED
The night he took me from the street, I turned from PERSON to POSSESSION..And I know wondering what it would take to make his dark heart light is DANGEROUS..
"Run and I'll chase you, believe me, when I say you do not want that."
"DO I scare you SPARROW?"
"I'm her own personal MONSTER, but tonight, admitting it to myself for the first time, I want to be her HERO"
"YOU'LL ALWAYS BE MY SUPERHERO"
A unique story that drags you in from page one, and am really glad there is more "After breakfast" Beautifully written, captivatimg, intriguing and leaves you breathless for more..
February 24, 2014
I know I shouldn’t love this as much as I do. But there’s just something about captivity stories that just hit the right spot for me. It’s dark and wrong and yet in removing all control it’s also just so hot. Especially HERO—this story had the perfect combination of the wrong thing for the right reasons that made me able to love it even as I hated it, crave it even as I rebuked it.
Cataline lost her parents when she was very young and she’s had only the bare minimum ever since. A roof over her head, but no love. Food in her stomach, but no shoulder to lean on. As soon as she turns 18, she leaves her foster family without a look back and moves to New Rhone. She is still under the radar, still alone, but at least it’s by her own rules. She has a great friend and roommate, Frida, and a gorgeous boss that she fantasizes about. She imagines that behind his cold exterior there’s a loving man just waiting to be let out.
One day walking home from work, Cataline is abducted and her life is forever turned upside down. She finds herself in a mansion, where she’s given everything she could ask for so long as she never leaves and asks no questions. A gilded cage that she can’t break. When she finally meets her abductor, he’s not who or what she imagined. He wants nothing from her yet won’t tell her why she can’t leave.
HERO was the perfect story. A standalone that answered all my questions instead of dragging out the story into three parts, it was perfect in content and length. I loved the dual point-of-views. I was shocked that Leighton Del Mia was able to tell parts of the story from Calvin’s point of view without revealing his secrets before it was time. It was a sexy, forbidden, twisted love story and I reveled in the suspense of not knowing what would happen.
HERO is the perfect dark, erotic romance and if you like having your boundaries pushed and feeling conflicted emotions towards the hero, you will adore this story!
**Copy provided by the author/publisher for an honest review.
**Reviewed by preppea on I ♥ Bookie Nookie Reviews.
Cataline lost her parents when she was very young and she’s had only the bare minimum ever since. A roof over her head, but no love. Food in her stomach, but no shoulder to lean on. As soon as she turns 18, she leaves her foster family without a look back and moves to New Rhone. She is still under the radar, still alone, but at least it’s by her own rules. She has a great friend and roommate, Frida, and a gorgeous boss that she fantasizes about. She imagines that behind his cold exterior there’s a loving man just waiting to be let out.
One day walking home from work, Cataline is abducted and her life is forever turned upside down. She finds herself in a mansion, where she’s given everything she could ask for so long as she never leaves and asks no questions. A gilded cage that she can’t break. When she finally meets her abductor, he’s not who or what she imagined. He wants nothing from her yet won’t tell her why she can’t leave.
HERO was the perfect story. A standalone that answered all my questions instead of dragging out the story into three parts, it was perfect in content and length. I loved the dual point-of-views. I was shocked that Leighton Del Mia was able to tell parts of the story from Calvin’s point of view without revealing his secrets before it was time. It was a sexy, forbidden, twisted love story and I reveled in the suspense of not knowing what would happen.
HERO is the perfect dark, erotic romance and if you like having your boundaries pushed and feeling conflicted emotions towards the hero, you will adore this story!
**Copy provided by the author/publisher for an honest review.
**Reviewed by preppea on I ♥ Bookie Nookie Reviews.
April 29, 2016
I wish I'd written a rage review for this book, because its main characters should've died. I don't suggest reading this book if violently aggressive men, dubious consent, forced sex, anal play/sex, bdsm, and violence, etc. bother you.
Later edit: Upon further contemplation, I've decided this was 1 star for me. The characters didn't draw me in in any way. A good writer can make you sympathize with even a serial killer. I really didn't care about these two. I'd like to reiterate that Calvin is psychotic, unhinged and cruel and expects gratitude for everything. Cataline is super annoying and dumber than a block of fake cheese.
Initial review: I don't even know how to rate this book. In its favor it is well written. Well developed and concise. The subject matter is a different matter, which I don't know how to rate. I disliked the first 100 or so pages, kinda slow, then it became more interesting. The cruelty in this book was a bucket of cold water after reading 10 regency romances in a row, which may be negatively coloring my opinion, but I doubt it. I didn't really like either character: Calvin is cruel & Cataline is dumb. They also have the emotional stability of a tornado; so wishy washy all over the place.
This ends with a HFN. There's a sequel or novella after this book. I won't be reading it.
Later edit: Upon further contemplation, I've decided this was 1 star for me. The characters didn't draw me in in any way. A good writer can make you sympathize with even a serial killer. I really didn't care about these two. I'd like to reiterate that Calvin is psychotic, unhinged and cruel and expects gratitude for everything. Cataline is super annoying and dumber than a block of fake cheese.
Initial review: I don't even know how to rate this book. In its favor it is well written. Well developed and concise. The subject matter is a different matter, which I don't know how to rate. I disliked the first 100 or so pages, kinda slow, then it became more interesting. The cruelty in this book was a bucket of cold water after reading 10 regency romances in a row, which may be negatively coloring my opinion, but I doubt it. I didn't really like either character: Calvin is cruel & Cataline is dumb. They also have the emotional stability of a tornado; so wishy washy all over the place.
This ends with a HFN. There's a sequel or novella after this book. I won't be reading it.
August 28, 2019
DNF. Sorry, just wasn't for me.
Heroine was naive, stupid and weak. H is an asshole to her and forces her to do things even though he is called the hero in the book, which doesn't seem very fitting!
Heroine was naive, stupid and weak. H is an asshole to her and forces her to do things even though he is called the hero in the book, which doesn't seem very fitting!
February 28, 2014
I stopped reading at around 40% of the book because I realized how much I hated Calvin more than I was supposed to love him, granted I never did finish the book, I just couldn't take it anymore. He was took dark for me, his actions disturbing and in m opinion unjustifiable to any excuse he had to 'protect' Cataline, who in my opinion was a poor representation of a heroine.
I was too disgusted with Calvin's behaviour, how he never he found himself ashamed of what he has done to Cat, how he violated her and her rights to freedom because he fucking thought so. It was so disturbing, I could see no redemption nor any sort of retribution to be able to forgive his actions.
I especially hated how Cat just gave in to him to easily, letting him do whatever he wanted to her as if he fucking gowned her, which he clearly didn't. He KIDNAPPED her! Seriously, Cat? where the fuck is your brain when you needed it? So what he is hot? so what he was beautiful green eyes? so what he takes 'care' of you? so fucking what he is a 'good' man in the inside? No sane woman would let a man take advantage of her like that. And I don't just mean physically, I mean emotionally and mentally as well. I just couldn't read it anymore, I literally closed my kindle and marked it as dnf.
Honestly, this book is really well written (hence the reason why I even rated in the first place), almost beautiful in way. I really like the dual pov, the present tense was refreshing and the grammar was good too. I knew that I should have been prepared when I was warned about the dark themes surrounding the novel but once again, I sank into the judging the book by its cover cliche. If you a re a person who enjoys a romance developed from being kidnapped and questionable consent, this book is totally for you. It just wasn't my cup of Tea. Sorry Leighton Del Mia, maybe next time.
I was too disgusted with Calvin's behaviour, how he never he found himself ashamed of what he has done to Cat, how he violated her and her rights to freedom because he fucking thought so. It was so disturbing, I could see no redemption nor any sort of retribution to be able to forgive his actions.
I especially hated how Cat just gave in to him to easily, letting him do whatever he wanted to her as if he fucking gowned her, which he clearly didn't. He KIDNAPPED her! Seriously, Cat? where the fuck is your brain when you needed it? So what he is hot? so what he was beautiful green eyes? so what he takes 'care' of you? so fucking what he is a 'good' man in the inside? No sane woman would let a man take advantage of her like that. And I don't just mean physically, I mean emotionally and mentally as well. I just couldn't read it anymore, I literally closed my kindle and marked it as dnf.
Honestly, this book is really well written (hence the reason why I even rated in the first place), almost beautiful in way. I really like the dual pov, the present tense was refreshing and the grammar was good too. I knew that I should have been prepared when I was warned about the dark themes surrounding the novel but once again, I sank into the judging the book by its cover cliche. If you a re a person who enjoys a romance developed from being kidnapped and questionable consent, this book is totally for you. It just wasn't my cup of Tea. Sorry Leighton Del Mia, maybe next time.
February 26, 2014
The night he took me from the street, I turned from person to possession. Now I worry that when he entered my body and stole what I wouldn't give him, I became his possession from the inside.
I've been in a 'Dark Read' kind of mood lately and this fitted in just right.
Hero is the story of Cataline Ford. She lives in the city of New Rhone where they have their own resident hero. Sort of, no, just like Batman. He rids the city of thieves, murderers etc. The people of New Rhone don't know what to think of him. Some think of him as a hero, others as a vigilante who needs to be stopped. Not Cataline. She's always wished Hero was there to save her when her life fell apart, so she worships him from afar.
Cataline also works in the media industry for Calvin Parish, who she has a major crush on. One night while walking home, she's abducted and taken to a mansion. She's confused because other than having no actual freedom, she's let loose in the house, given her favorite food and dressed by the best. That's until she meets her captor. Calvin Parish.
Calvin is brutal. He takes everything from her and he's unrepentant. But after months of living with him, when his touch hurts yet feels so good, she finds she's falling for him. But at the back of her mind, she hopes Hero will come and take her out of her captivity.
Now where to start? Let's go with the positives. The book had heart, emotion, lots of it. I loved how tormented they both were. The author did a remarkable job making me feel Cataline's anguish through the age old question, when it comes to dark erotica anyway, how can she possibly fall in love with her tormentor?
I know wondering what it would take to make that dark heart light is dangerous. But a wild hunger is building fast in me. I don't know if I've been starved for anyone for months or starved for Calvin my whole life.
I just loved the author's way of conveying emotion. It held me in place and was my favorite part of the book.
I also have to commend the steam. My oh my! I was squirming, in a good way. The book is definitely smutty. Calvin is a dirty talker and he takes what he wants. The things he did to her, the things he said to her..
If you're not naked and spread out on this table in two seconds, I'm going to spank you so hard, you won't know up from down.
If you love it hard and dirty, you'll find it all here. And if you love these sorts of Alpha Males, possessive, tormented, you know the sort, then you'll love Calvin.
Now, unfortunately, to the negatives. We got both the hero and heroine's point of view. I was initially excited to get into a Captor's head but I quickly realized why most author's choose not to do this. For a dark read, I want to fear the captor. I want to not know what's going through his head so that everything he does scares me. Being in Calvin's mind made me sympathise with him, which of course landed this book on the light spectrum of dark reads. He hurt her, make no mistake, but I already knew his torment so I wasn't scared of him.
Add to that the fact that we already know that Calvin is Hero. Not just from the blurb, but from his POV as well. So Cataline was the only one not in on the secret. So when she found out, it wasn't as explosive as it would have been if the reader hadn't known.
Now lastly, and this is what highly affects my rating, the superhero storyline. It was batman rewritten. The suit he wore, his English sounding butler, the seedy underbelly of the city of Gotham, I mean, New Rhone… see? It all felt too familiar. Such that every time Hero spoke, I heard Christian Bale as Batman in my mind.
Now I will say that the smutty scenes and the emotional scenes made this book a fun read for me. They were done well. But the negatives pull what could have been a compelling 4 star read, into...
3.5 stars.
For more reviews go to Jessy's Book Club or follow us on Facebook
I've been in a 'Dark Read' kind of mood lately and this fitted in just right.
Hero is the story of Cataline Ford. She lives in the city of New Rhone where they have their own resident hero. Sort of, no, just like Batman. He rids the city of thieves, murderers etc. The people of New Rhone don't know what to think of him. Some think of him as a hero, others as a vigilante who needs to be stopped. Not Cataline. She's always wished Hero was there to save her when her life fell apart, so she worships him from afar.
Cataline also works in the media industry for Calvin Parish, who she has a major crush on. One night while walking home, she's abducted and taken to a mansion. She's confused because other than having no actual freedom, she's let loose in the house, given her favorite food and dressed by the best. That's until she meets her captor. Calvin Parish.
Calvin is brutal. He takes everything from her and he's unrepentant. But after months of living with him, when his touch hurts yet feels so good, she finds she's falling for him. But at the back of her mind, she hopes Hero will come and take her out of her captivity.
Now where to start? Let's go with the positives. The book had heart, emotion, lots of it. I loved how tormented they both were. The author did a remarkable job making me feel Cataline's anguish through the age old question, when it comes to dark erotica anyway, how can she possibly fall in love with her tormentor?
I know wondering what it would take to make that dark heart light is dangerous. But a wild hunger is building fast in me. I don't know if I've been starved for anyone for months or starved for Calvin my whole life.
I just loved the author's way of conveying emotion. It held me in place and was my favorite part of the book.
I also have to commend the steam. My oh my! I was squirming, in a good way. The book is definitely smutty. Calvin is a dirty talker and he takes what he wants. The things he did to her, the things he said to her..
If you're not naked and spread out on this table in two seconds, I'm going to spank you so hard, you won't know up from down.
If you love it hard and dirty, you'll find it all here. And if you love these sorts of Alpha Males, possessive, tormented, you know the sort, then you'll love Calvin.
Now, unfortunately, to the negatives. We got both the hero and heroine's point of view. I was initially excited to get into a Captor's head but I quickly realized why most author's choose not to do this. For a dark read, I want to fear the captor. I want to not know what's going through his head so that everything he does scares me. Being in Calvin's mind made me sympathise with him, which of course landed this book on the light spectrum of dark reads. He hurt her, make no mistake, but I already knew his torment so I wasn't scared of him.
Add to that the fact that we already know that Calvin is Hero. Not just from the blurb, but from his POV as well. So Cataline was the only one not in on the secret. So when she found out, it wasn't as explosive as it would have been if the reader hadn't known.
Now lastly, and this is what highly affects my rating, the superhero storyline. It was batman rewritten. The suit he wore, his English sounding butler, the seedy underbelly of the city of Gotham, I mean, New Rhone… see? It all felt too familiar. Such that every time Hero spoke, I heard Christian Bale as Batman in my mind.
Now I will say that the smutty scenes and the emotional scenes made this book a fun read for me. They were done well. But the negatives pull what could have been a compelling 4 star read, into...
3.5 stars.
For more reviews go to Jessy's Book Club or follow us on Facebook
August 13, 2016
3.5 stars
Genre: Superhero, captive romance.
Cover: 5/10
Writing: 7/10
Heroine: 5/10
Hero: 7/10
Hotness: 7/10
Romance: 7/10
Ending: 8/10
Extra book Details: Dual POV. Approx 280 pages.
Office worker, 22 year old Cataline, has crushes on both Hero and her boss Calvin Parish and unbeknown to her, both are the same man.
Hero takes justice into his own hands, he's done what the NYPD and FBI can't, taken out one of the big guys.
While Calvin Parish is a private man, almost intimidating, grim and also Cataline's boss.
After work one day Cataline finds herself abducted, kidnapped, and taken to a mansion by a mysterious 'Master'.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
I was incredibly frustrated for the first 30% of this book. There were inconsistencies, to name a few:
Calvin's superhero status seemed heavily influenced by other superheroes/anti-heroes in fiction. Ranging from Superman (dual identities, girl likes both of them and doesn't realise they are one and the same) to The Beast (Cataline is amazed by his library, his own floor of the house which is forbidden to Cataline, 'master', mansion) to Batman (uniform, nocturnal, car, butler, vigilante, mansion) to The Hulk (not telling).
Calvin's character was interesting, though it was a shame that we know he is 'Hero' before we even read the book. The sex was very hot if you like it rough with a side of sadism and dub-non-con. The storyline was quite unique and the mystery kept it going.
Genre: Superhero, captive romance.
Cover: 5/10
Writing: 7/10
Heroine: 5/10
Hero: 7/10
Hotness: 7/10
Romance: 7/10
Ending: 8/10
Extra book Details: Dual POV. Approx 280 pages.
Office worker, 22 year old Cataline, has crushes on both Hero and her boss Calvin Parish and unbeknown to her, both are the same man.
Hero takes justice into his own hands, he's done what the NYPD and FBI can't, taken out one of the big guys.
While Calvin Parish is a private man, almost intimidating, grim and also Cataline's boss.
After work one day Cataline finds herself abducted, kidnapped, and taken to a mansion by a mysterious 'Master'.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
I was incredibly frustrated for the first 30% of this book. There were inconsistencies, to name a few:
Calvin's superhero status seemed heavily influenced by other superheroes/anti-heroes in fiction. Ranging from Superman (dual identities, girl likes both of them and doesn't realise they are one and the same) to The Beast (Cataline is amazed by his library, his own floor of the house which is forbidden to Cataline, 'master', mansion) to Batman (uniform, nocturnal, car, butler, vigilante, mansion) to The Hulk (not telling).
Calvin's character was interesting, though it was a shame that we know he is 'Hero' before we even read the book. The sex was very hot if you like it rough with a side of sadism and dub-non-con. The storyline was quite unique and the mystery kept it going.
March 6, 2014
3.5-4 stars
When i finished this book,i didn't know how to rate it.I was between 3 stars and 4 stars.
Why ??
Well because while i was reading it,sometimes i felt like meh...
But then sometimes i felt like:
In the end i'm giving it 4 stars.
When i finished this book,i didn't know how to rate it.I was between 3 stars and 4 stars.
Why ??
Well because while i was reading it,sometimes i felt like meh...
But then sometimes i felt like:
In the end i'm giving it 4 stars.
June 21, 2016
DNF at 36%
I was never a big fan of superheroes. I'm probably a minority here, but big men in tight spandex costumes wearing masks and trying to save the world from all evil just really don't turn me on.
--Unless you're Chris Hemsworth saving the world in a Thor suit -- or nothing at all for that matter, but that's beside the point. I can make an exception for Chris Hemsworth. But only for him.
The truth it, I probably wouldn't have read this book had I known beforehand it was about a "superhero". It wasn't really specified anywhere, so I don't know if that was supposed to be a plot-twist or something, but I would have like to know before I started. I mean, apart from the title of the book, which is never something to truly base your opinion of a book on, I guess I could have determined it was about a superhero, but really, NOWHERE in the genre is Sci-Fi specified or anything of the sort. The blurb doesn't really say much on the matter either... So, it's quite confusing...
Now, don't get me wrong, I do believe the fact that he secretly -- or not so secretly, depending on how you see it -- had very dark urges WAS hot, but I just couldn't get over the fact that he was a superhero. And like I said, that's a turn off for me. When I read what is supposed to be "Dark Erotica", I prefer my hero slightly twisted, very dangerous and most definitely renowned criminals. It's just how I like 'em. So, yeah, a man trying to save the world was an interesting and different twist, but not one that particularly worked for me. Unfortunately...
One of the main problems I had with this book was quite obviously the heroine, Cataline. She was annoying, she was a special little virginal snowflake that needs rescue and had values I simply couldn't relate to and well, she just really pissed me off... I wouldn't say she was weak because to be quite fair, she was fighting back a lot more than I would have expected from her at first. But she was a bit childish and she definitely was annoying.
I will say this: the sex was kind of hot, and so that was a definite plus. But I mean, as much as I enjoy a good sex scene, if the story and the characters really aren't doing it for me, then I don't see the point in continuing reading it.
Therefore, it was a DNF for me.
I was never a big fan of superheroes. I'm probably a minority here, but big men in tight spandex costumes wearing masks and trying to save the world from all evil just really don't turn me on.
--Unless you're Chris Hemsworth saving the world in a Thor suit -- or nothing at all for that matter, but that's beside the point. I can make an exception for Chris Hemsworth. But only for him.
The truth it, I probably wouldn't have read this book had I known beforehand it was about a "superhero". It wasn't really specified anywhere, so I don't know if that was supposed to be a plot-twist or something, but I would have like to know before I started. I mean, apart from the title of the book, which is never something to truly base your opinion of a book on, I guess I could have determined it was about a superhero, but really, NOWHERE in the genre is Sci-Fi specified or anything of the sort. The blurb doesn't really say much on the matter either... So, it's quite confusing...
Now, don't get me wrong, I do believe the fact that he secretly -- or not so secretly, depending on how you see it -- had very dark urges WAS hot, but I just couldn't get over the fact that he was a superhero. And like I said, that's a turn off for me. When I read what is supposed to be "Dark Erotica", I prefer my hero slightly twisted, very dangerous and most definitely renowned criminals. It's just how I like 'em. So, yeah, a man trying to save the world was an interesting and different twist, but not one that particularly worked for me. Unfortunately...
One of the main problems I had with this book was quite obviously the heroine, Cataline. She was annoying, she was a special little virginal snowflake that needs rescue and had values I simply couldn't relate to and well, she just really pissed me off... I wouldn't say she was weak because to be quite fair, she was fighting back a lot more than I would have expected from her at first. But she was a bit childish and she definitely was annoying.
I will say this: the sex was kind of hot, and so that was a definite plus. But I mean, as much as I enjoy a good sex scene, if the story and the characters really aren't doing it for me, then I don't see the point in continuing reading it.
Therefore, it was a DNF for me.
January 9, 2015
The book:
If Batman was an asshole that is.
Me:
Hell no!
If Batman was an asshole that is.
Me:
Hell no!
March 24, 2014
2.5 stars
I'm disappointed because I thought I would have enjoyed this more than I actually did since the blurb and the premise of the story sounded interesting (to me). Unfortunately, I didn't feel any kind of connection to any of the characters so the most emotion I expressed were raised eyebrows at one point during the book.
I'm disappointed because I thought I would have enjoyed this more than I actually did since the blurb and the premise of the story sounded interesting (to me). Unfortunately, I didn't feel any kind of connection to any of the characters so the most emotion I expressed were raised eyebrows at one point during the book.
October 9, 2014
Why do I crave his approval, his affection? Why do I want to hold the hand that holds me down? Kiss a mouth that calls me “slut”? And why does being his little slut excite me to the point of losing all my inhibitions? (…) I’m just his prisoner, but he’s my captor, my monster, and my hope all rolled into one.
>>CATALINE
I’m her own personal monster, but tonight, admitting it to myself for the first time, I want to be her hero.
>>CALVIN
You see, there is a reason for why I love Dark Erotica: You have an inner struggle with yourself all the while you’re reading the book. You feel like you should hate the characters you end up loving. You feel like you should be disgusted with all the twisted stuff happening to them, but you secretly enjoy it. You feel like you should judge some of the decisions the characters make, but you still support them deep down. You feel like you should wish that the book ends up in a bad way, with all these sick characters paying for their actions and wrong-doings, but you read the whole book hoping everything turns out okay. I just, love the way these books make me doubt myself, I guess...
Of course, I enjoyed this one, too.
I know that what was happening for the most time was...well, serious sexual abuse and...rape, but the author has written those scenes in a way that they don’t make you cringe and feel disgusted, and I wasn’t really bothered with them. I’ve read much worse, after all…
At times, the characters, some words they use, their demeanor and their actions, some of the events that take place reminded me a bit too much of Captive in the Dark, but I won’t ponder on that. I don’t even want to think about the overwhelming familiarity of the plot with Batman, either. It would shrink the value of this book and I don’t want to do that.
…anyway.
I can understand an author’s need to turn very vulgar and animalistic scenes into poetry, using different words to paraphrase some of the sentences, trying to remind everyone that this is still literature and not porn; but some parts in this book were a bit exaggerated in my opinion:
I am both purging and gorging, my life seeping through my pores and Calvin’s cum filling the void it leaves, warming my already sweltering body that is just a pool of sweat.
I don’t want to summarize the plot or get into introducing the characters; the blurb of the book explains it perfectly already.
I just want to say, Calvin and Cataline’s story is worth your time if you enjoy dark stories that make you want to both slap and hug the characters in it, like I do!
”… And I have no one.”
“You have me.”
“I have no one.”
“I want you too, Cataline. I want to be the answer to your no one.”
March 3, 2014
Take a blender. Mix Batman (Nolan's one) and a french movie called Les rivières pourpres 2: Les anges de l'Apocalypse and you got Hero.
You know, when you read a blurb and think "that book looks AWESOME" and then you read the actual book and you're like "WTF this is not what I read from the blurb", this book is one of them. BOOKS WITH BLURBS THAT ATTRACTIVE YOU WANT TO READ THEM RIGHT NOW AND YOU END SO DISAPPOINTED YOU WANT TO SUE THE AUTHOR TO MAKE YOU BUY THIS THING.
The superhuman who can't die because he takes a drug that makes him Superman (he's fast, he's strong, he's a lot of WTF)... OH COME ON that's not even the slightest realistic. Totally paranormal stuff. It's not a dark read, it's a dumb one.
The heroine is a doormat, she's suffering from Stockholm Syndrome or she's just crazy I don't know. I didn't felt anything for her.
The worst part was that in the end his abusive behavior (because yippee-ki-yay the motherfucker raped the girl) is justified by his use of the drug...
I want to forget it
You know, when you read a blurb and think "that book looks AWESOME" and then you read the actual book and you're like "WTF this is not what I read from the blurb", this book is one of them. BOOKS WITH BLURBS THAT ATTRACTIVE YOU WANT TO READ THEM RIGHT NOW AND YOU END SO DISAPPOINTED YOU WANT TO SUE THE AUTHOR TO MAKE YOU BUY THIS THING.
The superhuman who can't die because he takes a drug that makes him Superman (he's fast, he's strong, he's a lot of WTF)... OH COME ON that's not even the slightest realistic. Totally paranormal stuff. It's not a dark read, it's a dumb one.
The heroine is a doormat, she's suffering from Stockholm Syndrome or she's just crazy I don't know. I didn't felt anything for her.
The worst part was that in the end his abusive behavior (because yippee-ki-yay the motherfucker raped the girl) is justified by his use of the drug...
I want to forget it
February 24, 2014
A solid 4 ~ Totally Different Stars
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Escape Through Here For My Full Review!
http://cariads-sizzling-pages.blogspo... - come visit me!
Sizzling Pages Romance Reviews
Sizzling Pages @ Facebook
Twitter:@Sizzlingpages
March 1, 2014
This is not usually my type of book..the dark romance novels the whole stockholm syndrome thing I Don't Get It..but after reading the blurb something drew me to the story.
Calvin Parish
They call me Hero.
I defend.
I protect.
I ask for nothing in return, and that makes me good.
Doesn’t it?
For years I’ve watched her from afar, but what started out as duty has become obsession.
After this anybody would be hooked!
Hero was a bit of a difficult story,Calvin is not your typical damaged guy,he is something more,dark,tortured but still a hero.
I know I shouldn’t love this as much as I do.It was good, it was weird, it was dark, it was bad, it was really hot! I loved the ending,he realized that he loves her,needs her and would and will give up his past,his pain for her!
Calvin Parish
They call me Hero.
I defend.
I protect.
I ask for nothing in return, and that makes me good.
Doesn’t it?
For years I’ve watched her from afar, but what started out as duty has become obsession.
After this anybody would be hooked!
Hero was a bit of a difficult story,Calvin is not your typical damaged guy,he is something more,dark,tortured but still a hero.
I know I shouldn’t love this as much as I do.It was good, it was weird, it was dark, it was bad, it was really hot! I loved the ending,he realized that he loves her,needs her and would and will give up his past,his pain for her!
March 8, 2014
At first, I was excited and curious about this book. Imagine, erotic novel with super hero theme... nice huh? Unfortunately, as opposed to most people, I find this story dull. In fact it's not even exciting at all.
There were a couple of times where I was really tempted to just drop this, but still read on hoping for some improvement. However, in this case, it's null.
Action wise - nah...
Mind fuck - nah...
Dark read - nah...
Character development - nah...
Okay even for it's steaminess - nah...
In short, I didn't enjoy it. The story pick up it's measly pace after about 70% but still not a page turner. I just want to finish and be done with it.
There were a couple of times where I was really tempted to just drop this, but still read on hoping for some improvement. However, in this case, it's null.
Action wise - nah...
Mind fuck - nah...
Dark read - nah...
Character development - nah...
Okay even for it's steaminess - nah...
In short, I didn't enjoy it. The story pick up it's measly pace after about 70% but still not a page turner. I just want to finish and be done with it.
March 6, 2015
What in the hell do I say about Hero by Leighton Del Mia? I am not even certain that my mind has absorbed all that I have read. This book very original with the intermingling of a captor/captive story and a superhero story
Wow! Hero is unlike anything I have ever read ,it was weird! This is an intense book!!It's difficult to tell you what the story is without giving it all away
Calvin Parish
They call me Hero.
I defend.
I protect.
I ask for nothing in return, and that makes me good.
Doesn’t it?
For years I’ve watched her from afar, but what started out as duty has become obsession.
Wow! Hero is unlike anything I have ever read ,it was weird! This is an intense book!!It's difficult to tell you what the story is without giving it all away
Calvin Parish
They call me Hero.
I defend.
I protect.
I ask for nothing in return, and that makes me good.
Doesn’t it?
For years I’ve watched her from afar, but what started out as duty has become obsession.
February 15, 2016
Oh my goodness! This has to be one of the best reads, as of late for me. In my opinion, HERO is a modern day Beauty and the Beast. Some may even say that it's a modern day Batman.
I do not want to give away too much, so I will say as much as I can, without spoilers.
Calvin Parish runs Parish media in a small town called New Rhonan. Cataline Ford works as Calvin's personal assistant at Parish Media. Cataline does not know much about him, but she does know that she sexy and she is attracted to him, even though he can be harsh and demanding. Mr. Parish does not under any circumstances, allow any personal time while on company time.
Upon walking home from work one evening, Cataline is kidnapped. Someone comes up from behind her, covers her mouth and is just, well .... GONE. She wakes groggy and confused, in a gorgeous bedroom. This is where she is introduced to Norman the butler and Rose, the housekeeper, who both care for her. She knows nothing of where she is, other than it is absolutely breathtaking.
Cataline is treated as a prisoner in the home, and the only one who shows her any compassion is Norman. She can't understand why she has been kidnapped. Why me, she thinks? What do they want with ME? Why at the same time, do they treat me so well? So well in fact, that they know everything about her, down to her favorite books, meals and exact clothing size. Cataline asks questions and never receives any answers. Therefore, Cataline begins to act out. With every outburst, she is punished. It seems that the punishments get worse, as the time goes by.
*****Excerpt*****
"No, where the HELL am I? What
city am I in? How did I get here?"
He purses his lips at me.
"There's no reason to get hostile. I'm
not here to hurt you."
"You kidnapped me," I shriek.
*****That's quite juicy, isn't it? Doesn't it make you want to pick up the book and read?*****
Cataline does not know who her kidnapper is, but she's determined to find out. She sneaks around the mansion, trying to locate clues. However, her kidnapper is very private, very secretive and is great at hiding anything that may give him away. She is set on finding out why this has happened to her, and how she can escape. However, she also feels the need to stay. Is it a connection with her captor that she feels, or fear of being caught, should she escape?
She patiently awaits for the city's HERO to find and rescue her. She sits at the window sill hoping and praying that he is on his way. HERO always finds evil and even if it entails killing the villain, he is sure to rescue the innocent victim. Why, oh why is he not coming for Cataline? Is she doing something wrong? Can HERO not sense that she is in trouble?
I must say that this book was extremely hard to put down. HERO has an epic storyline and it just kept sucking me in, deeper and deeper. Leighton Del Mia has a new fan. I will follow her, for sure! Please do me a favor and pick up your copy as soon as it is released... you WILL thank me!!!!!
Please be aware that HERO is for mature audiences only and has adult content, minor abuse and recommended for ages 18+.
Michelle Schwartz
-Reader, Reviewer & Blogger-
www.batteryoperatedbookblog.com
I do not want to give away too much, so I will say as much as I can, without spoilers.
Calvin Parish runs Parish media in a small town called New Rhonan. Cataline Ford works as Calvin's personal assistant at Parish Media. Cataline does not know much about him, but she does know that she sexy and she is attracted to him, even though he can be harsh and demanding. Mr. Parish does not under any circumstances, allow any personal time while on company time.
Upon walking home from work one evening, Cataline is kidnapped. Someone comes up from behind her, covers her mouth and is just, well .... GONE. She wakes groggy and confused, in a gorgeous bedroom. This is where she is introduced to Norman the butler and Rose, the housekeeper, who both care for her. She knows nothing of where she is, other than it is absolutely breathtaking.
Cataline is treated as a prisoner in the home, and the only one who shows her any compassion is Norman. She can't understand why she has been kidnapped. Why me, she thinks? What do they want with ME? Why at the same time, do they treat me so well? So well in fact, that they know everything about her, down to her favorite books, meals and exact clothing size. Cataline asks questions and never receives any answers. Therefore, Cataline begins to act out. With every outburst, she is punished. It seems that the punishments get worse, as the time goes by.
*****Excerpt*****
"No, where the HELL am I? What
city am I in? How did I get here?"
He purses his lips at me.
"There's no reason to get hostile. I'm
not here to hurt you."
"You kidnapped me," I shriek.
*****That's quite juicy, isn't it? Doesn't it make you want to pick up the book and read?*****
Cataline does not know who her kidnapper is, but she's determined to find out. She sneaks around the mansion, trying to locate clues. However, her kidnapper is very private, very secretive and is great at hiding anything that may give him away. She is set on finding out why this has happened to her, and how she can escape. However, she also feels the need to stay. Is it a connection with her captor that she feels, or fear of being caught, should she escape?
She patiently awaits for the city's HERO to find and rescue her. She sits at the window sill hoping and praying that he is on his way. HERO always finds evil and even if it entails killing the villain, he is sure to rescue the innocent victim. Why, oh why is he not coming for Cataline? Is she doing something wrong? Can HERO not sense that she is in trouble?
I must say that this book was extremely hard to put down. HERO has an epic storyline and it just kept sucking me in, deeper and deeper. Leighton Del Mia has a new fan. I will follow her, for sure! Please do me a favor and pick up your copy as soon as it is released... you WILL thank me!!!!!
Please be aware that HERO is for mature audiences only and has adult content, minor abuse and recommended for ages 18+.
Michelle Schwartz
-Reader, Reviewer & Blogger-
www.batteryoperatedbookblog.com
March 2, 2014
Bu yorum aynı zamanda Romancekolikte yayınlanmıştır.
Tuhaf ama sevdim dediğim kitaplara bir yenisi daha eklendi. Hero, böyle karanlık, kaçırılmalı kitaplar aradığım bir dönemimde çıktı karşıma. Tam olarak istediği bulamasamda hoşuma giden bir kitap oldu.
Öncelikle beni şaşırtan şey ise karakterimiz Calvin'in Arrow'daki Oliver'ın Kaptan Amerika mutasyonuna uğramış hali olması. Şaka filan da değil! Adam ailesinin geliştirdiği bir enjeksiyon sayesinde süperkahraman olup kötülere savaş açmış durumda...
Tabii, bu enjeksiyon ne kadar duyularını geliştirse, çok hızlı iyileşecek bir hale getirse de onu öfke gibi duygularını da yüksek oranda etkiliyor. Sözün özü adam iç güdüleriyle aynı bir yırtıcı hayvan gibi.
Kızımızı ise Consequences serisindeki Claire'e o kadar benzettim. Aynı sakillik, saflık, salaklık, dengesizlik söz konusu. Sonunda yaptığın kazıyı unutmayacağım Cataline... Hala son hamlen yüzünden sinirle ara ara sana sövmekteyim. Neden yani?
Konumuzu ise en azından kızımızın kaçırılma ve alıkonulma dönemlerini ise Tears of Tess kitabına benzettim. Alıkonulması bir kölelik değil de dışarı çıkması yasak olan tatil gibiydi. Buna rağmen bazen cidden şımarıklık yaptığını düşünüyorum. O şımarıklıklarını, yaşadığı alıkonulmanın hiçbirşey olduğunu daha sonra ona gösterdiler de anladı biraz anyayı, konyayı...
Calvin'in şahsi yapısını ise yine Tears of Tess kitabından Q'ya çok benzettim. Aynı kontrole aç hayvani istekler, kadınlara yaklaşım, içindeki canavarla savaşma vs. Büyük bir Q hayranı olarak tabii bu benim çok hoşuma gitti.
Kitapta ateşli sahneler güzelce harmanlanmış ve konusuz gibi algınacak bir durum söz konusu değildi, en azından benim açımdan. Oğlumuzun süperkahraman olmasına biraz zor alıştığımıda söylemem gerekli. Ama böyle uçuk bir kurgu olduğu halde yapmacık da gelmedi. Puanımı kırmamın sebebi de yukarıda belirttiğim spoilerdır. Yorumu yazarken hep bir kitaplara benzettim, bunu kendim bile yadırgadım ama okurken bana bunları düşündürttü. Tuhaf bir karışımdı velhasılıkelam. :)
Tuhaf ama sevdim dediğim kitaplara bir yenisi daha eklendi. Hero, böyle karanlık, kaçırılmalı kitaplar aradığım bir dönemimde çıktı karşıma. Tam olarak istediği bulamasamda hoşuma giden bir kitap oldu.
Öncelikle beni şaşırtan şey ise karakterimiz Calvin'in Arrow'daki Oliver'ın Kaptan Amerika mutasyonuna uğramış hali olması. Şaka filan da değil! Adam ailesinin geliştirdiği bir enjeksiyon sayesinde süperkahraman olup kötülere savaş açmış durumda...
Tabii, bu enjeksiyon ne kadar duyularını geliştirse, çok hızlı iyileşecek bir hale getirse de onu öfke gibi duygularını da yüksek oranda etkiliyor. Sözün özü adam iç güdüleriyle aynı bir yırtıcı hayvan gibi.
Kızımızı ise Consequences serisindeki Claire'e o kadar benzettim. Aynı sakillik, saflık, salaklık, dengesizlik söz konusu. Sonunda yaptığın kazıyı unutmayacağım Cataline... Hala son hamlen yüzünden sinirle ara ara sana sövmekteyim. Neden yani?
Konumuzu ise en azından kızımızın kaçırılma ve alıkonulma dönemlerini ise Tears of Tess kitabına benzettim. Alıkonulması bir kölelik değil de dışarı çıkması yasak olan tatil gibiydi. Buna rağmen bazen cidden şımarıklık yaptığını düşünüyorum. O şımarıklıklarını, yaşadığı alıkonulmanın hiçbirşey olduğunu daha sonra ona gösterdiler de anladı biraz anyayı, konyayı...
Calvin'in şahsi yapısını ise yine Tears of Tess kitabından Q'ya çok benzettim. Aynı kontrole aç hayvani istekler, kadınlara yaklaşım, içindeki canavarla savaşma vs. Büyük bir Q hayranı olarak tabii bu benim çok hoşuma gitti.
Kitapta ateşli sahneler güzelce harmanlanmış ve konusuz gibi algınacak bir durum söz konusu değildi, en azından benim açımdan. Oğlumuzun süperkahraman olmasına biraz zor alıştığımıda söylemem gerekli. Ama böyle uçuk bir kurgu olduğu halde yapmacık da gelmedi. Puanımı kırmamın sebebi de yukarıda belirttiğim spoilerdır. Yorumu yazarken hep bir kitaplara benzettim, bunu kendim bile yadırgadım ama okurken bana bunları düşündürttü. Tuhaf bir karışımdı velhasılıkelam. :)
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