Snatched

by Rachel Devine

The most precious person in Laryssa's life is her daughter. So when Sofiya is snatched by a gang of outlaws, Laryssa feels compelled to go after her and try to rescue her from these men. She finds them in a ruined castle in the depths of a large forest and realises that she is helpless against the four vagabonds and, in despair, she offers to work at the castle and become the bedfellow of their leader, Bhodan, in the hope that she will eventually be able to free her daughter.

Bhodan has a dark past, reflected in the dreadful scars on his face, but beneath these wounds Laryssa finds a man who excites her more than any man has ever done before. Bhodan too finds that this woman has wormed her way past the armour plating that has long been his defence against a cruel world and a strong sexual passion develops between them. Then one day Bhodan is severely wounded in a raid and his life hangs by a thread. Will Laryssa leave this man to die in order to free her daughter from captivity? Or will she stay and try to save the man who has shown her a level of passion she may never know again?

57 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 19, 2014

Reviews

[Patricia Green · Rating 4 out of 5]

Snatched is a good novella with a compelling theme. The setting is distinctly medieval, but is not defined beyond the basics, so the reader's imagination can fill in the blanks to suit her taste. It's a lot like a fairy tale in that respect: timeless but with familiar emotions. Laryssa's battle with her need to protect her daughter, as well as her hatred for her daughter's kidnappers, is fascinating to read. DeVine handles it well, allowing the reader to make up her mind about whether she would also vacillate as Laryssa does.

It's not an "easy" book, as there are places when you want to throttle Laryssa for not doing what you want her to do, and yet, the reasons for her confusion are explored carefully. If you want to read a book that challenges you to think about how you would behave in similar circumstances, I recommend Snatched. It is an entertaining romance with all the spankings you might want, but which doesn't lose sight of the happily ever after ending.

[Twarla Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

What would a mother do if her daughter was taken by bandits? She would be brave, bold, and determined to rescue her. It wouldn't matter if she had no resources, no transportation, no money, no family help, or a male champion. A mother's love walks miles for her daughter, offers her body in exchange for her daughter, and will even jump into the pit of hell for her daughter; which is exactly what Laryssa did to free Sofiya from captivity. Resolved to cook, clean, and even perform sexual favors for the brutes if she had to, Laryssa never expected Bhodan (an often brutal lover with a demanding sexual prowess) would spark such a passion between them her traitorous body would consider staying with him even after her daughter is set free.

The story depicts a realistic plot during a time when women had no rights and had to often make hard choices to overcome their circumstances. I found myself afraid and aroused throughout the story. A good read.