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Dark Solstice
Dr. Rhea Landon knew she'd been thrown into Phobos Prison to die. The most notorious prison in the solar system and one from which there was no escape, Phobos Prison housed the most dangerous predators in the solar system-and the few who survived more than a year were the worst of the worst.
Dragged into the arena where the warden held 'gladiator' games for the entertainment of the staff and inmates, she was stripped naked and chained to a post-offered up as a prize to the winner-the meanest brute among them.
When the dust settled, the iceman, John Raathe, was the last man standing.
210 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2008
21 people are currently reading
387 people want to read
About the author
Kaitlyn O'Connor
184 books676 followersStats:
■Kaitlyn has written and completed nearly 140 intellectual properties under several pen names in different genres.
■She has written over 8,000,000 (yes, more than 8 million!) words in published works.
■She has nearly 50 partials in various genres in various stages of completion. :0
■In 2004 she wrote 27 different stories which, together, amounted to nearly a million ‘printed’ words.
■However her most productive year was 2009 when she completed 17 projects totaling well over a million words.
■Second runner up was 2007 when she completed 14 projects at just over a million.
■The year 2008 was a close tie to 2004 in number of words written.
■Her least productive year was 2011. Sorry!
■At 500 to 750 words per hour, the 8+ million written words constitute 10,666 to 16,000 hours, or 20 to 34 hours per week, devoted to Kaitlyn fans over the past 9 years!
■One title had over half a million copies pirated. She decided not to count anymore.
Kaitlyn O’Connor’s Bibliography
Liar’s Poker—romantic suspense; 1993; 93k
Lord of Chaos—historical suspense; 1993; pen name Goldie McBride; 98k
Moonlight Surrender—historical; 1993; 100k
Bond Unbroken—romantic suspense; 1993; 98k
* * * *
Bride of Atlantis—paranormal; published NCP March 2003; pen name Marie Morin; 47k (overall light/humorous)
Sexphiles: Haunting Melody—paranormal/erotica; published NCP Jan-Mar 2003; pen name Kimberly Zant; novella (overall light/humorous)
Four Play—erotica; published NCP Apr-June 2003;pen name Kimberly Zant; 9k
The Lion’s Woman—science fiction; published NCP Apr-June 2003; pen name Kaitlyn O’Connor; 58k (drama)
Thief of Hearts— erotica; published NCP April 2003;pen name Kimberly Zant; 6k
Thief of Hearts: The Return— erotica; published NCP May 2003;pen name Kimberly Zant; 6k
The Claiming—science fiction; published NCP Apr-June 2003; pen name Kaitlyn O’Connor; (drama)
The Assassin’s Blade—science fiction; published NCP July-Sept 2003;pen name Lyssa Hart (drama)
Blood Moon—paranormal/fantasy; published NCP July-Sept 2003;pen name Sylvia Kincaid; 59k(drama)
Doctor, Lawyer … Police Chief—erotica; published NCP July-Sept 2003; pen name Kimberly Zant; 9k
Neptune’s Daughter—paranormal; published NCP July-Sept 2003; pen name Marie Morin; 35k (overall light/humorous)
SexPhiles: The Howling—paranormal/erotica; published NCP July-Sept 2003; pen name (overall light/some humor)
Yar & the Orgasmizer9000—Science Fiction; published NCP July-Sept 2003; pen name Marie Morin; 23k (overall light/humorous)
Below—science fiction; published NCP Oct-Dec 2003; pen name Kaitlyn O’Connor; novel(drama)50k
fantasy; published NCP Oct-Dec 2003; co-authored ; (overall light/humorous)
The Prey—erotic suspense; published NCP Oct-Dec 2003; pen name Kimberly Zant; 33k(dark)
science fiction; published NCP Oct-Dec 2003; co-authored 41k (overall light/humorous)
* * * *
The Djinn—paranormal; published NCP Jan-Mar 2004; pen name Marie Morin; 29k(overall light/humorous)
The Fairy Ring—fantasy; published NCP Mar 2004; pen name Catherine Paige; 42k (overall light/humorous)
urban fantasy; published NCP Jan-Mar 2004; co-authored ; 29k(drama)
Goldilocks—erotica; published NCP Jan-Mar 2004; pen name Kimberly Zant; 8k (overall light/humorous)
Guardian of the Storm—science fiction; published NCP Jan 2004; pen name Kaitlyn O’Connor; 61k (overall light/humorous)
The Invitation—erotic romance; published NCP Jan-Mar 2004; pen name Kimberly Zant; 9k(drama)
Maiden of Atlantis—paranormal; published NCP Jan-Mar 2004; pen name Marie Morin; 40k(drama)
Noccio—science fiction; published NCP Feb 2004; pen name Veronica Chase; 9k (overall light/humorous)
science fiction; published NCP Jan-Mar 2004; co-authored 51k(drama)
The Shaman—erotic suspense; published NCP Jan-Mar 2004; pen name Kimberly Zant; 32k(drama)
Thief of Hearts: Stolen—erotica; published NCP Jan-Mar 200
■Kaitlyn has written and completed nearly 140 intellectual properties under several pen names in different genres.
■She has written over 8,000,000 (yes, more than 8 million!) words in published works.
■She has nearly 50 partials in various genres in various stages of completion. :0
■In 2004 she wrote 27 different stories which, together, amounted to nearly a million ‘printed’ words.
■However her most productive year was 2009 when she completed 17 projects totaling well over a million words.
■Second runner up was 2007 when she completed 14 projects at just over a million.
■The year 2008 was a close tie to 2004 in number of words written.
■Her least productive year was 2011. Sorry!
■At 500 to 750 words per hour, the 8+ million written words constitute 10,666 to 16,000 hours, or 20 to 34 hours per week, devoted to Kaitlyn fans over the past 9 years!
■One title had over half a million copies pirated. She decided not to count anymore.
Kaitlyn O’Connor’s Bibliography
Liar’s Poker—romantic suspense; 1993; 93k
Lord of Chaos—historical suspense; 1993; pen name Goldie McBride; 98k
Moonlight Surrender—historical; 1993; 100k
Bond Unbroken—romantic suspense; 1993; 98k
* * * *
Bride of Atlantis—paranormal; published NCP March 2003; pen name Marie Morin; 47k (overall light/humorous)
Sexphiles: Haunting Melody—paranormal/erotica; published NCP Jan-Mar 2003; pen name Kimberly Zant; novella (overall light/humorous)
Four Play—erotica; published NCP Apr-June 2003;pen name Kimberly Zant; 9k
The Lion’s Woman—science fiction; published NCP Apr-June 2003; pen name Kaitlyn O’Connor; 58k (drama)
Thief of Hearts— erotica; published NCP April 2003;pen name Kimberly Zant; 6k
Thief of Hearts: The Return— erotica; published NCP May 2003;pen name Kimberly Zant; 6k
The Claiming—science fiction; published NCP Apr-June 2003; pen name Kaitlyn O’Connor; (drama)
The Assassin’s Blade—science fiction; published NCP July-Sept 2003;pen name Lyssa Hart (drama)
Blood Moon—paranormal/fantasy; published NCP July-Sept 2003;pen name Sylvia Kincaid; 59k(drama)
Doctor, Lawyer … Police Chief—erotica; published NCP July-Sept 2003; pen name Kimberly Zant; 9k
Neptune’s Daughter—paranormal; published NCP July-Sept 2003; pen name Marie Morin; 35k (overall light/humorous)
SexPhiles: The Howling—paranormal/erotica; published NCP July-Sept 2003; pen name (overall light/some humor)
Yar & the Orgasmizer9000—Science Fiction; published NCP July-Sept 2003; pen name Marie Morin; 23k (overall light/humorous)
Below—science fiction; published NCP Oct-Dec 2003; pen name Kaitlyn O’Connor; novel(drama)50k
fantasy; published NCP Oct-Dec 2003; co-authored ; (overall light/humorous)
The Prey—erotic suspense; published NCP Oct-Dec 2003; pen name Kimberly Zant; 33k(dark)
science fiction; published NCP Oct-Dec 2003; co-authored 41k (overall light/humorous)
* * * *
The Djinn—paranormal; published NCP Jan-Mar 2004; pen name Marie Morin; 29k(overall light/humorous)
The Fairy Ring—fantasy; published NCP Mar 2004; pen name Catherine Paige; 42k (overall light/humorous)
urban fantasy; published NCP Jan-Mar 2004; co-authored ; 29k(drama)
Goldilocks—erotica; published NCP Jan-Mar 2004; pen name Kimberly Zant; 8k (overall light/humorous)
Guardian of the Storm—science fiction; published NCP Jan 2004; pen name Kaitlyn O’Connor; 61k (overall light/humorous)
The Invitation—erotic romance; published NCP Jan-Mar 2004; pen name Kimberly Zant; 9k(drama)
Maiden of Atlantis—paranormal; published NCP Jan-Mar 2004; pen name Marie Morin; 40k(drama)
Noccio—science fiction; published NCP Feb 2004; pen name Veronica Chase; 9k (overall light/humorous)
science fiction; published NCP Jan-Mar 2004; co-authored 51k(drama)
The Shaman—erotic suspense; published NCP Jan-Mar 2004; pen name Kimberly Zant; 32k(drama)
Thief of Hearts: Stolen—erotica; published NCP Jan-Mar 200
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
September 21, 2015
I keep saying it, and I will say it again. ->Writing good erotica is damned hard. There are only a few authors in the field that are even worth mentioning. Kaitlyn O'Connor is one of them.
I have been reading her work for years, and although some of it wasn't the best she never failed to thrill.
She has a way of bringing some steamy scenes to life but still holding on to integrity and individuality of the characters, with not many moments ruined by over-justification. Over-justification is a trap in which many erotica authors fall into – trying to either bring enough side information to somehow explain in a less shameful way why their characters are lusty. If you want a pain Mary Jane then erotica isn't the genre you want to write. If you want to justify your character in the eyes of the people reading it and therefore make it universally liked – you will produce a pushover that is really good for nothing. On the other hand, we have the other tip of the scale, the authors that go overboard and simply destroy any other purpose to their characters by either making their thoughts only focused on either vaginas or penises. Sometimes both, sometimes neither (ask our Japanese friends to clarify on that one – as they have developed by far the best spectrum of non-genital genitals to be used in such writing), but still one track minds that make you wonder why the hell are you reading the thing in the first place??
If I wanted to see a porn, I would have simply watched one - not try and force feed the thing into my brain one word at a time. I think that so far this is the very worst kind of novel. I never liked them. Heroes with perpetual erections and heroine with hardly any clothes on - ever – stumbling about and 'accidentally' getting laid by a football team, and somehow overcoming all their life's problems by simply having a penis lodged in their ass....hmmmm. Not much to go for there – that's why they never seem to get any high ratings.
Then you have the truly unique kind of erotica writers – those that are chill as fuck, understand lust, understand love and see nothing wrong in enjoyment of sex, by one or multiple partners. Those are the ones that will highlight imperfections in their characters in a warm and loving light, make them accept themselves in all their glory be that socially accepted standard of beauty or not. They let the sex be what it was meant to be – a form of hunger, communication, an extension of self. Not a tool or a godamn fashion statement. Those kind of erotic novels make you check around when you are reading in that guilty way, especially if you are somewhere in public and you have the feeling like it's all written on your face.
Dark Solstice is a very good erotica, and like most of her work I have really enjoyed reading it. :)
I have been reading her work for years, and although some of it wasn't the best she never failed to thrill.
She has a way of bringing some steamy scenes to life but still holding on to integrity and individuality of the characters, with not many moments ruined by over-justification. Over-justification is a trap in which many erotica authors fall into – trying to either bring enough side information to somehow explain in a less shameful way why their characters are lusty. If you want a pain Mary Jane then erotica isn't the genre you want to write. If you want to justify your character in the eyes of the people reading it and therefore make it universally liked – you will produce a pushover that is really good for nothing. On the other hand, we have the other tip of the scale, the authors that go overboard and simply destroy any other purpose to their characters by either making their thoughts only focused on either vaginas or penises. Sometimes both, sometimes neither (ask our Japanese friends to clarify on that one – as they have developed by far the best spectrum of non-genital genitals to be used in such writing), but still one track minds that make you wonder why the hell are you reading the thing in the first place??
If I wanted to see a porn, I would have simply watched one - not try and force feed the thing into my brain one word at a time. I think that so far this is the very worst kind of novel. I never liked them. Heroes with perpetual erections and heroine with hardly any clothes on - ever – stumbling about and 'accidentally' getting laid by a football team, and somehow overcoming all their life's problems by simply having a penis lodged in their ass....hmmmm. Not much to go for there – that's why they never seem to get any high ratings.
Then you have the truly unique kind of erotica writers – those that are chill as fuck, understand lust, understand love and see nothing wrong in enjoyment of sex, by one or multiple partners. Those are the ones that will highlight imperfections in their characters in a warm and loving light, make them accept themselves in all their glory be that socially accepted standard of beauty or not. They let the sex be what it was meant to be – a form of hunger, communication, an extension of self. Not a tool or a godamn fashion statement. Those kind of erotic novels make you check around when you are reading in that guilty way, especially if you are somewhere in public and you have the feeling like it's all written on your face.
Dark Solstice is a very good erotica, and like most of her work I have really enjoyed reading it. :)
June 18, 2008
OOOHHHHH. I do love Kaitlyn O'Connor's writing. "Dark Solstice" is her brand new release from New Concepts Publishing. There are a few editing errors, but not enough to take away from my enjoyment of the story.
Rhea made a bad mistake. She discovered something 'the company' wanted kept hidden, so she was snatched off Mars and thrown into Phobos Prison where the worst criminals are sent to die. She's still in shock when she's led to an arena, stripped, and chained to a post. As a group of men are released in front of a cheering crowd, her situation becomes clear. The men are there to battle, and apparently, she's the prize!
This is a majorly hot book. If descriptions of violence, hot sex, and very hot menage sex offend you...DON'T read this book. It's a keeper for me!!
Rhea made a bad mistake. She discovered something 'the company' wanted kept hidden, so she was snatched off Mars and thrown into Phobos Prison where the worst criminals are sent to die. She's still in shock when she's led to an arena, stripped, and chained to a post. As a group of men are released in front of a cheering crowd, her situation becomes clear. The men are there to battle, and apparently, she's the prize!
This is a majorly hot book. If descriptions of violence, hot sex, and very hot menage sex offend you...DON'T read this book. It's a keeper for me!!
September 10, 2013
Decent story story, I was immediately sucked in. (Bland sex scenes - The O'Connor special, lots of kissing followed by immediate intercourse in missionary position, 'fantastic orgasms' after only a few pumps...See? Fiction!)
I enjoyed the story up through the end. A little irritated at the overly fast and sudden ending. I wasn't too keen on the pregnancy making everything work out. So the guys are shooting pool and leaving Rhea in her room for DAYS and not bothering to tell her that Raathe isn't going back to jail? Really? Weak. And the woman they are both head over heels in love with - they're both cool with ignoring her for 2-3 days while they hang out and bond in the rec room? I'm calling BS. So that kind of soured the end for me.
Good book, but no desire to re-read it or to tell my coworkers about it. 3 stars.
I enjoyed the story up through the end. A little irritated at the overly fast and sudden ending. I wasn't too keen on the pregnancy making everything work out. So the guys are shooting pool and leaving Rhea in her room for DAYS and not bothering to tell her that Raathe isn't going back to jail? Really? Weak. And the woman they are both head over heels in love with - they're both cool with ignoring her for 2-3 days while they hang out and bond in the rec room? I'm calling BS. So that kind of soured the end for me.
Good book, but no desire to re-read it or to tell my coworkers about it. 3 stars.
December 14, 2011
This started off really good: hero(s) and heroine were interesting, the plot intriguing, the setting new. Then, all of the sudden, and almost at the end, the story fizzled out. The ending was absolutely lame and, basically, unresolved. (Well, yes, you get the standard HEA, if you can care for it.)
The constant mental babbling of Rhea was bad enough, but the plot balanced it to the point of making me forget it. Until the end.
The first part of the book is the only reason for the second star. Otherwise a single star would have sufficed.
The constant mental babbling of Rhea was bad enough, but the plot balanced it to the point of making me forget it. Until the end.
The first part of the book is the only reason for the second star. Otherwise a single star would have sufficed.
February 1, 2012
I have read almost all of Kaitlyn O'Connor's book, and while some of them can be pretty bad a good number are pretty good. "Dark Solstice" started off pretty good... and then the "I love you, but I love him too" started, and I was instantly annoyed.
O'Connor really has a hard time with the multiple lovers. In all of the books I've read by her that feature more than one lover the heroine ALWAYS loves one more than the other, and the runner up just deals with it because they just love her so much they would rather be second best than not have her at all... *sigh*
O'Connor really has a hard time with the multiple lovers. In all of the books I've read by her that feature more than one lover the heroine ALWAYS loves one more than the other, and the runner up just deals with it because they just love her so much they would rather be second best than not have her at all... *sigh*
June 26, 2011
Thank you Kaitlyn! After reading Deep Penetration I was really afraid that any future books would be of that caliber. This one was back to really good. The heroine is a little girlish to me, but then this author has made each heroine different. So I guess the little girl in a woman's body was next.
Rhea discovers something that the "company" didn't want her to find on Mars and sent her to the male penal colony hoping she'll get killed. John beats the other men in a gladiator type event and she's now his to use and/or abuse. He thinks this will mess up his plans. He lets Kyle use her for some information, but Kyle wasn't supposed to do this he just couldn't resist her. Now they have to try to survive.
Rhea discovers something that the "company" didn't want her to find on Mars and sent her to the male penal colony hoping she'll get killed. John beats the other men in a gladiator type event and she's now his to use and/or abuse. He thinks this will mess up his plans. He lets Kyle use her for some information, but Kyle wasn't supposed to do this he just couldn't resist her. Now they have to try to survive.
February 4, 2017
I don't think I have ever read anything by Kaitlyn O'Connor but this is probably not my last book from this author. I have liked it much more than I have expected.
The story and the characters are quite developed for such a short story and erotic novella. The sex scenes are hot but sweet and as much as I hate love triangles this one is reasonable. I liked both boys Raathe and Kyle, and Rhea not as much as them but still.
And I even didn't roll my eyes while reading it! A very nice read.
The story and the characters are quite developed for such a short story and erotic novella. The sex scenes are hot but sweet and as much as I hate love triangles this one is reasonable. I liked both boys Raathe and Kyle, and Rhea not as much as them but still.
And I even didn't roll my eyes while reading it! A very nice read.
March 3, 2012
this book was back to the good old kaitlyn o'Conner. I was starting to not like some of her books. Bu t this one has reinstilled my faith. The only thing I will say was that i wanted more of the story when it ended. It just sort of ended abruptly. Anyway good old sexy sci fi adventure, 4 stars :-)
November 30, 2012
Love the books of Kaitlyn O'connor.
This one is really special, about a love between a woman with 2 guys...
I love the end but I won't tell you what happen ^^
This one is really special, about a love between a woman with 2 guys...
I love the end but I won't tell you what happen ^^
April 3, 2016
Hmm, I don't regret reading but won't be re-reading. Pros: decent relationship development. Cons: hated the word munch and had a hard time believing it could transition to an endearment.
March 16, 2020
Rereading this, I realize now why it is that I never revisited it even though Kaitlynn O’Connor wrote this book and it’d been so long since I’d last read it. Every now and then - especially when I’d read the sub-genre of romances in prison where the girl is effectively given as a gift to the strongest guy - I’d relive a stray, vague memory of this book, but I never remembered much of anything about it to be able lo link the memory back to Dark Solstice. All is clear to me now though. Painfully clear.
It’s very rare that I’m this disappointed in the main guys of a novel because they’re all so fabulously fictitious - no one is jumping to add the disappointments of realism to their characters, but I really didn’t like these guys, or this relationship. Sure they were physically strong, and I guess, hot, and one was markedly more emotionally mature than the other, but that didn‘t stop me from ending up with rapey, selfish, childish, and in one case, emotionally constipated, guys, who for all of that, for some reason O’Connor expected me to celebrate as “manly”. Almost none of the things they did, or their behaviour, was ok - certainly none of it endeared me to them.
Of course in such a dysfunctional environment as the one they were in, I was extra grateful to both men for not whoring her out (except to each other when they wanted information but were too full of themselves and their paranoia to ask) and for being so careful with her safety as it related to the rest of the inmates (for the most part - there was one incident of straight up negligence because John was too selfish and paranoid to take her to a meeting about a plan she would eventually be included in anyway). But that doesn’t fix all the times they basically forced her into physical intimacies, used her like a love doll and then further dehumanized her for feeling forced to put out in the first place.
Considering it’s a romance novel - mid tier erotica even, since this is O’Connor - I expected the guys to at least be good at the bed play. But there was never more than a whisper of foreplay (as if O’Connor was offended by the concept for some reason), for most of the time one of the guys didn’t care enough to make sure she enjoyed the experience, and the other guy was too caught up in his own feelings (physical and otherwise) to be able to make sure she properly enjoyed herself #minuteman. I don’t care if she did end up liking it most of the time - I didn’t. There were a number of [repetitive] love scenes, but because of how hateful and childish both guys were before, during and after the experience, I could never get into any of them.
And after mistreating her, the girl chooses to focus on the mild OOC emotional outburst from the emotionally stunted one so that she could humanize him into a more appropriate place for romanticization, but I found that I just couldn’t care less. He might have trauma from some past issue but that doesn‘t give him an excuse to treat this innocent girl like trash and step on her sense of value as a person. I could see that that was the moment O’Connor chose to use as the turning point for the heroine’s emotional attachment (it was all so very like a switch desperately being flipped because she needed something to focus on other than her own depression #instalove) but I was so disenchanted that I saw Rhea take the excuse and run with it from like 30ft away and I could only feel sorry for her. In a romance novel I’m supposed to be swept along the protagonist’s emotional train-wreck because I’m too immersed to see it for what it is or care, but I couldn’t immerse myself in this story at all so the whole thing just upset me.
And it was nice that there was an HEA that didn’t involve terraforming a planet alone with no modern medicine, but I couldn’t even really enjoy that when O’Connor made the girl pregnant when she had every reason not to be (what with how prevalent birth control supposedly was in this novel - she kept blaming them for not having it but where the hell was hers?!) then further trapped her with these swine by making them emotionally manipulate her into marriage before she could consider the whole thing with a level head.
How does O’Connor think that’s “manly”? How can she not see how toxic this all is? And she wants to further complicate this unhealthy relationship with children? No. I’m sorry, but I just can’t go along with it. I’d like to hope that maybe it’s just a commentary on how unhealthy the “manliness” of cultural norm can be - except I actually read the dedication at the start of the book; I don’t think she was quietly insulting her “manly”, and apparently dead, grandfather, father, brother, and husband.
Truly it was a beautiful dedication, however succinct, and I’ve always loved O’Connor even if I noticed that she’s unnecessarily mean to her female leads, so I wanted to love this book. But honestly I have to concur with my spotty memory; most of it is better off forgotten.
It’s very rare that I’m this disappointed in the main guys of a novel because they’re all so fabulously fictitious - no one is jumping to add the disappointments of realism to their characters, but I really didn’t like these guys, or this relationship. Sure they were physically strong, and I guess, hot, and one was markedly more emotionally mature than the other, but that didn‘t stop me from ending up with rapey, selfish, childish, and in one case, emotionally constipated, guys, who for all of that, for some reason O’Connor expected me to celebrate as “manly”. Almost none of the things they did, or their behaviour, was ok - certainly none of it endeared me to them.
Of course in such a dysfunctional environment as the one they were in, I was extra grateful to both men for not whoring her out (except to each other when they wanted information but were too full of themselves and their paranoia to ask) and for being so careful with her safety as it related to the rest of the inmates (for the most part - there was one incident of straight up negligence because John was too selfish and paranoid to take her to a meeting about a plan she would eventually be included in anyway). But that doesn’t fix all the times they basically forced her into physical intimacies, used her like a love doll and then further dehumanized her for feeling forced to put out in the first place.
Considering it’s a romance novel - mid tier erotica even, since this is O’Connor - I expected the guys to at least be good at the bed play. But there was never more than a whisper of foreplay (as if O’Connor was offended by the concept for some reason), for most of the time one of the guys didn’t care enough to make sure she enjoyed the experience, and the other guy was too caught up in his own feelings (physical and otherwise) to be able to make sure she properly enjoyed herself #minuteman. I don’t care if she did end up liking it most of the time - I didn’t. There were a number of [repetitive] love scenes, but because of how hateful and childish both guys were before, during and after the experience, I could never get into any of them.
And after mistreating her, the girl chooses to focus on the mild OOC emotional outburst from the emotionally stunted one so that she could humanize him into a more appropriate place for romanticization, but I found that I just couldn’t care less. He might have trauma from some past issue but that doesn‘t give him an excuse to treat this innocent girl like trash and step on her sense of value as a person. I could see that that was the moment O’Connor chose to use as the turning point for the heroine’s emotional attachment (it was all so very like a switch desperately being flipped because she needed something to focus on other than her own depression #instalove) but I was so disenchanted that I saw Rhea take the excuse and run with it from like 30ft away and I could only feel sorry for her. In a romance novel I’m supposed to be swept along the protagonist’s emotional train-wreck because I’m too immersed to see it for what it is or care, but I couldn’t immerse myself in this story at all so the whole thing just upset me.
And it was nice that there was an HEA that didn’t involve terraforming a planet alone with no modern medicine, but I couldn’t even really enjoy that when O’Connor made the girl pregnant when she had every reason not to be (what with how prevalent birth control supposedly was in this novel - she kept blaming them for not having it but where the hell was hers?!) then further trapped her with these swine by making them emotionally manipulate her into marriage before she could consider the whole thing with a level head.
How does O’Connor think that’s “manly”? How can she not see how toxic this all is? And she wants to further complicate this unhealthy relationship with children? No. I’m sorry, but I just can’t go along with it. I’d like to hope that maybe it’s just a commentary on how unhealthy the “manliness” of cultural norm can be - except I actually read the dedication at the start of the book; I don’t think she was quietly insulting her “manly”, and apparently dead, grandfather, father, brother, and husband.
Truly it was a beautiful dedication, however succinct, and I’ve always loved O’Connor even if I noticed that she’s unnecessarily mean to her female leads, so I wanted to love this book. But honestly I have to concur with my spotty memory; most of it is better off forgotten.
November 25, 2017
I would have given this book a five out of five but there was one thing that made me say four..... the ending I won't try and spoil it for a lot of people it ended nicely but it left off sooooo many questions
You have rhea whose a geologist who finds something that will break her career so excited about it she doesn't realize it's been found and they are trying to keep it quiet so she's sent to prison where she meets john iceman raathe who wins her in a arena tournament he lost his loved one trumped up on charges to keep him from going after her killer and sent to prison to keep him contained and hopefully kill him in the process then you meet Kyle justice he's there for murder but is he really a murderer or is a spy for the warden to tell you the truth I thought he was the warden for most of the book he falls love at first sight with rhea and will do anything to keep her safe.
There is a lot of angst nail biting and hot hot HOT sex in the book I don't mind saying that sometimes the sex becomes repetitive so I skim the sex scenes there's only so many times I can read the same scene before it drives me away from a book so I skim the scenes but in this one It was fresh and new and didn't seem to repeat the same thing over and over I would suggest it but if she ever decided to rerelease the book in he future please finish the ending there's no part two and it leaves a lot unanswered
You have rhea whose a geologist who finds something that will break her career so excited about it she doesn't realize it's been found and they are trying to keep it quiet so she's sent to prison where she meets john iceman raathe who wins her in a arena tournament he lost his loved one trumped up on charges to keep him from going after her killer and sent to prison to keep him contained and hopefully kill him in the process then you meet Kyle justice he's there for murder but is he really a murderer or is a spy for the warden to tell you the truth I thought he was the warden for most of the book he falls love at first sight with rhea and will do anything to keep her safe.
There is a lot of angst nail biting and hot hot HOT sex in the book I don't mind saying that sometimes the sex becomes repetitive so I skim the sex scenes there's only so many times I can read the same scene before it drives me away from a book so I skim the scenes but in this one It was fresh and new and didn't seem to repeat the same thing over and over I would suggest it but if she ever decided to rerelease the book in he future please finish the ending there's no part two and it leaves a lot unanswered
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 15, 2022
I read just 25% of the book. Cause I didn't like the careless way he accepted to use the heroine as trade with a inmate, that he isn't even close to. I prefer them possessive even if it is a harem like romance. Which I don't know if is the case here, cause I stopped reading. I don't even know if the trade is going to really happen. I cowered before I found out . But be my guest to found out .
November 24, 2020
DNF - didn't like MC narrative
July 9, 2015
"Dr. Rhea Landon knew she'd been thrown into Phobos Prison to die. The most notorious prison in the solar system and one from which there was no escape, Phobos Prison housed the most dangerous predators in the solar system--and the few who survived more than a year were the worst of the worst. Dragged into the arena where the warden held 'gladiator' games for the entertainment of the staff and inmates, she was stripped naked and chained to a post--offered up as a prize to the winner."
Having read most of Kaitlyn O'Connor's books (sometimes they are difficult to find for Kindles), I think this was her poorest 'romance' effort, mostly because of the story line, which just wasn't as romantic as her usual fare, and probably couldn't have been due to the setting. There is the interminably long stretch in the prison. Then the escape. Then the boring cave scene. Of course the woman gets pregnant. Then it's just over!!
As an adventure story, it was probably a better read than as a romance. The usual O'Connor elements were there: one extreme, distant but protective Alpha male (the assassin John Raathe)and one or more other Alpha males that are slightly less dominant, but funnier, more lovable, but still more than capable of holding their own (undercover Ranger Kyle Justice). Unfortunately, guy number two always gets the short end of the stick, comparatively, but is never really left out at the end.
I did appreciate a heroine that wasn't spouting out curse words constantly, which was an improvement in this book. That has been one of my problems with this author throughout all of her books... that her 'heroines' are so trashy foul-mouthed that they are worse than the males (worse than teenage gang chicks), and don't lend themselves to being all that loveable to anyone.
I recommend the Cyberevolution series by the same author for anyone looking for better stories by her. Also Madelaine Montague books because the writing style is very much the same. ;-)
Having read most of Kaitlyn O'Connor's books (sometimes they are difficult to find for Kindles), I think this was her poorest 'romance' effort, mostly because of the story line, which just wasn't as romantic as her usual fare, and probably couldn't have been due to the setting. There is the interminably long stretch in the prison. Then the escape. Then the boring cave scene. Of course the woman gets pregnant. Then it's just over!!
As an adventure story, it was probably a better read than as a romance. The usual O'Connor elements were there: one extreme, distant but protective Alpha male (the assassin John Raathe)and one or more other Alpha males that are slightly less dominant, but funnier, more lovable, but still more than capable of holding their own (undercover Ranger Kyle Justice). Unfortunately, guy number two always gets the short end of the stick, comparatively, but is never really left out at the end.
I did appreciate a heroine that wasn't spouting out curse words constantly, which was an improvement in this book. That has been one of my problems with this author throughout all of her books... that her 'heroines' are so trashy foul-mouthed that they are worse than the males (worse than teenage gang chicks), and don't lend themselves to being all that loveable to anyone.
I recommend the Cyberevolution series by the same author for anyone looking for better stories by her. Also Madelaine Montague books because the writing style is very much the same. ;-)
August 22, 2016
Erotica with a decent plot
Moved by ambitious achievement Dr. Rhea Landon was at the right place but at the wrong time. And as a consequence has been thrown into prison unjustly, a cover up if you will. She was not sent to any prison however, she was sent to Phobos prison. The lowest and most dangerous prison of all prisons. Phobos has the most dangerous criminals in the solar system. One of those prisoners is John Raathe, the fearless iceman! Feared by guards and criminals alike and in the midst of a twisted gladiator style game he was the last man standing. And the price ... Rhea.
The premise for this book reminded me a lot of Hold by Zannie Adams. It had the same plot, if you like. Woman gets sent into dangerous prison and in order to survive gives herself to the strongest. Although the premise were similar the storytelling was different and there were different aspects to each story.
I liked the fact that the heroine was level headed and made logical decisions given her circumstances. She did what she had to do in order to survive. No woe is me moments which was refreshing. Although I did like the book there were a few aspects which made it lose some points.
The way the POVs kept changing between the three main characters was distracting not only that but sometimes you only realised there was a character shift after reading awhile.
Another point which I agree with another reviewer was the fact that the relationship between the main characters were almost sterile. I really did not feel the chemistry between the characters whereas with Hold even though they had the same back plot I still felt the chemistry between the two. And I also have to agree that the ending felt rushed.
Nevertheless this is a interesting read and if you like erotica with a good plot. This would be a good read.
Moved by ambitious achievement Dr. Rhea Landon was at the right place but at the wrong time. And as a consequence has been thrown into prison unjustly, a cover up if you will. She was not sent to any prison however, she was sent to Phobos prison. The lowest and most dangerous prison of all prisons. Phobos has the most dangerous criminals in the solar system. One of those prisoners is John Raathe, the fearless iceman! Feared by guards and criminals alike and in the midst of a twisted gladiator style game he was the last man standing. And the price ... Rhea.
The premise for this book reminded me a lot of Hold by Zannie Adams. It had the same plot, if you like. Woman gets sent into dangerous prison and in order to survive gives herself to the strongest. Although the premise were similar the storytelling was different and there were different aspects to each story.
I liked the fact that the heroine was level headed and made logical decisions given her circumstances. She did what she had to do in order to survive. No woe is me moments which was refreshing. Although I did like the book there were a few aspects which made it lose some points.
The way the POVs kept changing between the three main characters was distracting not only that but sometimes you only realised there was a character shift after reading awhile.
Another point which I agree with another reviewer was the fact that the relationship between the main characters were almost sterile. I really did not feel the chemistry between the characters whereas with Hold even though they had the same back plot I still felt the chemistry between the two. And I also have to agree that the ending felt rushed.
Nevertheless this is a interesting read and if you like erotica with a good plot. This would be a good read.
April 5, 2013
This felt like the story that wouldn't end!!
Reading the description of this book did nothing to prepare me for the reality of the plot. In fact, the description details about 5 minutes of the overall story, a bare snippit!!
I found myself getting annoyed at my own determination to finish the story. Every time I checked my progress, I was annoyed that the story wasn't finished yet!
I liked the relationship twist -- that was what interested me enough to finish reading, just that...ONLY that.
So, I'm left with an overall feeling of annoyance, not something I hope for after reading a book. I will not be re-reading.
Reading the description of this book did nothing to prepare me for the reality of the plot. In fact, the description details about 5 minutes of the overall story, a bare snippit!!
I found myself getting annoyed at my own determination to finish the story. Every time I checked my progress, I was annoyed that the story wasn't finished yet!
I liked the relationship twist -- that was what interested me enough to finish reading, just that...ONLY that.
So, I'm left with an overall feeling of annoyance, not something I hope for after reading a book. I will not be re-reading.
January 20, 2014
A really fun and original read. In a not so far future I think, there is a lot of element enabling us to feel at ease with the environment and just enough to create an interesting future technology. The characters are all very set and unique, their personality and personal history being developed along the story line give them a depth that makes us really get attached to them.
I liked how the action went on and how they all changed through the difficulties of their situation.
The end was a lot of laugh and gentle teasing, leaving me with a big smile.
I liked how the action went on and how they all changed through the difficulties of their situation.
The end was a lot of laugh and gentle teasing, leaving me with a big smile.
February 15, 2014
I can't say that I didn't enjoy this 212 page dark sci fi read, it's just there was something 'off' on it for me. The best way I personally can describe my overall opinion is that this was a bit sterile in presentation that read more like a third party POV observation of the story line, erotic action, and character interaction. I guess what I missed was the feelings that might have made more of an impression.....
Want to read
September 15, 2008SEPT 11, 2008:
I'm struggling with this one. Started reading it a couple of weeks ago and still not making much headway. Maybe it's just O'Connor. Her sci-fi settings are what I love. Throw in a menage and it ought to be unputdownable yet I keep ditching this for some other book.
Still, I'm reluctant to send it to the Purgatory shelf.
I'm struggling with this one. Started reading it a couple of weeks ago and still not making much headway. Maybe it's just O'Connor. Her sci-fi settings are what I love. Throw in a menage and it ought to be unputdownable yet I keep ditching this for some other book.
Still, I'm reluctant to send it to the Purgatory shelf.
April 20, 2016
DNF 16%. I couldn't stomach this book because it would not be honest about what it truly is. It's a story about rape that's pretending not to be. I find that offensive. I can handle rape in a book, as long as its not treated as though its real normal sex. Don't feed me shit and tell me it's porridge.
July 6, 2010
Loved the scifi setting. Loved the whole "Escape from NY" futuristic badass theme going on from a female perspective. So why did I spend 2/3 of the book wishing that Kyle Justice would drop off the face of the planet? Guess I'm just too much of a monogamist to do this one a 5-star rating.
February 6, 2011
Not a bad read for me this is my second book by the author and i am starting to get into her work this book for me draw you in since the begin when John has to fight for the prize which is Rhea, the book takes you on a futuristic journey.
March 22, 2015
I loved this book, right up until the end. It really could have lasted quite a bit longer for me, would have loved to see the menage work out. Since the guys were still squaring off against each other until literally right before the rescue, I would have liked to see how that would work out.
December 2, 2008
This book is great! Science fiction setting, lots of action, dire predicaments, interesting conflicts between the characters. I'm sure to finish it tonight!
December 7, 2010
Interesting sci-fi romance. I tend to enjoy true menages more though and while this book is about two men and one women they take turns with her.
January 27, 2011
I thought this story was very good from a sci-fi standpoint, and it was exciting and fast paced. Pretty sexy, too.
October 3, 2013
Re-read 10/2013
April 17, 2012
I love Kaitlyn O'Connor books, but this one took me several days to read. I was mid point before the book picked up for me.
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