WINTER Sending him to prison was the worst thing I could've done. It didn't matter that he did the crime or that I wished he was dead. Perhaps I thought I'd have time to disappear before he got out or he'd cool off in jail and be anything but the horror he was.
But I was wrong.
Three years came and went too fast, and now he's anything but calm. Prison only gave him time to plan. '
And while I anticipated his vengeance, I didn't expect this. He doesn't want to make me hurt. He wants to make everything hurt.
DAMON First thing's first. Get rid of her daddy. He told them I forced her. He told them his little girl was a victim, but I was a kid, too, and she wanted it just as much as I did.
Step two... Give her, her sister, and her mother nowhere to run and no fuel to escape. The Ashby women are alone now and desperate for a knight in shining armor. But that's not what's coming.
No, it's time I listened to my father and took control of my future. It's time I showed them all—my family, her family, my friends—that I will never change and that I have no other ambition than to be the nightmare of their lives. Starting with her.
She'll be so scared, she won't even be safe in her own head by the time I'm done with her.
And the best part is I won't have to break into her home to do it. As the new man of the house, I have all the keys.
Penelope Douglas is a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author. Their books have been translated into more than twenty languages and include The Fall Away Series, The Devil’s Night Series, and the stand-alones, Misconduct, Punk 57, Birthday Girl, Credence, Tryst Six Venom, and Five Brothers. Please look for The Hellbent Series, coming next.
They live in New England with their husband and daughter.
Summary of the book for my future reference ( so that I don't forget ):
Basically, the book revolved around Damon Torrance and Winter Ashby. Damon had a problematic mother and a father. His mother used to SA him from his young age saying that he was making him a MAN while his father did nothing about it. The story starts from when he was eleven and winter was eight. It was a party in his house winter and her mother attended. Their first meet was on that day near the fountain. Where his finger was bloody, she went to him ( followed her sister tbh ) and eased his pain by biting his finger, one pain hides the larger one. They became kind of friends ykwim and then one day in his treehouse, winter's father and mother found her there with him so he went up and kinda tried dragging winter down but damon was shielding her and they both fell off the railing and winter became blind. They sent off her to some blind school for 4 years, she returned to the high school, few encounters where he was a arse and then on the party ke din, he went up to the room of winter, she was dancing and stuff and then in winter's parents room's closet I think, they were trapped and then winter's parents were fighting and shit and he held her close. She didn't know it was damon tho. Then they met again, he took her to drive his car and then motorcycle and cutesy stuff. She fell in love. After 2 years of him ghosting her, he came back when she was in danger with that anderson guy. He saved her, they did it, and he recorded it btw lmfao. Next, he wanted her out of his veins cuz he didn't wanted her yo get dirty cuz of him so he tried shit with rika, trevor started saeing her and damon snapped, she had Michael's coat and the phone in which he recorded it. And also a video of will and kai beating the shit out of emmy's abusive brother. She leaked it. Damon and winter were all cutesy in the bedroom when he gets tons of notifs about the video then mr ashby comes and reveals that winter's ghost was damon torrance. She started hating herself for loving him. Sent him to jail for raping her which was false obv, for 3 years, and kai and will were in jail too for some months ig. When returned back, he took info on ashby, did him dirty, and he fled leaving the 3 alone and without a rupee, so he married ari, gave them shelter so that he could torture winter. And then few moments of angst and stuff, some past chapters, then the sex in the SATAN'S AFFAIR 2.0,he comes home to winter and he plays the trick which banks used to, yk, making him feel dirty so that he could break, and then he told stuff, lovable stuff. She kind of melted and he was awol for 2 days, then he built a maze fountain, and then the sweetu sex and reunion in the club. They were happy, but winter fled off, I don't remember why and then the mf torrance came, kidnapped damon. The gang comes to his rescue. And takes damon to the hospital, there, michael and winter get kidnapped. He rescues them ofc, but then mf anderson pushes their suv into the lake on the bridge, only winter, damon and will inside. They survive though, and then the toe curling threesome, and then they decide to him back at torrance on the devil's night. Revelation happens that damon was his and christiane fane's son, he raped her btw, and that erica fane is his sister alongside banks. He kills him, easy. He goes to jail not really cuz christiane saves him from the jail wrath yk. And then happy happy happy. He gets a job as a sculptor ig, yk to build fountains and treehouse stuff. Cuz the wealth goes to banks. Winter is pregnant btw. YAYYY done. This was the fucking summary of 600 pages.
Imp things: THE BEAD NECKLACE AND HER CLIP COLOR RED
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
It's time Damon took control of his future. It’s time he showed them all that he will never stop being the nightmare they think he is. Damon won’t have to break into her home to do it. As the new man of the house, he has all the keys.” This, just as the first and second book was...has been one fantastic, nail-biting delicious nightmare. The stories have all been filled with all manner of twist and turns, delivered in tension filled packages of pure angst. This one is not the exception. It's one that you could never have prepared for, but it's one that will haunt you long after the book is closed. “Now…” my sister’s new husband whispered in my ear.... “Now, you belong to me.”
I always thought that I would eventually find a character that I loved and would root for...well here I am, and here he is. I took two books, but I love Damon! Strange, because I completely despised him in the other stories. For the first time, we really get to really see him and learn about all that he has had to endure his entire life. It makes who he is...more understandable. It definitely does not, in any excuse the things that he’s done but it explains it. He has figured out a way to compartmentalize his triggers. Years of abuse has caused him to have some serious PTSD. Winter doesn't realize it, but she’s the one that gave him his "outlet".
Winter and Damon’s relationship is a series of miscommunications and accidents. At first, I was angry at Winter for all she had previously done. This is book #3 so she had two complete books to do her worst. As strange as it was, as the story progressed, I began to understand, to an extent. She felt betrayed and lied to and so I began to "get it"... but she broke one of the remaining good pieces in Damon. Their love story was truly a hard-fought one. They had to overcome so many obstacles to be together and to ultimately forgive each other for prior wrongs and just be together. I think this is why Damon became one of my favorites. Damon and Winter had to fight their way to one another...and Damon never gave up! “Having Damon around was the only time I ever felt solid in my life, He’s powerful, but painful.”
I usually don't care much for F/M romances...but this trilogy was recommended to me by one of my 85-year-old ladies in my library book discussion group. I wasn't crazy about the first book, but she assured me that it was "a work in progress". She was right and I soon found that I loved everything about it, especially this story. These characters grow on you. You feel what they're feeling...almost as if you are there. If you like romances...you will more than likely like this four-book series..., but you absolutely do need to read them in order. "Corrupt"", "Hideaway", "Kill Switch", and book # 4, "Nightfall", which I don't have yet.
I’d give this one 5 stars, but Damon is definitely my favorite of the boys, so I was expecting as much!
This book really tied in with the others nicely and did a lot for the overall series plot and answered a lot of questions/things I had suspected from the other books.
Obviously I also liked finally getting to see more of Damon and learn about him more in-depth. He’s a much more complex and nuanced character than Michael and Kai are (esp Michael as I find him super flat) and his character development over the book was really intriguing to read, along with learning more about Will too.
I liked Winter as the FMC as well and like her story with Damon. One of my biggest gripes with Hideaway is that Banks has 0 personality and I feel like Winter is the opposite, I liked reading her parts, and I liked her push and pull with Damon. I also appreciated that this book didn’t have as much stalling and diversions around them getting together like the first 2 did.
Onto Will’s book next, but this one is my fav so far!
When I picture Damon I automatically think of a young Skeet Ulrich (Scream) or a young Ian Somerhalder (Vampire Diaries) ❤️🔥. Fine AF, destructive, passion shown through rage and one of the most feared amongst friends.
The first two books made me despise him so much. I wanted his head on a swivel after reading Corrupt. Then seeing how much Will became a crashout in Hideaway, I was like, yeah, Damon has to go, NOW! Then, I started reading Killswitch and it all changed.. • Killswitch follows the story of Damon Torrence and Winter Ashby. A lot is revealed about their past and upbringing. Its revealed how Winter became blind & how Damon became the beast of a man that he is today. Following the first book, Winter is the reason Damon went to prison. 😩 The evolution of their relationship is quite beautiful. He’s definitely a beast and she’s the beauty. The motorcycle ride, the fountain scene, the pajama party… all showed his true love and affection for her.
Similar to Michael & Kai, Damon & Will have a friendship like no other. No spoilers but the steam room is unmatched! 😏 (IYKYK) A lot is highlighted about their friendship in the book but my favorite duo amongst the Horsemen will forever be Michael & Kai 🧡
Of course Ericka, Alex and Banks make an appearance. I’m truly obsessed with this series! One more book to go! 😜
First, I do want to say that there were some pretty graphic scenes that depicted child molestation that I had to skim. This is one of my triggers and I didn't see it in the TR's (I may have missed it), so I wanted to have that out there for those who need the warning. I know these scenes were meant to be an integral part of who Damon is and why he acted the way he did, but for me I don't want or need the details, just a short reference is enough for me. So if you are like me, be prepared.
However, even with the parts I skipped though, I will say that I really loved this story and I am glad I didn't dnf it like I was tempted to do, and in the end it was worth it. Also, if you are going to write a 680 page book, this is the way to do it. Little to no repetition, constant action, lots of angst and emotion, characters that continue to grow.
The other thing I will say is that very rarely do I go into a book hating the MMC as much as I did Damon, and then find I love him in the end. Well done for that.
With all the couples in this series, so far at least, Winter and Damon are now my favorite. There was a lot of turmoil in their relationship, a lot of twists throughout the book, a lot of depth in their characters. I do love all the characters and am very invested in how this series finally turns out.
Okay in the beginning I hated damon so much I just couldn't justify the things he did and being under the impression he pushed winter off the tree house causing her to be blind just made me hate him worse but after I found everything out, and after will started to show forgiveness in him I too realized I really enjoy damon and dont think the series would be the same without him, damon and winter are an absolute perfect couple together and their love is contagious, kai and banks are still my favorite but winter and damon are definitely my second and ill continue to hold a special place in my heart for this series!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Plot and pacing: Very good, I was wondering where this was all going and it kept me interested from start to finish. Characters: I loved Damon, he's definitely my favorite character yet, 8/10 unhinged. He is such an interesting character and so is Winter! I really loved her too and her story was so different from what I am used to read. Theme: Revenge, dark romance, college Entertainment: My favorite book of the series, I would read it again and again. A lot of scenes from this book live rent free in my mind.
Wish Goodreads would let me do halves because this was EASILY a 4.5 read! Damon finally got his redemption and I am there for it! His love story explains so much about his past actions and this book delves into his history with his "mother" and abuse.
My only critique, it was too long! But loved it none the less, best one so far! Sorry Michael Crist... in the bin! Hellllllllllooooo Damon Torrence.
I think there is a couple of chapters left out. It took a kinda 180 of their feelings and their situations. But all in all it was very interesting and kind of shocking that Will and Damon had something with each other in the past. I liked the kind of threesome also. It was very shocking that Rika is Damon’s sister.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
3.5⭐️ okay so this took me a hot minute to finish. i listened to the audiobook and man, i just did not like the narrators😭😭 it was so hard for me to focus on the plot because their voices just got to me lol
DNF @ 12%. Though I love the author's work, I will not rate this book because I have an issue with threesomes and sharing in books which happens in this book. I stopped when I got the vibes of sharing coming further and confirmed when I read reviews.
No one else is grossed out by the detailed pedophile shit in this? Look man we get he was SA’d as a kid and I get he’s having flash backs but did the author really have to detail it?
One of my favourite book. I never thought I'll like Damon but dude, I fall in love with him 💓. He is an anti hero, not a villain and I love anti heroes
3.75☆ Damons and Wills tension was next level! I wanted them to end up together so bad🙈 Tbh the book was okayish good but I expected way more Idk😅🙈 👀curious about Wills book tho