Degradation

The Kane Trilogy #1

by Stylo Fantome

Eighteen year old Tatum O'Shea is a naive, shy, little rich girl. Twenty-three year old Jameson Kane is smart, seductive, and richer. They come together for one night, one explosion, one mistake, and Tate is hurled into space – no family, no money, and no Jameson.

Seven years later, life is going pretty good for Tate, when she runs into Jameson again. This time, she thinks she's ready for him. She doesn't have a naive bone left in her body, and she can't even remember what shy feels like. Jameson has evolved, as well – sharp words, sharper wit, and a tongue that can cut her in half. It all sounds like fun to a woman like Tate, and she is ready to play, determined to prove that she isn't the same girl he conquered once before. A series of games start, each one more devious than the last.

But as the line between games and reality becomes blurry, Tate quickly learns that Jameson has most definitely earned his nickname, “Satan”. Can she beat him at his own game before someone gets hurt? Or will he leave her soulless, making him the winner, once and for all?




WARNING: contains a wannabe B-rate porn star, an impersonal personal assistant, and the F-word, A LOT. Also graphic sexual situations and sadomasochistic themes.

Genres: Dark, Romance, Erotica, Dark Romance, BDSM, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance

310 pages, ebook

First published July 20, 2014

About the author

Crazy woman from a remote location in Alaska (where the need for a creative mind is a necessity!), I have been writing since ... forever? Yeah, that sounds about right. I have been told that I remind people of Lucille Ball - I also see shades of Jennifer Saunders, and Denis Leary. So basically, I laugh a lot, I'm clumsy a lot, and I say the F-word A LOT.

I like dogs more than I like most people, and I don't trust anyone who doesn't drink. No, I do not live in an igloo, and no, the sun does not set for six months out of the year, there's your Alaska lesson for the day. I have mermaid hair - both a curse and a blessing - and most of the time I talk so fast, even I can't understand me.

Yeah. I think that about sums me up.


I also write contemporary romance under the name Penny Sixsmith

Reviews

[SueBee★bring me an alpha!★ · Rating 5 out of 5]

★★★★★★! Degradation, book 1 of 3.5. Larger-than-life Jameson Kane has met his match in Tate. But is dirty-talking, aggressive sex enough?

“It was strange – she didn't really mind being someone's whore, but she hated the thought of being someone's dirty secret.”

Books in The Kane Trilogy should be read in order:
Book 1: Degradation
Book 2: Separation
Book 3: Reparation
Part 3.5: Completion

Degradation (book 1) opens up to a prequel, seven years earlier. Then eighteen-year old Harvard student Tatum E. O'Shea, Tate had stopped by her sister’s boyfriend, Jameson Kraven Kane, Kane aka Satan’s condo to drop off some boxes. She had always had a crush on Jameson Kane and was thrilled when he invited her to sit down for a drink which lead to a chat which lead to a compromising situation or rather the best sex ever followed by heartache….

Fast forward seven years. Tate has been disowned by her family and had to give up her Harvard studies. Instead she makes ends meet by temping and working as a bartender. Despite her struggles she claims to be happy. Though it hurt to be brushed off my Jameson, who she renamed Satan, she feels the encounter liberated her sexually and so is proudly become of man-eater of sorts sleeping around never getting attached.

When Jameson Kane and Tate’s paths cross again, he is determined to get her back in bed, while she doesn’t trust she is strong enough to handle the storm that is Kane. She resists and he relentlessly pursues leading to some of mind-blowing sex. They are extremely compatible in bed; aggressive, violent, dirty-talkers.

While they negotiate the stipulations of an open sexual relationship, they continue their wild sexual escapades while engaging in mind games; testing boundaries and trying what can only be construed as pushing each other over the edge.

This is a story you don’t want to miss! It’s a whirlwind of Jameson trying to control Tate and failing miserably, their violent sex, witty bantering, mind games, jealousy, deceit, villains and more with two strong MCs who initially come across as jaded, emotionless and volatile…

But… maybe… Tate isn’t as tough, care-free and detached as she leads on?! And… maybe Kane isn’t Satan! Strike my last statement. LOL!

“It was about winning. Beating him at his own game. Getting him to admit that she was an equal, that she could turn him inside out, the same way he did to her.”

Tatum E. O'Shea, Tate is one of the best heroines I have ever met. She is complex beyond analyzing, but her combination of bad-ass, carefree, sexually liberated vixen to caring, considerate friend to hints of a vulnerable and lonely girl who just wants to be loved makes her a 5-star paradox!

Ten words to describe Tate: Unpredictable, care-free, smart, bad-ass, strong, vulnerable, enigmatic, liberated, endearing and captivating.

“I have no problem admitting that you are still, to this day, probably the hottest pussy I've ever had,” he said, his voice casual.”

Tate is the star of book 1, but I have no doubt that Jameson Kraven Kane, Kane aka Satan is going to end up on my favorite hero shelf.

Ten words to describe Jameson Kane aka Satan: Ruthless, enigmatic, closed-off, blunt, dirty-talker, jaded, private, callous, charming and secretive.

“He was so good looking, it was probably illegal. She worried if she looked at him too long , she'd go blind.”

A shout-out to Sanders Jameson’s assistant, ward and heir. He wrapped himself around my heart!

Degradation, told in 3rd person, offers the best of volatile, violent, borderline sadistic sex, games, deceit, lies, jealousy and villains… The ending was an excruciatingly painful cliffy [pauses to sob], but no worries just skip to book 2, Separation for the continuation of their saga.

Spectacular start of trilogy! One of the best heroines – ever! Larger-than-life hero! Entertaining and addictive plot! Spell-binding storytelling! I smell a 6-star!

“I want him to remember me. I want every woman after me to be compared, and found lacking.”

***
Hero rating: 4.5 stars
Heroine rating: 5 stars
Sexual tension rating: 5 stars
Sex scenes rating: 4.5 stars
Sex scenes frequency: 4 stars
Plot rating: 5 stars
Dialogue rating: 5 stars
Storytelling rating: 5 stars
Story ending rating: N/A
Book editing rating (5 = no edits spotted): N/A
************************************************
Overall rating: 6 stars

Would I recommend this series: Yes.
Would I re-read this series: Yes.
Would I read future books by this author: Yes.



ARC provided to me by author Stylo Fantôme in exchange for an honest review.

[Penelope Douglas · Rating 5 out of 5]

A blogger I trust recommended this book. So I said okay and bought it.

And then I promptly forgot about it.

Last Thursday I went to the salon to get my horrible looking fingers painted for a trip to Phoenix and asked the nail tech what she had been reading lately. She got dreamy-eyed, smiled, and said "Degradation".

So okay.

I needed to get desperately lost in a book. Two people I trust are raving about it.

So let's go.

SWEET. BABY. JESUS. I won't give you a play-by-play of the story. You can get that anywhere, and knowing the twists ruins the adventure anyway. You know I hate that. Here's what I felt.

-Well, that's kind of hot.
-Go Tate!
-Wha...?
-*laughing
-UGH!
-*winces
-*fists hands
-*puts books away
-*thinks about book
-*picks up book again
-Oh, my goodness, what the hell?!
-I want to lick him.
-I want to lick her.
-How do you pronounce Ang?
-Whoa!!!!
-"Mommy, will be right there!"
-"Just a minute!"
-What's going on?!
-UGH! *puts book away
-*thinks about book
-*picks up book again
-Did she just do that?
-What's he going to do to her?
-Oh, no, she didn't!
-*gasp
-*supergasp
-*one-click next book

So thank you. Thanks to the blogger that shares their awesome reads. Thanks to Stephanie at the salon who got me to read it. And thanks to Stylo for getting me lost, breaking the rules, and "going there". This was fresh and dark, and I can't wait to get started on the second book tonight.

[Stylo Fantome · Rating 5 out of 5]

I struggled a lot with whether or not to leave a review for my book. Should I? Shouldn't I? Is it tacky? I looked up what other authors have done. M. Pierce rated his/her own book. But Leah Raeder hasn't. Neither has Jodi Ellen Malpas. But Alice Clayton has.

I decided I would, if only to give my thoughts on what seems to be a confusing, mysterious, doesn't-quite-have-a-genre book.

I do not consider this book to be truly "dark", and I haven't really marketed it as such. I have read (and loved) "The Dark Duet", among many other "dark" reads, and for me, my book doesn't quite pass muster in the dark department. Everything in my story in consensual. If you read it and find it to be dark, that is fine with me. If you read it and think it's just sexually aggressive, then that is fine, too.

My book showcases a consensual sadomasochistic relationship. Not BDSM. Sadomasochism. There is a difference. The dictionary defines sadomasochism as:

Noun.
1. interaction, especially sexual activity, in which one person enjoys inflicting physical or mental suffering on another person, who derives pleasure from experiencing pain.

I do think this book is kinky. I think it is fetish. I think it is unusual. I think it is crazy. I think it is dirty-talk on a whole new level. And I think it is DEFINITELY taboo.

Jameson is not a hero, nor does he want to be one.

Tate is not a heroine, she is just a girl living life her way.

This book is not for everyone, and that is okay. But I am very glad that for those people who like some serious dirty talk, who like to be treated roughly, who don't judge other people because of their "strange" sexual proclivities, and who like to do any damn thing they please in bed without any fear or reservation, I could bring some of these scenes to paper.

Either way, if you like the book or not, thank you for reading. This book was very scary for me to write. Putting it out in the world - even scarier. So thank you for taking the time to read and rate it.

And if there is any lingering confusion as to what this story is about, the title of the book is not on accident.

Degradation: noun
1. The act of degrading

Degrading: verb
1. to lower in dignity or estimation; bring into contempt
2. to lower in character or quality; debase.

[Jessica ❥Chatterbooks Book Blog❥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5

This shit is wild, y'all! 😂



Degradation by Stylo Fantome is not a sweet, cookie cutter romance at all, but I think that's pretty obvious from the cover and title. 

If you're looking for swoon factor or a romantic man that melts your heart, you're looking in the wrong place! 

This book is not for everyone.



I found the hero, Jameson Kane, to be arrogant and selfish af most of the time. It's a good thing he's also sexy, rich, successful, and most importantly, amazing in bed. He's so good in fact, Tate compares every man she's with to him even years after their first sexual encounter. 

Tatum O'Shea is gorgeous, resourceful, sexually promiscuous, confident, and free. Though she doesn't seem to realize her worth, because she sells herself short the majority of the time, allowing herself to be treated in ways she doesn't deserve. She's also a master at lying to herself about her true feelings. 

That being said, she doesn't seem to have an issue with the way she's treated for the most part. That's more my opinion of her situation.

Kane and Tate constantly push each other sexually and emotionally. The emotional part is where they run into trouble. It's almost as if they want to see how quickly and badly they can fuck themselves/each other up. They play games with one another that quite obviously will end with both of them losing, but it seems as if they can't or won't stop.  

As you can see, the characters are far from perfect.

Despite that, I still found Degradation to be entertaining, hot, and mesmerizing like a train wreck.

I mean no disrespect to the author by saying that either. 

Kane and Tate are a hot mess, because she created them that way. Their complicated, out of the box "relationship" works for as long as it does largely due to their personalities and unconventional beliefs. They're both people who are used to not wanting more than physical gratification from others, and they get off on things that would have most other people in a jealous rage. 

Sex was never their problem though. That's the place where they are 100 percent compatible. When feelings seep into the equation, things get hella messy, and some super fucked up shit happens as a result. All of which is what made the story intriguing and captivating, so I wouldn't have wanted it any other way!



If you have issues with open relationships or women being degraded and/or consensual violence during sex, you should just skip this one. However if those things aren't your favorite, but they're not necessarily deal-breakers for you, give it a try! 

Degradation is book 1 in The Kane Trilogy, so obviously, the story leaves off on a cliff hanger. The good news is all of the books are already out, so you'll be able to dive right into the next installment when you're done!

Romance fans that like kinky sex, complicated relationships, and imperfect characters, this one's for you!

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4-4.5 Satan stars!



There is something to be said about a book that keeps you up until 4 am reading because you can’t stop until you find out what’s happened. This story has been on my mind ever since I’ve finished reading. There were parts of it I loved, parts I detested, but no matter how you feel about it, I can say with certainty that it’s one of those stories you won’t forget after reading.

Jameson Kane is rich, successful and sinful. He’s a 23 year old man who happens to have a one time thing with his girlfriends little sister, 18 year old Tatum O’Shea. That one time thing is a big deal. It’s intense, and maybe one of the hottest sex scenes I’ve ever read.



This one encounter changes Tatum’s life. Fast forward seven years later and Tate has been estranged from her rich, well to do and snobbish family for just as long. She gave up her family’s dream of her going to Harvard and marrying well and is now just what she wants to be. Herself. She is a bartender, works for a temp agency, and has a group of friends that are her family.

Tatum likes sex. I mean, she really likes sex. And she doesn’t care what others think about that. If she’s learned one thing over the last seven years, it’s that she knows what she wants, she knows what she likes, she won’t apologize or change who she is for anyone.



Tatum is happy living her own life, and Jameson is living his. Then, after seven years, they meet again and their worlds collide.

It was about winning. Beating him at his own game. Getting him to admit that she was an equal, that she could turn him inside out, the same way he did her.

Jameson and Tatum can’t stay away from each other for too long. And they don’t have a traditional relationship or romance. In fact, it’s anything but. They are so much alike in some ways, yet they are different. I actually really liked Tate. I wasn’t so sure about her in the very beginning, but she was pretty great. Jameson Kane. Jameson fucking Kane. I had such a love hate relationship with that man. Sometimes I really thought he was Satan.

“Good girl Tate falls for Satan, who would have thought,” he teased. She rolled her eyes.

“I’m not a good girl,” she pointed out.


“Yes, you are. You’ve just gotten very good at hiding it.” he replied

Tate and Jameson are passionate. They’re intense. They’re aggressive, and there are things in their ‘relationship’ that aren’t easy to read about. I have no problem with dirty talk at all. In fact, the dirtier the better. So when Jameson calls her Cunt, Whore, pretty much any filthy name you can imagine it didn’t bother me. Even the extremely rough sex. That shit is hot. Didn’t bother me at all. But there was one aspect of their relationship I didn’t like. And maybe it was just me, because it seemed to work for them, but I just couldn’t get down with it no matter how open minded I tried to be I don’t like that he fucked so many other girls while he was with her. Not at all. I know it was in their ‘rules’ but it didn’t jive well. If they had some threesomes or something like that, I would be totally fine with that, but him just always going to fuck randoms... ugh. I didn’t like it

So Jameson and Tate carry on this thing they’ve got going. The games they’re playing. Where Tate is basically his whore. And she likes it. Until the games change. Shit gets real. And holy hell. That ending was the mother of all cliffhangers. I was so pissed off I couldn’t even see straight. I’m still mad just thinking about it. Thankfully all the books are out, but still. It got me all worked up, and not in a good way.

Out of all the stress, intensity and fuckupedness, let me tell you something good. Someone good. His name is Sanders- aka Sandy and he is the best character in the book. I just adored him. It was a real treat reading about him in al the madness. I can't wait to know more as the trilogy continues.

After reading this book, I honestly don’t know how I feel. There was a lot I loved, but a lot that infuriated me. I can’t wait to jump into the next one and I’m crossing my fingers that Mr. Kane can redeem himself and all will be well.



Just something random here... do you ever read a book and in your head you think- this book has a theme song! This song fits so perfectly with the story. This book has that. WHORE by In This Moment fits this story perfectly!


I'm the girl you've been thinking about
The one thing you can't live without
I'm the girl you've been waiting for
I'll have you down on your knees
I'll have you begging for more

You probably thought I wouldn't get this far
You thought I'd end up in the back of a car
You probably thought that I'd never escape
I'd be a rat in a cage, I'd be a slave to this place
You don't know how hard I fought to survive
Waking up alone when I was left to die
And you don't know about this life I've led
All these roads I've walked
All these tears I've bled

So how can this be?
You're praying to me
There's a look in your eyes
I know just what that means
I can be, I can be your everything...

I can be your whore!
I am the dirt you created
I am your sinner
I am your whore,
But, let me tell you something baby
You love me for everything you hate me for

I'm the one that you need and fear
Now that you're hooked, it's all becoming clear
That all your judgments that you placed on me
Was a reflection of discovery
So maybe next time when you cast your stones
From the shadows and the dark unknown
You will crawl up from your hiding place
Take a look in the mirror
See the truth in your face

So how can this be?
You're praying to me
There's a look in your eyes
I know just what that means
I can be, I can be your everything...

I can be your whore
I am the dirt you created
I am your sinner
I am your whore
But, let me tell you something baby
You love me for everything you hate me for

I am the dirt you created
I am your sinner
I am your whore
But, let me tell you something baby
You love me!
You want me!
You need me!
I can be your whore
I am the dirt you created
I am your sinner
I am your whore
But, let me tell you something baby
You love me for everything you hate me for

[Iqra · Rating 5 out of 5]

ೃ⁀➷ 4.5 stars *ੈ✩‧₊˚

I INHALED THIS BOOK THE SAME WAY A DROWNING MAN WOULD AFTER FINALLY BREAKING THE SURFACE - GASPING, CHOKING AND SPUTTERING FOR AIR FASTER THAN HIS LUNGS CAN ACCEPT.

TateJameson = Toxic and messyyyyy my drug of choice 🌚🔫🔫🔫
This book has me feeling higher than a kite 🤸🏻‍♀️🕳️

The absolute chaos racing thru my mind rn. I’m actually stunned.

I’ve never read anything like this. The only things that comes close in comparison is magnolia parks and the singed series but not in the way ur thinking, more in the sense that it made me feel a range of emotions I wasn’t ready for. I’d be a tangled web of emotions and not one of them felt like the correct response to what was taking place.

To name a few:
╰┈➤ I’d get this dull ache in the back of my skull from how messy everything got,
╰┈➤ tears of sadness,
╰┈➤ shocked at EVERY turn of events,
╰┈➤ dark amusement whenever they would make each other jealous and pretend to not be affected,
╰┈➤ confused when things would get mean,
this dip in my stomach when I knew shits about to go sideways,
╰┈➤ sharp stabbing pain whenever things did and everything went wrong wrong wrong…

. . . I could go on and on about all the turbulence this book caused within me and it’ll still never be enough, never do justice to how this book made me feel.

The plot:

If ur going in thinking there’s a straight forward plot, think again. This ain’t a structured story with linear progression. No, it’s a story thats as dysfunctional and messy as the main characters. It’s got scuff marks and jagged edges. It’s unique and original which was refreshing. It’s honestly become an experience for me that I’m pretty sure I’ll never forget.

The story kicks in straight away and there is always intrigue or something gripping on every page. Imo there was not a single dry page.

It’s less romance and a lot fucked up so pls check your triggers before starting this like I’m being so serious rn this is not a book for everyone but if ur as insane as me then just know ur in for a wild ride 🌚

The characters:

Tatum O’Shea — fuck. This girl. I have no words. She’s like a ball of sunshine that knows her worth and inside she’s literally the softest, warmest most loveable precious person to exist ever. But when you get too close you feel the heat. That constant burn that lives inside her and all Jameson does is fan the flames which she welcomes with open arms.

She makes the worst decisions but I still love her. She has my whole heart omfds I just love her sm. Tate deserves the world.


Jameson Kane — *shakes head in frustration* This guy. I also have no words. That’s a lie, I have too many. He’s one of the most conflicting characters I’ve read about. I love him one second then he’s FORCING me to hate him. It’s the worst. He’s such a good fucking character to obsess over omfds like he’s scrumptious and toxic and says the meanest most hurtful shit but he’s always so blunt about being an asshole u can’t even be mad at him. Like one moment he’s got me giggling and twirling my hair, biting the tip of my finger and the next he’s got me on the verge of tears with my hands ripping at my hair… good times, good times.

The whole way thru I was just thinking, Tate, I get it. I totally get it.

No matter what happens I just know this series is gna leave me battered and bruised with whiplash for eternity — and as Tate would say… I’m game 😋👹

𝗦𝗶𝗱𝗲 ���𝗼𝘁𝗲:
I was never going to write this huge ass review omfds but my brain just wouldn’t let me move onnn and the words were rattling in my head begging to be free so here we are…

𝗦𝗼𝗻𝗴𝘀: 🎧

Cherry red — VANÈS
Vxlentine — whatsaheart
Penthouse riot — the young one
One night — Cheyanne
You’re still mine — larissa Lambert
Five star hotel — RAYE

𝗙𝗮𝘃 𝗤𝘂𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘀:

“Why did you answer in German?”
“I always do that, when it's an unknown number,” she told him.
“That's ridiculous,” he snapped.
“Aw, you miss me, don't you? That's why you're whispering sweet-nothings in my ear,” she teased. I do miss her.

“Is this a game?”
“No games, Tatum.”
“What are we, if we don't have games?” “Something else.”
~STAB ME IN THE HEART ALR

𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗿 𝘃𝗶𝗯𝗲𝘀:
A love letter to whiskey by Kandi Steiner (toxic and messy)
Singed series by Mia knight (the mmc made me feel the exact same)
Magnolia parks (in the sense that they’re always trying to get back at each other which ends up hurting EVERYONE)

︎ ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆

[Beverly · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Can’t stop thinking about this book Stars



Tatum O’Shea is eighteen years old and a freshman at Harvard University when she decides to say goodbye to life she knows and be the person she was always meant to be. Tate has always been in the shadow of her older sister, even though she excelled at everything she did, she was still the second child. One night Jameson Kane, her sister’s boyfriend, shows Tate she is more than her sister.

"Tatum, if you don’t get the fuck out of here, I’m going to rip your clothes off, bend you over this dresser, and fuck you like you’ve never been fucked before.”

This epic night, and I do mean epic - one of the hottest sex scenes I have ever read, completely changed Tate. When she leaves that night to go home she knows it was just a one night stand, Kane made that very clear, she is and will only ever be a hot fuck to him. When her sister finds out and attacks her she says screw it once and for all…fast forward seven years later.

It has been years since Tate has seen anyone from her past, so when she runs into Kane it is hard to believe it’s him. That is short lived because when Jameson Kane wants something, he gets it, and he wants Tate.

"You can lie to me all you want, but I have no problem admitting that you are still, to this day, probably the hottest pussy I’ve ever had.

Their relationship takes off from here, but this story isn’t like most romance stories. Tate and Kane have a unique relationship because he likes to physically and verbally abuse women and the rougher/meaner he is the more she enjoys it. They have both met their match, but in this game there is always a loser.



I loved how different this story is and that neither of them really changed who they are. Both are unique. She is a girl who gets turned on hearing about him fuck other woman. He is a guy who finds her provoking him and fighting sexy. This book is so different from most books I have read, and it has this hook in it that makes it impossible to put down. I devoured this book, couldn’t wait to read more.



"You have ruined me, Tatum O’Shea. Completely wrecked me.

[~ Becs ~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, Holy Crap!! I absolutely love it when this happens. I wasn’t asked to review Degradation and just happened to notice it as a new release and just something about the blurb called to me and I bought it from Amazon and absolutely, totally freaking loved it!! I really think this is possibly THE most exciting debut I’ve read in 2014 and I came across it by chance. Now, I’m recommending it to all of you out there who enjoy a dark and edgy romance, one which will push your boundaries and keep you glued to the page. I know there’s a lot of you out there and I’m highly recommending it to all you dark romance junkies.

I have to say that Tate really doesn’t get off to the most auspicious start in Degradation. She’s a good girl, about to go to Harvard, is pretty much everything her parents expect her to be and is moving to Boston where her older sister, Ellie (AKA OCD Barbie), lives. Ellie isn’t home but her boyfriend, the really rather dangerous Jameson Kane (AKA Satan) is and after spilling her champagne all down her shirt, he takes advantages and things escalate and he ends up giving her the ride of her life but, of course, she’s just fucked her oh so perfect sister’s boyfriend. Ooops!

This is a pivotal moment in Tate’s life – everything changes for her. Go forward 7 years – she’s never seen Jameson Kane again, she didn’t go to Harvard, her family disowned her and labelled her a whore and Tatum O’Shea is a very different creature. Seems James’s rough treatment of her has awakened a sleeping and sexually aggressive tigress that was lurking beneath the surface of the cute but ultimately innocent little kitten, a side of her she didn’t know was even there. Now she’s living on the seamier side of Boston in a low-rent apartment, has several temping jobs, is barely making ends meet, is going from one casual sexual relationship to the next but she is happy. She has good friends and, now removed from the expectations of her oh-so middle class family, she is finally able to be herself and has undergone a sexual revolution and is completely at one with herself and her sexuality.

She didn’t expect to bump into Jameson Kane but a temp job brings her back into his cross hairs and he finds he can’t keep his eyes off this tigress that he created. He’s never forgotten that night and definitely wants a repeat performance but Tate has grown up and changed so much and she’s his sexual equal now but he has to work hard to get her to agree to spend some time with him. After a couple of scenes of temptation and sexual one-up-manship, Jameson tries to coerce her into an agreement – he tries to employ her but she’s wise to his games and eventually they agree that she will quit all bar one temp job and spend time with him for an agreed sum of money, essentially making her his whore. This sounds bad, I know, but both Jameson and Tate have pretty dark sexual proclivities – he likes to treat her really mean and, of course, degrade her a little and she totally gets off on it. Nobody has pushed her boundaries quite like he can and no one has ever felt so good to him as Tate does and they enter into THE most delicious, dark and totally captivating relationship.

Let The Games Begin!

James Kane is really quite a bastard – he’s arrogant, sadistic, deviant, domineering, demanding and cruel. God, I LOVED him! The devil may not be wearing Prada but he sure is wearing a designer suit and walking around in the guise of a Fortune 500 stockbroker and this man is as dark as Lucifer himself. He tells Tate that he will never love her, doesn’t even like her very much, he only wants to fuck her and will do it until he tires of her and then he will dump her. And she loves it!

“Let's get something straight about this power situation, Tate. I fuck you when I want, where I want, how I want. You come when I call. If I want to see my ex girlfriend, or any ex girlfriend, I will. I'm with you right now, this moment. That's all you get from me,” he told her.

I actually came to adore Tate, despite her not so stellar beginning in the story – she did after all sleep with her sister’s boyfriend and is sexually aggressive and promiscuous but I really grew to love her. Under all the war paint, the tiny shorts, the sexual bravado and cutting edge sass still lurks a girl that needs affection. She’s just got a lot better at hiding it over the years.

“Good girl Tate falls for Satan, who would've thought,” he teased. She rolled her eyes.

“I'm not a good girl,” she pointed out.

“Yes, you are. You've just gotten very good at hiding it,” he replied.

This is all out dark and edgy, pushing boundaries – a bold and brave debut novel from an author who is not afraid to push things just that little bit further. It’s darkly erotic as we go from scene to scene of rough sex with these two as they satisfy a carnal hunger like no other. Jameson Kane really is a complete bastard to Tate but she completely gets off on it – loving the way he objectifies her and pushes her to dizzying sexual heights she never before thought possible. This is a text conversation between the two of them……

“Tatum.”

“Yes, my liege?”

“Shut up.”

“How can I answer you and -,”

“Why do you let me treat you the way I do?”

“I told you, I like it.”

“I would kill another man for talking to you the way I talk to you.”

“That's very sweet.”

“Do you think there's something wrong with me, treating you the way I do?”

“Not necessarily. It's consensual. Empowering.”

“Empowering?”

“Yes. You have the power to hold me down, say things, call me names. Slut. Bitch. But I have the power to say stop. End it all. Your power is an illusion. Mine is real.”

These two are like two predators slowly stalking around each other, both of them trying to be a little more alpha than the other and, despite the dark sexual edge to the story, it even has a bit of a Pretty Woman/Cinderella kind of vibe going on – only with biting, slapping, cheating and really rough sex. But, of course, there is no Prince Charming or Cinderella here – just Lucifer and his succubus, both sexually aggressive and the perfect match for one another even if neither of them is prepared to admit it.

“You have ruined me, Tatum O'Shea,” he told her. “Completely wrecked me.”

A big shout out must go to the secondary characters in this novel, most especially Ang and Sanders. Ang is Tate’s best friend and fuck-buddy and he’s a wannabe B rate porn star. They have the most incredible relationship indulging in sex like most friends just go watch a movie together but Jameson and Kane will be develop a strong dislike for one another as jealousy rears its ugly head. Sanders, is Jamesons’s PA, staunch ally and supporter – he’s very zipped up and detached and emotionally unavailable and more than a little bit of an enigma but Tate manages to chip away at that icy armour and they become friends, much to the surprise of Jameson.



This was just such a fabulous debut novel from Stylo Fantôme – her style is witty, dry, challenging and incredibly captivating. Once I could retreat away from the world with this book, I completely devoured it becoming more and more entranced as the novel edged towards it’s conclusion and we are left with the intolerable yet exquisite cruelty of a humdinger of a cliffhanger as just about everything hangs in the balance. Roll on September 22nd and the release of the sequel. I can’t wait – this was such a special find for me, something new and exciting and I think this has the potential to be really BIG!



It’s a brave new world out there and today it belongs to Stylo Fantôme.



5 dark and degrading stars.

“Prince Charming could never treat you as good as the devil,” he teased. She shrugged.

“Maybe not. But maybe so. What'll happen to you, if I'm ever so blessed to find this magical S&M Prince Charming?” she asked. He looked at the ceiling. He didn't want to think about that moment.

“Go back to hell. Find another succubus,” Jameson replied.

“Whoever she is, I hope she's as good as me,” she whispered.

“No will ever be as good as you, Tatum.”

Check out my review at Sinfully Sexy and enter the giveaway and read an excerpt.

[✰ Liz ✰ · Rating 5 out of 5]

*4.5 LOVIN' JAMESON STARS*

"He's going to turn me inside out."-Tate



In the beginning...
Tate is a highly intelligent young woman who is headed out to start her first year of college. She makes a trip to her sister's apartment and her sister's boyfriend is there. Tate has always been enamored by Jameson Kane.

"...tall, dark hair, bright blue eyes, killer smile; what girl wouldn't fall head over heels in love with him at first sight? But it had never gone beyond that, she knew Jameson was so far out of her league, she wasn't even visible to him."-Tate

After a few drinks, one thing leads to another and Tate and Jameson share an erotic experience full of rough passionate sex. Something seems to unravel between the two and connection is formed.

"Maybe I don't want to get away."-Tate



When Tate's sister enters the scene, the scandal is revealed. Tate's life is changed forever.

"Jameson had just blasted her into the stratosphere. She didn't think she'd ever come down."-Tate

Fast forward to the future....

"Jameson had awakened something in her, brought about her change, but she was responsible for her life. She had taken control. She had grown up. And he hadn't been there for that. He wasn't anything to her. Nothing at all."-Tate

Tate is no longer the ideal "preppy Ivy Leaguer". Instead, she is wild, happy, and comfortable in her own skin. She has variety of friends and lives life to the fullest. When she is called out on a temp job one night, she bumps into Jameson. Seven years have passed and yet, the sexual chemistry between the two is still very present. The passionate connection is resurrected like a phoenix rising from the ashes.

"Her sarcastic smile and smart mouth were a complete one-eighty from the girl he had known before; this woman was a new creature. And he wanted to find out exactly what kind."-Jameson



The passion between Tate and Jameson is electric. The interactions between the two are charged with seduction, violence, grit, and passion. There are moments of despair as we see Tate and Jameson challenge each other. They are continuously pushing and pulling the other to the point of no return. Tate likes to be "handled roughly" and Jameson is happy to dish it out. Jameson has a filthy mouth and Tate is hypnotized and energized by him. While the average woman would feel uncomfortable (and embarrassed) to be spoken to in such a manner, when Jameson talks to Tate it is as if he is performing a Shakespeare Sonnet. Not only does the man know how to talk, he is well versed on how to make Tate's body feel truly satisfied.

"When she was on top with him, he hit spots inside of her that might have actually been portals to other dimensions. She couldn't think, couldn't breathe. Just gasped and pushed and pulled."-Tate



While the relationship between Tate and Jameson is unconventional, it seems to work perfectly for them. Not only is the central conflict full of intrigue, the secondary characters add depth to the plot as well. Tate is pulling further away from her best friend (former sex buddy) Ang and Jameson's PA Sanders is a true specimen of greatness. Add a bitchy ex-girlfirend to the mix, and you have a dynamite plot with enough tension to cause the hoover dam to burst.



Stylo Fantome has an addictive writing style. The dialogue flows smoothly through every sentence of every page. The characters are complex and well developed throughout. The emotional connections are strong and allow the reader to empathize with every character regardless of their questionable (and moral) behavior. I was so enraptured by the story, I was unable to put it down. As soon as I finished this read, I downloaded the second book immediately. Degradation ends in quite a cliffy. If you are sensitive to "rough play", then this is not the read for you. If you don't like a dirty talking hero, then this book is not for you. However, if you like a strong female leading lady and a counterpart hero that knows how to meet her at every challenge, you must read this book! If you like to experience a dark romance with a hint of "psychological mind play", then this is absolutely the book for you. It has been such a refreshing journey to have discovered Jameson and Tate. I am completely invested in these characters and I cannot wait to see what Ms. Fantome does next. Onward to the next book!


~This read was read as part of INDIE STAR CHAT WEEK on SHH! Thank you STYLO for spending the week chatting with us!
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...


For more reviews/reveals/giveaways visit:

[Deanna❤Pink Lady❤️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 "Playing the Game" Stars



A one time encounter, 7 years ago, would forever change 2 people. It would completely turn her life around. But it wasn't time, they were not ready, they needed to live, to become Satan and his Succubus.

Jameson Kane is 31 yrs old. He is Sexy, Egotistical, Gorgeous, Wealthy, A Man who Always Gets What He Wants. He loves Hot*Rough*Dirty Mouth*Sex but doesn't want a committed relationship. He wants to play and he wants to play with Tatum now that he has found her again.

Tatum O'Shea was a sweet demure 18 yr old Harvard freshman. 7 yrs later......she is a Sexy, Feisty, Confident, Bartender/Temp Worker/College Dropout who likes sex and lots of it. She is estranged from her family because of that one night 7 years ago but good riddance. She loves who she is now and not that robot her parents wanted her to be.

When these two meet again by sheer coincidence, that electricity that they both felt seven years ago is still there. But Jameson is not 23 he's a 31 yr old self assured financier who has grown into The Devil. Now the Devil wants to play with Tatum, the 25 yr old sex kitten. While Tatum has grown into herself, she has never forgotten Jameson and their one encounter. She barely survived that one night, could she survive playing games with him now? Maybe if she can keep her heart out of the game.



Sexy banter, dirty talk, and rough sex make a lot of the story. They can fight, they can play, they can be hateful, they can be loving but they can not tell when the lines get blurred to the game they are playing. It's all suppose to be fun and games, no commitment , no falling in love, just sex. When jealousy and spitefulness enters the equation, will the game be over, will someone lose beyond saving?



I loved Jameson and Tatum. They are both so perfect for one another but their games and their lack of giving in to one another sets up a house of cards destined to fall. The ending left me very emotional that I immediately jumped into book 2.

I was quite surprised that I fell for Sanders, Jameson's assistant. While he owed his loyalties to Jameson, he became a good friend to Tatum. I loved his eccentricities and how he believed in Jameson and Tatum. Then there was Ang, Tatum' BFF. He was her rock and the man who molded her. While they used each other for sex whenever, mostly they were each other's family.

I want to thank SueBee for gifting me a copy and telling me that this series would soon be a favorite of mine and boy was she correct!! xoxo-

Stylo, thanks for chatting with me and bringing Jameson and Tatum into my life!!

[~♡AB♡~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

★★★★★ 5 Stars ★★★★★

Dirty talking, unashamed and down right filthy.



This book was written for me. My heart was beating out of my chest by the time I got to the end of this book. I loved every minute of it!

Tatum O'Shea and Jameson Kane first have sex when she is dropping off some stuff for her sister. She is 18, a prim and proper girl who has Harvard and a Political career ahead of her. When her sisters boyfriend, Jameson, gets her drunk on champagne, they have a wild encounter that will change them both forever. This blurb will probably put some people off - cheating is a no no - but I love flawed characters and love to discover how an author can redeem such taboo behaviours.

7 years later, Tate is estranged from her family, working as a bartender among other things and living in the bad part of Boston. She has let loose, loves sex and is not ashamed. Whilst waitressing one night, she bumps into a familiar face who sets her body on fire and her heart racing.

"I like sex, I like having sex, I like being sexy. I like being single. I like being me, and fuck anyone who doesn't like it."

They have one thing in common - they like to play games and they love rough and abusive sex. This book was HOT, and Jameson was a huge BASTARD but you could just feel the emotions that he was trying not to show.



I loved that the author wasn't afraid to take the story in a direction that might not be popular, these two have an open relationship, which I hated, but it is fundamental to the story and for me it added to the emotion rather than made me feel angry about it.



This book just worked for me, I loved Tate and how she didn't care what people though of her, but was also the most caring and sweet friend and full of life. I loved her relationship with her best friend Ang, the porn star and I especially loved her relationship with Sanders, Jameson's assistant.

Jameson Kane was a true Bastard, but I loved him anyway. I don't know what this says about me...

"Fucking hell, Tate. I'm going to fuck you every night from now on, for as long as I can. Cunt. Whore. Fuck. Why are you so fucking good to me?"

Looking forward to seeing how Jameson redeems himself in the next installment.

[MischaS_ · Rating 5 out of 5]

EDIT (July 2018): So, I had all these fabulous plans how I'm going to read new books while on vacation. Instead of that, I ended up re-reading this. Again. Still, love this book. However, Dunn makes me hate him more and more with every re-read. Really, I wish there was something done about that guy.

EDIT (06/04/2018): So, after re-reading the Second book I had to move on the first one. I still like it however with each re-read I hate her father and sister a bit more. The ending gets me every time. I just wish Dunn did not disappear from the series after this one. He deserved so much worse than he got.

I loved this book. The writing style was really easy to read. I liked the "plot." But the best were the main characters and their conversations.
Especially Tate is something. She is one of the few really strong characters that do not care what anybody thinks or says. Though I sort of wish that she would punch her father and sister.

[IC · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 24%

I don't usually DNF books because I don't like doing that to stories. But I have to.

I am not in the mood for this. Nope.

This tells the story of Tatum O'Shea who was 18 when she met Jameson Kane. She fucked him in his apartment. Then her older sister comes finds out and tells her parents.

Did I mention she was in Harvard, had a boyfriend and Jameson was her sister's boyfriend. Older sister. And Jameson did not care about her or her sister. He was like, you're cheating your sister. You would be in trouble I wouldn't I could leave. Stuff like that and Tatum was like I could be your girlfriend and he's like I don't date sluts. DUDE! You are her second fuck. Really?

Don't get me started when they have sex and he doesn't use a condom. He or she do not acknowledged it.



I tried to get over that. Then several years later, Tate is 25 and she's living with someone. I don't know if it was a guy or girl I got confused. And she doesn't talk to her family, quit college, and works all these temp jobs when she gets a temp to work for a business party and guess who owns it?

Jameson. I don't like him. He's is just annoying.

He tries to get her to work for him and is all obsessed and interested in her now and when he wasn't before. What made him change so much like that?

Really, I want to know. Reading about Jameson makes me realize a lot of books that this about guys, men whatever you wanna call them. New Adult and Adult do this.

Why does a guy say he doesn't like you never did blah, blah, blah then weeks, months, years go by you see him again and he's all over you?



I would love to read more and see what happens but I just don't like Jameson and Tate seems like she's trying to fight him off but let's face it. She won't for long.

I just cannot with this anymore. Read it if you want. I didn't get much far into detailed sex scenes but the author does say that the sex they have is different. But if you read this review and don't like what I said. Don't waste your time.

["That's All" Ash · Rating 2 out of 5]

4.28 average rating.

I read the 4-5 star reviews.

Got excited.

Bought the book. Read the book.

You wanna know what happened next?



I don't like books that make you feel like they were written in a single afternoon. I don't like books where the love interest slaps the heroine. I don't like books where the only thing that keeps you turning the pages is because you just want to get to the next sex scene. And those sex scenes were hot, and don't me wrong; they were VERY hot. But you wanna know what sucked about this book?

Everything else.

[Crazy About Love 💕 · Rating 1 out of 5]

⭐️ one star -

I’m going to make this a short, concise review: I hated this book 😂

I decided to pick this up for a quick, steamy read based upon recommendations from reviewers I follow here - I saw this title tagged as a “favorite” by lots of my fellow reviewers, and I was intrigued by the premise, so I was hoping to get an easy, steamy read in.

Anyone that follows my reviews will know that I read all types of romance. I like dark romance; when it’s done right. This was not.

I should have guessed that this book was not going to be decent based upon the synopsis of the story. When the story description from the publisher, the blurb on kindle, and sometimes even what’s said about it here on Goodreads is super vague, that’s normally a tip-off to me that the story is going to be sub-par (translation: horrible) and not what I will enjoy. Well, this one fit that bill, unfortunately.

Besides the fact that that I feel that the story is poorly written (most of it is in the third person, and that made me insanely cringey), the two mc’s are engaged in a self-proclaimed “game” with each other. What are they, twelve? No, they’re supposedly grown adults; they just act like complete idiots in desperate need of therapy.

The whole relationship between our H and h is highly toxic. It’s not fun to read. It was not enjoyable or amusing to me, not sexy, and I just couldn’t get into it. I started skimming at about the 30% mark, and plowed through to the end. I then nearly blew a gasket when our “heroine” drives back to her own home intoxicated from the “Hero’s” home and no one was concerned enough to stop her. Highly disgusted with that. Supremely distasteful.

This is a solid dnf, do not recommend, and it’s been a while since I’ve actually hated a book this much. This one definitely falls under the burning hatred umbrella. It’s that horrible.

Save yourself. If you want dark romance that’s well written, interesting, and contains likable characters, try Zoe Blake, Kitty Thomas, or Jennifer Bene. This novel was just trash.

Not tempted (not even the slightest) to peek at the rest of this misfortunate trilogy. One was enough for me with this first book. Why there’s more of this rubbish, is anyone’s guess 🤷‍♀️

Doesn’t even deserve one star. Straight to the rubbish bin.

[Jacqueline's Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Who knew I liked Nasty books? Stars

I feel like Degradation was just one of those books where I had no expectations, but I was completely swept away.

FIRST off, I thought this was a paranormal book because I thought the Hero was the Devil. Ug, no, but fret not, it’s still really good.

SECOND off, Degradation is not for everyone. I wouldn’t call this a romance book, there’s so swoon, there’s so awe moments or hearts and flowers.

There’s a lot of steam, cursing, name calling and what the heck, face slapping.

I couldn’t get enough and I was EATING IT UP!!!!

Jameson is NOT prince charming. He doesn’t do relationships and he’s 100% honest. He’s been dating Tatum’s (Tate) sister for two years and he’s about to break up with her. Tate doesn’t have a relationship with Jameson, he’s just the guy that’s dating her sister.

When Tate drops by her sister’s apartment one night, EVERYTHING CHANGES.

I love the characters.

Tate is a Heroine I do not like reading. She’s slutty, kind of strong and really opinionated. So how in the heck did I fall in love with her? I just did. I love that she’s a slut and she owns up to it. If she wants to do guys in the bathroom, why can’t she. If she wants to do her best friend whenever she feels like, she should! It’s a woman’s world and she has needs.

Tate is attracted to Jameson, but she knows he’s no good for her.

Jameson is villain hero you love to hate. I can’t stress enough how much I live to read these types of Heroes. They are just in a different class. He’s really really really mean. He calls Tate stupid, degrades her, treats her like crap and sleeps around with other girls.


I hope I didn’t lose you, but in all honesty it worked. It sounds harsh, but all the scenes, all the banter and rudeness just worked for me. I think I liked it so much because it just flowed. The characters never felt like they were acting, I really believed they truly hated each other, but couldn’t get enough of each other.

I loved Degradation. I loved the witty writing style, I loved how awful Jameson is and how slutty Tate can be.

It’s a roller coaster emotion and you will not be disappointed.

AMAZON $1.99

[Candace · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Dark, Twisted Ride!

Whew! This is one sordid, kinky story! And, aargh, what an ending! There are cliffhangers and there are CLIFFHANGERS! This book falls into the latter category.

I guess I'll start at the beginning. Tatum has a hot one-time round of sex with her sister's boyfriend at the time, Jameson Kane. She was a prim and proper, naive, young, eighteen year-old girl getting ready to leave for Harvard. When what she and Jameson did is immediately discovered by her sister, Ellie, Tatum's life is irrevocably changed.

She is disowned by her wealthy family. No college. No financial support. No further contact from Jameson. Nothing in her life is the same from that point forward.

Tatum's hot and forbidden tryst has left her forever altered and awakened a whole new side of herself. It's like Jameson flipped a switch, turning the good-girl into a sexual beast. She dives head first into her new reality. No apologies and no restraint. She works multiple low-paying jobs, barely scraping by and fills the void in her life with meaningless sexual encounters.

When Jameson walks back into her life seven years later, she's not the innocent, sweet girl that he'd spent years fantasizing about. She's evolved into a strong woman that doesn't shy away from her sexuality. He wants to find out if sex with her is still as earth-shattering as he remembers. He uses his vast resources to infiltrate her life and convince the resistant Tatum to become his "mistress", for lack of a better term. He's not interested in a relationship, just no-holds-barred sex.

Tatum gives a weak showing of dissent. But let's get real, she isn't fooling anyone! In no time, the two are going at it like kinky bunnies. The sexual heat and compatibility between Tatum and Jameson was tangible. She gets off on being degraded and dominated. Jameson gets off on being a demeaning, controlling ass. So, they're perfect matches sexually!

What was also apparent, early on, was that outside of their sex games, Tatum was no match for Jameson and his emotional distance. She wants more than he's willing to give emotionally. For most of the book, I had that looming dread that precedes inevitable heartache. Then, it happens, and even though I expected it, I wanted to throw my iPad across the room.

The story ends in a huge cliffhanger that has me in knots. I'll be downloading the second book in the series immediately! I can't wait to see what is in store for these two! As much as I love a strong Alpha, I'm hoping that Tatum brings him to his knees!

Great story!

[Hoda · Rating 2 out of 5]

I fear the degradation was degrading so hard for me to take!! not my type 😭✋🏻

[Kellie Maddox-Ward · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want Prince Charming to ride up on a white horse, and carry me off to his castle. The only difference between me and other girls is once I get there, I want him to bend me over the throne and pull my hair while he fucks me hard and calls me names. - Tate

Firstly I need to be captain obvious here… the book is called Degradation.

Meaning:
degradation
ˌdɛgrəˈdeɪʃ(ə)n/
Noun
1.
the condition or process of degrading or being degraded.

So if that alone turns you off.. don’t bother reading this book and then being all like:



If that isn’t your thing.
Simple don’t read it.
It’s cool.
Works for some not for others.
It makes me giggle looking on here that some people have DNF it as they didn’t like that the Heroine Tatum was degraded. - I mean SERIOUSLY?

This isn’t called “rainbows and butterflies”

Ok rant over…

So seriously… I REALLY liked this book. Don’t get wrong I know I just gave a rant then but some of the things were HARSH. I mean way fucking harsh...
Tate she got off on being called a dumb cunt. But you know what? Stylo made it work for Jameson and Tatum. Someone did that to me personally… well lets just say they would never say it again.
but it worked because ONLY Jameson could say that to Tate!
She loved it and begged for more....

I absolutely adored Tatum. I mean yeah the first 10% of this book you are thinking WTF? She sleeps with her sisters boyfriend, while cheating on her boyfriend. Lets Jameson say and do filthy things to her and then starts crying… We as readers are all like…. WWWAAAA…..........

But Jump to 7 years later and Tatum is not that spoilt rich girl she was then.
She is is FUCKING KICKASS!! She dropped outta school, moved away, made new friend and likes to FUCK… a lot… she is a self-proclaimed slut. And it’s all because of that one night. Jameson freed her from her life by making her feel alive. She has never felt like that again.
I loved her character.. She was strong, and witty and funny and sexy and knew who she was. She owned that shit!

Jameson… well he is Satan.
Seriously he is the fucking devil in an expensive suit.
But yet you can’t help but want him! He gets what he wants… always.
He is an asshole… I mean HUGE HUGE Asshole. He is unapologetic and takes what he wants when he wants.
Seems he wants Tate now that they have crossed paths again.
It leads them into a deadly game…
But we all know there can only be one winner… who will it be though?
Seriously I want to know… It kinda ends on a cliff-hanger! GAH But don’t worry the next is out super soon!

There are secondary characters in this book that just make this story that much better as well. Sanders and Ang are fantastic and I fell in love with them.

Storytelling wise? We get joint Pov’s.. it does change occasionally to Ang, but it is mainly told from Tate’s POV. The story just flowed together… As I have said before “cunt” this and “slut/whore” that etc isn’t really my thing, but this just worked!
I smashed the shit out of this book. I couldn’t wait to finish it to see who won the game. (at the end of the day it’s a romance novel so I’d better get a HEA outta both these assholes!)

So yeah all in all… You like rough, hot hard sex scenes?
Raw and real characters and writing?
Then Yep I totally say read this!

[Nina]

Wow what did I just read??

DNF - 10%

The heroine has sex with her sister's boyfriend.
The hero cheats on his girlfriend with her little sister.
The hero calls the heroine a slut while he is cheating, to which the heroine replies, "only for you".
The hero is a piece of shit. He has no intentions of breaking up with the heroine's sister, despite cheating on her, he simply had wanted to fuck the heroine since she was like 16.
Neither hero or heroine were going to admit to the sister that they had sex.

This is NOT a good base for a relationship between the hero & heroine. I could barely stand the first 10%, how would I survive the other 90% with a SOB slut hero and a senseless heroine?



Sorry, not for me.

[Lo Bookfrantic · Rating 4 out of 5]

wow omg omg my throat is in knots, my belly hurts....wtf just happened?! I want to hurt Satan so bad right now
..gawd...I didn't know what to think of this book but I ended up being sucked up into the story and now I have to start book two like ASAP...clifty much?! wtf.... :(

[Paula · Rating 1 out of 5]

Meh. This book really did not work for me. I will admit the prologue sucked me in and that's why I continued to read it, but then the book just fell apart, imo.

First of all, I hated the main characters. They are both assholes. The hero is a controlling, cold, douche bag. He is what I like to call an alpha-hole, but his character was not sexy to me. The heroine was supposed to come across as a strong-willed woman, who lives freely and loves sex but, to me, her personality was overly done and just plain annoying.

Secondly, the chemistry was lacking. The sex was not sexy. The H/h get off on hurting and degrading one another. They were horrible to one another. What they did to each other was both verbally and physically abusive - which was not appealing.

Finally, the writing style was not my cuppa. I think I was supposed to laugh during the back and forth bantering between the main characters yet I never did. And one of my pet peeves is redundant dialogue. I felt like everyone rolled their eyes constantly, or laughed/chuckled after a sentence.

I wish this book worked for me, since so many people liked it. I'm actually surprised I made it to the end.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

10/3/2016 - Current free at Amazon

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Previously read on 7 January 2015

Actually this book is not that 'dark' as I expected it to be. If I take out the rough sex and the degrading dirty talk, this might just be a romantic comedy. I laughed so much while reading their sexual banter at each other in and out of the bedroom. The bisexual friend, Angier is funny. Even the stoic assistant, Sander, is also funny in his own peculiar way.

The prologue brought us to seven years ago, on the day Tate slept with her bossy sister's boyfriend, Jameson. So that make Tate's the slutty sister and Jameson, the cheater! Instead of feeling disgusted by them, I thought the whole scene was really hot. And when Tate gave Jameson the middle finger, I just love this spunky young lady.

Seven years later, Tate is the wild and sexually confident woman who was struggling with rents, but she love her life. Jameson is still the same rich and successful prick. They met again and then kaboom, fireworks everywhere.

Jameson Kane manage to avoid the cliche rich man persona. He is domineering without being OTT like all the other rick prick that I read about. He doesn't make up stupid rules. And he had a great sense of humor! Honestly, the banter between Tate and Jameson is the highlight of the book. The way they goad and test each other boundaries.

Despite the 'degradation' as the theme of the book, I don't think of it as some kind of humiliation on Tate's part. He just love to dirty talk to her and she love it. It just happened that some of the words he used comprises of 'slut', 'whore' and 'stupid'. But I don't think Jameson really mean it literally, or if he did, he wants her anyway.

They enjoyed an open relationships, love playing games with each other, who gonna win, who gonna lose. Everything is nice and dandy until someone got hurt. Things ended in an ugly way. I'm nervous for the next book.

[Dee Montoya · Rating 5 out of 5]

5++++++ Exhilarating stars*****

After finishing this book, the first thought that came through my head was; where have you been all my life? Why didn't I read this before? And, how do I continue on without it?

This story is so freaky, almost perverse but absolutely delicious. Like trying something for the first time and thinking you should have been having it all along.

Being the hard core Stylo Fatôme fan that I am, I knew before reading it that I was going to enjoy this book, because I'm a sucker for her writing style and creativity but I never expected to feel such a strong connection with the story and its characters . It was absolutely addictive, a total masterpiece!

[Steelwhisper · Rating 1 out of 5]

This wasn't...

... even the slightest bit erotic. No, not even darkly erotic.
... any sort of BDSM I would recognise.
... even the tiniest bit intelligent or intriguing.
... well-written in any shape, way or form.
... interesting as a story. And the characters sucked.

This was...

... totally superfluous.
... US-centric in a bad way.
... so boring I started to skimread.
... an exercise in futility like so many lately written dark erotica.
... a typical cliffhanger geared to rake in the dough from readers too stupid to notice the spiel.

[Ilze · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hot, steamy, dirty, crude, filthy, raw and intense that's Degradation for you!

"Just because I hate you, doesn't mean I don't want to fuck you."

Jameson Kane aka Satan is one of the biggest assholes you will ever have a chance to meet. He does whatever he wants, he takes whatever he needs and he fucks whoever he wants, and he is not apologizing for any of it. If you think he sounds like a usual rich alpha male then you are wrong, because he is so much worse.



Tatum O'Shea is not the naive little rich girl she used to be, now she is a tough girl from the bad side of Boston who isn't afraid to ask or take what she wants either.

"Are you ever scared of me?" he asked, his voice soft. Tate shook her head.
"No, not even a little," she assured him.
"Sometimes I wonder if maybe you should be," he added.

Together they play a dangerous game, and in every game there is only one winner, right?



Usually, I am not a fan of main characters playing games, but in this one I really enjoyed the game. One always trying to play another, it was fun, even though sometimes it went a bit too dark and dangerous. Degradation was definitely a different kind of erotica book and I can say that it won't work for everybody.

If you don't like sadomasochism, rough sex, hero calling heroine 'whore, slut, cunt' and hero/heroine sleeping with other people, then you should probably stay away from this one.

I was intrigued by the premises and the book was so much more than I expected it will be. I enjoyed it, but I just wish there was more of a plot in it and maybe a bit less sex.

Sanders is probably my favorite character ♥

"This was all supposed to be a game. What happened?" he asked. She shook her head.
"I have no idea. Maybe you weren't mean enough," she managed with a laugh.

Jameson,


After that ending I need to know what will happen next, on to the next one!

[Marielis · Rating 5 out of 5]

"We are a match made in Hell. He may be Satan, but I’m Lillith."

Tengo una debilidad por esta clase de libros. Siempre he buscado leer historias de "amor" que reten mis ideales. Quiero darme contra la pared y sufrir por personajes dañados. Quiero leer de príncipes oscuros, porque también de ellos nos podemos enamorar. Como lectora quiero verdad en lo que leo, este de acuerdo o no con esa verdad. Stylo Fantome me ha dado lo que estaba buscando desde hace algún tiempo. Termino complacida este 2014 en lo que respecta a la lectura, por que conocí a Satan & Tatum.

"He’s like my worst nightmare and my biggest dream, all rolled into one."

Kane es un personaje que aspirará a que lo odies desde el primer minuto. Te volverá loca. Kane es egocéntrico, creído, cruel y todos los adjetivos descalificativos que se te ocurran. Como dice una de mis mejores amigas cuando hablamos de esta clase de hombres, Kane para NADA es "boyfriend material". Sin embargo, es ese tipo de personajes que no quiero parar de conocer. Deseo saber sus más íntimos secretos y romperme la cabeza descifrando el ¿porque? es así. Como siempre he comentado tengo la terrible costumbre de para todo buscar el ¿porque?. Nuestro querido/odiado Kane, ejerció en mí esa fuerza magnética que hizo que no me despegara de la historia a pesar de meter la pata 1972340923 de veces. No por nada Tatum lo llama Satan.

"Are you ever scared of me?" he asked, his voice soft. Tate shook her head.
"No, not even a little," she assured him.
"Sometimes I wonder if maybe you should be," he added.

Tatum se ha convertido en uno de los mejores personajes femeninos que he conocido. Entró a esa exclusiva lista en mi corazón, donde la perfección no existe. Yo describo a esa clase de mujeres como increíblemente perfectas en su imperfección; pero ha diferencia de Kane, Tatum tiene un ¿porque?. Amarla fue fácil. Ella también se ha equivocado y mucho, pero en sus equivocaciones me hizo entender y justificar su comportamiento.

"I want him to remember me. I want every woman after me to be compared, and found lacking."

Degradation es una montaña rusa. Logré sentirme conectada con todo lo que paso en la trama. Los personajes secundarios cumplieron su cometido y esta claro que acompañaron de forma acertada a Kane & Tatum. El juicio que pases sobre ellos será lo interesante. Yo nunca me adelanto. Quiero llegar al final de esta historia. Mi corazón se ha roto en mil pedazos con ese final y necesito seguir con el siguiente libro. Mi único aviso por si te decides a leer esta historia, es que conocerás a dos personajes que te lo harán pasar bien y mal. Me hicieron llorar/enojarme y siempre me dieron verdad.



Por último, quiero compartir estas palabras que la propia Stylo Fantome nos deja a los lectores y que muchas veces pasamos por alto. Me ha ganado. Soy su fan con un solo libro leído. (lo se, a veces soy muy fácil)

"Well, the scariest thing to me is the idea of someone reading my work and going “ew, that's weird!”, so I decided FUCK IT. I'm gonna write it EXACTLY how it comes out of my brain, EXACTLY how it comes out of Jameson's mouth, and if people don't like it, then they don't have to read it. It was the best decision I have ever made, writing this story was such a catharsis, such a joy. It sounds cheesy, but it's the truth.

So read what you want, write what's in you to write, and fuck anyone who gives you crap about it. I can't imagine a bigger waste of time than criticizing someone's work just because it scares me." - Stylo Fantome

[Kelli C · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Baby Girl Stars

WHY HAVE I NOT READ THIS BEFORE RIGHT NOW???? I 100% thank the ladies at The Literary Gossip for sharing this book and bringing it to my attention. I one clicked all 3 books in series in hopes of making my reading mojo happy. I am so happy that I was not disappointed!

I needed this book yesterday. I needed to meet Jameson Kane. I needed some of Tatum O'Shea crazy in my world. I like it dark...damaged...dirty. Degradation was a perfect fit and I have found my happy place!



One taboo night of Oops...I slept with my sisters older, wiser, dirtier boyfriend and a good, smart, rich girl finds herself estranged and amazingly free! Seven long years of total lack of inhibitions and living on her own terms, Tatum has been an enigma of take and give with her body. She makes no apologies for her behavior...perhaps hoping to forget that one encounter that put her onto this new life path.

“Because, he's Jameson Kane. He's like my worst nightmare and my biggest dream, all rolled in to one.”

Jameson Kane has also moved on. As a financier he has amassed wealth and wants for nothing, yet he too cannot forget little Tate and the night she rocked him.

“...I have the strangest feelings about you. Like I want to take you everywhere and have you by my side, but I also want to hold you down. Make you beg and cry..."

I knew they were bound to meet again but I had no idea what would transpire. I had no idea that a game of wills and pleasure could be so wrong and so completely captivating. Jameson and Tate were brutally explosive. It was unlike anything I have ever read where yes, the man was a definite dominant, but holy hell...this woman. Tatum is maybe by hero! Brave, brazen, sexy and a bit nuts...I loved her passion, pleasure and ability to handle her man!

Purely Sinful. Simply Disturbing. MY KIND OF AWESOME! I loved this hard...even that crazy cliffhanger. So onto book 2 in hopes of messing my head up a bit more

[It's just me Shelly B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolute PERFECTION!!!!



This book is......

Drama, drama and MORE DRAMA!!! Just to clue you in my favorite books typically revolve around drama, drama and MORE DRAMA!! I hated these characters but I LOVED them at the same time!! I wanted to strangle both Jameson and Tate and at the same time I wanted hug them both!!



This book is....

A train wreck you can't stop watching even though you want to!! I couldn't stop reading I couldn't wait to find out what these two would do next!! I devoured this book!! These two characters took over my thoughts...I effing love them and all their HORRIBLE decisions!!


This book is....

PERFECT!!! I love Jameson's filthy mouth!!! Good LAWD I want that man!! Tate's feisty attitude was perfect for him!!



What this book isn't....

A sugary sweet *vomit* love story. Its raunchy, angsty pull your hair out, spitting fire love. So if your looking for sugar sweetness don't read this book.

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Talk about being put through the ringer.. I was a mess by the end of this one. Tate and Jameson kicked my ass.


I loved it!!! Moving on to book 2 !