Captive

Captive #1

by Brighton Walsh

He's the most dangerous man she's ever met…and she's falling in love with him.
Madison Frost is desperate to escape her life. Daughter of a prominent businessman, she has everything a girl could ask for. Except for a family who's present in her life, and anyone to talk to outside the four walls of the prison she calls home. Madison dreams of one day leaving her life behind. She never thought being kidnapped is how it would happen.
Now she's being held captive by a man who's as frightening as he is sinfully gorgeous. Enormous, muscular, and filled with secrets, the man they call Ghost is an enigmatic mercenary, and Madison is trapped with him. She doesn't know who hired him or why, but the more time she spends at his mercy, the more she realizes he's not what he seems. Beneath his rough exterior lies an unexpected gentleness and a heart as broken and battered as her own.
But as Madison lets down her walls, Ghost holds tight to his, hiding secrets that could destroy everything.
"A vulnerable but indomitable heroine and a hero who will haunt your dreams long after the last page. Raw, sexy and unexpectedly tender, Captive is a powerful, gripping story." —Kit Rocha, New York Times Bestselling Author
"With character so real I feel like I've known them all my life…a pure, sweet, hot romance. It's a must read!"— M. Leighton, New York Times Bestselling Author on Caged In Winter

Genres: New Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Suspense, Dark, Dark Romance

288 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 24, 2015

About the author

Award-winning USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Brighton Walsh spent nearly a decade as a professional photographer before taking her storytelling in a different direction and reconnecting with her first love: writing. When she’s not lost in her own made up worlds, she’s probably either reading or shopping—maybe even both at once. She lives in the Midwest with her real life hero of a husband, her two kids—both taller than her—and her dog who thinks she’s a queen. Her boy-filled house is the setting for dirty socks galore, frequent dance parties (okay, so it's mostly her, by herself, while her children look on in horror), and more laughter than she thought possible. Visit her online at brightonwalsh.com.

Reviews

[Lady Vigilante (Feifei) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars!



So this book really surprised me. While it wasn’t the first ‘dark romance’ book I’ve read, it is my first book from this author so I didn’t know what to expect from her in terms of writing style, character development, etc...It’s safe to say on both of those accounts I was really impressed; if anything, what made this book was the strong, well-crafted characters, their backgrounds, and their searing romantic connection that had me glued to the pages. The author’s writing is also a plus, nothing too flowery or descriptive but is still compelling; simplicity is beauty and the writing here is a fine example. But before I say anything else, I feel like it’s imperative to warn potential readers that this book is NOT a dark romance, even though the title and blurb heavily imply that. For me, this book was more of a straightforward NA romance with two lonely, lost individuals who fell in love with each other in unsavory circumstances. Had I known that aside from the kidnapping portion of the story, the rest would read like a normal NA romance, I would’ve gone into the book with a different mindset. So for readers like me who like going into books knowing about the genre, here’s your heads up :)

Okay, back to the book now.

Right from the start I connected with the heroine Madison. Her loneliness, her dreams and hopes, and her insecurities were all things I could relate to, and since we’re similar in age, there were many times I thought to myself ‘that girl could’ve been me.’ With a workaholic, forever-absent father and an alcoholic mother, Madison craves change, a real life, and a true loving family, not one that’s merely a façade. She just never expected her wishes to come true in the form of a kidnapping.

The enigmatic hero (let’s call him Ghost) is a hired mercenary who kidnaps Madison and holds her hostage for a week. What really took me by surprise here was how...normal Ghost was. He didn’t work in this dangerous field by choice; he’s not sadistic or out to intentionally hurt and kill others – it was his last resort in order to survive and deep down, he’s a good guy with dreams just like Madison.



I think the first 30% of the book I had to make myself get used to the fact that this was no dark romance like I expected it to be based off the blurb, and once that thought processed through, I began to settle into the story and really start enjoying it, because by then, I was sucked up by Madison and Ghost’s romance. One thing I took away from reading this book was that the author can create palpable sexual tension – I mean, forget the actual sex scenes that were pretty hot. The build up to that point – the stolen glances, the heated looks, the TENSION – whew, that’s what kept me glued to the pages. While the suspense part of the plot was predictable and the short timeline of the romance somewhat unrealistic, I just honestly didn’t care because wanting these characters to be together was at the forefront of my mind. I believe this is one of those rare times I’ve read in a book where a kidnapping theme wasn’t used as just a standard dark romance plot device to shock readers but as both an impediment and a bridge to the hero and heroine’s romantic connection. If Ghost hadn’t taken Madison, they would never have had a chance in normal society but since he did, that ugly first impression is there and also a negative. That kind of dichotomy and the inner turmoil that resulted because of it the author excelled at capturing in both of these characters through their actions and thoughts. It’s realistic angst I gobbled up :)



The reveal of the true villain at the end was a disappointment for me, and the events leading up to that point were hastily developed so I had to drop my rating a little; otherwise, this book would’ve been a solid 4 star read for me. I have to say, as the first book I’ve ever read from this author and despite the 3.5 star rating, I consider this book a winner for me. The story was never boring, I finished it in one sitting, the characters were strongly portrayed and I was really invested in the romance. As long as readers go into the book not expecting a dark romance, I think they’ll enjoy this book to a certain degree.

Captive is the first book in this suspenseful NA romance series and is a standalone. The second book Exposed will be about Ghost’s brother.

ARC provided by St. Martin's Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC provided by publisher via Netgalley in exchange for honest review

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"He’s the most dangerous man she’s ever met…and she’s falling in love with him."

Captive by Brighton Walsh is the first book that I have read from this author and I am officially hooked with her writing and storytelling. Ms. Walsh has written a sexy, sensual, captivating romance that was so engrossing and compelling that I could not put this book down. She was able to blend and weave a beautiful romance of two strangers who came from two different worlds. One of privileged and one born on the wrong side of the tracks. But one thing that they have in common is their broken home life. In this beautiful twisted suspenseful romance, will their love set them free of their broken past?

"I saw it and yet I was helpless to stop it, trapped in a life I never wanted because I loved someone who didn't love me back."



From an outsider's perspective, Madison Frost's life was perfect. She was young, beautiful, rich and affluent. But behind the closed door, lies a broken woman who yearns to be loved by her parents. To be noticed and recognized that she exists. So when Madison gets suddenly abducted and held captive by Ghost, Madison life will forever be changed.

"He knew the hope and the dread and the overwhelming guilt at wanting something else, at yearning for something more. And even though we'd come from two different paths, at the core, we still dealt with the same pain. And that bit of information tied us together in a way I'd never expected."

Ghost aka Gage is not the monster you typically associate with a captor. He is sweet and doesn't want to harm Madison. The reasoning for kidnapping her lies solely because he needs the money. Being born on the wrong side of tracks and a high school drop out, Ghost did what was needed in order to survive and take care of his younger brother. But what Gage did not expect was to fall in love with Madison. Slowly and unexpectedly, they found themselves connecting and falling for each other. So will Gage be able reveal the truth to Madison as to why she was taken? And will Gage be able to come to terms that he is indeed worthy of her love?

"It was everything I'd ever imagined and yet nothing I'd ever experienced. He was consuming me, every single one of my senses honing in on him."

Captive was an engaging story that was beautifully well-written. The writing was fresh and gratifying. The alternating POVs of Ghost and Madison captured my full attention. Readers were able to understand the many range of emotions that was transpiring between captor and captive. Having the dual POV allowed the story to be gritty, realistic and raw. It permitted the story to flow at a natural organic pace. It made readers like myself to be able to connect with Ghost and Madison.

"Somehow, at some point I'd gone from looking at him as my captor to looking at him as something so much more."

The story-telling was raw, poignant, sensual, and filled with so many emotions. I found myself feeling every fear, hope, anger, sadness, loss, vulnerabilty of Madison and Ghost's character. Every range of emotions was bleeding on every page. Heartstrings were being pulled since Ms. Walsh stripped Ghost and Madison bare allowing readers to see every flaw, scar, and broken past. You didn't see a captor who was a monster but a captor who was battling with his conscience and heart. And you were allowed to see a captive who was battling and coming in term that she was better off closing one chapter in her life and needing to start anew.

Captive was a bold, sensual book that was riveting. It was raw, gritty, and spellbinding. This book truly showcases that being captive does not necessarily mean being a prisoner bound by shackles but we can also be a captive bound by our past, scars, and heartache. Ms. Walsh was able to capture our hearts and unlock so many emotions that has us rooting for the HEA that Gage and Madison deserves. What can I say but this book was a 5 star read for me and I look forward to reading more works from Brighton Walsh. Prepare to get spellbinded and bewitched in this riveting tale of love and new beginnings.

"I wanted her as lost with me as I always seemed to be with her."

Brighton Walsh

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Review can also be found on Four Chicks Flipping Pages:http://fourchicksflippingpages.weebly...

[Danielle (Love at First Page) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4-4.5 stars

When it comes to Brighton Walsh, I have no hesitation. A book about a captive falling in love with her captor? GIVE IT TO ME. Normally, I would be nervous and possibly very uncomfortable reading about that type of plot line as a romance, but I trust this author. I knew she would not only make it work but make it sexy as hell. I don't have to tell you if that's the case with Captive, right?

Told in dual perspective, the book is about Madison Frost, a college student who lives at home to take care of her alcoholic mother because her absent, business-obsessed father couldn't be bothered, and "Ghost", a sort of kidnapper-for-hire who makes money by turning the tables on the crooked haves of the world. Kidnapping a girl, though? That's a first. After spending the first few days together locked in a cabin, Madison is not only making him reevaluate his choices but bringing out a gentleness he normally keeps locked tight. Madison is not at all the spoiled rich girl he expected. She's miserable and as much a "captive" at home as she is with him. Ghost helps Madison realize she needs to save herself, but who will save them when the danger increases and truths start coming to light?

I completely understand if you're worried about a captive/captor relationship. That imbalance of power can be problematic and squeamish. Ghost clearly holds all of the cards in this situation - not only is he much physically stronger, but he has answers, too, that he doesn't reveal until later. But what helps is that we are given his point-of-view in addition to Madison's, and though he is the first one to develop feelings, he never takes advantage of her. It's not until we're about a third into the book that Madison is even attracted to Ghost, but in the meantime a door to friendship has been opened. I think this is a love story that has to be well-developed to work in any capacity. I have to believe that Madison is not falling in love with Ghost because of the situation. And I have to believe that, despite Ghost kidnapping her, he is a good man underneath. Both of those ring true. I completely bought into the deeper connection developing between them. Plus, the romance doesn't even heat up until Madison's knows more about what's going on and what Ghost's true motivations are. The stakes have changed drastically by the time they first kiss, and, most importantly, it's 100% consensual. Bottom line: I didn't feel like they rushed into a romance at all, nor was I ever uncomfortable.

Madison and Ghost both experience a significant amount of growth through this ordeal. It's one reason why their romance works so well. Madison has always known that the life she's been living hasn't been her own, but for the first time she's actually resolved to do something about it. She's tougher than anyone has ever giving her credit for, until Ghost. He's never had an easy home life, either, so he's done what he has to do to survive and raise his younger brother. While Madison's chapters always kept me engaged, I just loved being in Ghost's head. I wanted to know his story and I liked seeing his walls being broken down. He may be kinda scary at first - and, trust me, he's a complete badass - but he has these moments where he's gentle and caring, too. Watching him and Madison fall in love really had me swooning. I was all for it.

With the kidnapping, there's more going on beyond the romance. I have to admit that I didn't see the main twist coming; it completely shocked me, in a good way. I like the direction the plot took, giving Ghost a chance to become a protector rather than a captor as well. My only wish is that the requisite "separation" hadn't been so drawn out!

I don't know if this book will be for everyone. I want to say yes because I obviously loved it and found it super sexy and romantic, and I want everyone to read Brighton's books. I hope romance and New Adult lovers will give it a try. I think you'll be hard pressed not to fall for Ghost and want the best for Madison.

***Thanks to Netgallely and the publisher for approving my request in exchange for an honest review.***

This review can also be found at Love at First Page.

[Paula M · Rating 3 out of 5]

"I didn't even have the time to scream.."

I'm not lying when I tell you guys that reading this is a step out of the comfort zone for me. This kind of concept doesn't really appeal to me that much but since a lot are buzzing about this book and the author seems a good one, I decided to give it a go. This is my first captor/captive story and my first from Brighton Walsh as well. And I'm confident that it won't be the last. To both.

Though it didn't WOW me like I expected it would, I still enjoyed the whole story. To be honest, I'm not focused on the romance (which is shocking, i know) but really, I'm more focused on Madison's behavior. What leads her to falling to her captor. Basically, I started reading this book with questions in my head.

Madison is a decent MC. She's tolerable, she can be admiring and most of the time she has her head in her soldiers which is pretty much what she needs in her situation. But Madison is kind of bland too. There's nothing really... memorable about her. And sadly, I could say the same with the love interest. Ghost is just like his name... a ghost. I didn't really feel anything towards him through out the whole book. He doesn't feel genuine. His feelings, his thoughts...I don't buy it.

The romance left me with doubts. Actually, there's a lot of instances that made me skeptic. I remember, at one scene, she has a pen.. so why didn't she use it?? There's a lot of me wanting to go inside the book and make her do something but then again, its so hard to imagine myself in her shoes. Honestly, I don't want to. Anyway, let's get back to the romance. That I didn't enjoy. Brighton Walsh writes hot and heavy kissing scenes, but even with all of that, I still wasn't satisfied.

I just really have a very high expectation from this book and got disappointed. Despite that, I don't have the heart to rate it lower than 3 stars. Brighton's writing was decent and absolutely readable. She threw some twist towards the end that I didn't see coming and I really liked that. I believe this is a its not you, its me case so I still recommend it to you guys.

[Barbara➰ · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing love story! I’m not much into slow burn so the first half I was itching for some action between the two but it worked here. I think I needed that slow connection to form to see the type of characters these two are and neither are what you believe at first.

Maddie is lonely and insecure. She has become a caregiver to her alcoholic mother because of her absent father. She’s trapped in a life she can’t escape. Ghost, i.e. Gage, is for hire for just about anything. Trying to make a better way for his younger brother, he too is trapped in his life. The two connect on a job.

These two characters seem to change over time but in reality, their true selves just come forward. Maddie becomes the strong independent woman she is meant to be and Gage because the sweet and loving man he is supposed to be.

The writing was absolutely beautiful. It was entertaining and engaging. I will definitely be reading more of this author.

“After everything I’ve done, all the shit I’ve done in my life, I don’t know how I got lucky enough to have you with me. I don’t know what I did to deserve you.” ~Gage

“You helped me save myself.” ~Maddie

[-ya · Rating 3 out of 5]

Captive was sorta a typical NA book with lots of steam. I think the kidnap plot was stretched too thin and didn’t have a devastating effect on the characters. During her captivity, Madison's connection with Ghost seemed to be built mostly on their physical attraction and not much on their emotion. The story dragged out in some parts as a result of the inner monologue/feelings outweighing the dialogue between LCs.

I really liked Ms. Walsh’s writing style, but the story left me underwhelmed.

[Lori ◡̈ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, I actually made it to 75%. I calmly deleted the book, instead of doing what I really wanted to do, which was strangle the heroine for something idiotic and dangerous that she did, 5 minutes after being warned not to do. And by that point, the hero and heroine were all in for wanting to be together already, and what was left was resolving the kidnap drama.

And since I knew how that drama ends by accidentally seeing it in a reviewer’s review (that wasn’t marked ‘spoiler! 🤬)… so with the heroine pulling TSTL crap, romance was happy and in place, I’m calling it a day.

Not to say it wasn’t a bumpy ride… The first 20% was only filled the heroine’s moaning about being chubby and resenting her drunk mom. Over and over again. The self-loathing and insecurities over her chubbiness are brought up constantly thru out the book. Especially during sexy times.

Then we gradually move on until the 40% point with the heroine constantly bemoaning how young and inexperienced in life she is compared to other college students. The heroine is 20 yrs old, yet it seems she finished high school a year early, so she’s so much younger and inexperienced than her classmates. By one year, big whoop 🙄

She’s so young and naive, she didn’t even know people out there in the big real world kidnapped other people for ransom money. Never heard that concept before, really? That’s a far stretch at trying to create a super sheltered character. Example:

Never in my life had I met someone like him. And never had I felt as if I’d been entirely too sheltered throughout that life than I did while in his presence. I didn’t know men like this existed—hard-bodied men covered in tattoos with angry dispositions who snatched unsuspecting girls for something as simple as a payday. Something noble I could maybe understand, forgive even. But doing this to someone’s life simply for money? That I didn’t—couldn’t—comprehend

After they meet/she gets kidnapped, it was an ok read. His anger, her fear then their mutual attraction… it all worked into a decent story at that point. He was never mean or cruel to her, he was just supposed to kidnap her for a few days and then return her home. So he was not written as a psychopathic slimeball, just a rough tough guy getting paid to keep her out of sight for a few days.

My lasting impression: Do you know that one friend you have, they’re telling you a story, going on and on, and after 5 minutes you’re like, “yes, yes, yes, I understand, get on with the story already!” That was me, way too much repetition of the character’s inner thoughts.

[AJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 ‘Falling for my captor’ stars

20 year old Madison has lived a privileged yet sad and lonely life. Her father is a wealthy and prominent businessman who ignores his family, and her mother is in a constant alcoholic daze. Too shy and embarrassed by her life to make friends, she is completely alone except for the housekeeper that practically raised her. So, trapped by the need to care for her mother, she endures, but she is desperate to escape and live her own life.

She never expected that that escape would come with a kidnapping. Taken by a stranger to a remote cabin in the snowy wilderness, she is terrified for her life, with no idea who orchestrated her capture and why. All she knows is that she is trapped with her dark, dangerous and enigmatic captor, with little chance of escape.

Outrunning him was laughable. I’d run a total of ten minutes my whole life, and it looked like he lived his life bench-pressing cars for fun.
He was too much. Too large, too tall, too muscled. Even completely silent, he screamed.

The man who calls himself “Ghost” is not a violent criminal, but is a mercenary for hire. He is the best at what he does, and he does it for the money and kidnapping Madison is his highest paying job yet. I love that we get Ghost’s POV, so we can see from the very beginning that he is not all that he seems.

Empathy was an emotion that never came into play while I was on the job, and yet I couldn’t deny I was feeling it now. She didn’t deserve to be terrorized like this. Worse than her being terrorized was that the terror came at my hands, and that disgusted me.

Ghost has no intention of hurting Madison, and as his considerate and gentle side starts to come out, she starts to trust him and open up to him, and he opens up to her. They discover that they have things in common and, drawn to each other’s strength and vulnerability, things between them very quickly start to shift.

He’d shown me more consideration in four days while being held here than my own family had my entire life.

I’d be safe with him. He wouldn’t allow anything to happen to me. Somehow, at some point I’d gone from looking at him as my captor to looking at him as something so much more.

I really like this kind of story. It’s a unique situation, and emotions are already running high, and I love watching that translate into lust and / or love. But in this case, it felt like it happened too fast.

I get that being with somebody for every minute of every day creates an intensity that isn’t there in the beginning of a ‘normal’ relationship, but I didn’t feel that four days is enough time for Madison to overcome her terror of her situation, start falling for Ghost and practically throw herself at him – despite how gorgeous he is, and all of that tormented broodiness.

Against his mouth, I whispered, “Keep going.”
He shook his head, dropped a kiss on my lips. “We don’t have to. I’ll still make you feel good like this. I can make you feel so good like this.”
I nodded, closed my eyes, and took a deep breath. “I know you can. You are. But I want you to keep going. I want more. I want everything.”

The girl is clearly desperate for a connection, and that obviously plays a part in the fast moving nature of things between them, but it still felt a little bit unbelievable. And it goes both ways. Ghost’s life has also been a lonely one, and he finds himself drawn to Madison in a way he hasn’t felt before and oh so quickly they can’t get enough of each other.

She’d worked her way under my skin, and I wanted to be consumed by her.

Their hook up is hot, steamy, and actually really romantic, and I liked Madison and Ghost together, but it just happened too fast for me.

I did like the way the story unfolded from this point though. The ‘big reveal’ wasn’t exactly a surprise, but I liked the direction of the book after that point, and thought it was a great way of finishing off the story.

This is my first book by Brighton Walsh, and I really like her writing. It’s emotive, yet light when it needs to be, and she tells the story well, getting us right into the mind and hearts of Madison and Ghost. There is a follow up book featuring Ghost’s bad boy brother, Riley, and I am looking forward to checking it out.

3 stars.


An Advanced Reader Copy of this book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Ksenia · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

I’ve read this book a while ago and wasn’t in the mood to write a review right away. Now some details are a little bit foggy, so it will be a mini-review.

Captive was such a mood read for me. I wanted a brain-candy and I got one.

Despite the fact that this book is about kidnapping, Captive is a sweet love story at core. Romance is the strongest aspect of this book. My favorite part of romance is prelude. Build-up, furtive glances and touches, fighting their feelings, gradually increasing sexual tension; these are elements that make great romance for me. And Brighton Walsh delivered it all. I loved romance between Madison and Ghost.

I found both main characters interesting, but I would like them to be more fleshed out.

As for the plot it was rather weak in my opinion. I think fans of suspense and thrillers would be disappointed. There were many little inconsistencies and gaps, as for the big revelation, I personally found it far-stretched and unbelievable.

My final verdict: if you want romantic suspense with unpredictable realistic plot, you should probably look elsewhere. If you are looking for a romance with amazing chemistry and sexual tension, grab Captive right now.

Captive was my first book by Brighton Walsh, but won’t be my last. I think I’ll check out the next book in this series, also I’ve heard a lot of positive things about another series by this author Caged in Winter which is on my tbr-list.

You can find my reviews:

[nick (the infinite limits of love) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read Brighton Walsh's Caged in Winter last year, thanks to book-pushing from Danielle at Love at First Page and I fell in love with her writing and her male-protagonist. When I read the blurb of Captive, I was a bit unsure. This isn't really the kind of forbidden-romance I enjoy, but oh man, this book was so good. I buddy read it with Danielle and basically devoured it within a few hours. Brighton Walsh is seriously talented and there is just something about her writing that pulls you in.

Madison was a character that I instantly connected with. She had insecurities regarding her weight that made her so relateable to me. I felt for her because I am that girl. I was initially worried that I might get tired of her depressing past story-line, but the way Madison handled everything just made me respect her and admire her. She took care of her alcoholic mother while her father slaved away at his company, putting aside his family. Throughout the kidnapping, Madison just continued to impress me. From the very start, she kept on a brave face and refused to lose hope. She kept trying to escape even though her escape attempts wound up being futile. If I were in her place, I would probably have multiple breakdowns, but Madison was a much more resilient character than I ever will be. Then, we have Ghost, whose real name I will not reveal for spoilery reasons. I was very very wary of him and I kept telling Danielle I really needed him to grovel for me to want to swoon over him at the beginning, but like you might have guessed, it didn't take too long for that to happen. I don't condone kidnapping, but I understood where he was coming from and why he did what he did. Seriously guys, the chapters written in his POV were a gem. I loved getting to know him so personally and his thoughts when it came to Madison were so swoony - It made me jealous that of her! Ghost was certainly top book-boyfriend material.

As far as the romance goes, it was handled with delicacy by Brighton Walsh. It's hard to get the dynamics between a kidnapping victim and her kidnapper to come across as anything other than abuse, but Brighton Walsh did it. Throughout the whole book, Ghost treated Madison with respect and other than tying her up to prevent her from escaping, his behavior never bordered on violence and aggression. I loved that he was able to see the vulnerability inside of her and treat her with the gentleness and the affection that she lacked in her childhood. Theirs was a relationship that started off as a little bit of "I-hate-you", which developed into genuine affection for each other and then to more. Ghost and Madison really get to know each other on personal levels in Captive before they get into a sexual relationship. And oh man, the chemistry between these two! Phew! It was nearly enough to burn-up my e-reader. These two were super sexy together! I also loved how they pushed each other to see the best in themselves. Plus, Ghost and Madison are a couple that really grow together as their romance progressed. The mystery/plot was also intriguing and Brighton Walsh managed to surprise me with her main twist about who Madison's kidnapper was.

If you haven't tried a Brighton Walsh book in the past, you should definitely try out her books because there is just something magical about her writing that draws you in and prevents you from abandoning the book. Captive was a fantastic novel that made me feel all the feels! NA fans who aren't too afraid of the kidnapper/captive story line should definitely give this book a shot! I can't wait to read Exposed, the next book in this series. It's bound to be amazing!

[[Aengell] · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 solid stars

Madison lives a lonesome, downright pitiful life, with a neglectful businessman as a father and a drunk mother. She's downright isolated and has some serious issues, but she doesn't know any other way to live, and she sees no escape.

One day she is kidnapped from her class in college and wakes up in a strange cottage. There you have it, the captive theme which was due to come.
I won't tell anything else about the story/plot, because this is one of those books which is better just read by yourself, but I can tell you this: it is predictable to a point, but I was able to live with it because the way Brighton Walsh embedded this popular theme into her story was still somehow refreshing.



The difficult part, where the captive falls in love with the captor, was done surprisingly well, the relationship between Madison and "Ghost" was believable, cute at times, loaded with chemistry and developed as realistically as it is possible with a theme like this.

Ghost as the captor grew on me. He was bad-ass, with a dirty job and a foul mouth, but his soft and good heart was shown pretty fast. It didn't get too cheesy, but he was just the right mix of bad-boy and cute-twenty-something artist. Aaaaand I loved his real name, Gage. Every LK-fan probably knows why I'd love this name!!



This is one of the few NA novels that I feel really comfortable with and which I think do a great part of developing the genre to more than mature-young-adults being high on the hormones and low in the common sense-department.
Nothing breathtaking or earth-shattering here, but a flowing story with a capturing (no pun intended) romance and the right amount of excitement.

P.S.: I love the fact that there's a meaning behind the cover, which, sadly enough, one cannot say about all novels in this genre.

[Jessica Hull · Rating 4 out of 5]

Madison Frost has been captive to her circumstances her entire life, bound by secrets and self-constructed bars made of insecurity and fear. When she finds herself held captive in a different sort of prison, her life's trajectory is altered forever. Ghost is good at what he does, unwavering in his job doing the dirty work for the highest bidder. He's cold, calculating and seemingly in control, a stark contrast to Madison's warm vulnerability. Ghost's unattainable, untouchable vibe only made him that much more desirable for me. He's the quintessential bad boy. He's a criminal, a captor, brooding and angry, oozing sex appeal but he's elusive, his own bars held firmly in place. As a reader, he is the embodiment of what I love to find in a male main character. I love a tortured, damaged man concealed behind a mask of indifference; a repugnant character I long to see stripped of his despicable facade, the hero bared beneath.  Nothing pleases me more than to see such an indestructible villain brought to his knees by the seemingly unremarkable heroine who just might be anything but. Captive is more than a story of captivity, it's a story of finding freedom in the most unlikely place.

If I'm being honest, this story begins in a somewhat formulaic manner, not deviating much from what I've come to expect from many other captor/captive stories. It's cliche, but for me, that was more than fine, as this book captured every nuance of what I love most about that dynamic. Madison Frost is a privileged college student, by all appearances, but no one truly knows what her life behind the walls of her mansion are really like. Ghost, her captor, is undeniably handsome, emitting a lethal vibe of danger and indifference. You can see where this is going... but I loved that it went there. Walsh thoroughly captivated me with the dangerous, forbidden, wholly taboo attraction that built between these characters. 

This story is phenomenally well written and every raw, gritty emotion seeps off the pages in abundance. Walsh captures every drop of powerlessness, defeat, hopelessness, fear, vulnerability so perfectly in Madison's character. The feeling of utter resignation that there is no escaping, that feeling of facing the unknown, of desperation is palpable. Even in her moments of stoicism, there is still such a poignant level of panic that never subsides, and I felt it down to my bones. Walsh demonstrates so powerfully Madison's shear vulnerability juxtaposed with glimpses of Ghost's internal struggle of ruthless captor versus compassionate savior. In one scene that stands out for me in particular, Madison's migraine appears out of nowhere and Ghost tends to her needs, albeit reluctantly. I absolutely loved that shift, that stripping down of pretenses where I could see more of who they both were, despite their circumstances. It endeared me so much to his character and I fell a little bit in love with him just then. 

I'm in love with Walsh's writing style, it feels very clean, almost effortless. It's a refreshing and interesting concept Walsh chose by writing this story in alternating points of view. It isn't often we're gleaned insight into the mind of the captor along with his captive. Walsh gives us unencumbered access to both Madison and Ghost throughout this entire story, their internal struggles, their fears and hopes. While that eliminated the potential for an angst-ridden story, knowing exactly what was happening on both sides the whole way through, I was so glad she did it this way. I loved being in both their heads, knowing precisely who they truly were despite their respective masks. This story truly gripped me from the very first page and never let up. 

Did I feel like this story was a bit predictable? Yes. Did I feel like it evolved a little too easily, the fear of captivity turning into a sexually charged romance a little too fluidly to be believed? Yes, perhaps. But I don't care! I truly don't care. I was so hooked on this story, I didn't really care how cliche it may have felt, how few boundaries were pushed, how outside the box it didn't really go. I just loved it. It gave me everything I expected, everything I wanted, and it was wrapped in a package with Brighton Walsh's name on it which automatically makes me ravenous for whatever is inside. If you strip down all the details, the twists and turns, the luminous writing style, the absolutely addictive characters with their palpable chemistry, the intense emotion I felt the whole way through, you'll see your garden variety captor/captive romance story. But those details, those characters, those emotions, that writing all combine to make this story what it is... wholly addictive, completely unforgettable, absolutely unputdownable. I strongly suggest readers make room on their bookshelves for Brighton Walsh because she's rapidly become a go-to, auto-read author for me!

[Nancy's Romance Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 FORBIDDEN ATTRACTION STARS!



Oh my, this book was so GOOD! This is my first book by this author and I really enjoyed her writing, the characters development, and the overall sexy-suspenseful story she delivered here in Captive. If you enjoy taboo romances be sure to check this one out because Madison's story is definitely sexy-forbidden but also the kind of slow burn that ends in fireworks. Loved it!

“You mean everything to me.”

When life is not what you hoped for and when the people most closed to you keep disappointing you, what do you do? How hard would it be to leave everything you knew behind and try start over somewhere else? At twenty-years-old, Madison Frost didn't have any clue and that was exactly what made her feel trapped. Not even the fact that she was raised in a luxurious life-style made her life feel any easier because with two parents that continuously neglected her, she always felt alone. Until one one day a life-changing event made her expect more from people, want more out of life, and really desire more for her future. That very event was her own kidnapping and her falling for none other than her captor.

“His eyes were pale blue and cold as ice as they appraised me in something close to contempt. He looked lethal. And I was scared for my life.”

Oh yes, before the fireworks there is a lot of suspense and uncertainty in this story. Madison indeed fears for her life as Ghost, her captor, is all mysterious and imposing. Yet she keeps wondering about him: Who is he? What's behind his tough/dangerous facade? Why he's done such felony? But most importantly what is he going to do to her at the end? Well, as Madison tries to gather some answers, her and Ghost unexpectedly begin to get to know each other and that's when curiosity wins over fear and a strong forbidden attraction develops driving them both crazy for what they shouldn't want.

“It was wrong, this attraction I felt toward him. But the more I repeated those things to myself, the less I believed them.”

“I was starting to look at her as something more than just a mark. I’d BEEN looking at her as something more.”

How I loved that sweet tension between these characters as they struggle with their emotions in their screwed up situation. It was both exciting and enticing to read those decisive moments that eventually transform them both. Really, I loved the how Madison becomes much stronger, takes control of her life, and goes after what's best for her. And Ghost, oh my, he was amazing! His character really goes through a one-eighty-degree transformation that was just fascinating to watch. Since his POV is also part of the book, I was able to appreciate his side of the story as much as Madison's and I think that was a big part of the charm of this whole story for me. To have both characters tell me what they were feeling as they were feeling it in those intense moments with alternating POVs, it was totally absorbing.

“I didn't know when I’d gone from feeling nothing but utter terror in his presence to feeling something else entirely, but I had. I’d stopped looking at him as the scary man who’d kidnapped me and started to see him as Ghost. Just Ghost.”

“I was in way deeper with her than I’d anticipated. Way deeper than I’d ever intended. Way deeper than I shoulder allowed.”

So again, if you enjoy forbidden romances Captive is an awesome choice! It's a standalone that has great suspense, sizzling moments, and a HEA with beautiful message about breaking the chains of the past so one can truly live without regrets. I absolutely recommend it! ;)

Purchase: Amazon US * Amazon UK



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[Lisa (lifeinlit) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars!

Wow. *shakes head* I’m still reeling from this book, so it’s a little hard for me to put my thoughts into words.

I had heard of Brighton Walsh, but had never read one of her books. When I first heard of this book, it felt a little nervous. When I was young, I had this irrational fear of being kidnapped. I was terrified of it. I’m not really sure why, since I never knew anyone that was. I guess it was the whole Stranger Danger stuff they pushed on us so forcefully in school. Either way, I’ve always been a bit hesitant reading about the topic. On top of that, I was worried about a Stockholm Syndrome type of feel. Since I chose not to fully read the synopsis and just go into this story based solely on others’ recommendations, I was honestly a bit hesitant, but excited at the same time. And what a WIN this book was!

Captive starts off pretty intense, and right from the first chapter my eyes were as big as saucers and I was flipping those pages so fast. I even had to tweet Nick and Danielle all of my “OMG!”s and “GEEZ”s and “WHOA!”s! Yeah, I was quickly impressed and knew this was a book I was going to love. First we meet Madison, who’s our stereotypical naive rich girl, living the life. She’s got money and brains. Yet her home life is anything but perfect. With a father who is rarely around and a mother who spends her time either working or passed out from drugs and alcohol, Madison is left feeling alone and unloved. The last thing she expects is to be kidnapped and held hostage at an undisclosed place for an undisclosed period of time. *cringe*

My most favorite this about Captive was that we didn’t only get Madison’s point of view… we also were able to get into the mind of the captor, Ghost. (Creepy, right?!) This was such a fantastic addition. And let me tell you, Ghost will surprise you. I thought there was no reason I would ever like this guy… but trust me, he’ll weasel his way into your little heart. All of a sudden… BAM! You love him.

I guess some would say this is your typical NA book with broken characters, etc. But honestly, that’s why I love NA so much. So for me, this book was pretty close to perfect. It reminded me quite a bit of the Burying Water series by K.A. Tucker. It had that same level of intensity and pain of the characters, but also included the steamy, hot encounters we all love so much. Brighton Walsh really impressed me with her writing and story line. I’ll DEFINITELY be reading more by her.

This book completely blew my mind. I didn’t expect to read it in the first place, and once I started it, I had no idea I was going to be as invested in it as I was. This is one of those “gems” that gets overlooked, for whatever reason. For the life of me, I have NO IDEA why more people aren’t reading this book. I, myself, didn’t know anything about it until I read Nick’s review. And from that point forward, I wanted to read it. So when I was emailed about the blog tour, my immediate response was YES! I will now make it my goal this month to get the word out about Captive. This book MUST BE READ!! And, oh my, then I find out there’s a book 2! Though we all know I DO NOT like series, my one and only exception is companion novels. And guess what… Exposed is a companion!! I’m definitely looking forward to getting my hands on Exposed asap. So I’ll end it with this… READ THIS BOOK! Thank you. *cheesy grin*

(Thanks to St. Martins Press for the review copy!)

Find this review and others like it at Lost in Literature!

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

The original review of this title can be found here on The Book Hookup.

**SPECIAL NOTE:** An ARC of this title was provided by the author as a gift. However, that did not influence this review in any way. All thoughts, quotes, and opinions will be of this version and not of the published edition.

♥ Quick Thoughts and Rating: 4.5 stars! Normally, I know think I’d be reluctant to pick up a story where a girl falls for her capturer simply because it doesn’t seem like my cup of tea. (Read: That storyline has the potential to fall into super uncomfortable, positively squicky territory quickly.) However, having read Brighton’s work previously, I knew of her ability to make me fond of unlikable characters (and there’s also my irrational lust for heroes with asshole tendencies), so I decided to give this one a go. And, even surprisingly enough to my own self, I enjoyed it. Though, I imagine seeing this through the eyes of both the “victim” and the “criminal” definitely made this romance easier to understand.

This isn’t necessarily a redemption story for a bad guy, more like an opportunity for a guy born into unfortunate circumstances realizing his full potential and the girl that helps him see his worth. But it’s also a story about a girl with every convenience available to her realizing that freedom is more than getting out of this situation alive and unharmed, that it’s about taking ownership of her feelings and her life… and possibly falling in love with the guy that woke her up to this reality.

♥ The Lowdown: You’ve probably gathered all you need to know from the Goodreads’ summary already, and if you skipped that, than it’s likely you’re skipping this, too. But for those who aren’t, here we go. Madison Frost lives in a family shrouded in lies. Picture-perfect from the outside looking in, you’d never assume that despite her father banking fortunes and providing everything she’ll ever need, she hates her life. She dreams about running as far away as she can, but then who would take care of her alcoholic mother? Certainly not him.

But then someone strips her of that choice and simply takes her away.

Ghost is a hired man. He’s no stranger to the life of crime and he’s earned a name for himself by handling business for the people that have the money to pay him. But something is different about this job from the very start. Madison isn’t like his usual marks– aside from the fact that she’s a girl, she also isn’t tied up in the criminal scene– and something about this job in particular is eating at him.

But when plans change and circumstances push these two together for an extended period of time, Ghost and Maddie are both forced to reevaluate the life choices they’ve made up until this point in time. And with an undeniable chemistry sparking between them, how long will they last until they break? Sometimes the easiest way to break the bonds that holds us down is to get wrapped up in the person that can help set you free.

♥ My Thoughts: Many of you know (or maybe you didn’t?) that I’m friends with Brighton and she considers me her Plot Whisperer, meaning that I see the bare bones of her stories from the very beginning. I get the pleasure of watching them develop from an idea to a planned plot to a manuscript to a polished novel, and this one in particular has evolved into something really fantastic. (Yes, just a wee bit of bragging, but mostly I’m just stating it for factual reasons.) But regardless of that, she writes books that I like to read and this one is no different.

Despite never personally being held captive or being a criminal, Walsh writes characters that are easily relatable. I felt a connection with Maddie and Ghost early on and really enjoyed getting to see this story through both of their perspectives. Maddie probably had the most growth to undergo during this story, and I absolutely gave a little fistpump of satisfaction every time she fought or smarted off or dug her heels in and showed that she wasn’t weak or timid, even when she was scared for her life. Ghost with all his secrets was definitely a harder egg to crack. Yet, through his POV and his interactions, we eventually get more of who he is and why he does the things he does. His backstory might be what you imagined, but I guarantee his gentler side is something you wouldn’t anticipate. It’s that vulnerability he allows himself to have with Maddie that really made me take notice of him, and maybe contemplate further on how I shouldn’t be so quick to assume things, especially things based solely on book summaries. I definitely liked who he saw himself becoming through her eyes.

Then there’s the romance aspect. I’m sure you’re skeptical, as you have every right to be since I was a little iffy about it all myself. A captive falling for ever capturer? Skeeve city. Add to it that it all happens in a matter of weeks? Nope. But just wait… Don’t so easily dismiss this as icky or unrealistic or think that you know how this story is going to pan out. It probably has something to do with Brighton being a bit of a magician, but this one builds slowly even though it happens in a short amount of time. One of the biggest achievements that Captive has going for it is that it never felt insta-lovish, and that was an aspect that I truly appreciated. It takes a while to reach an intimate level, but once they allow themselves to explore the crazy chemistry between them, it’s rather explosive, and I enjoyed that a lot. (Wall sex FTW!)

As for the actual plot beyond the kidnapping, I don’t want to spoil anything, so I have to remain pretty vague on that front. Walsh has a few tricks up her sleeve, so don’t take this to be a stereotypical kidnapping love affair.

As as a simple, courteous fyi, Ghost is delicious and I think that’s pretty much an excellent reason to pick this one up.

♥ Rec it? Yes. If you like emotional reads with hot sexytimes and a little bit of mystery to keep you turning the pages, don’t miss out on this one. Especially because Walsh gives good epilogues and this one was rather swoony. *le sigh*

I also have it on good authority (*cough*my own*cough*) that Ghost’s brother is in the next book and he’s just as hot! Bring on Exposed, Brighton! I’m ready and willing waiting.

♥ A very special thanks to Brighton Walsh for providing me with an advanced copy of this title. It wasn’t in exchange for a review, but I definitely thought it deserved one.

[cosmogirl7481 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, so if you know me, you know I love Everything Brighton Walsh writes. This book is no different. I will add an additional statement here, though. I didn't just love this book. IMO (and let's be honest, that's all that matters because this is my review) this is the best book she's written yet.

BEST

I REALLY FREAKING LOVED IT!

Now, I'm gonna start by saying that the whole captive/prisoner trope is scary for me. Mostly because so often, these stories contain elements of non-consent. Now, I'm not here to judge anyone for their own personal fantasy life. We all have one. But the idea of non-consent is a hard limit for me. I'm happy to say this story didn't have that. Well, at least not sexually.

This heroine is young, withdrawn, and most importantly, relatable. We've all had those moments where we we feel like we're not good enough. Like the people in our lives don't love us for who we are. Brighton does a great job connecting the reader to the heroine's struggle right away.

Madison feels like this. And beyond that, she has shit for parents. No lie. Her parents are the literal worst. An addicted mother who can't function, and an absent father who doesn't seem to give a fuck. But they are an affluent family with enough money to hide all their imperfections.

Enter Ghost. AKA: the anti-hero/captor. Lawd, I loved that we got both POVs in this book. I don't know if I could have fully appreciated him without hearing his voice. Now, Brighton is known for giving us sexy-as-fuck heroes. But Ghost is that with an edge. I mean, he's a fucking kidnapping criminal, right?

I read this book in one sitting. I couldn't put it down. The pace was amazing, and the plot had enough twists and turns and drama to keep me completely riveted and flipping pages.

I love romance. I'm completely unashamed by my obsession with a love story. Is this book darker than what we've come to expect from Brighton Walsh? Yes. Does that make this any less of a love story? Hell no.

Buy this book! Buy it, and read all the words and tell me how much you loved it.

If she keeps writing NA, I might have to admit that there are actual NA books that I love. And I loved this so much.

5 BIG STARS!

[Janie · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars. This book started a little slow for me in the first half. After that it really took off and I loved the second half. When Maddie first meets Ghost/Gage he seems cold and closed off. And Maddie had a bunch of her own insecurities. They seemed so different on the surface but truly they were kindred spirits. Gage gave Maddie strength to be the woman she was meant to be and Maddie gave Gage the will to fight to be the man that she deserved. I felt their connection as I read their story. I was devastated right alongside Maddie at the betrayal she endured. This girls life looked great on the surface but we soon find out the truth of what happens behind closed doors. This was a story of healing, love, and growth. I loved that none of the drama and angst was because of OW/OM. This is a new to me author and I can't wait to read Riley's book.

[Joan (official heroine hater) · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

I’m sorry but this book just did not work for me. I knew going in that it was NOT going to be the usual dark, twisted rapey kidnap kind of book and that was fine, I wasn’t in the mood for twisted at the moment. But what I got instead felt more like the typical cliche NA novel. Mary Sue-oh so naive heroine and insta-love/lust. I could have maybe dealt with all that but then at about 74% it just went completely stupid. The heroine took a massive dose of TSTL pills and the “kidnap plot” went into dumbass territory. I pretty much skimmed after that to the end just to hurry up and finish it. I’m sure most people will like this and I can see why but it just didn’t click with me. Oh, I will say the steamy scenes were pretty good, though ;)

[Amanda [Novel Addiction] · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 - Sorry, but I can't get over the kidnapping thing. But, I can say that this author is a good writer, and I would pick up something else by her in the future. Just not this one again.

Edited to add: Full review will go up on Romance Reviews Today in April 2015.

[Jaime Arkin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just more of brighton's sexy heroes!!

[Jenn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Yeah, this one just didn't work for me.

Having read Walsh's work before, I was excited to go into this one. I loved the Caged in Winter series and wanted to expand on her work. With Captive, I'd had this book on my shelf since it came out but for some reason, I just never picked it up. Maybe if I had read it back in 2015 my views would be different, but I honestly don't think so.

So what was my issue with this book? This book is just one giant case of stockholm syndrome. I'm not joking. Madison gets kidnapped by Ghost and within days they are having sex and in love with each other. Not kidding. It went from "I'm terrified this guy is going to kill me" to "oh, my nipples are hard when he's around". You cannot expect me to believe that these two fell in love in 4 days while he was HOLDING HER CAPTIVE.

Aside from that, the plot was also extremely predictable from the ending to who set up the kidnapping. The only thing I really liked, and why this is getting 2 stars instead of 1 is how Madison actually grew at the end and took control of her own life. I applaud anyone who can recognize that they need help. But other than that, this book was not good.

[Nereyda (Nick & Nereyda's Infinite Booklist) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had been seeing really good reviews on Captive and it totally felt like my kind of book. I was a little bit nervous, because the only 'captive' books I've read were a lot darker (Captive in the Dark) and a lot scarier than this, but I was looking forward to a kidnapping story that was on the lighter side and with more romance in it. For the most part, I really enjoyed Captive, even if I had a few issues with it. It was sexy and addicting and I can see why so many readers love this author's books.

I really liked Ghost's character and I LOVE that we got his POV scenes because we get to see what's going on inside his head the whole time, his inner conflict over keeping Madison captive and why he even does this in the first place. I liked his character progression and thought he was very hot and swoony and I liked his chemistry with Madison. Madison, although I liked her, she just wan't my favorite part of the book. She felt to me, like 90% of NA characters out there. Which normally wouldn't be a big deal, because let's face it, almost all NA characters/stories are similar. But Madison happened to be my least favorite kind of NA character. She was sheltered and naive and a little too innocent for my liking. I did like how strong she was, but I could do with less 'sheltered' female characters in NA. But hey, at least she wasn't a virgin or a girl with a tragic past, so bonus points for that!

I knew there was a book 2 in this series, but I had no if it was going to be a sequel or a companion and I was scared to find out because of spoilers. So the whole time I was reading it, I didn't know if their story would end here or if we would get more of them. I really liked the not knowing part of it. I would have liked to have seen Madison struggle with her feelings toward Ghost a little bit more, but I still thought this was a good story. The sex scenes were done very well, just the perfect touch of sexy without crossing into cheesyville. I really liked Ghost's brother and was hoping the next book would be about him, and I'm so glad it is! The summary sounds great and I'm really looking forward to reading it.

3.5 out of 5 stars

***
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[Eunice (nerdytalksbookblog) · Rating 5 out of 5]

It will be impossible to put this book down. It was so engrossing, it’ll be a stupid idea to stop.

I received an ARC from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. The only time I put down this book was when I had to participate in this stubborn thing called life which included, work, sleeping, eating and talking to other living and breathing human, take all that and you will find me gushing and swooning over this book, that’s how engrossed I was. I am such a sucker for this kind of stories, I could read a story like this in any given day. But this book is different from all the stories with the same story line I have read, usually when a man takes captive of a woman, the said man will be rough bordering abusive or downright possessive with next to nothing moral fiber within him. it will be cringe-worthy and you have to stomach everything inhumane done to the woman, but this book is entirely different and that’s the main thing that made me fall in love with this book, and boy I fell fast and hard! Ghost was nothing but gentle, caring and tender it was a side of a captor that was not so commonly painted in other books. And Madison, though naive had balls, had the guts, he was her own heroine.

I loved how the story progressed. How all the secrets unfold, though I already knew that would be the big twist, still it was well played out. I loved how everything happened not in an instant but gradually, it wasn’t like the first time they laid eyes on each other the connection was already palpable, that Madison would easily fall for Ghost’s icy blue eyes, no it wasn’t the case. It was as real as it could get, the author didn’t immediately jump into forcing the main characters into each other and for a reader who have read too much instant affection to last her a lifetime, I really appreciated this one.

I loved the writing style too and the dual point of view, I specifically liked when Ghost was the one narrating. I also commend the fact that Madison was described as lush however it didn’t sit well with me that she had all these insecurities eating her away, but it was part of the story so in the grand scheme of things it was still good. I loved Ghost, did I mention that already? Goodness, why does he have to be so.. so lovable? I mean come on, what is not to love? This guy, is quite the guy!

I loved Captive!!! I can’t wait to read more of Brighton Walsh’s work! I heard she’s an awesome writer, well I could totally see why! Solid five stars for this one!

[Kayla · Rating 3 out of 5]

"I was only twenty, and I'd never really lived, and now I wasn't going to get the chance."

Captive romances will always be a favorite troupe of mine. They are dangerous, forbidden, and the consequences are heavy. Now that sounds like a wonderful place for romance to bloom, doesn't it? But I think what I love the most about captive/captor relationships is what you learn about the people in them. Character driven stories tickle my fancy and that is just one of the many reasons why I enjoyed reading Captive. Because of the circumstances surrounding the seclusion of Madison and Ghost from the outside world you get to see these two interact and unravel each other and the results are exciting.

"He knew the hope and the dread and the overwhelming guilt at wanting something else, at yearning for something more. And even though we'd come from two different paths, at the core, we still dealt with the same pain."

The one element of this story that stuck with me was that I never felt that feelings between Madison and Ghost were too soon, too Stolkhom-ish, or unnatural. In the beginning there is real fear lacing their interactions. It isn't until they are more or less forced to spend time with one another that you can see how they look beyond the captive/captor roles. Many romances with this theme have a tendency to show insta-lust but with Captive I never felt that. Both characters were able to distinguish between attraction and mutual appreciation of each others looks vs. lust. But once that attraction kicked it, it was explosive.

"Somehow, at some point I'd gone from looking at him as my captor to looking at him as something so much more."

The reason I'm rating it 3 is simply because there were a few times that it felt like the story was dragging a bit. I feel like I have a tendency to review this theme a little harsher then most because I've read some amazing ones, some really bad ones, and some in between. This would fall in the between. There is a little predictability, as well as a little too-clean ending to some of the things going on but overall it was really enjoyable. I really enjoy Walsh's writing style and I'm excited for Ghost's brother Riley's book Exposed!

3 stars

[Valerie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everything I have read by this author has blown me away. I loved Caged in Winter and Tessa Ever After. Both are just so darn good. But this one is a totally different animal. It's not a normal kinda love story. And I must admit to being a bit nervous about reading it. After all, how do you fall in love with someone holding you against your will? Yeah, about that.

It's pretty darn easy to do when the guy is Ghost (I would call him his real name, but I'm feeling like you should learn that for yourself). He may be holding her captive but the reasons why he took the job broke my heart. And as he learns to respect and care for her, his protective side has me all kinds of tingly. And lets just say that being kidnapped may have been the best thing that ever happened to this girl.

Madison's life has sucked for a very long time. Homeschooled and struggling socially, she has an image issue. She's prisoner to her circumstances. Only the housekeeper seems to ever care about this girl. So sad to be surrounded by money but none of it doing one bit of good. It certainly wasn't buying her family any happiness.

The full story of who and why was a puzzle that I had figured out most of but how that knowledge would effect Madison and Ghost was a bit of surprise. I wanted to step into the book and stop some of the pain before it happened. I saw the train wreck coming. I just had to hold on and keep reading. Because I needed a happy for these two. They deserved it so much.

This story is different. It's compelling and addictive. I gobbled it up in an evening. But with so much New Adult out there to choose from these days, it had to find what to choose. I recommend anything by this author. She has NA down.

[Sammy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the perfect kinda book when it comes to Anti-Hero - who kidnaps - heroine- and is not lowlife, abusive, misogynistic rapists (which is mostly the case in dark novels) rather our the hero here is a good guy doing a dirty job. Again the heroine is not a dumb chick going Gaga over her kidnapper (which is mostly the case where the leas is susceptible to Stockholm syndrome). SO this was perfect novel for me & henceforth the extra star.

Talking about the storyline , I liked how the hero s character was crafted,
He didn’t chose the field by some sick liking for crimes; he’s not sadistic or out to intentionally hurt and kill others – it was his last option to survive and deep down, he’s a good guy with dreams , only he never thought he deserved those things , so never made much efforts , finally Madison showed him , to make extra efforts....

Maddison is again a very good character , being the rich girl, she is not spoiled brat , or impulsive , or careless.... instead she cares too much, puts her dreams on hold for the family who doesn't deserve her... one week and it changes it all..



It took kidnapping for Maddison to realize what she was missing , comfort , being cared for , being safe , adored & finally she took the step to liberate herself from her own prison of boundaries.

Thats what the bottom line is , to break your boundaries , to aim for your dreams which you think are impossible , or that you don't deserve... don't keep on telling all those things to yourself, step outside... even if it takes all your strength & courage , even if it makes you uncomfortable... just go for it.

[Stacee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Normally, I would never have picked up a book where kidnapping is the main plot point, but I'm pretty sure I'll read anything Brighton puts out. If anyone could make me enjoy this sort of premise, it would be her.

Madison and Ghost are interesting characters. I don't want to say too much because I don't want to spoil it, but I did like seeing them open up to each other and the eventual redemption. {I don't feel like that's a spoiler because if you've read Bri's books, you know there's a HEA.}

I wasn't a fan of the incessant insecurity Madison had about her appearance/weight or the fact that it seemed like there was more smut than story. However,I did like the big twist at the ending, I definitely didn't see it coming and the epilogue was damn near perfection.

As always, if you aren't reading Brighton's books, you should be.

**Huge thanks to my prettiest, pranciest PA, Christina, for letting me borrow her arc**

**Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review**

[Brianna (The Book Vixen) · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 19%

I just couldn't get into the story.

[Valerie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Word of advice, don’t read this book while you’re eating.
“The day I found vomit all over the Persian rug below their bed…”
“… or choked on her own vomit or drowned in the bathtub.”
“My stomach rolled, nausea overwhelming me,”
“And my nausea seemed to have subsided a little”
“Waves of nausea rolled through me, and I had to concentrate not to throw up”

All that, and I’m only on page 21.

[Georgana ~ Valentine PR & Literary Managment · Rating 5 out of 5]

She didn’t see herself correctly. She saw her body as something she had too much of.

And all I saw when I looked at her was sensuality wrapped up in heavenly curves made to grip while sinking deep inside her.

Captive was one of those books going into it, I was thinking I was going to get one thing, but then really got something totally different. I was expecting a dark and twisty, noncon type of captive book. What I got was guy who kidnaps a girl and their journey together….a hostile but very amazing journey. I must say I totally loved this book and the writing style of Brighton Walsh. Her storytelling was so well paced and so true to the characters that I was…well…captivated the entire read.

As you read Captive, Brighton really sets us up with a great sense of who Madison is and why she is the way she is…quiet, insecure, shy yet brilliant and as we read on we find her extremely resilient. Ghost for his part is a wicked guy who leads the shadiest of lifestyles as a career criminal. His job is to kidnap Madison and keep her until the job is done, but from the start…through Ghost’s POV you get this is anything but a routine kidnapping. There is a lot of mystery surrounding the kidnapping and it was a great add to the romantic side of the book. I was dying to know what the entire deal was behind Ghost nabbing Madison and the fact little bits were spoon fed to me made Captive more enticing.

One of the things that drew me into this book so much was that nothing felt rushed. Even though the majority of this book took place over several days, it wasn’t an instalove between Ghost and Madison…more of a relationship forged through trust. When Madison realizes that Ghost isn’t going to harm her, her walls start to break down and she lets him in and what he sees is totally opposite of the rich princess he was expecting. Madison is totally uncomfortable in her skin and her appearance and I loved how all Ghost saw was a beautiful woman made to love, not only physically but emotionally as well. I thought the way Brighton wrote Madison’s insecurities was spot on and I felt their first sexual encounter was so incredibly touching because it just felt so real as to Madison’s reactions to Ghost and to say Ghost was so gentle with her insecurities is an understatement. That first love scene? One of my favorites to date.

Although I tend to be a dialogue junkie, the way the inner monologue was written just really worked in this book. It completely gave us all the building blocks to understand all the baggage these two carried and why. I loved how these two souls from different sides of the train tracks healed each other in such a way that would last a lifetime. Their journey was not conventional, but such an amazing one to read about. The title Captive held so many meanings in this book and as you figure out what holds Madison and Ghost captive, all the puzzle pieces finally fit together. This was such a great read for me. I adored Madison and really fell hard for Ghost! Enjoy! xx

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1a82Nkp

I received this ARC from St. Martin's Press in exchange for an honest review.