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Free To Try

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Mercy hasn’t had an easy life and has just escaped her sadistic and sociopathic ex-boyfriend Alex. Fearing the repercussions she’ll face if he finds her, she flees Florida leaving behind everything and everyone in exchange for a new beginning.


Aiden our hero, lost his submissive and fiancée one year ago to a random act of violence. At drift he believes seeing the criminals brought to justice is what he needs to start living again.
When Mercy Winters shows up at Aiden’s company, sent by the temp agency to fill a receptionist position, their instant attraction has sparks flying, surprising them both. While Aiden is prepared to hold on to the first woman to turn his head over the last year, Mercy would just as well run in the other direction. After Aiden manipulates the circumstances of her employment Mercy has no choice but to confide in her hot new boss. Aiden’s more than willing to help with ANYTHING she needs. While Mercy is willing to give up her body and experience the intense pleasure only he can provide, he demands everything in return, body, heart and soul. Can she even consider his offer and keep one step ahead of Alex?

331 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 7, 2014

4 people are currently reading
120 people want to read

About the author

C.W. Nightly

4 books62 followers
Born and raised in Montreal, Quebec, Canada I still call Montreal home. Surrounded by my husband, five children and my Siamese cat. I love reading, the smell of spring rain and walking in the first snowfalls of December when the snow is crunchy, especially at night.

I enjoy curling up with a book and losing myself in the characters. I turned that love towards writing to create stories I hope you love too.

I believe everyone is entitled to their own person happily ever after :)

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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
Profile Image for BooksandBeyondFiftyShades.
1,350 reviews157 followers
March 7, 2015
Mercy Winters is on the run from her abusive ex-boyfriend Alex. She has left her home in Florida and is heading to New York in search of a temporary job. Mercy finds a temp job at the advertising agency owned by Aiden. During their first meeting they both share an instant and very powerful attraction. Mercy tries to fight her feelings at first but she finally gives in to loving and trusting a man who knows how to get her to submit in a positive way; unlike her ex Alex.

Aiden Booth is a wealthy, handsome and dominant business man who is Mercy’s new boss. A year later, Aiden is still mourning the loss of his fiancé/submissive. Spending the last year alone and over working, Aiden is ready to move on with his life.

Aiden would do anything to make Mercy feel happy, safe and loved. When he gets a threat from her ex Alex, he takes matters into his own hands and hires a PI who tracks down Mercy’s ex and finds out just how bad he is and Aiden gets the PI to protect Mercy while her ex Alex who comes up with a plan to kidnap mercy and take what belongs to him. And send her to Mexico to teach her a lesson.
Will Mercy and Aiden find the strength to fight for their happily ever after? Or will Mercy's past come back to haunt her?

I love when a book can grab be right in the beginning. Once I started reading I couldn’t put it down. Although this book had the elements of a BDSM story, I felt that there was so much more than that. The connection between the characters was great and there was the perfect amount of suspense that I really enjoyed. I was left of the edge of my seat and couldn’t wait to see what was going to happen next.

The chemistry between Mercy and Aiden was so hot that it melted the pages. Aiden might be a dominant but he has a sweet side to him. We can see Mercy and Aiden’s relationship grow as they get to know one another. They dynamic between them is so great that we only hope for the best for them.
I would highly recommend this book and am hoping for more form this author.
Profile Image for Red Shoes Erotic Book Reviews -Tiffany Leger.
110 reviews13 followers
August 21, 2016
5 Star BDSM Romance!
I thoroughly enjoyed this debt novel by CW Nightly!
BDSM Romances are my absolute favorite genre to read and I highly recommend this book to all fans of Kinky Romance!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Mercy Winters is a woman on the run. Fearing a her abusive sociopathic ex-boyfriend, Alex. She leaves without a trace from her home in Florida in search of a new start in New York City.

Aiden Booth is the wealthy, handsome and caring dominant. He lost his fiancé and submissive in a tragic accident a year ago. After a year of loneliness and over working he's ready to move on with his life.

Fate ❤
Mercy gets a temp job at an advertising agency owned by Aiden. When they first meet they both share an instant and powerful attraction. Mercy fights her feelings at first but gives in to the possibility of love and trusting a man with her submission.

Aiden would do anything to make Mercy feel happy, safe and loved. Especially when he gets a threat from her ex Alex, who is coming to kidnap her and take what belongs to him.

They both find the strength to fight for their happily ever after! This is a wonderful story about finding love and healing each others painful pasts. A beautiful love story!
Profile Image for L.J. Dee.
Author 16 books155 followers
February 15, 2015
I thoroughly enjoyed Free to Try, the story of Mercy and Aiden and loved the way their relationship developed. Both lead characters are likeable, relatable and well developed, and their past experiences had me really rooting for them .
The sex scenes are hot and the suspense surrounding Mercy's first Dom kept me hooked.
A great read I would definitely recommend and look forward to more from this author.
44 reviews
November 24, 2014
Free to Try is the debut book for C.W. Nightly. Free to Try is the perfect title for this book. It all about the characters in this book being free of what holds them back so they can embraces new love. Aiden is the handsome CEO of his own company. Aiden has suffered a great loss; the love of his life was killed by a stray bullet. It has been a year since her death and he is still grieving the loss of her, and has come to terms with the fact that his one chance at love is gone. At least that is what he thought until Mercy steps into his office and there is an undeniable attraction between the two of them. Mercy as just escaped a mean and abusive boyfriend. She left him with almost nothing knowing that Alex, her ex, had the skills to track her down, it was only a matter of time before he found her. She is not looking for a relationship, seeing at the last one she was in ended with her running for her life, but she can’t deny the attraction she feels for Aiden. Will Aiden be able to save Mercy from Alex and herself? What will happen when Alex finds her?
Free to Try is a really good book. Nightly has a style of written that is all her own, she seems to be a cross between Nora Roberts and Syliva Day. Some of the words and the phrasing remind me of Roberts, but the steamy sec scenes are much more Day’s style. It is also extremely descript, while reading I had the most vivid picture of everything she was describing. It was very enjoyable, and had a great story line; I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading romance. I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next and I will definitely be reading her next book Free to Trust which is due out the summer of 2015.
Profile Image for K.T. McColl.
Author 13 books99 followers
November 7, 2014
Free to Try tells the story of Mercy Winters, who has escaped from the clutches of a singularly brutal Dom. Her flight takes her to New York, where she lands a temp job at an advertising agency. Unexpectedly, her boss turns out to be someone of dominant inclinations as well. From their first meeting, it is evident that the two of them share an attraction.

Although the likelihood of escaping one Dom only to run into another one might seem to be a stretch, it's well worth the suspension of disbelief. The subsequent scenes sizzle with eroticism and the author deftly navigates the conflicting (and conflicted) emotions of the two protagonists. Aiden, Mercy's new romantic interest, combines a demanding nature with a refreshing sensitivity while Mercy exhibits strength of character and the requisite vulnerability. There are a lot of shades of grey here (but in a good way).

The sex scenes, and there are many, are portrayed with a deft attention to detail and great sensitivity (not to mention heat), as both protagonists are working through a host of issues while they negotiate the boundaries of their relationship.

Through it all is the backdrop of menace provided by the spurned Dom who has taken it upon himself to recover what was his.

Free to try is a very enjoyable read. Recommended.
Profile Image for Kelly.
121 reviews9 followers
April 8, 2015
Great Potential
***Read for and honest review for Kylie's Fiction Addiction***
Mercy finds herself running for her life trying to escape the clutches of an abusive mad man intent on keeping her his slave.
She leaves her home in Florida and heads to New York with some cash and a prayer.
Mercy finds a room to rent by the week and applies with a temp agency. She figures she'll stay and work for a month and head down the road knowing Alex will find her if she stays in one place to long. She's assigned a job immediately and heads to work. Little did she know that she'd find a lot more than a job.
She finds her salvation in the form of super sexy, Mr. OMG, CEO Aiden Booth. Aiden had all but given up on love since the tragic death of his fiancé/sub Jules a year ago. He has no intent to start another relationship until it literally fall into his lap in the form of his new temp Mercy.
While the storyline is great I couldn't help but get frustrated by the amount of descriptions the author used or the way Aiden calls Mercy Precious every time he speaks to her. In one paragraph alone he calls her Precious 4 times. I found myself skimming through about halfway through the book. With that said I still enjoyed the storyline and think this author has great potential.
Profile Image for Fiona Sheldon.
256 reviews32 followers
November 13, 2014
I was kindly gifted this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.

Free to try is the debut novel and the first in the free trilogy.

While it has it similarities to the gift shades and the crossfire series, it's also different on so many levels.

We meet Mercy, Aiden and Alex. Mercy meets Aiden when she takes on a temp position at his company after fleeing from Alex. Alex, after finding Mercy gone, does everything he can to find and put Mercy back where he thinks she belongs. ( Alex is a very nasty villain in this book ).

Chemistry between the two main protagonists is just off the charts hot. The storyline easily flows and I just couldn't help falling in love with both of them. I loved the fact that it's written in the beginning from the three characters point of view. It had me gripped from the get go to the point where I was reading while cooking dinner. (Not a good idea). The sex scenes are deliciously hot and done tastefully. There is an element of suspense. Does Alex find her? Does Mercy get her happily ever after? This book comes highly recommended. Really looking forward to book 2
Profile Image for Nicole.
865 reviews
March 9, 2015
I was given this book in exchange for an honest review!

Aiden Booth = SWOON!! I adored Aiden and his dominance! It floored me. But what really won me over with him was his absolute adoration and protection for Mercy. His patience and understanding with Mercy was simply awe-inspiring. From the beginning of the book, I was caught. A dominant with a sweet sensitive side! YES!!!

Mercy Winters. A woman running from a harsh situation. You would expect her to be broken sand weak. Well, let me say this woman is strong with a few cracks here and there. I loved her strength. Watching her come to terms with her feelings for Aiden was a sweet journey.

Overall, I really loved this story! I think the flow was flawless! I wanted to give 5 stars, but I am one of those anal retentive people who dislikes errors. The spacing was a little wonky in many spots. There were punctuation errors and missing words in sentences. With that said, even though I found these errors (because I'm a freak like that), it didn't detract from the beauty that was this book.

I would definitely recommend this book to another reader. And, I will definitely read more from this author!
20 reviews
May 27, 2017
When I was given a chance to read this story I jumped at it. The blurb drew me in and intrigued me. I love both of the main characters and completely disliked the ex. The characters are really well defined.

The story did read a little slow in the beginning but then there was a scene that completely clicked for me and it picked up the pace. There a few points near the beginning of the story where I had an issue with a character's reaction but I think that's just me. The author does a good job explaining the reasoning from the character's perspective. The ending took me completely by surprise. I so didn't see it coming. It also fits the story completely.

The only thing I would like is if the prologue was expanded slightly to show a bit more of the character's reaction to the ending, but it works as it's written. However that might be covered in book 2, I will be picking up the second book in this series.

Disclaimer: I received this book for free from the author in exchanged for a honest review.

Note: This review is a work in progress and maybe edited in the future.
Profile Image for Holly.
131 reviews10 followers
April 8, 2015
This is a bdsm read. It's a story about survival and falling in love when you aren't looking for it.
Mercy has fled her abusive boyfriend and left with out a trace from Florida to New York. After a week she goes to a temp agency and finds a temporary job immediately. In walks Mr. OMG and its instant attraction.
Aiden is a man that has been in mourning for a year after the death of his sub/fiancé. He has been going through the motions everyday and hadn't realized how long it's been since he longed for someone and had chemistry with. In walks Mercy who is temping for his company. She is a light that he has been missing and he is just want she needs. A Dom with a light touch and caring nature. Someone who will take care of her.

This story held mystery, intrigue, steamy sex, heartbreak and love.
My complaint is there was vast amount of descriptive words that I felt took away from the story. Her pet name "Precious" was used, a lot.

**Reviewed for Kylie's Fiction Addiction**
Profile Image for Donica H.
12 reviews5 followers
February 25, 2015
This story was awesome. Nightly was able to not only give you a full-length erotica BDSM book but was also able to keep you on your toes. You knew that Alex was coming but you never knew when and in the process of him coming the lovebirds were able to fall in love and be happy . I cannot wait to read the next book in the series especially Kate because honestly I thought I was gonna have to hurt her myself for being so gullible.
Profile Image for Lorraine Loveit.
Author 19 books51 followers
November 7, 2014
I’m simply loved this book! It gripped me right from the start.

The lead character Mercy is endearing and you can’t help but like Aiden. But as their relationship continues to change and build, the suspense knowing that Alex is trying to find and getting closer to Mercy keeps everyone on their toes.

I would definitely read other works from this author. Well done Ms Nightly.
Profile Image for Kristin.
350 reviews19 followers
December 13, 2014
Free to Try is a great debut book for C.W. Nightly. It's a familiar storyline but none the less quite good for a debut. The storyline is pretty simple...Woman runs from abuser to find love again. Nice and simple. Predictable but still worth reading since I liked the characters.

Highly recommend and would for sure read more from this author <3
Profile Image for Lisa.
294 reviews2 followers
February 13, 2015
I was given a copy of this book for an honest review.
I absolutely loved this book. I loved the way the relationship developed between Aiden and Mercy. It's BDSM content was panty melting hot! I loved that Aiden was so caring to Mercy, unlike her ex Alex. I hope to enjoy the next 2 books in the "Free" series.
If you liked FSoG I think you'll like this one just as much if not more.
Profile Image for Judy.
1,791 reviews
February 16, 2015
Free to Try was an AWESOME story! I can't believe this is C.W. Nightly's debut book!!! To me, this book was the movie Sleeping With the Enemy (with Julia Roberts) meets 50 Shades of Grey, which are both my favorites!! This book had it all!!! I really enjoyed it and would highly recommend it! I'm looking forward to reading the next book in this series and find out all about Kate!!!
Profile Image for Jennifer Lessard.
475 reviews23 followers
June 14, 2015
Read this book!!!!!! You won't be sorry!!!!!
AWESOME read! I received this book free for an honest review. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. Perfect amount of suspense blended with lots of hot steamy sex scenes kept me engrossed until the very end. I am looking forward to the next book by CW Nightly.
6 reviews
January 13, 2015
Very well written

It had the perfect amount of romance and suspense. I also loved the connection between the characters and the detailed writing. I will definitely be reading the next book in this series.
Profile Image for Pamela Shorkey.
289 reviews3 followers
March 3, 2015
3.5 stars

Very good story. There were some editing errors that caused me to re-read sections multiple times. Also, at times, the story seemed to drag on. I felt Mercy started trusting Aiden too quickly. Overall, the book was enjoyable.
Profile Image for Marcie Wegner.
373 reviews4 followers
May 8, 2015
I enjoyed this book. The book was well written and the characters were well developed. I read this book in one sitting because it held my attention and I wanted to see what happened. For a debut novel, I am quite impressed. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
Profile Image for Jacqui Foster.
987 reviews3 followers
April 26, 2015
Well if this is what this lady starts with I can't wait for her next book, what a great story from start to finish,I really enjoyed this story and look forward to more like this.
Profile Image for Aileen Murray.
10 reviews1 follower
May 13, 2015
came across this book by accident and throughly enjoy the story of mercy and aiden.
Profile Image for Aya.
543 reviews24 followers
November 12, 2014
Mercy’s escape from abuse makes for an interesting story, however I do feel the whole low-self-esteem-curvy woman finds successful-tall-dark-handsome-businessman, a little cliché and overdone. The progression of events seem to be a little unbelievable, a woman running from an abusive ex does not usually jump straight into another relationship within a week. But fiction is fiction, so I guess love at first sight happens.

Let me just say, I love that I didn’t have to wait too long for a hot scene. Brownie points for detail and making each scene different to the next.

On the whole the story was well paced, beautifully written, language was poetic in its imagery, setting the scene vividly. Admittedly, this story wasn’t really for me but it was entertaining for what it was. If you’re looking for a ‘girl-meets-man-of-her-dreams’ type story, then this is for you.

*An ARC was gifted in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Jennifer Hajdics.
246 reviews4 followers
May 21, 2015
Filled with useless details!!

First off, I felt like I was reading a legal document since the author didn't take the time to abbreviate her characters conversations. It makes it sound ridiculous. Second, the story itself was utterly predictable and unoriginal. Third, it was stuffed with useless and mundane details. Three pages to describe the decor of a bathroom for example. And lastly, the sex was repetitive and boring.
65 reviews
May 18, 2015
Did I read what everyone else read? I just couldn't finish it, it didn't keep my attention. maybe I'll go back one day and try again.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews

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