Captive Liberty

A Dark Holiday #3

by Elizabeth Knox

She survived war. She won't survive him.

Liberty came home looking for peace. What she found was a trap eight years in the making.

Elias Ashford was her best friend's brother—the one who watched too closely, wanted too much. She joined the military to escape him.

But some men don't let go. They just learn patience.

Now Elias owns everything—the town, the businesses, the 4th of July celebration where the whole county will gather to watch fireworks explode over his land.

And Liberty? She's about to learn that the only freedom she'll ever have is the freedom to surrender.

***A standalone 4th of July dark romance. Contains obsessive surveillance, psychological manipulation, forced proximity, dubious consent, and a man who spent eight years ensuring she'd have nowhere left to run.

224 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 25, 2026

About the author

Elizabeth Knox is a USA Today Bestselling romance author who specializes in romantic suspense, and dark romance. She’s well-known for her intense page-turning motorcycle clubs, and sinister dark mafia books. 

While Elizabeth loves to write, she is an avid reader as well, who reads a mixture of genres. She lives on a farm with her husband in the northeastern United States with her rescue animals. When she isn’t working, you can find her horseback riding, riding ATVs, or out on the farm with her animals.

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Reviews

[Kristy]

Elias and Liberty, an 8 year plus obsessive surveillance, psychological manipulation, forced proximity, dubious consent book that features a brother and his little sister’s best friend. Elias corners Liberty so she has no choice but to rely on him. But while being captive bothers her, his touch quickly becones an addiction. Can Elias and Liberty be together with all the secrets and obsession or will they be just like the past?

[Wendy Livingstone]

This is the third book in this series, and this is Liberty and Elias’ story.
Elias is Liberty’s best friends’ older brother, and she escaped town to join the military and to get away from him. Liberty is finally back home looking for peace, only to find out that Elias has been patiently waiting for her to come home, and during her time away he has taken over the town, becoming wealthy and powerful, and he has no intention of letting her go again.
Be aware of the trigger warning due to sensitive content!
This is a well written action packed, easy to read, emotional roller coaster, with family, friendships, heartbreak, forced proximity, manipulation, survival, obsession, challenges, determination, healing, undeniable chemistry, and love, which leads to an entertaining, tragic, twisted, and unpredictable, psychological thriller.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Toni]

Liberty has returned after years in the military. She still has the survivor instinct. Then she heads home to Ashford Falls.
Elias has wanted Liberty for years and knows she left to get away from him. He bought everything that had was part of her to keep her close. Now she's back.
Elias is going to wait for her surrender. Will it happen or will she run again?
A fascinating story of love that can be obsessive while the other side is afraid of that love.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Sandy S]

3.75stars-CAPTIVE LIBERTY by Elizabeth Knox is the third instalment in the multi-authored contemporary, adult A DARK HOLIDAY, erotic, dark, romance series. This is twenty-six year old, former US soldier Liberty Cole and businessman Elias Ashford’s story line. CAPTIVE LIBERTY can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty.

NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise, there WILL BE triggers for more sensitive readers.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Liberty and Elias)CAPTIVE LIBERTY follows in the wake of Liberty Cole’s return home after eight years serving in the US military overseas. Bruised, battered and broken Liberty struggles to find a place to live, a job, and any recognition from the people in her home town of Ashford Falls, a town now controlled by the man who broke her heart. Elias Ashford is a change man. The boy he once was died years before, and in the fall-out, a hardened and obsessive businessman stood in his wake but Liberty’s return home find Elias manipulating every aspect of her life, a life that has never once been her own. As Liberty begins to unravel the truth, our heroine discovers that the life she thought she once led, is a life controlled by someone else.

The world building follows the revelation of the truth; the betrayal by, and of one man’s obsession for a woman who only wanted to be loved, but love has manifested into something else.

The relationship between Liberty and Elias is a best friend’s brother; an obsessive,manipulative and questionable hero whose need for our heroine has embodied in the form of captor and controller. Liberty’s life is no longer under her control, and the man she once loved, is not longer the man whom she left behind. The $ex scenes are provocative and intense, and not without some issues of questionable consent.

The secondary and supporting characters include Liberty’s long suffering parents, and Elias’s sister Gracie, and an assortment of townies under Elias’ control.

CAPTIVE LIBERTY is a story of secrets and lies, betrayal and vengeance, power and control, obsession and manipulation, forgiveness and love. The character driven premise is dark, dramatic and gritty; the characters are broken, disturbed and struggling.

Copy supplied for review

[addictedtodarkromance]

I love when there's a series about holidays!

Elias, who is Liberty's best friend's (Gracie) brother, is obsessed with her. She even joined the Army to get away from him, but that didn't deter him. With old Virginia money, Elias now owns everything, the whole town, and he's just waiting to come back. There's nowhere that Liberty can go where he isn't. She keeps telling herself she wants to stay away from him, but the problem is, she doesn't really want to.

And even when she finally gives in, she still tries to convince herself she doesn't want him. But he only found that more of a turn on, and he never wants her to leave.

In the last part of the book, Elias softens and loses his "alpha-ness," which isn't my usual read. He feels bad for what he put Liberty through and is willing to make up for it for the rest of her life. I'm glad they got their HEA.
 
 
Overall: 4 out of 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice/Heat Intensity: 2.5 out of 5 🌶️🌶️.5
Main Characters: Elias and Liberty
Darkness: 2 out of 5 🖤🖤
Type of book: MF, Dual, 1st Person POV
Reading Order: Standalone
Title: A Dark Holiday Series- Captive Liberty: Book 3
Epilogue: Yes
Ending Type: HEA
 
 
*OTT: Possessive, obsessive, dominant, and protective MMC
*Eyes only for her
*Stalking
*Surveillance without FMC knowing
*Wealthy MMC from generational old money
*No cheating or sharing
 
 
⚠️ This book has descriptive parts that may be offensive or triggering to some. Please check all the authors' TW/CW before reading! 18+
 
*I received an early copy of this book and am voluntarily writing this review.

[Claudia |✨Cushin Violeta's Bookish Realm✨]

Secrets and Obsession

🔖 Dark Stalker
🔖 Ott obsessed with her (for 8+ yrs😮)🔖 Captivity
🔖 Emotionally Intense
🔖 Sister's Best Friend
🔖 She's a veteran
🔖 He's the Town's wealthy hero

🅼🆈 🆃🅷🅾🆄🅶🅷🆃🆂:

This one is about a man obsessed with his sister's best friend and has been carefully orchestrating moves from the past eight years to get the woman he loves exactly where he wants her, with him only and no one in between them.

Liberty is back in town and as a series of unfortunate turns happen leaving her with no job and no place to live after her retirement from the military, she finds herself living in Elias and her best friend's guesthouse as her friend refused to take No for an answer.

Soon Liberty realises that her every move is seen and tracked and what she thought she had left behind eight years ago, is still very much there and Elias has gotten more obsessed with her.

The raw need for freedom and not wanting to accept her inexplicable pull towards Elias, Liberty doesn't know how to get out of this situation.

This one had me in so much conflict because this dark ride was so emotional and yet the way Elias holds Liberty Captive was just so not right.

But it's clear that Liberty liked him but she didn't want to be controlled and someone else making decisions for her.

Those parts were really emotional and yet explained properly because I wouldn't have been ok with Liberty just going along with it all but on the other hand she goes deeper and finds who the true Elias is and there was a wound she didn't know was so much deeper and needed healing.

[Kris]

Elias and Liberty

This is not your typical dark romance. It's deeply unsettling, almost entirely because of the psychological manipulation rather than physical violence. It may be one of the darkest books I've read from this author.

Elias is obsessive in every sense of the word. He doesn't just want Liberty. He's spent years orchestrating her entire life, removing every avenue of escape until she's left with nowhere to turn but him. He genuinely gave me serial killer vibes, and that's what made him so disturbing. His control is calculated, patient, and relentless.

Liberty survived war, yet the psychological prison Elias builds around her feels just as suffocating. This never felt like watching someone fall in love. Instead, it felt like watching someone slowly surrender because every other choice had been taken away.

If you're looking for romance in the traditional sense, this probably isn't it. This is twisted obsession masquerading as love, with an antihero who's completely unhinged and a story designed to leave you uncomfortable.

Dark romance readers who enjoy intense psychological manipulation and morally irredeemable heroes will likely appreciate just how far this book is willing to go.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Nicole]

This was a dark and instantly captivating—pun intended—story that I truly could not put down!

Liberty comes home from a military tour expecting to finally start a normal life, but Elias has completely different plans. For eight long years, he has tracked her every move. To ensure she has nowhere else to turn, he buys out her parents' debt and blocks every job application she submits, effectively backing her into a corner where he is her only option. But the ultimate twist? She doesn't mind it as much as you'd think. While being held captive bothers her, Elias’s touch quickly becomes an addiction she craves.

Why I loved this dark romance:

The Complex Tropes: It tackles heavy themes like stalking, captivity, and deep-seated trauma, blending extreme obsession with surprising emotional depth.

The Character Arc & Healing: I loved the internal struggle in Elias—how he tries so desperately not to become like his father, only to realize he's following in his footsteps in a different way. Liberty becoming the key to helping him heal and rise above the man who killed his mother was incredible to read.

This was an amazing, scorching-hot dark romance, and it has me so excited for the rest of the dark holiday books! Highly recommend!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Linda Stokes]

Liberty has been in the military for eight years. She left to avoid a certain person and her feelings for that person. She is back home now and is looking for a job and a place to live. Everywhere she goes she is turned away. Her best friend Gracie invites her to live in the guest house at the estate where she lives with her brother. Elias is Gracie’s brother. He witnessed his father shove his mother down the stairs when he was seventeen. Elias never wanted to be like his father who imprisoned his mother and abused her before killing her because she wanted to leave. Elias has been obsessed with Liberty since before she went in the military. He has had eight years of watching her and planning for when she comes back. He is going to have her. Elias paid off Liberty’s parent’s mortgage and paid her father’s medical bills. Elias ends up drugging Liberty and locking her in a room in his mansion. Liberty is confused with her feelings for Elias, she hates him for what he has done to her but she also wants to be with him. Will Elias ever let Liberty have her freedom? Will Elias tell Liberty about his parents? Will Elias and Liberty realize that they are meant to be together?
I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book via Booksprout.

Broken recognizes broken
Damaged meeting damaged

[Char Davis]

This is a dark and twisted love story.Elias has waited for eight years for Liberty to come back home.Liberty was afraid of the feelings she had toward Elias so at eighteen she joined the army and was across the ocean fighting .Elias has spent eight years obsessing about Liberty he had files pictures from the whole time she was gone.He knows how she almost broke she. Holding her friend as he bleed out in her arms asking her to tell him mom he loved her.Now she's finally back and he has bought every company she's tried to get a job at every apartment building she's tried to rent an apartment at.Her best friend Gracie come over as soon as Liberty go home to her parents house she asked her to come stay at the guest house.Liberty says no but when Gracie keeps asking an she sees its hurting her friend she agrees until she finds a job an a apartment.Then night they arrive at the estate and she follows Gracie around the house to the guest house.When she gets out an grabs her bag .She looks up at the mansion she connects eyes with the man she has been hiding from she finally tears her eyes from his and goes into the guest house an locks the door.There are so many twists an turns to this story you will be riveted til the very last page.I can hardly wait to see what's next by this multi talented author..

[Diana Page]

Elias Elias and Liberty’s an 8 year plus obsessive surveillance, psychological manipulation, forced proximity, dubious consent book that features a brother and his little sister’s best friend. Liberty is back from 8 years in the military with PTSD and a healthy fear of Elias after fleeing after high school graduation, knowing inside herself that his obsession was unhealthy at it’s best and dangerous at it’s worst. This book kept me entranced from page one, and if it weren’t for a timeline glitch in chapter 13 it would have been a 5⭐️ read for me. The characters are captivating and the storyline truly immerses you into the psyche of a man who has no healthy version of love to understand, he’s unable to comprehend the reality of his actions against Liberty aren’t ones she will be able to forgive or forget ( or ultimately live with for life). Liberty finds a way to dismantle her cage, but is it truly gone ? You’ll have to read it to find out for yourself ! 4✨’s for one of Elizabeth Knox’s best book’s outside of her MC Series, in my opinion. and Liberty's story is over 8 years in the making. It’s a genuine stalker.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[BM]

This is a change from the regular genre that I am used to reading by this author.
The book storyline is dark, strangely so. The main character, Elias, has a dark black heart. A rich man who uses his wealth and status as power. His has two personas..the one who chooses to display in public and the one he shows in private..tormented by his demons, controlling and obsessed.
Liberty returns after 8 years in the army, as a veteran. The man she ran from is still very much present and definitely makes his presence known. Her fear is genuine, her need is protective and her truth is honest. When virtually kidnapped in his home, she is afraid but her army training provides a strength. Those paid to carry out instructions do as they are told, without question. Silence is bought, loyalty is reluctantly offered. Secrets are kept, but not willingly as underlying fear drives the process.
A battle of wills, with a need for freedom but a sense to stay. A silent agreement and acceptance. The upper hand is traded from the owner who is losing out to the captive. Trust is hard earned. Choices are made and others may or may not benefit from it.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Fabiola]

A female military veteran, an eight-year trap, and a dark, deeply obsessive romance.

A dark, intense, and possessive romance filled with psychological suspense, set against the festive backdrop of the Fourth of July. The story follows Liberty, who returns from military service seeking peace, unaware that her homecoming has been meticulously orchestrated by Elias Ashford—her best friend’s older brother.
Elias has spent eight years amassing power, wealth, and control over the entire town with a single goal: to corner Liberty and leave her with no escape. Set during the Fourth of July celebrations, the novel explores the fine line between sanctuary and captivity.
Elias’s calculating patience and his near-decade-long fixation on Liberty create an atmosphere of constant tension, as he controls every aspect of her surroundings.
If you love stories featuring a best friend’s older brother, veteran heroines, obsessive surveillance, forced proximity with dubious consent, and dark small-town romance, *Captive Liberty* will fascinate you.
If you enjoy obsessive heroes who will stop at nothing to claim their heroine, this story won’t disappoint.

[Sandra]

Liberty ran from her feelings at the age of 18, right into the military for the next 8 years. The pull she felt towards her best friend Gracie's brother concerned her because she knew he felt the same way, but there was also a darkness to him.

Elias has been obsessed with Liberty since her party. Now that she is home, she will be his. He has all the pieces put in place, making sure she has nowhere to go. Elias has things in his past that have shaped the man he has become, but can this woman be the one who changes him? Can she undo the rot that his father instilled in him?

Liberty knows she has to fight Elias; she is her own person, and she will not be controlled unless she wants to be. Can she show Elias a different form of love? One that is given and taken freely. One that has depth and devotion instead of obsession. She is a soldier; she is a person; she will hopefully show him the path of true love. That love may be fraught with highs and lows, but communication, patience, and commitment will hopefully let that love deepen into a stronger relationship.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Stephanie Bates]

I’ll start by saying CHECK YOUR TRIGGER WARNINGS because this book deals with a lot of heavy, dark themes. But for me, the way those darker elements were handled is part of what made this story so good.

The relationship between Elias and Liberty hooked me so quickly. The depth of their love for each other—even before they fully realized what it was—absolutely had my heart. Their connection felt so deep and genuine, and I was completely invested in them.

But Elias’s growth throughout this story was probably one of my favorite parts. His trauma and struggles weren’t magically fixed because he fell in love, and I appreciated that SO much. The author didn’t minimize what he had been through or have Liberty or his sister simply brush his issues aside. His healing and growth were given the weight they deserved, which made his journey feel so much more powerful.

Dark, emotional, heartbreaking, and full of healing—this one pulled me in and kept me there. Elias and Liberty definitely have a piece of my heart.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Ness]

Oh my goodness, this was so good — and when I say dark, I mean pitch black, but in the absolute best way possible! 😮‍💨 Elias didn’t miss a single angle — literally every possible exit, every way out, every little bit of freedom… he had it all locked down. He had Liberty in a total chokehold, figuratively speaking (and honestly, often not that figuratively 😳).

Wild thought — am I wrong for lowkey wanting this level of commitment? Like, if you can’t match this intensity and devotion… maybe take two steps back? 😂 (…mostly joking. Mostly. But come on — the dedication?!)

I could not put this book down. It consumed me from start to finish — the obsession, the slow-tightening control, the way he waited eight years just to make sure she had nowhere left to run… chef’s kiss. It’s twisted, it’s intense, it’s exactly what I crave from dark romance.

HIGHLY, HIGHLY recommend if you love small-town, obsessive, all-consuming dark romance — just go in knowing it’s unapologetically dark, and enjoy the ride! 🔥.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Carmela Dimattia]

What an amazing book this was. I absolutely loved it and I loved Liberty and Elias. Elias is totally obsessed with Liberty and he shows it the only way he knows by holding her captive until she admits she belongs to him. His reasons for his behaviour are just heartbreaking and everybody around him does not know what to do to stop him so they all indulge Elias whilst trying to look out for Liberty as well. This is not the type of book that Elizabeth Knox would normally write but I am so glad that she did because I was totally and utterly hooked. The book is dark and a lot of what occurs is probably not what your average read would like but I think if you get past the darkness you will soon discover what the story is really about. I loved Liberty’s strength but also her vulnerability because underneath the captivity she was very much attracted to Elias and did want to be with him but on her own terms. A very captivating read that with characters that will steal your heart.

I received an arc copy via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

[Traci]

I really liked the core storyline of Captive Liberty (A Dark Holiday Book 3) by Elizabeth Knox! This is a dark romance that refuses to sugarcoat anything to make it acceptable, leaning fully into an obsession that feels genuinely terrifying given the situation.Liberty and Elias are both deeply flawed characters, shaped by past trauma that completely ignites their complicated dynamic. While a few moments bordered on cringe, navigating their journey was highly engaging. Elias makes some truly terrible choices and takes a horrible path, but underneath his actions, you see he is more than just a monster. On the flip side, Liberty is young and scared—she easily could have dealt with their inevitable attraction earlier, but her hesitation fits her situation perfectly. Watching how the side characters had to handle things in their own way added great layers to the plot, building up to a really good, well-earned ending.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[bunny]

Elias Ashford has apparently spent eight years turning stalking into a long-term investment strategy, because this man has surveillance, manipulation, and control down to an unsettling art form. Liberty returning home only to discover that Elias has quietly arranged the entire board around her makes for a fast, tense setup, and I liked that she isn't immediately thrilled about being trapped in his orbit. The 4th of July setting gives the story this weirdly festive backdrop while everything underneath is basically psychological warfare. My biggest gripe is that 224 pages doesn't leave much room for Liberty's shift from resistance to accepting Elias's control to breathe, so some of the emotional turns land a little too conveniently. Elias is compelling if morally black, though, and the obsessive antihero crowd is absolutely going to understand the assignment here. It's dark, controlling, messy, and deliberately uncomfortable, with enough heat and suspense to keep things moving before the plot can start asking too many questions.

[Cathy Moir-Allen]

Book three of "A Dark Holliday", a collaboration. After three deployments and eight years, Liberty comes home to Ashford Falls with even more mental and emotional baggage than when she left. Things are different. Her parents house has a new roof, there is fresh paint and the evidence of care. Five years earlier, her father had been seriously injured in an accident at the garage. The medical bills should have been colossal, but a "grant" had paid for it all. When her best friend Gracie insists that she stay in the guesthouse on their property, Liberty feels a decade old noose tighten around her throat. Him. Elias. Gracie's older brother. The boy and then the man who had always watched her every move like he was filing a report. This is a really good book, but the darkness is so thick you can taste it. It is however worth remembering that following even the darkest night, there is a day dawning.

[Michele]

Check TWs to read to your comfort level.

A dark romance where Elias is enthralled by Liberty and has been for 8 years. His love for her is OTT, obsessive, suffocating, perverse, and deranged. He keeps her captive as that is the only way he knows how to love. She unsuccessfully tries to escape a few times but then reverses her way of interacting with the housekeeper and garners some insight as to Elias' behavior. She begins to understand him, he relaxes his rules and allows her supervised freedom, and she starts to soften her stance. She emphasizes that she doesn't forgive him, but she realizes he only had his father's perspective of what love is.

She had to be strong to work through what he did to her and come to a level of acceptance as to what he did. I'm not sure I could ever do that.

If you want a book that stays with you and lives rent free in your head long after you read the end, this is one of those books.

[Maria]

Arc review

Hauntingly beautiful. Yes on triggers, so be aware, but also look past Elias’s traits and feel the storyline.

This was a complex read. By this I’m stating the characters - Elias & Liberty as complex in their emotions. A darkness forged in Elias that needed healing. A direction to home for Liberty to solve. These are questions that will appear within the read. Dark, Sinister, word building.
Foreplay here has a new meaning to Elias. 8 years in the making.

Control / devotion
Waiting / planning / building - a cage

8 years of hiding - Liberty ran, joined the Army - survived the horror there but will she survive Elias? the darkness only pulls you in further.
Elias definitely is something.

A different side of Elizabeth here. Her MC reads are phenomenal, this too will leave you breathless. Cannot wait for the next event releases. All related to holiday themes.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jasmin]

OOH, Captive Liberty was dark, emotional, heartbreaking, and steamy—and I loved it!

Elias was so freaking unhinged, obsessive, and possessive, but underneath all of that was a broken man carrying so much trauma and struggling with his own demons. Seeing his growth and healing throughout the story was probably my favorite part. He was completely obsessed with Liberty, and while some of his actions were definitely unhinged, I couldn’t look away.

And Liberty! I loved her strength and the way she held her own. These two pulled me in from the very beginning. The chemistry, banter, and tension between them were EVERYTHING and had me hooked. And yes, the spice definitely delivered. 🔥

I definitely recommend this one if you enjoy dark romance, but PLEASE check the trigger warnings first. This book deals with some very dark and heavy subjects and is definitely not for the faint of heart.

Thank you to Elizabeth Knox and Booksprout for the ARC! ❤️

[Mafia Wife]

Years ago, she sensed it in him and she ran. She joined the military and spent eight years chasing danger of a different kind. Now she’s back and determined this time he’s not going to let her escape. While she’s been running, he’s been plotting and setting his web. There will be no running this time.. this is a wild ride. It has stalker elements with him, definitely plotting behind the sidelines.. it has mutual pining as they both recognized what is between them. It has captive elements with him, refusing to let her go after he set his trap. And also has a deep connection and understanding of each other on a primal level and a resulting flip in power. They have heat, intensity, and a passion that neither one of them is capable of out running.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Shayne]

Captive Liberty pulled me in with its dark, obsessive premise and intense atmosphere. Liberty returns home expecting peace, only to discover that Elias has spent years patiently waiting for his chance to pull her back into his world. The psychological tension and possessive nature of the story definitely kept me turning the pages. This is a very dark romance, so readers should be prepared for manipulation, obsession, and morally gray characters. I enjoyed the suspenseful, twisted dynamic and the Fourth of July setting added an interesting backdrop. A quick, dark read for fans of obsessive romance! 🖤🔥🎆

#BookReview #DarkRomance #CaptiveLiberty #ObsessiveRomance #PossessiveHero #DarkRomanceReader #RomanceBooks #Bookstagram #BookLovers 📚🖤.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[lf]

Liberty will not be a captive but this book will captivate the reader

Captive Liberty by Elizabeth Knox is the third book in the multi-author A Dark Holiday series. This story is an dark and intense obsession "romance" mixed with forced proximity, dub con, and a lot of fireworks. The story finds Liberty coming home after leaving the military. She had joined to escape the attentions of Elias, her best friend's older brother. What she wanted is not what ends up happening as Elias has been waiting for her return. He has been taking over the town, getting rich and power along the way. So when Liberty arrives home again he has a plan and is going to make sure she is never able to leave him again. But Liberty is not so easily caged and she will struggle to make the life she chooses and not the one Elias tries to force on her.

[Allicia M]

Story 4.25 ⭐
Spice 4 🌶️

Captive Liberty is a dark holiday romance with a very controlling and possessive MMC and an FMC who just returned home from military service.

Liberty spent much of her adult life avoiding Elias, only to find herself back in a place where he is able to control almost everything about her life.

Liberty and Elias both have a lot of trauma to heal from, and Elias uses his trauma to justify his worst behaviours. Some of the changes with his character, especially in relation to how he treats Liberty, felt a bit rushed. This is what kept it from being rated higher.

There is a HEA to this story for those who want to know. Be sure to check the CW if needed.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jessica OBryant]

This was such a dark but absolutely alluring read, and I could not put it down for anything. I devoured every single page. This definitely kept me captivated from beginning to end.

Loved the storyline, the steam, the world-building and the characters of Liberty and Elias. Liberty may have intended for what she considered a normal life after finishing her military tour, but Elias had other plans, making him be her only option no matter what she did. She became his captive but ended up yearning for his touch.

Everything about this story was brilliantly done. And, of course, in true Elizabeth Knox fashion, the steam was chef's kiss. I honestly can't wait for what she gives us next. I have no doubt it'll be absolute perfection!

[JLH]

Elias is Liberty’s brother’s best friend. The book is intense. It is to me a full length read. Be aware that there are triggers that could make you feel uncomfortable due to sensitive passages. Liberty left the town and joined the military in order to evade Elias’s proximity. But when she returns, he has no intention of letting her go. There is a lot of twists, and turns to this book that is very suspenseful. There is definitely chemistry and resolution that put you on a roller coaster of drop jaws and raise eyebrows of situation that occurred between the two main characters. Entertaining, and a very good read.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Michelle Peralta]

Okay, Elias is UNHINGED. 😂 Liberty literally joins the military to get away from this man, and he basically spends that time becoming rich and powerful and taking over her hometown while waiting for her to come back.

SIR?!

This was definitely darker and more twisted than I expected. Elias’s obsession with Liberty is on another level, and the fact that she keeps telling herself she wants nothing to do with him while clearly being drawn to him made their whole relationship messy as hell. 😂

I did like seeing Elias soften toward the end and actually acknowledge what he put Liberty through. Their relationship is absolutely questionable, but I was still glad they got their HEA.

Dark, obsessive, messy, and completely unhinged. Definitely check those trigger warnings first. 😂🖤.