Taken - The Ties That Bind: The Taken Series - Book 1

Taken #1-9

by Keegan Kennedy

Appearances can be deceiving and things aren’t at all what they seem to be… What starts off as a brutal kidnapping turns into a supernatural feud centered around outsider, Ryan Hobson. As revenge on his father and crazy stepmother, Ryan hatches a runaway hoax to mess with their minds and show them that he is his own man. Unfortunately for the clueless and cocky baseball jock, his fake plot leads him to an unexpected and fearful destination. When Ryan gets stranded on the side of the California highway, he turns to a friendly trucker, Jeb. Seemingly a southern rube, Jeb is actually a sadistic and cunning dominant as well as a sociopath. With insidious intent, Jeb hijacks Ryan and forever changes the course of the jock’s life. For the first time, all nine parts of the Taken is available in The Ties that Bind. The complete novel is a dark fantasy containing, mature themes, including dominance, submission, bondage with a preternatural twist.

Genres: M M Romance, BDSM, Magic, Erotica

298 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 16, 2015

About the author

Originally hailing from Mississippi, Keegan Kennedy is a writer based out of Memphis, TN. As a child, sometimes his active imagination was the only friend that he had. Following a degree in History from the University of Southern Mississippi, Keegan floated around the corporate while dreaming of telling stories. His first novellas were in the arena of male-for-male erotica and romance. His earlier efforts were soon followed by success when his novel, Homecoming, went to Number One in on the LGBT charts in four countries: Germany, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States. He has a knack for uncovering love and romance in the darkest of places. With a tendency toward the melodramatic, he does more than arouse or excite the reader - he engages them.

His current release is the epic novel: The Harbinger – a chilling, apocalyptic tale of survival that decimated stereotypes and shocked his fans. Upcoming works include – a TBA romance between two anti-heroes. And by popular demand, he is re-mastering his older novellas into his new anthology series, the cheekily-named: Smooth Jocks and Gruff Jocks.

"I want to sincerely thank all of my readers! Because of you, I have spoken to and made new friends from across the globe on every continent with the exception of Antarctica - to my knowledge. Your kind words and encouragement have meant the world to me. I answer all emails, so feel free to contact me."

Reviews

[Ed Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok , this was one crazy book and I loved it. It was dark, it was funny, it was strange. I want to read more books by Keegan Kennedy. What an interesting author.

[Guy Venturi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Myths, Magic, Mayhem, Monsters, and More

Ryan is an almost finished high school student with a very short time to party before graduation. He is having difficulties and differences with his extremely religious parents. He rebels when he is grounded for coming home 5 hours after curfew while drugged and drunk. He forms a plan to show his parents that he is over 18 years old and can make his own decisions. As a jock baseball player, he should be aware that life like sports do not always go the way you expect.

Supposedly taking his car to go spend time with his mother, but actually planning to spend time with a girl that shared benefits, he dresses in his baseball uniform as if he is going to the game at school, he leaves a note and heads South to enjoy his weekend getaway.

But his car doesn't follow the plan and does along the Interstate near a Truck Stop. He walks to it for help and spots a truck without a trailer with the driver inside the hood. Asking for help, the driver looks him over and likes the hot body that he sees and agrees to help. As they drive the truck to get to the car, many unexpected things happen.

Ryan's plan to get back at his father change quickly as his drugged and tied up body is hidden in the sleeper cab and his car and all of his stuff ends up at the bottom of a lake.

Kidnapped for sex and slavery was not in the plans. But it changes his life outlook as Jeb introduces all sorts of restraints and activities to Ryan along with the dangers of not being careful when out alone at night.

[Sonic · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall, the series is okay for the most part. I understand it’s primarily smut, and while smut typically doesn’t need emotional depth, this series falls short in that area. It's great to see a story centered around themes like ownership, use, and abuse, which many queer men enjoy. However, the supernatural aspect was difficult for me to get into. Some of the kinky scenes are quite dark, and at times, they’re almost comical—for example, the idea that being soul-tied to a supernatural master and being nourished by his piss somehow makes you not need to eat is not erotic to me. I really enjoyed the beginning and middle of the series, and the cliffhanger at the end was excellent, but I haven’t found much else to love about it. Overall, I guess this series is okay.

[Theresa · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was a story about incubi who operated a white slave ring told from human Ryan's POV. Ryan's initial capture, kidnapping, and rape was horrifically good. His kidnapper, Jeb, was young and so ignorant of his own kind that he came across as stupid. The rest of the paranormals weren't much better. They talked and acted like the Three Stooges, and lost credibility. The world building was done through cartoonish conversations amongst the incubi. Jeb was besotted with Ryan and magically bonded to him. Ryan's Stockholm Syndrome was converted to emotional love and physical dependency. Borrowed through KU.

[Eduardo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ryan

This book depicts bondage, submission, brainwashing and lastly a love beyond belief.
Ryan is the main character as a young high-school baseball player with plans to make his life own.
Jeb, the wholesome trucker who wants to find a life on the road. Ryan and Jeb start an adventure of murder, deception and uncharted life which has twists and turns and something that no one expects to happen.
The story is very done.The story is fast paced and once the action starts you can not but want more and will not stop til you want but will not want to.
Keegan Kennedy is a great story telling and definitely enjoy more of his reads.

[Ashley -Goldstarreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this dark mm kidnapping story. To start out both characters definitely aren’t likable. Ryan is an entitled brat but his parents are definitely not the best. Jeb is cruel and vicious while trying to train Ryan to be his boy. I didn’t read the blurb before going in, so the paranormal aspects were a pleasant surprise and twist to the story. This was a lot of non-con, dub-con dark, twisted and steamy read. I loved the writing style. It sucked me in and I didn’t want to put it down.

[Albafika · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first parts of this came strong, they were exactly what I was expecting this story would be because no one enjoys bottoms getting kidnapped and gagged more than I do! It's refreshing to find authors who get the appeal of gags, honestly.

Sadly, it kinda lost me with the incubi thing. Don't get me wrong, I love incubi but... not here.

[Sasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

(PLEASE READ THE TWs). This book is NOT for everyone.
I absolutely enjoyed this book. I love dark fantasy, dark romance etc. this book gave me all that.
Plot: We meet Ryan who is the quintessential cocky jock quarterback who thinks he is above any and everyone. He decides after a fight with his dad and step mom he is going to "run" away in the hopes they think he was kidnapped. Well he does end up getting kidnapped by Jeb. What starts off as a typical kidnapping turns into a hellish nightmare for Ryan. He is r**ed, bound and gagged and subjected to the most heinous things at the hands of Jeb. We eventually learn that Jeb isn't quite human he is a Hexian (no shifters or alien more from another planet but look human) and Ryan learns that Jeb has taken him for a large purpose. As time goes on Ryan starts to develop feelings for Jeb and can't seem to understand why but also doesn't want to fight it. Eventually he ends up falling in love with Jeb ( no it is not so easy and abrupt) and they form a bond. Of course in between all of the torture that Jeb put Ryan through Jeb is also dealing with other Hexians and having to be on the run with Ryan after an encounter ended up in violence.
This book has non-con, S.A/r***, kinks, BDSM, D/s, watersports, violence etc.

[Therese Paulsson · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was okay

Most of this book is just rape and abuse
Jeb really isnt showing any reedeming qualities its dark romance sure but there is no romance, no after care ,no care at all. The super natural part wasnt any good either. I didnt even like the spicy bits and there was many.

[Brice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Never thought I'd have a limit as to how dark Keegan Kennedy's books are, but I think I've found it.

[Alethea Bell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not Just Smut

This was not just a smutty story. There was a plot, character development and a twist ending cliffhanger we kinda saw coming but left us intrigued about next book.

[Jandee]

🤯

This book is so good! It's also kinda horrible. 😆 I've never read anything like it. I'm not used to the bad guy winning quite so well, but I'm not complaining.

[Debbie Bookers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intense

This book was so intense and dark, I was blindsided with how much I was turned on. Jeb and boy aka Ryan are such an unlikely pair.

Ryan was tortured by his father and crazy religious step mom, he did the only logical thing. He ran away. His plan was perfect until his car broke down and asked Jeb for help.

Jeb kidnapped, beat and raped Ryan repeatedly. Ryans life will never be the same and neither will Jebs

[Mark Lukas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twists and Turns

This is a highly erotic book. It's a real story, not some mishmash posing as a book, to provide erotic reading. The slow evolution, of a strong bond, between the characters is a fun trip to undertake. I'm not too fond of supernatural stories and that is why, I rated it four and not five stars. Other readers may find that element appealing.
I will certainly read more work by this author.