What do you think?
Rate this book
Crow City #2
The Found
Witness to a murder. Kidnapped by a monster. Life hanging on a whim. Willow Armitage’s world was already falling apart; between getting fired and caring for her chronically ill father, she’s had little room for anything but survival. But that survival hangs in the balance the night she stumbles into a back alley – and watches a stranger die at the hands of the most beautiful man she’s ever seen.
Lethal. Powerful. Unstable. Terrifying. The contract killer known only as Priest is a dangerous unknown, and when Willow wakes tied to a chair in his hideout, the only thing she sees in his fox-gold eyes is death. Yet for Priest, Willow is a dilemma: an innocent, a saint among the sinners he cuts down in the streets of Crow City. His code of honor forbids shedding innocent blood. Releasing her will send her straight to the police. The only answer is a warped game, and his promise: that he will find the darkness inside her, expose it, and prove that deep down, everyone is just as monstrous as he…and just as worthy of death.
Yet he unearths not a monster, but a smoldering and secret desire – one that has always terrified Willow, and may be her undoing. His touch sets her alight. His strength burns through her like flame. And his control melts her each time he binds her virgin body, possesses her, teaches her the strength in weakness and the passion in submission. But that passion may be her damnation, and in the end Willow must choose: Priest’s love, or her own life.
When his every kiss is pure sin…can she resist damnation long enough for Priest to find his way to redemption?
TRIGGER WARNING 18+: This story contains content centered around non-consent, bodily autonomy, sexual assault, bodily functions, and violence. Please focus on self-care above all, and don't be afraid to put the book down if you need to in order to protect yourself. You come first, always.
Lethal. Powerful. Unstable. Terrifying. The contract killer known only as Priest is a dangerous unknown, and when Willow wakes tied to a chair in his hideout, the only thing she sees in his fox-gold eyes is death. Yet for Priest, Willow is a dilemma: an innocent, a saint among the sinners he cuts down in the streets of Crow City. His code of honor forbids shedding innocent blood. Releasing her will send her straight to the police. The only answer is a warped game, and his promise: that he will find the darkness inside her, expose it, and prove that deep down, everyone is just as monstrous as he…and just as worthy of death.
Yet he unearths not a monster, but a smoldering and secret desire – one that has always terrified Willow, and may be her undoing. His touch sets her alight. His strength burns through her like flame. And his control melts her each time he binds her virgin body, possesses her, teaches her the strength in weakness and the passion in submission. But that passion may be her damnation, and in the end Willow must choose: Priest’s love, or her own life.
When his every kiss is pure sin…can she resist damnation long enough for Priest to find his way to redemption?
TRIGGER WARNING 18+: This story contains content centered around non-consent, bodily autonomy, sexual assault, bodily functions, and violence. Please focus on self-care above all, and don't be afraid to put the book down if you need to in order to protect yourself. You come first, always.
ebook
First published August 1, 2016
24 people are currently reading
356 people want to read
About the author
Cole McCade
65 books1,533 followersSlender. Angry. (Part) Asian.
Yeah, that about sums me up.
Hi. I’m Cole. Xen. Whatever you want to call me; both are true, and both are lies. My pen names are multitudes, my nicknames legion. Tall, bi/queer, introverted author of a brown-ish persuasion made up of various flavors of Black, Asian, and Native American. I’m cuter than Hello Kitty, more bitter than the blackest coffee, and able to trip over cats in a single half-asleep lurch; I’m what happens when a Broody Antihero and a Manic Pixie Dream Boy fight to the death, and someone builds a person from the scraps left behind. Beardless, I look like the uke in every yaoi manga in existence; bearded or not, I sound like Barry White. About half my time is spent as a corporate writer, and the other half riding a train of WTFery that sometimes results in a finished book. Romance, erotica, sci-fi, horror, paranormal; LGBTQIA and cishet; diverse settings and diverse characters from a diverse author.
Sometimes I shout about things on the internet. Usually intersectional feminism and marginalized voices, and whomever’s punching down in those directions today. Sometimes human sociology, the psychology of sex and gender, and my own gender non-conforming arse (he/him, by the way). Sometimes I get really mad at Stephen Hawking and nerd out all over the place about hairy black holes, and believe it or not, that’s not a terrible pun or even worse innuendo.
That’s it. I’m a huge dork. My humor’s so dry it could empty oceans. I’m a native Southerner from the New Orleans area with zero Southern accent; I’m a mess of multi-ethnic, multi-cultural, multi-lingual influences; I have two cats. I wake up at daft hours of the morning to go running. I crochet terrible, lumpy things that never really turn into anything. I’m older than you think I look. I’m much more shy than my fury makes me sound (signifying gods only know what, but probably nothing). Recently I decided, at 36, that I needed to restart my life and move cross-country, so I tossed 75% of my possessions in the trash and randomly trucked it to Seattle. I’m in love with books and music and technology, and they war with each other for dominance and sometimes come together in a beautiful confluence. Most of the physical books I own are strange, obscure, out of print, overseas imports, or any combination of the four. Most of the physical books I used to own were destroyed in Hurricane Katrina, and have been replaced with the infinite library on my Nook. My wallet has a dangerous attraction to anything with pages; it flirts and teases and gives its all, until there’s nothing left but emptiness and ruin.
There will always be things you don’t know, and I won’t tell.
But ask me late at night over live music in a seedy bar, and you might just get an honest answer.
...or you can poke me via:
* Email: blackmagic@blackmagicblues.com
* Twitter: @thisblackmagic
* Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/xen.cole
* Website & Blog: http://www.blackmagicblues.com
* Tumblr: http://thisblackmagic.tumblr.com/
And there's my Xen Sanders SFF / Horror profile:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
Yeah, that about sums me up.
Hi. I’m Cole. Xen. Whatever you want to call me; both are true, and both are lies. My pen names are multitudes, my nicknames legion. Tall, bi/queer, introverted author of a brown-ish persuasion made up of various flavors of Black, Asian, and Native American. I’m cuter than Hello Kitty, more bitter than the blackest coffee, and able to trip over cats in a single half-asleep lurch; I’m what happens when a Broody Antihero and a Manic Pixie Dream Boy fight to the death, and someone builds a person from the scraps left behind. Beardless, I look like the uke in every yaoi manga in existence; bearded or not, I sound like Barry White. About half my time is spent as a corporate writer, and the other half riding a train of WTFery that sometimes results in a finished book. Romance, erotica, sci-fi, horror, paranormal; LGBTQIA and cishet; diverse settings and diverse characters from a diverse author.
Sometimes I shout about things on the internet. Usually intersectional feminism and marginalized voices, and whomever’s punching down in those directions today. Sometimes human sociology, the psychology of sex and gender, and my own gender non-conforming arse (he/him, by the way). Sometimes I get really mad at Stephen Hawking and nerd out all over the place about hairy black holes, and believe it or not, that’s not a terrible pun or even worse innuendo.
That’s it. I’m a huge dork. My humor’s so dry it could empty oceans. I’m a native Southerner from the New Orleans area with zero Southern accent; I’m a mess of multi-ethnic, multi-cultural, multi-lingual influences; I have two cats. I wake up at daft hours of the morning to go running. I crochet terrible, lumpy things that never really turn into anything. I’m older than you think I look. I’m much more shy than my fury makes me sound (signifying gods only know what, but probably nothing). Recently I decided, at 36, that I needed to restart my life and move cross-country, so I tossed 75% of my possessions in the trash and randomly trucked it to Seattle. I’m in love with books and music and technology, and they war with each other for dominance and sometimes come together in a beautiful confluence. Most of the physical books I own are strange, obscure, out of print, overseas imports, or any combination of the four. Most of the physical books I used to own were destroyed in Hurricane Katrina, and have been replaced with the infinite library on my Nook. My wallet has a dangerous attraction to anything with pages; it flirts and teases and gives its all, until there’s nothing left but emptiness and ruin.
There will always be things you don’t know, and I won’t tell.
But ask me late at night over live music in a seedy bar, and you might just get an honest answer.
...or you can poke me via:
* Email: blackmagic@blackmagicblues.com
* Twitter: @thisblackmagic
* Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/xen.cole
* Website & Blog: http://www.blackmagicblues.com
* Tumblr: http://thisblackmagic.tumblr.com/
And there's my Xen Sanders SFF / Horror profile:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
September 12, 2016
This book is exactly the reason I'm tighter with my five-stars. Because when something this brilliant comes along it deserves every single one. Holy hell, Vin "Priest" Manion.
"The odds were stacked against him, and one day he’d make the wrong call and it would bring him down."
I'm picky when it comes to the falling-for-your-abductor trope; it's one I've struggled with in the past because of stereotype and predictability. But here I am, eating my words, because The Found hit every spot. It's dark, it's gritty, it's unpredictable, and you feel everything the characters experience: it keeps you on your toes and has scenes that are, to be quite blunt, as hot-as-fuck and those which are heartfelt. And if you love those elements, then you'll devour every single moment.
I loved Priest. LOVED HIM. Beneath the monster is most definitely a man, one with so many layers and I appreciated each one--the cold calm assassin, the tortured and tormented man battling his demons, and the man capable of deliciously dirty things. He stole my heart, put it through the ringer and I was there in that room with him and Willow every step of the way; sweet, vulnerable Willow who was stubborn as hell, determined and, when she wanted to be, downright bloody kick-ass. And the chemistry between them is something else with build-up, fight and discovery as Priest unleashes a side to Willow she never knew existed.
This story was so much more than I could have anticipated and I went through a myriad of emotions: not unusual when I pick up a book by this author, but some weren't necessarily ones I envisaged I'd feel. Priest and Willow have one hell of a journey filled with highs and lows, is perfectly paced for the period of time it covers and what you see is not what you get when it comes to either of them.
This is absolutely a read to experience in all its glory for yourself and Cole McCade proves he's a master at his craft: creating strong characters and a story which is raw, honest and poignant, filled with hate, lust, kink, determination, fear and perfectly timed humour. Priest and Willow are unforgettable characters: days after reading this they're still in my head and my heart, and I applaud Cole for making me swoon over a man who's a killer because Priest is quite possibly my favourite hero/anti-hero of all time. Crow City is shaping up to be a place where anything is possible and I'm excited to see where we're taken next.
"Sometimes we find what we want in the strangest places."
(It's worth mentioning that although part of a series, this can be read as a standalone.)
Copy received courtesy of the author for an honest and unbiased opinion. The pleasure was all mine.
"The odds were stacked against him, and one day he’d make the wrong call and it would bring him down."
I'm picky when it comes to the falling-for-your-abductor trope; it's one I've struggled with in the past because of stereotype and predictability. But here I am, eating my words, because The Found hit every spot. It's dark, it's gritty, it's unpredictable, and you feel everything the characters experience: it keeps you on your toes and has scenes that are, to be quite blunt, as hot-as-fuck and those which are heartfelt. And if you love those elements, then you'll devour every single moment.
I loved Priest. LOVED HIM. Beneath the monster is most definitely a man, one with so many layers and I appreciated each one--the cold calm assassin, the tortured and tormented man battling his demons, and the man capable of deliciously dirty things. He stole my heart, put it through the ringer and I was there in that room with him and Willow every step of the way; sweet, vulnerable Willow who was stubborn as hell, determined and, when she wanted to be, downright bloody kick-ass. And the chemistry between them is something else with build-up, fight and discovery as Priest unleashes a side to Willow she never knew existed.
This story was so much more than I could have anticipated and I went through a myriad of emotions: not unusual when I pick up a book by this author, but some weren't necessarily ones I envisaged I'd feel. Priest and Willow have one hell of a journey filled with highs and lows, is perfectly paced for the period of time it covers and what you see is not what you get when it comes to either of them.
This is absolutely a read to experience in all its glory for yourself and Cole McCade proves he's a master at his craft: creating strong characters and a story which is raw, honest and poignant, filled with hate, lust, kink, determination, fear and perfectly timed humour. Priest and Willow are unforgettable characters: days after reading this they're still in my head and my heart, and I applaud Cole for making me swoon over a man who's a killer because Priest is quite possibly my favourite hero/anti-hero of all time. Crow City is shaping up to be a place where anything is possible and I'm excited to see where we're taken next.
"Sometimes we find what we want in the strangest places."
(It's worth mentioning that although part of a series, this can be read as a standalone.)
Copy received courtesy of the author for an honest and unbiased opinion. The pleasure was all mine.
October 18, 2016
After reading The Lost and loving it, I really wanted to love this one just as much. I did like the characters and I found the story intriguing, but unfortunately I didn't have the same feeling as I had while reading the previous book. I think I just couldn't stop comparing the two stories and that's where my problems came from.
I still liked the book and I'm already a huge fan of this author so I can't wait to see what's going to come next.
May 22, 2017
So what happens after the predator brings his prey back home? This book's cover art gives you a small idea about what kind of content is weaved within this story ripe with anger, confusion, and longing.
Willow Persephone Armitage had to grow up quickly at a young age. Her mother ditched her when she was a small child and Willow's father depended heavily on her because he had a progressively debilitating disease. Willow's personal insecurities, lack of a social life, and heavy financial responsibilities robbed her of a portion of her youth. Those worries diminish when she witnesses a man being murdered just mere footsteps away from her. Even worse, the murderer then turns his sights on Willow.
The first thirty percent of this book progressed slowly but was well worth the snail's pace of a build-up because this author made reading about rope bondage feel like an out-of-body experience!
The erotic scenes were fire and this story was a deliciously dark treat! I found the first half of this book to be a bit wordy and poetic, but the characters were driven and cunning! Written in first-person with a singular POV, this story was a great erotic thriller but it contained some lengthy inner monologues.
Some issues?
I thought Priest was losing some of his hard edge (unfortunately!) towards the end of the story, but I liked all of the characters. It also seemed like the last twelve percent of the book was a bit rushed. In addition, there were some repetitive phrases and nicknames used that were distracting for me.
This book was formerly banned on Amazon, but is currently available. This series has to be read in order, though:
Book One: The Lost
Book Two: The Found
✞ Loved the epilogue! En-joyed!
Willow Persephone Armitage had to grow up quickly at a young age. Her mother ditched her when she was a small child and Willow's father depended heavily on her because he had a progressively debilitating disease. Willow's personal insecurities, lack of a social life, and heavy financial responsibilities robbed her of a portion of her youth. Those worries diminish when she witnesses a man being murdered just mere footsteps away from her. Even worse, the murderer then turns his sights on Willow.
The first thirty percent of this book progressed slowly but was well worth the snail's pace of a build-up because this author made reading about rope bondage feel like an out-of-body experience!
The erotic scenes were fire and this story was a deliciously dark treat! I found the first half of this book to be a bit wordy and poetic, but the characters were driven and cunning! Written in first-person with a singular POV, this story was a great erotic thriller but it contained some lengthy inner monologues.
Some issues?
I thought Priest was losing some of his hard edge (unfortunately!) towards the end of the story, but I liked all of the characters. It also seemed like the last twelve percent of the book was a bit rushed. In addition, there were some repetitive phrases and nicknames used that were distracting for me.
This book was formerly banned on Amazon, but is currently available. This series has to be read in order, though:
Book One: The Lost
Book Two: The Found
✞ Loved the epilogue! En-joyed!
August 23, 2016
3.5 Firefly Stars!
Did I love this one? Yes at times. Did I love it as much as the first one? No. Why? Not really sure but I think it was mostly because I didn't care for Willow. I also didn't feel a connection between her and Priest. Maybe because they were only together for like three days. It's very rare that I like a book that is insta-love so it's probably just me. lol
Will I be reading more by this author? Hell yes!
Did I love this one? Yes at times. Did I love it as much as the first one? No. Why? Not really sure but I think it was mostly because I didn't care for Willow. I also didn't feel a connection between her and Priest. Maybe because they were only together for like three days. It's very rare that I like a book that is insta-love so it's probably just me. lol
Will I be reading more by this author? Hell yes!
Read
March 16, 2017NOW AVAILABLE ON AMAZON - FINALLY
US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01L31RF5C#...
UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01L31RF5C
US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01L31RF5C#...
UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01L31RF5C
It took some wrangling, some waiting, some patience, and finally a phone call from Executive Customer Support at Amazon KDP, but it's been sorted and the book is now live on Amazon, for those of you who didn't want to buy it from Smashwords. THE FALLEN has also been reinstated, but...it lost all its reviews as they basically deleted the old listing and made me create the book again from scratch. It's only free in the U.S. right now; waiting for a response for why they didn't set it free in other markets, but you can get it here:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01KYOXI4G
Still working on getting it out to B&N and iBooks; Smashwords does my distribution for that, and they're having a technical issue with the file, but it'll get sorted. For now...I need to stop spending my time fighting with Amazon, and get back to writing THE SAVED (Priest's prequel novella). Thank you so much to everyone for the support, the signal boosts, and all the helpful suggestions. I wouldn't be here without you.
If you missed the saga and want to catch up on what I'm talking about, scroll down. Otherwise...everything's sorted. Thank you to the people who re-posted your reviews of THE FALLEN on the new Amazon listing, by the way. Amazon reviews are such an important thing to even getting books noticed, so thank you for taking the extra time. <3 <3 <3 You're all the best.
-C
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
BANNED FROM AMAZON; AVAILABLE IN ALL FORMATS ON SMASHWORDS
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view...
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view...
So I just checked my bookshelf on Amazon where this book was listed as "Under Review," only to see that it's been changed to "Blocked."
Yesterday they also blocked The Fallen, which makes no sense because it's not even erotic; there's no sex, no violence, nothing. It's been available since December, only for them to decide no, no, we're pulling it. Then today The Found--arbitrarily blocked/banned.
And no one is answering my emails.
I'm trying to sort this out and hoping a real live human will talk to me instead of automated emails, but in the meantime if you want the book you can get it at Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view...
I'll see about putting it up on All Romance Ebooks, too. And once Smashwords finishes vetting it, it should go out to B&N, iBooks, and Kobo.
Edit: this is the email I just sent to Amazon.
So I feel a little like the average "worst author ever" doing this, but I'm having some major frustration with KDP and no one there is answering me at all. A friend suggested I try this, so tongue in cheek, here I am.
In the last 24 hours, two of my books have been banned/blocked from Amazon with no explanation other than some kind of doubt in either content or copyright. The titles are:
The Fallen: A Crow City Prequel Novella (Cole McCade)
and
The Found: A Crow City Novel (Cole McCade).
The thing is, no one has told me why.
The Fallen's block doesn't make sense at all. It's a side story, a quiet character novella about a Native American ex-Marine dealing with PTSD, suicidal thoughts, survivor's guilt, and grief, and slowly finding his way toward a new lease on life and a reason to keep trying. There's no violence, no sex, nothing. It's so entirely baffling that this book would be blocked that my knee-jerk reaction is that someone has a problem with books written about Native Americans, by a Native American author. Which I'm sure isn't the problem, but that should tell you how strange it is for it to be blocked--that I'm searching for reasons that make sense, and that reason makes as much sense as any other. It in no way violates content guidelines.
The Found, I can understand a little confusion about. It's an erotica that could be misconstrued as dubcon, but the thing is...it's not. There are long, explicit discussions in the story about consent. About the hero respecting every time the heroine says no, even though he's kidnapped her (for reasons not having to do with sex--she was witness to a murder and he doesn't know what to do with her as he doesn't want to hurt her but can't let her go free). And if she says no, he respects it. The first time they have sex, he pushes for her to say no if she's uncomfortable, and she accepts that she wants him. The other times they have sex are all initiated by her. There is full consent in the story. He is never violent toward her, never hurts or abuses her. Nothing. And if someone found the author's note/discussion of rape fantasy as a coping mechanism for rape survivors (plus the links to help for rape survivors) in the back offensive? That...is really messed up. That's cruel, to limit rape survivors' ability to discuss and share in a frank way.
That's the thing. All of my books are written to look at the things that people who have suffered from trauma don't always see in books; they're for people who've suffered from trauma and want to see themselves. Someone they can identify with. Someone who shows them they're worth it, that they can love and have a life and that they're not broken. So many people have told me that my books have made an enormous difference after they've survived sexual assault, survived parental abuse, survived relationship abuse. What you might see as just a dirty kink novel is a coping tool and a support mechanism for people who are often ostracized, misunderstood, and repeatedly hurt by others.
Maybe it's the trigger warnings. Which...that's also messed up. Trying to demonstrate compassion to people who might not want to read about certain topics is not a bannable offense. I don't know. I'm guessing. I'm searching. If there's some other smaller explanation, like not liking something in the blurb or something, an explanation would be lovely so I could fix it, instead of banning arbitrarily and not saying anything.
Help me out here, please. Amazon is my largest sales outlet, and banning my books without explanation while much more offensive content is allowed to be published? Can break my career.
Please.
Thank you,
Xen Sanders / Cole McCade
I'm hoping I get a real response.
US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01L31RF5C#...
UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01L31RF5C
US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01L31RF5C#...
UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01L31RF5C
It took some wrangling, some waiting, some patience, and finally a phone call from Executive Customer Support at Amazon KDP, but it's been sorted and the book is now live on Amazon, for those of you who didn't want to buy it from Smashwords. THE FALLEN has also been reinstated, but...it lost all its reviews as they basically deleted the old listing and made me create the book again from scratch. It's only free in the U.S. right now; waiting for a response for why they didn't set it free in other markets, but you can get it here:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01KYOXI4G
Still working on getting it out to B&N and iBooks; Smashwords does my distribution for that, and they're having a technical issue with the file, but it'll get sorted. For now...I need to stop spending my time fighting with Amazon, and get back to writing THE SAVED (Priest's prequel novella). Thank you so much to everyone for the support, the signal boosts, and all the helpful suggestions. I wouldn't be here without you.
If you missed the saga and want to catch up on what I'm talking about, scroll down. Otherwise...everything's sorted. Thank you to the people who re-posted your reviews of THE FALLEN on the new Amazon listing, by the way. Amazon reviews are such an important thing to even getting books noticed, so thank you for taking the extra time. <3 <3 <3 You're all the best.
-C
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
BANNED FROM AMAZON; AVAILABLE IN ALL FORMATS ON SMASHWORDS
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view...
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view...
So I just checked my bookshelf on Amazon where this book was listed as "Under Review," only to see that it's been changed to "Blocked."
Yesterday they also blocked The Fallen, which makes no sense because it's not even erotic; there's no sex, no violence, nothing. It's been available since December, only for them to decide no, no, we're pulling it. Then today The Found--arbitrarily blocked/banned.
And no one is answering my emails.
I'm trying to sort this out and hoping a real live human will talk to me instead of automated emails, but in the meantime if you want the book you can get it at Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view...
I'll see about putting it up on All Romance Ebooks, too. And once Smashwords finishes vetting it, it should go out to B&N, iBooks, and Kobo.
Edit: this is the email I just sent to Amazon.
So I feel a little like the average "worst author ever" doing this, but I'm having some major frustration with KDP and no one there is answering me at all. A friend suggested I try this, so tongue in cheek, here I am.
In the last 24 hours, two of my books have been banned/blocked from Amazon with no explanation other than some kind of doubt in either content or copyright. The titles are:
The Fallen: A Crow City Prequel Novella (Cole McCade)
and
The Found: A Crow City Novel (Cole McCade).
The thing is, no one has told me why.
The Fallen's block doesn't make sense at all. It's a side story, a quiet character novella about a Native American ex-Marine dealing with PTSD, suicidal thoughts, survivor's guilt, and grief, and slowly finding his way toward a new lease on life and a reason to keep trying. There's no violence, no sex, nothing. It's so entirely baffling that this book would be blocked that my knee-jerk reaction is that someone has a problem with books written about Native Americans, by a Native American author. Which I'm sure isn't the problem, but that should tell you how strange it is for it to be blocked--that I'm searching for reasons that make sense, and that reason makes as much sense as any other. It in no way violates content guidelines.
The Found, I can understand a little confusion about. It's an erotica that could be misconstrued as dubcon, but the thing is...it's not. There are long, explicit discussions in the story about consent. About the hero respecting every time the heroine says no, even though he's kidnapped her (for reasons not having to do with sex--she was witness to a murder and he doesn't know what to do with her as he doesn't want to hurt her but can't let her go free). And if she says no, he respects it. The first time they have sex, he pushes for her to say no if she's uncomfortable, and she accepts that she wants him. The other times they have sex are all initiated by her. There is full consent in the story. He is never violent toward her, never hurts or abuses her. Nothing. And if someone found the author's note/discussion of rape fantasy as a coping mechanism for rape survivors (plus the links to help for rape survivors) in the back offensive? That...is really messed up. That's cruel, to limit rape survivors' ability to discuss and share in a frank way.
That's the thing. All of my books are written to look at the things that people who have suffered from trauma don't always see in books; they're for people who've suffered from trauma and want to see themselves. Someone they can identify with. Someone who shows them they're worth it, that they can love and have a life and that they're not broken. So many people have told me that my books have made an enormous difference after they've survived sexual assault, survived parental abuse, survived relationship abuse. What you might see as just a dirty kink novel is a coping tool and a support mechanism for people who are often ostracized, misunderstood, and repeatedly hurt by others.
Maybe it's the trigger warnings. Which...that's also messed up. Trying to demonstrate compassion to people who might not want to read about certain topics is not a bannable offense. I don't know. I'm guessing. I'm searching. If there's some other smaller explanation, like not liking something in the blurb or something, an explanation would be lovely so I could fix it, instead of banning arbitrarily and not saying anything.
Help me out here, please. Amazon is my largest sales outlet, and banning my books without explanation while much more offensive content is allowed to be published? Can break my career.
Please.
Thank you,
Xen Sanders / Cole McCade
I'm hoping I get a real response.
September 7, 2016
“Open your eyes to what you want. Say no…or say yes. Make a choice.”
Well, wow! We read this series in one hit over the weekend and let us tell you that we barely came up for air. Not only are these books longer than average but also we just didn’t want to miss a single word and whilst we fought against reaching the end we were desperate to get there. Such a reader conundrum when you’re reading a book that consumes your whole being. As with The Lost please read the warning by Cole McCade and proceed as you wish.
‘He’d come in like a whisper, slipping between the cracks, silencing the voices of their house until there was nothing but the smothering quiet, and him.’
The Found felt different to The Lost- this is not a bad thing though, how could it be when written by an Author who is really quite the master of the written word. We think it felt dissimilar as the premise was entirely different as was the level of intensity compared to The Found.
”You seem, to me, rather than one long road…instead like many short paths that wander a few steps in one direction, before changing again. There is no one story; only the beginnings of many, tales unfinished and untold.”
Once again the writing was out of this world. Outstanding; so intelligent, thought provoking, inspiring, captivating, unique and incredibly vivid. The nature of psychology overwhelming at times as this Author managed to achieve a story that had us questioning ourselves, how we view certain circumstances, what instigates and the consequences of actions. All without being simply black or white.
“I still don’t think you’re a monster.”
“Yes, you do. You simply tell yourself otherwise because you need to believe I am not. But you said it yourself: the world is full of bad people. Broken people.”
A lost – in life – woman, Willow and an anti-hero, Priest who through extreme circumstances end up being the other’s revelation by picking through every layer of the person and behaviour in forced close proximity. It was incredibly intriguing, harrowing and passionate as perceived notions of suppression, justice, and life limitations were questioned as a result of tragedy and trauma from the past- cemented in the now.
“We are a voyeuristic species always in conflict with itself. Empathy and sadism ever shifting in the balance.”
Can we realise or change a self-taught behaviour and question why we conduct ourselves in a certain manner or is this only possible to be recognised through the validation or questioning by others? Whilst one was deemed strong and the other somehow weak and timid it showed that appearances can be deceptive.
‘He wasn’t meant to be seen by the light of day; he was made of whispers and darkness, and were the sun to rise in this single moment he might cease to exist entirely, fled back to the place where eldritch things and nightmares hid come dawn.’
There’s a paradox and irony of only realising your own freedom – when in actual captivity – and coming to terms with what was a perceived reality when once rationalised differing greatly. Understanding how we so easily can imprison ourselves in our minds and behaviours.
‘Hope was a fragile thing, trembling in her hands like ephemeral stardust, iridescent and bright.’
Whilst yes, this book can be read as a standalone we HIGHLY recommend reading The Lost, The Fallen (A free companion novella in Hart’s POV) followed by The Found. Interwoven storylines and brilliant secondary characters make it quite the journey. This is a series that should be read by all book lovers especially those who enjoy the darker more raw and gritty reads.
‘What he offered her was damnation itself; if she gave in to this she would never be the same, fallen into the kind of needy, hot, hungry darkness that would make her a stranger to herself.’
The Crow City Series is available to purchase
➜The Lost Book #1
Amazon US
Amazon UK
➜The Fallen Book #1.5
Amazon US
Amazon UK
➜The Found Book #2
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Come visit and follow us at:
✲ TotallybookedBlog
✲ TB on Facebook
✲ TB on Twitter
✲ TB on Pinterest
August 27, 2016
4.5 stars
UPDATE: no longer banned!!
This is the story of a woman who is trapped.
Trapped in a town with no hope for success.
Trapped in a home life where she, as a child, was the caregiver.
Trapped in a body she doesn't understand.
Trapped by the ropes a killer holds her with after witnessing a murder.
What's most interesting is that she truly becomes free, when she's physically trapped with no hope of escape.
Forced to grow up early and without a motherly figure in her life to help her as her body changed, Willow Armitage is a very confused woman. It is not until Vincent Manion, aka Priest, comes into her life rather forcefully, that she begins truly open up.
"Help me find a way to save you," he whispered.
There are some definite BDSM moments in the book, the first beginning with what I'm guessing is a form of shibari. Willow experiences extreme fear, while at the same time, becoming aroused by the friction the rope creates. It's clear her body is hypersensitive. Something she has always tried to avoid, believing it makes her dirty with desires she feels. Priest opens her up to a new world to explore those desires. There are moments of dubious consent, but I never felt this book crossed the line to rape.
The intimate scenes between Willow and Priest are extremely sexy and were a refreshing look at BDSM. And if you really like it dirty, there is even pegging. Trust me when I say, that was H-O-T!
"Depravity can be beautiful, firefly."
Priest was an interesting anti-hero, a man who does bad things for the right reasons. While I felt there could have been more details on how he became the man he did, this story focuses on Willow's self-discovery, and how he brings her there.
"How long have you been an ember smoldering within yourself, Willow? How long have you been fire, pretending to be ice?"
Despite the darkish nature of this book, there is a poetic beauty to the story. As I noted in my review of book one, this author knows how to write. Once again he has captivated me with his mesmerizing words.
"It's like you saw the world painted in normal colors and couldn't stand it. You needed technicolor, and to know the world in shades other people can't even feel."
How Willow and Priest move from kidnapping to something bigger, is a path not everyone would take, but it felt appropriate for the story. Right or wrong, Willow accepts the changes her body craves.
If you read book one, The Lost, there is a connection between the two stories, but this book can be considered a standalone. I thoroughly enjoyed the fantasy the author created and would recommend this to anyone looking for a provocative yet introspective read.
*An ARC was received for an honest review.
For more reviews, visit
UPDATE: no longer banned!!
This is the story of a woman who is trapped.
Trapped in a town with no hope for success.
Trapped in a home life where she, as a child, was the caregiver.
Trapped in a body she doesn't understand.
Trapped by the ropes a killer holds her with after witnessing a murder.
What's most interesting is that she truly becomes free, when she's physically trapped with no hope of escape.
Forced to grow up early and without a motherly figure in her life to help her as her body changed, Willow Armitage is a very confused woman. It is not until Vincent Manion, aka Priest, comes into her life rather forcefully, that she begins truly open up.
"Help me find a way to save you," he whispered.
There are some definite BDSM moments in the book, the first beginning with what I'm guessing is a form of shibari. Willow experiences extreme fear, while at the same time, becoming aroused by the friction the rope creates. It's clear her body is hypersensitive. Something she has always tried to avoid, believing it makes her dirty with desires she feels. Priest opens her up to a new world to explore those desires. There are moments of dubious consent, but I never felt this book crossed the line to rape.
The intimate scenes between Willow and Priest are extremely sexy and were a refreshing look at BDSM. And if you really like it dirty, there is even pegging. Trust me when I say, that was H-O-T!
"Depravity can be beautiful, firefly."
Priest was an interesting anti-hero, a man who does bad things for the right reasons. While I felt there could have been more details on how he became the man he did, this story focuses on Willow's self-discovery, and how he brings her there.
"How long have you been an ember smoldering within yourself, Willow? How long have you been fire, pretending to be ice?"
Despite the darkish nature of this book, there is a poetic beauty to the story. As I noted in my review of book one, this author knows how to write. Once again he has captivated me with his mesmerizing words.
"It's like you saw the world painted in normal colors and couldn't stand it. You needed technicolor, and to know the world in shades other people can't even feel."
How Willow and Priest move from kidnapping to something bigger, is a path not everyone would take, but it felt appropriate for the story. Right or wrong, Willow accepts the changes her body craves.
If you read book one, The Lost, there is a connection between the two stories, but this book can be considered a standalone. I thoroughly enjoyed the fantasy the author created and would recommend this to anyone looking for a provocative yet introspective read.
*An ARC was received for an honest review.
For more reviews, visit
September 7, 2016
“Open your eyes to what you want. Say no…or say yes. Make a choice.”
Well, wow! We read this series in one hit over the weekend and let us tell you that we barely came up for air. Not only are these books longer than average but also we just didn’t want to miss a single word and whilst we fought against reaching the end we were desperate to get there. Such a reader conundrum when you’re reading a book that consumes your whole being. As with The Lost please read the warning by Cole McCade and proceed as you wish.
‘He’d come in like a whisper, slipping between the cracks, silencing the voices of their house until there was nothing but the smothering quiet, and him.’
The Found felt different to The Lost- this is not a bad thing though, how could it be when written by an Author who is really quite the master of the written word. We think it felt dissimilar as the premise was entirely different as was the level of intensity compared to The Found.
”You seem, to me, rather than one long road…instead like many short paths that wander a few steps in one direction, before changing again. There is no one story; only the beginnings of many, tales unfinished and untold.”
Once again the writing was out of this world. Outstanding; so intelligent, thought provoking, inspiring, captivating, unique and incredibly vivid. The nature of psychology overwhelming at times as this Author managed to achieve a story that had us questioning ourselves, how we view certain circumstances, what instigates and the consequences of actions. All without being simply black or white.
“I still don’t think you’re a monster.”
“Yes, you do. You simply tell yourself otherwise because you need to believe I am not. But you said it yourself: the world is full of bad people. Broken people.”
A lost – in life – woman, Willow and an anti-hero, Priest who through extreme circumstances end up being the other’s revelation by picking through every layer of the person and behaviour in forced close proximity. It was incredibly intriguing, harrowing and passionate as perceived notions of suppression, justice, and life limitations were questioned as a result of tragedy and trauma from the past- cemented in the now.
“We are a voyeuristic species always in conflict with itself. Empathy and sadism ever shifting in the balance.”
Can we realise or change a self-taught behaviour and question why we conduct ourselves in a certain manner or is this only possible to be recognised through the validation or questioning by others? Whilst one was deemed strong and the other somehow weak and timid it showed that appearances can be deceptive.
‘He wasn’t meant to be seen by the light of day; he was made of whispers and darkness, and were the sun to rise in this single moment he might cease to exist entirely, fled back to the place where eldritch things and nightmares hid come dawn.’
There’s a paradox and irony of only realising your own freedom – when in actual captivity – and coming to terms with what was a perceived reality when once rationalised differing greatly. Understanding how we so easily can imprison ourselves in our minds and behaviours.
‘Hope was a fragile thing, trembling in her hands like ephemeral stardust, iridescent and bright.’
Whilst yes, this book can be read as a standalone we HIGHLY recommend reading The Lost, The Fallen (A free companion novella in Hart’s POV) followed by The Found. Interwoven storylines and brilliant secondary characters make it quite the journey. This is a series that should be read by all book lovers especially those who enjoy the darker more raw and gritty reads.
‘What he offered her was damnation itself; if she gave in to this she would never be the same, fallen into the kind of needy, hot, hungry darkness that would make her a stranger to herself.’
Available to purchase
THE LOST
Amazon US
Amazon UK
THE FALLEN
Amazon US
Amazon UK
THE FOUND
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Come visit and follow us at:
✲ TotallybookedBlog
✲ TB on Facebook
✲ TB on Twitter
consider-later
July 31, 2016
✿ ✿ ✿ ARC Giveaway! ✿ ✿ ✿
Part of the Shh… Summer Buzz Book Event 2016!
❀ Shh… Summer Buzz Book ARC Giveaway: https://goo.gl/uqgC3u
Win ARCs for all the Buzz Books featured!
❀ Shh… Summer Buzz Books: https://goo.gl/4p43qo
Jun-Sep book, release & ARC info!!
❀ Shh… Summer Buzz Book Calendar: https://goo.gl/78NlrK
All Buzz Books organized by week of release!
❀ Join Shh…: http://goo.gl/OmQUZv
Join for direct links to work. GR redirects all non-members to group home.
❀ RSVP: https://goo.gl/bvZGC3
❀ Author sign-up: https://goo.gl/uUUetK
August 30, 2016
No review I could write would do justice for the brilliance of this book.
I was shocked, mesmerised, intrigued, breathless, appalled, enraptured and absolutely overcome with awe at the talented wordsmith that is Cole McCade.
Much like The Lost, this is a tale of broken people with their own cross to bear and monsters that lie within. I'm a sucker for the descriptive and any writer who gives me that will have a fan for life. Of course the characters have to talk me too, and oh my God they did. Willow, niece of one of my favourite book characters - Wally ex-circus ringmaster who takes in the lost souls and gives them muffins and pretty frilly clothes. She was conjured so well by Cole. Every thought and feeling I hurt with her and for her. Fox gold eyed Priest. He is the Caleb (Captive in the Dark) of this book. The evil villain you want to hate but can't because he becomes your everything.
If there is something Cole excelled at in this book (yes I'm a geek) it is noise or lack of. How perfectly every noise is described made the hairs all over my body stand on end. How silence can be beyond lyrical has to be read to be appreciated.
As always with Cole McCade's books I highlighted many favourite passages hoping that I will find the perfect picture to match his perfect words:
"If she made herself small enough, she could pretend she'd fade into the floorboards and become the nothing she often felt like."
"Light bounced off fine linen and slick, sleek wool in a thread count higher than any sheets Willow had ever slept in. Too rich for the Nests. Too fine for the stink of dumpsters boiling their innards in the sweltering damp summer heat, until the entirety of the Nests smelled like a cooking landfill."
"Her heart beat-beat-beat and her legs became petrified wood, the trunks of frozen trees with her feet the roots anchoring her to the ground."
"Theirs was a house of sounds, always talking to her, grumbling and chirping and sighing, but right now those little voices that made up a house were all saying the same thing with every creak and groan and rattle: Coward."
"People aren't monsters. Sometimes they're broken, but not monsters."
Too many more magnificent examples to quote.
This book ends with one of the most thought provoking and emotional afterwords by an author I ever read. I'm not sure if it will be included in the Amazon release because they had banned it due to trigger warnings amongst other things. If it isn't included, know this, The Found came from the heart of a man who is valiant and brave and who deserves every accolade for this stunning work.
I was shocked, mesmerised, intrigued, breathless, appalled, enraptured and absolutely overcome with awe at the talented wordsmith that is Cole McCade.
Much like The Lost, this is a tale of broken people with their own cross to bear and monsters that lie within. I'm a sucker for the descriptive and any writer who gives me that will have a fan for life. Of course the characters have to talk me too, and oh my God they did. Willow, niece of one of my favourite book characters - Wally ex-circus ringmaster who takes in the lost souls and gives them muffins and pretty frilly clothes. She was conjured so well by Cole. Every thought and feeling I hurt with her and for her. Fox gold eyed Priest. He is the Caleb (Captive in the Dark) of this book. The evil villain you want to hate but can't because he becomes your everything.
If there is something Cole excelled at in this book (yes I'm a geek) it is noise or lack of. How perfectly every noise is described made the hairs all over my body stand on end. How silence can be beyond lyrical has to be read to be appreciated.
As always with Cole McCade's books I highlighted many favourite passages hoping that I will find the perfect picture to match his perfect words:
"If she made herself small enough, she could pretend she'd fade into the floorboards and become the nothing she often felt like."
"Light bounced off fine linen and slick, sleek wool in a thread count higher than any sheets Willow had ever slept in. Too rich for the Nests. Too fine for the stink of dumpsters boiling their innards in the sweltering damp summer heat, until the entirety of the Nests smelled like a cooking landfill."
"Her heart beat-beat-beat and her legs became petrified wood, the trunks of frozen trees with her feet the roots anchoring her to the ground."
"Theirs was a house of sounds, always talking to her, grumbling and chirping and sighing, but right now those little voices that made up a house were all saying the same thing with every creak and groan and rattle: Coward."
"People aren't monsters. Sometimes they're broken, but not monsters."
Too many more magnificent examples to quote.
This book ends with one of the most thought provoking and emotional afterwords by an author I ever read. I'm not sure if it will be included in the Amazon release because they had banned it due to trigger warnings amongst other things. If it isn't included, know this, The Found came from the heart of a man who is valiant and brave and who deserves every accolade for this stunning work.
August 31, 2016
To be honest, I was very leery about reading this book, because while I had no known triggers as forewarned in the book, I found the whole idea of a modern-day bodice-ripper to be distasteful (despite devouring those very same historicals as a teenager). But having already read the previous installments in the Crow City series, and putting a lot of faith in the author's capacity for beautiful, thoughtful prose... I took the plunge.
But this is not your typical bodice-ripping rape fantasy masquerading as a contemporary. This is by far the most self-aware and introspective book I've ever read on dubcon, power dynamics and self-discovery, written from the POV of Willow, a kidnapping victim.
And like Willow, trapped at the mercy of a cold but gentle Priest, I found myself captivated by this book. It was intense, chilling, exhilirating and poignant. To my surprise, I only noped out once during the entire story (it was during a scene with no established safeword), and I nearly DNF at that point. However, I'm really, really glad I read on because as soon as the scene in question was over, the heroine called her captor out on his BS (okay that's putting it mildly), and the power dynamic between them shifted in ways that simply blew. my. mind. No really, I'm pretty sure I lost my mind, that scene was that hot.
As I said, this book was written with supreme awareness of the taboo subject matter it embraces, and I loved that every step of the way, the two MCs were embroiled in discussions on good, evil, destiny and most of all, choice. Not just the ability to choose, but the willingness to make a choice.
The Found was beautifully written, and I think fans of the Crow City series will be highly satisfied with Willow and Priest's story. I for one found myself relating to these two MCs much more than I did Leigh and Gabriel in The Lost. I don't remember if this is in the works, but I sincerely hope I get to learn more of Priest's story in a follow-up novella, similar to Gabriel's story in The Fallen.
But this is not your typical bodice-ripping rape fantasy masquerading as a contemporary. This is by far the most self-aware and introspective book I've ever read on dubcon, power dynamics and self-discovery, written from the POV of Willow, a kidnapping victim.
And like Willow, trapped at the mercy of a cold but gentle Priest, I found myself captivated by this book. It was intense, chilling, exhilirating and poignant. To my surprise, I only noped out once during the entire story (it was during a scene with no established safeword), and I nearly DNF at that point. However, I'm really, really glad I read on because as soon as the scene in question was over, the heroine called her captor out on his BS (okay that's putting it mildly), and the power dynamic between them shifted in ways that simply blew. my. mind. No really, I'm pretty sure I lost my mind, that scene was that hot.
As I said, this book was written with supreme awareness of the taboo subject matter it embraces, and I loved that every step of the way, the two MCs were embroiled in discussions on good, evil, destiny and most of all, choice. Not just the ability to choose, but the willingness to make a choice.
The Found was beautifully written, and I think fans of the Crow City series will be highly satisfied with Willow and Priest's story. I for one found myself relating to these two MCs much more than I did Leigh and Gabriel in The Lost. I don't remember if this is in the works, but I sincerely hope I get to learn more of Priest's story in a follow-up novella, similar to Gabriel's story in The Fallen.
Read
August 23, 2016
I won a complementary copy of this book as part of the Shh… Summer Buzz Book Event 2016! So a huge thank you to the Shh...Group and author Cole McCade. Reading, rating, and review to come.
August 23, 2016
Title: The Found
Author: Cole McCade
Series: Crow City #2 (can standalone but you will get more out of it by reading the series in order)
Genres: dark erotica, BDSM, suspense
Heat: 5/5
Plot: 5/5
Rating: 5/5
This is something special. Never before have a read any romance - dark or otherwise - which is simultaneously an introspective character study, delving so deep into the mind and unique voice of Willow Armitage that I could completely understand her choices and actions throughout the novel. Understanding does not necessarily mean approving of; rather, throughout this tale I felt like the firefly in the cage, able only to mesmerisingly watch these events unfold and unravel towards their climax, at times feeling disgusted and horrified, at others being seduced and needing.
Dealing with dark subject matter, issues regarding consent, morality and shame, it is easy to be told what to think by an author; McCade instead shows rather than tells, allowing the reading experience to be a totally unique journey for each person, as reading should be. We can form our own conclusions and opinions on Willow and Priest, their relationship and their pasts - something that provides any novel with value.
This is a story that is passionate, and will invoke a passionate response from readers - whether hate, disgust or intrigue. It has been a long time since I've felt the urge to sit up all night absorbed within someone else's brain - and rather than a book to consume, for me this was one to savour. I did not want it to end, but I needed to continue reading.
It's books like these that make me reconsider my entire rating system. If this is a five star read, there are maybe only one or two others I've found thus far in my lifetime that can match it.
And honestly? These characters, this intrigue and obsession...it's something that will stay with me forever.
Author: Cole McCade
Series: Crow City #2 (can standalone but you will get more out of it by reading the series in order)
Genres: dark erotica, BDSM, suspense
Heat: 5/5
Plot: 5/5
Rating: 5/5
He lay on his side, sprawled with the indolent languor of a wild thing utterly aware of its own power.
This is something special. Never before have a read any romance - dark or otherwise - which is simultaneously an introspective character study, delving so deep into the mind and unique voice of Willow Armitage that I could completely understand her choices and actions throughout the novel. Understanding does not necessarily mean approving of; rather, throughout this tale I felt like the firefly in the cage, able only to mesmerisingly watch these events unfold and unravel towards their climax, at times feeling disgusted and horrified, at others being seduced and needing.
Dealing with dark subject matter, issues regarding consent, morality and shame, it is easy to be told what to think by an author; McCade instead shows rather than tells, allowing the reading experience to be a totally unique journey for each person, as reading should be. We can form our own conclusions and opinions on Willow and Priest, their relationship and their pasts - something that provides any novel with value.
"You seem, to me, rather than one long road...instead like many short paths that wander a few steps in one direction, before changing again. There is no story; only the beginnings of many, tales unfinished and untold."
This is a story that is passionate, and will invoke a passionate response from readers - whether hate, disgust or intrigue. It has been a long time since I've felt the urge to sit up all night absorbed within someone else's brain - and rather than a book to consume, for me this was one to savour. I did not want it to end, but I needed to continue reading.
It's books like these that make me reconsider my entire rating system. If this is a five star read, there are maybe only one or two others I've found thus far in my lifetime that can match it.
And honestly? These characters, this intrigue and obsession...it's something that will stay with me forever.
August 27, 2016
The Found by Cole McCade is one dark and twisted story. Not many books come with a warning label like this one did. The warning sounded so serious that it made me wonder just how dark this book would be. Let me tell you it's dark. It's a book that will make you take a break just so you can catch your breath. So listen to the warning.
Willow is a girl that always and I mean always does the right thing. She's taking care of her sick father working hard to get by. Her best friend is an older woman and her only real family is her father and uncle. She's on her way home one night when he witnessed a man being killed. She's frozen doesn't react and help the man. When she flees she tries to put it out of her mind because she can't go to the police. She knows they won't believe her because of something else that is going on as well. In comes Priest. He takes Willow from her bed to a secret place to hold there until he can decide if she should live or die. He know she saw him kill but he only ever kills the bad. At every turn he tells her this that he will let her go if she proves to him she's good. The story takes so many turns. There is something in Willows past that threatens her life. The chemistry between Priest and Willow is something Willow tries hard to deny. She feels sick in the head for how she desires Priest. Like I said a lot going on in this one.
The Found is creepy, sexy, scary and intense. You must read the whole thing to really appreciate the whole story. It's a story I haven't read before. Yeh I've read the kidnapped story but this one is so much more than that. I highly recommend this book. 1-click this must read book. I was given this ARC for my honest opinion.
Willow is a girl that always and I mean always does the right thing. She's taking care of her sick father working hard to get by. Her best friend is an older woman and her only real family is her father and uncle. She's on her way home one night when he witnessed a man being killed. She's frozen doesn't react and help the man. When she flees she tries to put it out of her mind because she can't go to the police. She knows they won't believe her because of something else that is going on as well. In comes Priest. He takes Willow from her bed to a secret place to hold there until he can decide if she should live or die. He know she saw him kill but he only ever kills the bad. At every turn he tells her this that he will let her go if she proves to him she's good. The story takes so many turns. There is something in Willows past that threatens her life. The chemistry between Priest and Willow is something Willow tries hard to deny. She feels sick in the head for how she desires Priest. Like I said a lot going on in this one.
The Found is creepy, sexy, scary and intense. You must read the whole thing to really appreciate the whole story. It's a story I haven't read before. Yeh I've read the kidnapped story but this one is so much more than that. I highly recommend this book. 1-click this must read book. I was given this ARC for my honest opinion.
August 28, 2016
"Carefully, she touched over her throat. Leather. A leather band, with an O-ring in the front, clasped to a chain as thick as two fingers that coiled along the pillow to loop around a metal bar in the headboard and lock in place with a padlock. It was a collar."
5 master stars!!! Powerful and gripping!!
It's been awhile since I've read a book that really hit me hard, and this book was it!! After reading book one, I knew I was going to need book two ASAP! I read this book in a few hours, simply because I was that involved and I couldn't put it down. This book is just as twisted and insane as the first one, and there were a few times I gasped out loud!!! Another great book by Cole!!
ARC provided by author in exchange for an honest review. Reviewed by Melissa from Alpha Book Club
5 master stars!!! Powerful and gripping!!
It's been awhile since I've read a book that really hit me hard, and this book was it!! After reading book one, I knew I was going to need book two ASAP! I read this book in a few hours, simply because I was that involved and I couldn't put it down. This book is just as twisted and insane as the first one, and there were a few times I gasped out loud!!! Another great book by Cole!!
ARC provided by author in exchange for an honest review. Reviewed by Melissa from Alpha Book Club
August 24, 2016
Holy crap this was one intense book. From beginning to end I was constantly wondering what would happen next. This is a first for this author for me and I really enjoyed. There were so many little details and twists that I thought I was going to miss something though.
Priest and Willow are polar opposite's at first. She'd loving and although her life is stressful she believes the best in people. She's aware bad things happen in the world but in a way she ignores it. Only problem is that she walks up on a situation where there's no way to ignore it. So what does she do??? Run. Straight into the man that will change her life forever.
This is a dark book. There are some major triggers in this story. Like MAJOR. But usually the more dark the book is the more I like it. I enjoyed reading this book but I did have a hard time relating to the characters. With Willow I sometimes wanted to slap her and with Priest I wanted him to be a little less stiff. And there were times where both were exactly what I had pictured. This is an interesting read with some many intense moments.
Priest and Willow are polar opposite's at first. She'd loving and although her life is stressful she believes the best in people. She's aware bad things happen in the world but in a way she ignores it. Only problem is that she walks up on a situation where there's no way to ignore it. So what does she do??? Run. Straight into the man that will change her life forever.
This is a dark book. There are some major triggers in this story. Like MAJOR. But usually the more dark the book is the more I like it. I enjoyed reading this book but I did have a hard time relating to the characters. With Willow I sometimes wanted to slap her and with Priest I wanted him to be a little less stiff. And there were times where both were exactly what I had pictured. This is an interesting read with some many intense moments.
August 28, 2016
WOWZA!
Dark, gritty, intense, and powerful read that had me hooked from page 1! I'm always attracted to dark, taboo reads that take me on a journey that encompasses passion within the darkness, but when I read that it was banned, that was code for MUST READ❣❣
Willow thought her life couldn't get any worse until she met "Priest." What happens between them you'll have to read and find out!
Yes, it is raw and disturbing and that's what made the story so powerful. However, it's also a story of survival! Survival makes us do things, and the decisions Willow makes can have devastating consequences, but for whom?
Dark, gritty, intense, and powerful read that had me hooked from page 1! I'm always attracted to dark, taboo reads that take me on a journey that encompasses passion within the darkness, but when I read that it was banned, that was code for MUST READ❣❣
Willow thought her life couldn't get any worse until she met "Priest." What happens between them you'll have to read and find out!
Yes, it is raw and disturbing and that's what made the story so powerful. However, it's also a story of survival! Survival makes us do things, and the decisions Willow makes can have devastating consequences, but for whom?
October 12, 2016
WOW!!!!!! This book is dark and heavy and may cause triggers.
I got talked into reading The Lost in a read along. I wasn't sure I wanted to pick up another book from a author I hadn't read yet because I was so behind on my reading as it was. But holy sh*t I'm so glad I gave these books a chance.
This book was so dark in places that I had to put it down a few times to read something a little lighter. But I could not just walk away I had to finish. And again I'm so glad I didn't.
I don't think my words will do this book justice or that I can come up with the right thing to say. Just give the book a chance.
I got talked into reading The Lost in a read along. I wasn't sure I wanted to pick up another book from a author I hadn't read yet because I was so behind on my reading as it was. But holy sh*t I'm so glad I gave these books a chance.
This book was so dark in places that I had to put it down a few times to read something a little lighter. But I could not just walk away I had to finish. And again I'm so glad I didn't.
I don't think my words will do this book justice or that I can come up with the right thing to say. Just give the book a chance.
August 23, 2016
I feel like Priest knew what he wanted from Willow from the second he sees her. This is not a hearts and roses story but it still had a few sweet pieces. I swear Willow had PTSD from her family life and never let any part of herself out. Twisted is what Willow calls her time with Priest, and it was deliciously so.
**** I was given an arc from Give Me Books Promotions in exchange for an honest review*****
**** I was given an arc from Give Me Books Promotions in exchange for an honest review*****
September 10, 2016
3.5 Stars
I finished this a week ago and still need time to process it and figure out how to review it.
I loved the writing (as usual), felt very connected with the characters but some elements of the plot thew me off a bit (and some others even more).
Thought-provoking, heart-breaking and quite frankly, confusing for me.
I finished this a week ago and still need time to process it and figure out how to review it.
I loved the writing (as usual), felt very connected with the characters but some elements of the plot thew me off a bit (and some others even more).
Thought-provoking, heart-breaking and quite frankly, confusing for me.
September 11, 2016
3 stars because the last 10% and the epilogue were awesome.
It's not the most hardcore BDSM book out there, but as I don't find BDSM erotic, I guess that's the reason why I couldn't love this one.
It's not the most hardcore BDSM book out there, but as I don't find BDSM erotic, I guess that's the reason why I couldn't love this one.
September 6, 2016
I feel as if I can't bring forward all the words needed for this review. After reading this book, and how eloquently it was written, I feel what I have to say is insignificant. This was the first book I've read from Cole McCade. I'm not a fan of reading books out of order, but I was unaware of his books until I was invited by Give Me Books to review The Found. I saw it didn't need to be read like a sequel but as a new story, and thankfully that was correct. I fell completely in love with this book, the writing, the characters and what they stood for. Not to sound ridiculously sappy, but it was beautiful. I even cried on a couple flashbacks. Before I get into the H/h part of the story, I want to mention the supporting characters in this book were amazing. I felt the pain and shame of her father as he couldn't be the one to care for his little girl but needed taking care of, and the whimsy of her loving Uncle who tried to be that bright light for her in her darkness, the detached tone her mother gave her whenever she spoke to/of her, and the viciousness of Erin as she bullied Willow. I could feel what they felt and it was amazing and made this book the best it could be.
I've read a large amount of books with the taboo of rape in it and have never been so moved by one as I was by this. Because they always fall in love, right? Or at least it never ends with the girl escaping her captor and moving on, no she always falls in love and breaks down that monster inside of him and they live HEA. But this wasn't quite that, this was the heroine letting go of things inside her, things that needed to change if she was ever going to truly live out the rest her days remotely happy. Yes, the big bad monster still needed a revamping but he had layers, layers that meant something and you could see Willow pulling them back slowly. Priest is a dark, complex, and scary man. But those two together? Probably the best combination I've seen in a while. It was nice to watch everything unfold with them because they needed each other to help make those changes in themselves. We all know if they never crossed paths, they'd be the same individuals as before, unhappy and just going through the motions of life, never truly living.
The taboo of rape in books and rape fantasy don't bother me when it is written like this. I read the forward and the afterward and Cole is right, if this had been written from a rapist point of view, one who took pleasure in taking power in that way, that may not have settled with me. But this was written differently, yes it's still rape as it's not complete consent, but it was something different. Because even though he only said it once in the book, Priest would have stopped anytime she said no, and she didn't want him to, not really. She felt like it was bad and she shouldn't have these thoughts for him but she did have the desire for him and kept holding back. I can't even explain the dynamic between Priest and Willow, and you wouldn't fully understand it unless you read this book. It is such a fascinating progression to watch unfold in the pages, I loved every hour of it.
I am off to read The Lost and The Fallen next so I can get the story of Gabriel and Leigh and cure this book hangover that has just set in. I will definitely read anything else Cole McCade has to offer because no joke, his writing is intoxicating. I've never been so impressed with the way a book was written, and don't think in the hundreds of erotic books I've read that I've ever complimented an authors writing.
I've read a large amount of books with the taboo of rape in it and have never been so moved by one as I was by this. Because they always fall in love, right? Or at least it never ends with the girl escaping her captor and moving on, no she always falls in love and breaks down that monster inside of him and they live HEA. But this wasn't quite that, this was the heroine letting go of things inside her, things that needed to change if she was ever going to truly live out the rest her days remotely happy. Yes, the big bad monster still needed a revamping but he had layers, layers that meant something and you could see Willow pulling them back slowly. Priest is a dark, complex, and scary man. But those two together? Probably the best combination I've seen in a while. It was nice to watch everything unfold with them because they needed each other to help make those changes in themselves. We all know if they never crossed paths, they'd be the same individuals as before, unhappy and just going through the motions of life, never truly living.
The taboo of rape in books and rape fantasy don't bother me when it is written like this. I read the forward and the afterward and Cole is right, if this had been written from a rapist point of view, one who took pleasure in taking power in that way, that may not have settled with me. But this was written differently, yes it's still rape as it's not complete consent, but it was something different. Because even though he only said it once in the book, Priest would have stopped anytime she said no, and she didn't want him to, not really. She felt like it was bad and she shouldn't have these thoughts for him but she did have the desire for him and kept holding back. I can't even explain the dynamic between Priest and Willow, and you wouldn't fully understand it unless you read this book. It is such a fascinating progression to watch unfold in the pages, I loved every hour of it.
I am off to read The Lost and The Fallen next so I can get the story of Gabriel and Leigh and cure this book hangover that has just set in. I will definitely read anything else Cole McCade has to offer because no joke, his writing is intoxicating. I've never been so impressed with the way a book was written, and don't think in the hundreds of erotic books I've read that I've ever complimented an authors writing.
August 28, 2016
Well...that was fucking intense! Sometimes I just need to get deep into a dark suspenseful romance and since I read The Lost and The Fallen, I knew I could count on Cole giving me just that. You do not need to read the previous books in the series but that is where I met Willow even if it was just for a little bit. I met Priest in The Fallen for about the same amount of time and when I saw that this was their story, together, I knew I would be all in. And I was!!
Willow hasn't had the easiest life. Her mom left her when she was four and by the age of six she was caregiver to her chronically ill father. She loved her father and would do anything for him like he would do for her but because she had to become an adult at a very young age, she skipped over her childhood and was twenty-four and living a life of waiting. Waiting for something to happen. What she didn't expect was that one of things she was waiting for was to be kidnapped by a murderer. One minute she is in her home and the next she is in a warehouse tied to a chair with no way out. She had no idea what this monster was planning to do with her. She learns that his name is Priest and he only kills the guilty. So why, was she still here? She was an innocent but she was in the wrong place at the wrong time and ruined his kill. And now...she might be next.
Willow and Priest play a dangerous game with their days together. Willow fascinates him. Wants to know her. The real her. Not the one that everyone else sees. Even herself. And he is in danger because he might actually care for the one person that can cause him to feel. And also can put her away for life. They both don't know what to do but what they do know is that there is a connection. She hates that she craves his touch when she should feel sickened by it. She should also hate him for opening old wounds that never healed. To get inside her head and even some part of her heart. She shouldn't care about him. He was a murderer. A contract killer. But was she so innocent, really? What will happen when he figures out the puzzle of Willow?
Willow is not the only one finding themselves. Priest has his own scars. He has his reasons for killing others but Willow makes him question his future. Can Willow convince him to let her go free? What if she is the one that he can never let go of?
This is one twisted and intense ride. If you love a dark suspense novel with some hot scenes with a twist of love...this book is for you! It's not for everyone but I was hooked in from the start. The characters are both complex in their own ways and even more complex together. The writing is flawless, raw, and beautiful. I thought it was awesome that some characters were from Willow's past. It gave me a better understanding of the woman she is today. As for Priest, he is intelligent, intense, insightful, and his touch is torturous. These two definitely have the whole...there's a fine line between love and hate vibe down. And it makes for one amazing book.
Overall...I hope there is more to the Crow City Series! The writing, the characters, everything, hooked me in.
Quotes:
Maybe he was considering having her liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti; she didn’t know.
“You close your eyes to things you want. Things you’re afraid to want.”
“Depravity can be beautiful, firefly.”
Willow hasn't had the easiest life. Her mom left her when she was four and by the age of six she was caregiver to her chronically ill father. She loved her father and would do anything for him like he would do for her but because she had to become an adult at a very young age, she skipped over her childhood and was twenty-four and living a life of waiting. Waiting for something to happen. What she didn't expect was that one of things she was waiting for was to be kidnapped by a murderer. One minute she is in her home and the next she is in a warehouse tied to a chair with no way out. She had no idea what this monster was planning to do with her. She learns that his name is Priest and he only kills the guilty. So why, was she still here? She was an innocent but she was in the wrong place at the wrong time and ruined his kill. And now...she might be next.
Willow and Priest play a dangerous game with their days together. Willow fascinates him. Wants to know her. The real her. Not the one that everyone else sees. Even herself. And he is in danger because he might actually care for the one person that can cause him to feel. And also can put her away for life. They both don't know what to do but what they do know is that there is a connection. She hates that she craves his touch when she should feel sickened by it. She should also hate him for opening old wounds that never healed. To get inside her head and even some part of her heart. She shouldn't care about him. He was a murderer. A contract killer. But was she so innocent, really? What will happen when he figures out the puzzle of Willow?
Willow is not the only one finding themselves. Priest has his own scars. He has his reasons for killing others but Willow makes him question his future. Can Willow convince him to let her go free? What if she is the one that he can never let go of?
This is one twisted and intense ride. If you love a dark suspense novel with some hot scenes with a twist of love...this book is for you! It's not for everyone but I was hooked in from the start. The characters are both complex in their own ways and even more complex together. The writing is flawless, raw, and beautiful. I thought it was awesome that some characters were from Willow's past. It gave me a better understanding of the woman she is today. As for Priest, he is intelligent, intense, insightful, and his touch is torturous. These two definitely have the whole...there's a fine line between love and hate vibe down. And it makes for one amazing book.
Overall...I hope there is more to the Crow City Series! The writing, the characters, everything, hooked me in.
Quotes:
Maybe he was considering having her liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti; she didn’t know.
“You close your eyes to things you want. Things you’re afraid to want.”
“Depravity can be beautiful, firefly.”
August 29, 2016
The Found is my first book by the author. Looking back I do wish I had read book one in this series as well as the companion novella (both of which I fully intend to read asap). This is a dark read but I would consider it on the lighter side of dark, I'm not sure why this book would have been banned as I've read much darker that was not, I felt personally that the warnings are a bit over the top when referring to this not being what BDSM is about, there was minimal BDSM related activity and I struggle to see where what was included could be traumatizing.
Maybe I've read too many dark stories to see where this one deserved to be banned, maybe not, either way you'll have to read and decide for yourself as everyone's tolerance level differs.
Priest is a contract killer.
He doesn't kill just anyone though, at least he doesn't believe he does.
Ex military he's found a new life that suits him and his need for making things right in the world.
When Willow witnesses one of his kills he takes her. He doesn't harm the innocent but he can't just let her walk and turn him in so tied up in his home is where she awakens.
Willow.
She's one messed up chick. I'm understanding where some of her issues came from but honestly having an unemotional whore for a mother who ran off and left you seems to have caused some seriously effed up views on her body and what she feels.
Being picked on as a child and abandoned by her mother left her to be raised by a father who loved her more than life, but with his medical condition the older she got the more he came to depend on her. She became her fathers care taker and nothing more, she allowed it to envelop her entire life, her entire being until there really was nothing more to her.
She's also a screw up at that.
Her backstory was a bit lacking to me, where the story starts off with how she's lost her job didn't give much to go on as well as her brother. Devon is who she calls to bail her out of whatever trouble she ends up in but other than a brief meeting with him when they were children I don't understand their relationship at all. Their one phone call where they comment on their mother leads the reader to believe they developed some kind of relationship over the years but not what kind, I mean she calls him for money, he feels guilty for not helping with her father and that's the extent of their contact. The lack in background leads me to believe I missed some seriously important info in book one or the author just doesn't give you what you need to fully connect with some of these characters.
Priest we got to know, we got his backstory, what made him who he was, why he did it and his thought process when taking a job. I also saw him as redeemable, I could connect with him. Willow though her issues weren't all as easily explained. She seemed to have some deeper problems that I didn't feel were dug into deeply enough to see her changing and being able to have anything even remotely close to a normal, healthy relationship.
So as far as a connection with her, I found none. I believe she would be better off with a psychologist than a man in her life.
This one as much as I wanted it to just didn't work for me. I found myself with more questions by the end than answers and it drove me nuts.
3.5 stars.
Maybe I've read too many dark stories to see where this one deserved to be banned, maybe not, either way you'll have to read and decide for yourself as everyone's tolerance level differs.
Priest is a contract killer.
He doesn't kill just anyone though, at least he doesn't believe he does.
Ex military he's found a new life that suits him and his need for making things right in the world.
When Willow witnesses one of his kills he takes her. He doesn't harm the innocent but he can't just let her walk and turn him in so tied up in his home is where she awakens.
Willow.
She's one messed up chick. I'm understanding where some of her issues came from but honestly having an unemotional whore for a mother who ran off and left you seems to have caused some seriously effed up views on her body and what she feels.
Being picked on as a child and abandoned by her mother left her to be raised by a father who loved her more than life, but with his medical condition the older she got the more he came to depend on her. She became her fathers care taker and nothing more, she allowed it to envelop her entire life, her entire being until there really was nothing more to her.
She's also a screw up at that.
Her backstory was a bit lacking to me, where the story starts off with how she's lost her job didn't give much to go on as well as her brother. Devon is who she calls to bail her out of whatever trouble she ends up in but other than a brief meeting with him when they were children I don't understand their relationship at all. Their one phone call where they comment on their mother leads the reader to believe they developed some kind of relationship over the years but not what kind, I mean she calls him for money, he feels guilty for not helping with her father and that's the extent of their contact. The lack in background leads me to believe I missed some seriously important info in book one or the author just doesn't give you what you need to fully connect with some of these characters.
Priest we got to know, we got his backstory, what made him who he was, why he did it and his thought process when taking a job. I also saw him as redeemable, I could connect with him. Willow though her issues weren't all as easily explained. She seemed to have some deeper problems that I didn't feel were dug into deeply enough to see her changing and being able to have anything even remotely close to a normal, healthy relationship.
So as far as a connection with her, I found none. I believe she would be better off with a psychologist than a man in her life.
This one as much as I wanted it to just didn't work for me. I found myself with more questions by the end than answers and it drove me nuts.
3.5 stars.
May 4, 2017
Sometimes we are just at a loss to accurately express how we feel about a book. This is one of those times!! I absolutely love Cole McCade's Crow City books and of course when this one came out, knowing that this was the book about Priest, it was a no brainer to read. Again, just as in The Lost, The Found deals with a taboo subject, but it is one that Cole has beautifully and brilliantly written. This book took me a couple weeks to read because it is deeply intense, graphic and violent but it was a book I had to finish because Priest and Willow are both deeply broken, yet beautiful characters. There is a warning at the beginning of the book about triggers in this book so be sure and read those first.
The main character Willow thought that she was a nothing, a nobody because she was not able to follow the path of her dreams but we begin to see that she is a beautiful somebody. Stronger than even she imagined, yet with a soft heart that she would not allow Priest to harden.
Priest was a deeply wounded, yet beautiful soul looking for something to always fill that broken place inside him that was created during war.
The way that he chooses to fill that emptiness are ugly and raw and that bleeds over onto Willow when he kidnaps her for his own selfish needs.
Priest has a very dark side and we see it throughout the book, but he also begins to show Willow that we all have a dark side, and he was the one willing to give her a safe place to explore that dark side. And when they explore it together, wow!!
This book took me to places I never imagined going!! Even though it deals with a very taboo subject, Cole has a way of making it deeply erotic and his writing can make even the most brutal and devastating scenes beautiful. It's a powerfully intense story but one that I'm so glad I read.
The main character Willow thought that she was a nothing, a nobody because she was not able to follow the path of her dreams but we begin to see that she is a beautiful somebody. Stronger than even she imagined, yet with a soft heart that she would not allow Priest to harden.
Priest was a deeply wounded, yet beautiful soul looking for something to always fill that broken place inside him that was created during war.
The way that he chooses to fill that emptiness are ugly and raw and that bleeds over onto Willow when he kidnaps her for his own selfish needs.
Priest has a very dark side and we see it throughout the book, but he also begins to show Willow that we all have a dark side, and he was the one willing to give her a safe place to explore that dark side. And when they explore it together, wow!!
This book took me to places I never imagined going!! Even though it deals with a very taboo subject, Cole has a way of making it deeply erotic and his writing can make even the most brutal and devastating scenes beautiful. It's a powerfully intense story but one that I'm so glad I read.
August 23, 2016
The book so dirty it was banned from Amazon! Does that grab your attention? Well, grab a copy of this book, because it’s good enough to warrant that attention. But not for Amazon’s reasons, whatever they may actually be.
First off, read the warnings in front of the book, or included on the buy site. Cole McKade does a thorough, well thought out job of explaining any possible triggers someone could encounter in the book. On top of that, he explains furthur that if the book is harmful in any way to put it down and walk away. And if that’s not enough for you, he also offers a support group on Facebook. Well Done!
After reading it, I honestly can’t understand the reason for the ban. I’ve read subject matter so much more provocative from books on Amazon, yet, still banned. Makes no sense. The gist of the storyline is this, Willow who is stuck taking care of her chronically ill father at home, and as poor as can be. She’s on her way home one night when she witnesses a murder.
The murderer is a totally hot guy named Priest, and because she’s a witness, he ends up taking her. Problem is, he doesn’t kill innocents, so he figures he will dig around until he finds a reason. I’m not telling you more than that. I don’t want to spoil it.
It’s a great book, and despite the warnings, I personally have read books that have tripped triggers more. There are some episodes of what I’d call dubious consent or nonconsensual consent. Also, there’s a slur in there. But it’s an awesome book!
I received an ARC of this book for an honest review
5 Orgasms!
First off, read the warnings in front of the book, or included on the buy site. Cole McKade does a thorough, well thought out job of explaining any possible triggers someone could encounter in the book. On top of that, he explains furthur that if the book is harmful in any way to put it down and walk away. And if that’s not enough for you, he also offers a support group on Facebook. Well Done!
After reading it, I honestly can’t understand the reason for the ban. I’ve read subject matter so much more provocative from books on Amazon, yet, still banned. Makes no sense. The gist of the storyline is this, Willow who is stuck taking care of her chronically ill father at home, and as poor as can be. She’s on her way home one night when she witnesses a murder.
The murderer is a totally hot guy named Priest, and because she’s a witness, he ends up taking her. Problem is, he doesn’t kill innocents, so he figures he will dig around until he finds a reason. I’m not telling you more than that. I don’t want to spoil it.
It’s a great book, and despite the warnings, I personally have read books that have tripped triggers more. There are some episodes of what I’d call dubious consent or nonconsensual consent. Also, there’s a slur in there. But it’s an awesome book!
I received an ARC of this book for an honest review
5 Orgasms!
August 26, 2016
Im warning you now. This review may not have very many intelligent sentences ran together. It was that good. After finishing The Found I laid in my bed, staring at my ceiling and absorbing everything I had just spent nearly 7 hour reading. 7 hours straight with minimal bathroom breaks and ignoring phone calls. It was THAT good. If you like things so dark, so dirty, and so very hot you have to reevaluate your own life then this is the book for you.
Willow is a small and quiet woman. I don't know how else to describe her to you. She has lived a life of poverty and hurt. However, she is one of the kindest woman you will meet. She is innocent and pure. She gave up her life and her future to take care of her bedridden father. That is until she is kidnapped by Priest. The italian hitman is a golden angel who crosses paths with a exhausted Willow whenever she interrupts his attempted assassination of another man. Priest is all things bad, dangerous, and down right sex on legs. Finding something intriguing about Willow, Priest decides he wants her. To mare her innocent flesh or to mend his broken soul?
The pull between these two is something that I can not even begin to put into words. It is so hot. So raw. So perfect. Cole McCade had me on the edge of my seat from the prologue of this book. It’s like Cole took the lines you shouldn't cross when writing a romance novel and gave them a big fuck you. It is so good Amazon banned it. Makes you want read it, huh? I don’t blame you.
Willow is a small and quiet woman. I don't know how else to describe her to you. She has lived a life of poverty and hurt. However, she is one of the kindest woman you will meet. She is innocent and pure. She gave up her life and her future to take care of her bedridden father. That is until she is kidnapped by Priest. The italian hitman is a golden angel who crosses paths with a exhausted Willow whenever she interrupts his attempted assassination of another man. Priest is all things bad, dangerous, and down right sex on legs. Finding something intriguing about Willow, Priest decides he wants her. To mare her innocent flesh or to mend his broken soul?
The pull between these two is something that I can not even begin to put into words. It is so hot. So raw. So perfect. Cole McCade had me on the edge of my seat from the prologue of this book. It’s like Cole took the lines you shouldn't cross when writing a romance novel and gave them a big fuck you. It is so good Amazon banned it. Makes you want read it, huh? I don’t blame you.
December 2, 2017
Wow. Just wow.
I am so monumentally happy I found this author and these Crow City novels. Leigh and Gabe's story was powerful and raw in a way too many writers in the "romance" genre shy away from; then this book about sweet demure Willow and the monstrous assassin who helps her find herself just blows that definition of powerful and raw writing out of the water!
There are definitely triggers in this book, and I note this while recognising that as a rape victim myself I often find author's warnings about these things to be rather silly and more PC than necessary. In this novel the actual acts portrayed might be considered triggers by some, but for me the greatest impact lies in the author's descriptions of Willow's self loathing and her fear of intimacy, fear of pleasure, fear of having spent so long hiding from the world she'll never be found and will miss out on life altogether. Far too many of the sentiments I've battled over the years to not make me at the very least feel shaken by memories of what made me this way... but also leaving me more aware of what I've survived and risen above. Which takes this from being powerfully written to empowering.
Extraordinary story-telling with brilliant layering of characters makes this a book that will stay with me for a very long time.
I am so monumentally happy I found this author and these Crow City novels. Leigh and Gabe's story was powerful and raw in a way too many writers in the "romance" genre shy away from; then this book about sweet demure Willow and the monstrous assassin who helps her find herself just blows that definition of powerful and raw writing out of the water!
There are definitely triggers in this book, and I note this while recognising that as a rape victim myself I often find author's warnings about these things to be rather silly and more PC than necessary. In this novel the actual acts portrayed might be considered triggers by some, but for me the greatest impact lies in the author's descriptions of Willow's self loathing and her fear of intimacy, fear of pleasure, fear of having spent so long hiding from the world she'll never be found and will miss out on life altogether. Far too many of the sentiments I've battled over the years to not make me at the very least feel shaken by memories of what made me this way... but also leaving me more aware of what I've survived and risen above. Which takes this from being powerfully written to empowering.
Extraordinary story-telling with brilliant layering of characters makes this a book that will stay with me for a very long time.
August 24, 2016
Angst 4
Tears 1
Value 3.5
Storyline 3.5
Panty scorching 4
Overall Rating 4
Kindle eARC
Reviewed by Lindsey
Holy crap this was one intense book. From beginning to end I was constantly wondering what would happen next. This is a first for this author for me and I really enjoyed. There were so many little details and twists that I thought I was going to miss something though.
Priest and Willow are polar opposite's at first. She'd loving and although her life is stressful she believes the best in people. She's aware bad things happen in the world but in a way she ignores it. Only problem is that she walks up on a situation where there's no way to ignore it. So what does she do??? Run. Straight into the man that will change her life forever.
This is a dark book. There are some major triggers in this story. Like MAJOR. But usually the more dark the book is the more I like it. I enjoyed reading this book but I did have a hard time relating to the characters. With Willow I sometimes wanted to slap her and with Priest I wanted him to be a little less stiff. And there were times where both were exactly what I had pictured. This is an interesting read with some many intense moments.
Tears 1
Value 3.5
Storyline 3.5
Panty scorching 4
Overall Rating 4
Kindle eARC
Reviewed by Lindsey
Holy crap this was one intense book. From beginning to end I was constantly wondering what would happen next. This is a first for this author for me and I really enjoyed. There were so many little details and twists that I thought I was going to miss something though.
Priest and Willow are polar opposite's at first. She'd loving and although her life is stressful she believes the best in people. She's aware bad things happen in the world but in a way she ignores it. Only problem is that she walks up on a situation where there's no way to ignore it. So what does she do??? Run. Straight into the man that will change her life forever.
This is a dark book. There are some major triggers in this story. Like MAJOR. But usually the more dark the book is the more I like it. I enjoyed reading this book but I did have a hard time relating to the characters. With Willow I sometimes wanted to slap her and with Priest I wanted him to be a little less stiff. And there were times where both were exactly what I had pictured. This is an interesting read with some many intense moments.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews