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By Way of Pain
Criminal Delights
Double lives were just the way it was for a man like me. By day I was a man with a reputation above reproach. Even assassins needed backup plans. For fifteen years, life was going without a hitch until I had to take out a witness. When it was time to kill him, beautiful eyes filled with fear urged me to do something else. Yet, in order to do that, I had to break him, and by way of pain, my captive would experience pleasure he'd never dreamed.
This book is part of CRIMINAL DELIGHTS. Each novel can be read as a standalone and contains a dark M/M romance.
Warning: These books are for adult readers who enjoy stories where lines between right and wrong get blurry. High heat, twisted and tantalizing, these are not for the fainthearted.
Double lives were just the way it was for a man like me. By day I was a man with a reputation above reproach. Even assassins needed backup plans. For fifteen years, life was going without a hitch until I had to take out a witness. When it was time to kill him, beautiful eyes filled with fear urged me to do something else. Yet, in order to do that, I had to break him, and by way of pain, my captive would experience pleasure he'd never dreamed.
This book is part of CRIMINAL DELIGHTS. Each novel can be read as a standalone and contains a dark M/M romance.
Warning: These books are for adult readers who enjoy stories where lines between right and wrong get blurry. High heat, twisted and tantalizing, these are not for the fainthearted.
167 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 20, 2019
108 people are currently reading
664 people want to read
About the author
J.M. Dabney
58 books643 followersUSA Today Bestselling author J.M. Dabney is a multi-genre published writer of Body and Fat Positive Romance & Fiction. They live with a constant diverse cast of diverse characters in their head. They live for one purpose alone, and that’s to make sure everyone gets the happily ever after they deserve. There is nothing more they want from telling their stories than to show that no matter the package the characters come in or the damage their pasts have done, that love is love. That normal is never normal and sometimes the so-called broken can still be beautiful.
The author is Non-Binary and uses the pronouns They/Them.
The author is Non-Binary and uses the pronouns They/Them.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews
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June 23, 2024
|| 1.0 star ||
This was not a dark romance. This was sadistic torture porn. And I do mean that literally: this book follows a sadistic killer who physically tortures and mentally abuses his ‘love interest’ for pleasure. That’s legitimately the entire plot: nothing more, nothing less. And no, I’m unfortunately not exaggerating.
'CRIMINAL DELIGHTS' COLLECTION:
Taken:
1. Wrong Way Home - 4.0 stars
5. Sweating Lies (Lies #1) - 4.5 stars
15. To Have and to Hold - 3.0 stars
16. Splitting Lies (Lies #2) - 3.5 stars
Assassins:
12. By Way of Pain - 1.0 star
14. Cold Light - 2.0 stars
This was not a dark romance. This was sadistic torture porn. And I do mean that literally: this book follows a sadistic killer who physically tortures and mentally abuses his ‘love interest’ for pleasure. That’s legitimately the entire plot: nothing more, nothing less. And no, I’m unfortunately not exaggerating.
'CRIMINAL DELIGHTS' COLLECTION:
Taken:
1. Wrong Way Home - 4.0 stars
5. Sweating Lies (Lies #1) - 4.5 stars
15. To Have and to Hold - 3.0 stars
16. Splitting Lies (Lies #2) - 3.5 stars
Assassins:
12. By Way of Pain - 1.0 star
14. Cold Light - 2.0 stars
July 11, 2024
2.5ish stars?
i totally love sociopathic, psycho, insane characters and cowen was pretty fascinating. harrison was sweet but he didn’t particularly give me many feelings overall.
the book was enjoyable enough, but i feel like it all went way too quickly from harrison being scared (like any normal person who got kidnapped would be) to being totally fucking fine with being kidnapped & essentially used as a sex slave. that was my main problem here i think. i prefer a little more fight in my captive/stockholm syndrome books lol
i totally love sociopathic, psycho, insane characters and cowen was pretty fascinating. harrison was sweet but he didn’t particularly give me many feelings overall.
the book was enjoyable enough, but i feel like it all went way too quickly from harrison being scared (like any normal person who got kidnapped would be) to being totally fucking fine with being kidnapped & essentially used as a sex slave. that was my main problem here i think. i prefer a little more fight in my captive/stockholm syndrome books lol
May 31, 2019
Wow Stockholm Syndrome at its finest ! There is someone for everyone... even a sociopathic killer
May 21, 2019
Damn. Just ...damn. Ok, so, if you guys have been paying attention to this series, you will know these stories are not your every day, average ordinary romances. They are very dark, twisted and can carry some triggers, so please be careful. This one deals with BDSM, whips, paddles and such. It deals in murder, kidnapping, beatings and the like, so if any is a trigger, be aware.
For those of you who are warped like me, (just teasing), and love this stuff, this book is dynamite. Wow. I picked it up and couldn't put it down. I don't even know where to start.
You hear about this psychopaths and sociopaths on TV and wonder how anyone could love them. Knowing what they do and how they are, how could anyone love them? I guess the adage 'love is blind’ comes into play here. I was so torn about Cowen.
I don't want to give anything away, but let's just Cowen started killing at a very young age. And tried to include himself in that number. He has no emotion whatsoever. For 15+ years, he's been a professional during the day and an assassin by night. No one has ever caught him and everyone fears him. One night, he slipped. He was seen during a kill. He normally kills witnesses but something about this man won't let him. So he kidnaps with plans to break him. Only it turns on him. The plans he made had to be altered for what he finally felt. By pain, for both of them, he will get through.
I've always wondered if love could make a difference for someone like that. It's surprising to me, though, that some psychopaths/sociopaths are actually brought up being very loved. Like Cowen, he and they feel like it's something they are born with. Something in them is broken. The thing with Cowen that's different, is one thing did change him. Only to a point, but that in itself is huge. I'm telling what or how, you just have to read this book. You will not be disappointed.
I know I wasn't. I hate to cut this short but I really don't want to give it away. I just want to remind you, it's not for the faint of heart. It's twisted but so damn good. I'm so glad I've gotten to read this series and see how you guys have interpreted it.
http://lovebytesreviews.com/
For those of you who are warped like me, (just teasing), and love this stuff, this book is dynamite. Wow. I picked it up and couldn't put it down. I don't even know where to start.
You hear about this psychopaths and sociopaths on TV and wonder how anyone could love them. Knowing what they do and how they are, how could anyone love them? I guess the adage 'love is blind’ comes into play here. I was so torn about Cowen.
I don't want to give anything away, but let's just Cowen started killing at a very young age. And tried to include himself in that number. He has no emotion whatsoever. For 15+ years, he's been a professional during the day and an assassin by night. No one has ever caught him and everyone fears him. One night, he slipped. He was seen during a kill. He normally kills witnesses but something about this man won't let him. So he kidnaps with plans to break him. Only it turns on him. The plans he made had to be altered for what he finally felt. By pain, for both of them, he will get through.
I've always wondered if love could make a difference for someone like that. It's surprising to me, though, that some psychopaths/sociopaths are actually brought up being very loved. Like Cowen, he and they feel like it's something they are born with. Something in them is broken. The thing with Cowen that's different, is one thing did change him. Only to a point, but that in itself is huge. I'm telling what or how, you just have to read this book. You will not be disappointed.
I know I wasn't. I hate to cut this short but I really don't want to give it away. I just want to remind you, it's not for the faint of heart. It's twisted but so damn good. I'm so glad I've gotten to read this series and see how you guys have interpreted it.
http://lovebytesreviews.com/
January 6, 2025
I was so invested in the characters and the plot. But for a long time (even if it was a short book) I couldn't quite see how this would end up in a romance I would root for. But by the end I saw their HEA and was happy with it. One of my favorites of the series.
May 15, 2020
So this is how you domesticate a bear.
This feels a tad different from the other books in the Criminal Delights series. For one, the leads aren't that physically prepossessing, with our prey a bit on the pudgy side while our gaunt assassin has a worn body marred and even cratered by bullets and explosions. The fact that both are also virgins(!) despite their age makes this pairing very poetic too.
With Cowen, the sex instinct is sublimated through the thrill of murder and pain. There's a steely coolness, a furtive longing in the initial proceedings that was pretty intriguing. With one party wishing only to be loved and the other seeking to simply feel anything, even something as debilitating as empathy, it's ironic that they'd only be able to save each other by doing away with their "virtue".
What I really liked is that Harrison's taming isn't the be-all and end-all of this book. An interesting tangent came up in the story's last third that would put to a test whether he is ever and truly Cowen's possession or not.
The only thing that I found distasteful here is Harrison's craven acceptance of his "inevitable" death whenever he was captured . And yeah, having prolific murderers as anti-heroes is not something I can get behind. In any case, I liked it better than most of the other books in the series even if (or maybe precisely because?) it wasn't as gory as they were.
I'm rating this 7/10 or 3 stars out of 5.
This feels a tad different from the other books in the Criminal Delights series. For one, the leads aren't that physically prepossessing, with our prey a bit on the pudgy side while our gaunt assassin has a worn body marred and even cratered by bullets and explosions. The fact that both are also virgins(!) despite their age makes this pairing very poetic too.
With Cowen, the sex instinct is sublimated through the thrill of murder and pain. There's a steely coolness, a furtive longing in the initial proceedings that was pretty intriguing. With one party wishing only to be loved and the other seeking to simply feel anything, even something as debilitating as empathy, it's ironic that they'd only be able to save each other by doing away with their "virtue".
What I really liked is that Harrison's taming isn't the be-all and end-all of this book. An interesting tangent came up in the story's last third that would put to a test whether he is ever and truly Cowen's possession or not.
The only thing that I found distasteful here is Harrison's craven acceptance of his "inevitable" death whenever he was captured . And yeah, having prolific murderers as anti-heroes is not something I can get behind. In any case, I liked it better than most of the other books in the series even if (or maybe precisely because?) it wasn't as gory as they were.
I'm rating this 7/10 or 3 stars out of 5.
March 11, 2021
Excellent concept, rocky execution.
August 2, 2020
Wow, that was an interesting book. I started out thinking it was going to be so violent I couldn’t read it. I love dark BDSM novels, but if the violence is too strong it can be a turn off. This started really dark and violent.
Yes, it got better. This is no sweet romance. It’s a Dom discovering the Sub who makes him whole. Not for the faint of heart.
Yes, it got better. This is no sweet romance. It’s a Dom discovering the Sub who makes him whole. Not for the faint of heart.
August 9, 2020
Book Reaction: https://neverhollowed.com/2020/06/02/...
Rating: 4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bits
Rating: 4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bits
June 14, 2019
I'll admit to a fondness for MC's who society would think are not redeemable. I also loved Dexter. Harrison was the perfect foil for Cowen. Cownen is a true sociopath - rarely feeling emotion. The story starts super dark and it is, to a point, but there is love as well. IDK but it wasn't feeling Stockholm like to me at all here. It felt more like two guys realizing they were it for each other in spite of one being an assassin. I sort of expected the from the beginning as a way to both recognize and show what Harrison means to him. I did think it interesting the stages Harrison goes through - it was pretty smooth, at times a bit superficial, but oddly realistic and likely.
This series/group of books is one I've had on my list pretty much since they were announced and I'm feeling like I need to read many more of them. They are right up my alley - anti heroes, pain, torture -- it's all good.
June 3, 2019
Very enjoyable!
June 4, 2019
4.5 stars!
This book was twisted but in the best possible way! It was dark and absolutely made me question my sanity a bit when I realized how much I was enjoying it and did not want to put it down. You know a story is good when one of the main characters is not only flawed but is actually a bad person and yet you still love them.
Cowen and Harrison worked perfectly for me. They were complete opposites but they learned to understand each other and their dynamic was solid. And the sex scenes… SHEESH… YUMMM. I love an aggressive sex scene and theirs fit that perfectly.
We really get to see inside both characters’ heads, but reading Cowen's POV really brought the story together. The author did a great job of creating a character so uniquely dark and giving him a voice that matched him. Great read!
*** Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie for my reading pleasure, a review wasn't a requirement. ***
This book was twisted but in the best possible way! It was dark and absolutely made me question my sanity a bit when I realized how much I was enjoying it and did not want to put it down. You know a story is good when one of the main characters is not only flawed but is actually a bad person and yet you still love them.
Cowen and Harrison worked perfectly for me. They were complete opposites but they learned to understand each other and their dynamic was solid. And the sex scenes… SHEESH… YUMMM. I love an aggressive sex scene and theirs fit that perfectly.
We really get to see inside both characters’ heads, but reading Cowen's POV really brought the story together. The author did a great job of creating a character so uniquely dark and giving him a voice that matched him. Great read!
*** Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie for my reading pleasure, a review wasn't a requirement. ***
July 9, 2020
Oh wow. This is just mind-twisting in its own way. In contrast with the other books in the series - which takes me painstakingly long to decide which to read while tiptoeing around the edges of my comfort zone, this book is so much less dark and more romantic in some ways. Yes, theres blood! Yes, theres pain! Yes, there's captivity and kills! But then, its about acceptance and getting what you want.
Home was only a five-minute ride, and I dreaded it so much. I wanted someone who would miss me, mourn me when I'm gone, and yet I knew I'd just be a vague and fading memory.
Harrison was a lonely person. Yet, He has so many feelings compared to Cowen (duh!) and that makes Harrison endearing from the start. He enjoys the things that Cowen doesn't and gives Cowen a glimpse of human-y feelings. And the part where both characters were eyeing each other "unconsciously" for a while before the kidnapping incident definitely makes my heartburn. It was quite an experience to see how Harrison struggle and reasons with his situation. In the end, he got what he wanted the most from his captor - a compass in life and someone who misses him when he's gone. I am still wondering who has a more serious anxiety issue between the duo and I'm gonna stick with Cowen because it felt more romantic that way.
Home was only a five-minute ride, and I dreaded it so much. I wanted someone who would miss me, mourn me when I'm gone, and yet I knew I'd just be a vague and fading memory.
Harrison was a lonely person. Yet, He has so many feelings compared to Cowen (duh!) and that makes Harrison endearing from the start. He enjoys the things that Cowen doesn't and gives Cowen a glimpse of human-y feelings. And the part where both characters were eyeing each other "unconsciously" for a while before the kidnapping incident definitely makes my heartburn. It was quite an experience to see how Harrison struggle and reasons with his situation. In the end, he got what he wanted the most from his captor - a compass in life and someone who misses him when he's gone. I am still wondering who has a more serious anxiety issue between the duo and I'm gonna stick with Cowen because it felt more romantic that way.
June 1, 2019
pleasure and pain... intrigue and fear.. love and anger.. so many complex emotions thrown together.. i loved it .. i love when characters are flawed and broken and need to be put back together and sometimes they dont even get put back together. it was wonderful
May 30, 2019
I haven't read a dark romance like this in YEARS, but since it's Dabney I had to. I think I kind of heart Cowen. Should I? EEK! I don't know. My mind is all over the place.
April 21, 2019
This book is Absolutely A-Fucking-mazing!!! In my top 3 of FAVO books from Jami Dabney
RTC!
RTC!
May 20, 2019
This is my favorite so far of the Criminal Delights series and I don't know what that says about me as a person.
November 2, 2020
I found the story rather predictable and shallow
May 22, 2019
“You are an odd man. You actually believe that you love a killer, that he may love you in return. There's nothing in that man that will ever love. You're just a corpse that doesn't know it's dead yet.”
That's it. That's the quote of the century. I can't believe I agree with the other "main" villain of the story. I saw that quote and I was shook.
I was afraid that this was going to be insta-love with the captive (Harrison) bending to the captor's will (Cowen) immediately and not putting much of a fight towards, hello? being kidnapped, sexually abused, tormented, humiliated and whatnot (I hate when authors do that. It's not realistic AT ALL. Stockholm Syndrome doesn't establish itself that quick. It takes time.) But, surprisingly, Harrison breaks down at around 58% in which I guess it's okay? But then you remember that Harrison has had a crush on Cowen since forever so that makes this technically insta-love since Harrison doesn't lose his SHIT when he realizes who his captor really was, and bends over anyways. I would have fought him so hard; I loved you and you kidnapped me? fuck you lmao.
“I loved my mother and wouldn't regret the years I had with her, even the ones that I acted as her caretaker. When I'd walked back into my house, it had felt more like a prison than the basement had.” Harrison says 64% in having already forgiven Cowen.
Yikes. What a horrible thing to say about ones mother in comparison to the guy that kidnapped you and sexually assaulted you.
You might think I hate this book and I am #Triggered but I am not. I like how it was written, I liked the pace, the plot and, to some extent, the characters. It just irked me because...am I supposed to see this as "romance"? Because I don't...? Cowen is a psychopath and psychopaths are NOT capable of love. They can feel an attraction to you and say that you're theirs and see you as their possession and that's it. I don't doubt that Cowen "cares" for Harrison and would never actually cause his death (although I truly believe that if Harrison ever tried to leave him, he would either kill Harrison or whoever Harrison is attracted to or throw Harrison in the basement again isolating him completely from the world) but that's it; I wouldn't call it love. Harrison is a man that was touched starved, sexually repressed and lonely having just recently lost his mother (who he dint particularly enjoyed taking care of anyways lmao) who, upon receiving "care", sole focus and being touched and attended to by Cowen he just melted and submitted to him. I don't doubt Harrison's love towards Cowen whatsoever. He loved him even before he kidnapped him but after you learned he is a killer, a psychopath and kidnapped you, you still forgave him and willingly slept with him? yeah.....can't relate.
And because of all this, I am giving this damn book 5 stars because....it was actually good, gosh darn it.
That's it. That's the quote of the century. I can't believe I agree with the other "main" villain of the story. I saw that quote and I was shook.
I was afraid that this was going to be insta-love with the captive (Harrison) bending to the captor's will (Cowen) immediately and not putting much of a fight towards, hello? being kidnapped, sexually abused, tormented, humiliated and whatnot (I hate when authors do that. It's not realistic AT ALL. Stockholm Syndrome doesn't establish itself that quick. It takes time.) But, surprisingly, Harrison breaks down at around 58% in which I guess it's okay? But then you remember that Harrison has had a crush on Cowen since forever so that makes this technically insta-love since Harrison doesn't lose his SHIT when he realizes who his captor really was, and bends over anyways. I would have fought him so hard; I loved you and you kidnapped me? fuck you lmao.
“I loved my mother and wouldn't regret the years I had with her, even the ones that I acted as her caretaker. When I'd walked back into my house, it had felt more like a prison than the basement had.” Harrison says 64% in having already forgiven Cowen.
Yikes. What a horrible thing to say about ones mother in comparison to the guy that kidnapped you and sexually assaulted you.
You might think I hate this book and I am #Triggered but I am not. I like how it was written, I liked the pace, the plot and, to some extent, the characters. It just irked me because...am I supposed to see this as "romance"? Because I don't...? Cowen is a psychopath and psychopaths are NOT capable of love. They can feel an attraction to you and say that you're theirs and see you as their possession and that's it. I don't doubt that Cowen "cares" for Harrison and would never actually cause his death (although I truly believe that if Harrison ever tried to leave him, he would either kill Harrison or whoever Harrison is attracted to or throw Harrison in the basement again isolating him completely from the world) but that's it; I wouldn't call it love. Harrison is a man that was touched starved, sexually repressed and lonely having just recently lost his mother (who he dint particularly enjoyed taking care of anyways lmao) who, upon receiving "care", sole focus and being touched and attended to by Cowen he just melted and submitted to him. I don't doubt Harrison's love towards Cowen whatsoever. He loved him even before he kidnapped him but after you learned he is a killer, a psychopath and kidnapped you, you still forgave him and willingly slept with him? yeah.....can't relate.
And because of all this, I am giving this damn book 5 stars because....it was actually good, gosh darn it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 1, 2019
An exciting, ride on the dark side!
This book dives right in from page one, grabbing the readers attention and simply does not let up until the last word. Cowan is a hard character, in fact, he almost does not have any redeeming qualities until he decides to deviate from his norm and keep a prize for himself. He has little use for people in general, and even less for emotions. Mainly because he doesn’t have emotions. He feels boredom and a listlessness for the most part, unless he is fulfilling his calling: snuffing the life out of those who deserve it or cross him. When watching the life of another being extinguished is the only time he feels excitement, or alive. He has mastered the art of fitting in, of camouflaging who and what he really is- an assassin. He has lived his life by the strictest of personal guidelines and he has perfected the ability to blend in in plain sight for years. Until one unfortunate night where his office assistant is in the wrong place at the wrong time and he is forced to take the man to keep his secrets.
Harrison is a shy, lonely man. He longs for a lover, someone who will treat him like he matters. A dream that very much seems over when he finds himself bound and at the mercy of a masked man. He is told his life will consist of pain for the pleasure of his captor until he has served his purpose and then he will be killed. He finds himself confused by the onslaught of feelings he has for his captor and the dark things he does to him.
Cowan discovers more than he bargained for in his captive, his utter submission captivating him, drawing him in in ways he has never been before, and the realization that he is more human than he imagined himself to be.
I recommend this to readers who are not afraid to embrace their dark side, and who enjoy a strong connection between the main characters. This book is a highly enjoyable read, and I look forward to reading more from this author.
This book dives right in from page one, grabbing the readers attention and simply does not let up until the last word. Cowan is a hard character, in fact, he almost does not have any redeeming qualities until he decides to deviate from his norm and keep a prize for himself. He has little use for people in general, and even less for emotions. Mainly because he doesn’t have emotions. He feels boredom and a listlessness for the most part, unless he is fulfilling his calling: snuffing the life out of those who deserve it or cross him. When watching the life of another being extinguished is the only time he feels excitement, or alive. He has mastered the art of fitting in, of camouflaging who and what he really is- an assassin. He has lived his life by the strictest of personal guidelines and he has perfected the ability to blend in in plain sight for years. Until one unfortunate night where his office assistant is in the wrong place at the wrong time and he is forced to take the man to keep his secrets.
Harrison is a shy, lonely man. He longs for a lover, someone who will treat him like he matters. A dream that very much seems over when he finds himself bound and at the mercy of a masked man. He is told his life will consist of pain for the pleasure of his captor until he has served his purpose and then he will be killed. He finds himself confused by the onslaught of feelings he has for his captor and the dark things he does to him.
Cowan discovers more than he bargained for in his captive, his utter submission captivating him, drawing him in in ways he has never been before, and the realization that he is more human than he imagined himself to be.
I recommend this to readers who are not afraid to embrace their dark side, and who enjoy a strong connection between the main characters. This book is a highly enjoyable read, and I look forward to reading more from this author.
June 23, 2019
Finally, thank god! After so many stinkers the series picked itself up again. I had just about took the rest of the books off my tbr and find a new series but this one pleasantly surprised and delighted me. Cowen was a believable assassin badass who hit the mark. The other other assassin was suffering from PTSD and flashbacks and was sussed out by the mark at the earliest point in the book and I skimmed the rest because that book was living in a world where you have to suspend all believable things. But this assassin was true and hardcore about what he wanted. Harrison was a main character with some actual growth and was real. He was overweight and didn't follow the rest of the series with picking stereotype buff/muscular or skinny/lithe pretty boys. I was quite honestly sick of the slutty pretty boys in the series and the strong mcs who needed to be in control. I loved the progression of the "romance", the pace was good, and the book didn't end too softly. I love a books that promised to be dark and delivers. The rest told us to be aware and then softened the blows and did a complete 180 and trued to be fluffy. I would love to keep reading and enjoy these two. By Way of Pain was one of the shorter books that should've taken the pages of the other books and ended those quickly expanding on this one.
May 9, 2020
PROMISING AUTHOR.
I am rating this book 3 stars (even though, for me, it hardly deserves 2 stars) as an incentive. I liked the concept/idea and the personality of Cowen more than the read itself, I liked the way the character was drawn and introduced, and his philosophy of life is fascinating (I have a thing for psychopathic criminals, it seems!)
My main objection is related to the choice of the author to write this novel in first person. From what I saw and read, I am positive; in third person, the story would have been--and felt--infinitely better, we would have been spared the cringe-worthy narration and the author would have had more freedom to develop the backgrounds of the two MCs without making the development sound stagy or the characters appear to be haughty... and self-centered.
Usually, I don't forgive it when an author writes in the wrong POV, but I won't take it into consideration this time because I liked a lot of other things about this book, and the cover is exceptionally to my liking as well.
This is the second book I read from this author, and the second that I like. I want to read more from them in the future, so, 3 stars.
I am rating this book 3 stars (even though, for me, it hardly deserves 2 stars) as an incentive. I liked the concept/idea and the personality of Cowen more than the read itself, I liked the way the character was drawn and introduced, and his philosophy of life is fascinating (I have a thing for psychopathic criminals, it seems!)
My main objection is related to the choice of the author to write this novel in first person. From what I saw and read, I am positive; in third person, the story would have been--and felt--infinitely better, we would have been spared the cringe-worthy narration and the author would have had more freedom to develop the backgrounds of the two MCs without making the development sound stagy or the characters appear to be haughty... and self-centered.
Usually, I don't forgive it when an author writes in the wrong POV, but I won't take it into consideration this time because I liked a lot of other things about this book, and the cover is exceptionally to my liking as well.
This is the second book I read from this author, and the second that I like. I want to read more from them in the future, so, 3 stars.
April 17, 2019
Cowen is an unfeeling psychopath (his words) who believes his life is just perfect the way it is until his personal assistant from his day job, Harrison, sees more than he should when Cowen is on an assignment for his second job as an assassin. He takes Harrison as his own and from there we get a twisted but surprisingly deep love story.
After finishing this I can only think one word.. Wow. This book was not what I was expecting but it definitely surpassed all of my expectations. I received this book as an ARC and I was lucky to get the chance to read it. It was dark and twisted but was extremely enjoyable. It was great to watch the characters grow to love each other and realize the other was what they had been looking for all along.
This is an unconventional love story with a lot of twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat to the very end. Harrison is just so sweet and shy that he is the perfect compliment for the dark and confident Cowen. The character development over the course of the story is fun to read as is their whole love story. It was well written and I look forward to checking out more from this author.
After finishing this I can only think one word.. Wow. This book was not what I was expecting but it definitely surpassed all of my expectations. I received this book as an ARC and I was lucky to get the chance to read it. It was dark and twisted but was extremely enjoyable. It was great to watch the characters grow to love each other and realize the other was what they had been looking for all along.
This is an unconventional love story with a lot of twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat to the very end. Harrison is just so sweet and shy that he is the perfect compliment for the dark and confident Cowen. The character development over the course of the story is fun to read as is their whole love story. It was well written and I look forward to checking out more from this author.
July 13, 2019
By Way of Pain!
Total Rating: 2.8 Stars out of 5
Rating Review Rollout:
(1) Blurb vs Story matchup: 3 🌟🌟🌟
(2) Character Development: 3 🌟🌟🌟
(3) Danger/Drama/Thrills/Chills: 3 🌟🌟🌟
(4) Editing/Proofreading: 2 🌟🌟
(5) Entertainment Value: 4 🌟🌟🌟🌟
(6) Feeling the Words: 3 🌟🌟🌟
(7) Flow of the Story: 3 🌟🌟🌟
(8) Keeps my Attention: 3 🌟🌟🌟
(9) MC Appeal: 3 🌟🌟🌟
(10) MC Backstory: 2 🌟🌟
(11) MC Chemistry: 2 🌟🌟
(12) MC Love Connection: 2 🌟🌟
(13) Plot Worthiness: 3 🌟🌟🌟
(14) Sexy Sex Scenes: 2 🌟🌟
(15) Wrap Up of Loose Ends: 4 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Total Rating: 2.8 Stars out of 5
Rating Review Rollout:
(1) Blurb vs Story matchup: 3 🌟🌟🌟
(2) Character Development: 3 🌟🌟🌟
(3) Danger/Drama/Thrills/Chills: 3 🌟🌟🌟
(4) Editing/Proofreading: 2 🌟🌟
(5) Entertainment Value: 4 🌟🌟🌟🌟
(6) Feeling the Words: 3 🌟🌟🌟
(7) Flow of the Story: 3 🌟🌟🌟
(8) Keeps my Attention: 3 🌟🌟🌟
(9) MC Appeal: 3 🌟🌟🌟
(10) MC Backstory: 2 🌟🌟
(11) MC Chemistry: 2 🌟🌟
(12) MC Love Connection: 2 🌟🌟
(13) Plot Worthiness: 3 🌟🌟🌟
(14) Sexy Sex Scenes: 2 🌟🌟
(15) Wrap Up of Loose Ends: 4 🌟🌟🌟🌟
June 5, 2019
Wow
I admit I was scared to read this book because after all the books in the criminal delights series were going to be dark. There wasn't going to be any romance. Well guess what there was it just wasn't your fluffy kind of sweetness. I actually saw a person who just didn't understand emotions some what like an alien or robot who saw things as is. Cowan for some reason begins to have feelings for Harrison even though everything he does seems cruel. Cowan struggles with this because after all he's nothing more than a cold hearted assassin, a killing machine void of any kind of empathy or emotion.
I admit I was scared to read this book because after all the books in the criminal delights series were going to be dark. There wasn't going to be any romance. Well guess what there was it just wasn't your fluffy kind of sweetness. I actually saw a person who just didn't understand emotions some what like an alien or robot who saw things as is. Cowan for some reason begins to have feelings for Harrison even though everything he does seems cruel. Cowan struggles with this because after all he's nothing more than a cold hearted assassin, a killing machine void of any kind of empathy or emotion.
May 20, 2019
Loved it
While I have read everything this author has published (and loved it all) I was a little leery with this book. After reading the entire book I have to say that I loved it. I will admit it took the whole book and trying to place myself in the characters emotions; however, the author did an excellent job and I’m glad I read it.
While I have read everything this author has published (and loved it all) I was a little leery with this book. After reading the entire book I have to say that I loved it. I will admit it took the whole book and trying to place myself in the characters emotions; however, the author did an excellent job and I’m glad I read it.
June 1, 2019
This book is DARK and I loved it! The character development is phenomenal as well as the story line. This will consume you in the best of ways. It is about a guy that is just living day to day basically just existing. Cowen is basically an unfeeling uncaring psychopath. Harrington feels invincible and alone, but is he really? This book makes you look at emotions and perceived emotions in a whole new light. One of the best books by this author I’ve read, BUT make sure you read the trigger warnings.
May 23, 2019
This was exactly the kind of DARK story I expected from this book (and the Criminal Delights series in general) and I loved it! It didn't make any excuses, it didn't try to redeem its main characters(s) and that's exactly what I wanted. Cowen is a cold-hearted psychopath who doesn't understand what emotions are until he decides to hold his assistant captive.
My biggest problem is that the story didn't give their main characters enough time to develope. Harrison went from a captive that wanted to escape, to a love-sick puppy pretty much in the blink of an eye. I was looking for more of that slow stockhom syndrome. Another thing that bothered me is Cowen's way of "training" Harrison, using punishments and rewards, was mentioned multiple times, but I could never quite grasp what they were doing exactly and how it had an influence on Harrison. Ijust felt like Cowen was pretty inconsequent with his training. He said Harrison would get punished for misbehaving, and yet the next day he starts Harrison's "training" by whipping him. The rewards were also never quite made clear to me. I guess you can look over that, since Cowen says he can do what he wants, just because he can. But I would have liked to see more consistency.
But, overall, this is a great story if you want something dark, bad and wrong!
My biggest problem is that the story didn't give their main characters enough time to develope. Harrison went from a captive that wanted to escape, to a love-sick puppy pretty much in the blink of an eye. I was looking for more of that slow stockhom syndrome. Another thing that bothered me is Cowen's way of "training" Harrison, using punishments and rewards, was mentioned multiple times, but I could never quite grasp what they were doing exactly and how it had an influence on Harrison. Ijust felt like Cowen was pretty inconsequent with his training. He said Harrison would get punished for misbehaving, and yet the next day he starts Harrison's "training" by whipping him. The rewards were also never quite made clear to me. I guess you can look over that, since Cowen says he can do what he wants, just because he can. But I would have liked to see more consistency.
But, overall, this is a great story if you want something dark, bad and wrong!
June 17, 2019
B rating...
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