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The Enslaved Duet #1
Enthralled
It was the biggest day of my life.
I know most people say that about something joyous; a graduation, a wedding ceremony, the birth of their first child. My situation was a little different.
Sure, it was my eighteenth birthday, but it was also the day that I was sold.
Sold to a man with hair like a crown of gold and eyes blacker than the darkest pits of Hell.
He bought me to own me, to control me, and to use me as a means to an end.
I was his tool and his weapon.
And through it all, somehow, I also became his salvation.
I know most people say that about something joyous; a graduation, a wedding ceremony, the birth of their first child. My situation was a little different.
Sure, it was my eighteenth birthday, but it was also the day that I was sold.
Sold to a man with hair like a crown of gold and eyes blacker than the darkest pits of Hell.
He bought me to own me, to control me, and to use me as a means to an end.
I was his tool and his weapon.
And through it all, somehow, I also became his salvation.
305 pages, ebook
First published March 28, 2019
2106 people are currently reading
9251 people want to read
About the author
Giana Darling
47 books10.1k followersGiana Darling is a Wall Street Journal, USA Today and Top 40 Amazon Best Selling Canadian romance author.
I love to write about all things dark, forbidden, and angsty.
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I love to hear from readers so please contact me at giana@gianadarling.com if you have any questions or comments.
You can also contact my PA at gianadarlingpa(at)gianadarling.com !
I love to write about all things dark, forbidden, and angsty.
★CONNECT WITH GIANA★
GOODREADS GROUP: http://bit.ly/GianasDarlings_Goodreads
WEBSITE: gianadarling.com
FACEBOOK: http://bit.ly/2tKhTKO
READER’S GROUP: http://bit.ly/2CFNVsK
GOODREADS: http://bit.ly/2J5Evtq
AMAZON: https://amzn.to/2E5LPRW
BOOKBUB: http://bit.ly/2lI2UNn
IG: http://bit.ly/2eNG8Bp | @GianaDarlingAuthor
PINTEREST: https://www.pinterest.com/gianadarling/
NEWSLETTER: https://gianadarling.ck.page/0b909dc860
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@gianadarling...
I love to hear from readers so please contact me at giana@gianadarling.com if you have any questions or comments.
You can also contact my PA at gianadarlingpa(at)gianadarling.com !
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 851 reviews
June 8, 2025
✯ 𝟏.𝟓 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬
This book started out really strong, the first 30% was honestly fun and just when I thought everything was going well, the story fell apart until I realised it's going nowhere. The entire book is filled with smut, even that was terribly written. The unnecessarily detailed descriptions of every single thing didn't help either. Nonetheless, check out the triggers since it includes Non-con and SA as well.
This is a non-con book and that's not what I'm complaining about but considering the majority of the book is filled with smut, shouldn't there be at least one consensual scene? Because from what I read, the fmc was always under the illusion that she had a say even after she was sexually assaulted multiple times. Though that might be due to severe stockholm syndrome.
On a second note, the smut written in this book was so juvenile, I'm at a loss for words. I've read better smut in Wattpad and I'm honestly stunned because giana is a successful dark romance author yet how she managed to write and publish such atrocious smut scenes is still beyond me.
The degradation kink was overused and the bdsm was awfully executed. I would've given this two stars if the smut wasn't so badly written. And honestly, even then, that's not what I signed up for. It's the trope of captor/captive romance that made me read this book but that wasn't executed properly either because there was no romance. It was pure lust.
This book started out really strong, the first 30% was honestly fun and just when I thought everything was going well, the story fell apart until I realised it's going nowhere. The entire book is filled with smut, even that was terribly written. The unnecessarily detailed descriptions of every single thing didn't help either. Nonetheless, check out the triggers since it includes Non-con and SA as well.
This is a non-con book and that's not what I'm complaining about but considering the majority of the book is filled with smut, shouldn't there be at least one consensual scene? Because from what I read, the fmc was always under the illusion that she had a say even after she was sexually assaulted multiple times. Though that might be due to severe stockholm syndrome.
On a second note, the smut written in this book was so juvenile, I'm at a loss for words. I've read better smut in Wattpad and I'm honestly stunned because giana is a successful dark romance author yet how she managed to write and publish such atrocious smut scenes is still beyond me.
The degradation kink was overused and the bdsm was awfully executed. I would've given this two stars if the smut wasn't so badly written. And honestly, even then, that's not what I signed up for. It's the trope of captor/captive romance that made me read this book but that wasn't executed properly either because there was no romance. It was pure lust.
March 29, 2019
’ENTHRALLED' is the first full length dark romance novel book in Giana Darling’s ‘The Enslaved' duet.MY REVIEW AND OTHERS: can also be found on my blog:
➽ KITTY KATS CRAZY ABOUT BOOKS
Cosima's story kicks starts off into a territory I wasn't expecting, on her eighteenth birthday she was sold into slavery to pay off gambling debts her father had accumulated for a period of five years. Agreeing saves her family. The alternative is unthinkable. Now she's the property of Alexander, the Earl of Thornton. ❝ You may own my body, Lord Thornton, but you will never own my mind, my spirit or my heart.❞ Things from this point onwards get darker and darker as the story progresses. Be prepared to be taken on one crazy assed ride!!
❝ He was my Master, and I was just a slave. ❞
I have finally popped my Giana Darling cherry and what a way to do it!! This was sick, twisted, dirty, f#cked up and disturbing, but oh lordy wait till you meet My Master Lord Alexander Davenport. He could talk the knickers off a nun!!
First off some of the scenes in this are questionable and are spoken about in minute detail, and could cause triggers to some if rape is a hard limit. This is a dark disturbing read and is not for the faint of heart. Just thought I'd better mention that.
It is a dark little number, a hard one to recommend to peeps, but if like me you've stepped over onto the dark side this was delicious enough to wet my appetite. The right amount of grit, dark enough to keep me invested and enough romance to shine its light on my dark heart. Twisty turns that had my heart racing and a cliffy that had me gasping for more.
I kind of went into this blind, new author to me, I didn't even sneaky peak at the earlier reviews, so nothing and I mean nothing prepared me for what I encountered between the pages. I was thrown head first into utter darkness and my heart woke up with glee. That pitch dark heart was jumping around doing her happy dance!! So for me this ticked all my warped boxes. Now that I've jumped onto the bandwagon of this authors I can not wait for the next book!!
February 19, 2021
5 Topolina - Little Mouse Stars ⭐️
A life of poverty in a mafia run village of Naples, Italy; an 18 year old Cosima Lombardi is sold into sexual slavery to pay off her father’s debts.
As the saying goes no good deed goes unpunished. And in Cosima’s case, the love for her family, her beauty nor her inner strength can save her from Alexander Davenport. As Cosima tries to adjust to her new reality, there is no preparation for a master that wants to claim more then her body.
”To own this body is enough,” he growled. “For now.” Then he leaned forward, his thick lashes fluttering closed as he nipped my chin firmly with his teeth and trailed his tongue along the path of a fallen tear over my cheek.
His breath fanned over my cheek, his lips against my temple, and his hand even tighter around my neck as he whispered, “But one day, it won’t be, and I’ll come for it all. Your mind, your spirit, and your innocent heart.”
Enthralled is the first book in The Enslaved Duet and it was dark, gritty, depraved and disturbingly arousing. Even though this book feels so wrong, you can’t help but feel as if you’ve consumed an aphrodisiac...
Although this story centres around Alexander breaking down Cosima’s spirit and reducing her to sexual servitude, you can’t overlook the undertones of his lust and admiration for her.
”Love me or hate me if you will. Either way, I will always be on your mind,” he reminded me. “Now, slave, kneel for me.”
As the story unravels, all is not what it seems and you will come to love (maybe) Alexander Davenport in all his disciplinary glory. I look forward to the continuation of their story in Enamoured.
A life of poverty in a mafia run village of Naples, Italy; an 18 year old Cosima Lombardi is sold into sexual slavery to pay off her father’s debts.
As the saying goes no good deed goes unpunished. And in Cosima’s case, the love for her family, her beauty nor her inner strength can save her from Alexander Davenport. As Cosima tries to adjust to her new reality, there is no preparation for a master that wants to claim more then her body.
”To own this body is enough,” he growled. “For now.” Then he leaned forward, his thick lashes fluttering closed as he nipped my chin firmly with his teeth and trailed his tongue along the path of a fallen tear over my cheek.
His breath fanned over my cheek, his lips against my temple, and his hand even tighter around my neck as he whispered, “But one day, it won’t be, and I’ll come for it all. Your mind, your spirit, and your innocent heart.”
Enthralled is the first book in The Enslaved Duet and it was dark, gritty, depraved and disturbingly arousing. Even though this book feels so wrong, you can’t help but feel as if you’ve consumed an aphrodisiac...
Although this story centres around Alexander breaking down Cosima’s spirit and reducing her to sexual servitude, you can’t overlook the undertones of his lust and admiration for her.
”Love me or hate me if you will. Either way, I will always be on your mind,” he reminded me. “Now, slave, kneel for me.”
As the story unravels, all is not what it seems and you will come to love (maybe) Alexander Davenport in all his disciplinary glory. I look forward to the continuation of their story in Enamoured.
Want to read
March 29, 2019LIVE! | AMZ US | AMZ UK |
THANKS FOR MY ARC! IS IT MARCH 29TH YET?
Book 1 in duet.
LIVE! | AMZ US | AMZ UK |
Blurb:
It was the biggest day of my life.
I know most people say that about something joyous; a graduation, a wedding ceremony, the birth of their first child. My situation was a little different.
Sure, it was my eighteenth birthday, but it was also the day that I was sold.
Sold to a man with hair like a crown of gold and eyes blacker than the darkest pits of Hell.
He bought me to own me, to control me, and to use me as a means to an end.
I was his tool and his weapon.
And through it all, somehow, I also became his salvation.
THANKS FOR MY ARC! IS IT MARCH 29TH YET?
Book 1 in duet.
LIVE! | AMZ US | AMZ UK |
Blurb:
It was the biggest day of my life.
I know most people say that about something joyous; a graduation, a wedding ceremony, the birth of their first child. My situation was a little different.
Sure, it was my eighteenth birthday, but it was also the day that I was sold.
Sold to a man with hair like a crown of gold and eyes blacker than the darkest pits of Hell.
He bought me to own me, to control me, and to use me as a means to an end.
I was his tool and his weapon.
And through it all, somehow, I also became his salvation.
March 29, 2019
What an extraordinary story about personal courage and strength of spirit.
Giana has outdone herself with this book where she throws everything in the kitchen at the waifish 18 year old Cosima Ruth Lombardi and this girl refuses to crumble!! The topolina is a fighter, survivor and a warrior. Can you tell I'm totally in love with her !! *Lady-boner*!!!
"It’s the duality of a strong mind and a submissive spirit, a fierce heart."
She has steel in her spine to carry a boulder of responsibility resting on her slim shoulders. A sacrificial lamb walking to the slaughterhouse, betrayed by all, the only way is forward.
And who is she walking to? the man who bought her?
Alexander Davenport-Earl Of Thornton. Intoxicating in his beauty, master of his domain and secretive in his intentions, he's ruthless, dominating, seemingly cruel & a heartless monster
I’d never met a man so like a maze. Around every corner lurked another shock, some horrific dangerous beast of a kind I could never begin to understand, but others softer, fair like summer Fae.
It's a total and equal battle of wills that follows. Although I must say, Xan gets an upper hand most of the time physically but in soul, Cosima beats him every time
"You may own my body, Lord Thornton, but you will never own my mind, my spirit or my heart.”
This book isn't for the faint of hearts!!
I found myself crying out in pain for Cosi in many scenes. I was rooting for her to either win or die. It was that simple!
It's a sharp, racy story that runs at breathtaking speed with multiple characters hiding in the shadows. All is NOT what it seems !!
It will get your heartbeats through the roof, your pounding pulse may jump out of your skin and your throat may be clogged as your heart jumps up in it!!
Adventurous, horrendous, completely engrossing, I LOVED the story, the people, the plot.
The narration could use some extra work but the story is so thrilling, I just kept turning the pages at fan-speed!!
Well done Darling. You wove a tapestry of colourful lies, secrets and conspiracies and I was dazzled and enthralled!!!
And you KILLED me in the end!!😭
Hurry up and write the next one while I toss and turn😦
4.5 stars for Figli Bastardi
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Giana has outdone herself with this book where she throws everything in the kitchen at the waifish 18 year old Cosima Ruth Lombardi and this girl refuses to crumble!! The topolina is a fighter, survivor and a warrior. Can you tell I'm totally in love with her !! *Lady-boner*!!!
"It’s the duality of a strong mind and a submissive spirit, a fierce heart."
She has steel in her spine to carry a boulder of responsibility resting on her slim shoulders. A sacrificial lamb walking to the slaughterhouse, betrayed by all, the only way is forward.
And who is she walking to? the man who bought her?
Alexander Davenport-Earl Of Thornton. Intoxicating in his beauty, master of his domain and secretive in his intentions, he's ruthless, dominating, seemingly cruel & a heartless monster
I’d never met a man so like a maze. Around every corner lurked another shock, some horrific dangerous beast of a kind I could never begin to understand, but others softer, fair like summer Fae.
It's a total and equal battle of wills that follows. Although I must say, Xan gets an upper hand most of the time physically but in soul, Cosima beats him every time
"You may own my body, Lord Thornton, but you will never own my mind, my spirit or my heart.”
This book isn't for the faint of hearts!!
I found myself crying out in pain for Cosi in many scenes. I was rooting for her to either win or die. It was that simple!
It's a sharp, racy story that runs at breathtaking speed with multiple characters hiding in the shadows. All is NOT what it seems !!
It will get your heartbeats through the roof, your pounding pulse may jump out of your skin and your throat may be clogged as your heart jumps up in it!!
Adventurous, horrendous, completely engrossing, I LOVED the story, the people, the plot.
The narration could use some extra work but the story is so thrilling, I just kept turning the pages at fan-speed!!
Well done Darling. You wove a tapestry of colourful lies, secrets and conspiracies and I was dazzled and enthralled!!!
And you KILLED me in the end!!😭
Hurry up and write the next one while I toss and turn😦
4.5 stars for Figli Bastardi
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Follow us on :
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Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/BookBistro
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/BookBistroBlog
March 28, 2019
DNF at 80%
Fuck, this book redefined terrible for me. A pretentious writing, pathetically researched plot-line, choppily executed story, and two completely distasteful characters leads to a very horribly miserable semi-human, aka yours truly.
ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
Fuck, this book redefined terrible for me. A pretentious writing, pathetically researched plot-line, choppily executed story, and two completely distasteful characters leads to a very horribly miserable semi-human, aka yours truly.
ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
May 22, 2019
3.5
I've heard nothing but amazing things about Giana Darling's work in the past, so after I read the blurb for Entralled, adding it to my tbr was a must. The fact that it's dark romance and has a gorgeous cover just enticed me further. Even so, I did my best to keep my anticipation in check. I didn't want to go into the book with overly inflated expectations, and I think I succeeded at that. All I expected from my reading experience was to enjoy it in some way and for the story to be twisted and depraved, and I was right on both counts!
On her 18th birthday, Cosima is sold by her father to pay off his debts. The man who purchases her intends to use her as his sex slave for the next 5 years. Cosima is hurt, appalled, and infuriated, but she agrees to go with her new owner willingly after her mother, brother, and sisters' lives are threatened. Contracts are signed, promises are made, and she is ripped away from her family immediately.
Alexander is a wealthy man with many secrets. His upbringing was anything but conventional with his father belonging to a secret society of disgusting, rich, sadistic, morally bankrupt individuals that get off on the suffering of others. That world shaped him into the man he is and molded his sexual appetite. However, Alexander's motivations for purchasing Cosima are based on more than just sexual desire.
Cosima is treated like a caged animal until she agrees to submit to Alexander's wishes. Little by little, she is given more freedom and better care, and over time, it's clear that Alexander owns more than just her body. In a sick world of cruelty, deception, violence, murder, and sexual deviance, can there be such a thing as a happily ever after?
Enthralled is a dark, bdsm romance filled with intrigue and suspense that ends on a cliffhanger. If you're not a fan of that type of ending, you may want to wait until the second
book comes out before picking up this one. I have no such aversion, so it didn't bother me at all. If anything, it made me even more curious to see what happens next.
Overall, this installment of the Enslaved duet was an enjoyable read that held my attention the whole way through. Having said that, I had a few issues with it. Most of them had to do with the reasoning behind things like the behavior of some of characters and certain plot points. All that aside, I'm still interested to see what the author has in store for these characters, and I look forward to reading more of her work in the future.
If you like your dark romance with a side of BDSM, this might be the one for you!
I've heard nothing but amazing things about Giana Darling's work in the past, so after I read the blurb for Entralled, adding it to my tbr was a must. The fact that it's dark romance and has a gorgeous cover just enticed me further. Even so, I did my best to keep my anticipation in check. I didn't want to go into the book with overly inflated expectations, and I think I succeeded at that. All I expected from my reading experience was to enjoy it in some way and for the story to be twisted and depraved, and I was right on both counts!
On her 18th birthday, Cosima is sold by her father to pay off his debts. The man who purchases her intends to use her as his sex slave for the next 5 years. Cosima is hurt, appalled, and infuriated, but she agrees to go with her new owner willingly after her mother, brother, and sisters' lives are threatened. Contracts are signed, promises are made, and she is ripped away from her family immediately.
Alexander is a wealthy man with many secrets. His upbringing was anything but conventional with his father belonging to a secret society of disgusting, rich, sadistic, morally bankrupt individuals that get off on the suffering of others. That world shaped him into the man he is and molded his sexual appetite. However, Alexander's motivations for purchasing Cosima are based on more than just sexual desire.
Cosima is treated like a caged animal until she agrees to submit to Alexander's wishes. Little by little, she is given more freedom and better care, and over time, it's clear that Alexander owns more than just her body. In a sick world of cruelty, deception, violence, murder, and sexual deviance, can there be such a thing as a happily ever after?
Enthralled is a dark, bdsm romance filled with intrigue and suspense that ends on a cliffhanger. If you're not a fan of that type of ending, you may want to wait until the second
book comes out before picking up this one. I have no such aversion, so it didn't bother me at all. If anything, it made me even more curious to see what happens next.
Overall, this installment of the Enslaved duet was an enjoyable read that held my attention the whole way through. Having said that, I had a few issues with it. Most of them had to do with the reasoning behind things like the behavior of some of characters and certain plot points. All that aside, I'm still interested to see what the author has in store for these characters, and I look forward to reading more of her work in the future.
If you like your dark romance with a side of BDSM, this might be the one for you!
July 3, 2019
Look before I start my review I just wanna say that please don't go to your prayer place and start sending me curses and wishes for me to fall into a dumpster in front of my lifetime crush (mwahaha which i don't have at all). but still Just please ok?
This isn't a completely negative review and I highly recommend this book but there were flaws in it that made me rate it 3 stars only.
Let us begin.
(and i'll be hiding a mega spoiler meme )
umm where was I?
AH this book right
this book is dark. wait let me rephrase it 'it's verrryyy DARK'. taboo, crime (since kidnapping and rape are two fucking serious crimes)
First of all i ended up on this book because i wanted to read something [of this category] that released this year so here i am. And don't get me wrong at all i don't regret reading it. Hell i even recommend it to dark romance reading lovers or whosoever they are called.
Let's start with why I liked this book
The story itself earned 4.5 stars from me. The story is really intense sooooo scary (yes scary) the plot, the climax, the cliffhanger awesome, awesome, awesome. The character (excluding Cosima OUT) were so gripping, suspenseful, and captivating. All of them (EXCEPT FOR COSIMA) played their parts perfectly. I thought that this book would mostly revolve around Cosima and Alexander the Motherfucker (the H) but boy was i wrong. Why she becomes his captive, what she faces during this time (i guess a year) has soooo many reasons for it, sooooo many shitty Assholes use and abuse her (trying shit hard not to give spoilers) so yeah.
Ever heard of the term 'you spoiled you own work'?
no?
'course not, I just made it up. Annnyways ... this is what the author has done. She spoiled her own protagonist 'Cosima'
If kidnapping a person just to take them to Dr Phil were legal i would have happily kidnapped Cosima. seriously were to even start? look you moron (talking to heroine) when you r told u have to be sold, throw a fucking tantrum, break stuff, cry, scream do anything to oppose .... instead u stood up like Katniss Everdeen and AGREED TO BE SOLD!!!!! what in the shittin' hell is wrong with you?
Wait waiiitt that's not it.
After she was sold to this Alexander the motherfucker ( she even agrees to being sold in front of him) theennn she started to protest why was he *ahem* gonna rape her or use her {i'm not in a mood for discussing inappropriate scenes} of course Alexander was like 'Did you just not fucking agree to this like in front of so many men? You were given a choice'
Cosima does everything opposite, whom she isn't supposed to trust she trusts them , whom she should hate she loves them, whom she SHOULD trust she DOESN'T trust them. This process got really really annoying. Plus Cosima had literally no common sense at alllll. ('_')
Oh and this heroine excruciately lacks of the vitamin : self respect. Look sis, you don't need to have a Mercedes Benz , 1 million euro , and 30 diamond rings to have respect. You r an innocent living thing Why the HELL don't you understand that you value a lot already?
here goes the meme i made
'Bad luck Cosima'
I know, I know i'm Not supposed to laugh at this and i did not at the time i read this. But after a few days of thinking i was like 'wasn't she supposed to be alarmed by Noel's actions and calmness in the beginning? ' But if i'm not supposed to laugh at her stupidity then you're not supposed to read this book . Fair and square.
Nevertheless I immensely liked the suspenseful story and Can't wait to get my hands on the next book.
Hopefully till then Oprah might give Cosima a self respecting lecture call.
The End
for now
This isn't a completely negative review and I highly recommend this book but there were flaws in it that made me rate it 3 stars only.
Let us begin.
(and i'll be hiding a mega spoiler meme )
umm where was I?
AH this book right
this book is dark. wait let me rephrase it 'it's verrryyy DARK'. taboo, crime (since kidnapping and rape are two fucking serious crimes)
First of all i ended up on this book because i wanted to read something [of this category] that released this year so here i am. And don't get me wrong at all i don't regret reading it. Hell i even recommend it to dark romance reading lovers or whosoever they are called.
Let's start with why I liked this book
The story itself earned 4.5 stars from me. The story is really intense sooooo scary (yes scary) the plot, the climax, the cliffhanger awesome, awesome, awesome. The character (excluding Cosima OUT) were so gripping, suspenseful, and captivating. All of them (EXCEPT FOR COSIMA) played their parts perfectly. I thought that this book would mostly revolve around Cosima and Alexander the Motherfucker (the H) but boy was i wrong. Why she becomes his captive, what she faces during this time (i guess a year) has soooo many reasons for it, sooooo many shitty Assholes use and abuse her (trying shit hard not to give spoilers) so yeah.
Ever heard of the term 'you spoiled you own work'?
no?
'course not, I just made it up. Annnyways ... this is what the author has done. She spoiled her own protagonist 'Cosima'
If kidnapping a person just to take them to Dr Phil were legal i would have happily kidnapped Cosima. seriously were to even start? look you moron (talking to heroine) when you r told u have to be sold, throw a fucking tantrum, break stuff, cry, scream do anything to oppose .... instead u stood up like Katniss Everdeen and AGREED TO BE SOLD!!!!! what in the shittin' hell is wrong with you?
Wait waiiitt that's not it.
After she was sold to this Alexander the motherfucker ( she even agrees to being sold in front of him) theennn she started to protest why was he *ahem* gonna rape her or use her {i'm not in a mood for discussing inappropriate scenes} of course Alexander was like 'Did you just not fucking agree to this like in front of so many men? You were given a choice'
Cosima does everything opposite, whom she isn't supposed to trust she trusts them , whom she should hate she loves them, whom she SHOULD trust she DOESN'T trust them. This process got really really annoying. Plus Cosima had literally no common sense at alllll. ('_')
Oh and this heroine excruciately lacks of the vitamin : self respect. Look sis, you don't need to have a Mercedes Benz , 1 million euro , and 30 diamond rings to have respect. You r an innocent living thing Why the HELL don't you understand that you value a lot already?
here goes the meme i made
'Bad luck Cosima'
I know, I know i'm Not supposed to laugh at this and i did not at the time i read this. But after a few days of thinking i was like 'wasn't she supposed to be alarmed by Noel's actions and calmness in the beginning? ' But if i'm not supposed to laugh at her stupidity then you're not supposed to read this book . Fair and square.
Nevertheless I immensely liked the suspenseful story and Can't wait to get my hands on the next book.
Hopefully till then Oprah might give Cosima a self respecting lecture call.
The End
for now
February 12, 2020
DNF 30%
Dark Romance
Bdsm, captivity, age-gap, enemies to lovers-revenge driven
First Person, heroine's POV
Duet
Cliffhanger: yes
Trigger: eating disorder,slavery,sexual assault, emotional/physical/psychological abuse
Heat: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Sorry for my rant but this book pissed me off.
Well this was AWFUL.
I can't believe this is the same author of “Welcome to the dark side”.
If you want to read a good BDSM-D/s-captivity story, go elsewhere.
Alexander was a sorry excuse for a Dom.
AHAHAH.
Ridiculous.
Arrogant, Presumptuous, smug, pompous.
Ladies and Gentlemen, this is Lord Prick Alexander Davenport
“When I drive into that virgin c*nt and smear your blood on my c**k, you’ll cry. Not because I’m hurting you, even though I am. No, you’ll cry because you are going to be so empty, so useless that you’ll beg and sob to be filled by something. And that something will be me, Cosima. My fingers in your a**hole, my thick c*ck in your spasming c*nt, my tongue in your mouth, and your soul crushed right under my heel as I fuck up into you and you cry out the name of your Master.”
“..I want my slave to look me in the eye so she can watch as the animal inside me breaks free to ravage her. Without constraint. Without mercy. Because there is no leash powerful enough to contain it.”
If you say so..
“I am the Master of this body, Captain of your fucking fate..”
I have a complicated relationship with bdsm books. Dom characters are the most complex to write because it's not easy to make them credible. They must exude strength, domination, authority and masculinity. I love how they manage to manipulate and conquer “willingly” their prisoner thanks to their attitude. This Lord doesn't have any of these qualities ... He's not a real Dom, just a deranged jerk.
And Cosima? She's worst.
This is our clever heroine:
She agrees to be sold to pay off her father's gambling debts. She's drugged, pierced while unconscious and kept in a dark room. She has to use a bucket as a toilet.
She's starved, has to drink dirty water and continuously threatened by Lord Prick.
After living in these conditions this is her reaction at their first on-page interaction:
".. The cold air bit teeth into the lips of my exposed sex and made me realize with shameful clarity that I was wet."
Lord prick orders her to give him a bl*wjob:
"..But something about the tapestry of veins pulsing down its length made my mouth water and made my tongue itch to trace them like drips from an ice-cream cone all the way down his shaft.."
After the “act” she's sorry because she wasn't able to fully savor his flavor.
I couldn’t taste the brine of him on my tongue, and for one horrifying second, I was disappointed by it.
Girl, do you understand you've just been violated?!
God of Smut, give me strength.
But do you know what bothered me most?
Cosima is Italian and the first four chapters are set in Italy. Giana Darling didn't know what she was talking about. Everything she wrote about Italy and Italians is false or inaccurate: quotes, swear words, food, uses and customs.
Dear authors, write only what you know well or do accurate researches.
stereotype, stereotype, stereotype.
A lot of people won't care but I'm italian and I'm pissed.
Maybe I gave up too early but honestly I don't give a damn.
Auguri e figli maschi
(= Italian blessing: Good luck, I wish you a lot of 👶🏻)
Dark Romance
Bdsm, captivity, age-gap, enemies to lovers-revenge driven
First Person, heroine's POV
Duet
Cliffhanger: yes
Trigger: eating disorder,slavery,sexual assault, emotional/physical/psychological abuse
Heat: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Sorry for my rant but this book pissed me off.
Well this was AWFUL.
I can't believe this is the same author of “Welcome to the dark side”.
If you want to read a good BDSM-D/s-captivity story, go elsewhere.
Alexander was a sorry excuse for a Dom.
AHAHAH.
Ridiculous.
Arrogant, Presumptuous, smug, pompous.
Ladies and Gentlemen, this is Lord
“When I drive into that virgin c*nt and smear your blood on my c**k, you’ll cry. Not because I’m hurting you, even though I am. No, you’ll cry because you are going to be so empty, so useless that you’ll beg and sob to be filled by something. And that something will be me, Cosima. My fingers in your a**hole, my thick c*ck in your spasming c*nt, my tongue in your mouth, and your soul crushed right under my heel as I fuck up into you and you cry out the name of your Master.”
“..I want my slave to look me in the eye so she can watch as the animal inside me breaks free to ravage her. Without constraint. Without mercy. Because there is no leash powerful enough to contain it.”
If you say so..
“I am the Master of this body, Captain of your fucking fate..”
I have a complicated relationship with bdsm books. Dom characters are the most complex to write because it's not easy to make them credible. They must exude strength, domination, authority and masculinity. I love how they manage to manipulate and conquer “willingly” their prisoner thanks to their attitude. This Lord doesn't have any of these qualities ... He's not a real Dom, just a deranged jerk.
And Cosima? She's worst.
This is our clever heroine:
She agrees to be sold to pay off her father's gambling debts. She's drugged, pierced while unconscious and kept in a dark room. She has to use a bucket as a toilet.
She's starved, has to drink dirty water and continuously threatened by Lord Prick.
After living in these conditions this is her reaction at their first on-page interaction:
".. The cold air bit teeth into the lips of my exposed sex and made me realize with shameful clarity that I was wet."
Lord prick orders her to give him a bl*wjob:
"..But something about the tapestry of veins pulsing down its length made my mouth water and made my tongue itch to trace them like drips from an ice-cream cone all the way down his shaft.."
After the “act” she's sorry because she wasn't able to fully savor his flavor.
I couldn’t taste the brine of him on my tongue, and for one horrifying second, I was disappointed by it.
Girl, do you understand you've just been violated?!
God of Smut, give me strength.
But do you know what bothered me most?
Cosima is Italian and the first four chapters are set in Italy. Giana Darling didn't know what she was talking about. Everything she wrote about Italy and Italians is false or inaccurate: quotes, swear words, food, uses and customs.
Dear authors, write only what you know well or do accurate researches.
stereotype, stereotype, stereotype.
A lot of people won't care but I'm italian and I'm pissed.
Maybe I gave up too early but honestly I don't give a damn.
Auguri e figli maschi
(= Italian blessing: Good luck, I wish you a lot of 👶🏻)
April 13, 2019
"He wanted me broken. A beautiful, hollow shell to break open and fuck into. It wasn’t enough to own my person and rape my body. He wanted to empty my soul so that the only thing I was filled with was his cock and his cum."
This started really good and I really enjoyed Giana Darling's descriptive (although sometimes grammatically incorrect) writing. There were some awkward phrases but I really got into it. Yes, this was really dark and really gritty! There are many triggers and frankly, it wasn't the fact that this was too dark for me. I really just couldn't get into the MCs. The language was unrealistic and the rape felt too easily passed over. I wanted Cosima to have more of a backbone against her master. Alexander felt like a spoilt rich brat that was often very repetitive. The twists were predictable and all in all, I just wanted more. I might consider reading the next installment but *shruggg*
This started really good and I really enjoyed Giana Darling's descriptive (although sometimes grammatically incorrect) writing. There were some awkward phrases but I really got into it. Yes, this was really dark and really gritty! There are many triggers and frankly, it wasn't the fact that this was too dark for me. I really just couldn't get into the MCs. The language was unrealistic and the rape felt too easily passed over. I wanted Cosima to have more of a backbone against her master. Alexander felt like a spoilt rich brat that was often very repetitive. The twists were predictable and all in all, I just wanted more. I might consider reading the next installment but *shruggg*
April 7, 2019
Giana Darling’s poetic prose is my absolute favourite thing to consume—a seamless flow of enchanting sentences and enthralling moments weaved together to create an evocative narrative that will captivate your attention, entice your senses and summon an array of diverse emotions to surface. I’ve been charmed by every facet of this author’s writing since devouring the emotionally raw and passionate affair between Giselle and Sinclair.
But the true interest that truthfully attracted me lied with Alexander Davenport, the enigmatic and detached man who appeared beside Cosima Lombardi, screaming hushed tones of wicked deviance and unsolicited desire without needing to utter many words. Beautifully wretched, devilishly enticing and sinfully haunting, Enthralled will lure you into its darkened depths of servitude and dubious consent, unveiling the severe complex threads that bind, together in irrevocable ways, a slave and Master.
Five years might pass, the contract between us might dissolve into dust with time, but I would always be, elementally and crucially, Master Alexander’s woman.
I’ve been enamoured with Cosima, a delightfully aspiring woman with endearing vibrance, wise self-preservation and intense fierceness, its earnestness unrivalled by anyone else, since she was introduced in Giselle’s equally intense story. Cosima’s harboured secrets created an aura of mystery beyond her beloved daughter, loving sister and flourishing model persona, leaving me desperate to discover more of what lies beneath this fascinating woman’s carefully crafted facade. Reading Enthralled magnified my unsatiated curiosity, meanwhile satisfied my burning interest to understand this secretive woman better. Her poignant romanticist view on life is an endearing albeit heartrending quality that stands against the darkening atmosphere creeping and lingering throughout this narrative and contrasts beautifully with Alexander’s domineering character.
“Some monsters are made and some are born. You could say that I’m the worst of both worlds.”
Without doubt, Alexander is an enigma—comprised of an unfathomable series of hidden facets and untold secrets threaded together to manifest itself into a hardened and unreadable seeming gentleman. Promises of lascivious domination, debauched servitude and the bindings of an inescapable relationship demanding give and take without remorse burns bright within his shrewd irises, obvious in rare smiles he grants. I can’t stop myself from gravitating towards this commanding man’s intimidating yet alluring persona, despite his rough touches and all-consuming kisses that aren’t gentle or loving.
His controlling nature shouldn’t have been so intoxicating, but I knew myself well enough to admit, I was in his thrall.
Realistically, I shouldn’t be drawn towards the darkness of forced servitude or the exacting attitude of dominance, but there’s something powerfully seductive and fascinating about submission. Witnessing Cosima’s inevitable subservience, the way her body and mind, in its own unique method, commands Alexander is an act of reverent strength and dominance in itself. I adored her transformation from sheltered and sexually uncertain to blossoming into this liberated, wanton woman without hesitation.
Enthralled is sexually wicked and morally corrupt, however the darkness so blinding and compelling in deliverance, the juxtaposition between dominance and submissiveness written beautifully, it is hard to resist being drawn towards this narrative. I didn’t want to disclose much information regarding this duet because walking into this unaware with an open mind amplifies the sensations you experience, the emotions you undergo, the conundrum your thoughts will have to overcome.
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February 5, 2022
I really tried to love this one, I was very curious with Cosima and Alexander story from the Anti-Heroes in Love series, but I'm a bit disappointed. Can't put my finger on what, the story had all the ingredients that I love, but still... Wasn't quite there to have what it takes... 😕 For me, at least...
Maybe because Cosima gave up very easily or the time sequence wasn't well done...
Maybe because Cosima gave up very easily or the time sequence wasn't well done...
Read
February 19, 2019Enthralled is coming March 29th 2019!
I cannot wait to share Cosima and her Master, Lord Thornton, Alexander Davenport with you all <3
It was the biggest day of my life.
I know most people say that about something joyous; a graduation, a wedding ceremony, the birth of their first child. My situation was a little different.
Sure, it was my eighteenth birthday, but it was also the day that I was sold.
Sold to a man with hair like a crown of gold and eyes blacker than the darkest pits of Hell.
He bought me to own me, to control me, and to use me as a means to an end.
I was his tool and his weapon.
And through it all, somehow, I also became his salvation.
Book two, Enamoured, will release within two months of Enthralled.
I cannot wait to share Cosima and her Master, Lord Thornton, Alexander Davenport with you all <3
It was the biggest day of my life.
I know most people say that about something joyous; a graduation, a wedding ceremony, the birth of their first child. My situation was a little different.
Sure, it was my eighteenth birthday, but it was also the day that I was sold.
Sold to a man with hair like a crown of gold and eyes blacker than the darkest pits of Hell.
He bought me to own me, to control me, and to use me as a means to an end.
I was his tool and his weapon.
And through it all, somehow, I also became his salvation.
Book two, Enamoured, will release within two months of Enthralled.
October 31, 2023
Okay, so, what tf do I even say about this book 💀
I'm conflicted and confused and questioning my own mind. My feelings are all over the place.
But I think the biggest thing I can say is that is this very much Stockholm Syndrome 😭 You know sometimes when you read kidnapping books and people say that, but when you read the book it isn't (not that its healthy or good but the girl is clearly somewhat okay in the head). Well, this book is not that.
Cosima is definitely mentally ill 🤣
He legit broke her down and put her back together by conditioning her and pretty much training her like a dog. By the end of the book she was NOT the same girl, her brain was completely altered. Her backbone (no matter how small it was in the beginning) was gone and all she wanted to do was "please her master"...
Please-
And you know when it's about sex or if they were in a scene that would be FINE, but no this was all the time. Every decision and choice was heavily influenced by him because he got in her head and broke her.
Now, since this is the first book in the duet I was kinda expecting that and I am HOPING that in the 2nd book she will get to work through her trauma a bit and not be so dependent on him. I want to see her make her own decisions not based on what she know would please him.
Inside the bedroom I am alllllll for the Dom/sub, Master/slave dynamic, but she should not be a slave all the time. Outside the bedroom or scene she needs to have her own mind, thoughts, ideas, beliefs, etc. So I hope we get more of that in the 2nd book 🙌
I'm conflicted and confused and questioning my own mind. My feelings are all over the place.
But I think the biggest thing I can say is that is this very much Stockholm Syndrome 😭 You know sometimes when you read kidnapping books and people say that, but when you read the book it isn't (not that its healthy or good but the girl is clearly somewhat okay in the head). Well, this book is not that.
Cosima is definitely mentally ill 🤣
He legit broke her down and put her back together by conditioning her and pretty much training her like a dog. By the end of the book she was NOT the same girl, her brain was completely altered. Her backbone (no matter how small it was in the beginning) was gone and all she wanted to do was "please her master"...
Please-
And you know when it's about sex or if they were in a scene that would be FINE, but no this was all the time. Every decision and choice was heavily influenced by him because he got in her head and broke her.
Now, since this is the first book in the duet I was kinda expecting that and I am HOPING that in the 2nd book she will get to work through her trauma a bit and not be so dependent on him. I want to see her make her own decisions not based on what she know would please him.
Inside the bedroom I am alllllll for the Dom/sub, Master/slave dynamic, but she should not be a slave all the time. Outside the bedroom or scene she needs to have her own mind, thoughts, ideas, beliefs, etc. So I hope we get more of that in the 2nd book 🙌
March 31, 2019
Giana Darling has blown my mind with this wickedly dark, but utterly captivating story. The writing is perfection. The imagery and mythology elements that she weaves into the tale are beautifully done. I was beyond impressed and completely enthralled. I loved it immensely.
Now, with that being said, this is not a rainbows and sunshine type of love story. It’s dark. The hero is not what you’d expect in a traditional romance, yet he is utterly perfect in this story. Love is love regardless of how it’s translated on the page. So if you have an open mind to the dark and sometimes depraved side of humanity, I think this story will resonate.
The heroine is strong, willful, pragmatic, and beautiful. I loved her view of the world. The way the author treats her journey is with utmost respect. Her feelings jump off the page and will consume you. I had a very visceral reaction and feel this story will stay with me for a long time after.
So, if this type of book is your jam — I highly recommend it. Master Alexander is waiting for you.
Now, with that being said, this is not a rainbows and sunshine type of love story. It’s dark. The hero is not what you’d expect in a traditional romance, yet he is utterly perfect in this story. Love is love regardless of how it’s translated on the page. So if you have an open mind to the dark and sometimes depraved side of humanity, I think this story will resonate.
The heroine is strong, willful, pragmatic, and beautiful. I loved her view of the world. The way the author treats her journey is with utmost respect. Her feelings jump off the page and will consume you. I had a very visceral reaction and feel this story will stay with me for a long time after.
So, if this type of book is your jam — I highly recommend it. Master Alexander is waiting for you.
April 30, 2019
Giana Darling is queen and I absolutely love her Forbidden Men series. I was so excited to see she had a new duet coming out. It was definitely A LOT darker than I expected, but I love a good dark romance when I'm in the mood, so I waited a bit and then dove right in!
When she turns 18, Cosima is sold by her father to a British Lord to serve as a sex slave for the next five years. Cosima is determined not to break, but she's never had to serve Alexander Davenport before...
Going into this one, I quickly realized I was not in the mood for a dark romance, so I put it down for a few weeks and finally picked it back up. This is super dark and definitely not for the faint of heart. Alexander breaks Cosima and she reaches her lowest point. Eventually, though, real feelings do get thrown into the mix and I became super invested in this romance about halfway through this book. I did have a few issues with the pacing in the beginning and in the end, but that whole middle chunk had me glued to my kindle and I couldn't put the book down. Since Cosima is a sex slave, Giana Darling does not shy away from some intense scenes between Cosima and Alexander, but they quickly turn angsty and Cosima finds herself craving the touch of her master...
In the beginning, there were a lot of characters to meet in Cosima's family and the Italian mafia life she's living, so it did take me a bit to catch on. After that, the secrets that came to surface throughout the book kept me on the edge of my seat and I had no idea how Cosima and Alexander were going to deal with what was thrown their way. This book was definitely captured the atmosphere of the extreme elite who think they can do anything with anyone.
Overall, if you want a dark romance about a dark, brooding British Lord and a broken girl who just wants to protect her family, you would love Enthralled. I definitely cannot wait to get my hands on book two! I have to know what happens next!
When she turns 18, Cosima is sold by her father to a British Lord to serve as a sex slave for the next five years. Cosima is determined not to break, but she's never had to serve Alexander Davenport before...
Going into this one, I quickly realized I was not in the mood for a dark romance, so I put it down for a few weeks and finally picked it back up. This is super dark and definitely not for the faint of heart. Alexander breaks Cosima and she reaches her lowest point. Eventually, though, real feelings do get thrown into the mix and I became super invested in this romance about halfway through this book. I did have a few issues with the pacing in the beginning and in the end, but that whole middle chunk had me glued to my kindle and I couldn't put the book down. Since Cosima is a sex slave, Giana Darling does not shy away from some intense scenes between Cosima and Alexander, but they quickly turn angsty and Cosima finds herself craving the touch of her master...
In the beginning, there were a lot of characters to meet in Cosima's family and the Italian mafia life she's living, so it did take me a bit to catch on. After that, the secrets that came to surface throughout the book kept me on the edge of my seat and I had no idea how Cosima and Alexander were going to deal with what was thrown their way. This book was definitely captured the atmosphere of the extreme elite who think they can do anything with anyone.
Overall, if you want a dark romance about a dark, brooding British Lord and a broken girl who just wants to protect her family, you would love Enthralled. I definitely cannot wait to get my hands on book two! I have to know what happens next!
April 1, 2019
****AVAILABLE NOW - FULL REVIEW ****
5 I’m His Slave CROWNS
What am I supposed to do with myself until book 2? How do I go on? Like Cosima, I’m a slave to Alexander. He is my master. I don’t want anyone but him. Alright, that might be extreme but it is still true. I’m wrecked. This story is brutal, twisted, but I was enthralled (no pun intended) by the beautiful prose of Giana Darling.
Alexander is everything a dominant should be. There are moments you hate him, especially in the beginning when he is breaking Cosima. His actions as the story progress show what is in his heart, even when he doesn’t know himself. The way he protects her, at all costs, even putting himself in danger, exemplifies the depth of his emotion, which goes further than a dom/sub relationship.
Cosima is a unique being. She is a the stereotypical Italian spitfire. She has spent her life using her beauty to take care of those she loves, which is how she finds herself in the hands of her master. However, she also changes. She recognizes the strength in submission. She comes, just as Alexander does, to have real feelings for him.
There is a lot of time spent between moving this two from sold into slavery to a real dom/sub relationship. Giana takes chapters to show how they crave each other, how Cosima comes to crave the pain mixed with pleasure. It becomes a relationship built on consensual gratification. As the novel progresses, these two become more. My heart aches for the pain of their pasts and the threat their present. I’m truly in fear of how this is all going to shake out in the end, because as strange as it may sound. I love Alexander. I love the evolution of Cosima’s character, and all these moving parts to their story have left me dying for more.
It would be remiss of me to ignore the beauty that is Giana’s writing. I’m always enraptured by her story telling and the worlds she builds. What always thrills me, though, is the endless allusions to the world of classic literature. It speaks to my soul, my passion. I particularly love the thread to the Greek myth of Hades and Persephone with Enthralled, and I’m eager to see how their story will play out in reference to the tale.
I didn’t know how to review this book, and I’m sure it reads as inadequate. Just read the book. It is so good, so beautifully written. Giana expertly weaves our pain with pleasure, making us a slave to her words.
ARC received in exchange for an honest review
***BDSM & SUB/DOM Relationship
5 I’m His Slave CROWNS
What am I supposed to do with myself until book 2? How do I go on? Like Cosima, I’m a slave to Alexander. He is my master. I don’t want anyone but him. Alright, that might be extreme but it is still true. I’m wrecked. This story is brutal, twisted, but I was enthralled (no pun intended) by the beautiful prose of Giana Darling.
Alexander is everything a dominant should be. There are moments you hate him, especially in the beginning when he is breaking Cosima. His actions as the story progress show what is in his heart, even when he doesn’t know himself. The way he protects her, at all costs, even putting himself in danger, exemplifies the depth of his emotion, which goes further than a dom/sub relationship.
Cosima is a unique being. She is a the stereotypical Italian spitfire. She has spent her life using her beauty to take care of those she loves, which is how she finds herself in the hands of her master. However, she also changes. She recognizes the strength in submission. She comes, just as Alexander does, to have real feelings for him.
There is a lot of time spent between moving this two from sold into slavery to a real dom/sub relationship. Giana takes chapters to show how they crave each other, how Cosima comes to crave the pain mixed with pleasure. It becomes a relationship built on consensual gratification. As the novel progresses, these two become more. My heart aches for the pain of their pasts and the threat their present. I’m truly in fear of how this is all going to shake out in the end, because as strange as it may sound. I love Alexander. I love the evolution of Cosima’s character, and all these moving parts to their story have left me dying for more.
It would be remiss of me to ignore the beauty that is Giana’s writing. I’m always enraptured by her story telling and the worlds she builds. What always thrills me, though, is the endless allusions to the world of classic literature. It speaks to my soul, my passion. I particularly love the thread to the Greek myth of Hades and Persephone with Enthralled, and I’m eager to see how their story will play out in reference to the tale.
I didn’t know how to review this book, and I’m sure it reads as inadequate. Just read the book. It is so good, so beautifully written. Giana expertly weaves our pain with pleasure, making us a slave to her words.
ARC received in exchange for an honest review
***BDSM & SUB/DOM Relationship
November 10, 2021
Italian beauty Cosima is sold as a sex slave to Alexander Davenport to cover her fathers gambling debts. She is taken to England where she awakens with multiple body piercings and chained naked to an elegant ball room floor. She’s kept there several weeks essentially starved with no hygiene but a bucket for bodily waste in order to
Break her to her master-Alexander. Yes he’s a sadist asshole and initially rapes her but it turns out she’s a masochist. Woven into the BDSM relationship is “The Order”—- a bunch of sexual pervs that get off on keeping women as slaves and sexually abusing them. There’s a lot of evil mindsets towards women in this book . Why do I keep reading books that make me want to kill all Of the men in them🤬 The story is very well written and draws you Into The melancholic hopelessness of a sex slave.
Break her to her master-Alexander. Yes he’s a sadist asshole and initially rapes her but it turns out she’s a masochist. Woven into the BDSM relationship is “The Order”—- a bunch of sexual pervs that get off on keeping women as slaves and sexually abusing them. There’s a lot of evil mindsets towards women in this book . Why do I keep reading books that make me want to kill all Of the men in them🤬 The story is very well written and draws you Into The melancholic hopelessness of a sex slave.
![Profile Image for Corinne [hiatus].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1603449181i%2F94376563._UY200_CR13%2C0%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
January 2, 2023
I am just so dissapointed
Where to begin? There are so many wrong things in here. This is a book that romanticizes rape and slavery. Cosima is sold into slavery by her father to Alexander. He breaks her through torture, abuse and rape. He conditions her and she falls for him. To me it sounded more like Stockholm Syndrome but whatever. The writing style was nice but I just can't get past the triggers and horrible things in this book.
Alexander is part of a secret organization that condones slavery and organizes hunts for "women". That was his motivation as well as his manipulative father that manipulared him. Just no!
Where to begin? There are so many wrong things in here. This is a book that romanticizes rape and slavery. Cosima is sold into slavery by her father to Alexander. He breaks her through torture, abuse and rape. He conditions her and she falls for him. To me it sounded more like Stockholm Syndrome but whatever. The writing style was nice but I just can't get past the triggers and horrible things in this book.
Alexander is part of a secret organization that condones slavery and organizes hunts for "women". That was his motivation as well as his manipulative father that manipulared him. Just no!
April 15, 2021
*KU READ
well. Damn! This was good. My first book by Giana Darling!
well. Damn! This was good. My first book by Giana Darling!
June 17, 2019
“In your thrall”
I found this to be a richly woven story which dovetails from an earlier series about Cosima's, the heroine in Enthralled, sister Giselle, The Evolution of Sin:
. I find the writing of Ms. Darling to be very descriptive and flowing for the most part. Although there are mistakes in grammar and in word choice that do not seem quite apt for the character speaking or words used out of context.Cosima is a fiery and extraordinary beauty who is sold on her 18th birthday by her own father to the “Camorra” in Italy for gambling debts. They then sell her to an English Lord, Alexander Davenport, who is a sadist and member of a secret order which involves the ritual abuse of women as slaves.
The first part of the book deals with the breaking down of Cosima into the perfect sex slave for Alexander. The story gradually builds with the blossoming of the relationship between these two main characters by adding complexities and mixed motivations creating suspense.
The reader begins to understand Alexander and while he initially comes across as a despicable and cruel monster, we see him gradually morph into this beautiful vulnerable conflicted man holding strong against a tide of enemies. A perfect foil for the lover of the dark romance!
I was left breathless and heartbroken at the end. However…I do remember a few scenes from the earlier series and I am hoping the time lines coordinate between the original series and this duet. If so, then I am still very much intrigued and curious to know how it all ends.
I am a super softie when it comes to rating books. I will tell you this, it is worth the cost and your time. Overall, it is entertaining and Ms. Darling is a worthy romance writer. I just wish she would put down the thesaurus and employ a better editor, then she would be awesome.
Favorite Quotes:
“Hatred was more powerful than fear. One was a shield and an armament I could utilize while the other could only be weapon[s]ed against me.”
“Watching a man struggling to govern himself against the force of his attraction to you was a heady thing.”
“I find myself as much in your thrall as you are in mine. The taste of you lingers in my mouth, the echo of your giggle in my ears, and the feel of your satin skin haunts my fingers, so in strange moments, I feel I could manifest you in my hold from out of thin air.”
“If submission had taught me anything, it was that it was the submissive who was the most revered and the most vulnerable, and that it was that exact vulnerability that held the Dominants so much in their thrall.”
This the ʝuɳe BoTϻ~ Enthralled for the reader’s group Some Like It Hot!
September 12, 2022
“Sometimes we are in the wrong place at the wrong time. Sometimes we were born to bad people and live a bad life. There doesn’t always need to be a reason for misfortune, Cosima.”
Wow! I don’t know what I thought this book was going to be but this definitely was not it. And not in a bad way. I knew that Giana Darling can write really dark, greedy, and hella smutty books but this was intense!!
Cosima is basically a pawn by being sold to a British Lord as a payment for her so-called father’s gambling debts.
Lord Alexander Davenport is a ruthless and charming and just overall a really intense. His family with other Highup men have this entire world with very strict rules , having traditions where they keep female slaves and I’m still waiting to read book 2 so I’m still trying to figure out exactly what is going on but it is extremely intense with full on master/slave relationships.
Cosima looses all control of her own mind and body through being the slave of Alexander’s.
He has his moments where he opens up and he does admit that he is not fully in charge of everything. And as the book continues on you definitely notice that he is not the puppet master. This is a book that you really just have to go in reading with no expectations because I really thought this book was going to be more about the mafia underworld and while Cosima comes from the mafia world (in a way) it’s really about this crazy cult like a world that Lord Davenport is part of. And I am absolutely fascinated by this story.
“There is no escaping, topolina’” he rasped in my ear as I yelled and yelled, cursing him in Italian and calling for help in English. “It is the law of nature. You are the mouse, and I am the falcon. No one here is going to step in and save you now. “
There is literally a scene in this book where the men release the women slaves to run into a forest and they have to physically catch them on horses. I don’t know why I have like this crazy kink over a physical cat and mouse game between a male and female but it was like the coolest scene ever. Lmao.
Trigger:
There’s some pretty brutal lashings and some nonconsenting sex.
You will get the brutality and a twisted love story even though it’s completely Stockholm syndrome.
There was some extremely crazy plot twist at the end that I genuinely did not see coming at all and I was shocked and I was full-blown yelling at my book saying “what the fuck?!?!”
Now if Amazon can hurry with book two, that’ll be great.
Wow! I don’t know what I thought this book was going to be but this definitely was not it. And not in a bad way. I knew that Giana Darling can write really dark, greedy, and hella smutty books but this was intense!!
Cosima is basically a pawn by being sold to a British Lord as a payment for her so-called father’s gambling debts.
Lord Alexander Davenport is a ruthless and charming and just overall a really intense. His family with other Highup men have this entire world with very strict rules , having traditions where they keep female slaves and I’m still waiting to read book 2 so I’m still trying to figure out exactly what is going on but it is extremely intense with full on master/slave relationships.
Cosima looses all control of her own mind and body through being the slave of Alexander’s.
He has his moments where he opens up and he does admit that he is not fully in charge of everything. And as the book continues on you definitely notice that he is not the puppet master. This is a book that you really just have to go in reading with no expectations because I really thought this book was going to be more about the mafia underworld and while Cosima comes from the mafia world (in a way) it’s really about this crazy cult like a world that Lord Davenport is part of. And I am absolutely fascinated by this story.
“There is no escaping, topolina’” he rasped in my ear as I yelled and yelled, cursing him in Italian and calling for help in English. “It is the law of nature. You are the mouse, and I am the falcon. No one here is going to step in and save you now. “
There is literally a scene in this book where the men release the women slaves to run into a forest and they have to physically catch them on horses. I don’t know why I have like this crazy kink over a physical cat and mouse game between a male and female but it was like the coolest scene ever. Lmao.
Trigger:
There’s some pretty brutal lashings and some nonconsenting sex.
You will get the brutality and a twisted love story even though it’s completely Stockholm syndrome.
There was some extremely crazy plot twist at the end that I genuinely did not see coming at all and I was shocked and I was full-blown yelling at my book saying “what the fuck?!?!”
Now if Amazon can hurry with book two, that’ll be great.
Read
July 3, 2020DNF AT 52%
Oookayyyy.....where should I start?
This book was just too much for me. There were A LOT of sex scenes, I mean there was one every two pages. Like there is BDSM, and then there is this book. Honestly, it was like reading porn and not even the good kind.
Also don't get me started on the way he treated the heroine, like she was dirt under his shoe, I mean there is the whole enemies-to-lovers trope but this book? It was just too much, I can't possibly see how she can forgive him for all that he has done, which btw she did nothing to deserve.
Also the whole slave thing, I've read many books with this trope, but the hero's were at least redeemable and had reasons, but this one? Nope, not even a bit, he was an asshole just because he could be and was NOT AT ALL redeemable.
Anyways, this is my own personal opinion, many people have liked it, but this just wasn't for me. Even though I didn't like this one, it won't stop me from future reads by this author.
X
Oookayyyy.....where should I start?
This book was just too much for me. There were A LOT of sex scenes, I mean there was one every two pages. Like there is BDSM, and then there is this book. Honestly, it was like reading porn and not even the good kind.
Also don't get me started on the way he treated the heroine, like she was dirt under his shoe, I mean there is the whole enemies-to-lovers trope but this book? It was just too much, I can't possibly see how she can forgive him for all that he has done, which btw she did nothing to deserve.
Also the whole slave thing, I've read many books with this trope, but the hero's were at least redeemable and had reasons, but this one? Nope, not even a bit, he was an asshole just because he could be and was NOT AT ALL redeemable.
Anyways, this is my own personal opinion, many people have liked it, but this just wasn't for me. Even though I didn't like this one, it won't stop me from future reads by this author.
X
December 31, 2019
4.5 stars
This is not your typical BDSM romance nor similar to any sex slave story out there. ENTHRALLED is a complex, intricate tale about adultery, mafia, sensuality, The Order, secrets, power and more! Alexander and Cosima are delicious characters, rich in detail and different from any I’ve ever met!!!
”I am Alexander Davenport, Earl of Thornton, and you are playing my game now, Cosima. Be happy that I’m taking the time to teach you the rules instead of making you learn by taking punishments when you unwittingly break them.”
Giana Darling is one of the most articulate writers I’ve read, this and her EVOLUTION OF SIN series reminding me of Skye Warren’s eloquence. Never have I had to look up so many words as I did while reading this book, though! Don’t worry, you don’t need to look them up to get the gist of what she’s saying, but I personally wanted to know what all of the fancy words meant!!! The only reason I would give this book less than 5 stars if I could is because intermingled amongst all of the incredibly complex yet beautiful words were countless errors and inconsistencies. I don’t doubt that this book has been spelled checked, but spellchecker can’t catch when words are repeated, missing words, when correctly spelled words are put in the wrong place, nor can it catch all of the many punctuation rules. For example, the same word was often capitalized in one spot yet not capitalized in another, and when a chapter chapter was titled “NOW” everything was written in past tense. Aside from the need for a very thorough proofread, this is an incredibly gripping, gorgeous story!!
This is not your typical BDSM romance nor similar to any sex slave story out there. ENTHRALLED is a complex, intricate tale about adultery, mafia, sensuality, The Order, secrets, power and more! Alexander and Cosima are delicious characters, rich in detail and different from any I’ve ever met!!!
”I am Alexander Davenport, Earl of Thornton, and you are playing my game now, Cosima. Be happy that I’m taking the time to teach you the rules instead of making you learn by taking punishments when you unwittingly break them.”
Giana Darling is one of the most articulate writers I’ve read, this and her EVOLUTION OF SIN series reminding me of Skye Warren’s eloquence. Never have I had to look up so many words as I did while reading this book, though! Don’t worry, you don’t need to look them up to get the gist of what she’s saying, but I personally wanted to know what all of the fancy words meant!!! The only reason I would give this book less than 5 stars if I could is because intermingled amongst all of the incredibly complex yet beautiful words were countless errors and inconsistencies. I don’t doubt that this book has been spelled checked, but spellchecker can’t catch when words are repeated, missing words, when correctly spelled words are put in the wrong place, nor can it catch all of the many punctuation rules. For example, the same word was often capitalized in one spot yet not capitalized in another, and when a chapter chapter was titled “NOW” everything was written in past tense. Aside from the need for a very thorough proofread, this is an incredibly gripping, gorgeous story!!
October 29, 2019
When Giana first discussed this story with me I was intrigued. When I got to know Cosima’s character I was enamoured. When I met her Master I became obsessed.
This one is certainly not for the faint of heart. This story touches on very real, very dark subjects but does it in a way that feels genuine and respectful. It’s definitely a dark romance and the ever changing dynamics between Cosima and her Master had me hooked from page one.
Nothing in this book is what meets the eye. Nobody is who you think they are. Nothing is out of bounds. Have your wine handy!
I cried in this one. I gasped out loud. I got super squirmy. Their chemistry was explosive (necessitating a 1am wake up for hubs 😈) and I also might have yelled via voice messenger. More than once 🤷♀️ #notevensorry
This one is a roller coaster of emotions. It’s jam packed with decadent imagery, villainous characters and the dialogue in this one is Giana’s strongest writing to date. I absolutely cannot wait for book two.
I received an arc of this book.
This one is certainly not for the faint of heart. This story touches on very real, very dark subjects but does it in a way that feels genuine and respectful. It’s definitely a dark romance and the ever changing dynamics between Cosima and her Master had me hooked from page one.
Nothing in this book is what meets the eye. Nobody is who you think they are. Nothing is out of bounds. Have your wine handy!
I cried in this one. I gasped out loud. I got super squirmy. Their chemistry was explosive (necessitating a 1am wake up for hubs 😈) and I also might have yelled via voice messenger. More than once 🤷♀️ #notevensorry
This one is a roller coaster of emotions. It’s jam packed with decadent imagery, villainous characters and the dialogue in this one is Giana’s strongest writing to date. I absolutely cannot wait for book two.
I received an arc of this book.
Want to read
July 10, 2019Wait what? Cosima was sold to slavery for years since she was 18??? But how did she do that when according to the Evolution of Sin Trilogy she had been one of the hottest fashion models of the world since she was 17 🤷🏻♀️ You can’t model shit if you’re caged for years 😂
I see that this author’s continuity problems keep happening along with the poorly edited books. Seriously, readers deserve better and they should also demand more.
I see that this author’s continuity problems keep happening along with the poorly edited books. Seriously, readers deserve better and they should also demand more.
March 30, 2019
Arc provided in exchange for an honest review
Safety spoilers at the end of review
4 starss !!!
”You may own my body, Lord Thornton, but you will never own my mind, my spirit or my heart.”
Omggg.. Enthralled was everything I never knew I wanted. This book was beautifully tragic. In the best way possible...and I loved it! It does end in a cliffhanger. And now I’m anxiously waiting to read what happens next.
Cosima’s (18) father had a terrible gambling addiction. And he owed money to some dangerously powerful people in Italy. In order to pay his debt, he sold his beautiful daughter to Alexander Davenport, Earl of Thornton (35). Slave meet Master. Alexander wants to control her, own her. He wants her obedience and most of all, he wants her in tears and pain.
This book was not easy to read. Alexander is horrible to her most of the book. Their first sex scene . Alexander does have his reasons for the way he is. He did not have an easy childhood. But I really hope he makes up for his horrible ways in the 2nd book. He does show a softer side to him later in the book that had me really liking his character and rooting for this couple. As for Cosima, she is all hellfire. She has a sharp tongue, even in dangerous situations. She is a strong character, .
I haven’t read a dark BDSM book in such a long time that I was actually scared to start this as I’m so used to my safe romances. But Enthralled took me out of my comfort zone and reminded me why I love books such as : The Dark duet, Monsters in the Dark series and Indebted series...
“You are mine now, Cosima Lombardi. It is my cum between these pretty thighs, my ache in your womb, and my bruises beneath your skin. You will wear me like this every day for the next five years and by the time your term is up, I promise you, you will beg me for another five.”
Safety:
Hero rating: 4 stars
Heroine rating: 4 stars
Writing / plot / creativity: 4 stars
Sex scenes: 4 stars
Ending: 4 stars
———————————————
Overall: 4 stars
Safety spoilers at the end of review
4 starss !!!
”You may own my body, Lord Thornton, but you will never own my mind, my spirit or my heart.”
Omggg.. Enthralled was everything I never knew I wanted. This book was beautifully tragic. In the best way possible...and I loved it! It does end in a cliffhanger. And now I’m anxiously waiting to read what happens next.
Cosima’s (18) father had a terrible gambling addiction. And he owed money to some dangerously powerful people in Italy. In order to pay his debt, he sold his beautiful daughter to Alexander Davenport, Earl of Thornton (35). Slave meet Master. Alexander wants to control her, own her. He wants her obedience and most of all, he wants her in tears and pain.
This book was not easy to read. Alexander is horrible to her most of the book. Their first sex scene . Alexander does have his reasons for the way he is. He did not have an easy childhood. But I really hope he makes up for his horrible ways in the 2nd book. He does show a softer side to him later in the book that had me really liking his character and rooting for this couple. As for Cosima, she is all hellfire. She has a sharp tongue, even in dangerous situations. She is a strong character, .
I haven’t read a dark BDSM book in such a long time that I was actually scared to start this as I’m so used to my safe romances. But Enthralled took me out of my comfort zone and reminded me why I love books such as : The Dark duet, Monsters in the Dark series and Indebted series...
“You are mine now, Cosima Lombardi. It is my cum between these pretty thighs, my ache in your womb, and my bruises beneath your skin. You will wear me like this every day for the next five years and by the time your term is up, I promise you, you will beg me for another five.”
Safety:
Hero rating: 4 stars
Heroine rating: 4 stars
Writing / plot / creativity: 4 stars
Sex scenes: 4 stars
Ending: 4 stars
———————————————
Overall: 4 stars
March 26, 2019
Giana Darling's Enthralled was absolutely amazing. It left me shocked, hopeful and quite simply, with no pun intended, enthralled and wanting more. This story was sexy and delicious but also disturbing and sad. At times I felt Cosima's pain and anguish as if they were my very own raw wounds. But like her I was kept captive by the gamut of emotions she felt for her mercurial captor while also battling her desires to be free.
The story begins on a shocking note as we see Cosima Lombardi on the verge of being sold on her eighteenth birthday. But none of us could have expected the man that would become her master - Lord Alexander Davenport. Darling does a phenomenal job giving us a glimpse of the man and how he is affected by Cosima on a visceral level. He was a cauldron of mixed emotions: dominant and ruthless and yet vulnerable and caring at times. You could see the dichotomy in his persona as Cosima systematically blew up his existence and everything he held true.
While I loved them together, there was a small part of me that was genuinely sad for Cosima and the way she was systematically altered after every "session" with Alexander. I have read countless Master/Slave books but Darling's Enthralled evoked such strong emotions that I needed to take breaks. I was shocked and saddened but also captivated by Alexander's allure and ultimately (and ironically) Cosi's power over him. That consuming feeling is testament to Darling's innate skills and brilliant ability as a writer. I seriously can not wait for Enamoured! Bravo! 5 stars! ~Ratula
The story begins on a shocking note as we see Cosima Lombardi on the verge of being sold on her eighteenth birthday. But none of us could have expected the man that would become her master - Lord Alexander Davenport. Darling does a phenomenal job giving us a glimpse of the man and how he is affected by Cosima on a visceral level. He was a cauldron of mixed emotions: dominant and ruthless and yet vulnerable and caring at times. You could see the dichotomy in his persona as Cosima systematically blew up his existence and everything he held true.
While I loved them together, there was a small part of me that was genuinely sad for Cosima and the way she was systematically altered after every "session" with Alexander. I have read countless Master/Slave books but Darling's Enthralled evoked such strong emotions that I needed to take breaks. I was shocked and saddened but also captivated by Alexander's allure and ultimately (and ironically) Cosi's power over him. That consuming feeling is testament to Darling's innate skills and brilliant ability as a writer. I seriously can not wait for Enamoured! Bravo! 5 stars! ~Ratula
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