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The Dark Arts #2
The Escape Artist
Claire was held captive for 43 days by a man who did unspeakable things to her.
Three years after her escape, she gets her revenge. The only problem is, she’s got the wrong man.
God help her if he escapes.
Three years after her escape, she gets her revenge. The only problem is, she’s got the wrong man.
God help her if he escapes.
228 pages, Hardcover
First published January 14, 2020
126 people are currently reading
5495 people want to read
About the author
Kitty Thomas
56 books4,957 followers😈 Author of Comfort Food, published in early 2010: The OG (original gangster/the first) Dark Romance 😈
NEW RELEASE:
RUTHLESS DEVOTION: A dark stalker forced marriage romance:
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Ruthless-Devot...
All Links: https://kittythomas.com/book/ruthless...
"If dark romance with obsession, danger, and just the right touch of chaos is your thing, Ruthless Devotion is a must-read. Aidan is intense, unhinged in the best way, and completely fixated on Maddie—yet somehow, you can’t help falling for him.”-Booksnliftsdiary, Goodreads
"Dark, Twisted, and Addictively Compelling.” – Good Booking Girl, Goodreads
"Maddie is strong, she is smart, and I love her. I’ll be honest I was not sure how Kitty Thomas was gonna get me on team Aiden but she did! I can’t wait to read more from this author!” – Katlyn, Goodreads
Get a FREE ebook when you subscribe to my newsletter: https://kittythomas.com/free-book/
🔥 COMFORT FOOD, the OG Dark Romance: 🔥
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Comfort-Food-K...
All Links: https://kittythomas.com/book/comfort-...
🔥 BOOK OF THE WEEK: 🔥
For readers who like to share promotional images on their socials or in groups, you can get those here: https://bookbrush.com/reader-hub/Kitt...
Kitty began publishing in early 2010 with her bestselling, COMFORT FOOD.
Thank you for reading!
Kitty ^.^
NEW RELEASE:
RUTHLESS DEVOTION: A dark stalker forced marriage romance:
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Ruthless-Devot...
All Links: https://kittythomas.com/book/ruthless...
"If dark romance with obsession, danger, and just the right touch of chaos is your thing, Ruthless Devotion is a must-read. Aidan is intense, unhinged in the best way, and completely fixated on Maddie—yet somehow, you can’t help falling for him.”-Booksnliftsdiary, Goodreads
"Dark, Twisted, and Addictively Compelling.” – Good Booking Girl, Goodreads
"Maddie is strong, she is smart, and I love her. I’ll be honest I was not sure how Kitty Thomas was gonna get me on team Aiden but she did! I can’t wait to read more from this author!” – Katlyn, Goodreads
Get a FREE ebook when you subscribe to my newsletter: https://kittythomas.com/free-book/
🔥 COMFORT FOOD, the OG Dark Romance: 🔥
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Comfort-Food-K...
All Links: https://kittythomas.com/book/comfort-...
🔥 BOOK OF THE WEEK: 🔥
For readers who like to share promotional images on their socials or in groups, you can get those here: https://bookbrush.com/reader-hub/Kitt...
Kitty began publishing in early 2010 with her bestselling, COMFORT FOOD.
Thank you for reading!
Kitty ^.^
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 130 reviews
October 17, 2022
As usual, this book was utter perfection!
February 9, 2020
so good.
Kitty Thomas is slowly becoming my favorite author. so far this is my third book by her and i enjoyed it. i recommend it.
Kitty Thomas is slowly becoming my favorite author. so far this is my third book by her and i enjoyed it. i recommend it.
May 22, 2020
I thought this book was about a woman getting revenge on the guy that kidnapped and assaulted her. Even after Ari got into the picture I still thought she was going to top him when she realizes she got the wrong guy. Instead he's assuming ownership even though he knows she is not stable, I don't care if he thinks he can cure her with some BDSM it just seemed distasteful.
Read
June 5, 2023
The Escape Artist is live with new cover art and bonus epilogue for only 99 cents introductory offer!
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All links plus Teaser Scene
July 30, 2020
CAREFUL! SPOILERS AHEAD!
Trust Kitty Thomas to think of an unconventional way to cure a girl that’s been abducted and abused for 43 days.
Yes,she’s done it before,and even with everything that happened to those girls,it always worked.....
Those girls are now slaves,happy with their place at their Masters feet.
Happy to be their treasured pets,and happy with pleasing their Masters,in any way they can.
But is this method something that can help Claire,you ask.
Having escaped at the very last minute,at the very moment she was about to be killed,used up and useless to her captor,it nearly destroyed the last bit of her soul she had left.....
So,even though she escaped,part of her was left behind,and she never felt free in the three years after.
Until....she sees the very man that did all those despicable things to her.
At that moment she finds out that what she feels isn’t fear,but anger.
At that moment she decides to do to him what he’d done to her.
He’d pay for it all,and after 43 days,she’d kill him the same way he’d attempted to kill her.
Only,he doesn’t behave the way she expected when she hurts him.
Only,he says she’s got the wrong man,he didn’t do anything.
And when he gets his chance,the speed with which he reverses the roles,is staggering.
Now,she is,once again,the captive......
And finding out he ís indeed another man than her first captor,knowing what she did to him frightens her now.
Because,what will he do to her in return?
Ari didn’t know at first why he woke up in that cell,but when the beautiful girl with the haunted eyes shares her plans for him,he knows he’ll have to find a way out,and soon.
Her punishments for what he’s supposed to have done,is something he endures.
Right until his moment arrives,and he takes back control.
He takes the girl home,because having her in his house gives him what he secretly wanted for so long.....his very own slave.
As always,i loved the journey Kitty took me on,and it has a special place in my heart.
Trust Kitty Thomas to think of an unconventional way to cure a girl that’s been abducted and abused for 43 days.
Yes,she’s done it before,and even with everything that happened to those girls,it always worked.....
Those girls are now slaves,happy with their place at their Masters feet.
Happy to be their treasured pets,and happy with pleasing their Masters,in any way they can.
But is this method something that can help Claire,you ask.
Having escaped at the very last minute,at the very moment she was about to be killed,used up and useless to her captor,it nearly destroyed the last bit of her soul she had left.....
So,even though she escaped,part of her was left behind,and she never felt free in the three years after.
Until....she sees the very man that did all those despicable things to her.
At that moment she finds out that what she feels isn’t fear,but anger.
At that moment she decides to do to him what he’d done to her.
He’d pay for it all,and after 43 days,she’d kill him the same way he’d attempted to kill her.
Only,he doesn’t behave the way she expected when she hurts him.
Only,he says she’s got the wrong man,he didn’t do anything.
And when he gets his chance,the speed with which he reverses the roles,is staggering.
Now,she is,once again,the captive......
And finding out he ís indeed another man than her first captor,knowing what she did to him frightens her now.
Because,what will he do to her in return?
Ari didn’t know at first why he woke up in that cell,but when the beautiful girl with the haunted eyes shares her plans for him,he knows he’ll have to find a way out,and soon.
Her punishments for what he’s supposed to have done,is something he endures.
Right until his moment arrives,and he takes back control.
He takes the girl home,because having her in his house gives him what he secretly wanted for so long.....his very own slave.
As always,i loved the journey Kitty took me on,and it has a special place in my heart.
April 11, 2024
I absolutely loved this book.
From the first line to the last, The Escape Artist held me captive, just as Claire and Ari were held captive by one another. Kitty Thomas has crafted yet another amazing masterpiece of a story, one where she takes all the elements of wrongness and twists them into something that is so very right. This story is by parts emotionally charged, depraved, incredibly hot, fantastically written and populated with great characters.
The relationship between Claire and Ari is consensual at the same time as it isn't, with the author somehow skating a fine line between the two. Just as I decided it was one thing, the tables turned and it became the other. Even more amazingly, Ms Thomas manages to take a relationship based on everything wrong and turn it into something perfect.
Ari was a good man until life gave him an opportunity to be otherwise, and yet that wrongness was the perfect thing to save Claire. Despite how morally dubious his actions were I adored him, and it was always clear that Claire's wellbeing was his top priority. Theirs may not have been the most conventional of relationships, erroneous in just about every way possible, but it was exactly the relationship both of them needed.
The author has taken the possibly overused "captive" trope and shaken it up, producing a story that feels fresh and new. This is one red hot NSFW read, pushing buttons and boundaries in the most delightful of manners. I totally loved every single thought, word and action in the book, I simply can't sing its praises loudly enough. In fact it's left me with a deep need to read more of her work.
From the first line to the last, The Escape Artist held me captive, just as Claire and Ari were held captive by one another. Kitty Thomas has crafted yet another amazing masterpiece of a story, one where she takes all the elements of wrongness and twists them into something that is so very right. This story is by parts emotionally charged, depraved, incredibly hot, fantastically written and populated with great characters.
This was wrong in every way a thing could be wrong. But he hadn't been able to leave her alone in a world she could no longer navigate, and he wasn't nobel enough to pass up this opportunity or just keep her as his indefinite platonic house guest.
The relationship between Claire and Ari is consensual at the same time as it isn't, with the author somehow skating a fine line between the two. Just as I decided it was one thing, the tables turned and it became the other. Even more amazingly, Ms Thomas manages to take a relationship based on everything wrong and turn it into something perfect.
Ari was a good man until life gave him an opportunity to be otherwise, and yet that wrongness was the perfect thing to save Claire. Despite how morally dubious his actions were I adored him, and it was always clear that Claire's wellbeing was his top priority. Theirs may not have been the most conventional of relationships, erroneous in just about every way possible, but it was exactly the relationship both of them needed.
The author has taken the possibly overused "captive" trope and shaken it up, producing a story that feels fresh and new. This is one red hot NSFW read, pushing buttons and boundaries in the most delightful of manners. I totally loved every single thought, word and action in the book, I simply can't sing its praises loudly enough. In fact it's left me with a deep need to read more of her work.
He'd felt how badly she needed someone to take control of her, her shattered life, everything. Someone who wouldn't truly hurt her. But she could never ask for such a thing. And she could never feel safe if it were offered. Because she didn't know who to trust.
April 13, 2020
I like the fact that Kitty Thomas writes a number of quality, intense, sexually charged, stand-alone books and that is certainly the case with The Escape Artist. Her writing engages the reader and pulls you into the emotions of the characters like few other authors. It is hard to say what I liked so much about this book without giving away too much of the details. Suffice it to say, the raw emotions of the captor and prisoner evoked such strong feelings in me that I was immediately pulled into the story and wishing for the couple’s HEA. However, sharing sex partners and group sex is not one of my favorite kinks to read about, but it was done in a manner that respected personal boundaries and pretty hot. On a personal note... Please order me some of that special, sex-enhancing lotion that drove the women characters to a constant state of arousal and the brink of orgasm! 4-5 solid stars.
January 21, 2020
It has been way too long since I’ve read a Kitty Thomas book.
The Escape Artist was a true escape for me. Such a great plot and had “all the feels”I was looking for...and It. Is. Smoking🔥...OMG, I would love to jump right into that book!
A phenomenal palette cleanser of kinky delight.
The Escape Artist was a true escape for me. Such a great plot and had “all the feels”I was looking for...and It. Is. Smoking🔥...OMG, I would love to jump right into that book!
A phenomenal palette cleanser of kinky delight.
December 31, 2020
99cents on Amazon!
One of my favorite dark reads this year.
One of my favorite dark reads this year.
August 21, 2021
I forget literally everything that happened.
Read
January 22, 2020update: dnf @ 50%. Marking as read. I don't know if this is too light for me or if I'm just not in the mood for this type of story. I don't know. It's way too reminiscent of tender mercies, though.
I heard Kitty Thomas say this book is kind of a mix between Comfort Food and Tender Mercies and now I'm dying from my excitement. I'm truly done with her docile pleasure house novels and I'm so happy she's going back to writing dark books.
This cover, though?
Just awful.
I heard Kitty Thomas say this book is kind of a mix between Comfort Food and Tender Mercies and now I'm dying from my excitement. I'm truly done with her docile pleasure house novels and I'm so happy she's going back to writing dark books.
This cover, though?
Just awful.
March 1, 2021
I liked this, as I do everything that Kitty Thomas writes.
I have to say I felt very sorry for Claire. Her background just makes you want to give her a great big hug and I can totally see why she felt the need to get her own back - except she picked the wrong guy! Arrghh. All of her revenge is raining down upon an innocent man.
What will happen when the tables turn and he gets his chance at revenge?
Lots of fun and games me thinks!
I have to say I felt very sorry for Claire. Her background just makes you want to give her a great big hug and I can totally see why she felt the need to get her own back - except she picked the wrong guy! Arrghh. All of her revenge is raining down upon an innocent man.
What will happen when the tables turn and he gets his chance at revenge?
Lots of fun and games me thinks!
January 16, 2020
SUPERB
OUTSTANDING
EMOTIONALLY GUTTING
HEARTBREAKINGLY BEAUTIFUL
These were the immediate thoughts that crossed my mind as I finished Ms. Thomas' 'The Escape Artist'.
A writer with the author's skills is a treasure beyond compare to this lifelong reader. And Ms. Thomas just does NOT disappoint. Her wordcrafting skill is almost magical, her deft light style is so deceptive: she's a powerful magnet & her readers are helpless steel (as least THIS one IS) completely pulled into & trapped in the world she creates.
To me, her writing is like a soft delicate mist that swirls around you, creating intense mental images & deep emotions that not only can you not escape, you don't want to.
I feel helpless writing this review because I don't want to give away/spoil ANYTHING about this one: not the plot, not the characters (Ari & Claire) or their relationship/development. But she's crafted two characters I love: Ari & Claire. Both of them flawlessly written & detailed, fleshed out. The reader is privy to their thoughts, feelings, impressions of each other & their situation & in Claire's case her horrifyingly traumatic past that has been slowly & irrevocably destroying her life. And Ari, there were so many paths open to him in how to deal with Claire. And IMO he chooses the one that seems to be a dark decision for Claire & self serving for him, yet may be Claire's only hope to prevent her delicate & damaged sanity from shattering.
But Ms. Thomas is a rare author who has the wonderous talent to be able to write dark plots with characters who ought to be viewed as dark & yet help the reader to see the dark through a different lens, to see that all dark isn't evil or mean or cruel. Some dark can be safe, sheltering, protective, gentle & beautiful.
What I WILL say about this book: if you as a reader love excellent writing, writing that deftly draws you in, writing that truly does challenge your prespective, makes your heart ache with empathy, makes your heart warm, that brings you a full spectrum of emotions: READ THIS BOOK. Seriously, read this book.
Is there dark in it? Yes.
Are there triggers in it? Yes.
Are there erotic scenes that sizzle & scorch off the page? Oh, man, YES.
Are there characters the reader CARES about, is INVESTED in, ROOTING for? Yes, yes, yes!
Do I think the reader will love this book: the writing, the plot, the characters? YES, YES, YES.
Having read MANY of this author's books, I know she doesn't use the phrase 'I love you'.
In this book (IMO) her characters SHOW it & LIVE it in subtle but deeply intense & meaningful ways.
This one truly made me feel good, happy, beyond pleased. It made me smile & actually tear up. ME!
It is a wonderous, dark but beautiful book.
Do yourself a favor, don't be afraid of some dark, some heartache, some trauma.
Because there is light too: healing, protection & IMO, while unspoken, there is deep & devoted LOVE.
OUTSTANDING
EMOTIONALLY GUTTING
HEARTBREAKINGLY BEAUTIFUL
These were the immediate thoughts that crossed my mind as I finished Ms. Thomas' 'The Escape Artist'.
A writer with the author's skills is a treasure beyond compare to this lifelong reader. And Ms. Thomas just does NOT disappoint. Her wordcrafting skill is almost magical, her deft light style is so deceptive: she's a powerful magnet & her readers are helpless steel (as least THIS one IS) completely pulled into & trapped in the world she creates.
To me, her writing is like a soft delicate mist that swirls around you, creating intense mental images & deep emotions that not only can you not escape, you don't want to.
I feel helpless writing this review because I don't want to give away/spoil ANYTHING about this one: not the plot, not the characters (Ari & Claire) or their relationship/development. But she's crafted two characters I love: Ari & Claire. Both of them flawlessly written & detailed, fleshed out. The reader is privy to their thoughts, feelings, impressions of each other & their situation & in Claire's case her horrifyingly traumatic past that has been slowly & irrevocably destroying her life. And Ari, there were so many paths open to him in how to deal with Claire. And IMO he chooses the one that seems to be a dark decision for Claire & self serving for him, yet may be Claire's only hope to prevent her delicate & damaged sanity from shattering.
But Ms. Thomas is a rare author who has the wonderous talent to be able to write dark plots with characters who ought to be viewed as dark & yet help the reader to see the dark through a different lens, to see that all dark isn't evil or mean or cruel. Some dark can be safe, sheltering, protective, gentle & beautiful.
What I WILL say about this book: if you as a reader love excellent writing, writing that deftly draws you in, writing that truly does challenge your prespective, makes your heart ache with empathy, makes your heart warm, that brings you a full spectrum of emotions: READ THIS BOOK. Seriously, read this book.
Is there dark in it? Yes.
Are there triggers in it? Yes.
Are there erotic scenes that sizzle & scorch off the page? Oh, man, YES.
Are there characters the reader CARES about, is INVESTED in, ROOTING for? Yes, yes, yes!
Do I think the reader will love this book: the writing, the plot, the characters? YES, YES, YES.
Having read MANY of this author's books, I know she doesn't use the phrase 'I love you'.
In this book (IMO) her characters SHOW it & LIVE it in subtle but deeply intense & meaningful ways.
This one truly made me feel good, happy, beyond pleased. It made me smile & actually tear up. ME!
It is a wonderous, dark but beautiful book.
Do yourself a favor, don't be afraid of some dark, some heartache, some trauma.
Because there is light too: healing, protection & IMO, while unspoken, there is deep & devoted LOVE.
January 15, 2020
The story was reasonably well written, and the first part was very dark as implied in the promotional blurb. The second part was less dark, and by the end, the story had reverted to a normal romance with an HEA. I think the setup to get us the dark beginning was somewhat realistic as situations that have made the news over the last two decades have shown that truth is indeed stranger than fiction. Because of this, I was able to buy in to the story and enjoy going over all the mental perturbations that Claire was experiencing. I wasn’t happy with Kane.
I feel the need to point out that in this story there are allusions to M/M sexual interactions, and it has a couple of scenes of F/F sexual interaction. There is also a group sex scene and several M/f/M/f-M encounters. The promotional blurb doesn’t even expose the fact that sexual situations are involved. I realize that we all probably know what Kitty Thomas books are likely to be about, but for the general reading population on a “just-in-case” basis, these disclosures ought and need to be made.
Overall, I liked this book.
I feel the need to point out that in this story there are allusions to M/M sexual interactions, and it has a couple of scenes of F/F sexual interaction. There is also a group sex scene and several M/f/M/f-M encounters. The promotional blurb doesn’t even expose the fact that sexual situations are involved. I realize that we all probably know what Kitty Thomas books are likely to be about, but for the general reading population on a “just-in-case” basis, these disclosures ought and need to be made.
Overall, I liked this book.
January 12, 2020
Wow. This book. By far my favorite book by Kitty Thomas.
Claire got kidnapped for 43 days and tortured and raped by a horrible man and escaped. 3 years later she believes she finds him and gets revenge on him. She kidnaps him, puts him in a cell and tortures him for 3 weeks. Except she kidnaps the wrong man.
When I seen Ari was the male I actually got butterflies. The little snippet of him in Con Artist was SO GOOD. I loved him and his tenderness. I was so incredibly happy and was hopeful that he kept his sweetness but also, Kitty stuck to her stern ways. And she did NOT disappoint. Like usual. I love her and her writing. So much.
Claire was the PERFECT pet for him. Wow. I mean, they were a dream. I could read this book twice. This book was just so good. *You really should read Con Artist before reading this even though its basically a standalone because there is another couple involved that plays out in it that is focused in that book* and thats another thing I LOVED! I loved that Kane and Saskia were in this story alot! & Marcus.. And I loved that Kane was softer and OH MY HEART, THE BRANDING...LOVE IT. This will go down as my favorite book of hers and I will be telling EVERYONE. 5 stars. 5 star author.
Claire got kidnapped for 43 days and tortured and raped by a horrible man and escaped. 3 years later she believes she finds him and gets revenge on him. She kidnaps him, puts him in a cell and tortures him for 3 weeks. Except she kidnaps the wrong man.
When I seen Ari was the male I actually got butterflies. The little snippet of him in Con Artist was SO GOOD. I loved him and his tenderness. I was so incredibly happy and was hopeful that he kept his sweetness but also, Kitty stuck to her stern ways. And she did NOT disappoint. Like usual. I love her and her writing. So much.
Claire was the PERFECT pet for him. Wow. I mean, they were a dream. I could read this book twice. This book was just so good. *You really should read Con Artist before reading this even though its basically a standalone because there is another couple involved that plays out in it that is focused in that book* and thats another thing I LOVED! I loved that Kane and Saskia were in this story alot! & Marcus.. And I loved that Kane was softer and OH MY HEART, THE BRANDING...LOVE IT. This will go down as my favorite book of hers and I will be telling EVERYONE. 5 stars. 5 star author.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 14, 2020
God help her if he escapes.
...and OMG it was exciting to read it when he did!!
...and OMG it was exciting to read it when he did!!
Read
August 31, 2020Got over halfway through - not a bad book by any means, just has stuff in it I usually don’t enjoy. NEXT!!!
January 23, 2021
Kitty Thomas is a fantastic author and I love the way she weaves a plot around a broken heroine who finds her dark love and HEA. I was hooked by the setup In The Escape Artist and it didn’t disappoint.
For readers: a good plot, relatable characters, and a journey of healing for Claire. Highly recommended. If you haven’t read a KT book before, know this is dark erotica. A lot of it is too dark for me, so I skipped some of the sex scenes. It didn’t prevent me from thoroughly enjoying it, and I’ve been in and out of a book funk for ages.
For authors: What interested me was how can you write a story about an unwilling slave and yet not have an unrelatable hero? Kitty takes that and runs with it as brilliantly as always. I liked Ari from the start and the scene where they are in Claire’s family home is perfect. Also, their progression into love that is illustrated through the erotica is beautifully done. If there’s ever a course in writing dark erotica, The Escape Artist should be part of required reading.
For readers: a good plot, relatable characters, and a journey of healing for Claire. Highly recommended. If you haven’t read a KT book before, know this is dark erotica. A lot of it is too dark for me, so I skipped some of the sex scenes. It didn’t prevent me from thoroughly enjoying it, and I’ve been in and out of a book funk for ages.
For authors: What interested me was how can you write a story about an unwilling slave and yet not have an unrelatable hero? Kitty takes that and runs with it as brilliantly as always. I liked Ari from the start and the scene where they are in Claire’s family home is perfect. Also, their progression into love that is illustrated through the erotica is beautifully done. If there’s ever a course in writing dark erotica, The Escape Artist should be part of required reading.
January 10, 2020
Sigh ..... I loved this book , mainly because I loved Q & Saskia’s story and was so glad they play a key part in Ari’s story.
This book starts in an unexpected way with Ari being held captive , a real role reversal for these types of books and I really enjoyed that. Claire has survived & escaped a horrific experience and captures Ari believing he was the man who had her.
I was glad the story didn’t feel unrealistic ( yes yes I know it’s fiction) , the way it played out wasn’t forced for the sake of the story.
I’m not a fan of branding but that part of the book was laid out well and tugs at the emotions from being a little anxious at the branding to being super angry when crazy Holly turns up to spoil the evening.
I love Marcus and would like to see a books about him and his love for both Q & Saskia. It’s clear the Q knows he will be part of their lives permanently and he expects him to care for Saskia should he leave the earth before her ( likely with the sage gap.
I was always waiting for the other shoe to drop and Claire’s captor to turn up , was wondering if he was either a friend of her parents or would maybe be at the art show, I liked how he was closed out in the story.
I rarely re-read books but I think I will go back and read the Con Artist again and then this one , love these characters so much.
Go read these books !!
This book starts in an unexpected way with Ari being held captive , a real role reversal for these types of books and I really enjoyed that. Claire has survived & escaped a horrific experience and captures Ari believing he was the man who had her.
I was glad the story didn’t feel unrealistic ( yes yes I know it’s fiction) , the way it played out wasn’t forced for the sake of the story.
I’m not a fan of branding but that part of the book was laid out well and tugs at the emotions from being a little anxious at the branding to being super angry when crazy Holly turns up to spoil the evening.
I love Marcus and would like to see a books about him and his love for both Q & Saskia. It’s clear the Q knows he will be part of their lives permanently and he expects him to care for Saskia should he leave the earth before her ( likely with the sage gap.
I was always waiting for the other shoe to drop and Claire’s captor to turn up , was wondering if he was either a friend of her parents or would maybe be at the art show, I liked how he was closed out in the story.
I rarely re-read books but I think I will go back and read the Con Artist again and then this one , love these characters so much.
Go read these books !!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 12, 2020
This book was awesome! I loved Claire and Ari. Claire had so much guilt and anger bottled inside her i'm actually surprised she managed to kidnap Ari and do the things she did to him. When things turned around I didn't know how it was going to go down. I liked that we got to see Kane and Saskia again that was a lot of fun. I really liked the chemistry and dynamic between Ari and Claire despite how their relationship started. The ending was a totally shock! I did not see that twist coming! I love when I can't predict the ending it's so much fun! I really liked that this book felt like it had a complete ending even though most of Kitty's books tend to end on kind of a cliffhanger, I'm glad that didn't happen in this book Claire deserved to have a nice ending. I can't wait to read more books hopefully in this world with Kane and Ari and maybe some new characters. A wonderful read.
January 15, 2020
Kitty Thomas has done it again. She really writes fantastic dark romance and capture fantasies.
Claire went through 43 terrible days, and 3 years later, she's hiding from what happened and from the man who did it to her. She doesn't want to acknowledge what happened because then it becomes too real. She thought she was safe until she saw him again. It threw her, and she is going to take steps.
Ari is mourning the death of a relationship. One fateful day, he sits in a cafe, eating lunch. That one meal sets up everything that's about to happen. He wakes up one day captured.
I felt sorry for Claire. She really did go through the worst thing ever, and of course it broke her. And she never was able to put herself back together. I think that Ari is good for her.
Ari is really patient and controlled. That's what Claire really needs.
Excellent story and a definite joy from Kitty Thomas.
Claire went through 43 terrible days, and 3 years later, she's hiding from what happened and from the man who did it to her. She doesn't want to acknowledge what happened because then it becomes too real. She thought she was safe until she saw him again. It threw her, and she is going to take steps.
Ari is mourning the death of a relationship. One fateful day, he sits in a cafe, eating lunch. That one meal sets up everything that's about to happen. He wakes up one day captured.
I felt sorry for Claire. She really did go through the worst thing ever, and of course it broke her. And she never was able to put herself back together. I think that Ari is good for her.
Ari is really patient and controlled. That's what Claire really needs.
Excellent story and a definite joy from Kitty Thomas.
January 11, 2020
Ari and Claire have the most unusual meeting. And the tables kept turning on this couple as they find each other.
I loved the story. It was so different from any other storyline and it kept me wanting to read more.
I also loved how the characters Quill and Saskia from The Con Artist were shown in this book as a continuation of their story.
I highly recommend this book!
I loved the story. It was so different from any other storyline and it kept me wanting to read more.
I also loved how the characters Quill and Saskia from The Con Artist were shown in this book as a continuation of their story.
I highly recommend this book!
March 1, 2020
4.5 stars
This story starts three years after Claire escapes her kidnapper. He kept her in a basement for 43 days before she escaped. He did horrible things to her during that time and it broke her. She is barely able to get through the day and going out of her apartment is worse. That is until she sees her captor. Now she has a purpose, to get her revenge.
This story not only overlaps with The Con Artist, but also The Pleasure House series. Each story stands alone, but characters you meet in other stories make an appearance. It is a nice tie in without missing anything if you haven't read the other stories.
This story starts three years after Claire escapes her kidnapper. He kept her in a basement for 43 days before she escaped. He did horrible things to her during that time and it broke her. She is barely able to get through the day and going out of her apartment is worse. That is until she sees her captor. Now she has a purpose, to get her revenge.
This story not only overlaps with The Con Artist, but also The Pleasure House series. Each story stands alone, but characters you meet in other stories make an appearance. It is a nice tie in without missing anything if you haven't read the other stories.
Want to read
January 8, 2021
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Blurb:
Claire was held captive for 43 days by a man who did unspeakable things to her.
Three years after her escape, she gets her revenge. The only problem is, she’s got the wrong man.
God help her if he escapes.
Merged review:
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Blurb:
Claire was held captive for 43 days by a man who did unspeakable things to her.
Three years after her escape, she gets her revenge. The only problem is, she’s got the wrong man.
God help her if he escapes.
August 25, 2020
I don’t suppose there is much you can blurb about without spoiling the plot so I’ll mark this as spoilers and go right to the coup de grace.
SPOILERS
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Reading “The Con Artist“ momentarily ... Kane and Saskia’s story.
SPOILERS
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“So,” Wendi said, when the dessert tray was rolled out, “How did you two meet?”
In truth Claire was surprised that neither her mother nor anyone else at the table had asked that question yet. The entire room was silent, each person waiting to hear how Claire had met this guy all the women were drooling over and the men seemed intimidated by.
“She kidnapped me and held me captive in a cell for three weeks, and we just hit it off. It was fate,” Ari said without missing a beat.
Claire just gawked at him. But he winked at her, obviously getting a kick out of telling the absolute truth of how they met to her family, knowing they wouldn't take it seriously.
The table erupted in laughter. “Gorgeous and a sense of humor. Don't let this one get away,” her mother said.
As if she could. “I don't think you have to worry about that,” Claire said.
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Reading “The Con Artist“ momentarily ... Kane and Saskia’s story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
nope
November 15, 2019From author - This book is Ari's book (a side character from The Con Artist). However you do NOT have to have read The Con Artist to read this book. This is a standalone set in the same world.
June 5, 2023
It’s been a few days since I finished The Escape Artist and I can’t remember the last time it has taken me this long to compose a review. The hangover has been tremendous. I can’t stop thinking about Claire and Ari, but I’m still finding the right words to describe this work of art with justice.
Kitty Thomas writes outside the box to deliver stories that shatter the paradigms within genres. The Proposal was an RH that posed the question of why couldn’t a woman “play the field” and answered with a twist the heroine didn’t see coming. Valkyrie was a retold myth that took a female deity’s promiscuity and turned it into power and mercy. With The Escape Artist, Kitty Thomas explores the delicate, yet entirely meaningful, line between dark fantasy and dark reality.
Claire is a wealthy young woman who has a secret love of kink, but has never explored it with another, preferring to be self-satisfied with her own fantasies. Until a horrendous misfortune three years ago, when she was kidnapped by a stranger and suffered violent sexual and physical abuse. She narrowly escaped with her life, and since then she has barely been able to eat, sleep, or leave her home. She has experienced true helplessness, and it has shattered every aspect of her mental and sexual health. When she stumbles upon an opportunity to exact revenge on the man who terrified her, she grabs it with two vicious but trembling hands. But the man she has been punishing insists that she’s got the wrong guy!
Claire better beware if Ari, the man she’s been whipping, escapes. She better beware if he decides that she’s just exactly what the Master ordered and decides to keep her. She better hide if he plans to share his new pet with his friends!
I have read my fair share of BDSM, kink, captive, and dark romance, but I have never encountered a heroine who embodies as much conflict as Claire. Her relationship with Ari encompasses a greater scope than is seen in a “typical” captive or dark romance. The reality of her circumstances cause her to question the morality of her dark fantasies. When she finds vindication, so do we. I love the thoughtfulness and sophistication with which this topic is treated.
Ari, on the other hand, is devastatingly masculine and sensual, irresistible even while bound and beaten, but his magnetism is stratospheric when the tables are turned. Ari is the epitome of a man who takes the utmost care of his possessions. Kitty Thomas tells us it’s not wrong to want the things we want, and I want everything he does to Claire!
Claire and Ari’s love story is perfect. Be sure to pick up the cute Epilogue, featuring their neighbor, an adorable fox named Arnold. You’ll meet him in the book. The Escape Artist has become my newest dark romance favourite!
Kitty Thomas writes outside the box to deliver stories that shatter the paradigms within genres. The Proposal was an RH that posed the question of why couldn’t a woman “play the field” and answered with a twist the heroine didn’t see coming. Valkyrie was a retold myth that took a female deity’s promiscuity and turned it into power and mercy. With The Escape Artist, Kitty Thomas explores the delicate, yet entirely meaningful, line between dark fantasy and dark reality.
Claire is a wealthy young woman who has a secret love of kink, but has never explored it with another, preferring to be self-satisfied with her own fantasies. Until a horrendous misfortune three years ago, when she was kidnapped by a stranger and suffered violent sexual and physical abuse. She narrowly escaped with her life, and since then she has barely been able to eat, sleep, or leave her home. She has experienced true helplessness, and it has shattered every aspect of her mental and sexual health. When she stumbles upon an opportunity to exact revenge on the man who terrified her, she grabs it with two vicious but trembling hands. But the man she has been punishing insists that she’s got the wrong guy!
Claire better beware if Ari, the man she’s been whipping, escapes. She better beware if he decides that she’s just exactly what the Master ordered and decides to keep her. She better hide if he plans to share his new pet with his friends!
I have read my fair share of BDSM, kink, captive, and dark romance, but I have never encountered a heroine who embodies as much conflict as Claire. Her relationship with Ari encompasses a greater scope than is seen in a “typical” captive or dark romance. The reality of her circumstances cause her to question the morality of her dark fantasies. When she finds vindication, so do we. I love the thoughtfulness and sophistication with which this topic is treated.
Ari, on the other hand, is devastatingly masculine and sensual, irresistible even while bound and beaten, but his magnetism is stratospheric when the tables are turned. Ari is the epitome of a man who takes the utmost care of his possessions. Kitty Thomas tells us it’s not wrong to want the things we want, and I want everything he does to Claire!
Claire and Ari’s love story is perfect. Be sure to pick up the cute Epilogue, featuring their neighbor, an adorable fox named Arnold. You’ll meet him in the book. The Escape Artist has become my newest dark romance favourite!
January 12, 2020
That was, well, that was one of the most amazing reads I’ve ever read! It flowed, it ebbed, it was smooth, and bumpy, but not sharp or cutting. It mesmerized me, it soothed and fired me up, at the same time, about the same things. Claire and Ari didn’t need to know anything about each other, not from their lives, because they connected on a primal level. They knew each other, and exposed to the other, their souls, and that was enough. The real world had no place in their connection, and only a fox named Arnold was allowed to intrude on their solitude
Claire has broken pieces, and they are valid and real. Ari knows he isn’t perfect, and her broken pieces bring out the best in him. They fit; they are the ying to the other’s yang. The shards of one, opens the soothing in the other. They energize, they empower, and they simply are perfect together. They left me hyper and awake after reading their story. Immersed in their world, they didn’t only draw me in, they shone back out, making me feel their hope, their connection, their flawlessness when they were together
Quite simply, they gave as much as they took, and their synergy is blindingly wonderful!
Claire has broken pieces, and they are valid and real. Ari knows he isn’t perfect, and her broken pieces bring out the best in him. They fit; they are the ying to the other’s yang. The shards of one, opens the soothing in the other. They energize, they empower, and they simply are perfect together. They left me hyper and awake after reading their story. Immersed in their world, they didn’t only draw me in, they shone back out, making me feel their hope, their connection, their flawlessness when they were together
Quite simply, they gave as much as they took, and their synergy is blindingly wonderful!
January 13, 2020
The Escape Artist is another captivating and enjoyable book from this very talented author. I've read a number of her books now and I've totally enjoyed them all. This one is definitely one of my favorites. When I started reading The Escape Artist, I was immediately caught up in the story and couldn't turn the pages fast enough. Ari and Claire's story is dark, daring, deep and downright steamy at times. I really enjoyed the dual POV of the characters. The reasoning behind their actions and feelings helped drive the story and kept me riveted throughout the book. The story flowed flawlessly from start to finish with an ending that both surprised and satisfied me. Ari was the perfect Alpha male, so powerful, sexy and strong with a hint of vulnerability and sweetness--I was hooked from the start. There are appearances of characters from other books which I found really enjoyable, but this book is a standalone and I think you'll love it whether or not you've read any of the other books. If you like dark, sexy reads, don't miss this awesome new book from Kitty Thomas!
January 9, 2020
Time to escape back into a world by Kitty Thomas. Her worlds always seem to be so wrong, yet somehow turn out to have been right all along. And this world is just another incredible example of that. And holy shit does it ever deliver. You almost couldn't make up a story this crazy. Imagine being abducted and held for 43 days, then, on the day he was going to kill you, you somehow managed to escape. Ok, not so unusual, right? But wait. What if you were to kidnap him back? Make his life hell like he did to yours? That's a bit different, huh? And then, THEN finding out you captured the wrong freaking damn guy??? Ok, now we have one hell of a convoluted story. And Kitty definitely does justice to it. There is a tie in to the characters from The Con Artist, and I have to say that this book changed my mind about those characters in a fairly significant way. I don't want to give away anything more about the story. Oh, maybe one more thing. HOT!!! Sizzling hot freaking sex scenes! You definitely need to read it.
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