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Love So Dark #2
Break So Soft
I’ll do whatever it takes to get her back.
She was mine and it was everything.
That month with her was as near to perfect as I’ve ever had in my whole f’ed up life.
But then I lost it all and I still don’t know why.
Though I suspect it had something to do with that rat b@stard, Bryce Gentry.
One thing I do know: I’m not letting go of Callie Cruise without a fight.
And it’s time for Gentry to finally pay for his many sins.
This book is a dark romance. It is book 2 of a 2-part Duet (the first book, CUT SO DEEP, is Available Now). This is an edited and expanded version of a novel that was formerly titled Please Me.
She was mine and it was everything.
That month with her was as near to perfect as I’ve ever had in my whole f’ed up life.
But then I lost it all and I still don’t know why.
Though I suspect it had something to do with that rat b@stard, Bryce Gentry.
One thing I do know: I’m not letting go of Callie Cruise without a fight.
And it’s time for Gentry to finally pay for his many sins.
This book is a dark romance. It is book 2 of a 2-part Duet (the first book, CUT SO DEEP, is Available Now). This is an edited and expanded version of a novel that was formerly titled Please Me.
438 pages, ebook
First published March 9, 2017
2505 people are currently reading
738 people want to read
About the author
Stasia Black
77 books2,094 followersStasia was born in Georgia, grew up in Texas, recently spent a freezing five-year stint in Minnesota, and now is happily planted in sunny California, which she will never, ever leave.
She loves writing, reading, listening to podcasts, and has recently taken up biking after a twenty-year sabbatical (and has the bumps and bruises to prove it). She lives with her own personal cheerleader, aka, her handsome husband, and their teenage son. Wow. Typing that makes her feel old. And writing about herself in the third person makes her feel a little like a nutjob, but ahem! Where were we?
Stasia’s drawn to romantic stories that don’t take the easy way out. She wants to see beneath people’s veneer and poke into their dark places, their twisted motives, and their deepest desires. Basically, she wants to create characters that make readers alternately laugh, cry ugly tears, want to toss their kindles across the room, and then declare they have a new FBB (forever book boyfriend).
She loves writing, reading, listening to podcasts, and has recently taken up biking after a twenty-year sabbatical (and has the bumps and bruises to prove it). She lives with her own personal cheerleader, aka, her handsome husband, and their teenage son. Wow. Typing that makes her feel old. And writing about herself in the third person makes her feel a little like a nutjob, but ahem! Where were we?
Stasia’s drawn to romantic stories that don’t take the easy way out. She wants to see beneath people’s veneer and poke into their dark places, their twisted motives, and their deepest desires. Basically, she wants to create characters that make readers alternately laugh, cry ugly tears, want to toss their kindles across the room, and then declare they have a new FBB (forever book boyfriend).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 234 reviews
June 16, 2017
***** 3.75 Stars *****
Cannot be read as a standalone.
I really liked this erotic story. The steamy scenes captured my attention and Jackson stole my heart.
The only thing that bothered me was that Callie just seemed selfish throughout the entire book. As she was exploring the BDSM world and learning the ropes to be a mistress, she continuously made bad decisions. Decisions she shouldn't be making if she was hoping to win back custody of her son.
Although Please Me felt a little disconnected to Crush Me, I really liked the plot and erotic moments. My favorite parts all involved Jackson. Seriously... I couldn't get enough of him. Phew!
Cannot be read as a standalone.
I really liked this erotic story. The steamy scenes captured my attention and Jackson stole my heart.
The only thing that bothered me was that Callie just seemed selfish throughout the entire book. As she was exploring the BDSM world and learning the ropes to be a mistress, she continuously made bad decisions. Decisions she shouldn't be making if she was hoping to win back custody of her son.
Although Please Me felt a little disconnected to Crush Me, I really liked the plot and erotic moments. My favorite parts all involved Jackson. Seriously... I couldn't get enough of him. Phew!
February 25, 2018
Get it here:
Amazon US * Amazon UK
I'm really glad the problems I had with the first book didn't stop me from reading this one. In the conclusion to Callie's story we got to see her take control of her fate and I liked that a lot. It made me connect to her character more than I did in the previous story and I ended up enjoying it a lot.
Everything was brought to an end really well and at a good pace. Nothing felt too rushed for me and I was happy we got to see an HEA for this character.
Amazon US * Amazon UK
I'm really glad the problems I had with the first book didn't stop me from reading this one. In the conclusion to Callie's story we got to see her take control of her fate and I liked that a lot. It made me connect to her character more than I did in the previous story and I ended up enjoying it a lot.
Everything was brought to an end really well and at a good pace. Nothing felt too rushed for me and I was happy we got to see an HEA for this character.
June 8, 2020
So I was seriously getting fed up with the story dragging on and Callie NOT opening up to Jackson and telling him what Gentry did to her, and how he was blackmailing her with it.
*But*
The last two chapters were SOOOO WORTH it!!!
We start off with Callie basically out of control after the gang rape and losing custody of Charlie. She's trying to manage her trauma by going out "hunting" as her alter ego and having sex in public places (mostly clubs). She did start self defense classes so there's that. Her and Shannon slowly get a little bit closer as sisters. But her two hours a week supervised visits with Charlie aren't enough and she's barely keeping it together.
She's excelling at CubeThink, and Jackson promotes her and her previous boss, but she cannot help thinking its because of her body and not her mind/abilities.
So Jackson takes her the his BDSM club on a hunch that what she really needs it to take back control. He doesn't know what happened to her, but he notices everything nuance about her, and tells her that the club helped him focus and get back some control when he was railing years ago. And she finds she likes it. Its safe, controlled, consensual--everything she was trying to get in public but w/o having to carry a knife in her boot.
This takes them both to another level in their budding relationship.
Then Gentry calls and tells her he'll release the video of the gang rape and she'll lose custody forever unless she steals the algorithm for CubeThink for their new drone. Seemingly right after Callie is put on that project and gets access to the machine shop and coding. She really struggles with what to do--she has 2 weeks to get a working prototype to Gentry or the video goes viral.
Meanwhile, she finds out David's lawyers went to her parents to get them to testify on his behalf at the hearing next month, so she, Shannon and Jackson go for a visit.
We get a look at her parents and lord, how these two girls are NOT more screwed up is beyond me. Jackson sees right through her father and has a hard time not punching him in the face. The mother is so covered in makeup and hairspray she looks plastic, and never never has anything nice or motherly to say to either girl. When they come down for dinner, she sees her molester standing there talking to her father and has a moment where she works up the courage to take her mother into the kitchen to tell her what that man did to her. Mother is NOT having any of it, throwing in her face that she was working at Hooters--I mean really?! Your daughter tells you that man molested you for THREE YEARS and your first though is to say well you worked at HOOTERS?! W.T.F?
Shannon came into the kitchen and heard the exchange and when to Callie crying saying she had no idea and was so sorry. Then Jackson comes in and finds Callie completely upset, and she tells him about the man talking to her father. He goes our and cold cocks him and breaks his nose after Callie got in his face and confronted him. The three of them leave to head home.
We find out what Gentry did to Jackson and why he thinks he's a monster--lead him to believe the girl w/him at the party was into him and was waiting for him in his room...they have sex, and when the girl wakes up next to Jackson she freaks because she doesn't know him and says he raped her, and then he's hauled off in handcuff...even after Jacksons confession Callie will not open up about her situation.
So its crunch time now--Gentry is impatient, and Callie decides fuck it, Charlie is worth whatever hell she has to go through to get him back, including fucking over Jackson. So she's in the office on Jackson's computer copying the code to fly the drone when he shows up. Jacksons figured out what she's doing, and knows it's against her will, that Gentry has something over her.
And finally--FINALLY--she comes clean--about everything.
*But*
We don't know that until the last chapter!
See Callie is at Gentry's office, has handed over the drone and the code when Jackson bursts in asking what the hell is going on?! And Callie plays it off like oh shit I'm caught while Jackson goes and cold cocks Gentry and he goes down and blacks out.
Then we find out that Callie opened up, and they devised a plan to finally be rid of him and the blackmail hanging over them.
They find all kinds of dirt on his computer and send everything to the police and newspapers. See Gentry was never very smart, just a bully that could manipulate others to get what he wanted, and was going to lose a DOD contract because his drone wasn't anywhere near developed as he said--which is probably why he wanted Jacking to collaborate with him--so he had to use Callie to commit corporate espionage and steal Jacksons work. Haha mother fucker, you just got bested. And sentenced to 4 life times behind bars.
Now we get to the custody hearing, and find out all the shit David & the Shrew did to mess with Callie--thank goodness for good lawyers--because they basically laid out that no way in hell will they be doing anything other than going to jail, or signing over parental rights. And it takes David all of two breaths to sign away.
Then the Shrew speaks up--she still wants to see Charlie, and Callie is like WTF? Seriously? But being the good mother that she is, knows that this is all going to be hard on Charlie, and this woman has been in his life for the last 4 months, and so she says to her, what's it worth? I'm tired of being poor, so what's it worth to you to still see my son? And the Shrew says everything--we can go right now and I'll put you on all my accounts...and in Callie's mind she knows that as horrible as this woman was to her, she reacted the way she wished Charlie's father had, so she tells her we'll see--basically I'll call you if/when I'm ready.
Epilogue: five years later, they're married, Charlie is doing good, the Shrew is in the picture...and Callie just told Jackson he's gonna be a daddy...
Happily ever after!
*But*
The last two chapters were SOOOO WORTH it!!!
We start off with Callie basically out of control after the gang rape and losing custody of Charlie. She's trying to manage her trauma by going out "hunting" as her alter ego and having sex in public places (mostly clubs). She did start self defense classes so there's that. Her and Shannon slowly get a little bit closer as sisters. But her two hours a week supervised visits with Charlie aren't enough and she's barely keeping it together.
She's excelling at CubeThink, and Jackson promotes her and her previous boss, but she cannot help thinking its because of her body and not her mind/abilities.
So Jackson takes her the his BDSM club on a hunch that what she really needs it to take back control. He doesn't know what happened to her, but he notices everything nuance about her, and tells her that the club helped him focus and get back some control when he was railing years ago. And she finds she likes it. Its safe, controlled, consensual--everything she was trying to get in public but w/o having to carry a knife in her boot.
This takes them both to another level in their budding relationship.
Then Gentry calls and tells her he'll release the video of the gang rape and she'll lose custody forever unless she steals the algorithm for CubeThink for their new drone. Seemingly right after Callie is put on that project and gets access to the machine shop and coding. She really struggles with what to do--she has 2 weeks to get a working prototype to Gentry or the video goes viral.
Meanwhile, she finds out David's lawyers went to her parents to get them to testify on his behalf at the hearing next month, so she, Shannon and Jackson go for a visit.
We get a look at her parents and lord, how these two girls are NOT more screwed up is beyond me. Jackson sees right through her father and has a hard time not punching him in the face. The mother is so covered in makeup and hairspray she looks plastic, and never never has anything nice or motherly to say to either girl. When they come down for dinner, she sees her molester standing there talking to her father and has a moment where she works up the courage to take her mother into the kitchen to tell her what that man did to her. Mother is NOT having any of it, throwing in her face that she was working at Hooters--I mean really?! Your daughter tells you that man molested you for THREE YEARS and your first though is to say well you worked at HOOTERS?! W.T.F?
Shannon came into the kitchen and heard the exchange and when to Callie crying saying she had no idea and was so sorry. Then Jackson comes in and finds Callie completely upset, and she tells him about the man talking to her father. He goes our and cold cocks him and breaks his nose after Callie got in his face and confronted him. The three of them leave to head home.
We find out what Gentry did to Jackson and why he thinks he's a monster--lead him to believe the girl w/him at the party was into him and was waiting for him in his room...they have sex, and when the girl wakes up next to Jackson she freaks because she doesn't know him and says he raped her, and then he's hauled off in handcuff...even after Jacksons confession Callie will not open up about her situation.
So its crunch time now--Gentry is impatient, and Callie decides fuck it, Charlie is worth whatever hell she has to go through to get him back, including fucking over Jackson. So she's in the office on Jackson's computer copying the code to fly the drone when he shows up. Jacksons figured out what she's doing, and knows it's against her will, that Gentry has something over her.
And finally--FINALLY--she comes clean--about everything.
*But*
We don't know that until the last chapter!
See Callie is at Gentry's office, has handed over the drone and the code when Jackson bursts in asking what the hell is going on?! And Callie plays it off like oh shit I'm caught while Jackson goes and cold cocks Gentry and he goes down and blacks out.
Then we find out that Callie opened up, and they devised a plan to finally be rid of him and the blackmail hanging over them.
They find all kinds of dirt on his computer and send everything to the police and newspapers. See Gentry was never very smart, just a bully that could manipulate others to get what he wanted, and was going to lose a DOD contract because his drone wasn't anywhere near developed as he said--which is probably why he wanted Jacking to collaborate with him--so he had to use Callie to commit corporate espionage and steal Jacksons work. Haha mother fucker, you just got bested. And sentenced to 4 life times behind bars.
Now we get to the custody hearing, and find out all the shit David & the Shrew did to mess with Callie--thank goodness for good lawyers--because they basically laid out that no way in hell will they be doing anything other than going to jail, or signing over parental rights. And it takes David all of two breaths to sign away.
Then the Shrew speaks up--she still wants to see Charlie, and Callie is like WTF? Seriously? But being the good mother that she is, knows that this is all going to be hard on Charlie, and this woman has been in his life for the last 4 months, and so she says to her, what's it worth? I'm tired of being poor, so what's it worth to you to still see my son? And the Shrew says everything--we can go right now and I'll put you on all my accounts...and in Callie's mind she knows that as horrible as this woman was to her, she reacted the way she wished Charlie's father had, so she tells her we'll see--basically I'll call you if/when I'm ready.
Epilogue: five years later, they're married, Charlie is doing good, the Shrew is in the picture...and Callie just told Jackson he's gonna be a daddy...
Happily ever after!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 12, 2018
Almost bad as the first but with a couple redeeming qualities
First of all, I only read this one because I read the first and wanted to know the ending.
Warnings about the book - There is outside the relationship sex, lusting, and recalling past details about multiple ex-partners. I have no issue with the darker themes in the book, but if you do, steer clear.
What I didn't like - I hate outside the relationship sex, lusting, flirting heavily, and flashbacks or details of past sexual encounters. I have no problem with BDSM, but it really feels out of place in this book. It's like it just popped out of nowhere. Callie and Jackson don't even seem like the same characters that they were in the first. So much is different from the previous book to this one without a smooth transition and the time period between the two is too small for so much change. There were a few errors that should have been fixed before publication. Before the epilogue, Callie and Jackson said they loved each other, and Jackson called Charlie "our son", so why did it take 3 more years for them to get married? It just seems weird. I think some apologies or explanations from Regina needed to happen because she was pretty awful to Callie and set up lies in order to damage Callie's custody case.
What I did like - I liked how they treated Regina. I think she should have explained and apologized or there should have at least been a mention of how thry got past her doing those things. It seems like they allowed it too easily, but I like how understanding Callie was about Regina loving Charlie. It was really unselfish, sweet, and mature. The was great. I love such endings with marriage and babies and happiness, though I wish it didn't take them so long to get married.
Overall, there were a few good things in this book, but I don't recommend these 2 books. There wasn't enough good to outweigh the bad.
What I didn't like - I hate outside the relationship sex, lusting, flirting heavily, and flashbacks or details of past sexual encounters. I have no problem with BDSM, but it really feels out of place in this book. It's like it just popped out of nowhere. Callie and Jackson don't even seem like the same characters. So much is different from the previous book to this one without a smooth transition and the tine period between the two is too small for so much change. There were a few errors that should have been fixed before publication. Before the epilogue, Callie and Jackson said they loved each other, and Jackson called Charlie "our son", so why did it take 3 more years for them to get married? It just seems weird. I think some apologies or explanations from Regina needed to happen because she was pretty awful to Callie and set up lies in order to damage Callie's custody case.
What I did like - I liked how they treated Regina. I think she should have explained and apologized or there should have at least been a mention that she did those things. It seems like they allowed it too easily, but I like how understanding Callie was about Regina loving Charlie. It was really unselfish, sweet, and mature. The was great. I love such endings, though I wish it didn't take them so long to get married. ending
Overall, there were a few good things in this book, but I don't recommend these 2 books. There wasn't enough good to outweigh the bad.
First of all, I only read this one because I read the first and wanted to know the ending.
Warnings about the book - There is outside the relationship sex, lusting, and recalling past details about multiple ex-partners. I have no issue with the darker themes in the book, but if you do, steer clear.
What I didn't like - I hate outside the relationship sex, lusting, flirting heavily, and flashbacks or details of past sexual encounters. I have no problem with BDSM, but it really feels out of place in this book. It's like it just popped out of nowhere. Callie and Jackson don't even seem like the same characters that they were in the first. So much is different from the previous book to this one without a smooth transition and the time period between the two is too small for so much change. There were a few errors that should have been fixed before publication. Before the epilogue, Callie and Jackson said they loved each other, and Jackson called Charlie "our son", so why did it take 3 more years for them to get married? It just seems weird. I think some apologies or explanations from Regina needed to happen because she was pretty awful to Callie and set up lies in order to damage Callie's custody case.
What I did like - I liked how they treated Regina. I think she should have explained and apologized or there should have at least been a mention of how thry got past her doing those things. It seems like they allowed it too easily, but I like how understanding Callie was about Regina loving Charlie. It was really unselfish, sweet, and mature. The was great. I love such endings with marriage and babies and happiness, though I wish it didn't take them so long to get married.
Overall, there were a few good things in this book, but I don't recommend these 2 books. There wasn't enough good to outweigh the bad.
What I didn't like - I hate outside the relationship sex, lusting, flirting heavily, and flashbacks or details of past sexual encounters. I have no problem with BDSM, but it really feels out of place in this book. It's like it just popped out of nowhere. Callie and Jackson don't even seem like the same characters. So much is different from the previous book to this one without a smooth transition and the tine period between the two is too small for so much change. There were a few errors that should have been fixed before publication. Before the epilogue, Callie and Jackson said they loved each other, and Jackson called Charlie "our son", so why did it take 3 more years for them to get married? It just seems weird. I think some apologies or explanations from Regina needed to happen because she was pretty awful to Callie and set up lies in order to damage Callie's custody case.
What I did like - I liked how they treated Regina. I think she should have explained and apologized or there should have at least been a mention that she did those things. It seems like they allowed it too easily, but I like how understanding Callie was about Regina loving Charlie. It was really unselfish, sweet, and mature. The was great. I love such endings, though I wish it didn't take them so long to get married. ending
Overall, there were a few good things in this book, but I don't recommend these 2 books. There wasn't enough good to outweigh the bad.
October 4, 2021
If you read my review on the first book in this series (Cut So Deep), you'll know I had some issues with it. Specifically, a heroine who continually made really bad decisions, ones which made no sense considering her past. I went into book 2 (Break So Soft) for three reasons. 1. I really loved the Hero, Jackson, an alpha male with a heart. Even though he was a Dom, he treated the h, Callie, with respect and care. 2. I had hopes that Callie would finally smarten up some and make better decisions and 3. I really wanted to see her fu*ked up boss get his comeuppance. Unfortunately, the h continued to make stupid decisions and about 1/3 into the book there is a scene where Callie dominates Jackson! It was like the author forgot who her characters were. Was he a Dom or a sub? It ruined Jackson for me, and with Callie's continued poor judgement and really bad decision making, I just couldn't take it anymore. I had to dump this one. Definitely not one of Stasia Black's best efforts.
August 11, 2021
Dado que es segunda parte, me abstengo de comentar la trama. Los personajes, como dije en Lastimada, están muy bien construidos y en esta novela me gustan mucho más que en la anterior. A pesar de que conservan su esencia, han evolucionado considerablemente haciéndolos más fuertes y con más personalidad. Salvo Bryce Gentry, que sigue siendo un cap**** redomado, pero en fin, cumple su papel y despierta en ti lo que se supone que debe despertar. Así que, chapó.
En cuanto al desenlace de la historia… simplemente SUBLIME. Normalmente soy de esas personas que cuando dejan de leer, debe ser con un capítulo acabado. Esta bilogía me ha tenido tan obsesionada que tenía que leerla en cualquier momento aun sabiendo que iba a dejar el capítulo a medias. La trama tan bien hilada, sin dejarse ningún detalle y que te atrapa en cada línea, me ha robado el corazón (Jackson Vale también xD). He de decir que en la primera parte la autora no tuvo ningún desliz, pero en esta se ha contradicho en un par de ocasiones. Son cosas pequeñitas que puede que sea cosa de la traducción. De cualquier manera, yo no le voy a hacer mucho caso, porque está muy bien escrito el libro en general como para condenarlo por una tontería.
En cuanto al desenlace de la historia… simplemente SUBLIME. Normalmente soy de esas personas que cuando dejan de leer, debe ser con un capítulo acabado. Esta bilogía me ha tenido tan obsesionada que tenía que leerla en cualquier momento aun sabiendo que iba a dejar el capítulo a medias. La trama tan bien hilada, sin dejarse ningún detalle y que te atrapa en cada línea, me ha robado el corazón (Jackson Vale también xD). He de decir que en la primera parte la autora no tuvo ningún desliz, pero en esta se ha contradicho en un par de ocasiones. Son cosas pequeñitas que puede que sea cosa de la traducción. De cualquier manera, yo no le voy a hacer mucho caso, porque está muy bien escrito el libro en general como para condenarlo por una tontería.
August 6, 2017
Cautionary warning: Please Me cannot be read as a standalone. This summation/review will therefore include spoiler information IF you haven't already read Crush Me (Crush Me #1). For those who HAVE read Crush Me, no spoiler content is included in my review.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Calliope Cruise is a survivor. A living testament that life does indeed go on despite having one's heart and soul ripped out of their body by outside forces beyond one's control.
Hanging on by a thread, Callie needs to get control of her personal and professional life or risk losing that which she loves and holds near and dear to her heart. Accepting a job at Cubelink is the first positive step, the second being getting Charlie back where he belongs.
Hiring the best legal firm may not be enough though when Bryce returns to threaten and expose incriminating details of her past if she fails to agree to his terms.
Callie has learned a thing or two about playing dirty though in her case the dirty play is limited to being in control as a Femdom. BDSM has further shown her that true power is a two edged sword equally dependent on trust and honoring boundaries.
Still, Callie is not in control of her destiny until/unless she finds a way of erasing the damaging blackmail being held against her or agree to terms betraying Jackson to get her son back.
* * * *
Warning: This is an emotional dark themed erotic romance read that includes aggressive BDSM and uncomfortable play scenes. Not for the easily offended crowd. Consider yourself warned.
Bears repeating ..... this cannot be read as a standalone. It is remotely possible to read it (without having read Crush Me) if a reader's goal is to read a contemporary BDSM Femdom story with a side of mystery-suspense-intrigue but with the understanding back story information will not be readily apparent.
I totally inhaled this story as I needed to know how things would play out after the cliffy ending of Crush Me. I'm happy to share that this book lived up to all expectations and then some. The author did her research to (in my opinion) accurately reflect the demeanor, psychological profiles, exhibited symptoms, and recovery of various characters in this story. Though fictional, readers can get a true glimpse into real life practical people who are experiencing similar situations.
Callie & Jefferson. Early on readers will realize these two had skeletons in their closets. It's easy being on the outside feeling things and issues should have resolved earlier than later but in real life that's not always the case. Time heals but healing cannot be forced or hurried. Taking that into consideration the bridge of BDSM was totally on point. Further, Callie embracing the Domme mentality is also on point. Sexual abuse survivors do need to have control in their sexuality so this made perfect sense. Jeffereson on the other hand, not sure if I agree with the author's spin on his side of things but true love does make a person do crazy things. Bottom line though is that I bonded and became emotionally vested in this couple so mission accomplished (by author) I'd say.
For those looking to know how graphic the adult content scenes are. The majority are BDSM scenes that take place both at a traditional club and in private homes as Callie becomes Mistress Lee though it's clear she's new to the lifestyle and therefore makes mistakes. Luckily Jefferson, an experienced Dom, is there to mentor her along. I do want to include a scene that could be considered mmf. I personally didn't use that tag because the core was mf with voyeuristic third. Some scenes may stretch comfort levels but overall I appreciated that the author stressed SSC (safe, sane, consensual) play.
Secondary characters. Bryce makes a return and it's left to the author to convince me karma has been fitting. Charlie also steals my heart with one especially emotional scene that tore out my heart wanting to fix all that was broken. David & Regina make a return appearance with a surprise twist. Lastly, Shannon. I so wanted more from this character as I felt she needed more in terms of exposure, happiness, and love. Maybe a series for her could be something for the future. hint hint wink wink author. All other secondary characters are ass wipes who shall forever remain nameless.
Can't conclude without gushing, and I do mean gushing, about the epilogue. Not often that I feel a story has achieved a forever HEA ending that I'm happy about. Mission totally accomplished.
I loved this book though it does tend to stray on the dark side of erotic romance. Thank you to the author for a wonderful reading experience that brought me full circle from the depths of despair to the knowledge that love does indeed conquer all.
ps.... I can't remember how many times I repeated this phrase in the course of reading this book: tell him, just TELL HIM.
July 16, 2020
Good story but the ending went from 0 to 90.. Not bad if you like Scooby-doo endings.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 29, 2017
Dark dramatic
I started the second book right after the first. I didn't want to miss a thing. With the first book being so Dark and dramatic. This book it starts off slow, but I didn't want to put it down. Just seeing how Callie life turns around was worth the first half of the book.
I started the second book right after the first. I didn't want to miss a thing. With the first book being so Dark and dramatic. This book it starts off slow, but I didn't want to put it down. Just seeing how Callie life turns around was worth the first half of the book.
August 7, 2020
Better then first
Good read. I don’t get into Dommes. I like my alpha males to stay that way. I know it was part of the story, but not my thing. Glad the H and the h conquered their demons. Despicable people got their due.
Good read. I don’t get into Dommes. I like my alpha males to stay that way. I know it was part of the story, but not my thing. Glad the H and the h conquered their demons. Despicable people got their due.
October 12, 2021
Hmmmm…writing style wise this was a good
Book. I enjoyed it and it has a happy conclusion. I was a bit underwhelmed by the conclusion. It felt a bit too lifetime movie-ish. Some of the scenes and how it played out didn’t make any sense. Calli finally revealing her sexual abuse as a teen. There seemed to have been some disconnects between the first book and this. The first book
Hinted at Callie quitting pageants bc of the molestation and resulting depression . This book hints she first quit pageants bc of abuse by the judges and the ultimatum of sexual favors to keep her crown. It just seems the story and motivations changed.
I thought they would reveal why gentry hated Jackson so much. I’m assuming jealousy but it seemed super personal. How did gentry get Jackson’s dads patent? I thought that would’ve been revealed. How did he not go to jail for the assault? I assumed gentry got him off in exchange for the patent? But it’s never revisited.
During the incidents with the dads boss, where was her sister? She went into detail about thr parents being drunk, but where was her sister during any of this? The way thr sister hated Callie, I assumed she suffered as well and they both silently were abused by that monster.
Anyways just writing out all my issues. The resolution just seemed too neatly tied up, but didn’t seem to go with the character motivations that were built up.
Over all it was a good book. Just I could tell everything that was built up for the big reveal, the author could not figure out a resolution. Even the big reveal was kind of glossed over. This is more of a 3 1/2 star book but I’m rounding up bc technically it was interesting, just some inconsistencies
Update.
Also, wanted to add, Callie is supposedly very sexually inexperienced prior to her assault. The professor was her first , and it seemed to be very lackluster and Jackson was her second sexual experience. She started risky sexual behavior after the assault but it was more so thr public sex with strangers. All of that to say, ummm how did she know how to use half of the objects she just happened to be able to use and know about. When she is with the sub who is the masochistic, she uses the double ended dildo, how did she even know what that was much less how to use it. The prostrate massager, how did she know how to use it or that Jackson would’ve been comfortable with that? Just a lot of inconsistencies that don’t go with thr character or the way it was developed. I’m downgrading to a 3 star
Book. I enjoyed it and it has a happy conclusion. I was a bit underwhelmed by the conclusion. It felt a bit too lifetime movie-ish. Some of the scenes and how it played out didn’t make any sense. Calli finally revealing her sexual abuse as a teen. There seemed to have been some disconnects between the first book and this. The first book
Hinted at Callie quitting pageants bc of the molestation and resulting depression . This book hints she first quit pageants bc of abuse by the judges and the ultimatum of sexual favors to keep her crown. It just seems the story and motivations changed.
I thought they would reveal why gentry hated Jackson so much. I’m assuming jealousy but it seemed super personal. How did gentry get Jackson’s dads patent? I thought that would’ve been revealed. How did he not go to jail for the assault? I assumed gentry got him off in exchange for the patent? But it’s never revisited.
During the incidents with the dads boss, where was her sister? She went into detail about thr parents being drunk, but where was her sister during any of this? The way thr sister hated Callie, I assumed she suffered as well and they both silently were abused by that monster.
Anyways just writing out all my issues. The resolution just seemed too neatly tied up, but didn’t seem to go with the character motivations that were built up.
Over all it was a good book. Just I could tell everything that was built up for the big reveal, the author could not figure out a resolution. Even the big reveal was kind of glossed over. This is more of a 3 1/2 star book but I’m rounding up bc technically it was interesting, just some inconsistencies
Update.
Also, wanted to add, Callie is supposedly very sexually inexperienced prior to her assault. The professor was her first , and it seemed to be very lackluster and Jackson was her second sexual experience. She started risky sexual behavior after the assault but it was more so thr public sex with strangers. All of that to say, ummm how did she know how to use half of the objects she just happened to be able to use and know about. When she is with the sub who is the masochistic, she uses the double ended dildo, how did she even know what that was much less how to use it. The prostrate massager, how did she know how to use it or that Jackson would’ve been comfortable with that? Just a lot of inconsistencies that don’t go with thr character or the way it was developed. I’m downgrading to a 3 star
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 26, 2018
He is going to get her back no matter what. They had a great month together and he wants more so much more. He has a feeling it is due to them. Well they will pay and he will take her back. Will he succeed? See if he will
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 24, 2018
Loved this conclusion of Jackson & Callie's story. Wow. Such an intriguing book. I'm voluntarily leaving an honest review for a copy of the book.
January 12, 2019
The best parts were seeing Gentry and David get what they deserve. I felt it dragged on for too long though.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 3, 2021
A Former Beauty Queen Hopes To Put Her Crown Behind And Be Appreciated For Her Brain, But Instead Finds Herself A Pawn In A Deviously Dark Game Without Rules! Callie’s Story Will Have You On The Edge Of Your Seat As She Gets Caught Up Between Two Old Rivals And Doesn’t Know Who She Can Trust.
Trigger warning: includes sensitive issues such as non-consent.
From Cut So Deep, book one:
Calliope Cruise, twenty-two, once had big dreams. She is the rather unhappy victim of her good looks, however, along with some youthful mistakes. Her beauty and figure have the unfortunate consequence of men ogling her. Men and women alike either presume the worst in her or accuse her of trading on her looks. Her own parents don’t even give her the benefit of the doubt. She had done the beauty pageant circuit when she was younger, which only resulted in alienating her older sister. For years Shannon has judged her, but Callie can say little in her own defense. She hails from a small town and began pursing her dream of a career in robotics at her local community college. Catching a lucky break, she was accepted as a transfer student at Stanford, where she now has just a semester left to finish her robotics degree. But she gave up that dream when Charlie came along. Her two and a half year old boy is the joy of her life, but his arrival was unplanned, putting all her dreams on indefinite hold.
David Kinnock, forty-two, has suddenly decided he wants custody of Charlie despite never wanting to be his father. His wife Regina, in her late thirties, happens to have a nice trust fund and seems to have taken an interest in Charlie. If Callie cannot afford a good attorney, she might lose custody of Charlie altogether. As devoted as she is to her son, lawyers are quite talented at taking out of context, exaggerating, misrepresenting, misconstruing, and outright lying. And a good lawyer could tear Callie apart in court. A custody hearing is approaching. If she wants to win she needs to hire a good attorney, but that might just be wishful thinking.
Today Callie just hopes to make the rent. She lives with her sister Shannon, on whom she depends to help care for little Charlie, in the Bay Area just south of San Jose. With her legal bills stacking, rent, and student loan repayments, she needs to put her waitressing behind and earn a decent income. Some creative resume writing skills land her an interview for the personal assistant position of Gentry Technologies’ CEO – Bryce Gentry himself. Gentry Tech is a Fortune 500 company. They work primarily with government contracts – military applications of drones and robotics. The idea of working for the man who, along with Jackson Vale, is famed for developing a real-time reaction simulation algorithm while studying at MIT has her thrilled. Roughly thirty-one and a bachelor, Bryce’s incredible good looks are breath-taking and his gaze is magnetic, but her initial good impression doesn’t last long. Bryce Gentry is just like all the other men that have seen her as an object. And maybe worse. But with the custody hearing approaching, Callie has no choice but to accept the job no matter the unorthodox job requirements.
Jackson Vale, thirty-two, is the CEO of CubeThink. He is disciplined and controlled, and better with code than with people. They are a big player in commercial drones and have become a household name. He is most well-known for his accomplishment with ridiculousrobots.com – when he was only seventeen. Raised in the foster system, he had a hard time until he was taken in by his foster dad at age eleven. Mr. Kent had given him direction to channel his trouble-making tendencies, introducing him to robotics. But when his dad died during Jackson’s sophomore year in college, he fell into bad habits and spiraled out of control.
Bryce and Jackson have a history together. They met at MIT when Bryce was a freshman and Jackson a sophomore, and they did more than just create algorithms. They seemed to get into a bit of trouble together. They had a falling out, though, each going their separate way. Even in business, they manage to avoid one another for the most part, with Bryce focused on military applications and Jackson on the commercial side. It is known that Bryce’s ex-fiancée had been seen on Jackson’s arm, so one might easily deduce some tension lingers between the two. When Bryce arranges a very private lunch meeting with Jackson and orders Callie to attend without underwear, all sorts of questions logically arise.
Callie’s story is a deep, dark dive into a twisted game without rules. She has to battle her past and make peace with her sister while trying to make a good enough living to be able to afford to fight for custody of Charlie in court. The deck is stacked against her and she has nobody on which to rely. She soon finds herself torn between two men, neither of whom she can trust. This story starts out rather shocking, but be forewarned: it gets worse. Pushed in all directions, Callie is tested. She has a choice to make, and consequences she must learn to live with either way. Although the story concludes in book two, Break So Soft, it ends in a good place as the story transitions.
In this book:
At the close of Cut So Deep, Callie struggled to find herself after her resignation at Gentry Tech and its aftermath. Along with the loss of custody, Callie had lost her grounding. Though she couldn’t face Jackson, she agreed to accept his job offer so long as he respected her wishes and they never crossed paths. Her new job at CubeThink and the work she did to rebuild her confidence helped her move forward eventually. With baby steps. With a new lawyer and a plan, she hopes to regain custody of Charlie. And while Shannon had blamed Callie for everything, they eventually seemed to find a truce.
As this book opens, two months have passed. Callie left Gentry Tech and began work at CubeThink about three months ago. It has also been about three months since Charlie was taken away. She now has supervised visits with him once per week. She worries because he doesn’t seem to be well-adjusted to living with David and Regina. Her lawyer tells her to keep hanging tight for the results of the drug test and a new hearing. Separately from that, she is forcing herself out of her comfort zone to prove that she cannot be defeated. At work she made friends, and she often joins them after hours. But once or twice a week for the last few weeks she takes things further. She transforms herself, creating a new persona. It is easier to push herself that way, to act things out when playing a character.
Siren Callie, the vixen, prowls the clubs looking for action. She is a far cry from the relatively inexperienced Callie of just a few months ago. But she chooses who and where, and finds safety in public places. With enough effort, she can screw away those awful memories and reclaim her life.
Jackson Vale is a patient man, or at least he is trying to be. Calliope is the only woman that ever really saw him, and his world opened up when she came into his life. She didn’t care about his money or his fame. She didn’t want anything from him but his company. He wishes he knew what happened but has to respect Callie’s wishes and not press. Knowing Bryce, it was bad. He has given Callie a wide berth, but her actions have become reckless and out of character. It has to stop. There are better, safer ways to accomplish what she needs. Even if she doesn’t want him anymore, he can no longer sit back and watch a train wreck.
This is now Callie and Jackson’s story, as Jackson gets his own point of view here and there. Jackson is also a victim of Bryce, and can sympathize with what Callie is experiencing. He participates in BDSM, something he hinted at previously. As Master Sin he worked through some of his own past issues. Though not a sadist, the power exchange gives him the control he craves. He thinks it might help Callie get past whatever happened, and accordingly introduces her to his club. The lengths he will go for her are rather remarkable. But Callie isn’t ready to open up, and as long as she keeps secrets from Jackson there is only so much he can do to protect her.
Here Callie is decidedly different from the somewhat naïve and innocent Callie of book one. She is spiraling, and all Jackson can do is try to be there to catch her. It is hard to watch her push him away and refuse help. Book one became increasingly dark; this book reverses course as Jackson steps in to support Callie through her crisis in every way he can. He is generous, forgiving, and loving. They finally get to know one another on a more personal level while Callie works through her past and issues with Charlie’s custody. But Bryce Gentry has not forgotten the pair, and he has plans of his own. Callie faces another choice – an impossible choice – with unthinkable consequences. The couple eventually earns a happy ending.
There is plenty of angst throughout the story. There are steamy moments as well as dangerous ones. Great chemistry eventually develops again between Callie and Jackson, but it takes patience. Callie is too much in her own world of pain for much of the book to really sense and give in to their connection. The plot seems to overpower the relationship and it doesn’t feel quite as personal as one might hope.
A few issues merit mention. First, Callie’s age doesn’t seem to match up with how far she is in school. At twenty-two now, she would have been pregnant at nineteen, sometime during her second semester at Stanford. So she would have transferred when she was about eighteen, and presumably started full time at her community college at sixteen. It is possible but a very tight timeline and unusual, and there is no reference to that here. Next, Bryce Gentry’s company name is inconsistent in book one. Bryce Information Technologies is referenced twice earlier in the book, but two latter references to the company name it Gentry Technologies. The abbreviated name used throughout the book, however, is Gentry Tech. Here it is referred to as Gentry Tech.
The former beauty queen hopes to put her crown behind and be appreciated for her brain, but instead finds herself a pawn in a deviously dark game without rules. Callie’s story will have you on the edge of your seat as she gets caught up between two old rivals and faces an impossible choice. This story is well-written and plot-driven. It is complex, layered with mystery. Thoughtful and intelligent details give an authentically tech vibe. The characters are carefully crafted and unique. The story is written in first person in Callie’s POV, with several chapters in Jackson’s POV. I rate this book four stars.
I received an advance copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Trigger warning: includes sensitive issues such as non-consent.
From Cut So Deep, book one:
Calliope Cruise, twenty-two, once had big dreams. She is the rather unhappy victim of her good looks, however, along with some youthful mistakes. Her beauty and figure have the unfortunate consequence of men ogling her. Men and women alike either presume the worst in her or accuse her of trading on her looks. Her own parents don’t even give her the benefit of the doubt. She had done the beauty pageant circuit when she was younger, which only resulted in alienating her older sister. For years Shannon has judged her, but Callie can say little in her own defense. She hails from a small town and began pursing her dream of a career in robotics at her local community college. Catching a lucky break, she was accepted as a transfer student at Stanford, where she now has just a semester left to finish her robotics degree. But she gave up that dream when Charlie came along. Her two and a half year old boy is the joy of her life, but his arrival was unplanned, putting all her dreams on indefinite hold.
David Kinnock, forty-two, has suddenly decided he wants custody of Charlie despite never wanting to be his father. His wife Regina, in her late thirties, happens to have a nice trust fund and seems to have taken an interest in Charlie. If Callie cannot afford a good attorney, she might lose custody of Charlie altogether. As devoted as she is to her son, lawyers are quite talented at taking out of context, exaggerating, misrepresenting, misconstruing, and outright lying. And a good lawyer could tear Callie apart in court. A custody hearing is approaching. If she wants to win she needs to hire a good attorney, but that might just be wishful thinking.
Today Callie just hopes to make the rent. She lives with her sister Shannon, on whom she depends to help care for little Charlie, in the Bay Area just south of San Jose. With her legal bills stacking, rent, and student loan repayments, she needs to put her waitressing behind and earn a decent income. Some creative resume writing skills land her an interview for the personal assistant position of Gentry Technologies’ CEO – Bryce Gentry himself. Gentry Tech is a Fortune 500 company. They work primarily with government contracts – military applications of drones and robotics. The idea of working for the man who, along with Jackson Vale, is famed for developing a real-time reaction simulation algorithm while studying at MIT has her thrilled. Roughly thirty-one and a bachelor, Bryce’s incredible good looks are breath-taking and his gaze is magnetic, but her initial good impression doesn’t last long. Bryce Gentry is just like all the other men that have seen her as an object. And maybe worse. But with the custody hearing approaching, Callie has no choice but to accept the job no matter the unorthodox job requirements.
Jackson Vale, thirty-two, is the CEO of CubeThink. He is disciplined and controlled, and better with code than with people. They are a big player in commercial drones and have become a household name. He is most well-known for his accomplishment with ridiculousrobots.com – when he was only seventeen. Raised in the foster system, he had a hard time until he was taken in by his foster dad at age eleven. Mr. Kent had given him direction to channel his trouble-making tendencies, introducing him to robotics. But when his dad died during Jackson’s sophomore year in college, he fell into bad habits and spiraled out of control.
Bryce and Jackson have a history together. They met at MIT when Bryce was a freshman and Jackson a sophomore, and they did more than just create algorithms. They seemed to get into a bit of trouble together. They had a falling out, though, each going their separate way. Even in business, they manage to avoid one another for the most part, with Bryce focused on military applications and Jackson on the commercial side. It is known that Bryce’s ex-fiancée had been seen on Jackson’s arm, so one might easily deduce some tension lingers between the two. When Bryce arranges a very private lunch meeting with Jackson and orders Callie to attend without underwear, all sorts of questions logically arise.
Callie’s story is a deep, dark dive into a twisted game without rules. She has to battle her past and make peace with her sister while trying to make a good enough living to be able to afford to fight for custody of Charlie in court. The deck is stacked against her and she has nobody on which to rely. She soon finds herself torn between two men, neither of whom she can trust. This story starts out rather shocking, but be forewarned: it gets worse. Pushed in all directions, Callie is tested. She has a choice to make, and consequences she must learn to live with either way. Although the story concludes in book two, Break So Soft, it ends in a good place as the story transitions.
In this book:
At the close of Cut So Deep, Callie struggled to find herself after her resignation at Gentry Tech and its aftermath. Along with the loss of custody, Callie had lost her grounding. Though she couldn’t face Jackson, she agreed to accept his job offer so long as he respected her wishes and they never crossed paths. Her new job at CubeThink and the work she did to rebuild her confidence helped her move forward eventually. With baby steps. With a new lawyer and a plan, she hopes to regain custody of Charlie. And while Shannon had blamed Callie for everything, they eventually seemed to find a truce.
As this book opens, two months have passed. Callie left Gentry Tech and began work at CubeThink about three months ago. It has also been about three months since Charlie was taken away. She now has supervised visits with him once per week. She worries because he doesn’t seem to be well-adjusted to living with David and Regina. Her lawyer tells her to keep hanging tight for the results of the drug test and a new hearing. Separately from that, she is forcing herself out of her comfort zone to prove that she cannot be defeated. At work she made friends, and she often joins them after hours. But once or twice a week for the last few weeks she takes things further. She transforms herself, creating a new persona. It is easier to push herself that way, to act things out when playing a character.
Siren Callie, the vixen, prowls the clubs looking for action. She is a far cry from the relatively inexperienced Callie of just a few months ago. But she chooses who and where, and finds safety in public places. With enough effort, she can screw away those awful memories and reclaim her life.
Jackson Vale is a patient man, or at least he is trying to be. Calliope is the only woman that ever really saw him, and his world opened up when she came into his life. She didn’t care about his money or his fame. She didn’t want anything from him but his company. He wishes he knew what happened but has to respect Callie’s wishes and not press. Knowing Bryce, it was bad. He has given Callie a wide berth, but her actions have become reckless and out of character. It has to stop. There are better, safer ways to accomplish what she needs. Even if she doesn’t want him anymore, he can no longer sit back and watch a train wreck.
This is now Callie and Jackson’s story, as Jackson gets his own point of view here and there. Jackson is also a victim of Bryce, and can sympathize with what Callie is experiencing. He participates in BDSM, something he hinted at previously. As Master Sin he worked through some of his own past issues. Though not a sadist, the power exchange gives him the control he craves. He thinks it might help Callie get past whatever happened, and accordingly introduces her to his club. The lengths he will go for her are rather remarkable. But Callie isn’t ready to open up, and as long as she keeps secrets from Jackson there is only so much he can do to protect her.
Here Callie is decidedly different from the somewhat naïve and innocent Callie of book one. She is spiraling, and all Jackson can do is try to be there to catch her. It is hard to watch her push him away and refuse help. Book one became increasingly dark; this book reverses course as Jackson steps in to support Callie through her crisis in every way he can. He is generous, forgiving, and loving. They finally get to know one another on a more personal level while Callie works through her past and issues with Charlie’s custody. But Bryce Gentry has not forgotten the pair, and he has plans of his own. Callie faces another choice – an impossible choice – with unthinkable consequences. The couple eventually earns a happy ending.
There is plenty of angst throughout the story. There are steamy moments as well as dangerous ones. Great chemistry eventually develops again between Callie and Jackson, but it takes patience. Callie is too much in her own world of pain for much of the book to really sense and give in to their connection. The plot seems to overpower the relationship and it doesn’t feel quite as personal as one might hope.
A few issues merit mention. First, Callie’s age doesn’t seem to match up with how far she is in school. At twenty-two now, she would have been pregnant at nineteen, sometime during her second semester at Stanford. So she would have transferred when she was about eighteen, and presumably started full time at her community college at sixteen. It is possible but a very tight timeline and unusual, and there is no reference to that here. Next, Bryce Gentry’s company name is inconsistent in book one. Bryce Information Technologies is referenced twice earlier in the book, but two latter references to the company name it Gentry Technologies. The abbreviated name used throughout the book, however, is Gentry Tech. Here it is referred to as Gentry Tech.
The former beauty queen hopes to put her crown behind and be appreciated for her brain, but instead finds herself a pawn in a deviously dark game without rules. Callie’s story will have you on the edge of your seat as she gets caught up between two old rivals and faces an impossible choice. This story is well-written and plot-driven. It is complex, layered with mystery. Thoughtful and intelligent details give an authentically tech vibe. The characters are carefully crafted and unique. The story is written in first person in Callie’s POV, with several chapters in Jackson’s POV. I rate this book four stars.
I received an advance copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 3, 2021
A Former Beauty Queen Hopes To Put Her Crown Behind And Be Appreciated For Her Brain, But Instead Finds Herself A Pawn In A Deviously Dark Game Without Rules! Callie’s Story Will Have You On The Edge Of Your Seat As She Gets Caught Up Between Two Old Rivals And Doesn’t Know Who She Can Trust.
Trigger warning: includes sensitive issues such as non-consent.
From Cut So Deep, book one:
Calliope Cruise, twenty-two, once had big dreams. She is the rather unhappy victim of her good looks, however, along with some youthful mistakes. Her beauty and figure have the unfortunate consequence of men ogling her. Men and women alike either presume the worst in her or accuse her of trading on her looks. Her own parents don’t even give her the benefit of the doubt. She had done the beauty pageant circuit when she was younger, which only resulted in alienating her older sister. For years Shannon has judged her, but Callie can say little in her own defense. She hails from a small town and began pursing her dream of a career in robotics at her local community college. Catching a lucky break, she was accepted as a transfer student at Stanford, where she now has just a semester left to finish her robotics degree. But she gave up that dream when Charlie came along. Her two and a half year old boy is the joy of her life, but his arrival was unplanned, putting all her dreams on indefinite hold.
David Kinnock, forty-two, has suddenly decided he wants custody of Charlie despite never wanting to be his father. His wife Regina, in her late thirties, happens to have a nice trust fund and seems to have taken an interest in Charlie. If Callie cannot afford a good attorney, she might lose custody of Charlie altogether. As devoted as she is to her son, lawyers are quite talented at taking out of context, exaggerating, misrepresenting, misconstruing, and outright lying. And a good lawyer could tear Callie apart in court. A custody hearing is approaching. If she wants to win she needs to hire a good attorney, but that might just be wishful thinking.
Today Callie just hopes to make the rent. She lives with her sister Shannon, on whom she depends to help care for little Charlie, in the Bay Area just south of San Jose. With her legal bills stacking, rent, and student loan repayments, she needs to put her waitressing behind and earn a decent income. Some creative resume writing skills land her an interview for the personal assistant position of Gentry Technologies’ CEO – Bryce Gentry himself. Gentry Tech is a Fortune 500 company. They work primarily with government contracts – military applications of drones and robotics. The idea of working for the man who, along with Jackson Vale, is famed for developing a real-time reaction simulation algorithm while studying at MIT has her thrilled. Roughly thirty-one and a bachelor, Bryce’s incredible good looks are breath-taking and his gaze is magnetic, but her initial good impression doesn’t last long. Bryce Gentry is just like all the other men that have seen her as an object. And maybe worse. But with the custody hearing approaching, Callie has no choice but to accept the job no matter the unorthodox job requirements.
Jackson Vale, thirty-two, is the CEO of CubeThink. He is disciplined and controlled, and better with code than with people. They are a big player in commercial drones and have become a household name. He is most well-known for his accomplishment with ridiculousrobots.com – when he was only seventeen. Raised in the foster system, he had a hard time until he was taken in by his foster dad at age eleven. Mr. Kent had given him direction to channel his trouble-making tendencies, introducing him to robotics. But when his dad died during Jackson’s sophomore year in college, he fell into bad habits and spiraled out of control.
Bryce and Jackson have a history together. They met at MIT when Bryce was a freshman and Jackson a sophomore, and they did more than just create algorithms. They seemed to get into a bit of trouble together. They had a falling out, though, each going their separate way. Even in business, they manage to avoid one another for the most part, with Bryce focused on military applications and Jackson on the commercial side. It is known that Bryce’s ex-fiancée had been seen on Jackson’s arm, so one might easily deduce some tension lingers between the two. When Bryce arranges a very private lunch meeting with Jackson and orders Callie to attend without underwear, all sorts of questions logically arise.
Callie’s story is a deep, dark dive into a twisted game without rules. She has to battle her past and make peace with her sister while trying to make a good enough living to be able to afford to fight for custody of Charlie in court. The deck is stacked against her and she has nobody on which to rely. She soon finds herself torn between two men, neither of whom she can trust. This story starts out rather shocking, but be forewarned: it gets worse. Pushed in all directions, Callie is tested. She has a choice to make, and consequences she must learn to live with either way. Although the story concludes in book two, Break So Soft, it ends in a good place as the story transitions.
In this book:
At the close of Cut So Deep, Callie struggled to find herself after her resignation at Gentry Tech and its aftermath. Along with the loss of custody, Callie had lost her grounding. Though she couldn’t face Jackson, she agreed to accept his job offer so long as he respected her wishes and they never crossed paths. Her new job at CubeThink and the work she did to rebuild her confidence helped her move forward eventually. With baby steps. With a new lawyer and a plan, she hopes to regain custody of Charlie. And while Shannon had blamed Callie for everything, they eventually seemed to find a truce.
As this book opens, two months have passed. Callie left Gentry Tech and began work at CubeThink about three months ago. It has also been about three months since Charlie was taken away. She now has supervised visits with him once per week. She worries because he doesn’t seem to be well-adjusted to living with David and Regina. Her lawyer tells her to keep hanging tight for the results of the drug test and a new hearing. Separately from that, she is forcing herself out of her comfort zone to prove that she cannot be defeated. At work she made friends, and she often joins them after hours. But once or twice a week for the last few weeks she takes things further. She transforms herself, creating a new persona. It is easier to push herself that way, to act things out when playing a character.
Siren Callie, the vixen, prowls the clubs looking for action. She is a far cry from the relatively inexperienced Callie of just a few months ago. But she chooses who and where, and finds safety in public places. With enough effort, she can screw away those awful memories and reclaim her life.
Jackson Vale is a patient man, or at least he is trying to be. Calliope is the only woman that ever really saw him, and his world opened up when she came into his life. She didn’t care about his money or his fame. She didn’t want anything from him but his company. He wishes he knew what happened but has to respect Callie’s wishes and not press. Knowing Bryce, it was bad. He has given Callie a wide berth, but her actions have become reckless and out of character. It has to stop. There are better, safer ways to accomplish what she needs. Even if she doesn’t want him anymore, he can no longer sit back and watch a train wreck.
This is now Callie and Jackson’s story, as Jackson gets his own point of view here and there. Jackson is also a victim of Bryce, and can sympathize with what Callie is experiencing. He participates in BDSM, something he hinted at previously. As Master Sin he worked through some of his own past issues. Though not a sadist, the power exchange gives him the control he craves. He thinks it might help Callie get past whatever happened, and accordingly introduces her to his club. The lengths he will go for her are rather remarkable. But Callie isn’t ready to open up, and as long as she keeps secrets from Jackson there is only so much he can do to protect her.
Here Callie is decidedly different from the somewhat naïve and innocent Callie of book one. She is spiraling, and all Jackson can do is try to be there to catch her. It is hard to watch her push him away and refuse help. Book one became increasingly dark; this book reverses course as Jackson steps in to support Callie through her crisis in every way he can. He is generous, forgiving, and loving. They finally get to know one another on a more personal level while Callie works through her past and issues with Charlie’s custody. But Bryce Gentry has not forgotten the pair, and he has plans of his own. Callie faces another choice – an impossible choice – with unthinkable consequences. The couple eventually earns a happy ending.
There is plenty of angst throughout the story. There are steamy moments as well as dangerous ones. Great chemistry eventually develops again between Callie and Jackson, but it takes patience. Callie is too much in her own world of pain for much of the book to really sense and give in to their connection. The plot seems to overpower the relationship and it doesn’t feel quite as personal as one might hope.
A few issues merit mention. First, Callie’s age doesn’t seem to match up with how far she is in school. At twenty-two now, she would have been pregnant at nineteen, sometime during her second semester at Stanford. So she would have transferred when she was about eighteen, and presumably started full time at her community college at sixteen. It is possible but a very tight timeline and unusual, and there is no reference to that here. Next, Bryce Gentry’s company name is inconsistent in book one. Bryce Information Technologies is referenced twice earlier in the book, but two latter references to the company name it Gentry Technologies. The abbreviated name used throughout the book, however, is Gentry Tech. Here it is referred to as Gentry Tech.
The former beauty queen hopes to put her crown behind and be appreciated for her brain, but instead finds herself a pawn in a deviously dark game without rules. Callie’s story will have you on the edge of your seat as she gets caught up between two old rivals and faces an impossible choice. This story is well-written and plot-driven. It is complex, layered with mystery. Thoughtful and intelligent details give an authentically tech vibe. The characters are carefully crafted and unique. The story is written in first person in Callie’s POV, with several chapters in Jackson’s POV. I rate this book four stars.
I received an advance copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Trigger warning: includes sensitive issues such as non-consent.
From Cut So Deep, book one:
Calliope Cruise, twenty-two, once had big dreams. She is the rather unhappy victim of her good looks, however, along with some youthful mistakes. Her beauty and figure have the unfortunate consequence of men ogling her. Men and women alike either presume the worst in her or accuse her of trading on her looks. Her own parents don’t even give her the benefit of the doubt. She had done the beauty pageant circuit when she was younger, which only resulted in alienating her older sister. For years Shannon has judged her, but Callie can say little in her own defense. She hails from a small town and began pursing her dream of a career in robotics at her local community college. Catching a lucky break, she was accepted as a transfer student at Stanford, where she now has just a semester left to finish her robotics degree. But she gave up that dream when Charlie came along. Her two and a half year old boy is the joy of her life, but his arrival was unplanned, putting all her dreams on indefinite hold.
David Kinnock, forty-two, has suddenly decided he wants custody of Charlie despite never wanting to be his father. His wife Regina, in her late thirties, happens to have a nice trust fund and seems to have taken an interest in Charlie. If Callie cannot afford a good attorney, she might lose custody of Charlie altogether. As devoted as she is to her son, lawyers are quite talented at taking out of context, exaggerating, misrepresenting, misconstruing, and outright lying. And a good lawyer could tear Callie apart in court. A custody hearing is approaching. If she wants to win she needs to hire a good attorney, but that might just be wishful thinking.
Today Callie just hopes to make the rent. She lives with her sister Shannon, on whom she depends to help care for little Charlie, in the Bay Area just south of San Jose. With her legal bills stacking, rent, and student loan repayments, she needs to put her waitressing behind and earn a decent income. Some creative resume writing skills land her an interview for the personal assistant position of Gentry Technologies’ CEO – Bryce Gentry himself. Gentry Tech is a Fortune 500 company. They work primarily with government contracts – military applications of drones and robotics. The idea of working for the man who, along with Jackson Vale, is famed for developing a real-time reaction simulation algorithm while studying at MIT has her thrilled. Roughly thirty-one and a bachelor, Bryce’s incredible good looks are breath-taking and his gaze is magnetic, but her initial good impression doesn’t last long. Bryce Gentry is just like all the other men that have seen her as an object. And maybe worse. But with the custody hearing approaching, Callie has no choice but to accept the job no matter the unorthodox job requirements.
Jackson Vale, thirty-two, is the CEO of CubeThink. He is disciplined and controlled, and better with code than with people. They are a big player in commercial drones and have become a household name. He is most well-known for his accomplishment with ridiculousrobots.com – when he was only seventeen. Raised in the foster system, he had a hard time until he was taken in by his foster dad at age eleven. Mr. Kent had given him direction to channel his trouble-making tendencies, introducing him to robotics. But when his dad died during Jackson’s sophomore year in college, he fell into bad habits and spiraled out of control.
Bryce and Jackson have a history together. They met at MIT when Bryce was a freshman and Jackson a sophomore, and they did more than just create algorithms. They seemed to get into a bit of trouble together. They had a falling out, though, each going their separate way. Even in business, they manage to avoid one another for the most part, with Bryce focused on military applications and Jackson on the commercial side. It is known that Bryce’s ex-fiancée had been seen on Jackson’s arm, so one might easily deduce some tension lingers between the two. When Bryce arranges a very private lunch meeting with Jackson and orders Callie to attend without underwear, all sorts of questions logically arise.
Callie’s story is a deep, dark dive into a twisted game without rules. She has to battle her past and make peace with her sister while trying to make a good enough living to be able to afford to fight for custody of Charlie in court. The deck is stacked against her and she has nobody on which to rely. She soon finds herself torn between two men, neither of whom she can trust. This story starts out rather shocking, but be forewarned: it gets worse. Pushed in all directions, Callie is tested. She has a choice to make, and consequences she must learn to live with either way. Although the story concludes in book two, Break So Soft, it ends in a good place as the story transitions.
In this book:
At the close of Cut So Deep, Callie struggled to find herself after her resignation at Gentry Tech and its aftermath. Along with the loss of custody, Callie had lost her grounding. Though she couldn’t face Jackson, she agreed to accept his job offer so long as he respected her wishes and they never crossed paths. Her new job at CubeThink and the work she did to rebuild her confidence helped her move forward eventually. With baby steps. With a new lawyer and a plan, she hopes to regain custody of Charlie. And while Shannon had blamed Callie for everything, they eventually seemed to find a truce.
As this book opens, two months have passed. Callie left Gentry Tech and began work at CubeThink about three months ago. It has also been about three months since Charlie was taken away. She now has supervised visits with him once per week. She worries because he doesn’t seem to be well-adjusted to living with David and Regina. Her lawyer tells her to keep hanging tight for the results of the drug test and a new hearing. Separately from that, she is forcing herself out of her comfort zone to prove that she cannot be defeated. At work she made friends, and she often joins them after hours. But once or twice a week for the last few weeks she takes things further. She transforms herself, creating a new persona. It is easier to push herself that way, to act things out when playing a character.
Siren Callie, the vixen, prowls the clubs looking for action. She is a far cry from the relatively inexperienced Callie of just a few months ago. But she chooses who and where, and finds safety in public places. With enough effort, she can screw away those awful memories and reclaim her life.
Jackson Vale is a patient man, or at least he is trying to be. Calliope is the only woman that ever really saw him, and his world opened up when she came into his life. She didn’t care about his money or his fame. She didn’t want anything from him but his company. He wishes he knew what happened but has to respect Callie’s wishes and not press. Knowing Bryce, it was bad. He has given Callie a wide berth, but her actions have become reckless and out of character. It has to stop. There are better, safer ways to accomplish what she needs. Even if she doesn’t want him anymore, he can no longer sit back and watch a train wreck.
This is now Callie and Jackson’s story, as Jackson gets his own point of view here and there. Jackson is also a victim of Bryce, and can sympathize with what Callie is experiencing. He participates in BDSM, something he hinted at previously. As Master Sin he worked through some of his own past issues. Though not a sadist, the power exchange gives him the control he craves. He thinks it might help Callie get past whatever happened, and accordingly introduces her to his club. The lengths he will go for her are rather remarkable. But Callie isn’t ready to open up, and as long as she keeps secrets from Jackson there is only so much he can do to protect her.
Here Callie is decidedly different from the somewhat naïve and innocent Callie of book one. She is spiraling, and all Jackson can do is try to be there to catch her. It is hard to watch her push him away and refuse help. Book one became increasingly dark; this book reverses course as Jackson steps in to support Callie through her crisis in every way he can. He is generous, forgiving, and loving. They finally get to know one another on a more personal level while Callie works through her past and issues with Charlie’s custody. But Bryce Gentry has not forgotten the pair, and he has plans of his own. Callie faces another choice – an impossible choice – with unthinkable consequences. The couple eventually earns a happy ending.
There is plenty of angst throughout the story. There are steamy moments as well as dangerous ones. Great chemistry eventually develops again between Callie and Jackson, but it takes patience. Callie is too much in her own world of pain for much of the book to really sense and give in to their connection. The plot seems to overpower the relationship and it doesn’t feel quite as personal as one might hope.
A few issues merit mention. First, Callie’s age doesn’t seem to match up with how far she is in school. At twenty-two now, she would have been pregnant at nineteen, sometime during her second semester at Stanford. So she would have transferred when she was about eighteen, and presumably started full time at her community college at sixteen. It is possible but a very tight timeline and unusual, and there is no reference to that here. Next, Bryce Gentry’s company name is inconsistent in book one. Bryce Information Technologies is referenced twice earlier in the book, but two latter references to the company name it Gentry Technologies. The abbreviated name used throughout the book, however, is Gentry Tech. Here it is referred to as Gentry Tech.
The former beauty queen hopes to put her crown behind and be appreciated for her brain, but instead finds herself a pawn in a deviously dark game without rules. Callie’s story will have you on the edge of your seat as she gets caught up between two old rivals and faces an impossible choice. This story is well-written and plot-driven. It is complex, layered with mystery. Thoughtful and intelligent details give an authentically tech vibe. The characters are carefully crafted and unique. The story is written in first person in Callie’s POV, with several chapters in Jackson’s POV. I rate this book four stars.
I received an advance copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 13, 2019
Good read
Enjoyed this story. Wouldn't say its for that fainted hearted as it is dark in places, good story line, glad Callie and Jackson got the HEA, Bryce got his comeuppance too.
Enjoyed this story. Wouldn't say its for that fainted hearted as it is dark in places, good story line, glad Callie and Jackson got the HEA, Bryce got his comeuppance too.
February 15, 2017
Release Me is the second book in this duet.
Callie has lost her son, struggles with the aftermath of the events in Gentrys office, has started her new job and is bringing herself in danger again.
She thinks she can avoid Jackson but he's determined to get her back.
To reach his goal and keep Callie safe he shows her a way to get control over her life again.
Together they dive into the world of BDSM. But Callie has to make sure to not get lost in this new scene. So Jackson is willing to do everything to help her.
And there's the past that haunts Callie, always lurking in the dark ready to destroy her once more.
The second book was so much better. I got the feeling that the heroin was growing up, even if her choices were sometimes driving me crazy.
The author did an awesome job at research of the contents and the story was every so often so damn twisted, fantastic.
You got me there for a minute, in Gentry's office. Well played! I loved that part the most.
The end of the story is so satisfying. Callie matured throughout the book so much and Jackson ....... yeah he is definitely book boyfriend material.
If you're not afraid of dark, brutal contents this story is worth your time.
Thanks to Stasia Black for this captivating, intense story.
Callie has lost her son, struggles with the aftermath of the events in Gentrys office, has started her new job and is bringing herself in danger again.
She thinks she can avoid Jackson but he's determined to get her back.
To reach his goal and keep Callie safe he shows her a way to get control over her life again.
Together they dive into the world of BDSM. But Callie has to make sure to not get lost in this new scene. So Jackson is willing to do everything to help her.
And there's the past that haunts Callie, always lurking in the dark ready to destroy her once more.
The second book was so much better. I got the feeling that the heroin was growing up, even if her choices were sometimes driving me crazy.
The author did an awesome job at research of the contents and the story was every so often so damn twisted, fantastic.
You got me there for a minute, in Gentry's office. Well played! I loved that part the most.
The end of the story is so satisfying. Callie matured throughout the book so much and Jackson ....... yeah he is definitely book boyfriend material.
If you're not afraid of dark, brutal contents this story is worth your time.
Thanks to Stasia Black for this captivating, intense story.
January 15, 2021
“Things mattered again. And maybe the Tin Man could find his heart again after all. The thing is, I did. But it’s beating in her chest.”
Again, another amazing dark dark (did I mention it was dark?) romance. After reading the first book in the series I was emotionally gutted. This book and it’s HEA helped to heal me all up! Jackson loves Callie so much and does everything he possibly can to heal her, even though he’s not quite sure what’s wrong. The book do drag a little for me in the beginning but it definitely picked up. I was a little worried when he started training her to be a domme because can two Ds be together? But they find a balance for both of them and make it work. I highly recommend this series if you enjoy BDSM and dark romances
I’m sure if you made it through the first book you can handle this one but I’ll still list trigger warnings below. There is a third book in the series that is a stand-alone. It contains two of the characters in these two books. I will eventually read that book but I definitely need to find a romantic comedy to read stat!
Trigger warnings:
Heavy BDSM
“Sex” clubs
Rape
Sexual Manipulation
Sexual Pain/torture
Whipping that leaves blood
Child custody issues
Child molestation
Again, another amazing dark dark (did I mention it was dark?) romance. After reading the first book in the series I was emotionally gutted. This book and it’s HEA helped to heal me all up! Jackson loves Callie so much and does everything he possibly can to heal her, even though he’s not quite sure what’s wrong. The book do drag a little for me in the beginning but it definitely picked up. I was a little worried when he started training her to be a domme because can two Ds be together? But they find a balance for both of them and make it work. I highly recommend this series if you enjoy BDSM and dark romances
I’m sure if you made it through the first book you can handle this one but I’ll still list trigger warnings below. There is a third book in the series that is a stand-alone. It contains two of the characters in these two books. I will eventually read that book but I definitely need to find a romantic comedy to read stat!
Trigger warnings:
Heavy BDSM
“Sex” clubs
Rape
Sexual Manipulation
Sexual Pain/torture
Whipping that leaves blood
Child custody issues
Child molestation
January 16, 2019
Not As Bad As Casey Anthony But Close
I honestly hated this book. Callie has lost custody of her son and now she spends her life working, clubbing and holding men at knife point for sex. Why this author chose to write such a weak female lead is beyond me. She knows that people think she’s just a “blonde with a rack” but that doesn’t stop her from pulling her girls out all of the time. There’s also a large section of the book where some idiot thinks Callie is a Domme. What a colossal waste of talent. This duet should have been a one and done for Ms. Black...for some bizarre reason known only to her she decided Callie was worth two books.
I honestly hated this book. Callie has lost custody of her son and now she spends her life working, clubbing and holding men at knife point for sex. Why this author chose to write such a weak female lead is beyond me. She knows that people think she’s just a “blonde with a rack” but that doesn’t stop her from pulling her girls out all of the time. There’s also a large section of the book where some idiot thinks Callie is a Domme. What a colossal waste of talent. This duet should have been a one and done for Ms. Black...for some bizarre reason known only to her she decided Callie was worth two books.
March 8, 2017
Super excited for this continuation of Crush Me!!
This is a good read but I wanted so much more. The first book is the best and this one gave me answers to all my unanswered questions from book 1. I really didn't expect the whole BDSM aspect but it worked. Really enjoyed the epilogue.
This is a good read but I wanted so much more. The first book is the best and this one gave me answers to all my unanswered questions from book 1. I really didn't expect the whole BDSM aspect but it worked. Really enjoyed the epilogue.
August 28, 2019
"She’s my salvation. One I never saw coming. One I don’t deserve."
I really liked Cut So Deep and with its ending I just had to dive into book 2 to find out what happened! Will Callie get Charlie back? Will she recover from the horrendous event that happened in the board room? Will her and Jackson be able to come back together? Why does Jackson hate Gentry anyways? And will Gentry get what he deserves?
.....these were just a few of the questions I NEEDED answers to and I have to give it to Stasia, she delivered all the answers and then some. While I definitely liked the overall plot of this one better than book 1, I had to go with 3 to 3.5 stars because of Callie....but more of that in a minute.
"We can meet each other in the dark. We’re compatible there, just like we are in the other parts of our lives."
Told in dual POV (Jackson and Callie), this is the 2nd installment of the Love So Dark series. It IS NOT a standalone and must be read after Cut So Deep. This one is heavier in the BDSM "world" and includes rape recovery (flashbacks as well). I would consider it on the lighter side of dark since everything present-day in this book is consensual.
"I’m the only one in control of my life. It starts now."
Break So Soft picks up a few months after the events of Cut So Deep. Callie is working for Jackson's company and still doesnt have Charlie back. Trying to cope with it all, she takes to partying hard and dangerous hook-ups. She believes she is done with Gentry, but he has other plans....plans that include her never getting Charlie back if she doesn't get him what he wants.
"Gentry took her power away. It’s time she got it back. It was the gift Miranda gave me years ago and now I want to give it to Callie."
Jackson knows Bryce did something awful to Callie, he just doesnt know what. When he sees she is putting herself in dangerous sexual situations, he decides to give her the same gift he was once given.....if only she will take it. He will do whatever it takes to get her back in his arms, but is it too late and is the damage too much?
“For you, I’ll be whatever I need to be.”
This end in a HEA but there are some revelations and some page turning suspense before you get there.
“Let me in, baby. Let me in. I want in everywhere. I want every filthy beautiful fucking part of you.”
As much as I geniunely liked the story being told Callie was a big "issue" for me. Not her actions or how she dealt with the rape or losing Charlie.....I totally understood her partying, staying away from Jackson, and even the random hook ups. My issue with her is how she took a gift that was obviously SO HARD for Jackson to give and used it against him to get "truth" when she had a freaking dump truck full of her own secrets. I dont want to go into further detail bc it might spoil it too much, but she takes advantage of certain situations.....I have never in the history of my reading been so disgusted with a female lead that I wanted to add a book to the DNF pile, yet Callie had me seriously considering this at 60%. Thankfully it did eventually work out.
"And maybe the Tin Man could find his heart again after all. The thing is, I did. But it’s beating in her chest."
Overall, this might have been my fav book (story wise) from this author, but because she changed Callie into a hypocritical a-hole I couldn't give it the 4 stars I wanted to. If you can overlook her demanding secrets (that have nothing to do with her) while believing its okay for her to keep her own, I promise the actual story and plot are worthy of your time and kindle space.
"Her and me. The love of my life. Because even if I’m not hers, she’ll always be mine."
I really liked Cut So Deep and with its ending I just had to dive into book 2 to find out what happened! Will Callie get Charlie back? Will she recover from the horrendous event that happened in the board room? Will her and Jackson be able to come back together? Why does Jackson hate Gentry anyways? And will Gentry get what he deserves?
.....these were just a few of the questions I NEEDED answers to and I have to give it to Stasia, she delivered all the answers and then some. While I definitely liked the overall plot of this one better than book 1, I had to go with 3 to 3.5 stars because of Callie....but more of that in a minute.
"We can meet each other in the dark. We’re compatible there, just like we are in the other parts of our lives."
Told in dual POV (Jackson and Callie), this is the 2nd installment of the Love So Dark series. It IS NOT a standalone and must be read after Cut So Deep. This one is heavier in the BDSM "world" and includes rape recovery (flashbacks as well). I would consider it on the lighter side of dark since everything present-day in this book is consensual.
"I’m the only one in control of my life. It starts now."
Break So Soft picks up a few months after the events of Cut So Deep. Callie is working for Jackson's company and still doesnt have Charlie back. Trying to cope with it all, she takes to partying hard and dangerous hook-ups. She believes she is done with Gentry, but he has other plans....plans that include her never getting Charlie back if she doesn't get him what he wants.
"Gentry took her power away. It’s time she got it back. It was the gift Miranda gave me years ago and now I want to give it to Callie."
Jackson knows Bryce did something awful to Callie, he just doesnt know what. When he sees she is putting herself in dangerous sexual situations, he decides to give her the same gift he was once given.....if only she will take it. He will do whatever it takes to get her back in his arms, but is it too late and is the damage too much?
“For you, I’ll be whatever I need to be.”
This end in a HEA but there are some revelations and some page turning suspense before you get there.
“Let me in, baby. Let me in. I want in everywhere. I want every filthy beautiful fucking part of you.”
As much as I geniunely liked the story being told Callie was a big "issue" for me. Not her actions or how she dealt with the rape or losing Charlie.....I totally understood her partying, staying away from Jackson, and even the random hook ups. My issue with her is how she took a gift that was obviously SO HARD for Jackson to give and used it against him to get "truth" when she had a freaking dump truck full of her own secrets. I dont want to go into further detail bc it might spoil it too much, but she takes advantage of certain situations.....I have never in the history of my reading been so disgusted with a female lead that I wanted to add a book to the DNF pile, yet Callie had me seriously considering this at 60%. Thankfully it did eventually work out.
"And maybe the Tin Man could find his heart again after all. The thing is, I did. But it’s beating in her chest."
Overall, this might have been my fav book (story wise) from this author, but because she changed Callie into a hypocritical a-hole I couldn't give it the 4 stars I wanted to. If you can overlook her demanding secrets (that have nothing to do with her) while believing its okay for her to keep her own, I promise the actual story and plot are worthy of your time and kindle space.
"Her and me. The love of my life. Because even if I’m not hers, she’ll always be mine."
November 18, 2018
Break So Soft (Break So Soft Duet Book 2) By: Stasia Black
"Break So Soft" Is A Solid 5 Star Reading Treat!!
All her life she's been Cut...
Raw, Emotional, Betraying, & Deep...
Over, & Over, & Over Again... The Cuts keep coming, until it feels like it's never gonna END...
She's Backed into a Corner, like a Caged Animal waiting to Strike...
Her Enemies better Beware, her Bark's definitely NOT Worse than her BITE!!
The first Story left you Hangin'... Right on the Cliff, waiting for the Next Installment!!
But Now you can Dig Right into "Break So Soft!"
This is Part 2 of her Story, & it's a Doozy...
Don't buy it if you're faint of HEART, because this Lady's gonna "Break So Soft" after she gets "Cut So Deep;" it'll make you Sceam, Rage, & Cry...
That's Right... The writing is Solid! Stasia Black draws you into this Tale & keeps you on the Edge of your Seat turning Pages until the last one's gone! Don't Believe Me...Just Go Ahead & One-Click, "Break So Soft," & finish the Story!
I rarely give Coveted 5 STAR ratings; they're saved for Books/Items that Outshine, Outclass, & Outperform their competition... They've gotta give me something MORE! Stasia Black's won that Distinction Once Again for "Break So Soft;" Kudos Ms. Black for your Stellar work!!!
I was granted an ARC of Stasia Black's "Break So Soft (Break So Soft Duet Book 2)" via Booksprout; I recommend this book to others based upon its own merits. All opinions expressed within this review are uniquely my own & freely given!
Until next time... Happy Reading!
February 7, 2018
So. All's well that ends well?
Stasia Black has done it again but the frustration had me nearly taking my eyes out with a very blunt plastic spoon for most of this book.
That whole 'Imma hide my big secret' thing for Callie? Didn't like that.
At all.
It just made her a rapid backhand slap candidate for most of this book.
Everyone was mostly a total sh!t for the best part of this book (even baby Chatlie joined in towards the end, sheesh!) and Callie seemed to go off the rails using sex to assuage the very real pains caused by the continued betrayal of trust in her life.
You would think that by now she would have learned to trust no-one without at least doing a serious bit of due diligence, but Noooooo. Here she is again, even worse off at the start of this book, her unit family shattered and her spirit out for dominance if not able to get vengeance.
My kindle is dented from the number of times I flung it at the wall, only to crawl back over to where it lay, blinking up at me, urging me to continue my teeth clenching swipe /scroll on through with this story,p. Something pushed me to continue,
And. I.Am.So. Glad. I. Did
Yay, this roller coaster comes to a great brutal but satisfying little conclusion following Callie's idiot solo attempt to get herself out of the mess she walked herself in to.
The sexual exploration she and her constant hero, Jackson, enjoyed is definately a bit off the charts, but, in light of what she was subjected to in the first book I'm just relieved that there were SOME hard limits in this book.
Yaaaaaaas! to happy endings
Callie is definately a different woman by the end of this book and she does her transformation without the safety of a chrysalis, poor thing.
A heart wrenching, well written story Stasia McStirrer.
Imma 1-click this author but I warn you now, Stasia Black
You owe me a kindle.
Again
Stasia Black has done it again but the frustration had me nearly taking my eyes out with a very blunt plastic spoon for most of this book.
That whole 'Imma hide my big secret' thing for Callie? Didn't like that.
At all.
It just made her a rapid backhand slap candidate for most of this book.
Everyone was mostly a total sh!t for the best part of this book (even baby Chatlie joined in towards the end, sheesh!) and Callie seemed to go off the rails using sex to assuage the very real pains caused by the continued betrayal of trust in her life.
You would think that by now she would have learned to trust no-one without at least doing a serious bit of due diligence, but Noooooo. Here she is again, even worse off at the start of this book, her unit family shattered and her spirit out for dominance if not able to get vengeance.
My kindle is dented from the number of times I flung it at the wall, only to crawl back over to where it lay, blinking up at me, urging me to continue my teeth clenching swipe /scroll on through with this story,p. Something pushed me to continue,
And. I.Am.So. Glad. I. Did
Yay, this roller coaster comes to a great brutal but satisfying little conclusion following Callie's idiot solo attempt to get herself out of the mess she walked herself in to.
The sexual exploration she and her constant hero, Jackson, enjoyed is definately a bit off the charts, but, in light of what she was subjected to in the first book I'm just relieved that there were SOME hard limits in this book.
Yaaaaaaas! to happy endings
Callie is definately a different woman by the end of this book and she does her transformation without the safety of a chrysalis, poor thing.
A heart wrenching, well written story Stasia McStirrer.
Imma 1-click this author but I warn you now, Stasia Black
You owe me a kindle.
Again
November 18, 2018
My heart broke for Callie and the way she was dealing with her abuse and losing her son through a bitter and crooked custody battle. When her ex, Jackson comes into the picture, this story turned from good to excellent.
I loved that he was looking out for her even after she left him. I loved that he allowed her to act out, but still wanted her safe. And I absolutely loved that he champions for her, and supports her in getting justice done with Charlie, all the while accepting and loving Callie for who she is.
Jackson knows that something horrible happened with the evil Gentry, noting the drastic changes in Callie.
He didn’t give up until he got to the bottom of it all, and was the reason Callie could start healing from the assault that she kept hidden from everyone.
When Jackson took her to the BDSM club to help her get back her emotional control, things get a little kinky and intense. The calm way Jackson explains and describes the alternate lifestyle he enjoys makes it seem almost normal, the emphasis is almost.
Callie eats it up though, as it helps her deal with the way Gentry abused her and had her abused by others.
There’s a backstory to Jackson and Gentry, and the way Gentry blackmails Callie to do some corporate espionage.
Loved this story that had so much going on at the same time with Callie, her relationship with her sister, parents, and her heartbreaking secrets. It takes Jackson and his final complete vulnerability with Callie that helps her to finally face her demons.
Super sexy and romantic read!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I loved that he was looking out for her even after she left him. I loved that he allowed her to act out, but still wanted her safe. And I absolutely loved that he champions for her, and supports her in getting justice done with Charlie, all the while accepting and loving Callie for who she is.
Jackson knows that something horrible happened with the evil Gentry, noting the drastic changes in Callie.
He didn’t give up until he got to the bottom of it all, and was the reason Callie could start healing from the assault that she kept hidden from everyone.
When Jackson took her to the BDSM club to help her get back her emotional control, things get a little kinky and intense. The calm way Jackson explains and describes the alternate lifestyle he enjoys makes it seem almost normal, the emphasis is almost.
Callie eats it up though, as it helps her deal with the way Gentry abused her and had her abused by others.
There’s a backstory to Jackson and Gentry, and the way Gentry blackmails Callie to do some corporate espionage.
Loved this story that had so much going on at the same time with Callie, her relationship with her sister, parents, and her heartbreaking secrets. It takes Jackson and his final complete vulnerability with Callie that helps her to finally face her demons.
Super sexy and romantic read!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
March 29, 2020
Not expected.. but in a GREAT WAY!
I'm feeling weirdly off after finishing this book and caught in the middle of it I was totally captivated and wondering.....why am I so captivated by this book it's not something I would usually read In not what I expected when starting the series the 1st book was completely different but built up the characters in the story line in a way that made you invested. Everything that happened in THIS book was shocking in how it took a turn, but was so well written with an epic romance underneath all of the darkness that made sense with the characters backgrounds; Even while it was messed up in a really dark way. I'm still not sure how I'm feeling after finishing this book but oddly satisfied in the way the author took the time to wrap everything up in a way that didn't leave me with questions and still managed to give it a happy ending. All I know is I will read every book this author has released because now I'm hooked for what ever reason I'm hooked and I have to applaud the author because no matter what genre this book would be labeled in I can't think of anyone who would not get wrapped up in it like I did even if this is something completely out of one's normal comfort zone. I'm far from innocent in my book tastes but WOW! I feel "complete"
In a way that I'm rarely do after finishing a book. Kudos to you miss Stasia Black. I rarely take the time to leave in written review that I just have to say again wow you have found your calling and I beg you, to never give that up. Thank you for gifting me with this wonderful story!
I'm feeling weirdly off after finishing this book and caught in the middle of it I was totally captivated and wondering.....why am I so captivated by this book it's not something I would usually read In not what I expected when starting the series the 1st book was completely different but built up the characters in the story line in a way that made you invested. Everything that happened in THIS book was shocking in how it took a turn, but was so well written with an epic romance underneath all of the darkness that made sense with the characters backgrounds; Even while it was messed up in a really dark way. I'm still not sure how I'm feeling after finishing this book but oddly satisfied in the way the author took the time to wrap everything up in a way that didn't leave me with questions and still managed to give it a happy ending. All I know is I will read every book this author has released because now I'm hooked for what ever reason I'm hooked and I have to applaud the author because no matter what genre this book would be labeled in I can't think of anyone who would not get wrapped up in it like I did even if this is something completely out of one's normal comfort zone. I'm far from innocent in my book tastes but WOW! I feel "complete"
In a way that I'm rarely do after finishing a book. Kudos to you miss Stasia Black. I rarely take the time to leave in written review that I just have to say again wow you have found your calling and I beg you, to never give that up. Thank you for gifting me with this wonderful story!
February 23, 2019
Overwhelmingly sated by Break So Soft
Break so soft hasn't disappointed me in the slightest, and it's the perfect conclusion to this duet. Book 1 left me feeling unhinged but as perfect as the ending is, I have been intrigued and so delighted with the plot. It's sensational, deep and scandalous! The depth of the characters continue and there is something so real and life like about them. I now have a new understanding and appreciation for BDSM.
Callie's character continues to develop and her strength is so inspirational, her childhood abuse, her relationship with her sister coming full circle, how she alters between her submissive side and her domme role. Callie has the true heart of a mother, with so much love for her son. Her relationship with Jackson is unlike any relationship I've encountered before. Their connection goes way deeper than the soul shattering darkness from Gentry.
Jackson is an angel among men, an incredibly sexy one at that, albeit with his own demons. Jackson is the complete package, a man with a dimple is seriously not fair. But, he gets his girl, his love and a family of His own. His POV comes across so powerfully yet sensitively written.
And best of all Bryce Gentry gets his due (I won't give the spoliers!)- even better than the lobotomy with a rusty auger as I wished on him in book one!
I can now go to bed feeling completely happy after starting book one late last night.
Stasia Black this duet will stay embedded in my soul forever. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Break so soft hasn't disappointed me in the slightest, and it's the perfect conclusion to this duet. Book 1 left me feeling unhinged but as perfect as the ending is, I have been intrigued and so delighted with the plot. It's sensational, deep and scandalous! The depth of the characters continue and there is something so real and life like about them. I now have a new understanding and appreciation for BDSM.
Callie's character continues to develop and her strength is so inspirational, her childhood abuse, her relationship with her sister coming full circle, how she alters between her submissive side and her domme role. Callie has the true heart of a mother, with so much love for her son. Her relationship with Jackson is unlike any relationship I've encountered before. Their connection goes way deeper than the soul shattering darkness from Gentry.
Jackson is an angel among men, an incredibly sexy one at that, albeit with his own demons. Jackson is the complete package, a man with a dimple is seriously not fair. But, he gets his girl, his love and a family of His own. His POV comes across so powerfully yet sensitively written.
And best of all Bryce Gentry gets his due (I won't give the spoliers!)- even better than the lobotomy with a rusty auger as I wished on him in book one!
I can now go to bed feeling completely happy after starting book one late last night.
Stasia Black this duet will stay embedded in my soul forever. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
November 20, 2018
I didn't make it through the 1st book in this duet: Cut So Deep because of pages & pages of non-stop filler (IMO). I gave this one a try to see if it improved but again, pages of internal thoughts, musings & panic by the main character Callie.
Many people may enjoy this writing format, nothing wrong with it per se: the writing itself was articulate & while I certainly don't mind & even enjoy a character's internal POV, for me at least the most mundane tasks were drawn out (so it seemed to me) for unnecessary pages. I was completely bored & frustrated & I found myself skipping entire sections of a chapter in an attempt to net out was going to happen.
Sooo, I didn't get very far in this book either.
Again, to be fair: I don't think this was the author's fault, it was a case of my not liking the particular style of writing. I think the overall plot idea was sound & interesting, I genuinely liked Jackson, loathed Bryce & found Callie grating & irritating. Other than her focus on her son, I really did not like her character at all.
BUT, don't let my opinion sway you against this duet: what I find boring & irritating may just be your cup of tea.
I truly hope you enjoy the book more than I did.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Many people may enjoy this writing format, nothing wrong with it per se: the writing itself was articulate & while I certainly don't mind & even enjoy a character's internal POV, for me at least the most mundane tasks were drawn out (so it seemed to me) for unnecessary pages. I was completely bored & frustrated & I found myself skipping entire sections of a chapter in an attempt to net out was going to happen.
Sooo, I didn't get very far in this book either.
Again, to be fair: I don't think this was the author's fault, it was a case of my not liking the particular style of writing. I think the overall plot idea was sound & interesting, I genuinely liked Jackson, loathed Bryce & found Callie grating & irritating. Other than her focus on her son, I really did not like her character at all.
BUT, don't let my opinion sway you against this duet: what I find boring & irritating may just be your cup of tea.
I truly hope you enjoy the book more than I did.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 18, 2020
Better than the first one, though I’m really into my men not having a lick is switch/submission in them.
Also, the way Callie acts, like I get wanting control. But I just don’t get the way she plays it out.
The ending, where the author explains how Callie told Jackson after they’ve already sort of nabbed him didn’t feel good to read. Like I enjoy things being done in the order that they occur. I don’t even mind spoilers because I know it’s happening in order. So to have the big reveal the way it was done was disappointing.
On the flip side, I enjoyed being inside of Jacksons head, and I reckon I’d like even more if the book in his POV rather than hers which is not something I usually enjoy.
I appreciate the way this author included Callies son. I’m a child free single and I typically don’t like children ever being brought into the narrative. I don’t usually like it. But this time it was tasteful, though a bit overdone.
The scheming and vengefulness of the wack ass professor and his wife was just over the top and kind of felt out of place.
I’m not sure if this author is a match for me. I feel like often when reading or listening to her books, I struggle with the narration, and honestly the writing feels choppy sometimes?
But a solid dark read overall.
Also, the way Callie acts, like I get wanting control. But I just don’t get the way she plays it out.
The ending, where the author explains how Callie told Jackson after they’ve already sort of nabbed him didn’t feel good to read. Like I enjoy things being done in the order that they occur. I don’t even mind spoilers because I know it’s happening in order. So to have the big reveal the way it was done was disappointing.
On the flip side, I enjoyed being inside of Jacksons head, and I reckon I’d like even more if the book in his POV rather than hers which is not something I usually enjoy.
I appreciate the way this author included Callies son. I’m a child free single and I typically don’t like children ever being brought into the narrative. I don’t usually like it. But this time it was tasteful, though a bit overdone.
The scheming and vengefulness of the wack ass professor and his wife was just over the top and kind of felt out of place.
I’m not sure if this author is a match for me. I feel like often when reading or listening to her books, I struggle with the narration, and honestly the writing feels choppy sometimes?
But a solid dark read overall.
November 12, 2018
Wow, what a fantastic conclusion to this dark, suspenseful romance duet!!!!
This is book two and the conclusion in this super fantastic dark suspenseful romance duet. Make sure to read Cut So Deep first so you aren't lost when you start this book.
After everything started spiraling out of control with Callie, she tries to take her own kind of control. Things are just getting worse for her and being without her son, Charlie is slowly killing her. She would do anything to have her son back and Bryce is counting on that. He wants something from her and he'll do anything to get it, including blackmailing her. She doesn't want to betray Jackson, but Bryce has made it perfectly clear that he will make sure she never sees her son again if he doesn't get what he wants. Things between Jackson and Callie are strained as is and with what Callie is about to do, it will probably break them. Grab this gritty, dark, steamy, suspenseful romance book and find out what happens when you push someone too far. This is a great duet and a definite must read!!!!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is book two and the conclusion in this super fantastic dark suspenseful romance duet. Make sure to read Cut So Deep first so you aren't lost when you start this book.
After everything started spiraling out of control with Callie, she tries to take her own kind of control. Things are just getting worse for her and being without her son, Charlie is slowly killing her. She would do anything to have her son back and Bryce is counting on that. He wants something from her and he'll do anything to get it, including blackmailing her. She doesn't want to betray Jackson, but Bryce has made it perfectly clear that he will make sure she never sees her son again if he doesn't get what he wants. Things between Jackson and Callie are strained as is and with what Callie is about to do, it will probably break them. Grab this gritty, dark, steamy, suspenseful romance book and find out what happens when you push someone too far. This is a great duet and a definite must read!!!!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
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