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Auctioned #3
Deserted
Deserted is the third book in the Auctioned Series, following book 1, Auctioned, and book 2, Stranded.
Gray Nolan had survived a kidnapping where he was supposed to have been auctioned off to the highest bidder. He had also survived being stranded on an island, under siege from a different set of foes, and throughout the hell they’d all endured, their motto had been “Leave no man behind.”
Recovery was different. Gray wanted to be left alone to fight his demons—and to get over the attachment he’d formed for the man who’d saved him more than once. But in a time when darkness threatened to consume him, salvation arrived as he set out to uphold the promise he’d made to a friend. Eight-year-old Jayden stormed into his life, fresh off the streets of Philadelphia, and lit up Gray’s bleak existence.
Darius Quinn had known that Gray was going to close himself in and run away after everything they’d been through. But he was determined to follow and watch over the young man who should have been just a paycheck. Something about Gray prevented Darius from staying in his preferred role of passive observer, and he couldn’t let Gray carry out his last commitment alone.
What started out as a cross-country road trip to guide them home to Washington was quickly turning into a journey with a destination that scared the life out of Darius. He’d never wanted that kind of future before, and now he was gearing up to fight for it.
(All books taking place in the Camassia Cove universe are standalone unless otherwise stated.)
Gray Nolan had survived a kidnapping where he was supposed to have been auctioned off to the highest bidder. He had also survived being stranded on an island, under siege from a different set of foes, and throughout the hell they’d all endured, their motto had been “Leave no man behind.”
Recovery was different. Gray wanted to be left alone to fight his demons—and to get over the attachment he’d formed for the man who’d saved him more than once. But in a time when darkness threatened to consume him, salvation arrived as he set out to uphold the promise he’d made to a friend. Eight-year-old Jayden stormed into his life, fresh off the streets of Philadelphia, and lit up Gray’s bleak existence.
Darius Quinn had known that Gray was going to close himself in and run away after everything they’d been through. But he was determined to follow and watch over the young man who should have been just a paycheck. Something about Gray prevented Darius from staying in his preferred role of passive observer, and he couldn’t let Gray carry out his last commitment alone.
What started out as a cross-country road trip to guide them home to Washington was quickly turning into a journey with a destination that scared the life out of Darius. He’d never wanted that kind of future before, and now he was gearing up to fight for it.
(All books taking place in the Camassia Cove universe are standalone unless otherwise stated.)
386 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 16, 2020
267 people are currently reading
885 people want to read
About the author
Cara Dee
97 books4,088 followers
I'm often stoically silent or, if the topic interests me, a chronic rambler. In other words, I can discuss writing forever and ever. Fiction, in particular. The love story—while a huge draw and constantly present—is secondary for me, because there's so much more to writing romance fiction than just making two (or more) people fall in love and have hot sex. There's a world to build, characters to develop, interests to create, and a topic or two to research thoroughly. Every book is a challenge for me, an opportunity to learn something new, and a puzzle to piece together. I want my characters to come to life, and the only way I know to do that is to give them substance—passions, history, goals, quirks, and strong opinions—and to let them evolve. Additionally, I want my men and women to be relatable. That means allowing room for everyday problems and, for lack of a better word, flaws. My characters will never be perfect.
Wait…this was supposed to be about me, not my writing.
I'm a writey person who loves to write. Always wanderlusting, twitterpating, kinking, and geeking. There's time for hockey and cupcakes, too. But mostly, I just love to write.
I'm often stoically silent or, if the topic interests me, a chronic rambler. In other words, I can discuss writing forever and ever. Fiction, in particular. The love story—while a huge draw and constantly present—is secondary for me, because there's so much more to writing romance fiction than just making two (or more) people fall in love and have hot sex. There's a world to build, characters to develop, interests to create, and a topic or two to research thoroughly. Every book is a challenge for me, an opportunity to learn something new, and a puzzle to piece together. I want my characters to come to life, and the only way I know to do that is to give them substance—passions, history, goals, quirks, and strong opinions—and to let them evolve. Additionally, I want my men and women to be relatable. That means allowing room for everyday problems and, for lack of a better word, flaws. My characters will never be perfect.
Wait…this was supposed to be about me, not my writing.
I'm a writey person who loves to write. Always wanderlusting, twitterpating, kinking, and geeking. There's time for hockey and cupcakes, too. But mostly, I just love to write.
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November 14, 2023
He cradled Gray’s face in his hands and leveled him with a serious look. “I’ve formed attachments to people I’ve rescued before, but never like this. It’s never been about attraction. It’s never gone beyond wanting to protect innocence. Or shield it. No matter how obsessive I’ve been about it. You’re not like the others, Gray. You’re not like anyone.”
Darius and Gray have my entire heart in this book.
I wasn’t a fan of Auctioned, but I still thank Cara Dee for helping me out of my romance slump. Despite my boredom, I was curious enough to continue with the next book and discover what happens after Darius saves Gray and the other boys. For that, I’m grateful because being a romance reader in a romance slump sucks. Even if I enjoyed my PJO reading journey, the romance in me craved a story of two people falling in love, and Auctioned was the way to go.
One thing I thought was missing in Auctioned was how much telling there was compared to showing. I don’t know about you all, but when I read any book with the dark themes of kidnapping, human trafficking, rape, sexual abuse, drugging, etc, I expect to get into the character's heads. I want to experience their journey. I’m not saying I want to share what they’re going through (absolutely not!), but when it comes to these things, reading about something so uncomfortable makes me want to continue reading because I want to see how the character makes it out of the situation. I always expect it in dark romances, especially with Stockholm syndrome and dub-con elements, because it helps me understand how the character feels more. Then, it allows me to know why they think the way they do and, perhaps, root for them. Some people say they can’t continue reading anything related to these things, but I find the uncomfortable feeling grounding. So it’s not to say I want to read about Gray being raped, but I do want to read about his feelings, exploring the different emotions he’s battling through, seeing how he gets through everything. Books are like movies but with words, where the scene plays out in your head and gives you a picture of what you’re watching. When I don’t see enough of what the characters are doing or experiencing, it decreases the chances of enjoyment due to the lack of imagination.
Again, I’m unsure how to explain this without sounding weird. It shows an author’s strength when they offer more than tell, no matter the gruesome situation.
Fortunately, books two and three upped their game in showing versus telling. Whereas book two focuses on Gray becoming distant and not believing he’s free, book three shows his character development. We get to see him cope with his trauma, multiple things, from the nightmares to lots of noises to large crowds to the tiniest sounds freaking him out.
“I also believe you have a heart that’s gonna bleed you dry if you don’t enforce limits on who you’re gonna help. You can’t be there for everyone. You can’t save everyone. Because you will never be satisfied. You’ll never reach a point where you feel like you’ve done enough.”
Gray’s trauma is much more palpable in this installment. The book’s title is quite fitting, with how he feels deserted due to not feeling free or in the moment. He struggles with showing his genuine emotions and puts on a fake smile to lie to his family members. I think leaving everyone to focus on himself and do what he needs to do (find Jayden) was necessary. He becomes more comfortable in his skin while remaining a little vulnerable. He doesn’t heal instantly, and feeling at ease still takes him a while. With his nightmares still consuming him like the plague, he struggles to accept what happened to him and believes he’s free. I loved seeing his development shine here. We’re witnesses to his brutal insecurities and self-doubt to motivation and eagerness. We see him become more aware of his surroundings and learn from his past mistakes. We see him adapt to different environments without worrying and learn more about his wants. I have never found Gray whiny, weak, or belittling in expressing himself. He acknowledges his mistakes, realizes his privilege, and knows there’s a lot he still needs to learn. He’s only 21 years old, so he still has much to learn. But one thing about him is that he’s selfless and puts his friends and family before himself. We see this in books one and two, where he is on the brink of sacrificing himself for the sake of others. He worries about their well-being while ignoring his. Maybe it’s because I just read the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan before this, so it made me compare the two because both Percy and Gray are the types to put others’ needs before theirs. It’s annoying and humbling. I just want to hug both of them, but I want to give Gray a bigger bug because this his story.
The good thing is that Gray isn’t alone, despite thinking he needs to be alone. Darius, the 43-year-old sexy piece of shit, ex-private military contractor, has become quite obsessed with Gray and his protection, and it comes in convenient for Gray’s sake. We learn more about Darius in each installment, but he remains mysterious in a sexy way. I usually don’t even say this about book characters, but Darius truly is sexy. Mysterious but caring, rough but gentle, and violent but soft. he lives in the woods, away from everyone, like an old grandpa. He loves to bake bread, doesn’t own a microwave, is a pantry hoarder, and loves old black-and-white western movies related to war and action. We never get a label on his sexuality, but he’s not as straight as Gray thought he was, considering his newfound infatuation with the Nolan kid. I loved his protective instinct, his need to be close to Gray, and his obsession. This man would say some romantic ass shit to Gray and wouldn’t even realize it. I found myself wanting to highlight whole pages of the book. If I were someone who re-read books just to re-read my favorite parts, this book would be one of them.
“Fuckin’ hell,” Darius exhaled and wrenched away. “We gotta pack, knucklehead.” He gripped Gray’s chin and kissed him quickly. “Later tonight,” he promised. One more kiss. “Christ, those eyes of yours. Don’t look at me like that.”
It was a small comfort, at least. It gave Gray an ego boost to see the desire so vividly.
“Like what?” Gray smiled and nuzzled their noses together.
It made Darius chuckle. “You’re goddamn adorable sometimes.”
“Only sometimes?”
“Mm.” Darius leaned in and gave him a slow, thorough kiss. “The other times, you’re sexy and fucking beautiful.” He drew a deep breath and hugged Gray tightly. “You have the ability to knock the air outta my lungs. That’s…new to me.”
Gray shivered violently and shook his head. “You can’t say that crap and then deny me when I wanna worship every inch of your body.”
Darius grinned and kissed Gray’s neck. “I thought you just wanted a quickie.”
“Things change.” He palmed Darius’s cheeks and gently rested their foreheads together. “You have that ability too. You own me.” He screwed his eyes shut the second those words slipped out, and he was catapulted back in time to when he was dropped on a carpet blotchy with blood, tears, and semen. A time when his body had a price tag.
“Stay with me, knucklehead.” Darius pushed back Gray’s hair and cupped the back of his neck. “It was the ownership thing, eh?”
Gray sucked in a breath and nodded jerkily. His heart went from calm to pounding in a second, and he cursed himself. Why would he go there? Why did he say something like that?
“Focus on your breathing,” Darius directed. “And don’t let dead sons’a bitches dictate the romantic shit we say to each other.”
I just loved seeing how well Darius read Gray. They’re both so in tune with their emotions. Gray also learned how to read Darius, and even though Darius has a more extensive capability due to his experience in the army, they both rely on each other for these sorts of things. They become someone they can trust and lean on when they need physical and mental support.
Even if the two have some power dynamics in their relationship, the author never makes it a dynamic of unequal and unfair treatment between them. They both have power over each other without realizing it, especially Gray, and it’s never used to their advantage or for the sake of it. Dynamics like this are my favorite, where even if there is a power dynamic, it doesn’t have to do with the treatment of each other.
To be honest, he loved his new role at Darius’s place. They were equals and worked together like a well-oiled machine. When Darius made bread in the morning, Gray prepared eggs and coffee. Then they sat down and talked throughout breakfast about the plans for the day—from training and chores around the house, to appointments and errands. Recently, it involved work for Darius too. And while he was at the restaurant, Gray checked things off his to-do list so they could have dinner as soon as Darius came home.
Compared to its predecessors, this book lets Gray and Darius become a couple. They finally talk things out, stating what they mean to each other. The way I saw it, their relationship in book one is fueled mainly by lust and need more than anything else. In book two, we get more vulnerable feelings coming into play. Book three then solidified everything, making it official. I loved seeing this development. I saw some people complain about how there’s no chemistry between them in the first book, and while I do agree there was no chemistry (at least emotional), I didn’t find it to be an issue because I don’t think there was supposed to be. It would’ve been weird for me if there was, to be honest. It wouldn’t make sense for their relationship to start (in any way) in book 1 when Darius comes into the picture to save Gray. There’s an attraction on both ends, but that’s it. I liked this because it made it more realistic for their situation and how Gray was still recovering. Plus, there wouldn’t have been any room for their feelings to be explored since Gray and Darius spent most of the book together figuring out and plotting their escape. Book two gives them more accessibility, and this third book gives them the freedom to explore. We get so many cute moments between them that show their natural domesticity. Their banter is still the same as in book one, which is always a bonus for me. I love it when characters have a particular type of banter that’s fueled and remains that same way, only full of love this time. Their banter is one of my favorite things about this.
“No more pretending.” He spoke in between hard kisses. “And let me know if you’re a flight risk. I’ll tie you to a pole on the porch.”
Darius smiled into the kiss and cupped Gray’s cheek. “I’m not the runner, baby. I’m all in.”
Gray couldn’t describe what a rush it was to hear that. “For us, I can be a fighter.”
I only have two complaints for this book. First, I was annoyed with Gray’s constant assumption of Darius’ sexuality. I didn’t see what the bid deal would be if he asked Darius if he was gay or not instead of being miserable on his own. Plus, you would think it would been evident by now. My other quibble is a personal preference: I’m tired of Darius calling Gray “kid” all the time. The first time, it made sense because they weren’t together and had no emotional connection, and there’s the 22-year-age difference. But now it seems too excruciating. I love his nickname for Gray, knucklehead; a perfect example of nicknames with personal meaning that goes from being used for annoyance to love. But Darius referring to Gray as ‘kid’ is unbearable now. Admittedly, for me, albeit a bit unrealistic. I know some people won’t agree with this and see it as unnecessary, and I hear you on it because I was the same, but I’m choosing to ignore it. I’m not hopeful about the rest of the series because I haven’t heard the best. I can see why others thought the series should’ve ended here, and I agree. If Cara hadn’t put Kellan in the ending, this would’ve been over, and Darius and Gray would’ve moved on with their lives. Still, I’m curious to see this Alfred fucker be caught, and I’m excited to see how this new small family moves forward, so I can’t complain too much.
Also, having met some family and friends from Gray and Darius in book 2, Stranded, made me curious to check out their books. There’s Abel (Gray’s best friend) and Madigan (Lincoln’s friend) in Power Play; Chloe (Gray’s mom) and Aiden (Gray’s stepdad) and Isla (Aiden’s daughter and Gray’s stepsister) and Jack (Aiden’s friend) in Inappropriately Yours; and Adeline and Lincoln (Abel’s parents) in Path of Destruction. Darius’s sister, Elise, is also in Her All Along. Phew! So many characters to keep up with. I haven’t read all of this author’s books, let alone her Camassia Cove Universe books, so Dominic from Home was the only familiar character, and he didn’t even make an appearance; he just talked with Gray. I also met Kellan here, and he recently got his story in Unshackled, so I’ll be reading that at some point, too. I also found out that Casey from Uncomplicated Choices was Lincoln’s cellmate. I read a review where they mentioned reading Linc’s book before Casey’s is better because it adds depth to his story, and Uncomplicated Choices takes place many years after Path of Destruction, so Casey is a whole different person. I want to get to know him before everything, so I’ll note this for future me as well. Other characters were also mentioned, but it’s too many to keep up. I just took note of the major ones. I used to want to read this author’s books in order, but I don’t think that’ll be possible anymore. There’s the published order, the chronological order, and the author’s choice. I will go based on the blurb and the characters who interest me the most.
Darius and Gray have my entire heart in this book.
I wasn’t a fan of Auctioned, but I still thank Cara Dee for helping me out of my romance slump. Despite my boredom, I was curious enough to continue with the next book and discover what happens after Darius saves Gray and the other boys. For that, I’m grateful because being a romance reader in a romance slump sucks. Even if I enjoyed my PJO reading journey, the romance in me craved a story of two people falling in love, and Auctioned was the way to go.
One thing I thought was missing in Auctioned was how much telling there was compared to showing. I don’t know about you all, but when I read any book with the dark themes of kidnapping, human trafficking, rape, sexual abuse, drugging, etc, I expect to get into the character's heads. I want to experience their journey. I’m not saying I want to share what they’re going through (absolutely not!), but when it comes to these things, reading about something so uncomfortable makes me want to continue reading because I want to see how the character makes it out of the situation. I always expect it in dark romances, especially with Stockholm syndrome and dub-con elements, because it helps me understand how the character feels more. Then, it allows me to know why they think the way they do and, perhaps, root for them. Some people say they can’t continue reading anything related to these things, but I find the uncomfortable feeling grounding. So it’s not to say I want to read about Gray being raped, but I do want to read about his feelings, exploring the different emotions he’s battling through, seeing how he gets through everything. Books are like movies but with words, where the scene plays out in your head and gives you a picture of what you’re watching. When I don’t see enough of what the characters are doing or experiencing, it decreases the chances of enjoyment due to the lack of imagination.
Again, I’m unsure how to explain this without sounding weird. It shows an author’s strength when they offer more than tell, no matter the gruesome situation.
Fortunately, books two and three upped their game in showing versus telling. Whereas book two focuses on Gray becoming distant and not believing he’s free, book three shows his character development. We get to see him cope with his trauma, multiple things, from the nightmares to lots of noises to large crowds to the tiniest sounds freaking him out.
“I also believe you have a heart that’s gonna bleed you dry if you don’t enforce limits on who you’re gonna help. You can’t be there for everyone. You can’t save everyone. Because you will never be satisfied. You’ll never reach a point where you feel like you’ve done enough.”
Gray’s trauma is much more palpable in this installment. The book’s title is quite fitting, with how he feels deserted due to not feeling free or in the moment. He struggles with showing his genuine emotions and puts on a fake smile to lie to his family members. I think leaving everyone to focus on himself and do what he needs to do (find Jayden) was necessary. He becomes more comfortable in his skin while remaining a little vulnerable. He doesn’t heal instantly, and feeling at ease still takes him a while. With his nightmares still consuming him like the plague, he struggles to accept what happened to him and believes he’s free. I loved seeing his development shine here. We’re witnesses to his brutal insecurities and self-doubt to motivation and eagerness. We see him become more aware of his surroundings and learn from his past mistakes. We see him adapt to different environments without worrying and learn more about his wants. I have never found Gray whiny, weak, or belittling in expressing himself. He acknowledges his mistakes, realizes his privilege, and knows there’s a lot he still needs to learn. He’s only 21 years old, so he still has much to learn. But one thing about him is that he’s selfless and puts his friends and family before himself. We see this in books one and two, where he is on the brink of sacrificing himself for the sake of others. He worries about their well-being while ignoring his. Maybe it’s because I just read the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan before this, so it made me compare the two because both Percy and Gray are the types to put others’ needs before theirs. It’s annoying and humbling. I just want to hug both of them, but I want to give Gray a bigger bug because this his story.
The good thing is that Gray isn’t alone, despite thinking he needs to be alone. Darius, the 43-year-old sexy piece of shit, ex-private military contractor, has become quite obsessed with Gray and his protection, and it comes in convenient for Gray’s sake. We learn more about Darius in each installment, but he remains mysterious in a sexy way. I usually don’t even say this about book characters, but Darius truly is sexy. Mysterious but caring, rough but gentle, and violent but soft. he lives in the woods, away from everyone, like an old grandpa. He loves to bake bread, doesn’t own a microwave, is a pantry hoarder, and loves old black-and-white western movies related to war and action. We never get a label on his sexuality, but he’s not as straight as Gray thought he was, considering his newfound infatuation with the Nolan kid. I loved his protective instinct, his need to be close to Gray, and his obsession. This man would say some romantic ass shit to Gray and wouldn’t even realize it. I found myself wanting to highlight whole pages of the book. If I were someone who re-read books just to re-read my favorite parts, this book would be one of them.
“Fuckin’ hell,” Darius exhaled and wrenched away. “We gotta pack, knucklehead.” He gripped Gray’s chin and kissed him quickly. “Later tonight,” he promised. One more kiss. “Christ, those eyes of yours. Don’t look at me like that.”
It was a small comfort, at least. It gave Gray an ego boost to see the desire so vividly.
“Like what?” Gray smiled and nuzzled their noses together.
It made Darius chuckle. “You’re goddamn adorable sometimes.”
“Only sometimes?”
“Mm.” Darius leaned in and gave him a slow, thorough kiss. “The other times, you’re sexy and fucking beautiful.” He drew a deep breath and hugged Gray tightly. “You have the ability to knock the air outta my lungs. That’s…new to me.”
Gray shivered violently and shook his head. “You can’t say that crap and then deny me when I wanna worship every inch of your body.”
Darius grinned and kissed Gray’s neck. “I thought you just wanted a quickie.”
“Things change.” He palmed Darius’s cheeks and gently rested their foreheads together. “You have that ability too. You own me.” He screwed his eyes shut the second those words slipped out, and he was catapulted back in time to when he was dropped on a carpet blotchy with blood, tears, and semen. A time when his body had a price tag.
“Stay with me, knucklehead.” Darius pushed back Gray’s hair and cupped the back of his neck. “It was the ownership thing, eh?”
Gray sucked in a breath and nodded jerkily. His heart went from calm to pounding in a second, and he cursed himself. Why would he go there? Why did he say something like that?
“Focus on your breathing,” Darius directed. “And don’t let dead sons’a bitches dictate the romantic shit we say to each other.”
I just loved seeing how well Darius read Gray. They’re both so in tune with their emotions. Gray also learned how to read Darius, and even though Darius has a more extensive capability due to his experience in the army, they both rely on each other for these sorts of things. They become someone they can trust and lean on when they need physical and mental support.
Even if the two have some power dynamics in their relationship, the author never makes it a dynamic of unequal and unfair treatment between them. They both have power over each other without realizing it, especially Gray, and it’s never used to their advantage or for the sake of it. Dynamics like this are my favorite, where even if there is a power dynamic, it doesn’t have to do with the treatment of each other.
To be honest, he loved his new role at Darius’s place. They were equals and worked together like a well-oiled machine. When Darius made bread in the morning, Gray prepared eggs and coffee. Then they sat down and talked throughout breakfast about the plans for the day—from training and chores around the house, to appointments and errands. Recently, it involved work for Darius too. And while he was at the restaurant, Gray checked things off his to-do list so they could have dinner as soon as Darius came home.
Compared to its predecessors, this book lets Gray and Darius become a couple. They finally talk things out, stating what they mean to each other. The way I saw it, their relationship in book one is fueled mainly by lust and need more than anything else. In book two, we get more vulnerable feelings coming into play. Book three then solidified everything, making it official. I loved seeing this development. I saw some people complain about how there’s no chemistry between them in the first book, and while I do agree there was no chemistry (at least emotional), I didn’t find it to be an issue because I don’t think there was supposed to be. It would’ve been weird for me if there was, to be honest. It wouldn’t make sense for their relationship to start (in any way) in book 1 when Darius comes into the picture to save Gray. There’s an attraction on both ends, but that’s it. I liked this because it made it more realistic for their situation and how Gray was still recovering. Plus, there wouldn’t have been any room for their feelings to be explored since Gray and Darius spent most of the book together figuring out and plotting their escape. Book two gives them more accessibility, and this third book gives them the freedom to explore. We get so many cute moments between them that show their natural domesticity. Their banter is still the same as in book one, which is always a bonus for me. I love it when characters have a particular type of banter that’s fueled and remains that same way, only full of love this time. Their banter is one of my favorite things about this.
“No more pretending.” He spoke in between hard kisses. “And let me know if you’re a flight risk. I’ll tie you to a pole on the porch.”
Darius smiled into the kiss and cupped Gray’s cheek. “I’m not the runner, baby. I’m all in.”
Gray couldn’t describe what a rush it was to hear that. “For us, I can be a fighter.”
I only have two complaints for this book. First, I was annoyed with Gray’s constant assumption of Darius’ sexuality. I didn’t see what the bid deal would be if he asked Darius if he was gay or not instead of being miserable on his own. Plus, you would think it would been evident by now. My other quibble is a personal preference: I’m tired of Darius calling Gray “kid” all the time. The first time, it made sense because they weren’t together and had no emotional connection, and there’s the 22-year-age difference. But now it seems too excruciating. I love his nickname for Gray, knucklehead; a perfect example of nicknames with personal meaning that goes from being used for annoyance to love. But Darius referring to Gray as ‘kid’ is unbearable now. Admittedly, for me, albeit a bit unrealistic. I know some people won’t agree with this and see it as unnecessary, and I hear you on it because I was the same, but I’m choosing to ignore it. I’m not hopeful about the rest of the series because I haven’t heard the best. I can see why others thought the series should’ve ended here, and I agree. If Cara hadn’t put Kellan in the ending, this would’ve been over, and Darius and Gray would’ve moved on with their lives. Still, I’m curious to see this Alfred fucker be caught, and I’m excited to see how this new small family moves forward, so I can’t complain too much.
Also, having met some family and friends from Gray and Darius in book 2, Stranded, made me curious to check out their books. There’s Abel (Gray’s best friend) and Madigan (Lincoln’s friend) in Power Play; Chloe (Gray’s mom) and Aiden (Gray’s stepdad) and Isla (Aiden’s daughter and Gray’s stepsister) and Jack (Aiden’s friend) in Inappropriately Yours; and Adeline and Lincoln (Abel’s parents) in Path of Destruction. Darius’s sister, Elise, is also in Her All Along. Phew! So many characters to keep up with. I haven’t read all of this author’s books, let alone her Camassia Cove Universe books, so Dominic from Home was the only familiar character, and he didn’t even make an appearance; he just talked with Gray. I also met Kellan here, and he recently got his story in Unshackled, so I’ll be reading that at some point, too. I also found out that Casey from Uncomplicated Choices was Lincoln’s cellmate. I read a review where they mentioned reading Linc’s book before Casey’s is better because it adds depth to his story, and Uncomplicated Choices takes place many years after Path of Destruction, so Casey is a whole different person. I want to get to know him before everything, so I’ll note this for future me as well. Other characters were also mentioned, but it’s too many to keep up. I just took note of the major ones. I used to want to read this author’s books in order, but I don’t think that’ll be possible anymore. There’s the published order, the chronological order, and the author’s choice. I will go based on the blurb and the characters who interest me the most.
June 19, 2020
She never lets me down. Best of the best!!!
June 12, 2021
Deserted is book 3 of 5 in Cara Dee's Auctioned series. And wow wow wow was I kept engaged and oftentimes at the edge of my seat. Deserted is the best in the series so far. Full five stars from me.
There are two distinct parts to Deserted. It's an intense story full of hope and love and forgiveness.
Deserted starts with Gray doing a runner from his family, and from Darius in Florida and he heads up to Philly to find Jonus's little brother, Jayden, so he could keep a promise to lost comrade in arms. And Jayden, man... he's a very grown up little guy. He doesn't trust easily, he swears a lot (he's so damn precious), and he's been living life on his terms,
Gray has a long road ahead of him, though. He's dealing with PTSD, he has nightmares on the nightly, he's lost a lot of muscle mass and is a shadow of the young man he once was. He might only be 21, but he's been through more in the last 6 months than most people in their entire lives.
Darius has a much longer history, being 43, and he's seen a whole lot of life and to say it's left its mark on him would be quite an understatement. Darius is a man who seeks forgiveness for things he's done, for missions failed, and all those he couldn't begin to help. In Gray, Darius sees innocence and maybe a little bit of redemption, too.
And for you angst lovers out there -- there's a whole buffet here.
The romance between Darius and Gray goes into full swing during Deserted as well, and I found it both delicious and satisfying. As for the rest, well, you'll just have to read it.
I anxiously await book 4, Played.
There are two distinct parts to Deserted. It's an intense story full of hope and love and forgiveness.
Deserted starts with Gray doing a runner from his family, and from Darius in Florida and he heads up to Philly to find Jonus's little brother, Jayden, so he could keep a promise to lost comrade in arms. And Jayden, man... he's a very grown up little guy. He doesn't trust easily, he swears a lot (he's so damn precious), and he's been living life on his terms,
Gray has a long road ahead of him, though. He's dealing with PTSD, he has nightmares on the nightly, he's lost a lot of muscle mass and is a shadow of the young man he once was. He might only be 21, but he's been through more in the last 6 months than most people in their entire lives.
Darius has a much longer history, being 43, and he's seen a whole lot of life and to say it's left its mark on him would be quite an understatement. Darius is a man who seeks forgiveness for things he's done, for missions failed, and all those he couldn't begin to help. In Gray, Darius sees innocence and maybe a little bit of redemption, too.
And for you angst lovers out there -- there's a whole buffet here.
The romance between Darius and Gray goes into full swing during Deserted as well, and I found it both delicious and satisfying. As for the rest, well, you'll just have to read it.
I anxiously await book 4, Played.
June 11, 2024
4.25**** stars
Gray had a long journey ahead coming back from the horrors he endured and loved that he started it with keeping his promise to Jonas.
I loved that Darius was always by his side even when he didn’t know he was. Man, I love Darius and Gray. Period.
And hell, I loved Jayden and Justin. And their “grand plan”. And that they succeeded. These boys were so freaking adorable. They deserved the best and they got it.
**************
Auctioned Series
Book 1 - Auctioned - 4.25 stars
Book 2 - Stranded - 4.5 stars
Book 3 - Deserted - 4.25 stars
Book 4 - Played - tbr
Book 5 - Finished
Book 6 - Prepared
In a matter of months, Gray had gone from thinking he was an adult to… whatever he was now. Either way, his old problems belonged to a fucking kid who didn’t exist anymore.
Gray had a long journey ahead coming back from the horrors he endured and loved that he started it with keeping his promise to Jonas.
I loved that Darius was always by his side even when he didn’t know he was. Man, I love Darius and Gray. Period.
And hell, I loved Jayden and Justin. And their “grand plan”. And that they succeeded. These boys were so freaking adorable. They deserved the best and they got it.
**************
Auctioned Series
Book 1 - Auctioned - 4.25 stars
Book 2 - Stranded - 4.5 stars
Book 3 - Deserted - 4.25 stars
Book 4 - Played - tbr
Book 5 - Finished
Book 6 - Prepared
June 8, 2020
What a rollercoaster of a ride.
This series by Cara Dee keeps the reader on the edge of a thrilling narrative constantly and there's hardly time to take a breath before it shoots off again.
Here we're back in Gray's head as he continues to run away from the well meaning people at home and the guy who rescued him from Hell.
I'm not going into any plot details, suffice it to say, the tension grips from start to finish, with hardly a chance to relax as Gray sets off to keep his promise to his dead friend.
But it's not all bleak, the connections which are formed in this book warmed my heart and Gray and Dare's relationship is as scorching hot as ever with some truly beautiful emotional vulnerability.
I can't wait to see where it goes in book four!
#ARC kindly received from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review.
This series by Cara Dee keeps the reader on the edge of a thrilling narrative constantly and there's hardly time to take a breath before it shoots off again.
Here we're back in Gray's head as he continues to run away from the well meaning people at home and the guy who rescued him from Hell.
I'm not going into any plot details, suffice it to say, the tension grips from start to finish, with hardly a chance to relax as Gray sets off to keep his promise to his dead friend.
But it's not all bleak, the connections which are formed in this book warmed my heart and Gray and Dare's relationship is as scorching hot as ever with some truly beautiful emotional vulnerability.
I can't wait to see where it goes in book four!
#ARC kindly received from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review.
June 29, 2020
I wish I had reread the previous books before jumping into this one. I simply did not remember any details from before and this is very much a continuation of the series. There are also many mentions of characters from other books/series that I have not read.
What I remember from the previous Auctioned books is a broad sense of dark, intense and traumatic storyline. I'm not sure what I was expecting from Deserted, maybe more along the same lines?
Deserted practically made a 180 degree turn. For me, it was a whole lot of fluffy. Other than one specific, quick scene, the rest of the book had a very positive, sweet vibe to it.
I enjoyed it but I was a little taken aback because my expectations were along different lines.
What I remember from the previous Auctioned books is a broad sense of dark, intense and traumatic storyline. I'm not sure what I was expecting from Deserted, maybe more along the same lines?
Deserted practically made a 180 degree turn. For me, it was a whole lot of fluffy. Other than one specific, quick scene, the rest of the book had a very positive, sweet vibe to it.
I enjoyed it but I was a little taken aback because my expectations were along different lines.
March 23, 2021
"And-and then there's you." He exhaled a short laugh and scrubbed his hands over his face. In the action, Gray let his hand fall. "I have a compulsive need to be near you."
Without a doubt, this is one of the best stories I have read for this year. I know I'm losing credibility for I have said this same statement five times already but it is what it is. I was wary and cautious to even begin this because the first two even though great were just slow slow in the romance department. The lack/slowburn of romance in the first two, even longing for it, was warranted for all the fucked up things Darius and Gray went through.
But in this? Their romance finally bloomed in its full glory. It blown me away because it's finally here and I got to witness it. And can we talk how their romance is free from any unnecessary bullshit? When they started getting coupley and romantic no one batted their eye. They went to road trips, lived in a cabin up in the snowy woods, and met these two adorable kids named Jayden and Justin that they both wanted to adopt. I'm in tears holy shit.
Funny how this book is titled as 'Deserted' but in the end it wasn't really that. Darius and Gray found their home-with each other. This story is about healing and moving on from the trauma until..
August 11, 2022
Best of the series so far and loved the cameos from Kellan, Austin, and Cam.
June 27, 2022
3.5 Stars
There was just something missing from this book that the first two had 😭 I love Gray and Darius so much, but this just wasn't making me feel the same as the first two books did. I know the first two books allure is of their dark and gritty nature and considering they're home now that couldn't continue on ... but this book was meant to be about recovery and it felt like a really lightly glossed over topic!! Gray felt way too okay after his ordeal. This book would've been perfect and helped develop their relationship authentically with the true side of recovery as an overtone.
In saying that, their is lots of mention of it (it just didn't seem to marry up with Grays experience and personality) and the relationship definitely developed at a natural progression.
Fingers crossed book 4 brings back some of what makes book 1 so incredible and heart-wrenching.
There was just something missing from this book that the first two had 😭 I love Gray and Darius so much, but this just wasn't making me feel the same as the first two books did. I know the first two books allure is of their dark and gritty nature and considering they're home now that couldn't continue on ... but this book was meant to be about recovery and it felt like a really lightly glossed over topic!! Gray felt way too okay after his ordeal. This book would've been perfect and helped develop their relationship authentically with the true side of recovery as an overtone.
In saying that, their is lots of mention of it (it just didn't seem to marry up with Grays experience and personality) and the relationship definitely developed at a natural progression.
Fingers crossed book 4 brings back some of what makes book 1 so incredible and heart-wrenching.
August 13, 2021
Gray's POV is just... less compelling to me than Dare's. Dare is the Man's Man, and Gray is a pretty boy (who played hockey). 6' and no slouch, but the "softer" one in the relationship. I just always love the MAN's POV better (no offense to Gray, like him too).
I'm already onto book 4 and will be waiting for book 5 to come out soon. Thankfully I think it's soon. I hope the last book is also Dare's POV or at least both of them, not just Gray's.
It's gone from an action-packed, more gritty, suspenseful tone to by book 3, kinda domestic and cute. I still love their banter, but with 2 little boys they're adopting, it can't be much besides domestic and cute.
The edginess that was interesting before is gone now.
Still, I can enjoy domestic and cute - I do love these 2 as a couple...
I'm already onto book 4 and will be waiting for book 5 to come out soon. Thankfully I think it's soon. I hope the last book is also Dare's POV or at least both of them, not just Gray's.
It's gone from an action-packed, more gritty, suspenseful tone to by book 3, kinda domestic and cute. I still love their banter, but with 2 little boys they're adopting, it can't be much besides domestic and cute.
The edginess that was interesting before is gone now.
Still, I can enjoy domestic and cute - I do love these 2 as a couple...
March 20, 2024
Lives this one! A little less action, violence and deaths, a lot more romance and healing.
❤️❤️❤️
❤️❤️❤️
January 12, 2023
This was a good mix of tense and light. Gray starts to face his struggles head on and Darius is doing his best to help and to deal with his own issues. Gray continues to work on the promises he made and here it's finding Jonas's little brother and rescuing Jackie. The romance gets more attention as well.
I loved the addition of Jayden and Justin and enjoyed seeing things really moving forward for recovery and finding a future. Of course, the ending puts all that into question again and makes it difficult to stay on the road Gray and Darius had mapped out. I'm looking forward to more!
I loved the addition of Jayden and Justin and enjoyed seeing things really moving forward for recovery and finding a future. Of course, the ending puts all that into question again and makes it difficult to stay on the road Gray and Darius had mapped out. I'm looking forward to more!
December 31, 2020
He couldn’t foresee the next battle, but he knew one thing. The war wasn’t over.
I loved everything about Deserted, I enjoyed reading Darius and Gray's journey and the addition of Jayden and Justin just made it better. My heart ached for them and root for them as well. This one is lighter than the two previous book, it's little to no angst but I still enjoyed it.
I just love Gray's character development, he is turning into a real badass and I cant wait to see more of 'Badass Gray' in the next book. I'm looking forward to see what will happen next!!
I loved everything about Deserted, I enjoyed reading Darius and Gray's journey and the addition of Jayden and Justin just made it better. My heart ached for them and root for them as well. This one is lighter than the two previous book, it's little to no angst but I still enjoyed it.
I just love Gray's character development, he is turning into a real badass and I cant wait to see more of 'Badass Gray' in the next book. I'm looking forward to see what will happen next!!
July 12, 2023
3.5 stars
This started out really strong. I liked being back in Gray's POV and seeing what he was going through and how he was dealing with the fallout of the events of the first two books. I really liked Jayden and Justin, and it was easy to see where that would go since Gray always wanted kids and here are kids needing a family. So all that was great - up to a point.
For how much potential this had to be a grittier series, this really did become a bit too cutesy-easy. Sure, Gray still has nightmares and panic attacks, but we don't see too much of that. He's supposed to be working on himself so he can adopt Jayden, but then he never goes to therapy. Just being around Darius and hiding out in his cabin in the woods is enough. Uh-huh. Sure. And these two kids have been through hell and back, or so we're told, but they're perfect angels all the time. Mmm, sorry, not buying that either.
I was starting to wonder how there could be three more books to this series (I've decided that the one listed as #4 here on GR is not important to the main arc of Gray and Darius, so I wasn't planning to read that one anyway, especially since it's stepbrothers falling in love, ew), especially since Gray's last goal for escaping the events of the yacht was to . Anyway, I started going over reviews for the last three books, and was perturbed that "one last mission" kept popping up in the blurbs, especially considering Auctioned was supposed to Darius's "one last mission" already. That trope only works the first time. 🙄 And since I already said in my review for Stranded that , well, I'll just end things here. Even if these were still on KU, that's just not something I'd be able to suspend disbelief enough to read about. I still considered jumping to the last book and their HEA, but apparently it's one big sequence of cameo appearances of all the author's other characters from her other books set in this town, and nope, not interested in reading one of those either.
Don't get me wrong, I'm glad I gave these a try and I did like what I read, but this book is a natural stopping point and I'm taking it, lol. I'll just write my own ending. 😂
This started out really strong. I liked being back in Gray's POV and seeing what he was going through and how he was dealing with the fallout of the events of the first two books. I really liked Jayden and Justin, and it was easy to see where that would go since Gray always wanted kids and here are kids needing a family. So all that was great - up to a point.
For how much potential this had to be a grittier series, this really did become a bit too cutesy-easy. Sure, Gray still has nightmares and panic attacks, but we don't see too much of that. He's supposed to be working on himself so he can adopt Jayden, but then he never goes to therapy. Just being around Darius and hiding out in his cabin in the woods is enough. Uh-huh. Sure. And these two kids have been through hell and back, or so we're told, but they're perfect angels all the time. Mmm, sorry, not buying that either.
I was starting to wonder how there could be three more books to this series (I've decided that the one listed as #4 here on GR is not important to the main arc of Gray and Darius, so I wasn't planning to read that one anyway, especially since it's stepbrothers falling in love, ew), especially since Gray's last goal for escaping the events of the yacht was to . Anyway, I started going over reviews for the last three books, and was perturbed that "one last mission" kept popping up in the blurbs, especially considering Auctioned was supposed to Darius's "one last mission" already. That trope only works the first time. 🙄 And since I already said in my review for Stranded that , well, I'll just end things here. Even if these were still on KU, that's just not something I'd be able to suspend disbelief enough to read about. I still considered jumping to the last book and their HEA, but apparently it's one big sequence of cameo appearances of all the author's other characters from her other books set in this town, and nope, not interested in reading one of those either.
Don't get me wrong, I'm glad I gave these a try and I did like what I read, but this book is a natural stopping point and I'm taking it, lol. I'll just write my own ending. 😂
September 16, 2023
Fuckin incredible! I’m a slut for Darius, Gray, Jayden and Justin! They have my whole heart ❤️
September 1, 2020
Hated the ending ... come on the story is told and he promised - he is not a fucking avenger
May 25, 2024
4.5 stars
”I’m losing my head over you, Darius,” Gray chuckled weakly. “Don’t fucking play with me.”
“I’m not playing. If anything, I’m sick of it. I’m so over pretending that I only want to be near you during your recovery, when—fuck. When I’m pretty sure I’ll never be able to let you go.”
”I’m losing my head over you, Darius,” Gray chuckled weakly. “Don’t fucking play with me.”
“I’m not playing. If anything, I’m sick of it. I’m so over pretending that I only want to be near you during your recovery, when—fuck. When I’m pretty sure I’ll never be able to let you go.”
January 2, 2023
Aftermath
In this book, you have to be patient that every thing will work out.
Gray runs and Darius knows he will. Gray needs to find Jayden. In his pursuit, you know Darius is tracking him. It relieved some of my anxiety as I read the book.
Darius eventually reveals himself and invites himself along for the ride back to Washington. There’s a lot of healing along the way plus Jayden bonds with Gray and Darius.
Darius and Gray fall deeper in love even though it takes them both a long time to admit their feelings! This book ends happy but there are still loose ends that book 4 will tie up.
In this book, you have to be patient that every thing will work out.
Gray runs and Darius knows he will. Gray needs to find Jayden. In his pursuit, you know Darius is tracking him. It relieved some of my anxiety as I read the book.
Darius eventually reveals himself and invites himself along for the ride back to Washington. There’s a lot of healing along the way plus Jayden bonds with Gray and Darius.
Darius and Gray fall deeper in love even though it takes them both a long time to admit their feelings! This book ends happy but there are still loose ends that book 4 will tie up.
April 28, 2024
Yet again this third book in the series was action packed and about Greys recovery after coming back home, I really enjoyed Deserted and it showed us a new insight into the relationship between Darius and Grey.
Unlike in the other books for obvious reasons Darius and Greys relationship wasn’t a main part of the storyline but as we get further away from the disgusting acts that happened we see it really bloom which is lovely and shows us what a strong unit they make.
Unlike in the other books for obvious reasons Darius and Greys relationship wasn’t a main part of the storyline but as we get further away from the disgusting acts that happened we see it really bloom which is lovely and shows us what a strong unit they make.
March 18, 2021
This third book just squeezed out my heart, in a good way. Gray, Darius, Jayden, and Justin we're all each other's lifeline. I was in love with this little family, they went through a lot and came out on top. Gray and Darius, we're perfect, love both their quirks, and hot sexy times. Can’t wait for the last two books!
June 12, 2020
Excellent addition to the series. Watching Darius & Gray begin their journey together while battling the past demons & trauma was both scary & thrilling!
Cannot wait for the next installment ~~
5 Stars!
Cannot wait for the next installment ~~
5 Stars!
March 7, 2023
5⭐️ I love this series. I love how Cara Dee perfectly blends action, suspense, and romance. This installment is all suspense. Darius and Grey are together and falling for each other more every day as they start to settle down and build the beginnings of a life together, along with two orphaned boys.
The only hang up is unfinished business from the human trafficking case. Together they must track down their young friend Jackie who is still being imprisoned in the desert of California.
This book ends in a HFN, and though I think I would be content stopping here, I do think I’ll continue on because I just love the writing.
The only hang up is unfinished business from the human trafficking case. Together they must track down their young friend Jackie who is still being imprisoned in the desert of California.
This book ends in a HFN, and though I think I would be content stopping here, I do think I’ll continue on because I just love the writing.
June 22, 2020
This was SO SO good!!!
Gray has come so far since the first book and I love seeing his growth and him getting better with Darius by his side. And now with more people to take care of.
Their fight is far from over but I think him and Darius will make it. I just loved this book so much and the ending... Aaaawwww <3 I may have shed a few tears. Or A LOT!
I can't wait for the next one and see how their family is doing and what's gonna happen!!
Highly recommend!
Gray has come so far since the first book and I love seeing his growth and him getting better with Darius by his side. And now with more people to take care of.
Their fight is far from over but I think him and Darius will make it. I just loved this book so much and the ending... Aaaawwww <3 I may have shed a few tears. Or A LOT!
I can't wait for the next one and see how their family is doing and what's gonna happen!!
Highly recommend!
October 13, 2021
Confirming Darius' fears, Gray runs away from home and pursues Jayden to keep his promise.
I don't want to go into too much detail and spoil the excitement.
Gray and Darius finally express their emotions to each other. We see them in their domestic lives and I loved it. Of course, when these two are together, it wouldn't be possible without adding a little rescue mission in to the mix.
I don't want to go into too much detail and spoil the excitement.
Gray and Darius finally express their emotions to each other. We see them in their domestic lives and I loved it. Of course, when these two are together, it wouldn't be possible without adding a little rescue mission in to the mix.
April 27, 2023
5 stars
My favourite instalment in the Auctioned series, which solidifies Gray and Darius' relationship and future together and shows so much growth for Gray.
This review contains mild spoilers for books 1 and 2 of the Auctioned series
CW:
Representation: 40+ MC
This is definitely my favourite book of the series. It struck the perfect balance between action/adventure, and emotional/domestic content.
We're back to Gray's POV, but now he's coming to terms with everything he has to deal with, and is much more emotionally aware. All the issues I had with the tone of his POV in book 1 have been resolved.
We get:
~ a roadtrip
~ found family with the fabulous Jayden and Justin
~ Darius being all cute and protective of Gray
~ Gray realising he has to work on his trauma
~ domestic bliss
~ retribution for
~ closure with Craig, Gray's closeted coach
~ honest and mature discussions
What can I say? I loved everything about this book.
Sexual content: Explicit, not OTT.
◆◆◆◈◇ - Auctioned
◆◆◆◆◈ - Stranded
◆◆◆◆◆ - Deserted
◆◆◆◈◇ - Played
◆◆◆◈◇ - Finished
◇◇◇◇◇ - Prepared
My favourite instalment in the Auctioned series, which solidifies Gray and Darius' relationship and future together and shows so much growth for Gray.
This review contains mild spoilers for books 1 and 2 of the Auctioned series
CW:
Representation: 40+ MC
This is definitely my favourite book of the series. It struck the perfect balance between action/adventure, and emotional/domestic content.
We're back to Gray's POV, but now he's coming to terms with everything he has to deal with, and is much more emotionally aware. All the issues I had with the tone of his POV in book 1 have been resolved.
We get:
~ a roadtrip
~ found family with the fabulous Jayden and Justin
~ Darius being all cute and protective of Gray
~ Gray realising he has to work on his trauma
~ domestic bliss
~ retribution for
~ closure with Craig, Gray's closeted coach
~ honest and mature discussions
What can I say? I loved everything about this book.
Sexual content: Explicit, not OTT.
◆◆◆◈◇ - Auctioned
◆◆◆◆◈ - Stranded
◆◆◆◆◆ - Deserted
◆◆◆◈◇ - Played
◆◆◆◈◇ - Finished
◇◇◇◇◇ - Prepared
July 22, 2020
4-4.5 stars
June 19, 2020
“There’s no enough,”
Love. Healing. Hope. Revenge. Loving this series so much.
Love. Healing. Hope. Revenge. Loving this series so much.
June 14, 2022
3.75 Stars
After the angst and pain of the last two books, this is slightly "fluffy" in comparison. However, both Darius and Gray are working through their trauma and recovering from what they went through, so it's not an easy book by any means.
One of the biggest focuses of this book is Jayden, Jonas' little brother, who Gray . This series definitely feels more like a romance now, as the two finally admit their feelings for one another and discuss what their future could be. They're still cautious to not be unhealthily dependent on one another, as they don't want to use the other to cope with their trauma.
While I like the two of them together, something about their relationship feels a little off to me. There's obviously the large age gap, but that's not even necessarily it. We learned a lot more about Darius in this book - some things which personally I found off-putting and made me like him less. However, it's evident how much he loves Gray.
I don't know if this really needed to be 5 books, as some of the pacing seems off or things seem repetitive. The next book seems like it's going to entirely revolve around . I'm interested to see where the rest of the series goes, so I'll be continuing.
ETA: I ended up not continuing because I lost interest.
Series:
Book 1: Auctioned → 4 Stars
Book 2: Stranded → 3.75 Stars
Book 3: Deserted → 3.75 Stars
Book 4: Played → did not read
Book 5: Finished → did not read
After the angst and pain of the last two books, this is slightly "fluffy" in comparison. However, both Darius and Gray are working through their trauma and recovering from what they went through, so it's not an easy book by any means.
One of the biggest focuses of this book is Jayden, Jonas' little brother, who Gray . This series definitely feels more like a romance now, as the two finally admit their feelings for one another and discuss what their future could be. They're still cautious to not be unhealthily dependent on one another, as they don't want to use the other to cope with their trauma.
While I like the two of them together, something about their relationship feels a little off to me. There's obviously the large age gap, but that's not even necessarily it. We learned a lot more about Darius in this book - some things which personally I found off-putting and made me like him less. However, it's evident how much he loves Gray.
I don't know if this really needed to be 5 books, as some of the pacing seems off or things seem repetitive. The next book seems like it's going to entirely revolve around . I'm interested to see where the rest of the series goes, so I'll be continuing.
ETA: I ended up not continuing because I lost interest.
Series:
Book 1: Auctioned → 4 Stars
Book 2: Stranded → 3.75 Stars
Book 3: Deserted → 3.75 Stars
Book 4: Played → did not read
Book 5: Finished → did not read
February 13, 2023
This series keeps getting better
Despite loving the first two books, this is my favorite! The sequels are better than their predecessors, like huh?!
The character growth for Gray was insane here! It’s jarring to realize where he started in the beginning to how far he’s come at the end of the book. And Darius, can we all get a Darius? Please! What I love the most is how he encourages Gray subtlety and always listens. But he never makes it about himself. You know when you read a book and MC1 is telling MC2 about a traumatic experience and MC2 gets all angry and says I wish I could kill them/him, I-I-I blah blah blah? That doesn’t happen here. Darius is just everything.
And Jayden 😭😂. He’s such a great secondary character. I’m so glad the plot went this direction. The books already had comedic moments but with him they just elevated them to another level. The humor is so witty and quick I’m never prepared.
I’m so excited for the next book. I realized there are 7 in total and at first I was shook and lowkey dreading it but now I’m like “will 7 be enough to satisfy me?!” I recommend this series SO HARD.
Despite loving the first two books, this is my favorite! The sequels are better than their predecessors, like huh?!
The character growth for Gray was insane here! It’s jarring to realize where he started in the beginning to how far he’s come at the end of the book. And Darius, can we all get a Darius? Please! What I love the most is how he encourages Gray subtlety and always listens. But he never makes it about himself. You know when you read a book and MC1 is telling MC2 about a traumatic experience and MC2 gets all angry and says I wish I could kill them/him, I-I-I blah blah blah? That doesn’t happen here. Darius is just everything.
And Jayden 😭😂. He’s such a great secondary character. I’m so glad the plot went this direction. The books already had comedic moments but with him they just elevated them to another level. The humor is so witty and quick I’m never prepared.
I’m so excited for the next book. I realized there are 7 in total and at first I was shook and lowkey dreading it but now I’m like “will 7 be enough to satisfy me?!” I recommend this series SO HARD.
June 21, 2020
This review is also posted on my blog.
So. /SIGH/ Maybe I’m the odd out on this one, I don’t know. I loved the first two books in this series, or I wouldn’t have requested an ARC for this one. I had been looking forward to reading about Gray and Darius’s story in Deserted...but now, I don't know.
Trigger warnings (even if the author doesn’t agree with listing out TWs) for this book include: ableism, misogyny, human trafficking, mentions of sexual abuse, PTSD, violence.
***Spoilers ahead!***
The first two books conveyed a sense of grit and anxiety and action-packed story where there was a set path for the story to go. Gray had been kidnapped and Darius was going to do everything in his power to get him back home to his family. At the end of Stranded, Gray left on his own to fulfill the promise he made to Jonas - find his younger brother and take care of him.
This book initially started out okay. Gray has a run-in with the mafia while locating Jonas’s brother, but then it takes an unexpected turn. The mafia is merely a passing plot point with hardly any baring on the story. And that was SO odd to me. Until I dug through the book blurbs and discovered that the mafia mentioned in this book is a part of an entirely separate m/f series. So, the mafia was added as an Easter egg to fans of the author who has read her backlist, but just comes off as a baffling addition to this one. It seemed like the mafia would have more impact on the storyline, but no. Turns out they’re ~nice people, or nice enough in the context of this book, and then they say their goodbyes and Gray got to continue on his way.
And that’s one of the biggest issues with reading this series? Initially with Auctioned and Stranded, it was totally fine that I hadn’t read previous books by the author. There were mentions of other characters, but knowing their stories didn’t matter. Here? Characters from the Camassia series, Power Play, This Life series, and Afterlife series tie into this one. Again, Easter eggs for fans, but annoying to new readers when an author has a 30 books backlist and doesn’t have some sort of a map, family tree, or anything in the book or the author’s website that shows how the books connect. Readers have to find out on their own by reading through book blurbs and reviews to find out what the hell is going on.
The first two books mostly made this series standalone from the rest, but with Gray and Darius returning back to Camessia Cove, I guess it was inevitable that we got stuck in the middle of an existing universe with too many existing characters from previous books. It probably doesn’t help that so many characters share the same first letter in their names - Gray and his brothers Gideon, Gabriel, and Gage; Jonas, and two new characters in this book Jayden and Justin; Cam and Chase from another series; then there’s Aiden, Adeline, Abel and Austin. It’s so confusing.
I did read Power Play (Abel and Madigan) when I was waiting for Stranded to come out but am I wrong that Abel and Gray are cousins, or...? I don’t fully understand the family tree and it seems like everyone has slept with everyone else so I’m not 100% sure? But if so, gross. It just seems like Abel’s mother and Gray’s mom are sisters? But maybe I’m missing something since again, everyone is the MC of their own books in a previous series.
I expected for this book to delve deeper into Gray’s PTSD from everything he went through and for him to have lots of angsty turmoil over Darius before they made up. But we didn’t really get any of that. This book is more...fluff than I wanted, I guess? And had kids. Which. I don’t mind kids, but only if we knew about them ahead of time and they actually feel natural to the story. And I don’t feel like they did here.
I feel like this is how people feel when they say they don’t like secret baby romances. But the thing about secret baby romances is that you’ll always know that’s what they are ahead of time because that’s generally how they’re marketed so people who don’t like them can avoid them. Same with mpreg books or single parent books. The point is, when there are children in the storyline, we know ahead of time. Babies/children who show up in the epilogue is a thing I dislike immensely, and this book was like a bundle of all of that, and dropped into the middle of the series. I didn’t sign up for children in what essentially started off as a dark romance. Gray was just oddly only thinking about having a family and kids, and...ick.
I admit, Jayden and Justin are cute, but they don’t fit into the story at all. This story shows a domestic scene between Gray, Darius, and the boys getting all together like they’re a family now BUT we skipped the romance, the therapy, and the recovery between Gray and Darius, and now we’re stuck with kids because at 21, apparently Gray wants a huge family and wants to avoid thinking about his PTSD and direct all his attention to taking care of two kids. Darius had never wanted kids and suddenly at 43, he wants the package deal of dating a 21 year old kid, AND raising two little ones? I don't get that.
Gray has his focus on the kids (especially Jayden earlier on) and he’s already acting like a doting parent to an 8-year-old which to me just felt really out of nowhere. It's kind of annoying. Gray still got issues he needs to work out! Jayden never got around to even grieving about his brother dying before getting super attached to Gray and Darius? It’s like this book was oddly going for a fluffy tone, but none of this could've been predicted from the story so far, so going from a dark romance feel to this felt like a slap in the face more than anything.
Darius. I liked Darius a lot more when he was in saving mode and when he was a man on a mission in the first two books. Here we find out he’s some weird doomsday prepper who lives in the middle of nowhere, and likes to ~live off the land.
I don’t like this Darius.
He also has values that I don’t agree with and it bugs the hell out of me because even with their shared experience together surviving a human trafficking ring can convince me that this 43-year-old Darius and 21-year-old Gray are actually a good match. This is an age gap that SHOWS in the book and now that they’re back home in their own environment, it seems like a relationship better left to die out and for them to go their separate ways.
I can’t really say there was anything I particularly liked about this third book as a whole and I can’t see how there’s two more books in this series. The only interesting character in this book was Kellan Ford, who is part of the mafia and mysteriously shows back up at the end for no reason. Like, he doesn’t even go inside the house to say hey to Jayden? The ending with the epilogue-like chapter about being able to foster the kids in the hopes Gray and Darius can adopt them someday is also weird because they straight up lie on the papers about how long they’ve been together and they’re technically not even married so what’s the likelihood that people in their situation can get approved to foster children?
Gray and Darius’s PTSD and need to see a therapist is treated like an afterthought at the end of this book, which is strange since it gets reiterated time and time again how much they both have a lot of stuff to work out. Their stop on the US road trip to a friend’s lodge supposedly has a psychologist who specializes in combat-related trauma but did either of them go and see that person for help? No?? Why even mention the psychologist if that wasn’t even going to be brought up again? Gray and Darius did stay there for awhile.
Another thing, is that I did find it weird how all these guys Gray and Darius met from their time in the human trafficking yacht have connected on FB? These are teens or guys on their early 20s. Give me something realistic like Twitter or better yet, Snapchat or TikTok. What kids that age are even using Facebook on a regular basis?
This book took a bit of a turn that I’m not enjoying reading at all and while I did love the first two books, I don’t think this book or the rest of this series is for me? Or at least not without some reviews from friends who are continuing on with the books. I wanted to give the author’s books a chance, but in the end, it was too confusing with too many interconnecting characters from too many books to make heads or tails of.
***Thanks to Eliza Rae Services for giving me an ARC to review***
So. /SIGH/ Maybe I’m the odd out on this one, I don’t know. I loved the first two books in this series, or I wouldn’t have requested an ARC for this one. I had been looking forward to reading about Gray and Darius’s story in Deserted...but now, I don't know.
Trigger warnings (even if the author doesn’t agree with listing out TWs) for this book include: ableism, misogyny, human trafficking, mentions of sexual abuse, PTSD, violence.
***Spoilers ahead!***
The first two books conveyed a sense of grit and anxiety and action-packed story where there was a set path for the story to go. Gray had been kidnapped and Darius was going to do everything in his power to get him back home to his family. At the end of Stranded, Gray left on his own to fulfill the promise he made to Jonas - find his younger brother and take care of him.
This book initially started out okay. Gray has a run-in with the mafia while locating Jonas’s brother, but then it takes an unexpected turn. The mafia is merely a passing plot point with hardly any baring on the story. And that was SO odd to me. Until I dug through the book blurbs and discovered that the mafia mentioned in this book is a part of an entirely separate m/f series. So, the mafia was added as an Easter egg to fans of the author who has read her backlist, but just comes off as a baffling addition to this one. It seemed like the mafia would have more impact on the storyline, but no. Turns out they’re ~nice people, or nice enough in the context of this book, and then they say their goodbyes and Gray got to continue on his way.
And that’s one of the biggest issues with reading this series? Initially with Auctioned and Stranded, it was totally fine that I hadn’t read previous books by the author. There were mentions of other characters, but knowing their stories didn’t matter. Here? Characters from the Camassia series, Power Play, This Life series, and Afterlife series tie into this one. Again, Easter eggs for fans, but annoying to new readers when an author has a 30 books backlist and doesn’t have some sort of a map, family tree, or anything in the book or the author’s website that shows how the books connect. Readers have to find out on their own by reading through book blurbs and reviews to find out what the hell is going on.
The first two books mostly made this series standalone from the rest, but with Gray and Darius returning back to Camessia Cove, I guess it was inevitable that we got stuck in the middle of an existing universe with too many existing characters from previous books. It probably doesn’t help that so many characters share the same first letter in their names - Gray and his brothers Gideon, Gabriel, and Gage; Jonas, and two new characters in this book Jayden and Justin; Cam and Chase from another series; then there’s Aiden, Adeline, Abel and Austin. It’s so confusing.
I did read Power Play (Abel and Madigan) when I was waiting for Stranded to come out but am I wrong that Abel and Gray are cousins, or...? I don’t fully understand the family tree and it seems like everyone has slept with everyone else so I’m not 100% sure? But if so, gross. It just seems like Abel’s mother and Gray’s mom are sisters? But maybe I’m missing something since again, everyone is the MC of their own books in a previous series.
I expected for this book to delve deeper into Gray’s PTSD from everything he went through and for him to have lots of angsty turmoil over Darius before they made up. But we didn’t really get any of that. This book is more...fluff than I wanted, I guess? And had kids. Which. I don’t mind kids, but only if we knew about them ahead of time and they actually feel natural to the story. And I don’t feel like they did here.
I feel like this is how people feel when they say they don’t like secret baby romances. But the thing about secret baby romances is that you’ll always know that’s what they are ahead of time because that’s generally how they’re marketed so people who don’t like them can avoid them. Same with mpreg books or single parent books. The point is, when there are children in the storyline, we know ahead of time. Babies/children who show up in the epilogue is a thing I dislike immensely, and this book was like a bundle of all of that, and dropped into the middle of the series. I didn’t sign up for children in what essentially started off as a dark romance. Gray was just oddly only thinking about having a family and kids, and...ick.
I admit, Jayden and Justin are cute, but they don’t fit into the story at all. This story shows a domestic scene between Gray, Darius, and the boys getting all together like they’re a family now BUT we skipped the romance, the therapy, and the recovery between Gray and Darius, and now we’re stuck with kids because at 21, apparently Gray wants a huge family and wants to avoid thinking about his PTSD and direct all his attention to taking care of two kids. Darius had never wanted kids and suddenly at 43, he wants the package deal of dating a 21 year old kid, AND raising two little ones? I don't get that.
Gray has his focus on the kids (especially Jayden earlier on) and he’s already acting like a doting parent to an 8-year-old which to me just felt really out of nowhere. It's kind of annoying. Gray still got issues he needs to work out! Jayden never got around to even grieving about his brother dying before getting super attached to Gray and Darius? It’s like this book was oddly going for a fluffy tone, but none of this could've been predicted from the story so far, so going from a dark romance feel to this felt like a slap in the face more than anything.
Darius. I liked Darius a lot more when he was in saving mode and when he was a man on a mission in the first two books. Here we find out he’s some weird doomsday prepper who lives in the middle of nowhere, and likes to ~live off the land.
I don’t like this Darius.
He also has values that I don’t agree with and it bugs the hell out of me because even with their shared experience together surviving a human trafficking ring can convince me that this 43-year-old Darius and 21-year-old Gray are actually a good match. This is an age gap that SHOWS in the book and now that they’re back home in their own environment, it seems like a relationship better left to die out and for them to go their separate ways.
I can’t really say there was anything I particularly liked about this third book as a whole and I can’t see how there’s two more books in this series. The only interesting character in this book was Kellan Ford, who is part of the mafia and mysteriously shows back up at the end for no reason. Like, he doesn’t even go inside the house to say hey to Jayden? The ending with the epilogue-like chapter about being able to foster the kids in the hopes Gray and Darius can adopt them someday is also weird because they straight up lie on the papers about how long they’ve been together and they’re technically not even married so what’s the likelihood that people in their situation can get approved to foster children?
Gray and Darius’s PTSD and need to see a therapist is treated like an afterthought at the end of this book, which is strange since it gets reiterated time and time again how much they both have a lot of stuff to work out. Their stop on the US road trip to a friend’s lodge supposedly has a psychologist who specializes in combat-related trauma but did either of them go and see that person for help? No?? Why even mention the psychologist if that wasn’t even going to be brought up again? Gray and Darius did stay there for awhile.
Another thing, is that I did find it weird how all these guys Gray and Darius met from their time in the human trafficking yacht have connected on FB? These are teens or guys on their early 20s. Give me something realistic like Twitter or better yet, Snapchat or TikTok. What kids that age are even using Facebook on a regular basis?
This book took a bit of a turn that I’m not enjoying reading at all and while I did love the first two books, I don’t think this book or the rest of this series is for me? Or at least not without some reviews from friends who are continuing on with the books. I wanted to give the author’s books a chance, but in the end, it was too confusing with too many interconnecting characters from too many books to make heads or tails of.
***Thanks to Eliza Rae Services for giving me an ARC to review***
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