Mesmer

Dark Hearts #5

by Cari Silverwood, Jennifer Bene

"She wasn't an angel, but she was his angel."

Tomik took Hannah like he had a hundred women before her, like any other collectable that his mesmer abilities let him control utterly and completely. He wanted to dress her in wings, make her crawl to him, do things to her body that were worse than sinful... they were nightmarishly obscene.

But Hannah isn't like any other collectable.

She's the girl he ran away from, tried to protect... until she called him back.

Now there's no stopping the darkness inside him, the cravings that demand he keep her all to himself — but that's against the rules and his mesmer brothers are dangerous. Unpredictable. And how can he keep her safe when all he wants to do is make her scream?

Before love will come pain, blood, and the near destruction of her soul, and his.

Genres: Dark, Dark Romance, BDSM, Romance, Abuse, Fantasy, Horror

328 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 9, 2019

About the author

Cari Silverwood lives in Australia and is a New York Times bestselling writer of kinky darkness or sometimes dark kinkiness, depending on her moods and the amount of time she's spent staring into the night.

Check out this page to avoid falling into the wrong dark and shocking book, because she really does write some weird stories: www.carisilverwood.net/my-books-liste...

Sign up to get sales and new releases plus various odd stuff she puts into it (and a free welcome book) at www.carisilverwood.net/

You can reach Cari at carisilverwood1@gmail.com
or
on Facebook at www.facebook.com/cari.silverwood

Reviews

[warhawke]

Genre: Dark Erotic Romance
Type: Standalone
POV: First Person - Dual
Rating:




Hannah Jones and Tomik Gavinski were childhood best friends until things drastically changed unexpectedly. Now, Tomik was back in her life but he was no longer the boy she used to know. But his depravity didn’t stop her from longing after him, even if it means her own destruction.



I went into this book mostly blind other than knowing many saying it’s very dark. This book is a standalone based on Cari Silverwood’s Dark Hearts series. I thought the mesmer concept was intriguing but it didn’t necessarily translate well for new readers. There wasn’t enough information about the world for me to get answers and they played a big role in the plot. Earlier parts were also quite repetitive.

Each whimpered cry was a hit of the drug I needed. Each brilliantly red line on her ass and thighs made the monster inside me calmer.

The darkness in this book came in the form of erotic graphic violence. There was plenty of creative debauchery from vile characters with several thighs clenching (not pleasurable kind) and cringe-worthy scenes.

I’d cry if they wanted me to cry, beg if they wanted me to beg. I’d moan, come, scream, thank them… whatever they wanted.

My favorite character in this book was not the main one, but a side character named Greta. I loved her and was hoping for a bigger thing for her. Despite some unanswered questions, I enjoyed the story overall.

Mesmer is a story of twisted love. It would appeal to readers who enjoy torture based, dark erotic romance.






🔹 ⛓ 🔹 . . . (F)BR With Twinsie CC . . . 🔹 ⛓ 🔹




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[Louise H's Book Thoughts]

Less "Lions and tigers and bears oh my!" More "Mesmers and bottles and hooks, oh my god!"

Between Zombie Robot girls, reboots, resets, glitches, *nasty men*, evil twins and lies this is one truly dark, evil and twisted tale. Hannah most certainly isn't in Kansas anymore and if she's in Oz it's not the one with nice little munchkins, a yellow brick road and Glenda, it's that scary place with the flying monkeys and evil mind twisting wizards called mesmers.

It almost proved to much for me at first, partly because the start is deliberately disjointed but mainly because I hadn't pulled my big girl pants up far enough. In fact I had to do that 'skip to a couple of chapters before the end' stuff just to assure myself that this book wouldn't destroy my soul forever. Along with some deep breathing exercises and repeating the mantra "It's fiction and not real life" because boy this duet's writing has you there in the midst of the carnage and mayhem feeling every emotion and stab of the needle.

Mesmer is so much darker than The Dark Hearts trilogy and Wolfe , so much bleaker, less hopeful but thankfully not hopeless. It felt as though the authors recognised perfectly when the plot was becoming overwhelming, throwing in the tiniest speck of light to buoy your spirits and keep you afloat in their tumultuous sea of darkness.

Champagne, caviar, the head of a horse, a ballet company.....Okay, I was exaggerating but, yeah, anything. I owed her.

Hannah is a collectable, a female susceptible to the powers of a mesmer. Tomik is the mesmer who is currently pulling her strings like the puppet she has become. However the pair have history, unresolved feelings and a bond that keeps drawing Hannah back. Greta (Oh you'll love Greta! I'm fairly certain she's the spirit guide of Cari Silverwood herself) thinks Hannah is stupid, Greta wants to destroy Tomik, but Hannah loves him too much to allow that. The only problem is how do you truly know what you want, think and believe when you don't have full control of your own mind?

If you've read any other mesmer books then Tomik, despite being our hero, is one of those really nasty ones. Happy to use and abuse for his own kicks, well that and the fact that he doesn't have full control of his mesmer side. Oh this leads to some nastiness, it's also made me wonder if I should get the old rocking horse out of my attic. He has an obsession with needles and making holes in Hannah, actually I think that it's really the aforementioned author and her current fascination. He has a need to hurt her, whether she's willing or not. But therein lies the crux of the issue - he can make her like it but then he wants her to still be Hannah.

And that is only just touching on the surface of the depravity contained within this book - I'm not sure I'll ever look at a shopping trolley/cart in the same way again. I just hope to goodness I'm not putting my fruit and veg into one that's been used in the ways described in Mesmer . The story is sick, wrong, perverted, deviant, degenerate, debased and immoral, so if you're looking for light and fluffy you need to step away right now. However if you enjoy falling down the rabbit hole and getting very dirty on the way down, then this is a must read book that needs to go straight to the top of your TBR list - especially as it pays homage to Dr Who.

*A ghost? A spirit guide? A magical nymph from the land through the wardrobe? I could be many things. But those would be spoilleerrrssss!*

[Cécile Smits]

Cari Silverwood created a world filled with Mesmers in the The Dark Hearts series that took me by storm.
Now,together with Jennifer Bene,she added another story that is just as brilliant in it’s darkness,and i loved it!
This couple,Hannah and Tomik,have a shared history. A past that Tomik wants to corrupt. Actually,it’s Hannah he wants to corrupt,to do evil things to. Destroy that innocence. Right? Share the collectable she is with his friends,or does he? They’re so much more evil than he is.....

This was a story that consumed me,dragged me in,pulled me into the darkness and didn’t let go. Even now,when i know the end. It still has me in it’s clutches. And i think i’ll be there for a while....
But i love it!

[Heather]

This is the darkest book I've ever read...EVER.
Delightfully dark,


**After finishing I totally googled the Mesmer World and that is some crazy, scary shit!

[Erin]

OH MY FREAKING GOD!! Dark and Twisted at its best!!!

OMG – WTF did I just read – SO AWESOME!! This story is not for the feint of heart or anyone that has any issues reading seriously depraved, perverted or dark and twisted stories. I freaking loved it but I know that I am a bit twisted in the head and I love reading about that kind of stuff! Did these two amazing authors shock me – ABSOFREAKINGLUTELY!! They went places I am not sure most authors would go. They did things to their characters that I probably wouldn’t live through. Once I started reading, this story reached out and put its claws (or maybe hooks) into me and pulled me in, never letting go.

Tomik and Hannah and everything they go through will forever be etched into my mind. And Greta, she’s my soul sister! I loved everything about her and her snarky attitude. There were many times in the story that I didn’t think anyone was safe and no one would survive. I mean seriously rocking horses, suite cases and shopping carts – who thinks of this stuff!!!

I loved this book because I am a pervert and I love everything dark and depraved. When we say this book is dark – we mean – D-A-R-K! Be prepared to go for one hell of a roller coaster ride into the world of vile, perverted, sick and twisted. So pull up your big girl panties and buckle up cause it’s going to get real bumpy!

Highly recommend for dark and twisted readers.

[JD (on semi-hiatus)]

Let me begin by saying that whether or not a book is labeled "dark" is, for me, the least interesting aspect about it for three reasons. First, the term is hopelessly vague and too broad: I've read "dark" books, such as this one, that feature an H who commits murder and rape; others with an H who belts the h, but doesn't kidnap or rape her (Brutally Broken); and still others whose H doesn't kidnap the h, rape her, or kill anyone who isn't trying to kill him (The Golden Line) -- all "dark," I suppose, but some "darker" than others.

Second, because it is so vague and broad, "dark" is now synonymous with "sensational." And like anything labeled "sensational," in order to remain so, each "dark" text has to surpass the one before it (early modern revenge tragedies, for example, just upped the body count with each new play -- note the Hamlet reference in this book -- and each of these https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0387564/ subsequent movies found increasingly bloodier ways to kill people). The problem authors face when trying to outdo themselves with each new text is that at a certain point all the violence just blurs together and, rather than thrilling me, the reader, as it should do, I just become desensitized. (I realize other readers have not; their reactions are akin to those who love horror movies.) And, for authors, I imagine this gets pretty exhausting.

Finally, most of these books aren't really "dark" in any way that breaks new ground, that's radical, or that's destabilizing. The men in this book, for example (and, yes, they're usually men) abuse women by raping them, killing them, hanging them from meat hooks, f*ing them with beer bottles (or having them f*ck themselves), carving them up with needles, etc. Well, go turn on the news about the Congo and get back to me when men stop torturing, raping, and killing women as they have for a millennia -- now that would be truly radical.

The above is my long way of saying (if anyone is still reading this) that while the authors have found new ways for men to abuse women's bodies (and why are these books so selectively "dark" that it's always the men who are violent towards the women and rarely vice-a-versa?), I found it boring and ended up skimming a lot. I just can't get that excited by reading yet another scene (and this book was really a series of scenes held together by a razor-thin plot rather than a fully fleshed out story) in which Hannah gets defiled. Okay, I get it, it's "dark." And?

Fundamentally, this book is yet another "edgy" sex & violence tale underpinned by a deeply conservative, heteronormative ideology in which a "bad" boy is reformed in the end by the unwavering love and forgiveness of the "good" girl. Stop me if you've NEVER heard this trope before. Hannah is even called "angel" (how Victorian), and recalls countless literary heroines in Jane Eyre, The Winter's Tale, and Othello, among others, who suffer so that the heroes in these stories can be redeemed. Is it worth it to have Hannah's main purpose in the story be Tomik's path to salvation of a sort? Uh, no. I like to see female characters with more agency and I didn't see anything in Tomik worth saving.

Now the problem with this plot device is that in order to have an HEA (another deeply conservative, heteronormative device) with a boy who has been as bad as Tomik (and I mean really bad -- such as murdering young girls), you have to plausibly redeem him. And, well, there wasn't enough disbelief for me to suspend in the world that anyone who has suffered as much as Hannah did at his hands -- not to mention the murders she witnessed -- could so quickly and easily forgive him. In addition, the fact that he didn't have to fight for her forgiveness was also boring: wouldn't it have been more interesting to make him work for that HEA? The fact that all these "dark" books pursue an essentially conservative, traditional, gendered agenda actively works against their "darkness."

You know what would have been really "dark" (as in truly subversive): to have Greta kill everyone -- including Tomik -- in the end. Now that's a "dark" I could get behind.

In terms of the mesmer aspect, I found the authors' (and Tomik's) attitude to it incoherent. Tomik kept asking Hannah if she was getting a thrill out of all he was doing to her. She always answered "yes," but, since he was controlling her answers and (at least partially) her mind, what satisfaction can he possibly get from putting words in her mouth? And this does, to the authors' credit, ultimately become problematic for him.

Finally, in terms of the writing, this was well-written with few editing errors. I particularly liked the transitions between chapters, which opened and closed with instantaneous shifts in time and space similar to cinematic "fades." I did, however, find it repetitious as the main characters repeated the same concerns over and over again. I have not read the other books in the series so probably didn't have as rich an experience as fans who did. I have read Cari Silverwood before, with mixed feelings. I've liked Jennifer Bene's Black Light books, but stopped reading her after I tried and failed to finish Lethal Sin when Mateo put Camille in a freezing room since, funnily enough, my kinks don't include someone giving me pneumonia.

I gave this an extra star for Greta. I liked her, but again, there isn't that much new under the sun here. Splitting Hannah into the "good" and "bad" by giving her a doppelgänger is also a familiar literary trope -- seen, again, in Jane Eyre's madwoman in the attic, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, The Talented Mr. Ripley, and Rebecca. I did, however, appreciate that the authors did this; otherwise, Hannah would have been a hopelessly passive heroine (and, no, killing your abusive boyfriend and abusive mesmers does NOT give you agency when you're willing to protect your other abusive boyfriend/abusive mesmer. The fundamental problem with the authors' strategy here is that I saw no difference between the boyfriend and Tomik.

2 stars.

ETA: Shout-out to the reviewer on Amazon who called this "a literary snuff film." Such a great descriptive term for this (and far too many others) books!

Note: I adhere to the ratings system as laid out by Goodreads: 2 stars = it was okay; 3 stars = liked it; 4 stars = really liked it; 5 stars = it was amazing. I gave this book 2 stars because I was interested in Greta, even though -- well, everything I said above. I do not think that every book I read is "amazing;" further, I think that it cheapens the rating system to always assign 4 or 5 stars. If a book really earns the 4 or 5 stars (and I realize that this is, to some degree, subjective), I'll give them -- but it certainly shouldn't apply to every book. YMMV, and everyone should enjoy/rate these books as they wish.

Additional Note: I did not receive this book as an ARC; I'm not another author; and I'm not friends with the authors IRL, "friends" on this site, or friends on any social media site.

[CC]

3.5 Stars



Hannah Jones finds herself in a situation where she has lost control, though she seems to be able to patch together some memories and feelings. Her captor is familiar and his influence has a deep resonance that Hannah doesn’t want to fight.

“She’d agreed to this. Agreed to suffer for me.”

Tomik Gavinksi is a loner who has found a community among men deemed to be Mesmers. Due to his ability, he made certain choices in the past, but now that his past has come calling, Tomik is conflicted with his own depraved desires and what he knows to be right.

“I don’t do love. I do owning. I own you, Hannah, forever. With lots of filthy, come-filled love hearts.”

This story begins in an unsettling way causing an immediate feeling of being off kilter. At first, I enjoyed the loss of perception because it created empathy with Hannah and added to the darkness, but then it detracted leaving the plot without a proper foundation. The background behind Hannah and Tomik was rushed and incomplete, and the entire concept of Mesmers unexplained.

Though I really didn’t connect with Hannah or Tomik, I was thoroughly amused by the rebel, Greta. Her sarcasm, forthrightness and survival instinct added dimension and intrigue throughout the story.

Mesmer is a dark erotic book about two lost souls who define the parameters of their relationship.



*This was a (F)BR with Twinsie Hawkey.*



For more reviews/reveals/giveaways visit:

[Estevam (Impish Reviews)]

Narrative wise the characters are consistent, kinda repetitive, Hannah is kinda a blank slate, kinda boring, the book has a good start with us wanting to know what happened to her between the time she was with Tomik in highschool to the now and for me, the most interesting aspect was the other personality or entity named Greta, if I was to continue the book it would be to know wtf she is, and then comes Tormik, he is consistent at the beginning and then after the Russia trip, he just does a 180 and goes from super jerk to moderate jerk withouth much of a reason other than 'She is my angel, but I'm bad'', to me this would be much better as just a horror/thriller novel without the romance tag because I can't see how a romance would work in this particular scenario and he does some fucked up shit that doesn't fucking snap out of it with her ''b-b-but I love him'' bs, also sometimes has there is a break in the mood of the scene that pulls you out of the story, so Dnf at 63% and 2 stars for the narrative structure and somewhat consistency of the characters but loses the other 3 for the fucked up sadistic stuff and for being repetitive.

[Gab]

It's been two days since I read the last sentence of this book.
And I'm still not sure how to word this review!
If you have read Cari Silverwoods Wicked Ways you know what Mesmers are.
You haven't? Well, they are men that can influence certain women to do anything they want them to. And I mean 'anything' literally!
Needless to say they are not "good" men. As far from it as you can imagine, and a couple steps further!
And then imagine tossing Jennifer Bene into the mix. Remember her Thalia series?
Now the deliciously twisted minds of these two ladies took the Mesmer-Concept to a different level.
Being deviously good in their own right, together they quadrupled the depth of depravity depicted.
But..., and this is a big BUT! They still managed to turn this into a twisted, upside-down, out-there love story!
Unbelievable? Go see for yourself!

[Kelly_Reads_Books]

This is a very twisted dark tale of Mesmer's and their abilities to control and command.
Tolik is the main character and he struggles with his love for Hannah and his desire to hurt her. Hannah is caught in dark tale of these Mesmer's and how they pull her puppet strings.
This book was unique, different from anything I have ever read! Heed the warnings of the darkness

[Puss'n'Books]

Reviewed by PussnBooks.net


Review by Puss’n’Books. Reviewing the darkest, most erotic and taboo books we can find. Click HERE for your next disturbingly sexy read.


******MASSIVE FUCKING TRIGGER WARNING*******
Was that loud enough?
This is not a book for people who are sensitive to non-con situations. At all.
You’ve been warned!

I had read Wicked Ways by Cari Silverwood a while ago and while it wasn’t one of my favourite books I did love the idea behind the story. That kind of dark is right up my street and I had never read anything similar before.
I was hoping that this one would be better because although it was the same storyline it has been a few years and maybe the things I didn’t like in the first book I read would be resolved in this one.
But I’m just not feeling it.

HANNAH

Hannah wakes up in a mingin’ bedroom with no idea where she is or how she got there. What she does know is that the boy she fell in love with in high school (and hasn’t seen in years) is sitting in this room watching her.
And he looks good.
All tattoos and muscle, ye ken?
But he’s changed. He’s cold. And cruel.
Hannah seems to be the kind of girl that sees the best in people and doesn’t give up on anyone she loves. So, even though Tomik treats her worse than I can even begin to describe, she still doesn’t want to leave him.

She spends a lot of time as confused as fuck because he keeps “resetting” her memory and giving her fake ones until he gets her the way he wants.

TOMIK

This guy is...fucked up.
He’s a Mesmer.
There are women that he (and his ‘brothers’) can completely control.
They call these women collectables.
The mesmers can make these women do anything they want. ANYTHING. Let that sink in.
Not only can they control every physical movement with a command, but they can also control their emotions. They can make them feel shit. They can make them do terrible things to themselves and make them enjoy it.
For example

“Deeper, bitch. Stick it deeper.”The beer bottle stuttered, her head was shaking back and forth, dark hair flailing over her shoulders, then she leaned against the wall behind her and pushed. Her mouth opened wider in a silent cry and I watched her body stretch to accept the foreign object.

Tomik is angry at Hannah. He’s angry because he can’t get her out of his head and she makes him care again.
He figured he was done with caring, so...yeah.
Anyway, he wants to punish her for making him feel things and figures he can fuck her and get her out of his system.
And he is one dark motherfucker.
The things he does!
The things he brothers do!
But here’s the thing.
I didn’t really feel anything for him.
Like, I didn’t hate him, I didn’t find him hot, I wasn’t intrigued by him.
Nothing.
Yeah, the shit he did was disgusting but other than that I just wasn’t drawn into getting to know him.
I didnae much care to find out why he was the way he was.

SEX SCENES
I wasn’t even drawn to the sex!! That’s a shocker for me!
*****HUMONGOUS TRIGGER WARNING!*****
It is mostly non-con scenes.

“I want to hear her scream,”the man with his dick in my mouth growled. “I want to feel it.”“Yeah,”the other grunted, shoving his cock deep, and then he held still, barely rocking with the movement of the car as all of the pleasure fizzled. Like stars winking out, it all started to fade—leaving me empty, cold, and in the dark. *I tried to tell you.* “Listen to me, you little bitch. You’re nothing more than a collectable. You’re as disposable as every other cunt, but we’re going to make sure you suffer before we finally have you off yourself.”It was the one in front of me talking, and he moved his dick over my tongue slowly. Casually fucking my mouth, only teasing at the back of my throat as he continued. “Just like that slut we left as a surprise for Tomik, you’re going to be another lesson that no one walks away from us.”“And no collectable is above the rules,”the other twin finished, and then he pulled out of me, only to readjust his angle to press against my ass. I whined, keened, tried to make my throat form words—and then he thrust in. Brutally hard, vicious, it felt like he tore something, and I screamed until there was a cock buried in my throat and I couldn’t do anything. Nothing but suffer as the fierce pain made my back spasm, my fingers curling into desperate fists. No reprieve, no more pleasure. Just violent fucking that bruised my lips, tore me open, and left me even more hollow than before.

FINAL THOUGHTS on MESMER by Cari Silverwood and Jennifer Bene
I've been thinking (dangerous, I know, lol) and I'm pretty sure that no human being could go through what Hannah goes through, and survive. I just don't think it likely at all. Internal bleeding, external bleeding...all the trauma.
I still like the idea they had with this story but I just didn’t enjoy the journey. And it’s not because of how dark it is. It was Tomik I was feeling nothing for.

2.5 Stars


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[The Masked Reader]

Bueno que difícil decir lo que me hizo sentir este libro.
Aún no estoy segura, la humillación a la que se somete a la protagonista, la confusión después de ser degradada de mil maneras posibles la forma en que esa degradación termina en su placer.. me tiene aún pensando.

El libro comenzó confuso para mí debido a que sentí que necesitaba un poco más de información acerca de los hipnotizadores y los coleccionables. Me tomo cerca de un cuarto de libro hacerme la idea de los términos.
Cuando empezaba a entender una situación más detalles salían a la luz, no entendía porque Hannah estaba con Tomik en primer lugar, quienes eran estos hermanos hipnotizadores, en que año transcurría la historia. Esos pequeños detalles me fastidiaron la lectura y me estorbaron a la hora de pintar una escena completa en mi cabeza.

HANNAH, ella es una coleccionable, la conocemos desde el primer capítulo, aparentemente ella tenía algún a clase de problema por lo cual al parecer, llama a su amor de preparatoria Tomik para que la ayude a salir de alguna clase de apuro en el que estaba metida.

TOMIK, es un hipnotizador perteneciente a una hermandad de hipnotizadores. Parecen sádicos y disfrutan de muchas formas de comportamiento sexuales desviados. Lo odie hasta casi más de la mitad del libro.. me cuestionaba seriamente porque ella seguía insistiendo en quererlo, ya que el solo daba señales de ser una basura. Pero en los últimos ... 7 capitulos ... Creo.. empiezas a amarlo intencionalmente. Quieres uno para ti misma.

Me incomodaba las escenas dónde había humillación de la protagonista al extremo, de hecho esas no me excitaban, todo lo contrario me tenían arrugando la nariz ( la escena del casi gangbang con el traje de látex, la violación/fiesta en Rusia, la violación con los ganchos en la granja) hubo otras escenas como la de el caballo mecedora que me parecieron muy buenas, muy bien escritas y acertadas las emociones.

GRETA, creo que es una representación de su propia conciencia. Que intenta en todo momento sacarla de apuros y mostrarle la verdad. Ame ese pequeña aportación en el libro. De hecho casi al final nos hace preguntarnos que demonios es GRETA!? Cómo es que tiene tanto poder, como hizo su movimiento sobre el alcohol y sobre los poderes de Tomik..

En conclusión, es un libro que no lo recomendaría a cualquiera. Contiene sexo, violación gráfica, relaciones no consensuadas, es fuertísimo. No es para cualquier persona, pero si te atreves a darle un lugar en tu librero, estoy más que segura que no te vas a arrepentir para nada.

[Carly Odonoghue]

I have just finished Mesmer by Cari Silverwood and Jennifer Bene and I will warn you this book is dark. Very dark . Leave the lights on dark. Just when I think that one of my favourite authors Cari Silverwood couldn't go any darker in books, she does. Even now as I look at my child's rocking horse in the playroom I can still see one of the scenes being played out.

Jennifer Bene is a new author to me but not for much longer. I plan to go head first into her world of books and I'm sure they are as deeply dark as Mesmer.

I loved all the characters in this book and the conflict of emotions between Tomik and Hannah as he resets her over and over again. As well as Hannah's internal conflict with herself. ( Ahhh, this is hard to write without spoilers)

Mesmer is an extension of the Dark Hearts Series that readers should read if you haven't already read them. They are one of my favourite book series.

This is a five star read and it'll leave you wanting to read more books in the Mesmer/Dark Hearts world, but you might need a flash light to help you find your way out of the darkness into the light. Only kidding, us dark readers love the darkness and Cari Silverwood and Jennifer Bene? I need more!

[Joyffree]

I'm going to need so much therapy!

Bene and Silverwood -
Individually they write some of the most mind-bending twisted literature...
Both top my must-read lists.

Together?
I actually had to step back a couple of times - take a deep breath and remind myself this is fiction.
Mesmer is one of the darkest pools of depravity I have ever dipped my toes in.
I could still feel the darkness creeping and crawling through my imagination long after I closed the final page.

My lifeline through this story - Greta

" The need to do evil to others just to watch them writhe." - Tomik

"The smell of my fresh-spilled blood and my pain" - Hannah

You get no spoilers from me.
Warnings- Absolutely!
Do NOT eat before reading
Do NOT read without a vice (this could be a pillow to scream into, a stuffed animal to white knuckle, a defibrillator to restart your heart)
Do NOT - and I can't stress this enough! - go into this without heeding every warning given!
This WILL push boundaries for even the strongest of dark readers
And finally ... may you survive intact

And P.S. ladies I would love more - I know you two are cooking up something delicious

[Emily]

Usually, I speed through books of this length in a couple of days. However, with Mesmer, I found I had to put it down at intervals, and take breaks of 8 or 10 hours before I picked it back up again. I needed those breaks to help my brain cells recover from the mega-dose of darkness in this book. I enjoy dark qualities in a sexy story, but this one--even though I truly enjoyed it--was just about at my limit. Keep that in mind as you decide whether to pick it. As I chose the characteristics I liked about the book, I didn't choose steamy, or romantic. Although those traits were definitely woven into the relationship between the two main characters, I would have to say the over-arching attribute throughout was deeply, scarily dirty. I cried several times, despairing over the female MC's predicament, and fearing there would be no redemption arc for the male MC. I'll just say I was thrilled with how the author ended this tale. This story was very well written. The plot was pure fantasy, but so cohesive that I found it easy to suspend reality and just sink into it. I call it 5 stars!

[Daria]

Mesmers, Cari Silverwood newest mind binge, to think of the possibility that there could be people out in the world that could do this, yeah scary and intriguing.

Cari created a world that that possibility is true life for the characters, her talent continues with Tomik took Hannah and omg, angst, dark passion going on.

Tomik pushes the rules of his brotherhood with his angel, but he can't seem to do anything else they way Hannah calls to him, the risk is minimal. In his wicked mind, he even plays with the idea of sharing his angel with his brothers that of course wars with the need to keep her his.

Hannah, she shows her own strength even as she needs Tomik, is it her 'fight' back that is the draw for the Mesmer? Who's need is really being filled though?

Wonderfully written scenes, hot dirty unique all that layered and penned in a style all Cari's. Amazing. Enjoy.

[Tequila]

I absolutely love the dark works of Cari Silverwood and Jennifer Bene individually. So, when I found out the two of them were writing this book together, I couldn't even. This book is an absolute dream come true for me.If you think these two write exquisitely on their own, this book is pure magic. These two writers come together and create something so deliciously dark, I devoured every page and was left wanting more. The bad guys in this book, they are far worse than any I have read before and I loved it. There are scenes that made my skin crawl. But don't worry, not all is lost. If you are a fan of the darkness, you do not want to miss this book.

[Nora]

It was ok. I had to read this book twice. The first time I skimmed a lot of it and eventually it was a dnf. I didn’t want to let down the person who recommended this book to me so I forced myself to like it but looking back at it now this book was very unsettling. Sure some parts were erotic and there were kinky moments… and I don’t shy away from dark or scary. However, with that being said this isn’t a horror book. It’s meant to be a romance at the end of the day. That’s were my issue with the book really comes. The way the sexual violence was presented in this book was too harsh to remain a love story. I felt no love reading this book and tomik had no redeeming qualities.

[Addicted To Reading]

Mesmer by Silverwood/Bene

Mesmerizing, dark, devious, delicious, dubious and twisted! In the world of dark romance this is beyond consuming. It is heart palpitating
At times, I lost my breath and thought "no, i didn't just read that". Oh, but I did and it is the best dark book I have read this year. It is Life of Anna, Sabrina and Severed all in one delivery. Damn, this goes in my 2nd read pile(which has 4 books in it) that's how great it is! Absolutely a must read for those who like the dark!

[Sue]

Dark, depraved, delicious romance. Yes, I said romance - if you like your romance on the non-/dub-con side. This collaboration between two of my favorite authors exceeds the bar and pretty much leaves the bar in a mangled mess as you lose yourself in a gut-clenching storyline that will leave you reminding yourself to breathe. I wasn’t able to tear myself from this book once I started - even though I shuddered, shivered, and recoiled in horror at the scenes these author brought to life in my imagination. Fabulous read where I became a collectible to the Mesmer abilities of these authors.

[daemyra, the realm's delight]

3.5. It has taken me like 2 years to finish this LOL. First off, I absolutely love the concept of mesmers Cari Silverwood has created, but it can get dark. I have a low threshold for any torture or mutilation, and most of the men are evil in how they treat “collectibles.” Too much of the story is similar to trafficking, which nauseates me.

What draws me in is the vampiric element to the mesmers where the women are controlled by them, and experience the most intense pleasure, even in violent acts.

I read a large part of the story in one sitting, as it was very debauched CNC. I had to take a break when we met up with Tomik’s friends and the movie star scene literally I felt like retching and I put the book down. I also was frustrated that Hannah chose to fall in love, and I felt Tomik didn’t have the biggest transformation. He had a very lukewarm growth where he realizes he think he wants to try to have a normal relationship with Hannah? It was realistic for his character but also I am very unimpressed lol.

As I was reading the sample for Cari Silverwood’s new book, unrelated to this series I must add, I thought of this book and was able to finish it. The last 30% has some scary moments but the hero is trying to rescue the heroine, and the heroine has a little voice in her head that is basically the light of reason.

Recommend only for those who can stomach reading torture, and in the mood for something that’s not very romantic (but still with HEA), more of a erotic horror romance.

I have read the first three books in the Dark Hearts series, and I do have to say that Book 3, which is this one, is probably my favourite in terms of the main couple. Book 1’s opening chapters is something you’d find on Literotica. From what I recall, Book 2 had a surreal cave lair/secret island locale and everything became a little too far fetched, and I also didn’t love the main hero. There are more in this series, and I may read more!

[Mom2three]

This story oozes darkness. It seeps out of the pages like smoke filling a closed room. It is twisted, painful, nightmare inducing, depraved, and wicked. It is also one of the best books I've read this year. Cari Silverwood and Jennifer Bene each know how to write a story that will leave a reader disturbed for weeks or even months. They always leave me with a major book hangover and a sense of restlessness that takes me a while to work through. Since I'm sure that emotional upheaval is what they strive for, I'm happy to say that they are successful. I'm blown away by this one, however, and the multitude of ways it messed with my head.

If you are new to the Mesmer world then you need to know that they have the ability to control the minds of some people (collectibles) and either make them feel or act a certain way or wipe the mind completely. That should give you an idea of how twisted this story will get. You should also know that both of these authors have the evil imaginations it takes to scar someone for life. There are more triggers than I could even list; often piled one on top of the other. Now that I've scared you away from reading this book, let me tell you why you should.

This story is dark from beginning to end. Seriously. Don't look for any light, the pain-free moments are few and far between, just find something to cuddle (or someone) and make sure all the lights are on. It is also insanely beautiful and the connection between Tomik and Hannah is deep and unbreakable. Their story is one of pain but also love and trust, and facing problems instead of erasing them. It is about hidden strength and surviving the un-survivable. I'm not going to lie and say that there weren't parts of this story that made me long for a Mesmer to come and erase what I had just read, but the end made it all worth it. Maybe my own mental issues make me read into this more than I really should, but the Hannah and Tomik's story reminds me that as long as you're breathing you can find a way to keep fighting.

[Marian]

I feel battered and exhausted after reading Mesmer, I've had a knot in my stomach and I feel a little perverse. I had been looking for a book like this but couldn't find it, one to feed the darker cravings without a gentle side and Mesmer gives that in spades, it does belong in the dark genre.

Tomik definitely wins the first prize for evil sadist, it is puzzling but remarkable that the authors can transform a totally loathsome-hateful-fuckwad into a lovable character. And Hannah...well she deserves the world for her steadfast perseverance, her unwavering love and her big brass balls, really, to choose to stay with her sadist/warped boyfriend. Boy, it's the first time I've read about needle "play" in erotic romance, I googled "bigger gauged needles" and the models were human sized pin-cushions. The kink in this book simply steps up so if you enjoy racier, edgier stuff, this book is flaming inferno hot. I loved all the fucked up kink in this book, the authors had their fun wrting this, the dark eroticism of the sex scenes pucks a punch. No boddice ripper here, just ripper. **snigger**

Another thing is here we get a darker perspective into the Mesmer bug "syndrome"; it seems the Mesmer is like a different persona or identity that needs and thrives on blood, torture, pain and death. Does it change the subjects or those traits were already inside them before becoming infected? What is the origin of the bug and how is it transmitted? There are so many questions I have about this whole concept that I hope Ms Silverwood continues to explore it and delights us with many more Mesmer-izing stories.

"I like the smell of my fresh-spilled blood and my pain, and so does he.

Isn't it romantic? Twistedly so.

Highly recommended for lovers of the darker side, no-holes barred kink, sadism and perverse love. Should be avoided by gentler spirits as this read is dark erotica, almost touching horror at times. Although a standalone, it'd be best to read the Dark Hearts trilogy first to make sense of the Mesmer world.

[Julia Butterfield - Stevens]

I should probably start this review with a warning.....This is dark, not a little bit dark but seriously dark, depraved, violent and very twisted. It will probably push your barriers, it pushed mine a bit further than I wanted, so sadly I struggled to read some of this and I am a lover of dark (I couldn't put JB's Reign of Ruin down!!). If it had been a movie I would have screamed and covered my eyes at times!

I actually loved the concept of mesmers and collectables and was very keen to read this, but the mesmers took mind control to the deepest levels of horror. The authors wrote it all so vividly I could see it playing out far too clearly in my mind, a testament to their skills. Collectables are a type of woman susceptible to the mind control of mesmers. They can literally make them do anything, feel anything (all levels of pain and pleasure) and make them beg for more, all whilst either fully conscious and cognitive, or as a zombie, mindless shell. Pretty f@#$ed up!

I can't fault the writing style, nor the imagination of these two authors, but there was something missing for me, I cant quite put my finger on it. Perhaps it was the fact I don't think I can believe that Hannah would really still love Tomik after all the horror he put her through, not with her mind unaffected and by her own choice. If I was her, I'd be running for the hills at the first opportunity, I wouldn't want to be anywhere near a mesmer! Perhaps also my lover of pnr mind wanted a bit more about Hannah and especially Greta (she was brilliant). It wasnt really explained who/what she is and I wanted to know. So maybe a bit less brutal depravity and more of the above? (I know, it's a shock to me too).

I'm gutted this didnt quite work for me, but I will still be reading everything Ms Bene writes as I love her and I will try one from Ms Silverwood as she sounds right up my normally twisted, cobbled street.

[Terri Trawets]

Extremely Dark!

Two outstandingly talented authors, Cari Silverwood and Jennifer Bene, came together to create a soul-shattering Mesmer novel.

Mesmers have the unique ability to wield outrageous power and control over susceptible “collectibles”. This warped dominance allows these evil characters to abuse females in totally debased, degenerate, immoral, twisted, debauched, and horrifying ways. They can perceive unusual methods to utilize otherwise normal items such as suitcases, grocery carts and rocking horses in a manner that my mind could not conceive.

Tomik is a Mesmer, Hannah a girl he once loved. While they were still teenagers, he left her to shield her from his power. For some reason, Hannah needs Tomik’s help. He answers her call, but is unable to reconcile his Mesmer powers with the ingenuousness of his beautiful angel. Yet, he desperately desires to satiate his obsession to revel in intense sexual satisfaction while inflicting pain, degradation, and humiliation. He believes he wants to shatter their connection. But, does he really? Their story is addicting, tantalizing and extraordinarily decadent.

If you cannot handle horrific pain, non-consensual situations, revenge, and uniquely evil men satisfying their dirtiest, darkest most perverted urges, this will definitely not be the story for you. If you can, you will be taken on a warped journey that spans agony, torture, anguish, sorrow, acceptance and unconditional love. Once begun, I could not stop reading! Oh, wait, I had to stop occasionally so I could continue breathing!!!

[Badh]

Dayum. I mean, just dayum. Even days after reading this book, I'm still in a state of shock from it. It destroyed me in the very best way. Jennifer Bene and Cari Silverwood on their own are both mistresses of dark, disturbing, kinky, filthy words, but when you put the two of them together, we end up with all kinds of imaginative darkness. I think these ladies egged each other one to see who could be the darkest, as we are definitely the ones who benefited from it.

Mesmers are men who have a little extra oomph. They can control certain women and get them to do just about anything. Tomik is a mesmer, and Hannah is his latest collectible, except she's more than just that. She was his childhood love, and now he's got her.

The thinks that Tomik does are just... yeah. The things that Tomik wants to do might actually scare me a little bit. Of course, it's scaring me in that totally good way, if that makes any sense.

Tomik is such a deeply layered and just as deeply disturbed character, which is really all kinds of awesome. He's one of those guys that you are never sure if you hate to love him, love to hate him, or just wish him dead in ugly ways. Or, you know, maybe wish into your bed.

Hannah is really hard to get a read on. It's really fascinating, really. I'm still trying to figure her out, and I suspect that I will be for a while.

[Tanya Rae ~ TaSTy WordGasms]

Mesmer is Cari Silverwood’s and co-authored by Jennifer Bene’s latest book to be released. I have read most of Cari Silverwood’s books but I haven’t had the opportunity until now to read anything by Jennifer Bene. But, I will rectify that after reading Mesmer.

This is a VERY dark book so do proceed with caution. Mesmer pulls so many triggers and I felt like I was reading this book with my eyes squinted wondering what was going to happen next.

This is written by Cari Silverwood & Jennifer Bene on steroids!

Mesmer’s can control collectables. Hannah is one. Tomik has to control his Mesmer so as not to push to it too far. And, if he is controlling his Mesmer watch what the twins do because I do believe they are uncontrolled Mesmer’s.

Believe it or not there is romance, it may be dark but there is romance and Tomik loves Hannah that is why he tries to control his Mesmer. There is also an HEA.

“Love comes in many different forms”.

Okay ya’ll this may be the darkest thing that I have read by Cari Silverwood and I think that with Jennifer Bene they have pushed it way over the top! Seriously this book isn’t for everybody. It pushes so many buttons but that is what I like at times. I am going to give this book 4 stars and I now need to read something lighthearted and then I need to investigate and read something by Jennifer Bene. She has my attention now!

[Renee]

I received a copy of this book from the publisher/author to review.

Tomik took Hannah like he had a hundred women before her, like any other collectible that his mesmer abilities let him control utterly and completely. He wanted to dress her in wings, maker her crawl to him, do things to her body that were worse than sinful...they were nightmarishly obscene. But Hannah isn't like any other collectible. She's the girl he ran away from, tried to protect...until she called him back. Now there is not stopping the darkness inside him, the cravings that demand he keep her all to himself--but that's against the rules and his mesmer brothers are dangerous. Unpredictable. And how can he keep her safe when all he wants to do is make her scream. Before love will came pain, blood, and the near destruction of her soul and his.

I am going to go ahead and warn you that this story is dark and twisted and not really a love story. It is not for the faint of heart and you should really heed the warnings on this book before you dive in. This is the story of Tomik and Hannah. It is not a pretty story it is dark and dirty and twisted one. One that I loved and read in no time. I could not put it down. But I like dark books that push my boundaries. If your a lover of dark and twisted things then this is a book that you are not going to want to miss.

[Martha Lindblom]

This is a very dark, very deranged and demented story. Hannah has loved Tomik since they were children and now they have found each other but he is now a mesmer and she is a collectible, and Tomik being a mesmer likes playing with her mind. Hannah’s mind (Greta) is talking to her as a real person and I think causing her trouble and helping her think, almost like she has a double personality. It is amazing how Hannah managed to survive all the stuff they did to her. It would break a normal person. I still do not know what a mesmer is or how they become one, but they are extremely mean and controlling and use the collectibles and throw them away. Very sad and glad we have none in real life. The book will keep you on the edge of your seat. Enjoy

[Lisa]

Cari Silverwood returns to the world of Mesmers co-writing with Jennifer Bene and although I can't tell you who created or wrote which parts--- Mesmer spears further into the darkness and still somehow gives you hope. Tomik is evil, has done unforgivable acts yet there are moments and glimpses of another man whom you might even consider a hero.

A complete story that messes with your own mind and beliefs or does a little bit of the Mesmer powers drift from the pages?