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Unshackled
Standalone MM Mafia Romance Best Friend’s Father Age Play Hurt/Comfort
Unshackled spares no one, and along the way, you’ll get everything from high-speed car chases, secret meetings in the dark, and the rawest hours of grief, to strong family ties, humor, and unconditional love.
In the wake of the bloodiest war the Sons of Munster had seen in a long time, we were supposed to celebrate our victory and move on with our lives. I wanted to see my brothers-in-arms dance and drink way too much. I wanted to hear laughter and Irish music. Instead, we were a syndicate crushed by grief.
Shannon O’Shea had lost more than most, and every fiber of my being screamed at me to pull him from the depths of his despair. As the father of my best friend, he’d been there for me when my parents kicked me out for being gay. Now it was my turn. I had to find the answers. I had to rescue him.
The day he asked for a favor and demanded discretion, the plan unfolded before my eyes, and I couldn’t resist the temptation. No names, no faces. He wouldn’t know it was me in the darkness. At the same time, the shackles around my wrists tightened as old enemies slithered back out of the gutters of my city, and my brothers and I were once again on the warpath.
Unshackled spares no one, and along the way, you’ll get everything from high-speed car chases, secret meetings in the dark, and the rawest hours of grief, to strong family ties, humor, and unconditional love.
In the wake of the bloodiest war the Sons of Munster had seen in a long time, we were supposed to celebrate our victory and move on with our lives. I wanted to see my brothers-in-arms dance and drink way too much. I wanted to hear laughter and Irish music. Instead, we were a syndicate crushed by grief.
Shannon O’Shea had lost more than most, and every fiber of my being screamed at me to pull him from the depths of his despair. As the father of my best friend, he’d been there for me when my parents kicked me out for being gay. Now it was my turn. I had to find the answers. I had to rescue him.
The day he asked for a favor and demanded discretion, the plan unfolded before my eyes, and I couldn’t resist the temptation. No names, no faces. He wouldn’t know it was me in the darkness. At the same time, the shackles around my wrists tightened as old enemies slithered back out of the gutters of my city, and my brothers and I were once again on the warpath.
303 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 19, 2021
149 people are currently reading
1879 people want to read
About the author
Cara Dee
97 books4,084 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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Displaying 1 - 30 of 172 reviews
November 26, 2021
Aaaw man, I hate writing this review....
I had a HUGE moral problem with this book. Of course I understand that mafia romances are very popular, but I am simply unable to like and empathize with a character who is a murderer - someone who willingly tortures and takes another person's life in cold blood.
Regarding the rating, I'm a bit clueless. I loved the romance plot (like a stellar 5 star spectacular, it was unique, it was passionate, it was a new concept to me), but I HATED the mafia plot (maybe 1 star for making me follow the life of a cold-blooded killer).
To be honest, I want to see Kellan behind bars for his crimes.
If the plot (and Kellan's love interest Shan) weren't so fascinating, I would not have given this book another glance. But damn, what a powerful romance plot.
It's the story of a 27 year old man (Kellan) who takes in his best friend's depressed father (Shan) after the man suffered the loss of his wife and his (other) son.
(Let us not discuss that both died due to a mafia war, so my compassion for Shan is a bit limited. He dragged his family into the mafia lifestyle himself after all).
Anyway, Kellan always had the hots for Shan, but never worried about it because the man had been married and a loving father figure after his real parents kicked him out for being gay.
But now that Shan is broken, widowed and sleeping on his couch, Kellan hates how the man refers to him as 'son' and treats him like an actual family member, whereas Kellan desperately wants to show him how good a sexual relationship could be. He even jokingly calls him 'Daddy', the sexual innuendo apparently lost on Shan.
After months and months of depression, Shan opens up a bit and confesses his interest in a same sex encounter, but with an anonymous man in a club in the dark without any words being exchanged (the classic dark room gay man's fantasy, I guess). AND he asks Kellan to arrange it.
You can certainly guess where this is going...
Picture Kellan purchasing new perfume, new showergel, new clothes that are unlike the stuff he regularly wears and voila, his secret dark room identity is ready.
Pretty soon, Kellan has a pretty intense and fulfilling sex life with Shan, while Shan is unaware that the 'son' on whose shoulder he's crying at home, is in fact the anonymous lover he's seeing (or rather touching) regularly and developing an attachment to.
The dark room sex scenes were incredibly hot:
(LOL)
And what fascinated me the most is the fact that we see the story ONLY through Kellan's point of view, so we don't know what Shan thinks or suspects in this scenario.
It's a deliciously fascinating story with amazing sex scenes (in the dark). I loved Shan very much and even though he was part of a mafia organisation, he's this broken and mourning man, so it was easy to like him, as he didn't walk around killing people.
A 5 star spectacular romance, and a 1 star painful mafia story...
So my most natural rating would be 3 in total, I guess. It's a pity, because the romance parts were really exceptionally great for me.
I had a HUGE moral problem with this book. Of course I understand that mafia romances are very popular, but I am simply unable to like and empathize with a character who is a murderer - someone who willingly tortures and takes another person's life in cold blood.
Regarding the rating, I'm a bit clueless. I loved the romance plot (like a stellar 5 star spectacular, it was unique, it was passionate, it was a new concept to me), but I HATED the mafia plot (maybe 1 star for making me follow the life of a cold-blooded killer).
To be honest, I want to see Kellan behind bars for his crimes.
If the plot (and Kellan's love interest Shan) weren't so fascinating, I would not have given this book another glance. But damn, what a powerful romance plot.
It's the story of a 27 year old man (Kellan) who takes in his best friend's depressed father (Shan) after the man suffered the loss of his wife and his (other) son.
(Let us not discuss that both died due to a mafia war, so my compassion for Shan is a bit limited. He dragged his family into the mafia lifestyle himself after all).
Anyway, Kellan always had the hots for Shan, but never worried about it because the man had been married and a loving father figure after his real parents kicked him out for being gay.
But now that Shan is broken, widowed and sleeping on his couch, Kellan hates how the man refers to him as 'son' and treats him like an actual family member, whereas Kellan desperately wants to show him how good a sexual relationship could be. He even jokingly calls him 'Daddy', the sexual innuendo apparently lost on Shan.
After months and months of depression, Shan opens up a bit and confesses his interest in a same sex encounter, but with an anonymous man in a club in the dark without any words being exchanged (the classic dark room gay man's fantasy, I guess). AND he asks Kellan to arrange it.
You can certainly guess where this is going...
Picture Kellan purchasing new perfume, new showergel, new clothes that are unlike the stuff he regularly wears and voila, his secret dark room identity is ready.
Pretty soon, Kellan has a pretty intense and fulfilling sex life with Shan, while Shan is unaware that the 'son' on whose shoulder he's crying at home, is in fact the anonymous lover he's seeing (or rather touching) regularly and developing an attachment to.
The dark room sex scenes were incredibly hot:
(LOL)
And what fascinated me the most is the fact that we see the story ONLY through Kellan's point of view, so we don't know what Shan thinks or suspects in this scenario.
It's a deliciously fascinating story with amazing sex scenes (in the dark). I loved Shan very much and even though he was part of a mafia organisation, he's this broken and mourning man, so it was easy to like him, as he didn't walk around killing people.
A 5 star spectacular romance, and a 1 star painful mafia story...
So my most natural rating would be 3 in total, I guess. It's a pity, because the romance parts were really exceptionally great for me.
December 25, 2021
2.5 Stars
Reading this book made me feel lost and confused. It was said that this book can be read as a standalone but at first there were too many characters from "This Life" series (which I haven’t read) and second, it took time for me to find out what they do for a living. Actually, there was a bit too much of syndicate thing and I think it overshadowed the romance part. Another thing, the chemistry between the MCs was a bit light and it was unlikely of Cara Dee (given the type of relationship the MCs had)! Another thing is I expected a bit of drama when Shan found out about the mystery guy in the darkroom but nope, he was alright with it (given the type of relationship the MCs had again).
Told in single POV, 1st person. It’s a bit angsty and there is an age gap between the MCs. I can’t say I enjoyed it as much as I’d like to but hope you enjoy it more than me!
Reading this book made me feel lost and confused. It was said that this book can be read as a standalone but at first there were too many characters from "This Life" series (which I haven’t read) and second, it took time for me to find out what they do for a living. Actually, there was a bit too much of syndicate thing and I think it overshadowed the romance part. Another thing, the chemistry between the MCs was a bit light and it was unlikely of Cara Dee (given the type of relationship the MCs had)! Another thing is I expected a bit of drama when Shan found out about the mystery guy in the darkroom but nope, he was alright with it (given the type of relationship the MCs had again).
Told in single POV, 1st person. It’s a bit angsty and there is an age gap between the MCs. I can’t say I enjoyed it as much as I’d like to but hope you enjoy it more than me!
November 25, 2021
So I've not read the This Life I series but that didn't stop me from falling headfirst into this epic Mafic romance.
OMG seriously, this one pulls every emotion going as Kellan Ford (who I recognised from his appearances in Cara's Auctioned series, pines for his best friend's dad Shannon.
Although Shannon's bisexual and his wife always knew, very few others did so Kellan's always had a hopeless attraction for him, or so he thought.
This slow unfolding of the desire between them is brilliantly done throughout the book.
What I loved most about this is how Cara never shies away from Shannon's difficulties in moving on with the loss of Patrick and Grace. There's no magic dick here, no suddenly okay being in a relationship with another man.
Both men are also dealing with copious amounts of grief following the multiple deaths the Sons of Munster have suffered during a bloody gangland war, including said best friend Patrick and his mother Grace - Shan's wife and the woman who helped bring Kellan up after he was thrown out for being gay.
The tensions throughout this book are tight with fear, with guilt and secrets, with foreboding as members of the rival Italian family the Sons thought they'd finished off are seen skulking around Philly.
Honestly, I had no clue where this book was going to go but I was more than happy to come along for the ride - literally including high-speed car chases, dodgy dealings, torture and more murders.
None of these characters is even remotely what could be considered a good man even Shannon, who's been a psychiatrist helping thousands of people over the years the Sons have been operating, doesn't have clean hands.
But I was surprised by how little I cared - so long as Kellan and Shannon were able to move beyond their traumas and work out that they were more than just extended family and could be actual family.
This book is scorching hot too. There's a Daddy/boy vibe but without any of the other kinks that often go along with it, Kellan wants to take care of his Daddy but he wants to be able to lean on him too.
Definitely one to savour.
#ARC kindly received from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review.
OMG seriously, this one pulls every emotion going as Kellan Ford (who I recognised from his appearances in Cara's Auctioned series, pines for his best friend's dad Shannon.
Although Shannon's bisexual and his wife always knew, very few others did so Kellan's always had a hopeless attraction for him, or so he thought.
This slow unfolding of the desire between them is brilliantly done throughout the book.
What I loved most about this is how Cara never shies away from Shannon's difficulties in moving on with the loss of Patrick and Grace. There's no magic dick here, no suddenly okay being in a relationship with another man.
Both men are also dealing with copious amounts of grief following the multiple deaths the Sons of Munster have suffered during a bloody gangland war, including said best friend Patrick and his mother Grace - Shan's wife and the woman who helped bring Kellan up after he was thrown out for being gay.
The tensions throughout this book are tight with fear, with guilt and secrets, with foreboding as members of the rival Italian family the Sons thought they'd finished off are seen skulking around Philly.
Honestly, I had no clue where this book was going to go but I was more than happy to come along for the ride - literally including high-speed car chases, dodgy dealings, torture and more murders.
None of these characters is even remotely what could be considered a good man even Shannon, who's been a psychiatrist helping thousands of people over the years the Sons have been operating, doesn't have clean hands.
But I was surprised by how little I cared - so long as Kellan and Shannon were able to move beyond their traumas and work out that they were more than just extended family and could be actual family.
This book is scorching hot too. There's a Daddy/boy vibe but without any of the other kinks that often go along with it, Kellan wants to take care of his Daddy but he wants to be able to lean on him too.
Definitely one to savour.
#ARC kindly received from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review.
November 21, 2021
This was exactly the book I've been waiting for since I learned it would exist, when finishing This Life II a year and half, or so, ago. It was perfection. *happy sigh*
I fucking loved Unshackled. Fucking. Loved. It. It does have a fair amount of angst, though it didn't bring me to tears like This Life I & II did. But it deals with the aftermath of loss and the depression that can follow. And, of course, learning to live and love again. It's heartbreaking in its own way, but my god, it was beautiful, too. Watching Shannon find his footing again and seeing him and Kellan together was exactly what I needed. Just gorgeous.
"I’d been such an idiot too, believing I would find liberty in the darkness with him only because I was able to express myself physically. But freedom wasn’t found in the dark. It was fought for out in the open."
I fucking loved Unshackled. Fucking. Loved. It. It does have a fair amount of angst, though it didn't bring me to tears like This Life I & II did. But it deals with the aftermath of loss and the depression that can follow. And, of course, learning to live and love again. It's heartbreaking in its own way, but my god, it was beautiful, too. Watching Shannon find his footing again and seeing him and Kellan together was exactly what I needed. Just gorgeous.
November 22, 2021
Nothing special really.
RTC
RTC
December 8, 2024
I liked this just fine. I was actually waiting for the relationship to go a little deeper, if I'm being honest. Still, it's Cara Dee, so it's always a winner.
June 10, 2022
Re-read: June 2022
Loved just as much as the first time I read it. Kellan and Shan fit perfectly together!
* 4 Stars *
"Unshackled" is about two side characters of another story, an m/f trilogy by Cara Dee, so the setting, the people, and even some of the events are crossovers from there. It's supposed to be a standalone, and I suppose it was to a point, but I still think that anyone who has read the original trilogy as well will get in the loop much sooner. For me, since I don't read m/f and I started with this one, it took about 10% to get comfortable with all the names, understand how everyone was related and what was going on. After that point though, the story picked up, and I wasn't feeling as though I'd been dropped in the middle of a plot. I understand that the author had to walk a fine line between getting all the necessary information for new readers to understand what was going on and not boring readers coming over from the original story with a ton of details they already knew about, so I'm not complaining about the first 10%. It went a lot smoother than it could have gone and I'm happy that after that point I was invested, too.
When I first heard about Kellan and Shannon's story, I thought it would be an angst-filled one, full of tears and sorrow. It ended up being a lot lighter than I thought. It still deals with heavy subjects, like depression and grief, but it focuses more on the recovery and healing, on the "up" moments, and the return to life. I was glad that I wasn't reduced to tears while reading. Shannon's situation was awful, but the fact that we get the whole story from Kellan lessens the impact of his feelings somewhat. His low phases were terrible, but as time passed, his up phases became more frequent and lasted longer. It was a long journey, one that I don't think will have an end for him, but he managed to heal little by little and cherish his memories of those he lost without simultaneously losing himself in the bottom of a bottle every time a memory hit him.
Kellan was a contradiction, he was fierce in his job, he had a position with a lot of power but he was comfortable in it and he knew how to use it. In his personal life and with his close friends and family, he was much lighter, he joked, teased, and accepted the same in return. He was openly gay and I liked that there was not even one homophobic scene in the story. His sexual orientation was a non-issue and I don't care if it was realistic or not, I just loved it.
The two of them together made so much sense. It was clear that Kellan cared deeply for Shannon and he was by his side during his darkest moments. Shannon, on the other hand, seemed to come to life with Kellan. He opened up to him, was honest and real. Slowly, he found a reason to smile again and to get out of bed. More than that, he found a reason to live again.
That's not to say that his recovery from depression was solely for Kellan. He just provided the first nudge Shannon needed in order to have hope for the future again. Kellan was sweet in how he cared for Shannon, he thought of the little things and he was always ready to support him, make him comfortable and provide anything he might need. He was in love with him for years, but, as he never thought anything could happen between them, he was resigned to having the role of a friend, a pseudo-kid of Shannon's and his sons' best friend.
Once they got together though, there was no question of going back. I don't know if they were meant to be, but they fit so well as a couple. They completed and complimented each other. They were stronger together.
Their journey wouldn't have made sense if it was a short one, so I'm beyond excited that the timeframe of the book is more than two years. I love that narration style and the author nails it every time. I was giddy once I realized that we were gearing up to follow Kellan and Shannon through many many months and, after finishing their story, I'm in love with the result.
~ Copy provided by Bayou Book Junkie for my reading pleasure. A review wasn't a requirement. ~
Loved just as much as the first time I read it. Kellan and Shan fit perfectly together!
* 4 Stars *
"Unshackled" is about two side characters of another story, an m/f trilogy by Cara Dee, so the setting, the people, and even some of the events are crossovers from there. It's supposed to be a standalone, and I suppose it was to a point, but I still think that anyone who has read the original trilogy as well will get in the loop much sooner. For me, since I don't read m/f and I started with this one, it took about 10% to get comfortable with all the names, understand how everyone was related and what was going on. After that point though, the story picked up, and I wasn't feeling as though I'd been dropped in the middle of a plot. I understand that the author had to walk a fine line between getting all the necessary information for new readers to understand what was going on and not boring readers coming over from the original story with a ton of details they already knew about, so I'm not complaining about the first 10%. It went a lot smoother than it could have gone and I'm happy that after that point I was invested, too.
When I first heard about Kellan and Shannon's story, I thought it would be an angst-filled one, full of tears and sorrow. It ended up being a lot lighter than I thought. It still deals with heavy subjects, like depression and grief, but it focuses more on the recovery and healing, on the "up" moments, and the return to life. I was glad that I wasn't reduced to tears while reading. Shannon's situation was awful, but the fact that we get the whole story from Kellan lessens the impact of his feelings somewhat. His low phases were terrible, but as time passed, his up phases became more frequent and lasted longer. It was a long journey, one that I don't think will have an end for him, but he managed to heal little by little and cherish his memories of those he lost without simultaneously losing himself in the bottom of a bottle every time a memory hit him.
Kellan was a contradiction, he was fierce in his job, he had a position with a lot of power but he was comfortable in it and he knew how to use it. In his personal life and with his close friends and family, he was much lighter, he joked, teased, and accepted the same in return. He was openly gay and I liked that there was not even one homophobic scene in the story. His sexual orientation was a non-issue and I don't care if it was realistic or not, I just loved it.
The two of them together made so much sense. It was clear that Kellan cared deeply for Shannon and he was by his side during his darkest moments. Shannon, on the other hand, seemed to come to life with Kellan. He opened up to him, was honest and real. Slowly, he found a reason to smile again and to get out of bed. More than that, he found a reason to live again.
That's not to say that his recovery from depression was solely for Kellan. He just provided the first nudge Shannon needed in order to have hope for the future again. Kellan was sweet in how he cared for Shannon, he thought of the little things and he was always ready to support him, make him comfortable and provide anything he might need. He was in love with him for years, but, as he never thought anything could happen between them, he was resigned to having the role of a friend, a pseudo-kid of Shannon's and his sons' best friend.
Once they got together though, there was no question of going back. I don't know if they were meant to be, but they fit so well as a couple. They completed and complimented each other. They were stronger together.
Their journey wouldn't have made sense if it was a short one, so I'm beyond excited that the timeframe of the book is more than two years. I love that narration style and the author nails it every time. I was giddy once I realized that we were gearing up to follow Kellan and Shannon through many many months and, after finishing their story, I'm in love with the result.
~ Copy provided by Bayou Book Junkie for my reading pleasure. A review wasn't a requirement. ~
November 28, 2021
3.5 stars … I really wanted more - I love Cara Dee bug this had me flicking and rushing forward.
I just couldn’t find my groove in this book and felt a disconnect with the characters. Wanted to rate higher but just couldn’t
I just couldn’t find my groove in this book and felt a disconnect with the characters. Wanted to rate higher but just couldn’t
November 26, 2021
3.5 Stars!
I haven’t enjoyed a lot of Cara Dee’s stuff as of late, but this one wasn’t bad.
Daddy kink light I would say.
I didn’t read the other related books/series and didn’t feel lost.
I felt like the connection between the MCs was told more than felt.
I’m sure Cara Dee fans will enjoy this one.
I haven’t enjoyed a lot of Cara Dee’s stuff as of late, but this one wasn’t bad.
Daddy kink light I would say.
I didn’t read the other related books/series and didn’t feel lost.
I felt like the connection between the MCs was told more than felt.
I’m sure Cara Dee fans will enjoy this one.
December 8, 2021
DNF @ 33% - skimmed the rest of the book
Waited to get through the first sex scene. Not worth it. I’m so disappointed by this book. The premise sounded amazing. It’s not. I was bored. I’ve never experienced a book that felt like a constant info dump like this one. It was overwhelming and boring all at once.
Waited to get through the first sex scene. Not worth it. I’m so disappointed by this book. The premise sounded amazing. It’s not. I was bored. I’ve never experienced a book that felt like a constant info dump like this one. It was overwhelming and boring all at once.
November 21, 2021
=》2.5 stars
No, thank you.
I am not exactly sure why I didn't liked this book. It was okay. Unshackled has an amazing plotline. I really enjoyed the intriguing and thrilling Mafia setting. The action sequences were good. The characters are morally grey yet very likable. I liked the humor. Infact this book had everything I like in a romance book, specifically m/m romances. But still it failed to won my heart.
The book wasn't as captivating as it could have been. My biggest issue with it was the narrative style. First person narrative and a single pov - the very thing I hate. First person narration works great for romance books but I like them to have dual povs. There were a lot of moments when I was itching for a quick peek into head. And I was irritated for not getting the chance to do so.
The chemistry was off. The age gap could have been done in a much better way. I hated the Daddy kink. Yuck...
Overall it just wasn't for me. If you love this book, awesome. And if you don't, let's do a high five. Okay, bye. Happy reading!!
No, thank you.
I am not exactly sure why I didn't liked this book. It was okay. Unshackled has an amazing plotline. I really enjoyed the intriguing and thrilling Mafia setting. The action sequences were good. The characters are morally grey yet very likable. I liked the humor. Infact this book had everything I like in a romance book, specifically m/m romances. But still it failed to won my heart.
The book wasn't as captivating as it could have been. My biggest issue with it was the narrative style. First person narrative and a single pov - the very thing I hate. First person narration works great for romance books but I like them to have dual povs. There were a lot of moments when I was itching for a quick peek into head. And I was irritated for not getting the chance to do so.
The chemistry was off. The age gap could have been done in a much better way. I hated the Daddy kink. Yuck...
Overall it just wasn't for me. If you love this book, awesome. And if you don't, let's do a high five. Okay, bye. Happy reading!!
November 22, 2021
No words
First off this book definitely should have come with trigger warnings. Talk of suicide, dub con, extreme violence, drug use AND torture.
I’m not even even sure what to write tbh. Was this great writing? Yes. Was the subject matter super gritty and compelling? Also yes.
The dub con made it hot. Shan was not the wiser until much later. This was told from Kellan’s pov. Age gap/ daddy overtones kept me reading despite the very heavy subject matter. It was angsty but with just the right amount.
They do get an HEA but it ended a bit abruptly for me. There are more books in the series but it will mostly be MF which I rarely read anymore. There might be glimpses of Kellan and Shan but I’ll hold out for their novella if it ever happens.
First off this book definitely should have come with trigger warnings. Talk of suicide, dub con, extreme violence, drug use AND torture.
I’m not even even sure what to write tbh. Was this great writing? Yes. Was the subject matter super gritty and compelling? Also yes.
The dub con made it hot. Shan was not the wiser until much later. This was told from Kellan’s pov. Age gap/ daddy overtones kept me reading despite the very heavy subject matter. It was angsty but with just the right amount.
They do get an HEA but it ended a bit abruptly for me. There are more books in the series but it will mostly be MF which I rarely read anymore. There might be glimpses of Kellan and Shan but I’ll hold out for their novella if it ever happens.
January 5, 2023
The grief that Shan was experiencing was so palpable I felt like I was sucked into it with him too. Wow. This book really showed what it is like to be in a relationship (from friends to lovers) with someone who is depressed. By the end, Shan was not 100% better and despite it hurting it was so REAL. That's how mental illness is. It doesn't just disappear at a moments notice or when you fall in love.
Kellan was a boss who was there for Shan every step of the way. It was quite a role reversal since he was in his late twenties, Shan in his forties and he was taking care of a pseudo father figure in every way except one.
I loved this honestly. I loved their relationship. It felt like a slow-burn and I believe that is because at the 55%ish mark, there still wasn't much, if any, progress with them coming together. So when they finally did, it wasn't as deep as I wanted it to be explored like the first part was into the grief. I also felt like this was not fully a standalone. I am not quite sure what series it connects too, but I did feel confused on some areas of the background, like I should have known based on what the book kept telling me.
I want more of Shan and Kellan 💓
Kellan was a boss who was there for Shan every step of the way. It was quite a role reversal since he was in his late twenties, Shan in his forties and he was taking care of a pseudo father figure in every way except one.
I loved this honestly. I loved their relationship. It felt like a slow-burn and I believe that is because at the 55%ish mark, there still wasn't much, if any, progress with them coming together. So when they finally did, it wasn't as deep as I wanted it to be explored like the first part was into the grief. I also felt like this was not fully a standalone. I am not quite sure what series it connects too, but I did feel confused on some areas of the background, like I should have known based on what the book kept telling me.
I want more of Shan and Kellan 💓
December 25, 2021
I liked it but I didn't feel any relationship development. I thinknI needed Shan's POV too.
November 26, 2021
Hmmm. This just didn’t work for me. Way too much of the syndicate during the first 60% left me wanting to skip ahead. And some real missed opportunities on the revelation regarding the secret meet ups. While I enjoyed the characters this one fell short.
July 4, 2025
Standalone done right!
It's been a while since I read anything from Cara Dee and I felt it was time I remedied that.
Also, just to note that this book really does well as a standalone.
I was happy to find out that her writing was still so evocative. I felt the loss that Shannon had been through and how Kellan itched to help him.
Then....Shannon made his request and the rest as they say was history.
These two together might have the best chemistry I've read about in a while. They Completely steamed up my kindle while making me want to sway at the emotional intensity.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and was sad when it finished...
I hope she releases similar books in the near future because I'll definitely be reading them.
It's been a while since I read anything from Cara Dee and I felt it was time I remedied that.
Also, just to note that this book really does well as a standalone.
I was happy to find out that her writing was still so evocative. I felt the loss that Shannon had been through and how Kellan itched to help him.
Then....Shannon made his request and the rest as they say was history.
These two together might have the best chemistry I've read about in a while. They Completely steamed up my kindle while making me want to sway at the emotional intensity.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and was sad when it finished...
I hope she releases similar books in the near future because I'll definitely be reading them.
Read
January 11, 2023I’m not going to leave a rating as it probably wouldn’t be fair considering I hate mafia books, lol.
I really only cared about the main MC’s so I found myself skimming most everything that didn’t directly involve both of them. Because… I hate mafia books. 😂 I felt like there was a ton of time spent on them basically as friends and since we didn’t get Shan’s perspective, it almost felt like his feeling’s developed overnight once they were revealed. Just felt like I was missing something there. But I absolutely LOVE it once they’re finally together. And the best friend/son was an absolute moron for missing that his dad and best friend were together for so long. Like… c’mon.
FYI, this is mislabeled as age play and it is REALLY confusing why that is. This isn’t even kinky. They make a joke out of the Daddy thing but that’s all there is so… weird. It is a super sexy book but it is also really sad because Shan struggles with extreme grief and depression all the way until the end.
But if you like age gap, hurt/comfort, and mafia, you should check this out.
I really only cared about the main MC’s so I found myself skimming most everything that didn’t directly involve both of them. Because… I hate mafia books. 😂 I felt like there was a ton of time spent on them basically as friends and since we didn’t get Shan’s perspective, it almost felt like his feeling’s developed overnight once they were revealed. Just felt like I was missing something there. But I absolutely LOVE it once they’re finally together. And the best friend/son was an absolute moron for missing that his dad and best friend were together for so long. Like… c’mon.
FYI, this is mislabeled as age play and it is REALLY confusing why that is. This isn’t even kinky. They make a joke out of the Daddy thing but that’s all there is so… weird. It is a super sexy book but it is also really sad because Shan struggles with extreme grief and depression all the way until the end.
But if you like age gap, hurt/comfort, and mafia, you should check this out.
Read
May 31, 2023I dnfed this last november, but wanted to pick it up again, if I would like more. I don't want to pick up again so... it's official: dnf.
November 25, 2021
3.5 stars
Far out. I both loved and was disappointed in this book. It’s Cara Dee, who very rarely misses the mark, so what could go wrong? Especially when you have so much good stuff to unpack.
Thrilling mafia setting…check.
Intriguing MC you want to know more about…check.
Angsty setup to a very slow-burn, age-gap romance…check. check. check.
I was so onboard here for more than 80% of this. I was thoroughly entertained and waiting for the spectacular pay off. I stayed up reading until 3:30am expecting a lot. But screech the damn brakes because the ending happened and then there was a whole lot of me going…is that it????
There’s two epilogues but I still didn’t feel like I got enough payoff for the amount of angst and time to be satisfied. I wanted more.
Still a pretty enjoyable read, just a little lacking on the relationship side for me. Oh, and calling someone Daddy in bed isn’t really age-play but whatever.
Far out. I both loved and was disappointed in this book. It’s Cara Dee, who very rarely misses the mark, so what could go wrong? Especially when you have so much good stuff to unpack.
Thrilling mafia setting…check.
Intriguing MC you want to know more about…check.
Angsty setup to a very slow-burn, age-gap romance…check. check. check.
I was so onboard here for more than 80% of this. I was thoroughly entertained and waiting for the spectacular pay off. I stayed up reading until 3:30am expecting a lot. But screech the damn brakes because the ending happened and then there was a whole lot of me going…is that it????
There’s two epilogues but I still didn’t feel like I got enough payoff for the amount of angst and time to be satisfied. I wanted more.
Still a pretty enjoyable read, just a little lacking on the relationship side for me. Oh, and calling someone Daddy in bed isn’t really age-play but whatever.
November 18, 2021
While this can be read as a standalone, I do highly recommend reading This Life I and II beforehand. It’s an amazing series.
Cara Dee has an incredible ability to really dig into her character’s emotions. One of the best parts of reading one of her books is knowing that the characters won’t be perfect, they will be just as messy as what’s in real life.
Grief is a challenging topic. Not only because of the emotion itself, which is difficult to capture, but how everyone grieves differently. Cara Dee showed that flawlessly. My heart hurt for the characters, I cried for them, and I love how she didn’t just make it all better immediately. The respect given to this topic was greatly appreciated.
I worried about how the author could tie this together, especially as I was already emotionally invested from the This Life series, but I never should have doubted her ability. It was powerful and delicately done. I greatly appreciate how she weaved the storyline together.
The character development is tremendous. The chemistry? Holy heck. I was glad I didn’t read it in public! The Daddy kink was delicious and I love the best friend’s father trope. Cara Dee elevated this and really created an excellent combination. It was extremely well balanced.
While the author really showcased the characters, the plotline remained strong. For someone who loves the This Life series, it hit everything I could want. I’m a mafia fan, and this gave me what I needed and wanted.
Overall, I couldn’t ask for anything better. Cara Dee’s writing truly shone in this one, more than normal even. It’s riveting and I’m already rereading it because I can’t stop.
5 stars for an emotionally engaging, scorching hot, and compelling read.
Cara Dee has an incredible ability to really dig into her character’s emotions. One of the best parts of reading one of her books is knowing that the characters won’t be perfect, they will be just as messy as what’s in real life.
Grief is a challenging topic. Not only because of the emotion itself, which is difficult to capture, but how everyone grieves differently. Cara Dee showed that flawlessly. My heart hurt for the characters, I cried for them, and I love how she didn’t just make it all better immediately. The respect given to this topic was greatly appreciated.
I worried about how the author could tie this together, especially as I was already emotionally invested from the This Life series, but I never should have doubted her ability. It was powerful and delicately done. I greatly appreciate how she weaved the storyline together.
The character development is tremendous. The chemistry? Holy heck. I was glad I didn’t read it in public! The Daddy kink was delicious and I love the best friend’s father trope. Cara Dee elevated this and really created an excellent combination. It was extremely well balanced.
While the author really showcased the characters, the plotline remained strong. For someone who loves the This Life series, it hit everything I could want. I’m a mafia fan, and this gave me what I needed and wanted.
Overall, I couldn’t ask for anything better. Cara Dee’s writing truly shone in this one, more than normal even. It’s riveting and I’m already rereading it because I can’t stop.
5 stars for an emotionally engaging, scorching hot, and compelling read.
April 28, 2022
Do paru rzeczy mogłabym się doczepić... Ale Kellana to ja kocham już z This Life, wiec mam dla niego miękkie serducho :) Szczerze wahałam się nad 4, ale co tam za Kellana 5 :)
November 22, 2021
Not really a review…
Just some thoughts…
1. I did not know this was related to This Life 1&2, it said stand-alone…I forgot how connected some of Cara’s books can actually be, but now…I’m less interested in reading This Life, knowing so many spoilers and all…
2. Not as steamy as I was expecting. Cara is great with steam, but this felt a bit light, surprisingly.
3. I liked it, it wan’t bad, just wasn’t really drawing me in for some reason.
Just some thoughts…
1. I did not know this was related to This Life 1&2, it said stand-alone…I forgot how connected some of Cara’s books can actually be, but now…I’m less interested in reading This Life, knowing so many spoilers and all…
2. Not as steamy as I was expecting. Cara is great with steam, but this felt a bit light, surprisingly.
3. I liked it, it wan’t bad, just wasn’t really drawing me in for some reason.
December 3, 2021
4.5 stars!
December 18, 2024
I have loved Kellan for a while. Most notably, I remember him as being the tough mafia guy from Philly who helped Gray and Jayden in the Auctioned series. The This Life books didn’t hold any appeal to me so I have not read them.
I had a tough time with a few aspects in this book. First and foremost, it REALLY bothered me that Kellan was doing coke. I get that he’s mafia and they deal in that stuff, but it didn’t sit well with me.
Second, I never felt any connection between Kellan and Shan on Shan’s behalf. Kellan’s feeling were well known because the book is told from his POV. I read a lot of books that are written from a single character’s POV and it doesn’t bother me. But I didn’t feel that Cara Dee properly illustrated the feelings between the two MCs. It felt like Shan’s feelings towards Kellan were indifferent. His actions never told anything deeper than that. The story was going along and then all of a sudden around the 75% mark, Shan is making the moves on Kellan. It came out of nowhere! Kellan’s feelings were always clear, but I never got any indication that Shan was into Kellan at all until that point. Then it was wham, bam, and happily ever after. 🤯🤯
Third, while Kellan was still a heavy for the SoM and still made kills, he ended off coming across like a whimp by the end of the book. I didn’t like that. I still wanted to see the tough guy that he was.
Idk. Cara Dee used to be one of my go to authors who never disappointed. The past few have been a miss for me. I’m not one to give a book a 5 star rating based solely on the fact that she wrote it.
I had a tough time with a few aspects in this book. First and foremost, it REALLY bothered me that Kellan was doing coke. I get that he’s mafia and they deal in that stuff, but it didn’t sit well with me.
Second, I never felt any connection between Kellan and Shan on Shan’s behalf. Kellan’s feeling were well known because the book is told from his POV. I read a lot of books that are written from a single character’s POV and it doesn’t bother me. But I didn’t feel that Cara Dee properly illustrated the feelings between the two MCs. It felt like Shan’s feelings towards Kellan were indifferent. His actions never told anything deeper than that. The story was going along and then all of a sudden around the 75% mark, Shan is making the moves on Kellan. It came out of nowhere! Kellan’s feelings were always clear, but I never got any indication that Shan was into Kellan at all until that point. Then it was wham, bam, and happily ever after. 🤯🤯
Third, while Kellan was still a heavy for the SoM and still made kills, he ended off coming across like a whimp by the end of the book. I didn’t like that. I still wanted to see the tough guy that he was.
Idk. Cara Dee used to be one of my go to authors who never disappointed. The past few have been a miss for me. I’m not one to give a book a 5 star rating based solely on the fact that she wrote it.
November 22, 2021
UHHHH, I loved this. So so so so so good.
Kellan was such a great character like he was literally way too funny sometimes. I loved his materialistic side and him being so possessive of his things. Like dude was relatable.
Shan was such a Daddy. When he told Kellan that he knew he had teased him into getting together, I was bout to fall out of my seat. He got the Daddy thing going way too well for him. He was also so protective of Kellan it was so sweet.
I wished Finn could have found out about their relationship sooner. The Daddy jokes Kellan would come up with would be legendary.
I didn't mind the side plot, but to be honest, I was all here for the romance. And the smut. Wouldn't have minded more of it, though. Just saying...
I hope Cara Dee is coming out with some more BDSM books soon. Like I miss them. Plus, her smut game has been a bit lacking. Some more details would be appreciated.
Kellan was such a great character like he was literally way too funny sometimes. I loved his materialistic side and him being so possessive of his things. Like dude was relatable.
Shan was such a Daddy. When he told Kellan that he knew he had teased him into getting together, I was bout to fall out of my seat. He got the Daddy thing going way too well for him. He was also so protective of Kellan it was so sweet.
I wished Finn could have found out about their relationship sooner. The Daddy jokes Kellan would come up with would be legendary.
I didn't mind the side plot, but to be honest, I was all here for the romance. And the smut. Wouldn't have minded more of it, though. Just saying...
I hope Cara Dee is coming out with some more BDSM books soon. Like I miss them. Plus, her smut game has been a bit lacking. Some more details would be appreciated.
November 22, 2021
4.5 stars: sweet, hot, funny the perfect mix to keep me up all night until I was finished.
November 14, 2021
Though written so it could be a stand-alone, Unshackled is a part Cara Dee's This Life saga. Full of heart, angst, sorrow, laughter and a little mob action thrown in for good measure. Cara deals with a hard topic when writing a romance, loss of a spouse, a child, and does it with great empathy. Shan's been shattered in his soul at the losses he's had in the past year of his life. He's reached a point where he feels like nothing , that he's nothing to anyone. Kellan has admired his best friend's father all his life. They are all hurting and trying to move on. It's not a quick fix, time is what is needed but there's always been a pull to Shan, only Kellan thought nothing would ever come from it. Helping each other heal bring them closer and closer.
This was definitely worth the wait for. It took me a minute to wrap my head around this idea when I first heard about it, fresh from reading This Life 1 and 2, but afterwards I couldn't wait to see how Cara developed this storyline.
Loved it so much. Tissues are definitely needed.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This was definitely worth the wait for. It took me a minute to wrap my head around this idea when I first heard about it, fresh from reading This Life 1 and 2, but afterwards I couldn't wait to see how Cara developed this storyline.
Loved it so much. Tissues are definitely needed.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 8, 2021
4.5 - 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was so good!! 😍😍😍
I don’t often read age gap romances and the few I have read were straight romances and nothing that wowed me, but this one? I loved this story, because it was so much more than I expected!!! ❤️
In the beginning I was mostly like “oh god, this cannot possibly turn out well. This situation is so messed up and it will definitely result in drama and nothing good. But it all came differently.❤️
First of all, all the characters in this story were great, but Kellan is just top notch. This man - and all the characters - had to experience big loss and the grief is a constant presence in this book, but he is still so strong. He has all these emotions in him and while he is trying to stay strong for everyone else he had no issue expressing his emotion, especially later on in the story. He is not afraid of letting tears run down his face, of expressing love. All the emotion present in this book really sucked me in and not just with Kellan, but in general. The author has a talent of bringing all the emotions across and that made this book so much more, made me love the book so much more and helped me connect to all the characters so much more while reading.
Shan is similar. He is helpless in his grief and he is deep in depression struggling to get out of it, thinking of whether it would help his loved ones if he weren’t there anymore and he was just struggling so much, which immediately made me feel strongly with him.
And then… the style. Both Kellan and Shan just have so much style always being immaculately clothed and their clothing… suits, wrist watches, suit vests, SUSPENDERS for goodness sake!!! Just the image in my head is just chef’s kiss.
The only reason I might or might not deduct half a star is the plot surrounding the war, because I felt like I wanted a little more action in there, HOWEVER, this was clearly not the main focus point of the story, it just set a frame for the story and therefore I’ll be giving the full 5 star rating on sites as Goodreads, BookBub etc. 🥰
This was so good!! 😍😍😍
I don’t often read age gap romances and the few I have read were straight romances and nothing that wowed me, but this one? I loved this story, because it was so much more than I expected!!! ❤️
In the beginning I was mostly like “oh god, this cannot possibly turn out well. This situation is so messed up and it will definitely result in drama and nothing good. But it all came differently.❤️
First of all, all the characters in this story were great, but Kellan is just top notch. This man - and all the characters - had to experience big loss and the grief is a constant presence in this book, but he is still so strong. He has all these emotions in him and while he is trying to stay strong for everyone else he had no issue expressing his emotion, especially later on in the story. He is not afraid of letting tears run down his face, of expressing love. All the emotion present in this book really sucked me in and not just with Kellan, but in general. The author has a talent of bringing all the emotions across and that made this book so much more, made me love the book so much more and helped me connect to all the characters so much more while reading.
Shan is similar. He is helpless in his grief and he is deep in depression struggling to get out of it, thinking of whether it would help his loved ones if he weren’t there anymore and he was just struggling so much, which immediately made me feel strongly with him.
And then… the style. Both Kellan and Shan just have so much style always being immaculately clothed and their clothing… suits, wrist watches, suit vests, SUSPENDERS for goodness sake!!! Just the image in my head is just chef’s kiss.
The only reason I might or might not deduct half a star is the plot surrounding the war, because I felt like I wanted a little more action in there, HOWEVER, this was clearly not the main focus point of the story, it just set a frame for the story and therefore I’ll be giving the full 5 star rating on sites as Goodreads, BookBub etc. 🥰
November 20, 2021
To say this story is a romance is true-- it’s got the happily ever after to prove it. It’s also true to call this a story about family, about grief, and about the different shapes love takes and the things people are willing to do for it. Plus, you know, a bit of crime, intrigue, and violence, since both Kellan and Shannon (Shan) are card carrying members of an Irish crime family. Kellan makes for one heck of a compelling narrator: he’s got a sharp wit, a compelling fashion sense, an eminently sensible distrust of babies, and a heart of gold to go with his possessive streak and efficiently ruthless work persona. He’s also been in love with his best friend’s father for as long as he can remember, and his relationship with Shannon is built on that love, on helping Shannon weather the grief of those they’ve lost and his depression, as well as the fact that they have crazy-hot physical chemistry. I love how nuanced the characters are here, and how easy it is to get drawn into their world. As much fun as the banter between Kellan and his friends and fellow mafia members is, what they are isn’t depicted through rosy-edged glasses: there’s violence, murder, and an aggravating level of ingrained misogyny in their day-to-day lives (love, by the way, all the female characters in the Family currently making inroads on that nightmare). It’s complicated, but that just makes it compelling. Grief and depression are also treated with insight and care-- love doesn’t magically “cure” Shannon, and both Kellan and Shannon understand that it’s not supposed to. This is, for so many reasons, a great read: there’s heat, insight, humor, intrigue and so much love. Plus, Daddy jokes. Like, a lot of them.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
November 19, 2021
Cara comes out swinging hard with this one. I'm not even sure I can truly express how much I loved this book but I'll give it my best. This book starts with a bang and it's not a very pretty sight but oh does it pull you in. I loved that we get you go back into the world of the Son's, oh I've missed them so, but I don't think there was any suprise that my favorite part is and was the impeccably dressed always loyal Kellan Ford!! Gah that man then you put him with Shannon O'Shea and it's all but over. These two do not have an easy road and this book is not all about romance but it is a book that you'll love It's a book that tells the truth about the struggles of loss and how it's now an easy road or a pretty sight that just goes away overnight and sad as it was at times the authors words were honest and true and it made this book a story you had to have more of. Which by the way was my only complaint, I just want MORE of Kellan and Shan.
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