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Elite Protection Services #2
Captivating
Jayne Shepherd has spent his life blending in. He smiles. He laughs. He’s likable. He’s also a sociopath. His emotions are limited. Love, fear, desire don’t exist in his world. Until he meets Elijah.
Elijah Dunne had everything. Third generation Hollywood royalty. Child star. Untouchable. Until one man ruined it all. Elijah fled LA to try to forget, but now, he’s back on top and back on a monster’s radar. Elijah doesn’t think he’ll ever feel safe. Until he meets Shepherd.
Elijah and Shep only have one thing in common. They both wear masks. Shep makes Elijah feel protected. Seen. Elijah makes Shep just feel. Now that he’s had a taste, he’s not about to let him go.
Everybody warns that what they have isn’t real. Shep is obsessed with Elijah, not in love. But Elijah craves Shep’s obsession. He can’t imagine life without him. In Hollywood, being a sociopath is more a life skill than a diagnosis. Could Shep be the monster Elijah needs to finally slay his demons?
Captivating is the second book in the Elite Protection Services Series and contains age-gap, cum-play, voyeurism and one very sexy interrogation scene complete at 72,000 words with a HEA and no cliffhangers.
Trigger Warnings: This book contains talk of past child sexual abuse
Elijah Dunne had everything. Third generation Hollywood royalty. Child star. Untouchable. Until one man ruined it all. Elijah fled LA to try to forget, but now, he’s back on top and back on a monster’s radar. Elijah doesn’t think he’ll ever feel safe. Until he meets Shepherd.
Elijah and Shep only have one thing in common. They both wear masks. Shep makes Elijah feel protected. Seen. Elijah makes Shep just feel. Now that he’s had a taste, he’s not about to let him go.
Everybody warns that what they have isn’t real. Shep is obsessed with Elijah, not in love. But Elijah craves Shep’s obsession. He can’t imagine life without him. In Hollywood, being a sociopath is more a life skill than a diagnosis. Could Shep be the monster Elijah needs to finally slay his demons?
Captivating is the second book in the Elite Protection Services Series and contains age-gap, cum-play, voyeurism and one very sexy interrogation scene complete at 72,000 words with a HEA and no cliffhangers.
Trigger Warnings: This book contains talk of past child sexual abuse
298 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 3, 2019
378 people are currently reading
1763 people want to read
About the author
Onley James
40 books3,715 followersOnley James lives in North Carolina with her daughter, her daughter-in-law, son-in-law, and a menagerie of animals, both good and evil. James splits her time between writing m/m romance and mainlining dangerous levels of caffeine and attempting to maintain her ever-slipping sanity.
When not at her desk you can find her whining about how much writing she has to do while avoiding said writing by binge-watching unhealthy amounts of television and doom scrolling on social media. She loves true crime documentaries, anti-heroes, and writing kinky, snarky books about morally gray men who fall in love with other men.
Stay up to date: www.onleyjames.com/newsletter
Find me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Onley...
Want more: linktr.ee/OnleyJames
When not at her desk you can find her whining about how much writing she has to do while avoiding said writing by binge-watching unhealthy amounts of television and doom scrolling on social media. She loves true crime documentaries, anti-heroes, and writing kinky, snarky books about morally gray men who fall in love with other men.
Stay up to date: www.onleyjames.com/newsletter
Find me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Onley...
Want more: linktr.ee/OnleyJames
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 576 reviews
January 8, 2023
eli: *does nothing but exist*
shep: call me old fashioned but i was raised to serve my husband. i clean the dishes and cook him food. i do whatever he says because he is my husband and he makes the rules around the house. he owns me. if he ever cheats on me it's because i was lacking.
i will always love the trope where the older man is completely obsessed and whipped for his younger lover. shep treated eli like a spoiled king, as he should. that man would do anything as long as eli was happy. his happiness didn’t even matter, just elijah’s. he said “no thoughts, head empty, just eli.”
this was ott and cute, not what i expected on a book featuring a sociopath, but it worked so well for me and that’s all that matters. most of my enjoyment is from shep’s obsession. everything and everyone else was second.
🖤 high functioning sociopath x a-list celebrity
🖤 possessiveness, obsessiveness, neediness
🖤 20 year age difference (eli is 22, shep is 42)
🖤 client x bodyguard
🖤 “who did this to you” “touch him and i’ll kill you” “as long as you’re happy”’
shep: call me old fashioned but i was raised to serve my husband. i clean the dishes and cook him food. i do whatever he says because he is my husband and he makes the rules around the house. he owns me. if he ever cheats on me it's because i was lacking.
i will always love the trope where the older man is completely obsessed and whipped for his younger lover. shep treated eli like a spoiled king, as he should. that man would do anything as long as eli was happy. his happiness didn’t even matter, just elijah’s. he said “no thoughts, head empty, just eli.”
this was ott and cute, not what i expected on a book featuring a sociopath, but it worked so well for me and that’s all that matters. most of my enjoyment is from shep’s obsession. everything and everyone else was second.
🖤 high functioning sociopath x a-list celebrity
🖤 possessiveness, obsessiveness, neediness
🖤 20 year age difference (eli is 22, shep is 42)
🖤 client x bodyguard
🖤 “who did this to you” “touch him and i’ll kill you” “as long as you’re happy”’
September 1, 2021
Jesus Christ. Talk about twisted love
So this was not what I expected at all and I feel like that’s a theme every time I go into a book by this author.
Shep and Elijah completely stole my heart. Both of their innocence when it came to relationships and opening up and making themselves vulnerable hit the spot for me.
Shep was definitely a high functioning sociopath and the way he tried to learn how to be the man for Elijah was adorable. I loved how they had complete honesty between the two.
Shep had watched a video to learn how to give Elijah a blowjob. He’d studied up. For him. Just for him. His chest felt tight and a lump formed in his throat. It was such a bizarrely sweet gesture and so very… Shep.
Did I love this one? No. But it really made me want to read more by the author. There were more than a few moments in the book that came off as flat and almost boring to me. But that’s probably just me. I was quite surprised that this one didn’t have a daddy kink. I think I would’ve liked it more if it did, because Shep kept referring to Elijah as his boy. But I heard this author also does daddy kink, so I realllyy want to try that
“You are the first thing I think about in the morning and the last thing I think about at night. You are the only person who makes me smile. I feel like something is missing when you leave the room. I would protect you with my life. Is that love?”
Overall. I liked this one. Not sure if it would be a favorite but I am excited to read more.
So this was not what I expected at all and I feel like that’s a theme every time I go into a book by this author.
Shep and Elijah completely stole my heart. Both of their innocence when it came to relationships and opening up and making themselves vulnerable hit the spot for me.
Shep was definitely a high functioning sociopath and the way he tried to learn how to be the man for Elijah was adorable. I loved how they had complete honesty between the two.
Shep had watched a video to learn how to give Elijah a blowjob. He’d studied up. For him. Just for him. His chest felt tight and a lump formed in his throat. It was such a bizarrely sweet gesture and so very… Shep.
Did I love this one? No. But it really made me want to read more by the author. There were more than a few moments in the book that came off as flat and almost boring to me. But that’s probably just me. I was quite surprised that this one didn’t have a daddy kink. I think I would’ve liked it more if it did, because Shep kept referring to Elijah as his boy. But I heard this author also does daddy kink, so I realllyy want to try that
“You are the first thing I think about in the morning and the last thing I think about at night. You are the only person who makes me smile. I feel like something is missing when you leave the room. I would protect you with my life. Is that love?”
Overall. I liked this one. Not sure if it would be a favorite but I am excited to read more.
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January 6, 2023
4 stars ☆
“You are the first thing I think about in the morning and the last thing I think about at night. You are the only person who makes me smile. I feel like something is missing when you leave the room. I would protect you with my life. Is that love?”
the question is, when will i meet someone who would kill for me and bring me the heart and ashes of someone who has done me wrong the way Shep did for Elijah? 😳
but seriously, after reading this book, i've come to the conclusion that, although the Mulvaney family (Necessary Evils series) will most likely stay as my favorites of Onley James' characters, i still enjoyed this book for what it was.
Shep's character alone was 5-star worthy.
i loved that man.
this book overall, however, is more towards four stars for me. i loved Shep and the romance was unique enough to keep my interest until the end, but Elijah gave me a whiplash. there were times when i felt for him bc of what he endured in the past but, other times, he just annoyed me. 😅 for side characters, Calder lowkey caught my eye but not sure if i'm interested enough to read his book (at the moment, at least). this book was still good though, it's just not a favorite.
p.s. i'm disappointed .
“You are the first thing I think about in the morning and the last thing I think about at night. You are the only person who makes me smile. I feel like something is missing when you leave the room. I would protect you with my life. Is that love?”
the question is, when will i meet someone who would kill for me and bring me the heart and ashes of someone who has done me wrong the way Shep did for Elijah? 😳
but seriously, after reading this book, i've come to the conclusion that, although the Mulvaney family (Necessary Evils series) will most likely stay as my favorites of Onley James' characters, i still enjoyed this book for what it was.
Shep's character alone was 5-star worthy.
i loved that man.
this book overall, however, is more towards four stars for me. i loved Shep and the romance was unique enough to keep my interest until the end, but Elijah gave me a whiplash. there were times when i felt for him bc of what he endured in the past but, other times, he just annoyed me. 😅 for side characters, Calder lowkey caught my eye but not sure if i'm interested enough to read his book (at the moment, at least). this book was still good though, it's just not a favorite.
p.s. i'm disappointed .
December 15, 2020
Re-read December 2020
I still really like this.
-------------------------------------
4.25 stars
Now this was quite good!
I loved reading a book about a sociopath finding love. Shep and Elijah were so well suited.
At first I wasn’t sure about Elijah. He seemed a bit of a brat, but then he showed his true self and I started to really like him.
This book was completely character driven and I loved that! Most books do a traumatized event on the side and have the MC concentrate on something else while dealing with it.
But I was so glad this book was just about two things: Elijah’s traumatic experience from when he was 12, and Shep’s ability to feel since he was a sociopath.
Jayne Shepherd is a 42 year old ex-military. He has just been hired by Jackson to work for Elite Protection Services, and his first assignment is protecting 22 year old Elijah Dunne. Elijah is a famous movie star and since he was recently outed he received some death treaths.
When Shep meets Elijah he is immediately fascinated by the younger man. Shep has learned to read people so he can act accordingly, but Elijah is hard to read.
With Elijah Shep finds himself incapable of wearing the mask he usually wears around people. People see the happy, carefree guy who is even a bit cocky. But Shep has learned from a young age to fake it well. He is a sociopath and his parents taught him how to function so other people don’t notice.
Elijah is a mess. His manager is a real bitch, but also his mother. He is never himself around people and he’s sick of being in the spotlight. He also never had a relationship because he is scared of anyone getting too close after being raped when he was 12.
But somehow the two of them work. Elijah starts to fall in love with Shep, and Shep will do anything to make Elijah happy. Even get rid of people who have hurt him…
These guys were just amazing together. Shep was so different from what I expected when I started this book. I expected an emotionless man who didn’t really care about anything, but that wasn’t Shep at all. He was fun and carefree around other people, but was himself around Elijah. He was extremely dedicated and possessive of Elijah, but he still wanted nothing more than for Elijah to be happy.
This book mostly deals with Elijah’s traumatic past and him trying to get over that. I was glad he had Shep to take care of him.
Some people have commented on the ending and while it wasn’t conventional, it quite fit the story.
I still really like this.
-------------------------------------
4.25 stars
Now this was quite good!
I loved reading a book about a sociopath finding love. Shep and Elijah were so well suited.
At first I wasn’t sure about Elijah. He seemed a bit of a brat, but then he showed his true self and I started to really like him.
This book was completely character driven and I loved that! Most books do a traumatized event on the side and have the MC concentrate on something else while dealing with it.
But I was so glad this book was just about two things: Elijah’s traumatic experience from when he was 12, and Shep’s ability to feel since he was a sociopath.
Jayne Shepherd is a 42 year old ex-military. He has just been hired by Jackson to work for Elite Protection Services, and his first assignment is protecting 22 year old Elijah Dunne. Elijah is a famous movie star and since he was recently outed he received some death treaths.
When Shep meets Elijah he is immediately fascinated by the younger man. Shep has learned to read people so he can act accordingly, but Elijah is hard to read.
With Elijah Shep finds himself incapable of wearing the mask he usually wears around people. People see the happy, carefree guy who is even a bit cocky. But Shep has learned from a young age to fake it well. He is a sociopath and his parents taught him how to function so other people don’t notice.
Elijah is a mess. His manager is a real bitch, but also his mother. He is never himself around people and he’s sick of being in the spotlight. He also never had a relationship because he is scared of anyone getting too close after being raped when he was 12.
But somehow the two of them work. Elijah starts to fall in love with Shep, and Shep will do anything to make Elijah happy. Even get rid of people who have hurt him…
These guys were just amazing together. Shep was so different from what I expected when I started this book. I expected an emotionless man who didn’t really care about anything, but that wasn’t Shep at all. He was fun and carefree around other people, but was himself around Elijah. He was extremely dedicated and possessive of Elijah, but he still wanted nothing more than for Elijah to be happy.
This book mostly deals with Elijah’s traumatic past and him trying to get over that. I was glad he had Shep to take care of him.
Some people have commented on the ending and while it wasn’t conventional, it quite fit the story.
November 10, 2020
5 “this body is yours” stars
Firstly, this is probably the most fascinating book I have ever read. Shep is a high-functioning sociopath, and as the book explains: “A sociopath has limited empathy and can form some level of attachment.’’ but Shep’s mom has been studying behavioral psychology for years and she put him through a lot of things so that can pass like everyone else, meaning that at first glance you would never know that is a sociopath, he acts like everyone else, having learnt how to read people and how to act like they expect him to act. But also, that allows him to form attachment. He only has ever formed one in his entire life (to a dog when he was a kid). And the second he sees Elijah, he forms his second attachment of his entire life. I loved seeing Shep and how he dealt with that attachment. It’s so simple for him, he knowns that it’s Elijah that he wants and thats it: “I don’t need to date him. I want him. I don’t need to test him out. I just want him to know I’ve…chosen him.”
I loved Elijah. He is a very famous actor but he’s lost and he’s not allowed to be himself (his mom is his manager and she allows him be gay in public, but he can’t be the man he wants be, he needs to be the man she wants him to be at all times). Elijah’s mom is just the worst, she has never wanted what is best for him, she just wants him to be successful actor. Elijah has lived through a lot and he deserves the best, and the best for him is Shep, who would do everything to protect him. And Shep realizes the fact that Elijah is hidding so he decided to show him his true colours and not his fake persona so that people don’t realize that he doesn’t feel any emotions, in a effort to get Elijah to open up to him. God did I love how these two started to be more true with each other and showing their true self. These two are perfect for each other. They fit so well together because Elijah is a man that needs attention and someone to be devoted to him and Shep would do everything for his man and takes care of him at all time.
I loved loved loved how Elijah never gave up on Shep, even when he learnt that he is a sociopath, he just tried to inform himself so that he knew what he was dealing with, but he knew that he wanted Shep and went for it and I adored that. “Your mother says your obsession with me could be dangerous for those around me,” Elijah told him between open mouth kisses. “I don’t care. She wants to talk to us together tomorrow. I don’t care. She might say us being together is a horrible idea. I…don’t...care,” he promised, teasing his tongue along Shep’s bottom lip. “All I care about is you and me and whatever this is between us’’. and also ‘’So, you’re a sociopath. All relationships have issues. It could be worse. You could be a republican.”
And Shep, dear god Shep. I loved how he explained how he feels about Elijah: “You are the first thing I think about in the morning and the last thing I think about at night. You are the only person who makes me smile. I feel like something is missing when you leave the room. I would protect you with my life. Is that love?” It’s so pure. He has no clue how human emotions feel and how one experience them, but he knowns that for the first time in his life he wants someone, Elijah, and thats all that matters to him. That man would do anything for Elijah, but mostly anything to make sure that he’s safe and that no one hurts him. Because Shep can’t form regular attachments, he is really really possesive, Elijah is his and his alone and no one hurts whats his. Here is how Shep describes how Elijah makes him feel: “Seeing you happy is the closest thing to happy I can experience. You’re mine. Providing for you, giving you what you need, that… moves something in me, but that’s as close to happy as I can get.”
One thing I really loved is how Shep gets a tattoo that says ‘’This body is yours’’ . Because as he explains: “I’m yours. This body is yours. It belongs to you. Whatever you need to be happy, whatever you want to do with it, I’ll give it to you.”
Oh and one last thing, that fucking ending, holy fucking shit! It’s so very them, I loved it.
I just adored everything about this. This has to be one of my favourite book I have ever read. But mostly, I fucking loved reading about Shep and how him being a sociopath affects his life and how he works and all. This is so damn fascinating. It’s a wonderful book and it’s so well done.
Firstly, this is probably the most fascinating book I have ever read. Shep is a high-functioning sociopath, and as the book explains: “A sociopath has limited empathy and can form some level of attachment.’’ but Shep’s mom has been studying behavioral psychology for years and she put him through a lot of things so that can pass like everyone else, meaning that at first glance you would never know that is a sociopath, he acts like everyone else, having learnt how to read people and how to act like they expect him to act. But also, that allows him to form attachment. He only has ever formed one in his entire life (to a dog when he was a kid). And the second he sees Elijah, he forms his second attachment of his entire life. I loved seeing Shep and how he dealt with that attachment. It’s so simple for him, he knowns that it’s Elijah that he wants and thats it: “I don’t need to date him. I want him. I don’t need to test him out. I just want him to know I’ve…chosen him.”
I loved Elijah. He is a very famous actor but he’s lost and he’s not allowed to be himself (his mom is his manager and she allows him be gay in public, but he can’t be the man he wants be, he needs to be the man she wants him to be at all times). Elijah’s mom is just the worst, she has never wanted what is best for him, she just wants him to be successful actor. Elijah has lived through a lot and he deserves the best, and the best for him is Shep, who would do everything to protect him. And Shep realizes the fact that Elijah is hidding so he decided to show him his true colours and not his fake persona so that people don’t realize that he doesn’t feel any emotions, in a effort to get Elijah to open up to him. God did I love how these two started to be more true with each other and showing their true self. These two are perfect for each other. They fit so well together because Elijah is a man that needs attention and someone to be devoted to him and Shep would do everything for his man and takes care of him at all time.
I loved loved loved how Elijah never gave up on Shep, even when he learnt that he is a sociopath, he just tried to inform himself so that he knew what he was dealing with, but he knew that he wanted Shep and went for it and I adored that. “Your mother says your obsession with me could be dangerous for those around me,” Elijah told him between open mouth kisses. “I don’t care. She wants to talk to us together tomorrow. I don’t care. She might say us being together is a horrible idea. I…don’t...care,” he promised, teasing his tongue along Shep’s bottom lip. “All I care about is you and me and whatever this is between us’’. and also ‘’So, you’re a sociopath. All relationships have issues. It could be worse. You could be a republican.”
And Shep, dear god Shep. I loved how he explained how he feels about Elijah: “You are the first thing I think about in the morning and the last thing I think about at night. You are the only person who makes me smile. I feel like something is missing when you leave the room. I would protect you with my life. Is that love?” It’s so pure. He has no clue how human emotions feel and how one experience them, but he knowns that for the first time in his life he wants someone, Elijah, and thats all that matters to him. That man would do anything for Elijah, but mostly anything to make sure that he’s safe and that no one hurts him. Because Shep can’t form regular attachments, he is really really possesive, Elijah is his and his alone and no one hurts whats his. Here is how Shep describes how Elijah makes him feel: “Seeing you happy is the closest thing to happy I can experience. You’re mine. Providing for you, giving you what you need, that… moves something in me, but that’s as close to happy as I can get.”
One thing I really loved is how Shep gets a tattoo that says ‘’This body is yours’’ . Because as he explains: “I’m yours. This body is yours. It belongs to you. Whatever you need to be happy, whatever you want to do with it, I’ll give it to you.”
Oh and one last thing, that fucking ending, holy fucking shit! It’s so very them, I loved it.
I just adored everything about this. This has to be one of my favourite book I have ever read. But mostly, I fucking loved reading about Shep and how him being a sociopath affects his life and how he works and all. This is so damn fascinating. It’s a wonderful book and it’s so well done.
August 6, 2020
4.25 Stars!
I'm reading these all out of order. This series wasn't on my radar but a friend recommended book 4 and after enjoying it I decided to go back and try some others in the series. The blurb on this one appealed to me so I started here.
And I have to say I think I enjoyed this one a bit more than book 4. I found Shep's sociopath character very interesting. And I found the romance a bit more believable in this one.
Just like the other books I've read by this author, this one was smoking hot.
But that ending was WEIRD AF. Kind of had me shaking my head but at the same time it was kind of fitting for these two.
I will likely now read book 1, still on the fence with book 3 - but Onley James is definitely on my radar!
I'm reading these all out of order. This series wasn't on my radar but a friend recommended book 4 and after enjoying it I decided to go back and try some others in the series. The blurb on this one appealed to me so I started here.
And I have to say I think I enjoyed this one a bit more than book 4. I found Shep's sociopath character very interesting. And I found the romance a bit more believable in this one.
Just like the other books I've read by this author, this one was smoking hot.
But that ending was WEIRD AF. Kind of had me shaking my head but at the same time it was kind of fitting for these two.
I will likely now read book 1, still on the fence with book 3 - but Onley James is definitely on my radar!
January 8, 2023
4**** stars
I wasn’t particularly in the mood for this one, but I picked it up anyway (after putting it off long enough) to feel fully prepared for Lunatic that releases tomorrow - because that’s when the Mulvaney family collides with the world of the Elite Protection Services.
And what can I say. I hadn’t expected to like the story about Shep (bodyguard and sociopath) and the young Oscar winning actor Elijah so much but I did.
The plot itself however feels familiar like a typical OJ - which is not a bad thing, I love her stories, the deeper topics she chooses to put more light on and her writing after all. But anyway the story felt like I read it before. Because I know the psycho ways of thinking from the Mulvanyes and read the first book in this series where an older bodyguard falls for their younger target. (I think the next one in the series is the same as well.)
I loved to learn more about sociopathy and psychopathy tho and I believe Onley James does a good job here - also because I assume she has extensive personal experience with the topic as a former psychiatric nurse.
All in all it was a nice read and I am so giddy now to meet Mac (the sociopath’s twin brother) and his mother Dr Molly Shepard again in Lunatic. *whoop whoop
************
Elite Protection Services series:
Book #1 - Intoxicating - 4.25 stars
Book #2 - Captivating - 4 stars
I wasn’t particularly in the mood for this one, but I picked it up anyway (after putting it off long enough) to feel fully prepared for Lunatic that releases tomorrow - because that’s when the Mulvaney family collides with the world of the Elite Protection Services.
And what can I say. I hadn’t expected to like the story about Shep (bodyguard and sociopath) and the young Oscar winning actor Elijah so much but I did.
“What bachelor party?”
“The one that has lots of pictures of us getting drunk in Tijuana. Pictures that are hitting social media any minute now.”
“You spent four days getting drunk in Tijuana?”
“No, we spent three days assassinating a child predator and one day making it look like we spent four days getting drunk in Tijuana. Keep up, rabbit.”
The plot itself however feels familiar like a typical OJ - which is not a bad thing, I love her stories, the deeper topics she chooses to put more light on and her writing after all. But anyway the story felt like I read it before. Because I know the psycho ways of thinking from the Mulvanyes and read the first book in this series where an older bodyguard falls for their younger target. (I think the next one in the series is the same as well.)
I loved to learn more about sociopathy and psychopathy tho and I believe Onley James does a good job here - also because I assume she has extensive personal experience with the topic as a former psychiatric nurse.
All in all it was a nice read and I am so giddy now to meet Mac (the sociopath’s twin brother) and his mother Dr Molly Shepard again in Lunatic. *whoop whoop
************
Elite Protection Services series:
Book #1 - Intoxicating - 4.25 stars
Book #2 - Captivating - 4 stars
January 5, 2025
I really, really liked this. Even the end. I wonder what that says about me?
12/19/2019 I had to read it again. I don’t know. The sociopath’s devotion is really doing it for me.
1/15/2020 A new decade, and I’m still loving the sociopath.
2/29/2020 The sociopath just does it for me. I adore Shep. I still don’t know what that says about me, but I don’t really care. On to book 3!
4/1/2020 What? So I have read this multiple times in just a few months. I’m not ashamed😳. Shep is captivating.😂 🥰
8/6/2020 I’ve had a sucky week. I needed Shep.
8/12/2021 I needed Sam and Rabbit.
9/19/2021 Ok. I can’t believe what I’m about to say. It’s official. I love August just a smidge more than Shep. Don’t get me wrong. I’m still hopelessly devoted to Sam and Rabbit, but…
1/17/2022 reading about Sam and Rabbit made for the perfect companion while getting my hair done. I love them so much
12/19/2019 I had to read it again. I don’t know. The sociopath’s devotion is really doing it for me.
1/15/2020 A new decade, and I’m still loving the sociopath.
2/29/2020 The sociopath just does it for me. I adore Shep. I still don’t know what that says about me, but I don’t really care. On to book 3!
4/1/2020 What? So I have read this multiple times in just a few months. I’m not ashamed😳. Shep is captivating.😂 🥰
8/6/2020 I’ve had a sucky week. I needed Shep.
8/12/2021 I needed Sam and Rabbit.
9/19/2021 Ok. I can’t believe what I’m about to say. It’s official. I love August just a smidge more than Shep. Don’t get me wrong. I’m still hopelessly devoted to Sam and Rabbit, but…
1/17/2022 reading about Sam and Rabbit made for the perfect companion while getting my hair done. I love them so much
March 28, 2021
Audio 3.25 Stars Liam D. Is a good narrator, but I appreciate his performance better when he's paired with another narrator.
Story 3.5 Stars
I loved the IDEA of Jayne's character. A sociopath who falls in love. But between the writing and the narrator's performance, he came ascross more like a caricature at time. The narrator did a great job with Elijah's character though.
What got me to finish the book, was the relationship. It was sweet and at times funny. The MCs were so devoted to each other and so affectionate. I can't resist a couple like that. 😍
Story 3.5 Stars
I loved the IDEA of Jayne's character. A sociopath who falls in love. But between the writing and the narrator's performance, he came ascross more like a caricature at time. The narrator did a great job with Elijah's character though.
What got me to finish the book, was the relationship. It was sweet and at times funny. The MCs were so devoted to each other and so affectionate. I can't resist a couple like that. 😍
February 7, 2022
ETA: I always tell my friends that this was the book that made me go - Hmmm, this author is going to be different, and I think I'm gonna like it, even though I might question it hahaha. It was the start of that primal, animalistic, psychopath/sociopath romance that I feel like set the groundwork for the Mulvaneys, and I absolutely love it.
It's so fun listening to the books a couple years later now to refresh my memory of them all. Definitely enjoy this narrator. Sometimes I feel like things are a bit muffled? but I really do enjoy this narrator for Onley's books.
The first book in this series set the bar pretty high for me, and I'm so happy to say that this one totally delivered. It might be a bit more...unconventional? type of relationship that one would usually read, but these two are totally IT for each other and their chemistry was just insanely hot and well written.
Shep is a high-functioning sociopath (something I don't think I've ever read about, but I feel like the author did great in her research), and thanks to his mother he can function in society very well. He's been hired to protect Elijah, a young actor fresh off an Oscar win who is receiving threats, phone calls, and weird deliveries since coming out. Elijah had a very troubled youth, being a child actor, and was taken advantage of while growing up in Hollywood and had an absolutely horrible mother. My heart ached for him.
When Shep (and Elijah calls him Sam) and Elijah meet, it's just insanely hot chemistry. These two just connect on such a primal level, very possessive of each other, demanding, physical, and HOT. Boy were these two hot. I love how right away their connection was so intense, and just how raw their emotions were. Due to Elijah's upbringing and history and then Shepherd's diagnosis, it's the first relationship for them both, so all the emotions and feelings are amped up to 11+ as they both explore and see what they like together.
Like I said, their relationship is a bit...unconventional? Like, the things they do to profess love and dedication to each other aren't exactly typical of most relationships. People keep hinting towards the ending, and yes, it was a bit of a "omg really?!" moment, but it also kinda worked for the two of them and what they are to each other. Think of like a primal, animalistic connection, that's Sam and Elijah.
I also loved the interactions with Charlie and Wyatt. Charlie is just a great character. I love all the smart and snarky dialogue, this author writes great dialogue in both this and the first book of the series.
Now I'm super interested if Robby is going to get a story - poor boy, or maybe Jackson? AHH I can't wait for book 3!
I received an arc in exchange for an honest review.
It's so fun listening to the books a couple years later now to refresh my memory of them all. Definitely enjoy this narrator. Sometimes I feel like things are a bit muffled? but I really do enjoy this narrator for Onley's books.
The first book in this series set the bar pretty high for me, and I'm so happy to say that this one totally delivered. It might be a bit more...unconventional? type of relationship that one would usually read, but these two are totally IT for each other and their chemistry was just insanely hot and well written.
Shep is a high-functioning sociopath (something I don't think I've ever read about, but I feel like the author did great in her research), and thanks to his mother he can function in society very well. He's been hired to protect Elijah, a young actor fresh off an Oscar win who is receiving threats, phone calls, and weird deliveries since coming out. Elijah had a very troubled youth, being a child actor, and was taken advantage of while growing up in Hollywood and had an absolutely horrible mother. My heart ached for him.
When Shep (and Elijah calls him Sam) and Elijah meet, it's just insanely hot chemistry. These two just connect on such a primal level, very possessive of each other, demanding, physical, and HOT. Boy were these two hot. I love how right away their connection was so intense, and just how raw their emotions were. Due to Elijah's upbringing and history and then Shepherd's diagnosis, it's the first relationship for them both, so all the emotions and feelings are amped up to 11+ as they both explore and see what they like together.
Like I said, their relationship is a bit...unconventional? Like, the things they do to profess love and dedication to each other aren't exactly typical of most relationships. People keep hinting towards the ending, and yes, it was a bit of a "omg really?!" moment, but it also kinda worked for the two of them and what they are to each other. Think of like a primal, animalistic connection, that's Sam and Elijah.
I also loved the interactions with Charlie and Wyatt. Charlie is just a great character. I love all the smart and snarky dialogue, this author writes great dialogue in both this and the first book of the series.
Now I'm super interested if Robby is going to get a story - poor boy, or maybe Jackson? AHH I can't wait for book 3!
I received an arc in exchange for an honest review.
December 16, 2019
When you put two, perfectly fitted broken parts together, you got one whole!
Elijah Dunne is a successful Oscar-winning actor at 22 years of age. He is good, he even acts his real-life to the outside world. No one will know how he’ suffering, how broken and frightened he is.
After being attacked, Elijah has a bodyguard 24/7. A giant of a man.
Shepherd Jayne 42 years old, his mind doesn’t work like most people. He has a strong urge to peel people... from inside out! As an ex-military, he now works as a bodyguard.
When he laid eyes on fragile Elijah, he knows he found his purpose. “Mine”
Living behind masks is— for both of them— a profession they excel in. The reason why is amazingly intriguing and heartbreakingly devastating.
Being the sociopath he is, Shep is quite unknown with what young Elijah means to him, he only understands it feels right and he would do everything to keep Elijah happy and safe!
Demons from the past are hunting Elijah, it’s like a bomb, one that will explode in his face any second and he can’t run from it.
Excellently written story! It was quite the reality of contemporary news these days.
Even with the big bad world on the other side of the door, the story was for the most part mainly focused on Shep and Elijah’s lives, for me just how I like to feel while reading. Not too much distraction.
A perfectly balanced storyline with all the unbalanced events. Shep and Elijah— their personalities are as much deranged as they should be to make this a catching story. I was in this story from the first to the last sentence and felt involved immediately.
One comment: I would have found it more satisfying when a certain woman, named after a demon from hell, could suffer for the rest of her life. Who is deranged? me...? Noooo :)
Elijah Dunne is a successful Oscar-winning actor at 22 years of age. He is good, he even acts his real-life to the outside world. No one will know how he’ suffering, how broken and frightened he is.
After being attacked, Elijah has a bodyguard 24/7. A giant of a man.
Shepherd Jayne 42 years old, his mind doesn’t work like most people. He has a strong urge to peel people... from inside out! As an ex-military, he now works as a bodyguard.
When he laid eyes on fragile Elijah, he knows he found his purpose. “Mine”
Living behind masks is— for both of them— a profession they excel in. The reason why is amazingly intriguing and heartbreakingly devastating.
Being the sociopath he is, Shep is quite unknown with what young Elijah means to him, he only understands it feels right and he would do everything to keep Elijah happy and safe!
Demons from the past are hunting Elijah, it’s like a bomb, one that will explode in his face any second and he can’t run from it.
Excellently written story! It was quite the reality of contemporary news these days.
Even with the big bad world on the other side of the door, the story was for the most part mainly focused on Shep and Elijah’s lives, for me just how I like to feel while reading. Not too much distraction.
A perfectly balanced storyline with all the unbalanced events. Shep and Elijah— their personalities are as much deranged as they should be to make this a catching story. I was in this story from the first to the last sentence and felt involved immediately.
One comment: I would have found it more satisfying when a certain woman, named after a demon from hell, could suffer for the rest of her life. Who is deranged? me...? Noooo :)
February 4, 2023
YAYYYYY. First runner up in my WORST BOOK OF 2023. 😃😃😃😄😄😄🥰🥰🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡
February 23, 2021
Wow, what a second installment in this series. It definitely lived up to the first one.
I have to say, I was weary of Shep's character at first, because he's a bonafide sociopath, and barely, if at all, feels anything. Getting the POV of a character who barely feels anything is...creepy and unsettling. But with Shep, it worked out, because he started fairly quickly feeling all the things for Elijah. Shep certainly has the capacity for violence, no doubt, without feeling remorse, but he doesn't crave to murder people. He can pass for functioning in society. And also when once he becomes attached to Elijah, he refuses to ever hurt him, and never does, which is a plus in my book. I've actually read characters way worse than Shep, that's for sure. (And there are way worse people in real life, unfortunately.)
Elijah is a famous actor, who has been outed and got a cup full of rocks thrown at him on the red carpet, so the studio Elijah is working with wants him to protection. That's where Shep comes in.
Elijah, when he was 12, was sexually abused by a man who was supposed to be his acting coach, a pedophile. Thankfully we never have to see this, Elijah only explains what happened - although not in graphic details - so if that helps if you weary reading because of the CSA, hopefully that helps. But if it is a trigger, I'd still be cautious.
Elijah has tried to forget it, but when flowers start showing up, and one with a note saying what the guy used to say to Elijah, he has a panic attack.
Shep, who has already fallen for Elijah, sees this and wants to hurt the man who hurt the man he considers his.
And Elijah is only too happy to be Shep's, who makes him feel safe and loved and cared for. He doesn't even care that Shep likes to watch him on the cameras in the house (for security purposes) and even says he wants Shep too. Elijah doesn't care if he's just an obsession for his sociopath boyfriend. He's just as much Elijah's as he is Shep's.
This read went by quick in the best way. I didn't want to put it down, and the story just flowed so well. I was never bored and these two together kept me riveted to the pages.
Shep will do whatever it takes to make sure his Elijah is happy, protect him at all costs, and Elijah loves it, and has no qualms about some more extreme lengths Shep might go to than someone else might.
They are perfect for each other, and were perfect together. I adored reading this. Now I can't wait to read about Robby, who was Elijah's fake boyfriend in this who seemed to actually really like Elijah, although now with Calder in the picture, well...can't wait to read what happened ;).
Two thumbs up from me. Definitely recommend! <3
I have to say, I was weary of Shep's character at first, because he's a bonafide sociopath, and barely, if at all, feels anything. Getting the POV of a character who barely feels anything is...creepy and unsettling. But with Shep, it worked out, because he started fairly quickly feeling all the things for Elijah. Shep certainly has the capacity for violence, no doubt, without feeling remorse, but he doesn't crave to murder people. He can pass for functioning in society. And also when once he becomes attached to Elijah, he refuses to ever hurt him, and never does, which is a plus in my book. I've actually read characters way worse than Shep, that's for sure. (And there are way worse people in real life, unfortunately.)
Elijah is a famous actor, who has been outed and got a cup full of rocks thrown at him on the red carpet, so the studio Elijah is working with wants him to protection. That's where Shep comes in.
Elijah, when he was 12, was sexually abused by a man who was supposed to be his acting coach, a pedophile. Thankfully we never have to see this, Elijah only explains what happened - although not in graphic details - so if that helps if you weary reading because of the CSA, hopefully that helps. But if it is a trigger, I'd still be cautious.
Elijah has tried to forget it, but when flowers start showing up, and one with a note saying what the guy used to say to Elijah, he has a panic attack.
Shep, who has already fallen for Elijah, sees this and wants to hurt the man who hurt the man he considers his.
And Elijah is only too happy to be Shep's, who makes him feel safe and loved and cared for. He doesn't even care that Shep likes to watch him on the cameras in the house (for security purposes) and even says he wants Shep too. Elijah doesn't care if he's just an obsession for his sociopath boyfriend. He's just as much Elijah's as he is Shep's.
This read went by quick in the best way. I didn't want to put it down, and the story just flowed so well. I was never bored and these two together kept me riveted to the pages.
Shep will do whatever it takes to make sure his Elijah is happy, protect him at all costs, and Elijah loves it, and has no qualms about some more extreme lengths Shep might go to than someone else might.
They are perfect for each other, and were perfect together. I adored reading this. Now I can't wait to read about Robby, who was Elijah's fake boyfriend in this who seemed to actually really like Elijah, although now with Calder in the picture, well...can't wait to read what happened ;).
Two thumbs up from me. Definitely recommend! <3
September 16, 2021
Two men hiding from the world behind masks they think they need find love and can finally be their fucked up selves.
I love Onley James’s smoothed out and idealized sociopaths. I can really see bits of myself in them and somehow it makes me feel better. I actually think these guys have better social skills than I do. Is it sad that I wish I could alter my personality based on my surroundings like they do? God, I hope not because it’s really fun to read about and imagine.
“‘You know we’re unhinged right?’
Shep kissed him once more. ‘I wouldn’t have it any other way.’”
This book is surprisingly light for a story about an ex-torturer sociopath who doesn’t mind killing and a traumatized young actor who was sexually abused as a child and emotionally abused by his mother in the past and present. It’s a lot when summarized, but this author somehow makes it a bit less intense than you’d think. Or maybe I’m just used to these topics with all the crazy stuff I’ve read (and OJ covers this scenario in even more awful detail in her other sociopath series).
I’m not the biggest fan of such large age gaps, but it somehow worked with these two. Shep was so inexperienced in some ways that he felt younger than he was. I always got the impression that Elijah was fully in charge and that vibe worked to make the gap a bit smaller in my mind. They worked together and I didn’t really mind it at all. They definitely felt like the same kind of fucked up somehow.
“Elijah gasped. ‘I knew it. You did kill somebody. I knew you weren’t having a boy’s trip. There was no way you’d sign on to go hiking in Costa Rica. Why didn’t you tell me?’
Shep offered Elijah a chip. ‘One: killing people is a perfectly valid form of male bonding. Two: we hiked for miles. He lived way up that mountain. Three: You never asked.’”
This story actually felt like a rough draft of the Necessary Evils series. It had the doctor parent studying sociopaths, the smart tech person available at the drop of a hat, and the team ready to murder together. It was actually kind of fun to read after the other series. I liked having a bit of an origin story feel to it all.
I love Onley James’s smoothed out and idealized sociopaths. I can really see bits of myself in them and somehow it makes me feel better. I actually think these guys have better social skills than I do. Is it sad that I wish I could alter my personality based on my surroundings like they do? God, I hope not because it’s really fun to read about and imagine.
“‘You know we’re unhinged right?’
Shep kissed him once more. ‘I wouldn’t have it any other way.’”
This book is surprisingly light for a story about an ex-torturer sociopath who doesn’t mind killing and a traumatized young actor who was sexually abused as a child and emotionally abused by his mother in the past and present. It’s a lot when summarized, but this author somehow makes it a bit less intense than you’d think. Or maybe I’m just used to these topics with all the crazy stuff I’ve read (and OJ covers this scenario in even more awful detail in her other sociopath series).
I’m not the biggest fan of such large age gaps, but it somehow worked with these two. Shep was so inexperienced in some ways that he felt younger than he was. I always got the impression that Elijah was fully in charge and that vibe worked to make the gap a bit smaller in my mind. They worked together and I didn’t really mind it at all. They definitely felt like the same kind of fucked up somehow.
“Elijah gasped. ‘I knew it. You did kill somebody. I knew you weren’t having a boy’s trip. There was no way you’d sign on to go hiking in Costa Rica. Why didn’t you tell me?’
Shep offered Elijah a chip. ‘One: killing people is a perfectly valid form of male bonding. Two: we hiked for miles. He lived way up that mountain. Three: You never asked.’”
This story actually felt like a rough draft of the Necessary Evils series. It had the doctor parent studying sociopaths, the smart tech person available at the drop of a hat, and the team ready to murder together. It was actually kind of fun to read after the other series. I liked having a bit of an origin story feel to it all.
August 30, 2021
4.1
"everyone needs their own Shep"
stars
"What did somebody do to let another person know they'd been claimed? Dates? Flowers? Dinners? He forced himself not to grimace. None of those seemed enough for Elijah. No, Shep needed Elijah to know he'd taken him. That he would protect him. The boy was his now, and that felt like it needed a gesture with weight. A ritual. A sacrifice. Elijah deserved that. He deserved the justice he'd spoken of earlier, and Shep would give it to him. Hell, he'd hunt down the man who hurt Elijah and carve out his still-beating heart if that's what Elijah needed to feel safe at night."
Elijah Dunne: Elijah is a twenty-two-year-old successful actor who wears many masks. He fled LA as a child actor and disappeared for eight years after being raped by his acting coach. He's recently returned to showbiz and is a bigger star than ever. But he’s just been outed and is facing a whole new host of security threats.
Jayne Shepherd: "Shep" is forty-two and has recently joined Elite Protection Services. He served in the Marines before working as an interrogator for a private military contractor. A high functioning sociopath, he cannot process feelings like most people. But meeting Elijah arouses feelings that he's never experienced before.
Highlights
Elijah's mother, aka Lucifer, is a greedy, narcissistic stage mom. She used Elijah's rape to gain a seven figure cash settlement and has always been dismissive of his rape. She was aware of his acting coach’s reputation for abuse before hiring him but was willing to turn a blind eye because of his connections in Hollywood. Lucifer has always put her financial interests above Elijah’s wellbeing.
Growing up, Elijah's grandfather was the only loving and supportive figure in his life. He took him away from his mother and LA as soon as he learnt of the rape. His grandfather had to pay off his mother for her to leave him alone. But as soon as his grandfather died, his mom swooped back in to use Elijah as a cash cow.
Shep is a fascinating character and he is the indisputable star of Captivating. He’s such a complex person and has spent his entire life learning how to mimic acceptable behaviors and meet society’s expectations. But he cannot feel the usual range of emotions.
"You've never been happy?"
Shep shrugged. "I've never been anything, really. Not fully. It's like experiencing touch with gloves on. I know that I should feel things, and sometimes I do, but the sensations are...dulled."
The only person Shep completely lets down his guard with is Elijah, leading to some of the funniest exchanges.
"Are you a psycopath?" he blurted.
"No." At Shep's definitive statement, Elijah let out the breath he'd been holding. Until he said, "I'm a high-functioning sociopath."
Elijah's past has left deep scars and rendered him incapable of trusting anyone. He has nightmares and is always on edge. He has never had a sexual relationship. Elijah and Shep embark on a journey of sexual discovery together. Shep is in fact a virgin. He worries about his limited sexual experience and about whether he'll be able to fulfill Elijah's needs.
"This hadn't just been a show, it was a message. Elijah wanted more from Shep; he wanted sex. He wanted orgasms. Shep frowned at the thought. His experience was...limited. Shep wanted to give Elijah whatever he wanted. If the boy wanted sex and orgasms, then Shep would give them to him...He just had to figure out how."
Once our boys start getting down and dirty, they more than make up for lost time. Their sex scenes are hot and raw.
“Elijah made a small whimpering sound, and when Shep opened his eyes, Elijah took him as deep as he could, the muscles convulsing around his cock in a way that made his eyes roll. He would not last much longer. He needed to come. He wanted to come on Elijah, to see his release painted across the boy’s skin, his face, his lips.”
Cameo appearances by Wyatt, Charlie, Linc and Jackson from Intoxicating.
Quibble
The ending is rather far-fetched. It's hard to believe that the entire Elite Protection Services team would participate in killing Elijah's rapist. No matter how repulsed they might have been by a pedophile, it's hard to imagine that five ex-military guys would go rogue like that.
"What did somebody do to let another person know they'd been claimed? Dates? Flowers? Dinners? He forced himself not to grimace. None of those seemed enough for Elijah. No, Shep needed Elijah to know he'd taken him. That he would protect him. The boy was his now, and that felt like it needed a gesture with weight. A ritual. A sacrifice. Elijah deserved that. He deserved the justice he'd spoken of earlier, and Shep would give it to him. Hell, he'd hunt down the man who hurt Elijah and carve out his still-beating heart if that's what Elijah needed to feel safe at night."
Elijah Dunne: Elijah is a twenty-two-year-old successful actor who wears many masks. He fled LA as a child actor and disappeared for eight years after being raped by his acting coach. He's recently returned to showbiz and is a bigger star than ever. But he’s just been outed and is facing a whole new host of security threats.
Jayne Shepherd: "Shep" is forty-two and has recently joined Elite Protection Services. He served in the Marines before working as an interrogator for a private military contractor. A high functioning sociopath, he cannot process feelings like most people. But meeting Elijah arouses feelings that he's never experienced before.
Highlights
Elijah's mother, aka Lucifer, is a greedy, narcissistic stage mom. She used Elijah's rape to gain a seven figure cash settlement and has always been dismissive of his rape. She was aware of his acting coach’s reputation for abuse before hiring him but was willing to turn a blind eye because of his connections in Hollywood. Lucifer has always put her financial interests above Elijah’s wellbeing.
Growing up, Elijah's grandfather was the only loving and supportive figure in his life. He took him away from his mother and LA as soon as he learnt of the rape. His grandfather had to pay off his mother for her to leave him alone. But as soon as his grandfather died, his mom swooped back in to use Elijah as a cash cow.
Shep is a fascinating character and he is the indisputable star of Captivating. He’s such a complex person and has spent his entire life learning how to mimic acceptable behaviors and meet society’s expectations. But he cannot feel the usual range of emotions.
"You've never been happy?"
Shep shrugged. "I've never been anything, really. Not fully. It's like experiencing touch with gloves on. I know that I should feel things, and sometimes I do, but the sensations are...dulled."
The only person Shep completely lets down his guard with is Elijah, leading to some of the funniest exchanges.
"Are you a psycopath?" he blurted.
"No." At Shep's definitive statement, Elijah let out the breath he'd been holding. Until he said, "I'm a high-functioning sociopath."
Elijah's past has left deep scars and rendered him incapable of trusting anyone. He has nightmares and is always on edge. He has never had a sexual relationship. Elijah and Shep embark on a journey of sexual discovery together. Shep is in fact a virgin. He worries about his limited sexual experience and about whether he'll be able to fulfill Elijah's needs.
"This hadn't just been a show, it was a message. Elijah wanted more from Shep; he wanted sex. He wanted orgasms. Shep frowned at the thought. His experience was...limited. Shep wanted to give Elijah whatever he wanted. If the boy wanted sex and orgasms, then Shep would give them to him...He just had to figure out how."
Once our boys start getting down and dirty, they more than make up for lost time. Their sex scenes are hot and raw.
“Elijah made a small whimpering sound, and when Shep opened his eyes, Elijah took him as deep as he could, the muscles convulsing around his cock in a way that made his eyes roll. He would not last much longer. He needed to come. He wanted to come on Elijah, to see his release painted across the boy’s skin, his face, his lips.”
Cameo appearances by Wyatt, Charlie, Linc and Jackson from Intoxicating.
Quibble
The ending is rather far-fetched. It's hard to believe that the entire Elite Protection Services team would participate in killing Elijah's rapist. No matter how repulsed they might have been by a pedophile, it's hard to imagine that five ex-military guys would go rogue like that.
September 22, 2020
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5 Stars
“I might not understand love or hate, but my body understands yours. My body responds to you…only you. Do you understand?”
Realistic? Nope.
Unhealthy? Yup.
More insta-lust than I usually like? Yes.
Insane? A little bit.
Batshit crazy ending? Definitely.
Hot? So hot.
This is one of those books that you just have suspend a good amount of disbelief and enjoy the ride. If you start nitpicking or over analyzing things, you're going to struggle. This is often a big problem for me, I'm the first to admit that. So I don't know if it was my mood or what but I was able to completely sink into this one and go with the flow.
Shepard is a sociopath. A highly functioning one...
(I'm not sorry for using that GIF. He's nothing like Sherlock but every time I hear that phrase, that's where my mind goes.)
He can feel some emotions but they are muted. He has studied people, both for his old job and in order to better fit into society. Then he meets Eli. For the first time, he can't get a read on someone and this fascinates him. Eli is a chameleon. Past trauma, his job, and his, "Lucifer," of a mother have made it so he is constantly shifting the image he projects. When Shepard is hired to protect Eli, the sparks are immediate and both guys, Shep especially, are confused but intrigued.
This is where the suspension of disbelief comes in. I'm not a psychologist. I don't know how accurate any of this was in regards to how a sociopath acts or relates. And that's just the tip of the iceberg as far as disbelief. I won't go into more details but there was a lot of OTT shenanigans. Their relationship was unhealthy and the ending was bonkers to the extreme. I didn't care. It was sexy and hot and fun. Sometimes that's just what I need.
I had been wanting to try a book by this author. When I read she was collaborating on an upcoming book with one of my favorite writers, Neve Wilder, I wanted to try one even more. Sadly, most of her books involve daddy kink. No kink shaming here but that's not my thing. Which is a bummer because I found myself really curious about the couple from book one. This one didn't involve that but did toe the line with Shep often referring to Eli as, "the boy." However, it was so hot that I was able to get over that part. Having read this now, I am convinced my iPad will melt down when the book co-written with Wilder comes out. It will be worth it. I'll be reading all non daddy books in this series shortly.
trigger warnings:
Ending:
“I might not understand love or hate, but my body understands yours. My body responds to you…only you. Do you understand?”
Realistic? Nope.
Unhealthy? Yup.
More insta-lust than I usually like? Yes.
Insane? A little bit.
Batshit crazy ending? Definitely.
Hot? So hot.
This is one of those books that you just have suspend a good amount of disbelief and enjoy the ride. If you start nitpicking or over analyzing things, you're going to struggle. This is often a big problem for me, I'm the first to admit that. So I don't know if it was my mood or what but I was able to completely sink into this one and go with the flow.
Shepard is a sociopath. A highly functioning one...
(I'm not sorry for using that GIF. He's nothing like Sherlock but every time I hear that phrase, that's where my mind goes.)
He can feel some emotions but they are muted. He has studied people, both for his old job and in order to better fit into society. Then he meets Eli. For the first time, he can't get a read on someone and this fascinates him. Eli is a chameleon. Past trauma, his job, and his, "Lucifer," of a mother have made it so he is constantly shifting the image he projects. When Shepard is hired to protect Eli, the sparks are immediate and both guys, Shep especially, are confused but intrigued.
This is where the suspension of disbelief comes in. I'm not a psychologist. I don't know how accurate any of this was in regards to how a sociopath acts or relates. And that's just the tip of the iceberg as far as disbelief. I won't go into more details but there was a lot of OTT shenanigans. Their relationship was unhealthy and the ending was bonkers to the extreme. I didn't care. It was sexy and hot and fun. Sometimes that's just what I need.
I had been wanting to try a book by this author. When I read she was collaborating on an upcoming book with one of my favorite writers, Neve Wilder, I wanted to try one even more. Sadly, most of her books involve daddy kink. No kink shaming here but that's not my thing. Which is a bummer because I found myself really curious about the couple from book one. This one didn't involve that but did toe the line with Shep often referring to Eli as, "the boy." However, it was so hot that I was able to get over that part. Having read this now, I am convinced my iPad will melt down when the book co-written with Wilder comes out. It will be worth it. I'll be reading all non daddy books in this series shortly.
trigger warnings:
Ending:
December 22, 2020
So good and really enjoyed it! This sociopath thing and this undying devotion/obsession got me hooked.
December 17, 2019
Well. That was an interesting read. One for the people who don't mind grey shades in their characters and their character's experiences.
Thankfully the author does add that this book takes a great deal of license with sociopathy, or APD, but it does allow for a slightly different read nevertheless. It's also worth noting the number of APD people who find one another... Just sayin'
Thankfully the author does add that this book takes a great deal of license with sociopathy, or APD, but it does allow for a slightly different read nevertheless. It's also worth noting the number of APD people who find one another... Just sayin'
February 7, 2024
Reread January 2024
Now I'm not so sure this would have been a top favorite if I'd read it first. Still love it, but I wasn't quite as impressed this time after rereading the first three of Necessary Evil.
Originally read July 2021
Okay, not sure if I had read this one first if I'd have been so crazy over Unhinged or not. Oh, who am I kidding, Unhinged was the bomb.
This was pretty close. Who doesn't love a good old sociopath? I eat that shit up. Loved these two together. They were just what the other needed. I love how Elijah was just a little bit psycho too. They just worked.
I'm definitely a fan of James's work.
Now I'm not so sure this would have been a top favorite if I'd read it first. Still love it, but I wasn't quite as impressed this time after rereading the first three of Necessary Evil.
Originally read July 2021
Okay, not sure if I had read this one first if I'd have been so crazy over Unhinged or not. Oh, who am I kidding, Unhinged was the bomb.
This was pretty close. Who doesn't love a good old sociopath? I eat that shit up. Loved these two together. They were just what the other needed. I love how Elijah was just a little bit psycho too. They just worked.
I'm definitely a fan of James's work.
January 1, 2021
I’m a bit late to the party, but Captivating was another cracker from Onley James 😍
Two more complex characters with triggers and issues, but Shep and Elijah really grew on me.
4 stars for my first book of 2021 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Two more complex characters with triggers and issues, but Shep and Elijah really grew on me.
4 stars for my first book of 2021 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
April 3, 2021
2 stars audio
3 stars story
3 stars story
January 14, 2022
Ok, I just don’t know where to start. When Elijah says you know we’re both unhinged I thought I couldn’t agree more. So how could I enjoy a book about two such damaged people. Elijah who’s surly suffering from PTSD and Shep who’s a sociopath. Shep is 42 and has never had a relationship or sex with anyone. He come to Elijah as a bodyguard after serving in the military and then as a private mercenary where he extracted information from people. This may sound awful, but it wasn’t. It was instead a beautifully written fascinating story.
I listened to this as an audiobook and Liam Dicosimo was incredible as well.
I listened to this as an audiobook and Liam Dicosimo was incredible as well.
January 7, 2023
i could talk about the fact that shep is a sociopath but they say that he acts more like a psychopath, while he behaves like neither.
i could, but i won’t open that can of worms. i’m absolutely going to ignore that.
now this is my jam. big scary guy completely devoted to his love. it gets me every time. i actually enjoyed shep very much. elijah could have used some work. his personality is being traumatized. and he has very right to be!!! but maybe not for the entirety of the book. just saying.
apparently the rest of the series isn’t about sociopaths, which is a bummer. they’re not realistic but fun to read.
i could, but i won’t open that can of worms. i’m absolutely going to ignore that.
now this is my jam. big scary guy completely devoted to his love. it gets me every time. i actually enjoyed shep very much. elijah could have used some work. his personality is being traumatized. and he has very right to be!!! but maybe not for the entirety of the book. just saying.
apparently the rest of the series isn’t about sociopaths, which is a bummer. they’re not realistic but fun to read.
April 4, 2023
Okayish if you don't have nothing better to read
April 30, 2020
You guys. You have to read this. Shep and Elijah are gold. It's like you think it should be all f*&^ed up but they are so good together. They just fit. It's not creepy. It feels weirdly natural. It's not even perfect but it was oh so very good.
It's really hard to explain. This will be a re read. I love this author. I was just mesmerized by this - it was probably one of the most fascinating books I've read in MM in years. Highly recommended. But do take care- it is dark but somehow light? Could not put it down. Unique for sure! And that ending......holy hell.
It's really hard to explain. This will be a re read. I love this author. I was just mesmerized by this - it was probably one of the most fascinating books I've read in MM in years. Highly recommended. But do take care- it is dark but somehow light? Could not put it down. Unique for sure! And that ending......holy hell.
Read
January 26, 2021DNF . 65%
I’m bored. Didn’t get the characters. They both have big stories behind them but not nearly enough depth that match those stories. Like, why give your characters such unique personalities and then put all the focus on the relationship? Which was very regular, I must say.
I’m bored. Didn’t get the characters. They both have big stories behind them but not nearly enough depth that match those stories. Like, why give your characters such unique personalities and then put all the focus on the relationship? Which was very regular, I must say.
January 1, 2023
1/23 re-read
Fudge I love this book. One of the most satisfying endings ever. #Shep4life
Fudge I love this book. One of the most satisfying endings ever. #Shep4life
October 8, 2023
Liked this one.
Reread January 2023.
Reread October 2023.
Reread January 2023.
Reread October 2023.
June 30, 2023
Book safety, tropes and tags down below.
I really, really enjoy Onley’s writing. To me, her books are the perfect mix of instalove/lust, action, past trauma, surprisingly low angst and unhingedness (the one’s I’ve read, anyway). Just very entertaining.
Shepherd was my favorite character. He was unintentionally funny and really sweet in a totally not-at-all-healthy way. He’s a high-functioning sociopath (hello, Sherlock), and Elijah became one of his obsessions. Thankfully, Elijah was fully on board with that, lol. Oh, and he’s a 6’6 bearded redhead with shoulder length hair and freckles everywhere 👀 I don’t know about y’all, but that’s ridiculously hot.
«He only realized something was wrong with him the day he’d told his mother he wanted to be a surgeon. She’d looked so hopeful for a whole minute. When he’d told her it was the only way he could cut people open and see what was inside, she made him his first doctor’s appointment. He was five.»
«Dating was for normal people to decide if they liked each other enough to consider cohabitation and breeding together. Shep was past all that. ‘I don’t need to date him. I want him. I don’t need to test him out. I just want him to know I’ve… chosen him.’»
Oh, Shep.
I enjoyed the pacing of the story a lot. It didn’t really drag anywhere, and it didn’t gloss over anything either.
The first book in this series was definitely heavier, but I would still check the content warnings for this one.
Book safety
TW/CW
Tropes & tags
I really, really enjoy Onley’s writing. To me, her books are the perfect mix of instalove/lust, action, past trauma, surprisingly low angst and unhingedness (the one’s I’ve read, anyway). Just very entertaining.
Shepherd was my favorite character. He was unintentionally funny and really sweet in a totally not-at-all-healthy way. He’s a high-functioning sociopath (hello, Sherlock), and Elijah became one of his obsessions. Thankfully, Elijah was fully on board with that, lol. Oh, and he’s a 6’6 bearded redhead with shoulder length hair and freckles everywhere 👀 I don’t know about y’all, but that’s ridiculously hot.
«He only realized something was wrong with him the day he’d told his mother he wanted to be a surgeon. She’d looked so hopeful for a whole minute. When he’d told her it was the only way he could cut people open and see what was inside, she made him his first doctor’s appointment. He was five.»
«Dating was for normal people to decide if they liked each other enough to consider cohabitation and breeding together. Shep was past all that. ‘I don’t need to date him. I want him. I don’t need to test him out. I just want him to know I’ve… chosen him.’»
Oh, Shep.
I enjoyed the pacing of the story a lot. It didn’t really drag anywhere, and it didn’t gloss over anything either.
The first book in this series was definitely heavier, but I would still check the content warnings for this one.
Book safety
TW/CW
Tropes & tags
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