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Captive
On the outs with his lover, author Gabriel Black retreats to work on a new book at his Alaskan hideaway, where he expects peace and quiet... instead Gabriel gets shock and surprise when an intruder breaks in and takes him hostage. His captor, Ethan, is far too handsome for Gabriel's own good, and Gabriel decides that the best way to get free is to seduce his captor. The question is: Will he enjoy it too much to want to escape if Ethan gives in?
89 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 1, 2009
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March 26, 2011
Hey guys. I just wanted to take a few moments to rant...er...I mean *review* a book that I had the misfortune to read a couple days ago. It's called Captive and it was written by Ms. Scarlet Blackwell. Now, most of my books - over 95% of them - are unread due to time constraints. In my case I have so many that it's hard to pick one to read at times.
So what I did was resort to old faithful - that's right, eeny meeny miney mo! Lady Luck bitch slapped me on the face as the cursor ended up on Captive. What is the book about? Lemme tell you. I won't bother to warn about *spoilers* as there is basically NOTHING to spoil in this book. When you're rock bottom you can't sink any lower.
First, the pros - I could count the spelling and grammatical errors on one hand. Yay! Someone took the time to at least give the impression of proofreading and editing it for those mistakes. Given the rarity of that it HAS to be applauded. Now if only Dreamspinner Press would perform the same courtesy for other works they published...unless Ms. Blackwell simply didn't make much errors herself of course.
Now, the cons - two words: EVERYTHING ELSE! I must warn you girls (and guys), do not read this book unless you want to get ticked off at the sheer lack of depth and substance. Let's begin.
The book starts off with Gabriel, a writer who's sequestered himself in a secluded house in the bitterly cold wilderness of Alaska. Gabriel is in a relationship with a Jack (who doesn’t appear in the book save for one phone conversation).
Without any preamble Ms. Blackwell starts off the story at a breakneck pace. It was far, far too fast for my liking and probably many other people’s. Within ten lines she described Gabriel burning the toast, tripping the fire alarm, opening the window to let in the freezing Alaskan air and a male figure in black entering through the window and leveling the gun at our hero.
In the next five or so lines, Gabriel (who has a gun trained on him) noticed the man’s complexion, startlingly attractive looks and jade green eyes, together with his perfectly white teeth.
The man does the basic and makes demands for clothing, food and something hot to drink. Gabriel asks the man what he wants. Right from the outset Gabriel begins to have sexual thoughts about this man and Blackwell attempts to justify that ridiculous notion by saying Gabriel and Jack had been having problems and he hadn’t had sex in forever. PURE CRAP!
I really have a thing against people like Miss Blackwell whose writing not only reinforces the view that gay men are basically sluts out to get laid at whatever cost, but that men in general place sex at the top of their priority list. It makes my blood boil. Imagine a strange man breaking into your house, handcuffing you, placing a gun to you, you might end up dead – yet Gabriel is thinking of how to end up having sex with this man (who of course, professes to be straight).
He tries to convince us and himself (and fails) that he’s trying to seduce the man to get the gun from him. Ms Blackwell added a line out of the blue where Gabriel thinks to himself – He finds me attractive, he can’t help it. But he does… etc. But it quickly degenerates to him just basically trying to have sex first, and then as an afterthought trying to get the gun. This happens a couple times, and for each attempt at misbehaving Gabriel is assaulted and whatnot by this man (he’s called Ethan).
During the book Jack calls and breaks up with Gabriel, the old cliché story of him sleeping with Gabriel’s best friend. Gabriel breaks down and then decides as he said, rebound sex with Ethan would be the best thing for him. The weird thing is, even before the call all he wanted to do was sex his captor. Even after describing to Ethan that he is in a monogamous, loving relationship.
And for a ‘straight’ man Ethan sure doesn’t have a problem with jerking him off and later on throwing him roughly on the ground, kissing his lips, sucking his nipples, kissing and sucking his chest and abdomen, giving superb head and then – this piece of drivel:
He could have run out into the snow now, half-naked and handcuffed, to get away from his captor. But he laughed at the thought, because he had only one priority now and that was to get fucked to within an inch of his life by the hottest man he had ever met. He put his cuffed hands back above his head and lay there waiting. He cursed himself for not telling Ethan to bring the lubricant too. A straight man wouldn’t think of such a thing. But Gabriel was more than willing to make do with saliva.
Yeah, this man is holding you captive and physically assaults you and stuff, injuring you and all you can think of is how hot he is and how much you want to get fucked by him? It’s like some MF books I’ve seen, written by WOMEN no less that describe men raping the heroine, she puts up a big show of fighting it, and then starts to like it and her attacker.
As a matter of fact Ms Blackwell even includes a scene where Gabriel remembers a fight he and Jack had in the kitchen, Jack flinging aside all the crockery off the table, forcing him onto it and screwing him like no tomorrow, telling him “This is the only way I could ever get you to shut up!” And Gabriel thinks of this with fondness! I wonder at the thought processes of Ms Blackwell and company.
Anyway, poorly written sex is what follows. I can’t do justice to writing a review of this book since basically EVERYTHING about it is FLAWED. I could go on and on. But that ain't the killer guys! Get THIS next part. After the sex it occurs to Gabriel as Ethan is facing away from him, giving him a nice view of his flawless ass – that now he can get the gun. He reaches for it, is stopped by Ethan who basically calls him a slut saying he’d let a man fuck him just to get the gun and he didn’t really want him, just the gun. Why would this ex prisoner escapee care about this man he knows all of 24 hrs wanting him? I haven’t read this much bull crap since God Awful Hauser’s To Have And To Hostage.
A fight ensues and Gabriel is overpowered and knocked out (or so I seem to remember, the book was becoming a real chore to finish). Gabriel eventually comes to, sprawled out in front of his computer and Ethan comes in – but what a change! This is the next piece of crap that made me want to hold Ms Blackwell and slap some sense into her:
“Hey,” a voice said behind him, a moment before a hand trailed lightly over the back of his neck, making him shiver. “The deal was you write, not sleep on your desk when you could be lying next to me doing the same.”
Gabriel turned his chair around to see Ethan standing behind him, clad only in a pair of boxer shorts, his skin luminous in the outer reaches of the desk lamp’s glow. He reached out for him quickly, drawing him down onto his knee, wrapping his arms around him and burying his face into his shoulder, inhaling his lover’s familiar smell deeply.
“What’s the matter?” Ethan asked softly, stroking his hair.
“I had a nightmare,” Gabriel said, voice muffled.
Ethan drew back to look at him, fingers tracing the high curve of his cheekbones, green eyes dancing with adoration.
“Want to tell me about it?” he asked.
“It was a little weird,” Gabriel said, embarrassed. “I was here alone and you were some sort of criminal who broke in and held me captive and I was….” He averted his eyes. “I was really hot for you.”
Yep, you guessed it. The entire thing was a frickin’ dream! And the transition to that astounding revelation was so sudden and abrupt that for a little bit I had no idea what was happening! Turns out that in the REAL WORLD, Jack had left him and then he met Ethan at a writer’s conference where they decided it was love at first sight and then went to it like a couple of man-hos!
Finally Ms. Blackwell finishes off with Ethan telling Gabriel he has a surprise for him. Turns out it’s a pair of handcuffs (just like the ones in Gabriel’s dream) and more stupid sex follows.
I pity the fools who paid for this book. And yes, I state without shame I got this book from a friend as a test read. I will likely not be buying her stuff now. There are so many free reads on the net and to PAY for that piece of filth is terrible luck! Hell, I’ve read fanfics that are of such high quality compared to this…oh well…
I better stop now. But be warned ladies and gents! Beware the consequences of reading or buying this book.
PS – If anyone else has read this book feel please free to comment. And also, is this just one of Ms Blackwell’s bad books I had the misfortune to choose. Or are they ALL this terrible?
So what I did was resort to old faithful - that's right, eeny meeny miney mo! Lady Luck bitch slapped me on the face as the cursor ended up on Captive. What is the book about? Lemme tell you. I won't bother to warn about *spoilers* as there is basically NOTHING to spoil in this book. When you're rock bottom you can't sink any lower.
First, the pros - I could count the spelling and grammatical errors on one hand. Yay! Someone took the time to at least give the impression of proofreading and editing it for those mistakes. Given the rarity of that it HAS to be applauded. Now if only Dreamspinner Press would perform the same courtesy for other works they published...unless Ms. Blackwell simply didn't make much errors herself of course.
Now, the cons - two words: EVERYTHING ELSE! I must warn you girls (and guys), do not read this book unless you want to get ticked off at the sheer lack of depth and substance. Let's begin.
The book starts off with Gabriel, a writer who's sequestered himself in a secluded house in the bitterly cold wilderness of Alaska. Gabriel is in a relationship with a Jack (who doesn’t appear in the book save for one phone conversation).
Without any preamble Ms. Blackwell starts off the story at a breakneck pace. It was far, far too fast for my liking and probably many other people’s. Within ten lines she described Gabriel burning the toast, tripping the fire alarm, opening the window to let in the freezing Alaskan air and a male figure in black entering through the window and leveling the gun at our hero.
In the next five or so lines, Gabriel (who has a gun trained on him) noticed the man’s complexion, startlingly attractive looks and jade green eyes, together with his perfectly white teeth.
The man does the basic and makes demands for clothing, food and something hot to drink. Gabriel asks the man what he wants. Right from the outset Gabriel begins to have sexual thoughts about this man and Blackwell attempts to justify that ridiculous notion by saying Gabriel and Jack had been having problems and he hadn’t had sex in forever. PURE CRAP!
I really have a thing against people like Miss Blackwell whose writing not only reinforces the view that gay men are basically sluts out to get laid at whatever cost, but that men in general place sex at the top of their priority list. It makes my blood boil. Imagine a strange man breaking into your house, handcuffing you, placing a gun to you, you might end up dead – yet Gabriel is thinking of how to end up having sex with this man (who of course, professes to be straight).
He tries to convince us and himself (and fails) that he’s trying to seduce the man to get the gun from him. Ms Blackwell added a line out of the blue where Gabriel thinks to himself – He finds me attractive, he can’t help it. But he does… etc. But it quickly degenerates to him just basically trying to have sex first, and then as an afterthought trying to get the gun. This happens a couple times, and for each attempt at misbehaving Gabriel is assaulted and whatnot by this man (he’s called Ethan).
During the book Jack calls and breaks up with Gabriel, the old cliché story of him sleeping with Gabriel’s best friend. Gabriel breaks down and then decides as he said, rebound sex with Ethan would be the best thing for him. The weird thing is, even before the call all he wanted to do was sex his captor. Even after describing to Ethan that he is in a monogamous, loving relationship.
And for a ‘straight’ man Ethan sure doesn’t have a problem with jerking him off and later on throwing him roughly on the ground, kissing his lips, sucking his nipples, kissing and sucking his chest and abdomen, giving superb head and then – this piece of drivel:
He could have run out into the snow now, half-naked and handcuffed, to get away from his captor. But he laughed at the thought, because he had only one priority now and that was to get fucked to within an inch of his life by the hottest man he had ever met. He put his cuffed hands back above his head and lay there waiting. He cursed himself for not telling Ethan to bring the lubricant too. A straight man wouldn’t think of such a thing. But Gabriel was more than willing to make do with saliva.
Yeah, this man is holding you captive and physically assaults you and stuff, injuring you and all you can think of is how hot he is and how much you want to get fucked by him? It’s like some MF books I’ve seen, written by WOMEN no less that describe men raping the heroine, she puts up a big show of fighting it, and then starts to like it and her attacker.
As a matter of fact Ms Blackwell even includes a scene where Gabriel remembers a fight he and Jack had in the kitchen, Jack flinging aside all the crockery off the table, forcing him onto it and screwing him like no tomorrow, telling him “This is the only way I could ever get you to shut up!” And Gabriel thinks of this with fondness! I wonder at the thought processes of Ms Blackwell and company.
Anyway, poorly written sex is what follows. I can’t do justice to writing a review of this book since basically EVERYTHING about it is FLAWED. I could go on and on. But that ain't the killer guys! Get THIS next part. After the sex it occurs to Gabriel as Ethan is facing away from him, giving him a nice view of his flawless ass – that now he can get the gun. He reaches for it, is stopped by Ethan who basically calls him a slut saying he’d let a man fuck him just to get the gun and he didn’t really want him, just the gun. Why would this ex prisoner escapee care about this man he knows all of 24 hrs wanting him? I haven’t read this much bull crap since God Awful Hauser’s To Have And To Hostage.
A fight ensues and Gabriel is overpowered and knocked out (or so I seem to remember, the book was becoming a real chore to finish). Gabriel eventually comes to, sprawled out in front of his computer and Ethan comes in – but what a change! This is the next piece of crap that made me want to hold Ms Blackwell and slap some sense into her:
“Hey,” a voice said behind him, a moment before a hand trailed lightly over the back of his neck, making him shiver. “The deal was you write, not sleep on your desk when you could be lying next to me doing the same.”
Gabriel turned his chair around to see Ethan standing behind him, clad only in a pair of boxer shorts, his skin luminous in the outer reaches of the desk lamp’s glow. He reached out for him quickly, drawing him down onto his knee, wrapping his arms around him and burying his face into his shoulder, inhaling his lover’s familiar smell deeply.
“What’s the matter?” Ethan asked softly, stroking his hair.
“I had a nightmare,” Gabriel said, voice muffled.
Ethan drew back to look at him, fingers tracing the high curve of his cheekbones, green eyes dancing with adoration.
“Want to tell me about it?” he asked.
“It was a little weird,” Gabriel said, embarrassed. “I was here alone and you were some sort of criminal who broke in and held me captive and I was….” He averted his eyes. “I was really hot for you.”
Yep, you guessed it. The entire thing was a frickin’ dream! And the transition to that astounding revelation was so sudden and abrupt that for a little bit I had no idea what was happening! Turns out that in the REAL WORLD, Jack had left him and then he met Ethan at a writer’s conference where they decided it was love at first sight and then went to it like a couple of man-hos!
Finally Ms. Blackwell finishes off with Ethan telling Gabriel he has a surprise for him. Turns out it’s a pair of handcuffs (just like the ones in Gabriel’s dream) and more stupid sex follows.
I pity the fools who paid for this book. And yes, I state without shame I got this book from a friend as a test read. I will likely not be buying her stuff now. There are so many free reads on the net and to PAY for that piece of filth is terrible luck! Hell, I’ve read fanfics that are of such high quality compared to this…oh well…
I better stop now. But be warned ladies and gents! Beware the consequences of reading or buying this book.
PS – If anyone else has read this book feel please free to comment. And also, is this just one of Ms Blackwell’s bad books I had the misfortune to choose. Or are they ALL this terrible?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 14, 2015
Bottom line: Captive was possibly one of the worst M/M short stories I've read in a VERY long while.
Truthfully, I guess I should blame my expectations - at least in part - for how rage-y this book made me. When I first read the book blurb about a man who stumbles into a remote snowbound cabin and takes the owner hostage only to find himself seduced by his captive, I anticipated some sort of misguided fall guy/framed hero on the run scenario. I anticipated the threat of violence rather than actual violence. I anticipated a sweet seduction caused by forced proximity and long conversations and the discovery of shared ground. I anticipated some sort of emotional connection that would explain why two characters in such an extreme situation would fall for one another.
But I got none of that.
What I did get was Ethan, a seriously bad dude (although his exact crimes are frustratingly never revealed to us) who pistol whips, punches, shoves, knocks unconscious, and takes merciless advantage of Gabriel, all the while spewing filthy misogynistic and homophobic slurs at him. He's a despicable character without a single endearing or redeeming trait.
As for Gabriel? Well, he's basically a walking boner who pathetically (and inexplicably) wants the man who is physically and mentally terrorizing him at every turn. Oh, and he's a cheating bastard. So there's that.
Real winners, right?! It always astounds me when authors create two completely unlikable main characters and yet expect their readers to give a damn about them and their happiness. News flash: I won't (and it will make me hate your book).
And, just when I thought nothing could make me dislike this book more than I already did, Blackwell revealed her "twist" at the end. Except... Her "twist" was one that even amateur writers (e.g. the ones in elementary school that tend to write their stories in crayon) know to avoid.
That's right. The whole story up to that point was a fucking .
Are you KIDDING me?!
That's just unforgivably lazy storytelling.
The last few pages of the story feel totally slapped together. There's a time jump and a gratuitous sex scene that show .
I'm not saying that there aren't readers out there who will enjoy Captive, I just don't think those readers are going to be friends of mine who trust my reviews. However, if you're looking for an unconventional love story by Blackwell that you will love, check out And So Is Love. As much as I loathed this one, that's how much I loved And So Is Love.
Truthfully, I guess I should blame my expectations - at least in part - for how rage-y this book made me. When I first read the book blurb about a man who stumbles into a remote snowbound cabin and takes the owner hostage only to find himself seduced by his captive, I anticipated some sort of misguided fall guy/framed hero on the run scenario. I anticipated the threat of violence rather than actual violence. I anticipated a sweet seduction caused by forced proximity and long conversations and the discovery of shared ground. I anticipated some sort of emotional connection that would explain why two characters in such an extreme situation would fall for one another.
But I got none of that.
What I did get was Ethan, a seriously bad dude (although his exact crimes are frustratingly never revealed to us) who pistol whips, punches, shoves, knocks unconscious, and takes merciless advantage of Gabriel, all the while spewing filthy misogynistic and homophobic slurs at him. He's a despicable character without a single endearing or redeeming trait.
As for Gabriel? Well, he's basically a walking boner who pathetically (and inexplicably) wants the man who is physically and mentally terrorizing him at every turn. Oh, and he's a cheating bastard. So there's that.
Real winners, right?! It always astounds me when authors create two completely unlikable main characters and yet expect their readers to give a damn about them and their happiness. News flash: I won't (and it will make me hate your book).
And, just when I thought nothing could make me dislike this book more than I already did, Blackwell revealed her "twist" at the end. Except... Her "twist" was one that even amateur writers (e.g. the ones in elementary school that tend to write their stories in crayon) know to avoid.
That's right. The whole story up to that point was a fucking .
Are you KIDDING me?!
That's just unforgivably lazy storytelling.
The last few pages of the story feel totally slapped together. There's a time jump and a gratuitous sex scene that show .
I'm not saying that there aren't readers out there who will enjoy Captive, I just don't think those readers are going to be friends of mine who trust my reviews. However, if you're looking for an unconventional love story by Blackwell that you will love, check out And So Is Love. As much as I loathed this one, that's how much I loved And So Is Love.
May 4, 2009
Captive is the first book I have read by Scarlet Blackwell. It’s a short novel, about 89 pages or so, but it was a quick and fun read and I enjoyed it.
Gabriel Black is staying in his secluded cabin all alone. As a California native, he is a successful writer who lately has had a difficult time focusing on his latest novel. Gabriel is also troubled by the way his relationship with his boyfriend of years seems to be falling apart at the seams. Needing some time to himself, he had decided to brave the wilds of Alaska so he can concentrate on his next novel. One night while he is fixing dinner, he is ambushed by a handsome man packing a loaded weapon. The intruder tells Gabriel that he is on the run and plans to hold Gabriel against his will until he believes it is safe to leave.
Gabriel is horrified for two reasons. He is obviously afraid for his life and his unexpected attraction to his captor.
Ethan can’t believe his luck by coming across Gabriel and his secluded cabin. He just needs to warm up, rest and come up with a game plan before he can leave the cabin and the irritatingly handsome Gabriel behind. He is normally not attracted to men, but there is something about Gabriel and Ethan finds himself drawn to him.
There are some surprising twists and turns in this book. There were times where I didn’t like Ethan at all. He can be very gruff and even physically forceful and aggressive with Gabriel during Gabriel’s captivity. My big gripe about the book is I would have like to have known more about their relationship in general. Ethan was still a mystery to me in some ways, (I am doing my best not to spoil anything…lol) I really wish the novel would have been a tad longer. I would have enjoyed more of them when they are happy with one another, but that just may be my opinion.
3.5 stars
Gabriel Black is staying in his secluded cabin all alone. As a California native, he is a successful writer who lately has had a difficult time focusing on his latest novel. Gabriel is also troubled by the way his relationship with his boyfriend of years seems to be falling apart at the seams. Needing some time to himself, he had decided to brave the wilds of Alaska so he can concentrate on his next novel. One night while he is fixing dinner, he is ambushed by a handsome man packing a loaded weapon. The intruder tells Gabriel that he is on the run and plans to hold Gabriel against his will until he believes it is safe to leave.
Gabriel is horrified for two reasons. He is obviously afraid for his life and his unexpected attraction to his captor.
Ethan can’t believe his luck by coming across Gabriel and his secluded cabin. He just needs to warm up, rest and come up with a game plan before he can leave the cabin and the irritatingly handsome Gabriel behind. He is normally not attracted to men, but there is something about Gabriel and Ethan finds himself drawn to him.
There are some surprising twists and turns in this book. There were times where I didn’t like Ethan at all. He can be very gruff and even physically forceful and aggressive with Gabriel during Gabriel’s captivity. My big gripe about the book is I would have like to have known more about their relationship in general. Ethan was still a mystery to me in some ways, (I am doing my best not to spoil anything…lol) I really wish the novel would have been a tad longer. I would have enjoyed more of them when they are happy with one another, but that just may be my opinion.
3.5 stars
January 30, 2011
I think I spent this entire book rolling my eyes. The writing was solid on the sentence level but a train wreck everywhere else. One protagonist was TSTL (Gabriel), and the only reason he did live was because the other protagonist, Ethan--the one with the gun who Gabriel insisted on alternately antagonizing and fantasizing over despite the fact that Ethan broke into his house, cuffed him, called him a fag, threatened to kill him repeatedly, even pistol whipped and beat him--had roller-coaster sized mood swings that came out of nowhere and lacked any clear motivation. The whole thing read like a bad porn fantasy--you know, the kind where you answer the doorbell to discover that the pizza guy isn't wearing any pants, except this time with capture and abuse. Now, I'm as prone to fantasize over capture and abuse as the next gal (probably much more so, tbh), but I need organics; I want the characters to act like sane people with motivations that make sense, rather than do what the author tells them to because the author requires a certain behavior to drive the story.
Even worse than all of that, at the end , of course, and we should have seen that coming because it was the only way that the prior 9/10ths of the novel made even the remotest smidge of sense.
I got this with a 50% off coupon at Fictionwise, so for $2 I don't particularly consider it time or money wasted (see above re: my love of capture fantasies), but it really was just not at all well done on a structural, plot, or character level and I don't think I could in good conscience recommend this to anyone.
Even worse than all of that, at the end , of course, and we should have seen that coming because it was the only way that the prior 9/10ths of the novel made even the remotest smidge of sense.
I got this with a 50% off coupon at Fictionwise, so for $2 I don't particularly consider it time or money wasted (see above re: my love of capture fantasies), but it really was just not at all well done on a structural, plot, or character level and I don't think I could in good conscience recommend this to anyone.
September 12, 2014
Read this back in March. I forgot why I didn't like it much. I think it had something to do with the twist in the end. Somehow I just felt that the story lacked something *shrugs*. It was my first story by Ms. Blackwell though -- and it turned out I loved the second one I read.
January 3, 2011
How much did I hate this? Let me count the ways...
I am a fan of well done dubious consent, but the repeated dub-con sex followed by violence - not the fun kind of violence either - had me gagging.
Insta-love - completely groundless, pointless insta-love with the gun-toting a**hole who denigrates you, calls you faggot and beats your head against the radiator is just stupid.
The Bobby Ewing, it was all just a dream, deux ex machina is right out of 1982.
...And, it turns out the hero is a cheater. Great. Just what I wanted out of a book.
Maybe this is supposed to just be one of those 'fun' books that you aren't supposed to think too hard about, but it's a little hard not to go there given the subject matter. I mean, what does it say that you dream that your lover beats the **it out of you and leaves you to die?
I'd call it a squick, but it was really just a yuck.
I am a fan of well done dubious consent, but the repeated dub-con sex followed by violence - not the fun kind of violence either - had me gagging.
Insta-love - completely groundless, pointless insta-love with the gun-toting a**hole who denigrates you, calls you faggot and beats your head against the radiator is just stupid.
The Bobby Ewing, it was all just a dream, deux ex machina is right out of 1982.
...And, it turns out the hero is a cheater. Great. Just what I wanted out of a book.
Maybe this is supposed to just be one of those 'fun' books that you aren't supposed to think too hard about, but it's a little hard not to go there given the subject matter. I mean, what does it say that you dream that your lover beats the **it out of you and leaves you to die?
I'd call it a squick, but it was really just a yuck.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 2, 2011
I don't know how many times I said, "You have got to be kidding me!" while reading this book.
For instance, you do not 1) mouth off to the man with the gun especially since the man has proved that he will hurt you if you push him 2)you do not think or fantasize about the man who has already clocked you in the face with said gun 3)you do not try to seduce said man with gun after he had told you that he is not interested-AND keep forgetting to grab the gun when you had the chance.
Yeah, those were my main three 'oh, please' points. I almost quit reading at around 40% because I couldn't stomach the thought to these two getting together. I was glad I stuck it out because there came the turning point in the story were it changes and gives you that 'aha' to straighten everything out.
For instance, you do not 1) mouth off to the man with the gun especially since the man has proved that he will hurt you if you push him 2)you do not think or fantasize about the man who has already clocked you in the face with said gun 3)you do not try to seduce said man with gun after he had told you that he is not interested-AND keep forgetting to grab the gun when you had the chance.
Yeah, those were my main three 'oh, please' points. I almost quit reading at around 40% because I couldn't stomach the thought to these two getting together. I was glad I stuck it out because there came the turning point in the story were it changes and gives you that 'aha' to straighten everything out.
January 30, 2011
2.5 stars. Huh. So-so m/m romance in which something seems to be happening, but that might not be what's happening at all. I got annoyed by that.
February 1, 2012
I loved and hated this book at the same time, lol!
The first part was delicious, just the way I like my Stockholm syndrome stories - the right balance between tension and violence. Crazy hot and emotional at the same time. I absolutely loved it and I wanted that story to resolve (to HEA, of course), so it was a huge disappointment for me to learn that was only a dream. I felt cheated, since I'm not a fan of 'and then they woke up' stories.
But the second small part was still really good too - strikingly different, but good nevertheless and I loved it too. So overall I enjoyed this book very much, I just wish the things had happened differently.
The first part was delicious, just the way I like my Stockholm syndrome stories - the right balance between tension and violence. Crazy hot and emotional at the same time. I absolutely loved it and I wanted that story to resolve (to HEA, of course), so it was a huge disappointment for me to learn that was only a dream. I felt cheated, since I'm not a fan of 'and then they woke up' stories.
But the second small part was still really good too - strikingly different, but good nevertheless and I loved it too. So overall I enjoyed this book very much, I just wish the things had happened differently.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 19, 2014
I loved the concept. I got so into the book. It was so hot! But I did start to get a bit frustrated with the constant questioning of should I or should give in to my desires. I say GO FOR IT, so I get antsy when the lead characters can't make up their mind and I want to do it for them. LOL
I am a BIG fan of being tied up so kudos to that kink. I loved how the end revealed things... however, the ending came so abruptly... and I felt it cheapened things a bit. Still a fun read. I just wish there wasn't so much hitting, but the sex was a delight.
yum-o!!
I am a BIG fan of being tied up so kudos to that kink. I loved how the end revealed things... however, the ending came so abruptly... and I felt it cheapened things a bit. Still a fun read. I just wish there wasn't so much hitting, but the sex was a delight.
yum-o!!
April 11, 2011
2.5 stars. Scarlet is a good author who writes very well, but personally this story was not for me. It had good characters and a strong story line, so please give it a go for yourself. Nx
January 11, 2012
IDIOTIC plot of a story. I simply feel bad because I read it.
December 24, 2019
Disfrute lleerlo, la historia fue linda, ame la pareja de Gabriel y Ethan, cuando Ethan lo secuestro, los problemas que tenia Gabriel, cada ves se tenia una ereccion, casi se me detiene el corazon, cuando Ethan deja esposado a Gabriel y luego se va, pero cuando Gabriel se desperto del sueño, me tranquilise, porque despues de todo, en la vida real, Ethan si existe y en realidad ellos son pareja, fue una de las historias bl mas lindas que e leido, me encanto
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 22, 2017
I really enjoyed reading it. Scarlett Blackwell is one awesome writer but something went screwy in the end.
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September 4, 2022This book is, I assume, the novella from which the author’s 2022 book, ‘Captured’ is based.
I just finished ‘Captured’ and it has the same MCs and plot line, expanded.
I just finished ‘Captured’ and it has the same MCs and plot line, expanded.
September 12, 2013
3.5
Aw, dammit. Five FULL stars until the enormously mundane and shockingly disappointing ending.
Suspenseful, sexually tense, emotionally compelling, my mind was a flurry of questions about Ethan, and my heart was connected to both men. What was Ethan running from, I wondered. What in his past made him so angry and violent and yet so kind and remorseful? And how my heart ached for sad, strong Gabriel!
The writing is superb, but dammit. That ending sucked. Unbelievably. I want a fanficer to rewrite it! Or Blackwell herself! She is masterful at the dark, the angst, and the comfort and love. But, bah!, spare me that cop out ending.
Aw, dammit. Five FULL stars until the enormously mundane and shockingly disappointing ending.
Suspenseful, sexually tense, emotionally compelling, my mind was a flurry of questions about Ethan, and my heart was connected to both men. What was Ethan running from, I wondered. What in his past made him so angry and violent and yet so kind and remorseful? And how my heart ached for sad, strong Gabriel!
The writing is superb, but dammit. That ending sucked. Unbelievably. I want a fanficer to rewrite it! Or Blackwell herself! She is masterful at the dark, the angst, and the comfort and love. But, bah!, spare me that cop out ending.
January 5, 2011
Despite having a few very engaging scenes, I came away from this novella not too terribly impressed. Ethan's treatment of Gabriel fluctuates greatly back and forth - from surprising kindness to unexpected cruelty - and no reason is given for his having been there at Gabrielle's, out in the middle of nowhere, at all.
Now, the wrap up to the novel explains a bit but not enough to really satisfy my mind. Also, there was a continuing thread of disloyalty and cheating - something I really don't like reading much of, unless it's the 'past boyfriend' that did it, not the current protagonist.
Now, the wrap up to the novel explains a bit but not enough to really satisfy my mind. Also, there was a continuing thread of disloyalty and cheating - something I really don't like reading much of, unless it's the 'past boyfriend' that did it, not the current protagonist.
March 30, 2013
Contrary to many other reviewers, I really enjoyed this book. Dreams don't define people and it's absolutely normal to behave strange, be bold or even act recklessly in your dreams. I just don't see a point in criticizing a character based on thoughts that occurred involuntarily in his mind during the sleep.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 8, 2016
Up to chapter 5, I knew I was gonna give it at least 4 stars. But then chapter 6 came round the corner and ruined everything for me.
Because by the end of the story Gabe and Ethan were two boring people, and Gabe was the cheater. No matter why he did what he did, he did it and it was wrong.
So, no. Not that good. The last chapter was just not good...
Because by the end of the story Gabe and Ethan were two boring people, and Gabe was the cheater. No matter why he did what he did, he did it and it was wrong.
So, no. Not that good. The last chapter was just not good...
May 19, 2011
This is a really good smutty book, but get this with some plot thrown in as well. I'm still not sure if I like or dislike the plot twist at end and I can't discuss it without giving to much away. So I guess you'll have to read it to find out...
May 12, 2014
Ha resultado una historia bastante interesante y entretenida, más que nada por el cambio de tiempos y mundos que realiza la autora. Los personajes son una constante en todas las situaciones, pero la forma en que sus personalidades varían resulta bastante atrayente. Recomendable.
May 5, 2010
A gripping, suspenseful story, marred by a weird plot twist and unexpected ending that took away from the dramatic impact of the story.
December 16, 2010
2.75 stars
October 12, 2012
Solid writing but be prepared to be disapointed when the timeline suddenly changed.
October 13, 2012
1.5*. A hot mess.
April 14, 2013
If my copy was a paperback I would have flung this across the room. Scarlet Blackwell writes books that I mostly enjoy unfortunately, this is not one of them.
October 25, 2010
Interesting story with an ending that I wasn't expecting.
March 27, 2014
3.5 stars
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