Total control. I need it in every aspect of my life. Some would say that makes me an asshole. A freak. But as long as everything’s exactly how I want it, I’m completely flexible. I’m kidding.Okay, I’m not kidding.Lacey needs someone in her life who’s bigger and scarier than her demons, and she wants that man to be me. Her boss. The Viking in a suit.I hope she understands what she’s getting into. … understands what she’s getting into. This daddy isn’t going to pat her on the head and tell her she’s a good girl for nothing. Especially not when she’s spinning out of control.
Author’s note: this book contains depictions of eating disorder recovery.
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What a great story! It deals with real life situations and shows how certain lifestyles can help. Stian and Lacey aren’t your everyday couple and that is what endeared them to me so much. They both know they want to be together, but something in Lacey’s life keeps getting in their way. Can they both overcome it?! I truly loved this couple and rooted for them throughout this entire book. This author made me feel every emotion Lacey felt and I just knew Stian was the one for her. But do they end up together? You will need to read this incredible book to find out!!
*I am a huge Brianna Hale fan and was so excited for Control Freak.
I have to say it took me a bit to get into this story, but I am happy I stuck with it. Stian and Lacey have a new relationship in Control Freak. Stian comes across as this mean and sometimes a very determined man with no one to stop him. However, when he finds himself drawn to Lacey, she seems to calm him when he least expects it.
Lacey has her own problems. With the problem that she has life is chaos in her head. However, having someone like Stian in her life just might be what she needs, someone that can control the chaos in her head and body. However, can something that feels and sounds so good be too much?
This book is excellent in the contents that it brings out. I gave it four stars because I didn’t feel the chemistry between Stian and Lacey at the beginning that I would usually feel between to characters that would start a relationship like this. It took a bit for me to get into that part of the story.
Control Freak by Brianna Hale was an emotional and touching story about recovery and love. It is the story about man who controls every aspect of his life who falls in love with a woman who needs control in her life. Stain may be a cold man who may seem distant and uncaring, but he has never met a woman like Lacey.
Lacey has demons that consume her. I do not want to say too much; except she suffers from an eating disorder (which is in the blurb) that she is struggling to overcome. She desires a man who can control her in certain ways and Stain is that man. But with her struggles, can she find a way to truly let him in? This story was emotional, but I loved how determined Stain was to stand by Lacey at all cost.
Happy reading!
Control Freak by Brianna Hale is the story of Stian and Lacey.
Lacey has a eating disorder that she is trying to bring under control. When her father pushes her to get a job working as Stian assistant for the summer she does as he asked, but what she finds is some peace from her troubled thoughts. Both are attracted to each other but Stian is older and a control freak where Lacey is young but has her food demons. Although this is a steamy read it does show us the emotions that Lacey is fighting inside her head.
I really enjoyed their story and this author touching on a sensitive subject.
4 stars
Delicious cover! Control Freak is a mega short story (only 282 pages) about overcoming your demons and finding your happiness. Stian and Lacey have overcome much with her eating disorder and lack of belief in herself but they’ve come out the other side stronger than ever. Their reward is a beautiful wedding and a happily ever after.
Great short, but emotionally rich, story.
AnnMarie – Alphas Do It Better Book Blog
Have you ever read a book that was so good you literally sat there just in shock and were unable to express just how good it was? Well that happened with Control Freak. This is the first book I’ve ever read by the author but it sure won’t be the last.
Control Freak was a truly feel good, beautiful, heart-wrenching story about the power of real love and how it can change lives. This wasn’t an action packed edge of your seat kinda story but it was an incredible real and raw journey of two people who both needed each other so desperately. This book pulls at your heart strings from the first page and doesn’t let go. I highly recommend!
Enamored by this page-turner of a story!
Completely shattered at how Hale turned a deep, emotional soul-inspiring issue that people to this day battle on everyday basis and she spins it into a deeply romantic novel. Yes, I only rated it 4 stars, b/c I wanted to see more towards the end between Lacey and Stian. More development, more up’s and down’s and how they would blossom between the dynamics with her disease. There is defiantly more to this story than just romance, and I encourage all who are struggling with anything personal, to read between the lines of this empowering novel and gain the remarkable courage that Lacey develops and also the patience, love and understanding that Stian has for her.
With aspects of bdsm, daddy Dom and sensitive topics this book has everything you need in romance today. Brianna Hale has blown me away in past books, but this one tops them all. It truly has everything you are looking for.
Briana Hale can write any story and I would read it. This book is no exception. I loved the title and it hooked me just seeing the title and cover. She gives you a story that hits every part of your heart. It is about a tough topic that few can write about and portray a scene you can relate with. The way she writes about it and includes you, you can feel the emotions with Lacey. It is a book that you are taken on a rollercoaster of emotions and left on the edge of your seat until you get to the epilogue. It is all consuming, mind blowingly hot and intense story mixed with added emotions and feelings. You will need to block out time to complete in one sitting. It’s that good!!
The way Lacey and Stian meet is quite humorous. I felt the instant connection between them, but it is blurred until later in the story. He is a dominating guy, but you see all the layers he has as the story progresses. He is so sensitive to her needs and helps her be the person she wants to be but struggles with.
The characters are very flawed and you can appreciate all they have been through. I cannot say enough about this book and just wish you would buy it already and experience it yourself!!
Four stars for Lacey and Stian !
“Control Freak” is the first book I’ve read by Brianna Hale and I liked it .
This book is about anorexia and impossible love.
Lacey and Stian relationship was hard. Lacey’s anorexia made her unhappy and she was thinking that she doesn’t deserve Stian and his love. But Stian was persistent and show her that anorexia can’t control her.
If you love reading heartbreaking romance books, this book is for you !
My heart is a compass, and it always leads me back to you…
This is my first book by Brianna Hale. All I can say is I am blown away. I expected it to be erotic and have elements of BDSM, which it does. That is something I love in a story such as this. But this had so much more. Brianna Hale had the courage and strength to tackle the hard issue of Anorexia. She brought this subject to the written page with dignity and respect.
Stian and Lacey’s journey together is heart wrenching, but also heart warming and uplifting. We follow Stian and Lacey through all the stages of their struggle to eventually find light at the end of their tunnel. I am so happy I came across this story and I look forward to reading more by Brianna Hale.
Control Freak by Brianna Hale is daddy kink romance that will capture your heart with the feels and also set it on fire with the sizzle caused by the main characters – Stian and Lacey.
They are boss and employee – Stian knows that Lacey is the one for him yet Lacey a submissive who happens to have anorexia issues. Stian knows he can’t magically fix her but being that he is a Dom, his Dom ways could. Their journey towards a relationship is filled with emotions and feels and steam…oh yas!! Love the way Stian helps Lacey and its so beautiful. Great reading!!!
My Rating: 4.5 stars ******
I think that Brianna Hale has done a great job with this book. She’s written a book that deals with a tough subject like mental illness and has handled it very carefully, thoughtfully, and respectfully.
She’s written a pair of fantastic characters that are only enhanced by their interactions with each other. Stian might think that he’s a bad guy, but or overly tough or something, but I think that he’s really a good guy. He takes good care of Lacey and does what he can to help her and to not sabotage her in any way. I really like all the little things that he does for her, and how he lets her do the things that are best for her and just supports her.
I think that Lacey is really strong and a lot braver than she thinks she is. She falls down and picks herself up and keeps going. Falling down isn’t weak, it’s what you do after that is strong.
I think that she and Stian are just perfect for each other.
The book looks at a subject that affects many.
Lacey is our hurt lady and Stian is the controlling Dom in this story by Ms. Hale. Now you may see this as just a Daddy/Little or a Dom/Sub story but there is more to it. There is steam, but the dynamics of the characters is what you will find interesting. There are well placed secondary characters brilliant job by the author. This is one I would highly recommend it is a complex and heartfelt piece. I did receive a free copy of this book and voluntarily chose to review it.
I’m just gonna start with, this was not the read I thought it would be. This turned out to be so much more! Stian is a control freak, he is not ashamed of that fact. When he encounters Lacey, and saves her from a fall, the last thing he thinks is that she would be a great as his new assistant. When her father poses just that question to Stian later, he decides to give her chance. After all she did leave a lasting impression. Lacey takes this job as Stian’s assistant for the summer, but she never would have dreamed that being his assistant turns into so much more… like him being her Daddy.
OK, there is so much more to this story, but I don’t really want to spoil anything. The BDSM element is what drew me in and it was tastefully done. With some really hot naughty scenes and drama, but thats just the beginning. This was a really good read, that kept me glued to the pages until it was over. I give this 4 stars.
In my many hours perusing Instagram I came across a post with this cover and a blurb and instantly I was intrigued. Okay, I lie, I was more than intrigued. It might as well have been a Siren calling me to my death. I was mesmerized. I needed to read it. I went on a mad search looking for it. My sleuthing skills paid off because I discovered it on Netgalley and requested an ARC. Something I rarely do, and not expecting a response back. Color me surprised that I was chosen to read this book. I still had no idea what to expect other than the blurb. I am glad for that because by going in blind and seeing the way that the author wrote this story allowed me to truly appreciate this story in a way with no preconceived notions.
The age gap “daddy” is not a sub-genre that I normally read. Yet, if they were all written as exceptionally well as this one I might change my mind. I liked that the author played on the notion of “control” in this story. This had a different connotation to the word depending on the character. It also has a duality in BDSM with the idea that even though the Dominant wields the power, it is, in fact, the Submissive that truly has the power. For both Stian and Lacey, they have their own idea of needing to control something> without giving away spoilers, I will just say that it was beautiful and painful to watch as both grappled with needing it and having it be allusive in so many ways. My heart hurt at times as I watched as the helplessness of something was just out of reach and how they both tried so hard to have the hope that it wouldn’t be this way forever. The steamy times in this book were very well done and I could definitely see the correlation of how this might help someone like Lacey. Yet, it is important to note that it wasn’t a way to “fix” but rather give structure.
This author put a lot of work into creating a backdrop of the story, complete with history and traditions in order to enhance the storyline and the characters. She also talked about something not often read about in romance and portrayed it with such care and kindness. I, as a reader, appreciated that because I am familiar with it, not personally but with a family member. Adding in the secondary characters was much needed and showed that this was not just a plot device to add drama to the story. It made me appreciate the story that much more and made it feel as if this was truly a real couple conquering an obstacle in their journey of life.
Normally, I question the insane amount of time that I spend on IG. However, since it gave me this stunning book to add to my insane amount of books that I have read in 2019, I will say that time was well spent. Kudos to the author. I am a huge fan.
This book was nothing short of amazing! OMG talk about the layered emotions. To see the main character go through what she does and to have a journey of chemistry. It was powerful and just about being able to be in your own skin and accept yourself. Wonderful story!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Let me be clear, we all need a Daddy Stian in our lives!
In Control Freak, Brianna Hale delivers an intense, steamy and emotionally deep story. Stian and Lacey’s passionate and unconventional relationship simply felt right. Stian is the perfect swoon-worthy/panty melting/ Daddy Dom. He was amazing, caring and protective of Lacey. He supported her in her darkest moments, listening, seeing her.
Lacey’s strength and fight, hope and despair touched me. I particularly loved the surrender she craves and the control she both exerts to the extreme on her body and relinquishes when she is with Stian. Her disease was remarkably approached, with a realism I appreciated.
Steamy and raw, sweet and desperate, this read has everything to keep you captivated. Enjoy!
This book was so good! I especially LOVED Stian and my heart broke with the struggles Lacey went through but it is such a beautiful story!
Stian is the ultimate Daddy Dom and Lacey really needed him. All the naughty goodness and kink you could want in this story. An excellent read for the D/Lg lovers or anyone that loves a strong alpha male.
Stian Blomqvist liked to be in control in every aspect of his life. As a museum director, he required perfection from his staff. When Lacey Petrou joined the rank, he didn’t realize how out of control she was. He came up with a solution that could serve both of their needs but it could also possibly made things worse.
Stian was actually a lot less assholey than I expected. He might seem demanding but he was also very understanding and considerate. I liked Lacey too and sympathized with her struggles.
What I loved the most about this book is how the title was embodied in the characters differently. Control meant a different thing for each of them. I also liked how the author portrayed the character’s struggle realistically and not rushing the timeline. However, I did feel like the story is a bit off balanced because one character’s story dominated the book, instead of it being their story.
Control Freak is a story of taking control of one’s demon. It would appeal to readers looking for a Daddy kink book with a more consequential real life issue.