We were only kids when I made the vow to protect her. First from the monsters hiding under the bed and then the ones roaming the world freely. My obsession with Dove wasn’t normal, it toed the line on psychotic but my love for her overshadowed that. I’d killed, destroyed and hurt those that had done her wrong. I’d watched her for years wanting to claim her but refusing too. I was both her … was both her guardian angel and the demon lurking in the shadows.
She was mine, even though she didn’t know it yet.
I had planned to let her live her life, while I watched from afar.
Until one night, everything changed, and I was forced to kidnap her.
She doesn’t remember me.
She begs me to let her go.
But I can’t. I won’t.
There are things she doesn’t know. Secrets I cannot tell her but one thing is clear.
I’ll die before I ever let her slip through my fingers.
This book is not suitable for all readers due to violence, sexual content, and mature themes.
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“You’re everything, Dove. Everything. You have no idea the things I’ve done for you. The blood that’s covered my hands. The darkness I’ve endured, but that’s okay because now you’re mine. You’re here, and you’re mine, and it was all worth it in the end.”
Okay. I think I’m finally ready to write this review.
What I liked:
-The stalker/kidnapping plot is always one that I truly can’t get enough of, and it’s one that when done right truly feeds my addiction to dark romance.
-The smut was enjoyable if a little tame for my tastes, but then again I like the wilder/kinkier side of things so this might be perfect for someone who likes a taste of spice but not too much.
-Our main guy is very much head over heels in love with our girl. So much in fact that he remembers to kidnap her cat as well when he kidnaps Dove. lol
-The writing was good. I didn’t have an issue with the pacing or anything.
What I didn’t like:
-Call me fucked up, but for a dark romance this wasn’t dark enough. I wanted more grit and… I don’t know. Just more. It was missing something.
-I feel like there was a lot of unneeded repetition. A lot of the same back and forth, push and pull. It ended up feeling redundant.
-I was waiting on something to set this apart from other dark romances/kidnapping romances but I was left feeling like this was a run of the mill story that I’ve read before. That isn’t to say this was a direct copy of any one book but just making a generalized statement.
-The big “Oh my God” moment when Dove figures out a big secret was something I had put together at the first flashback which was really early on in the book so again I was left with that lackluster feeling.
I think if I was new to this subgenre, I would have loved this but sadly it missed the mark for me. I had some pretty high expectations because the blurb and cover were on point, but oh well. I would still recommend if you are intrigued. Read and form your own opinion please! But when all is said and done, Cruel Obsession was a mixed bag for me.
Overall rating 3 stars
Steaminess 3 stars
What in the world did I just read?!?! OMG!!! Zane and Dove were just wow!!!! Zane had a dark past and was only living to protect Dove. Dove always lived in fear like she was being watched. Zane always loved Dove. Dove tried her hardest not to love him but even if she didn’t say it you can tell she did but things were complicated. And it got even more complicated towards the end especially when something’s were cleared up for Dove about her past. Now that ending I did NOT expect!!!!! I want more!!! So many unanswered questions.
I was totally obsessed with this book from the very first page! The plot was so well written and the characters were created with such depth and detail that I couldn’t stop turning the pages until I finished reading the very last page!
A gripping intense edge of your seat kind of book that has a storyline full of twists and turns keeping the reader utterly engrossed from start to finish.
This was my first read by this writing duo and it definitely will not be my last I loved the writing style that they have and the story keeps you enthralled throughout .
With a fantastic set of characters this book will definitely leave you wanting more……
***3,75 ‘Paranoid or not???’ stars***
“We were made for each other. We’re two different sides of a fractured soul.”
Cruel obsession indeed!!!
Well, this was a good story, even though it wasn’t my normal reading prefference…
The story was built in a good and steady rythm, but sometimes, i was feeling that the heroes were a little bit wooden in their behaviors… And that their thoughts weren’t matching their actions, but i’m very curious of how the things will play out on the next instalment, cause the ending in here was leaving you a little bit on edge…
“I don’t want her to be mine. I need her to be mine.”
Well, Zane was very obsessed with Dove… Literally!!!! And the crazy thing was that he didn’t see it as an obsession, but love!!! Wow!!! But i can inform you that obsessive is the right word with a side of love…
So, he thinks that he has a sort of connection with Dove and that he is her protector… And he is in a way….
Also, Zane is a trained killer for the mob. Ugh!
So when the things are taking a wrong turn, he is abducting Dove in order to protect her…
“I was put on this Earth to protect her, to ensure her safety as long as I lived.”
Dove is a low profile girl who just living her life calmly, since her early years weren’t the best and they are still hunting her memories…
But strange things always are happening to her and she is having this feeling all the time that she is beeing watched…
And then, one day her tidy world is turning upside down and a beautiful but ruthless stranger is taking her away from her life and locked her down in a place that she doesn’t want to be…
“Whoever this guy is, he’s never going to let me go.”
Well, who is this stranger that he knows so much about her and her life???
How she will get away from him???
Why is he so obsessed with her???
And why the hell, she is feeling some sort of calmness near him???
“The power he has over me is terrifying. It entices me.”
“She doesn’t know how dangerous this is for her. How easy it would be for me to let go and ruin everything.”
Well, as i told you above the idea of the book was really good….
I just wanted a little bit more realistic approaching from the one hero to the other…
Yep, Zane’s obsession with Dove was scary in many aspects and honestly, i don’t know if i liked him, even though he had his sweet moments too… But all this shit was so unhealthy and scary as hell!!!
Dove from the other hand, was determined to fight him off, but in a way, she wasn’t fighting as much as she should, i think!!!!
Maybe that’s why it felt a little bit rush to me.
Overall, honestly, i can not wait how the things will end up after all!!!! I’m way too much curious for Zane and his Dove!!!!
“Loving Dove is my greatest weakness, but I won’t give it up… I can’t. No matter what I do, no matter how many people I kill, she will always be mine. The devil already owns too much of my soul to allow myself to let her go.”
“I shouldn’t want Zane, but a part of me is drawn to him, to his darkness.”
“You. Are. Mine!
I’ve killed for you, bled for you, sacrificed everything for you. You will be whatever I want you to be.”
***I received an ARC for the exchange of an honest review***
This was a good engaging read, it kept me enthralled and intrigued throughout with its suspenseful, dark and psychological plot.
Dove has had a hard childhood, being passed around in foster care, abused and mistreated. Now she lives a simple life, but feels like she is being watched all the time and keeps looking over her shoulder but always finds nothing. She has never managed to have a relationship with a boy, it never seems to get passed the made a date stage, as they never seem to turn up.
Zane is a hitman for the mob, a trained assassin, and is obsessed with Dove. She is the only light in his darkness and he has made it his mission to look after her and protect her, without her even knowing. He has cared for her many times in his own psychotic ways!
But life changes rapidly when Zane is given a hit with her name on it! He must kidnap her to keep her safe until he can find out why she has been targeted. He has a home prepared already where they will stay, he knows everything about her and has everything she will already need. But now he has her, Zane must fight his baser instincts….. he can smell her, touch her, and he wants her with everything he has. Of course Dove is petrified and tries to escape, but to no avail. She cannot understand why she is attracted to the man who had kidnapped her, why sparks fly and there are butterflies in her stomach when he is near.
A good read this, kept me turning those pages to see how it would play out! I’m definitely looking forward to the next book.
Cruel Obsession is the first book in J.L. Beck and C. hallman’s The Obsession duet. It is the story of Dove and Zane who have both been scarred, especially Dove, by traumatic childhoods. Dove lives a guilt life while Zane is a mafia hitman who is obsessed with keeping her safe (from the sidelines) until he kidnaps her one day for her protection. This book is full of secrets, suspense, twists and steamy chemistry. There is a cliffhanger which leads to the next book of the duet entitled Deadly Obsession.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Cruel Obsession is the first book in the Obsession duet and if you are a fan of dark romance, it is an excellent read!
Kidnapped by a gorgeous man the prickles her sense of familiarity, Dove doesn’t know quite what to do. Her captor insists she’s in danger and that he’s been watching over her for most of her life. He says he only wants to protect her but since he’s kidnapped and trapped her, she doesn’t quite believe him. She might not trust him, but that doesn’t stop the visceral attraction she feels toward him.
After years of watching over Dove and protecting her from anyone who would harm her, Zane finally has her. The circumstances aren’t ideal but he’s determined to make the best of it and earn her reciprocation of his love. He is a strong and dangerous man, but for Dove he has endless patience.
With her life in danger and nothing but each others company to occupy them, Zane worms his way into her heart as deeply as she is burrowed in his. Their clashes only make the magnetic attraction between them more potent – but Dove is still in danger and they need to figure out why if she is ever to be safe again.
These two has such palpable chemistry between them and the ending kept me on edge. I am so excited to see the finale to their story – there is so much more to unravel.
This one is definitely a dark romantic suspense novel that captivates you from the very beginning! I can say with complete confidence that some people won’t be able to appreciate this book for the twisted romance it is. I, however, loved it! Each to their own, but THIS was my CATNIP.
This is a stalker romance with all the delicious steam and lust confusion. Their backstory is truly heartbreaking and romantic, I fell for it hook-line & sinker! Like any true psychopath, Zane’s obsession with Dove is over the top and at times, scary. Again, not for everyone!
I’m so thankful we got chapters in his POV! Seeing how he has such protective and caring feelings towards Dove really helped deal with his dark side.
It ends with a heart pounding cliff hanger and although I was expecting it, I wasn’t prepared. This was yet another shocking and delicous dark romance that left me wanting more. My first book by this author combo and I cannot wait to read more of their work!
CRUEL OBSESSION by JL Beck & C. Hallman is the First book in The Obsession Duet Series. This starts the story of Zane and Dove.
Dove for most of her young life was in the system where she didn’t build connections but to one friend who protected her..William. William was a little older than her but he said he would look out for her. Now Dove is around 21 years of age and hasn’t seen William in a long time but she still feels someone watches her. Zane is a dangerous man who boarder on some really dark things but the one thing that he is obsessed with is Dove. When he learns of the danger she is in he goes into taken her instead of watching from a far.
This hero is a dark obsessive male hero who does evil except to the women he wants. Loved it and can’t wait for the next installment of their story!!
This was a pretty good and interesting read; a page-turner too.
Even though Zane’s obsession was past borderline possessive and manipulative, he was still an awesome character. It sucks that things happened the way they did there. That cliffhanger had me scared for Dove, but I can’t wait to read what happens next!
He is her dark guardian angel. Her life is in his hands, and he chooses how the story plays out.
She constantly feels like she’s being watched but never sees or hears anything, is it just her imagination?
He watches from the shadows, but now the time has come to step into the light and reveal himself…..
Ooohhhh J.l Beck and C.Hallman have taken a delicious walk on the dark side with this, and I for one cheer for more!
This book is part stalker, a whole lot of obsession and a healthy dose of death, pain and punishment. The perfect combination for my little black heart.
Zane is more than I could ever of asked for, and his devotion knows no bounds. The lengths he went to, to keep her safe are awe inspiring, even though it was done in a creepy way at times.
Dove is like her name pure and innocent. She wears a coat of fragility, and I held my breath waiting for the inevitable.
Balance is created when darkness and light come together, this to me is what they create between themselves. A shade of grey, that only they desire in life.
The cliffhanger ending came too soon and has left me both frustrated and grumpy *chuckles* I need more more more!!
What did I just read!?! Oh, my goodness, what a ride of a story. The title is exactly that…Cruel Obsession. Dove is not naive by any means because she’s independent and carefree. But she is also aware that there is bad in the world and almost always, she feels like someone is watching her. Zane is obsessed with protecting Dove even though she doesn’t even know him. He fights her demons when they get to close or hurt her, and he will protect her to his death if necessary. This story not only has an alpha hero, overly obsessive protector but has a twist no one sees coming. And the end, well, nothing will prepare you for it.
This is the 1st part in this amazing duet. Zane is totally and completely obsessed with Dove, who has no clue as to why she has been kidnapped. No spoilers: this is a definite must read, you will not be disappointed. This is a well written collaboration by this gifted authors’ and is dark and filled with secrets and twists which all lead to an intense and all-consuming tale which had me totally captivated throughout this riveting tale. I cannot wait to read the 2nd part. There may be triggers for some readers so please be aware of the warning!
I really wanted to like this book, but I struggled so much with the story. I found parts to be repetitive and found myself skimming over them. Although I figured out the connection, you really don’t know anything until the end of the book, which does end on a cliffhanger. I struggled with her actions as well.
I’m obsessed
This book contains dark themes and dark characters….and I love it. Another great read by this pair.
From the very start this book had me sucked in. Zane is obsessed with Dove and had been for a while. He has been watching over her while she tries to live a normal life. When zane is forced to reveal himself to protect her, it gets real.
Their relationship is so fascinating and complex. The authors did a great job of letting us see inside Zane’s head for something that he seeing as so normal.
Loved this dark read…can’t wait for book 2
Another amazing story by the fabulous duo that is J. L. Beck and C. Hallman. This is the first book in the “Obsession Duet”, this story is dark, intense and sexy; a full rollercoaster of emotions.
The main characters are Dove and Zane. These two, had a very difficult time growing up, both orphans, trying to survive in the system. Now Zane is Dove’s protector, he is been watching over here for a very long time, always staying in the shadows, making sure Dove has everything she needs.
I got so pulled and consumed by this story, Zane it’s really a total alpha man, a dark knight that is going to do everything in his power to protect the only light in his life. His obsession with Dove it’s so intense but there is so much more to his story that you really need to read this book to discover all the hidden secrets and why he acts the way he does.
The cliffhanger at the end was explosive and had me and mr the edge of my sit , I’m SO READY for book two and to discover more of this amazing story.
Holy crap. Where do I even start with this one!! Cruel Obsession is a dark, twisted, f**ked up story that kept me on the edge of my seat even when I had tears rolling down my cheeks!! JL Beck and C Hallman are freaking masterminds and powerhouses in the author world!! I can’t wait for the next book to see what happens!!
Holy hotness this freaking book blew me away! This duo never ceases to amaze me with their writing and the characters they create.
I LOVED Zane his love for Dove is pure , raw and obsessive and he will do anything for her including protecting her by kidnapping her and keeping her hostage! And the ending!!! Why! why! why ! I just can’t even right now ! My heart is literally in my throat ! I NEED BOOK 2 ASAP
This book is a intense dark on the edge of your seat page turner that you don’t want to miss and if you like a dark mysterious suspenseful steamy read than this is the book! Can’t wait to see how this story plays out in the next book! Definitely 5 star read and I definitely recommend!
*** I voluntarily reviewed an advanced complimentary copy of this book ***
Zane’s obsession with Dove isn’t normal but I understand his reasons. I loved Zane he was fiercely protective of Dove. I liked Dove and I hope she comes out of her shell more in the sequel. Excited to see what’s next for these characters.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.