From New York Times bestseller, Pepper Winters, comes a new Dark Romance Series, Goddess Isles.For those who loved Monsters in the Dark, Indebted, and Dollar Series, you’ll LOVE this one!“There was a boy once. A boy who wasn’t strong enough to save me when I was taken.”There was a girl once. A girl called Tess Snow who sat with me in the dark, waiting to be sold.There was an … waiting to be sold.
There was an owner once. An owner who bought me, entrapped me, and made me his unwilling goddess.”
Eleanor Grace is a naïve dreamer. Trusting and young, she believes her travel-loving boyfriend can save her when her freedom is snatched and sold. Squirrelled away to an island at dawn, delivered to a man even darkness won’t touch, she’s bound by a contract.
Sullivan Sinclair is the giver of fantasies. Any wish, any desire–he is the master at quenching any appetite. His private paradise and perfectly trained goddesses are there for one purpose: to ensure every guest is extremely well satisfied.
He bought her.
He trapped her.
She belongs to him.
Dark Romance
First book of the Goddess Isles
75,000 words
Pepper has again singled herself out as the Queen of Darkness and Suspense.Wanton Book Lover Blog
Once A Myth needs to be on your e-reader, in your hands, and being read as soon as it is LIVE. As a dark romance lover, I highly recommend it! Chris
I believe one of the best series of a dark and twisted tale of 2020. And yes, I’m predicting that after just reading book 1. Sassy Southern
I’ve loved Pepper’s work since Monsters in the dark and all the in between work and let me tell you this is one of the best work she’s ever done. Dangerously in love with books
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Intoxicating and succulent start to, what will definitely be a passionately addictive story. The first book has set the stage for some heavy breathing, pulse pounding tale of roiling emotions which are her trademark. Topped with in-depth look at a bigger motive to make the world a better place, this series is sure to be a Runaway hit
Pepper has always been unconventional in her tropes, her hard hitting stories embed the heart and linger forever. Her heroes are omnipotent, supremely intelligent and above all, Nobel in their covert missions. Q & Jethro occupy a special place in my heart and now comes Sully Sinclair.(I love the unique names Pepper comes up with!!)
This book takes us to a pristine, idyllic paradise, apparently in Indonesian archipelago.
“A view wasn’t just a view here. It didn’t just complete a backdrop for life to exist; it demanded your full attention. It swallowed you up with all five senses, engulfing you with bird song, gentle breezes, and vibrancy. I felt the soft hish-hish of the sea upon the sand. ”
Heavenly setting, peaceful surroundings are a virtual prison where Eleanor Grace is abducted & transplanted to, as a Goddess to serve fantasy driven, fetish island club for rich & powerful men
“Goodbye, Eleanor Grace. Graceful to the end and elegant to a fault. Mr. Sinclair will enjoy destroying you.”
She’s regal in demeanor, strong and sharp, which presents a challenge for Sully. He’s used to having women fall at his feet and obey unquestionably. Eleanor/Jinx refuses and pushes back with equal force, if not more so and the polar opposite poles attract magnetically. Their fingers are burning to touch, skins enflamed with lust and bodies moving by their own Accord like puzzle pieces dying to click.
Raw and untouched, she bristled with injustice and courage. She could be Artemis’s reincarnation or perhaps Aphrodite’s twin. She didn’t need to be turned into a goddess, she was one.
Thus starts his obsession with bringing Jinx to her heel and the ensuing battle of words and wills forms the basis of the story.
It rises more above the mutual attraction, which undeniably is in full force, it’s more of conquering of minds that has them locking horns and none are willing to stumble or retreat
His to imprison; hers to escape
“I’d nursed my hate like a glowing ember, feeding it twigs of injustice to stay aflame, tossing a few dried leaves of righteousness for fuel. But this man? This man threatened to turn that flickering coal into a furnace.”
Sully has several tricks up his sleeve to bend the rigid spine and unyielding bodies of these trafficked women and soon they fall and write at his feet, pliant and yearning to be used. His physical beauty coupled with dynamic brain makes him a dangerous opponent and ruthless ruler
“He was a demon, a monster, a god of sin, emperor of lust, and undisputed king of danger.”
The story is breathtakingly beautiful. Pepper has changed her prose style in the last couple of books, I’ve noticed. Instead of lengthy monologues and inner turmoil, the plot is more dialogues driven, which makes it a very slick and interactive. The pace is so smooth and fast, the book went by super fats from start to finish. I could touch and feel the zinging chemistry between Sully & Jinx, his Goddess.
First scene on and you could feel the threatening sexual attraction promising explosions not far away.
This being the first book in the series, I was hooked, lined and sinkered
5 stars for Pika the Pet
Welcome back to dark romance, Pepper Winters! And boy did she do it with a bang. I thoroughly enjoyed ONCE A MYTH and can’t wait for more!
My first Pepper Winters book has left me speechless, Sullied, and craving more. Going into a series that is not fully released is a risk, but a risk I am so glad I took. I am certain that I will read or listen to book 1 again before diving into book 2 just to fully absorb everything Pepper has to offer.
Eleanor and Sully are two very strong characters who have a chemistry, an attraction, and a push and pull to them that was mesmerizing. Pepper’s words are like an elixir on my soul which washes over me and transports me to her world.
Once A Myth was a fantastic opening to what is sure to be a heartbreaking and seductive series.
It is true that this story in itself is mind-reeling and
set my heart pumping, but the narration of Scott Rider and Sarah Puckett was phenomenal. They don’t not just read the words, they became the characters. They turned this story into a movie in my mind and made it so much better than reading alone would ever do. I will definitely continue this series in audio and will look for more stories read by them.
Dear readers, Pepper Winters is about to take you on one of the craziest, dirtiest, hottest adventures you have ever experienced! I’ve never read a story like this before… it was a new level of “forbidden” – seductive, intense and sexy.
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This story starts with a kidnapping.
Elinor Grace went backpacking with her boyfriend, and was abducted at their guest house. She arrives at a dirty place to be prepared for sale. There she meets Tess, who is waiting for a similar fate. (Oh boy… if only she knew what was was waiting for her! )
Unlike Tess who fights the kidnappers, Eleanor does not waste energy in unnecessary wars – she saves her strength for the real danger – her buyer.
And so, she’s sent to a dreamy tropical island, a perfect resort that fulfill dreams – only she’s not there to relax… She’s there as the main event.
And then… she meets her monster.
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Sullivan Sinclair (Sully) has all the money you could dream of. His parents owned a successful pharmaceutical company and left him everything after they died – and so he created his own private paradise, where he plays God.
On a tropical island far from everyone, he built the Goddess Island, an island that can fulfill any crazy fantasy with the help of his goddess…
Sully never mixed business with pleasure until he made a big mistake and gave the kidnappers a description of the next girl he wanted to buy… a description of his dream woman – the one he couldn’t resist… the one that could destroy him.
What happens on that island? What would be Eleanor’s fate there? Will they be able to resist the crazy chemistry between them…?
” . .”
Although it started like many other books I’ve read before (Tears of Tess, Dollars…) it was completely different. This is an EROTIC BOOK by definition – oozing sex from every page and every word – and it was one of the HOTTEST BOOK I’VE EVER READ!!!
So if you like Pepper’s unique writing style and want to read about a strong heroine, an amazing charismatic anti-hero – and their forbidden bond…. Get ready to fall in love, because this is THE book for you!
Damn, I need more… I need to get to Euphoria, now!!!
5+ !!
Ahhhhh Pepper Winters has taken us back to where it started…..a captivating dark tale infused with sexual tension and combative characters that will have you turning page after page lusting for more of their story.
I felt drawn in from the start and truly captivated once Eleanor reached her new home. Sully was relentless in his taming of Eleanor and her refusal to adhere to the ground rules. But her resistance is what truly gets his attention and causes this steel exterior start to show signs of distress.
I could tell right then and there that this was going to be a page turner for me and that I was only at the beginning of a truly wonderful series that will take my heart and emotions on an amazing journey.
It truly astonishes me that Pepper Winters can consistently deliver wonderfully engaging reads that have you teetering in the edge waiting for more of her tangled webs.
Get ready for what appears to be the beginning of a journey with multiple twists and turns.
Rating:
Compelling Captive Romance – Sex slaves with a twist.
I like captive romance stories for some reason but I always really want the captive heroine to one-up the guy holding her captive. I especially want her to get away, and the heroine does usually get away, but I want her to get away more than once. I want her to keep beating him at his own game, but generally she has to sit back and take it more often than not. The heroine eventually falls for him and he her, but I don’t know, I think I just want her to get him to either regret thinking he can own another person or change his mind about it completely.
So far in this book that hasn’t happened. Though the Hero, Sullivan Sinclair (a.k.a. Sully) does regret buying this particular captive for the island paradise he owns where Men come to get their darkest desires fulfilled by the “Goddesses”. The Goddesses are women that Sully owns and forces to work for him for four years.
The heroine is a young girl named Eleanor who is kidnapped from a youth hostel by sex traffickers while traveling around the world with her boyfriend. Eleanor was sold to Sully per his specifications of the kind of girl he wanted and he comes to regret ordering a girl with the types of assets he is attracted to. Sully never makes use of the girls he purchases for the Island and he is determined not to start with Eleanor, whom he renames as Jinx.
However, Eleanor is a fighter and she fights in different ways than other girls. She sits back and pays attention, she holds her fear and anger inside when other girls would display it outwardly. Eleanor lets it all come out in spurts where she tries to show Sully how wrong it is to do what he is doing. Of course Sully doesn’t care and justifies what he is doing in different ways, such as they would have it much worse if they were sold to someone else.
All Eleanor can think of is the fact that men are going to use her body against her will and no matter how gilded the cage is, it is still a cage and she wants to be free. There is a twist in that Sully owns a pharmaceutical corporation and is a chemist himself. He has created an elixir that turns a person into pure animalistic need. They are in pain if they don’t chase the “O” over and over until the drug wears off with anyone in the vicinity.
I like the fact that Eleanor/Jinx never decides to go with the flow. I like the fact that she keeps fighting for her freedom and Sully is a terrific anti-hero. He can’t stop thinking about her and he wants her. He fights his own responses and goes back and forth deciding he will just take her for himself, then hardening his resolve to sell her to his clients at a high rate. He is jealous of the other men (his clients). I usually hate reading about someone who bounces back and forth on decisions but in this case I am really enjoying his inner musings. I like the fact that he is not as in control as he wants to be.
To say I consumed this book is trite and underwhelming. But yeah, I consumed it and greedily dove into the next book.
Fresh, original, and irresistibly captivating, this is a romance reader’s paradise.
Don’t read this book unless you’re prepared to be engrossed, gobsmacked, turned-on, and utterly obliterated by the magical prose of Pepper Winters.
I couldn’t stop reading once I started and already on to the next one. Pepper is taking us on another dark twisting journey into the Goddess Isles. Eleanor aka Jinx (love the reason behind that name) is going to be trouble for our “monster” Sullivan aka Sully in this series. I can’t wait to get more into this mans mind and see what all makes him tick. We see a small sweet side with him when the hilarious parrot makes an appearance. The ending of this book has me on the edge of my seat to see how it unfolds. Great freaking read!!!!
I’m still processing this book! Oh my goodness! This is the first book in the Goddess Isles Series, this is just a taste and we haven’t even scratched the surface of the island. I cannot wait for more to come!
Once A Myth is dark and wowzer is it hot. I seriously need a cold shower after that. Sullivan I can see us all falling at his feet, although he still remains some what of a mystery, I can’t wait to find out more about him. Eleanor has spunk. She stands up for herself but she’s clever about it. When most women would be sobbing in a corner, she’s taking everything in and coming up with a plan. The book is told from duel POV which is perfect for this kind of story.
I can’t wait to meet more goddesses, I have a feeling none of the others will be anything like Jealousy. I have a strong feeling I won’t like many of the others but we shall see.
Yes the story ends on a cliffhanger but if you wait for them all to be released you are seriously missing out. There’s not much time to wait between books and I personally love the anticipation!
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And this is why Pepper Winters will forever be a QUEEN of dark romance. She is back baby and she is better than ever. No matter what she writes, you can bet your sweet ass it will be written exceptionally well.u2063
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Like with any Winters story, I think going in blind is best. Once a Myth will instantly ensnare you, it will hold you captive, and it will do things to your mind and body that you might fight at first but then you will give in, and it will be the sweetest ride on the dark side you’ve ever taken. That is the power of Pepper Winters.u2063
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I’m not sure if Sully will ever measure up to Q but he is for sure putting his best foot forward in this first book. Eleanor was a fine mix of scared rabbit and ferocious tiger. I loved both of them as individuals and together they set the pages on fire.u2063
Can we also just take a quick second to talk about how freakin’ cute Pika was?! I sincerely hope we get more of him in the next books.u2063
If you’ve read and enjoyed the Tears of Tess trilogy or if you’re just a fan of dark romance, READ THIS NOW!! u2063
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I’m going to go back to counting down the days until book two is released.u2063
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Overall rating: 5 starsu2063
Steaminess: 5 starsu2063
When Ms. Peppers writes the dark romance genre, I always want to dive in and read all those beautiful words she knows how to put together like a puzzle.
Once A Myth caught my attention starting from the teasers, cover book all the way to the synopsis and I knew, without a doubt, that I had to read this series.
The characters are strong-willed characters and I loved them to death. Sullivan Sinclair may have power, money and may be attractive as hell, but he can also be a bad, bad person. All his goddesses want him but he never touches his goddesses. He abides by that rule and will not break it for anyone. But then Eleanor comes in the picture, she’s exactly what he’s been looking for and requested a woman with those exact qualities and features so now he’s possessed because he can’t stay away from her.
Eleanor is one tough little cookie, she told herself that she wouldn’t let anyone or anything break her and she’s standing up to what she said. But things are getting heavy and hot between Eleanor and Sully. Can they withstand their attraction or will they end up breaking and succumb to their desires for each other?
The chemistry between these characters was undeniably attractive and this slow burn book will leave you itching for more.
5* Captivating Stars
From the first page read I was captivated with this thrilling dark and gritty romance. The story of Eleanor and Sully is addictive. The push and pull between them explosive and raw.
This is the first book in the Goddess Isles series, and I cannot wait to continue this taboo journey with the next 5 books available to escape into.
Welcome to this dark fantasy- an exotic and enthralling story of a fantasy peddler and his latest prize. And, this is Pepper at her best- sensual, devastating, entrancing, and unforgettable!
Like so many Pepper stories, the journey begins with a kidnapping. But, this is world unlike any we’ve ever seen- exotic, erotic, imaginative, and sensual. Our heroine Eleanor is abducted and sold to our anti-hero Sully by traffickers- transported away to his private island of sin (and cute animals) where she’s forced into an owned woman contract of prostitution, taking an elixir that consumes her mind and body. Despite being entirely powerless and at the mercy of a corrupt and depraved man, she’s no weakling- she’s got fire and strength in spades, and finds her power in subtle ways. And soon she starts to find some power in her dynamic with Sully- the mans he should abhor but who somehow has become the man she burns for.
The setting is unlike any other we’ve seen- Goddess Isles is a tropical haven for rich and depraved men, a place where they can fulfill their darkest fantasies with owned goddesses- women high on the mysterious elixir that makes them burn for their tormentors. And Sully is the lord of the island, the purveyor of paradise. And Eleanor was supposed to be just another acquisition- another goddess to add to his menagerie. As this series unfolds, though, we see that Eleanor can never just be his possession- she challenges everything that he thinks he knows, that he has made. With each book, we get deeper into the man that is Sully Sinclair- what has led to this hard, ruthless, arrogant, and possessive man. And that is the magic of Pepper Winters- a man who for all intents purposes is a monster, we find ourselves drawn to him- just as Eleanor is- against all reason.
This most certainly is not a series for the faint of heart- the premise of the series itself should tell you there are dark and triggering elements. Sully feels challenged by Eleanor, and he tries to break her. Even though she doesn’t fully break down, Sully doesn’t make it easy- for her, or for us to love him. But their chemistry is straight FIRE- intense, erotic. Peppers write erotic and sensual dark romance like no other – you know you are going to get some HOT steamy times, passionate couplings full of unbridled passion and conflicted emotions. Raw lust, explosive intensity, and so many heart wrenching emotions combined. But Peppers makes us wait for them- and you won’t find much of their connection in Book 1.
You’ll be desperate, frustrated, enamored, and heartbroken with the cliff hanger- Sully and Eleanor have a long road ahead, and you know that it will not be easy. There love is a veritable hurricane, and the storm is still raging. But it is a story that is enthralling to the very last, an epic love story full of passion, pain, heartbreak, and redemption. My favorite Pepper series to date!
Reading Once a Myth let me know that the Queen of dark romance is baaaaackkkk! Eleanor was backpacking the world with her boyfriend of five months. She was living her dream until the day she was kidnapped, brutalized, and then sold. Was Scott looking for her? What would her parents think? Would she be living every girl’s worst nightmare? And how would she survive?
Enter Sullivan Sinclair. Billionaire. Gorgeous. Scientist. Inventor. Creator of the Goddess Isles, an idyllic getaway for the insanely rich to indulge in their filthiest fantasies. A man who appreciates beauty, who deeply cares for the living, and has questionable morals.
Sully was a god amongst the goddesses who inhabited his world. However, when Eleanor steps foot on his island, everything changes. He actually has feelings and he’s at a loss with how to control a woman who seems uncontrollable. How does one dominate the indomitable?
When I finally reached the end, which left me with a doozy of a scene and I have no idea what is next for Eleanor, I was left with loads of unanswered questions after being doused with loads of unbridled chemistry. Eleanor’s hate game is strong but we all know that it won’t last. Sully is just too much for a naive girl like her to resist!
Wow, I had no idea what I was getting into when I started reading this series and let me tell you all 4 books are worth it, Peppers has outdone herself in this book, it might be one for the history books to read again in a year, so so good.
Omg! First off. I’m a huge fan of Pepper Winters. All her books I’ve read, I’ve given 5 stars because she’s phenomenal. The way she can work her magic with describing the locations and characters.. it’s truly brilliant…
Yes, the book leaves off on a cliffhanger but that second book it out so.. go get it!
Pepper Winters is back to her roots with “Once a Myth”, a dark romance full of everything we come to expect from this author. This book may not be for everyone, as Pepper pushes the boundaries on topics that might make you uncomfortable. She’s known for her intense, disturbing and twisted plots, and does not disappoint as this story unfolds and grips you along the way. Eleanor is a strong and independent character who finds herself in a helpless situation as she fights for her life and her freedom, never giving up hope. Sully is a complex character, with two sides… the one you want to hate for his involvement in how he acquires his goddesses, and the other you want to swoon over for his irresistible sexiness and god-like demeanor. However, Sully’s met his match with Eleanor, as she weakens his control and has him questioning his true desires. I enjoyed how cameos of past characters are cleverly weaved within, connecting to the rest of the PW’s universe. A fabulous start to this series, it ends with a cliffhanger that will surely have you jumping into the next installment!
Listened on audio: Sarah Puckett and Scott Rider’s performance on narration was AMAZING, and the duet storytelling was flawless! Casted perfectly, Sarah portrayed the strength, spunk and fearlessness of Eleanor, while Scott’s voice was exactly how I pictured Sully to sound, portraying the controlled, alpha hole that you’re just going to hate to love!
I think this is the best book ever written by my favorite athor Pepper winters. I fell in love with Sully while reading the dollar series and then i fell again in this one. Eleanor is by far the strongest female character, one you can relate to.It’s a big change, we always read about the girl who needs to be saved while in this case the heroin sort herself out . I totally loved it! Cant wait to read the next one!
Once a Myth is sort of a flashback to a small room where Tess Snow and Eleanor Grace meet and are waiting to see what their destiny hold. If you are a Pepper Winters fan you know that Monsters in the Dark- Tears of Tess is one of her most read and highly recommended series to date that was until The Goddess Isles came to be and we are introduced to Sullivan Sinclair and his private paradise and perfectly trained goddesses who are there for one purpose: to ensure every guest is extremely well satisfied, he is after all the giver of fantasies. I love being reacquainted with characters from other series who make appearances during the introduction to Goddess Isles. Be aware this is a series and each one will end in a cliff hanger so don’t be upset if you are the type that cannot wait till the next book then I recommend waiting until the series is completed before reading. However, I tend to leap in, knowing that Pepper’s writing is dark and usually messes with my head so I need a break before jumping into the next one. Once a Myth will not disappoint in setting up the scene of what is come! So excited
Once again, Pepper Winters, has written a deeply woven story with intricate and complicated characters. This book delves into the dirty business of trafficking, not glorifying it by any means, just talking about a subject that most shy away from. And she does it delicately and with tact.
The thought and premise of the chemicals created and used in this book are frightening but at the time intriguing.
This first book was well written and truly worth the wait. I looked forward to reading Twice a Wish!
6 beautiful heartfelt stars!