New York Times Bestseller, Pepper Winters, delivers another delicious Dark Romance. “I’m not the hero in this story, girl. You’d do best to remember that.”Once upon a time, I was an eighteen year old psychology student.Now, I’m a man’s property.Stolen and sold, I’ve been decorated in bruises since the day my world changed two years ago.I suffer in silence, I crave freedom, but I never break.I … years ago.
I suffer in silence, I crave freedom, but I never break.
I can’t.
Until he arrives.
Elder Prest, the only man to look at me and see me. The only man more ruthless than my owner.
He wants me for reasons I don’t understand.
He claims me for one night then leaves and never looks back.
Until he returns.
And life becomes much more complicated.
5 STARS – You don’t know DARK ROMANCE until you’ve picked upa Pepper Winters book!–Shayna’s Book Blog
5 STARS – This book wrecked me! Ripped me apart bit by bit!–Deb Carroll
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Stolen, sold and made a slave.
Tasmin, Pimlico, Pim.
Raped, abused, beaten.
But never broken.
How could I not know about this book before or this amazing author??
Pepper Winters has managed to pull out all my heartstrings and all the feels as well as making me confront my own demons with this series.
An amazing series so far – as I’m writing this I’ve almost devoured book 4, so you can imagine how I feel about the series. I have been absolutely not able to put this down and I have just finished and jumped from one book to the next.
The title ‘Pennies’ is heartbreaking, the meaning becomes more clear and I personally don’t think I’ll ever think about the saying “a penny for your thoughts” the same again after reading this book.
We meet Pim who once had a different name, but survival is more than just not dying. And this wonderfully strong young woman endures and endures and really shows us just how resilient the human body and mind can be, even when pushed to its breaking point.
Pim puts a face on sexual slavery and a world that is so very real today – and one of the hardest things for police and authorities to ever conquer.
The men and their masks had gone, and the women had copied me, each taking a stall and dutifully but tearfully washing. This wasn’t a simple cleansing or preparation. This was a baptism into Hell.
I think one of the things that really nails me in this book is her diary entries…which she writes on pieces of toilet paper and hides, her letters to…no one. Remarkably this is also what keeps her sane in her world of pain and torture.
Her owner is a very sadistic fuck and he has friends…
But one day a visitor comes to the white prison on the hill… and her world changes.
The author tells you quite a lot by describing Pim’s surroundings. The colours used or rather lack thereof. The fact that she is not human – she’s an object…treated worse than an animal…she exists, is conditioned – but still silent.
‘Silence was a weapon I could wield better than panic. And if it meant I never uttered another word until I found freedom, then so be it.’
The one thing they will never earn from her is her voice. And the way the author writes her journey in this book, even without going into deep details of the depravity and torture – it’s not needed. It is just enough for us to make our own conclusions and use our own imagination, remembering any crime show or documentary, any movie – and you will be able to put many horrors to life without the author needing to go into the details. And to me, that is really good writing.
This book is about what happened, what happens in the 2 long long long years she suffers in her captivity, never breathing fresh air, never feeling the sun, stuck in a prison, a mansion on the hill…always afraid, always watching…always trying to predict her owner’s moods. Just what this would do to our day in and out, never being able to stretch out properly – never getting proper medical attention… not being fed, always beaten, broken, abused. Conditioned to our limit.
‘Listen with your entire body, not just your ears. Watch with your entire being, not just your eyes. And judge with your entire soul, not just shallow perception.’
But she is strong, she is a survivor, even though she’s also giving up.
When Elder arrives it changes everything, but he has got his own demons and their journey is only beginning.
“Just like a tree gives up its age when its trunk is revealed, your body answers without words.”
It’s like they say – sometimes it gets worse before it gets better – and we hurt the ones we love.
But I couldn’t stop reading, needing to know what will happen. I was captivated throughout this book and I can tell you it just gets better.
5-terrorfilled-heartbreaking-heartwretching-tearfilled-but hope still lives – stars for this amazing series.
‘If my nickname were Kaitou for Phantom Thief, hers would be Mokusatsu. Kill with Silence.’
I thoroughly loved the exciting, addicting, and heartbreaking dark romance that I honestly could not take my eyes off the spellbinding story. I received an ARC for an honest review.
At the age of 18, Tasmin is kidnapped, sold as sex slave to a cruel and abusive man, Alrik Asbjorn, and Tasmin’s name becomes Pimlico. No matter what Alrik does to Pim, who he shares her with, torture, beatings, and broken bones, Pim refuses to talk. When a business man, Elder Priest, comes to Alrik’s house, Priest wants her and Alrik does not want to share with Priest. Alrik takes out his temper on Pim.
Read the highly recommended, first book in the series by the phenomenally talented best selling author of Dark Romance, Pepper Winters. I cannot wait to read the next book in the series, Dollars!
This book is messed up. It circles around a girl who was kidnapped and sold as a sex slave to a sick and twisted man who enjoys hurting her. She thinks about her life ending and pleasing her captive without thinking. That is until Elder walks into her life.
So I’m going to keep it real and say that for this book to be dark, it didn’t necessarily feel that way. Pimlico kinda got on my nerves with her repetitious monologue in her head. I didn’t truly feel connected to her or hope for her salvation. Don’t get me wrong, the things she goes through at the hands of her captive is brutal and wrong. I want nothing more than for her to be free. At the same time I felt nothing. Even when Elder walks into her life, I felt that he didn’t do anything but make life harder for her and he knew that. It was all because he wanted her.
In other words, I felt nothing while reading this book. I don’t feel like a whole lot happens either. I didn’t connect with the story at all and that probably has a lot to do with the writing. The only reason I picked this book up was because the story seemed interesting and I love dark romance. While this book is dark just for the simple fact that its about slavery and abuse, it didn’t quite live up to its potential. I’m not sure if I want to continue with this series.
Haunting and beautifully written, Pennies captivated me immediately, immersing me in the heroine’s inner world. When Pim is kidnapped and sold into sexual slavery, she chooses to be mute and never give her voice to her captor/abuser. Pim’s thought process and her suffering and strength are so sensitively and skilfully conveyed that I didn’t miss dialogue at all! Pennies is a disturbing story, but the amazing strength of Pim’s spirit shines through the darkness and radiates a strange, uplifting light. I marvelled at her ability to endure and read the entire Dollars series in days! Pepper Winters has created a dark piece of perfection that lingers in the mind and captivated me with its psychological complexity. I would recommend it to anyone who can handle a raw depiction of slavery/abuse.
This book grabs you and the series is great too…love this author!
Get the series. Full stop.
This is a first time read for me. I was stuck and didn’t want to put it down. It’s darker than I’m used to but will deffinately be geting the rest of this series asap.
What a great introduction to a new dark series. Who is Elder Prest???? I want so much to like him. Pim is so strong but so conditioned, I can’t wait to see what Dollars brings! If you love dark, dark reads I highly recommend this!
my little minnie mouse.
This was my first book by Pepper Winters, and it will not be the last that I read of hers.
I was taken on a ride. The most eventful ride of my life. Winters style of writing draws you in and from the word go you are hooked. You are there, watching and wanting to hold Pim and let her know she’s not alone. She is one strong and brave lady.
The subject matter is quite hard to read, but is very VERY well written. You don’t want to read, but you do because you want to know more, you want to know what happens to the brave Pim.
This is not a light hearted airy fairy romance, this is dark…The depths of hell dark. This book goes where many authors are too scared to delve into. So if you want all hearts and flowers this is not for you. If you want something that tears at your soul then this is for you .
Pim and Elder… fab characters
Pennies is intensely haunting, dark, twisted, and shocking without being overly disturbing with too many horrid details. The author tells you everything you need to know and leaves you almost wanting more yet, glad with the dimly-lit view into the monstrosities that are indured within these pages. I am looking forward to the next book in this series and so thankful I can download it now and won’t need to wait long.
Pimlico has been stolen from one of her mothers functions and has been sold as a slave to Master A. Master A is a cruel, vicious man and allows his friends to abuse Pim freely too. Elder enters the picture through a business deal with Master A. He may not be a good man but shows the most kindness Pim has known in years.
The author does a great job of pulling you into the story. I don’t usually read anything this dark. It says a lot that the author could keep me reading all the way to the end. Book was well written and abuse was not given in complete detail.
Couldn’t put this one down. Read it. It was phenomenal.
It took me a while to read this book… 4 days exactly… i read it word by word.. one chapter to the other.. its angst.. kept my stomach rolling.. the chill and desperation..
Tasmin aka Mouse..aka pet.. aka girl.. is a pet… who was living the nightmare… desperate.. helpless..
PENNIES were one of the book that kept me intrigued.. its dark … very heavy reading.. as the warning were mentioned at the beginning..its a slow pace read in my case.. so slow, it required your every attention to read whats going to happen. Its vivid.. sadistic.. taunting.. rapist.. all the label you could think of… I almost give up but i had a hope the end will give me a hint of whats going to happen next..
Pepper, I applaud you to bring this book alive.
It wasnt easy for me to read it.. I feel disgusted…creepy… helpless when the story kept haunting me to keep going! Phewww till the next story..
Queen of Mind fuckery strikes again !
You’ll never ever , in a million years , guesstimate the story of this series !
Tasmin Pimlico is killed, abducted, sold to a Satan’s Master. Yes ! Alrik Åsbjörn is a cold hearted Pain-thirsting Lord who trained Satan himself. He’s THAT Heathenistic Sadist. He thrives on screams and breathes the air he chokes out of his victims. But he never gets that satisfaction from Pim. She suffers seven circles of Inferno-
Beatings
Rapes
Mutilations
Penetrations
Burns
Stabbings
Bone crushings
YET she refuses to give him her words. She hides in her mind, refusing him her groans , moans, wails , thoughts and only glares with hatred or bows with acceptance because she’s gone beyond tolerance and rebellion.
Then walks in Elder Priest .
He’s This stranger might be the only one I’d ever see before I died. I’d never again inhale a flower’s fragrance or taste a raindrop on my tongue .
He’s gone from a thief to killer, from killer to assassin from assassin to heartless stealer of souls.
He’s a thief. He took my first kiss. Just like he took my novel.
He treats her no differently. But gives her a small respite, like an eye in the churning violent storm. But eye has to pass sometime !!
The storm that she faces after the eye is enough to kill ME , I wonder what Gods are watching over Pim to leave her a few scarce breaths. Or are they Satan’s minions toying with her , wearing stolen halo from the Angels.
Even though it gets a bit too expalantory at times, over thoughtful and monologistic, The book beat me with a bat on my head. Completely stunned me with a concussion ! I’m trying to fathom what I’ve just read and where does it go from here ?
Next book will tell ………….
Pepper intrigues me. In a small farm , amongst the natural beauty , far from the madding crowds, lives this genteel girl who has to shout to whisper. She’s that soft spoken !
Yet her stories yell so loud, you can hear the reverberations of readers gasps . You can hear the shatter of the screens as kindles are being thrown to the walls. How she generates such tempest with words written amongst such calmness of nature. Darkness swirls from her pen when she writes siting in sunshine , pain and soul crushing hopelessness when she’s sarrounded by God’s bounty and peace.
Beats me ! I’ll never question it but always be surprised by it .!
“Freedom. I had it. But then. I lost it. Murdered, resuscitated, and sold.”
Never thought I would read a book part of a 5-part series. Normally I stay away from them because of the cliffhangers and the long waiting. I also find 3 or more books in a series focusing on one couple to be very long. However the synopsis of Pennies really intrigued me and had me thinking that I should give this one a chance. I made a promise to myself that I should get out of my reading comfort zone and try new things.
“A penny for your thoughts, girl.”
Pennies is about Tasmin, who is kidnapped and sold as a sex slave. She is bought by one sick individual who does the most disgusting things to her. My heart broke for her! Even though she is being beaten, raped and tortured, she is still fighting back and finds a way to cope with her situation. I was amazed by her way of surviving even though some days it was harder than the others.
“I’m not the hero in this story, Pimlico. I’m another villain. You’d do best to remember that.”
Then we have Elder, a very mysterious “bad” guy. I have so many questions about him. One moment he is a bad guy that wants to do bad things and other times he is almost a “good” guy. I have no idea what he is up to but I am intrigued! I have a thing for villains so I have no doubt that I will eventually fall in love with him.
“You’re worth pennies, but I’ll make you worth fucking millions.”
I really enjoyed this book and I am looking forward to the rest of the series. I loved that we didn’t get too much of a background on the characters, because sometimes I get bored by them. We jumped right into the story and continued from there which I can appreciate as a reader. There was one scene that was a bit too long and had me skipping sentences. Overall Pennies is a great start to a new dark series. The writing is great, the plot is interesting and the characters are intriguing.
~4.5 Stars ~
It’s no secret that I love dark romances and I’ve been itching to get my hands on one for a while now. In fact, the last one I read was Je Suis á Toi by none other than Pepper Winters. I didn’t realize how much I missed the genre until I started Pennies. Immediately my body morphed in a calming zen state. I know that makes me sound super dark and twisted but I’ll completely own up to that. I have no shame.
Pennies is raw and will completely strip you bare. It’s dark, it’s haunting and it will test your limits. This is a story about a young girl named Tasmin who is stolen from her wealthy and privileged life and sold on the black market as a slave. She is renamed as Pimlico, Pim for short. Her new owner is a horrific monster who has no sense of humanity. He’s brutal and malicious. Absolutely showing no mercy. He’s forced her to do and endure unspeakable things. When a man shows up to conduct business with Pim’s master, all of their worlds are turned upside down. Will this guy see the horrors of her life and save her or will he ultimately be just as bad for her as her Master?
The most important thing we learn about Prim in this book is that she is strong. Although she has been beaten and sexually assaulted, she’s been able to hold on to a piece of her that keeps her going. She’s intelligent and has used what little information she can gather to her advantage. Her situation is heartbreaking and sickening but we get to hold on to the fact that she has never been completely broken. There’s always some kind of hope for her and for us as readers.
I’m really not going to say much more. If you couldn’t tell, I loved this book and I can’t wait to get my hands on the next one. If dark reads are your cup of tea, then this book is absolutely for you.
Well written with triggers