Darkness frightened her, but a killer becomes her muse. -Aaron- Death was all I lived for. Until she came along. Lively. Beautiful. Spicy. I need to kill her, but the urge to keep her is stronger. For the first time in my life, I defy my demons for her. The price? One of us has to die. -Mae- Darkness scared me. Until him. Mysterious. Dangerous. Deadly. He terrified me, but his hidden layers … die.
-Mae-
Darkness scared me. Until him.
Mysterious. Dangerous. Deadly.
He terrified me, but his hidden layers intrigued me more. I can’t help being attracted to the man within. To his beautiful madness and twisted mind.
Even if being entangled in his world could lead to my ruin…
more
I was generously provided the ARC of this book for an honest review. This is one of my favorite types of stories, where the main character is a psychopath or sociopath that has no morals or empathy but becomes obsessed with the lead female. In this case, Aaron is a man from a wealthy family with a title and works for the family corporation which is a major global company. He is also a schizophrenic killer who hears the voices of his dead father and aunt in his head when he needs to kill. He meets Mae in an alley and becomes obsessed with her. At the beginning we are not quite sure if he really wants to kill her or not, but his aunt and father certainly do.
Aaron kidnaps Mae and hides her in his mansion, he is constantly at war with the voices in his head who have a lust for her blood and want to kill her, while he is more intrigued by her and starts to feel actual emotions. Meanwhile the story of the Rhodes family is introduced and Mae is learning the background of Aaron and his family which includes mental illness, murder, suicide, kidnapping and a child Assassin program.
The story of the Rhodes was first brought up in the book Crowed (Team Zero #1), which doesn’t have to be read first, but doesn’t hurt either. I did and was glad. It gives background on the Pit and why there are Assassins after Aaron and his cousin Tristan. The storyline is excellent, the romance is deep and not instant. No gratuitous smut, I will certainly continue to read the rest of the series.
I VERY much loved this dark capture/kidnap story. For me it was much more than that though: I felt the author did an excellent job allowing the reader to see into Aaron Rhodes (anti-H) thought processes, but not just from his perspective, the author introduced a way to see into his past through the lens of a 3rd party. A chilling & traumatized childhood & upbringing that honed Aaron’s genetic proclivities &/or nature.
Mae Wilson (h) the victim of Aaron’s obsession & eventual captive was a strong woman, despite her youth & overall lack of life experience & a childhood trauma (not physically violent), determined to survive her captivity as best she is able through focusing on what she learned from her parent’s about using her own internal strength & intelligence in life’s travails. I do, however, think Mae’s character was unrealistically stalwart & brave considering her situation but not to the point it ruined the story or irritated me.
And Mae quickly realizes there no escape & Aaron is a killer & psychopath . . . .
The author does an admirable job of causing the reader (at least this one) feel Mae’s sense of claustrophobia while imprisoned, of her true sense of helplessness, of Aaron’s insidious & lethal charm that draws her in & surrounds her like a fog that cannot be penetrated or dissolved. The only thing I personally didn’t get a real feeling for was Mae’s fear or terror, her character was written too strong & I think had she been more overwhelmed at the beginning it would have heightened the suspense factor for me.
But Aaron’s character was consistent, chilling, chaotic & hypnotizing; contradicting terms but all applicable to him. I could see him as a remote, distant & detached person who despite his cold & aloof presence still drew unwanted attentions by sheer force of his bearing & stature. But Aaron has spent his entire life battling his demons by leashing them through his lethal action but Mae begins to confuse him, to bring thoughts & emotions forth he’s only experienced once before in his childhood. And his demons do not like it. Aaron is theirs & is to do as they direct, as they demand & any variance to their directives will not be tolerated . . . .
I also greatly liked the secondary characters: Tristan, Dylan, Kane & Celeste.
This was an excellent albeit chilling psychological dark capture story that I recommend.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Wow!!! I absolutely love this series !! My first book I read by Rina Kent was crowed and I was hooked ! I having been waiting for Aarons story and I was not disappointed! This was a well written dark romance story I fell in love with the characters I could feel all the emotions of each character as I read the story I could not put it down once I started reading ! I absolutely loved Aaron he is so heartbreakingly tragically beautiful ! I can’t wait for Triston story to come out Well done Rina Kent !
Very different book than what I’ve had before. I enjoyed it
Definitely something a little bit different. Quite enjoyed it. Exceedingly immersive.
Rina Kent is fast becoming one of my favorite authors! This isn’t your typical romance, Aaron is a killer who has voices in his head constantly telling him to kill and when he meets Mae he wants to kill her but something about her intrigues him.
I could not put this book down! It was different from other books I’ve read, I absolutely loved it. The characters are broken but you can’t help but hope for a happy ending even when one of them is a killer.
This story captures the reader attention immediately in the prologue as we look into the dark, chilling thought process of a deranged killer, a psychopath with personality disorder. Aaron inherited this disease from his father’s family and after such an traumatic childhood it’s became more prominent. He hears his demons demanding a specific description of a kill and demands to be fulfilled through drastic actions.
Mae Wilson is an innocent college student with an artistic talent and desire to expand to well known art galleries. She was stalked by Aaron and later captured but he is unable to follow the demonic forces in his head for destroying her. Aaron was constantly fighting his inner demons between the right and wrong course of actions against Mae while she was capture. He was confused due to his lack of ability to love or establish meaningful personal relationships,
Mae is battling her own emotional battles but was persistent to survive her captivity by focusing on her parents training for life. I even questioned Mae sanity a lot of times because some of her actions was questionable, IMO. She eventually transition to Stockholm Syndrome.
A great beginning of the aristocratic Rhodes family. I loved Tristan and Dylan as they enhanced the story well. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in this series. I recommend this book but be aware there are some triggers in this story.
OMG this was soooo good, lots of darkness ,suspense, and hot hot hot! The chemistry between Dom and Cam will give you goosebumps! Dom has gotten into something that endangers the ones he loves, wait does he love her or just desire her? Read the book and form your own opinion!!!
This book was read as an ARC
I seriously could not put down Aaron and Maes story. It had me hooked from page one intil the end with these two. After everything hes been through he is damaged but that doesnt stop the obsession he has with her or for taking her. It also doesnt stop the feelings hes starting to get for her nor does it stop her feelings. He has a long way to go and fight his own demons before he can really and fully be with her. My heart went out for these two so much!!!!
Dark romance is usually not my thing but I thought I would give this book a try and I’m presently surprised how much I actually enjoyed it. I kept rooting for Aaron and Mae to get their HEA. I need to know who would willingly or not get married to Tristian. Will have to read the next book in the series.
Excellent writing, multidimensional characters. Aaron and Mae are both complex characters who have endured much in their lives to form them into the strong people they are. They overcome personal fears and demons and find a love that makes them fight for their very lives and sanity.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This was a dark and deliciously deranged romance with suspense. Aaron is a wealthy aristocrat with a sinister dark side and a thirst for blood. Mae is a good girl with living parents, but is battling something inside herself. She catches Aaron’s attention and he is intrigued by her and has to have her. I really enjoyed this story there are some triggers in this story. Also if you have read Crowed you get a glimpse into what happened to Crow when he was captured. Loved this series and can’t wait to read more.
Good dark twisted tale.
This is a good read and it kept me intrigued from beginning to end. It’s got great characters and an interesting storyline. Definitely recommend it as a must read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
i like reading this book had me turning pages in anticipation of the next sccene . Totally captivating from the beginning of the story thorwn in some creative challenges that flows through the characters.
All he knew was darkness until she came along and now she is the light. There is going to be one problem one of them must die. Can he keep her and have them both live. See if they can
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Rina kent did it again this is the second book I’ve read from this author and it most definitely won’t be the last I loved this one. Can’t wait for Ghosted book three
~The righteous devils in his head~
—>>> Aaron Rhodes lives a life of the privileged, paved with aristocratic gold bricks, but his road is streaked with a definitive coursing of black. Black because of his present state of mind, his past experiences, and his lust for blood and killing. Unlike the other two men close to him, he revels in it. That is, until he runs into an angel in a dark and dirty alley, a window of fate which creates for him an instant obsession of this young woman named Mae who also seems to posses a bit of dark in her, a darkness she expresses in her art.
When Aaron’s obsession turns into the need to pluck Mae out of her life for himself, that is when we see the devils in his mind slowly becoming more tumultuous, urging him to do what he does best. But Aaron realizes he needs her in his life, beyond a purely selfish need, if only to balance his tortured soul and mind. Mae sees something in this controlled and beautiful man, finding herself equally drawn to him as he is to her.
Another dominant thread besides Aaron’s past experiences coming to light is the connection which ties these men and their families together, the moments of reckoning we look forward to being revealed within the next installments of this series.
This book was gripping, well written & the chemistry between the characters, Aaron & Mae sizzled throughout this seriously wonderful read.
Well done Rina. I look forward to more!
This is a story about two hurt souls who collide. Aaron kidnaps Mae and the dark romance begins. The story has a lot of suspense and emotion as the two, captive and captor converse with each other and also in their own personal memories. Due to the subject matter there are some triggers but, this is a truly wonderfully woven story about two people who are complete opposites attempting to heal themselves and each other.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
His darkness and the voices that never stopped demanded blood. He is unabashedly a psychopath who loves to bask in blood. The smell. The taste. The feel. The sight. Yeah it does things to him and soothes the voices. He doesn’t try to quiet them and enjoys feeding their blood lust. Until Mae. Well not really because it becomes a battle that may destroy them or kill her in the process. They want her blood. Mae has her own dark side that also comes from a trauma she suffered as a kid. These two dark hearts, her’s covered by the light she wants to claim. This author has them and us walking a tightrope as these two figure things out. She feeds us actions and the confused mind that Aaron fights constantly. This is a wonderful read one that plays with your mind and your convictions. Aaron isn’t the perfect book boyfriend he’s far from it, so why is it you find yourself wanting them to succeed. There’s a whole lot at play here and that means action and chaos and hearts are all in as this read plays a game with your heart and mind. I haven’t read Ms Kent before but you better believe I will now.