Myth. Monster. Mine.SpectreI wasn’t even a man when I took a life for the first time, although you couldn’t say I was a child. If I’d ever had a childhood, it hadn’t lasted long. My father, may he rot in hell, had seen to that. I took his life as well and that, too, happened before I was old enough to be considered a grown man.I never regretted it for a second.That path almost led to my own … grown man.
I never regretted it for a second.
That path almost led to my own grave, and would have, if I hadn’t stumbled across somebody who was as different from my father as day was from night. Sarge had seen the monster lurking inside, so he took control, gave me guidelines, rules, so I wouldn’t be the monster my father had planned.
It worked. I restrained the worst of my rage and honed the skills that had been drilled into me—theft, stealth… assassination. The broken child ceased to exist and I became Spectre, an assassin spoken of in whispers, hired to take out the worst of humanity.
Then I was sent to kill her…and my world came to a screeching halt.
Tia
It’s taken a long time, but I finally had a nice, steady routine. I stopped trying to conform to the neurotypicals of the world and found my own normal.
Normal went out the window when I walked into my kitchen and found a strange (hot), dangerous looking (so fricking hot) man drugging my new dog.
It probably wasn’t the smartest thing to leap at him like a banshee and attack, but that’s what I did.
When my attempt to wreck the vehicle was averted, my kidnapper didn’t hurt or threaten me. In fact, he told me he wanted to protect me.
This (hot) guy had to be crazy. But if he was crazy, what did that make me? Because I believed him. More, I found myself seeing something beyond the rigid, blank mask he wore. He kept trying to push me away, but I couldn’t seem to keep my distance.
He calls himself a monster…but when I look at him, that isn’t what I see. I just see him…and I know he’s meant to be mine.
Warning: This isn’t a snuggly, comfy read. The male MC is a hired killer, while the heroine is neuro-atypical. Some dark material is involved—the hero kidnaps the heroine. There’s also violence when he goes on a rampage against those who put a contract on her. Also references of abuse (not against the heroine). Also very graphic, erotic scenes with minor bondage play.
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Yay! Reading Shiloh Walker makes me happy. Spectre is a stand alone, although I do hope Tia’s brother will get his own story eventually, told in the third person but switches focus between Tia and Meric. I love the characters in this book. Meric “Spectre” was raised to be a killer, his father was ruthless and if Meric hadn’t of killed him at the age of 14 Meric would be a soulless and ruthless as his father. Sarge found him shortly after and saved Meric and while Meric still grew up to be an assassin Sarge fine tuned his skills and taught Meric to trust and have morals and rules. Even after Sarge died Meric never strayed from his own rules so when Boston mob boss and leader of a white slavery ring offers him a job to kill the sister of the cop who busted his brother Meric knows he’s not going to take the job band unless he does does something someone else will.
Tia had a difficult childhood with a irrational mother who hated her and after she died was left to an Aunt who clearly hated her too. Tia always knew she was different from everyone else and everyone else made it clear she wasn’t “normal”. It wasn’t until she was older that she was diagnosed with high-functioning autism, Aspergers. It took Tia a while to find her “normal” but she likes her life now with her best friend and her brother, even though he lives in another state, and her job teaching painting to kids who are just like her.
Spectre knows the only way to keep Tia safe is to remove her from the playing field; after all you can’t kill what you can’t find so he kidnaps her. But he was smart enough and observant enough to realize the transition and move would be easier for her with familiar things so he brings her dog, and art supplies and with how organized she is it was easy to pack clothes and toiletries. I love that he cared enough to do this that he understood that it mattered. Tia is scared and confused at first but when Spectre explains to her what’s happening and when she gets proof she’s more cooperative. I love that they are both blunt they are straight forward with their emotions and fears their was no whining and hemming and hawing, and I love Meric’s solution.
Overall, this was a great read. The action is intense and the romance is hot, with some light bondage play. The story as a whole was fantastic, I love Shiloh Walker’s writing she writes and I completely become immersed in the story and invested in the characters. If you are new to Shiloh Walker she does tend to get graphic, one reason I love her, as the Warning that is attached to the blurb says Warning: This isn’t a snuggly, comfy read. The male MC is a hired killer, while the heroine is neuro-atypical. Some dark material is involved—the hero kidnaps the heroine. There’s also violence when he goes on a rampage against those who put a contract on her. Also references of abuse (not against the heroine). Also very graphic, erotic scenes with minor bondage play.
Well this was a total surprise. From the synopsis and the cover art this could have been a paranormal story but instead it’s about an assassin who is fuelled by darkness finding light in the arms of a woman who many would turn away from.
Tia has Aspergers but refuses to let it shape her life and to that end she is an art teacher working with children who like herself sometimes struggle with the world around them and their place within it. Tia also happens to have a brother whose work has placed her in danger and that’s really when this story begins.
Meric has many identities but the one most know is that of Spectre the hired killer and his latest job involves a woman whose attitude both confuses and excites him. Meric cannot stand by and see her light dimmed forever and instead actually kidnaps both Tia and her dog ! Tia is feisty and antagonistic but Meric is determined to protect her and as they go on the run what could have been just another ordinary enemies to lovers story develops into a very passionate relationship indeed.
I loved the characters and that neither fit into a pigeon hole. This is explicitly sexy but I thought that worked well as neither of this couple are ordinary so why not let them push boundaries . The pace and plot kept me transfixed but I will say this is anything but a tame romance so you have been warned.
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair
After reading the blurb of SPECTRE, I pre-ordered the book right then. I love stories with mismatched couples that find each other, make the strangest odd couple, but someway try to make it work. Spectre (Meric) and Tia are perfect for each other, even if no one else would ever see why.
Tia Jenkins was trying to make her way in the world. She had a home, a job, and a steady routine. For a person with Asperger’s this was as “normal” as her normal could get. She knew she was different. Lots of people thought she was weird. Neuro-atypical was one popular term. She couldn’t help if her brain worked differently. She had a great best-friend and half-brother that adored her. They both accepted her just the way she was. She even adopted a new dog, she named Valkyrie.
Spectre was unlucky to be raised by a father that was a monster. He had tried to make the young boy Meric into a monster, too. But a man named Sarge had found him, saved his life, and set him on a new path. The broken child he had been ceased to exist, but he still became an assassin. The difference being he now was hired to take out the worst of humanity. This career would end when someone hired him to take out Tia. He took it upon himself to make his new career saving Tia.
Spectre and Tia had a really long road to becoming a couple. From him kidnapping her and her dog, to dealing with the people who wanted her dead for revenge. To her brother, who was an honest cop, that didn’t take kindly to him kidnapping his sister. There is plenty of hot sex, but only between two willing adults. They are a mixed race couple, but they don’t care, so why should we. I enjoyed their story and recommend you read their story, too.
This book opens introducing you to the main protagonists as individuals in such a way that you’re immediately immersed and wanting them to find their way to a happily ever after. Then the circumstances that bring them together tell you right away that Spectre is not fully the monster his father tried to make him and you’re hoping he learns that about himself. Tia, diagnosed in her late teens with Asperger’s, has difficulty acknowledging emotions and expressing her thoughts or feelings very diplomatically which adds humor but I think working to do so and the therapy she’s received and gives through art, attributes to her ability to see how Spectre hides his emotions and becomes the key his heart needs to see himself beyond his imposed rage and what life with her could be. These two are thrown together in a necessary close proximity scenario to keep her safe from the monsters that do exist in humans…which helps them grow in understanding of each other and themselves. Secondary characters and how they are woven into their lives and the plot put these two on a path of so much more than protector protected and is done so well within the story!. Love this couples growth and the erotic scenes that go beyond physical acts to opening them to trust and growth and the determination to make it work.
SPECTRE by Shiloh Walker is a contemporary, adult, stand alone, dark erotic romance novel focusing on assassin for hire Meric aka Spectre aka Casper Bach, and artist Tia Bailey.
NOTE: There are some scenes of bondage, discipline and anal play that may not be suitable for more sensitive readers.
Told from dual first person perspectives (Tia and Spectre) SPECTRE follows Meric aka Spectre Bach as he is hired to kill the half-sister of the police detective who was responsible for the taking down a man responsible for a child prostitution ring but all things considered Spectre had no desire to assassinate the woman that would one day, call to his heart. Stalking Tia Bailey had been easy but meeting our heroine forced Spectre to re-evaluate his chosen profession as his heart battled with what he was paid to do. What ensues is a cross-country journey in an effort to keep our heroine safe; the building but tempestuous relationship between Tia and Spectre, and the potential fall-out as Spectre must fulfil a promise to himself, and take down the people who destroyed so many lives.
Tia Bailey has Asperger’s; a high functioning form of Autism wherein she has the tendency to speak her mind both in and out of social situations but our heroine finds herself falling for the man hired to kill, a killer she is quickly learning to call her own. Meric Bach aka Spectre’s earlier life destroyed any semblance of happiness or normality. Having never felt loved or cared for, Spectre spent his early years learning to kill in an effort to protect himself from grievous harm. Falling for Tia Bailey meant opening his heart and revealing his past, a past he believes will condemn him in the eyes of the woman he loves.
The relationship between Tia and Spectre begins acrimoniously when Spectre is hired to kill our heroine. Unable to murder an innocent woman, Spectre then abducts Tia Bailey, in an effort to protect her from those willing to destroy her brother in the process. A quick ‘Stockholm-esque’ Syndrome relationship quickly develops as Tia begins to consider a life on the run with the man with whom she will fall in love. The $ex scenes are intimate, erotic and intense but I struggle with the use of a certain four-letter word used liberally throughout the story.
We are introduced to Tia’s half-brother Detective Mac Bailey; Meric’s guardian Sarge, as well as friends Leo Wallace and hacker Theodosia
SPECTRE is a dark, gritty and emotional story line between two people whose lives could not have been any more different. The premise is engaging and enthralling: the characters are energetic, dynamic and colorful; the romance is raw, spicy and spirited.
Shiloh Walker’s newest book Spectre is a taut erotic romance, one that is full of suspense. This is one of those stories that makes you wonder if the characters can have their HEA, but the author delivers. It’s dark, edgy and explicit, and one hell of a ride.
I honestly didn’t know what to expect with this book. What I got was a neuro-atypical woman who I fell for right away. Though she has struggled she has finally found a sense of who she is and she is happy with that. It took me most of the book to warm up to our hero. The sex in this story is off the charts. Not wanting to give spoilers I will just say if you like bad boys and sassy girls and lots of hot sex this is the book for you.
A new to me author with a sizeable back catalogue of books which usually is a red flag to me as it makes me think they churn out low quality cookie cutter books.
I was more than pleasantly surprised by this great read and will definitely be looking into some of that back catalogue as the writing style was fabulous.
Tia Jenkins is a lovely character. She’s had turmoil in her life but she’s come out on top. She knows who she is, what she wants and isn’t afraid to ask for it. She has Asperger’s and can’t always understand emotions. She also speaks her mind because she doesn’t filter! I loved her fearless spirit.
Spectre is a deadly assassin hired to kill and he is exceptional at his job. When faced with the fireball that is Tia, the deadly ghost becomes the friendly ghost.
The pace of the book was just right with great supporting characters. Definitely recommend it.
Spectre by Shiloh Walker is an edgy, unique, intense, forbidden, steamy, dark and twisted romance that will take you on quite a ride.
Spectre and Tia are not your typical couple yet their love story will have you rooting for them and following their journey towards their HEA. There’s nothing like steamy, dark and twisted romance to have the reader engaged from start to finish. I don’t want to say anything that would give spoilers away; what I will say is Ms. Walker has written a story that will have you talking.
My Rating: 4.5 stars ********
I really liked this book. This book had a very different feel to it and I thought the characters were quite unique. I loved Tia, she may be blunt and sometimes painfully harsh. I found her sassiness immensly appealing. As for Spectre, he starts out cold and brutal and honestly, that doesn’t really change all that much, but Tia does bring about other changes in him by awakening his feelings and desires. The story is filled with tension, drama, danger, violence, emotional turmoil, action, humor and sizzling steam.