“I’m going to teach you what it is to want.”As a breeder, Ava Davies has only known pain and punishment. Sneaking off planet is meant to give her a fresh start. Instead, she crash lands on a brutal prison planet and comes face to face with the one male she’s never forgotten. The ex-warrior, now barbarian convict, she condemned to this very place.Shackled and tossed over the his hulking shoulder, … hulking shoulder, she expects death, but Commander Hunter Valdus has a different plan. He’s finally found the key to his escape and his revenge. All he has to do is keep the treacherous, but beautiful female alive and at a distance until he can use her as bait for his dark purposes.
But raw, blood-pounding need is a potent force, and even the best-laid plans can be laid to waste, especially on Dragath25.
The second book in the Condemned Series, Taken is a standalone, action-packed, sexy sci-fi romance with a HEA, a resourceful heroine who discovers true pleasure, healing, and a second chance where she least expects it, and a strong, sexy hero who knows what his female needs and how to give it to her. You’ll fall hard for him.
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Taken, book two in the condemned series is a dark tale of corruption and choices.
*****
Rating: 4 stars
Steam: 2 flames
Genre: Sci-fi Romance
*****
Ava, breeder wife #5 to an abusive and corrupt councilman who has been living on the run for two years, constantly looking for a way to escape her husband forever and escape his torment. Ava has never been given choices, and is only seen as good for one thing…breeding. But despite the horrific life she has led, she hasn’t given up and is looking for a rare ore that may just be the key to her salvation. But what will happen when there is an accident and she ends up in the underground mining prison face to face with someone who hates her simply because she is married to the councilman that put him in prison.
Hunter Valdus, badass alpha, has been protecting his team since they were imprisoned for being a part of the resistance, two years ago. When he comes face to face with the councilman’s breeder, he knows he has a way out now! Ava is the perfect bait to get the Councilman. What will happen when Hunter starts to see her as more than a breeder? Will these two learn to trust each other? What will happen when a broken man and a broken woman come together? Could they somehow save each other?
Alison Aimes writes strong characters that will burrow their way into your heart. Taken immerses you in a hellish world of dark and evil, a dog eat dog underground prison where there is no parole and the only escape is death. The world building for this prison was phenomenal and I could visualize the underground as if I was standing in the red dust myself.
Taken will quickly pull you into the deep underground world of Dragath25 and is filled with action, violence, revenge, and romance. The storyline will have you quickly flipping the pages to discover how everything will end. A dark and delicious tale of discovery, trust, and second chances. I enjoyed it and am off to read Ryker’s book! A definite recommendation from me!
LOVED THIS!!
I was so excited to read Ava’s story, and OMGoodness! It was everything I wanted and more.
This story was dark and delicious and intense and steamy and it was SO nail-bitingly good! I’ve never wanted to be surrounded by a bunch of convicts as much as I did while reading this book! I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough.
Valdus…where do I begin? He made my heart go pitter patter. Yes, a big ol’ muscly, savage convict made me swoon like a mofo. He is caring and selfless and protective…and so loyal. Not only to his men, but also his girl.
Ava is such a strong and badass heroine. Tired of being someone’s slave, fed up with being told what she can and can’t do, and so sick of being important for only one thing. I loved watching her strength and confidence grow from the beginning until the end.
Valdus was yet another sexy AF, possessive, protective convict created by this talented author. (She writes the best BBFs!!) I loved these two together. Their chemistry was powerful and full of sizzles.
Not only did I love Valdus, I actually fell for all of the convicts. Even jerkface Ryker. (Can’t wait to read his story!!) My heart ached for all of them.
I needed these guys to survive.
I needed them to get revenge.
I wanted them to get what they deserved – freedom. And even love.
This story has so much action, tons of passion, and A LOT of sexy, muscly, convict goodness. This whole series is fan-fucking-tastic!
Did you read book #1 (Trapped)? Then you’ll want to read this one. If you haven’t read read the first book, no worries, this one will still be highly enjoyable!
Taken is book two in The Condemned Series by Alison Aimes. I first read books one and three of this series and finally went back to read the second book. Each book is set in the same world but can be read as stand alones. The series is so amazing, so gripping, though, that you would be missing out if you don’t read all three books!
Cadet Ava Davies was the bride and breeder of Councilman Gregor Hollisworth on New Earth. She had suffered at his hands for years until she finally had her chance to escape. She disguised herself and trained to be a chemist in order to neutralize the horrible technology that Hollisworth has implanted within her. Ava went on a mission to Dragath25, a prison planet where the council from New Earth sent all of the worst of the worst criminals. Ava’s hope is to find a specific ore needed for the serum she discovered will work on her imbedded technology. Only, while she is searching for the ore, she is again taken and finds herself sent below, to the mines deep within the planet.
Hunter Valdus was a member of the resistance on New Earth until he and his crew were sentenced to life on Dragath25. Now they spend their lives working in the deep mines of the planet. When he saw Ava, he remembered her from his past on New Earth, and a plan immediately came to mind. She could finally be the key to their escape. But in order for his plan to work, he had to take her and keep her safe.
As Hunter and Ava are forced to spend time together, Hunter slowly sees that Ava is not the kind of person he had thought she was. She was a brave, beautiful woman. Could he still follow through with his plan to use her to gain his freedom? Could he let her go?
“Two enemies, captive and captor, who’d become so much more.”
At first, Hunter was Ava’s captor, but soon, he became her partner. Together, they conspired to bring down the evil man that was controlling their lives. Hunter opens Ava’s eyes to a whole new way of life, of a life that allows her to choose, of her to experience passion instead of pain. Their feelings grow to so much more, to a place where neither of them could contemplate a future without the other.
“He tasted of stars and choices. Of hope and faith. All here in the underbelly of Dragath25.”
I love this series so much. In a place void of anything good, these characters mange to find hope and love. The whole book is crazy suspenseful from the start to the finish. These two and Hunter’s crew are forced to go through so much. Their limits are tested time and time again. No matter how bleak things look, though, they still manage to fall in love. Their chemistry burns up the pages.
“Before her, he’d just existed. Now, even down here, he lived.”
This is a fantastic book and series. As I said, you can read them out of order. But really, you don’t want to miss anything. So start at the beginning. I hope you enjoy this as much as I have.
I love this series!!
fun read
My favorite of the series I think I have read it three or four times.
Great, well written story
Taken starts after Ava Davies is kidnapped in Trapped. Ava had secrets that we got hints of in the first book, but never did I imagine that they were this deep or scary. Ava has been in hiding for years and now that she has been kidnapped by someone that knows exactly who she is and wants to use her to get his revenge will she ever be able to save herself?
Hunter Valdus was sent to Dragath25 with his men for trying to set an uprising on New Earth. Now that he has Ava, he thinks she is his way off this horrible rock. Will he be able to use her against their common enemy once they get to know each other?
The intensity and chemistry between Ava and Hunter are off the charts in this second book. Taken is an excellent addition for this series.
Cadet Ava Davies is a scientist on a research mission when the shuttle she’s on crash lands on penal planet Dragath25. Ava has been on the run from her sadistic husband Gregor Hollisworth for 2 years and is on Dragath25 to find ore, the key to her freedom. Which is how Ava ends up becoming the handsome Hunter’s captive. Resistance fighter Hunter Valdus was sent to Dragath25 as punishment for trying to assassinate Gregor Hollisworth, the most powerful Councilman on New Earth. After two years of imagining every twisted act of revenge, Hunter can’t believe he has his enemy’s most prized possession, the beautiful Ava, and the means to save his men. Hunter plans to use Ava as bait to draw Hollisworth to Dragath25 but what happens when he starts falling for her?
Taken is an action-packed, thrilling and steamy story you won’t be able to put down. I can’t wait to read Tormented, Book 3 of the Condemned series.
Book two in this prison planet series and I seriously enjoyed this.
We take up with Ava after she disappeared along with the soldier that was protecting her.
Well, she finds her self in hell beneath ground and trapped and at the mercy of Hunter Valdus’s.
Valdus former resistance fighter sentenced by the council and when he sees Ava amongst the fresh meat sent down to the core he recognises her value and decides to use her as bait to escape this hellhole.
So this was super smokin hot and a kind of enemies to lovers story.
I say kind of as this is actually rather instalove in nature and they are only at loggerheads for a short while.
But you know what sometimes a bit of immediate affection hits that spot and this for me did that rather nicely.
This was action filled and I am really looking forward to experiencing Ryker’s story next as he just intrigues me with his bolchy sniping attitude.
I was slightly disappointed that the main characters from the first book didn’t make an appearance here, but all else here was good and I am happy to recommend this.
Just a heads-up though Ava here is protected by Valdus and his men because of this books setting there are dark elements to this namely the rape of fellow inmates.
I voluntary reviewed a copy of Taken (The Condemned Series, #2).
Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
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Dark, Intense, emotional and action packed, I thought that this was a raw and gripping read. This is a book that is not for everyone. Some content is violent, twisted and very distrurbing. Some readers will not like it and for others it might be triggers. The story is complex and and the relationship between the H and h complicated. Ava’s history and situation is tragic. I found it impossible not to feel for her. Valdus starts off cold, cruel and fully focused on revenge. He does grow on you though as his feelings for Ava force him to evolve. The story is dramatic and suspenseful.
Slower start. Great ending
Truly enjoyed this “dark world” and the struggles that the characters experience. The grittiness of the mines are wonderfully written. Love the concept that one person and how you feel about them can change a person.
Love it, great world building, awesome characters captivating and fast storyline and a touch of darkness.
Take it – read it – love it
~I want more of this author’s worlds!~
—>>> My first read from this author brought a gritty, brutal, and desperate world on a godforsaken subterranean prison planet, a woman determined to get herself out of another different kind of prison, men of the Resistance nearing no hope, and a vengeance to fulfill. Definitely an action-packed and entertaining read, from the scope of Council politics down to the tender and private moments shared between Ava and Valdus. Amazing! Going to check out her other reads ;-D
OMG!!!! What a story!! Be prepared to not being able to go to sleep until you finish
this story. I think I am most sorry for not having read book one first, even though they are seperate stories, so I will be reading that one very soon! I really liked the story line, the characters and the plots and can of course only hope you will like it too.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Oh man, this book….
It tests your morals a little. It get’s a little uncomfortable at times, and yet, I really liked that about this book.
The hero was big, scary and lead his men knowing he had to make the hard choices. He wasn’t emotional, in the way that civilized people are. He was harsh but he also kept his men alive. I respected that.
The heroine had been dealt a raw deal. She was a previous sex slave and her previous master had messed her up emotionally and physically by inserting a device that would make her suffer if she didn’t have sex so many times a day.
This story worked for me. I liked the whole thing.
Taken (Book 2) continues with Ava’s story and how she disappeared in book 1.
She ends up underground in a mining colony that is even more deadly than above ground. The good news is that she has a protector in Valdus and his group of revolutionaries. Will she be able to make the syrum that will free the men as well as herself from the evil councilman who runs the mine? I couldn’t wait to find out. Another great book by Alison Aimes.
I had very high hopes for this book, but ultimately I’m not sure what it was that I did or did not like about this book. It was good, and I really liked the hero and his progression in the story it made me really want to know more of his story. The heroine took a little to grow on me because I think if I were in her situation In wouldn’t have been as insistent about certain things, especially when survival is at steak. So I think that part was a bit unbelievable. Also it seem to have dragged on a bit near the end, and i found myself skipping parts to get to the end. Overall the story was good, but I still have to decide if I’ll go to the next one .. Maybe, maybe not. I’m still undecided.
This was sooo good. I love finding out what happened to Ava. I liked her character from the first book in the series. I also like how you finally find out more about her and her past. And why she doesn’t act entitled like the other Council people. I hope in the next book you find out if the first couple in the series ends up finding Ava. I am just curious enough to see if maybe they decide to all stay together on Dragath 25 or not. I can’t wait to see what happens in the next book! This series is definitely interesting!