I’m not sure what I was thinking that day. It was a normal Thursday, nothing new or exciting had occurred in the morning. I’d risen from bed, taken a shower and brushed my teeth. I’d then jumped on the 8:05 bus that ran a short distance between my house and the county library where I worked. The ride took its usual 15 minutes before it left me standing fresh faced in front of a building of … front of a building of gothic construction that was my favorite place in the world.
After straightening my knee length skirt, I pushed open the door that led into the interior of the library.
It was at that moment that my world would change – impossibly and forever. It was a fateful movement of wood that collided with the shoulder of a man that would alter my very existence.
It wasn’t fear that I felt at that moment – more like the feeling of being watched. It was the feeling of knowing that danger lurks – the sensation of the hair standing on end at the back of your neck.
Looking back on a moment that happened so many months ago, I now realize that I should have listened to that feeling.
As I would later find out, the man standing in front of me referred to himself as Master Lucas…
…and I was his next target
Disclaimer: This book is intended for mature audiences only (18+) and contains explicit descriptions of violence.
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I honestly am not too sure what to say about this book.
Did I like the premise?
Yes.
Did I like the execution?
Not so much.
For the entire first 50%, I considered not reading on, as I just wasn’t gelling with any character and thought they were all wholly unlikeable.
The last 50% was an improvement, but I still don’t like any of them. And that’s what I really struggled with in this book. I need to feel invested. I need to like at least one of them, right?
That ending though! I didn’t see it coming.
This was the first book I’ve read by Lily White and I do plan to read another one, as I feel like I didn’t connect with this one but I’ve heard so many good things about her other books.
This was a hard one to rate for a few reasons. I loved the premise of the story. Erotica writer using a stuck up prim and proper librarian as a research tool/ toy for his next novel. umm yes! The execution just lacked for me. I almost DNF’d this at 30% but pushed through since it was a buddy read.
I hated and I mean hated the Main characters and the character development was very surface level. Lucas smacks of those old school bad depictions of bdsm heroes and Autumn is an idiot and her decisions made no sense whatsoever. The motivation for her to have been involved with him wasn’t fleshed out enough in my opinion. It just wasn’t believable with as vehemently as she disliked him in the beginning to go to hiding out with him. there is alot of telling that he is a genius and gods gift to women while it really just was eye rolly and felt forced. I loved the thriller aspect of it and the ending great foreshadowing in that respect. Slut shaming galore I hate the Madonna or whore trope that seems to be making a comeback.
”How could someone be such a prude when she’d grown up in the same generation as the rest of the sluts?”
I love some dirty talk and adore asshole behavior in a hero but Lucas just didn’t work for me it all. I will be trying some of her other work this one just wasn’t a win for me.
I was gifted a copy of this book for an honest review.
Lily White has done it again. She has created another story that had me captivated from page one.
Target This had me guessing until the very end. The story could have gone several ways. When I thought that it may go one way, it took off in another direction and then another.
Autumn Cleary (sounds so pure, right?) is the innocent librarian. Lucas Bates (I think of Lucifer and the Bates Motel) is the author of dark romance. He’s looking for his next muse and has targeted Autumn. She despises his type of writing and isn’t afraid to voice her opinion. He is persistent in his chase, which only pushes her farther away until circumstances in her life land her right where Lucas wants her.
Lily White’s writing has a way of drawing you in to her darkness. At times you may want to turn away, but you can’t. A true master of the psychological thriller, she can get inside your head with her written words leaving you to ponder over the story for days.
A truly talented author. Can’t wait to see what she comes up with next. I’m completely hooked! 5 stars!
Lily takes dark romance to a whole new level-love all her books!
Target This was about a dark taboo writer who found his next book idea from an innocent librarian. The uptight librarian and the erotic crime writer engaged inspire erotic words of crime and passion. Lucas needed insight on building his next character victim in his book and Autumn was the perfect target given her opposition to his work.
Lucas found inspiration for his character victims by re-enacting the fear by setting up dangerous situations. He was a complex character driven by the need to unlock human behavior from fear.
Overall:
I like books that make me think. This was a thought provoking story. It had my head spinning. The characters were fascinating. The supporting characters were just as impressive as the main characters.
The story essential had me believing this was about a crime. As the story progressed I wasn’t fully prepared for the sex play scenes that took place. This was a dark and intense psychological thriller that caused triggers for me. The explicit sex scenes were not easy to read. The emotional abuse is always a hard limit for me. I knew in the end that with pain comes reward.
Lucas’s character will screw with your mind. He was so condescending and arrogant. I wanted to hate him and at times I did. Every emotion Autumn experienced I experienced with her.
Autumn started off head strong, but later when Lucas discovered her weaknesses she was easily coerced. I had a love/hate relationship with Autumn and her choices, but in the end I found that her character behaved like a real individual would in that situation.
I’m disappointed that the revealing of the rooms wasn’t disclosed. What was in those other rooms? Inquiring minds want to know. What essentially drew Lucas to the library when most of his writing was done at home? Research can be done online. Why didn’t Autumn turn to Sue for help?
Lily White will blow your effing mind. This was a mind trip.
Lily White once again has delivered, Target This is a total mind game of a read, brilliant psychological erotic thriller that will leave you blown away and wondering what the hell just happened !
Master Lucas and his faithful twisted assistant Sarah will take you through the hall’s of mazes, keep you guessing if you will ever come out the same.
Autumn ~ Sweet and innocent Autumn will shock you and empower your beliefs of right and wrong.
No clues or giveaways just enjoy the dark twisted journey of
Target This.
Lily White ~ Another 5* twisted read, that is brilliantly written and left me asking what the Hell !
I absolutely loved this book. The first half is all about getting to know Lucas Bates, the author and his muse, Autumn Cleary. But once we hit past the half way mark the story really picks up momentum and will have you not being able to put the book down. The twist and turns of the events that propel you to keep turning the pages are sensational.