It sucked me in

Wow, this was a wild ride. I found it deeply dark and entertaining. Michael did a great job as narrator. I highly recommend this book!

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Love too fast; Exaggerated claims

The author's unique turn of phrase immersed me in Tony's hunger & needs. But what they called "sick" or perverse didn't come across as such to me. So author exaggerating for effect? I don't know. Instead it just seemed like pretty common BDSM, which can vary in intensity & degree. I also thought Tank/Jason & Tony connected too easily. For men with issues of trust and secrets, Tank began sharing his very private past experiences way too soon with Tony. And Tony trusted Tank with his care and well-being way too quickly to be strangers and wary of people due to his past.
The narrator had a perfect repertoire of personas.

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Intriguing story and characters

My heart went out to Tony throughout this story. He suffers from low self-esteem and struggles to make ends meet despite having two jobs, one as a mechanic and one at a bar. He’s lonely and has no real friends. His parents rejected him because of his sexuality and he’s never really found someone to share his desires. Tony wants something from life, but he’s not entirely sure what. He’s managed to reach twenty-seven with no real sexual experience, apart from paying a younger co-worker for a weekly bj he can’t really afford.

In the story Tony has a relationship with three very different men. Jorge, his bisexual co-worker, Aiden, his new boss, and Tank, a guy he meets at the bar. Tank beguiles him and provides a taste of the forbidden and some of what Tony craves. I found myself wanting more time between Tank and Tony. The scene they had together on the beach was beautifully written.

Tony has a love-hate relationship with Aiden at first, but it soon develops into something more and it is obvious he cares for him. Tony struggles with Aiden's controlling nature and it takes time for them to sort themselves out. I liked the support their friends gave them. Some great secondary characters appear in this story.

I like Nya Rawlyns’ writing style, her engaging storytelling, and the various broken characters she creates. There’s some darker, dub-con scenes in this story that are portrayed very well.

Michael is a superb narrator and definitely one of my favourites. He captures the essence of each characters’ personality. His marvellous storytelling draws me in and keeps me hooked.

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Dark and Angsty

Let me say this first - this is not a fluffy, feel good love story. It is dark, deep and at times hard to listen to. The characters are broken and self destructive especially Tony. You will find yourself shaking your head and cringing at the choices he makes and the consequences of those choices. But like most trainwrecks - you can't look away and his story sucks you in to the end.

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Dark & Twisted

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would recommend to those who like a darker read. This story is not for the faint of heart, there is violence, rough sex with and without consent, but the characters are incredible. The violence and sex shape the characters and the story but the characters shine through.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I love Tony. His transformation throughout the story is incredible. I just wanted to reach out and hug him a lot of times for everything that he goes through. So glad he had Aiden to really pull him through.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I wish I had the time to listen all in one sitting, I definitely would have!

Any additional comments?

Spectacular story and characters if you are not easily offended. It is a dark read but the author has done a spectacular job with this story. Looking forward to more from Nya Rawlyns.

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3 people found this helpful