Monday, March 23, 2015

Review: His To Take

His To Take (Wicked Lovers - Book 9) by Shayla Black

Publication Date: 03/03/2015
Publisher: Penguin Group
Imprint: Berkley
Genre: Erotic Romance
Pages: 400
ISBN-10042525125X
ISBN-13978-0425251256

(Received for an honest review from Berkley)

Purchase: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Indiebound, itunes

Shayla Black on the WEB: website, twitter, facebook, goodreads

Books in the series

Wicked Lovers

1. Wicked Ties
2. Decadent 
3. Delicious
4. Surrender to Me
5. Belong to Me
6. Mine to Hold
7. Ours to Love
8. Theirs to Cherish
9. His To Take

Coverart: Click the Image for a larger, clearer view of the covers in this series.



WARNING: This book and excerpt may contain material that is inappropriate for readers under the age of 18. Excerpt from, His To Take, courtesy of Amazon's Look Inside feature

Synopsis:

New York Times bestselling author Shayla Black invites readers to explore the desires of her Wicked Lovers...

Racing against time, NSA agent Joaquin Muñoz is searching for a little girl who vanished twenty years ago with a dangerous secret. Since Bailey Benson fits the profile, Joaquin abducts the beauty and whisks her to the safety of Club Dominion--before anyone can silence her for good.
 
At first, Bailey is terrified, but when her kidnapper demands information about her past, she's stunned. Are her horrific visions actually distant memories that imperil all she holds dear? Confined with Joaquin in a place that echoes with moans and breathes passion, he proves himself a fierce protector as well as a sensual Master who's slowly crawling deeper into her head...and her heart. But giving in to him might be the most delicious danger of all.
 
Because Bailey soon learns that her past isn't the only mystery. Joaquin has a secret of his own--a burning vengeance in his soul. The exposed truth leaves her vulnerable and wondering how much about the man she loves is a lie, how much more is at risk than her heart. And if she can trust him to protect her long enough to learn the truth.


Thoughts:

His To Take is the ninth book in Shayla Black's Wicked Lovers series. Readers who are familiar with Black's erotic series, will find a lot to like with this one. Nearly all of the Wicked Lovers books feature either the hero or heroine with a previous BDSM background, not so with this one. In a refreshing change of pace, Black makes her latest couple only curious about the lifestyle and in a position to explore together. But things don't start out quite the way you would imagine, since our hero is a kidnapper. A great new book in a great series!

Shayla Black never disappoints when it comes to her ideas about the BDSM community. Some writers over-sensationalize it others over-trivialize it, Black however, seems to have a real understanding of the kinds of people who find that this lifestyle is for them. I liked the fact that neither Joaquin nor Bailey had previous experiences with BDSM. Some might say that this is one of Black's tamer books, but I think it was very fitting for the level of intimacy of the characters. BDSM is often times dependent on trust and that has to be earned and built. I thought Black did a wonderful job with it here.

Joaquin is an interesting hero. First he kidnaps the heroine... LOL! I wasn't quite sure what to think about that, he even uses a tranquilizer on her. Good grief what a way to meet someone for the first time. It was of course for her protection, but I would think that might cause Bailey to have a red flag or two about this guy. She has some deep dark emotionally scarring memories that she has basically repressed. But she isn't the only one harboring secrets, Joquin's past isn't a walk in the park either. I thought they made a fantastic couple. Both filled with a lot of pain and a lot of loss, yet together they were a force to be reckoned with.

Black does such a wonderful job of making her characters realistic. I think Joaquin fits that type-A, alpha kind of personality that needs to be in control in one way or another. The fact that he is really seeking vengeance here really comes across well and readers will be able to believe that this is what it is all about for him. He just has that aura of command. That also plays into his curiosity about BDSM. Bailey is also very strong heroine. She is expected to learn and take on a different idea of what her past was really like and she takes it in stride and does the best she can with it. Both characters were well developed and surprising in a lot of ways.

Bottom Line:

Once again Shayla Black delivers. This is a great series and this book is one of my favorites in it. I liked the fact that the lead characters aren't pro's at the BDSM lifestyle and though Club Dominion was an important factor, all of the action was not dependent on the club. The characters were well written and very interesting. They weren't your typical Shayla Black couple and they showed the versatility that Black is capable of in her writing. A great book!

His To Take is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.

I'm giving this one 5 out of 5 apples from my book bag!




About the Author:


Shayla Black is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over 30 sizzling contemporary, erotic, paranormal, and historical romances, including the Wicked Lovers Novels (Wicked Ties, Decadent, Delicious, Surrender to Me, Belong to Me, Mine to Hold, Ours to Loveand Theirs to Cherish).

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