Captive in the Dark: The Dark Duet (Volume 1)
I read this… back in December of 2011! After reading and loving Christian Grey, I was adamantly looking for more “like him”. Back when I was fairly “new” to the darker side of books. Well, I mean… I’m quite familiar with horror novels. Love them even. But this is a different kind of scary. Has all of the elements of a thriller (secretly stalking a young woman, kidnapping her, emprisoning her, and training her to be a submissive. A slave, even, for eventual sale.) Scary right!!??
… this particular slave, the one he eyed from across the street – she was different. She was neither willing, nor coerced, nor sent to him. She was pure conquest.
And you go through her terror with her (Olivia), in her tiny cell of a room. In the dark.
My friend Tina messaged me this back on December 4th when I told her what I was reading:
“I’m here if you need to be talked down after finishing Captive…”
Let me tell you. I needed it.
And here’s the thing. It’s not just “scary”. ‘Cause, what if I tell you that this “darker” book almost … hrmmm… no, mostly and unavoidably (and I say this with reluctance) makes you umm… sort of…. fall… for the bad guy? Yep. And when I say bad guy, I mean it. Sorta. No. Wait. Yes. I mean it.
Although she is frightened by the strong, sadistic, and arrogant man who holds her prisoner, what keeps Olivia awake in the dark is her unwelcome attraction to him.
What-What-Whaaaaaat??!?!! *nods* YES!!! Now what do you call THAT kind of book? What genre is it? BDSM? Well it has plenty of those *elements* but hrmmm no, not exactly. Erotica? Oh yes, there’s lots of that. But… not quite. Alternative romance? LOL!!! Well. There is that heart-wrenching point where, you know… the captor suddenly seems appealing. But romance? I dunno about that. Horror/thriller? *shakes head* no idea what this is. I call it a freaky, unputdowanable, mind-mess of a novel with a touch of whatever it is that makes our hearts… pull. You know what I mean. In that romance direction. Don’t make me say it. Eeeeeeeep!! *blush* (But! Wait!! But you see… “Caleb” has issues of his own… and well. You’ll see. )
Maryse: … will still review Captive but I’m gonna need to be a in a proper mindset. It deserves a review – it was sure unputdownable, but what the heck do I say to THAT?!!
It’s not a hard book to love (well… for some aspects), but it’s a hard book to talk about. Oh yes, you want to recommend it to EVERYONE, but at the same time, there’s a sense of trepidation that recommending this might make you look all… Stockholm sydrome-y. You know… maybe having a propensity to it, or something?
And with the exciting news of the sequel’s upcoming release (Seduced in the Dark – expected release date September 2012), and my friend Colleen‘s enthusiastic reaction to it, I knew it was time to talk about it. After all… I’ve read other “hard/dark” stuff since then, so I’m all better now. 😉
Colleen: I’m being lazy…I could just go look at your blog, but have you read Captive in the dark?
Maryse: I sure have BUT I haven’t reviewed it yet. I read it last year I believe, but it freaked me out so bad I had no idea how to recommend it (back then). Although, I couldn’t put it down, it really messed with my head. Have you?
Colleen: Oh, I know what you mean! I just read it last night and…wow. You know, for an author to create such an evil, sadistic character like Caleb…then make the reader like him? Wow. I had to email her last night just to put it out there that I thought she was an amazing writer. The second book in the series she said will be released in Sept… just a couple months away. I have to know what the hell happens!
Maryse: I know! I read it for an entire day sitting on a bench at a state park in our area. LOL!!!! Husband strolled around on his own taking pics and I read about some crazy psycho that had me swooning at times. Eeeeeeep! Oh I liked it. I just didn’t know…. how to … say so. LOL!!!!!! Yes, you are right. I should review.
Colleen: Well, if you end up reviewing it and want a quote from me or anything, let me know. … I’m still a little warped from it. lol
I must admit. This author is a master at making the reader’s mind and heart battle. So I’m blaming her for my confused reading state (but in a good way). After all. Sometimes we need a really good, unusual “love” (or is it?) story to jolt us, right? It can’t always be flowers and fairytales, can it? Mind you. After you’re done this one, you’re gonna want flowers and fairytales and sweet bubblegum romance that’s easy on the heart, and soul for the next few reads.
But, if you’re “okay” with this sort of read, then I HIGHLY recommend it. This will be one of your favorites. For sure!!!
P.S. this is one is much darker then Christian Grey and his Fifty Shades of… issues 😉 (and I’m STILL looking for more of him).
4.5 stars!