Truly a disturbing read. As the pages turned, I continued to hope for something that became elusive and what I ended with was madness. I like dark reads but, this was beyond dark. There was no light in this at all. ( )

This novel starts with THE biggest warning sign I've ever seen an author put up at the beginning of a novel. I advise you read it and take it seriously.

If that warning sign were not enough, there's a prologue, in main character Aiden's voice. He tells you who he is, what he does, how he feels about things. I advise you mark his words and take him seriously.

If you're one of those people who expects to read a dark novel with dark characters in the hope of finding along its pages a romantic tale with politically correct people who redeem themselves even further by doing good deeds in order to create a picture perfect image of the world and its inhabitants, you will be disappointed and/or outraged. I would advise you to spare yourself the aggravation and get yourself another novel.

Did you think C.J. Roberts' Captive in the Dark and Seduced in the Dark were dark? Did you think Kitty Thomas' Comfort Food was dark? This is darker.
Did you love Caleb and Master because they had something in them that was pitiable and forgiveable? You'll hate Aiden.

This is not a bdsm erotica romance novel. Not.
The tale it tells is awful. And it gets worse with every new chapter. It ends somewhere between disgusting and horrific.

Enough of the warnings.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this story.
It's awfully well done.
It's a complete and rounded story.
It's a sound story.
It's a new story.
It's well written.
It's got intriguing characters.
It's got taboo subject matter.
It's got a satisfying ending.
It's got a gripping beginning.
It's a thought provoking story.

There are some time frame problems at the beginning of the novel. At one point there's to be a presentation the next day that doesn't take place until a week later. At some point she's to stay for only an X number of days more when it seems it's longer than that, if I did the maths right.
Lateron, this problem loses its importance due to changing circumstances, though.

There are a few spelling problems throughout the novel, e.g. breath / breathe. Not so many as to distract from the story, though.

I understand the writer has been accused of writing a bad remake of C.J. Roberts' Dark Duet? I don't see it. Just because she gets abducted in order to train and sell her? and he has a big dick, like Caleb does?? I suppose Goldilocks and The Clan of the Cave Bear are similar as well then, as both have blond girls and bears in it.

Nope, I think this novel adds a fresh element to dark novels on the themes of abduction, sex slavery training, human trafficking, stockholm syndrome.
And it has to do with a question I have been wondering about for a long time, ever since news came out years ago of an abduction, captivity and sexual abuse horror leading to multiple deaths many years ago now. In Belgium to be precise. Remember Marc Dutroux and his basement? Ever wondered how a monster like that was able to have and keep a wife who was there at the time he committed his crimes and even helping him? Ever wondered about her? Of course this novel is not about her specifically. This novel is fiction. But in my mind the subtitle of this novel could be 'How I became the wife of Aiden Oliver, sex slavery trafficker and serial killer extraordinaire'.
This novel, imo, adresses that question by focussing on the psychology of that other person, the one whom you have trouble believing they are there, how they got there, and what keeps them there.

Chapeau, Ms White! ( )