This book was hard for me especially the backstory of Ellington and what she went thru. Honestly just reading that made me sick to my stomach. Something I wasn’t expecting in this book. I felt so angry, bothered, hurt, sad and straight up wanted revenge for her and what she went thru. What the “Lords” put her thru was brutal and honestly, I’m really surprised she survived thru it. The scenes were so tuff to read, and you could feel the pain thru the pages or that is how I felt. For her to be so sane, going to college and living her life. Was honestly remarkable and I was really proud of her. I don’t want to sugar coat it and say the backstory was ok. It wasn’t even close to being ok and its subject that honestly shouldn’t be talked about lightly. So going to add a trigger warning right here. This has sexual assault of a minor from sexually to taking photos, trading, BDSM in the worst way. So, if you’re like me and can’t handle reading stuff like that. Then this book honestly might not be for you. So, you have been warned Shantel Tessier books are not for the weak hearted or someone that can’t handle visuals like that. Then we meet Easton he is a “Lord” his senior year of college and well their relationship is not a normal one. The way it starts is graphic and honestly dark twisted they take you on a story. Between the fucked upness of their relationship and the pleasures and pain they both go thru for the relationship is one that didn’t make any sense to me. Until the very end of the book and then it came together. When you’ve been abused the way Ellington was. You see the cracks and how “Unnormal” she is, and her needs Easton fits all those desires. But the way he goes around it is not picture perfect or black and white. This takes you on a ride to save the souls of both of them thru love, sex, pleasure, pain and a dark side that comes out with both of them. For some reason that works in this book but for me as a reader. I found it hard, and I found it puzzling because I wasn’t sure how it was all going to end. But the ending surprised me in the most honestly beautiful way. I ended up hating Easton for most the story especially a few scenes and what he puts Ellington thru. But in the I ended up really liking him and seeing how he grew thru each chapter and what loves does to someone to not just heal them but to save them. Shantel Tessier has a way of making the demon in the end become the angel. She has a way with words and moving the characters on a chess board of life and it always comes out shocking which I actually really like. but all her books so far, I’ve read come with a trigger warning and a be careful when you open this book because it’s going to blow your mind and take you. Into some of the darkest parts of sex and brutal and love. So please be advised if you can’t handle that kind of topics. DON’T read her work. I’m heading into book 3 called The Sacrifice next. I can’t wait to read the next book in this series and see where Shantel Tessier takes us.
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