Category: Dark

Posted in Book Tours, Dark, Pepper Winters

BLOG TOUR: Twisted Together (#3) – Pepper Winters

Posted on by Z. Elizabeth

Twisted Together - Tour Banner

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19015729Synopsis

“After battling through hell, I brought my esclave back from the brink of ruin. I sacrificed everything–my heart, my mind, my very desires to bring her back to life. And for a while, I thought it broke me, that I’d never be the same. But slowly the beast is growing bolder, and it’s finally time  to show Tess how beautiful the dark can be.”

Q gave everything to bring Tess back. In return, he expects nothing less. Tess may have leashed and tamed him, but he’s still a monster inside.

After surviving the darkness, a new dawn has begun. Twisted Together wades through black to grey, chasing the light of true love to banish the shadows forever.

Pain is a requirement, connection a necessity. But ultimately Q and Tess must face their demons, before they can embrace their future.

5 out of 5 stars

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My Review

‘Ma vie est à toi’ 

There are books that I tend to stay away from, and dark romance and taboo issues is that genre. But I took a chance on Tears of Tess. I wanted to broaden my horizon, push my limits and in doing so i found an amazing series, one that hooked me, had me feeling crazy emotions and one that turned into a clear favourite of mine. As a series that introduced me to the dark nature of ‘romance’ its also made me think i can venture into more books surrounding the things that the Monster in the Dark series deals with – kidnapping, slavery, BDSM, pain, gory scenes and the rest. Although my stomach was turning at some of the more descriptive scenes, I powered through, my heart racing, my palms sweating, hoping that in the end, things would get better.

I want to thank Pepper for writing this series and for letting me lose my ‘dark romance’ virginity to her ;). I took a chance on a new genre and it’s all down to her that i fell in love with this series. The writing, the story, the power of love between Tess and Q – slave and master. It’s gritty – god don;t we just know it, filled to the brim with action and angst and overpowering love and emotions. Man, i was exhausted by the end of Twisted Together and i was grinning so hard, knowing that I survived everything in the book, knowing that all the heart attacks and tears i spilled were worth it to see Tess and Q happy. I’m pretty sure Pepper killed me over and over again with all the twists. None that I ever saw coming and i was shaken up reading everything that came their way. Pepper knows how to keep you captivated, how to write intensity and how to keep you guessing just what the heck is going to happen. I was definitely on tenterhooks for the WHOLE BOOK. Tess and Q have gone through so much throughout the series but would you expect anything less knowing those two and how they came about?

For those who have read Tears of Tess and Quintessentially Q we all know what went down in both those books. Twisted Together carries on the story of Tess and Q and we see a hell of a lot of action brought back into their lives, but not only each other but other people. All Q wants is his Tess back, the strong slave that challenges him but Tess is still ‘broken’ underneath her façade. She tries to push it all away but no matter how hard she tries, nightmare occupy her and its down to Q to help her break free from them. Love makes Q venerable and he knows something is around the corner. When that something comes along its down to Tess to break from her shackles and prove her worth, and when she did, boy was i like a proud mama. I was gunning for her, shouting and grinning and clapping at her change, at her strength and i knew, just knew she would be okay, she would do whatever she could to be with Q, whatever it took, whatever the risks.

Tess, in the last book is a shell of herself. She had been through so much shit and she was broken, felt numb and just gave up on herself. She felt worthless and not worthy of Q but he pushed past to make her see she was. In Twisted Together we see a slight change in her. She is still feeling worthless but she tries to hide it, yet Q can see right through her. He wants his Tess back, the strong one. I can’t go into too much because i will be spoiling everything that happens in this book, but lets just say my emotions were on high alert with certain scenes that occurred. My heart raced, my head throbbing and i was just reading thinking, “can Tess go through any more without actually dying an early death?!” But she prevailed, she got passed her demons, she faced them head on and i gleamed at her, i was so happy to get Tess back, even if it was a new Tess, she grew up, she stood up for herself and for Q and shit man, she is badass. She can play on her sexuality and get her own way and that one scene, where i was shitting myself, crying my eyes out, i was so proud of her. She was working on adrenaline but in that scene it was actually a good thing. She got the strength and energy pulsing throughout her and she got the job done, got her Q, forever and always.

Q. My lovely, broken and dangerous master. Due to his overpowering love for Tess, he’s even more vulnerable to the bad guys, especially after book two where he went on a bloody mission to save Tess. He’s at a loose end, he doesnt know how to save the love of his life from her tormentors, but he will do whatever he can to at least try. I understood how troubling it was for him to not be able to touch her, to inflict pain and pleasure on Tess, it must have killed him to see her fight her nightmares, and then not let him in, not tell him everything.  I understood his anger, his frustrated but there was one scene that i was not comfortable with and my heart went out to Tess. I was squirming, i was willing Q to stop but he didnt and then when he did stop i could see how much it affect him, see the remorse running through him. Man, that tore me a new one.

Then everything he does for Tess in the second part of the book. HOLY FUCK. I couldnt breathe, i was sobbing. I didnt know wht was going to happen and i only prayed everything would be okay, that Q could get through it if he had hope. He did everything he could and then when he saw a vision of Tess, and the chapter finished, i actually screamed and shouted and i spent a good few minutes just staring at my kindle. This was the part i couldnt handle, it was gory and pain ridden and my pulse soared so high at my emotions being all over the place. But our boy did it and what follows after made me gleam. The things he said to Tess filled my heart to the brim and i spent the last remaining chapters in smiles, and happy tears and our demanding, sexy as, controlling master was back in business.

The heal their demons together, they vowed forever with each other and Q and Tess are one of my favouite couples. They rose from the dark, into the light, together and alone. They did it and they got one another in the end. Just how it should be.

I cant begin to tell you the amount of emotions that i felt throughout Twisted Together. I went through them all. This book will turn you inside out, back and forth and you will be on a never ending stream of emotions. I’m sure my heart has just about got back to normal. See, i cant even express how i was feeling because my feelings were just too strong. I was texting my friend about this book and how i was just crying my eyes out and shouting ‘NO NO NO” at my kindle. Yupp, you will be doing a lot of that, i can assure you, along with “WTF Q!” That was another one. But above all that, I love the french! For all three books I have been reading the french out loud and it really makes me miss french lessons. I loved that i understood the majority of the french parts too, it means my lessons were worth something! I just want to go back to France now and try to find Q. Mmmmmm.

This is the perfect conclusion to Tess and Q’s story. Albeit, so much happens but to get to the point they did, the point where they ended up together, but they stuck together, never wavering in their love and you know that Q and Tess are a forever couple. Damn, just the words and the sex (yes it was just as hot as the first two books) and the never dying love for one another is shown so strongly that you know everything they went through meant they ended up together. If Tess had never been kidnapped and sold, then she would have never found a love for Q and Q would still be plodding along, trying to tame the monster inside. But together they unleash their monsters and fight through anything, as long as they have one another.

 

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Who are the top five female characters that you adore and why?

Oh that’s a great question!!

Okay my top five females in literature would have to be:

  1. Ayla from Clan of the Cave Bear—especially in The Valley of the Horses. That girl was so capable and intelligent. It made me want to go and learn all about natural medicines and improve my weaving skills.
  2. Clare from Outlander—LOVE her strength when faced with the daunting future of missing her husband and being married to a Scottish heathen. I’m DYING for the series to start on TV
  3. Tatiana from The Bronze Horseman—only when she’d grown up and accepted her womanhood and stopped being a little brat. Then she really grew on me and I could see how hard it would’ve been growing up during the war.
  4. Karou from Daughter of Smoke and Bone—she was witty and artistic and ended a war. Not to mention had blue hair and a smoking gorgeous angel in love with her.
  5. The last one goes to all the incredible heroines dreamed up by indies and authors I’ve only just found. I love them all and can’t pick just one more. I know I’m breaking the rules—but I have to. Lol

Thank you so much for having me on your blog and for all your amazing support. It’s hugely appreciated! And thank you to the readers who have enjoyed my work and for all the incredible messages I receive xxxxxxx

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Author Bio:

Pepper Winters wears many roles. Some of them include writer, reader, sometimes wife. She loves dark, taboo stories that twist with your head. The more tortured the hero the better and she constantly thinks up ways to break and fix her characters. Oh, and sex… her books have sex.

She loves to travel and has an amazing, fabulous hubby (who speaks French—hot!) who puts up with her love affair with her book boyfriends. She loves to hear from her readers so hit her up at pepperwinters@gmail.com

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Author Social links:

Facebook || Twitter || Pinterest  || Goodreads || Website

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Social links for Twisted Together (#3)

Amazon || Amazon UK ||  B&N || Kobo || iTunes

Social Links for Tears Of Tess (#1)

Amazon || Amazon UK || B&N || Kobo || iTunes || Createspace

Social Links for Quintessentially Q (#2)

Amazon || Amazon UK || B&N || Kobo || iTunes || Createspace

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TOUR WIDE GIVEAWAY:

Pepper is offering up the prizes below for grabs. Giveaway ends at 11:59 PM CST 06/22/2014.
1 x Signed set of Monsters in the Dark series
3 x Swag Packs
2 x Signed bookplates & stickers
2 x Ribbon bookmarks
5 x eBook copy of any Pepper Winter’s title (winner’s choice)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Posted in Dark, Erotica

RAW – Belle Aurora

Posted on by Z. Elizabeth

18468559Synopsis

***Author Note: This is not a love story. This is a story of love gone wrong.***

Growing up the way I did, you’d think I’d be more screwed up than what I actually am.

Soon as I turned sixteen, I left that bump in the road I called home and took my chances on the street.

Best decision I ever made.

Now, at the age of twenty six, I’m educated, employed and damn good at my job.

My friends have become my family. Like me, they know what it’s like to grow up unloved.

But the saying is true.

The world makes way for those who know where they are going.

That’s me.

I know where I’m going and I’ll get there eventually. On my own terms and at my own pace.

But then there’s him.

I feel his eyes on me. I see him hiding in plain sight. He watches me.

He makes me feel.

It’s unconventional.

But it’s real.

I’m sure you’re wondering how a person falls in love with their stalker.

So am I.

This isn’t a story.

This is my life.

5 out of 5 stars!

36244-addtogoodreads

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My Review

This was the first book I had read of Belle Aurora, but it certainly wont be the last. Since turning to the ‘dark side’ of romance, I had seen many rave about Raw, about Twitch and especially about a certain scene about Twitch that killed them. Of course I had to download Raw, I had never read a book about a stalker and about a heroine falling for said stalker. I needed to know how this would all go down and what the hell made her fall for her stalker.

Once I read of the synopsis and once download, I was opening up the ebook and divulging into the world of Twtich and Lexi, following their every move, their every thought and feelings, and my god, this is such a fucking brilliant book to read if you have yet to.

Twitch and Lexi didnt have the greatest upbringings, Twitch espeically, and years later, Lexi is content in her life, she is helping young people in need, something she never really had growing up. And Twitch, not having a stable upbringing, has turned into a big man – he has money, is the strong and quiet type and he is stalking Lexi from afar.

Although Lexi knows she has a stalker, she doesnt fear him, she feels safe around him and there is no need for her to fear him because he never approaches her, never talks to her, just watches her. We later find out who Twitch is to her and why he has been stalking her for so long.

This is not your typical love story, oh hell no. Twitch may be quiet, but he is fearsome, rich, demanding, definitely an alpha male who likes his women to submit to him, broken but most of you, you cant help for fall in love with the guy, despite feeling some uncomfortableness at some of the things he does. When he finally confronts Lexi, they begin an unconventional relationship and even yourself will be like “what the hell is happening?!” because so much is happening between them and although Twitch is certain he will never love anyone, you can see him slowly caring for Lexi, letting her know that she is his and no one will ever have her apart from him.

There are scenes in which Twitch will shock you, especially near the end where you are screaming at him because he is being the biggest wanker imaginable to Lexi, yet in a way, you will understand why he is acting this way, but you still habour feelings of wanting to hit him so hard for everything he is saying and has done to Lexi that you hate to love him, and love to hate him at the same time.

He is definitely a broken man, but you can see him really trying with Lexi – to love her like she deserves it. And that is why I sobbed so hard at the ending. I am not going to spoil it for you, but my heart hurt, my head hurt and tears streamed down my face at what I was reading. I just hope to god Belle will write a second book because I need to know what is going to happen next.

Lexi is strong headed, shes caring and loves the kids she helps to keep safe. As I;ve mentioned her past isnt the greatest and she doesnt want kids to suffer the way she did. She’s known about her stalker for months yet shes not afraid. He’s given her nothing to be frightened about but now shes been saved by him, she is in two minds over him – but when things progress she is shocked to find she actually likes the things Twitch makes her do, makes her feel. Twitch is someone who doesnt give a damn what people think of them, yet Lexi is.

Their relationship is one that is domineering, sexy as hell, passionate yet polar opposites yet they work. Despite the reasoning that Twitch wants to break her down, everything he does makes her want him even more and in the end, he ends up feeling the same about her. Wanting, needing her in his life – needing to love her although he doesnt want to love. He does. She loves him. They arent about rainbows and glitter, their relationship is hard and unconventional, but as I said, it works for them being together. They need to be together.

The ending, with Lexi, made me cry. You can see the pain, the sorrow, the sadness, but the love is still there. Still implemented in her heart, in her being and I felt, perhaps, the same as Lexi over Twitch, and dear god, my heart and chest were killing me. Despite being characters, I love feeling that bond with them and I really did with Lexi at the end.

There is so much that happens in this book that its a roller-coaster of amazingness. I couldnt put it down and I was completely sucked into the madness that is Lexi and Twitch. Of their lives and their fucked up relationship. IF you are looking for a different book to branch into then RAW should be on your list. I am so happy I picked it up and got to know their characters and Belle’s writing because I need more of her books in my life!