Never
Loved
Dark Obsession # 1
Dark Obsession # 1
By: Charlotte Stein
Releasing July 21st, 2015
Loveswept
Blurb
Perfect for fans of Abbi Glines, the
first novel in the Dark Obsession series tells the story of a beautiful
wallflower who falls for a chiseled street fighter—and learns just how
dangerous love can be.
Beatrix Becker spent most of her life
under the thumb of her controlling, abusive father. And now that she’s free and
attending her dream college, she has no idea how to act like the normal crowd:
partying, going on dates, even having a conversation. Then she meets Serge
Sorensen. Big and surly with a whole host of riotous tattoos, Serge is supposed
to scare the hell out of her. But beneath his harsh exterior, Beatrix discovers
a kindred spirit who knows what it’s like to be a misfit. Most exhilarating—and
terrifying—is what he does for a living: illegal street fighting.
There’s nothing like the rush Serge
gets from the intense athleticism and brutal glory of combat—though his
chemistry with Beatrix comes close. Slowly at first, he introduces her to his
world, where he lives by instinct, passion, and desire. He even helps her out
with her equally traumatized brother. But when Serge gets in too deep with the
wrong people, he ends up paying in blood. And suddenly, just as Beatrix has
been drawn into Serge’s perfectly sculpted arms, she’s thrown once and for all
into the fight of his life.
Review - 4 Stars
Can
I just say, the name Beatrix? Awesome. Even if she doesn’t like it.
This book had its ups and downs, but I did enjoy it. The
backgrounds of the two main characters are each intense. Particlarly Beatrix’s,
with a father who was clearly unbalanced, seeing wrongs that don’t exist and
doling out $500 worth of punishment for a $50 crime.
I was a little surprised at Beatrix’s state of mind when
the book begins. She is trying to step out of her comfort zone and have a
normal life, free of the boundaries instilled in her by her father. While
admirable, it seemed a little quick to be as integrated into society as she
was. However, there was a struggle, so it’s not like she just flipped a switch.
When she meets Serge, the conflict between her attraction and fear of him was
an intriguing concept, although again, considering her background she leapt
from fear to attraction quite fast. It moved the story along and moved the
story into a place where it was about their relationship, so it was somewhat
understandable. It was just a tad unbelievable at that speed.
Serge is quite a contradiction. At first, through the
author’s description, I was a little turned off and couldn’t understand what
Beatrix saw in him. However, he quickly gave me something to grasp onto when he
shows a softer side to his personality within a chapter or two. His treatment
of Beatrix was what sold me on him as the hero and made me like his character a
lot. Serge’s rebound from his childhood is easier to believe since it’s been a
longer amount of time, and because the circumstances seem more amenable to
moving on than Beatrix’s.
The story focuses almost solely on their relationship,
with a limited plot. I didn’t really mind that though because their dynamic and
the struggle they had captured my interest, and they were all I really cared
about. The light plot added to the structure though and what there was of it,
fit exceedingly well into the story.
For the most part, I felt that the book was well written.
The author grabbed my attention with her descriptions and character
development. It’s a quick and enjoyable read, especially if you need a quick
fix of romance in your life. There isn’t a lot of depth, but it had its
elements of angst, delicious chemistry, and the warm and fuzzy HEA.
*Review by Elle Christensen
Author Info
Charlotte Stein has
written over thirty short stories, novellas and novels, including entries in
The Mammoth Book of Hot Romance and Best New Erotica 10. Her latest work, Run
To You, was recently a DABWAHA finalist. When not writing deeply emotional and
intensely sexy books, she can be found eating jelly turtles, watching terrible
sitcoms and occasionally lusting after hunks. For more on Charlotte,
visit: www.charlottestein.net
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