Dare to Surrender is the third book to Carly Phillips Dare to Love series, and we have the cousin Gabe Dare getting his HEA. Gabe intrigued me when he was first introduced in the Dare to Love series and I’m glad Carly wrote his book. I’m also happy she decided to write this particular book in first person. I loved reading both Gabe’s point of view, and the woman who caught his interest, Isabelle Masters. Two people that have been through a lot, but in two different ways.

We have the tortured hero, Gabe who never thought he would love again due to what happened with his ex-wife, and then we have Isabelle who left her cheater of a-hole boyfriend. Isabelle wants to be able to move on with her life and get back on her feet after giving too much of her life away because of her so-called boyfriend. Now, she finds herself handcuffed at the police station due to her ex-boyfriend filing a grand theft auto report. Isabelle is now faced with Gabe’s brother as the cop who arrested her, and she ends up seeing Gabe as well when he stops by to see his brother. Gabe has the perfect opportunity now to try to win over the one woman who has interested him since the day he saw her the first time. He’s going to have a difficult time because Isabelle is not going to trust so easily, and she wants her own independence back.

Dare to Surrender is also included in the Invitation to Eden collection, which mentioned the island of Eden where you have to an invitation to go. The characters will definitely be invited to the island, but one reason is to get some work done and another as a hidden agenda to win over Isabelle.

I won’t go into much more of what is going to happen in the book because it’s so short, and I will end up giving something away. The only reason why this book is getting 4.5 moons, instead of 5 moons because it definitely went by too fast and I wanted more of Gabe and Isabelle. Gabe was the domineering successful business owner who had a troubled present/past because he had yet to meet someone who he really could love. Isabelle trusts too fast and ends up getting her heartbroken, ends up losing friends (for a while), and ends up losing the clothes/money she had. (I’m so happy to know what happened to her a-hole of a boyfriend though at the end. He deserved every bit of it) When Gabe and Isabelle are together though, be prepared for moments of both of them jumping each other and tying at least one of them up to please the other. Gabe is very DOMINANT! I can’t say enough, how dominant he is, and he loves to please. Holy…moly..does he love to please.

I highly recommend reading the previous books before reading this one, but it can be read as a standalone. You’ll miss out on being first introduced to Gabe, and learning about his cousins that have already had their books. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series because this series definitely has me intrigued about the Dares. Carly gives us an emotional and sexy series with these Dares. I can’t get enough of them! I really hope Gabe and Isabelle have cameos in the upcoming book because I can’t get enough of these two. =)

I received a complimentary copy of the book from RockStarLit PR in exchange for an honest review.

Kraken by M. Caspian
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Read from December 25 to 29, 2013 — I own a copy

 

Cannot be less than 5 Stars!
It was a beguiling yet horrifying piece of erotica with strong plot and characters.
Starts with bang, ends with a Super Bang!

Kraken ticks off just about all of my tent-sex requirements. It's almost like the author heard my lamentations on the lacking I found in most of of my tent-sex books. It scored so near to what I want, it is a tad uncanny in a way. Like the power above decided to answer all my wishes at once. I want slick and slimy action, there it is! Even gooey and sticky was there. How about some erotic sounding by organic matter? Oh yes whatever you said master! I could only wish for that particular scene to be longer though. I am greedy. Yes.

The story was so thick with mystery, layers upon layers of it. Characters acting suspicious and ominous. It was totally unsettling yet you can't wait to find out why. Needless to say it was a gripping story, so compelling and satisfying. Would definitely please many horror addicts not to mention mystery and psychological fans too. That is, of course, provided they are into M/M noncon tentacles sexing up!

About the tentacles sex aspect, all was kinky and erotic it gives me goosebumps kinda way until.... I reached about 70%, then BOOM! Hell breaks loose! And I am starting to question the author's motive on writing this book. Was it a secret plot to convert us tentacles fans to staunch supporter of normal suction-cups-free sex? I am saying this because what comes after that point onwards was far... far...... from erotic. If I have nuts, it would have retreated posthaste with no hope of returning. Horrifying can't even come close to describe what the poor protagonist has gone through. I shudder while recalling some gruesome, sickening events that shocked my core. If you are the sensitive and squeamish kind, you might want to reconsider your plan on reading this. Then again, you may possibly survive just like weakling ol' me did and end up with one hell of an experience to share. I am very much wearing it like a shiny badge of honor.

I have to agree with Lisa's review that the writing was superbly evocative and the visual was utterly enthralling. I felt like I am walking along side the characters in that eerie woods, swimming in the dangerous dark blue sea and then bursting my heart running away from that berserk sea monster in pursuit of the good guys. Whew! I had to stop reading for awhile to calm my poor heart before I get a heart attack.

The visual sensation is just too strong to avoid being affected by it. I promise you would feel breathlessness throughout your reading. I suffocate along with the MC each time his breath was forcefully taken away. Drowning with him in his agony.

Not only was the world-building amazing, the characters are also well-built. They are certainly round characters, shows prominent growth and each of their voices are distinct. Who has my heart? It will be Will, our long-suffering protagonist. The author has ran him through the mill over and over again. My heart was pulverized along the way. THIS is what a good book should do to you. Oh and there's a sociopath in this book. He is fascinating to me since I like psychological element. Yes, the cray-cray captivates this moth.

If you want a tent-sex book with strong plot coupled with intense mixture of gripping horror and mystery elements, this IS your book.

And such a daring book it was. Would positively look great on the big screen. Both horrifying and satisfying. Not a chance in the world I would ever forget this amazing story. It is now forever etched upon my mind.

 

 

Dear Author, a big thank you for this crazy adventure. I had the wildest ride ever! May I request a tentacle non-con with mpreg next? Please? Pretty please, please?

 

BOOK DETAILS:

Title: Kraken
Author: M. Caspian
Publication Date: December 22nd, 2013
Type: Novel, 63,000 words
Genre: M/M, Gay, Romance, Erotica, Contemporary, Fiction, Horror Thriller, Gothic Erotic Horror
Tags/Keywords: abuse, violent partner, adultery, unfaithfulness, age-gap, alpha dominant male, amazing worldbuilding, amorous persistent suitor, anal sex, oral sex, angst-storm, ass play, b-mod, bareback, bondage/restraints, brave protagonist, captive, captivity, confinement, contemporary, sea creature, darkfic, death, depraved, dismemberment, mutilation, disturbing, dominance-submission, drugging, dubcon-noncon, emotional, distressful, engrossing, erotica, fantasy, forced seduction, gay, M/M, genitalia torture, good characterisation, good plot, gore fest, handjob, hea_happily-ever-after, horror, immortality, injury_bodily-harm, intense_deep-feelings_tension, interspecies, intriguing, kept-man, magic, maledom, master-pet, matings-bondings, mcd-major-character-death, mind-control, mindfuck_mind-games, monster, murder-killings, mystery, psychological, not-for-faint-heart, physical-torture, pleasure-slaves_sexual-slave-pet, possessive-partner, profound-physical-size-difference, psychological-disorders, rape, realistic, reluctant-forced, rescue-damsel-in-distress, resentful-indignant-irate, restricted freedom, revenge-punishment, romance, rough-sex, sadism-masochism, scare-da-shit-outta-me, scorching-hot, sense-of-hopelessness-despair, sensual, erotic, sexual torture, shifters, sounding_stuffing_fisting, special-abilities-power_magic, supernatural-paranormal, tentacles_appendages_smexin, thriller_suspenseful, traumatic-traumatized, tyrant-dominant-male, unforgettable_stuck-in-my-head, unique-story, unstable-mind, unwilling-slave-pet-partner, violence, virgin-bottom, virgin, weak-defenseless-protagonist, edge-play, breathplay, aquaphobia

Description:
Kraken: A gothic erotic horror with tentacle non-con.

When boyfriend Parker gives him an ultimatum Will never dreams his heart is about to be ripped out: move to a remote off-shore island with him, or call it quits. But Will picks wrong, and now he’s heading into the unknown to fix his mistake. But why do the locals think they recognise him? And why can’t he seem to leave?

Reader advisory: This work of fiction contains explicit sexual activities between men that may offend some people. It also contains scenes of rape, extreme violence, tentacles, and reference to sexual abuse of children.

63,000 words

Available at Amazon for Kindle, and Smashwords in all formats



WHERE TO BUY:





* Reviewed on December 30th, 2013


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Comment on December 25th, 2013:

Lisa says it has slimy tentacles. I hope it's drippy and slick *shudders of pleasure*

Yeap! I am HYPE!


If you haven't got it yet, do grab hold of it at SMASHWORDS (click the link). It's freaking FREEEEEE!

(spoiler show)

View all my reviews

Well, this was certainly a dramatic book, Harlequin Presents-style. At times, it seemed over the top. The hero Gabriel would say the most outrageous things, and it seemed to make Rhiannon equally angry and burning with lust. I didn't know whether to laugh or say, WTH. But this book ended up sneaking in on me. Underneath the brash, uber-dominant hero's demeanor is a man who is in love, and has a master plan to get his woman, even if he has to steal her away from her fiance. Rhiannon had a very traumatic experience with her last boyfriend, which made her bury her nascent sexuality. With Bobby, her fiance, it was easy to maintain a platonic relationship, since he's in cold storage with all his Mommy Issues. But Gabriel Stone is larger than life. He's a "Dominant Man" who calls to the intensely female part of her, the part that wants to be submissive. I was pretty surprised when I found out what Rhiannon's dark secret was. Not something I expected to read in an older HP book.To be honest, I had a few eye-rolling moments with all the Dominant/Submissive stuff. At the same time, I was pretty surprised to see this in a Harlequin Presents that's at least ten years old, probably older. That part kind of missed the boat with me. But I liked the devotion and love that Gabriel showed for Rhiannon. I liked their bantering too (eye-rolling moments included). It was pretty sexy, if I may say so. Good book. I hope to read more of Sarah Holland's books. She has a very lively style that definitely kept me entertained with this quick read--it only took me about 1.5 hours to finish it.

This was not my favourite More than Male book. I like this series. Genetic manipulation for better humans always intrigues me. This fifth one in the series is probably the weakest one for me. Desela's been rejected by the one she thought would be hers forever. The Dominant male who finally matches up with her is in denial. When they finally connect, it's a HEA.