Don't Let Go
4.5 stars

I was worried going into this book that it wouldn't live up to my expectations. I had heard many mixed reviews on it. I needn't have worried because this finally tied everything together and gave me the conclusion that I had wanted in regards to seeing Carlos get his due. However, I was not expecting that this book would not only answer all my questions, some I didn't even know I had, but that it would come with a major twist.

The first part of the book, I struggled with in regards to making the connection between the characters. However, once Carlos came into the story again, it all synced together. I finally had a connection and from there until the ending, I was enthralled.
( )

Don't Let Go is the story of a young woman and rookie FBI agent desperate to feel wanted; she wants to be hurt as a form of penance for having been the only survivor of her father's killing spree, but there's so much more to it than that. Her soul is fractured, and with that she vacillates between right and wrong, good and bad. But it would be wrong to go into this without an open mind. I could go around in circles all day discussing the credibility of her actions or feelings, but I won't.

I really liked the complexity of her character. I couldn't help but feel sorry for her, for some of her thoughts.

"Creepy men in white vans took one look at the jaded knowledge in my eyes and kept on driving. They knew there was no innocence left to corrupt—just a hollowed out space where my soul should have been. I didn't want those men to hurt me because I liked pain. I wanted them to hurt me because I knew I deserved it all along."

Her partner, Ian Hennessy, is the experience to her inexperience. He was protective of her, drawn to her, and at times he seemed to undermine her, as if he was privy to a secret that she wasn't. Before and after her kidnapping, he became more. Like Carlos, he saw her and he understood her. Then she made a startling discovery, one that would force her to choose between her current life and a new one.

I have only read one other dark erotica story by this author, and at the time it was really difficult to read. Of the two, this was the less shocking. There wasn’t as much sex as you might think. The noncon wasn’t written for shock value, but that is just my opinion. I explain why I thought that in my spoiler below. I loved the plot twist I never saw coming, I loved the hero turned anti hero turned hero and the conclusion.

**SPOILER**
*
*
*

Carlos/Ian deserved that second chance because although he took Samantha in the worst way, I do believe it allowed her to live out her “fantasy” of getting taken, having things done to her that those little girls had gone through at her father's hands, and it allowed her to rid herself of that survivor's guilt. In the moment it did read like noncon, but by the end I drew the conclusion that it felt like a couple living out their dangerous fantasy only without her agreeing to it. That was Ian's form of therapy to save her from herself. This ties in to the quote above.

Disclaimer: I received a review copy from the author via Book Promotions by Literary Nook for the purpose of a blog tour and an honest review. ( )

Julie's staff pick for the week of 11/24/13. ( )

In Don't Let Go, the fourth book in the Dark Erotica series, author Skye Warren weaves a tantalizing and twisted dark tale that easily captivates the reader's attention.

Samantha Holmes is a junior FBI agent who is partnered with the renowned agent Ian Hennessy, they are assigned with the task of taking down one of the FBI's most wanted, the notorious mafia king pin and drug lord Carlos Laguardia. As Samantha and Ian embark on a dangerous journey to track down the elusively evil Carlos, their professional relationship grows into something more when their sexual attraction for each other leads to undeniable desire. When a carefully planned drug bust goes wrong, Samantha becomes Carlos' prey when he kidnaps her. During her captivity Samantha discovers hidden dark things about herself, and facing her past will ultimately change her forever.

Don't Let Go is a riveting dark erotic story that takes the reader on one hell of a thrilling and emotional roller coaster ride. Author Sky Warren weaves a complex, deep, and haunting tale that has a raw and gritty mixture of violence and moving tenderness. This wickedly gripping story takes the reader to the darkside and beyond with its suspenseful and unexpected twists and turns, and it doesn't release them from its clutches until the surprising end.

You can't help but get drawn into the intriguing intensity of Samantha, Ian and Carlos' story. From the violence to the dark romance, they are a complex set of characters, and their disturbing and twisted story will leave you emotionally spent. I loved the pace and suspense of the story, it flowed seamlessly and kept me engaged as the drama unfolded, any book that can do that is simply amazing.

While Don't Let Go can be a stand alone read, I would suggest that you read the Dark Erotica series in sequential order so that you can fully appreciate this breathtaking series.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Book Promotions by Literary Nook.

http://jerseygirlsizzlingbookreviews.blogspot.com/2013/12/dont-let-go-by-skye-wa... ( )