Very dark read.
Triggers.
Not for me.

Welcome to my first WTF book of 2018. This one made me wonder exactly how sane I was when I got through reading it. Then I wondered what it's like inside of Iris Ann Hunter's head. Whatever it's like in there, I hope it stays that way because even with how dark, twisted, and WTF this book is, I loved it, and I'm looking forward to reading the second part of the story.

Ava is a young woman who has pretty much sold her soul to the beast, Shayne. She had good reason for it, but that doesn't matter, he's still the beast. Until she has to actually had to go to him, she stays as far away from him as possible. She doesn't want to do anything to attract his attention, but it's hard, since he's pinpoint focused on her.

Gavin is a movie star who stops one rainy night on the side of the road to pick up a stranded woman, and ended up taking her home. It turns out that it was Ava that he picked up. She's trying to take one part of her life under control before she has to go and be with Shayne. She wants to just make some decision for herself, just to please herself. And Gavin becomes party to that decision.

Shayne is just a bully. He owns the town where he and Ava are from. He owns the cops. He's rich and he does what he wants because there is no one who will stop him.

Poor Ava, I think Hell would've been an easier stay for her than being anywhere near Shayne. He is just toxic. Gavin needed to pull his head out of his backside or have someone do it for him because he was sometimes not quite as cognizant as he should've been.

I do love the story. I love the characters, even the characters I'm supposed to hate. I love to hate him. This was my first Iris Ann Hunter book, but it won't be my last. ( )

5 sweet holy Mary, Joseph, Baby Jesus, and Gabriel.... I need Valium stars

This book. Where do I even begin? This author just blew my mind. There were so many layers to this story. This book was dark but there was something more to it too. From the moment that I started reading it time stood still.

Ava. So selfless and strong. My heart hurt for her. I wondered when she finally was going to break. Gavin. I loved him even though he wasn't the focus of the story (he was the catalyst in ensuring Ava stayed true to her promise) until the end. He was Ava's last piece of hope that there was still good and just things in her world. A world that had so far given her a crap hand in life.

What I found most fascinating in the story though was Shayne. Yes, he was a sadistic and obsessed man. However, the glimpses into his early life and the steps he took to set up Ava for life after their deal gave me insight into the fact that down deep he wasn't evil. When he would tell stories of their childhood and why/how he came to love her I felt for him. How remarkable is that?!? The author was able to make me care this crazy man. That's a talent. How can someone so deplorable still have redeeming qualities?!

This book is dark. Like DARK. Like darker than 13 midnights. Like, there are no stars and street light type of dark. Yet, if you like dark romances then read this book because it encompasses the best things about dark: intensity, heart stopping, obsessive, depraved, complex, twisted, suspenseful... I could go on and on. For a debut book, this author just blew my mind. Highly recommended if you can handle a dark tumultuous journey into the abyss of hell. Looking forward to the next book. ( )