Review: Captive in the Dark by C.J. Roberts

Captive in the Dark
Series: The Dark Duet #1
Author: C.J. Roberts

SUMMARY
(From Goodreads)


Caleb is a man with a singular interest in revenge. Kidnapped as a young boy and sold into slavery by a power-hungry mobster, he has thought of nothing but vengeance. For twelve years he has immersed himself in the world of pleasure slaves searching for the one man he holds ultimately responsible. Finally, the architect of his suffering has emerged with a new identity, but not a new nature. If Caleb is to get close enough to strike, he must become the very thing he abhors and kidnap a beautiful girl to train her to be all that he once was.

Eighteen-year-old Olivia Ruiz has just woken up in a strange place. Blindfolded and bound, there is only a calm male voice to welcome her. His name is Caleb, though he demands to be called Master. Olivia is young, beautiful, naïve and willful to a fault. She has a dark sensuality that cannot be hidden or denied, though she tries to accomplish both. Although she is frightened by the strong, sadistic, and arrogant man who holds her prisoner, what keeps Olivia awake in the dark is her unwelcome attraction to him.

WARNING: This book contains very disturbing situations, dubious consent, strong language, and graphic violence.

MY THOUGHTS

Captive in the Dark is the first part in The Dark Duet series by author C.J. Roberts.
This type of read is not for the weak and it has some (most) scenes that will be disturbing to many readers.

Mind. F-ck.  That about sums it up. Sorry to be so blunt, but after reading this there is not really a better way to express it.  When Caleb watches Olivia from afar, I just knew he had picked his target.  Olivia became the tool he would use for revenge.  When he approaches her the first time, she believes he is her knight in shining armor there to protect her from some pervs trying to mess with her.  What she doesn't know is that her knight is actually the one she should be worried about.

Olivia finds herself kidnapped and thrown into a dark room.  She is blindfolded and scared.  When Caleb enters the room and speaks to her, she knows his voice is familiar but cannot place who it is.  After plenty of struggles, she is finally able to see him when the blindfold is gone. She is shocked at who it is and still frightened.  What Caleb does to Olivia to start her "training" was painful and raw.  You can tell Caleb is not really wanting to hurt her, but he needs to get her to submit to become the slave he needs to get revenge on his enemy.  This not to say that Olivia doesn't fight back.  Oh no. She is a mean little hellcat and she won't take half of what Caleb tries to dish out.

“You're going to pay for that Pet,' he panted. The right side of his face sported an angry red hand print.
I shook out my hand, 'I already have. That was my change.” 

Unfortunately, it doesn't end like Olivia wants it to.  She is whipped, spanked and forced to listen to things she has never experienced before.  Through it all, Olivia ends up feeling like Caleb is still her protector when she needs him.  She sort of gets into the Stockholm Syndrome and I can understand why.

“He was my tormentor and my solace; the creator of the dark and the light within.”

To say that I was getting chills throughout this book is an understatement.  The emotional roller coaster you will go on in this story will shock you.  One minute you will be disgusted by Caleb, then you will be hoping he will be her Knight.  I couldn't believe I found myself thinking of him as a good guy at some points after everything he has done to Olivia.

“Caleb was a strange person, cruel and inhuman; a monster, and yet, at other times, he seemed so capable of something like caring. He made me cry and scream and shake with fear and nearly a split second later he could make me almost believe he wasn't responsible for any of it. He could hold me and make me feel safe. How was that possible?” 

Not a lot of people can handle this type of read.  I was hesitant on reading it because I thought it would be a book that was just "too much" for me.  I admit that I was scared and that fear kept me from reading this book for so long.  I finally got up enough nerve after reading so many 5 star reviews of it.  I decided to put everything on the back burner and just finally sit down and read it.  Now, I can't stop thinking about this book and had to get the review written and posted.  I can't wait to see what will happen after the way the book ended.  I am overcome with the curiosity to find out how Caleb and Olivia are going to proceed from the ending point of book one.  I crave the answers just as Olivia craves a small glimpse of sunlight.

MY RATING

Outstanding book that will stay on my bookshelf for rereading!

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