Publication: 9/29/2014
Series: Decadence After Dark, #1
Read: March 2019
Format: Digital
Rating: 4 Caffeinated Stars
Content Warnings: Human Trafficking, Slavery, Rape, Abuse, Coercion, Kidnapping, & Cliffhanger ending.

Goodreads Summary:

***Content Warning***
Owned is a dark erotic romance. Please pay close attention to the use of the words dark, erotic, and romance. It has intense sexual situations, a Master/slave relationship, mild abuse, and some violence. Reader discretion is advised.

“I like you collared, baby. I like you naked, I like you mine.”

Ellie Stevens has lusted over Kayne Roberts since he first walked into the import/export company she works for a little over a year ago. As Expo’s most important client, Ellie has always kept a safe distance from the man with the majestic blue eyes — until temptation finally gets the better of her. Impulsively, Ellie invites Kayne to one of Expo’s infamous company parties her flamboyant boss is notorious for throwing. Unbeknownst to Ellie, the god in the Armani suit isn’t just the suave entrepreneur he portrays himself to be. Underneath the professional exterior is a man with a secret life, dark desires, and nefarious contacts.

In a hidden corner of a trendy New York City lounge, the spark kindling between the two of them ignites. Unable to resist the sinful attraction, Ellie agrees to leave with Kayne, believing she is finally bedding the man of her dreams. Little does she know when she walks out the door, she’s about to be Owned.

My Thoughts:

I wasn’t quite sure what to read so I turned to my extensive Kindle library to find a book that would hold my attention. I’ve never read a book by M. Never, so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised. Owned deals with various dark and twisted themes. Readers should know that it deals with the following: Coercion, Kidnapping, Rape, & Abuse. If those themes are instant turn-offs, this book isn’t for you. Personally, I love a good dark romance, so this book was right up my alley.

I cannot give up too much of the plot, but I will say that the characters were well written and the plot was intriguing. I was going to give it 4 1/2 caffeinated stars, but I felt that at points the book lost track of the plot & sometimes plot points were way too obvious. I would have loved to have this book flow better with more subtleties.

The shining stars of the book were the main characters. Ellie & Kayne were so much fun to read about. I loved Ellie & her snark. The snarkiness was fun and made her more relatable. Kayne was interesting and kept my attention as well. I would have liked to learn more about him. I also LOVED Jett. He was such a fun character, and I really can’t wait to read more of this series.

All in all, the book was good, and anyone that enjoys a good dark romance is sure to enjoy this one. It would also be a decent beginner book for people who want to dip their toes into dark romances. It wasn’t too dark though it dealt with darker themes.

Amazon, Goodreads