| Title | : | Take Me, Break Me (Pierced Hearts, #1) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | 208 |
| Publication | : | First published March 3, 2013 |
Some of this story is not safe, sane, or consensual and this is not a manual on how to practice kink.
Jodie is scraping the barrel trying to stay afloat. An idea arrives that could rescue her finances and bring her together in a kinky way with a man she never gave up on. She's terrified and fascinated, and tempted as hell.
Capture fantasies rule her eBook. Re-enacting one in a documentary would surely be irresistible viewing to millions of women?
But Jodie and Klaus discover that underneath an ordinary man dark desires may lurk. What will win in the end? The man and lover, or the monster?
Take Me, Break Me (Pierced Hearts, #1) Reviews
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Holy Fuck! What a dark, pain-edged orgasmic ride this one turned out to be!
Cari Silverwood is a new discovery for me and now I’m going to have to slavishly read her back list because, wow, how wonderful is it to find an author that appears to be such a good fit. If you like your BDSM a little edgy, your consent a little dubious and your boundaries pushed then I suggest you give her a try!As the blurb states, Jodie decides to make a documentary about capture fantasy – a fetish which she believes turns many women on as they read about it on their e-readers and she’s not wrong there, right? She’s looking for a healthy dose of Stockholm Syndrome. She enlists Klaus, her accountant and ex-lover, to play the role of captor and agree upon a schedule and a rigid set of rules. Klaus duly locks her up in her basement but it soon becomes apparent that this is not working at all – it’s dull and staid and they both know it’s just pretend.
Jodie had given Klaus an ereader full of books to serve as background reading he’s done his own research online and has a deliciously wicked box of tricks and somehow Jodie has managed to waken a latent sadist residing inside Klaus that neither of them ever knew was there. It’s kind of like awakening the Kraken as Klaus takes charge of the situation and forces Jodie to submit and tears up her ‘rules’ and starts to run the show his way. She no longer has a say but that’s OK because she trusts him, right? Or does she?
I so enjoyed this – it’s so fucking HOT it’s unbelievable. I know I peeked over the top of my Kindle at my poor unsuspecting hubby with bedroom eyes as I read this and I feel sure that loads of readers probably did too! It’s very much the evolution of a sadist and his submissive little masochist as both of them make huge discoveries about themselves as the story progresses and they edge far closer to a Master/Slave TPE relationship. They're both very strong characters which makes Jodie’s descent into submission hard fought and difficult and yet thoroughly engaging to read.
It’s really incredibly arousing and the sadism is pretty edgy. It’s so unbelievably erotic to read and I positively devoured this in one sitting. I know I’m never going to look at accountants in the same way ever again! The story is told from alternating view points so we get to hear exactly what Jodie and Klaus are thinking as they get further and further into their kink and I really valued getting inside both of their heads. Klaus begins to take things deeper and darker than either of them could ever have anticipated and I so enjoyed how they began to fear that he may take things too far as he pushed Jodie far beyond her boundaries.
I’ve read the blurbs for the rest of the books in this series and I know that Cari Silverwood is about to push me beyond the boundaries I normally like to read within but I’m about to take that journey with her because we all know we learn the most about ourselves when we’re out of our comfort zones and I’m inspired enough by this author to follow her down the dark twisted path she’s delighting in dragging her readers down.
FANTASTIC new discovery for me – if you like your romance dark, your sex with a hefty helping of kink and your consent dubious at least then Cari Silverwood’s the gal for you!!
4.5 sadistic stars
Buy From Amazon -
4.5 stars
Yawza.
See, this is what happens when I skim the synopsis, and get one-click happy.
It was all right there – should have been no surprise, but I totally missed the whole “warning part”
I’ve got to admit, I’m more of a “glitter-kink” kind of girl. While I’ll dip my toe into some more hard-core stuff, I generally swim in the shallow end.
The interesting thing about this book is that, for the most part, (except for two scenes) I’d say this wasn’t anything out of my comfort zone (as narrow as that can be). I’ve read books that have fucked with my mind a whole lot more than this (ie. Comfort Food or Seduced in the Dark)– but this one, for whatever reason, seemed to mess with both my mind and my heart, in equal measure, which made the impact of each, far greater then it “should” have been. (Does that make any sense at all?)
In both of my examples, (Comfort food and SITD), the dominates/kidnappers are very experienced, and in a way, I think it made the things they did, even if they were repugnant, easier to take because as a reader I TRUSTED that they knew what they were doing (even if I didn’t agree with their end goal)
The scenario in this book is one I’ve never read about before – one where the Dom isn’t experienced. Well more than half of the BDSM books I’ve read have inexperienced subs, so I’ve read that perspective a lot. Being inside Klaus’s head, as he discovers, and tries to come to terms with the fact that he is a Dom and a Sadist was flat out one of the most fascinating, and at times, scariest things I’ve ever read.
Everything starts out pretend, a project, a façade, but then it gets real. Really, really, real.
I was so rational about wanting to… I swallowed … hurt her, control her, it made the rest of the world go out of focus
. . . .
I’d thought of this me as a cave man. But no, this was more like a monster me.
Did every man have some version of a monster inside him, deep down? Maybe we just needed the right circumstances to set it loose?
I rolled my shoulder to work away the tension. I just had to remember where my monster hid so I could shoo it back into that place in my head when the time came.”
The situation was unique, too, in that Jodie and Klaus had previously had a vanilla relationship, and were now friends so there was already a level of trust there, built over the years, to fall back on.
Interestingly enough, the book still revolved around building trust though, just not Jodie learning to trust Klaus, but Klaus learning to trust Klaus.
I think that, if it’s accurate, this book finally gave me my first true understanding of the sadist thought process. My heart broke for both Jodie and Klaus, but ironically I think, more for Klaus. His struggle to understand himself was agonizing, and his “learning by doing” was scary.
This isn’t the darkest book I’ve ever read. Not by a long shot, but it touched me, mind and heart, and really made me think, and feel.
“Oh Fuck. I’m done. I’m caught. Who was the captor here? Me or her?”
-
More suitable titles:
-100 ways to become a sadist.
-100 ways to realise you are a masohist.
-Are you an boring account or a bored vanilla guy?
-Implementing locks and takedowns from your judo training into sexual humiliation.
-Deep down she loves being a "good girl" for you.
-How to use a fake kidnapping and capturing fantacy to get back with your ex.
-You want it. I want it. Don't be embarrassed. Let's keep it forever.
I may think more titles later.
Overal this is a very dark romance novel. It is given by both protagonists' points of view. And I really enjoyed it. -
Buddy read with Crystal Bell ❤ a very expressive partner who held my hand through the whole book bearing together all the mood swings we had in this ride. Thank you.
I've read the erotic kinks from Cari Silverwood books, but here I found everything doubly done; the book was erotically, slavishly and openly expressed. I need a mood when I want to read erotic books and this book fit right then but I couldn't connect with the characters mildly because I found the story dragging. The wonderful and real life related thought which I found:
'The bondage and fucking and humiliating scenes I’d read had probably scarred my brain. It was a wonder I hadn’t worn out my clitoris.'
This story can be recounted as what happens behind the scenes of a Dom and Sub when they play a fantasy. I was curious and storing ideas after ideas in my head. I found it interesting because this 'beginning phase' side of Dom and Sub, we rarely find in erotic romance books and learning with the Dom and Sub what they like and how to act along with "there’d been some curious things done with chopsticks and rubber bands to women’s nipples", it's refreshing and new exciting knowledge, no? Many of the scenes/plays had me grasping and uncomfortable. It was painful too.
***my review has spoiler quotes mostly***
(Klaus) “You want a list? How about the list of things a man could do to you in this situation? I could make you wash my dishes naked with a gag in. I could tie you up, cut your clothes off and just stare at you all day – just because I could. I could make you be a piece of furniture and ignore you. Humiliating? Yes. I could train you to be an anal slut. I could fuck your ass all day long. I could collar you and make you crawl around on the floor like a dog at a convenient height for blow jobs. I could share you with the man down the street, stick needles in your nipples and use them and some string to fasten you to eyebolts in the ceiling. Want to try that one? And at the end of it all, if I was the worst sort of man, I could kill you and bury you out there on the beach.” I swung my arm up to point. “Maybe no one would ever find you.”
Jodie is a filmmaker. Unemployment has led her to make a film decidedly a capture fantasy making a month-long documentary recording getting captured and sexual assualted play. She asks help from Klaus.
"This capture fantasy is skating on thin ice right now. You’re a turd. You went too far, Klaus. I know I set this up and sort of gave you free rein but that didn’t mean I wanted you to make me do your frigging housework, and…and hitting me that hard? I may have fantasized about spanking but I have never said I wanted to be hit like that, like someone driving in nails. Or gagged. Tone it down. I need realism. But that much realism will…”
Klaus is an accountant who is very meticulous. Jodi and Klaus used to date but he broke up feeling they never connected. When Jodi approaches him with her documentary Klaus is alarmed but also very interested. She gives him ideas on the erotism of Dom-Slave she reads. But her way of making this film wasn't working when Klaus steps up and starts taking the actual role.
'Unless I stopped everything. BDSM had safewords. Where was mine, I wanted to ask. But capture fantasies didn’t have those. I was stuck in this little weird world. I had loads of questions, but if I stopped things, somehow I doubted he’d start it up again with new rules stated by me. He would not be happy. Not this Klaus. Go with the flow. I had a sore butt, sore pride, but I was still, in a perverted way, curious.'
Klaus enjoys pushing Jodi to the edge both literally and firguratively. With her he also finds his inner sadism. Klaus sets the rules and makes it happen his way. Jodi who is equally raged and defient is deciplined and finds herself enjoying.
Both the characters are denying who they really are but playing a role which is pretend they underestimate themselves and find themselves enjoying their roles.
'I was his fucktoy. His dirty, bad, fucktoy.'
'That was it. I’d been so blind. All I needed was to find a place we were both happy. I was abruptly ice-blindingly clear on that. This, tonight, was his way of finding that place. He knew, like I did, that we needed each other now. Interdependent. Not just me as his. Klaus was mine. My Dom, my Master. Mine.'
As the month is up Klaus is reluctant to end the play. He starts questioning about their arrangement, about himself and how he treats Jodie. Jodie is less complicated than Klaus. She is aware of her position and wants to save their relationship. I like how this hesitations proclaim real life dom/sub dealing with gratuity realism. Jodi embraces her wants but Klaus keeps denying. Klaus is my issue here. He makes big of a situation.
The story is graphic in all accounts. The pretend play is totally submerged and explained in details. I found the story slow and there was no romance. Jodie and Klaus liked each other before and they care for each other, this is all that makes sense of their realtion. This was an interesting experience with an off-limits role playing. -
Semen reminded me of bad oysters.
I have had this unread on my kindle for far too long. Embarrassingly long when you consider that Cari Silverwood is one of my go-to authors. So amid the strangeness of trying to work-from-home I decided to use some of that extra time to plough through my TBR list.
I don't think I've ever read a story quite like Take Me, Break Me. Consensual non-consent is a kink that does have it's appeal, though only if it's within a framework of agreed limits and with a safeword. Hyped up on reading capture fantasy but with no real idea of SSC or RACK, Jodie and Klaus set out on a very dangerous adventure indeed. I think what struck me most, other than just how debauched, degrading and dangerously filthy the play in the book is, was how honest and real the story felt. Even when they wandered into uncharted waters and risked either running aground on a hidden reef or being smashed against rocks along the coastline. This was an adventure, an exploration, a conquering of new lands that I simply had to be part of.He hadn't budged. While I'd run through the encyclopedia of my worries, filed them alphabetically, and then set them alight, he'd barely shifted an inch.
I'm going to be brutally honest and say that this book didn't hook me from the start. It took a few chapters for me to get into the flow of the story, but once I did then that proverbial hook very definitely sank itself under my skin. And no Ms Silverwood, despite your apparent obsession with needles and all things sharp and pointy, that most definitely fits in the category of 'your kink is not my kink, but that's ok.' Eek.
I haven't read any other reviews yet, I like my mind to be fresh, my opinion to be untainted, so I've not idea what others may or may not have said regarding the following point. At first I doubted that Klaus had never had any kinky/dominant leanings prior to his role-play with Jodie. But then I realised that I actually CAN relate to that 100%, we aren't all born knowing we desire certain kinks, many of us never saw, recognised or even suspected those desires resided within us. Not until we were well into adult hood, and possible hitting middle age! And no, before you ask, it wasn't a 50 Shades of Gray inspired revelation. I've never even read the book, though Cherise Sinclair might have started the ball rolling - or should that be flogger swinging?
I digress, so back to THIS book, which is a veritable delight of kinky-fuckery, delving into some very sadistic acts, though thankfully Jodie is a huge masochist so is totally down for all Klaus can deliver. Watching the pair of them grow into their fetishes, uncover their darkest, most hidden desires and discover a whole new world of pleasurable torment, pain and power exchange was fascinating. The pleasurable pain was pretty darn good all on it's own. And I giggled at the irony of this line "this scenario would have had me flipping the ebook pages one-handed.". Touche, Ms Silverwood, you certainly know your readers well 😉😂.
This isn't a "how to" guide, in fact it's probably more of a "how not to" tale, though common sense prevails in the end, and whilst Ms Silverwood leaves it on more of a HFN note than a HEA, neither Klaus nor Jodie are soppy romantics, so anything else would have felt false at this point. As they embark on their adventure, this pair have no idea of the rabbit hole they willingly throw themselves down. Nor how much they will not only enjoy the fall but come to crave it in a "can't-live-without-it" way.Maybe if I was another man, I'd have been thinking about how to talk her into a relationship after the documentary ended. I would have been talking with her, full stop. But the opposite course of action drew me like gravity on a man falling from the sky. I was going down, down, down.
I'm supposed to be finishing one arc and reading another over the next 2 days, but am hugely tempted to indulge in reading
Bind and Keep Me, the next steps in Klaus and Jodie's adventure. It's unusual but this does NOT end on a cliff-hanger and you COULD read it as a stand alone, though Klaus is just too delightfully dark and deviant to ever want to leave him behind - unless it's for a little ass play of course! -
4 beautifully, unique, pleasurable, captivating, stars.
The eyes are the mirror to the soul and right then my soul was very dark.
This is surprising a slow working way dark read. It starts off kind of slow but then it catches up to you and take a full swing into dark, erotica, captive, dom and sub. I really quite enjoyed this book. I love how the author took something different and very unique way of captive books and did a spin of mind fuckery.
Jodie is struggling with money, she needs to make money and as she does documentaries, why not do a documentary about a captive fantasy that she reads about in her Dark Erotica books, and make one for everyone to see. But this is a consent captive fantasy documentary.
Klaus is her accountant and ex-lover. Jodie wants Klaus to be the one that is holding her captive, but with rules. She will be under his will for one month. One month she wants to get the concept of captive fantasies, and being mind fucked throughout the entire month.
"Starting now. The rules are gone."
This month has shown me two things - that I was a sadist who liked hurting people, and that I couldn't control it when I let it loose.
There was some issue for me when it came to Jodie though. She.... Ummm... Let's see, I am not sure what she was expecting. Jodie wanted the whole captive fantasy come into play and being held against her will "per say" but was expecting too much to me. It came to a point where Klaus was being to nice and boring and not working out the way that she planned. Then Klaus takes all of the rules away and does it his way. Yes... I was so fucking happy when that happened. I wanted Klaus to take full ownership of Jodie and do what he pleases. But, still there was this nagging Jodie in the back of my head that kept thinking for example, yes I do need new clothes, but why is he taking my suitcase full of clothes and my tooth brush is in there. Food, yes I want food, lobster sounds good. I just felt that she was expecting more out of what she wanted. Like a 5 star captive fantasy treatment.
This is dual POV. I loved getting Klaus POV in the story. He at first didn't really know what he was going to do. Then starts claiming the dom that is inside of him and taking what he wanted. He started to go by his desires and his desires had no limits. I loved it. I loved Klaus. He was the sadist of a man that I love.
He finally took over everything not giving Jodie a choice and that is what I wanted. It became more on the real side of the fantasy that I was looking for. It became more darker and that is what I loved most about this story. There was no limits. Just an FYI there are needle play comes into play in this book and some m/f/f/m action which I loved also.
Overall as you can tell I really enjoyed myself reading this book. There is a second book and I am looking forward to see where the author is going to take it. I hope more darkness, maybe even more darker than what I had in this one. :) -
What can i say other than that i totally agree with Trent...This series grabbed me from the start and held me captive till the very last page of Yield,the final book in the series. A series i have tucked in a special (dark;) ) corner of my library....
Reading TMBM again,i loved how i was drawn in,again,from page 1. Jodi and Klaus are still so precious to me. The way they grew into their roles as Master and slave. Knowing their thoughts,their doubts about how far to surrender to his sadisme,ánd their growing feelings made them even more loveable. They are the first couple of this wonderful series and i love them dearly! -
*spoiler free*
Ok, I'm ready to admit it....I'm a sick, sick girl. Not only that, but hey, I'm okay with it! ;) Right or wrong, non-con works for me and this book took non-con to a new level. I've read all variety of dark reads with rarely as much as a flinch, and yet Take Me, Break Me pushed me a bit outside of my comfort zone. I didn't even think that was possible anymore.
With so many "dark" reads out there with non-con and BDSM, they really start to blend together. It's really all the same story and sometimes a good author will manage to add something a little different. THIS book however, was pretty original. The concept behind it was new and intriguing and most importantly, this wasn't the experienced "Dom" taking on the BDSM virgin.
It wasn't that this was the most depraved thing I've ever read, I never felt like the author was writing simply for the purpose of shocking me or grossing me out (some authors I feel are just looking for the shock factor). It was more that I felt pulled into their world. I took the trip with them and felt the psychological changes that they experienced. Being so pulled in with them mentally, made the physical that much more potent to me.
The writing was excellent and the alternating POV was absolutely beneficial in this book. I loved being able to see things from his perspective, to understand what he was thinking/feeling when he was doing these things to her. I kept waiting for it to dull down. At 30, 50 and 70% I thought there was really no more "extremes" to reach. I was wrong.
It should go without saying that this is not for everyone and considering the warning label, there should be no one complaining about the content. This was pretty intense even by my standards. I'd say 4.5 stars. The very end was a little slow for me but I was very pleasantly surprised by this book.......sick girl that I am. ;) -
4.5 Stars
Evocative. Vividly Graphic.
Dark and Decadent.
I deducted for editing errors.
I actually love it.
The mc's discovering who they 'Really' are. Their deepest darkest desires and how they dealt with it.
All very realistic.
Can't wait to read the next! -
This was a really good book and I love reading dark erotica. Jodie wants to make a documentary on one of her biggest fantasies: to be kidnapped and held hostage as a slave. She ask her ex-boyfriend, Klaus, who is an accountant and judo instructor to help her. She has rules for the game: no sex, no nudity. But as the game begins to progress beyond the first few hours and days, Klaus realizes that he has a sadistic Dom side beyond what he thought he was capable of. Jodie comes to the realization that she craves not only submission, but the pain that punishment brings. In the end there are no rules, no safewords, and a month to live out the fantasy as deep as Klaus will take it. This book had spanking, crops and lots of caning. It's often corrective and not meant to be pleasurable. There is humiliation and fair amount of bondage and needle play which gave me the creeps. The sex scenes were hot with m/m/f/f which I loved. It was so beautiful to go through the whole journey with the both of them. Even with the many bumps in the road, you were able to see and feel the trust forming between the two. The way it switched back and forth between the point of views of the characters, it felt like I was reading both of their diaries, which was great because you didn't have to guess how the other one was truly feeling. This book did have a few errors in it. I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series.
“Nice is bad, Jodie? You want mind fuck. You want mean. You want things you dream about. You have no idea.” Her eyes widened. “Starting now. The rules are gone. I make my own rules.”
Oh fuck. Bad. I’m going down some Alice in Kinkyland rabbit hole here. -
Buddy Read with Birjis. 💕Thank you for listening to all my rants and mood swings. Plus, all the highs with the lows. I look forward to more buddy reads in the future.
Take Me, Break Me is the first book I have read from Cari Silverwood. I heard so many excellent reviews and recommendations for this author. I am always down for an erotica book. I did enjoy the storyline with many steamy parts. Let me tell you first what I liked first.
Klaus and Jodie are ex’s who are still friends. Jodie, a documentary filmmaker, has an idea for a captive slave fantasy and asks Klause to be her master for a month. It sounds like a good story, and it is. But at first, she sets too many rules, and Klaus takes over and tells her it's his rules now. I was jumping up and down for excitement on that.
“Nice is bad, Jodie? You won't mind fuck. You want mean. You want things you dream about. You have no idea.” Her eyes widened.
”Starting now. The rules are gone. I make my own rules.”
Yes, please. Both are new in the BDSM scene. Klaus does his homework and has a friend for a mentor. It does leave room for error and how much they both discover what kinks they both desire and want to please the other.
Oh fuck. Bad. I’m going down some Alice in Kinkyland rabbit hole here
Take Me, Break Me has some steamy and darkish parts. There was one scene that was very intense, hot as hell. Some features of the book seemed choppy, especially some of the sex scenes. I couldn't connect with the main characters, and At Times Klaus was too repetitive and melodramatic. If there were more of a back story and detail of the characters plus communication before and after the month, I would be able to connect to them.
All and all, I did enjoy the book. I will try again to read another book by Cari Silverwood. -
*~*~*~*~*3.5 Glorious Ménage a Trois Stars*~*~*~*~*
I'd just signed a document that gave the man opposite me permission to mind fuck me into the next century
This quote alone pretty much sums up the whole story of Jodie & Klaus's initiation into the world of capture fantasy and Bdsm.
Jodie is currently an underemployed comedian and film maker. She decides one day to live out her fantasy and start filming a documentary exposing the lure of capture fantasy & Sub/Dom scenarios. Jodie implements herself into the said documentary as the captive and her ex-boyfriend (Klaus) as her captor. And that's when things start to heat up. Jodie is submerged into a unique situation of intimately knowing her said captor and trusting him enough to do inexplicable acts to her. Unbeknownst, to Jodie these scenario's are more then frightening her, they are also awakening a sexual appetite she never knew she had. And Jodie is finding instant gratification in being;
Bound, gagged, and broken
But it doesn't take long before Klaus & Jodie find themselves submerged into this lifestyle and going above and beyond the traditional capture scenarios.
As they encounter different scenario's to act out, things get more intense leading to more graphic and in depth accounts. Along the way things heat up between the two and are ultimately faced with new challenges that can peak their interest in a mutual manner.
And that's how we get the BEST ménage a trois scene out there. The scene was intensely HOT without it being overly appalling.
This is not your traditional dark read it's more like an more in depth look behind the scenes into the psychological aspect of capture fantasy and bdsm how it effects everyone differently. Ultimately effecting Klaus and Jodie differently but simultaneously leading them to different paths that seem to scare them.
My complaints. Due to some choppy scenes and the cheesy slow start, I would have given this book a better rating. Suffice to say, it was a unique experience to read alongside my favorite skank aka Soraya...... -
What happens when a woman's fantasy runs much deeper than she'd initially thought? And what does she learn when her exploration of that fantasy is taken almost totally out of her control? This is the captivating premise for this novel.
Ms. Silverwood's skillfully crafted story sneaks up on you, introducing you to the heroine Jodie, a woman with complex motivations, and the hero Klaus, a man of outwardly serene, even uncomplicated, demeanor. Right away, you want to learn more about these people, and what's really going on between them -- and the author gives you just enough to keep you feverishly turning the pages. Then, like a roller coaster plummeting down that first exhilarating drop, the story takes hold of us and doesn't let go.
Wow.
There is some great writing here: crisp, efficient characterization, flawed, but appealing main characters you can't help but like, and a fascinating (and arousing) evolution of the central relationship at the core of the story. Most of all, this story is just plain smokin' hot.
I was very impressed with the author's ability to dance right up to the edge of the non-con abyss, giving you a nice, long glimpse into the darkness, but never quite shoving you off the precipice. She makes you care for these characters, to root for Jodie to finally embrace what she really wants, and how she feels, and for Klaus to stop denying what he really is. I loved them both, even though at different times I wanted to shake some sense into each one of them.
As for the content, those readers averse to dub-con, or consensual non consent, are not going to be comfortable with this one. At all. If you're looking for gentle Doms and doe-eyed innocent subs, you should look elsewhere. If you want a "sub-is-the-real-one-in-control" dynamic, you're barking up the wrong tree here too. These are real people confronting the gritty realities (and erotic possibilities) of the exploration of a dark sexual fantasy.
For those readers who enjoy dub con, or non con, or a not insignificant amount of pain, you're going to love, LOVE this book. The D/s in this is real, and honest, and raw, and not for one second do you find yourself not believing the story as these two explore it. I had to put it down several times and just mutter an awed "whoa". To me that is the sign of a great book.
This is an excellent BDSM erotic romance. Do NOT miss this one. -
4.5 mindf*ck stars!!!
Like anyone, like everyone, I craved stuff that could never happen. I dreaded the idea of ever letting myself go. The old Lord of the Flies book came to mind. Peel off the veneer of civilization and people are unspeakable monsters beneath.
Did every man have some version of a monster inside him, deep down? Maybe we just needed the right circumstances to set it loose?
I knew this book would be interesting and hot, but I wasn't prepared for how deep it would delve into the human psyche. Turns out BDSM can lead to quite the crash and burn if it involves two people who have no idea what the fuck they're doing. I felt a roller-coaster of emotions just reading the damn story, so I can only hope nobody in real life would be stupid enough to experiment like this. Regardless, interesting isn't a strong enough word for the events of this book. It was powerful. It was also filthy hot. A lot of things that happen between these two (or more) won't be everyone's cup of tea. Hell, some weren't even my cup of tea. But over the course of the book, I found myself slowly becoming desensitized to things I previously would've balked at... and I think that was the point.
Some things, when the opportunity presents, you just have to grab them. So I was grabbing my ex-girlfriend and doing whatever I could, legally, that made my dick hard and my mind inhabit that laser-beam sharp thought-place I’d just discovered.
Klaus and Jodie used to date, but they broke up amicably. Really, that doesn't matter, because they both turn into completely different people anyway. See, Jodie needs money, and since capture fantasies are all the rage right now, she decides to make a month-long documentary of what it's like to be a slave. Since she trusts him, she asks Klaus to be the man in the film, but the rules they decide on together are laughable. No sex, no nudity, no physical damage... it sounded like a solitary confinement special to me. Of course, shit gets boring fast, but don't worry, Klaus decides to spice things up. Only Klaus takes it a bit... far. Turns out nice-guy accountant Klaus is a total sadist, oh and Jodie? Total submissive pain slut. Thing is, Klaus has no idea what he's doing, which isn't good considering the guy really has nothing in the way of limits. Let the fun begin...
This was Klaus? I thought I knew him, all of him. Now…I wasn’t sure I knew me, let alone who he was or what he might do next.
Jodie and Klaus were likable, even if they were dumbasses. It's not far-fetched to imagine two people thinking they can handle this for a measly month. You would think, though, that when their arrangement pretty much turned TPE, they would understand that you can't just... stop. The fact that they both kept referring to the month-long time period made me picture a large cloud looming ahead, and it made me anxious as hell. The story is told in alternating POV, and I loved that. I loved experiencing the way both of them changed. It wasn't just Klaus, nice-guy-turned-sadist. Jodie was a pretty rah-rah feminist, and it was like she didn't even realize what was happening in her own brain. (Not that you can’t be submissive and a feminist. You totally can, since a big part of being a feminist is accepting your own sexual desires without shame). Their "experiment" pretty much turned into crack for both of them, and we all know you can't take a 30-day crackhead trial and then just decide it's not for you. That's not a bad analogy, either- they were both doling out orgasms like they were candy. I would imagine the comedown isn't pleasant after a month of doing increasingly sexual, sadistic, and kinky shit. It would probably be worth it, though, because damn were they hot together. For being new to the dark side, Klaus sure knew how to lay the Master pipe.
“I think… I think you’re my slave right now, Jodie. Or close to it, in your mind, and in mine. To be honest, nothing we have ever done together has been as amazing as this. I’m in love with making you hurt and wince and scream, but I also want to watch you come. I want to fuck your gorgeous mouth and your ass more than I ever did before. I want you mine more than ever before.”
This book definitely isn't all sunshine and roses, but it is a very interesting profile of the human brain, of what can happen when you finally surrender to your deepest darkest fantasies. Is it possible to do that without losing yourself? Yeah, probably, but the way to do it isn't how these two went about it. If you are into serious BDSM, every aspect of it, good and bad, then definitely read this book. The moments that made me uncomfortable surprisingly weren't during anything sexual or really physical at all. The mindf*ck is what made this book, but the filthy, hot, kinky-as-fuck sex definitely helped a lot.
“Tell me, Jodie. Who owns you? Are you mine? Because I think you are. I think you’re fucking mine.” -
Well, well, well. This was one hot little read.
Jodie is an underemployed comedian and film maker. She is struggling to make ends meet. She has an e-reader full of racy erotica. She is really interested in a capture fantasy and decides to create a documentary film starring herself and her old flame Klaus.
Klaus is an accountant. Everything he does is controlled and by the books. He is intrigued when Jodie approaches him. He has always had a thing for her but felt that they never really connected. Klaus called off their relationship because he always felt that Jodie was holding something back. When she approaches him with her idea he is horrified and a little turned on.
Before long Klaus and Jodie are knee deep in the world of dubious consent. Jodie finds herself turned on by the use of her body and the punishments. Initially, she is defiant, but after some discipline, she falls into the role with surprising ease. This is a little scary for her.
Klaus finds himself not just pushing boundaries but blasting through them like a WMD. Klaus is finding his inner Dom and loving it. He enjoys pulling Jodie to the edge and holding her there. He loves the way she bends to his will.
As their agreed upon time draws to a close, Klaus asks Jodie is she has any fantasies. She wants to be in a ménage à trois. Klaus sets out to make it happen. He finds another man and woman who are into BDSM and they play together.
All good things must come to an end. Klaus soon questions everything about their arrangement and who he ha become. Jodie begins to have deeper feelings for Klaus. But now that he is pushing her away, will she be able to save their relationship before he runs?
There were a few minor things I did not like about this book. Klaus quickly agreed to this arrangement and things moved fast. There were parts that were not highly believable.
Aside from that, this was a hot one. I loved the inner dialogue and how we got to see both points of view. We got a glimpse of what it was like for Klaus to go down the rabbit hole. We also got to see how Jodie found herself becoming more and more under the spell of Klaus. She was so tuned into him and so turned on by him. If you are looking for a hot read that pushes ALL KINDS of boundaries...this is for you!
4 Boundary Pushing stars!
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Jodie approaches Klaus, her ex-boyfriend / accountant, with a plan to make some cash and jump start a career making documentaries. After reading many erotic books Jodie wants to act out a capture fantasy while filming to create a documentary that will appeal to a wide audience. Klaus is apprehensive at first but initially becomes motivated in fear that she will approach a monster off the street.
After the pseudo-capture Jodie finds the whole thing boring and tells Klaus he's way too nice. But- be careful what you wish for! Klaus nixes the rules and takes matters into his own hands. Once Pandora's Box has been opened will darkness take over the beginning Dom?
First off I can't even begin to put in words how spectacular this book was! I couldn't put it down and was completely captured by the premise and storyline. I thought the author presented a unique and captivating premise by bridging the gap between BDSM and non-consensual capture. This was a hybrid of recently popular topics that was carried out with passion. However-be warned! This book is not for the faint at heart or those who haven't read dark erotica before!
Jodie and Klaus were a dynamic pair and the book flowed with their alternating viewpoints. The reader is able to get inside both of their heads in order to see the full transformation each undergoes as a beginning sub and Dom. Also, both of the characters were well-developed and I enjoyed watching as their carnal natures were slowly brought to life.
In the pivotal play scene we meet another couple who are both switches. With Klaus' permission blonde and beautiful Kat has the chance to Domme Jodie. I must mention this scene because it was the best and most erotic F/F BDSM scene I've read to date. Through the pages the power of Kat just seeps out and I pray there will be more of her in book two! MEOW.
I highly recommend this to those who are interested in ALL aspects or open to all of the warnings in the blurb. If that's a yes then what are you waiting for ?! One-click this baby now! Kat is waiting... -
3.5 stars. Well written and with more depth and humor than I expected, Take Me, Break Me is an often disturbing work of two people learning about their kinky desires in VERY wrong ways.
Moderate spoilers!
“I have an idea. Performance art of a sort. I want do a film based on me going through the experience of a capture fantasy.”
Jodie is a comedian and documentary filmmaker who's short on money and romance. So what could be better than filming a capture fantasy under "controlled" circumstances? Sure, it's drastic, but with the right man and all kinds of safety nets in place it should be an interesting experiment that will result in a great film.
It should.
The right man for the job is Klaus, her ex-boyfriend and accountant. She trusts him beyond compare. And even though they have agreed sex in the context of the experiment is off the table, there's still a spark of attraction there. They seem to have taken every precaution. A copy of the rules is posted to the wall. They've both clocked out for vacation for the month. The cameras are set up.
It's time for Jodie to be captured.
No sex, of course, even though I hoped otherwise. No nakedness. No physical damage. His face was to be blurred out. A copy of what we were doing was in a deposit box at the bank. Neither of us wanted Klaus arrested if something weird happened – like the cops showing up.
The Rules. 1. No sexual contact. 2. Filming is not allowed in the bathroom area. 3. No nudity 4. Bondage is allowed. 5. No physical damage to either of us.
Everything starts out fine. Jodie is kept in a basement room in Klaus' house under the eyes of cameras. Everything is entirely safe, but could best be described as boring. Jodie's not getting the footage she's wanting and she and Klaus both are starting to dread a month together, feeling like they are "playing captive" and not capturing the true psychological experience. Maybe it would be better to scrap the whole experience.
Maybe we should have written a script. Ugh. I could imagine Klaus doing his fake German accent while growling at me. You vill do ze dishes and mop ze floor! Yes, so scary.
They're tired of a pretend experience. That's when they make a bad decision.
Jodie wants to be captured? Tied up? Scared by her captor? Owned by him?
Klaus will give her that.
Take Me, Break Me goes to some FUCKED UP places. Klaus is a newbie sadist. He doesn't know where to stop or how to really closely read Jodie's needs. All he knows is that he likes this and so does Jodie and for the next month he "owns" her.
The novel's biggest atribute is the psychological changes Klaus and Jodie undergo. I'm actually really happy it was duel perspective. We get to see Jodie's increasing dependence on Klaus and her conflicting desires to both tell Klaus to go fuck himself and to tell him to please fuck her again. And we see Klaus's fear and loss of control as he realizes he likes being in control. He likes to hurt. He's scared of himself and of what he can do when he unleashes.
The sex is more violent than I personally like. Klaus and Jodie did have good chemistry, (especially in the early chapters when he was just the smouldering hot accountant) but the boinking parts of the book weren't particularly sexy due to the dubious consent. I mean, Jodie does "technically consent," but she does things she clearly isn't comfortable with because she doesn't want to back out of the experiment.
And it seems like Klaus keeps wanting more.
My last thought before I stopped this had been of seeing her blood. Her blood. When had she said yes to that? BDSM was consensual, right? Fool was too mild for me. I hadn’t learned at all. Where was I going to stop?
How did you end a capture fantasy documentary that had gone off the rails like this had?
So what happens when the month is up? The experiment is over and they have more than enough footage (albeit a lot of it they will never use, cause it's straight up porn.) But how do two people go back to their regular lives after something like that?
Help comes in the form of Klaus' friend, a Dom who goes by the name Moghul, who knows more about the safe, sane and consensual side of BDSM. And he rightfully gives Klaus a verbal smackdown for playing master when he didn't have a damn clue. His desires aren't dirty or disgusting, but he has to find a safe way to express them, and keep Jodie safe and happy too.
"You and Jodie have been so foolish. Playing with fire is the best way I can put it. She told me about her documentary....Yes, you could have hurt her badly, but mostly due to ignorance. What you did…BDSM is consensual, always. Playing around with that concept when you are new to it all. Terrible. Just terrible.”
It's clear Klaus and Jodie can't and won't continue like they were - she doesn't want to be a 24/7 slave. Klaus doesn't want to be an uncaring, unfeeling Dom. They have to redefine their relationship and their desires on safer ground.
This is new, and not what we had before. Negotiation is a crucial part of BDSM. And it has to be consensual. That’s the absolute bedrock. You’re a part of this.
The question remains. Can a former master and slave, even ones who pretended to be just pretend, relearn how to be a real couple?
A book filled with disturbing sex and psychological revelations, Take Me, Break Me was better than I expected. At times funny or heartbreaking, and often disturbing, it's a unique read that takes the concepts of consent and trust and fucking obliterates them, only to rebuild them on a foundation made of tenuous hope. -
Kitty‘s review posted on
Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews
5 Stars
Take Me, Break Me was an unbelievable read that had me turning pages and waiting, just waiting to see how everyone was going to come out on the other side. It was intriguing watching both Klaus and Jodie transform into other people.
Jodie is a comedienne and producer of documentaries. She wants to film her fantasy – being kidnapped and held hostage. She’s sure her ex-boyfriend, Klaus, is the right man for the job. She makes the proposal to him and he accepts on specific terms….. “1. No sexual contact. 2. Filming is not allowed in the bathroom area. 3. No nudity. 4. Bondage is allowed. 5. No physical damage to either of us.” Following his rules, the documentary is boring – her sitting in a locked room hand-cuffed. Time to tell Klaus that it’s just not working with his “Rules”.
Klaus is taken aback by Jodie’s idea but is also intrigued by it as well. He sets the “Rules” afraid that something may go to far. He’s an accountant and he does not need the authorities coming after him or some other legal ramification. But, because it’s Jodie’s fantasy, he decides to delve a little deeper into what she is talking about. He’s prepared to keep her hostage but finally agrees that it’s not working with his “Rules”. It’s time to change the game and give Jodie exactly what she asked of him.
The “Rules” change to “There are no Rules” – Jodie is to become his Slave. A true TPE for one month. Fet-life has become his on-line guide and a friend, Moghul, has become his mentor. Now, can either of them survive the fall-out of what is to come? Will Klaus embrace the Sadist that he is? Will Jodie accept the fact that she is a true Submissive?
I became absorbed in “Take Me, Break Me”. I was pulled into the story-line because of the way it was written. Each chapter is dedicated to either Jodie or Klaus with their POV as to how and why everything is happening and what it is doing to them, what their feelings are and figuring out where it will leave them in the end. It was amazing watching Klaus transform from a man to a Dom that is a true Sadist and realizing that this is what his life was missing. To hear the story told from Klaus’ POV was absolutely intriguing – to understand what goes through the Dom’s mind while acting out a scene was a true eye-opener. I have come to the conclusion that there just may be something called “Topspace” just as there is “Subspace”. It was wonderful watching Jodie’s change from a self-sufficient woman to Submissive. Her first caning, her first self-masturbation scene, the first time she went into subspace were so well-written that you felt her pain, her embarrassment, her euphoria.
I can’t rave enough about “Take Me, Break Me” and the way it was written. Bringing together the POV of both the Sub and Master was brilliant. Cari Silverwood made sure that we understood what both Jodie and Klaus were experiencing and she brought them through all their self-doubt and fears with style and grace. An unbelievable book by an unbelievable writer. Congratulations, Ms. Silverwood on helping your readers truly understand the BDSM lifestyle and all emotions that both the Master and Submissive go through.
Review copy provided for an honest review. -
I really enjoyed this story by Cari Silverwood, the first I've read of hers.
The novel follows the two main characters, Jodi & Klaus on their idyllic island off the main coast of Australia.
Cari has told her story as turn and turn about from both POV, which i personally liked, and found it good to know what each character was thinking and experiencing regards the situation they found themselves in, and the feelings and emotions that are awakened in them through their journey into BDSM, with elements of control, sadism, masochism, submission and kink.
Though I have added tags of kidnap, it is obvious from the start this is a tenuous tag as Jodi had begun a sequence of events when trying to produce a film about the feelings and emotions of someone abducted and kidnapped for sexual purposes.
How things pan out as to will it build or destroy a friendship and possible relationship only readers will find out?
I have, however, bought the following books in this series and want to see where Cari takes Jodi & Klaus next.
This I thought a good 4-4.5 stars but not quite 5 for me. It is well written and has been edited. -
4 Stars
He’d said long ago that all I wanted was to fuck him. He’d been right. I’d kept my distance from really being with him, fended him off with excuses. Now, we had more. Not just S and M and kink, but a way of feeling, of being, that matched. I would kiss the very ground he walked on to be with him. And he felt the same. I was certain.
Jodie is making a documentary about the psychological effects of being someone's captive and enlists the help of her ex-boyfriend, Klaus, to be her captor. She believes he's the perfect man for the job due to their history, her trust in him, and his no-nonsense demeanor. Klaus is a bit hesitant due to how obscene her idea is but agrees. After overhearing Jodie say how his efforts seem too nice and she thinks they should stop, he turns the tables on her and becomes a ruthless, dominating master. Jodie loses the privilege to speak, cannot tell him no, and must do anything he says.
Klaus had never dominated a woman like this. He has complete control of her body, her thoughts, her mind. He becomes addicted to her powerlessness, her submission, like an addict seeking new drugs and doing whatever it takes to reach new highs.
She touched her tongue tip to her upper lip as I stood before her, and kept her gaze swinging from the gags to my face. I had a feeling I’d never had a woman so rapt in what I said. Addictive. The pulse of excitement had centered at my groin. Nothing I could do about it. I already knew that looking at women in bondage revved my engine. But I’d never done more than look at pictures.
Now I had an inkling that any situation where I got to hold the reins, really hold the reins, was like oxygen to a man in the throes of suffocation. Incredible.
What originally started out as an experiment, becomes all too real. The level of trust Jodie has in Klaus and the things she allows him to do to her has him enthralled. Towards the end of their month-long experiment, he devises a plan to test how she feels.
This isn't the darkest psychological mind-fuck book I've ever read as it leans more toward the love/relationship end, but it's very good. The pure domination from Klaus drew me in and I could not put this book down. One thing to note is that this is not truly BDSM, as some things are not consensual or safe.
Series:
Book 1:
Take Me, Break Me → 4 Stars
Book 2:
Bind and Keep Me → 4 Stars
Other books within series:
Book 3:
Make Me Yours Evermore → 4 Stars
Book 4:
Seize me From Darkness → 4 Stars
Book 5:
Yield -
Jane and I teamed up on another review - you can read it over at
Behind the Chintz Curtain. We don't rant nearly as much this time (but it does include some of Jane's famous artwork).
But if you aren't ready to read our review yet, here is some
background music to listen to while you read. -
Currently FREE on Amazon!
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OK, so this book hit me the same way that
Gone Girl did - it was very well written, and I didn't like it. For me,
The Reluctant Dom tells a "nicer" story of a BDSM relationship. I can picture myself as the reluctant Seth, but not as the out-of-control Klaus.
This story of a confused couple that decides to "dabble" in a BDSM relationship with little guidance - which is like juggling grenades. Impressive when done correctly, but dangerous as hell. To the author's credit, she explores the mental twists and turns quite well. Some of the scenarios were quite creative, intense, and hot, though later in the book, they felt less intense (or I became jaded).
So kudos to CS for taking a different approach. The other GR reviews show that many women really loved this. I wonder if other guys felt as uncomfortable as I did. -
This is a good book. A cautionary tale of dark desires.
I liked that it didn't shy away from the desires or make excuses for it. The story for my was about gaining control of those desires, of challenging the conventional ideas of love. Yes there are some elements that only work in the realm of fiction - you can only do so much physical discipline before you start to do real long lasting damage; but I was ok with that, it was needed for the tale.
Funnily enough I was worried for Klaus more than Jodie the captive. While on the surface Jodie was the victim she actually grew stronger as their story develops. This is Klaus unravelling and could the author save him too?
For me, some of it was sexy, some of it was not, but all of it was absorbing.
Brave writing... -
Amazing story,
that takes us from an art project, to Dub Con, to BDSM, to a HEA (or maybe for now?)
Cari Sliverwood takes us on a great journey with this book. Both Klaus and Jodie experience personal growth by exploring their kinky side. I loved how she’s got the essence of that exploration, with the fear and doubt that comes with it. Both characters learn and evolve during the story.
This story contains SM activities, that will leave bruises and might draw blood. It also contains dark parts, where there isn’t a safeword. If these themes offend you this book isn’t for you. -
Whenever I need to be reminded how to tell the difference between a 4 star book and a 5 star book, I will re-read this book. It wins all the stars. It kept me up late because I just could not put it down. The mindf*ck of Klaus actually surpasses the one for Jodie. Wow. I can't express all the emotions I got from this read and I'm pretty jaded when it comes to deep dark erotic romance. But damn, this book has got me tongue-tied with admiration. Well done, Cari Silverwood. And more like this, please!
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Well, this story has sat on my Kindle for a while and with life getting in the way, I didn’t have a chance to read it. But then, once I did. Wow. But, then again, it took me a while to get to the review. That said. I repeat. Wow. I really enjoyed the psychological aspects of the story as Ms. Silverwood brought us into the heads of both Klaus and Jodie. Everything from who really was attempting to top to aspects of Lima Syndrome to when Klaus finally gets down to business. And yea, okay, that last is the best part.
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Attention all Dark Erotica fans! I found us a new one :) I am so excited to write this review!
Jodie is a fan of Dark Erotica. She’s read stories about women being taken captive and forced to serve their master… and… she’s intrigued. She makes a living as a comedienne and a low-budget documentary maker. So she gets an idea. Why not make a documentary of herself living out a capture fantasy? More women like her enjoy these stories, so it’s bound to be a hit. She approaches her ex, Klaus. They’ve remained friendly after their break up and he’s the only person she’d want to do this with.
Klaus agrees to do this after a lot of persuasion and the games begin. Only, because of the many rules they’ve written down, the games are not as fun as Jodie envisioned them. That’s until Klaus flips the script, tears up the rules and becomes the dangerous to-be-feared master she’s read in all her books… and it scares her… but does it also arouse her?
I absolutely loved this book. It was such a different concept… of course the capture fantasy not being different… but more how it plays out. Being a dark erotica fan I could see why she’d be tempted to try the games herself. But they’re not really games are they? Jodie is surprised to find out that Klaus loves being the master. And it became so dark I worried a bit for her. I mean, locked up in a dungeon, not allowed to speak… yes, like other capture stories… only at this point, with Klaus being her friend, I guess I was still looking at it as heavy BDSM and I kept worrying that she didn’t have a safeword… he pretty much became something I feared.
I barely grippled with the reasons myself. I’d delivered hit after hit to her ass. And each one had said mine – this is what I can do to you, because you’re mine, right now, whenever I want to. I can do anything. For all my fancy words about being a friend, I was more than that now. I’d let loose some dormant part of me. Some other me. A me that didn’t just allow me to beat her and make her do things. That me got fucking excited and roared when I did it.
What was absolutely fascinating is the transformation in Klaus. From a man who’s never done kink in his life, to becoming a sadist. It didn’t happen overnight and he questioned himself a lot. The book is written in alternating POVs so we got to know his fears… and his surprise at how much he enjoyed Jodie being his to command, his to play with… just plain his… We also got to know Jodie. From wanting her rules followed to realizing that while she feared this new Klaus… the fear excited her.
Again, it scared me a bit. More the fact that they had not practiced BDSM before and immediately jumped into caning and needle play…. I worried something would go very wrong. Maybe it’s because I’m used to reading books with experienced Doms… or maybe it’s because it was meant to be fantasy and I kept placing myself in her position… But it is dark erotica and yes, no safewords here. I wasn’t sure about the consent… well it’s called dubious consent for a reason.. While Jodie could have stopped some of the things Klaus did to her… she didn’t. Did she enjoy all of it? I’m not sure she did…
And I never see this enough but I suppose it should be done more often, as it was with this book – a warning not to practice this at home. Very ironic seeing as they practiced exactly what she’d read!
More than them living out this dark fantasy (which by now was no longer a fantasy)… they both wondered what would happen when the one month period they’d set was over. Could they just go back to being friends? Could they be together without the kink? With the kink?
Really good Dark Erotica and… with a love story entwined :)
I had this off need to see Klaus as the best. I guess I was proud of him. I guess… because he was mine, the same as I was his.
4.5 stars!
Finally I’d like to thank the author for providing this copy for my review.
