| Title | : | Wanderlust |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | 252 |
| Publication | : | First published April 14, 2013 |
Evie always dreamed of seeing the world, but her first night at a motel turns into a nightmare. Hunter is a rugged trucker willing to do anything to keep her—including kidnapping. As they cross the country in his rig, Evie plots her escape, but she may find what she's been looking for right beside her.
Wanderlust Reviews
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HOLY FUCK!!
Wanderlust is a dark erotic novel that explores dubious consent, captivity, and power play. Please do not read this if you're uncomfortable with the subject matter or under 18 years of age.
Can love come from pain?
I think it’s very important that you take the content warning at the top of the post seriously. This is dark erotica and contains scenes of sexual violence, abduction, dubious and non-consent. But, if all of that piques your interest and you’re over eighteen, then read on.
I’ve not read Skye Warren before – I’d always meant to and now I feel that I’ve been missing out. What a talented author – the writing style is hauntingly atmospheric and wholly compelling. I was engrossed in this book from beginning to end and, even after closing the last chapter, it still remains with me, completely unforgettable. It’s darkly fascinating, mesmerising, and achingly beautiful.
Evie has had a very unconventional upbringing with her extremely paranoid mother who warned her constantly against the dangers lurking for a young, single girl in the outside world and tried to keep her locked up and away from the perceived evil beyond. Evie feels caged and, desperate to see a bit more of the world, sets off one day in her battered old Honda, ready for what lies ahead. Turns out, her mother’s paranoid ramblings were a self-fulfilling prophesy.
Evie starts her journey naively optimistic with a burning ambition to see Niagara Falls and, as Don Henley started to croon ‘On a dark desert highway’ gently in my sub-conscious, Evie takes a wrong turn and ends up at a truck stop in the middle of nowhere and catches the eye of Hunter, a brooding trucker, and declines his offer to buy her dinner. Turns out ‘no’ wasn’t an option and Hunter is everything Evie’s mother had so obsessively cautioned her against – a beast of the highest order. He wants Evie and he is going to have her – she has no say in the matter. I felt a lurch of fear deep in my heart as Evie stepped out of her crappy motel bathroom to find Hunter lounging in the chair as if he belonged there. He takes her brutally, uses her all night, drugs her and throws her bound into the back of his truck as he decides that he’s going to keep her.
"That's a good girl." He leaned down, whispering into my ear. "I'm sorry about this. I really am. You’re too good."
Hunter strips Evie of her freedom , her ability to consent and takes her as and when he wants. He’s a rapist, a man we should loathe and detest and yet I came to love him. He’s a broken man, a victim of circumstance and lies and has suffered deeply in the past. His hopes, his dreams, his whole belief system stripped from him as his worst nightmares came true. To learn his past is to gain an understanding and nothing here is black and white, there are only shades of grey. Hunter, although on the surface, seems to be nothing short of a monster, has hidden depths that Evie slowly starts to see. Despite his role as abductor and abuser, Hunter also takes on the hero role as he rescues Evie more than once and eventually attempts to do the noble thing by her. He’s a good man who’s been corrupted by his experiences but despite his brutality, there are moments of gentleness and tenderness and he’s fiercely protective of Evie.
“Don’t you see how fucked up this is? That you beat up those guys for…for…” Here my courage deserted me. “For what you did,” I finish lamely.
Evie just about broke my heart and I shed many tears for her. Her childhood has been difficult and she’s never had a loving, positive sexual experience. From a background of abuse, she’s got a surprisingly optimistic outlook on life and, rather than being broken by her past, she’s eagerly looking forward to slaking her wanderlust and hitting the road and discovering the world beyond the confines of her Mother’s oppressive paranoia. She endures so much in this novel and I admired her bravery and her courage. She’s managed to escape the cage that her mother kept her in to stumble blindly straight into another form of captivity. The freedom she craves so deeply hovers ever out of her reach.
I cried for having stayed with my mother too long, not knowing what a normal life would have been like. I cried for finally summoning the strength to leave, only to have all her worst fears prove true. Most of all, I cried because I felt relief to have been captured.
She’s no doormat and escape is constantly on her mind and makes several attempts all of which end in violence of some form. She’s not blessed with luck and her bad run with sexual experiences continues as she definitely leaps from the frying pan into the fire. I could almost hear Tess Durbeyfield mournfully berating her mother at this point “Why didn’t you tell me there was danger in men-folk? Why didn’t you warn me?" Of course, Tess saw herself of a victim of her own ignorance of men whereas Evie now sees herself as a victim of her own innocent optimism and blind faith in others.
Just when everything seems lost and Evie is losing all hope, a simple gesture of human kindness from a hermit helps restore some of her faith in humanity.
Both Evie and Hunter take an incredible personal journey in this one with forgiveness and absolution taking central roles. Hunter, at the beginning, is darkness personified – he’s been accused and punished for something that he didn’t do and now his moral compass is skewed – he may as well live up to the deeds he’s been falsely accused of. Evie starts off like a frightened rabbit caught in the headlights – she’s terrified and rightly so but she grows immensely throughout the course of the book and she’s virtually unrecognisable by the end of the story. She grows from strength to strength, and is able to take matters into her own hands. Hunter may strip her of her liberty and her right to consent but he can never take her mind and she maintains her integrity from beginning to end.
I think it’s up to the reader to decide whether Evie’s apparent love for Hunter is born out of Stockholm Syndrome or something deeper. Personally, I took it to be that she came to know him so well, she grew to understand him – these are two broken people coming together and healing one another. It’s a dark and twisted journey and morals and principles that I hold deeply were questioned as I found myself able to forgive Hunter and want him to be happy, to find an equilibrium with Evie. It’s mindfuckery of the highest order – I shouldn’t love him but I do. This book consumed me, I just could not put it down as I watched these two tortured souls take on their own and each other’s pain and slowly find common ground and forgiveness and move beyond the horrors of the past to something really quite beautiful and special.
I’d recommend this for anyone who enjoyed C.J. Roberts’ Dark Duet or, possibly, Comfort Food by Kitty Thomas. Yes, this is dark erotica but it’s a fairly soul-shattering love story too and deeply emotional with unexpected flashes of humour. It’s a deep exploration of power, guilt and ultimately forgiveness.
5 dark and twisted stars
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2.5 stars
Absolutely heartbreaking.
🛑SPOILERS🛑
🏞️ The writing was beautiful, sucked me right in.
🏞️ The heroine, Evie, is a devastating character. Even though I couldn't at all relate with how easily she gave into her captivity, I understood why she did. The way she was brought up, her cluelessness, naivety, and painful past were all logical reasons for her behaviour.I was an animal bred in captivity, unprepared for the harshness of the wild.
🏞️ HOWEVER, I didn't like the "hero" at all. Nah, I'm sorry. Dude is an ex-con who was arrested for aggravated rape. Even though he never really raped anyone apart from the heroine (ugh the honour😍), the fact that I believed he had for a good portion of the book already set me against him. 🡸 I love how him raping the heroine herself was not what made me initially dislike him, but even the concept of him doing the same to other women did.
Don't look at me like that...
Someone stop me from using more clown memes. It's getting ridiculous.
Had this not been painted so romantically, then maybe I could get behind Hunter's character. But alas I am once again faced with this problem: where a truly sad story of kidnapping, rape, and captivity is turned into some healing, love, abracadabra bullshit I could care less about.
It's the healing properties of a sheltered girl being shown the world by her rapist for me🥰.
Let's pretend like that rhymed.
And before the trigger-warning police comes for my ass. I knew what I was getting into, and my problem isn't with his actions, but with the way it was all executed.
🏞️ I don't like the way they never once talked about how horrible Evie had it.
1) Raised by an extremely controlling, manipulative mother.
2) Raped by her mother's boyfriend.
3) Raped & kidnapped on her first attempt at independence.
4) Almost raped by other dudes the one time she tries to escape.
5) Ya'll will not believe this but.....raped AGAAAAAIN on her second, successful escape. What the hell was that random ass scene anyway? She was gang raped and it WAS NEVER MENTIONED AGAIN?? It just....you know....OOP happened🤭. Another normal evening - getting gang raped hehe.
Evie every day of her life:
Everything was about Hunter's trauma, which was horrible.....but seriously...his past was very clearly painted as an attempt to excuse his actions. Was I supposed to feel sympathy for him? I don't.
I don't care how hard he had it. I don't care about his reasons for rape and kidnapping. All I felt was sadness for Evie. God, that poor poor girl. I only wanted to give her a hug, a big hug and an even bigger cheque for therapy. She needs a lifetime of it.
🏞️ Is it just me...or did I sense a lot of suicidal foreshadowing? All the Niagara falls talk had me seeing her jump to death from the crap she had to live through, especially after the gang rape. This might sound bad, but if Evie killed herself at the end of this, it'd be 5 stars. DONE.
But nooooooo. She went to live on happily ever after with her truck driving, jobless, sleazy, ex-con, ex priest (YEA dude is a man of christ too💀), rapist, kidnapper, sad boyfriend.
Bleh. -
"Maybe I'll let you go? Not gonna happen. You're mine. I caught you, and I'm not giving you back."
"Like Alice, I had stepped through the looking glass into a whole new world, foreign and sinister."
Dark. Twisted. Highly disturbing. Wanderlust was a captivity story that kept me enthralled the entire time I was reading it and I ended up finishing it in one day. Although the story started out as a darkly erotic thriller, along the way it turned into a much meaningful kind of love story with a powerful message. Still, for those who haven't read it yet, I should warn you that there are quite some scenes that involve non-consensual sex and other explicit content. But it certainly wasn't the darkest story I've ever read... (but maybe that's just because I've gotten so used to reading these kind of stories ;-)).
Evie has been sheltered from the outside world pretty much her entire life. With a mother that despises social contact and fears her daughter being "tainted" by all the horrible crimes in the world, Evie has spent almost every day of the past twenty years of her life being locked inside her own house. The only places she was allowed to go to were school (until her mother decided she better be homeschooled), an occasional trip to the grocery store and the library. That last place is where she found a book called: Everything you wanted to know about Niagara Falls.
This book would be her inspiration for where she wanted to go once she left the confined surroundings of her own home and decided to see the world. After her twentieth Birthday, Evie finally decides to leave the house and discover the world by herself. But when she pulls up at the first rest stop in her old beat-up Honda, she soon realizes her mother might have been right about the dangers that lurke around every corner once you step outside into the real world."This hadn't been on the calender. Appease kidnapper with butt sex hadn't been on my life plan, but then I'd never really had a plan. That had been the point. I had wanted to wander, to flit, and I'd flown right into a spider's web."
She meets a man named Hunter Bryant. He tries to buy her dinner, but she kindly refuses what this mysterious and dangerously handsome looking man offers.
But Evie soon learns there are some men you don't say no to...
"He was my ship in a tempestuous sea. I was the talisman he kissed before a storm. Even distracted and discontent, he always kept me close."
After her refusal, Hunter forces himself into her motel room and makes her an offer she can't refuse. Well, she could refuse but then he would force her into complying anyway. He would get what he wanted whether she wanted to or not. She decides to comply, thinking it would only be for one night. But when morning comes, Hunter decides he wants more and he kidnaps her in the back of his truck. Her plan was to see the world, travel around before reaching her final destination: Niagara Falls. That's all she ever wanted. Instead she's being forced to travel around with this dangerous and unpredictable stranger...
At first, Evie hates being captivated. She feels like she's trated one prison (the one at home with her mother) for another (the one on the road with Hunter). But true to his word, Hunter does show her the world she's always longed to see. He drives her along the places whe was planning to drive through herself and takes her to sites that she never even knew existed. In a way, he changes her life for the better and she starts feeling torn between wanting to escape him the first chance she got and wanting to stay as close to him as possible."I didn't know him at all, but he had touched the deepest part of me and in my own way, I had touched the deepest part of him too."
Along the way, Evie learns more about Hunter's past and what happened to him that made him the way he is now. She begins to understand his reasoning and learns to read his moodswings. They start to get along much better and even grow a strong connection through their shared feeling of being disconnected from the rest of society. They each have their own reasoning for wandering around alone in the world and together they help each other feel grounded and less lonely."He was the god of thunder, retreating from the world that had rejected him. I was the maiden he'd caught going over the edge, who he'd secreted away in his lair beneath the falls."
Overall, I think the author Skye Warren has done an outstanding job at creating a unique and in a way incredulous story, that still comes across as being realistic and believable too. It went from being dark and disturbing to sweet and romantic at times and it was interesting to see how both the main characters went through such a transition in their personality that made them both a better person. While Evie went from a naïve and otherwordly young girl to a strong and determined grown woman who made her own decisions, Hunter went from being a stalkerish and "slightly" creepy bad guy, to a remorseful hero with a softer and more vulnerable side, which leads to a kind of catharsis for the both of them.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"I was a caterpillar, my many limbs held tight against my body, wrapped up in a cocoon. He paved the way, eased me from a small and ugly life to a beautiful one. The transition had been painful at times, but never more than it would be to leave him.
But that was the path of a butterfly - to fly away from the one who made her."
♦ 4.5 STARS. ♦ -
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*turns in feminism card*
Skye Warren can be very hit or miss with me. This is one of her better works and I actually did enjoy parts of it quite a bit. Evie is the daughter of a neurotically overprotective mother who has catalogued all the bad news stories of girls getting abducted as a means of keeping Evie close to home. One day, Evie decides she's had enough and wants to go on a road trip to Niagara Falls, her dream destination.
At a truck stop, a creepy hot guy offers to buy her dinner. She refuses, but that isn't the last she sees of him. In her rundown motel room, Evie learns firsthand what her mother never specified-- what happens after those girls in the news stories disappear. From there, this book becomes a road trip, erotica, and dark angsty romance, and while it does work to a degree, the dark beginning doesn't really match up with the sweet, romantic ending the author tried to tack on to this work to make it into a romance.
I did really like the sex scenes and the first scene in that hotel room was SO MEMORABLE. It literally gave me chills. Like, oh my God, this is like something out of a nightmare. I've read some bad sex scenes from this author; this was good. I also thought the story was really intense-- it kept me turning the pages, wanting to see what happened next. Hunter's backstory could have used some development. This is a short read and I think being longer might have made his character feel more real. I just had trouble buying that Evie would have such a brisk change of heart after what he did.
Content warnings for abuse and non-con. This is not a safe read and it won't be everyone's cuppa. I liked it but probably wouldn't read it again.
3 to 3.5 stars -
Most of the book, I found dull, what redeemed it was the twist almost at the end, when we find out what really happened to Hunter and who he was...
This is mostly a dull read. I feel like nothing happened. -
Genre: Dark Erotic Romance
Type: Standalone
POV: First Person - Female
Rating:
Hunter Bryant was a trucker driving around his eighteen-wheeler across the country. At a deserted rest stop, he saw something he wanted, and decided to make it his.
Evie grew up with in a sheltered environment with her mother feeding her with the notion of how bad the world was out there. But as she celebrated her 20th birthday, she was determined to get out of her shell and see the world. Soon enough she discovered that her mother might be right after all.
My first ever dark book was a captive story. Since then, it has been one of my favorite elements in such books because I love the psychological aspect between the two main characters.“I knew full well how wrong it was, and I did it anyway. And the most fucked up part about it all is that I still don’t regret it. No remorse. Really fucking crazy, right?”
I was incredibly attracted to Hunter when he was first introduced in the book. He was dark, mysterious and sinister. But as the story progressed, he evolved into something else. I really like the story of his past, who he was, and how he became the man he was now.
I like how Evie finally decided to take her fate into her own hands after years of being under her mother’s thumb. It took guts to do something drastic and unknown.“Well, now you do, sunshine. And you know what else? I think you’re more adventurous than you let on. You’ve been sheltered, that much is clear. Well , you’re going to expand your horizons with me.”
The concept of this book was very interesting. I like the idea how both of the characters were wanderers, trying to get away from their pasts only to meet in the middle in the most unusual/unexpected circumstances. However, there were a few details that weren’t fully explained/rationalized. I am also not a fan of too “convenient” situations.
Wanderlust is a story of a woman’s self discovery with an engaging, evocative and poetic writing that could make you yearn to break free from your safe, normal life.
Note:
This book involved dubious consent. Do not read if you can’t handle such situations.
★ ★ ★ Copy won from #ShhIndieSTARchat August ★ ★ ★
Chat thread:
https://goo.gl/btN2EO
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For more reviews/reveals/giveaways visit:
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1,5 stars just because I forced myself to finish it.
This short novella is an eldorado, a greenhouse for all supposably existing cliches.
Unfortunately I don't mean it positively.
It started really good, besides nothing can attract me more than the simple warning like this:
Wanderlust is a dark erotic novel which explores dubious consent, captivity, and power play. Not intended for those uncomfortable with the subject matter or under eighteen.
Why I was disappointed:
Sorry, this one didn't work for me. -
3.5 - 3.75 Stars
"But the truth was, I just wanted you. I saw you looking at the sunrise, and I wanted to have that. To have you. So I took you. I knew full well how wrong it was, and I did it anyway. And the most f@cked up part about it all is that I still don’t regret it. no remorse."
Well, I had mixed up feelings about this book. at first I hated it. I mean I hated H and h. H for what he did to h and h for her weakness. But after a few chapters I beginning to like it and I’m glad to continue reading it. yeah, I had some difficulties with this book but at the end I liked it. this book is really complicated.
Evie has grown up fast. Her mother is sick and the pills doesn’t help her. they make her more fearful and more controlling. Because of her mother’s sickness Evie was always at home. Even she was home-schooled. She doesn’t know anything about outside or relationships. Now, she wants to leave home and see things for herself (not in TV or in books). She wants to live. In her first night at a cheap motel, Hunter . It was supposed to be one night but because she is too good, he kidnaps her and…
I know both of them were messed up. I really hate Evei’s weakness in motel. That she without any argue or fight let him… about Hunter I can’t say anything. I really want to hate him but I can’t!! I really liked to read his POV too. I really liked and wanted to know his feelings in some plots. To know how could he do that or how he forgives himself. But all in all it was good, not so fantastic but still. -
2.5 stars
Nope, you did not redeem yourself, Hunter.
Once an ass, always an ass.
Given his background, he should have been the polar opposite of what he was, don’t care what he went through…..
Ah, well!
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There is nothing I love more than finding a book that I didn't have the greatest of expectations and end up DEVOURING IT. This is such a book......
Wanderlust is a dark tale chocked full of mind fuckery. It parallels The Dark Duet in a lot of ways. It also has an Original Sinners series similar twist you'll find later in the book. This is not a romance in the true sense of the word but it grows to something loving with goodness.
Truck driver/nomad Hunter sets eyes on Evie in a quiet deserted truck stop. She's just left her home she's grown up in- grown up in isolation with a mother with severe mental issues of paranoia. She's spoken to few people in her life, only being allowed to venture out to the library. She's yearning to see the world and setting out on her own is what she needs. She's got a run down car and a little over $100 to get her where she wants to go.....just a quick stop off at this truck stop for a cheap night's stay and a bite to eat.
Hunter wants Evie and he gets what he wants. He abducts her. He drugs her. He forces her to submit to him sexually.
"But the truth is, I wanted you. I saw you looking at the sunrise, and I wanted to have that. To have you. So I took you. I knew full well how wrong it was, and I did it anyway. And the most fucked up part about it all is I still don't regret it. No remorse. Really fucking crazy, right?"
Evie hates him but she see's remorse in his eyes, a sense that he's hurting and lonely and she's his only chance for peace. Peace from his past, the demons that haunt him. Evie is torn because things change for her where Hunter is concerned. He starts letting her ride in the front of the truck, taking her to places she's only dreamed of seeing, doing things she'd never do if she stayed home with her mother. But she cannot forget what Hunter has done. When they're together, having fun, him bringing her to levels of pleasure she's never experienced sexually, she's torn. But she remembers what he did....and she continues to try to break free. To escape.
"But that was the path of a butterfly- to fly away from the one who made her."
My Hunter-
He was right about me being made just for him. I was an animal bred in captivity, unprepared for the harshness of the wild.
If you love a book where you hate him, love him, hate yourself for loving such a bad person, here's your book. You feel yourself warming to Hunter and almost want them to be together, then he does something hurtful and you remember the monster he can be. Mind fuckery at its finest. Love it when a book can do that to me. It's a quick read. But chocked full of action, angst, heat, and a tad romance.
Do Not read the spoiler if you haven't read this book yet.
Super good dark angsty mind fuckery of a book. -
This is the first book I've read by Ms. Warren and it was great! If dark romance isn't your thing, this book won't be for you. This book's content contains scenes of rape, dubious consent, violence, etc. Be forewarned.
Evie finally leaves her mother's home, setting out for the first time after being imprisoned by her mother's fears of the outside world. One day into her great adventure, and she catches the eye of Hunter, a convicted rapist. Hunter kidnaps Evie and the two embark on a road trip spanning several states. Along the way, Evie begins to fall for Hunter as his own inner demons come to light.
I know, you're rolling your eyes. Give it a shot, though! While the Cliff Notes summary sounds pretty cheesy, the characters had surprising depth and were well developed. The writing was great. Evie and Hunter both were original and intriguing characters. This story was unlike others in this genre that I've read and I couldn't put it down.
Yes, it is unrealistic, but it's fiction. I don't know of too many billionaires with hot bods looking for average girls to be their sex slave/girlfriend either, but I still love the stories! The fact that every male Evie encountered wanted to rape her was a bit much though. I do think the author could have toned it down in that regard. Poor Evie was practically tripping over rapists in this story! -
First I want to say, I been looking forward to reading this book since it came out. The description had me. I wanted it!!!
This is not for the faint heart. This takes me to a total mind fuck situation. I couldn't figure out where this was going to take me.
Evie is on her own journey to search the world she has never gotten to know. Been very hidden in her own home due to her mother being paranoid. Her mother is afraid of everything in the world out side of her home. So, finally having enough of her Mothers paranoia Evie wants to be able to see everything for her self. The world can't be as bad as her Mother makes it seem right?
Evie stops at a Motel for the night. There is Hunter by his truck watching Evie. Evie feels a little tense by the way he is looking at her. But not all men can want to take advantage of an Innocent girl right?
Then things start taking a different turn when she comes out of the shower and there is Hunter in her Motel room. He wants to fuck her for the night. But, makes her think if she does this then he will leave her alone. He does this total mind fuck where he makes Evie think she has no other choice. She can not leave but he won't hurt her, this is not rape. This is where two people are just going to fuck for the night and leave it as that. Just one night of him taking advantage of her. I am screaming at her to not listen to him!!!
But what she does not know is that he is not done with her. He will never be done with her. The next time she wakes up, Evie is in Hunter's truck with him.
I didn't know him at all, but he had touched the deepest part of me and in my own way, I had touched the deepest part of him too.
While being captive on Hunters truck while they just drive, no place just time and driving around where ever Hunter wants to go.
Yes, keep me and play with me. Do the things I never would have the courage to do on my own and keep me safe in the process.
While Evie tries come up with a plan to escape Hunter. She also enjoys her self with him.
SPOILER ALERT!!!
A slightly perverted adventure of questionable consent, but beggers like me couldn't be choosers.
I would want to crawl in a fucking hole and never come out if I was Evie by the time this book is over. My goodness, she has been through so much shit within a short amount of time being free from her Mother.
There are several moments when I started to like Hunter. I thought maybe he was going to redeem him self. When his past finally comes out I felt sympathy towards him. And I waited the entire time for Evie to share her past with Hunter, but it never came. I wanted to see his reaction towards it. I got really disappointed when it never came.
Then the END . I wanted something different. I am not sure what I would of liked, but not what I got. I felt the ending all came at me at rush then it was over.
It's quite short, you can probably read this in one setting. But overall I really enjoyed this story.
Buddy read with my lovely oyster Pamber Godwin. -
4* new horizons STARS!!
Review @
Midnight Romance
My first read from Skye Warren because many people recommend this book to me. I always fascinated with dark read and it has been the most popular genre. Wanderlust isn't like what I've expected. It was crazy and rough ride; not for everyone.
The story told from Evie's POV; a sheltered girl from outside world. Despite her over-protective mother warnings, Evie hold on her final decision to leave. Her destination is the Niagara Falls, from the only book that she had. But her journey isn't easy like she thought. Evie met a strangely handsome man and something feels wrong.Like Alice, I had stepped through the looking glass into a whole new world, foreign and sinister.
It's not my first captive story but Hunter really scared me. The needs to have something you shouldn't appear unexpectedly; out of nowhere. Their first encounter was disturbing and I felt horrible about what happened to Evie. Her freedom was robbed from her once again. Somehow, they start to have small talks but Evie still formulate escape plan. I liked her because she's not a damsel in distress A fighter and survivor.I was a caterpillar, my many limbs held tight to my body, wrapped up in a cocoon. He paved the way, eased me from a small and ugly life to a beautiful one. The transition had been painful at times, but never more than it would be to leave him. But that was the path of a butterfly—to fly away from the one who had made her.
It was hard to understand Hunter at first because there is not much info about him. Evie was too afraid of being dependable to Hunter and finally free. But it isn't for long because Evie started to feel something for him. I'm surprised with their progress after everything also some secrets discovered about the real him. So much hurts, anger and disappointment.“I had a home. For twenty years I was trapped inside one. Now I want to roam. With you.”
“I’ll never be the kind of man who can be gentle with you, Evie. Not like you deserve.”
“I’m not the kind of girl who needs gentle. You aren’t the only fucked-up person here, you know.”
“You shouldn’t talk like that,” he said mildly.
“And I was broken long before we even met.”
“You’re not broken... I love the way you are. The way you’re terrified but do it anyway. The way you stand up to me when you shouldn’t.”
Wanderlust is really something else. A 'healing' journey for two broken souls who met in strange way. I really enjoyed the pace because I couldn't put down this book. Beautifully written and really engaging story. I was hoped to know more about their togetherness. Overall, it was a great psychological story with complex feelings. I know it's a bit unreal but I'd really recommend you to read it! Dark and gritty at first but sunshine in the end.All I wanted was to be with Hunter wherever his rig should take us. Across the country, around the world.
Like chasing rainbows and capturing each one in the smile it gave us.
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Midnight Romance for more reviews! ✦ -
"He was the god of thunder, retreating from the world that had rejected him. I was the maiden he’d caught going over the edge, who he’d secreted away in his lair beneath the falls"
I could not put this book down… I had delayed reading this one because I thought it would be too painful and dark. Yes, there were things that made me uncomfortable and I was a bit squeaked out around 24%, but I still could not stop reading. The author wove a story of a socially stunted and sexually abused young women and a mysterious male kidnapper into an oddly intriguing and fulfilling love story.
And there were many times when I detested Hunter for what he was doing to Evie, but then I seemed to rationalize his actions as Evie did.
“It twisted me inside because as sick as it was, I wanted him to like me. I was still desperate for a friend.”
"Oh God, had I? Had I secretly longed for a cage to replace the one I’d left?"
Evie did not give in easily; she still fought for her freedom or at least plotted it a few times and made some attempts. But what was Evie really searching for, what did she really want to do?
"I had traded one prison for another, this one mobile but absolute. Inescapable even as it sliced through the countryside. Neither my mother’s home nor this eighteen-wheeler were gilded, but I preferred the view in this cage"
The story occurs over a time period of a couple of weeks while the two travel cross country, making a few interesting stops and weird twists and turns occur along the way.
All in all, I really enjoyed this quick read and it was not nearly as dark as I had anticipated. It actually made me think of rainbows and waterfalls, at times.
"Rainbows appear almost every day as sunlight reflects off the mist from the falls"
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I seriously loved weird books toooooo much.
The base plot was amazing, should have maybe been longer, towards the ending. But none the less... dark fucked up and I enjoyed it :P
He was twisted, justified. She was crazy.. justified too. I like how the author writes. Gets you really into the book. Like the whole waterfall myth! Great thing going. -
AUDIO GIVEAWAY -
HERE
5 Dark, but deliciously Twisted Stars
Wanderlust is a standalone novel written by Skye Warren.
This is my second book by Skye Warren. It’s no secret that I love dark books. I have a high threshold in the dark department. I do not cringe during rape scenes. I do no turn my eye away from beatings or the Heroine crying her eyes out. All of that makes it more alluring and it completely consumes me. Does Wanderlust have any of that? Well, you will have to read it to see.
I will have to put this disclaimer out there. This is NOT a light-hearted book. This is for the dark junkies like me. I wouldn’t say its super dark, it’s not mild, but you will not cringe too badly. I didn’t.
Evie lives a shelter life. Her mom is super paranoid and therefore her mom lives in a bubble. Evie dreams of something more. She wants to explore the world, but with limited funds and no “real” life experience she is kind of stuck. After saving for a bit, she takes a leap and decides to go on a road trip.
Her destination is to visit Niagara Falls. On her way, Evie runs into Hunter.
Hunter is just like Evie, passing through. Hunter is a trucker with a huge chip on his shoulder. Evie doesn’t want anything to do with Hunter and tries to ignore his attempts.
Hunter is not willing to back down, in fact he doesn’t care if Evie wants him or not. He wants Evie, therefore, he will simply take her.“You’re mine. I caught you, and I’m not giving you back”
The interaction between Hunter and Evie is dynamic, somewhat explosive. You feel bad for Evie. This poor girl just wants to visit the Falls and all of sudden she is held captive by this dark and mysterious guy. She doesn’t understand him and she isn’t sure if she wants to.
I love Evie’s inner monologue. I needed to understand the girl who doesn’t know anything about life. How does she feel towards Hunter? What does she want? Does she even want to escape? Evie’s struggles with what she wants and what she thinks she wants. She also has a past that slowly comes to light and it will make your heart break even more for her.“He was my ship in a tempestuous sea. I was the talisman he kissed before a storm”
Hunter is a tricky character. You want to love the dark Hero, but we call them dark for a reason. I will be honest and say I absolutely loved Hunter from the start. I love a damaged and messed up Hero. Hunter presents himself as the bad guy. He’s just a strong alpha trucker with sex on the mind, but of course there is something deeper and darker within Hunter. I loved trying to figure out his past.“There was a strange but addictive magic to sex. It tied a thin string from his soul to mine with everything joining…”
It’s a crazy story, but I enjoyed it very much. There’s a lot that goes on between Hunter and Evie and the book has some angst. There are some pull your hair out moments, but I kind of liked that. It added more drama and it really build-up the characters. The thing that really worked for me was the crazy dark chemistry between Evie and Hunter.
If you are a fan of dark books, you need to take a chance on this one.
Audio Questions
Would you consider the audio edition of Wanderlust to be better than the print version?
I haven not read the print version. I do love audio books and this is my first dark audio. Audio books, in my opinion, heighten all reading experiences. By having the narrators read to you, I feel like you FEEL more. The passion, the drama, the intensity of everything is just MORE. After listening to Wanderlust, I don’t think I could have experienced it any other way. It just made my experience, like I just described, more, better, intense, consuming.
What other book might you compare Wanderlust to and why?
The dark kidnapping books that come to mind are the Duet series by C.J. Roberts and The Monsters in the Dark series by Pepper Winters. Both have kidnapping and both deal with a messed up and damaged Hero.
Have you listened to any of Lucy James’s other performances before? How does this one compare?
This is my first book with Lucy James as the narrator. She was absolutely perfect for the book. She not only changed her voices for the Hero, but she also did it for the Heroine. I haven’t come across that. She made me believe she was Evie. She made me feel like she was the lost and a lonely girl. Her reading pace is on the slower side, but you do not miss anything. You can also speed the pace in the audio book too. Lucy’s voice is soft, sweet and very girlie. It’s the three qualities I like in listening to a female narrator.
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
I liked the Niagara Falls references. Each chapter has a little quote or snippet of information relating towards Niagara Falls. In some ways those little snippets I read at the beginning of each chapter kind of set up the tone of the read. Sometimes it was hopeful and sometimes it was ominous. I enjoyed that. It really played on my emotions.
An AUDIO copy was kindly provided
AMAZON -
4.75 Stars
And I was helpless to resist, too weak to fight the mounting pleasure, too relieved to find myself spread and held and wanted, oh finally, someone did want me, and even if it was perverted and dirty, at least it was new.
I don’t know what it is about Skye Warren’s books, but they are like crack to me. So when I was presented with an opportunity to receive this ARC, I was all over it. I dropped everything I was doing, including my current read, just to dive into this story. I am a huge fan of Dark Erotica, especially by Skye. Be warned though, they’re not for everyone. Her stories often include a lot of scenes that might make some uncomfortable: Dubious consent, kidnapping, captivity and psychological tug of war. It will definitely stretch your comfort level. I don’t know what it says about me, but I love books that do just that.
I was an animal bred in captivity, unprepared for the harshness of the wild.
Evie has led a very sheltered life. She is beautiful and knows first hand what it is to be lusted after, even by her own mother’s boyfriend. The world was too scary according to her mother. She would constantly worry that she wouldn’t know how to protect herself from the ravening men who would attack Evie as soon as she left home. Unfortunately, Evie has had enough. She wants to see things, especially Niagara Falls for which she has seen a lot of in her stolen library book. She’s finally going to risk it and head for the Falls, but as soon as she makes a stop at a dodgy hotel, her plans have gone completely awry. There she meets a handsome trucker named Hunter, a man who doesn’t take no for an answer.
There was only one good reason I could think of why a man who looked as good as he did would force a woman – because he preferred it that way.
As soon as Hunter sees Evie, he knew he must have her. Her beauty and innocence lured him in. After forcing his way into her life, he knew immediately that one night with her was not enough. He kidnaps her and takes her along in his semi. He is often rough and forceful with her, but almost immediately after taking her like that, he does a one-eighty and treats her with an almost reverent-like manner, almost like he’s atoning for his treatment of her. It’s his back and forth behavior that makes Evie, and my, head spin. Something in Hunter’s past has brought him to this point in his life, both fighting his domineering, possessive side to his softer and tender side. Let the mind fuck begin.
There was something there, something large and scary lurking under the water. Every once in a while it would surface with a flip of my stomach, like when a man would speak to me with a certain authority, give me an order…
I didn’t like it, or maybe I liked it too much.
Hunter is playing one big mind fuck on Evie’s emotions. She shouldn’t want this, but yet she can’t figure out why she would. She’s starting to find similarities between her and Hunter. Both have been sheltered in some ways and both needing that comfort they find in one another. She’s had ample opportunities to escape, only to find herself back within Hunter’s arms. In some perverse way, she is starting to trust him. He wants her more than anything, but is he redeemable? Can he ultimately atone for what he’s done to her? Can she forgive him?
Not all those who wander are lost.
I’ll say it once, I’ll say it again: I love Skye Warren’s stories. I admit my comfort level was once again tested, but that’s what makes her stories so appealing to me. My curiosity for the dark, twisted and perverse tales will always compel me to read these stories. There’s just something unique about them, almost like escapism. You pray it never happens to you, but yet your curiosity tugs at you to find out what happens. My curiosity will always win. Thank you again, Skye, for giving me the opportunity to read and review this ARC. I anxiously await your next book.
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5 Dark and delicious stars!!!
Re-read in one sitting in June 2015 and upped my original rating from 4.5 to 5. LOVE this book! 3.59 overall rating Goodreads? Really? Maybe that's my prob...I need to start looking at the lower rated books!! That must be where all the gems are hiding!
Check your morals at the door with this one. Sometimes I think something might be wrong with me b/c I really liked this book! It's Stokholm all the way but (call me a sick puppy), I loved it! Dark, evocative, disturbing, powerful, beautiful! :0)
I recently re-read this book again and loved it even more. A story with a great message and meaning. When the truth is revealed about Hunter and why he is the way he is.....it's REALLY freaking good!!!! Loved the ending. -
The hero is a frickin rapist, when Hunter forces the heroine to reveal how she lost her virginity (she was raped) he says
(picture this guy saying it)
I shook my head—no, no. I didn’t want him to be angry.
"That's right. It will be okay. You let boyfriend number one touch your tits. You let non-boyfriend number two fuck your cunt. Now you're going to let the dangerous stranger you met on a road trip tie you up and fuck you.
If you are into seriously forced rape read this book...for those of you looking for story lines with forced seduction (which I do like)...would i recommend this?
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So Evie leaves here gilded cage ignoring her mother’s outpourings of doom and gloom and decides to venture out into the real world alone.
But all of her mother's predictions come painfully true for Evie as she finds herself drugged and kidnapped from a truck-stop and now under the control of trucker Hunter.
What follows is a descent into mutual dependency mixed with a big dose of Stockholm as she and Hunter together fall deeper down the rabbit-home.
Both of them dealing with past demons the two form an unhealthy and surprisingly strong bond.
So I’m not quite sure about this one and not for the reasons you may think.
I was well aware of the dark subject matter going in that wasn’t my issue that’s actually the main reason I picked this one up, yes I know I’m messed up like that.
My problem here is despite the dark content contained here this actually didn’t feel that dark at all.
Despite everything that happened to Evie and she did seem to have a sign posted over her head that said, victim! attack me, I was never majorly affected in any way and that’s a problem as I should have been.
I wasn’t emotionally connected or invested in either Hunter or Evie and I also wasn’t feeling the chemistry with them either, Add-in I was a tad bored as well and this didn’t really work for me.
The writing itself was fine I just had a big fat disconnect to the characters and their situations.
And by the finish of this, I didn’t feel I had got to know either of them on any deeper level than the superficial.
It’s a shame as I did love the original premise but you can’t like them all, So yeh interesting idea but unfortunately this one wasn’t really for me.
Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
www.beckiebookworm.com -
3.5 Weird Stars
This story is about a girl who grew up with a mother suffering from mental problems. At 20 years old, she finally had enough living with her paranoid mother and not being allowed out of her house. She takes off to see Niagra Falls (a book about the Falls got her through her childhood)and ends up being raped and abducted by a truck driver (Hunter).
Now I started out thinking this was a GREAT story line but I had a problem with how fast Evie gave into Hunter and constantly questioned whether or not she deserved this.
I also had a problem believing this wasn't a usual occurence for Hunter for raping and abducting women because of the reactions of the waitresses in the diner where she was last seen.
I just honestly think it takes more than a few weeks to fall in love with your captor....but that's just my opinion.
All in all I enjoyed the story but just had a hard time with Evie and Hunter. -
I had wanted to wander, to flit, and I’d flown right into a spider’s web.
-Their relationship started in tangled knots but it ended up woven in a simple lace...
Evie was held captive all throughout her life because her mother won't let her go out from their house, her mother always tells her that the world outside was harsh and cruel, that someone will hurt and abuse her...but Evie had enough of that, she wanted freedom until a stranger grabs that freedom from her hands again...
after reading this book I still felt my heart being squeeze, because of the story,on how it unfolded, how they manage to survive, the consequences on every move the heroine made, how everything work out in the end and despite the atrocity of what was happening, there was hope...in the end there was hope and that's all that matters.Maybe we were all held captive by something.
-both characters felt trapped from their past, a past that change them of who they were now, and they both connected in that same ground...
the story depicts a worst case scenario when traveling alone to a destination you don't know which way to go, and really, a map can't help you either, a car with navigation could but what if you don't have techs like that,and then a stranger shows up while all along anxiety tell you such bad things won't happen.
Most captors have the same intentions-to keep you, and Hunter is no different from them and like most captors he have a reason on taking Evie, that was revealed in the story.He wanted to be this way, crazy and mean and awful. But he wasn’t really. It was a struggle for him as much as I had struggled to be a good little girl in that house. A role we had to fill to keep someone else happy.
-worse or worst? which is better?
it's like that, and I love Evie for escaping at any given opportunity, but really, she always end up in a worst kind of state, and I almost glad that Hunter can find her again and be safe, although the 'safe' word was out of context.
and yes I love that Hunter was the one who found her first, amidst all he had done, he was far better than those who did get hold on her.He was the god of thunder, retreating from the world that had rejected him. I was the maiden he'd caught going over the edge, who he'd secreted away in his lair beneath the falls.
-Hope!!!
I loved that they both could relate to each other, that both of them can endure the pain now that they were together, what happened was still there but they will carry on and together they will get pass through it...He was my ship in a tempestuous sea. I was the talisman he kissed before a storm. Even distracted and discontent, he always kept me close.
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*This book is dark erotica, a grasp of romance is simply up to the reader to find out.
the writing was excellent, very well written, the emotions and scenes will give you dose of lust, hope and bond.
if you are into this kind of genre, this is definitely something that will stuck in you in a while after reading it. -
Great read! Review to Come!
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Not all those who wander are lost.
Oh my god !! Talk about disturbingly addictive .. Skye Warren definitely knows how to rock the not-sure-why-I-like-it-but-its-soooo-good boat !!
There aren't enough stars to give here on Goodreads !
Wanderlust is the story of Evie , who has lived in a complete isolation for most of her life .. Her Mom was of the idea that she is a magnet for trouble and attracts the wrong kind of men , thus putting her under risk of coming face to face the evils of the society . Therefore to 'protect' her daughter from all sorts of harm and trouble , Evie's mom doesn't let her go out of the house .. Worse , she locks herself with her too . Saying that she cant be left alone ( due to an incident that has managed to fuck Evie up pretty bad ) . But Evie doesn't want that anymore . She wants to go out and live her life , see the world . See the Niagara Falls . And that's what Evie does , she packs up her bag and decides to hit the road , leaving behind her mom and the all the worries that come with her .. Little does Evie know , whats in store for her on this unknown journey into the world ... ?? Well , you'll just have to read the book and find it out . But be warned , this is one heck of a dark read .. Its fucked up and makes you question a lot of things where Forgiveness , Redemption and Love ....
My emotions were all over the place while reading it . I think the best thing about Skye Warren's writing is that she doesn't let you get too comfortable . Right from the start , the reader is thrown into this turmoil of messed up situations and you are found asking yourself , who is right and who is wrong ?? Talking about the characters , all I have to say is the Evie is one helluva tough bitch . Her reasons for going out and enjoying her life were not wrong . And I loved that she kept telling that to herself and found the courage to move on . And then there is Hunter ... ! Dear god , don't even get me started ... Hunter in the beginning of the book , comes across as this totally crazy , hell bent on getting what he wants psycho ... But then he has this other side to him that is worthy of loving , that is care-free and fun loving ! It was kinda hard not to like him ..
Wanderlust is Evie and Hunter's story . Its fucked up and all sorts of wrong , but then it's right and truly beautiful too .. A story that seems to start on something that is not love and forced ...
and ending with a hope and feeling of good things to come ....
In his own fucked up way, he’d honored me that day at the motel. He’d picked me instead of anyone, he’d plucked me out of my nothingness.
My first Skye Warren read , and definitely not the last .. A journey that is painful at first but the end destination is sooo worth the pain ... A MUST READ !!! -
"Not all those who wonder are lost..."
This book started off really well, I could feel how frustrated and suffocated Evie was in the life she and her mother were living. So when she left I was like YES!!! Until Hunter entered the scene... wait I'm lying. When Evie first saw him she was scared, I wasn't, I was smitten.
"His tan T-shirt hung loose while jean hugged long legs. He was large, strong-and otherwise unremarkable." Yep that had me going... Until he opened his mouth! Hunter was sinister, cold, calculating and seriously effed up! He scared Evie, he scared me and he scared anyone else around.
I was so sure I was gonna give this book a low rating. But then I realized I'd assumed a lot about Hunter. Seriously I felt like I was Evie! She'd assumed he was this seasoned, roughed up man of the world. But she didn't take the time to think of what had shaped him into the man he was.
Gawd the stuff this guy went through would break any sane man! But he got up and carried on living and survived the only way he could. He's past didn't justify he's actions but it did explain them.
"What the fuck do I care if I go back? I can't keep you either way, so what do I care where I am when I'm alone?"
This guy was tortured and broken but he'd put himself together again, although he wasn't the same man he used to be.
And poor Evie, poor confused and naive Evie. She'd been living most of her young life in this cocoon and then was basically thrown into a harsh and ugly world. Some of Evie's decisions where questionable but considering where she came from I didn't blame her. Add the fact that she had the worst luck when it came to the people she met along her journey.
About halfway through the book I started realizing that she and Hunter were good for each other. Had she and Hunter not met one another, they would have missed something important. Healing, seriously they both needed to go through all of the crap that they did TOGETHER.
"Forgive yourself> It's the only way we can be together."
This was seriously not my usual romance? It was definitely dark. But I got my unconventional happy ending, with my very unconventional hero and heroine. -
***Could’ve been quite good***
Lets just clean out the air with this little bucket of misery. I would like to point out that the story had a lot of potential to be pretty damn good. Unfortunately, it lost its appeal pretty early on. Leaving me wondering if this was going to be a predictable disaster. OHHH and that ending was just WTF.. It just ended so abruptly without any closure or direction.
What I didn’t like about the story was that it was filled with sporadic, inconsistencies throughout the plot that left me with a blundering headache. In addition, it lacked character development and descriptive character features. The main characters Hunter & Evie, never truly captured my interest, maybe due to the fact that the scenes were so far fetched and outlandish.
What I did like was the pretty raunchy, HOT sex scenes. And the fact that Hunter became more likable as time passed by. It certainly kept me with enough interest to finish the story, just to find out what the hell happened to Hunter...
Overall, it’s good, short, light read. -
Wanderlust by Skye Warren was one of my most anticipated reads for a long time. I finally scored it as a freebie and dove right in. I’m not sure if it is where I have had certain expectations of this book for such a long time, but it just didn’t work for me. Let’s talk about it.
Evie, after being extremely sheltered as a child, has escaped and is on her way to finally explore freedom. Her VERY FIRST NIGHT she gets targeted by a trucker who offers to buy her dinner. She politely declines and runs back to her motel room. When she comes out after a quick shower, he’s there waiting for her. He has his way with her, then decides to keep her. Hunter throws her in the back of his semi and they are off on an adventure that Evie never dreamed of.
I couldn’t really connect with Hunter or Evie. Evie acted waaaay younger than her age due to being sheltered for so long. She was annoying at times – especially when she was trying to figure out her feelings towards Hunter. As for Hunter’s character, I liked the direction Skye took with him towards the end of the book. His story tied everything up nicely. Granted I still didn’t like his character but it made me appreciate him more.
There also wasn’t very much plot to his book. A good chunk of this book left me guessing if there was an actual point to reading it. It is only when we start getting to see into Hunter’s past that an actual story starts to evolve. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to save the book for me. I was bored and over it already.
Did I put this book on some sort of pedestal? Probably. Maybe my harsh rating reflects that a tad. I would still recommend this to people who want a smutty quick captor/captive romance. Just don’t expect a great storyline – take it for what it is.
This review was originally posted on Sincerely, Whitney -
I literally devoured this book in one morning. Wow! This is such a dark and twisted book, but it pulls you in and will not release you until you finish. First I must warn those that if kidnapping and sexual abuse are not subjects you can handle then this book is not for you.
Evie has lived a sheltered life because her mother was a bit paranoid and overprotective. The only place she was allowed to go was to the library. There, Evie found books and pictures of places she dreamed to go, like Niagara Falls.
To prove to her mother and herself that she’s an adult and can handle the big bad world, she embarks on a trip to start her new life. She stops off at a rundown motel for the night so she can get something to eat and a good nights sleep.
Immediately she catches the attention of a truck driver, Hunter, who wants to share dinner with her. After politely rejecting his offer she runs back to her hotel room. Once she comes out of the shower she is surprised to find Hunter in her room. He lets her know that he wants her and he’s going to have her.
"That's a good girl." He leaned down, whispering into my ear. "I'm sorry about this. I really am. You’re too good."
After a long night of sexual abuse, Hunter decides he’s not ready to let her go so he drugs her and kidnaps her.
Initially Hunter keeps her locked in the back of his truck drugged, but soon he starts to let her ride up front. This is a big step in her mind and she begins to see the human side of her monstrous captor. They even have their own adventure at the Enchanted Falls. Hunter even takes her to meet his friends, James and Laura. There was a point during this stay with friends that I thought Stockholm Syndrome had set in for Evie.
He sucked in a breath. “You would apologize to me? After what I…” My insides twisted at the few words of admission, the small sign of his guilt. “I let you.” “Don’t fool yourself. I made you do it. You aren’t responsible for any of this. I absolve you.”
However, when given the opportunity to escape, Evie goes for it. She tries to convince his friends that he kidnapped her and begs them to help. Laura refuses to believe that Hunter would do such a thing so Evie takes off running away through the woods. Once again Evie is met with more bad luck of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Lucky for her there is a Good Samaritan that steps up and helps her.
Evie then finds out who Hunter really is and begins to understand why he did the things he did. Jeremiah, her Good Samaritan, offers to giver her his truck and money so that she can “get where she needs to go.” They eventually find each other again at Niagra Falls and under the circumstances have their own HEA.
He paved the way, eased me from a small and ugly life to a beautiful one. The transition had been painful at times, but never more than it would be to leave him. But that was the path of a butterfly—to fly away from the one who had made her.
Overall I enjoyed this book. I’m still not convinced this is not a case of Stockholm Syndrome. I’d like to think it’s two broken people who found the good in each other and helped heal each other when no one else could even under the circumstances in which they met.
For all of those who enjoy dark, twisted, mind-fuckery books, this one is for you. For all others, I’d say read the blurb and maybe some other reviews before you make up your mind.
Thanks Ally for the buddy read!! -
Review posted at:
Swept Away By Romance
4 Stars
GENRE: Dark Erotica
HEAT LEVEL: Hot
WARNING FROM THE AUTHOR: Wanderlust is a dark erotic novel which explores dubious consent, captivity, and power play. Not intended for those uncomfortable with the subject matter or under eighteen.
Can love come from pain? This is the question explored in Wanderlust. And, is it answered? In a way. Maybe not to my absolute satisfaction, but we do get an answer.
Evie grew up isolated in a house with a mother who was afraid of her own shadow and desperately paranoid. Her only goal was to escape that house and see the world, particularly Niagara Falls. The destination represented far more to Evie than just a location. Desperate to leave, Evie sets off on her own with very little money and even less knowledge of the world outside her mother's home. When she stops for the night at a diner/motel, she encounters Hunter, a handsome and twisted trucker. He turns her first night away from home into the very thing her mother worried about most. It's Evie's worst nightmare. Bent on keeping her, Hunter kidnaps her the next day and keeps her in his rig. The mind can play bizarre tricks on people, and, as the two go cross country together, Evie wonders if she wants to escape or stay right where she is.
Wow. Well, I can tell you that Skye Warren knows exactly how to set a scene and a mood. This story is indeed dark, but the writing is absolutely stellar and thoroughly evocative. A story like this shouldn't be easy to read, and it wasn't. It should make you react, and it did. Wanderlust should force you to look deep within yourself and think about the twisty turns we all have lurking in the shadows.
To be honest, I was more bothered by parts of this story than I thought I would be. Maybe I'm becoming a big old chicken-hearted softie in my old age. Or, maybe Skye Warren is just that good. I don't want to spoil any of it for anyone, so I hesitate to say too much. But, there were scenes and revelations that truly set me back and made me pause. As much as that surprised me about myself—because I've read a number of these types of stories—I have to say that what truly draws me to a story like Wanderlust are the psychological aspects of it. Sick or not, right or wrong, there is psychology behind every twisted act, and I find that thoroughly fascinating and compelling. Skye Warren does not disappoint in this regard.
If you're a fan of this type of dark erotica—and please do heed the warning above—you probably cannot find a better writer of this sub genre right now than this author. Well done, Ms. Warren!
**Copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review** -
From the first introduction, the anti-hero is too good-looking and violently compelling to be dismissed, but not dangerous enough to be worthy of outright fear. You'll predict his backstory before it's revealed, but that's okay. It'll just make you all the more sympathetic.
The plot is evocative in its narrative language and merciless showing. It often stands shoulder-to-shoulder with books in the horror thriller genre, but there's an undertone that assures you things will never get that bad.
There's a lot of sex, most of it rape. In fact, you are led to believe that every man the heroine encounters will rape her. It's unbelievable, but I wasn't put off by it.
What bugs me is the ending. The heroine never reveals her abusive history. I looked forward to the anti-hero's reaction to the events of her life--including some things that happen to her after she meets him--yet this isn't included in the conclusion. Additionally, the anti-hero's failed profession doesn't fit his character. I won't spoil it by going into detail, but his profession would have led him to be more of a counselor or confidant, naturally asking her questions about her life. He just seems too consumed with himself to bother.
Still, the story is an unforgettable one and SW knows her craft. The writing is exquisite.
