“Start over. Forget about everyone you care about and everything that’s happened in the past. It’s your only chance to stay alive.”
translucent
adjective
1.
permitting light to pass through but diffusing it so that persons, objects, etc., on the opposite side are not clearly visible:
This was the perfect title and summed up Blake/Bryleigh perfectly. This book starts with a bang, literally! Bryleigh lives in fear, married to an illegitimate son of a mob boss. Little did she know about her husband’s background before she got involved too deep. It soon became apparent that she had no means of escape either. She met him when she was a young and impressionable seventeen year old, he showered her with love and affection, made her feel special, gave her the life that she wanted and had dreamed about, but as we all know appearances are extremely deceptive. Her only means of escape was to take matters into her own hands. Now living under the witness protection scheme she is about to embark on a new life, a new identity and a new start, the trouble is the past always rears its ugly head, in Bryleigh/Blake’s case this is through debilitating flashbacks and nightmares, where she unwittingly inflicts physical damage upon herself. Can this new start really be the means to a new life or will the past forever interfere with her future and what will the repercussions be? Translucent – the “light” may pass through, but because Blake keeps those walls up and her past hidden, she is “diffused,” the real Blake is never clearly visible…that is maybe…until…Madden.
Madden Decker, CEO of a company that hires the company that Blake works for in a consultancy capacity. He has been scorned in love and vows never to go there again. A bit of a playboy, he goes from faceless woman to faceless woman and a few regular hook-ups in between, but all that changes when he first sets eyes on Blake. For the first time in years Madden is intrigued, he is drawn to Blake and he cannot understand it, yet he can’t help himself and when he wants something he fights for it. Madden knows that Blake has her secrets and her past to contend with, he sees it first hand, but he is so empathetic and so endearing, he just wants to help her. He wants to take it slow, build up her trust, he truly believes that he can be the man to make a difference and hopefully Blake can change the way he feels about relationships too.
“When this happens between us—and it is inevitably going to happen— I want you to be one-hundred-and-ten percent definite about it… about me. I will prove my trustworthiness to you, no matter what it takes, and once you surrender, I will take care of you completely. I want you to be mine, but for now, slow and steady, sweet girl.”
This book is a voyage of discovery for both of them. Trying to move on from the past and living for the future. Trying to forget through the art of submission, allowing that act to take the pain away and letting you live in that moment. I must admit, for me this is where this went from a 5* book to a 4*, it seemed to go with the usual “Sir” and “Sweet Girl” and I must admit the terminology did begin to grate a bit, but in no way does this detract from a well thought out plot that kept me page turning from first to last page.
Is this relationship doomed though? Blake is inextricably tied to her past; she keeps this secret and only lets out little snippets to Madden. Can a relationship that is built on a foundation of secrets and omissions really stand the test of time? Madden vows to protect Blake at all costs, whether it be her night terrors or her past, but how can he do that when he has no idea what he is up against? All Madden knows is that Blake is it for him, he just now needs for her to realise it. As their relationship builds you can see the changes in Blake begin to take shape and this will keep you rooting for these two to succeed.
“Anything I truly want is worth fighting for, and more than anything, I want you.”
luminous
[
adjective
1.
radiating or reflecting light; shining; bright.
A perfect description of Blake post Madden, you can see the dark lifting and her inner beauty and personality come shining through, a great name for this series.
“Since I’ve met you, you’ve had this impervious shield wrapped tightly around you, and though I don’t know who or what caused you to hide behind it, I understand it’s for your self-preservation and protection. However, tonight, I feel like I’ve finally cracked through the density of the darkness, even if it’s just a little bit, and I’m not ready to let go of that quite yet.
This book will bring out a plethora of emotions, it is dark and angsty, yet powerful and passionate, it has the shock factor as well as the swoon factor, these all lead to a well-balanced book. I did become emotionally invested in Blake and Madden’s story and truly believe that these two were meant for each other. Madden was a beautiful character inside and out and you couldn’t help but love him. Blake was such a troubled soul, it was painful to read about what she had experienced in the past and you couldn’t help but wonder how she survived, but she is stronger than she gives herself credit for and with Madden onside I can’t wait to see her flourish.
“He kept me blind, he kept me bound, and in doing so, he set me free. Free to feel. Free to not think. Free to just be. He made me forget everything and everyone else in the world, past and present, and nothing mattered except him and me… nothing but us.”
This is a series and this is the first book, yes it does end when you don’t want it to, but it leaves you anxiously awaiting more. This is a new side to Erin Noelle and I think that she managed to evoke the right emotions at the right time. She kept the suspenseful plot going throughout the book and through dual point of views you could grasp a better understanding of both characters thoughts and feelings. This enables a great character connection and as I said will be a book you will not want to put down. Fab read and I am now on tenterhooks waiting for book 2.
“We are all a product of our past, but you don’t have to be its prisoner. It’s a conscious choice you make for yourself.”
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