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3.7 AVERAGE
3.7 AVERAGE
“Three little words: I was sold.”
The book started with Tess’ boyfriend, Brax surprising her with a trip from Australia to Mexico. Vacation seemed to be going pretty well until they decided to stop at a little bar for a drink to cool down. To be honest, if I were Tess and Brax my story would’ve ended right here because if I don’t see anyone else in a bar then I am going somewhere else. But, they go in instead and Brax goes to the bathroom and Tess disappears.
If you are weak at the stomach, then this next section of the book will turn you completely off. I mean seriously, this is not your happy, go-lucky section. You will not feel warm and fuzzy inside. And, if human trafficking makes you feel that way (warm and fuzzy) then maybe you should get your head examined. But, I digress. You will feel sick to your stomach, you will feel disgusted, and you might feel as if you will never want to visit Mexico.
Enter Q.
Q seems to have bought Tess. He is her master. One would think after what happened in Mexico that Tess would be completely broken but this girl has spunk. She still has fight in her and tries her best to not become a shell of her former self. Q sees something special in her and over time Tess sees something in him as well.
“I believed fully I was made for him and he was made for me. Two halves of the same fuckedupness. Two souls from the same twisted desires, unable to fully be free until we found each other.”
I will admit for a while I thought this book was going to turn into a commentary of what happens when people become institutionalized, but it was so much deeper and complex. Somehow in a distorted type of way, Pepper Winters writes a story that we can all relate to if we are brave enough to admit it. I am not meaning that we can understand and/or truly feel the emotions associated with being trafficked but we can understand what it means to be going through the motions and then how it feels to be with that one that allows and welcomes us to be our true self. Tears of Tess lives us to fact that it is considered “dark,” but somehow with every single word, every single paragraph, and every single page, Pepper Winters keeps you wanting more and more.
DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of Tears of Tess in exchange for an honest review.
The book started with Tess’ boyfriend, Brax surprising her with a trip from Australia to Mexico. Vacation seemed to be going pretty well until they decided to stop at a little bar for a drink to cool down. To be honest, if I were Tess and Brax my story would’ve ended right here because if I don’t see anyone else in a bar then I am going somewhere else. But, they go in instead and Brax goes to the bathroom and Tess disappears.
If you are weak at the stomach, then this next section of the book will turn you completely off. I mean seriously, this is not your happy, go-lucky section. You will not feel warm and fuzzy inside. And, if human trafficking makes you feel that way (warm and fuzzy) then maybe you should get your head examined. But, I digress. You will feel sick to your stomach, you will feel disgusted, and you might feel as if you will never want to visit Mexico.
Enter Q.
Q seems to have bought Tess. He is her master. One would think after what happened in Mexico that Tess would be completely broken but this girl has spunk. She still has fight in her and tries her best to not become a shell of her former self. Q sees something special in her and over time Tess sees something in him as well.
“I believed fully I was made for him and he was made for me. Two halves of the same fuckedupness. Two souls from the same twisted desires, unable to fully be free until we found each other.”
I will admit for a while I thought this book was going to turn into a commentary of what happens when people become institutionalized, but it was so much deeper and complex. Somehow in a distorted type of way, Pepper Winters writes a story that we can all relate to if we are brave enough to admit it. I am not meaning that we can understand and/or truly feel the emotions associated with being trafficked but we can understand what it means to be going through the motions and then how it feels to be with that one that allows and welcomes us to be our true self. Tears of Tess lives us to fact that it is considered “dark,” but somehow with every single word, every single paragraph, and every single page, Pepper Winters keeps you wanting more and more.
DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of Tears of Tess in exchange for an honest review.
This novel hooked me in the minute I started reading. I super love the writing style. It wasn't boring. The pacing of the story wasn't fast and wasn't excruciatingly slow either (I hate those). Some parts made me tear up a little bit. Other parts were disturbing. Really disturbing.
I love the characters. I just hated how turned on Q was on the idea of rape. I cringed whenever he mentioned that.
This was a fun read despite its dark plot and all. I think I'm gonna continue on with this series.
I love the characters. I just hated how turned on Q was on the idea of rape. I cringed whenever he mentioned that.
This was a fun read despite its dark plot and all. I think I'm gonna continue on with this series.
I have to stop reading these erotica books without any believable romance, though I technically didn't know that's what this book was since it was labeled "New Adult"...SIKE! Tess annoyed me from jump, as well as her pathetic boyfriend; I also didn't like Q all that much. Oh well, guess I won't be recommending or re-reading--cry me a river, Tess.
Overall very good. Some of the scenes seemed a little recycled to me. But around 55% I had my mind blown and eventually did really enjoy the characters! On to book 2!
4.5 stars
This was actually so dark and twisted but I loved it. Not gonna continue on with series as this felt like a solid enough conclusion for me.
This was actually so dark and twisted but I loved it. Not gonna continue on with series as this felt like a solid enough conclusion for me.
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book wasn’t for me.
Spice Rating:
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
Spice Rating:
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Trafficking, Murder
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Car accident, Death of parent, Abandonment
There is so much wrong with this story, yet so much that is so right. This is not a happy-ending fairy tale by any means. That, in itself is one of the things I absolutely love about it! I liked the “darkness” of this book. It wasn’t too graphic, yet graphic enough to get the point across and to keep the reader not wanting to put it down.
Tess and her capture find themselves wanting to resist one another and wanting to want one another. Everything about their connection screams psychological issues on both ends. The battle they both fight borders on unhealthy and healthy at the same time.
One would almost think that Tess eventually suffers from Stockholm syndrome, but the complexity and similarity between her and her captor make more sense than we would want to admit, given the circumstances. Finding solace in something so horrible is almost unthinkable.
This book is one of the most real and unreal reads I have read. I cannot seem to get it out of my head. The seriousness and danger of this book is unimaginable. Yet, when I sit back and think about it, I get cold-chills from the realization that the idea of this story could actually happen. Maybe not in its entirety, but ideally it could. I think that’s what makes this book so ingenious! I couldn’t put it down. I couldn’t wait to find out what kind of ending was in store for me. I was captivated by all of the happenings throughout the entire book.
The story will confuse you at some points, especially when Tess is first sold. But the big picture is slowly revealed. This is a bittersweet story of a woman lost in her dark desires, a captor trying to fight his dark desires and redemption for those who have broken these individuals.
Tess and her capture find themselves wanting to resist one another and wanting to want one another. Everything about their connection screams psychological issues on both ends. The battle they both fight borders on unhealthy and healthy at the same time.
One would almost think that Tess eventually suffers from Stockholm syndrome, but the complexity and similarity between her and her captor make more sense than we would want to admit, given the circumstances. Finding solace in something so horrible is almost unthinkable.
This book is one of the most real and unreal reads I have read. I cannot seem to get it out of my head. The seriousness and danger of this book is unimaginable. Yet, when I sit back and think about it, I get cold-chills from the realization that the idea of this story could actually happen. Maybe not in its entirety, but ideally it could. I think that’s what makes this book so ingenious! I couldn’t put it down. I couldn’t wait to find out what kind of ending was in store for me. I was captivated by all of the happenings throughout the entire book.
The story will confuse you at some points, especially when Tess is first sold. But the big picture is slowly revealed. This is a bittersweet story of a woman lost in her dark desires, a captor trying to fight his dark desires and redemption for those who have broken these individuals.