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dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book just had me hooked from the first page. It unfolds so seamlessly as it submerges you in a phenomenal story of one man falling untethered into the abyss and struggling to right himself to find his way back up all the while clinging to the depths for comfort and another man witnessing that, cracking open something undiscovered for himself, giving each other strength so they both can break free.
Expect:
* Hurt comfort
* Size difference
* Bodyguard
* Daddy/boy
* Age gap
* Forced proximity
* Possesive MC
* Mental health rep
* Kink exploration
* Slow burn
Zev is spiralling and things reach a massive crisis point where the father he has an extremely contentious relationship with, intervenes and he packed off to rehab with Gavin as his bodyguard.
Neither of the characters the author gives us started off as likeable for me before the author starts peeling back the layers and makes you love them. It’s almost fantastical with is a smidge of an instant preternatural connection allowing Gavin to immediately know what Zev is thinking/needs.
My heart broke for Zev, haunted by so much, needing his addiction as an escape and I loved how Gavin responded right from the start, how they opened up to each other. and the internal struggle as they give in to the primal responses to the connection they have.
I also loved how the author chose to tackle the tough questions around recovery and marital commitment and how she allowed the characters to work and journey to their hard won HEA even when real life re-emerged. I really appreciated how Zev and Gavin’s dynamic felt organically developed and right for them. I loved Dillon and Carmen.
I was surprised by how intrigued I was by Milo and I really hope he gets a story.
Story: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Swoon: ♥️♥️♥️♥️
Steam:
Expect:
* Hurt comfort
* Size difference
* Bodyguard
* Daddy/boy
* Age gap
* Forced proximity
* Possesive MC
* Mental health rep
* Kink exploration
* Slow burn
Zev is spiralling and things reach a massive crisis point where the father he has an extremely contentious relationship with, intervenes and he packed off to rehab with Gavin as his bodyguard.
Neither of the characters the author gives us started off as likeable for me before the author starts peeling back the layers and makes you love them. It’s almost fantastical with is a smidge of an instant preternatural connection allowing Gavin to immediately know what Zev is thinking/needs.
My heart broke for Zev, haunted by so much, needing his addiction as an escape and I loved how Gavin responded right from the start, how they opened up to each other. and the internal struggle as they give in to the primal responses to the connection they have.
I also loved how the author chose to tackle the tough questions around recovery and marital commitment and how she allowed the characters to work and journey to their hard won HEA even when real life re-emerged. I really appreciated how Zev and Gavin’s dynamic felt organically developed and right for them. I loved Dillon and Carmen.
I was surprised by how intrigued I was by Milo and I really hope he gets a story.
Story: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Swoon: ♥️♥️♥️♥️
Steam:
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It dragged on and nothing seemed to be happening and the nipple suckling was too weird for me
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
”I need you more than I need to breathe. I wanna drown in you.”
I have no words.. this book is not for the light of heart. It is dark and heavy, the hurt is so deep. Zev is a broken person, lost within himself, weighted down by trauma. He loses himself in drugs and alcohol trying to escape it all. When it all goes wrong and a friend loses his life he is forced into rehab at Black Diamond. He’s accompanied by Gavin, his bodyguard, hired to protect him from a threat on his life.
6 weeks away, secluded on an island to detox and work on himself. Zev really doesn’t want that and lasses out at anyone and everyone. Gavin taking the brunt of Zev’s assaults, never wavering, he gets closer and closer to this broken human. He sees what nobody saw in this beautiful and lost boy. He holds him up and holds him close as Zev crawls out off the deepest holes imaginable.
They build trust and understanding, not letting each other shy away from their feelings, thoughts or wants. The bond they build is immensely powerful and the love between them is of epic proportions.
”An always kind of forever.”
A book like this is a privilege to read. I am in absolute awe of it. It’s one of those books you cannot put down but you just don’t want it to end. Another amazing addition to the Unlucky 13 series!
I received a free copy of this book via Indie Author Creative and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I don't normally mind age gaps or daddy/baby type relationships but this one just didn't do it for me. The main characters were not likable to me and the whole dynamic gave me a bit of the icks somethings. The writing wasn't bad, but I did not enjoy the story.
dark
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
1st person/dual pov
Spice: 4/5
So this is the first book from the Unlucky 13 series that I’ve read and what better way to dive into it than with Marie Ann’s book? Why is that you’re wondering? Because Marie never ceases to amaze and surprise me at the same time. In fact, this feels like one of the hardest reviews I’ve written because I’m struggling with getting my thoughts in order to express how much I enjoyed this story. So we will start at the beginning…
As the book opens you meet one of the main characters, Zevryn, who is young, rich, and looking to numb everything about his life with drugs and alcohol. Since his mom passed away years ago he’s been dealing with the trauma by not dealing with it as well as feeding the distance between him and his dad by showing how little he cares about the company he is to inherit one day. Jumping at any opportunity to piss off his dad, Zev finds himself in a situation there is no coming back from leaving him full of guilt, regret, and even more trauma. Seeing no other option his dad intervenes and sends him to a remote island known for keeping its guest list extremely private and out of the public eye. Only he’s not going by choice and he’s definitely not going alone.
Enter Gavin, the attractive and bossy bodyguard hired to “protect” Zev while he’s on the island and to make sure he’s sticking to the program. From their first meeting, you can tell there is a strong pull to take care of and be cared for by the other. Once they arrive at the island Gavin will be the only full-time companion for Zev during his stay, which also means he will get a crash course in the challenges addicts go through in the process. Marie does not shy away from the struggles of going through withdrawals, opening up in therapy, and reaching out to the people that have been hurt along the way. It really gives the reader a deeper understanding of battling addiction and connects you emotionally with Zev's character. As Gavin witnesses the physical and mental toll the early stages of recovery have on Zev he allows his need to care for someone to run free.
At this point in the story, we witness the feelings growing between the two of them as Zev works through his trauma and begins the path to healing while Gavin grows more and more protective of him. What started as a simple bodyguard job is quickly taking a turn neither of them expected it to. Plus the remote island setting adds this layer of isolation to their situation as they navigate the recovery process which amplifies their vulnerability as well as the importance of trust, making their rapidly growing connection feel more intense.
Now let me just say that I was not expecting to enjoy some of the things that happen next as much as I did lol. So as I've said before I can always count on Marie to write things in a way that shocks me on some level and this was no different. The spice is steamy and primal and dirty. These two are so dang hot for each other that they can't keep their hands to themselves. There are also some interesting preferences they discover along the way that I have not seen in any of the spicy books I've read before. With that said I felt the way these preferences were discovered and handled was written quite tastefully and gave a deeper look into each personality. But underneath that, there is this acceptance that they both have been craving and it took this unusual situation for them to find it. As their relationship develops you witness those barriers breaking down as they begin to trust one another taking this couple who seem to be an unlikely match and highlighting the transformation that can occur when opposite personalities come together. How open and honest communication can strengthen a relationship that otherwise may not have worked.
From witnessing Zevryn's history with his trauma and drug use, his estranged relationship with his father, his time on the island, and his life after returning home Marie has created a love story that explores the boundaries of love and what it means to be yourself regardless of what society has to say about it. It's intertwined with personal growth, addiction, and recovery. It also handles infidelity in such a way that didn't leave my stomach twisted into knots. (Yes there is cheating in this book however it's not between the main characters.) Whether you enjoy cheating in books or not I enjoyed the way it was written and empathized with the characters involved.
So there you have it. If you enjoy well-developed characters, exploring unconventional love, witnessing a raw and honest journey towards self-discovery and healing, and emotionally charged stories then I highly encourage you to pick up Abysmal and fall in love with these guys.
Spice: 4/5
So this is the first book from the Unlucky 13 series that I’ve read and what better way to dive into it than with Marie Ann’s book? Why is that you’re wondering? Because Marie never ceases to amaze and surprise me at the same time. In fact, this feels like one of the hardest reviews I’ve written because I’m struggling with getting my thoughts in order to express how much I enjoyed this story. So we will start at the beginning…
As the book opens you meet one of the main characters, Zevryn, who is young, rich, and looking to numb everything about his life with drugs and alcohol. Since his mom passed away years ago he’s been dealing with the trauma by not dealing with it as well as feeding the distance between him and his dad by showing how little he cares about the company he is to inherit one day. Jumping at any opportunity to piss off his dad, Zev finds himself in a situation there is no coming back from leaving him full of guilt, regret, and even more trauma. Seeing no other option his dad intervenes and sends him to a remote island known for keeping its guest list extremely private and out of the public eye. Only he’s not going by choice and he’s definitely not going alone.
Enter Gavin, the attractive and bossy bodyguard hired to “protect” Zev while he’s on the island and to make sure he’s sticking to the program. From their first meeting, you can tell there is a strong pull to take care of and be cared for by the other. Once they arrive at the island Gavin will be the only full-time companion for Zev during his stay, which also means he will get a crash course in the challenges addicts go through in the process. Marie does not shy away from the struggles of going through withdrawals, opening up in therapy, and reaching out to the people that have been hurt along the way. It really gives the reader a deeper understanding of battling addiction and connects you emotionally with Zev's character. As Gavin witnesses the physical and mental toll the early stages of recovery have on Zev he allows his need to care for someone to run free.
At this point in the story, we witness the feelings growing between the two of them as Zev works through his trauma and begins the path to healing while Gavin grows more and more protective of him. What started as a simple bodyguard job is quickly taking a turn neither of them expected it to. Plus the remote island setting adds this layer of isolation to their situation as they navigate the recovery process which amplifies their vulnerability as well as the importance of trust, making their rapidly growing connection feel more intense.
Now let me just say that I was not expecting to enjoy some of the things that happen next as much as I did lol. So as I've said before I can always count on Marie to write things in a way that shocks me on some level and this was no different. The spice is steamy and primal and dirty. These two are so dang hot for each other that they can't keep their hands to themselves. There are also some interesting preferences they discover along the way that I have not seen in any of the spicy books I've read before. With that said I felt the way these preferences were discovered and handled was written quite tastefully and gave a deeper look into each personality. But underneath that, there is this acceptance that they both have been craving and it took this unusual situation for them to find it. As their relationship develops you witness those barriers breaking down as they begin to trust one another taking this couple who seem to be an unlikely match and highlighting the transformation that can occur when opposite personalities come together. How open and honest communication can strengthen a relationship that otherwise may not have worked.
From witnessing Zevryn's history with his trauma and drug use, his estranged relationship with his father, his time on the island, and his life after returning home Marie has created a love story that explores the boundaries of love and what it means to be yourself regardless of what society has to say about it. It's intertwined with personal growth, addiction, and recovery. It also handles infidelity in such a way that didn't leave my stomach twisted into knots. (Yes there is cheating in this book however it's not between the main characters.) Whether you enjoy cheating in books or not I enjoyed the way it was written and empathized with the characters involved.
So there you have it. If you enjoy well-developed characters, exploring unconventional love, witnessing a raw and honest journey towards self-discovery and healing, and emotionally charged stories then I highly encourage you to pick up Abysmal and fall in love with these guys.
I enjoyed this! I do think this one might not be for everyone, but I enjoyed it.
It wasn't as dark as I thought it would be either, it had elements and the beginning was pretty rough but overall this was quite sweet somehow?!
I've only read one book by Marie Ann before but know this is a lot lighter than her other books.
This is perfect hurt/comfort, with Zev being forced to rehab by his father and Gavin being hired by his father as a bodyguard/glorified babysitter.
There is an almost instant connection between them, like their souls know eachother and I liked that A LOT because I am a sucker. Gavin immediately wanted to protect him and care for him.
Zev is a broken lil brat who just needed someone for him 100%. I think it would have been quite easy for this to have been a "healed by d!ck" situation but Zev actually did the work to recover, he just fell in love at the same time.
I'm so intrigued by Milo, that surprised me and I'd love to read more of him!
Another fab book in this series which I am loving, can't wait for the rest!
This is Daddy/little boy with cheating (not between MCs) kinks (not age play but maybe a elements), 14 year age gap & definitely triggers revolving parents and drug use.
I received a free copy of this book via Indie Author Creative and am voluntarily leaving a review.
It wasn't as dark as I thought it would be either, it had elements and the beginning was pretty rough but overall this was quite sweet somehow?!
I've only read one book by Marie Ann before but know this is a lot lighter than her other books.
This is perfect hurt/comfort, with Zev being forced to rehab by his father and Gavin being hired by his father as a bodyguard/glorified babysitter.
There is an almost instant connection between them, like their souls know eachother and I liked that A LOT because I am a sucker. Gavin immediately wanted to protect him and care for him.
Zev is a broken lil brat who just needed someone for him 100%. I think it would have been quite easy for this to have been a "healed by d!ck" situation but Zev actually did the work to recover, he just fell in love at the same time.
I'm so intrigued by Milo, that surprised me and I'd love to read more of him!
Another fab book in this series which I am loving, can't wait for the rest!
This is Daddy/little boy with cheating (not between MCs) kinks (not age play but maybe a elements), 14 year age gap & definitely triggers revolving parents and drug use.
I received a free copy of this book via Indie Author Creative and am voluntarily leaving a review.