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A review by jemzero
Captive Mate by Eliot Grayson
5.0
I can't say enough good things about this book. I adore Arik. Matthew was a hard sell at first but he won out in the end -- VERY strongly.
CM deals with some hard topics in this story where Arik, a sexual abuse survivor, cast a love spell he won't take off Matthew because he is a prisoner and believes the pack will kill him if he doesn't have Matthew's life as collateral. Things get dicey when they have to increase proximity, but the spell is making Matthew crazy, putting Arik on edge.
Watching these characters go from not trusting the other, violent thoughts/actions as they struggle through being enemies, to fighting for each other and sacrificing self-interests to keep the other safe... GUH. Arik gets exactly what he needs and deserves in the end and the payoff is so, so sweet.
CONTENT WARNING: Arik is a survivor of extreme sexual abuse and is not shy about owning the horrible things that were done to him. If you are triggered by frank or crude discussion of assault by a coping survivor, proceed with caution. I will say, Arik's chance for healing is very rewarding.
Arik is very brusque, hurt, often aggressive, and wild. His pain shows through in his behaviour. I suspect some of the reviews saying he was unlikable do not come from a place of trauma. Arik is funny and if you don't expect gay men who are trauma survivors to be nice and supple for your personal comfort, it's clear to see what a vulnerable person he is. Matthew likes his edges, I promise.
Eliot is one of my favorite authors. I wolfed down (lol) the Alpha's Warlock, the first book in this series, and then read through the rest of her books while eagerly waiting for this one. If you're familiar with Eliot's work, it is definitely not kittens and rainbows. She addresses ugly feelings then gives us sexy resolutions, and that's what I love about her.
(Also, if you're into rimming, there's... a lot of that. And it's great. Yep.)
CM deals with some hard topics in this story where Arik, a sexual abuse survivor, cast a love spell he won't take off Matthew because he is a prisoner and believes the pack will kill him if he doesn't have Matthew's life as collateral. Things get dicey when they have to increase proximity, but the spell is making Matthew crazy, putting Arik on edge.
Watching these characters go from not trusting the other, violent thoughts/actions as they struggle through being enemies, to fighting for each other and sacrificing self-interests to keep the other safe... GUH. Arik gets exactly what he needs and deserves in the end and the payoff is so, so sweet.
CONTENT WARNING: Arik is a survivor of extreme sexual abuse and is not shy about owning the horrible things that were done to him. If you are triggered by frank or crude discussion of assault by a coping survivor, proceed with caution. I will say, Arik's chance for healing is very rewarding.
Arik is very brusque, hurt, often aggressive, and wild. His pain shows through in his behaviour. I suspect some of the reviews saying he was unlikable do not come from a place of trauma. Arik is funny and if you don't expect gay men who are trauma survivors to be nice and supple for your personal comfort, it's clear to see what a vulnerable person he is. Matthew likes his edges, I promise.
Eliot is one of my favorite authors. I wolfed down (lol) the Alpha's Warlock, the first book in this series, and then read through the rest of her books while eagerly waiting for this one. If you're familiar with Eliot's work, it is definitely not kittens and rainbows. She addresses ugly feelings then gives us sexy resolutions, and that's what I love about her.
(Also, if you're into rimming, there's... a lot of that. And it's great. Yep.)