Taken (Under the Skin #3) by Charlotte Stein blog tour with excerpt and review #romance
Taken (Under the Skin #3)
by Charlotte Stein
Contemporary erotic romance
eBook, 99 pages
Published April 14th 2015 by Avon Red Impulse
It was just a prank I didn't want to be a part of. I never meant to hurt anyone, least of all Johann Weir. You wouldn't know that he sells literature for a living. He has these wild eyes—eyes that light something up in me—and he must be twice as big as I am, with strong, warm hands. Hands I try not to imagine everywhere.
And then she starts in on actual arson.
Oh god, she plans to commit arson.
“I told you: teaching him a lesson,” she says, and I can see it in her hand.
A can of lighter fluid, that she’s getting ready to spray.
“This is not a lesson Marnie. This is suicide.”
“No way you think that pompous jackass is going to do anything? He’s not going to do anything, and besides we can be out the door before he even knows.”
“The door is past where he is right now.”
“Yeah but I bet he’s super slow.”
“I don’t think he’s slow Marnie,” I say, but even I have no real idea how right I am about that. I picture him lumbering after us as we dash down the street. I think of him sort of catching me as I round the shoe place on the corner. I do not expect him to be so quick that he comes up on us before we even know he has moved. That is not just fast. That is pretty much super human and insanely stealthy. For a second I think something mad like did he take off his shoes to do it?
And then all my thoughts are cut off at the knees.They have to be, because oh my god he just grabbed me. I swear to god he grabs me. His enormous arms go right around my middle, and not in a simple and straightforward restraining sort of way. He actually lifts me clean off the ground. I see both of my feet kick up in an arc, those cute purple Converse suddenly so small and silly seeming. I should have chosen something more adult, I know, and now I am going to be murdered while wearing them. "
I have enjoyed every book by Charlotte Stein that I've read. This author can create engrossing stories with memorable characters and the romance truly sizzles. I began Taken hoping to have a similar experience as I have had in the past but this time the result wasn't the same as other times. I found Rosie a little hard to like and connect to. She's a college student and has accompanied a friend to a rare book store to prank someone. Her friend had an earlier run-in with the owner and wanted to get back at him, but when this friend decides to become an arsonist, Rosie is left to take the blame for her actions. At first Rosie is terrified she'll get in trouble. Then the owner, Johann, grabs her and carries her downstairs. Rosie runs the gamut of emotions in her mind from panic to wonder to then lusting over the bearded man who has handcuffed her to a bed.
Published April 14th 2015 by Avon Red Impulse
He scares me. And thrills me.
But now the deed is done, and I have to face the consequences. He says he just wants to hold me here until the police come, but it's been hours and I'm still here.
Chained to a pipe in his back room like a prisoner.
The only person I have to talk to is Johann, and I tell him dark, shameful secrets—secrets that involve the metal around my wrist and him standing over me. But I can't stop. I need him to know everything. I need him.
Johann has his own secrets—ones he wants to tell me too. And more than anything, I want to listen. And maybe, before he sends me away, he'll punish me.
Just a little.
Just enough.
But now the deed is done, and I have to face the consequences. He says he just wants to hold me here until the police come, but it's been hours and I'm still here.
Chained to a pipe in his back room like a prisoner.
The only person I have to talk to is Johann, and I tell him dark, shameful secrets—secrets that involve the metal around my wrist and him standing over me. But I can't stop. I need him to know everything. I need him.
Johann has his own secrets—ones he wants to tell me too. And more than anything, I want to listen. And maybe, before he sends me away, he'll punish me.
Just a little.
Just enough.
Purchase: Amazon
Excerpt:
“What are you doing?” I hiss, because seriously this was not what we discussed. She just said she was going to come in here and do a bit of mischief, not burn the goddamn place down. I thought she meant creasing the corner on page seven of War and Peace, and to be honest even that was too far for me. The books in here are absolutely gorgeous. The owner might be a maniac. It all seemed like the very worst thing in the world.And then she starts in on actual arson.
Oh god, she plans to commit arson.
“I told you: teaching him a lesson,” she says, and I can see it in her hand.
A can of lighter fluid, that she’s getting ready to spray.
“This is not a lesson Marnie. This is suicide.”
“No way you think that pompous jackass is going to do anything? He’s not going to do anything, and besides we can be out the door before he even knows.”
“The door is past where he is right now.”
“Yeah but I bet he’s super slow.”
“I don’t think he’s slow Marnie,” I say, but even I have no real idea how right I am about that. I picture him lumbering after us as we dash down the street. I think of him sort of catching me as I round the shoe place on the corner. I do not expect him to be so quick that he comes up on us before we even know he has moved. That is not just fast. That is pretty much super human and insanely stealthy. For a second I think something mad like did he take off his shoes to do it?
And then all my thoughts are cut off at the knees.They have to be, because oh my god he just grabbed me. I swear to god he grabs me. His enormous arms go right around my middle, and not in a simple and straightforward restraining sort of way. He actually lifts me clean off the ground. I see both of my feet kick up in an arc, those cute purple Converse suddenly so small and silly seeming. I should have chosen something more adult, I know, and now I am going to be murdered while wearing them. "
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About the Author:
Charlotte Stein is the acclaimed author of over thirty short stories, novellas and novels, including the recently DABWAHA nominated Run To You. When not writing deeply emotional and intensely sexy books, she can be found eating jelly turtles, watching terrible sitcoms and occasionally lusting after hunks. She lives in West Yorkshire with her husband and their now totally real and completely nightmarish dog.
Rosie would have been easier to take in smaller doses. Her babbling became too much for me to handle or grasp, and at times became distracting. Her thoughts were like machine gun fire rapidly shooting out in different directions. From one subject to another, she bombarded the reader with thoughts, then running off her mouth with whatever popped into her head. I wanted to tell her to take a deep breath and just chill out. Coupled with the story's fast pace and Johann's stilted dialogue, I found their conversations uncomfortable. Johann is a bit strange and Rosie begins calling him a werewolf (when she's not trying to get him to touch her).
If one takes this as pure fantasy and tosses reality to the side, then this story could be considered humorous, flirty and sexy. I, on the other hand, like to be able to believe some of what is going on and couldn't. Rosie's antics and thinking were so over the top and far fetched, she became more of a caricature instead of a character. Still, the author pulled off this zaniness with her usual tight and emotional writing. If one is looking for pure escapism, check this out. I'll always be a Charlotte Stein fan but this time the story and the characters just didn't do it for me.
Rating: 3
Cover comment: I pictured Johann having more hair.
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