Tears of Tess (Tears of Tess #1)
By Pepper Winters
Release Date: September 6th, 2013
Format: Ebook
Rating: Unrated
Blurb From Goodreads:
A New Adult Dark Contemporary Romance, not suitable for people sensitive to grief, slavery, and nonconsensual sex. A story about finding love in the strangest of places, a will of iron that grows from necessity, and forgiveness that may not be enough.
“My life was complete. Happy, content, everything neat and perfect.
Then it all changed.
I was sold.”
Tess Snow has everything she ever wanted: one more semester before a career in property development, a loving boyfriend, and a future dazzling bright with possibility.
For their two year anniversary, Brax surprises Tess with a romantic trip to Mexico. Sandy beaches, delicious cocktails, and soul-connecting sex set the mood for a wonderful holiday. With a full heart, and looking forward to a passion filled week, Tess is on top of the world.
But lusty paradise is shattered.
Kidnapped. Drugged. Stolen. Tess is forced into a world full of darkness and terror.
Captive and alone with no savior, no lover, no faith, no future, Tess evolves from terrified girl to fierce fighter. But no matter her strength, it can’t save her from the horror of being sold.
Can Brax find Tess before she’s broken and ruined, or will Tess’s new owner change her life forever?
My Review:
I decided to leave this book unrated because of various reasons.
I felt very conflicted over Tears of Tess. Delving deeper into the reality of human trafficking was gruesome and eye opening. It's so sad to witness how cruel and greedy humans are to their own species.
The story was very gripping and intriguing. I fell in love with sweet Brax and how loving he was to Tess. It was sad to see that both outgrew and couldn't fulfill each other's needs. But, I loved how Pepper Winters resolved their issue at the end. It was very sweet and touching.
The issue that bothered me was Q and Tess. I loved the fighting and strong willed Tess. She was fiery and very determined; always on the lookout for ways to escape no matter how irremediable the situation.
Q was a very complex and conflicting character. It felt like he was suffering from bipolar disorder or a split personality; loving and yet detesting what he secretly craved. I guess it was understandable seeing as how abnormal and twisted his childhood was and what he was exposed to at such a young age.
I guess both Tess and Q were broken enough to fully fill what the other lacked. I just felt uncomfortable over the whole torture, pain, blood and rape thing as equivalent to love. I guess the pain and blood thing were acceptable. It was the rape thing that disturbed me because it excited him and Tess in a way, with Tess wanting it from Q. Their relationship was so twisted that I don't know what to feel about it. But I guess to each his/her own as love means differently to everyone. At least it ain't like FSoG. Thank god.
Nevertheless, I enjoyed this story and will be continuing this series and looking out for Quintessentially Q to see the progress of their relationship.
