Title: The Sordid Promise I
Author: Courtney Lane
Series: Breaking Insanity #1
Genre: dark read, bdsm
***Warning: Contains graphic language, frequent graphic sex, violence, and very dark themes. Can be read as a standalone.
When physical pain allows you to escape your reality; what do you do when the pain is no longer strong enough to quiet the emotional ache?
Diouana "Nikki" returned to her hometown six months ago to tend to her sick mother. She thought she'd left her "baggage" behind her on the opposite coast, only to find that it never left her side. As her self-destructive thoughts begin to consume her, her mother -- realizing Nikki's torment -- pushes Nikki to complete her last wishes.
Eric Brenton, Nikki's new neighbor, lives in a dark, chaotic world that is easily hidden behind his model good looks and cocky demeanor. Unapologetic about his dirtier intentions, he sets his sights on Nikki with an offer to help her. But his help comes with very unorthodox conditions and a huge price.
And Eric...comes with an extensive black box warning label.
Amazon US | Amazon UK
FLO's REVIEW
The Sordid Promise by Courtney Lane
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
4 **disturbing** STARS
“You may be imperfect according to the world, but you're perfect in my world.”
You would think after this being my third read by Courtney Lane I would have a better grasp on what to expect and how to brace for impact. Well, I am once again completely stumped and at a loss for words. I don't even understand how one can write such devious, complicated and simply fucked up characters and situations. This book is crazy, it's twisted and disturbing. Nevertheless I couldn't put it down. Answers were needed and quite frankly I wanted to know if there was a way out of this web of deception and lies. Verdict: sort of?
What is it about? All I know is, there was a mentally sick girl named Nikki, who was losing her mother and pretty much everyone she knows played her in some way or another. Once she got mixed up with her new neighbor, Eric, things got so strange and manipulative I had no idea what exactly happened.
“I’m hooked on an exclusive prescription; generic substitutes won’t do. The black box warning doesn’t mean a thing, because the benefits outweigh the danger. Because the benefits gave me all the things I needed the most.”
For the longest time I had no idea how to feel about this book. It was intriguing to say the least, but also so very infuriating I could have thrown my kindle against the wall. The heroine was a pushover, vulnerable, antisocial and controlled both by her mother and later on Eric. But at the same time she was highly intelligent and managed to pull through the bullshit to fight for what she wanted. Even knowing it wasn't good for her. At any given time it was not clear what was real, what was a lie and who to trust...even with an outside perspective. Add to that mental illness.
The 'anti-hero' (I use that word very loosely - he doesn't even deserve the word hero in his title) was a complete nutter. Yet, for the most part he managed to disguise it well enough. He was the master of deception and playing people like a puppet master. There were so many alarm signs above his head screaming psychopath and for some reason Nikki was not able to see them... or if I'm perfectly honest she chose to ignore them. And yes it was no coincidence that he entered her life to begin with.
Whatever ups and down I went through during my read I was left with a very satisfied feeling in the end. Sometimes I love to embrace a book that pushes me so far past my limits, where I can't even defend the characters actions let alone accept them. This book is not for everyone and I can't stress that enough. If you are easily offended by mistreatment of women and feel strongly about self empowerment and women's rights, you should probably stay far away. It's not an easy or comfortable read. Both main characters give a very thorough look into the deepest and darkest places of humanity. Morals are absent, Eric lives on the edge and he passes human decency more times than not.
The Sordid Promise is a standalone dark read, but a sequel will be published on October 22nd 2015. This is not a romance book. The connection between Eric and Nikki is questionable at the very least, but most definitely toxic and ill advised. Lastly I have a few trigger warnings to mention: cutting, graphic violence, death and suicide. Read at your own discretion.
**DRC very kindly provided by author in exchange for an honest review.
Books by Courtney Lane we read before:
(click cover for amazon link - reviews below)
| ★5 Stars★ | ★4.5 Stars★ |
|---|---|
 |
 |
| Flo's Review | Flo's Review |
No comments
Post a Comment