Love Books, Love Romance: REVIEW - Tears of Tess by Pepper Winters

Tears of Tess - Pepper Winters
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Synopsis
“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

Wow. I didn’t really know what to expect when I first picked up this book. There were many mixed reviews, some said ‘it was too dark and disturbing’ while others said ‘one of the most captivating reads’. I went in with an open mind, but what I didn’t expect was to be completely hooked and blown away by this story. It was so gripping, intense and edgy that it drew draw you in, and held you until you finished it.

“You are no one’s but mine. Do you understand?”

We are first introduced to Tess Snow as the young twenty year old girl, who has a perfect boyfriend and perfect relationship. She’s a strong willed character, smart and beautiful. However, even though Brax may be the perfect boyfriend, there are urges and needs of Tess she holds inside that he cannot meet. It is on a vacation with Brax that she finds herself kidnapped and in the human trafficking organisation and sold to a man who goes by the name Q. Q is no ordinary man, he is now her master and she, his slave.

“I want to hurt you.
I want to own you.
I want to devour you.
I want to make you mine.
I’m already yours.”

Q is a wealthy, controlled, strong alpha lead who you can’t help but feel just a little conflicted. On the one hand, you want to hate him for what he represents and what he’s like with Tess sometimes. But then, you just can’t help but love him. He’s complicated. One minute he acted human and the next he completely morphed into the monster inside (kind of reminded me of Jekyll and Hyde in a small sense). I was sooo torn between my feelings for him but I loved the fact I was like this. He just doesn’t care. No excuses, take him how he is or leave. It’s that simple. I LOVED the character development in this book as I felt that you really got to connect with each character, even though the book was told in Tess’s POV. This made it so that every emotion and situation was felt by the reader, and you couldn’t help but feel their struggles and pain throughout the book.

“My role as your master is to debase you to the point of having no feelings, no emotions, no hopes or dreams”

This isn’t a book for you if you’re looking for a nice sweet read with love conquers all. This is more a tale about the connection between two individuals who keep their monsters and fantasies close to the surface, ready to break out at a moment’s notice. Apart they’re but a mere spark, whereas when they’re together they are an explosion. I did actually love them as a couple, everything else aside. Pepper Winter’s ability to capture these characters essence and personality to such a degree is extremely well executed. There are some scenes that may disturb some people and they can be quite graphic so do expect that when reading. That said, even though they are brutal they do help to add to the overall feel of the book and the direction that the author chose to go in and the book is based on the D/s relationship of the two as well as the slavery aspect. These situations are portrayed tastefully and also avoid the Stockholm syndrome as it was all Tess. Also, get ready for a kicker of an epilogue. Overall an incredible read, with added angst and a gripping storyline that gets you hooked and addicted. Can’t wait to read the Quintessentially Q now!