Hostage by N.S. MooreDescription:
My life is split into two realities. Before Code. And after him.
The first time I saw him, he walked into my father’s bank with the strut of a man who knows exactly what he wants. I saw in him a fearlessness that I desperately wanted, needed, craved as much as my next breath.
Because I was watching him, I knew immediately when he pulled out a gun, aimed it at the ceiling, and fired three shots.
And that is the way I mark my life—before that moment and after it. Before, when I tried to be agreeable, tried to be admired, tried to be pretty, tried to make sure everyone liked me. Tried to shake myself of shame. And after, when all of that fell away. When I just didn’t care anymore.
Before Code. And after him.
I didn’t know then what he would be to me. I didn’t know how he would transform the fabric of my existence. I didn’t know he would move me, reshape me, mold me into someone else, someone I wanted to be.
Afterwards, he would become my lover, my savior, my hope, and my strength.
But, before that, he was my hostage-taker.
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Is there anything more star-crossed than falling for your captor who takes you hostage and demands you stay with him until he crosses the Mexican border? Possibly—but this is still pretty high up there. And what if to make matters worse it was your dad’s bank he robbed in the first place? Probably not the healthiest start to a successful relationship...
Wren doesn’t know a lot about healthy relationships though. She was violated by her stepfather at the age of 10 and has spent the remainder of her adolescence saying yes because it was simpler than saying no. All she’s ever really wanted is to be normal, to be liked, to feel like she’s living in the light instead of the shadows. But instead of life getting easier, it only gets more complicated when she’s taken as a hostage by Code and her life changes forever.
Code doesn’t really want the money or the diamonds he robbed the bank to get; he just wants freedom. So when the robbery goes tragically wrong, he’s suddenly not only dangerously close to losing all sense of freedom, he’s also got the sudden extra baggage of a feisty hostage to contend with.
The longer Wren and Code spend on the run together, the more they are drawn to each other despite their reservations and the more clearly they’re able to gain perspective on who they have become as individuals. I absolutely adored this love story. Code and Wren were ill-fated from the very beginning but it didn’t stop me from wanting them to somehow find a happily ever after together. The story was told from Code and Wren’s perspective, alternating by chapters, which was perfect in propelling the story forward and in allowing the reader to get to know both characters as the story progressed. Code and Wren’s time together was beyond sexy as Wren, who’d never enjoyed sex because of her earliest experiences, guiltily found out what turned her on. I couldn’t get enough of the magic that happened when the two of them came together. I loved the suspense of wondering if they’d get caught and the vulnerability both characters showed as their feelings for each other grew. All in all, I couldn’t have asked for a sweeter romance or a better storyline. I was supremely impressed that the author didn’t drag out the story with a cliffhanger and in how she ended it.
I couldn’t get enough of HOSTAGE and wouldn’t mind another five just like it. It was everything I’d hoped it would be and more. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys New Adult, bad boys, or light captivity stories. It’s not dark like most abduction stories I read; instead it’s perfectly refreshing and lighthearted.
**Complimentary copy provided by the author/publisher for an honest review.
**The version I read was an Advanced Reader Copy and had errors and some minor detail discrepancies. I anticipate this would be cleaned up prior to release date but felt it worth mentioning just in case. While I did notice these things, it did not in any way take away from the magic of the story for me. If the story sounds appealing to you, I would not let it deter you from snatching it up.
**Reviewed by preppea on I ♥ Bookie Nookie Reviews.
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About the Author:When she’s not writing, N.S. Moore likes to read, shop, play tennis, and spend time with her family and her dog. She’s currently working on her next book.
She would love to hear from readers. If you’d like to get in touch with her, you can follow her on Facebook or email her at nsmooreauthor@gmail.com.
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Excerpt:
I really am a fucking moron.
She’s quiet. Almost too quiet. Now that I’ve completely screwed myself, I need to come up with a way of keeping her here. Keeping her safe. I know that she’s probably thinking the rent-a-cop is going to be her savior, but she’s wrong. If she leaves here before Deke and the crew are caught, she could be in danger.
And I probably will be dead.
Quietly, I move around. I know this place like the back of my hand, and I know exactly what it is that I’m looking for and where to find it. Moving to the far corner, I find that doorway that we were heading toward earlier. There’s a shelving unit there. I feel around for a minute and find the three things I’m going to need.
She’s going to hate me, and I really can’t blame her. But considering I’ve kidnapped her and fucked her, what’s one more crime to add to the list.
I walk back over and put my hand on her shoulder, and she lets out a little scream. My hand immediately goes over her mouth. “I told you to be fucking quiet,” I hiss in her ear.
“Well you scared me. I never heard you move!” The words are out of her mouth as soon as I remove my hand.
“Listen, Princess, we have a problem.”
“What?” I don’t know if it’s fear or defiance or what, but her snappish tone is a far cry from the way she sounded a few minutes ago.
“When I go to get our food, I have to go alone.”
“Okay.”
I laugh bitterly. “There is no fucking way that I’m leaving you down here unattended. Don’t think that I’m not aware that you’ve been sitting here trying to figure out how to make a run for it as soon as I go upstairs.”
“I…I wasn’t. I mean, I wouldn’t know where to go.”
“Liar.” And before she can utter another word, I have the duct tape ripping and over her mouth. She goes to stand up but I shove her back down on the box. “We can do this one of two ways, Princess. I can keep you tied up and that tape over your mouth so that you can’t get away…”
Her head shakes furiously from side to side, and I’m close enough that she’s shoving against me in an attempt to get the tape off her mouth.
“Or we have option number two.” I put my hand by the tape. “I can pull this off right now, but then you’re going to have to strip.”
She instantly grows still.
“Those are your options. Bound and gagged or naked. Either one, it makes no difference to me. But I’m hungry and believe it or not, keeping you down here is keeping you safe. You may think that running is going to save you, but it won’t. Deke won’t rest until he finds us both. Think about it.”
She sags in front of me, her head hitting my shoulders. Personally, if I could have had her bound and gagged and naked, I’d be pretty fucking happy. But now is not the time for that.
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