This is the conclusion of the dark erotica series written by Skye Warren. And when I say dark, I really mean it. There is a lot of pain in this book, the most hurtful of which is of the emotional kind, though there is plenty of physical pain too.You will see characters returning from Keep me safe, Trust in me, and Hear me, not to mention getting a huge shock of a twist, which I didn't see coming but enjoyed immensely. It could be read as a stand alone but it would be more satisfying to go through the series chronologically. While I was ambivalent about the three previous books, Don't let go is a smashing 5 stars for me. Let's begin with the writing. This is a seasoned writer in complete control. Every word, every sentence is carefully selected, descriptive and evocative. Even if the plot or the characters are not ground breaking (Samantha and Ian remind me a lot of the relationship between Clarisse Sterling and Jack Crawford in Silence of the Lambs), this is the least cliche, least predictable story I have read. Aside from the erotic aspect, the suspense and action move along at just the right pace. Though in other books, I find myself skipping the seemingly unnecessary action part of the story because it seems an artificial device to move the story along, I didn't in this case.The erotic scenes are tense, steamy, and each one of them unique, reflecting not only the different stages of the relationship between the characters involved but peeling off each character's personality one layer at a time. In just a few sentences,Skye Warren drags you into Samantha's dark world. Though she is an FBI agent used to dealing with low-lifes and tragedies, the darkest facets of her life remain inside her mind. Her chaotic internal life, so different from the cool, controlled and orderly image she presents to the exterior world fools almost everyone but not herself and not Ian Hennessey, the senior FBI agent she has just been paired up with to lure the infamous international criminal Carlos. I am not going to reveal the plot or go more in depth about the main characters because the suspense and build-up needs to be savored without any spoilers. Just know that for me, this is as perfect and literary a work of dark erotica as I have ever come across. So many times, I have to dumb myself down in order to enjoy this kind of escapist fantasy but in this case, I was so elated to find a book that engaged me wholeheartedly. ***Be warned: This isn't your typical romance or erotica novel, this is dark if that isn't your thing then believe me this isn't the right book for you**When I first started this novel, I thought I wouldn't enjoy it. I struggled a lot with the first half of this book because frankly I thought it was going to set the mood for the novel as a whole that is until the moment that Junior Agent Samantha Holmes was kidnapped and everything I thought I knew about this novel changed.Since she was a child, Samantha Holmes knew she wanted to be an FBI agent. It was an easy rode for her to take, one that most thought she shouldn't go down. Why? Because her father is a criminal who is now serving life in prison after he tried to kill her during her jail visit at the age of ten. Now grown up, she is a junior FBI agent. She hasn't been an agent very long, so imagine her surprise when her superior to her she would be working with veteran agent Ian Hennessy to apprehend Carlos LaGuardia who has been chasing him for a long time. Samantha is familiar with the case of Carlos LaGuardia having spent hours analyzing the surveillance photos and the evidence they have gathered against him over the years.LaGuardia is a criminal and psychopath who's every move is cold and calculated. As they search for LaGuardia's next move, Ian and Samantha grow closer to one another and Samantha has feelings for him she never thought that she would. But her involvement in the case is questionable. Why not someone more experienced? Why someone who looks likes his ex-lover Mia? The closer Samantha gets to the case, the closer she becomes to being the prey and when she's kidnapped nothing will ever be the same again.Where have you been all my life Skye Warren and why am I just now hearing about your work??? I'm always on the lookout for my next great read. I long ago grew bored with traditional romance and look for the darker side of erotica now. At first I thought this book was going to be slow and boring, but the more I read the more I became attached to Samantha. Throw everything you think this book is about in the first half because when everything comes crashing down it will leave you with your mouth hanging open. Samantha and Ian were so well developed and I enjoyed their story a lot more than I thought I would. I give it 5 fantastic stars and look forward to reading more of Skye's work in the future.***ARC provided by author in exchange for a honest review***
What do You think about Don't Let Go (2013)?
5 stars!!! This was the best out of all of the dark erotica series!!! Loved it!
—Sarah
