Oomph!

TW in these books - please read author’s notes. If you are in anyway triggered even in the slightest by the subject matter give these a swerve as they aren’t light in the issues.

I’d had this in my library for a while but I struggle to commit to series as I know once I start I can’t stop, I’m too impatient, and then nothing else gets done until I’ve finished! But feeling optimistic that I could find a life/listen balance I jumped straight in! Yeh, who was I kidding? I was gripped and hardly moved off the sofa for 4 days!

This is a great listen, the intrigue and drama was off the charts. I haven’t read the Fixed series, so I had no preconceptions about Celia, so I think that might have helped. In the first book I found Celia irritating, a bit like a yapping Yorkshire Terrier trying to physically best a Rottweiler, but I didn’t find her particularly hateful as some have. I did find Edward throughly hateful though. Clearly such a man would not be for me but I had to chill my beans and just go with the flow, otherwise my phone may have ended up through the window.

The first book just sets the scene, it hardly skirts the surface of the two main characters, and what we think we know, of course we don’t. Edward and Celia end up in an arranged marriage. He has his reasons, she has her reasons, neither of which are compatible with each other’s and both don’t see the marriage lasting much past the honeymoon. This ends on a huge cliff hanger that just made me want to punch Edward in the throat!

By the second book I’d settled myself to disliking both characters throughout but in this one Edward truly excelled himself in terms of being the most horrendous man imaginable. I get that Celia needed to be re-programmed so to speak but his methods were questionable at best; he was just mean, and tbh I’m not sure if this couldn’t just be called grooming. But i did again go with the flow, we spent the whole of this book on an island with Celia as she came to terms with her past, as Edward popped in and out just to wreak havoc, in effect keeping her captive there. I think I would have preferred to have heard more from Edward in this book, so we could have understand better his motivations.

By book three I liked Celia, but still it was a no from me re Edward. I’m all for a strong alpha male, but he was just domineering and overbearing. However as the book progressed and we toddled down the path of avenging the various villains mostly from Celia’s past, and as Celia became stronger and started standing upto Edward, he became more tolerable. By the end of the book I did find things I liked about him. I found the relationship between them difficult to empathise with though, this “need” to be dominated that Celia was constantly told she had. Not sure she did tbh. This was clearly more about Edward.

By book four I’d reconciled myself to the relationship between the two, but had hoped for a bit more from Celia with regard to telling Edward exactly where he could go. I didn’t think she was strong enough at times. I also found this fourth book a bit of a drag. The whole harassment thing re Hudson was a bit of a damp squib, and I get this was an interloper from the Fixed series, but here in this it was just out of place. I think a different vehicle could have been used to get Celia and Edward to the place they needed to be for the HEA. In this one Celia found more of a voice, but I wasn’t a fan of her methods to get what she wanted, but then after it all came out I wasn’t a fan of his reaction to it.

Overall this is a great story with great characters that really took you on a roller coaster. I really enjoyed the drama and the intrigue, and that the villains got their comeuppances. It kept me gripped for the whole four books. I would say however it could have been a bit shorter. All the elements of the story needed to be there (except the Hudson thing at the end) but perhaps some of the in between bits and the constant navel gazing could have been shorter. Yes we got it, she was consenting to him treating her like garbage, we didn’t need to hear it five times every time they did the deed.

I would recommend though. The narrator’s were very good, EW being one of my favourites, and SE is another favourite, I’m so glad we had a Brit doing a Brit character, it makes such a difference when I’m not irritated by the accent.

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Amazingly written, Amazingly narrated 👏👏👏👏

Unbelievably delicious! Every word, every page, holds you, pushing you to find out where it leads.

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Fantastic

These books are fantastic, a bit sore sometimes but overall five star spot keep you hanging on

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Must listen to

Absolutely loved it, the story qas gripping, can't wait to listen to more books by this author

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Fantastic!

I didn’t think I could ever like Celia after how she behaved in the Fixed series, but I was wrong. I loved her, and she certainly kept Edward on his toes!

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Slay

Elena Wolfe was brilliant but were the help was Shane East I bought this book to listen to them both is Shane getting to big headed to only be in a few episodes I hope you read this message Shane I won't be a fan of yours if you continue one this in future

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brilliant

loved listening to this series, Elena Wolfe and Shane East were great love listening to them

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How oddly they're suited, at first you think a character is just plane evil but twist and turns.

Was a little bit slow going then got addictive, you feel sorry for a character but then you get a unexpected suprize.

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Mental manipulation

I wondered what the authors was thinking, I found Edward mind playing games manipulating and mind shifting surprised how this even made four books. Even more surprising that Celia continued to be married to Edward. On an educational point of view as reader, I get …..as entertainment, extremely disturbing especially if you have daughters.

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Ttt

The narrator’s were excellent,the story was a little thin, but on the whole quite interesting.

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