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Chains

by Shiloh Walker (Goodreads Author)

4.09 · rating details · 164 ratings · 21 reviews

The national bestselling author of "blazingly hot" (Sensual Romance Reviews) novels raises the temperature even more with three all-new stories of sizzling suspense

Renee was the homecoming queen with the perfect boyfriend and the perfect life. Lacey was the golden girl with the bright future. And Sherra always looked like the princess in a fairy tale. The three ...more

Trade Paperback, 355 pages

Published May 5th 2009 by Berkley Trade (first published March 30th 2009)

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Aug 16, 2009

Kathrynn rated it

Shelves: own, erotic, romance-suspense, 2009, reviewed, romance-contemporary, theme-bodyguard, theme-police_officer, theme-stalker

Enjoyed this erotic, romantic suspense which consisted of three short--connecting--stories. The book evolves around three ladies, Renee, Lacey, and Sherra. They grew up in the same small Ohio town, but were not friends until later in life. The beginning of each short story is the event that bonds them together--but from each girls' perspective. They are in their senior year of high school when "something" happens at a party that got out of control.

1. Chains of Rebell...moreEnjoyed this erotic, romantic suspense which consisted of three short--connecting--stories. The book evolves around three ladies, Renee, Lacey, and Sherra. They grew up in the same small Ohio town, but were not friends until later in life. The beginning of each short story is the event that bonds them together--but from each girls' perspective. They are in their senior year of high school when "something" happens at a party that got out of control.

1. Chains of Rebellion--Renee was a good read. Enjoyed both characters, Renee Lincoln and Deacon Cross. Renee came from a well-to-do family and was considered a snob in high school. Her mother was a snob and her childhood was less than stellar. Deacon was a great guy! I felt Renee wallowed in her "poor me" soup too much. This story had the BDSM--albeit mild--in it, but was not over-the-top.

2. Chains of Longing--Lacey was better than Renee's story. Two great characters, Lacey Talbot and Seth Salinger. Lacey was the tall, blond athlete (cheerleader) in high school that moved away and became a photographer. Seth was the "town bad boy" growing up and became the sheriff. Their romance was very sweet. Knuckleheads! Both had strong feelings for each other, but had suppressed it for years!

3. Chains of Memory--Sherra started off neat, but Sherra's character got on my nerves. Sherra Salinger is the twin sister of Seth (sheriff from Lacey's story). She is the one that was justified in having the nightmares of the "ordeal," but for me she dwelled on her past too much. She went on with her life and became a successful author. She has a stalker---for 5 years--and prior to going on a book tour her friend hires a bodyguard, Dalton--former police officer, big, long-haired, bad boy looking hunk. :-)

Thought it was unrealistic to be 32 and a virgin. Sherra let one near rape control her life and she felt she couldn't allow another man to touch her, then she gets the hots for Dalton. Well, it was a fictional story, so I went with it, but I didn't care for Sherra and her stoic attitude.

Overall, the book was very entertaining. I felt the "something" that happened early on should have been slightly more horrifying to justify the girls still having nightmares about it 15 years later. Some writing was repeated too often for my taste and I got the feeling the last story was rushed. Seemed like it needed one more chapter...Well worth the read, though. Easy on the mind, element of suspense carries throughout each story as the "bad guy" tries to kill each girl and the plot thickens when Sherra comes to town. (less)

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Mar 12, 2011

Mojca rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: gr-author, shiloh-walker, anthology, contemporary-romance, couch-potato-challenge, suspense-mystery-adventure-thriller, bodyguard-military-merc-gov-cop-leo, e-book, own, oscar-winners-challenge, ménage-bdsm-mm-ff-backdoor, erotica, favorites

Fifteen years ago three girls whose only denominator was their high-school witnessed something that changes their lives and their view on life forever.
This book tells their separate stories of how they went on, how they coped, how their lives are still impacted by that long-ago night.

Book One: Chains of Rebellion—Renee was my favorite of the bunch and earned a whopping 5 stars from the very beginning. Granted, it was also the most erotica-styled of them, and Renee and Deacon we...moreFifteen years ago three girls whose only denominator was their high-school witnessed something that changes their lives and their view on life forever.
This book tells their separate stories of how they went on, how they coped, how their lives are still impacted by that long-ago night.

Book One: Chains of Rebellion—Renee was my favorite of the bunch and earned a whopping 5 stars from the very beginning. Granted, it was also the most erotica-styled of them, and Renee and Deacon went right at it, but strangely the abruptness didn't really bother me. It went with the overall style of the book (with each separate story having a dark and gritty prologue of seeing the poignant moment/night from the POV of each woman).
Renee's story, besides being the only one with a light bondage theme, had the best mix of elements - angst, sex, and suspense.
And the fact I loved both Renee and Deacon to bits helped matters a lot. ;)

The two other stories, Book Two: Chains of Longing—Lacey and Book Three: Chains of Memory—Sherra, fell rather short compared to the Renee's. The suspense was only marginally there (except the climax in Sherra) and they concentrated more on the inner-fears and doubts, and character (flaws) of the heroines. And the fact I couldn't bring myself to care much about both Lacey and Sherra was definitely not a plus.
Compared to Renee, who seemed the most aloof of the three fifteen years ago, it was Lacey and Sherra's turn to be distant and rather cold, IMO. While Renee strove to open up, not to let fear and nightmares run her life, the other two embraced those fears and debilitation emotions and let them govern (almost) every aspect of their lives. It took two (right) men to open them up, but the whole ordeal seemed rather forced.

Yes, Renee's story was my favorite and it is her story that will bring me back to re-read this book. Don't get me wrong, I love SW writing, she's an excellent elements-mixer, but I guess for me to really enjoy this one, Renee's story should've been last, so I couldn't enjoy the buildup, not the down-slide.

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Feb 04, 2010

Samantha rated it

Shelves: erotica

I enjoyed this book. I thought it was just going to be straight sex with a small story lurking in there somewhere but I was pleasantly surprised. The suspense kept me going and the characters were enjoyable. However I did not enjoy the first story as much. The second story was very sweet and I felt the connection immediately. I also was able to get into the story at this point because you felt that there was some sort of danger surrounding the characters. The last story was good but it felt rush...more

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Jul 23, 2010

Darcy rated it

Shelves: 2010

I am always leery when I pick up a book and it is split into 3 parts, each with their own story, but still connected. It really depends on the author if the stories are weaved together well, this one was done well.

What I loved was that when each woman's story started we saw the initial bad party incident from each of their perspective, each time getting a little more information. Then with each woman's story we saw how this incident affected their lives, really becoming a turning...more

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Jan 06, 2012

Jennifer Perdue rated it

This book was recommended to me by a friend for the erotic writing. I thought it started off slow and had a hard time getting into it, but once I reached the first sex scene, there was no turning back. I did enjoy the three different stories, but was much more interested in the relationships than the main point of the story - which was the stalker and who the stalker was, etc. I was disappointed when it ended only because I wanted to know what happened to all three of the women and the men they ...more

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Jul 25, 2010

Marsha rated it

Recommends it for: Adults

Chains is a story about three high school acquaintances who shared a horrifying night and how it causes them to reunite in an effort to solve a series of attacks plaguing each of them. The story is told from three different points of view but merging together nicely for the conclusion. Shiloh Walker is a talented storyteller who has a gift for suspense and intrigue. I truly enjoyed reading the "event" from the past from each of the three main character's perspective. However, I must ad...more

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Jul 31, 2011

Christina rated it

Recommends it for: Anyone over 18

This book is a good surprise. I have really liked it so far. It is set up in 3 parts, and I have read the first two. I like the strong female charaters so far. But some of the parts are very steamy! So for a single girl like me it has been fun to read.

I am done with this book now and I have to say I enjoyed reading all three parts. Loved the connection between the three women and how each of them found something different (meaning the men whom they fell in love with) to complete the...more

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May 04, 2010

Jackie added it

Shelves: romance, le-review

I really liked how Walker uses the three different stories to illustrate what the stalker is doing to each of these girls, all while giving them their own HEA. Chains really kept my attention and it was difficult to put down. By giving us the three HEA spread throughout the book, it developed a pretty good cliffhanger that made me continue reading instead of putting down the novel and getting to the next story after I did a chore or something. It read very much like a full length novel and the...more

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Nov 13, 2010

Victoria rated it

I liked this book. It was very interesting seeing how things unfold from three different points of view. At first I had trouble with the dom/thing but that's my problem. The book has a great theme and kept me guessing. My only thing that bugged me - living in Ohio I kind of know the geography and this was WAY off. The story is set in Madison OH which is in the north east of the state up by Lake Erie but they keep referring to going to Cincinnati for movies/shopping. Couldn't happen. These...more

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Mar 21, 2011

Quinn rated it

Shelves: library-book, erotic-romance

One thing I love about Shiloh Walker’s writing is that she’s not all about the sex scenes. Her books contain some steamy scenes, of course, but there is always a solid and satisfying actual plot to go with them. It is possibly for that reason, in part, that I seem to enjoy her full length novels more than her novellas.

With this book, the author gives the reader the best of both worlds. Chains contains three connected novellas that combine into what is essentially a full-length novel ...moreOne thing I love about Shiloh Walker’s writing is that she’s not all about the sex scenes. Her books contain some steamy scenes, of course, but there is always a solid and satisfying actual plot to go with them. It is possibly for that reason, in part, that I seem to enjoy her full length novels more than her novellas.

With this book, the author gives the reader the best of both worlds. Chains contains three connected novellas that combine into what is essentially a full-length novel with three POVs and an overarching suspense plot. She has delivered three steamy and very different relationships effectively with a strong storyline to tie them together.

Renee, Lacey and Sherra weren’t friends, but their lives came together when a party during their final year of high school goes horribly and unimaginably wrong. That tragic night affected all their lives, and when they each return to their home town fifteen years later for their school reunion, the horror of that night returns in far more tangible ways.

In college, finally free from her ‘perfect’ life and controlling mother, Renee, seeing the ultimate act of rebellion, dabbled in the BDSM lifestyle. When she returns home for her fifteen-year school reunion, the last thing she expects is to meet a stranger at a bar – a dom who recognises her subtle signals.

Having not exchanged names during their one night of smoking hot passion, neither expects to see the other again. They could not be more surprised to not only run into each other the next day, but to realise exactly who it is they played with last night. Turns out they are not strangers at all.

Is it possible to make something permanent in a D/s relationship where the sub has control issues? With their growing feelings for each other, Renee and her dom will have to work this out while they also try to discover who is trying to kill Renee, and why. (NB: BDSM is not my thing, but this is very light and the hottest of the three stories)

Lacey’s story takes a very different turn. Unbeknownst to Lacey, Sherra’s twin brother has been in love with her for as long as he can remember. But Lacey is the quintessential golden girl – and despite one crazy night of passion five years ago – he knows a bad-boy like him doesn’t stand a chance.

Now the bad-boy has turned town sheriff, and when Lacey is threatened, he is determined to protect her, both as a man and the law. Thrown into such close proximity, the passions of that one night years ago reignite, and Seth is determined not to let Lacey get away from him this time. And if he can get the good girl to be a little bit bad in the process, so much the better!

Sherra was at the centre of that fateful night fifteen years ago, and she has been living with the consequences every day since. Now a best-selling author, she expels her emotions through the horror stories she writes. But when she returns to town determined to attend the reunion and kick off her book tour, her stalker steps up his game to truly terrifying levels.

Can the bodyguard assigned to her keep her safe, and will the attraction he feels be accepted and reciprocated, or will he be pushed away by this recluse like every man that has come before him. The stakes are high, and the danger even higher.

The suspense plot is strong across all of the stories, rather than just being there to tie the stories together, and the denouement is suitably intense. If you like a good plot and some variety in your erotic romance, then the well-written Chains will definitely fit the bill.
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Nov 15, 2009

Isis FG rated it

Recommended to Isis FG by: random buy

Shelves: 2009, format-trade-pb, info-full, published-2009, reviewed, romance-erotic, stars-4-5

Rating: 4.5 / 5

This book was exactly the kind of erotic romance that I like. Instead of being a cover-to-cover sex fest, it had a plot, character emotions, along with the steaming hot sex. The perfect combo, in my opinion.

Summary:
This book is actually made up of three novellas that all deal with the same suspense plot (so you have to read all 3, in order). The basis of the story is that fifteen years ago, three teenage girls (Renee, Lacey and Sherra) where all at...more

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Jun 30, 2011

Sandy M rated it

Shelves: contemporary, erotic

As some of you know, I’m a huge, huge Shiloh Walker fan, as my review of one of her latest, A Forever Kind of Love, earlier this week attests. I’ve vowed I’m going to read her backlist when I can, and this time I chose Chains. I love everything about this book, of course. I had one teeny tiny issue, but in the end it really didn’t mean all that much, because the story Ms. Walker gives readers hits hard, hits low, and the way these heroines survive the blows is beyond incredible.

These...moreAs some of you know, I’m a huge, huge Shiloh Walker fan, as my review of one of her latest, A Forever Kind of Love, earlier this week attests. I’ve vowed I’m going to read her backlist when I can, and this time I chose Chains. I love everything about this book, of course. I had one teeny tiny issue, but in the end it really didn’t mean all that much, because the story Ms. Walker gives readers hits hard, hits low, and the way these heroines survive the blows is beyond incredible.

These three heroines are brought together by violence in one tragic night, and it’s amazing to see how they triumph over it all. They come from very different areas of life, so while in high school, where their lives take a turn no one could have ever imagined, they don’t interact or run in the same circles. But they all end up at the same party, all for different reasons, and then end up uniting together when things get out of control and one of them is in dire trouble. I like that the other two come to her aid because it’s the right thing to do, as well as they do with what happens afterward. But it’s more that they help because only another woman can understand this type of violence.

Renee is the girl most of us hated in high school. Perfect everything, but not is all as it seems. Lacey is the athlete, everyone loved her and knew she was going places. Sherra is the wrong-side-of-the-tracks girl.

It’s the party girl Sherra who attends a rowdy blowout given by the mayor’s son and it’s her reputation that instigates harassment by some guys, one of whom won’t take no for an answer. Renee and Lacey come to her rescue, even though the culprit is a guy who her parents approve of and who Renee came to the party with. But things get even worse when a gun comes into play during this horrible night. The ensuing nightmares for all three girls send them fleeing, never to return until fifteen years later.

Each of the women has prospered in the intervening years, though still haunted by that one awful night. They get their own new story with their heroes, who eventually bring them peace as well as love, and there’s a lot of sizzling hot sex, which shouldn’t surprise anyone if they’ve read Ms. Walker before this. There’s still danger out there amidst their reunion, and the suspense and mystery of this stalker only gives the book another layer which weaves everything together into one immensely satisfying read.

My one tiny issue? I was a little off balance with the way the book ended. I even asked Sybil to try to get me another e-copy, just in case mine had inadvertently lost a couple of pages. But it hadn’t and I moved on. It really didn’t change anything for me at all and I laughed at myself afterward, asking why I’d been so nitpicky in and among such awesome writing. No idea. Maybe I just wanted the book to go on and on. That, I wouldn’t have raised an eyebrow at.

See my complete review at http://www.goodbadandunread.com (less)

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Apr 27, 2009

Julie (jjmachshev) rated it

Shelves: 2009-reads, erotica

"Chains" is Shiloh Walker's current release from Penguin. I waffled back and forth on how I should rate this one because, while it's one story...there are three distinctly separate tales inside the one bigger story and each one struck me a little differently and would need a different rating!

In "Chains", Ms. Walker pens a tale of a horrible night where three different women witnessed/were involved in a crime and the impact said event has had on their lives. It...more"Chains" is Shiloh Walker's current release from Penguin. I waffled back and forth on how I should rate this one because, while it's one story...there are three distinctly separate tales inside the one bigger story and each one struck me a little differently and would need a different rating!

In "Chains", Ms. Walker pens a tale of a horrible night where three different women witnessed/were involved in a crime and the impact said event has had on their lives. It's also a tale of finding love and recognizing that love once it comes along. The mystery involved in "Chains" isn't solved until the end of the final story. I hope this doesn't sound confusing, because the book isn't; but it IS a little difficult to explain!

Renee's parents were cold and she was raised to be a society wife. At a party her senior year in high school at her 'perfect' (in her mother's mind) boyfriend's house, she refuses to sleep with him and he hits her. After years of agreeing, this seems to be the catalyst for Renee's change. Before the night is over though, she will come face to face with a crime much more ugly. Now, 20 years later and back for a high school reunion, Renee meets up with the boy she admired even tho she doesn't recognize him. One incredibly erotic night later, her world explodes into violence, confusion, and ultimately love.

Lacey has always been the golden athletic girl. Everyone liked her and her home life was about as perfect as it gets. Her nightmares from that horrible event are not as prevalent as Renee's and involve her being unable to help more than she did. She also got to know the girl Renee's social mask. But Lacey's trip home for the reunion is also an effort to assure herself that her attraction to one man isn't as strong as she's built it up to be. That man is Seth and he's the brother of the last girl involved in that long ago nightmare. He's also the current Sheriff; and before this trip is done Lacey will need every bit of protection and love he has to offer.

Sherra. What happened to her on that night has never left her. When she can't sleep, she mines her nightmares for the best-selling stories she puts on paper. When a long-time stalker's messages begin heating up right before her reunion and new book tour, her manager forces her to take on a bodyguard. Dalton's an ex-cop and it doesn't take him long to begin to hate the fear and terror he sometimes sees in Sherra's eyes. It also doesn't take long for him to realize it's becoming personal. But Sherra's stalker is much closer than anyone knows...and he's been waiting for an opportunity just like this.

By turns disturbing, sweet, hot, frightening, sweaty, sarcastic, erotic, and tension-filled; "Chains" is likely a book you won't forget. Each of the women reacted differently to the event depending on their role; and in some way, that life-changing night still impacts their view of love and sex. There were a couple of plot devices that irritated me, and if you like trying to figure out 'who done it', forget about it in this one. The bad guy comes out of left field with no prior warning. The first story involves some BDSM, but the other two are fairly 'vanilla', but smoking hot, sex. I'll keep this one to read again, but not anytime soon ;)(less)

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Jul 06, 2009

Nicole rated it

Shelves: rom

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Apr 24, 2010

AnneOK rated it

Shelves: 2010-reads

Shiloh Walker writes a separate story for each of these three high school girls that relate to one incident occurring during their senior year. Fifteen years later, the same incident and a high school reunion reunite these characters and brings them face-to-face with the truth. Mixed in with some hot, steamy chemistry between old loves and new and you've got yourself a chilling romantic suspense.

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Jun 13, 2011

Shannon rated it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Sep 24, 2009

marlene rated it

i liked all three stories along the way till we got to the ending. the who done it part of this book was ridiculous. i suggest to just stop reading at the obvious plot twist moment in the third story.

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Dec 08, 2010

Maldivianbookreviewer rated it

Shelves: shiloh-walker, contemporary-romance, erotica, read-ages-ago

3 incredible short stories in one.

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Nov 02, 2011

Karen Desmond rated it

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Oct 03, 2009

Jess rated it

Shelves: 2009, romantica

Eh.. this one was okay, but it was definitely better than the other book I read by Walker.

I liked the idea that it was 3 separate stories, but that they all seamlessly blended together to form 1 cohesive story. I have to say that I liked the first one the best and the 2rd one was my next favorite. Not too big a fan of the middle one though.

I would read her again.

· see review

Oct 20, 2010

Holly rated it

One of the few books I have kept. I really love her style and that all women grow during the story and become better with the men they are with.

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Shelves: may09

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About Shiloh Walker

Hello... thanks for swinging by. I don't log into Goodreads much, so if you have questions, please visit my website to email me through my site. Thank you!

Bio...

Shiloh Walker has been writing since she was a kid. She fell in love with vampires with the book Bunnicula and has worked her way up to the more...ah...serious vampire stories. She loves reading and writing anythi...more

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Hot Spell (Includes: Demon World, #2; Breeds, #6; The Guardians, Prequel)

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