Pennies

Dollar #1

by Pepper Winters

"I'm not the hero in this story, girl. You'd do best to remember that."



At eighteen years old, I was murdered.

I wish my tale ended there.

However, my killer resuscitated me and sold me to the highest bidder, sentencing me to a world worse than Hell.

For the past two years, I've lived a life of torment as a man's property. I suffer in silence and wish for freedom, but I never break.

I can't.

I won't.

But then he arrives.

The first stranger since I was killed.

Elder Prest, a thief with a heart as black as his soul, arrives as a guest in our twisted home. He has business with my owner, but his interest lies in me. He pretends not to notice my bruises and hides his knowledge of what I am, but the way he watches me makes me feel more human than possession.

As his eyes tear through my walls and his voice demands answers, he challenges my owner for one night with me.

I've survived two years of torment because I no longer believe in hope, but Elder is the only man who promises me pleasure instead of pain.

Trusting him is dangerous, wanting him is deadly.

Is he my ticket to safety or my ultimate end?



Whoever he is, whatever he wants...I can't say no.

Genres: Dark, Dark Romance, Romance, Abuse, Contemporary, BDSM, Suspense

298 pages, Paperback

First published July 18, 2016

About the author

Pepper Winters is a multiple New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today International Bestseller.

She currently has thirty books released in nine languages. She’s hit best-seller lists (USA Today, New York Times, and Wall Street Journal) thirty-three times. She dabbles in multiple genres, ranging from Dark Romance to Coming of Age.

After chasing her dreams to become a full-time writer, Pepper has earned recognition with awards for best Dark Romance, best BDSM Series, and best Hero. She’s an multiple #1 iBooks bestseller, along with #1 in Erotic Romance, Romantic Suspense, Contemporary, and Erotica Thriller. With 20 books currently published, she has hit the bestseller charts twenty-nine times in three years.

Pepper is a Hybrid Author of both Traditional and Self-published work. Her Pure Corruption Series was released by Grand Central, Hachette.

Her books have garnered foreign interest and are currently being translated into numerous languages, including already released titles in Italian, French, Hebrew, German, and Turkish.

NEWSLETTER: http://www.subscribepage.com/www.pepp...

Or follow her on her website

www.pepperwinters.com

She loves mail of any kind: pepperwinters@gmail.com

You can stalk her here:

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Reviews

[kat · Rating 1 out of 5]

[SueBee★bring me an alpha!★ · Rating 5 out of 5]

FREE! (limited time) | AMZ US | AMZ UK |






★★★★★! Pennies, book 1 of 5. Opening to Mr. Prest & Pim’s epic saga of money, love, lies, betrayal & deceit!

“A penny for your thoughts, silent one. Perhaps, today you’ll speak.”

Books in Dollar series should be read in order:
Book 1: Pennies
Book 2: Dollars
Book 3: Hundreds
Book 4: Thousands
Book 5: Millions

The Dollar series is to be the epic love saga of Elder Prest, Kaitou and Pimlico Tasmin Blythe, Pim aka Little mouse.

Pennies (book 1) opens up to Pim as a slave. She was taken and sold to her captor where she has been brutalized, raped, tortured and violated and mentally and verbally abused for two long years. Mr. Prest shows up as a business associate of her captor more on his story and struggles between right and wrong to unfold throughout series.

In this opening book we get to follow their first few meetings as a connection is formed riddled with mixed emotions and messages Mr. Prest is torn between the good and bad in him; his darkness and light; his past and his future. And Pim who has known nothing but abuse and distrust finds herself drawn and torn between wanting to hate and hurt him to wishing to ask him to rescue her.

It is dark, it is gruesome, it is painful yet in all that darkness I see evidence of a redeemable Elder and a heroine with some fight, strength and dignity still left in her. I cannot wait for their story to unfold.



Seven words to describe Elder Prest, Kaitou: Complex, enigmatic, conflicted, secretive, unpredictable, arrogant and possessive.

“Already, I felt the corruption inside me clawing for more. One taste, one touch, one kiss, one fuck. One was all I was permitted.”

Seven words to describe Pimlico Tasmin Blythe, Pim aka Little mouse: Broken, reflective, meek, stubborn, observant, smart and captivating.

“I would remember him always. He would forget me tomorrow.”

Pennies, told from dual POVs, is a masterfully written multi-layered, mysterious and dark story centered on themes of lies, deceit, betrayal, greed, redemption and love. It ends leading right to book 2, Dollars for the continuation of their saga.

Spellbinding! Dark! Addicting! Different! Yet Pepper!

“You’re worth pennies, but I’ll make you worth fucking millions. However, what I expect in return will be unpayable.”

***
Hero rating: 5 stars
Heroine rating: 5 stars
Sexual tension rating: 4 stars
Sex scenes rating: 4 stars
Sex scenes frequency: 4 stars
Plot rating: 5 stars
Dialogue rating: 5 stars
Storytelling rating: 5 stars
Story ending rating: N/A
**********************************************
Overall rating: 5 stars

Would I recommend this series: Yes.
Would I re-read this series: Yes.
Would I read future books by this author: Yes.



Thank you to the shhluts on Shh… for our ARC (F)BR this week: https://goo.gl/jbYGsE

ARC provided to me by author Pepper Winters in exchange for an honest review.

FREE! (limited time) | AMZ US | AMZ UK |

[Candace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mind-Blowing!

Whew! Pepper Winters never fails to blow my mind! I know when I pick up one of her stories that I'm in for a mindf*@k and that is exactly what I got with 'Pennies'.

This story was so disturbing that I needed to take a little time to decompress after finishing it, before writing this review. I just needed time to come to terms with what I had just read and process my emotions. To me, that's a sign that I've just finished a phenomenal book. You know it's great when it stays with you and occupies your thoughts long after you've finished it.

This story is told in multiple POVs, but is centered on the experiences of Tasmin, aka Pimlico. At eighteen, Tasmin has led a privileged and sheltered life. When she is taken from one of her mother's formal functions, her existence as she knows it comes to an end. Tasmin becomes Pimlico, a sex slave.

Purchased by Alrik, a sadistic and cruel man who refers to himself as "Master A", Pimlico lives in constant terror. She suffers unspeakable acts at the hands of Master A and his friends. He takes pride in his visciousness.

When Elder Prest sets eyes on Pimlico, he is equally intrigued and enraged. He finds himself having to fight back his urges to take her for himself, while also wanting to kill Alrik for his abuse of the slave girl. He's no stranger to deviant acts, a notorious criminal himself, but something about Pimlico calls to him.

Pimlico, despite the horrors she's endured, does not break. She is defiant to the end, even as she submits in calculated measures to survive. She does what she has to do to survive, but she will never give Master A what he wants most...her voice.

This was a hard story to read in so many ways. Not only was Pimlico's account of life as a slave harrowing, but there was never any sense of hope. When Elder enters the story, it is clear that he is no knight in shining armor. In fact, he may prove to be as bad, if not worse, than Master A. Pimlico is faced with a choice between the lesser of two evils, with no happy ending in sight for her.

Ms. Winters has, yet again, managed to create a story that held my attention from start to finish. I cannot wait to see where she plans to take readers with this series. No doubt, it will be one dark and depraved journey and I plan to be front and center! I am dying to see what becomes of Pimlico and Elder, even as I dread finding out what's in store for poor Pim.

[Pepper Winters]

★★★ NOW LIVE ★★★


Want to read a romance that comes with a warning label? Something dark and twisty and almost wrong? First book is LIVE NOW
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2a6IDun
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iBooks: http://apple.co/22yGfPb
Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1TXN1uq
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Tasmin was killed on her 18th birthday. She had everything planned out. A psychology degree, a mother who pushed her to greatness, and a future anyone would die for. But then her murderer saved her life, only to sell her into a totally different existence.

Elder went from penniless to stinking rich with one twist of fate. His lifetime of crime and shadows of thievery are behind him but no matter the power he now wields, it's not enough. He has an agenda to fulfill and he won't stop until it's complete.

But then they meet.
A beaten girl and a richly dressed thief.
Money is what guided their separate fates.
Money is what brought them together.
And money is what ultimately destroys them.

She was poor.
He was rich.
Together...they were bankrupt.

[✦❋Arianna✦❋ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars!!



If you are fallowing my reviews, I think you know by now how much I love dark and twisted reads. I love how they keep me at the edge of my seat or how they make my heart race. I love how they push me out of my comfort zone and how most of the time they are so unpredictable. And let me tell you, Mrs. Winters’s first installment in her newest series, entitled 'Pennies' was a fantastic dark read. Disturbing, yet captivating, this first installment is cleverly written and it blew me away from the very beginning.

“When does living become the wrong choice and death the right one? When does taking your own life become wiser than letting someone else destroy it?”

Tasmin Blythe had been free for eighteen years, until she was kidnapped and became a slave. She was sold and she became Pimplico, ‘Pim’. Her diabolic master abused her daily in every possible way. She was beaten, tortured, humiliated, starved and raped repeatedly for two years. In these two years she did everything she could to escape, but she never succeeded.

“You’re my slut. (…)You’re name-less, family-less, and mine.”

When Pim meets the enigmatic Mr. Prest, a man who is about to do some business with her captor, she is drawn to him. He intrigues her even if she believes, at least at first, that he’s like her master.



Elder Prest is as dangerous as Pim’s Master if not more dangerous in some way. Elder wants Pimlico…he wants to make her talk, to figure out everything about this sex slave that simply fascinates him. He treats Pimplico differently than her Master, offering her kindness and also some sort of compassion. Elder knows is best for him and also for Pimlico to forget about her, to close the deal with Pim’s Master and move on, but he’s too drawn to her, their strange connection being so strong...to strong.

“I wanted into her damn mind…and if I had to hurt her to achieve that.
I would.”

I really enjoyed this first installment in the series. Before starting this series keep in mind this is not for the faint-hearted. It’s dark, disturbing and to be honest it made me cringe a couple of times. It really kept me at the edge of my seat for one reason or another and what can I say…I loved every minute of it.

Mrs. Winters delivered one of the best sex slave tales I’ve read. The story’s plot was well developed, the characters were complex and well developed and the dark aspect really well mixed with the psychological one. Reading Pimlico’s story was really heartbreaking at times. The sexual and mental abuse were horrible as the story progressed. She was well portrayed as a strong heroine who is willing to do everything to be free again, freedom being the most important thing for someone like her. Pimplico is more than a victim, she’s a survivor.

“She was too much for me.
Too much work, too much temptation, far too much addiction.”

Elder Prest was an intriguing character I’m dying to know more about in the upcoming books in the series. His POV was well done and his character so complex and fascinating. His struggles to accept that he feels more for the unhappy slave were fantastically done. Elder was a very unpredictable character as the story unfolded. Powerful and commanding he has the power to save Pimlico, but Pimlico in order to survive has to remember Elder is not a good man.

Overall, this was a fantastic first installment in the series and I'm looking forward to read the upcoming books in the series!

[Jennifer Kyle · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 STARS

“A penny for your thoughts, silent one. Perhaps, today you’ll speak.”







Pepper Winters delivers a sex slave story with a bit of a twist with this captivating new series. There will five books in total all promising to release within a few months of one another. The story is dark, disturbing, and masterfully written.



Tasmin Blythe’s pain and thoughts throughout the horrific process of being taken and sold is simply heartbreaking. Her master is simply evil and her existence seems so hopeless yet she continues to hold on day after day. This book is dark and this master is merciless.



The excitement really kicks in when a business associate of her master named Elder Prest comes to the estate for a million dollar deal. The story thereafter includes his pov which is struggling with wanting her and wanting to just walk away from her. One thing is for certain, he is totally taken with the slave who won’t speak.

”He doesn’t see you like I do. He doesn’t hear you like I do.”



Elder Prest is one hell of a complex character. His thoughts and persistence on trying to get the silent Prim (that’s her slave name) to speak to him is endless. He’s commanding and sexy yet scary and unpredictable.

”I couldn’t do anything because his lips were the perfect collar, keeping me leased tight and trembling.”



Could Edler Prest possibly be her way out of this hell she’s been living in? Or has our heroine exchanged one cage for another?



Fans of dark reads will gobble this full length book right up. Very well done job Ms. Winters. I seriously don’t know whether I should be happy or terrified as I wait for the next book.

”We’re leaving this place and you’ll never be found. You belong to me.”

[Hulya Kara Yuksel · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG Pepper!!! What have you done? I'm dying in here... Fuuuuuck!

My God, this is only the beginning of this series and it already blew my mind. It was soooo fucking good!!! Ugh can't wait to read 2nd book. Can't wait to know more about Elder Prest... I hope I won't wait too long... :-/

[✰ Liz ✰ · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Money is what guided their separate fates. Money is what brought them together. And money is what ultimately destroys them."

Pennies is the first book in the Dollar Series and once again I am awestruck by the fantastical writing of Pepper Winters! When I first read the blurb, I was, of course, intrigued and I immediately mentally prepared myself for "another" captor/captive romance. Brace yourself readers....this is not what you think it is! Read all the reviews you want but be forewarned NOTHING can prepare you for Elder Priest! You have been warned!

"FREEDOM. Such a modest word. It carried very little importance for those who had it."

Tasmin, also known as Pimlico, was 18 when she was taken from her home and thrust into hell. She is bought and sold to a devil who does the unthinkable. Although physically she is beaten down and wasting away, mentally she is fighting. Emotionally the battle wages on and yet, as time passes Tasmin refuses to give up.

"He hasn't broken me. He will never break me. And soon, I will be free."

"The sharp thrill knowing I could do anything I wanted to her....I could hurt her, fuck her, treat her with no bloody respect."

Elder enters the scene ready to complete a business transaction with an associate when he meets Pimlico. The slave, the "whore", the "property", the dog....! He is intrigued, and a connection is made. The spark that ignites between Elder and Pimlico isn't about love. It isn't about passion. It is something that even Elder (nor Pimlico) can identify and yet; it is something that must be explored.

"A penny for your thoughts."

Pimlico's master is less than enthused with Elder's interest in his property. As Pimlico battles for her survival, Elder faces an internal battle over his drive to discover what it is about Pimlico that is drawing him in. But is that draw strong enough to motivate him to rescue Pimlico?

"Battle lines had been drawn, and I had an awful feeling it'd been because of me."

"You belong to me."

Told in dual POV, Pennies contains a well-constructed plot with layers upon layers of moments riddled with raw intensity. It is brutal, violent, and utterly heartbreaking. Pimlico's complexity lies with her age and inexperience. Because her life was stolen from her before she had the chance to live it, she is completely disconnected to anything related to physical pleasure. The moment Elder awakens just a hint of desire in her it triggers hope for Pimlico. This hope is life or death for her. Elder's mysterious past and sexy demeanor is just another element of this plot waiting to be explored. The pacing was steady, and I found myself gripping my Kindle and holding it tight throughout every single moment of this read. Elder is not a good man, and yet, he finds a piece of good in Pimlico. Does that good contain enough light to wash away the darkness that exists in this man?
Pennies is an absolute must read for dark romance readers. It is a perfect blend of everything "Pepper" that keeps us coming back for more. The draw to these characters is truly addictive, and I am truly desperate to find out what will happen next!

***Dollar Series***


*This is a BR with the Shhluts!!!!



✿ This was an ARC from the Shh Summer Buzz Book ARC Giveaway!
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

✿ ARC graciously provided by Pepper Winters in exchange for an honest review!

For more reviews/reveals/giveaways visit:

[chan ☆ · Rating 2 out of 5]

2017 chan was on some fuck shit lol

____________

the good
Wow, well to start off I'm kind of regretting my choice of review format because I'm not sure I would call this book good. But it did fuck me up. To be clear, and it wasn't really clear to me when starting but this book is NOT a romance. Not that the series isn't but this book certainly isn't.

I think what worked about this book was how much of the book was in Pim's head. We get a real idea of how someone in a really fucked up abuse situation might feel and the kinds of coping mechanisms it would take. The whole time you are immersed in her thoughts and also right along with her wondering how the hell she is going to get out. I had a very visceral reaction to her abuser and I haven't felt that sick to my stomach about a character in a very long time. On the flip side, I instantly fell in love with the guy that saves her.

This book isn't really an enjoyable read but it's intriguing and claws at you to keep reading. I couldn't put this down and when I did it stayed with me. I can definitely say I have never read anything like this before.

the bad
The real negative of this for me was the way I felt after reading it. Kind of like, wow this was disturbing and I hate myself for wanting to read the next book. But admittedly, I did anyway, and it was even better than the first (whoops).

Additionally, I felt like some of the more graphic depictions of abuse could have been condensed to make room for more plot. While I think it was essential to get an understanding of the kind of mental state someone would be in after that kind of treatment I think a scene or two would have sufficed. Overall, a very interesting start to a really interesting series. Not for the faint of heart.

[Karen Mc · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Light is meaningful only in relation to darkness, and truth presupposes error. It is these mingled opposites which people our life, which make it pungent, intoxicating. We only exist in terms of this conflict, in the zone where black and white clash.”~Louis Aragon

When I heard that Pepper Winters was going to create another dark series, I was elated as I have been pining for another dark read to ease the pain that the incredible Indebted series left behind. Indebted was the gaping wound held by a bandage; Pennies was the medicine...the cure...to heal the hangover of darkness that Indebted left behind many months ago.I don’t know if I’m now cured or ever will be for Pepper Winters’ dark reads transfix and transform me, physically and emotionally, in a way no other story or series has.

Pennies…its title seems so pure. So small. So simple. Not a title that bares darkness and sings suspense but one that’s shiny and bright like the coin: the penny.

"There are beasts adorned in angel clothing and angels hiding in beast's fur."

Pennies intrigued me with its riddle-like blurb.
Pennies had me at the warning.
Pennies captivated and consumed me during the story.
Pennies hit my heart and stole my soul.
Pennies is pure perfection.

"This is not a fairytale. This is a black abyss that must be climbed blind before deserving the light. Read at your own peril."

This was not an easy read. Pennies was dark, dreadful, and difficult to digest. However, a sliver of light beamed through the book, forging me through, as it guided me like a beacon of hope. Hope for a tiny piece of happiness.

I inhaled Pennies in small doses to give my heart time to slow its beating, my body time to slow its breathing, and my brain time to compress the magnitude of twists and turns this story evoked. I could not put the captivating Pennies down, yet I had to do so a few times to calm my emotions from this story’s sensory storm.

From the first few pages, Pennies had me questioning if this story was even darker than Indebted. I wondered if my body and mind could handle this difficult of a read, one with a more simple plot---compared to the complex Indebted series---but perhaps more painful. Pennies instantly tore my heart apart, shattering it as it lay on the ground, with little hope for salvation.

"Freedom. I had it. But then, I lost it. Murdered, resuscitated, and sold."

Tasmin Blythe was killed on her 18th birthday, kidnapped and sold into slavery where she became Pimlico 'Pim.'

"He killed me. I hadn't been able to stop him. So why couldn't he have left me dead?"

Monsters lurk in the dark but Pim's monster rules the light too. Her owner, Master A, is the epitome of evil. I wanted to snuff out this sadistic sorry excuse for a human's life throughout the story.

"I was Pimlico the Mute, the Voiceless Woman in White. No matter what that man did to me, I didn't break...I remained speechless and strong."

Pim has been to a hell so heinous that I would not wish it on my worst enemy. She has waded through the depths of darkness with only a sliver of hope as light.

"I don't want to die because I'm weak. I want to die because it's the last thing I can do to win."

Despite the hardship through the pits of hell, Pim is a warrior armed with her head in a battle of wills that aid her through the abuse. I admire her courage and tenacity. She wields power like a knife.

"I'm worth everything. And I've finally had enough."

As Tasmin, the beautiful green-eyed and dark-haired Pim came from lots money and now she has none. The gorgeous dark-haired and dark-eyed Elder Prest came from nothing and now he has tons. Pim and Elder's paths cross, perhaps by fate, and an undeniable connection is instantly formed, one too powerful to break.

"I'd been interested in this girl since the second I noticed her...She did fear me. It stank the cage we stood in. But she hated me more."

I love Elder Prest. I loathe him. I don't know what to think of this complex and caring yet scary man.

The chemistry between these two strangers is fire-hot...a slow burn. Passion that permeates from a mere look. Understanding from a shared bond that neither can grasp nor get.

"Heat swelled between us. Poisoning desire and consuming intoxication sucker-punched me in the chest. I wasn't the only one who felt it."

Elder is hot. Elder is hate, hope, and happiness. Intense and intoxicating, he is a force that filters dark with the light.

"A penny for your thoughts, silent one. Perhaps today you'll speak."

Elder may be Pim's worst nightmare or her biggest salvation. A wolf disguised in sheep's clothing or a saint to set her free.

"Tonight, I would either walk free or die free. Both were as appealing as the other."

My soul screamed for mercy. So lost it may never be found. Shredded to pieces. I was utterly immersed and intoxicated, completely overcome by this story. I devoured Pennies. I dreamt Pennies. This powerful page-turner caught me. Consumed me. Claimed me. I felt every word I read.

The spellbinding and spine-tingling Pennies shook my soul, grabbed my gut, and hit my heart so hard that my emotions bled long after the story was over. I wept at the ‘what ifs’ and cried hopeful tears for the future. I lived Pennies. I breathed Pennies. I was bound to Pennies. I became Pennies, a story worth billions in gold.

"Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness." ~Desmond Tutu

5 'but worth way more' glorious and gut-wrenching gold stars

[Clumsy Storyteller · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one hell of a story, I've read so many books by Pepper winters, yet she still surprises me, one day i'm going to have a heart attack, she will be the death of me.

[Natalie ~ The Biblioholic · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 "When No one becomes Someone" stars!!

Anyone who knows me knows that I'm a huge fan of Pepper Winters. I am completely obsessed with this author and her mad skills with the written word. And yes, I do stalk her ass on social media!

When I saw that the first book of her Dollar series was available:





Mr. Prest. Elder Prest. Yes, I am absolutely in love with this character. Gaaaaaahhhhhhh! He made this freaking book. He was the epitome of an anti-hero and totally won me over from the start. Was his heart pure? No. Did he have the greatest of intentions? Not so much. However, the code he seemed to live by instilled in him honour, respect, and integrity.

Tasmin/Pimlico. My heart broke for this unfortunate young woman. The horrors she face, the despicable abuse she had to endure, each scene showcased her inner strength, stubbornness, intelligence, and perseverance.

I am so excited about this series and cannot wait to see what is in store for Elder and Pim. I do wonder though... will she talk to Elder in Dollars?

[Kaleigh ❤️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

*****5 A PENNY FOR YOUR THOUGHTS STARS*****

This is a HAUNTINGLY, BEAUTIFUL tale of Kaitou (The Phantom Thief) and Mokusatsu (Kills with Silence).

I'm a fan of dark reads, I like that I can enter a world outside of my boundaries! Stories that can strip your mind and somehow make it acceptable to enter into uncharted territories. This story was different than the others I have read! It was dark, but not gritty. It was raw and not over cooked! It enraptured me! I COULD NOT PUT THIS BOOK DOWN I couldn't flip the pages fast enough. I stayed up into the wee hours of the night, KNOWING I have a toddler who wakes up at the butt crack of dawn! I didn't care, I would gladly suffer the exhaustion the next day! This book brought a chaos to mind! It flipped my world! It made other dark stories seem like child's play!



"FREEDOM. Such a modest word. It carried very little importance for those who had it. But for those who didn’t, it was the most precious, prized, and promised hope of all."

Tasmin/Pimlico/Pim at 18 was kidnapped. A transaction that was bought and sold to the highest bidder! Thrown into purgatory. To be honest, I always jump to the conclusion in "kidnapping/hostage" stories that the heroine will be sharing her fear and terror. Well, I think that's the biggest part that blew my mind with this one! She was terrified, she was scared, she was dying but she NEVER BROKE! SHE WAS NEVER WEAK! Her spirit stayed in tacked! In her mind, she played offense not defense! She stayed the AGGRESSOR!

"Tipping my chin, the podium put me higher than him as I looked down as if he were my subject and I was his queen. I would rule him. I would never bow."

"This bastard was just a man. Scum. Yes, he could hurt me. Yes, he could make me beg for death. But we were the same species. Same adversaries. And one day soon, I would figure out a way to win and be free of him."




Pim stayed mute for 2 years! It was her EMPOWERMENT! She also showed no outward responses to what she may be feeling on the inside! You would think this aspect of the book would make it harder to write this story because we are only reading the inner workings of her mind. It actually adds more to the story! I was spellbound by the inner monologue!

"He'd hurt me worse than I wanted to immortalize in graphite. He could defile me, abuse me, and even cajole me to speak, but I would never give him what he wanted most. MY VOICE"

"I’m tired. When does living become the wrong choice and death the right one? When does taking your own life become wiser than letting someone else destroy it? I don’t want to die because I’m weak. I want to die because it’s the last thing I can do to win."



Elder Prest. Mr. Prest. The devil dressed in angel wings. A tormentor, A killer, A thief. Cruel, Harsh and Dominant!
“I’m not the hero in this story, Pimlico. I’m another villain. You’d do best to remember that.” Or will he be her savior?

How can you feel a connection between these two characters if Pim doesn't ever say one word to him? Somehow, Pepper Winters spun a web to make their connection even more intense! Even though Elder has a darkness stirring inside him I fell in love with him! SERIOUSLY, READ THIS BOOK!

“You’re the worst because you’re an addiction. You have so many secrets that all I want to do is rip them out. You have secrets even you don’t know. It takes all my fucking willpower not to do what he does and hurt you to pry them free.”

“Sometimes, it isn’t what’s spoken that is the loudest reply, Mr. Åsbjörn,” Mr. Prest muttered. “And I’ve just learned all I needed without your slave uttering a single syllable.”......“You might not use your voice, silent one, but you speak all the same.”



I wanted to shout for her, fight for her. I couldn't take the silence anymore!






I could go on and on about this book but I feel like my review is long enough! Lol! Pepper Winters has pushed her way onto my favorite author shelf, favorite books shelf; HELL, she's pushed her way to the highest shelf on my bookcase! I'm so glad I have the next book in my hands! I honestly, wanted to skip this review and jump straight into the next one! However, I needed to share my obsession of this book with you! All my friends who like dark reads....you NEED TO READ THIS ONE!!! I can't recommend this one enough! And to those who have read this one and had to wait longer than me to read Dollars....


This is book 1 of 5!
THANK GOODNESS there will be 5 books to this series! I think it should go on forever! Lol!

***PLEASE be aware that this is a dark read and has dark subject matters that involve sex trafficking. Im not trying to scare you away I just don't want readers/reviewers shocked by this story and it resulting in a bad review because they couldn't handle the dark elements. I hate to see negative reviews or "DNF" reviews when the author clearly gives warning to the readers on the first page!

{I voluntarily reviewed this ARC that was graciously provided by TRSoR Promotions and Pepper Winters}

[⊱✿⊰ Alicia ⊱✿⊰ · Rating 5 out of 5]

That was unexpected!! I was blown away by this book, it dug its claws into me in the full page warning at the start of the book and only just released them as I finished.
I have been disappointed by this author in the past, so I was not expecting it to be as good as it was. It should come with another warning though: Do not start this book at the beginning of a work week. I could not stop myself from picking it up at every opportunity which was not as often as I would have liked, it would be a great book to read curled up on the lounge with no where to be.

To all my book friends who like a dark twisted tale take the gamble, you will not be disappointed.


I have read a few books that started out similar with the whole girl sold at auction thing, this one was original in that it did not sugar coat anything!! You were lead down a very dark path that instead of seeing light at the end it just kept getting darker. Pepper Winters did not shy away from things others have and I think it made the story more real for me.

Tasman/Pim, had so much inner strength and stubbiness, I really enjoyed her determination to stay strong and I loved how she got strength from writing her story to no one. It was interesting to me that her mothers profession and strictness also helped her stay strong.

Alrik/Master A, well what can you say about this man except maybe..............


Elder, I am not going to comment on him much as it is obvious his true colours are still hidden and we will see plenty of him in the second book. The one thing I will say about him is he is HOT and dam that tatt sounds awesome, I secretly or now not so secretly want to lick it LOL.

[❥ KAT ❥ Kitty Kats Crazy About Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

༺**Complimentary Copy**༺ Provided by the author
"Pepper Winters" in exchange for an honest review..Thank you!!



TITLE: Pennies
SERIES: (Dollar, #1) | Book 1 of 5
AUTHOR: Pepper Winters
GENRE: Dark | Romance
CHAPTERS: 33
RELEASE DATE: July 20th 2016

MY RATING: 5 STARS



PENNIES: This is Pimlico's and Elder's story.

Tasmin “At 18 I had pennies but money didn’t make me bold
At 19 I had dollars but it didn’t dull the pain of being sold
At 20 I had hundreds but then I met him and was found.
At 21 I had thousands, but all I wanted was to be bound.”

Elder “At 23 I had dollars but life changed and made me rich
At 25 I had hundreds but it wasn’t enough to stop my killing itch.
At 27 I had thousands but my reputation didn’t set me free.
At 29 I had millions but I met her and could finally see.”

Buckle your seat belts because this is going to be one turbulent ride!! How brave are you to jump on this ride??

This is a DARK ROMANCE and is definitely not one fairy tales are made up of, straight away your caught up in the harrowing dark, gritty story of a trafficked eighteen year old 'Tasmin Blythe' knew what freedom was until the day she was abducted from a charity event.

His hands went around my throat and strangled me, he killed me on the balcony of the ballroom only metres away from my mother. He brought me back to life in a world I no longer recognised



Held in a cell until she was SOLD to the highest bidder, Alrik Åsbjörn.

Given a new name 'Pimlico', Tasmin died that day, refusing to utter one word from this day forward.

From that day onward
I was Pimlico the mute
The voiceless woman in white.

Two years go by, no one hears her cries, her screams, her tears dripping down her face, her pleas to die. No one rescues her.

He called me his prized possession
I'm not
I'm his trophy to be tarnished and dented
and then put back on a mantel to fade from
gold to dirty bronze before being shoved in
a box and forgotten about.

Spoken in diary format in the words of Tasmin aka Pimlico, a heart breaking account of her time in her brutal captors hands, I shared my life with my imaginary pen friend, I couldn't write most confessions. it is not glossed over, it is raw, it is dark, it is a gut wrenching sob inducing read.



I've become a master of sleeping while chained
breathing while bound
And living while beaten.

Then enters Elder Prest right into the wolves den, a beaten slave and a richly dressed thief, he's there on a business deal, a dark handsome mysterious stranger, is he friend or foe??
Will he help her or leave her to rot in the dungeon of hell she's found herself in??
Is she jumping from the fire into the frying pan??





Forget everything you know about this author, she's taken us on the dark side before, but this is a wee bit darker to what you are used to by her. Even a torch won't help you see the light..

You need to go into this with an open mind, expect the unexpected, don't compare it to anything you have ever read previously before by Pepper Winters, think you've walked on the dark side before, think again..This will shake you to your core..

Each book needs to be read in order
Book 1: Pennies
Book 2: Dollars
Book 3: Hundreds
Book 4: Thousands
Book 5: Millions



*Teasers used are off the authors FB page*

[s · Rating 5 out of 5]

nope, i did not just reread this for the third time, don't look at me like that, yes im aware i have no life, goodbye and let me cry.

--
you know that fucking moment you have when you reread a fucking book you literally fucking read three goddamn days ago, but it fucking haunts you and you just fucking need to read it again because reading It once was just not fucking enough.

well yeah i just had that moment

[*TANYA* · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story is good, very good actually. I just can't deal with the repetitiveness of phrases and adjectives. They were unnecessary and tiresome Grrr. Lol.

For example: "You know so many secrets, I want to know all your secrets. You have secrets even you don't know."

[CC · Rating 5 out of 5]

At 18 yrs old, Tamsin Blythe is gone and there is only one person who knows where she is and if she will return. Upon being abducted, Pimlico was created to endure the physical brutalities of her handlers and owner, Alrik Asbjörn. Once Pim is introduced to her new home, she quickly learns how to read Master A’s expressions and behavior by using her innate ability of observation. These skills allow Pim to survive at the barest level but she is resilient and will not surrender completely to Alrik.

“You are no longer that slut. You’re my slut. You’ve been given the name Pimlico, and from now on, that’s all you are. Got it? You’re name-less, family-less, and mine.”

Knowing her time is limited, Pim holds true to keeping the last part of her that Alrik demands. While Pim’s options are glaringly ominous, her world irrevocably changes when her master’s business associate, Elder Prest, is invited into Alrik’s home. The relationship between Alrik and Elder is already strained but with Elder’s quick observation of Pim, he is caught off-guard and asserts himself in a complicated arrangement.

“He moved like liquid as if he held the power to drown everyone with a mere drop or eradicate entire landscapes with a tsunami.”

Once Elder makes his decision, Pim’s existence is called into question because everything she has known for the past two years of her captivity turns upside down forcing Pim to reevluate her methods. What ensues is psychologically and richly layered in darkness. What the future holds for Pim is unknown and with the change of events, there is no guarantee that her circumstances will improve.

“You think I’m a nice guy who will treat you with more respect than the men that marked you?”

“But I wasn’t a nice man. I was a tormentor. A killer. A thief.”

Pennies captivated me from the very first page with the focus on Pim with immediacy and intimacy. The level of unknown is palpable as Pim is forced to deal with her captivity only to realize she has no options. Told in first person, Pim’s plight is bleak and the fact the author doesn’t divulge every detail about Pim’s abuse, only adds to the psychological elements. Reading how Pim processes her circumstance is powerfully disturbing yet addicting. Adding to the tension is the steady plot cadence that intensifies Pim’s predicament. With Elder, his character is richly layered with complexities and striking contrasts thanks to his actions and his POV. The heaviness of what is to come is so deviously twisted that it made me question motives that may seem admirable on the surface.

“Sometimes, it isn’t what’s spoken that is the loudest reply.”

With proficiency and impactful prose, Pepper Winters successfully creates a sinful world where power, greed and evil rules. I highly recommend Pennies to anyone who is a loyal fan of Pepper’s writing and to those who haven’t experienced the dark journey yet!


Dollar series:


*Note: An ARC was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

(F)BR with the Shhluts!! Thanks, ladies!
Shh… ARC Giveaway: https://goo.gl/uqgC3u

[Aleatha Romig · Rating 5 out of 5]

My heart is pounding and I'm wanting more! That is what Pepper Winters' series do to me.

Pennies is just the first of her new Dollar series and I am head over heels in love with Elder Priest. Pepper has a way of making dark, deviant men utterly attractive and swoon worthy....Elder is no exception.

My heart broke for Prim.

Pennies is the first of five books and I know we are in for a bumpy but well worth it ride. This first book set the stage beautifully for what is presumably in store. I can not wait for the rest of this series...but I will...one book at a time until Elder Priest has me and Prim totally captive!

5 Fantastic stars!!! Start this series today!

[Jayme · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's hard to read this story. I had to stop several times to finish, not because it was bad, but it was so heavy. Very exciting ending will leave you in a point that you will be breathlessly waiting for the next part.

“FREEDOM. Such a modest word. It carried very little importance for those who had it. But for those who didn’t, it was the most precious, prized, and promised hope of all.”

Pennies is about a girl Tasmin who at the age of eighteen was kidnapped and sold as a slave and named Pimplico. For two years she was abused, used, beaten and humiliated. Her fate will change when threshold of her captors house exceeded Elder Prest. But he isn't a prince on a white horse, if anything a very black.

Be sure you know this before you start:
1, It's a mind blowing, disturbing dark romance.
2. Push you out of your comfort zone at every step. But also remain with you long days after you finished it.
3. Ends with cliffhangers and will have the following four parts.

A long road ahead of us, but I think it's worth crossing. Although devastating, also fascinating because I wander in my head, what will happen next and I don't have the faintest idea. The characters are intriguing and we have plenty of things to find out about them. Especially enigmatic Mr. Prest. And despite how hard it was to read I can't wait.

I don't think that we can say that anyone can like this book. I gave this book 5 stars, because it touches me and triggers my emotions. The book raises a difficult subject, which exists somewhere and moves you to the very bone. I admire the author, she is brave to write this kind of story, and I think that you have to be brave to read it. Cause you never for a moment think that it's a easy story.

***

[Maya · Rating 5 out of 5]

4,5 STARS

Believe it or not but this is my second book by this author and I didn't like the first one that I've read by her. So I don't know what hit me when I picked up this book but I got to tell you, I freaking love it! Seriously, the story is right up my alley. The plot is dark with lots of elements that would make the reader really feel the pain and the live that Tasmin or as she is later called Pim is living every single day at the hands of her buyer/captor/master.

After trusting the wrong person, Pim's life makes a 180° turn and we get to see all almost all the gory details of her captivity. She get's beaten so many times, I honestly don't know how she's still alive and not only that, the beatings are not the worst part. The sexual and mental abuse are most horrific parts of her captivity. She gets depersonified and is treated as an expensive possession, master's favourite toy, that he quite often likes to share with his horrible friends. I have so much respect and empathy for her. She's such a strong character and I love how the story unfolds. They
may have broken her body but they never broke her spirit and that is what makes her a survivor and not just a victim. The ending is my favourite part, since we get to see at least some justice for what's been done to her.



Her captor is an extreme sadist and clearly very disturbed. No sane person would do such horror as he did. We get to see glimpses of his mental instability, like near the end of the story, and his obsession with his possession is truly on a level I will never fully understand. I think you'd have to be at least a bit mentally ill to fully grasp his reasons for his doings. His friends very pure evil but he himself, is in my opinion, just a sick individual that needed some serious help. But in the end, I guess fate took that into it's own hands and I'm actually really glad by the story's ending.

Now, as for Elder's character, I still don't quite get him. He's not a good person but I also don't think he's a completely evil one, either. He's definitely intrigued by this girl, who writes s many notes to No One. We get to see some glimpses of his personality in his POV but I think there is still so much hidden and that makes him a very unpredictable yet very interesting person.



I think the following books will be quite entertaining and with many plot twists. I definitely am looking forward to that and can't wait for the next book to come out!

ARC received in exchange for an honest review.

[Mali Mor ❤️ The Romantic Blogger · Rating 4 out of 5]

📚 “𝗜’𝗺 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗼 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆, 𝗣𝗶𝗺𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗼. 𝗜’𝗺 𝗮𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘃𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗻. 𝗬𝗼𝘂’𝗱 𝗱𝗼 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁.” 📚
(From "Pennies")

Pepper Winters is the Queen of Darkness – I love her writing, her creativity and the amazing way she manages to close all the loose ends… Although I eagerly read her every book as soon as it comes out, I'm totally ashamed to admit that I have just finished reading this crazy series!!! 😱💸

📚 “𝗘𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗱𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗜’𝗱 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗻. 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗺𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝗼 𝗺𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗺𝘆 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲. 𝗛𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗺𝘆 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁.” 📚
(From "Dollars" )

18-year-old Tasmin's perfect and organized life is forever changed – and she finds herself being kidnapped and sold as a sex slave to a wicked sick man, named Alrik (Master A). 😈
Her life with him is full of violence and pain.
Alrik change her name to Pimlico and breaks her, piece by piece. He can strip everything of her, but not her voice… For two full years Pimlico doesn't utter a word! 💸

However, her life is changed again after the arrival of a mysterious man named Elder Prest into their lives. Elder is a professional thief and despite the big deal between him and Alrik, his curiosity is growing and he decides to take advantage of his power and demand night alone with Pim. A night when hope returns to her life and passion to his life. 🔥

📚 "𝗜 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲, 𝘆𝗲𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗺𝗲 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲. 𝗗𝗼' 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝗲𝗲?" 📚
(From "Hundreds")

This series tells the story of Elder and Pim's long journey towards their happy ending – her way of finding her voice again… and his way of understanding who he is and where he belongs, after years of not knowing. ❤

As the story progressed, I was a mess of emotions. I was hurt, I was angry, I was worried… Then slowly, I also felt the hope, the passion and finally – ALL the love! 😍😍😍

📚 “𝗬𝗼𝘂'𝘃𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗻𝗼 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗲���𝘀𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱.
𝗬𝗼𝘂'𝘃𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗹𝗲𝗻 𝗺𝘆 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁.” 📚
(From "Thousand")

I heard about Elder so many good things that I was worried about my stable relationship with Jethro, God bless his soul… Now that I'm done, I can say that with all duo respect – Jethro is still my number one. 😂

This series has it all: there were parts that my mouth reached the floor… there were parts where nothing happened for what felt like ages… there were shocking parts and hot parts… dark parts and emotional parts… parts full of love that made my heart shake… but no matter what happened in the plot, one thing is for sure – NO ONE WRITES DARK LOVE STORIES LIKE PEPPER WINTERS. 👑👏😈

📚 "𝗛𝗲’𝗱 𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗺𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝘂𝘆 𝗺𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗵𝗲’𝗱 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗺𝘆 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲." 📚
(From "Millions")

Book 1- Pennies: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Book 2- Dollars: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Book 3- Hundreds: ⭐⭐⭐
Book 4- Thousands: ⭐⭐⭐
Book 5- Millions: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

• I listened to the AUDIO version. 🎧

▪️▫️▪️▫️▪️▫️▪️▫️▪️▫️▪️▫️▪️▫️▪️▫️

📖 ᖴOᒪᒪOᗯ ᗰE Oᑎ IᑎᔕTᗩGᖇᗩᗰ: https://www.instagram.com/the_romanti...

📖 ᐯIᔕIT ᗰY ᗷᒪOG ᖴOᖇ ᗰOᖇE ᖇEᐯIEᗯᔕ: https://books-romance.com/

📖 GOOᗪᖇEᗩᗪᔕ: https://bit.ly/3acMRMP

💕 לקריאת הסקירה בעברית, כנסו לבלוג: https://books-romance.com/ 💕

[* Meli Mel * · Rating 4 out of 5]

♥ ♥ ♥ 4 STARS ♥ ♥ ♥

●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●

“A penny for your thoughts, silent one."

●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●

Tasmin is an eighteen-year-old girl with her whole future ahead of her. She has a mother that has money, although she may not be very loving but supports her in her career choice. Tasmin's life is a pretty happy one. That all changes when she is killed. She is choked to death and brought back to life and forced into a new identity.

●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●

“You’re worth pennies, but I’ll make you worth fucking millions. However, what I expect in return will be unpayable.”

●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●

Pimlico is now 20 years old. She was stolen and sold as a slave to a horrible evil man. All Pimlico knows now is constant pain and abuse at the hand of her Master. Pimlico's life has become complete torture, yet, she has remained strong through her silence. All Pimlico has in her life that makes her feels less alone are her secret journals to no one. Master A is determined to make her speak, and staying strong is proving to become tiresome for her. She's near the end of her rope when things take a turn for Pimlico when Elder Prest steps into her prison.

Elder Prest is quite the mysterious and powerful man. He seems to have many secrets and some demons of his own. He may appear to be cut from the same cloth as Master A, but there is something about him that is different. Pimlico is confused by him, but also wants to be near him. He is the only man that has shown her another form of treatment that didn't include pain. Elder Prest is just as intrigued by her as she is by him. He slowly becomes obsessed with her and wants her for himself.

●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●

'I wasn't a nice man.
I was a tormentor. A killer. A thief.
And I wanted to steal her courage drop by fucking drop.'

●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●

This book was so crazy. There was a warning in the beginning of this book, but I was like, "Yeah, yeah, I got it. I've read Pepper Winter's other books, so I should be fine." I was so wrong. This one made me cringe so hard at all the horrible dark things that occurred. My emotions were all over the place. My heart hurt so deeply for Pimlico. I just wanted her to finally escape from the horrible nightmare she lived daily. I wanted Elder to help her. I wanted Master A to pay for everything he ever did to Pimlico. I was biting my nails the whole time waiting to see what would happen next. Of course, it ended with a cliffhanger. I can't wait to see what happens next. I loved Elder Prest, so I can't wait to find out more about him and seeing how these two characters grow and change. I really recommend this one, especially if you are a fan of dark reads.

[★ Larissa ~ book crusher ~ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disclaimer: Just because this didn't work for me, it doesn't mean it might not work for you. This is my opinion and should only be taken as such. If you don't want to read an unfavorable review, then I warn you not to proceed.

Ok, right off the bat, I’m an avid dark romance reader and love my books edgy and even disturbing. Also, this is not my first rodeo with a (supposed) super dark romance and I can guarantee you it won’t be my last. This isn’t even my first Pepper Winters book. I read Tears of Tess and I actually gave it a positive review. I feel like all these things need to be said before heading into review territory because people might get the idea that the reason I’m rating this 2 stars is because I can’t take the dark. That is not the case.

I don’t particularly care if a book toes the line of morality, crosses it and kicks it to the curb. All I care is that the story is deftly written. I don’t want my characters or romantic heroes squeaky clean, I can take them being total bastards, but I need them to make some sort of sense. I need the story to make some sort of sense. This book, to be honest, just didn’t do it for me. I plain and simply didn’t like it. It was a failure on multiple levels.

This is supposed to be the first part of a 5 part series and it definitely reads that way. It almost feels like an overlong prologue. The hero takes his sweet time to make an appearance and once he does, my anticipation fizzled. The first half was passable in that I kept hoping the buildup would lead to something interesting happening, but it sort of never did. After the halfway point the story became a drag and it never recovered. The hero wasn’t that deliciously dark devil I expected. He was more of an “eh whatever” at best.

I could never understand what this character’s motivations truly were because even though we do get his POV, it’s so wishy washy and flip floppy, it’s as if the author herself didn’t even know what to make of him. His scenes read hesitant and lukewarm. He wants to hurt the heroine, but he doesn’t want to hurt the heroine, he likes her, but he doesn’t like her, he can’t stop thinking about her, but he stops thinking about her and causes her hideous harm by using her to undermine and humiliate her owner. He cares that her owner treats her like crap but he doesn’t care that her owner treats her like crap (especially because of his actions). Half the time I didn’t understand what the hell I was reading.

We get a “penny’s” worth of background information on all the characters, hero, heroine and villain, which basically means that if you had any desire to get fully fleshed characters that make a modicum of sense, you’re going to have to wait for future installments. Obviously, this is by design so people stay around after the cliffhangerish ending and try to find out more. I didn’t care to find out more. In fact, I was sorry I read this book and if I could, I’d get my four hours back.

Look, I understand that you need to wait around for answers, but this is supposed to be a full length novel. On that note it’s deeply unsatisfying. Tears of Tess was infinitely superior. It was part of a series, but it stood alone well enough that it didn’t feel like clickbait. This book was just repetitive and two dimensional. It fell flat as a penny (I’m wondering how many times I can work that word into this review).

The entire freaking book is ad nauseum repetition of this girl’s journal entries talking about physical, mental, emotional and sexual abuse at the hands of her owner. If you’re looking for something erotic and titillating? Look elsewhere. If you’re looking for thrills? Look elsewhere. If you’re looking for dark romance, look elsewhere. If you want a depressing, boring book where nothing much really happens until the last 10% and half the time you want to just poke your eyeball in frustration, you got it! This was disturbing, pathetic, depressing, boring, non-eventful and above everything, not very entertaining. It was so gruesome. Half the time I kept thinking, why the hell I was subjecting myself to that punishment. I mean, who gave two pennies? (ha).

My basic opinion is this is an inferior version of Tears of Tess. Basically, a remix of that story except without the charm and any sort of satisfying payoff. While during Tears of Tess I tolerated this author’s writing style, it was insufferable in this book. It was the definition of purple prose and try-hard. I have this handy system where I highlight quotes I like in yellow and quotes that are especially bad in blue. This book is covered in blue beginning to end. She loves her metaphors and runs wild with them. Cue the word salads and odd word choices:

My heart did its best to shrug off its death shroud and find hope once again. For so long, it'd packed up its stepladder and parachute, settling in for guerrilla warfare as I stayed alive by following fucked-up rules. But not, it shook off dust and battle debris, glowing with tentative crimson

My heart bucked like a bronco until I promised I'd wrap it in a noose to perform the gallows' jig if it didn't stop.

My skin broke out in fire and frost, battling for supremacy.

Damn, girl, you sure you don't have malaria?

His smile was a shark.

Sounds funny. I am picturing a shark smiling. I know, trippy.

His slave girl obeyed him, but she hated him with the death of a thousand shadows

Instead of rising to leave, Mr. Prest reclined comfortably on the settee. The squeak of expensive leather acted as a chorus bar on the appalling music still raining.

It's raining music, hallelujah, it's raining music... raining music!

The moment we made eye contact, my breath evaporated, and every vein attached to my heart popped free like a hose, spraying heated blood in scattered rivers in my chest.

I think I just gave myself a headache picturing that. Maybe she's standing on the surface of Mars without an astronaut suit and her body is exploding due to the lack of atmosphere.

This book would have worked better if she stuck to telling an engaging story and didn't try to write a damn poem.

I won't even go into details discussing all the stupid inconsistencies and downright laughable aspects of this "plot" because that's going to take me hours and this would be a bloodbath. I really don't want to head that way. Sadly, I honestly can't say I recommend this book unless you're into long, detailed and repetitive mentions of all kinds of abuse and are willing to wait around for something actually exciting to happen.



Arc provided in exchange for an honest review.

http://tbbsisterhood.com

[Elfina Renee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pepper Winter’s came with hurricane force and took few prisoners. Human trafficking and slave trading has alway been repulsive and this author gives an inside view. Up close and impersonal.

Don’t know who my heart broke more for, the imaginary No One or Pimlico. Surrounded in a world of predators, the actual fight to survival begins. The mindfuckery never stops! Lies, manipulation is at every corner.

Damn is it any wonder why I’m addicted to this author. Already counting down the days for the next release. Five blood chilling stars!

[warhawke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Genre: Dark Romance
Type: Book 1 of 5 from Dollar series
POV: First Person - Dual
Rating:




Tasmin Blythe lived a comfortable life even as she hated the expectations put on someone of her social standing. But all that she knew was ripped away when she was taken and sold to a monster. She was forced to adapt by learning it the hard way as Pimlico (Pim). Life with her Master was bleak until someone new shook up the dynamics.

Elder Prest was a visiting businessman. He was both loathed and feared for his work. He never let his personal interest interfered until he saw someone that triggered an inexplicable connection. While she might think he could be her savior, he could possibly be adding to her nightmare.



I always avoid series if I can help it. But after so many glowing recommendations and the promise of dark depravity, I caved lol!

Hunting was a lot of fun. Just like thievery. The trick to pulling off a great heist was to gain the trust of your intended victim first.

Before reading, I had a certain expectation for Elder to be a dark character. So far, I only see a hint of it. I like how he struggled with his inner demons and I hope to see more of it in upcoming books.



I like being in Pim's head and see how she rationalized to cope with her situations. When a character went through traumatic experience, I love to see how they make it and especially fascinated if they break from it :p

I didn’t have a saviour when I’d needed one. I had no intention of being a saviour to someone else.

I am not a fan of graphic violence but in this book, I actually wanted to see it rather than being told about it. I think it would add more impact to the character's suffering. But that's just me and my depraved needs haha!

Pennies is a story of a woman's struggle to survive a hostile situation. It is the first book in a 5 parts series with a promise of darker things to come.


Books in the series:



☽ ஐ ☾ . . . (F)BR With Loyda . . . ☽ ஐ ☾


For more reviews/reveals/giveaways visit:

[Eda** · Rating 5 out of 5]

** 5++ “you’ll never be found” STARS **

“A penny for your thoughts, silent one. Perhaps, today you’ll speak.”

She was Tasmin once. A beautiful young girl. Successful. Brilliant. Loving. She had a life planned out for her. A good life. Perhaps a happy one.

Then she was killed. She was only eighteen then.

Now, at 20, she is Pimlico . A broken piece of glass. A girl with nothing. Not even a voice. She is still dead because breathing doesn't always mean you're still alive.

“Sometimes, it isn’t what’s spoken that is the loudest reply.”

She is used to being beaten up and broken by men. But HE is different.

Elder Prest is a puzzle for Pimlico . An enigma. A man with so many secrets in his eyes. Anger and blackness. Cruelty, but also kindness.

More importantly, he knows... He can hear her. She doesn't need words and sounds. He can understand her thoughts. He knows. How? How is that possible?

I’d seen her once. Touched her once. Once would have to be enough. Because a man like me could never have a second chance. It was my most unbreakable law.

Elder had been no one once. A penniless thief. Not anymore... That life is behind him now. He has power and a plan to conduct. He is merciless and heartless. Still the monster he once was.

But then they meet. And now everything is in ruins.

He is quickly becoming obsessed with her. She is quickly getting caught up in his calming authority.

Once a thief, always a thief. He will get what he wants.

He will steal the silent girl and make her talk.

“I’m not the hero in this story, Pimlico. I’m another villain. You’d do best to remember that.”

OVERALL: For a dark romance obsessed freak like me, this book was HEAVEN. There's no doubt if you're looking for a little (or maybe a lot) twisted in your smut, Pepper Winters is the one to go to. I will be impatiently waiting in the shadows for more of Elder and his Mouse, and all the wretchedness they will come across along their journey. 100% recommended.

** ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review **

[Maida (Medley of Books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Re-Read: July 2021 - RATING UPDATED to 4 HEARTS!

RATING: 3 Hearts

Pennies has an intriguing blurb and even more unique name, and while Elder will pique curiosity, unfortunately Tasmin's character detracts from the deeper feelings of a dark, emotional read with her constant back and forth of "I'm strong"/ "I'm weak". Overall, my first Pepper Winters book was okay.

As always, so much fun with Suzanne! Love you! Muah. <3
-------

Before Reading:

First Pepper Winters book!! So excited! BR with my lady love, Suzanne! <3 ;P

[Sonya ♕Chatterbooks book blog♕ · Rating 4 out of 5]

★★★★4 Stars★★★★



"You're worth pennies. But I'll make you worth fucking millions".

You know without a doubt that if you open up a book and there's a warning, not just any warning, I'm talking an entire freakin page: You're in for some deep sh*t. So what did I do? I went ahead and read the warning and about halfway through the story, I wanted to smack myself for not listening to it. There are some books that pushes the limit and takes you out of your comfort zone and there are some that down right makes you cringe and question your own morals. But do you stop reading? HELL.NO.

At Eighteen years old, Tasmin had the perfect life. Her mother was well off with having money, she loved going to school and was looking forward to pursuing a career as a psychologist. But on one fateful night, her life as knows it was over. Kidnapped and sold as a sex slave, Tasmin is now known as Pimlico by her Master. Evil was now a part of her future instead of going to school and torture became a normal thing for her. But there is someone else that she needs to be worried about and he's not someone you want to mess with.



"I wasn't a nice man. I was tormentor. A killer. A thief. And I wanted to steal her courage drop by fucking drop"..

Elder Prest didn't have a lot when he was growing up but when he reached his twenties, he became a millionaire. Now he has it all. An Empire, Money, Power, Respect, and earth shattering fear from anyone that crosses his path. But how did he get there? How many secrets and bodies did he have to rack up to be one of the most feared bussinessman around? While settling a deal, he meets Pimlico and is drawn to her. But does he want to save her from her own personal hell or add more fire to her demise?

I'm going to be honest and say that this story is NOT for everyone. There were moments where I cringed at certain scenes and held my stomach and I couldn't believe how evil some people could be. With that being said, this story defenitely kept me guessing on what was going to happen next. Ms.Winters takes you to the edge but leaves you with just a flicker of hope. I loved how she makes you fall in love with someone but at the same time question everything about that person! Are there two bad guys or one?

My only problem was that I would've liked to see more action but knowing that this is the first one in a five part series, I understood why it was done this way. So to all my dark reader fans, this is the book for you but just know that you've been warned.

*Arc kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.

[K · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my gosh. This book. I have no words. It was so intense. I cried. This books touched my soul. I strongly recommend this to readers who love psychologically stimulating and dark reads. I DO NOT recommend it to anyone who cannot handle abuse stories.

On to read Dollars!!! Toodles!