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Taken by You #1
Taken by You
There are three things I know about Blake 1. He's a billionaire.2. He makes Brad Pitt look ugly.3. He has a secret room in his penthouse for playtime.How do I know number three, you may ask? I let him take me, and in more ways than one.This is the first book in a completed trilogy, all of which are available. The book features alternating points of view by chapter.
213 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 10, 2015
326 people are currently reading
1005 people want to read
About the author
M.L. Young
27 books81 followersM.L. Young is an author currently living in Illinois. She is the author of The Stipulation Serials. To find out more and to stay up to date on all things related to the books, follow her on Twitter and Facebook.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews
April 1, 2025
There's the real thing, and then there's everything that tried to ride the real thing's coattails and fell off. This is as true for the good as it is for the bad. Nobody would say the music of the Backstreet Boys transcends the ages and makes the heart fly, but it does possess a degree of credibility, however low, that the likes of O-Town and Dream Street and Boys Who Cry could never hope to match.
And so it is with bizarre fascination that we observe M.L. Young's Taken by You, one of myriad erotic romances that rips off Fifty Shades of Grey even more shamelessly than Fifty Shades of Grey ripped off Twilight while also doubling down on all of its worst qualities. No Liam Neeson in this one, unfortunately. What a shame. I was really looking forward to seeing an ex-Green Beret electroshock the hero to death.
It's cool, Liam. I've got this.
Our heroine is Penelope, also known as Penny, also known as Anastasia goddamn Steele, but mostly Penny. Like Ana, she hails from a small town and is intimidated by a major West Coast city. Like Ana, she has a pushy roommate whose sole functions are to annoy her and make her look hotter. Like Ana, she's about to graduate from college, only in computer science instead of English lit. Like Ana, she's blandly pretty, has cripplingly low self-esteem, and all in all is as fun as a root canal.
Penny is interviewing for a coding internship at RandomMeetX, this universe's version of Tinder and the brainchild of one Blake Hunter, enigmatic intimidating mercurial grumpy gorgeous sharp-dressed control freak dominant alpha billionaire bosshole extraordinaire. Who really sucks at naming his app, by the way. I'm just going to call it Fuckster.
As is typical of this genre, M.L. knows nothing about West Coast tech culture. Employees care more about free snacks and game tables than workloads and hours? No, they don't. Read a magazine once in a while. CEOs wear suits, even if nobody else does? No, they don't, not unless some event necessitates it. They show up in fleeces and running shoes like everyone else. CEOs are hot and can have their pick of interns without the implication of a quid pro quo? HA. This is the actual founder of Tinder. You tell me.
Blake catches a glimpse of Penny in the waiting area and decides he wants to interview her personally. Why? Because she's a plainly dressed brunette whose mouth isn't constantly hunting for blowjobs, which of course means she's Not Like Other Girls™. She's the perfect candidate for someone he can "mold" into his ideal woman, at least until he gets bored. This is his actual thought process. "Mold" is his word. Swooning yet?
Penny finds Blake facing out the window of his office with his hands behind his back.
He doesn't seem especially interested in her aptitude as a coder. He tells her she has beautiful eyes. He invites her to dinner for a more "intimate" interview. Because he wants to sleep with her, Penny wonders? Naaaaaaaaah. This has to be the routine process. He even told her it is! Why would he say that if it weren't true?
So she goes home and gets dressed for her completely normal, bog-standard dinner date with the CEO of the company for which she wants to intern. This should do nicely, right?
Not according to Pushy Roommate. Let's try something to make Penny look more desirable.
Perfect!
Blake's driver take Penny to a restaurant that's completely empty, save them. Sheesh, Blake, wouldn't it have been cheaper to get a private room? You're not going to be a billionaire much longer if you maintain that level of misspending. Innocent Midwestern dolt Penny wonders about such exotic ingredients as pâté and foie gras, probably mentally pronouncing them as "pate" (rhymes with "late") and "foy grass." See, Blake? You're wasting your money on this one. Just take her to Chuck-E-Cheese next time.
But the food is only a means to an end. As is Blake's hideously expensive, likely horrifically unreliable Italian supercar. The end is a trip to Blake's secret book-operated staircase, which leads to his sex room, which he's poetically dubbed his "sex room."
You know what's next. Blah blah blah oh blah blah blah ah blah blah blah yes blah blah blah here measure my dick blah blah wait what?
Yes. He makes her measure his dick during foreplay. Eight inches, for those keeping score. What kind of man would give away his blatant sexual insecurity so easily?
...Well, yeah.
Penny spends the night, even though Blake normally doesn't let women do that, but he's made an exception for her because she's The Special. A few days later, they make a coffee date, in which he offers her a job. As a coder? Nope. As his personal prostitute. She's the one who uses that term, but Blake doesn't like it. You're giving the girl money and baubles in exchange for sex, my dude. If you have a more accurate term for that, I'd love to hear it. Intergenital commerce?
For the rest of the book, there's no plot. None. Penny gossips about Blake with Pushy Roommate. Penny gets the full not-prostitute treatment from a flutter of Makeover Fairies. Penny has lighthearted conversation and delicious meals with Blake before they hightail it back to the sex room, where she, despite only having had unremarkable sex with one or two other guys before, is soon taking loads on her face with the best of them.
How is Blake handling having feelings? Fine. It's fine. No trouble at all. He mentioned earlier how much he loved CONTROL, SWEET, SUCCULENT CONTROL, over everything—even refusing to hear the most cursory details of a proposed merger with the Jones Corporation (THE Jones Corporation?!?!?!)—due to something bad that happened in 2011. But his feelings for this wonderful plank of drywall have run away with themselves, and... it's fine.
I used to get mad at E.L. James for beating the drum about Christian's trauma every chance she got. I may owe her an apology.
No, I don't. This is all her fault anyway.
There's also mention of some guy who used Fuckster to rape a girl and cut her into neat little squares. Blake solves that within about 30 seconds by saying two sentences about security verification. And nobody ever got raped after using a dating app again! Go Blake!
But this is a trilogy, so of course disaster must ensue by the end. First there's a mention of some guys who wanted to do a "shady" deal with Blake, who will so obviously be the villains in the next two books that they might as well have crows flying around them at all times. Then there's Blake's BFF, who casually spills the beans to Penny that he only hired her as his not-prostitute so she wouldn't sue him for having sex with her and then not giving her an internship.
Penny confronts Blake. He admits the truth. She breaks up with him and cries. Pushy Roommate feeds her ice cream. He decides he needs her back because she made him have feelings. The end.
God, I wish.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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March 26, 2024
quick soft spice read
An okay read, in simple language with a tired age old plot. No surprises with the story line, and the spice is average.
It didn’t hook me enough to want to get the rest of the series.
An okay read, in simple language with a tired age old plot. No surprises with the story line, and the spice is average.
It didn’t hook me enough to want to get the rest of the series.
February 5, 2016
2.5 "not for me" Stars
So this was a free copy and I thought I'd try it out. I haven't read anything from Young before and it was short so I gave it a try. Well I am sorry to say that this one is just not for me. I found myself skimming so much of it even the "sex" scenes because it was way too much and not in a good way.
The characters had conflicting qualities/actions, Penny was supposed to be this frumpy little good girl who doesn't see a point in having one night stands. She feels there should be some sort of connection between the partners (well good for her) but then goes and hooks up with her potential boss the first night she meets him. And in his sex room no less... I mean really. For such a good girl she takes all his "kinks" in stride never once balking at what he asks her to do. I had a hard time melding the two Penny's together as one. They just didn't fit. And then to agree to become his "girlfriend" for payment supposedly went against what she believed in but then does it anyways.
And Blake well he is the typical control freak billionaire that we have seen done all too often. Except Young tries to make us see him as a man misunderstood a softy at heart so to speak. But I didn't really get that. He seemed like a self-absorbed jerk for the most part though his word and some of his actions towards Penny showed him differently. He still came across as insincere I guess. I don't know, I really had a hard time rooting for him as man in general let alone him and Penny as a couple. Then there were the things he would say to her! Way too often I found myself snickering and rolling my eyes thinking who says or does those things.
The ending was strange, it was sort of a cliff hanger and sort of not. I know Young was wanting us the readers to want to know what will happen with them next. But I honestly thought that this could be the end and I would be okay with that. So I am not sure how to feel about how it ended.
I wasn't too impressed with this one but if you want a quick read that you don't have to invest emotionally in then this is worth check out.
So this was a free copy and I thought I'd try it out. I haven't read anything from Young before and it was short so I gave it a try. Well I am sorry to say that this one is just not for me. I found myself skimming so much of it even the "sex" scenes because it was way too much and not in a good way.
The characters had conflicting qualities/actions, Penny was supposed to be this frumpy little good girl who doesn't see a point in having one night stands. She feels there should be some sort of connection between the partners (well good for her) but then goes and hooks up with her potential boss the first night she meets him. And in his sex room no less... I mean really. For such a good girl she takes all his "kinks" in stride never once balking at what he asks her to do. I had a hard time melding the two Penny's together as one. They just didn't fit. And then to agree to become his "girlfriend" for payment supposedly went against what she believed in but then does it anyways.
And Blake well he is the typical control freak billionaire that we have seen done all too often. Except Young tries to make us see him as a man misunderstood a softy at heart so to speak. But I didn't really get that. He seemed like a self-absorbed jerk for the most part though his word and some of his actions towards Penny showed him differently. He still came across as insincere I guess. I don't know, I really had a hard time rooting for him as man in general let alone him and Penny as a couple. Then there were the things he would say to her! Way too often I found myself snickering and rolling my eyes thinking who says or does those things.
The ending was strange, it was sort of a cliff hanger and sort of not. I know Young was wanting us the readers to want to know what will happen with them next. But I honestly thought that this could be the end and I would be okay with that. So I am not sure how to feel about how it ended.
I wasn't too impressed with this one but if you want a quick read that you don't have to invest emotionally in then this is worth check out.
January 20, 2016
I don't know about this book, to be honest. The cover is very misleading because when you see it, you expect to be mindfucked, some kinkery shit but in reality this book is as vanilla as can be.
There's huge inconsistencies in both characters in terms of their characterization. For the hero, we were told the Hero was a huge control freak, he controls every aspect of his life and even fired people because they don't submit to him. And then we were introduced to this fella and it was so anti climatic because he didn't live up to our expectations at all. He was controlling for all 3 seconds and then he's all Vanilla, Vanilla, Vanilla. Like I said --inconsistent and very OOC.
The heroine on the other hand, maybe it's just me but she seemed very virginal at first, so determined to make it on her own. When she had sex with the hero, she was suddenly so in charge??? It was weird to me.
Also what bothered was the zero to nothing relationship build up between the two. They were all touch and small gestures so early in their relationship. It's unrealistic and not believable enough for me, sorry to say.
There's huge inconsistencies in both characters in terms of their characterization. For the hero, we were told the Hero was a huge control freak, he controls every aspect of his life and even fired people because they don't submit to him. And then we were introduced to this fella and it was so anti climatic because he didn't live up to our expectations at all. He was controlling for all 3 seconds and then he's all Vanilla, Vanilla, Vanilla. Like I said --inconsistent and very OOC.
The heroine on the other hand, maybe it's just me but she seemed very virginal at first, so determined to make it on her own. When she had sex with the hero, she was suddenly so in charge??? It was weird to me.
Also what bothered was the zero to nothing relationship build up between the two. They were all touch and small gestures so early in their relationship. It's unrealistic and not believable enough for me, sorry to say.
November 18, 2016
This was the first book I read from this author and I enjoyed it . Yes the title and the way the book goes is a little different but I did enjoy the characters of the book . With Penny wanting to internship to help pay her bills thru the last year of college , but when Blake laid eyes on her she didn't know who he was . But later found out and things changed really quick for her . Look forward to reading the next book
August 26, 2019
Ok so this had mixed reviews but I always make my own mind up when it comes to a book. This is about Penny, she’s trying to get an internship as a coder while graduating college. At her interview she meets the CEO Blake Hunter, he’s gorgeous but a man who demands control, unfortunately he can’t seem to help himself when he sees penny, this turns out to be a mistake he comes to regret.
This book was ok as a read, I found the characters a bit wooden, Penny is a straight girl, not bowing down to society standards not needing a rich man which is what attracts Blake to her but he was still governed by his needs, causing her to miss out on an opportunity that she wanted but seemed happy to walk away from for him. I didn’t like how she just gave in to him so easily, or how young she seemed. The story and plot were good but it was a bit too unemotional, there are some seriously sexy moments, very little angst, but it just didn’t seem to flow realistically. I have the series so I will continue to see if things improve.
This book was ok as a read, I found the characters a bit wooden, Penny is a straight girl, not bowing down to society standards not needing a rich man which is what attracts Blake to her but he was still governed by his needs, causing her to miss out on an opportunity that she wanted but seemed happy to walk away from for him. I didn’t like how she just gave in to him so easily, or how young she seemed. The story and plot were good but it was a bit too unemotional, there are some seriously sexy moments, very little angst, but it just didn’t seem to flow realistically. I have the series so I will continue to see if things improve.
January 20, 2021
No, just no. If you are looking to read this book, understand that it was written with a teenager's viewpoint of the world. Maybe not a teenager, but a very immature 20 year old. The characters, whether the main or supporting, are not developed so that a reader can be sympathetic. I thought Blake was the fantasy of a 15 year old girl and was trying very hard to look and act like Christian Grey (and we know HE wasn't a dominant, so I'm not sure what this guy thought he was, or what the author wanted to make him).
It is not a book to read if you want to get deep into personalities or plot. I made it about a third of the way through before I had to set it aside and think about whether I wanted to finish it. I NEVER have to think about wanting to finish a book.
I hate having a book on my Kindle that sits as a testament to a bad purchase.
It is not a book to read if you want to get deep into personalities or plot. I made it about a third of the way through before I had to set it aside and think about whether I wanted to finish it. I NEVER have to think about wanting to finish a book.
I hate having a book on my Kindle that sits as a testament to a bad purchase.
June 1, 2017
Eh... not totally bad but not the best. I couldn't figure out WTF was going on with the heroine.... Like just because you write in the book she was a good girl yada yada yada, doesn't make her one. How are you going to say she's sooooo innocent, blushes at that thought of online dating, but is A-OK with screwing a guy for money? Dude the inconsistency had me spinning, The guy (NOT A HERO) was an ass, not a sexy love to hate ass, just an ass. The girl got on my every loving nerves (sweetie he's paying you for sex... where you expecting prince freaking charming)??? EH it was a nice little read BUT THANK THE HEAVENS I didn't pay for it!!
August 24, 2019
Good sex scenes.. underdeveloped plot
I liked the idea of the story and I enjoyed the characters, but I feel the plot was left to be desired. There were many instances that could've driven the plot forward and made the story more interesting, but they were all glossed over. The sex scenes were steamy and we'll written but only in the first half of the book. The second half was filled with meaningless details of mundane activities. I'm still interested in reading the next book, however if it's similar to the first I more than likely won't read the third
I liked the idea of the story and I enjoyed the characters, but I feel the plot was left to be desired. There were many instances that could've driven the plot forward and made the story more interesting, but they were all glossed over. The sex scenes were steamy and we'll written but only in the first half of the book. The second half was filled with meaningless details of mundane activities. I'm still interested in reading the next book, however if it's similar to the first I more than likely won't read the third
February 19, 2019
Eh, ok
The story is pretty familiar, awkward girl gets noticed by a billionaire. They have an affair and pays her rent and tuition. It ends in a cliffhanger.
I think this could’ve been better if there was more story and not so much detail. The author spent too much time, in my opinion, describing what they were doing and not enough on the angst and feelings the characters were experiencing.
The story is pretty familiar, awkward girl gets noticed by a billionaire. They have an affair and pays her rent and tuition. It ends in a cliffhanger.
I think this could’ve been better if there was more story and not so much detail. The author spent too much time, in my opinion, describing what they were doing and not enough on the angst and feelings the characters were experiencing.
September 20, 2019
This book was so like 50 shades of Gray I’m surprised they published it.
It paralleled the storyline uncannily, girl meets billionaire at his office, she has a flat mate who she gets on well with. Billionaire fancies her but of course things never run smoothly, there is a friendly chauffeur and a trilogy of books, the first leaving you up in the air after a big row. Ring any bells ?
I enjoyed reading it but it was a little tame, haven’t made up my mind if I’ll read the other two as it’s so obvious what will happen anyway.
It paralleled the storyline uncannily, girl meets billionaire at his office, she has a flat mate who she gets on well with. Billionaire fancies her but of course things never run smoothly, there is a friendly chauffeur and a trilogy of books, the first leaving you up in the air after a big row. Ring any bells ?
I enjoyed reading it but it was a little tame, haven’t made up my mind if I’ll read the other two as it’s so obvious what will happen anyway.
June 28, 2018
Good read
Good read, keeps things interesting. Def recommend. Its a different book and i would not have guest the outcome. I literally read this book in one 2 and a half hours or so, because i could not put it down
Good read, keeps things interesting. Def recommend. Its a different book and i would not have guest the outcome. I literally read this book in one 2 and a half hours or so, because i could not put it down
April 15, 2019
DNF @ 15%
“What is this?” I asked, when I got to the top and looked at the dimly lit room.
“My sex room,” he said.
Seriously ???? Who says that?
Felt a little too juvenile in the writing for me. Great premise, no follow through.
“What is this?” I asked, when I got to the top and looked at the dimly lit room.
“My sex room,” he said.
Seriously ???? Who says that?
Felt a little too juvenile in the writing for me. Great premise, no follow through.
September 13, 2019
Taken by You (Taken by You Book One)
Thoroughly enjoyed this book. The storyline was good. The characters meshed well. Looking forward to reading Book 2
To be enjoyed with a good wine
Thoroughly enjoyed this book. The storyline was good. The characters meshed well. Looking forward to reading Book 2
To be enjoyed with a good wine
October 6, 2019
Another new to me author! Great read
I truly enjoyed reading this. Characters worked well together. Penelope is such a warm character I need to read book two to find out what happens next.
I truly enjoyed reading this. Characters worked well together. Penelope is such a warm character I need to read book two to find out what happens next.
September 22, 2020
Frustrated
Enjoyed the story, would probably read more by this author BUT won't because I was totally left hanging at the end. If author isn't confident enough to complete a book instead of trying to trick readers into buying next maybe should give up writing
Enjoyed the story, would probably read more by this author BUT won't because I was totally left hanging at the end. If author isn't confident enough to complete a book instead of trying to trick readers into buying next maybe should give up writing
June 22, 2021
Some parts were okay while other parts I wasn’t into. I feel that Penelope should’ve at least stayed and heard Blake’s side of the story. Even though he admitted to the deed, there’s always a reason behind an act. Overall it’s an okay read.
Read
April 25, 2023I just can’t. I did get to the end. But I won’t read the next instalment. The alpha doesn’t know what he is…strong or weak. The girl hasn’t a clue and drivels stupid.
Poorly written-sorry to say. Too many sentences saying nothing at all.
Poorly written-sorry to say. Too many sentences saying nothing at all.
February 19, 2017
Well-written. Nice story. Verty tame. Good book for general romance readers.
July 26, 2017
Good idea but didn't lose myself in this story. The characters didn't draw me in and I ended up not finishing this story.
August 5, 2018
To be continued
I can't find the 3rd book. Sorry, I read this part. How was it resolved? Such a joke. Probably won't read it if find.
I can't find the 3rd book. Sorry, I read this part. How was it resolved? Such a joke. Probably won't read it if find.
November 10, 2018
Taken By You by M.L. Young
Good story. Nice read.
I would have liked a little more story on Blake, but nice read.
Good story. Nice read.
I would have liked a little more story on Blake, but nice read.
September 8, 2019
Too redundent
It appeared to be just like something I've already read by another author. Not worth reading again. Sorry just not that interesting.
It appeared to be just like something I've already read by another author. Not worth reading again. Sorry just not that interesting.
November 17, 2019
Book
The book was good in the beginning but turned lacking the same depth as the beginning of the story towards the end. Did not like the ending.
The book was good in the beginning but turned lacking the same depth as the beginning of the story towards the end. Did not like the ending.
November 20, 2019
A Good Romantic Book
I was really enjoying this book and then it just abruptly ended with a lot of questions stirring in my head.
I was really enjoying this book and then it just abruptly ended with a lot of questions stirring in my head.
April 27, 2020
fast paced~~ loved the story between Penny and Blake.. worth reading
August 30, 2020
Good book BUT
This was a good story but I hate it when the author does this I won't be buying the next book.
This was a good story but I hate it when the author does this I won't be buying the next book.
September 19, 2020
Stilted and strange.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews