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Stripped #3
Pretty When You Cry
A new dark romance novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Wanderlust and Prisoner…
I came from a place of dirt floors and holy scriptures. They told me the world outside was full of sin, and the first night I escape, I find out it’s true. Ivan saves me, but he does more than that. He takes me. He makes me his own girl.
My conditioning runs too deep. Ivan sees what I am.
That’s the thing about showing a mouse to a cat. He wants to play. And it’s terrifying, even for me. Because the only thing darker than my past is his.
I came from a place of dirt floors and holy scriptures. They told me the world outside was full of sin, and the first night I escape, I find out it’s true. Ivan saves me, but he does more than that. He takes me. He makes me his own girl.
My conditioning runs too deep. Ivan sees what I am.
That’s the thing about showing a mouse to a cat. He wants to play. And it’s terrifying, even for me. Because the only thing darker than my past is his.
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First published October 20, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 316 reviews
October 5, 2015
Genre: Dark Erotic Romance
Type: Standalone Book 3 of Stripped series
POV: First Person - Female
Rating:
Candace grew up in a life bound by perverse religious teachings where rewards and punishments were determined by how much one sinned. She escaped their clutches and ran as far as she could with the limited resources she had and ended up in front of the Grand.
Ivan was the reclusive owner of the Grand, a strip club and meeting place for all other underground dealings. He took Candace under his wings where she turned her life around as Candy, the most popular stripper of the Grand. But a new life doesn’t mean she could run away from her past, when the past never really let her go.
I never really liked Candy in previous books, but I’ve always been intrigued by Ivan and their somewhat volatile connections, so I was excited to finally get the story behind it.
I was attracted to Ivan, not by his physical appearace, but by the power he yielded. I love how untouchable he was and how responsible he was towards the people under his care. He wasn’t a hero you swooned at, rather a hero you respected.
I certainly saw Candy in a new light. I never thought she had that kind of background since she was the flirtiest one. It’s amazing to see how she transformed from a scared timid young girl to who she was today, but behind that persona she was still the girl she left behind – obedient and in need of a “protector”.
This book was certainly the darkest one in the series, in term of both of their backgrounds and their current needs. They had a certain proclivity when it comes to their sexual needs – the daddy/little girl dynamics. I’ve read such filthy kinky books, but I felt a little weird about it in this one. Probably because I’ve never read it in “serious” setting lol!
There were a lot of spanking, but I wish there were more of the actual sex. There was a reason for the lack of it, but I was hoping when it happened it’d be hotter. I also wish there was more to Ivan���s past. There were some indications that could be elaborated but left unexplored.
Pretty When You Cry is a story of a woman’s escape from captivity and reinventing herself while still haunted by the past with added darkness and kinkiness.
Standalone books in the series:
For more reviews/reveals/giveaways visit:
Type: Standalone Book 3 of Stripped series
POV: First Person - Female
Rating:
Candace grew up in a life bound by perverse religious teachings where rewards and punishments were determined by how much one sinned. She escaped their clutches and ran as far as she could with the limited resources she had and ended up in front of the Grand.
Ivan was the reclusive owner of the Grand, a strip club and meeting place for all other underground dealings. He took Candace under his wings where she turned her life around as Candy, the most popular stripper of the Grand. But a new life doesn’t mean she could run away from her past, when the past never really let her go.
I never really liked Candy in previous books, but I’ve always been intrigued by Ivan and their somewhat volatile connections, so I was excited to finally get the story behind it.
“This is what makes you special, little one. Countless people have tried to hurt me, to kill me. You were the one to slay me.”
I was attracted to Ivan, not by his physical appearace, but by the power he yielded. I love how untouchable he was and how responsible he was towards the people under his care. He wasn’t a hero you swooned at, rather a hero you respected.
I certainly saw Candy in a new light. I never thought she had that kind of background since she was the flirtiest one. It’s amazing to see how she transformed from a scared timid young girl to who she was today, but behind that persona she was still the girl she left behind – obedient and in need of a “protector”.
He doesn’t make the pain go away. He makes me want more.
This book was certainly the darkest one in the series, in term of both of their backgrounds and their current needs. They had a certain proclivity when it comes to their sexual needs – the daddy/little girl dynamics. I’ve read such filthy kinky books, but I felt a little weird about it in this one. Probably because I’ve never read it in “serious” setting lol!
There were a lot of spanking, but I wish there were more of the actual sex. There was a reason for the lack of it, but I was hoping when it happened it’d be hotter. I also wish there was more to Ivan���s past. There were some indications that could be elaborated but left unexplored.
Pretty When You Cry is a story of a woman’s escape from captivity and reinventing herself while still haunted by the past with added darkness and kinkiness.
Standalone books in the series:
For more reviews/reveals/giveaways visit:
October 21, 2015
3 Stars
Let's talk dark erotic taboo. This depraved pervert can't get enough of it. Take a look at my read shelves and you'll see what I mean. I loves me some kink. But here's the thing, even my perviness has it's limit, and it doesn't matter who writes it or how amazing the book is, it is guaranteed to deflate my enjoyment quicker than whisky dick: The "Daddy/Little One" kink. Can I look past it to finish a book where I'm loving the story, as was the case here? Absolutely. Does it tickle my particular fancy?
True story.
Having not read the previous books in this series (yet), I had no issues at all reading this as a standalone even though it's book 4. I am planning on going back and rectifying this immediately though because I do Skye Warren's writing. The story is intense, captivating, deliciously depraved, and with Skye's signature grit added into the mix. As a matter of fact, I read the book cover to cover in one sitting. So that really goes to show you that the story alone is worth it.
Now I would not classify this as dark romance, but really dark erotica with a touch of taboo. Why? While Ivan and Candy have one intense relationship, this is not a story where I felt their undying devotion to one another. It was a depraved relationship; one of mutual need and kinks. Ivan needs to control and dominate, while Candy may be more take-charge in her life but is completely subservient with Ivan.
Candice met Ivan when she had nothing. Leaving behind everyone she knows and everything she has, she was running and desperate. Ivan fed on her need but not in a sexual way. At least not at first. After all, when they first meet she's only 16 years old. The sexual aspect of their relationship only comes into play three years later. I never did pick up on Ivan's age. Perhaps this was mentioned in the previous books, but I'm left to believe that he was considerably older and so the Daddy thing icked me out even more.
There's the added element of suspense that weaved into the plot flawlessly and I really enjoyed that aspect of it. Unfortunately as much as I loved Ivan and Candy individually, together they were just OK for me and I blame that entirely on the "daddy" thing.
Hurts in your private place?
Honestly, between Candy's inexperience, Ivan's domineering personality and need to "take care" of her, the sexual aspect of this book did absolutely nothing for me. At all. I didn't find it hot or erotic. It just was.
What kept me turning the pages was the suspense element, and I was highly underwhelmed with how everything resolved. I got almost no answers for anything. Except for one minor resolution everything else was left hanging in the air. I'm not sure if this is something that will be addressed in the future books, but I was disappointed with it in this one. It felt like a very quick resolution to a slow build up.
Skye Warren's writing is captivating enough to carry the book for me even though the daddy thing fizzled it, so it wasn't a dislike. While I can't say I loved it, I can't tell you I hated it either. I'm definitely hooked enough to read the rest of the series; previous and future books. Hopefully there will be no more Daddys in the next ones for my ovaries' sake anyway.
ARC courtesy of author in exchange for an honest review
For more reviews visit
I never wanted to be pretty. I never wanted to drive men to sin- until that was all I had left.
Let's talk dark erotic taboo. This depraved pervert can't get enough of it. Take a look at my read shelves and you'll see what I mean. I loves me some kink. But here's the thing, even my perviness has it's limit, and it doesn't matter who writes it or how amazing the book is, it is guaranteed to deflate my enjoyment quicker than whisky dick: The "Daddy/Little One" kink. Can I look past it to finish a book where I'm loving the story, as was the case here? Absolutely. Does it tickle my particular fancy?
True story.
Having not read the previous books in this series (yet), I had no issues at all reading this as a standalone even though it's book 4. I am planning on going back and rectifying this immediately though because I do Skye Warren's writing. The story is intense, captivating, deliciously depraved, and with Skye's signature grit added into the mix. As a matter of fact, I read the book cover to cover in one sitting. So that really goes to show you that the story alone is worth it.
Now I would not classify this as dark romance, but really dark erotica with a touch of taboo. Why? While Ivan and Candy have one intense relationship, this is not a story where I felt their undying devotion to one another. It was a depraved relationship; one of mutual need and kinks. Ivan needs to control and dominate, while Candy may be more take-charge in her life but is completely subservient with Ivan.
Candice met Ivan when she had nothing. Leaving behind everyone she knows and everything she has, she was running and desperate. Ivan fed on her need but not in a sexual way. At least not at first. After all, when they first meet she's only 16 years old. The sexual aspect of their relationship only comes into play three years later. I never did pick up on Ivan's age. Perhaps this was mentioned in the previous books, but I'm left to believe that he was considerably older and so the Daddy thing icked me out even more.
There's the added element of suspense that weaved into the plot flawlessly and I really enjoyed that aspect of it. Unfortunately as much as I loved Ivan and Candy individually, together they were just OK for me and I blame that entirely on the "daddy" thing.
"Don't lie to me, little one."
"Please let me come. I...I need to. It hurts in my private place."
Hurts in your private place?
Honestly, between Candy's inexperience, Ivan's domineering personality and need to "take care" of her, the sexual aspect of this book did absolutely nothing for me. At all. I didn't find it hot or erotic. It just was.
What kept me turning the pages was the suspense element, and I was highly underwhelmed with how everything resolved. I got almost no answers for anything. Except for one minor resolution everything else was left hanging in the air. I'm not sure if this is something that will be addressed in the future books, but I was disappointed with it in this one. It felt like a very quick resolution to a slow build up.
Skye Warren's writing is captivating enough to carry the book for me even though the daddy thing fizzled it, so it wasn't a dislike. While I can't say I loved it, I can't tell you I hated it either. I'm definitely hooked enough to read the rest of the series; previous and future books. Hopefully there will be no more Daddys in the next ones for my ovaries' sake anyway.
ARC courtesy of author in exchange for an honest review
For more reviews visit
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October 3, 2015DNF at 52%
One question for Ms. Warren about this book---
Gah. I couldn't wait for Ivan and Candace to get their story and she throws in THIS!?
I simply cannot stomach the Daddy and "little one" references/role play during sex. I like taboo but this just really rubs me the wrong way. I started out loving this book but I can stomach "Daddy" no more. Daddy is referenced in this book 25 times (and NOT to a dad). This is said and acted out between two lovers, Candace and Ivan.
Yah...No. And this happens repeatedly throughout their sexual encounters...added with a little spanking for being a bad girl. I understand it's related to her upbringing within a religious cult and feeling still so much like a little girl. It's her coping strategy I guess or Ivan's way of dealing with a sexually suppressed lover. I dunno. The story outside of it I loved but this just was overly distracting and left a bad taste in my mouth.
I've devoured the Stripped Series until now and have rated each book (aside from the novella) 5 solid stars. This was seriously my most anticipated book in the series as Ivan has always been such an enigma but the dynamics of their sexual relationship are just too unhealthy and f*cked up for my taste. She needs therapy and not a man to make her think he's her Daddy in the bedroom. This, however, will not prevent me from reading the next book in the series. I'm hoping it's West- and his heroine doesn't have "Daddy fantasies."
Advanced copy received by author in exchange for an honest review.
One question for Ms. Warren about this book---
Gah. I couldn't wait for Ivan and Candace to get their story and she throws in THIS!?
I simply cannot stomach the Daddy and "little one" references/role play during sex. I like taboo but this just really rubs me the wrong way. I started out loving this book but I can stomach "Daddy" no more. Daddy is referenced in this book 25 times (and NOT to a dad). This is said and acted out between two lovers, Candace and Ivan.
His cock flexes in my hand and I jerk back, letting him go with a sound of surprise.
"I'm sorry," I whimper. "It scared me."
"You're doing great, little one," he says soothingly. "You did exactly what I asked you to. Daddy will never get mad at you for that."
Yah...No. And this happens repeatedly throughout their sexual encounters...added with a little spanking for being a bad girl. I understand it's related to her upbringing within a religious cult and feeling still so much like a little girl. It's her coping strategy I guess or Ivan's way of dealing with a sexually suppressed lover. I dunno. The story outside of it I loved but this just was overly distracting and left a bad taste in my mouth.
I've devoured the Stripped Series until now and have rated each book (aside from the novella) 5 solid stars. This was seriously my most anticipated book in the series as Ivan has always been such an enigma but the dynamics of their sexual relationship are just too unhealthy and f*cked up for my taste. She needs therapy and not a man to make her think he's her Daddy in the bedroom. This, however, will not prevent me from reading the next book in the series. I'm hoping it's West- and his heroine doesn't have "Daddy fantasies."
Advanced copy received by author in exchange for an honest review.
October 12, 2015
3.75 stars
First off, I found out about the whole Daddy/Little things talk from Allison, so I was mentally prepared myself when I started on this. Okay, it weird me out and I'm the opposite of aroused. But thank God the heroine didn't outright said 'Fuck me, Daddy.' She mostly just said 'Please, Daddy'.
Okay, rant over. Back to the story itself,
When I met Candy previously, I never thought she is so young. The story started off when she was 16 and meeting Ivan for the first time after she runaway from some kind of religious cult. Present time, she is just nineteen. I used to assumed she's older because she's with Ivan, the boss.
Ivan, the owner of the stripper club all the previous heroines work at. There is non of his POV and I had no fucking clue what is in the man's head. I don't even know how old is he. He is stoic and emotionless most of the time. There is a rare moment when he open up about his past, but I don't even get the full picture. And why did he like being call 'Daddy'?
Candy and Ivan had a fucked up relationship for years, without the actual fucking. He likes to treat her like his little girl and spanked her, but not fucked her. On the other hand, Candy is totally in love with him and wanted him to see him as a woman. They are one messed up duo.
Meanwhile, there are threats aiming at Candy at the club. She is convince is someone from her past, wanting her back. Ivan being totally protective of her, is having non of it and no matter how Candy try to run away, he will always be there to catch her back.
Pretty When You Cry is not a flower and roses romance. Ivan and Candy relationship is plain weird and uniquely them. But most of the time, I'm intrigue by what length will Ivan take to keep her with him and his total devotion to her. The cult where Candy comes from adds a layer from danger and suspense to the story.
From the epilogue and the message from Skye at the end of the book, I'm pretty confident Clara and Gio's story is up next. Is about damn time!
First off, I found out about the whole Daddy/Little things talk from Allison, so I was mentally prepared myself when I started on this. Okay, it weird me out and I'm the opposite of aroused. But thank God the heroine didn't outright said 'Fuck me, Daddy.' She mostly just said 'Please, Daddy'.
Okay, rant over. Back to the story itself,
When I met Candy previously, I never thought she is so young. The story started off when she was 16 and meeting Ivan for the first time after she runaway from some kind of religious cult. Present time, she is just nineteen. I used to assumed she's older because she's with Ivan, the boss.
Ivan, the owner of the stripper club all the previous heroines work at. There is non of his POV and I had no fucking clue what is in the man's head. I don't even know how old is he. He is stoic and emotionless most of the time. There is a rare moment when he open up about his past, but I don't even get the full picture. And why did he like being call 'Daddy'?
Candy and Ivan had a fucked up relationship for years, without the actual fucking. He likes to treat her like his little girl and spanked her, but not fucked her. On the other hand, Candy is totally in love with him and wanted him to see him as a woman. They are one messed up duo.
Meanwhile, there are threats aiming at Candy at the club. She is convince is someone from her past, wanting her back. Ivan being totally protective of her, is having non of it and no matter how Candy try to run away, he will always be there to catch her back.
Pretty When You Cry is not a flower and roses romance. Ivan and Candy relationship is plain weird and uniquely them. But most of the time, I'm intrigue by what length will Ivan take to keep her with him and his total devotion to her. The cult where Candy comes from adds a layer from danger and suspense to the story.
From the epilogue and the message from Skye at the end of the book, I'm pretty confident Clara and Gio's story is up next. Is about damn time!
November 19, 2015
I thought that the earlier books in this series were fantastic, so I was a little disappointed that I didn't fall in love with this book. I had been looking forward to learning more about the enigmatic and dangerous owner of the strip club where all of the heroines have worked. The relationship between Ivan and Candy had been alluded to and built up in earlier books and I was dying to get my hands on their story.
Unfortunately, while I liked their story, I didn't love it. The relationship dynamics between Ivan and Candy were too bizarre for me. Also, any time the word "Daddy" is used in a sexual context it's off-putting to me. Since Ivan insisted that Candy refer to him as her "Daddy" during their sexual encounters, I spent a lot of time feeling uneasy.
Aside from that, I have to admit that even though I didn't sense the same intimacy and connection with these main characters, I could tell that they cared for one another. The two were just so damaged that I never felt "let in" enough to feel any connection to Candy, and especially Ivan. They were completely closed off, to each other and to readers. As much as I wanted to feel something for them, any sentiments were superficial, at best.
Oh, and there was a lot of spanking! If you have a spanking fetish, this book is like striking spanking gold! Every time I flipped the page, it seemed like poor little Candy was getting spanked for being naughty. It got old...Really old. Again, just not my thing.
All in all, it was an "okay" story for me. It wasn't everything that I'd hoped for, but I'm sure it's somebody's dream come true. Each of the books in this series, to this point, could be read as standalone novels. This is the first one that has been a miss for me, so I'll certainly continue the series.
I'm looking forward to the next book, which is set to be released next year. Finally, we'll get the story that we've wanted and take it back to where this all started, with Giovanni and Clara's story. I definitely don't want to miss that!
Unfortunately, while I liked their story, I didn't love it. The relationship dynamics between Ivan and Candy were too bizarre for me. Also, any time the word "Daddy" is used in a sexual context it's off-putting to me. Since Ivan insisted that Candy refer to him as her "Daddy" during their sexual encounters, I spent a lot of time feeling uneasy.
Aside from that, I have to admit that even though I didn't sense the same intimacy and connection with these main characters, I could tell that they cared for one another. The two were just so damaged that I never felt "let in" enough to feel any connection to Candy, and especially Ivan. They were completely closed off, to each other and to readers. As much as I wanted to feel something for them, any sentiments were superficial, at best.
Oh, and there was a lot of spanking! If you have a spanking fetish, this book is like striking spanking gold! Every time I flipped the page, it seemed like poor little Candy was getting spanked for being naughty. It got old...Really old. Again, just not my thing.
All in all, it was an "okay" story for me. It wasn't everything that I'd hoped for, but I'm sure it's somebody's dream come true. Each of the books in this series, to this point, could be read as standalone novels. This is the first one that has been a miss for me, so I'll certainly continue the series.
I'm looking forward to the next book, which is set to be released next year. Finally, we'll get the story that we've wanted and take it back to where this all started, with Giovanni and Clara's story. I definitely don't want to miss that!
October 12, 2015
4.5~5 'WE WERE MADE TO DREAM' STARS
Loved this dark, raw, powerful and gut wrenching story of Ivan & Candace from the beginning to the middle and to the end, though at the end I just wanted more of the story. It's so dark and twisted and yet it felt so new and refreshing.
It tells a disturbing story of a girl named Candace (or Candy) who managed to escape from an abusive, conservative religious cult, the leader of which is responsible for the severe brainwashing, abuse, mind control, fear and complete isolation of its believers.
Her meandering led her to Ivan, a dark man, owner of an underground strip club. He took care of her, enabled her to reject the cult's beliefs and "liberated" her. He thinks she's a little girl, his little girl! His fantasies for her are twisted, deep dark and gritty. He's over-protective and dominating over obedient Candy, and Candy becomes the willing victim to a daddy/little girl sexual role play with him. When Candy feels hemmed in by the heavy shadow of Ivan's obsession of her, she resists his control over her.
"He hasn't done anything but be himself. Dominant and remote and just the right touch of humiliating. I find everything about him sexy, but nothing about him warm." - Candy
When her life is once again in danger, Ivan takes control and fights for her to keep her safe. They hit many obstacles and resistence during their journey.Will the time of separation do to the fine balance of their relationship?
"I corrupted you by giving you pain without the pleasure, by punishing you but never rewarding you. I thought it could keep you safe from my desires, but in the end it only made it worse." - Ivan
This is a book for those who like dark erotic books and can handle it. I love the idea of the story and the story itself and how it was written. If you like it on the darker side, exciting and sexy, you will love this.....
ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Loved this dark, raw, powerful and gut wrenching story of Ivan & Candace from the beginning to the middle and to the end, though at the end I just wanted more of the story. It's so dark and twisted and yet it felt so new and refreshing.
It tells a disturbing story of a girl named Candace (or Candy) who managed to escape from an abusive, conservative religious cult, the leader of which is responsible for the severe brainwashing, abuse, mind control, fear and complete isolation of its believers.
Her meandering led her to Ivan, a dark man, owner of an underground strip club. He took care of her, enabled her to reject the cult's beliefs and "liberated" her. He thinks she's a little girl, his little girl! His fantasies for her are twisted, deep dark and gritty. He's over-protective and dominating over obedient Candy, and Candy becomes the willing victim to a daddy/little girl sexual role play with him. When Candy feels hemmed in by the heavy shadow of Ivan's obsession of her, she resists his control over her.
"He hasn't done anything but be himself. Dominant and remote and just the right touch of humiliating. I find everything about him sexy, but nothing about him warm." - Candy
When her life is once again in danger, Ivan takes control and fights for her to keep her safe. They hit many obstacles and resistence during their journey.Will the time of separation do to the fine balance of their relationship?
"I corrupted you by giving you pain without the pleasure, by punishing you but never rewarding you. I thought it could keep you safe from my desires, but in the end it only made it worse." - Ivan
This is a book for those who like dark erotic books and can handle it. I love the idea of the story and the story itself and how it was written. If you like it on the darker side, exciting and sexy, you will love this.....
ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
September 8, 2022
Oh my God! This book makes me cringe. Not in a good way. Really not in a good way. Miss Warren done a poor job developing the story.
The conversation is ridiculous cheesy and eyes rolling. There is no chemistry. No angst and no plot. Nothing in Pretty When You Cry makes me captivated.
2 stars
The conversation is ridiculous cheesy and eyes rolling. There is no chemistry. No angst and no plot. Nothing in Pretty When You Cry makes me captivated.
2 stars
January 8, 2019
“Ruffles and lace are my armor. Lipstick and glitter, my war paint.”
I’ll be stuck with the word “Daddy” in my mind for a long time after reading this book...
This story was somehow creepy... I blame it on Leader Allen. But still I enjoyed it! I am curious about Sarah Elizabeth. What will happen with her?
Regarding the main characters from this book... let me say this: I got used to cruel men in Skye’s books, but Ivan... he was a beast (in one particular moment, but that moment made him a jerk for my taste).
Candy was smart! I mean, reading the first books of the series, I had a completed different image about her. But now I saw that she actually had a dark past which shaped her. I loved what she did with the drinks! Smart girl! 😈
P. S. I loved reading tiny pieces of the book about West.
I’ll be stuck with the word “Daddy” in my mind for a long time after reading this book...
This story was somehow creepy... I blame it on Leader Allen. But still I enjoyed it! I am curious about Sarah Elizabeth. What will happen with her?
Regarding the main characters from this book... let me say this: I got used to cruel men in Skye’s books, but Ivan... he was a beast (in one particular moment, but that moment made him a jerk for my taste).
Candy was smart! I mean, reading the first books of the series, I had a completed different image about her. But now I saw that she actually had a dark past which shaped her. I loved what she did with the drinks! Smart girl! 😈
P. S. I loved reading tiny pieces of the book about West.
November 1, 2015
3.5 uncomfortable daddy kink stars
Dear me I read some dodgy shit. But I knew going into this one it was a dark read, with a 'daddy' kink. She's an adult but but he calls her his little one and punishes by spanking her or sending her to sit in the corner. I cannot lie, it was weird as fuck, but I only have myself to blame.
The story is actually filled with suspense and tension, it's not just about the sex, it's more a story about becoming an individual and making your own destiny. She's escaping from a religious cult as a frightened and naive 16 year old, he takes her in and looks after her, and protects her. He doesn't touch her sexually until she's 19, but he controls her life in every other way. It's really not your regular romance, but then he's had a crap upbringing too, ruthlessly intimidating people to become a kind of powerful mob boss, so there are some parallels there and he's devoted to her, which is kind of sweet.
I was a little surprised when the story finished at 50% and a different story began, but I should probably pay more attention to blurbs. Anyways, it read well and it held my interest but I was expecting more story than I got I suppose. Overall I enjoyed it, but I'm still not sure how I feel about the whole daddy kink thing. Complete - albeit short- story, I see this is the fourth in this series but I haven't read the others.
Dear me I read some dodgy shit. But I knew going into this one it was a dark read, with a 'daddy' kink. She's an adult but but he calls her his little one and punishes by spanking her or sending her to sit in the corner. I cannot lie, it was weird as fuck, but I only have myself to blame.
The story is actually filled with suspense and tension, it's not just about the sex, it's more a story about becoming an individual and making your own destiny. She's escaping from a religious cult as a frightened and naive 16 year old, he takes her in and looks after her, and protects her. He doesn't touch her sexually until she's 19, but he controls her life in every other way. It's really not your regular romance, but then he's had a crap upbringing too, ruthlessly intimidating people to become a kind of powerful mob boss, so there are some parallels there and he's devoted to her, which is kind of sweet.
I was a little surprised when the story finished at 50% and a different story began, but I should probably pay more attention to blurbs. Anyways, it read well and it held my interest but I was expecting more story than I got I suppose. Overall I enjoyed it, but I'm still not sure how I feel about the whole daddy kink thing. Complete - albeit short- story, I see this is the fourth in this series but I haven't read the others.
May 6, 2020
First of all, I really disliked Ivan in Love the Way You Lie. He was a complete asshole. The only reason I read this book is Candy. She is such a confusing character. I wanted to know her story. However Ivan is a lot different in this book. He is still commanding but also has a soft spot for Candy. He took care of her and always tried to keep her safe.
Overall I enjoyed this book. It was entertaining and the plot was good too. What didn't work for me is the daddy and little girl kink. I am not a big fan of it and this book made me feel really uneasy. Overall, it was okay. The kinky stuff was a bit disturbing, other than that it was good.
The man standing in front of me is completely still. That’s the first thing I notice about him—before I see the fine cut of his black suit or the glint of a silver watch under his cuff. Before I see the expression on his face, devoid of compassion or emotion. Devoid of humanity.
Overall I enjoyed this book. It was entertaining and the plot was good too. What didn't work for me is the daddy and little girl kink. I am not a big fan of it and this book made me feel really uneasy. Overall, it was okay. The kinky stuff was a bit disturbing, other than that it was good.
Both of us are longing for home.
Read
August 11, 2016b>ARC kindly provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
May 17, 2016
“People act like love is a gift, but it’s not. It’s theft. It’s a goddamn tragedy.
Love is losing a vital organ to a man who will never give his in return.”
- Candy
* * *
“I discovered too late that it’s not the bars that make a jail, but the jailor.”
- Candy
* * *
“Together. That’s one word for what we were. Depraved. Toxic. And beautiful.”
- Candy
* * *
“Every love story is a knot, and ours is threaded with steel.”
- Candy
* * *
“We are made of the same thing, he and I. Of sin and hope, of power and pleasure.
We were made to dream.”
- Candy
Love is losing a vital organ to a man who will never give his in return.”
- Candy
* * *
“I discovered too late that it’s not the bars that make a jail, but the jailor.”
- Candy
* * *
“Together. That’s one word for what we were. Depraved. Toxic. And beautiful.”
- Candy
* * *
“Every love story is a knot, and ours is threaded with steel.”
- Candy
* * *
“We are made of the same thing, he and I. Of sin and hope, of power and pleasure.
We were made to dream.”
- Candy
March 27, 2019
I'm honestly not 100% sure why this didn't work out for me. I tried to articulate my reasons, but despite my criticisms this book is still worth a try. I've really enjoyed this series, this book won't stop me from devouring more. Skye Warren is a hit or miss author, she has written so much there's something for everyone.
October 18, 2015
Pretty When You Cry is my new favorite book by Skye Warren and in this series. I was very excited to read Candy and Ivan's story but I honestly hadn't expected to love this book as much as I did. I even finished the story in one day because I couldn't and wouldn't stop reading.
The thing with this series for me is that I usually don't like the female main characters all the much but with this one I actually liked Candy a lot, which came as a surprise to me. But yeah, she was really intriguing because of her unusual background.
Ivan was a character that I never really could figure out when he appeared in the previous books so I was glad to finally read more about him and I gotta say that I absolutely love him. He's acutally still a bit of a mystery to me but that's what makes him so great to me.
The story takes us back when Candy first arrived at the Grand and met Ivan. The weird thing is, I'm usually not much of a fan of books that first take place a few years before the actual story is supposed to take place but it was actually really interesting to read about because I really wanted to know how Candy ended up stripping.
Like the previous books, this one is also a dark book and to me it feels like the darkest book so far. I absolutely loved that of course. Candy and Ivan certainly have a unique relationship but their connection really can't be denied.
I think it's safe to say that Skye Warren is my new favorite author in dark romance. Pretty When You Cry was dark, shocking and heartstopping all at once. I loved it! All I can say is; I WANT MORE!
The thing with this series for me is that I usually don't like the female main characters all the much but with this one I actually liked Candy a lot, which came as a surprise to me. But yeah, she was really intriguing because of her unusual background.
Ivan was a character that I never really could figure out when he appeared in the previous books so I was glad to finally read more about him and I gotta say that I absolutely love him. He's acutally still a bit of a mystery to me but that's what makes him so great to me.
The story takes us back when Candy first arrived at the Grand and met Ivan. The weird thing is, I'm usually not much of a fan of books that first take place a few years before the actual story is supposed to take place but it was actually really interesting to read about because I really wanted to know how Candy ended up stripping.
Like the previous books, this one is also a dark book and to me it feels like the darkest book so far. I absolutely loved that of course. Candy and Ivan certainly have a unique relationship but their connection really can't be denied.
I think it's safe to say that Skye Warren is my new favorite author in dark romance. Pretty When You Cry was dark, shocking and heartstopping all at once. I loved it! All I can say is; I WANT MORE!
October 8, 2015
ARC provided by author in exchange for an honest review
"The scars are faded, but they'll never go away."
An irresistible twisted dark erotic romance!!! Pretty When You Cry by Skye Warren is one of those reads that hooks readers instantly as she introduces a young heroine, who has been brainwashed by a religious cult leader that she is a sinner and that she belongs to his flock. For years, Candace has been ingrained with scriptures and teachings from her cult leader. When Candace finally escapes the religious compound and heads to the city, she finds herself in the streets looking for shelter and luckily she meets a man who saves her from danger. Alone, scared and with only $20 in her pockets, Candace, who happens to be 16 years old at the time finds housing with Ivan, an owner of The Grand, a seedy strip club. Ivan takes its upon himself to house the young girl providing education, clothing, shelter, and a job for Candace. When she turned 19, Candace who now goes by Candy decided that she want to earn her keep and become a stripper at The Grand. Ivan never wanted her to strip but Candy insisted that this is something she wanted to do. The relationship of Candy and Ivan is a complex one. Both of them, craves and needs each other emotionally and physically. Candy needs the mixture of pleasure and pain and Ivan needs the control. As much as Candy wants to leave Ivan and be free, she couldn't because there is this tangible bond between them. From an outsiders perspective, we may not understand their relationship dynamic but what we should understand that both of them are broken and share a painful past of abuse. They may have physical scars but the emotional scars that they have runs deep. Their push and pull relationship gets tested when the cult that Candy tried to escape comes back looking for her sending her a message that the flock must return home. Can Candy finally be set free? Or will she retreat back to the young fearful girl? Can Ivan be the home and salvation that Candy needs?
"He hurts me and he soothes me, but never enough. Back and forth. Never enough pain or pleasure. He always leaves me needing more."
Pretty When You Cry is not your typical romance with hearts and flowers. There is no prince charming and white knight but there is a hero, who is broken, flawed, imperfect and domineering. Ivan may not be your ideal hero but he is indeed a hero in his own sense. He saved Candy and in turn she saves him too. He may show a different way of his affection and love with his control but it's love nonetheless. So if you are looking for a book where the author perfectly weaves a love story in the backdrop of abuse, sex, control, and suspense then I would definitely recommend Pretty When You Cry. Ms. Warren will remind us all beauty and hope can be found in the ugly. And in this case, it's about finding beauty in life's scars.
Review can also be found on Four Chicks Flipping Pages: http://fourchicksflippingpages.weebly...Skye Warren
"The scars are faded, but they'll never go away."
An irresistible twisted dark erotic romance!!! Pretty When You Cry by Skye Warren is one of those reads that hooks readers instantly as she introduces a young heroine, who has been brainwashed by a religious cult leader that she is a sinner and that she belongs to his flock. For years, Candace has been ingrained with scriptures and teachings from her cult leader. When Candace finally escapes the religious compound and heads to the city, she finds herself in the streets looking for shelter and luckily she meets a man who saves her from danger. Alone, scared and with only $20 in her pockets, Candace, who happens to be 16 years old at the time finds housing with Ivan, an owner of The Grand, a seedy strip club. Ivan takes its upon himself to house the young girl providing education, clothing, shelter, and a job for Candace. When she turned 19, Candace who now goes by Candy decided that she want to earn her keep and become a stripper at The Grand. Ivan never wanted her to strip but Candy insisted that this is something she wanted to do. The relationship of Candy and Ivan is a complex one. Both of them, craves and needs each other emotionally and physically. Candy needs the mixture of pleasure and pain and Ivan needs the control. As much as Candy wants to leave Ivan and be free, she couldn't because there is this tangible bond between them. From an outsiders perspective, we may not understand their relationship dynamic but what we should understand that both of them are broken and share a painful past of abuse. They may have physical scars but the emotional scars that they have runs deep. Their push and pull relationship gets tested when the cult that Candy tried to escape comes back looking for her sending her a message that the flock must return home. Can Candy finally be set free? Or will she retreat back to the young fearful girl? Can Ivan be the home and salvation that Candy needs?
"He hurts me and he soothes me, but never enough. Back and forth. Never enough pain or pleasure. He always leaves me needing more."
Pretty When You Cry is not your typical romance with hearts and flowers. There is no prince charming and white knight but there is a hero, who is broken, flawed, imperfect and domineering. Ivan may not be your ideal hero but he is indeed a hero in his own sense. He saved Candy and in turn she saves him too. He may show a different way of his affection and love with his control but it's love nonetheless. So if you are looking for a book where the author perfectly weaves a love story in the backdrop of abuse, sex, control, and suspense then I would definitely recommend Pretty When You Cry. Ms. Warren will remind us all beauty and hope can be found in the ugly. And in this case, it's about finding beauty in life's scars.
Review can also be found on Four Chicks Flipping Pages: http://fourchicksflippingpages.weebly...Skye Warren
October 20, 2015
ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.
4.5 - 5 Stars!
Skye Warren drove the bus to taboo, parked in the dark alley, and made me watch the depravity. I held my hand over my eyes, but I had to look.
"That’s how we are together —depraved and beautiful."
Pretty When You Cry is the fourth book in The Stripped Series, but it can be read as a standalone. The series revolves around different people that work at the Grand.
This is Ivan and Candy's story.
I'm at a loss for words. I originally rated 4 Stars, but I can't and probably won't ever get these characters out of my mind. She said, it's her darkest of the year. She said, it's taboo. I thought, okay, I'm a dark queen, bring it. Skye Warren managed to knock me off my twisted pedestal, I was blushing like a girl in high school. If you can make me feel the least bit uncomfortable, slightly disturbed, you won. With that being said, enter at your own risk. Not that this story was pitch black, no it's not. But it managed to make me a bit uneasy, I felt like I shouldn't like it, I felt like a bad girl, I felt like I had my hand in the cookie jar. There was one thing that made me not want to give 5 Stars, and that ended being the reason why I did.
"That’s what monsters do to pretty little girls. And pretty little girls are expected to fight."
The characters were beautifully written, they jumped from the pages, leaving a lasting impression. Skye Warren eloquently writes the darkness in her characters, her words are profound, descriptive, and utterly addictive. I bow, Skye Warren.
"Love can survive in the darkest, coldest places."
4.5 - 5 Stars!
Skye Warren drove the bus to taboo, parked in the dark alley, and made me watch the depravity. I held my hand over my eyes, but I had to look.
"That’s how we are together —depraved and beautiful."
Pretty When You Cry is the fourth book in The Stripped Series, but it can be read as a standalone. The series revolves around different people that work at the Grand.
This is Ivan and Candy's story.
I'm at a loss for words. I originally rated 4 Stars, but I can't and probably won't ever get these characters out of my mind. She said, it's her darkest of the year. She said, it's taboo. I thought, okay, I'm a dark queen, bring it. Skye Warren managed to knock me off my twisted pedestal, I was blushing like a girl in high school. If you can make me feel the least bit uncomfortable, slightly disturbed, you won. With that being said, enter at your own risk. Not that this story was pitch black, no it's not. But it managed to make me a bit uneasy, I felt like I shouldn't like it, I felt like a bad girl, I felt like I had my hand in the cookie jar. There was one thing that made me not want to give 5 Stars, and that ended being the reason why I did.
"That’s what monsters do to pretty little girls. And pretty little girls are expected to fight."
The characters were beautifully written, they jumped from the pages, leaving a lasting impression. Skye Warren eloquently writes the darkness in her characters, her words are profound, descriptive, and utterly addictive. I bow, Skye Warren.
"Love can survive in the darkest, coldest places."
August 9, 2016
DNF
I HAVE FUCKING HAD IT!!!!!!!!! 0 stars would have been more appropriate for this trash! This whole book was horrible.....Pure nauseating.
“What did you do next?” His voice is low, the grate of stone on stone. “Daddy needs to see.”
“I’ll be good, Daddy. I’m so sorry. I’ll be your good girl now.”
I push my hips into his touch, but he squeezes my wrist and lets it go. “No,” he says gently. “You need to be a good girl now.”
My mouth forms the words without making a sound. “Yes, Daddy.”
I squirm against his touch, trying to get myself off. “Does it feel good?” he murmurs.
Of course he knows the answer, and even more so when I pant, “Yes, Daddy. Please.”
“You’ll get there, little one. I’m going to help you.”
And then the loss of her virginity....there were words such as IMPALED
CUTS AND TEARS (in her vagina i guess from impaling)
Long-term torture
I almost wish I could black out, so I wouldn’t have to feel this. He could fuck my limp body until the end of time, and I wouldn’t feel a thing.
Then he stalks from the room, leaving me behind in a puddle of my own arousal and blood.
What arousal???....that was probably her pis, because i can't imagine that someone could get aroused by that!!!...
July 3, 2020
4 stars
not sure if it's counted as twisted..? but still a rather good & suspenseful read! the whole Daddy/little here might not be pleasant for some people but I thought it's pretty well written in this book. it's like how you shouldn't approve this entire Daddy/little dynamic but you're still supporting them.
Candy has escaped from a religious cult and is running as far as she can, but not before Ivan comes to her rescue. Both Candy and Ivan's childhood are tough. Ivan struggled with his need to control and dominate Candy, especially when Candy keeps on pushing Ivan for more.
"He found me lost, alone, and helpless—and gave me a place to call mine. This basement, this building. The space where he watches me, both of us held by our own dark desires, in these moments before he gives me my reward."
this pretty much sums up the whole story! the ending was good and everything was wrapped up nicely together with their HEA. 4 stars!
not sure if it's counted as twisted..? but still a rather good & suspenseful read! the whole Daddy/little here might not be pleasant for some people but I thought it's pretty well written in this book. it's like how you shouldn't approve this entire Daddy/little dynamic but you're still supporting them.
Candy has escaped from a religious cult and is running as far as she can, but not before Ivan comes to her rescue. Both Candy and Ivan's childhood are tough. Ivan struggled with his need to control and dominate Candy, especially when Candy keeps on pushing Ivan for more.
"He found me lost, alone, and helpless—and gave me a place to call mine. This basement, this building. The space where he watches me, both of us held by our own dark desires, in these moments before he gives me my reward."
this pretty much sums up the whole story! the ending was good and everything was wrapped up nicely together with their HEA. 4 stars!
October 29, 2015
Title: Pretty When You Cry
Series: (Stripped, #3—but can be read as a STANDALONE)
Author: Skye Warren
Genre: Adult Dark Romance
Rating: 5-Stars
Cliffhanger:
HEA:
Review on Blog: HERE
SERIES OF STANDALONES:
♥ (Stripped, #0.5) Tough Love
♥ (Stripped, #1) Love the Way You Lie
♥ (Stripped, #2) Better When It Hurts
♥ (Stripped, #2.5) Even Better
♥ (Stripped, #3) Pretty When You Cry
Growing up in a secluded religious community, Candace's childhood trapped her in a cage of sins and punishments. Rewards were gifted by the Father—but only if she'd been a good little girl.
And so Candace's every breath was tainted with fear, inhaled with the worry of her wrongdoings—until the night she escaped, disappeared into the night in hopes of flying free...
"That’s what monsters do to pretty little girls. And pretty little girls are expected to fight."
...only to be encased in the iron bars of Ivan's clutches, his willing victim. His words now her law, his hands now her punishment, and his way-of-life now her sins—and as those pleasurably painful years tick-by under Ivan's control, Candace forges armor with lace and ruffles, with lipstick and lingerie, with dance and a stripper pole.
With the determination to once and for all, finally and forever be free.
Except Ivan's a dark, dominating, depraved man. He found her all those years ago, claimed her as his little girl with every smack of his palm against her ass, with every hushed command against her skin—and he will never, ever let her go.
Ivan wants to put me in a cage, but what I really want is to fly.
But something even more wicked, even more wanting lurks in the shadows; with blood and bible verses, the past threatens to swallow Candy whole. And if she survives the bite, will Ivan be the one to save her, to encage her again—or will she finally fly free from all the chains that bind her?
He pushes my skirt up, and I press my legs together. He pries them apart. "Don't be afraid."
"It's scary." I just don't mean him touching me or fucking me. I mean trusting him to be my Daddy. I mean letting myself be a little girl.
Pretty When You Cry utterly enraptured me. Skye Warren's writing always has a way of sucking me into the darkest, dirtiest parts of its soul...but this book was something different—something even darker, something even more than ever before.
Perhaps it was the characters, and their unconventional, unhealthy, yet deliciously intriguing DD/lg relationship.
Or maybe it was Ivan—who was apologetically, morally corrupt, and oh-so wicked. But that's what bewitched me the most; his harsh words, ugly soul, and scarred body. From the beginning to the end of this book, I never understood Ivan—nor did I need to. He simply was who he was; a Dom, a Daddy, a broken soul who craved the corruption, the control, of another.
"I corrupted you by giving you pain without the pleasure, by punishing you but never rewarding you. I thought it could keep you safe from my desires, but in the end it only made it worse."
His 'another' being Candy, his Candace. With the body of a buxom blonde and the soul, the heart of a scared little girl—she's broken. But the beautiful thing was how her shattered pieces fit perfectly, like a puzzle, into his.
With this book, Skye Warren broke boundaries, shattered dreams, tested limits. Stripped, #3 made me uncomfortable with its light, and comfortable with its darkness. And I craved—Every. Single. Word—Every achhhhhiiing chapter, of this wicked-intense, naughty in its allure to the nefariousness, book...
We are made of the same thing, he and I. Of sin and hope, of power and pleasure.
...this "dark, perverse, and unbearably erotic" story about the past that binds us, the future that cages us, and the present strength and grit it takes to spread your wings, break the iron bars, and fly anew.
Pretty When You Cry will forever remain a favorite read of mine—as it reminds me that there's beauty in depravity, there's passion in hate; there's light in the darkest parts of our hearts, and there's love amongst the damaged bits of our souls...and it can survive.
AS AMAZING AS ALICE'S DREAMS:
*PS: I was given an ARC of this book. But I do solemnly swear that I am up to...good. ;) This is a fair and honest review of this book, pinky promise.*
October 18, 2015
Love can survive in the darkest, coldest places...
My introduction to Skye Warren was in a book that she co-wrote, called Prisoner, it was incredible. So I was excited to read more of her work. Pretty When You Cry was a page-turner from the very beginning when I was dropped right in the middle of a nail-biting scene. It was how Candace & Ivan first met. I was immediately invested and mentally pushing for them to get together.
Unfortunately, for both Candace and myself, Ivan had other ideas. And can I just say, some of his ideas were kinda kinky? Due to her youth and innocence he took on more of a dominant caretaker and protector roll with her. Not exactly what we were hoping for, you know? I mean, you can't really blame us because the man was seriously hot in his $10K custom suits. And his sexy, bossy, growly voice issuing orders almost had me calling him Daddy...even though that seriously makes me cringe...I still melted.
Candace came from a very sheltered, controlled upbringing. She had almost no exposure to life outside of a very secluded self-sustained religious community. You can imagine how exciting the glitz and glamour of city life would be to someone who had never experienced it before. So many things that she had missed out on before was out there. But the one thing she really wanted, was not available to her. Him. He closed himself off from her, remaining unreachable. He held on to his secrets and his pain, refusing to let it touch her.
When Candace's past catches up with her she worries that the threats might put those close to her in danger. She must decide how much to reveal and whether she should stay or go to protect them.
It was an eye-brow-raising, jaw-dropping, heart-breaking, panty-melting, anger-building, suspenseful journey that ended on a sigh. I really enjoyed the support characters and look forward to catching up on the first 3 books in the series to get to know them better. And then I'll be ready for the next book when it's released, especially now that I know it's gonna be about Clara. I'm very curious to know what she's up to.
February 28, 2023
Age gap but barely referenced in how the hero is described in terms of appearance. Hero comes off more as the cold hero. Daddy kink and honestly the first time it worked for me? On a smut level. On a character development level, there’s this issue around consent and choice where the heroine is in the same situation but with different men and different situations - that she has some agency makes it ok for her. There’s also something about needing darker stimulation after traumatic events.
I think I would have appreciated just a bit more conversation around the reveal that the villain drops. Like we’re not going to talk about Let’s psychoanalyse this!!
I’m in my heroine is a sex worker/stripper era thank you very much 🙏🏽😊
I think I would have appreciated just a bit more conversation around the reveal that the villain drops. Like we’re not going to talk about Let’s psychoanalyse this!!
I’m in my heroine is a sex worker/stripper era thank you very much 🙏🏽😊
July 18, 2016
4.5 STARS
We are made of the same thing, he and I. Of sin and hope, of power and pleasure.
Skye Warren delivers the most flawless, most beautifully written stories about the dirtiest, most gritty, darkest aspects of life. Her horrifying depictions of violence, sexual depravity and damaged, broken souls are exquisitely dark and brutally brilliant. Pretty When You Cry is the most recent installment in this twisted series about utterly ruined characters who find their way back to life and it completely shattered me.
This story is unlike anything I've ever read. In a reading climate where everything tends to me much of the same, I so appreciate an author taking things outside the box. It's an added bonus when an outside the box, refreshingly different story is layered with enigmatic characters, and stunningly beautiful writing. Skye Warren truly stuns with her rich, fluid writing style and decadent prose in this book.
I'll be completely honest here and admit that Ivan, the owner of the Grand, was never really a blip on my radar before opening this book. He was always a mystery, an intrigue, but for the most part, fairly invisible as I read the other stories in this series. Now I sit here and wonder how that was. How I wasn't wholly mesmerized all along by this terrifyingly volatile man. Candy, too, was not a character I was particularly interested in getting a back story on and upon reading Pretty When You Cry, I can't imagine a character more captivating, more interesting, more thoroughly fleshed out. The dynamic between these characters was jarring. Perhaps they knew all along where they stood with each other, but I was stumped, continually guessing, perpetually confused by their obvious chemistry and unorthodox relationship.
This erotic, darkly intoxicating, brutal story was wholly consuming from start to finish. Pretty When You Cry is difficult to read at times, oddly joyful at others but always captivating, always gripping. Warren consistently keeps her reader and her characters teetering on that blurry line between rightness and wrongness, discomfort and satisfaction. Even the most exquisite happy endings are marred with the harsh truths of the past, the darkness and the brokenness of these characters. But Skye Warren sends her characters off in the most perfect ways, toward a happily-ever-after that might not be perfect in the classic sense of the word, but perfect for them. Right. Consistent with who they are and where they've been. I can't decide if I have a favorite book in this series as I've thoroughly enjoyed them all, been shaken by them all. But I'd say this story might be the most beautifully written and undeniably the most memorable.
We are made of the same thing, he and I. Of sin and hope, of power and pleasure.
Skye Warren delivers the most flawless, most beautifully written stories about the dirtiest, most gritty, darkest aspects of life. Her horrifying depictions of violence, sexual depravity and damaged, broken souls are exquisitely dark and brutally brilliant. Pretty When You Cry is the most recent installment in this twisted series about utterly ruined characters who find their way back to life and it completely shattered me.
This story is unlike anything I've ever read. In a reading climate where everything tends to me much of the same, I so appreciate an author taking things outside the box. It's an added bonus when an outside the box, refreshingly different story is layered with enigmatic characters, and stunningly beautiful writing. Skye Warren truly stuns with her rich, fluid writing style and decadent prose in this book.
I'll be completely honest here and admit that Ivan, the owner of the Grand, was never really a blip on my radar before opening this book. He was always a mystery, an intrigue, but for the most part, fairly invisible as I read the other stories in this series. Now I sit here and wonder how that was. How I wasn't wholly mesmerized all along by this terrifyingly volatile man. Candy, too, was not a character I was particularly interested in getting a back story on and upon reading Pretty When You Cry, I can't imagine a character more captivating, more interesting, more thoroughly fleshed out. The dynamic between these characters was jarring. Perhaps they knew all along where they stood with each other, but I was stumped, continually guessing, perpetually confused by their obvious chemistry and unorthodox relationship.
This erotic, darkly intoxicating, brutal story was wholly consuming from start to finish. Pretty When You Cry is difficult to read at times, oddly joyful at others but always captivating, always gripping. Warren consistently keeps her reader and her characters teetering on that blurry line between rightness and wrongness, discomfort and satisfaction. Even the most exquisite happy endings are marred with the harsh truths of the past, the darkness and the brokenness of these characters. But Skye Warren sends her characters off in the most perfect ways, toward a happily-ever-after that might not be perfect in the classic sense of the word, but perfect for them. Right. Consistent with who they are and where they've been. I can't decide if I have a favorite book in this series as I've thoroughly enjoyed them all, been shaken by them all. But I'd say this story might be the most beautifully written and undeniably the most memorable.
November 12, 2015
First let me say I had zero problem with the 'Daddy/Little One' that everybody seems to be so squicked out about. If written well, I even think it can be sexy, and Ms. Warren definitely writes it well. I think, for me, there was so much build up about this book that I couldn't help but be a little disappointed. I really expected dark, and what I got was light gray. There were times that I felt the story dragged For a book that's tagged as "unbearably erotic," the sex was slow coming. I was 70% into the book before anything happened on that front and by then, I was already getting a bit annoyed.
In the end, I gave it three stars because it's well written and a pretty decent storyline, but it's not one of my favorites from Ms. Warren.
In the end, I gave it three stars because it's well written and a pretty decent storyline, but it's not one of my favorites from Ms. Warren.
November 28, 2015
5 dark and twisted stars!
Skye Warren is just a master of dark romance and this one was certainly more than a little fucked up. It wasn't the darkest I've read from her but it still scratched the itch I had for something twisted.
“This is what makes you special, little one. Countless people have tried to hurt me, to kill me. You were the one to slay me.”
Skye Warren is just a master of dark romance and this one was certainly more than a little fucked up. It wasn't the darkest I've read from her but it still scratched the itch I had for something twisted.
“This is what makes you special, little one. Countless people have tried to hurt me, to kill me. You were the one to slay me.”
Shelved as 'nope'
November 5, 2017No “daddy” I will not read this. Ewww
feeling sick 🤢💩
feeling sick 🤢💩
November 7, 2015
When underage runaway Candace (Candy) found herself in danger from the hands of men who follows her in the dark alley and kept on harassing her, they only stop when they saw Ivan. From then on Ivan becomes the protector of Candy!
Ivan is the owner of a stripped club, The Grand, where Candy is now working as a dancer (her passion) since reaching the legal age. The relationship between Ivan and Candace continues to develop; Ivan provides everything Candy needs and if Candy did something that Ivan isn’t happy about a punishment follows. But Candy is craving more from Ivan, she want’s Ivan to see her as a woman who needs more than a slap on her a$$. Will Ivan succumb to the beauty of Candy and finally do what Candy is longing for?
This is my first Daddy/Little girl book at first I thought, this is not so for me…but as I read along and give it a chance. Had to admit that I’m actually enjoying it! Skye Warren knows how to hook her reader’s interest. There’s some twist and definitely not the ending I’m expecting.
This book gave me a wonderful experience to the writing of Ms. Warren and can’t wait to read more of her books in days to come!
Ivan is the owner of a stripped club, The Grand, where Candy is now working as a dancer (her passion) since reaching the legal age. The relationship between Ivan and Candace continues to develop; Ivan provides everything Candy needs and if Candy did something that Ivan isn’t happy about a punishment follows. But Candy is craving more from Ivan, she want’s Ivan to see her as a woman who needs more than a slap on her a$$. Will Ivan succumb to the beauty of Candy and finally do what Candy is longing for?
This is my first Daddy/Little girl book at first I thought, this is not so for me…but as I read along and give it a chance. Had to admit that I’m actually enjoying it! Skye Warren knows how to hook her reader’s interest. There’s some twist and definitely not the ending I’m expecting.
This book gave me a wonderful experience to the writing of Ms. Warren and can’t wait to read more of her books in days to come!
November 6, 2015
Fabulously brilliant; Skye Warren has an amazing capacity for pushing the envelope, making you step outside of your comfort zone. Pretty When You Cry was know different! On so many fundamental scales she had me doing just that, as I was revolted by the persistent reference to Daddy and Little One role playing. Sorry must have some Daddy issues of my own as that was a nauseating experience, but damn the storyline itself was intense, filled with darkness.
On one hand I hated, I mean abso-fucking-lutley hated Ivan! Then there was Candace who I thought was too stupid to live kind of heroine! The very fact Skye Warren is able to get inside your head, manipulate your emptions enough to love these characters is a true testament to her writing skills. So if you're able to overlook my biggest issue and crave a really good dark read, Pretty When you Cry is highly recommended
October 12, 2015
+++++5 Your Darkest Fantasy Stars+++++
This book is my favourite in the series. It is deliciously dark and intimate. Cadence is running away from a strict and perversive cult. In the darkness, she meets an elusive man; Ivan.
He owns a seedy business. She seeks refuge. His demands are dark and his fantasies darker. She just wants to be good for him. He is her world. He thinks of her as a little girl.
Their relationship is passionate and pushes every boundary. Cadence feels trapped but at the same time she needs Ivan like the air she breathes.
When her life is in danger and her past returns to haunt her will Ivan be able to protect her?
I am a huge fan of the author. Her work always manages to captivate me and this book enthralled me. I found it magnetic and very addictive. The story is taboo at its best. The characters are strong and perfectly flawed. Their chemistry is off the charts.
If you love the dark side then do not miss this. On the other hand, if darkness and a bit of roleplaying scares you, then stay away from this.
ARC kindly provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
This book is my favourite in the series. It is deliciously dark and intimate. Cadence is running away from a strict and perversive cult. In the darkness, she meets an elusive man; Ivan.
He owns a seedy business. She seeks refuge. His demands are dark and his fantasies darker. She just wants to be good for him. He is her world. He thinks of her as a little girl.
Their relationship is passionate and pushes every boundary. Cadence feels trapped but at the same time she needs Ivan like the air she breathes.
When her life is in danger and her past returns to haunt her will Ivan be able to protect her?
I am a huge fan of the author. Her work always manages to captivate me and this book enthralled me. I found it magnetic and very addictive. The story is taboo at its best. The characters are strong and perfectly flawed. Their chemistry is off the charts.
If you love the dark side then do not miss this. On the other hand, if darkness and a bit of roleplaying scares you, then stay away from this.
ARC kindly provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
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October 19, 2015This is the second time this week that I cannot rate a book:( Sorry, I just couldn't give a rating because I genuinely love this author and this series up until this book for me has been absolutely perfect in every way and I mean nothing less than 5 star perfection so out of respect for the author, I am just leaving this story unrated:(
First let me say that I LOVED all of the previous books, they were all 5 Star reads for me but this one, I am speechless and not in a good way at all! To say I am disappointed is an understatement. Candy actually annoyed me to no end throughout the book and the "daddy" reference was a complete turn off for me and it was used way too often for me:(
I am not sure if it's me but this story stopped at 51% and I was floored and then I felt like I got no answers and if anything I am left feeling completely confused about the both of these characters. Nothing to me was resolved, gosh, this was beyond a bomb for me and I am so damn confused right now:(
I am just so disappointed with this story/book on so many levels BUT I am looking forward to Gio and Clara. I have been itching for their book since the first book!!!!
First let me say that I LOVED all of the previous books, they were all 5 Star reads for me but this one, I am speechless and not in a good way at all! To say I am disappointed is an understatement. Candy actually annoyed me to no end throughout the book and the "daddy" reference was a complete turn off for me and it was used way too often for me:(
I am not sure if it's me but this story stopped at 51% and I was floored and then I felt like I got no answers and if anything I am left feeling completely confused about the both of these characters. Nothing to me was resolved, gosh, this was beyond a bomb for me and I am so damn confused right now:(
I am just so disappointed with this story/book on so many levels BUT I am looking forward to Gio and Clara. I have been itching for their book since the first book!!!!
December 18, 2015
I LOVE me a good daddy/little kink, so I was looking forward to reading this, alas, it was just an OK read.
Also, and maybe it was just me, but I was cruising along, enjoying the story, turned the page to find out where the heck Clara had gotten off to, and then BAM, the book was done?? Like THE END, that's all she wrote folks! I was like..huh? WTF just happened??
I guess I am going to have to wait until the next book to find out where the heck Clara is...
Also, and maybe it was just me, but I was cruising along, enjoying the story, turned the page to find out where the heck Clara had gotten off to, and then BAM, the book was done?? Like THE END, that's all she wrote folks! I was like..huh? WTF just happened??
I guess I am going to have to wait until the next book to find out where the heck Clara is...
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