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Safe Haven #1
Haven's Creed
An act of violence destroys his family and ends the life he knows. To escape his haunted past, he joins the military, where, as a sniper, he is trained to kill with precision and detachment. When a covert organization offers him a new purpose, he becomes Haven, an operative devoted to protecting the innocent when he can and avenging them when he cannot. After ten years of battling the evil in the world, the life no longer holds the attraction or meaning it once had, and he’s ready to walk away. Then he meets Samuel, a young man forced from the age of twelve to work as a sex slave. If ever a man had a need for Haven, it is this one. Yet nothing about this growing relationship is one-sided. Sammy gives Haven a stability he’s never known, and Haven becomes the rock upon which Sammy knows he can depend. When Sammy reveals something about the enemy Haven has been hunting for months, Sammy fears it will destroy what they’ve built and he’ll lose his home in Haven’s heart.
262 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 14, 2015
22 people are currently reading
228 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
December 18, 2015
Well, the first 1/3 of this book was pretty good. A little gratuitously gory and you have to appreciate a psychopath that has no idea he is one and actually thinks that his creativity in killing people is what shows he has a soul...
There are probably spoilers ahead
The author has a TON of holes in the characterizations and plots and the super secret killing agency is not even a little believable in their actions or personal interactions.
There are probably spoilers ahead
The author has a TON of holes in the characterizations and plots and the super secret killing agency is not even a little believable in their actions or personal interactions.
June 21, 2017
4.5 star review by The Blogger Girls.
This one grabbed me right from the get go and held on to the end. It is dark and edgy with very little fluff, which is exactly what I love.
Haven is an assassin, but not just any old assassin. He was recruited at a young age after a pretty brutal home life put him in the crosshairs of his now handler. He has been doing this work for over 10 years and is really good at what he does, but he is getting tired and thinking of ending his career. I loved Haven right away. He doesn’t just take people out. He takes them out in ways that fit their crimes. For example: an evil person who also runs a dog fighting ring is ended by giving said dogs the revenge they deserve (one of my favorite of his jobs). These were very creative and fitting for each one.
When Haven is on a particular job undercover searching for the head of the sex trafficking ring, he ends up finding and saving Sammy, a young man who had been kept as a sex slave since he was 12. Haven is his angel and knight in shining armor and he immediately feels safe with him. He clings to Haven in such a way that with little other choice, he takes Sammy home to keep him safe. Yes, it is insta-love for Sammy, but given his circumstances, it was easy to see how that happened and just how fast he saw through Haven (the first one to do so).
Things take a turn when these two take things further. Sammy is done being a sex slave. He has grown strong through his captivity in such a way that enabled him to survive and now that he is “free,” he takes control. Feeling unthreatened by Sammy, Haven allows and even enjoys it. I actually really liked this role reversal, and it made sense to me knowing their backgrounds. It was a smidge unbelievable at times, but I really think it just worked with these two.
There are some great side characters here, such as Kelly and Rook, Haven’s caretaker and handler, respectively. Kelly has been by Haven’s side from the beginning, and even though this isn’t the norm (caretakers are usually moved to other assassins after a few months), they clicked in a way that Haven needed. He becomes more family than co-worker to Haven, and then Sammy, and the three eventually realize how much they mean to each other in that capacity. I really liked Kelly and how he handled everything.
There is a lot of violence and bad stuff going on in this story with the drugs, abuse, sex trafficking, kids, etc. that may be triggers, but it is a really good read and I definitely recommend it. The writing is excellent and kept my attention from beginning to end. I’m looking forward to whatever Mr. Williams comes up with next.
This one grabbed me right from the get go and held on to the end. It is dark and edgy with very little fluff, which is exactly what I love.
Haven is an assassin, but not just any old assassin. He was recruited at a young age after a pretty brutal home life put him in the crosshairs of his now handler. He has been doing this work for over 10 years and is really good at what he does, but he is getting tired and thinking of ending his career. I loved Haven right away. He doesn’t just take people out. He takes them out in ways that fit their crimes. For example: an evil person who also runs a dog fighting ring is ended by giving said dogs the revenge they deserve (one of my favorite of his jobs). These were very creative and fitting for each one.
When Haven is on a particular job undercover searching for the head of the sex trafficking ring, he ends up finding and saving Sammy, a young man who had been kept as a sex slave since he was 12. Haven is his angel and knight in shining armor and he immediately feels safe with him. He clings to Haven in such a way that with little other choice, he takes Sammy home to keep him safe. Yes, it is insta-love for Sammy, but given his circumstances, it was easy to see how that happened and just how fast he saw through Haven (the first one to do so).
Things take a turn when these two take things further. Sammy is done being a sex slave. He has grown strong through his captivity in such a way that enabled him to survive and now that he is “free,” he takes control. Feeling unthreatened by Sammy, Haven allows and even enjoys it. I actually really liked this role reversal, and it made sense to me knowing their backgrounds. It was a smidge unbelievable at times, but I really think it just worked with these two.
There are some great side characters here, such as Kelly and Rook, Haven’s caretaker and handler, respectively. Kelly has been by Haven’s side from the beginning, and even though this isn’t the norm (caretakers are usually moved to other assassins after a few months), they clicked in a way that Haven needed. He becomes more family than co-worker to Haven, and then Sammy, and the three eventually realize how much they mean to each other in that capacity. I really liked Kelly and how he handled everything.
There is a lot of violence and bad stuff going on in this story with the drugs, abuse, sex trafficking, kids, etc. that may be triggers, but it is a really good read and I definitely recommend it. The writing is excellent and kept my attention from beginning to end. I’m looking forward to whatever Mr. Williams comes up with next.
March 21, 2016
I love that the main character's name is Haven because that's what Sammy found in him and what he then, finds in Sammy. And the fact that Sammy can be himself--completely, in every way--because he trusts Haven so deeply and in return, Haven can let down his walls... I enjoyed reading that. The whole dark, scary hero who's one way to the world and a completely different way to the man he loves is one of my favorite things to read. Recommended.
Read
September 5, 2016And we have a winner ... the first DNF of 2016. Okay, okay, I get that "Haven" is a super sniper, secretly trained in a desert by some group that doesn't exist and may or may not be loosely affiliated with the FBI or any number of alphabet agencies, and works on the side of Justice, as in killing folks who get away with crimes against innocent children. He get $250K per hit. But it's not about the money .... it's about avenging his sister and mother.
THEN ..... . No, just ..... no.
THEN ..... . No, just ..... no.
December 18, 2015
Originally posted on http://mikkysworldofbooks.blogspot.ro...
Mr. Williams, I wasn’t aware you had a dark side. Interesting.
It’s been a while since I’ve read something dark and Haven’s Creed was the perfect story to make up for the lost time.
Parker managed to pull off beautifully a genre totally (as far as I’m aware) new to him.
The story is full of suspense, action, mystery and situations that will chill the blood in your veins.
In other words- perfect.
Haven is not exactly a hero but he’s not a villain either. Depends on how you look at things. He goes where he’s sent, does his job and returns to a solitary existence time and time again.
Wash, rinse, repeat. Until the day when everything starts to change.
Enter Sammy, a very interesting character.
Let’s talk a little bit about his and Haven’s relationship because I have a feeling that it will be the cause of many mixed feelings.
I’ll be honest and admit that, what they have, it’s not completely healthy BUT, it’s perfect for them. Here’s why.
First of all, Sammy’s desire to be in control is completely understandable. After so many years of utter slavery, having, finally, an opportunity to be the master of his own destiny brought to the surface that part of him that has never lost hope and that no one has managed to break.
Every minute he spent outside the house of horrors and every nice word he’s received has been exactly what kept him from giving up and what his wounded soul needed to keep hoping that, someday, someone will come and set him free.
Then, there’s the hate he feels for the one who was supposed to love him unconditionally but, instead, chose to discard him like a useless rag.
He might not express it all the time, but it’s there and hate can be a powerful thing, strong enough to take over every other rational thought.
Like I said before, his attachment to Haven is not exactly healthy, but they’re not normal people either.
The rules don’t apply when it comes to them.
Sammy is everything Haven needs to escape the harsh reality of his life even for a few hours and, in exchange, Sammy draws his strength and confidence from from the knowledge that he’ll always be safe as long as he’s standing by his lover’s side.
They need each other to heal and to be normal, or, at least, as normal they can possibly be.
If you go in hoping this will be a hearts and flowers kind of romance, let me tell you now that this definitely ain’t the book for you.
It’s dark, it’s violent and it will mess you up.
Haven’s Creed is the story of a man who’s been turned into a soulless killing machine and whose acts of violence will leave you breathless, while the other man’s story will break your heart over and over again.
You will either love them or hate them, there’s no way in between.
My advice to you is to try and keep an open mind while reading this book. Before jumping on the “this is crap” wagon, keep in mind that there’s nothing normal when it comes to either Haven or Samuel.
You can’t judge based on what YOU would do or what YOU think is right.
And, who knows, they might still surprise you in the end.
Another add to my “Favorites” list. MWOB highly recommends it.
Happy Reading!!
Mr. Williams, I wasn’t aware you had a dark side. Interesting.
It’s been a while since I’ve read something dark and Haven’s Creed was the perfect story to make up for the lost time.
Parker managed to pull off beautifully a genre totally (as far as I’m aware) new to him.
The story is full of suspense, action, mystery and situations that will chill the blood in your veins.
In other words- perfect.
Haven is not exactly a hero but he’s not a villain either. Depends on how you look at things. He goes where he’s sent, does his job and returns to a solitary existence time and time again.
Wash, rinse, repeat. Until the day when everything starts to change.
Enter Sammy, a very interesting character.
Let’s talk a little bit about his and Haven’s relationship because I have a feeling that it will be the cause of many mixed feelings.
I’ll be honest and admit that, what they have, it’s not completely healthy BUT, it’s perfect for them. Here’s why.
First of all, Sammy’s desire to be in control is completely understandable. After so many years of utter slavery, having, finally, an opportunity to be the master of his own destiny brought to the surface that part of him that has never lost hope and that no one has managed to break.
Every minute he spent outside the house of horrors and every nice word he’s received has been exactly what kept him from giving up and what his wounded soul needed to keep hoping that, someday, someone will come and set him free.
Then, there’s the hate he feels for the one who was supposed to love him unconditionally but, instead, chose to discard him like a useless rag.
He might not express it all the time, but it’s there and hate can be a powerful thing, strong enough to take over every other rational thought.
Like I said before, his attachment to Haven is not exactly healthy, but they’re not normal people either.
The rules don’t apply when it comes to them.
Sammy is everything Haven needs to escape the harsh reality of his life even for a few hours and, in exchange, Sammy draws his strength and confidence from from the knowledge that he’ll always be safe as long as he’s standing by his lover’s side.
They need each other to heal and to be normal, or, at least, as normal they can possibly be.
If you go in hoping this will be a hearts and flowers kind of romance, let me tell you now that this definitely ain’t the book for you.
It’s dark, it’s violent and it will mess you up.
Haven’s Creed is the story of a man who’s been turned into a soulless killing machine and whose acts of violence will leave you breathless, while the other man’s story will break your heart over and over again.
You will either love them or hate them, there’s no way in between.
My advice to you is to try and keep an open mind while reading this book. Before jumping on the “this is crap” wagon, keep in mind that there’s nothing normal when it comes to either Haven or Samuel.
You can’t judge based on what YOU would do or what YOU think is right.
And, who knows, they might still surprise you in the end.
Another add to my “Favorites” list. MWOB highly recommends it.
Happy Reading!!
July 1, 2017
I wanted to love this book so much. I mean, look at that cover alone! It's not a half nak d man with a nipple showing!
and I was totally digging it, until around 30-ish % . Then entered Sammy. I'm confused about this character, he wasn't what someone who's been forced into slavery and chains in a basement for half his life should act. I don't care how "strong" you are, that's not something you get over easily, especially without help. To be quite frank, he annoyed me. I kind of wish this had not turn d I to a "romance". I was intrigued with the dark grittiness of the mission, and Sammy kind of pulls you out of that, and that makes me a little sad.
and I was totally digging it, until around 30-ish % . Then entered Sammy. I'm confused about this character, he wasn't what someone who's been forced into slavery and chains in a basement for half his life should act. I don't care how "strong" you are, that's not something you get over easily, especially without help. To be quite frank, he annoyed me. I kind of wish this had not turn d I to a "romance". I was intrigued with the dark grittiness of the mission, and Sammy kind of pulls you out of that, and that makes me a little sad.
December 22, 2015
I picked this book up to read for a genre change after reading a few darker stories. I thought an m/m romance would be a nice change. However I got more than I bargained for with this little gem.
I felt as if this was an m/m romance with dark themes running through it. The story was told in such a way that I felt as if I was watching an action film. Yes it's that good.
The first character we meet is Haven. He's devoted his life to protecting the innocent and getting revenge for those he couldn't protect. He's at the stage in his life where he looks around & realises his house is not his home and he's pretty much alone. On his most dangerous mission to date he meets Sammy. Sammy has gone through hell and back but he trusts Haven. Haven goes from feeling he needs to protect Sammy to falling in love with him. Sammy brings out a side to Haven that he thought he'd lost.
I found the change in these two main characters interesting.
This was a really great well written story. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author.
I felt as if this was an m/m romance with dark themes running through it. The story was told in such a way that I felt as if I was watching an action film. Yes it's that good.
The first character we meet is Haven. He's devoted his life to protecting the innocent and getting revenge for those he couldn't protect. He's at the stage in his life where he looks around & realises his house is not his home and he's pretty much alone. On his most dangerous mission to date he meets Sammy. Sammy has gone through hell and back but he trusts Haven. Haven goes from feeling he needs to protect Sammy to falling in love with him. Sammy brings out a side to Haven that he thought he'd lost.
I found the change in these two main characters interesting.
This was a really great well written story. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author.
February 11, 2016
***** Engrossing, amazing, and gripping, this unusual M/M tale will surprise you ! *****
I really understood the characters and the story in this novel and it is magnificent !!!
Big, scarred, hulking, badass, Haven, is an punishing assassin of those who deserve death; the evil crime bosses, human traffickers of children, drug dealers, and many more. It is a hard and lonely life, but has it's rewards in ridding the planet of the evil doers. On a mission, Haven comes across someone he can save in Sammy, a long time sex slave, chained to the wall. Underweight, long brown hair, green eyed Sammy, is neglected, filthy, and terrified. Haven and Sammy connect on a level neither could imagine, and become a "need" in each others life. Sammy did something for Haven no one else had, held him. We have major violence here, brutal killings, mayhem, and sadness. Then after a job, Haven comes home to Sammy, his amazing, solid strength that he can truly let his control slide. It is a dichotomy that Sammy was topping him, controlling and loving, but in the outside world, Sammy withdrew. Their reversed roles was confusing for Haven, but his body agreed with the change. Sammy took away Haven's pressure, his tenseness, his constant focus, and he could cling to Sammy for strength, and let go, and Sammy got strong being with Haven. Each got what they needed. Deep thought-filled characters, lots of action, violence, and torture, plus an acceptable but inexplicable love these two had.
I really "got" this amazing story, and loved every word. It's rough, raw, erotic, heartwarming in a different way, and we have hope.
Highly recommended !! ENJOY !!!
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I really understood the characters and the story in this novel and it is magnificent !!!
Big, scarred, hulking, badass, Haven, is an punishing assassin of those who deserve death; the evil crime bosses, human traffickers of children, drug dealers, and many more. It is a hard and lonely life, but has it's rewards in ridding the planet of the evil doers. On a mission, Haven comes across someone he can save in Sammy, a long time sex slave, chained to the wall. Underweight, long brown hair, green eyed Sammy, is neglected, filthy, and terrified. Haven and Sammy connect on a level neither could imagine, and become a "need" in each others life. Sammy did something for Haven no one else had, held him. We have major violence here, brutal killings, mayhem, and sadness. Then after a job, Haven comes home to Sammy, his amazing, solid strength that he can truly let his control slide. It is a dichotomy that Sammy was topping him, controlling and loving, but in the outside world, Sammy withdrew. Their reversed roles was confusing for Haven, but his body agreed with the change. Sammy took away Haven's pressure, his tenseness, his constant focus, and he could cling to Sammy for strength, and let go, and Sammy got strong being with Haven. Each got what they needed. Deep thought-filled characters, lots of action, violence, and torture, plus an acceptable but inexplicable love these two had.
I really "got" this amazing story, and loved every word. It's rough, raw, erotic, heartwarming in a different way, and we have hope.
Highly recommended !! ENJOY !!!
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December 30, 2015
A Joyfully Jay review.
2.5 stars
When I first ready the blurb for this book, I was all set for a true bad boy style MC. Haven is “cocky, arrogant, brash” as he takes down the lowest of the low. He trained for years with a covert group that doesn’t exist on paper to become the best of the best in the world of assassins. The first portion of the book is clear and concise as Haven invokes his own brand of eye-for-an-eye vengeance that brings him up close and personal with his targets. There are a few flashbacks that read as natural as memories to offer a view of how Haven came to be the man he is and the intensive and extensive training that was required for his job. I was captivated by his persona at this time and couldn’t wait to read on.
Around the time that Sammy entered the story and when the plot should have ramped up further, what started out as a great read took a dive when the characters’ actions became too difficult to get behind and support.
Read Michelle's review in its entirety here.
2.5 stars
When I first ready the blurb for this book, I was all set for a true bad boy style MC. Haven is “cocky, arrogant, brash” as he takes down the lowest of the low. He trained for years with a covert group that doesn’t exist on paper to become the best of the best in the world of assassins. The first portion of the book is clear and concise as Haven invokes his own brand of eye-for-an-eye vengeance that brings him up close and personal with his targets. There are a few flashbacks that read as natural as memories to offer a view of how Haven came to be the man he is and the intensive and extensive training that was required for his job. I was captivated by his persona at this time and couldn’t wait to read on.
Around the time that Sammy entered the story and when the plot should have ramped up further, what started out as a great read took a dive when the characters’ actions became too difficult to get behind and support.
Read Michelle's review in its entirety here.
August 14, 2017
4.5 stars - Both tough-guy Haven and sweetheart Sammy are extremely likeable characters, though we get to know Haven long before Sammy comes into the picture. Wonderful love story for these two and lots of action to keep things moving. I have to admit I was surprised a time or two with how this story progressed, but in a good way. Looking forward to book two.
January 30, 2017
Well, I congratulate you Will. This is a very grown-up story, and I was going to give it 5 stars until Sammy entered the story...after that, things got a little weird and made me wonder whether the 'eye for an eye', confident, self-assured, clinical assassin named Haven, who killed really nasty people that the courts pretended didn't exist, and that I'd been reading about for the first half of the story (and rooting for) had had a brain transplant.
Haven completely fell to pieces after he rescued Sammy from 12 years of imprisonment and sexual slavery. Sammy seemed to make every decision for him after that...even going so far as to tell Rook and Kelly what to do. How the hell could Sammy start telling an assassin's minder and boss which jobs Haven would accept, when and how...he'd only known Haven for 4 months for God's sake, and hadn't been around other people for 12 years?? Yes, love may conquer all, and without a doubt, Haven was sick and tired of his life but come on...didn't gel at all. I also had problems with the insta-love aspect of their relationship, and the fact that Haven went from being a controlling person to an extremely submissive one...just didn't make sense.
The ending, yes I got that, closure for both of them and good riddance to a really awful piece of rubbish (who happened to be both Sammy's 'mother', and a gangland boss...just a tad far-fetched I feel) but the general premise for me was promising until Sammy completely took over the story, sorry. 4 stars.
August 10, 2016
I liked the concept but I also had a few issues. Haven kills people that the law can't get to, in part to make up for what he feels was failing to protect his family when he was a kid. While trying to break up a child smuggling/sex ring he finds Sammy who is about 24 but has been a sex slave since he was 12ish. Boom. Him and Haven are joined at the hip (and a bit more to the middle - ha) and Sammy turns into a total Dom, running Haven's life, running interference with the boss, etc. And it turns out that the head of the criminal ring
February 5, 2017
I've had this book in paperback for a long time but i bought it for my kindle just a couple of days ago and all I can say is I wished i'd started it earlier.....Haven is an assassin....He kills those who get away from the law....He says he's not a good man but damn I think he really is a good man....What he has been through in his past was harsh....What he does to others is very harsh but nothing they don't deserve....He delivers punishment before death and it takes a strong man to do that....But.....when we meet Samuel/Sammy you realise just who is the stronger man...Sammy just melted my heart....His strength after what he'd been through was just amazing...The way he takes care of Haven is just perfect.....There was a couple of times that Parker shocked me and a few times I felt tense wondering what was going to happen.....This is not a romance but damn when these two are together they are hot.....I also loved Kelly Haven's assistant/housekeeper/general dogsbody...He was just great....A bit cheeky too......As to who Rook is I would like to know....very mysterious.....I've really enjoyed this and really am looking forward to the second book x
January 24, 2016
Yes? No.
I hesitate to put this as a "military-black-ops" type of read, b/c even though Haven has been trained as a highly efficient sniper/assassin, he actually isn't that good.
The first 1/3rd of the story is fine, following Haven as he kills for this unnamed organisation; but when Sammy comes into the picture....no, no, no....
Haven loses all credibility as an Alpha strong, heroic man; he CAVES under Sammy's "look". Nope, doesn't work for me.
Oh and Sammy has been a Sexual Slave for Twelve Years and has no hang-ups??? No, no, nope!!!
We're given this switch-around in no uncertain terms and asked to accept it. NO, NO, NOPE!!!
(not to mention the no-prep/lube sex!!)
So sorry, Will; this just didn't work for me.
I hesitate to put this as a "military-black-ops" type of read, b/c even though Haven has been trained as a highly efficient sniper/assassin, he actually isn't that good.
The first 1/3rd of the story is fine, following Haven as he kills for this unnamed organisation; but when Sammy comes into the picture....no, no, no....
Haven loses all credibility as an Alpha strong, heroic man; he CAVES under Sammy's "look". Nope, doesn't work for me.
Oh and Sammy has been a Sexual Slave for Twelve Years and has no hang-ups??? No, no, nope!!!
We're given this switch-around in no uncertain terms and asked to accept it. NO, NO, NOPE!!!
(not to mention the no-prep/lube sex!!)
So sorry, Will; this just didn't work for me.
July 7, 2017
The concept of the book and blurb made the book very appealing. I have to say though in the end the realism of the story just ruined the whole thing. Sammy being the biggest. He was locked away in sexual slavery since 12. 12 years like that and he comes out fairly normal...uh, no. I don't care the explanation or how the author tried to put in some mental issues into his character he just didn't work. The organization, nope. Haven himself...no. This issue just ruined the rest of the story which wasn't so bad that's why the 2 stars. I did find parts enjoyable but then the author would ruin it with the implausible.
June 21, 2017
Well now. You know how I always say that I like books that surprise me? How I prefer books that are not like so many other books out there but bring something unique to my reading life? That’s exactly what happened when I opened Haven’s Creed. Sure, if you strip the story down to its barest parts it is a love story telling the tale of how Haven and Sammy got together and how they managed to make what should have been an impossible relationship work. But, it is so very much more than that.
I’m not quite sure how to describe what I’ve just finished reading but the closest I can get is to say this story gives us a study in humanity. It shows us both the worst and the best people can be. And it gives us characters who are so much more than they appear to be at first glance. Allow me to go back to the beginning, so to speak.
Haven. Poor Haven. Forced into an unthinkable act of violence to protect his mother and sister at far too young an age, he is trained, first by the army and then by the organisation that recruits him, to use that violence as a force for good. His acts may be extremely violent, bordering on sadistic at times, but his reasons for hurting and killing his targets are the best; he needs to protect the innocent victims to atone for the fact that he couldn’t prevent the horror that befell his sister. At first glance it would be easy to write him off as some sort of a psychopath, only prevented from being evil by the fact he’s working for ‘the good guys’, but even early on in the story, before he ever sets eyes on Sammy, there are clues that Haven’s deeds are not the result of some inherent blood lust, that there is a softer, needier side to him, even if he refuses to acknowledge that.
Sammy. *Sighs* Sammy tore at my heartstrings from the moment he was introduced. Everything he’s been through should have killed his spirit, turned him into an unredeemable mess, but it didn’t. At least, not entirely. He may be afraid of virtually all people. He may be borderline agoraphobic. He isn’t weak. And despite what I thought at first, he’s also not fixated on Haven like a baby goose who will view whoever they see first when they come out of the egg (or in Sammy’s case, captivity) as their parent or guide. Somehow Sammy managed to hang on to his inner core despite the horrors he was subjected to. And that gives him a stunning form a fragile strength. And, just as Sammy is exactly what Haven needs to allow his full personality to shine, Haven is what Sammy needs in order to find himself again.
And that, what I’ve described in the previous two paragraphs, is what made this book so very special for me. These characters are multi layered. Haven is not ‘just’ a killing machine, and Sammy is so much more than ‘just’ a victim. Like ‘real’ people they have their strengths and their weaknesses. And just as so often happens in ‘real’ relationships, their coming together allows them to grow into their full potential, to allow sides of themselves they weren’t even aware of, to come to the fore and shine.
Haven’s Creed has been added to my extra special list because the story was captivating and the characters fascinating. It deserves its place because Haven and Sammy as well as Kelly and Rook were allowed to develop and grow as characters and show me their full potential. There’s nothing superficial or easy about this story or the characters in it, and that’s what makes it a fabulous book. Bring on Haven’s War, and thank goodness it won’t be a long wait.
I’m not quite sure how to describe what I’ve just finished reading but the closest I can get is to say this story gives us a study in humanity. It shows us both the worst and the best people can be. And it gives us characters who are so much more than they appear to be at first glance. Allow me to go back to the beginning, so to speak.
Haven. Poor Haven. Forced into an unthinkable act of violence to protect his mother and sister at far too young an age, he is trained, first by the army and then by the organisation that recruits him, to use that violence as a force for good. His acts may be extremely violent, bordering on sadistic at times, but his reasons for hurting and killing his targets are the best; he needs to protect the innocent victims to atone for the fact that he couldn’t prevent the horror that befell his sister. At first glance it would be easy to write him off as some sort of a psychopath, only prevented from being evil by the fact he’s working for ‘the good guys’, but even early on in the story, before he ever sets eyes on Sammy, there are clues that Haven’s deeds are not the result of some inherent blood lust, that there is a softer, needier side to him, even if he refuses to acknowledge that.
Sammy. *Sighs* Sammy tore at my heartstrings from the moment he was introduced. Everything he’s been through should have killed his spirit, turned him into an unredeemable mess, but it didn’t. At least, not entirely. He may be afraid of virtually all people. He may be borderline agoraphobic. He isn’t weak. And despite what I thought at first, he’s also not fixated on Haven like a baby goose who will view whoever they see first when they come out of the egg (or in Sammy’s case, captivity) as their parent or guide. Somehow Sammy managed to hang on to his inner core despite the horrors he was subjected to. And that gives him a stunning form a fragile strength. And, just as Sammy is exactly what Haven needs to allow his full personality to shine, Haven is what Sammy needs in order to find himself again.
And that, what I’ve described in the previous two paragraphs, is what made this book so very special for me. These characters are multi layered. Haven is not ‘just’ a killing machine, and Sammy is so much more than ‘just’ a victim. Like ‘real’ people they have their strengths and their weaknesses. And just as so often happens in ‘real’ relationships, their coming together allows them to grow into their full potential, to allow sides of themselves they weren’t even aware of, to come to the fore and shine.
Haven’s Creed has been added to my extra special list because the story was captivating and the characters fascinating. It deserves its place because Haven and Sammy as well as Kelly and Rook were allowed to develop and grow as characters and show me their full potential. There’s nothing superficial or easy about this story or the characters in it, and that’s what makes it a fabulous book. Bring on Haven’s War, and thank goodness it won’t be a long wait.
December 14, 2015
(Originally Reviewed for Love Bytes Same Sex Book Reviews.)
I loved this book. I would say it is one of my favorite books in quite some time. It is harsh and it is brutal. The story is about a killer who kills people in increasingly brutal ways as the book progresses. I love the MC.
The beginning of the book jumps right into an assassination. I’ve included an excerpt from Chapter One below my review to give you a taste. In that chapter we meet the main character while he is taking out a bad, bad man who has gotten away with evil for far too long.
As the book progresses, just as we get to wondering who this man is and what his background is, we get the backstory. After a very horrific event in his childhood, a young man joins the military and is eventually recruited by the secret government agency he is working for in that first scene of the book.
I would have to say this book did the best job that I can ever remember reading at putting me so completely into the shoes of a contract killer taking out evil doers. Parker Williams sure can write! I fell into this story and didn’t come out until the end of the book. It kept my attention, making it hard for me to put it down!
I want to strongly warn you all that there are definitely some triggers for some folks in this story. The crime organization that is the foe in this book deals in everything from drugs, to kiddie porn and child sex slavery, to brutal dog fights. There are myriad references to dead children’s bodies, to horrid acts perpetuated on the children, and some really unsavory criminal types. There are many references to brutal murders, literal piles of dead children’s bodies and horrible sex acts against children. There are references to brutal dog fighting. That was one of my favorite parts of the book…when the dogs got their revenge…must stop…the urge to keep raving about this stuff is so strong!
I loved this book, and I very highly recommend it. It is a dark story with not much of any romance, although there is a love story of sorts that runs through it. I’m not even sure where I would classify it. Take my advice, pick it up today if you’re looking for a great dark read. I’m sure you will enjoy it. If you are the type of reader who likes sweetness and light, with rainbows…and skipping…then you should run away very fast, because this book is not for you.
For those of you who haven’t run screaming the other way…I’ve included an excerpt from Chapter One below. I dare you to read it and not have to hit one click right away!
RATING:
EXCERPT:
Chapter One
Decades of grime, caked and baked in the summer sun, crusted the filthy rooftop. I shuddered at the thought of what I might be crawling around in. Either way, considering the eddies of snow and ice swirling around in the bitter cold breeze freezing my exposed skin, I almost wished for the heat of summer now. Better to be up here sweating my balls off than freezing them.
Winds off Lake Michigan could be brutal, but they were even worse at the top of the building I’d selected. I’d chosen a tight spot, especially for a man my size. Still, it offered me the best possible vantage point. My muscles cramped as I slithered forward on my stomach, and the gravel bit into the skin where my shirt had pulled free from my vest. The edge of the roof held a myriad of pipes and ductwork. Great for cover, not so good for aiming. I pulled myself in between two pipes that gave me line of sight of the house where the deal would go down. It would be an awkward shot, especially given the weather, but I’d taken worse. My breath fogged the lenses of my goggles a bit, but not enough to matter. At least not to my target.
My fingers stiffened as I slid the chamber into the rifle, the fingerless gloves providing little protection against the elements. It reminded me why I didn’t live in Chicago anymore. I hated winter with a passion. Give me my home in Florida or the one I kept in Arizona and I would be much more content.
The car pulled up a few moments later, drawing my attention back to my assignment. I glanced at my watch. Early. I hated when targets didn’t stick to a timetable. It was very rude. The driver ran around and opened John Dunkirk’s door, allowing the dead man walking to slide out of the backseat and step onto the sidewalk where he waited as Kenneth Alamo came out of the modest house. My fingers itched. Alamo had been in and out of prison for possession and distribution. His name should be next to Dunkirk’s, but he wasn’t my target. There would certainly be a reckoning for him at a later date. Maybe this event would set him on the straight and narrow. Unlikely, but in my line of work, stranger things happened.
While Alamo and Dunkirk exchanged handshakes and a brief bro hug, the driver closed the car door then pulled a case from the trunk, placed it on the hood and stepped away. I took note of the briefcase he carried and I tensed. The poison housed in the innocuous looking satchel was the reason I’d been sent. Twenty-seven people had died, that we knew of. Almost half of them were school kids, some as young as seven.
My employer frowned on that and had sent me to get the justice their families wouldn’t have gotten otherwise. The fact Dunkirk had avoided prison was reason enough he had come to our attention and had gotten his name on a death warrant.
Dunkirk cracked the lid just enough so the other guy could look into it. I imagined the buyer being gobsmacked at the amount of crap crammed into the small case. Enough to make him a shitload of money, and at the same time, give people on the streets their last fix.
While they were both occupied, I took aim. No one noticed the red dot on Dunkirk’s back. I squeezed the trigger in one fluid, practiced motion. The explosion of air that echoed off the rooftop announced his imminent death. The moment his chest exploded, chaos filled the streets. Men swarmed from the nearby building like so many cockroaches. The listening device I’d planted in Dunkirk’s car allowed me to hear the barked orders to find whoever was responsible and deal with him. By the time they got their shit together, I would be back in the shadows and on my way home.
I pulled out my phone and tapped out a quick text message.
“It’s done. Next?”
The reply came back a moment later. “Police converging. Go now. Talk later.”
I slipped the phone back into my pocket. I could hear the sirens in the distance. They’d arrest the trash, but the man responsible for all the death through the poison he sold on the streets would never have been taken to prison. His lawyers would have guaranteed it, just as they had the last four times he’d beat the rap the government put together. Dunkirk had enough dirt on a handful of key politicians to ensure he’d live to spread his filth on the streets again. That was why they’d sent me in. If there was one thing I knew with absolute certainty, dead men told no tales and, in Dunkirk’s case, sold no drugs.
Of course, I wasn’t done with Mr. Dunkirk.
I loved this book. I would say it is one of my favorite books in quite some time. It is harsh and it is brutal. The story is about a killer who kills people in increasingly brutal ways as the book progresses. I love the MC.
The beginning of the book jumps right into an assassination. I’ve included an excerpt from Chapter One below my review to give you a taste. In that chapter we meet the main character while he is taking out a bad, bad man who has gotten away with evil for far too long.
As the book progresses, just as we get to wondering who this man is and what his background is, we get the backstory. After a very horrific event in his childhood, a young man joins the military and is eventually recruited by the secret government agency he is working for in that first scene of the book.
I would have to say this book did the best job that I can ever remember reading at putting me so completely into the shoes of a contract killer taking out evil doers. Parker Williams sure can write! I fell into this story and didn’t come out until the end of the book. It kept my attention, making it hard for me to put it down!
I want to strongly warn you all that there are definitely some triggers for some folks in this story. The crime organization that is the foe in this book deals in everything from drugs, to kiddie porn and child sex slavery, to brutal dog fights. There are myriad references to dead children’s bodies, to horrid acts perpetuated on the children, and some really unsavory criminal types. There are many references to brutal murders, literal piles of dead children’s bodies and horrible sex acts against children. There are references to brutal dog fighting. That was one of my favorite parts of the book…when the dogs got their revenge…must stop…the urge to keep raving about this stuff is so strong!
I loved this book, and I very highly recommend it. It is a dark story with not much of any romance, although there is a love story of sorts that runs through it. I’m not even sure where I would classify it. Take my advice, pick it up today if you’re looking for a great dark read. I’m sure you will enjoy it. If you are the type of reader who likes sweetness and light, with rainbows…and skipping…then you should run away very fast, because this book is not for you.
For those of you who haven’t run screaming the other way…I’ve included an excerpt from Chapter One below. I dare you to read it and not have to hit one click right away!
RATING:
EXCERPT:
Chapter One
Decades of grime, caked and baked in the summer sun, crusted the filthy rooftop. I shuddered at the thought of what I might be crawling around in. Either way, considering the eddies of snow and ice swirling around in the bitter cold breeze freezing my exposed skin, I almost wished for the heat of summer now. Better to be up here sweating my balls off than freezing them.
Winds off Lake Michigan could be brutal, but they were even worse at the top of the building I’d selected. I’d chosen a tight spot, especially for a man my size. Still, it offered me the best possible vantage point. My muscles cramped as I slithered forward on my stomach, and the gravel bit into the skin where my shirt had pulled free from my vest. The edge of the roof held a myriad of pipes and ductwork. Great for cover, not so good for aiming. I pulled myself in between two pipes that gave me line of sight of the house where the deal would go down. It would be an awkward shot, especially given the weather, but I’d taken worse. My breath fogged the lenses of my goggles a bit, but not enough to matter. At least not to my target.
My fingers stiffened as I slid the chamber into the rifle, the fingerless gloves providing little protection against the elements. It reminded me why I didn’t live in Chicago anymore. I hated winter with a passion. Give me my home in Florida or the one I kept in Arizona and I would be much more content.
The car pulled up a few moments later, drawing my attention back to my assignment. I glanced at my watch. Early. I hated when targets didn’t stick to a timetable. It was very rude. The driver ran around and opened John Dunkirk’s door, allowing the dead man walking to slide out of the backseat and step onto the sidewalk where he waited as Kenneth Alamo came out of the modest house. My fingers itched. Alamo had been in and out of prison for possession and distribution. His name should be next to Dunkirk’s, but he wasn’t my target. There would certainly be a reckoning for him at a later date. Maybe this event would set him on the straight and narrow. Unlikely, but in my line of work, stranger things happened.
While Alamo and Dunkirk exchanged handshakes and a brief bro hug, the driver closed the car door then pulled a case from the trunk, placed it on the hood and stepped away. I took note of the briefcase he carried and I tensed. The poison housed in the innocuous looking satchel was the reason I’d been sent. Twenty-seven people had died, that we knew of. Almost half of them were school kids, some as young as seven.
My employer frowned on that and had sent me to get the justice their families wouldn’t have gotten otherwise. The fact Dunkirk had avoided prison was reason enough he had come to our attention and had gotten his name on a death warrant.
Dunkirk cracked the lid just enough so the other guy could look into it. I imagined the buyer being gobsmacked at the amount of crap crammed into the small case. Enough to make him a shitload of money, and at the same time, give people on the streets their last fix.
While they were both occupied, I took aim. No one noticed the red dot on Dunkirk’s back. I squeezed the trigger in one fluid, practiced motion. The explosion of air that echoed off the rooftop announced his imminent death. The moment his chest exploded, chaos filled the streets. Men swarmed from the nearby building like so many cockroaches. The listening device I’d planted in Dunkirk’s car allowed me to hear the barked orders to find whoever was responsible and deal with him. By the time they got their shit together, I would be back in the shadows and on my way home.
I pulled out my phone and tapped out a quick text message.
“It’s done. Next?”
The reply came back a moment later. “Police converging. Go now. Talk later.”
I slipped the phone back into my pocket. I could hear the sirens in the distance. They’d arrest the trash, but the man responsible for all the death through the poison he sold on the streets would never have been taken to prison. His lawyers would have guaranteed it, just as they had the last four times he’d beat the rap the government put together. Dunkirk had enough dirt on a handful of key politicians to ensure he’d live to spread his filth on the streets again. That was why they’d sent me in. If there was one thing I knew with absolute certainty, dead men told no tales and, in Dunkirk’s case, sold no drugs.
Of course, I wasn’t done with Mr. Dunkirk.
December 15, 2015
5 Hearts
Review written for MM Good Books Reviews
Click the link for Haven's Creed Giveaway! (Ends 25th December 2015)
Haven is a man who is becoming despondent with his life: after an act of violence tore his family apart Haven has dedicated his life to protecting those who can’t protect themselves but after nine years of killing his calling seems to be waning; until he rescues a young man who rocks his foundation. Sammy has lived as a sex slave since he was eleven years old and he was handed him over to his owner, when Haven rescues him Sammy sees something in Haven that gives him strength and Sammy is determined to make Haven his.
The first thing I want to say is that this story isn’t for those people who shy away from violence or abuse, there is plenty of on page violence and signs of abuse with much child abuse, both physical and sexual, mentioned throughout the book. For me it was necessary because Haven’s and Sammy’s lives are not that of everyday people, they have seen the worst of humanity and continue to survive. It also gives you insight into the type of men they are and what drives them as well as how strong they really are, even if their inner strength begins to flag at times.
Haven is an unseen hero, a man who has been trained to make those who have escaped justice pay for their vile crimes. He’s part of a covert government organization whose reach is long and those who bribed, threatened and murdered their way to freedom have nowhere to hide. Sammy is a victim of one of those people and although he has been used and abused his inner core has never been touched; his hope of eventually escaping has kept him going.
While Haven is doing the right thing he can’t help but feel like he’s not a good man even if the people he has killed did deserve it, he’s beginning to feel tainted by what he does; he’s losing the strength of his conviction, but Sammy handles Haven in a way Haven never knew he needed and reinforces Haven’s conviction in his calling. Sammy will be a contradiction to many people; he’s full of strength and confidence with Haven but is scared and fearful of everyone else, but that’s how he reacts to the life he has had and Haven becomes the strength that Sammy needs to piece his life together.
Haven’s and Sammy’s relationship progresses quickly because Sammy isn’t about to let Haven slip through his fingers, their coming together is hot, and not quite how you would have first pictured it. I won’t go into further detail about it but Sammy is more of a handful than Haven thought!
The story is more than just about Sammy and Haven and Haven’s mission in life, we also see how Haven has forged bonds he hasn’t noticed, Kelly, Haven’s houseman, is more of a substitute father figure and Rook, Haven’s handler, is more like a fond distant uncle. Kelly and Rook have been with Haven since the beginning so even though Haven doesn’t realise it they are both there for him in more ways than one.
The actual storyline delves into some dark corners; they are hunting down an enormous child sex trafficking, drug distribution, money laundering and prostitution ring, it fills you with shear horror at the actions of some so-called human beings. And, it also fills you with a wicked sense of satisfaction as we see some of these people get their just desserts. You don’t like blood and guts? I think you might change your mind and celebrate the destruction of the bad guys in this book.
Parker Williams has written a story that is hard hitting, he doesn’t pull any punches and at times the story touches onto stomach churning… but I loved it, he shows the underbelly of humanity but he makes the bad guys pay, and pay in such a way that you feel like Karmic justice has paid them a visit. He gives us two incredible characters who have a lot of give and take between them, they balance each other out and their love does shine through. Parker Williams for this book I grant you the temporary ownership of the dark muse.
I recommend this to those who love stories that pack a punch, a storyline that grabs you by the throat, characters that you can’t help fall in love with, justice being delivered and an ending that is fantastic.
Review written for MM Good Books Reviews
Click the link for Haven's Creed Giveaway! (Ends 25th December 2015)
Haven is a man who is becoming despondent with his life: after an act of violence tore his family apart Haven has dedicated his life to protecting those who can’t protect themselves but after nine years of killing his calling seems to be waning; until he rescues a young man who rocks his foundation. Sammy has lived as a sex slave since he was eleven years old and he was handed him over to his owner, when Haven rescues him Sammy sees something in Haven that gives him strength and Sammy is determined to make Haven his.
The first thing I want to say is that this story isn’t for those people who shy away from violence or abuse, there is plenty of on page violence and signs of abuse with much child abuse, both physical and sexual, mentioned throughout the book. For me it was necessary because Haven’s and Sammy’s lives are not that of everyday people, they have seen the worst of humanity and continue to survive. It also gives you insight into the type of men they are and what drives them as well as how strong they really are, even if their inner strength begins to flag at times.
Haven is an unseen hero, a man who has been trained to make those who have escaped justice pay for their vile crimes. He’s part of a covert government organization whose reach is long and those who bribed, threatened and murdered their way to freedom have nowhere to hide. Sammy is a victim of one of those people and although he has been used and abused his inner core has never been touched; his hope of eventually escaping has kept him going.
While Haven is doing the right thing he can’t help but feel like he’s not a good man even if the people he has killed did deserve it, he’s beginning to feel tainted by what he does; he’s losing the strength of his conviction, but Sammy handles Haven in a way Haven never knew he needed and reinforces Haven’s conviction in his calling. Sammy will be a contradiction to many people; he’s full of strength and confidence with Haven but is scared and fearful of everyone else, but that’s how he reacts to the life he has had and Haven becomes the strength that Sammy needs to piece his life together.
Haven’s and Sammy’s relationship progresses quickly because Sammy isn’t about to let Haven slip through his fingers, their coming together is hot, and not quite how you would have first pictured it. I won’t go into further detail about it but Sammy is more of a handful than Haven thought!
The story is more than just about Sammy and Haven and Haven’s mission in life, we also see how Haven has forged bonds he hasn’t noticed, Kelly, Haven’s houseman, is more of a substitute father figure and Rook, Haven’s handler, is more like a fond distant uncle. Kelly and Rook have been with Haven since the beginning so even though Haven doesn’t realise it they are both there for him in more ways than one.
The actual storyline delves into some dark corners; they are hunting down an enormous child sex trafficking, drug distribution, money laundering and prostitution ring, it fills you with shear horror at the actions of some so-called human beings. And, it also fills you with a wicked sense of satisfaction as we see some of these people get their just desserts. You don’t like blood and guts? I think you might change your mind and celebrate the destruction of the bad guys in this book.
Parker Williams has written a story that is hard hitting, he doesn’t pull any punches and at times the story touches onto stomach churning… but I loved it, he shows the underbelly of humanity but he makes the bad guys pay, and pay in such a way that you feel like Karmic justice has paid them a visit. He gives us two incredible characters who have a lot of give and take between them, they balance each other out and their love does shine through. Parker Williams for this book I grant you the temporary ownership of the dark muse.
I recommend this to those who love stories that pack a punch, a storyline that grabs you by the throat, characters that you can’t help fall in love with, justice being delivered and an ending that is fantastic.
January 10, 2023
"I was not a good man. Hell, there were many times I wasn’t even sure I was a man anymore. I killed people for a living and made damn good money at it. I didn’t do random chaos, though. That stuff was for amateurs. What I did was for a cause. The greater good, you might say. I was sure there were plenty who’d argue that fact, but they hadn’t seen the things I had."
I was given the honor of reading maybe two paragraphs of 'Haven's Creed' while Parker was writing it. I guarantee you I started salivating right then. See, I know how talented this author is, and I was thrilled that he was stepping away from his norm, so to speak, to write a darker, very conflicted killer with all of the issues that come along. I knew Parker could nail this, and I was right.
When Haven was fifteen, he picked up his mother's boyfriend's gun and shot him between the eyes. This was after the guy had bashed in his little sister's skull, whaled on his mom again, and years of physical and verbal abuse along with sexual for his sister. At eighteen Haven joined the Army and proceeded to impress the hell out of them with his sniper skills. Two years in, he's recruited by a secret, unnamed part of the government (that doesn't exist) to come and protect children from drug dealers, pedophiles, killers - any and all whose business hurts children. So Haven's life begins.
“It’s a good dream, but I’m not sure if it’s attainable. Our lives are finding a happily ever after for other people. It’s not likely we’ll ever have our own.”
It's while Haven is on his biggest job to date, chipping away at a massive organization’s power players in order to get to Valerie at the top, that he rescues Samuel, or Sammy as Haven calls him. Sammy has been a prostitute in a sex slavery operation for twelve years, since he was eleven, and maybe the worst part is when Haven discovers Valerie is Sammy's mom, and she put him in this business - just left him with a colleague and walked away. Sammy is immediately drawn to the safety and security of Haven, but he's also drawn to the man. Even though Haven is convinced Sammy can't be in his life, Sammy is determined to be the calm refuge at home waiting for Haven. Of course the fact that Sammy is terrified to be out and around other people might have a bit of a play in this.
It comes as a surprise to Haven to realize how much he needs Sammy. Sammy takes charge and makes the choices that Haven's had to make for so long. It's liberating to know that Sammy will take care of him, even though Haven would deny he needed to be cared for to anyone. It doesn't take long before both Sammy and Haven want a forever with each other. However, Haven still has to take out Valerie, and when Sammy begs him not to be the one to do it - and, believe me, it has nothing to do with her being his mom - Sammy has to inform Haven of the startling resemblance he and his mother share. Sammy is terrified that Haven killing Valerie will destroy their love.
I'm completely amazed and blown away by the intensity of this book. I always knew the author was capable of this depth and now I can say "I told you so". An incredible story with characters I'll remember for a lifetime, and a permanent spot in my favorites collection. I can't recommend this enough.
NOTE: This book was provided by the author for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews
I was given the honor of reading maybe two paragraphs of 'Haven's Creed' while Parker was writing it. I guarantee you I started salivating right then. See, I know how talented this author is, and I was thrilled that he was stepping away from his norm, so to speak, to write a darker, very conflicted killer with all of the issues that come along. I knew Parker could nail this, and I was right.
When Haven was fifteen, he picked up his mother's boyfriend's gun and shot him between the eyes. This was after the guy had bashed in his little sister's skull, whaled on his mom again, and years of physical and verbal abuse along with sexual for his sister. At eighteen Haven joined the Army and proceeded to impress the hell out of them with his sniper skills. Two years in, he's recruited by a secret, unnamed part of the government (that doesn't exist) to come and protect children from drug dealers, pedophiles, killers - any and all whose business hurts children. So Haven's life begins.
“It’s a good dream, but I’m not sure if it’s attainable. Our lives are finding a happily ever after for other people. It’s not likely we’ll ever have our own.”
It's while Haven is on his biggest job to date, chipping away at a massive organization’s power players in order to get to Valerie at the top, that he rescues Samuel, or Sammy as Haven calls him. Sammy has been a prostitute in a sex slavery operation for twelve years, since he was eleven, and maybe the worst part is when Haven discovers Valerie is Sammy's mom, and she put him in this business - just left him with a colleague and walked away. Sammy is immediately drawn to the safety and security of Haven, but he's also drawn to the man. Even though Haven is convinced Sammy can't be in his life, Sammy is determined to be the calm refuge at home waiting for Haven. Of course the fact that Sammy is terrified to be out and around other people might have a bit of a play in this.
It comes as a surprise to Haven to realize how much he needs Sammy. Sammy takes charge and makes the choices that Haven's had to make for so long. It's liberating to know that Sammy will take care of him, even though Haven would deny he needed to be cared for to anyone. It doesn't take long before both Sammy and Haven want a forever with each other. However, Haven still has to take out Valerie, and when Sammy begs him not to be the one to do it - and, believe me, it has nothing to do with her being his mom - Sammy has to inform Haven of the startling resemblance he and his mother share. Sammy is terrified that Haven killing Valerie will destroy their love.
I'm completely amazed and blown away by the intensity of this book. I always knew the author was capable of this depth and now I can say "I told you so". An incredible story with characters I'll remember for a lifetime, and a permanent spot in my favorites collection. I can't recommend this enough.
NOTE: This book was provided by the author for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews
March 21, 2016
This book blew me away! While I tend to stick to romances, my tastes within the romance genres are rather wide and I tend to jump around from genre to genre and romantic suspense novels are one of my favorites. Within the romantic suspense genre, I especially enjoy the spy/mercenary theme. Now this is probably going to come out all wrong, but I generally stick to the M/F romances of this type because too often the spy/mercenary/wounded hero in the M/M romantic suspense novels tends to be less alpha than I’m looking for. I know that sounds funny, but it’s almost as if some authors feel the wounded hero has to be more sensitive because he’s gay just so that he can be open enough to find his other half – he goes from being an alpha male to an overly sensitive sap. I’m not saying the alpha male can’t or shouldn’t have tender moments, but I find it’s usually overdone in the M/M romantic suspense novels I’ve read.
Ugh! I don’t know if I’m explaining it right or not, but whatever it is I’m trying to say, my point is that in Haven’s Creed I found Haven to be the right level of ruthlessness to believe him to be the cold-blooded killer and mercenary he was, but with the moral compass necessary to find his other half. Haven is one of those guys that does bad things for the right reasons. He’s the guy that gets sent in to punish those people who use their ill-gotten gains to avoid the justice system so that they can continue to profit off of others’ misfortune, misery, and death. He is the wetworks guy sent in to administer justice when there is no other way to hold the criminals accountable for their crimes – and his specialty area is crimes against children. Because of this, I had no problem whatsoever with what Haven did and how he dispensed justice. Any niggling doubts that I may have had were obliterated when he saved Sammy because with all that we discover that Sammy endured, for him to trust Haven so completely spoke volumes.
Watching their relationship develop was fascinating because of how well they complemented one another’s personalities and how their needs fed into one another, even helping the other to identify needs they’d never acknowledged before. I will say that there was a time or two that Haven was borderline too sensitive, but considering all that was occurring at the time and the emotional upheavals that he experienced over the course of the book it’s not entirely unexpected. One of the things that I enjoyed is that while there is definitely a romance brewing between Sammy and Haven, the author keeps the focus of the book on the suspense angle. Williams keeps the storyline true to Haven’s mission by interrupting their “bonding” time in order to send Haven back out into the field, more than once. This meant that even though the men were falling in love and discovering just how compatible they were, the author didn’t keep them in a bubble, choosing instead to have duty intrude as it would in real life. There’s not much more I can say about specifics without risking spoiler reveals, so I’ll sum it up by saying that Haven’s Creed was an action-packed thrill-ride of a romance that kept me glued to my Kindle. I look forward to checking out more of Williams’s work.
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Angela at Crystal's Many Reviewers!
Ugh! I don’t know if I’m explaining it right or not, but whatever it is I’m trying to say, my point is that in Haven’s Creed I found Haven to be the right level of ruthlessness to believe him to be the cold-blooded killer and mercenary he was, but with the moral compass necessary to find his other half. Haven is one of those guys that does bad things for the right reasons. He’s the guy that gets sent in to punish those people who use their ill-gotten gains to avoid the justice system so that they can continue to profit off of others’ misfortune, misery, and death. He is the wetworks guy sent in to administer justice when there is no other way to hold the criminals accountable for their crimes – and his specialty area is crimes against children. Because of this, I had no problem whatsoever with what Haven did and how he dispensed justice. Any niggling doubts that I may have had were obliterated when he saved Sammy because with all that we discover that Sammy endured, for him to trust Haven so completely spoke volumes.
Watching their relationship develop was fascinating because of how well they complemented one another’s personalities and how their needs fed into one another, even helping the other to identify needs they’d never acknowledged before. I will say that there was a time or two that Haven was borderline too sensitive, but considering all that was occurring at the time and the emotional upheavals that he experienced over the course of the book it’s not entirely unexpected. One of the things that I enjoyed is that while there is definitely a romance brewing between Sammy and Haven, the author keeps the focus of the book on the suspense angle. Williams keeps the storyline true to Haven’s mission by interrupting their “bonding” time in order to send Haven back out into the field, more than once. This meant that even though the men were falling in love and discovering just how compatible they were, the author didn’t keep them in a bubble, choosing instead to have duty intrude as it would in real life. There’s not much more I can say about specifics without risking spoiler reveals, so I’ll sum it up by saying that Haven’s Creed was an action-packed thrill-ride of a romance that kept me glued to my Kindle. I look forward to checking out more of Williams’s work.
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Angela at Crystal's Many Reviewers!
January 26, 2016
After a year I finally had a chance at reading a new book by Parker Williams. I have to admit as I read the blurb of Haven’s Creed, I was soon curious about it. I understood the story would have been something different from the usual fluffy romance I so love and so I wanted to give it a try.
What surprised me was how much I felt myself into the story, I found hard to put it down and I read it quickly. I liked the premise, the writing, the secondary characters and the development of the general story. That’s why I gave it a high rating, because I liked it so much.
That said, I had a lot of issues with Haven’s Creed, the most important one was that the book wasn’t exactly what I was expecting, I was waiting for something different and when I understood I wasn’t getting it, I felt so disappointed.
First of all, be aware, this story is extremely hard and violent, and it could hurt the sensibility of people not used to these kinds of themes. I had been cautioned about them and I started this book knowing it wouldn’t be strictly a romance but I was still hoping to get some kind of love story, in any way possible. The problem for me is that Haven’s Creed IS a romance, meaning the romantic part shadowed the fiction sections greatly, turning it into a simple love story with some violent elements (and not the other way around). And when you approach a reading knowing you are going to get something and then actually got another thing, the frustration is almost certain.
Also this narrative letdown also brought about some issues with the main characters. I was confused about Sammy. I was not sure how someone who went through hell like he did, could be so strong and dominant and open with his sexuality in his relationship with Haven. Not being scared of a new man felt unrealistic and extreme. And I was confused about Haven too. From the moment he met Sammy, he became needy and emotional, he started making mistakes during his job. There was a very improbable and pointless change in his personality that almost depreciated the whole first part of the story. Really a shame.
I was ready for violence, abuses, gritty scenes and a lot of blood. I was ready for it to be emotional. I wasn’t honestly waiting for a HEA and for me there was one between Sammy and Haven. I was hoping for a love story and I’m happy I got it. But in my opinion the author should have been bolder and pushed more versus what the story promised.
Although it left me with a lot of not so good feelings, I gave Haven’s Creed 3,5 stars because it deserves them. The author was able to keep me glued to his words till the end and I can’t ignore this.
The cover art by Laura Harner could have worked but I already saw this cover around for another book, so to me it’s nothing new.
What surprised me was how much I felt myself into the story, I found hard to put it down and I read it quickly. I liked the premise, the writing, the secondary characters and the development of the general story. That’s why I gave it a high rating, because I liked it so much.
That said, I had a lot of issues with Haven’s Creed, the most important one was that the book wasn’t exactly what I was expecting, I was waiting for something different and when I understood I wasn’t getting it, I felt so disappointed.
First of all, be aware, this story is extremely hard and violent, and it could hurt the sensibility of people not used to these kinds of themes. I had been cautioned about them and I started this book knowing it wouldn’t be strictly a romance but I was still hoping to get some kind of love story, in any way possible. The problem for me is that Haven’s Creed IS a romance, meaning the romantic part shadowed the fiction sections greatly, turning it into a simple love story with some violent elements (and not the other way around). And when you approach a reading knowing you are going to get something and then actually got another thing, the frustration is almost certain.
Also this narrative letdown also brought about some issues with the main characters. I was confused about Sammy. I was not sure how someone who went through hell like he did, could be so strong and dominant and open with his sexuality in his relationship with Haven. Not being scared of a new man felt unrealistic and extreme. And I was confused about Haven too. From the moment he met Sammy, he became needy and emotional, he started making mistakes during his job. There was a very improbable and pointless change in his personality that almost depreciated the whole first part of the story. Really a shame.
I was ready for violence, abuses, gritty scenes and a lot of blood. I was ready for it to be emotional. I wasn’t honestly waiting for a HEA and for me there was one between Sammy and Haven. I was hoping for a love story and I’m happy I got it. But in my opinion the author should have been bolder and pushed more versus what the story promised.
Although it left me with a lot of not so good feelings, I gave Haven’s Creed 3,5 stars because it deserves them. The author was able to keep me glued to his words till the end and I can’t ignore this.
The cover art by Laura Harner could have worked but I already saw this cover around for another book, so to me it’s nothing new.
March 4, 2016
Haven made his first kill at the age of fifteen, when he came home to find that his sister had been brutally beaten by his mother’s boyfriend. Picking up the gun that Arnie had dropped, it took one look at his sister’s crumpled body, and Arnie’s taunting, to put a hole in his head.
The police and the courts ruled it was justifiable.
I would hope so since his sister never recovered from the head trauma this jerk inflicted. And their mom should have been charged with failing to protect her children. And, to add insult to injury, his mother then abandoned them both to their faith not long after the incident.
As soon as Haven turned eighteen he joined the Army, where he did so well with a rifle that he was sent to sniper training. Because he’s a bit of a misfit, Haven comes under the notice of a covert operations head who seems to think that maybe Haven would be perfect for a job offer. As the blurb states, Haven would later become what I would call a vigilante assassin.
After ten years as an assassin, Haven begins to question whether he should move on, with thoughts such as this:
“This job belonged to a younger man. One with the ideals I used to have. One who thought he could go out and change the world, not one who knew for certain the world had moved on without him.”
But there is one more job yet to do, and it’s worse than any that Haven has come across in his line of work. It’s on this particular job that Haven is setting things up to take out the nasty head of a child sex ring when he comes across Samuel…
I will point out that Haven’s Creed surprised me with a twist or two, but the one that stood out the most was that Haven was at a point in his life where he needed someone to lean on, and that person turned out to be Samuel. This made me wonder who needed help the most. I also appreciated that the author wasn’t going for the shock value in the story. In other words, I didn’t physically cringe or become queasy with overly descriptive or gory details as to what had happened to the victims. As for the a-holes in this story…well, I surprised myself at how bloodthirsty I was. I felt some of them got off way too easy—with an easy kill. I thought they should have experienced a little of their victims’ pain before meeting their end.
I was warned that Haven’s Creed was going to be a dark read because of its subject matter, and anything dealing with child slavery is pretty dark, indeed. All in all, this is not a bad read, but it’s the type of story I wouldn’t read more than once, mainly because of its subject matter.
Reviewed by Kim for The Novel Approach Reviews
http://www.thenovelapproachreviews.co...
The police and the courts ruled it was justifiable.
I would hope so since his sister never recovered from the head trauma this jerk inflicted. And their mom should have been charged with failing to protect her children. And, to add insult to injury, his mother then abandoned them both to their faith not long after the incident.
As soon as Haven turned eighteen he joined the Army, where he did so well with a rifle that he was sent to sniper training. Because he’s a bit of a misfit, Haven comes under the notice of a covert operations head who seems to think that maybe Haven would be perfect for a job offer. As the blurb states, Haven would later become what I would call a vigilante assassin.
After ten years as an assassin, Haven begins to question whether he should move on, with thoughts such as this:
“This job belonged to a younger man. One with the ideals I used to have. One who thought he could go out and change the world, not one who knew for certain the world had moved on without him.”
But there is one more job yet to do, and it’s worse than any that Haven has come across in his line of work. It’s on this particular job that Haven is setting things up to take out the nasty head of a child sex ring when he comes across Samuel…
I will point out that Haven’s Creed surprised me with a twist or two, but the one that stood out the most was that Haven was at a point in his life where he needed someone to lean on, and that person turned out to be Samuel. This made me wonder who needed help the most. I also appreciated that the author wasn’t going for the shock value in the story. In other words, I didn’t physically cringe or become queasy with overly descriptive or gory details as to what had happened to the victims. As for the a-holes in this story…well, I surprised myself at how bloodthirsty I was. I felt some of them got off way too easy—with an easy kill. I thought they should have experienced a little of their victims’ pain before meeting their end.
I was warned that Haven’s Creed was going to be a dark read because of its subject matter, and anything dealing with child slavery is pretty dark, indeed. All in all, this is not a bad read, but it’s the type of story I wouldn’t read more than once, mainly because of its subject matter.
Reviewed by Kim for The Novel Approach Reviews
http://www.thenovelapproachreviews.co...
March 31, 2017
So Disappointed
I really thought I was gonna love this. Bloody guy with gun on the cover? Assassin? Yes!.....no. The first part of the book was promising. It did drag. It really didn't need that much detail about his training. He had special training, we get it. His assassinations were great. Very creative and hands-on, literally. Then he rescued Sammy and it went rapidly downhill.
I'm quite capable of suspending disbelief, I know it's fiction. I could accept the mysterious government organization killing bad guys that escaped the system. A conspiracy theorists dream team. Then there's Sammy, a boy, who for twelve years was a sex slave, since he was 11 years old, immediately turning into a Dom. The storyline began to feel like nails on a chalkboard.
I almost DNF'd it. I really should have, since I just became more irritated as I read. I'm only giving it two points for the first 30% or so and the assassinations. If Sammy'd been left out, it might have been a better book.
I really thought I was gonna love this. Bloody guy with gun on the cover? Assassin? Yes!.....no. The first part of the book was promising. It did drag. It really didn't need that much detail about his training. He had special training, we get it. His assassinations were great. Very creative and hands-on, literally. Then he rescued Sammy and it went rapidly downhill.
I'm quite capable of suspending disbelief, I know it's fiction. I could accept the mysterious government organization killing bad guys that escaped the system. A conspiracy theorists dream team. Then there's Sammy, a boy, who for twelve years was a sex slave, since he was 11 years old, immediately turning into a Dom. The storyline began to feel like nails on a chalkboard.
I almost DNF'd it. I really should have, since I just became more irritated as I read. I'm only giving it two points for the first 30% or so and the assassinations. If Sammy'd been left out, it might have been a better book.
January 13, 2016
Haven is a sniper. His past has led him to a place where he coldly eliminates humans who somehow rise above the legal system but who deserve justice. At this point he doesn’t know if he even has a soul left to save.
Samuel is a young man who for the last decade has been forced to act as a sex slave for a depraved woman’s plans. Somehow, though, he hasn’t lost his will or his strength.
When Haven rescues Sammy the two fall instantly for the other. Though it takes time for them to act on these feelings, the chemistry is there at the start. Haven doesn’t want to “abuse” his trust with Sammy but Sammy has no compunction about that at all.
Haven also worries that Sammy will be put off by the jobs Haven must finish and those in his future. What he doesn’t know is that Sammy supports these jobs 110%.
**
This is a fascinating book in that Haven is – almost – unrepentantly a “bad guy” in that he murders people in cold blood. They deserve it, no question, but the ethics of his vigilante acts are questionable. Haven himself questions his own code of ethics.
Sammy never questions Haven’s ethics and in fact helps Haven to come to grips with it better than anyone ever could.
There’s no question that Sammy and Haven are great together and surprisingly it’s Sammy who is the dominant force in the relationship. Providing that anchor Haven needs.
I loved the willingness to go to the dark and unexpected in this book – it does not play out at all like you’d expect and that is very refreshing. However, when some of these lines get crossed and boundaries pushed, I’m not sure there’s support enough for some of the character’s actions.
I didn’t have trouble with Sammy being toppy and dominant – in fact I loved it – but I did wonder at his capacity to ignore 10 years of degradation and humiliation and his apparent “healing” that occurred in such a small time frame.
Haven’s self doubt and apparent 180 degree turn didn’t bother me, but his team’s willingness to listen to Sammy did bother me. These guys are supposed to be cold-blooded professionals and it seemed like listening to Sammy wouldn’t be something they’d do.
So – all in all I loved the play on the dark side we get with these characters and the ability to let go of all preconceived notions and just look at things through some very “dirty” lenses. Though I didn’t always agree with some plot/character points it was still an amazingly entertaining and interesting book that I highly recommend.
Samuel is a young man who for the last decade has been forced to act as a sex slave for a depraved woman’s plans. Somehow, though, he hasn’t lost his will or his strength.
When Haven rescues Sammy the two fall instantly for the other. Though it takes time for them to act on these feelings, the chemistry is there at the start. Haven doesn’t want to “abuse” his trust with Sammy but Sammy has no compunction about that at all.
Haven also worries that Sammy will be put off by the jobs Haven must finish and those in his future. What he doesn’t know is that Sammy supports these jobs 110%.
**
This is a fascinating book in that Haven is – almost – unrepentantly a “bad guy” in that he murders people in cold blood. They deserve it, no question, but the ethics of his vigilante acts are questionable. Haven himself questions his own code of ethics.
Sammy never questions Haven’s ethics and in fact helps Haven to come to grips with it better than anyone ever could.
There’s no question that Sammy and Haven are great together and surprisingly it’s Sammy who is the dominant force in the relationship. Providing that anchor Haven needs.
I loved the willingness to go to the dark and unexpected in this book – it does not play out at all like you’d expect and that is very refreshing. However, when some of these lines get crossed and boundaries pushed, I’m not sure there’s support enough for some of the character’s actions.
I didn’t have trouble with Sammy being toppy and dominant – in fact I loved it – but I did wonder at his capacity to ignore 10 years of degradation and humiliation and his apparent “healing” that occurred in such a small time frame.
Haven’s self doubt and apparent 180 degree turn didn’t bother me, but his team’s willingness to listen to Sammy did bother me. These guys are supposed to be cold-blooded professionals and it seemed like listening to Sammy wouldn’t be something they’d do.
So – all in all I loved the play on the dark side we get with these characters and the ability to let go of all preconceived notions and just look at things through some very “dirty” lenses. Though I didn’t always agree with some plot/character points it was still an amazingly entertaining and interesting book that I highly recommend.
December 15, 2015
REVIEWED FOR PRISM BOOK ALLIANCE
So the first question has to be what the hell happened to our sweet Parker Williams? This is not his usual fare that’s for sure.
Haven watched his mother’s and sister’s abuse until one day it went too far. His sister would never be the same and his father lay dead, by his hand. Haven joined the military and thought that is where he would stay until he is kidnapped, or recruited, by a secret agency and is introduced to the mysterious voice of Rook.
For nearly a decade Haven fights the underbelly of society taking out people the courts are either too scared to deal with or have been paid not to. It’s a lonely job, a soul destroying job and lately all Haven sees is death and destruction. Nearly at the point of walking away his latest job finds him rescuing a young man who has been held captive for years, abused physically, mentally and sexually and will change everything Haven knows about himself.
Samuel has no reason to trust anyone yet when Haven rescues him from a squalid room Sammy latches on to the man and refuses to let go. Sammy has a terrifying story to tell, one the reader needs to find out for themselves, yet for all the abuse he has suffered he seems to be able to rise above his adversity and manage to start living again. People terrify him so he builds his life to include only Haven and it’s interesting to see the dynamics of how this works. The way you assume is completely thrown on its head and we learn even more about Haven and what his life has done to him as he gives himself over to Sammy.
This is a dark and often disturbing story as these men cling to each other and try to survive. There is real anguish as Haven tries to finish the job he has started taking with him images that can sustain his need to kill the enemy. For the first time in his life he has someone waiting at home for him, relying on him and the fact that Sammy is intertwined so much with the job he has undertaken makes it even more difficult. I’m glad Parker went with the ending that he did, Sammy clearly wasn’t as ‘over’ everything that had happened to him as he tried to make out and the way it finished felt more real. Kelly deserves a mention too – he was the father figure that Haven never had and a good friend to both of them.
I have just one question….who is Rook?
So the first question has to be what the hell happened to our sweet Parker Williams? This is not his usual fare that’s for sure.
Haven watched his mother’s and sister’s abuse until one day it went too far. His sister would never be the same and his father lay dead, by his hand. Haven joined the military and thought that is where he would stay until he is kidnapped, or recruited, by a secret agency and is introduced to the mysterious voice of Rook.
For nearly a decade Haven fights the underbelly of society taking out people the courts are either too scared to deal with or have been paid not to. It’s a lonely job, a soul destroying job and lately all Haven sees is death and destruction. Nearly at the point of walking away his latest job finds him rescuing a young man who has been held captive for years, abused physically, mentally and sexually and will change everything Haven knows about himself.
Samuel has no reason to trust anyone yet when Haven rescues him from a squalid room Sammy latches on to the man and refuses to let go. Sammy has a terrifying story to tell, one the reader needs to find out for themselves, yet for all the abuse he has suffered he seems to be able to rise above his adversity and manage to start living again. People terrify him so he builds his life to include only Haven and it’s interesting to see the dynamics of how this works. The way you assume is completely thrown on its head and we learn even more about Haven and what his life has done to him as he gives himself over to Sammy.
This is a dark and often disturbing story as these men cling to each other and try to survive. There is real anguish as Haven tries to finish the job he has started taking with him images that can sustain his need to kill the enemy. For the first time in his life he has someone waiting at home for him, relying on him and the fact that Sammy is intertwined so much with the job he has undertaken makes it even more difficult. I’m glad Parker went with the ending that he did, Sammy clearly wasn’t as ‘over’ everything that had happened to him as he tried to make out and the way it finished felt more real. Kelly deserves a mention too – he was the father figure that Haven never had and a good friend to both of them.
I have just one question….who is Rook?
March 19, 2016
I needed a 'dark hero' book for a challenge, and thought this one would fill the bill.
Haven's only purpose in life is his work -- being the instrument of death wielded by a shadow organization whose mission is to protect the weak by eliminating evil. His next job is to bring down the head of a sex trafficking ring, but as he's taking out his targets, he discovers Samuel, a young man who's been kept as a sex slave for years, and rescues him. Samuel (aka Sammy) senses immediately that Haven is there to help, and begs Haven to take him home, and Haven reluctantly agrees. Though Sammy's initially fragile and distraught, Haven soon sees his inner strength and resilience start to shine through, and he and Sammy quickly fall hard for each other. However, as Haven closes in on his final target, he's terrified to learn that Sammy's still in danger, and he's shaken to realize that he can't face a world without Sammy in it.
OK -- this is a work of fiction -- but it still has to be plausible -- the plot and the characters have to be believable. And that is just so not the case here. Haven's credible enough -- a hero with lots of Baggage, who discovers love in the midst of hell. However, I found Sammy entirely unbelievable, and so the story always felt superficial and false. The reader's supposed to accept that a young teen who's been betrayed and abducted into sexual slavery, isolated and used horrifically for years can recover from the trauma almost overnight and develop into a confident sexual dominant. Sorry -- just couldn't buy it.
There are other problems too. Haven's supposed to be a killing machine, but it's difficult to empathize with him....sometimes he seems to be enjoying the job a little too much...which takes him from 'dark hero' to 'psycho.' There's the whole of Sammy's back-story, which just seemed completely unnecessary -- he's a sympathetic enough character without all the Family Baggage that he's dragging around as well. There's the whole weird thing with Haven's 'houseman' Kelly -- he slowly evolves from being a background character to much more -- what's that all about?
So....1 star for a story that almost went into my DNF stack.
Haven's only purpose in life is his work -- being the instrument of death wielded by a shadow organization whose mission is to protect the weak by eliminating evil. His next job is to bring down the head of a sex trafficking ring, but as he's taking out his targets, he discovers Samuel, a young man who's been kept as a sex slave for years, and rescues him. Samuel (aka Sammy) senses immediately that Haven is there to help, and begs Haven to take him home, and Haven reluctantly agrees. Though Sammy's initially fragile and distraught, Haven soon sees his inner strength and resilience start to shine through, and he and Sammy quickly fall hard for each other. However, as Haven closes in on his final target, he's terrified to learn that Sammy's still in danger, and he's shaken to realize that he can't face a world without Sammy in it.
OK -- this is a work of fiction -- but it still has to be plausible -- the plot and the characters have to be believable. And that is just so not the case here. Haven's credible enough -- a hero with lots of Baggage, who discovers love in the midst of hell. However, I found Sammy entirely unbelievable, and so the story always felt superficial and false. The reader's supposed to accept that a young teen who's been betrayed and abducted into sexual slavery, isolated and used horrifically for years can recover from the trauma almost overnight and develop into a confident sexual dominant. Sorry -- just couldn't buy it.
There are other problems too. Haven's supposed to be a killing machine, but it's difficult to empathize with him....sometimes he seems to be enjoying the job a little too much...which takes him from 'dark hero' to 'psycho.' There's the whole of Sammy's back-story, which just seemed completely unnecessary -- he's a sympathetic enough character without all the Family Baggage that he's dragging around as well. There's the whole weird thing with Haven's 'houseman' Kelly -- he slowly evolves from being a background character to much more -- what's that all about?
So....1 star for a story that almost went into my DNF stack.
April 20, 2017
As an abuse survivor I generally approach books that have warnings about dark themes cautiously. I have to be in the right mood and right frame of mind or my PTSD will kick in. When I got Haven's Creed from Parker I couldn't wait for that perfect moment to arrive so I dug in with the expectation that I'd get so far and then need to put it down and take a break until I was ready to finish it. NOPE. Not this time. I read it cover to cover in one day. Then I emailed him to gush over what I loved and nail him with what I didn't. (There wasn't much of the latter.)
In his quest to atone for his inability to protect his sister Haven is ruthless. His targets are the worst of the worst. They've been weighed and measured; their sins are abundant and Haven is the long overdue dose of karma they deserve. I like ruthless, check that. I love ruthless. But for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Haven's job is costing him his soul. Piece by piece, his memories are chipping away at the person he once dreamed of being. But it's a job that someone has to do, and not many are suited to carry his burden, so it's a cost he continues to pay.
Then Haven meets Samuel and the game changes. Samuel works his way under Haven's skin like no one before. What started as another job becomes personal. Haven is out of his element, and as the situation with Samuel becomes more complex, Haven's long suppressed soft side starts to re-emerge.
Haven's character is complex, deeply emotional, and bent but not broken... at least, not yet. Samuel is Haven's second chance; his dark past draws them together, but has the potential to be the one thing that pushes them apart. Haven's Creed isn't meant to be a traditional romance, but to me, few things are more romantic than a lover who's willing to kick ass on your behalf. Parker's talent is undeniable. Life is not black and white. Haven's Creed is firmly set in the shadows, those grey areas that torment the soul. It's a stark journey of hurt, comfort, strength, weakness, vengeance, death and rebirth that's worth every single tear you will shed and hold a place of honor on my list of the best of the best.
In his quest to atone for his inability to protect his sister Haven is ruthless. His targets are the worst of the worst. They've been weighed and measured; their sins are abundant and Haven is the long overdue dose of karma they deserve. I like ruthless, check that. I love ruthless. But for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Haven's job is costing him his soul. Piece by piece, his memories are chipping away at the person he once dreamed of being. But it's a job that someone has to do, and not many are suited to carry his burden, so it's a cost he continues to pay.
Then Haven meets Samuel and the game changes. Samuel works his way under Haven's skin like no one before. What started as another job becomes personal. Haven is out of his element, and as the situation with Samuel becomes more complex, Haven's long suppressed soft side starts to re-emerge.
Haven's character is complex, deeply emotional, and bent but not broken... at least, not yet. Samuel is Haven's second chance; his dark past draws them together, but has the potential to be the one thing that pushes them apart. Haven's Creed isn't meant to be a traditional romance, but to me, few things are more romantic than a lover who's willing to kick ass on your behalf. Parker's talent is undeniable. Life is not black and white. Haven's Creed is firmly set in the shadows, those grey areas that torment the soul. It's a stark journey of hurt, comfort, strength, weakness, vengeance, death and rebirth that's worth every single tear you will shed and hold a place of honor on my list of the best of the best.
February 13, 2016
OK, I admit I put off reading Haven’s Creed for quite a while, although I love Parker’s (and Will Parkinson’s) other books. However, I have a tender heart, as my mother called it, and violence is difficult for me to read or watch in movies or on TV. So, yes, I put it off. When I finally decided it was time to tackle this book I opened myself up to a wonderful surprise.
Haven’s Creed is an uncommon book. It is dark and covers extraordinary events in the underbelly of humanity. Children are being kidnapped and tortured. The few who do not die live half lives after what they’ve been through. There is a shadow organization that hunts down the perpetrators of these dastardly deeds when proper law enforcement agencies seem powerless to stop them. Haven was trained as a sharpshooter in the military and he is recruited to work for this shady agency.
At one point Haven rescues Sammy and gradually finds that Sammy holds the key to Haven’s heart. But there is still a job to be done. There is a twist in the plot that involves Sammy, and Mr. Parker handled that curve ball masterfully. He even brings a bit of BDSM into the story and gives roles to characters that you might not have expected.
All in all, this is a book full of unexpected thrills and chills, as well as a good bit of that viciousness that I started out not wanting to see. However, it was essential to the plot and the thorough character development that Parker Williams is known for in all of his books. Most of his stories aren’t quite this black-hearted but he was able to take the reader down the depths of horror and then find the light again. Haven and Sammy are good people, caught up in the destruction of source of pure evil.
There is a very satisfactory ending to the book on many levels. I am so glad I finally read it and am able to recommend it to other readers. This is an excellent book, well worth reading.
Haven’s Creed is an uncommon book. It is dark and covers extraordinary events in the underbelly of humanity. Children are being kidnapped and tortured. The few who do not die live half lives after what they’ve been through. There is a shadow organization that hunts down the perpetrators of these dastardly deeds when proper law enforcement agencies seem powerless to stop them. Haven was trained as a sharpshooter in the military and he is recruited to work for this shady agency.
At one point Haven rescues Sammy and gradually finds that Sammy holds the key to Haven’s heart. But there is still a job to be done. There is a twist in the plot that involves Sammy, and Mr. Parker handled that curve ball masterfully. He even brings a bit of BDSM into the story and gives roles to characters that you might not have expected.
All in all, this is a book full of unexpected thrills and chills, as well as a good bit of that viciousness that I started out not wanting to see. However, it was essential to the plot and the thorough character development that Parker Williams is known for in all of his books. Most of his stories aren’t quite this black-hearted but he was able to take the reader down the depths of horror and then find the light again. Haven and Sammy are good people, caught up in the destruction of source of pure evil.
There is a very satisfactory ending to the book on many levels. I am so glad I finally read it and am able to recommend it to other readers. This is an excellent book, well worth reading.
February 26, 2016
The premise of this story is great - military man selected and initiated in a secret governmental service organization designed to take out the scum of the planet who can’t be taken out via traditional legal methods. This is absolutely something most people have dreamt of, and seeing it written well was a joy. The pace is good, never really stagnating anywhere, and the peripheral characters, while few, are brilliantly written.
My only real issue with this is Sammy, but it’s a doozie! Having been sold by his mother at the age of 11 and then spending the next twelve years as a sex slave, his assimilation back into mainstream society and what should be fairly impressive resultant psychological issues are obliterated into obscurity. He has what are considered to be fairly typical reactions immediately following his release, but then he morphs into this dominant personality, completing taking over the decisions of his supposed rescuer, both sexually as well as professionally? This went so far opposite from believable as to render me nearly insensate with shock. It also completely ruined what had the potential to be a truly great novel. I’m rating it at two point five stars, rounding up where halves aren’t allowed.
ARC provided by author in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Cat from Alpha Book Club
My only real issue with this is Sammy, but it’s a doozie! Having been sold by his mother at the age of 11 and then spending the next twelve years as a sex slave, his assimilation back into mainstream society and what should be fairly impressive resultant psychological issues are obliterated into obscurity. He has what are considered to be fairly typical reactions immediately following his release, but then he morphs into this dominant personality, completing taking over the decisions of his supposed rescuer, both sexually as well as professionally? This went so far opposite from believable as to render me nearly insensate with shock. It also completely ruined what had the potential to be a truly great novel. I’m rating it at two point five stars, rounding up where halves aren’t allowed.
ARC provided by author in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Cat from Alpha Book Club
March 15, 2016
Haven's Creed by Parker Williams
Michael Patrick Phelps was brought up by an abusive stepfather. One day he comes home from school and finds his stepfather, Arnie, beating his sister Chrissie (Christina) to death and Michael shoots and kills his stepfather. Chrissie ends up as a warden of the state in a hospice and Michael joins the Army. He's recruited by a secret governmental agency and assumes a new identity of Haven. His new job is to find and kill people who are abusing children, making them drug addicts and condemning them to a life of prostitution. Because these people are lawyered up they escape justice and it's up to Haven to revenge them.
In one of his jobs, Haven rescues Samuel Morin, Sammy, who was a sex slave from age 13. His mother sold him into prostitution and then killed Sammy's father. It's now up to Haven to find Sammy's mother and extract the revenge he deserves. But Sammy and Haven fall in love and it will be their relationship that will save them both.
The book is narrated from the 1st person point of view and herein lies the problem. We have Haven narrating the story from his point of view and we are expected somehow to get inside the other characters; minds from the author's use of dialogue. This does not work. The characters don't seem real, the plot is not believable, and even the sex is boring. I think a lot was lost by not showing us what was going inside the other characters minds. Most of the villains have the same CV: drug pushers, sex offenders, prostitution, and child sex abuse. They are molds of each other. Had the author chosen to give us their point of view, it might had been a better book.
Michael Patrick Phelps was brought up by an abusive stepfather. One day he comes home from school and finds his stepfather, Arnie, beating his sister Chrissie (Christina) to death and Michael shoots and kills his stepfather. Chrissie ends up as a warden of the state in a hospice and Michael joins the Army. He's recruited by a secret governmental agency and assumes a new identity of Haven. His new job is to find and kill people who are abusing children, making them drug addicts and condemning them to a life of prostitution. Because these people are lawyered up they escape justice and it's up to Haven to revenge them.
In one of his jobs, Haven rescues Samuel Morin, Sammy, who was a sex slave from age 13. His mother sold him into prostitution and then killed Sammy's father. It's now up to Haven to find Sammy's mother and extract the revenge he deserves. But Sammy and Haven fall in love and it will be their relationship that will save them both.
The book is narrated from the 1st person point of view and herein lies the problem. We have Haven narrating the story from his point of view and we are expected somehow to get inside the other characters; minds from the author's use of dialogue. This does not work. The characters don't seem real, the plot is not believable, and even the sex is boring. I think a lot was lost by not showing us what was going inside the other characters minds. Most of the villains have the same CV: drug pushers, sex offenders, prostitution, and child sex abuse. They are molds of each other. Had the author chosen to give us their point of view, it might had been a better book.
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