Devolose

Galaxy Gladiators #4

by Alana Khan

Her friends say he’s the devil. But he might really be her savior . . .

Devolose and Tawny have been rescued after three years together in the emperor’s dungeon. Every day he was forced to inflict pain on the Earth woman he only wanted to protect. How could he not develop feelings for her when they’re connected in so many ways?

But how can they trust feelings forged in captivity? The more he pushes her away to protect her, the more determined she is to stay at his side. After decades of slavery, the emperor took far more than his soul. Can half a male satisfy a complete woman?

Travel the galaxy with Dev and Tawny!

* * *
"Devolose" is the fourth book in the bestselling alien abduction paranormal romance series, Galaxy Gladiators.
If you like hot alien alphas who love with all their heart and the strong, courageous females who are worthy of them, then you’ll love this steamy standalone installment in Alana Khan’s exciting series.

* * *
This series contains steamy sex scenes, muscular aliens, and badass heroines. Guaranteed happily ever afters, no cheating, and no cliff-hangers. The stories are intended for readers 18+.

* * *
Please note: This series can be read as standalones, although reading them in order may bring more enjoyment, as the books are full of that rich, delicious 'found-family trope' where people with nothing in common form connections that are stronger than blood!

* * *
Galaxy Gladiators series:
Book 1: Zar
Book 1.5: Terminus (Shadow’s prequel)
Book 2: Shadow
Book 3: Tyree
Book 4: Devolose
Book 5: Drayke
Book 6: Axxios & Braxxus [MFM]
Book 6.5: Jax-Xon (Sirius’ prequel)
Book 7: Sirius
Book 8: Dax
Book 9: Beast
Book 10: Ar'Tok
Book 11: Wrage
Book 12: WarDog
Book 13: Stryker
Book 14: Vartan
Book 15: Maximus
Book 16: Steele
Book 17: Tarrex
Book 18: Zar-Rynn
Book 19: Valeris
Book 20: Doctoré
Book 21: Theos

Genres: Aliens, Romance, Science Fiction, Science Fiction Romance, Fantasy, Space, Paranormal Romance

201 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 18, 2019

About the author

Sexy Alien Heroes, Sassy Human Heroines, Stories That Satisfy

Alana Khan is a USA TODAY Bestselling author whose pen traverses galaxies and explores the extraordinary.

In a life as diverse as her stories, Alana boasts IMDB film credits, thrilling Harley adventures on open roads, and a stint as a professional spoon player—because, why not?

With a background as a psychotherapist, she delves into the human psyche, enriching her storytelling.

Join her on fantastical journeys through her novels, where cosmic romance and monstrous love merge with spice as hot as a Carolina Reeper chili pepper.

Sign up for Alana's free newsletter at https://alanakhan.com/

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Reviews

[SarahBear88 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Author needs to do more research

So let me start by saying I liked this book for the most part. But I have two major problems with it and I took off a star for each.

**Possible Spoilers**

My first problem is the rampant psychological diagnosis of Stockholm Syndrome. Not only for Tawny but Brin as well. The author should definitely have done more research on psychological conditions. Tawny actually appears to have PTSD from the torture, not Stockholm Syndrome. Especially since Devi was her abuser, NOT her captor. With the slight flashbacks, this is even more evidence to support that. And for Lexa to almost have her doctorate in psychology and yet just blanket label them with these conditions with no actually discussion with each about the trauma? Amateurish. Lexa's character is poorly written and comes off as someone who claims to be very smart and educated, but really isn't. Now Brin truly might have Stockholm but she also appears to act like a battered spouse. "If I just would perform better, he wouldn't abuse me so much." I kind of feel like the author took the lazy way and just didn't spend enough time researching. She just had some slight common knowledge or guessed and slapped on the label. And don't even get me started about the other earth females not wanting to let Tawny testify in the beginning because "she's too fragile" yet have no problem inflicting more trauma by the broadcasting of her abuse to the entire ship. But oh, let's save the male's pride and not broadcast his abuse. Grrr...I could go on but I won't get on my soapbox too much.

My other problem is the ending. Everything was so focused on: yay, Devi got his dick back and then it just ended. I was expecting some sort of wrap up about Tawny's medical issues, but all she gets is like a sentence or two that she hopes everything is all fixed inside. Say what? Why is everything in this book all about what the male has endured? It feels like our main female just is there for filler and to be a warm body sometimes. This ending is just way to abrupt for me. Just too much yay they're together, the end.

Overall, the story definitely needs a fair bit more development. Not sure if the author is self publishing, but if so could use a decent editor who'll work these kinks out before it goes to readers. I've read all the others in the series and feel this one was definitely rushed in some spots. Kind of disappointing but overall not a bad read.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best in the series so far

I really loved this book almost as much as the first one. I was surprised and a little disappointed that the story didn't continue on the gladiators ship but was quickly replaced by excitement to find out that Devolose ended up on a ship with his family.

I loved how strong Tawny was and developed a deep hatred for Lexa. This is one of those situations where a little bit of knowledge can cause a while lot of problems which is what she caused.

I can't wait to find out more about the gladiators that's the storyline I'm really interested in. I know there is going to be an offshoot series with the pirates but Lexa has ruined any interest in there story. She is truly a b*** and should be dropped off at the nearest habitable planet.

[Kristiej · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 out of 5

I’ve been reading and enjoying these books about a group of escaped gladiators and a group of women captured from Earth. At the end of the previous book we meet two characters, Devolose and Tawny who are the hero/heroine of this book. I must admit, just as the previous book, Tyree, was unlike anything I’ve read before, the same can be said for this book.
Devolose (hero from another planet) and Tawny (heroine from Earth) are being help captive by a sadistic madman. And when I say sadistic, I mean the most sadistic villain I’ve ever read about before. He has kept these two chained in a cell and forces Devolose to sexually abuse and torture Tawny for his own brutal pleasure. They were rescued at the end of the previous book and much to the horror of the rescuers, Tawny refuses to be separated from Devolose. At the start of this book they are now safe on board the space ship and the evil that was there captor is dead. But still Tawny is refusing to leave Devolose. The crew member thinks she is suffering from some kind of Stockholm Syndrome considering what Devolose has done to her and they put him on trial. Devolose offers no defense as has done what he is accused of and loathes himself with every fibre of his being for doing it. But Tawny recognizes that he had no choice and that indeed, while he did to horrible things to her, he did his best to make it as least possible as possible and to even fake a few things knowing he would be tortured even worse and more brutally than he has been. Without going into detail, he’s suffered the worst that can happen and still miraculously still be alive. Tawny knows everything he suffered for her and doesn’t hate him at all.

In a series of events, both Devolose and Tawny end up on another space ship, a pirate space ship, in exchange for the lives of all those on the rescuing space ship. This may sound kind of odd, but I’m really not going to go too much into the story of this book other than to say I was hooked from beginning to end. Devolose may not be other readers kind of hero, but I felt a deep sympathy for him. At heart he is a noble hero forced to do unspeakable things. He is more than willing to give up his own life which he doesn’t think worth living, for Tawny. And Tawny sees past the physical things and into his heart and soul and comes to love him very deeply.

This is a different kind of romance that I have no doubt I will read again. It’s the kind that has stayed with me and while it’s not for everyone and may contain triggers for a number of readers it worked for me and I enjoyed it quite a bit.

[Davette Spencer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Buy!!

Seriously.. this book and the ones that come before it are all worth the click!. I'm am so enjoying this series!

[Shana81]

Wow what a ride this is the 4th book in this series and they keep getting better, Devolose has been forced to torture Tawny for years both kept as the playthings of a twisted emperor. When the gladiators and human women come at the emperors behest to put on a concert and he attempts to do the same to them the emperor is killed and they rescue them both. They think Devi is to blame for Tawny's torture but she knows better they think she has Stockholm syndrome she knows Dev is a good male no matter what. When the gladiators are held by pirates of Devs species they use him to barter and he and Tawny board the pirates ship. It turns out the pirate is his cousin and what follows is an amazing romp through the galaxy. Dev knows that Tawny deserves better than him he is not even a full male anymore after the emperor gelded him. He tries to push her away for her own good. Can she convince him that he is the male that she loves no matter what he was forced to do to her? This is such a great read with plenty of real emotions and romance. Both Dev and Tawny are likable well written characters and I definitely think we will see some of the pirates with humans of their own soon. I read this in one sitting I could not put it down.

[Corda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is it Stockholm Syndrome or true love? Well thought out, well written and wonderful character development of both H and h.

[Ann Seig · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another big thumbs up for Devolose, the fifth book in Ms. Khan's series of sci-fi romance novels. I think she did a fantastic job weaving some sensitive topics into her addictive tale of Tawny, an earth woman captured and enslaved by an evil emperor, and Devolose (Devi), her torturer, who was also captured and enslaved by the evil emperor. If you've read the first three books in her series, you already know how adept she is at developing characters you believe, steamy sex scenes, and harrowing challenges that make you keep turning the pages. This book explores two unusual topics: Stockholm Syndrome, and atypical erogenous zones.
I will leave the latter to your imagination, but I want to address the first topic because there was some undue criticism of Ms. Khan's use of the term Stockholm Syndrome to describe how attached Tawny was to her former torturer, Devi. In my experience as a psychiatrist with specialization in forensic psychiatry as well as childhood abuse and battered women, Ms. Khan was entirely correct in her use of the term. In the psychological/psychiatric literature I am familiar with, Stockholm Syndrome is used to describe a victim's psychological defense mechanism of identification with the aggressor regardless of whether the aggressor is the victim's captor or not. For example, a battered woman can have Stockholm Syndrome even though she is not a captive, per se, of her husband or boyfriend.
I really am attached to Ms. Khan's books because she does a great job of giving her characters emotional depth. I can't wait for the next book!!!

[Sue Philips · Rating 5 out of 5]

Devolose is over 100 years old and for 90 of those years he has been a captive and viciously abused. Tawny is a 25 year old human, abducted and thrown into a cell with Devolose who was forced to torture her for over three years.
But what goes on behind locked cage doors builds into a beautiful love story. Okay, they both have their fair share of issues - psychological, emotional and physical. They have a long way to go, but they also have a pretty neat support team behind them on the spaceship Tranquility. The name of that ship said it all for me.Crewed by a group of men who have had their own challenges they are now one big family. It's into this environment that Devolose and Tawny find themselves
This story - as with all stories I've read by Alana Khan - is addictive. You read one - get to meet new characters and can't wait to read their stories. So now I want to read about Thantose, Dr Drayke, Sextus and other members of the Tranquility.
Highly recommended series.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Devolose and Tawny
Wow! What a amazing read! And what a fantastic series! The books just keep getting better and better. This is the story of Devolose, a Primian alien and Tawny, a human female. They both had been kidnapped, enslaved and tortured by a unscrupulous alien emperor. And for 3 years they had to endured unimaginable physical and emotional damage while forging a bond that keep them alive when all they wanted is to die. Now rescued and safe we are taken in their journey of how to live with what happened to them and decide is their bond is strong enough to withstand the repercussions of what Devolose was forced to do to Tawny while in captivity. Packed with action, adventure, heartbreak and raw emotions that will touch your heart. I urge you to give this book a try. Hell, give this series a try! I promise you won't regret it! Highly recommended.
PS: I received a advance copy for a honest review

[Sofia · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.1 stars

I am still hooked on this series
However, I question if the concept of Stockholm Syndrom is fully clear for Ms. Khan.
Stockholm is when a person sympathizes with the cause of their captors, so in a way all the women in the ship that
fell in love with their gladiators could have the syndrome because they start fighting for the same cause
Another thing is a battered wife syndrome, where the spouse strives to please the abuser and thinks that she deserves the punishment. And a whole different thing is to create a bond with other people who went through the same ordeal.
Apart from that is a very good story that creates another path for these stories to continue
Devolose is who made this book worth every word
Looking forward to reading more of this world

[Ariel Allmon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was provided a free copy in exchange for an honest review. I loved Devolose amd Tawnys relationship. This is one of the few romance books i have read where both members of the couple care equally for each other and are putting the other persons feelings first. Normally in a book one person is more into the other person and then finally the other person catches up. With that being said they still have struggles due to the fact that they both have to deal with the feelings caused by Devolose being forced to assault Tawny when they were both slaves. This is a must read. You will be hooked from the very first page.

[Carol L]

Devolose and Tawny

I enjoyed the story as well as the characters. Tawny should come across as weak and pitiful. But surprisingly, she remains a strong female despite horrible things that happened to her while captive. Devolose should come across as evil but despite what he did in captivity, he has a kind soul. The love that Tawny and Devolose have for each other grows with time and freedom. I just love a happy ever after ending! Definitely a great start for a new series....

[Jude · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love, love, love Devolose. He is my favourite hero in this series so far. I was so looking forward to his book and it did not disappoint. To make things even more exciting, we get to meet a whole new set of characters.

Tawny is a great heroine - she’s strong and brave. Devolose is wracked with guilt at what he had to do to her at the hands of the evil Emperor. I had to keep reading to find out if they could both move past this.

Another great read from Ms Khan.

[Jasmine · Rating 5 out of 5]

oh Tawny and Devolose

I cannot tell you how much of a heartbreaker Devolose is, and Tawny, she is so special. Alana Khan is queen once again of writing emotionally intelligent male lead characters and I am here for it!!

[Nike · Rating 4 out of 5]

So far this is my favorite book in the series; seriously, who does not have a weak spot for a broken hero

[Lori Livingston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Moving and touching.

Devolose and Tawny are rescued from the hands of a madman. They have spent years being abused and tortured. Now they have to find a way to go forward. Their struggle is one of courage and strength. This story is about love on many levels, romantic, family, friendship and home. It touched my heart and made me cry. I loved it.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good

I like this book for the most part, but it hits on one of my pet peeves. Someone who has taken psychology classes, perhaps even has a degree who is making snap diagnoses on people they have just met. No interview, no nothing, just a know-it-all with a big mouth and zero compassion. You would think that someone who almost has a PhD would have picked up an ethics course or 2 and also learned proper procedures for making & delivering a diagnosis. That female should never go into practice. The female in question is not the main character. Her book come next.
Tawney, our hera, is a lovely woman, a survivor, who worked closely with another slave to trick their owner into believing her abuse was much, much worse than it was. It was ingenious. She still suffered, but didn't die & came away with her mind intact. Her feelings for the male slave are complicated, but real. She eventually works it out. I thought Dev should have some more emotional highs; he was fairly suicidal for most of the book. Honestly, most people would say he had it easier of the two of them, but I think his emotional fallout was worse.
This book is not bad, but not excellent either. Solid 4-star rating.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Inconsistent

So there is a HEA here. A bit of magic or fairy tale mystery thrown in to make things better. I think the story would have been stronger and better if the miracle cure had not been done. People who undergo something like that can learn to have fulfilling lives.
The complaint about the race/color of the two and coming from such a violent past is unfounded i think. They are both victims. The emperor was the perpetrator.
Also, Tawny went from absolute belief that she did not have Stockholm syndrome, to one encounter with Brin and all of a sudden she cant stand the sight of Dev. A few weeks later she is all in love with him all over again. It was too inconsistent for me.

[Jennette · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. I don't know what I'm more annoyed with.
The departure from the gladiators
The bunch of characters that seem to know it all about Stockholm syndrome
The only character that seems to recognize that Dev is also a victim of kidnappping, imprisonment, abuse, mutilation etc is Tawny
That know-it-all Lexa
The space pirates that seem to have welcoming wealthy families and coincidentally are also family of the victim
Pirates that also oddly have a pile of loot that they haven't tried to sell like some failed D&D style dragons.
If the pirates didn't have family money they would be too poor to eat.
That said. I finished it and like HEAs so it didn't hate it but worst pirates ever.

[Chrissy Loves Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm so impressed with this book series. Each is so different and the characters met in the past burst forth in other books.

[Raven61 · Rating 5 out of 5]

DARK themed PNR - Learning to live after extreme abuse - Highly Recommend!

This is probably the most stand-alone story of the series since the beginning. The first part contains the characters and story universe built over the course of the series, but then it diverges into something that could be its own spin-off.

** There are multiple scenes, themes and references to subjects that WILL BE DIFFICULT for sensitive readers. These include abduction, enslavement, forced mating, and trafficking. A high-level list is included below. **

— Although I try to watch it, if you have not read this (or the previous stories in the series), the following may contain spoilers. —

This is a dark story, that is front-end loaded with details of some of the abuse suffered by Tawny and Devi. After that it is about adjusting and learning to live with what happened, especially the actions that Devi was forced to do to Tawny. Mentally she knows he was as much a slave as she was, but ultimately it was his hand that touched her. It has been my favorite and I think there is an opportunity to do a follow up story about them and the feelings, thoughts, etc. still emerging.

I mention the following for readers such as myself that visualize the story as it is read, because errors interrupt the flow. There are a few grammatical errors, but nothing difficult to interpret. These include incorrect word choice, word tense, and punctuation, as well as missing words. I uploaded my notes to goodreads for anyone interested.

Background: During Tyree’s story, he read the thoughts of the Emperor that was interested in Grace. Tyree saw the extreme, unmitigated abuse a woman suffered in a dungeon, who the abusers were, the names she was called, and the glee in which everything was administered. They rescue Tawny, but she refuses to leave without the male who did most of the abuse, Devolose, aka Devi. Once on the ship, she even refused to leave his side and insisted in staying in the cell with him.

This story begins during the on-ship trial against Devi. He refused to give any information to help his defense and forbade her from speaking on his behalf. Devi was a slave for over 80 years and deserves to die for the physical, mental and sexual abuse and torture that he meted out. It doesn’t matter why he did it in his opinion.

So Devi actually admitted to more acts and details than they knew or could prove with their physical exams. He was ready for them to put him out the garbage chute. He has suffered enough, and if they don’t, Tawny will never move on. The human females came frequently and told her about the syndrome she is suffering from, but she refuses, says she doesn’t have it, and knows her own feelings. Devi couldn’t understand why they were even having a ‘trial’, just get it over with already.

Tawny was seething. First she was ‘too delicate’ to testify, then she ‘doesn’t understand her own mind’, and finally Devi refuses to cooperate and they are tearing him apart. ENOUGH!! Tawny refuses to hold her peace any longer, so she stands up and interrupts. Tawny starts speaking the truth about why Devi ‘abused’ her. He was a slave too, with a pain / kill collar, and would have been murdered if he didn’t do exactly what he was ordered. Not only that, but whomever the Emperor got to replace him wouldn’t have taken the care with her that he did, wouldn’t have stolen the salve she needed when her wounds became infected to his own peril if caught, and wouldn’t have felt every physical and emotional wound administered as he did.

Tawny knew Devi looked like a ‘Devil’ to humans, he did to her in the beginning too. He has pitch black skin with red and white markings. But he was the best male she has ever known. Tawny knew Devi would never forgive her for it, but she had the ship’s doctor explain some of the physical torture he endured by describing his scars and amputations. Then Tawny drove the final point home — they had all been slaves and knew what it was like to be controlled and do things they couldn’t have even thought of before.

Now what? What would they rule? Then before it can proceed, the ship comes to a halt … WTF?! Why aren’t they moving? Then the bridge contacts them. They have been caught in a ‘web’ and are being held for ransom! Even more surprising is when the Captain on the other ship comes onto the screen and looks just like Devi!

⛔️ Contains references to, or scenes detailing, subject matter that WILL be a trigger or offensive to some, including, but not limited to: adult language; derogatory terms; mental health challenges with depression, anxiety, panic attacks, Stockholm Syndrome, PTSD, etc.; steamy adult intimate scenes with dominance, submission, non-consensual multiple partners, forced mating, rape, etc.; violence throughout typical of the alien abduction genre such as kidnapping / abduction, murder / death, torture, assault, rape, fighting, human (species) trafficking, enslavement, pain/kill collar, mental, physical and sexual abuse of adults, prostitution, etc.

[Sally · Rating 4 out of 5]

Darker romance done right

Never seen Stockholm syndrome actually acknowledged in an abduction story. Usually it's a so called alpha forcing g his attention on a person b/c they feel entitled, then the person is conditioned to get horny, they think its love.
In this story the heroine is told by almost everyone she has the syndrome, it gets kind of annoying. Many of those telling her what She may have probably have it themselves if we go by what they think it is. A lot of Thier partners did rape them at some point.

The heroine also misunderstands it and uses it to look down on herself. Pretty sure she has PTSD instead. Another girl definitely has the syndrome but the lady who diagnosed them is a super bitch. She's supposed to be a psyche major but clearly didn't pay attention to how to actually treat traumatized people. She just judges everyone. Not sure how the author is going to pull that one out of the gutter.

The hero definitely needs some counseling too. He's strong but not an ass. Despite having to hide his emotions for so long, he shows empathy and vives the heroine the space she needs to sort stuff out. Instead of forcing his attentions just because she's physically attracted to him. As soon as he was free of the hell hole did what he could to help the heroine recover and never made excuses for what he did to survive. He was also lucky to have a great family when he was found again. .
I really hope something can be done to all those slavers.

[Yazmine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have a lot to say about this book.
I think i actually fell in love with this character his sad story touched my heart. However, even though this book made me cry and laugh at a point it also left me with a few too many questions. Non-cock related. In the preview, the author describes the situation with the character, however, since their story began, his cock was not an issue for Tawny, yet that was what came up on the preview. i think it was sweet very beautiful that Dev got to see and talk to his mom, that was one of the nices detailed. Ok i think i can speak for everyone when i say WTF was that i seriously wanted to get in the book, this book touched racist issues at some point i mean your in space they are trying to help you and this character Lexa and the other are bitching about they not fitting in because of their color REALLY!!
I knew something was up when Dev was acting all Alpha male when they were riding the horse-like animal, I just didn't think it was his cock, because i mean it was expected that there would be a part of him descriving his happiness and surprise with this.

Very important in a relationship things can not ever start with a lie and if it does at the end it must be spoken, however, Tawny never told Dev of her situation and how broken she was. also. this book deserves another part because i mean come on im sure im, not the only one curious about Brin and TT, also im sure i wasn't the only one that wants to know if Tawny was no longer ill and could have babies
Like i said the book is amazing but I think there should have been more to all not just that, however, i fo recommend iy because it is a lovely story.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Devolose is a fabulous sci-fi romance with plenty of steam and a fantastic addition to the Galaxy Gladiators series. I'm completely hooked, and the series keeps getting better and better. The storyline is abundant, it captured the attention and held me absorbed throughout. The main characters, Devolose (Dev) and Twany are intriguing and likable with distinct personalities. The author, Alana Khan, provides an excellent backstory for the characters, allowing her readers/listeners to connect with them fully.

For years, Dev was forced to torture Twany, while captives of the emperor. When rescued from slavery, Dev is blamed for Twany's torture and believing her to suffer from Stockholm syndrome. Don't want to share too much and spoil the story. That being said, I thought Dev and Twany had a strong connection with a charged chemistry. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to their journey.

Sloane Richards's narration is pretty smooth. However, I thought her male characters all sounded similar, and their voices not deep enough. Even so, she did a great job with the characters' personalities. Overall, this was an entertaining and enjoyable audiobook, and I recommend it. Too bad, the third book is not available on audible.

[Dot Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great World Building

The world building in this book was phenomenal! I really enjoyed the descriptions of the planet Primus as well as the descriptions of the flora and fauna. In addition, the descriptions of the people were interesting. I also enjoyed the character development and the interactions between the various characters.

The plot for the story was a little weak, IMHO, and a large part of it centered around a planet named “Paradise” by the crew and some of the properties it was rumored to have. These properties were of great interest to the two main protagonists, Devolose and Tawny, both former slaves who had been housed together in a cell in a dungeon. Both had suffered tremendous injuries inflicted by their former owner. Tawny felt that she loved Dev and he also loved her, until another human female they rescued on Paradise convinced Tawny that she was suffering from Stockholm Syndrome. Do Tawny and Dev ever overcome that judgment?

My only problem with this book was the amount of pages devoted to sex descriptions. I almost didn’t finish the book because I was so tired of it. I’m glad I finished, but I need to take a bread from this author. I’m ready for a book with more story and less sex!

[Julie Bryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little disappointing

I like this author, enough that I have preordered her books on the basis of the first one that came out. This one started out well, with Tawny being a strong heroine and fighting for what she wants. Devi had a harder time adjusting than Tawny in some respects. Working through these was interesting and you could see them starting to figure it out.


Spoiler

That’s when the story took an abrupt turn into something I didn’t like. Tawny suddenly, out of the blue, decides she’s got Stockholm syndrome and wants nothing to do with Devi just as he decides she doesn’t. Weird. I actually almost put the book down. It felt like the author decided some drama needed to be put in so they threw this twist in. After all the angst they then abruptly switch back. So frustrating. The story became choppy and forced. I think there are lots of ways they could have put issues in that would have worked better.

I gave it a three because heck, I still finished it and it could have been worse I suppose. I’m hesitating pre-ordering now, but maybe the next one will be better.

[Goddess of Chaos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pirate encounter and Stockholm Syndrome

This story veers away from the characters we've gotten to know in the previous stories, and focuses on Devolose and Tawny, who were rescued at the end of the last book.

Both Dev and Tawny have survived the only way they could, and when they ended up in a dungeon cell together they did whatever they had to for both of them to survive. It is the way they chose to trust one another, and work together to survive that makes their relationship so interesting.

Partway into the story, they and their traveling companions rescue three other human women, and suddenly Tawny is faced with judgment, and another perspective on her experience. Both she and Dev go through a healing process, as well as taking time to gain perspective, and think about their time together in that cell with a clear head. As a result, the mental/emotional rollercoaster is as interesting as the physical adventure.

A solid done in one quick read, and an enjoyable kindle unlimited read.

[Helena · Rating 1 out of 5]

Look, I don't want to be a dick, but I hated this one. Devi and Tawny are both victims of severe abuse and years of trauma and everyone treats them like crap. First off everyone treats Devi like a horrible monster when he was literally mutilated and forced to do his actions and everyone handles Tawny like some sort of crazy brainwashed victim and no one listens to her. Oh and the fact that a bunch of self righteous women decided to CONDEMN SOMEONE TO DEATH with a farce of a trial was ridiculous to me.

Then there's the whole Stockholm syndrome thing. the author shoehorns that in like 50 times and then it's the reason Tawny questions her love for him??? are you kidding me? also, that random character, Lexa, was SUCH a b*tch. She ruined a lot and honestly gave off "someone who thinks they're super smart and educated but knows nothing" vibes.

Lastly the whole magical water thing made me roll my eyes, I thought it was going to be a cute "they learn to overcome their reality and find happiness with how they are now" thing but then BOOM magic water to the rescue.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Devolose

I commented during my review of the last book that this one looked even darker. This one actually felt a lot sadder. The MMC is heartbreaking - the life he has lived and the things he has done as a slave at the direction of others. I don't know how plausible it is to have him turn out to be a really kind person, but I was definitely wanting him to get some love in the end. I don't know enough about Stockholm Syndrome to say if the MFC’s development is realistic either, but they come together in the end and it feels good.

Hats off to the author for taking on such difficult subject matter.

I'm not sure why this is my favorite line but I love it anyway, “How about we keep allowing you to ride inside of the ship instead of outside it?”. It comes from the MMC of the next book.

[Fay J · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story of Devolose, Devi and Tawny is not an easy one. I am not one to give away spoilers as I feel that sometimes you read them and it gives you a different impression of the story than you would have got if you have gone into it without. All I shall say is the past is not happy, for either.
There is a lot of darkness in the background for these two and abuse is handled differently by everyone. While Stockholm Syndrome is spoken of I am not sure if this is what is truly experienced by Tawny but that said I am no expert and it gives enough of the idea for any reader to comprehend. They battle to get where they are at end, there is no other way to say it. Another extremely well written story and one that takes yet another path. So far no two books in the series have been the same.