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Auctioned #6
Prepared
Book 6 • Family • Humor • Action • Bachelor Party Fun
It’s time for the happily ever after Gray and Darius have fought so hard for…once they get out of this darn jungle in Belize.
“You have to understand, I thought I wasn’t going to make it. I said goodbye to everyone in my head.”
Three years ago, Gray Nolan lost all hope of ever seeing his friends and family again. Now, everyone was gathering to watch him become Gray Quinn. At long last. But before his and Darius’s big day, they had one more mission to undertake. Just a simple in-and-out stint. Nothing to worry about.
Certainly nothing as challenging as a two-day bachelor party featuring a pack of wild children, three best men in charge with an abundance of creativity, a hockey game between the younger whippersnappers and the more…seasoned grunts, and a very open bar.
234 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 30, 2022
84 people are currently reading
366 people want to read
About the author
Cara Dee
97 books4,095 followers
I'm often stoically silent or, if the topic interests me, a chronic rambler. In other words, I can discuss writing forever and ever. Fiction, in particular. The love story—while a huge draw and constantly present—is secondary for me, because there's so much more to writing romance fiction than just making two (or more) people fall in love and have hot sex. There's a world to build, characters to develop, interests to create, and a topic or two to research thoroughly. Every book is a challenge for me, an opportunity to learn something new, and a puzzle to piece together. I want my characters to come to life, and the only way I know to do that is to give them substance—passions, history, goals, quirks, and strong opinions—and to let them evolve. Additionally, I want my men and women to be relatable. That means allowing room for everyday problems and, for lack of a better word, flaws. My characters will never be perfect.
Wait…this was supposed to be about me, not my writing.
I'm a writey person who loves to write. Always wanderlusting, twitterpating, kinking, and geeking. There's time for hockey and cupcakes, too. But mostly, I just love to write.
I'm often stoically silent or, if the topic interests me, a chronic rambler. In other words, I can discuss writing forever and ever. Fiction, in particular. The love story—while a huge draw and constantly present—is secondary for me, because there's so much more to writing romance fiction than just making two (or more) people fall in love and have hot sex. There's a world to build, characters to develop, interests to create, and a topic or two to research thoroughly. Every book is a challenge for me, an opportunity to learn something new, and a puzzle to piece together. I want my characters to come to life, and the only way I know to do that is to give them substance—passions, history, goals, quirks, and strong opinions—and to let them evolve. Additionally, I want my men and women to be relatable. That means allowing room for everyday problems and, for lack of a better word, flaws. My characters will never be perfect.
Wait…this was supposed to be about me, not my writing.
I'm a writey person who loves to write. Always wanderlusting, twitterpating, kinking, and geeking. There's time for hockey and cupcakes, too. But mostly, I just love to write.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 133 reviews
November 14, 2023
Quick review I wrote down in my notes app for my own sake in case future me wonders why this happy-fest goodbye installment was such a letdown:
This book felt unnecessary, full of pointless filler, plot holes, and unemotional scenarios. This can’t be read as a standalone because it takes place three years after Auctioned, and there are so many characters from previous books (both of this series, the Camassia Cove universe, and other books/series) that it’s difficult keeping track of who is who. There are new and old faces: characters I’ve met before but still haven’t read their story and new characters who have their own story but haven’t met. There are too many people to keep track of that I’ve simply given up. Regardless, this story felt useless.
Right from the start, I couldn’t understand the reason or appeal of this story. The beginning is irrelevant and only presents us with a future character who’ll be getting his own HEA soon. The plot itself has no meaning behind Gray and Darius besides taking the reader through an unnecessary track of saving someone in the jungle of Belize (okay, but as a Central American, this gets bonus points for a Central American country being mentioned). It takes place after a global pandemic (COVID-19?), so we’re told about how that caused the wedding to be postponed even more and how they had to quarantine. Yet, we aren’t exposed to the pandemic itself. We don’t see any of these moments between them during the pandemic. Again, lots of telling versus showing.
For starters, the beginning, where they’re in Belize, felt irrelevant and unnecessary. Gray and Darius are rescuing someone from Belize and hope to make it back home to get started on the wedding plans. Secondly, I don’t know why we couldn’t follow the two along as they deal with the pandemic instead. We’re told about some moments they had during the pandemic, how difficult it was to navigate, and how it postponed their wedding plans. It would’ve added more depth had we seen this instead. It would have created so much opportunity to see many things unfold—more relationship growth, seeing the kids grow, seeing Gray continue learning from Darius, and simply witnessing them being domestic. There was even a chance for closed proximity due to being unable to go out.
Even when Darius and Gray are back home, the story doesn’t have any sort of substance. We’re thrown into a shitload of characters and deal with so many kids (too many). We follow them as events lead to the main event (the wedding). Maybe if someone is genuinely obsessed with seeing Darius and Gray spending time with their family members and friends, they’ll enjoy this more, but I really couldn’t bring myself to give a single fuck about anything that happened. I was incredibly bored early on, skimming to get to the point. We just follow everyone—literally. It’s all fun and games, full of bliss and happiness. It’s easy to smile and be happy for the two men as they get closer to making their promises and saying their vows out loud, but the build-up for the main event is underwhelming. It’s very sappy, which wouldn’t be an issue if you know me well, but it didn’t work out in this book because it felt like there wasn’t enough time spent on the main leads. If others don’t mind seeing Gray and Darius spending time with everyone else for most of the book, this will work out fine. I, however, would have preferred seeing them spending time. Together. Or, the book could have been shorter, and we get a balance where Darius and Gray spend time together and with the family.
Another thing I noticed in the previous books, specifically books four and five, is how different Gray felt after book three. One thing about Gray is that he loves taking care of people. He loves being a caretaker and even ends up wishing to take up something like EMT at first and then decides he wants to help people like the boys he was with on the yacht. Gray has come very far, and knowing he wants to create a safe shelter for people like Niko, Jonas, and even him is very hopeful. Still, Gray was a caretaker all the time after the events in book 3. Maybe it’s part of Jayden and Justin’s impact on him, which would make sense, but I still thought Gray felt completely different from who he was before. It felt like there was a lack of development, even, as if his previous character wasn’t necessary anymore, and instead, his only focus was being this new role model. For me, little parts and tidbits of who Gray was before felt vanished. It’s not that I found him whiny, but there weren’t many things about him to root for at this point. He’s still traumatized, which shows how healing is a long progress and different for everyone, but his character felt too distant.
In addition, many things happen here that we don’t see previously and instead are just told. Time jumps introduce us to the new lives the two men have found themselves in. Jayden is ten, Justin is five, and suddenly they have a two-year-old daughter named Cassidy, who they adopted; a global pandemic has come and gone, yet we hardly see them getting through this; family and friends who didn’t have partners before are now together with someone (like Willow is pregnant and has a man (we get no name because Willow will be getting her own story), Nat and Ethan get together (this was obvious), Seb and Blake become side characters (from A New Enemy (Enemies, #1)); Niko and Grant may or may not be together (this also felt obvious from Niko’s body language when he met Grant); Elsie and Avery had their child. All these events suddenly pop up with no explanations. Also, I made a few notes on how the timeline felt off, but I’m not too confident about this. Little plot holes can distract me because I keep thinking about it, wondering if I read the text wrong or if the author didn’t realize they got their timeline mixed up.
This story wasn’t necessary, in my opinion. I don’t understand why this author didn’t make books four and five together and then make this a separate addition of Gray and Darius leading up to their wedding. The only reason this has more pages than Finished is because of the filler in it since Darius and Gray spend most of the book with their family and friends. This series could have ended had books four and five been put together. There was no reason for two more books to be made separately, even if they follow the same story.
The best part about this was the wedding and the glimpses into Darius’s notebook, where he writes about his love and adoration for Gray. Their vows were heartfelt and warm, so beautiful and touching. The love these two have for each other is so heartwarming and honest. It’s so easy to experience it. Cara’s writing is very heartfelt. We share the characters’ emotions as if we’re genuinely in their head, making the reading journey more emotional.
Still, this was disappointing and one of the most significant letdowns of the series. I was looking forward to this conclusion because I wanted nothing more than to see Gray and Darius finally get their well-earned, well-deserved, happy ever after. Now, though, books two and three are the only ones I recommend, as they are the only ones I enjoyed and gave both four-stars. The rest were one and two star ratings, unfortunately. The HFN in book three is satisfactory enough to give the reader enough hope. Every book ends on a cliffhanger (for obvious reasons), but I don’t think reading after book three is worth it. I’m still glad I finally gave this series a chance and met Darius and Gray. However, I can’t lie; having hope for the two is difficult. There’s an age difference of 22 years, and it’s becoming physically apparent between the two. With the new addition of a baby girl, I can only imagine how drained Darius will become. I hope that man stops smoking, too. If he wants to make it farther in life, he needs to let his lungs breathe and stop exposing them to toxic, deadly gas. Still, while the two get a clear HEA and are happily and finally married, no longer worried about their past catching up to them, the age gap makes the reality less convincing. The good thing about these fictional stories is that they live forever in our minds and hearts, so it’s not like they will die unless the author kills them.
Auctioned series overview:
Auctioned | ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆
Stranded | ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Deserted | ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Played | ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
Finished | ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆
Prepared | ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆
This book felt unnecessary, full of pointless filler, plot holes, and unemotional scenarios. This can’t be read as a standalone because it takes place three years after Auctioned, and there are so many characters from previous books (both of this series, the Camassia Cove universe, and other books/series) that it’s difficult keeping track of who is who. There are new and old faces: characters I’ve met before but still haven’t read their story and new characters who have their own story but haven’t met. There are too many people to keep track of that I’ve simply given up. Regardless, this story felt useless.
Right from the start, I couldn’t understand the reason or appeal of this story. The beginning is irrelevant and only presents us with a future character who’ll be getting his own HEA soon. The plot itself has no meaning behind Gray and Darius besides taking the reader through an unnecessary track of saving someone in the jungle of Belize (okay, but as a Central American, this gets bonus points for a Central American country being mentioned). It takes place after a global pandemic (COVID-19?), so we’re told about how that caused the wedding to be postponed even more and how they had to quarantine. Yet, we aren’t exposed to the pandemic itself. We don’t see any of these moments between them during the pandemic. Again, lots of telling versus showing.
For starters, the beginning, where they’re in Belize, felt irrelevant and unnecessary. Gray and Darius are rescuing someone from Belize and hope to make it back home to get started on the wedding plans. Secondly, I don’t know why we couldn’t follow the two along as they deal with the pandemic instead. We’re told about some moments they had during the pandemic, how difficult it was to navigate, and how it postponed their wedding plans. It would’ve added more depth had we seen this instead. It would have created so much opportunity to see many things unfold—more relationship growth, seeing the kids grow, seeing Gray continue learning from Darius, and simply witnessing them being domestic. There was even a chance for closed proximity due to being unable to go out.
Even when Darius and Gray are back home, the story doesn’t have any sort of substance. We’re thrown into a shitload of characters and deal with so many kids (too many). We follow them as events lead to the main event (the wedding). Maybe if someone is genuinely obsessed with seeing Darius and Gray spending time with their family members and friends, they’ll enjoy this more, but I really couldn’t bring myself to give a single fuck about anything that happened. I was incredibly bored early on, skimming to get to the point. We just follow everyone—literally. It’s all fun and games, full of bliss and happiness. It’s easy to smile and be happy for the two men as they get closer to making their promises and saying their vows out loud, but the build-up for the main event is underwhelming. It’s very sappy, which wouldn’t be an issue if you know me well, but it didn’t work out in this book because it felt like there wasn’t enough time spent on the main leads. If others don’t mind seeing Gray and Darius spending time with everyone else for most of the book, this will work out fine. I, however, would have preferred seeing them spending time. Together. Or, the book could have been shorter, and we get a balance where Darius and Gray spend time together and with the family.
Another thing I noticed in the previous books, specifically books four and five, is how different Gray felt after book three. One thing about Gray is that he loves taking care of people. He loves being a caretaker and even ends up wishing to take up something like EMT at first and then decides he wants to help people like the boys he was with on the yacht. Gray has come very far, and knowing he wants to create a safe shelter for people like Niko, Jonas, and even him is very hopeful. Still, Gray was a caretaker all the time after the events in book 3. Maybe it’s part of Jayden and Justin’s impact on him, which would make sense, but I still thought Gray felt completely different from who he was before. It felt like there was a lack of development, even, as if his previous character wasn’t necessary anymore, and instead, his only focus was being this new role model. For me, little parts and tidbits of who Gray was before felt vanished. It’s not that I found him whiny, but there weren’t many things about him to root for at this point. He’s still traumatized, which shows how healing is a long progress and different for everyone, but his character felt too distant.
In addition, many things happen here that we don’t see previously and instead are just told. Time jumps introduce us to the new lives the two men have found themselves in. Jayden is ten, Justin is five, and suddenly they have a two-year-old daughter named Cassidy, who they adopted; a global pandemic has come and gone, yet we hardly see them getting through this; family and friends who didn’t have partners before are now together with someone (like Willow is pregnant and has a man (we get no name because Willow will be getting her own story), Nat and Ethan get together (this was obvious), Seb and Blake become side characters (from A New Enemy (Enemies, #1)); Niko and Grant may or may not be together (this also felt obvious from Niko’s body language when he met Grant); Elsie and Avery had their child. All these events suddenly pop up with no explanations. Also, I made a few notes on how the timeline felt off, but I’m not too confident about this. Little plot holes can distract me because I keep thinking about it, wondering if I read the text wrong or if the author didn’t realize they got their timeline mixed up.
This story wasn’t necessary, in my opinion. I don’t understand why this author didn’t make books four and five together and then make this a separate addition of Gray and Darius leading up to their wedding. The only reason this has more pages than Finished is because of the filler in it since Darius and Gray spend most of the book with their family and friends. This series could have ended had books four and five been put together. There was no reason for two more books to be made separately, even if they follow the same story.
The best part about this was the wedding and the glimpses into Darius’s notebook, where he writes about his love and adoration for Gray. Their vows were heartfelt and warm, so beautiful and touching. The love these two have for each other is so heartwarming and honest. It’s so easy to experience it. Cara’s writing is very heartfelt. We share the characters’ emotions as if we’re genuinely in their head, making the reading journey more emotional.
Still, this was disappointing and one of the most significant letdowns of the series. I was looking forward to this conclusion because I wanted nothing more than to see Gray and Darius finally get their well-earned, well-deserved, happy ever after. Now, though, books two and three are the only ones I recommend, as they are the only ones I enjoyed and gave both four-stars. The rest were one and two star ratings, unfortunately. The HFN in book three is satisfactory enough to give the reader enough hope. Every book ends on a cliffhanger (for obvious reasons), but I don’t think reading after book three is worth it. I’m still glad I finally gave this series a chance and met Darius and Gray. However, I can’t lie; having hope for the two is difficult. There’s an age difference of 22 years, and it’s becoming physically apparent between the two. With the new addition of a baby girl, I can only imagine how drained Darius will become. I hope that man stops smoking, too. If he wants to make it farther in life, he needs to let his lungs breathe and stop exposing them to toxic, deadly gas. Still, while the two get a clear HEA and are happily and finally married, no longer worried about their past catching up to them, the age gap makes the reality less convincing. The good thing about these fictional stories is that they live forever in our minds and hearts, so it’s not like they will die unless the author kills them.
Auctioned series overview:
Auctioned | ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆
Stranded | ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Deserted | ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Played | ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
Finished | ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆
Prepared | ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆
August 24, 2022
Cara signs off on what has been a quite outstanding series with once last hurrah and a wedding for the ages.
I don't think I can adequately explain just how much I have adored watching Gray and Darius' journey through some unspeakably horrific experiences and also into a network of people who are willing to lay their lives down for them.
It's been an emotional ride I'm not sure I'm really ready to say goodbye to but if this is the final time we spend with them, it's an awesome way to go.
Darius is possibly my favourite of all Cara's characters, he's undergone his own SeaChange and in some ways that's been even more of a struggle than Gray's.
Together though, oh my word, together they're unstoppable, whether that's building a new life as fathers, running their homestead or on operational missions with the rest of their madcap friends.
There's some awesome guest appearances and crossovers in this last book and I was here for every one of them.
As for the wedding itself, do you seriously think Darius would allow it to be anything but perfect for his knucklehead 😁
#ARC kindly received from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review.
I don't think I can adequately explain just how much I have adored watching Gray and Darius' journey through some unspeakably horrific experiences and also into a network of people who are willing to lay their lives down for them.
It's been an emotional ride I'm not sure I'm really ready to say goodbye to but if this is the final time we spend with them, it's an awesome way to go.
Darius is possibly my favourite of all Cara's characters, he's undergone his own SeaChange and in some ways that's been even more of a struggle than Gray's.
Together though, oh my word, together they're unstoppable, whether that's building a new life as fathers, running their homestead or on operational missions with the rest of their madcap friends.
There's some awesome guest appearances and crossovers in this last book and I was here for every one of them.
As for the wedding itself, do you seriously think Darius would allow it to be anything but perfect for his knucklehead 😁
#ARC kindly received from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review.
September 4, 2022
I was a little bored. Don't shoot me.
August 27, 2022
NO! I can't! Please 🙏 Cara Dee don't make me say goodbye to Gray and Darius!! I don't think I can!!! Can't we have like a short novella of their life, every once in a while?!
I'm a happy, emotional, gooey wreck after finishing this!!
Seriously it's everything and more I ever wanted for those two. Even the mission in the beginning!!! I was freaking tearing up throughout their journey and the vows slayed me!
I just never wanted it to end, which is why it took me almost 3 days to finish! I had to stop every now and then to compose myself and savor what I read because I was getting closer and closer to the end.
Hopefully, there was a light in the end with the hint of the new series!
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
I'm a happy, emotional, gooey wreck after finishing this!!
Seriously it's everything and more I ever wanted for those two. Even the mission in the beginning!!! I was freaking tearing up throughout their journey and the vows slayed me!
I just never wanted it to end, which is why it took me almost 3 days to finish! I had to stop every now and then to compose myself and savor what I read because I was getting closer and closer to the end.
Hopefully, there was a light in the end with the hint of the new series!
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
September 2, 2022
3.5 Stars
I liked it. I enjoyed seeing allllllll the peeps, even if they were just cameos and I loved seeing Gray and Darius get their well deserved HEA. If I'm honest, though, it felt longer than it needed to be and I got a bit bored. And holy crap there are a lot of kids. So. Many. Kids.
I liked it. I enjoyed seeing allllllll the peeps, even if they were just cameos and I loved seeing Gray and Darius get their well deserved HEA. If I'm honest, though, it felt longer than it needed to be and I got a bit bored. And holy crap there are a lot of kids. So. Many. Kids.
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September 14, 2022Not enjoying this at all so I think I'll leave it here at 40%, not rated but it probably would've been 1 or 2 stars at best. Such a shame 😒. Whatever happened to the gutsy storyline of the first 3 stories [yes, the Lost and Found boys were mostly found alive thank goodness] but the storyline hasn't been that good since 'The Job' wormed its way into the series and as for the 'gay fiction at its finest' quote I obviously mistakenly made after reading book 2 Stranded...well, more fool me. The series seems to have lost the plot IMHO, so no more Cara Dee.
September 16, 2022
Yes. The writing is top notch.
Yes. I love these characters.
Yes. I will always once click this authors books.
This is a wet-dream for hardcore fans. It includes a metric fuck-ton of characters from other series and leaves little Easter eggs scattered all over like magic glitter.
But, my oh my. This was way too long. Had lengthy dull patches and felt, at times, like an epilogue that just wouldn’t end. I did love being inside Darius’ head though.
I’m hanging out for more Shay and the Tenley twins. *fingers crossed*
Yes. I love these characters.
Yes. I will always once click this authors books.
This is a wet-dream for hardcore fans. It includes a metric fuck-ton of characters from other series and leaves little Easter eggs scattered all over like magic glitter.
But, my oh my. This was way too long. Had lengthy dull patches and felt, at times, like an epilogue that just wouldn’t end. I did love being inside Darius’ head though.
I’m hanging out for more Shay and the Tenley twins. *fingers crossed*
January 16, 2023
This is the first book where, in essence, we get both Gray's and Darius' POVs. I really enjoyed seeing Darius' musings as an aside from the immediate action and my feeling as to where that was leading was correct and I loved it.
This follows the last book with about a two-year time jump. It starts off with a quick extraction mission and the rest is focused on the wedding. The wedding itself was great, but the lead-up to it went on a bit too long for me. The multitude of characters and their kids were making my head spin - it may have worked better if I had read all the other Camassia Cove books, but I still have difficulty keeping all the side characters straight. I think it was all a bit too much detail. While their bachelor party outings were fun and sweet I just got bored at points, making the story seem too long.
I was happy with how everything worked out and adored the emotional moments between the men, their kids and their closest friends, but there were too many times when I just skimmed.
This follows the last book with about a two-year time jump. It starts off with a quick extraction mission and the rest is focused on the wedding. The wedding itself was great, but the lead-up to it went on a bit too long for me. The multitude of characters and their kids were making my head spin - it may have worked better if I had read all the other Camassia Cove books, but I still have difficulty keeping all the side characters straight. I think it was all a bit too much detail. While their bachelor party outings were fun and sweet I just got bored at points, making the story seem too long.
I was happy with how everything worked out and adored the emotional moments between the men, their kids and their closest friends, but there were too many times when I just skimmed.
August 25, 2022
My HEART. Ugh, that was amazing, and exactly what they deserved after everything. I’ll never stop wanting more of them…
I will say, a couple times things got overwhelming with the amount of people I don’t actually know, but Cara does a good job filling in some blanks, plus… it’s a wedding. It’s normal to be a little overwhelmed with that many people you don’t know. Right?
I will say, a couple times things got overwhelming with the amount of people I don’t actually know, but Cara does a good job filling in some blanks, plus… it’s a wedding. It’s normal to be a little overwhelmed with that many people you don’t know. Right?
September 22, 2022
A Joyfully Jay review.
3 stars
The Auctioned series has been a long journey for Gray and Darius, starting with Gray being abducted into a trafficking ring in the first book. Their dynamics have shifted over the course of the series as they fell in love, moved to their dream home, and adopted two boys. The final piece in their happy ever after was what was missing from the series and I thought this book would bring it all together. While it did that somewhat, some of the other aspects in this book didn’t work out as well for me.
The beginning opens with the men on an extraction mission and we’re just thrown into the action again after all of this time away from their story and it was difficult to place where in their timeline they were. There was no lead up into who they were rescuing and a lot of it came across as jumbled and unclear to me. The present day of the story is in third person and then there are flashbacks, mostly from Darius’s point of view, that are in first person and I did not care for this style.
Read Michelle's review in its entirety here.
3 stars
The Auctioned series has been a long journey for Gray and Darius, starting with Gray being abducted into a trafficking ring in the first book. Their dynamics have shifted over the course of the series as they fell in love, moved to their dream home, and adopted two boys. The final piece in their happy ever after was what was missing from the series and I thought this book would bring it all together. While it did that somewhat, some of the other aspects in this book didn’t work out as well for me.
The beginning opens with the men on an extraction mission and we’re just thrown into the action again after all of this time away from their story and it was difficult to place where in their timeline they were. There was no lead up into who they were rescuing and a lot of it came across as jumbled and unclear to me. The present day of the story is in third person and then there are flashbacks, mostly from Darius’s point of view, that are in first person and I did not care for this style.
Read Michelle's review in its entirety here.
February 19, 2023
The perfect conclusion to the conclusion lol
Beautiful and heartwarming and wholesome. Only the good feels here.
I wish this dealt with or talked about, even if for a little bit, Gray’s PTSD (how it still affects him, how he’s coping), but it wasn’t mentioned at all. While I absolutely loved the ending and the HEA, it had the message that love and family/kids is the cure to all. I’ll excuse it this time because this entire series did fantastic in practically every aspect imaginable and this book was more like another epilogue.
I’m legit so bummed that this is over. I don’t know how to let Darius and Gray go. I was with them for 6 whole books. 🥺
Beautiful and heartwarming and wholesome. Only the good feels here.
I wish this dealt with or talked about, even if for a little bit, Gray’s PTSD (how it still affects him, how he’s coping), but it wasn’t mentioned at all. While I absolutely loved the ending and the HEA, it had the message that love and family/kids is the cure to all. I’ll excuse it this time because this entire series did fantastic in practically every aspect imaginable and this book was more like another epilogue.
I’m legit so bummed that this is over. I don’t know how to let Darius and Gray go. I was with them for 6 whole books. 🥺
August 25, 2022
Prepared is the sixth book in the Auctioned series and the book I wasn’t Prepared for! It means the end of this series and that makes me sad because I want to read more of Darius and Gray’s epic love and their amazing family. We get cameos from other series, a harrowing rescue mission and lots of wedding shenanigans! Loved the memory lane we got to go on, when Gray and Darius met and Jayden coming to be adopted by them. At times I felt like an observer in their lives and a guest at the wedding. The author has such a way of giving us that visual that felt realistic. Overall, this was a phenomenal ending to the series. Well written with addicting pacing that didn’t let me put the story down. Highly recommend!
December 8, 2023
2.5 stars — Cara Dee is an author who loves to have all of her characters show up in other books. For those who are newer fans and have not read her other series, this one will be extremely confusing. There are a lot of characters not only from other Camassia Cove books, but from her other series as well.
I found the first few chapters of Prepared to be supremely unenjoyable. The reason for this? There are crossover characters from one of Cara Dee’s other series that I won’t read because they’re not the kind of books I like. BUT I love her Camassia Cove universe which includes Darius and Gray. Why can’t this author keep her characters contained to the series they’re in? I actually wanted to throw my kindle out the window and discontinue this book at only 2%!!! I had no idea what was going on! Why couldn’t this mission have included the men we were introduced to in Played and Finished? That would have made more sense.
The first few chapters aside, I liked most of this book. Having a 2 day bachelor party was extreme though. Things I liked and didn’t like were:
In all the previous books in this series there’s always something about how Justin is doing in different situations. Initially it was said that he had ASD. I know that this is a huge spectrum and every case is different, but Justin was nonverbal. He used sign language to communicate with Darius and formed a bond with Willow over this since she’s autistic as well. When Justin was with a group of people, he would be wearing noice canceling headphones. Now he’s yelling and absolutely fine with all the people in the different situations in this book. Even with so many new people, he’s perfectly adjusted. This was very noticeable and quite disconcerting. I know children can sometimes “outgrow” certain aspects of ASD, but it should have been addressed differently than Gray simply mentioning that Justin wasn’t “shy” anymore.
Since this was Gray and Darius’s book, it would have been nice if they had had more reconnection time with the other survivors from Auctioned who came to the wedding. This would have been far more enjoyable and kept in line with Darius and Gray’s beginning of their relationship than the first few chapters involving characters from another series that I didn’t care about. Instead, all we get is the names of the boys who did show up. How are those boys doing? How did they feel seeing Darius and Gray getting married? How was it being reunited with Ryan, who played such a big part of their rescue along with Darius? We got none of that and that’s how this whole series started.
I also need to mention that the beginning of each chapter started with some thoughts from Darius written in italics. It was weird that those parts were written in first person with Darius referring to Gray as “you.” (It reminded me of the way The Job was written. I wasn’t a fan of it then either.) Then the main part of the chapter was from Gray’s POV the way all the other books were written. The epilogue is solely from Darius, in italics, again referring to Gray as “you”. 🫤😑
Cara Dee is one of only a handful of MM writers who I enjoy reading anymore. I don’t find any of the new authors out there to be up to par. I just wish Ms. Dee would write more books in her Camassia Cove universe and leave the other two series in their own lanes. It’s been frustrating the last couple of years as she’s been focusing on a couple of series that hold no interest for me (and perhaps other readers who don’t enjoy BDSM or enemies to lovers books). I’m really looking forward to Willow’s story. Hopefully that won’t be put in one of the crossover series.
I found the first few chapters of Prepared to be supremely unenjoyable. The reason for this? There are crossover characters from one of Cara Dee’s other series that I won’t read because they’re not the kind of books I like. BUT I love her Camassia Cove universe which includes Darius and Gray. Why can’t this author keep her characters contained to the series they’re in? I actually wanted to throw my kindle out the window and discontinue this book at only 2%!!! I had no idea what was going on! Why couldn’t this mission have included the men we were introduced to in Played and Finished? That would have made more sense.
The first few chapters aside, I liked most of this book. Having a 2 day bachelor party was extreme though. Things I liked and didn’t like were:
In all the previous books in this series there’s always something about how Justin is doing in different situations. Initially it was said that he had ASD. I know that this is a huge spectrum and every case is different, but Justin was nonverbal. He used sign language to communicate with Darius and formed a bond with Willow over this since she’s autistic as well. When Justin was with a group of people, he would be wearing noice canceling headphones. Now he’s yelling and absolutely fine with all the people in the different situations in this book. Even with so many new people, he’s perfectly adjusted. This was very noticeable and quite disconcerting. I know children can sometimes “outgrow” certain aspects of ASD, but it should have been addressed differently than Gray simply mentioning that Justin wasn’t “shy” anymore.
Since this was Gray and Darius’s book, it would have been nice if they had had more reconnection time with the other survivors from Auctioned who came to the wedding. This would have been far more enjoyable and kept in line with Darius and Gray’s beginning of their relationship than the first few chapters involving characters from another series that I didn’t care about. Instead, all we get is the names of the boys who did show up. How are those boys doing? How did they feel seeing Darius and Gray getting married? How was it being reunited with Ryan, who played such a big part of their rescue along with Darius? We got none of that and that’s how this whole series started.
I also need to mention that the beginning of each chapter started with some thoughts from Darius written in italics. It was weird that those parts were written in first person with Darius referring to Gray as “you.” (It reminded me of the way The Job was written. I wasn’t a fan of it then either.) Then the main part of the chapter was from Gray’s POV the way all the other books were written. The epilogue is solely from Darius, in italics, again referring to Gray as “you”. 🫤😑
Cara Dee is one of only a handful of MM writers who I enjoy reading anymore. I don’t find any of the new authors out there to be up to par. I just wish Ms. Dee would write more books in her Camassia Cove universe and leave the other two series in their own lanes. It’s been frustrating the last couple of years as she’s been focusing on a couple of series that hold no interest for me (and perhaps other readers who don’t enjoy BDSM or enemies to lovers books). I’m really looking forward to Willow’s story. Hopefully that won’t be put in one of the crossover series.
March 11, 2023
4⭐️ I loved the switch back and forth from the action of present day as Darius and Gray complete an extraction mission and the past internal dialogue of Darius describing how much he loves Gray.
I did feel like there was a bit of unnecessary filler here with repeating info/convos from the previous books, but overall a sweet wrap-up to their love story.
I did feel like there was a bit of unnecessary filler here with repeating info/convos from the previous books, but overall a sweet wrap-up to their love story.
August 25, 2022
5 Very Well Deserved Stars
- Established Couple
- Wedding Festivities
- Rescue Mission
- Crossover Cameos
- Happily Ever After
Darius & Gray have been through it all. Kidnapping, escaping the Cartel, getting stranded on a deserted island, rescue missions, even a pandemic.
They deserve their happy ending.
Prepared was the perfect finale for Darius & Gray, bringing them a hard earned happily ever after, and giving us a glimpse into their future full of family, farm life, helping those who need it most, and (most importantly) excuses to get out of social functions.
If you’re a fan of the Game series there’s also crossover appearances from the Tenley twins, Shay and Greer!
Sad to see this excellent series come to a close, but I’m hoping for more Action & Adventure spin-offs from Cara Dee in the future!🤞🏻
- Established Couple
- Wedding Festivities
- Rescue Mission
- Crossover Cameos
- Happily Ever After
Darius & Gray have been through it all. Kidnapping, escaping the Cartel, getting stranded on a deserted island, rescue missions, even a pandemic.
They deserve their happy ending.
Prepared was the perfect finale for Darius & Gray, bringing them a hard earned happily ever after, and giving us a glimpse into their future full of family, farm life, helping those who need it most, and (most importantly) excuses to get out of social functions.
If you’re a fan of the Game series there’s also crossover appearances from the Tenley twins, Shay and Greer!
Sad to see this excellent series come to a close, but I’m hoping for more Action & Adventure spin-offs from Cara Dee in the future!🤞🏻
June 6, 2025
(4/5) That was THE happily ever after. What else is there to say?
August 31, 2022
Overall, it was a satisfying end to a series. At some point I thought it was getting too sappy or squeezing too many memories (and people) in, but somehow it still worked and wasn't too overdone.
The hockey game alone made the entire book worth reading, it was hilarious!
The hockey game alone made the entire book worth reading, it was hilarious!
January 7, 2023
What a swoony end to this series!
For as heavy as this series was at times, this story was the light and it was beautiful!
Gray and Darius go through a lot to get this the point where they say I Do. The journey has been very hard but worth the emotional struggles. Their love is internal and I loved how this series ended. BUT with Cara does a series ever really end???
I enjoyed getting to know all the other characters as well. The kids! God, they are extra adorable in this book. I loved they were part of the wedding festivities. Abel and Madigan! Ryan and his brood. All the layers of family. It was so special. Loved it!!
For as heavy as this series was at times, this story was the light and it was beautiful!
Gray and Darius go through a lot to get this the point where they say I Do. The journey has been very hard but worth the emotional struggles. Their love is internal and I loved how this series ended. BUT with Cara does a series ever really end???
I enjoyed getting to know all the other characters as well. The kids! God, they are extra adorable in this book. I loved they were part of the wedding festivities. Abel and Madigan! Ryan and his brood. All the layers of family. It was so special. Loved it!!
March 17, 2025
Loved this series 🤍🤍 What a journey...
September 26, 2023
2023 was one of the best literary years ever and this series is there... among the best!
I wasn't counting on adding another perfect couple to my heart, but then Gray and Darius... but not only them, no... I'm not usually a children person, but I am now... because Jayden, Justin, and even Cass now fill me🥰
They already got their HEA, but reading it and seeing it happen... heart melting.
They are so beautiful together. Missing puzzle pieces are all coming together (also coming in that dirty way). In a family and friends full of kinky bastards, Gray and Darius show us the most hot vanilla ever. My God...
About this book:
They have a huge family and friends, so this is name after name, and sometimes I get lost because they are from other books... While it makes sense, not everyone has read them, and it gets confusing at times.
The bachelor party was so incredible, sweet, and hard on the older guys... That hockey game was so unfair.
Gray Tipsy is so fucking adorable (who am I kidding, he is always fucking adorable).
Ryan is... I just love him! Is so funny and so intense... even reading, he comes out as a man who walks into a room and all eyes are on him.
Knucklehead is my favourite nickname.
Their kids are so adorable and funny.
I love all their routines—Gray's cooking and Darius preparing for the end of the world.
The weeding was so beautiful, and so were they. My heart could not take it any more.
The honneymoon (*makes swoon sounds*)
These two suffer so much physically and psychologically to get to this totally deserved ending... Every book was another lair of overload, sweetness, and heartwarming love stories, and overcome the pain of past events together... Helping others as a form of healing...Perfect!
I wasn't counting on adding another perfect couple to my heart, but then Gray and Darius... but not only them, no... I'm not usually a children person, but I am now... because Jayden, Justin, and even Cass now fill me🥰
They already got their HEA, but reading it and seeing it happen... heart melting.
They are so beautiful together. Missing puzzle pieces are all coming together (also coming in that dirty way). In a family and friends full of kinky bastards, Gray and Darius show us the most hot vanilla ever. My God...
About this book:
They have a huge family and friends, so this is name after name, and sometimes I get lost because they are from other books... While it makes sense, not everyone has read them, and it gets confusing at times.
The bachelor party was so incredible, sweet, and hard on the older guys... That hockey game was so unfair.
Gray Tipsy is so fucking adorable (who am I kidding, he is always fucking adorable).
Ryan is... I just love him! Is so funny and so intense... even reading, he comes out as a man who walks into a room and all eyes are on him.
Knucklehead is my favourite nickname.
Their kids are so adorable and funny.
I love all their routines—Gray's cooking and Darius preparing for the end of the world.
The weeding was so beautiful, and so were they. My heart could not take it any more.
The honneymoon (*makes swoon sounds*)
These two suffer so much physically and psychologically to get to this totally deserved ending... Every book was another lair of overload, sweetness, and heartwarming love stories, and overcome the pain of past events together... Helping others as a form of healing...Perfect!
January 18, 2023
4.5 out of 5 ☆’s.
”It was easy to dismiss a future as something you didn't want...when you didn't think it was possible. Today, it was.”
ੈ✩‧₊˚
I would like to preface this review by reminding everyone to please do some research on this series — and ensure that you read up on all of its trigger warnings — before beginning it.
Being a responsible reader and protecting your mental health should always be a priority. ♡
ੈ✩‧₊˚
MY HEART IS SO FULL RIGHT NOW! (TT-TT)
ੈ✩‧₊˚
Gosh — ”Prepared” was such a beautiful addition to this series & was an amazing way to wrap up Darius + Gray’s story (I am fighting the urge to sob as I’m writing this review).
ੈ✩‧₊˚
Darius + Gray have both come so far since ”Auctioned”, and seeing how much they’ve grown throughout the series (both as a couple & as individuals) makes me incredibly emotional…
I am so very glad that I stumbled across this series one afternoon because it has managed to carve a special place in my heart — and I can confidently say that I will carry Darius + Gray’s story with me for years to come. ♡
ੈ✩‧₊˚
I cannot wait to read Cara’s other works in the future!! ♡
”It was easy to dismiss a future as something you didn't want...when you didn't think it was possible. Today, it was.”
ੈ✩‧₊˚
I would like to preface this review by reminding everyone to please do some research on this series — and ensure that you read up on all of its trigger warnings — before beginning it.
Being a responsible reader and protecting your mental health should always be a priority. ♡
ੈ✩‧₊˚
MY HEART IS SO FULL RIGHT NOW! (TT-TT)
ੈ✩‧₊˚
Gosh — ”Prepared” was such a beautiful addition to this series & was an amazing way to wrap up Darius + Gray’s story (I am fighting the urge to sob as I’m writing this review).
ੈ✩‧₊˚
Darius + Gray have both come so far since ”Auctioned”, and seeing how much they’ve grown throughout the series (both as a couple & as individuals) makes me incredibly emotional…
I am so very glad that I stumbled across this series one afternoon because it has managed to carve a special place in my heart — and I can confidently say that I will carry Darius + Gray’s story with me for years to come. ♡
ੈ✩‧₊˚
I cannot wait to read Cara’s other works in the future!! ♡
September 1, 2022
Gray and Darius are EVERYTHING! The journey Cara Dee took us on with these characters has seen me through every emotion. Now that the series has met it’s completion in Prepared, I’m happy crying and sad to know it’s ending but ecstatic with where these beautiful characters are.
October 28, 2022
nice finale
Love love loved this. Love watching this kids grow into all that love. Gray and Darius will forever be a favourite of mine. Can’t wait for the rest of the books to be on audio.
There were a lot of characters though, I feel like a glossary would have been great.
Love love loved this. Love watching this kids grow into all that love. Gray and Darius will forever be a favourite of mine. Can’t wait for the rest of the books to be on audio.
There were a lot of characters though, I feel like a glossary would have been great.
June 21, 2025
4.5 ✨
This was so fun!!! Good vibes, so romantic, very sweet. I think Gray and Darius are one of my all time favorite Cara Dee couples, and Jayden and Justin are 100% some of my favorite Cara Dee kiddos. Such a great way to end the series!
This was so fun!!! Good vibes, so romantic, very sweet. I think Gray and Darius are one of my all time favorite Cara Dee couples, and Jayden and Justin are 100% some of my favorite Cara Dee kiddos. Such a great way to end the series!
September 3, 2022
This was such a good series !
I’m so happy we got to see Abel & Madigan as well the twins and Shay.
I can never get enough of Cara dee’s universe.
I’m so happy we got to see Abel & Madigan as well the twins and Shay.
I can never get enough of Cara dee’s universe.
October 18, 2022
This is the happy ending finale for Gray and Darius. Many people will love it for that alone. You will have had to read the previous books, especially the first one, to know how these guys made it to this point. Unlike that first book, this one is pretty much the total opposite with plenty of fluff and good feelings.
Have to say that this series has not blown me away nearly as much as Ms. Dee's other series. While the first few books were dark and edgy, they started going down from there for me. I realize the entire series cannot sustain itself with the same content given the theme, but there were other issues that seemed to become more prevalent as the series went on.
This installment felt much longer than it needed to be. It starts with the guys in the middle of a random extraction mission with the guys who helped Darius with Gray's rescue. Most of those guys are crossovers from other series - Shane and the Tenleys, etc. This action is over pretty quickly, however, and the pace of the story noticeably changes. It goes from nice-paced action that takes place over a few days in a few chapters to bachelor party preparations and wedding that also take place over a short period of time but include so many details that they span the rest of the book. So many unnecessary details.
The other issue I had trouble with was the jumping in and out of side conversations, some felt like musings by Darius, but others were flashbacks of actual conversations, so it just felt confusing and disjointed at times, jumping from first to third person and pulling me out of the story. This does turn into something at the end, but it was extremely distracting until it got there.
The pros of this story are that Gray and Darius solidify their happy ending with a wedding (the main gist of the musings discussed above were Darius struggling with writing his vows). We get to see the crossover guys quite a bit as they are involved throughout the story - they all play different parts and are responsible for the different aspects of the bachelor party weekend. They each come up with fun and meaningful events from a unique crafty shopping spree to an old v. young hockey game and few other fun things in between.
All in all, I was happy to see this series wrap up. It was awesome seeing the other guys and their connections with Darius and Gray, either by friendship or family, seeing how much Gray and Darius mean to each other and watching them try to find ways to express those feelings. It wraps up with the actual wedding which includes a few fun surprises and ideas of a new direction for the guys.
Review written for Love Bytes Reviews.
September 16, 2022
While I'm usually one that always asks for a bit extra, I'm not sure this series needed a whole extra novel. Set in a parallel universe where the pandemic was over in two years (because it's very much not over where I'm sitting, and I can'timagine paranoid Darius would let down precautions until well after it was declared "safe" by multiple global sources), we have a very long exposition of how the wedding between Grey and Darius came to happen.
While the wedding itself was cute, the events leading up to it felt very exhausting and drawn out. Partly, I think, because it was filled with characters who are known in the Camassia Cove universe, but until this book hadn't been more than mentioned characters, or at most side characters. But here, everyone is presented as if we should know them, which would need several books written before. As in, most if them have their own romance books outside of the series, which we're sort of expected to have read already. As someone who'se only read this series, and isn't as into mf romance anymore and won't read those books, it felt like walking into a family reunion and being asked if I remember so and so who knew me as a toddler and whom I don't remember yet am expected to, but novel length.
I had little interest in that part. I had a hard time trying to keep my interest in characters I don't know and their kids I can't keep straight. I feel it might have worked better as a novella. It didn't have to be this long. As it is, it was tiresome more often than not
While the wedding itself was cute, the events leading up to it felt very exhausting and drawn out. Partly, I think, because it was filled with characters who are known in the Camassia Cove universe, but until this book hadn't been more than mentioned characters, or at most side characters. But here, everyone is presented as if we should know them, which would need several books written before. As in, most if them have their own romance books outside of the series, which we're sort of expected to have read already. As someone who'se only read this series, and isn't as into mf romance anymore and won't read those books, it felt like walking into a family reunion and being asked if I remember so and so who knew me as a toddler and whom I don't remember yet am expected to, but novel length.
I had little interest in that part. I had a hard time trying to keep my interest in characters I don't know and their kids I can't keep straight. I feel it might have worked better as a novella. It didn't have to be this long. As it is, it was tiresome more often than not
August 31, 2022
This series has been a favorite of mine since the first book--the cast of characters, the feels, the struggles and the victories. I have been emotionally invested in these characters from the very beginning, which is why I found this story such a treat to read.
We finally get to see our beloved Gray marrying Darius, but first we get to see them in action again. I enjoyed seeing the boys like this--on a mission in the jungle doing something they believed with family having their backs. The banter was top-notch as well as the action and the humor sprinkled throughout. Gray was as bada$$ as he was hilarious during this mission and I enjoyed myself immensely.
But the good times didn't stop there because then I got to go back to Camassia Cove where I got to visit with all the fantastic characters from that series as well as some others we've met from other Cara Dee books. I loved seeing Darius and Gray in their element and seeing how far they had come as a couple. I also enjoyed catching up with some of the other couples and families.
As expected, having all of these characters all in one place made for a fun and entertaining read. The camaraderie between these characters, the loyalty and support of Gray and Darius friends and family and the undeniable rightness of this pairing jumped off the page at every turn. There was a wide range of emotions from both Gray and Darius as well as a furthering of their already established connection. Nd of course, we couldn't do without their very palpable chemistry.
For me, this story was as fulfilling as it was entertaining. I loved seeing Gray and Darius finally achieving their HEA surrounded by the friends and family that have supported them from the very beginning.
All in all, a fantastic conclusion to Darius and Gray's story and a wonderful overall read.
We finally get to see our beloved Gray marrying Darius, but first we get to see them in action again. I enjoyed seeing the boys like this--on a mission in the jungle doing something they believed with family having their backs. The banter was top-notch as well as the action and the humor sprinkled throughout. Gray was as bada$$ as he was hilarious during this mission and I enjoyed myself immensely.
But the good times didn't stop there because then I got to go back to Camassia Cove where I got to visit with all the fantastic characters from that series as well as some others we've met from other Cara Dee books. I loved seeing Darius and Gray in their element and seeing how far they had come as a couple. I also enjoyed catching up with some of the other couples and families.
As expected, having all of these characters all in one place made for a fun and entertaining read. The camaraderie between these characters, the loyalty and support of Gray and Darius friends and family and the undeniable rightness of this pairing jumped off the page at every turn. There was a wide range of emotions from both Gray and Darius as well as a furthering of their already established connection. Nd of course, we couldn't do without their very palpable chemistry.
For me, this story was as fulfilling as it was entertaining. I loved seeing Gray and Darius finally achieving their HEA surrounded by the friends and family that have supported them from the very beginning.
All in all, a fantastic conclusion to Darius and Gray's story and a wonderful overall read.
July 26, 2023
4.5 STARS of im not crying, you’re crying!
There’s just something about seeing these characters suffer, get up, fall down again, get up again stronger, and just taking everything and using it as fuel for their happily ever after that just freaking works! And maybe it’s because we see a little of ourselves in these characters. It gives us hope and strength right back.
So to see Gray and Darius and all their families and friends get here, wow. Just wow. The tears didn’t stop and I’m just so glad I took the time to devour this series, because it was spectacular.
Also, this book may make you crave having babies when you previously didn’t think you wanted any so… beware.
There’s just something about seeing these characters suffer, get up, fall down again, get up again stronger, and just taking everything and using it as fuel for their happily ever after that just freaking works! And maybe it’s because we see a little of ourselves in these characters. It gives us hope and strength right back.
So to see Gray and Darius and all their families and friends get here, wow. Just wow. The tears didn’t stop and I’m just so glad I took the time to devour this series, because it was spectacular.
Also, this book may make you crave having babies when you previously didn’t think you wanted any so… beware.
May 3, 2024
A sweet end to an incredible book series however it wasn’t what I hoped for.
I felt that with the amount of characters pilled in I got very confused at times especially when I forgot they had a daughter because she hardly got mentioned as well I found things very repetitive such as the over mentioning of Grey and his flannel or Casey’s music.
Overall I believe that the Auctioned book series is an incredible read with the first three books being the most captivating then slowly for me they go down hill, I think if I’m being honest that instead of there being six books there could have easily been four or five.
I felt that with the amount of characters pilled in I got very confused at times especially when I forgot they had a daughter because she hardly got mentioned as well I found things very repetitive such as the over mentioning of Grey and his flannel or Casey’s music.
Overall I believe that the Auctioned book series is an incredible read with the first three books being the most captivating then slowly for me they go down hill, I think if I’m being honest that instead of there being six books there could have easily been four or five.
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