Wednesday 25 December 2013

Blog Tour: Pepper Winters "Quintessentially Q (Monsters in the Dark # 2)."

The Hopeless Romantics Book Blog are pleased to be a part of the Blog Tour for Pepper Winters "Quintessentially Q."

~5 +++ Hearts Review ~

Synopsis:

“All my life, I battled with the knowledge I was twisted… fucked up to want something so deliciously dark—wrong on so many levels. But then slave fifty-eight entered my world. Hissing, fighting, with a core of iron, she showed me an existence where two wrongs make a right."

Tess is Q’s completely. Q is Tess’s irrevocably. But now, they must learn the boundaries of their unconventional relationship, while Tess seeks vengeance on the men who sold her. Q made a blood-oath to deliver their corpses at Tess’s feet, and that’s just what he’ll do.

He may be a monster, but he’s Tess’s monster.


 Blog Tour Review:

I don't even know where to start with this review... I mean I'm still trying to get my emotions back in check... I'm still coming down from my high, I'm still trying to unravel the twists in my gut. Pepper Winters... this has got to be one of the best sequels I have ever read. It truly surpassed my every expectation and if I could give you more stars and hearts, I would lay them at your feet. This is how a sequel is well and truly supposed to be written... perfection in its rawest form. 

"Tears of Tess" was my first and only experience of a 'dark' read until 'Quintessentially Q' and looking back I have to say, it was a walk in the park. 'Quintessentially Q' was dark beyond belief. It was a messed up, screwed up, twisted fuck of a read that I needed to grow a pair for, just to get me through it. But this book became an addiction, an obsession that I wasn't willing to put down until I'd devoured every page.

I ache to see your flesh bleed, scream for me, give me what I need, 
let the rivers run, the monster inside has won. 

Every word was full of emotion, every sentence so powerful, I found myself consumed by not only the story line but also the characters. 

In Q's character I saw the biggest change. He'd always been so strong, dominant and fearless in book one, a man always in control with a mask he never let slip. There was no love lost between us in TOT and the main reason was that I just couldn't forgive him for some of his actions and some of the things he allowed to happen. Yes I may have softened towards the end but he had a long way to go in winning my affections. In QQ, I saw so many different sides to this man. Yes he remained dominant and strong but there was so much more to him than I could have ever imagined. I saw a fear, a vulnerability, an inner struggle:

I wanted to possess, obsess and consume. I wanted to be the air Tess breathe.
I wanted to be the water she drank. Keeping her alive all while wanting to kill her. 

I saw a man who would stop at nothing, a man who would walk to the ends of the earth, a man on the brink of breaking, a man who was willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for the woman he loved. And that was the moment I fell in love with Q... the man he was and the monster within:

I let go of everything, every barrier, every smoke and mirror.
I let her see everything I was. All the fear I felt, all the love I burned with.

Tess... my beautiful fighter... willing to give up so much but I could see her reluctance to give up complete control:

He had to learn that for any sort of love to grow between us, it needed a firm foundation to last. 
A foundation of unthinkable trust and faith in each other. I said I trusted Q. 
I didn't., Not yet. And I was damn sure he didn't trust me. 

She wanted Q, there was no doubt in my mind but she wanted more than what he was offering and I could see that she would fight to get it. But as the story progressed, I was faced with another side to her ... a side that left me broken and devastated. Tess was pushed to her very limits in terms of her body and mind and I wondered whether her old self would ever return:

My esclave- so strong and fierce and sexually feral - was gone. Her cage wasn't me anymore.

For me, QQ was a book of two halves in terms of the story line. The first was the development of Tess and Q's relationship. What they had was new and they needed to learn the boundaries of both their physical and emotional connection. But the more I read, I wondered how far they were willing to go. Was there a limit? Tess goaded Q, pushing him whilst he tried desperately to maintain control and protect her from beast that was scratching to be released. It was a battle of wills that neither could win unless one of them broke. The question was, who would break first? Their relationship was beyond complicated, beyond something I could even begin to understand but I wanted it to work for them.. as crazy and fucked up as it sounds... these two were soul mates. They fit perfectly. 

The second half of the story line came in at 27% and continued right up until the end. It was a twist that was unfortunately spoilt for me (Grrr) but do you what.. Pepper Winters still managed to rip my heart out in one fell swoop. She tore it out quickly but then she toyed with it, squeezed it until it was almost lifeless, then let go giving me a glimmer of hope. Unfortunately she wasn't done and she decided to toy with it some more. It was torture, the pain unbearable, the words so visual, I could see what I was reading clear as day in my mind and it made me sick to my stomach. Would Tess and Q ever survive it? Big girl panties weren't enough for this one... the words brutal, harrowing, horrific don't even come close. I can't go into it, I can't begin to explain without spoiling it but my heart broke into a million pieces and right up until the end, I didn't know whether it would ever heal:

My trust in him was broken. My belief that he would always be there for me- 
my monster in the dark was gone.

QQ was an amazing book. It gave me the answers to the questions that I'd had after reading TOT and the answers fit seamlessly into what was becoming an almost complete puzzle. The writing, the words, the characters, the emotions and the story line really did tick all the boxes for a 5 hearts (and more) read and honestly, I don't think my review could possibly do this book justice. Any future books from Pepper Winter have big boots to fill and I'm praying as an author she doesn't fail me.. in fact I have every faith she won't.

"Because you're my monster in the dark, and I'm yours."

I rated "Quintessentially Q" 5 massive, heart breaking, soul destroying, heart warming (yes I said heart warming) hearts!!!!

Author Bio:

 Pepper Winters wears many roles. Some of them include writer, reader, sometimes wife. She loves dark, taboo stories that twist with your head. The more tortured the hero the better and she constantly thinks up ways to break and fix her characters. Oh, and sex… her books have sex. 

 She loves to travel and has an amazing, fabulous hubby (who speaks French—hot!) who puts up with her love affair with her book boyfriends. She loves to hear from her readers so hit her up at pepperwinters@gmail.com

 Author Links:

 Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/pepperwinters/boards/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Pepper-Winters/539976006062848
Twitter: https://twitter.com/PepperWinters
Blog: http://pepperwinters.wordpress.com/
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7151973.Pepper_Winters

Tears of Tess:  Monsters in the Dark, Book #1

Genre: Erotic/Dark Contemporary Romance

 GoodReads: http://bit.ly/Jiv6ib

Synopsis: 

 A New Adult Dark Contemporary Romance, not suitable for people sensitive to grief, slavery, and nonconsensual sex. A story about finding love in the strangest of places, a will of iron that grows from necessity, and forgiveness that may not be enough.

 “My life was complete. Happy, content, everything neat and perfect.
Then it all changed.
I was sold.”

 Tess Snow has everything she ever wanted: one more semester before a career in property development, a loving boyfriend, and a future dazzling bright with possibility. 

 For their two year anniversary, Brax surprises Tess with a romantic trip to Mexico. Sandy beaches, delicious cocktails, and soul-connecting sex set the mood for a wonderful holiday. With a full heart, and looking forward to a passion filled week, Tess is on top of the world.

 But lusty paradise is shattered.

 Kidnapped. Drugged. Stolen. Tess is forced into a world full of darkness and terror. 

 Captive and alone with no savior, no lover, no faith, no future, Tess evolves from terrified girl to fierce fighter. But no matter her strength, it can’t save her from the horror of being sold.
Can Brax find Tess before she’s broken and ruined, or will Tess’s new owner change her life forever?

Purchase Links:


Giveaway:  Pepper is offering up (5) eBook copies of Tears of Tess (INTL) and (2) swag packs (INTL) up for grabs.  Giveaway ends at 11:59 PM CST 12/30/2013.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
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