Book Review – Take Me With You – Nina G. Jones

What a book! Some characters deeply flawed, others totally messed up. But here’s the thing, you will be hooked from the beginning. Once you enter their dark depraved world, you become involved in their destiny. You root for the monster, you empathize even as his depravity sickens you. It’s everything dark erotica should be.

So. A prowler is on the loose. A peeping Tom who has moved beyond just watching. He has started taking.

I flourish in the darkness. And for me, 3:15 is the quietest time of the night. Far beyond most people’s ability to stay up late, and too early for even the earliest riser. It’s when you are secure in your sleep, in the safety of your warm covers, when you think you are most alone. That’s when I come, when every last guard is down.

He moves from victim to victim but he’s yet to find the thing that will fill that void. Until he sees Vesper. Vesper is beautiful. But that’s not all that draws him to her. There’s more, and he wants it.

Maybe she wasn’t like the others. Maybe she was something in between people like them and people like me.

And even though he’s used to meticulous planning, Vesper is not like the rest. And for once, he doesn’t leave the victim, he takes her.

As you can see, I’m trying very hard not to give you the story. The reason is that I went in blind, and so should you. I will tell you that this is right up there with the best books I’ve read, and even more so in this genre. Initially ,I thought it was very much like Comfort Food, particularly the conditioning. But then it became much much more. Comfort Food is a short story that left me slightly unfulfilled – wanting to fill in the gaps of the characters lives before and after. This one shows you how the monster was born. It takes you through both the villain and the victim’s lives and so, for me, it was a more complete experience.

And not only that, it is well written. The words flow, creating these deeply written characters. Vesper for one, is a sweet girl. Used to taking care of people but never really feeling taken care of. Which is why when she realizes someone is watching her, she’s afraid, but there’s some thrill intermingled with the fear.

I don’t know what this is. I don’t understand it. But every part of me wants it. To feel so strongly desired. To be cared for. To always be the singular focus of his attention. He’s brutal, but I am the focus of his obsession.

Then there’s the villain. He is brutal. Believe me when I tell you that the author pulls no punches. He is a nightmare in every way. He is dark and twisted and every trigger warning is at the heart of this book. He is on a hunt and no one is safe. But Vesper, she keeps him in line. She’s the one who holds the control. But what does this mean for Vesper? Being with a monster?

You don’t stare the devil in the eyes and come out without some of his sin. You can’t beat the devil without becoming like him. You can’t appeal to his kindness, so you have to learn to play his games. You lie, you fuck, you manipulate, you fight, you hurl insults, until you do whatever it takes to win the battle. Every time you do those things, you understand him a little more. Until finally, he becomes your ally. You think you’ve won, that you’ve made him more like you. But the truth is, it’s the other way around. So that even when you win, you’ve lost.

Again. What a book! Steamy in that way only dark erotica can be. Scary, so scary. And even though the author warns that there’s no light, if you’re like me, you’ll find that light and it will add to the devastation. There’s just nothing quite like this book.

5 stars.

Amazon Buy Link -> Take Me With You by Nina G. Jones