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The Estate #2
Hope Restrained
She was meant to be his assassin
A forced player in a rivalry within The Estate
Yet her loyalty was to no person but herself
When Hope is taken captive by Xander Black
She becomes the one thing that can ensure Aaron’s reign
Raised within a rival crime network, Hope Delacroix wanted nothing to do with The Estate. A fierce warrior, Hope is given no choice but to kill Aaron Carmichael. Caught in her attempt, Hope is captured by Aaron’s top guard in an effort to discover who sent her.
Ever loyal and protective, Xander Black’s sole objective is to defend Aaron and Maddy. Willing to do whatever is necessary, Xander gives in to darkness in order to force information out of Hope.
As Xander enslaves Hope to break her down completely, he learns that in the two years since Joseph Carmichael’s death, dissension still exists within The Estate.
“I find it ironic that your name is Hope…especially considering that you have none.” ~ Xander Black
A forced player in a rivalry within The Estate
Yet her loyalty was to no person but herself
When Hope is taken captive by Xander Black
She becomes the one thing that can ensure Aaron’s reign
Raised within a rival crime network, Hope Delacroix wanted nothing to do with The Estate. A fierce warrior, Hope is given no choice but to kill Aaron Carmichael. Caught in her attempt, Hope is captured by Aaron’s top guard in an effort to discover who sent her.
Ever loyal and protective, Xander Black’s sole objective is to defend Aaron and Maddy. Willing to do whatever is necessary, Xander gives in to darkness in order to force information out of Hope.
As Xander enslaves Hope to break her down completely, he learns that in the two years since Joseph Carmichael’s death, dissension still exists within The Estate.
“I find it ironic that your name is Hope…especially considering that you have none.” ~ Xander Black
300 pages, Unknown Binding
First published January 27, 2014
31 people are currently reading
1436 people want to read
About the author
M.S. Willis
14 books787 followersM.S. Willis is a dark writer who likes to dabble on the taboo side of eroticism. She is most known for her Control Series, the Estate Series, Because of Ellison (contemporary romance), and Standard Romance Story (Romance Comedy). When she isn’t writing as M.S. Willis, you can find other books by her under Lily White where she has penned the Masters Series (Her Master’s Courtesan and Her Master’s Teacher), Target This, Hard Roads, and Asylum. She’s co-authored Serial (a four part serial series) as Lily White as well. M.S. Willis enjoys stretching her writing muscles by continuing to challenge herself with each book she publishes.
In addition to writing, she is an avid reader, gummy bear slayer, and a gold medalist in puppy naps.
In addition to writing, she is an avid reader, gummy bear slayer, and a gold medalist in puppy naps.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 123 reviews
August 31, 2016
3.5 stars!
Let’s face the facts people.
With Joseph gone, there goes our badass villain *poopyface*
Xander was pretty kickbutt in Madeleine, Abducted so I was ecstatic to hear he’d be getting his own book!
After reading
Well I mean it was good and I did like it wait there were some problems I had and I wonder if it’s ok to say them I really wanted to 5 star the book because it’s the ESTATE for goodness sake
OKAY.
First, I have to say that M.S. Willis has a unique talent that 90% of other authors don’t have, and that’s her writing. Not the writing style, mind you, but the actual words. Her prose is almost lyrical, and scenes are so provocative and evocative I could pretty much envision the entire book as a movie. My standards of good writing is when an author is so exceptionally skilled that they are able to transport readers to whatever time period/scene/setting their books are set in and to make us forget our surroundings. M.S. Willis has consistently delivered that again and again with each book in the Estate series, and Hope Restrained is no exception.
So what did I not like?
1. Xander and Hope’s connection. Or the lack of. From the way they “meet” to Xander’s interrogation of her to his blossoming affection for her seemed stilted and forced. I really didn’t think there was enough character development on this part to warrant Xander’s insta-love for Hope.
2. Xander: Badass turned Pussy Later in the book (around 85%) I realized that just like Aaron needs Maddy to keep him grounded, Hope needs Xander, but I didn’t expect that so I was genuinely surprised at how...soft Xander got. He was like play dough in Hope’s hands. Besides, for a top notch assassin, he certainly got slapped around by Hope a lot.
3. Aaron: Executioner turned Shrew. Now don’t get me wrong, for the most part, Aaron was his usual dark self but after a few scenes that originally convinced me he had more common sense than Xander, he then turned into a frillish housewife.
4. I felt disconnected with the Estate. The past two books in the series had something in common (besides being freaking AMAZING): the plot, the characters, and basically everything always revolved around the Estate, meaning no matter what part I was reading, I would always be aware of the threat and danger the Estate posed. This added to the thrill, the dark, the mindfuck that these books posed. In Hope Restrained, I felt isolated from the workings of the Estate. If I hadn’t read the first two books, I’d tell you that the Estate is composed of Aaron, Maddy, Xander, Hope, Jason, Patrick, and the housemaid. That’s it. It isn’t until 70% where I could really grasp how the Estate played a role in this second book of the Estate series.
But despite what I didn’t like, this book still made for a great dark read! There were times I was like:
And when the characters were like:
I was like:
.........
Definitely looking forward to book 3, Honor Bound! She’s got an interesting story...
ARC kindly provided by author in exchange for an honest review.
Let’s face the facts people.
With Joseph gone, there goes our badass villain *poopyface*
Xander was pretty kickbutt in Madeleine, Abducted so I was ecstatic to hear he’d be getting his own book!
After reading
OKAY.
First, I have to say that M.S. Willis has a unique talent that 90% of other authors don’t have, and that’s her writing. Not the writing style, mind you, but the actual words. Her prose is almost lyrical, and scenes are so provocative and evocative I could pretty much envision the entire book as a movie. My standards of good writing is when an author is so exceptionally skilled that they are able to transport readers to whatever time period/scene/setting their books are set in and to make us forget our surroundings. M.S. Willis has consistently delivered that again and again with each book in the Estate series, and Hope Restrained is no exception.
So what did I not like?
1. Xander and Hope’s connection. Or the lack of. From the way they “meet” to Xander’s interrogation of her to his blossoming affection for her seemed stilted and forced. I really didn’t think there was enough character development on this part to warrant Xander’s insta-love for Hope.
2. Xander: Badass turned Pussy Later in the book (around 85%) I realized that just like Aaron needs Maddy to keep him grounded, Hope needs Xander, but I didn’t expect that so I was genuinely surprised at how...soft Xander got. He was like play dough in Hope’s hands. Besides, for a top notch assassin, he certainly got slapped around by Hope a lot.
3. Aaron: Executioner turned Shrew. Now don’t get me wrong, for the most part, Aaron was his usual dark self but after a few scenes that originally convinced me he had more common sense than Xander, he then turned into a frillish housewife.
4. I felt disconnected with the Estate. The past two books in the series had something in common (besides being freaking AMAZING): the plot, the characters, and basically everything always revolved around the Estate, meaning no matter what part I was reading, I would always be aware of the threat and danger the Estate posed. This added to the thrill, the dark, the mindfuck that these books posed. In Hope Restrained, I felt isolated from the workings of the Estate. If I hadn’t read the first two books, I’d tell you that the Estate is composed of Aaron, Maddy, Xander, Hope, Jason, Patrick, and the housemaid. That’s it. It isn’t until 70% where I could really grasp how the Estate played a role in this second book of the Estate series.
But despite what I didn’t like, this book still made for a great dark read! There were times I was like:
And when the characters were like:
I was like:
.........
Definitely looking forward to book 3, Honor Bound! She’s got an interesting story...
ARC kindly provided by author in exchange for an honest review.
January 26, 2014
4.5 Gritty and Gruesome Stars!!!
In the second installment of The Estate series, we're introduced to Hope Delacroix. She's forced to do a job, a rival crime network has something she holds dear and the only way she can get it back is to assassinate Aaron Carmichael, the feared leader of the estate.
But the mission goes wrong when Aaron's right hand man, Xander, captures her and is hell bent on finding out who sent her. She's determined not to speak, she hates everything about the estate, helping them in any way is out of the question. She's a strong warrior and gives Xander way more than he expected, but things change unexpectedly when Xander discovers her weakness and uses it against, she finds herself wanting to give in to his seduction.
And when he finally finds out the reason she made an attempt on Aaron's life, Hope's ideas and belief's about The Estate start start changing.
He was her tormentor and her protector, her captivity and her freedom.
Okay so in the beginning I didn't really like Hope, she's confident and strong. She doesn't need a man to protect her, which didn't work for me, I like my heroines weak and helpless so the hero can come in and save the day (yes, I'm serious), but Xander's "gentle" approach towards her got exactly the same result I wanted. She gave into him, her character stayed strong but when it came to Xander she became all woman. Mind you she wasn't easy on Xander at first, she gave his ego a good beating at first, this I didn't like lol!
"I hope the spark of rebellion never dies inside you. I enjoy stripping you of your fight every time I light you up inside.
Xander is a charmer, he's slick, smooth and a little bit arrogant. After he breaks through Hope's walls, he has a deep need to protect her and to calm the darkness that makes her soul so restless. I actually ended up really liking Xander, no he was't my ideal alpha male but he's character did suit the role perfectly. I guess it would have been ideal to have their roles reversed but they did compliment each other.
Final Thoughts
The flow of events in Hope Restrained were exactly the same as in Madeleine Abducted, with a slight twist. It's rare that I like a strong female character, I really have to stress this. I think the only other strong female characters I've liked were the heroine in Killing Sarai by J.A Redmerski and recently Fighting Destiny by Amelia Hutchins. This book has bucket loads of gore, non-con and a look into the mind of a female assassin who's been through hell and back, and makes it out on top!
This book has a slow build up but an explosive conclusion!
ARC kindly provided by author in exchange for an honest review
In the second installment of The Estate series, we're introduced to Hope Delacroix. She's forced to do a job, a rival crime network has something she holds dear and the only way she can get it back is to assassinate Aaron Carmichael, the feared leader of the estate.
But the mission goes wrong when Aaron's right hand man, Xander, captures her and is hell bent on finding out who sent her. She's determined not to speak, she hates everything about the estate, helping them in any way is out of the question. She's a strong warrior and gives Xander way more than he expected, but things change unexpectedly when Xander discovers her weakness and uses it against, she finds herself wanting to give in to his seduction.
And when he finally finds out the reason she made an attempt on Aaron's life, Hope's ideas and belief's about The Estate start start changing.
He was her tormentor and her protector, her captivity and her freedom.
Okay so in the beginning I didn't really like Hope, she's confident and strong. She doesn't need a man to protect her, which didn't work for me, I like my heroines weak and helpless so the hero can come in and save the day (yes, I'm serious), but Xander's "gentle" approach towards her got exactly the same result I wanted. She gave into him, her character stayed strong but when it came to Xander she became all woman. Mind you she wasn't easy on Xander at first, she gave his ego a good beating at first, this I didn't like lol!
"I hope the spark of rebellion never dies inside you. I enjoy stripping you of your fight every time I light you up inside.
Xander is a charmer, he's slick, smooth and a little bit arrogant. After he breaks through Hope's walls, he has a deep need to protect her and to calm the darkness that makes her soul so restless. I actually ended up really liking Xander, no he was't my ideal alpha male but he's character did suit the role perfectly. I guess it would have been ideal to have their roles reversed but they did compliment each other.
Final Thoughts
The flow of events in Hope Restrained were exactly the same as in Madeleine Abducted, with a slight twist. It's rare that I like a strong female character, I really have to stress this. I think the only other strong female characters I've liked were the heroine in Killing Sarai by J.A Redmerski and recently Fighting Destiny by Amelia Hutchins. This book has bucket loads of gore, non-con and a look into the mind of a female assassin who's been through hell and back, and makes it out on top!
This book has a slow build up but an explosive conclusion!
ARC kindly provided by author in exchange for an honest review
May 7, 2016
“I find it ironic that your name is Hope…especially considering that you have none.”
Hope Delacroix is a trained assassin a human weapon. One wrapped in a delicate looking beautiful package and she was hired to kill Aaron Carmichael, The story begins with Hope's sister being kidnapped "Honor"by men from the Estate, it was terrible what they have done to her. in order to save her sister, hope had to kill Aaron, it was the only way to get her back but she did not succeed in her mission, because of Xander Black
Xander is Aaron's right hand man and his best friend, After saving Aaron from Hope's attack and getting stabbed in the process, he decides to take her as a hostage and interrogate her then kill her. but what he didn't know about her is Hope has been trained...trained to crave and enjoy pain and cruelty ,So Xander has to get creative in order to get informations from her.
i found this book very enjoyable, the plot was great, I absolutely loved the characters, they were perfect. i can't wait to read the third book about Honor and Jason :D *this is gonna be good* !
January 27, 2014
Book – Hope Restrained (The Estate #2)
Author – M. S. Willis
Publication Date – January 30, 2014
Type – Part of Series – No Cliffhanger
Genre –Romance, Dark
Rating – 5 out of 5 Stars
Book provided by Author (after I stalked and begged) in exchange for an honest review.
Reading Order
Joseph Fallen (The Estate, #0.5) – Daddy O
Madeleine Abducted (The Estate #1) – Aaron and Maddy
Hope Restrained (The Estate #2) – Xander and Hope (release Jan 30)
Honor Bound (The Estate #3) – Jason and Honor (release in 2014)
Review
I went into this book with a heavy heart after reading some of the reviews on Goodreads. Another reason is that I didn’t rate Madeleine Abducted high and thought this was going to be another so-so book for me. See, it was JaHy that emailed me and begged me to try and get an ARC for StarAngels’ Reviews because of her love for the first 2 books. I took on that challenge and with the help of my buddy Feifei…I was able to contact Ms. Willis and beg her for a copy to review.
I had another prior engagement for a tour review, so I let JaHy read it first for the blog. My heart dropped when she emailed me that she wasn’t feeling it like the others. Now normally, her and I agree on ratings for the most part so I was beginning to get an anxiety attack thinking we were both going to rate this book in the middle, and possibly hurt some feelings. You have to understand that every time I get an ARC to read directly from the author – it pains me to rate it low. I do because that is our obligation to leave an honest review whether it be bad or spectacular.
Well, then I start seeing the reviews go up and I’m shocked ---- I start thinking to myself – do I do this? Do I take the chance or leave it up to JaHy to review for the site? With half a heart I dove in and after a few pages, I’m waiting for the “instant” love/attraction but in my head it just isn’t happening. I understood where others could get that idea but I dug a bit further into Hope’s and Xander’s psyche and understood the deep rooted attraction they had for each other. I would explain but it would explain too much of the story to you….just take note of the scenes leading up to and after the “captivity/fight”.
I do believe that this is my first 5 star rating for the New Year and I couldn’t have asked for a better way to start 2014 off. This was dark, this was cringe worthy and this stole my heart. It wasn’t just about Hope but we are introduced to her twin sister. I can’t wait for the next book!
Ms. Willis – you outdid yourself with this book! Never in a million years did I think I would be able to connect so closely to these characters while their relationship grew and their loyalties to each other and their family lead the way. I am shocked, I am in awe and go ahead and crucify me that I loved this book as much as I did.
Re-Cap
Hope’s sister is abducted and tortured in order to get Hope to agree to handle an assassination attempt on Aaron. Some networks in the Estate aren’t very happy about Aaron’s decision to stop the sex trafficking and slaves. Hope botches the attempt and is taken captive by Xander to find out why she is trying to kill Aaron.
Xander tortures her with pain, sex and other juicy things…..but it’s a surprise to Xander when he finds out that pain is Hope’s weakness. She gets high off it….well, doesn’t that just spark an extra interest in Hope for Xander. Has he met his other half? His soul-mate? Hope resists all advances to the best of her ability and falls short especially when she is drugged.
Hmmm….if I go on – I may give away too many spoilers so I’m gonna end with a few MUSTS…..
Wrap-Up
DON’T LOOK at the Synopsis for the next book!!! It will give away too much and you won’t enjoy this book as much.
Try to figure out why Hope and Xander connected so quick…the answer is in there!
And by the time you reach toward the end of your book….don’t eat while reading!
For more reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
Author – M. S. Willis
Publication Date – January 30, 2014
Type – Part of Series – No Cliffhanger
Genre –Romance, Dark
Rating – 5 out of 5 Stars
Book provided by Author (after I stalked and begged) in exchange for an honest review.
Reading Order
Joseph Fallen (The Estate, #0.5) – Daddy O
Madeleine Abducted (The Estate #1) – Aaron and Maddy
Hope Restrained (The Estate #2) – Xander and Hope (release Jan 30)
Honor Bound (The Estate #3) – Jason and Honor (release in 2014)
Review
I went into this book with a heavy heart after reading some of the reviews on Goodreads. Another reason is that I didn’t rate Madeleine Abducted high and thought this was going to be another so-so book for me. See, it was JaHy that emailed me and begged me to try and get an ARC for StarAngels’ Reviews because of her love for the first 2 books. I took on that challenge and with the help of my buddy Feifei…I was able to contact Ms. Willis and beg her for a copy to review.
I had another prior engagement for a tour review, so I let JaHy read it first for the blog. My heart dropped when she emailed me that she wasn’t feeling it like the others. Now normally, her and I agree on ratings for the most part so I was beginning to get an anxiety attack thinking we were both going to rate this book in the middle, and possibly hurt some feelings. You have to understand that every time I get an ARC to read directly from the author – it pains me to rate it low. I do because that is our obligation to leave an honest review whether it be bad or spectacular.
Well, then I start seeing the reviews go up and I’m shocked ---- I start thinking to myself – do I do this? Do I take the chance or leave it up to JaHy to review for the site? With half a heart I dove in and after a few pages, I’m waiting for the “instant” love/attraction but in my head it just isn’t happening. I understood where others could get that idea but I dug a bit further into Hope’s and Xander’s psyche and understood the deep rooted attraction they had for each other. I would explain but it would explain too much of the story to you….just take note of the scenes leading up to and after the “captivity/fight”.
I do believe that this is my first 5 star rating for the New Year and I couldn’t have asked for a better way to start 2014 off. This was dark, this was cringe worthy and this stole my heart. It wasn’t just about Hope but we are introduced to her twin sister. I can’t wait for the next book!
Ms. Willis – you outdid yourself with this book! Never in a million years did I think I would be able to connect so closely to these characters while their relationship grew and their loyalties to each other and their family lead the way. I am shocked, I am in awe and go ahead and crucify me that I loved this book as much as I did.
Re-Cap
Hope’s sister is abducted and tortured in order to get Hope to agree to handle an assassination attempt on Aaron. Some networks in the Estate aren’t very happy about Aaron’s decision to stop the sex trafficking and slaves. Hope botches the attempt and is taken captive by Xander to find out why she is trying to kill Aaron.
Xander tortures her with pain, sex and other juicy things…..but it’s a surprise to Xander when he finds out that pain is Hope’s weakness. She gets high off it….well, doesn’t that just spark an extra interest in Hope for Xander. Has he met his other half? His soul-mate? Hope resists all advances to the best of her ability and falls short especially when she is drugged.
Hmmm….if I go on – I may give away too many spoilers so I’m gonna end with a few MUSTS…..
Wrap-Up
DON’T LOOK at the Synopsis for the next book!!! It will give away too much and you won’t enjoy this book as much.
Try to figure out why Hope and Xander connected so quick…the answer is in there!
And by the time you reach toward the end of your book….don’t eat while reading!
For more reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
October 31, 2016
3.5 Stars!
It was nice to read a book where the heroine is more bad-ass than the hero. Xander was by no means weak but Hope is an enforcer like Aaron and in top shape, she could taken on Xander. I liked the book but it was not as good as Madelaine Abducted. I felt the story was underdeveloped, especially the sadist/masochist relationship that was hinted.
Hope was raised to be a female assassin and to save her twin, she was forced to kill Aaron Carmichael by a rival organization of The Estate.
Xander is the loyal friend we read about in Madelaine Abducted. His job is to break her down and find out who sent her to kill Aaron.
I liked the banter between them but the instant-love was a turn off. I would have liked more a buildup to their relationship.
While I was reading this, I could not help thinking if Aaron and Hope were the couple, it would have been explosive and fun to read but ok I get that Maddy was meant for Aaron and Xander for Hope to balance them out.
All in all, a good read.
It was nice to read a book where the heroine is more bad-ass than the hero. Xander was by no means weak but Hope is an enforcer like Aaron and in top shape, she could taken on Xander. I liked the book but it was not as good as Madelaine Abducted. I felt the story was underdeveloped, especially the sadist/masochist relationship that was hinted.
Hope was raised to be a female assassin and to save her twin, she was forced to kill Aaron Carmichael by a rival organization of The Estate.
Xander is the loyal friend we read about in Madelaine Abducted. His job is to break her down and find out who sent her to kill Aaron.
I liked the banter between them but the instant-love was a turn off. I would have liked more a buildup to their relationship.
While I was reading this, I could not help thinking if Aaron and Hope were the couple, it would have been explosive and fun to read but ok I get that Maddy was meant for Aaron and Xander for Hope to balance them out.
All in all, a good read.
February 1, 2014
4.5 Stars
Meet Hope Delacroix
She has been hired to kill Aaron Carmichael.
That will take her to The Estate
Hope has one reason only to do this..her sister Honor has been kidnapped by an organisation and the only way she will be set free is if Hope carries out their orders.
Xander Black captures her and tries to break her so she will tell him who sent her.
Hope is not for breaking and that does something to Xander and brings something out of him. But will the darkness still take over.
Hope won't give up without a fight she will not lose her sister to The Angel ???
My thoughts
I really enjoyed this, being the 3rd book in The Estate series. As cruel as Xander was he didn't have the madness that still lingered in The Estate.
It is a dark read and I think I found this maybe the darkest one of the series so far, not really the content so much but the way its written and with so many darker/captive stories out there, its hard sometimes to find one that stands out from the rest.
To me Melissa Willis is slowly becoming the Queen of darkness and this shows how to write one.
Can't wait till Honor Bound comes out.
Meet Hope Delacroix
She has been hired to kill Aaron Carmichael.
That will take her to The Estate
Hope has one reason only to do this..her sister Honor has been kidnapped by an organisation and the only way she will be set free is if Hope carries out their orders.
Xander Black captures her and tries to break her so she will tell him who sent her.
Hope is not for breaking and that does something to Xander and brings something out of him. But will the darkness still take over.
Hope won't give up without a fight she will not lose her sister to The Angel ???
My thoughts
I really enjoyed this, being the 3rd book in The Estate series. As cruel as Xander was he didn't have the madness that still lingered in The Estate.
It is a dark read and I think I found this maybe the darkest one of the series so far, not really the content so much but the way its written and with so many darker/captive stories out there, its hard sometimes to find one that stands out from the rest.
To me Melissa Willis is slowly becoming the Queen of darkness and this shows how to write one.
Can't wait till Honor Bound comes out.
October 9, 2015
Another Dark, Depraved Installment In The Estate Series
When Aaron assumed power as the leader of The Estate, he began working toward the destruction of the criminal network that ruined the lives of so many. His order to immediately cease the trafficking of innocents was one of his first edicts as the new leader. However, in this seedy criminal underworld, loyalty does not exist and there are those who are unwilling to give up their darkest desires to dominate, own and defile.
Hope arrives on the grounds of The Estate on a mission to rescue her sister, who has been taken by a unit of The Estate in defiance of Aaron's order. As an assassin, Hope has used her inner darkness to her benefit, becoming a legendary killer. There's nothing she holds close to her heart, except the sweet goodness embodied within her twin sister, Honor. To save her sister from a life of unspeakable horrors, she must carry out a hit on Aaron, a job she would never consider if not for her sister's life hanging in the balance.
Xander never imagined finding a woman as receptive to his dark tastes as Hope. Assigned to break Aaron's would-be assassin, he revels in her pleasures pain. Soon, he has fallen for this lethal woman who invades his heart and mind.
When the reason for Hope's attack on Aaron is revealed, Aaron and Xander must consider the possibility of betrayal by leaders within The Estate. While Xander inherently believes that Hope is telling the truth. Aaron, and others, are less sure. When her information results in an empty-handed search, Xander makes a decision that may cost both him and Hope their lives.
Remaining true to the dark, twisted vibe of earlier books in The Estate series, 'Hope Restrained' is a book that will push your limits and make you question the goodness of mankind. I cringed, shuddered and, at times, had chills running up my spine. Just when I thought all hope was lost, I was reminded of the resilience and strength of the human spirit.
This was another great addition to this dark series. With more rogue units within The Estate yet to be discovered, I am curious to see where the next book will lead and how deep the betrayals run. Jason's questionable interest in Honor promises to be explored and I cannot wait to have my questions regarding the true identity of her "angel" answered.
When Aaron assumed power as the leader of The Estate, he began working toward the destruction of the criminal network that ruined the lives of so many. His order to immediately cease the trafficking of innocents was one of his first edicts as the new leader. However, in this seedy criminal underworld, loyalty does not exist and there are those who are unwilling to give up their darkest desires to dominate, own and defile.
Hope arrives on the grounds of The Estate on a mission to rescue her sister, who has been taken by a unit of The Estate in defiance of Aaron's order. As an assassin, Hope has used her inner darkness to her benefit, becoming a legendary killer. There's nothing she holds close to her heart, except the sweet goodness embodied within her twin sister, Honor. To save her sister from a life of unspeakable horrors, she must carry out a hit on Aaron, a job she would never consider if not for her sister's life hanging in the balance.
Xander never imagined finding a woman as receptive to his dark tastes as Hope. Assigned to break Aaron's would-be assassin, he revels in her pleasures pain. Soon, he has fallen for this lethal woman who invades his heart and mind.
When the reason for Hope's attack on Aaron is revealed, Aaron and Xander must consider the possibility of betrayal by leaders within The Estate. While Xander inherently believes that Hope is telling the truth. Aaron, and others, are less sure. When her information results in an empty-handed search, Xander makes a decision that may cost both him and Hope their lives.
Remaining true to the dark, twisted vibe of earlier books in The Estate series, 'Hope Restrained' is a book that will push your limits and make you question the goodness of mankind. I cringed, shuddered and, at times, had chills running up my spine. Just when I thought all hope was lost, I was reminded of the resilience and strength of the human spirit.
This was another great addition to this dark series. With more rogue units within The Estate yet to be discovered, I am curious to see where the next book will lead and how deep the betrayals run. Jason's questionable interest in Honor promises to be explored and I cannot wait to have my questions regarding the true identity of her "angel" answered.
March 15, 2015
4.5 YOU TASTE LIKE MY DESTRUCTION STARS
Okay so I have to admit that I have been holding off reading this book since reading Madeleine Abducted a few months ago. The reason? I LOVED Madeleine Abducted and I was SO nervous that this book wouldn't do the first one justice...and let me tell you...it TOTALLY did.
Hope...talk about a BAD-ASS heroine. Coming into The Estate, she was the complete opposite of Madeleine. Hope enters The Estate with the hopes of killing Aaron.
"Her name is Hope Delacroix, and when she entered the walls of The Estate stronghold, she was not like most women going in as a slave...She was going in as a warrior."
Bad men were holding her sister, Honor, captive and the only way to get her back was to assassinate him. Her plan backfired and she was captured by Aaron's best friend, Xander.
Assigned with the job to get information out of Hope as to why she attempted to murder his best friend, Xander finds himself drawn to this lethal beauty. Both had an inner dark side that they are both struggling with to contain and OMG when they come together- it is SO DAMN HOT. Seriously, the sex scenes between Aaron and Madeleine in the first book are NOTHING compared to these two.
Soooooo....If you enjoyed reading Madeleine Abducted and often wondered more about what lurks in the mind of Aaron's sexy and mysterious best friend, then you must read this book. Action packed like you wouldn't believe! Sex scenes that were so hot and steamy, that I literally had to take off my sweatshirt while reading! A kick-ass heroine and a sexy alpha! What more could you ask for?!
Okay so I have to admit that I have been holding off reading this book since reading Madeleine Abducted a few months ago. The reason? I LOVED Madeleine Abducted and I was SO nervous that this book wouldn't do the first one justice...and let me tell you...it TOTALLY did.
Hope...talk about a BAD-ASS heroine. Coming into The Estate, she was the complete opposite of Madeleine. Hope enters The Estate with the hopes of killing Aaron.
"Her name is Hope Delacroix, and when she entered the walls of The Estate stronghold, she was not like most women going in as a slave...She was going in as a warrior."
Bad men were holding her sister, Honor, captive and the only way to get her back was to assassinate him. Her plan backfired and she was captured by Aaron's best friend, Xander.
Assigned with the job to get information out of Hope as to why she attempted to murder his best friend, Xander finds himself drawn to this lethal beauty. Both had an inner dark side that they are both struggling with to contain and OMG when they come together- it is SO DAMN HOT. Seriously, the sex scenes between Aaron and Madeleine in the first book are NOTHING compared to these two.
Soooooo....If you enjoyed reading Madeleine Abducted and often wondered more about what lurks in the mind of Aaron's sexy and mysterious best friend, then you must read this book. Action packed like you wouldn't believe! Sex scenes that were so hot and steamy, that I literally had to take off my sweatshirt while reading! A kick-ass heroine and a sexy alpha! What more could you ask for?!
September 3, 2016
*******3" HIGH HOPES" STARS*****
Book 2 in the series Hope Restrained is very different, IMHO from Madeleine Abducted, which I for one truly appreciate. I'm sick of authors changing the main characters name in a series and releasing it as the next best thing... YEAH NO!
I'm probably going to sound like a nutter ( well, I am ) but this book made me laugh more than anything. The one liners were priceless and while I appreciated the comedic banter I couldn't help but miss the darkness that lurked in Madeleine Abducted thanks to Joseph.
The insta lust in this book gave me whiplash. There was ZERO build up. Hope kicks Xander's ass, he pleasures her with his sandpaper hands , the hero anxiously plants his seed of love and **BOOM** her "golden eyes" meet his sapphire iris's.... and my marathon of eye rolls began.
The last 30% of the story is where the majority of the gore, torture and angst comes into play and readers will be on edge .... EXCEPT I wasn't because the synopsis for book 3 pretty much tells you the outcome of the story and helps you weed out the villain ..DON'T LOOKUP BOOK 3 UNTIL YOU'VE READ HOPE. PLEASE DON'T MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE I DID.
So, were my expectations met? Honestly, not quiet. Will I be reading book 3 in the series? HELL YES. Mrs. Willis has a wicked imagination..... and I still want more Xander storyline. Now, ONLY listen to my warning and go love the story for the both of us.. MAUH!
ARC given to..
...In exchange for an honest review.
Book 2 in the series Hope Restrained is very different, IMHO from Madeleine Abducted, which I for one truly appreciate. I'm sick of authors changing the main characters name in a series and releasing it as the next best thing... YEAH NO!
I'm probably going to sound like a nutter ( well, I am ) but this book made me laugh more than anything. The one liners were priceless and while I appreciated the comedic banter I couldn't help but miss the darkness that lurked in Madeleine Abducted thanks to Joseph.
The insta lust in this book gave me whiplash. There was ZERO build up. Hope kicks Xander's ass, he pleasures her with his sandpaper hands , the hero anxiously plants his seed of love and **BOOM** her "golden eyes" meet his sapphire iris's.... and my marathon of eye rolls began.
The last 30% of the story is where the majority of the gore, torture and angst comes into play and readers will be on edge .... EXCEPT I wasn't because the synopsis for book 3 pretty much tells you the outcome of the story and helps you weed out the villain ..DON'T LOOKUP BOOK 3 UNTIL YOU'VE READ HOPE. PLEASE DON'T MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE I DID.
So, were my expectations met? Honestly, not quiet. Will I be reading book 3 in the series? HELL YES. Mrs. Willis has a wicked imagination..... and I still want more Xander storyline. Now, ONLY listen to my warning and go love the story for the both of us.. MAUH!
ARC given to..
...In exchange for an honest review.
Want to read
January 17, 2014So all my friends are reading ARCs of this and I'm sitting here like:
January 31, 2014
Hate to say it because I loved Xander so much in Madeline Abducted but.....he was such a disappointment in this one. Lovesick fool weak ass Xander gets a thumbs down from me.
Also as other reviews have pointed out Joseph is sorely missed. I'm realizing now that he was my favorite character in this series. I need to read the prequel book soon to get my crazy Joseph fix.
I still enjoyed it enough so I'm giving it 3 stars.
Also as other reviews have pointed out Joseph is sorely missed. I'm realizing now that he was my favorite character in this series. I need to read the prequel book soon to get my crazy Joseph fix.
I still enjoyed it enough so I'm giving it 3 stars.
January 17, 2014
**I received an Arc from the author in return for my honest review**
Ok so I sat here patiently waiting for this book.
The first two in the series are phenomenal. If you haven't read them---Get to it NOW. Madeleine Abducted and Joseph Fallen are the first two in the Estate Series.
Xander is a main player in Madeleine Abducted and he intrigued me. He grew up within the Estate with his "brother" Aaron.
I could NOT wait for his story. Maybe to the point of stalking the author.
Finally I get it in my email and Im like
At the Same time Im like
It was brutal.
It was intriguing.
It wasn't what I was expecting.
In Fact---IT WAS BETTER
Xander struggles to keep him self in line with the Estate but Hope could destroy him.
This is not a story of butterflies and rainbows. Its a story of Xander and Hope and there survival instincts against the Estate and each other.
I will now patiently await the arrival of Honor Bound. I have no doubt it will be just as brilliant if not better.
I will come back and redo this review once the book has been officially released.
Ok so I sat here patiently waiting for this book.
The first two in the series are phenomenal. If you haven't read them---Get to it NOW. Madeleine Abducted and Joseph Fallen are the first two in the Estate Series.
Xander is a main player in Madeleine Abducted and he intrigued me. He grew up within the Estate with his "brother" Aaron.
I could NOT wait for his story. Maybe to the point of stalking the author.
Finally I get it in my email and Im like
At the Same time Im like
It was brutal.
It was intriguing.
It wasn't what I was expecting.
In Fact---IT WAS BETTER
Xander struggles to keep him self in line with the Estate but Hope could destroy him.
This is not a story of butterflies and rainbows. Its a story of Xander and Hope and there survival instincts against the Estate and each other.
I will now patiently await the arrival of Honor Bound. I have no doubt it will be just as brilliant if not better.
I will come back and redo this review once the book has been officially released.
February 7, 2014
**3 1/2 stars**
OMG THE VIOLENCE!!!! This book is definitely not for the faint of heart...there's rape, torture, slaughter and lots of slicing and dicing in very gory stomach churning detail! The lifestyle of the people who live on The Estate is awful and the only real good person i can see in that whole mess of crazy and depraved is Madeleine...sweet sweet Madeleine, the heroine from book 1. I do like that we got more of her and Aaron but he is not too far off from being as loony as his father was!
Xander is a more likeable hero and not quite as crazy as others, i really liked him a lot but Hope wasn't necc. my favorite heroine. Not that i don't like a tough, kick ass heroine but she wasn't just tough she was pretty much as crazily messed up in the head as Aaron, having been raised to be an assassin in that life...they have no conscience or feel any remorse for the awful things they do to people, granted these are bad bad people but it is obvious that it only adds to Hope and Aaron's darkness! The romance wasn't overly prevalent in this book, i mean it was there but i think it definitely got overshadowed by the violence.
I do like the darker contemporary romances but this is even pushing my boundaries of what i will accept/tolerate in my romances. Having said that i will be checking out Honor and Jason's book since i'm intrigued by how that will all turn out...oh heck, who am i kidding...i'll prob be reading the whole lot of them because i can't help myself!...i want to see The Estate brought down and all of these people get their forever HEA, if that's even possible after the hell they've all lived through.
OMG THE VIOLENCE!!!! This book is definitely not for the faint of heart...there's rape, torture, slaughter and lots of slicing and dicing in very gory stomach churning detail! The lifestyle of the people who live on The Estate is awful and the only real good person i can see in that whole mess of crazy and depraved is Madeleine...sweet sweet Madeleine, the heroine from book 1. I do like that we got more of her and Aaron but he is not too far off from being as loony as his father was!
Xander is a more likeable hero and not quite as crazy as others, i really liked him a lot but Hope wasn't necc. my favorite heroine. Not that i don't like a tough, kick ass heroine but she wasn't just tough she was pretty much as crazily messed up in the head as Aaron, having been raised to be an assassin in that life...they have no conscience or feel any remorse for the awful things they do to people, granted these are bad bad people but it is obvious that it only adds to Hope and Aaron's darkness! The romance wasn't overly prevalent in this book, i mean it was there but i think it definitely got overshadowed by the violence.
I do like the darker contemporary romances but this is even pushing my boundaries of what i will accept/tolerate in my romances. Having said that i will be checking out Honor and Jason's book since i'm intrigued by how that will all turn out...oh heck, who am i kidding...i'll prob be reading the whole lot of them because i can't help myself!...i want to see The Estate brought down and all of these people get their forever HEA, if that's even possible after the hell they've all lived through.
February 5, 2014
Wow... I'm, shit... *bows before M.S. Willis* My queen, please, please forgive my ignorance. For I know it may seem that I am at fault for not believing in your utter exquisitely masterful ability to keep your readers attention in not only the first two books, but THE THIRD BOOK AS WELL?!?!?!? As I said Ms. Willis, please excuse my lack of intelligence. It has been, I fucking shit you not, YEARS, since a series has not only maintained my attention but kept me hungry, story after story and delivered EVERY damn story with the expertise precision that you've yet again knocked my ass into sub stance with. *Slow claps*... Now, what corner do you want me to stand on in order to pay my dues and get to beta read Honor Bound
July 26, 2016
4 Stars
It’s Xander and Hope's story… YAY!!!
I loved Xander in Madeleine Abducted and I was happy to find out he got his own book.
Hope's sister is kidnapped and held as a sex slave. The owner of Hope's sister strikes a deal and says if Hope can kill Aaron, then he will release the sister. Hope storms into the Estate ready to kill Aaron, but Xander makes it a bit complicated for her.
Honestly, I wasn’t too fond of the story line. I’m not big on super strong girls, especially trained assassins. I like them strong, but when they are kind of dark, it’s hard for me to sympathize for the girl, BUT Hope's love for her sister is kind of heartwarming.
Hope Restrained is very dark and very graphic, much more than Madeleine Abducted. Again, I must warn you, it’s not for the faint of heart. There is graphic violence, rape and intense scenes, but still different and unique from the previous book.
The story begins with Hope's sister being kidnapped. You get glimpses of what’s done to her and it’s VERY SAD, but needed. You have to read and go through that to understand what she is feeling and where her mental state is.
Hope is a trained assassin and as a girl she has endured more than what the average trainee goes through. You don’t really know what she has gone through, it’s kind of explained throughout the story and again, very sad or just shocking really. Hope is fully capable in killing Aaron, but of course Aaron is protected by right hand man Xander.
You have a warm spot for Xander because of his somewhat unrequited love for Madeleine, it wasn’t very apparent in book 1, but you notice it. When Xander interacts with Hope, it’s really beautiful to read. There is a HUGE tug and pull between them, of course right? Hope tries to kill Xander so she can get to Aaron. Xander wants to capture Hope and try to get information from her. He wants to know who sent her, so Xander can kill him.
The first half of the book isn’t light, but it’s not super heavy, there’s a lot of character development and story building. I would say you are getting your feet warmed up. Towards the second half, you get your feet wet, as in, soaking wet, like you fall into the pool wet. Oh man, it gets CRAZY!!!!!!!!!!
BUT A GOOD CRAZY
After the story shift, everything just gets more intense, dark, real and very deep. You get to know more of Hope and Xander’s past. There is also more fighting and eye bugged out scenes.
If you liked Madeleine Abducted, you will like Hope Restrained, it’s just as dark, crazy and good. I seriously can’t wait for book 3, which will be Hope's sister’s story. I’m so craving a damsel in distress read.
Series Order
REVIEW
AMAZON
It’s Xander and Hope's story… YAY!!!
I loved Xander in Madeleine Abducted and I was happy to find out he got his own book.
Hope's sister is kidnapped and held as a sex slave. The owner of Hope's sister strikes a deal and says if Hope can kill Aaron, then he will release the sister. Hope storms into the Estate ready to kill Aaron, but Xander makes it a bit complicated for her.
Honestly, I wasn’t too fond of the story line. I’m not big on super strong girls, especially trained assassins. I like them strong, but when they are kind of dark, it’s hard for me to sympathize for the girl, BUT Hope's love for her sister is kind of heartwarming.
Hope Restrained is very dark and very graphic, much more than Madeleine Abducted. Again, I must warn you, it’s not for the faint of heart. There is graphic violence, rape and intense scenes, but still different and unique from the previous book.
The story begins with Hope's sister being kidnapped. You get glimpses of what’s done to her and it’s VERY SAD, but needed. You have to read and go through that to understand what she is feeling and where her mental state is.
Hope is a trained assassin and as a girl she has endured more than what the average trainee goes through. You don’t really know what she has gone through, it’s kind of explained throughout the story and again, very sad or just shocking really. Hope is fully capable in killing Aaron, but of course Aaron is protected by right hand man Xander.
You have a warm spot for Xander because of his somewhat unrequited love for Madeleine, it wasn’t very apparent in book 1, but you notice it. When Xander interacts with Hope, it’s really beautiful to read. There is a HUGE tug and pull between them, of course right? Hope tries to kill Xander so she can get to Aaron. Xander wants to capture Hope and try to get information from her. He wants to know who sent her, so Xander can kill him.
The first half of the book isn’t light, but it’s not super heavy, there’s a lot of character development and story building. I would say you are getting your feet warmed up. Towards the second half, you get your feet wet, as in, soaking wet, like you fall into the pool wet. Oh man, it gets CRAZY!!!!!!!!!!
BUT A GOOD CRAZY
After the story shift, everything just gets more intense, dark, real and very deep. You get to know more of Hope and Xander’s past. There is also more fighting and eye bugged out scenes.
If you liked Madeleine Abducted, you will like Hope Restrained, it’s just as dark, crazy and good. I seriously can’t wait for book 3, which will be Hope's sister’s story. I’m so craving a damsel in distress read.
Series Order
REVIEW
AMAZON
January 9, 2015
3.5 It's-Because-Its Xander-Book Stars
I prepared 4-rounded-stars (is that even a phrase?). Because I Loved Xander more than Aaron since at book #1. And also the story was tummy-churning here. hell, it was so creepy I can find the word. There was this .
I still love Xander in here. Yes, of course, the hot Xander Black. I loved you. And I admired Hope for her bravery. She's not afraid of death, in fact, she's asked it for a long time but yet to be granted. And I felt so sorry for Honor, Hope's twins, poor girl. Her faith almost like Maddy, me thinks. Because both happened to involved in something art (I hope i did not wrong because i finished read this book few days ago.) and kidnapped. But apparently Honor has more fragile soul than Maddy. poor soul, really. And that makes Patrick easily breaking her, and guess what she call him, guys? My Angel.. gah! hrrr!
The funny thing was, it never cross my mind that Xander will be that silly and easily weakened. I know, he's drugged that's why he can't fought much, but still...
However, both Xander and Hope were badass. That, i'd never argue, also Aaron still the cold-blooded-executioner motherf*cker. Aaron was damn scary when he's on that mode.
The story was good, dark, creepy! It's just that I couldn't quite grab something that will make me really into the story. Sigh! Still love you though, Xander.. LOL
I prepared 4-rounded-stars (is that even a phrase?). Because I Loved Xander more than Aaron since at book #1. And also the story was tummy-churning here. hell, it was so creepy I can find the word. There was this .
I still love Xander in here. Yes, of course, the hot Xander Black. I loved you. And I admired Hope for her bravery. She's not afraid of death, in fact, she's asked it for a long time but yet to be granted. And I felt so sorry for Honor, Hope's twins, poor girl. Her faith almost like Maddy, me thinks. Because both happened to involved in something art (I hope i did not wrong because i finished read this book few days ago.) and kidnapped. But apparently Honor has more fragile soul than Maddy. poor soul, really. And that makes Patrick easily breaking her, and guess what she call him, guys? My Angel.. gah! hrrr!
The funny thing was, it never cross my mind that Xander will be that silly and easily weakened. I know, he's drugged that's why he can't fought much, but still...
However, both Xander and Hope were badass. That, i'd never argue, also Aaron still the cold-blooded-executioner motherf*cker. Aaron was damn scary when he's on that mode.
The story was good, dark, creepy! It's just that I couldn't quite grab something that will make me really into the story. Sigh! Still love you though, Xander.. LOL
March 12, 2014
3 stars!
The Estate is back with another book this time, Xander's story.
The premise of the story was pretty much the same, The Estate is ruthless and sadistic and bloody. But with Joseph gone, there is kind of no point to it without the main villain.
In Xander's story I hoped for an equally strong story - like Madeleine Abducted - and even though I really liked it, this one lacked a few things.
I had a hard time trying to figure out when the events were taking place, how long after the first book and how long between different phases of the book. Throughout, I often wondered about it, especially since some POVs were those of the girls - Hope and her sister - that within their drugged state had no idea of the time frame. Maybe that was the goal of the author but the first book didn't have this issue.
There was a case of ista-love, which I kind of hate at this point, unless it is - somehow - justified, in this case it was not.
I couldn't connect to the characters, I was actually looking forward to more Aaron/Maddy scenes as the story progressed. And that is bad.
Overall it was a good read, it lacked a few key points but if you liked the first book then you should read this one, and definitely Joseph Fallen!
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The Estate is back with another book this time, Xander's story.
The premise of the story was pretty much the same, The Estate is ruthless and sadistic and bloody. But with Joseph gone, there is kind of no point to it without the main villain.
In Xander's story I hoped for an equally strong story - like Madeleine Abducted - and even though I really liked it, this one lacked a few things.
I had a hard time trying to figure out when the events were taking place, how long after the first book and how long between different phases of the book. Throughout, I often wondered about it, especially since some POVs were those of the girls - Hope and her sister - that within their drugged state had no idea of the time frame. Maybe that was the goal of the author but the first book didn't have this issue.
There was a case of ista-love, which I kind of hate at this point, unless it is - somehow - justified, in this case it was not.
I couldn't connect to the characters, I was actually looking forward to more Aaron/Maddy scenes as the story progressed. And that is bad.
Overall it was a good read, it lacked a few key points but if you liked the first book then you should read this one, and definitely Joseph Fallen!
“I find it ironic that your name is Hope…especially considering that you have none.” ~ Xander Black
> The Lovely Pages Reviews
> Just Keep Reading Reviews
June 11, 2014
If that was Xander torture, chain me to the wall!!!
I like Xander more than I liked Aaron.. but I will admit, now that Joseph is gone.. the "dark" park of this series died with him!
I am anxious to see where the series is going now. looking forward to the next book!
I like Xander more than I liked Aaron.. but I will admit, now that Joseph is gone.. the "dark" park of this series died with him!
I am anxious to see where the series is going now. looking forward to the next book!
August 3, 2015
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review....
M.S. Willis is fast becoming one of my favorite authors. I am totally in love with her Estate Series. And if you like a good dark read, then you will too.
Ok, where do I start with this one?? Well, you know how you read a book tha leaves you reeling? One that gives you a big fat book hangover? One that no matter what you read next will not compare and you will will start and stop the next 5 until you have finally gotten over THAT one book????
Well, welcome to HOPE RESTRAINED.....
I really loved the first book in this series, Madeleine Abducted. And I was patiently waiting for the release of Hope Restrained. I got lucky enough to have an advanced readers copy...and Iam kinda sad, because I now have to wait longer for the next book....sigh... I know--- First World Problems....
Anyway, Hope Restrained, picks up where Madeleine left off. And if you have not read Madeleine Abducted, you may want to stop reading this review now, because there is no way to share Hope Restrained without talking about all that happened in the first book.... so, here is your warning..... last chance.... spoilers to Madeleine Abducted ahead....
We leave Maddy, Aaron, Jason and Xander in book one, trying to come up with a plan to end the madness that Aaron's father Joseph created. After Joseph is killed, there is a divide among the people left at the Estate. Most are on Aaron's side, but some are not willing or wanting to change. They have become to lost in the darkness that was created by Joseph's rule.
Hope is a female assassin. Born and bred in a neighboring network. She has grown up hearing the horrors of what lies within the walls of The Estate. She is top of her field. A trained human weapon. One wrapped in a delicate looking beautiful package. Hope is sent to kill Aaron, when her attempt is blocked, she is in for the ride of her life hoping she makes it out alive--- and her sister's life depends on it.
Xander is Aaron's right hand man. His best friend since childhood, Xander will lay down his life for Aaron or Maddy without a second thought. When Xander is tasked with finding out why Hope was sent to kill Aaron and who it was that sent her, Xander discovers more than he bargained for... What he thought would be an easy job, turns into a puzzle he is determined to solve. Because Hope won't break easily.
Hope has been trained...trained to endure torture, rape, starvation, any cruelty used to extract information by the enemy. So Xander has to get creative...and his ways are a little unorthodox... but as Xander and Hope clash and battle for dominance, a love blooms...Xander loves Hope's fire and unbreakable spirit. Hope loves that she can give up control and trust Xander. His sadist is fed by her masochist..and they blend together seamlessly... Their story will leave you reeling... And the unexpected twists along the way will leave you shaking your head wondering what just happened..
I must add, that I absolutely loved the way M.S. Willis ended this book...she has set it up brilliantly to be able to take the series in more than one direction. And I for one, can not wait to see what she does with the next book.
M.S. Willis is fast becoming one of my favorite authors. I am totally in love with her Estate Series. And if you like a good dark read, then you will too.
Ok, where do I start with this one?? Well, you know how you read a book tha leaves you reeling? One that gives you a big fat book hangover? One that no matter what you read next will not compare and you will will start and stop the next 5 until you have finally gotten over THAT one book????
Well, welcome to HOPE RESTRAINED.....
I really loved the first book in this series, Madeleine Abducted. And I was patiently waiting for the release of Hope Restrained. I got lucky enough to have an advanced readers copy...and Iam kinda sad, because I now have to wait longer for the next book....sigh... I know--- First World Problems....
Anyway, Hope Restrained, picks up where Madeleine left off. And if you have not read Madeleine Abducted, you may want to stop reading this review now, because there is no way to share Hope Restrained without talking about all that happened in the first book.... so, here is your warning..... last chance.... spoilers to Madeleine Abducted ahead....
We leave Maddy, Aaron, Jason and Xander in book one, trying to come up with a plan to end the madness that Aaron's father Joseph created. After Joseph is killed, there is a divide among the people left at the Estate. Most are on Aaron's side, but some are not willing or wanting to change. They have become to lost in the darkness that was created by Joseph's rule.
Hope is a female assassin. Born and bred in a neighboring network. She has grown up hearing the horrors of what lies within the walls of The Estate. She is top of her field. A trained human weapon. One wrapped in a delicate looking beautiful package. Hope is sent to kill Aaron, when her attempt is blocked, she is in for the ride of her life hoping she makes it out alive--- and her sister's life depends on it.
Xander is Aaron's right hand man. His best friend since childhood, Xander will lay down his life for Aaron or Maddy without a second thought. When Xander is tasked with finding out why Hope was sent to kill Aaron and who it was that sent her, Xander discovers more than he bargained for... What he thought would be an easy job, turns into a puzzle he is determined to solve. Because Hope won't break easily.
Hope has been trained...trained to endure torture, rape, starvation, any cruelty used to extract information by the enemy. So Xander has to get creative...and his ways are a little unorthodox... but as Xander and Hope clash and battle for dominance, a love blooms...Xander loves Hope's fire and unbreakable spirit. Hope loves that she can give up control and trust Xander. His sadist is fed by her masochist..and they blend together seamlessly... Their story will leave you reeling... And the unexpected twists along the way will leave you shaking your head wondering what just happened..
I must add, that I absolutely loved the way M.S. Willis ended this book...she has set it up brilliantly to be able to take the series in more than one direction. And I for one, can not wait to see what she does with the next book.
January 23, 2014
Hope Restrained by M.S. Willis is the third book in The Estate series. It as intense as the first two, yet there is more light at the end of the tunnel in this one. Yes, can I even say there is more "Hope" in this one?! Arrrg!!! This my favorite books so far. With Madeliene Abducted I turned each page afraid of what I would read. I typically don't like horror. Yet the story hooked me and I couldn't put it down. With Joseph Fallen, I was over my shock but somewhat numb as well. Now with Hope Restrained I turned each page eagerly, cheering for Hope. Having my emotions jerked back and forth.
I love Hope as a character. She is so flawed and so strong, so protective. She hard and unemotional on the outside with a gooey center...mmmmhmmm deliciously, erotically gooey!
And Xander...what can I say about the man who kept Aaron human in Madeleine Abducted? He was so delightful that he almost stole the show in MA (for me anyway). Now that he comes to the forefront, I couldn't get enough.
So many gotchas, so many twists and turns. I had to wait several days to write the review. I was to busy reliving it over and over and o...you get the point.
Ms. Willis, please I need more. I know you have a life and must eat and sleep...but I NEED MORE! Could you pull a few all nighters? What will it take to get more of The Estate?
Thank you for the opportunity to read an ARC of Hope Restrained! As always, this review is a true reflection of my thoughts on Hope Restrained and was not affected by getting an ARC. Although, now I have to wait longer for Honor Bound
Oh ya....don't read this is you are under 18, it will scar you for life. ;) No really it is meant for adults.
I love Hope as a character. She is so flawed and so strong, so protective. She hard and unemotional on the outside with a gooey center...mmmmhmmm deliciously, erotically gooey!
And Xander...what can I say about the man who kept Aaron human in Madeleine Abducted? He was so delightful that he almost stole the show in MA (for me anyway). Now that he comes to the forefront, I couldn't get enough.
So many gotchas, so many twists and turns. I had to wait several days to write the review. I was to busy reliving it over and over and o...you get the point.
Ms. Willis, please I need more. I know you have a life and must eat and sleep...but I NEED MORE! Could you pull a few all nighters? What will it take to get more of The Estate?
Thank you for the opportunity to read an ARC of Hope Restrained! As always, this review is a true reflection of my thoughts on Hope Restrained and was not affected by getting an ARC. Although, now I have to wait longer for Honor Bound
Oh ya....don't read this is you are under 18, it will scar you for life. ;) No really it is meant for adults.
February 1, 2014
I have read it after Joseph Fallen and I think this books is more like 3.5... maybe I'm still shaken by Joseph but this one was nice read, it was dark but more I-kinda-know-what's-gonna-happen dark if you know what I mean...
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But I still liked it, kinda can't wait how Honor and Jason will cope.. that's what I'm looking forward too their past colliding... actually I'm not so trusting of Jason, there is something... hmmm....
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OMG and what about Aaron ??
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he is kinda freaking me out....
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well only time will tell if there's gonna be another fallen...hope not
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But I still liked it, kinda can't wait how Honor and Jason will cope.. that's what I'm looking forward too their past colliding... actually I'm not so trusting of Jason, there is something... hmmm....
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OMG and what about Aaron ??
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he is kinda freaking me out....
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well only time will tell if there's gonna be another fallen...hope not
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April 26, 2015
I really enjoyed this book. Although the dark theme plays out from beginning to end, there was a couple of times I actually laughed because of something Xander or Hope said. The laughs were appreciated considering how dark this book and the previous two were. I'm not happy that this story ended with a bit of a cliffhanger. I really need to read Honor Bound but I can't find a release date for it anywhere! I need to go find something light and fluffy now. Something with rainbow sprinkles and soft furry puppies. =)
February 5, 2015
Ok so I've been reading this series and up until this book I've been relatively unaffected. But omg I think xander's story has broken me. :,( for the first time In this series I have cried. Poor xander. So we knew all about how he came in to the estate but to read it from his perspective broke me like really broke me. :(
but on another note the box omg was Connor from another network? Was he from hope & honor's network??
This box has me begging for answers!!
Can they finally bring down the estate ??
Eeeek can't wait for honor bound xx
Love this series just mad at myself for putting of reading it for so long xx
but on another note the box omg was Connor from another network? Was he from hope & honor's network??
This box has me begging for answers!!
Can they finally bring down the estate ??
Eeeek can't wait for honor bound xx
Love this series just mad at myself for putting of reading it for so long xx
January 29, 2014
5+ stars! I think my eyeballs are on FIRE! The Estate series just gets better and BETTER! This was written by a woman people!!!! M.S. Willis just may win the title of THE DARKEST WRITER EVER! I actually experienced moments that had me gasping for air! This was an incredible thrilling yet most definitely heart-stopping, jaw-dropping toughest read I've ever had the pleasure to sink my eyes into! If you're a lover of dark (like can't see your F'N hand right in front of your face DARK), challenging, uncomfortable, graphic, twisted, gut wrenching reads like me….Well this is you're series!
October 25, 2015
Standing ovation!!
I love that, if you read between the lines, or hell, if your conscience while reading it, history has a way of repeating itself, in all forms, and energy from a house does consume you, I'm a big Shining, amityville, etc fan.
Thoughts, um, take the $ and run and go to Europe to Tahiti and chill. Really people, get a life and some damn puppies and kids.
Or, hire one of my fav mc's to take over. CALL KA she's got the hook up.
Need the next book-already love hate Jason
I love that, if you read between the lines, or hell, if your conscience while reading it, history has a way of repeating itself, in all forms, and energy from a house does consume you, I'm a big Shining, amityville, etc fan.
Thoughts, um, take the $ and run and go to Europe to Tahiti and chill. Really people, get a life and some damn puppies and kids.
Or, hire one of my fav mc's to take over. CALL KA she's got the hook up.
Need the next book-already love hate Jason
March 15, 2014
“I find it ironic that your name is Hope…especially considering that you have none.” ~ Xander Black
Con lo que me gustó Xander con su compasión y buenos tratos en el libro anterior, este libro espero que me guste, más ahora que ya no está el padre de Aaron que era una basura y están destruyendo al lugar tan terrible donde estaban.
Con lo que me gustó Xander con su compasión y buenos tratos en el libro anterior, este libro espero que me guste, más ahora que ya no está el padre de Aaron que era una basura y están destruyendo al lugar tan terrible donde estaban.
January 29, 2014
Hope Restrained is LIVE on AMAZON!
AMAZON LINK - HOPE RESTRAINED
Hope Restrained is LIVE on B&N!
B&N LINK - HOPE RESTRAINED
AMAZON LINK - HOPE RESTRAINED
Hope Restrained is LIVE on B&N!
B&N LINK - HOPE RESTRAINED
February 1, 2014
Im addicted to the unique style of writing. The author is obviously extremely intelligent to create such a beautiful sickening story ! You never knew what was going to happen next and that kept me interested every single page! Rarely do I hang on to every last word! Loved it :)
November 6, 2014
Finally Xander's story - and it did not disappoint!
Hope and Honor are twins. Honor
is the artist - Hope is the assassin.
Honor is the light - Hope is darkness.
Honor is kidnapped by a faction of "The Estate" that wants to
overtake Aaron. Her kidnappers know that
Hope will do anything to get Honor back - even breaking into the main mansion
and assassinating Aaron. When Hope saw
the abuse done to Honor and the state she was in - she knew that she couldn't
refuse, and would have to try and kill Aaron, to save her sister. In her unsuccessful attempt to kill Aaron -
Xander grabs Hope, and Xander is forced to find out why she's after Aaron - by any means possible.
I'm not usually a fan of the darker type of reads - but I love this
series. There's definitely violence and
humiliation in this book - but there is also the underlying theme of Aaron,
Maddy and Xander trying to turn "The Estate" in to something more
than the corruption his father let it become.
"There is beauty in everything, even in the things we hate the most."
Xander is definitely not a "good" man - but he has this
goodness in him - where he grounds Hope, gives her exactly what she needs and
wants - even if it is not what most of us would expect or want for ourselves.
This book makes you think
about putting things in perspective - realizing that sometimes things aren't
always black and white. Sometimes we are
forced to do things, be in situations - in order to make things better. Xander and Hope are both put in circumstances
that would break most of us - but it's necessary to make sure the changes Aaron
are making within "The Estate" continue and Honor is freed.
This series is definitely
turning out to be my favorite "dark read" type of book!
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November 19, 2024
2.5 Stars
This unfortunately was my least favorite of this Author’s work I’ve read thus far. I really enjoyed the FMC, Hope, however, I wasn’t prepared for the Erotica elements between her and Xander (MMC) to take such a front seat with the storyline. It was not what I personally wanted to be reading, especially with the fresh, new wildcard character that Hope was in this world.
I personally would have enjoyed a hidden identity/random hookup type of situation (rather than the insta-need for majority of the plot line) to be the start of her and Xander’s relationship…and to have saved all of the sexual scenes for Final Chapters and/or the Epilogue. I would have savored the journey to get to read about them being able to explore themselves AFTER all of the issues within The Estate had been handled.
I felt all of Honor’s Chapters were the strongest, they held my interest the most and showed me the cruel world that this book is meant to be convincing readers of. Also of note, I did want to mention that there was quite an excessive amount of repetition with Hope’s eye color. And there were too many grammatical errors that kept pulling me out of the story.
The next book does seem like it has the potential to be as heart-wrenching as Joseph Fallen was…so, I definitely remain interested if and when this series resumes!
This unfortunately was my least favorite of this Author’s work I’ve read thus far. I really enjoyed the FMC, Hope, however, I wasn’t prepared for the Erotica elements between her and Xander (MMC) to take such a front seat with the storyline. It was not what I personally wanted to be reading, especially with the fresh, new wildcard character that Hope was in this world.
I personally would have enjoyed a hidden identity/random hookup type of situation (rather than the insta-need for majority of the plot line) to be the start of her and Xander’s relationship…and to have saved all of the sexual scenes for Final Chapters and/or the Epilogue. I would have savored the journey to get to read about them being able to explore themselves AFTER all of the issues within The Estate had been handled.
I felt all of Honor’s Chapters were the strongest, they held my interest the most and showed me the cruel world that this book is meant to be convincing readers of. Also of note, I did want to mention that there was quite an excessive amount of repetition with Hope’s eye color. And there were too many grammatical errors that kept pulling me out of the story.
The next book does seem like it has the potential to be as heart-wrenching as Joseph Fallen was…so, I definitely remain interested if and when this series resumes!
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