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Saturday, September 30, 2023

ARC Review: Stolen Faith (Trinity Masters: Crossroads Contempt Series)

Stolen Faith (Trinity Masters: Crossroads Contempt Series)

Mari CarrLila Dubois

Blurb:

Falling in love while being tortured isn’t just a trial by fire, it’s trial under fire.

Izabel didn’t expect her marriage to include kidnapping and torture. The honeymoon hasn’t even begun before she and her new husbands are kidnapped by a group of dangerous zealots.

She only just met the men she’ll marry, but one of them is hiding his dangerous past. She’ll have to embrace and accept that darkness, because it will take all three of them working together to discover who their enemies are, and what they want.

No matter what their captors do, the one thing they can never reveal is that they’re in an arranged ménage marriage because they’re members of America’s oldest and most powerful secret society. If they fail to defeat this enemy, they’ll lose more than their tenuous bond, or their freedom. They could very well lose their lives.

Themes:  Menage

Rating: 4.25 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

What is this world coming to when a secret society of menage lovers can no longer rule government and civilization without people getting all self-righteous and kidnapping newlyweds? In this newest story from partners-in-crime Mari Carr and Lil Dubois we get to see how three such newly bound individuals will fight for their lives and their chance at an HEA when a group of bigoted morons try their hand at kidnapping and exposing the Trinity Masters to the world.  I absolutely love this series and have been a fan since I picked up book number two after being in love with Mari Carr’s other series, never imaging just how deep and dark some of these stories and the linked Masters’ Admirability series were going to take us into the human psyche and the world of espionage and historical secrets.  I enjoyed this story very much, despite that dark nature of the plotline, but I really wish there had been more of their time after their rescue and before their final binding ceremony, just to enjoy their day-to-day lives and watching them falling deeper in love.  I am dying to see what comes next in these connected worlds and see just what could go wrong next, but I know whatever it is nothing will prepare us for the triad that finds themselves called to the altar and whatever amazing adventure they will live together.

Izabel Serra knew that when she was finally called to the altar her life would be changed forever, but she never imagined it would be because her and her new fiancés would be kidnapped on their second night together. Brennon Reyes is a sexy Hollywood screenwriter and Rowan Greene is a former special forces pilot, but none of them are any match for the small private army that invades their hotel suite determined to take them hostage, despite Rowan’s efforts and willingness to inflict maximum damage.  When the three of them ultimately wake up in a glorified prison deep in the woods, none of them know what they are in for, but they know it’s not going to be a walk in the park.  As their captors’ torture and beat them, working to break their bodies and spirits, their connections deepens and they come to depend on one another, but as the danger becomes more and more deadly, they know they have to work together to escape.  When they are transported to another location, ultimately, they find themselves reunited with the kidnapped Grand Master and her husband, and the five of them work together to turn the tables of their captors, but the damage had been done.  Can they prevent the world from learning about the Trinity Masters and their malicious and hateful kidnappers from bringing to light a secret that has been kept for centuries? And in all of that time can three people mutually find love or have they lost their chance to find a loving connection and a way to build their future?

These three were put through some serious crap at the very beginning of their relationship for sure, not to say that others in these series haven’t been, because there have certainly been darker stories.  Izabel is a ball buster and brash from the very beginning and I was certainly afraid her sassy mouth was going to get her in trouble with the kidnappers more than once, but that sarcasm certainly helped her out more than once.  She was able to bring herself back from the brink more than once when I can say I would have lost my mind for sure, and that strength and determination made her a beautiful character.  I loved seeing her standing up to their captors, not only to get their attention to protect her men, but also in order to simply get back a piece for herself, because I certainly understand that need for vengeance. She was also sweet and vulnerable when she allowed herself to find that safety in her men’s arms, willing to let down those thick walls and offer herself to them, so they can see the heart of her. Brennon is definitely the softest and lightest of the trio, not to say he was weak, but his ability to find lightness through the dark was definitely the key to their survival more than once and I respect that ability.  He was hilarious, sweet, loving, charming, and the perfect match for his lovers, bringing them the balance to their dominance and darkness in order that their triad wouldn’t always be filled with seriousness and solemnity.  Seeing him bring Rowan out of his dark shell, finding the heart of the man, even as he backed him up and protected them in times of needs shows that he could be counted on to be just what they needed and of course he was always the soft arms that Izabel needed when she was ready to fall apart and release her fears and pain.  Rowan has a lot of demons in his past, and pain from his time in the military, but his greatest darkness is his fear that he won’t be able to protect those he loves, so when he finds himself in just that nightmare, he is almost unable to function.  But his dedication to making sure that Izabel and Brennon make it home safely shows that he will give everything, even his last breath to protect them and get them out of their captivity.  He is strong, brave, clever, intelligent, and stubborn enough to do whatever he has to, despite his fears, and when he finally opens his heart to Izabel and Brennon, we see just how damaged he truly is.   When they are finally free, able to relax and live their lives, we get to see that Rowan can heal with his lovers help and will be the perfect husband to them and support them with every fiber of his being.

This story really resonated with me, in this world filled with liars, bigots, and hate, coming down to truly being a story of one man with entirely too much power and greed who almost cost five good people their lives and ultimately would have sacrificed them for his lies.   I’ll try not to spoil the story but honestly if people just stopped living their lives so self-wrapped and evil, this story wouldn’t even have ever been able to be conceived by our great writers of mischief… But I digress.  This story has a great flow, the plotline one we have been dying to see the ending to, with great buildup, flow, and ultimately an ending to the story arc that answers all our questions.  I was thrilled to see this throuple find their HEA and get to their binding ceremony to they can continue to build their lives and give their love a true chance for a future.  Izabel is a strong and sweet woman that needs two men to counter her and give her the balance she needs and when she finds those perfect men, despite the deadly circumstance of their time together she will do whatever it takes to claim and protect them. Brennon is the lighthearted and sweet one of the trio, though he has no experience in these situations, he will do whatever is needed to keep his lovers safe and most importantly sane as they work to escape and turn the table son their captors.  Rowan has given up on ever having an open and loving relationship, but he will keep his new lovers safe at even the cost of his own life, but he must find a way to get them all home safely because the longer he knows them the more he needs them.  These three, plus the Grand Master and captured husband are all that stands between the Trinity Masters and discovery, but they are up to the challenge. I loved the ending of this story, even though there were some very dark and tear-inducing moments, so fair warming to those readers that can’t handle it.  The passion between these three is not as apparent as in some previous stories as they aren’t able to connect physically through much of the story but the connection is certainly apparent and as it builds the love deepens and solidifies. I am dying to see where these series take us next and I suspect that the next story will be in the Masters’ Admirability series, though it just a guess.  As always, Mari and Lila have a deft hand at leading readers into the darkness to show us that only in the darkness can you find the true light of love and I for one will keep coming back for more!

*eARC provided by author for the purpose of an honest and unbiased review.  No compensation was provided.

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