Another fab one :D
Keen-eyed artist Lilith detects more than line or form with a subtle gift honed over years of training. The ability to look at a person and see things no one else sees comes in handy when she is summoned by Blaine Albermarle to commission a portrait to pay off her abominable father's debts. She quickly learns that nothing is as it seems at Albermarle Halle, least of all the relationship between Blaine and her handsome 'companion' Finn. The nefarious undercurrent nips at the tenuous control Lilith has erected over the years against her own demons. Control. The one thing that shaped my life, and the one thing I felt I that I was about to lose. Little by little, Lilith comes to understand the horrific conditions the beautiful Finn must survive in. If you could call it surviving. He is beaten, raped, and drugged and he has no other choice. For the first time in his life, however, there is someone who doesn't surrender to a baser instinct. She resists his initial advances and from that arises a cautious friendship. But Blaine must not be underestimated, though. She always seems to be one step ahead, including orchestrating Lilith's arrival the moment she sensed Finn's withdrawal. The summer I met Lilith Bresson, I had begun to die. Not physically, you understand. I had never been that lucky. But each day a little more of my soul disappeared, and Blaine sensed it.And Blaine Albermarle never let anything escape without a fight.The cat and mouse between Finn/Lilith and Blaine kept me on the edge of my seat. I couldn't sleep until I knew how it would play out. I was absolutely terrified that she would concoct some outrageously demented punishment to keep Lilith captive. Though, she definitely tried her damndest. She was an absolute monster. There are no concessions given with this story. McGowan possesses not a merciful bone in her body with regard to Finn and Lilith's journey. Finn's abuse is horrific, detailed, and knows no bounds. He is literally at the will of whoever has bought him for the night. Throughout the years he's controlled his response the only way he can - through copious amounts of drugs.As Lilith and Finn grow closer the question is no longer about her finishing her commission, it's about saving the man she's come to care about. And she's willing to go to any lengths. I'm always cautious when starting these kinds of stories. Either it's going to be botched and I'll feel like I've wasted my time, or it will be so over the top horrific that I'll not be able to breathe for days afterwards. Granted, do not take this story lightly, as it's not an 'easy' read by any means, but it does have an underlying hope that kept me reading, among other things. Lilith's strength, determination, and outright spunk was vastly refreshing. She had morals, guts, gumption. I loved her. I loved her brash manners, no nonsense attitude. Her cursing. The product of a whore and a nobleman, she's such an interesting character. Which is another thing I loved about this book - it's characters. It's one of those that even the secondary characters are so real. They have their own mannerisms, histories, motivations. *bookgasm* I must note, while I'm thinking about it, that I adored all of the dialogue. I've never, ever read anything quite like it and it added such a sense of realism and depth to the experience.