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J. L. GribbleTop Contributor: Fantasy Books
5.0 out of 5 stars not an easy read, but a fantastic conclusion to this nontraditional romance trilogy
Reviewed in the United States on January 7, 2021
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Hey, remember how damaged Josiah, Mateo, and Tristan were in the first two books of this trilogy?

They’ve got nothing on Ben and Dante.

At the end of the previous book, Ben’s experience wakes some previously suppressed demons in his head, sending his mental health into a tailspin. His previous fixes (including alcohol, but mostly sex) no longer work, causing him even more distress. When he runs into Dante, who freely admits to his own demons, the two characters experience a delicious push and pull in search of both control and escape with the other.

(I should note here that unlike many romance novels, this entire book is from Ben’s perspective. It creates a one-sided view of the burgeoning relationship, but Hart is excellent at also showing us what we need from Dante even solely through Ben’s eyes.)

Which man caves first is debatable because it’s clear they both have something to offer the other. The light BDSM framework creates something of a safety net because it allows Dante to force Ben to take care of himself physically—but it also lets Dante repeat some of the mistakes from his past. When both men catch feelings for the other and Dante refuses to allow him and Ben to continue on their mutually-destructive paths, the end result is not what either man expects.

That Ben experiences post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is evident from page 1, but his recent kidnapping only exacerbates what already existed. Hart reveals information about Ben’s sister throughout the story, but the final bombshell had me recoiling from my Kindle. This will not be an easy read for some people, and I encourage heeding the warnings at the beginning of the book if necessary.

Even though Ben and Dante eventually get their happily ever after together, nothing about this book fits the traditional romantic arc framework. However, I felt strongly for both characters, even when I didn’t particularly everything about them. This is a solid conclusion to an equally difficult trilogy, and I have no regrets about reading any of it.
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Michele Blake
5.0 out of 5 stars We all love Ben!
Reviewed in the United States on March 3, 2015
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We all loved Ben as Tristan's ex and best friend in Broken Pieces and Full Circle. Through both books, we learn Ben has loved Tristan since college and although on opposite sides of the country, with every phone call, we could hear that Ben was struggling to hold on, even after Tristan met and fell in love with Josiah and then Mateo. Now in Losing Control, we discover that although Ben had been hiding his pain from those around him for years, now that he survived Javier's kidnapping and experiencing first-hand the level of love between Tristan/Mateo/Josiah's, we see that Ben has lost the ability to pretend. Living on bourbon, very little sleep and increasingly risky sex is not helping any longer and he is frantic to find something to quite the voices for a little while. He is spiraling down....and then he see Dante. While not love at first site, they feel the connection.
I really like Dante as a character, but not so much as Ben's other half. I agree with several other reviewers that having Dante's POV would have helped understand him more. From their first meeting, Dante seem too calm in relation to Ben's need. Without being privy to Dante's inner dialog, it made it hard for the reader to connect with him and he came across as kind of cold and unfeeling, until the moment he would give Ben a brief look into his past. Then Dante would revert back to the cold, unfeeling character again, until the next little snippet of his past would be revealed.
All throughout the book, this did very little to promote Ben and Dante "relationship" as it was and kept us solely in Ben's head and enabled the reader to fully feel his darkness and despair. I can honestly say that I was so immersed in the park scene and the call to Tristan, that I literally sat in my car bawling my eyes and had to calm myself before I could drive....it was that intense and emotional. Riley, while I personally would have loved to have more of Dante's POV throughout, and more of the ending, I can sincerely say that I love this book. You are truly an amazing writer and I applaud you for sticking to your vision of how this story should play out. I can only imagine that if it was this heart-wrenching for us, the readers of this beloved series, it had to be exceptionally difficult for you. Thank you for sharing your work with us by giving us Ben's story.
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Judy Z (Bookaholic Confessions)
5.0 out of 5 stars Broken, lost, haunting and beautiful!
Reviewed in the United States on March 1, 2015
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Ben’s story! I couldn’t wait for Ben’s story!

This is a bit of a dark read, not at all what I was expecting. I thought I was getting an erotic, tie me up and whip me dirty read and I did, kind of. It was there, it was, but most of all it was a sad journey of a lost, broken and tormented man barely hanging on by a thread.

Ben’s had a tumultuous past, and tries overcoming his demons by filling his days and nights with booze and sex. While frequenting BDSM clubs in search for control and relief he desperately needs, he meets Dante.

Although outwardly Ben and Dante are two completely different people, inside they are so very much alike. Like two mirrored souls.

Ben’s story is a sad one. He’s lonely and lost and just so broken. I felt it. I cried. It was beautiful!

Riley has done an amazing job again! And for you Josiah, Tristan and Mateo fans…. they’re in this one too. I was left a happy girl. A happy girl after having wiped away sad tears, but a happy girl none the less!
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Top reviews from other countries

FIFI
5.0 out of 5 stars Ben's story is something you're not going to want to miss.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 3, 2015
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Ben's story is something you're not going to want to miss. I have to admit I was a little disappointed at first that Jay, Teo and Justin weren't the focus but that lasted about 2 pages and then I was utterly absorbed by Ben. He is selfish, needy, obnoxious and broken, but then he meets Dante and as their story unfolds each page reveals more torment teased with hope. The other boys do indeed feature later on but this is very much about Ben and his journey and how Dante gets caught up in it. Both men have intriguing characters that compel you to keep reading even when you know you have to go to bed; go to work; make the dinner! This was a one hit read - deeply moving and intensely satisfying. Great mix of angst, sex, emotion and hot men. Really loved it. (just listening to Sam Smith - Lay me Down - it could be written for this book!) Well done Riley Hart on another fantastic book.
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Gail Thompson
4.0 out of 5 stars Thing I liked about this book was the two main characters
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 23, 2015
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Thing I liked about this book was the two main characters. Two broken men affected by the trauma of their past. I liked that their stories were eked out across the book and that they showed them in a natural way. The characters behaved as if they had genuine mental trauma and not as if it was a cheep ploy by the author. I thought that it was well done. I also liked the way that those issues were the force of the story, two people seeing pain in each other and struggling to reach out and help. The romance was almost a bi product. An interesting and enjoyable read.
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sylvia mann
2.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 26, 2015
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Wow,so I didn't get into this book,in fact I flicked through chapters.its a heavy story and if Ben had said f#*k you one more time I'd have deleted the damn story,oh don't get me wrong I don't mind a bit of bad language but hey this was a lot.i won't be reading any more of the series.
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MALCOLM
2.0 out of 5 stars TOTAL CONTROL
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 12, 2018
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Made a mistake buying the series. The only one l liked was the first. I shall think twice before buying this author again.
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Midnawolf
4.0 out of 5 stars Great ending to this trilogy
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 16, 2015
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Really good read. This book is about Ben who is Tristans best friend. Ben is broken and he meets Dante who is also broken at a sex club. Can two broken men mens each other and love again. Recommended.
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