Owned

Dark Romance (Decadence After Dark, Book 1)

By: M. Never

Narrated by: Sam Crowley, Muffy Newtown

Length: 7 hrs and 16 mins

Publisher's Summary

"I like you collared, baby. I like you naked, I like you mine."

Ellie Stevens has lusted over Kayne Roberts since he first walked into the import/export company she works for a little over a year ago. As Expo's most important client, Ellie has always kept a safe distance from the man with the majestic blue eyes - until temptation finally gets the better of her. Impulsively, Ellie invites Kayne to one of Expo's infamous company parties her flamboyant boss is notorious for throwing. Unbeknownst to Ellie, the god in the Armani suit isn't just the suave entrepreneur he portrays himself to be. Underneath the professional exterior is a man with a secret life, dark desires, and nefarious contacts.

In a hidden corner of a trendy New York City lounge, the spark kindling between the two of them ignites. Unable to resist the sinful attraction, Ellie agrees to leave with Kayne, believing she is finally bedding the man of her dreams. Little does she know when she walks out the door, she's about to be Owned.

Content warning: Owned is a dark erotic romance. Please pay close attention to the use of the words dark, erotic, and romance. It has intense sexual situations, a Master/slave relationship, mild abuse, and some violence. Listener discretion is advised.

©2014 M. Never (P)2017 Audible, Inc.

✫✫ 4 Star Story with 5 Star Narration ✫ ✫

I really enjoyed this dark, twisty story of betrayal, lies and sex. The story line was great and I think most people are in for a surprised for sure. I would have loved a little bit more of the history between the two main characters in the very beginning because that always helps me to feel the connection between them. I wanted to hate Kayne but just couldn't, he showed his good side a few times which made me like him. I was on the fence will Ellie in the beginning, she didn't put up as much of a fight as I would have thought considering. This book is about 75% sex, hot, dark, dominate, depraved sex, If you don't like dark not completely consensual sex in your stories maybe this one isn't for you. I loved the ending and I need to start book 2 asap!!

The narration is incredible! Muffy & Sam are both amazing narrators. I buy books just based on the narrators when it's one of them.

So Hot and Dark!

I was not prepared for this book, but once I started it, I could not stop listening. From the very start, M Never weaves a web of lies, deceit and love that enraptures you, will make you cringe and keep those earbuds in! Ellie and Kayne are co-workers who are attracted to each other, but do not know each other well. When they meet after work, and one of Kayne's acquaintances makes a gesture towards her, he knows he has to take her and make her his own. There are so many times I wanted to hate Kayne, but it was easy to feel the good in him no matter the circumstance. Ellie at times made me a little crazy, but in her shoes, I am not sure what reaction I would expect. Never has combined the world of BDSM with passion and suspense galore. The twists and turns keep the tension high to an explosive ending that I didn't see coming. I can't wait to continue this trilogy.

Sam Crowley has a darkness in his tone that is so stunningly hard at times, that it made me uneasy, and then would have a softness that filled my heart. He is perfect for this role, could not have cast it better. Muffy Newtown always brings her A game, and with this I was breaking down right along with Ellie. She took me for the emotional ride right until the end.

The ends does not justify the means...

For the entirety of the book all I wanted was for the hero to accidentally fall on a knife and bleed out. The things he did are not justified simply because... (spoiler left unsaid). I've read some books where I hated the hero for most of the book, but then something showed me that the hero really was f**ked either way and his behavior was at least plausible because of the dire consequences if he did not follow through (check out the Sovereign series) but that WAS NOT the case in this book. If you're going to be a bad guy, BE A BAD GUY, do not do horrible things and then try to toss on choir dress and say you did it for... (spoiler left unsaid). To me the best part of this book was the ending, I just feel like that should have been it, no book two... oh, and at the end Kayne should have tripped and fell on a knife then bled out slowly. OH!!!!! and that "only way" excuse at the end, Unless the hero and his best friend are actually and FULLY, truly, dimwits then... well I'll leave that alone as to not give more away.

*Potential spoiler... I guess...* Also, I would love if these author's would look up the definition of rape before they try to portray their hero as not being a rapist. Kayne... you were a rapist, even if you don't WANT to call it that. According to the department of justice, rape is: “The penetration, NO MATTER HOW SLIGHT, of the vagina or anus WITH ANY BODY PART or object, or oral penetration by a sex organ of another person, without the consent of the victim.” so when you fingered her in the shower while she was sobbing after you abducted her... THAT IS RAPE. Also, simply because someone does not say no does not mean is is no longer rape, if you abduct a person, subject them to days of mental torture and keep them from sleep, then whip them when they disobey you in other ways, but touch their body into arousal on a regular basis, and "wear them down" while reminding them they are a pet to be taken for walks... that is grooming and abusing a VICTIM with no real rights into submission. It is still rape. So I really wish these Authors would stop trying to keep their anti-hero from being labeled as a rapist because they wore the SLAVE down until they said yes. They are still rapist, they're just more disgusting than one who at least doesn't try to to dress it up and make the victim take the blame. I thought I might still read books two and three since I downloaded them, but the more I'm thinking about how I really want the hero fall and die slowly the more I'm thinking maybe I don't need to move forward in this series...

I REALLY DISLIKED THIS BOOK!

I like a good Romance/erotica and even BDSM BUT this book was a Fu*king Criminal Minds or SVU episode. I think some of these Author's feel they have to "One up all the many erotic book's out there with the over the top extreme and even violent sex. I did not like or enjoyed every minute of the pain and torture he put Ellie through. Behind closed doors he did not have to beat and treat her like an animal the way he did. The Character development was minimal and made it hard to like or connect with anyone in this book. This was unnecessarily violent and made it a very hard to finish. I like strong Alpha male lead who will not under any circumstances parade or show their love interest in the nude to other men.... there have been well written male leads who you dislike in the beginning but LOVE in the end (Vicious by L J Shen) but this Assh*le Kayne was not it.

Disliked the story so much that returned the book

While the book was reasonably well written, and very well performed, the story was just terrible. I have no problem with erotica, or dark erotica, and have been able to appreciate stories that I found somewhat disturbing, this was not one of them. I found the story premise silly, trite, ridiculous in far too many ways to suspend belief. It is needlessly cruel with characters that it tries to pass off as damaged but with hearts of gold. It doesn't work. They come across as creeps. I gave up about 3/4 of the way through and will be returning this book.

Abusive

I don’t read abuse to get my reading pleasure. I don’t mind games, but kidnapping and forced sex is not something I want in my library. There should be a warning.

Dark and seductive

Ellie is just getting ready to start her life, but due to an extreme situation she is now owned by Kayne. Despite her initial fighting of the situation, she falls in step and she falls in love. But things aren’t as they seem and the mystery behind the man that is controlling her comes to light.

This book was crazy intense. Probably 70% dark and dominant sex, 30% dark and depraved storyline. I’m not mad about it though. It was hot and not repetitive, completely unique from one scene to the next and also the chemistry and the progression of chemistry between the characters was palpable. I loved it. I couldn’t turn it off. I absolutely can’t wait to turn on the next one.

Sam Crowley and Muffy Newtown were brilliant. They brought reality to an invented story

A wild & scorching ride!

This is not your run of the mill romance! Before pressing play be aware that this is a dark, twisty, BDSM story where "Nothing is as it seems".
I went into this story blind and am so very glad I did. This being said, M.Never does in this series what she does so well... Creating characters with a very solid background, unshakeable motivations & chemistry. She has created extraordinary circumstances to grow, bond and fall foreachother in the most unlikely of situations. To an ordinary listener this might just be an audio with very hot and dangerous circumstances for the sake of inmediate gratification (sex for the sake of sex). Having gone through Ellie & Kayne's full story I see there is so much more than meets the eye. These two people connected and teathered to eachother for every different reasons and as a listener going through this story with the performances of these amazing narrators you are experiencing every nuance of the ride. Both narrators took to this performance with full commitment and it is so clear how they aimed to give a true voice to these characters and truth to their circumstances.
Just when you think M.Never can't get more twisty, you are proven wrong over and over. She weaves a story filled with so many layers of unapologetic sex yet these characters have a hold of their own with their inner strength and vulnerability. You can not help but be owned by this story in every way. BRAVO!!

Racism is a buzz-kill

This was my first M. Never book. The casual and unquestioned anti-Mexican racism expressed by the protagonists is sickening to me.
Based on other reviews, I thought I knew what kind of dark erotica I was signing up for. I was on board for non-consent and graphic BDSM. And the story and narration deliver those, but the pointless racist off-handed remarks crossed the line for me.

WTF

This Audiobook had me tearing up and yelling girl say Cupcake. This book you'll either love or hate. I felt torched but hooked to this book. This is dark I mean real dark shit, twisted, fucked up, and a lot of OMG! If you can hang with this story then that means you're all in. Believe me it got me.
One of the best audiobook books EVER!

Oh My!!!

I have spent considerable time deliberating how I was going to evaluate this book. The narration was fantastic. Both Muffy Newtown and Sam Crowley did amazing. They added so many emotions to the book. Muffy was outstanding as Ellie, and Sam was convincingly evil as Javier.That part was extremely easy for me to evaluate.
Now for the story, this is where it becomes muddy. The book is well written, it has some great twists, but I didn't like the story. The story deals with non-consensual sex. I disagree that sex should be painful for it to be good. I would have stopped listening to the book if not for the fantastic narration. Each person has to make their own decision on what they are comfortable with. I understand that this is only part of the story, but it is how I felt listening to the book.

excellent

loved this first book in this series can't wait for book two and two brilliant narrators .

nice

I really liked it...it was really nice...I finished it in one day
really easy to listen to

Loved it!

I loved it! The narrators were both nice to listen to, especially the woman’s voice. They tell with emotions, nothing flat. Kept me interested!
The sexual details are very nice in this story ;)
The storyline is dark, you have to be interested in stories about bdsm and slave training. Don’t hesitate for some non consensual stuff (even though my opinion is all bdsm should always be with consent…). If not, then this book is not for you.
I was surprised at the turnaround at the end. Think I’m going to read the next books in this series as well, I’m so curious!

Abusive and crude

This book made me cry thinking of all Ellie had to endure. All the abuse and to be completely blocked off her family and friends in that environgens. I realize this is the ”erotic” part of the book but it was too much, I didn’t find it enticing, just had a bad feeling. But I did finish so not all bad, although I guess I am more of a romantic liking when the hero and the heroine get eachother at the end.

OMG best book this year.

Yes this is a dark book, but it is also so much more than that. I can't say enough about it. The subject matter is dark (sex slavery) but the intense story and the amazing narration just pulled me in so much so that i even cried for Ellie a few times. Eris Mallon is outstanding in this one my god did she get Ellie's pain across she just nailed it in all aspects. Sam Crowley (Zachary Webber i think) is just Alpha in every way I could just picture Kayne as he spoke. and M Never's story just shocked and amazed me and grabbed me from start to finish she is just so amazing at making you a part of the story and making it feel so personal. I loved the relationship between Ellie and Jett he was like a big brother of sorts he didn't take Ellie's rubbish he would question why she was feeling a certain way and challenge her about her feelings. He was so sweet and caring. The sex scenes were very dark and lots of them, the way they were written and voiced was so intense (in a good way) I can't wait to start the next book in the series