Tuesday, June 23, 2020

Stranded (Auctioned #2) by Cara Dee









Stranded is the second book in The Auctioned Series. Before you read further, you should read Auctioned. ​

“You have my word, Gray. I will get you off this island, and I will bring you home.”

It was supposed to be an easy in-and-out job. Nothing Darius Quinn hadn’t done before. But this job had something none of the others did: Gray Nolan.

​Like Murphy’s Law advised, anything that could go wrong, would. A mission to save one hometown favorite son was turning into a quest to rescue thirteen traumatized young men against odds so steep, he’d need an oxygen mask to scale them. ​

Facing new dangers and an uncertain future, Darius keeps Gray close and is soon forced to accept that this has become much more than an assignment. For a man whose reputation was built on being ice-cold under pressure, Darius is beginning to discover how good it feels to burn.
 




My Rating - 5 Stars!

Stranded, the second book in the Stranded series, picks up where Auctioned  
leaves off. This next installment in Gray and Darius's journey is not as agonizing as the first book, but Cara Dee continues to draw the reader in to this terrible world of human trafficking and it's after-effects. 

Gray and Darius have a long road ahead of them, as they deal with the aftermath of Gray's abduction. Their journey is not an easy one, and this book is definitely another tough read, subject wise.

The author brings plenty of realistic emotion and action to this story of survival and recovery. No one could possibly go through the events these men went through without some extra baggage. I enjoy the way this is handled. 

All told from Darius's POV, the reader is gifted an up close, detailed look into the man Darius is. Book One, Auctioned, gave us Gray's pov, and now we get to learn more about Darius. And Damn, Darius is way more than I was expecting. He is one hell of a badass, and I adore his conflicted feelings for Gray.

Gray and the other boys are all suffering with how to move forward now that they are free. Having faced all that they did, they deal with the inability to feel free and safe. And then there's Darius who's struggling with everything he's seen and experienced.

There are plenty of triggers included, so beware. There's human trafficking, drug trafficking, and PTSD. The torture from book one is over, but the story is not even close to being over. 

This is a story of danger, anger, doubts, guilt, and some hot sex. There's plenty of banter and possessiveness. Let's just say the tough emotions are a constant in this read, but there are some lighter moments as well. 

The writing continues to impress. It's raw and gripping. The author excels in revealing the details without boring the reader. As well, the character growth is a continual factor in this series, and it's wonderfully executed.  

Stranded is a fantastic addition to the Auctioned series. I highly recommend these Cara Dee books when you're looking for a story that is leading up to a romance, all while taking place in a dark and sinister world. With more books to come in the series, it's a long build up to the actual romance. This book, and the series is pure brilliance. 


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