.{ ink.eaters }.: Better When It Hurts

Having started the series with its prequel, Tough Love (Stripped 0.5), I kind of knew what to expect - or so I thought, because I ended up getting something much different than I had anticipated.
Not at all bad different, just... different.

When I started reading Love The Way You Lie, I hoped for a lot of Clara, and a lot of Giovanni.
Tough Love (you can find my review here) was written from Clara's point of view, and focused, amongst other things, on her feelings for Giovanni. Clara however only has small cameos throughout Love The Way You Lie, and her past love-interest barely gets a mention at all. After having read Tough Love, I honestly thought the blurb of Love the Way You Lie indicated that it, too, would – despite the physical differences sported by the covermodels – be from Clara's point of view...

…instead, book one in the Stripped series is written from Honor's point of view, and follows her journey of protecting herself and Clara, her little sister, from their past – including Honor's (ex-)fiancé, Byron, a corrupt cop gone mafioso, and their father, who used to be king of the mob and was planning to marry her off in order to secure his status and lifestyle.

Violence and life in their golden cage are just two of the things they mean to leave behind, but does the outside world really promise a better life?

Their deceased mother's tracks take them to the town of Tanglewood, where Clara is forced to hide out in a shabby motel room, while Honor gets herself a job as a stripper, working the pole and pleasing customers, hoping to be able to maintain a low profile while trying to make ends meet. In addition to money and a certain amount of protection, her boss promises to do some research about their mother – whose supposed cause of death Honor has long stopped to believe.

While neither of them is too fond of their new lifestyle, they seem to accept it despite all the sacrifices it forces them – and especially Honor – to make. She does her job, survival and protecting Clara the only things that matter – that is, until one dark, mysterious and very hot customer throws her off guard. Kip is interested in more than just a lapdance or a good time in one of the VIP rooms, and it doesn't take long before she finds herself drawn to him, too. Neither one of them can deny their attraction to one another, and soon enough, lust seems to no longer be the only feeling they spark in each other.

Yet, Honor can't shake the feeling that Kip is dangerous.
And Kip... Kip even tells her that if she was smart, she'd stay away from him.

Neither one of them listens to their own - or the other's - advise though, and before they know it, their past catches up with them, uncovering lies and bearing more danger and violence than either one of them had seen coming.

Was it wrong of Honor to trust Kip? Should she have listened to her intuition, and stayed away from the danger Kip was radiating? The danger, that was drawing her in? Or will Kip protect her when she needs him most? And what is Kip's connection to Byron? - Those questions will definitely get answered in Love the Way You Lie, a dark and yet cute lovestory that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last page, containing both surprising elements as well as steamy scenes.

I did at times – but really only at times – have trouble with the character of Honor, because she started coming across as too naïve and young, as too much like her younger sister as she was portrayed in Tough Love. Kip on the other hand I couldn't get enough of!

I am a little disappointed that the novel didn't, at all, give away what happened to Giovanni – I really hope that he made it out alive, and that there'll be a story to tell about Clara and him – I'd really be looking forward to reading more about them! (;

I'll be patient for now though, as I am also looking forward to the release of the next installment in the series, Better When It Hurts, which is set for release on June 4th.

4/5!

A dark romance about the lies that lead us down…

I’ll do anything to get safe, even if that means working at the scariest club in town.

I’ll do anything to stay hidden, even if it means taking off my clothes for strangers.

I’ll do anything to be free. Except give him up. When he looks at me, I forget why I can’t have him. He’s beautiful and scarred. His body fits mine, filling the places where I’m hollow, rough where I am soft.

He’s the one man who wants to help me, but he has his own agenda. He has questions I can’t answer. What are you afraid of?

You.

Skye Warren is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author of dark romance.
Her books are raw, sexual and perversely romantic.

Skye Warren's website || facebook || twitter
Love The Way You Lie (Stripped #1) on goodreads || amazon
Tough Love (Stripped #0.5) on goodreads || amazon || my review
Better When It Hurts (Stripped #2) on goodreads || amazon

*** I was generously provided with a review copy by the author ***

Tough Love by Skye Warren is the prequel (0.5) to Love the Way You Lie, book one in the Stripped series. Since Tough Love is currently free on amazon, I decided to give it a go before diving into Love the Way You Lie, to see if Warren's writing was for me - and I have to say, it was a lot more captivating than I had expected, considering this prequel only contains 49 pages.

Tough Love lets us experience what it's like to live in a golden cage - and to be desperate to get out - told from the point of view of Clara, a fifteen year old Las Vegas mob-princess.

Clara has been dreaming of escaping the mob's premises for a while - but with locked doors, gates and numberless guards, that's easier said than done. Plus, there's Clara's older sister Honor, whom she'd never leave behind, and Giovanni, the young man who has her heart and whom she has been sneaking around with, although they're both painfully aware that they could never be with each other.

In the mob, it's all about power and rank - so it doesn't come as much of a surprise when Honor is supposed to get married to someone who will ensure her father's presence amongst the high ranking faces, even if that means not only being with a man she has no feelings for, but being with a man who is bad for her - in the most violent, abusive ways. When Clara discover's just how bad Honor's situation is, she prompts her sister to run away - with her and Giovanni. And then Clara herself gets cornered by a friend of her sister's fiancé, and Giovanni has to step in before things get too dire. He then provides Clara and Honor with what they'll need to get away - a car, cash, and a distraction for the guards... but will Clara and Honor really make it? Will they get away - will they get out, alive? Where will their journey take them? And what about Giovanni - will Clara ever see him again?

That part of the story is not Tough Love's to tell - it ends on a cliffhanger, which definitely has gotten me interested in Love the Way You Lie.
It's already waiting for me on my kindle. (;

I really liked that the whole story is told from Clara's point of view - it makes it very easy to put yourself in her shoes, and to sympathize with her. It's a very easy read and the style of writing makes it believable that the story is a fifteen-year-old's.
Overall, I'd say it's a great read - you should, however, not plan on reading this as a stand-alone; despite not having read Love the Way You Lie myself yet, I might even recommend reading this prequel after having read book one in the series - that might make it an even easier and more enjoyable read, as it would probably put a different perspective on the happenings of Tough Love.

4/5

A story about the sacrifices we make for love...

I sneak out of my room every night. My father's guards don't see me. My sister doesn't see me.

No one sees me, except him.

He's the son of a mafia foot soldier. My father is the boss. I shouldn't even know Giovanni. And I definitely shouldn't kiss him. Our relationship is doomed to fail, but that won't stop me from trying.

Not every girl wants to be a princess. I just want to be free.