Review: I need it.
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 05 31, 2014
Fiona Drazen is a mess. She wakes to find herself in Westonwood Acres, a psych ward for those with wealth. The only problem, she can't remember why she's there. Her memory is a blur and she can't seem to place the events into their proper order, so she'll wait until he comes for her.As the therapist, Elliot tries to help Fiona pull the events from her sub-conscious he reveals what has landed her there. The man she believes will come for her, who won't let her stay here... who will keep her safe... he's the reason she's there. As the good doctor puts Fiona under, her memories come back. Not to the hours leading up to her being admitted, but to the time when she first laid eyes on Deacon Bruce.He's her Master. The man that tried to keep her from indulging in random sex, too many drugs - gave her a new release that would allow her to soar. But Fiona didn't just want those things as a way to escape, she craved those things... she needed it. Each memory gives us a glimpse into a character hidden in the shadows. A man that you aren't sure if you should embrace or fear."And before you ask, and you will, he tied me up good. He gagged me and hit me. He made me cry a hundred times, and he wiped my tears and I thanked him for breaking me. I. Thanked. Him."Fiona has just a few days to figure out why she's there. A few days to prove that she's not a danger to herself or someone else... But in those few days, Fiona can't keep the need at bay; her body craves release both sexual in nature and from the walls of Westonwood Acres.CD Reiss is brilliant. Kick peels back an early layer in the story of the Drazen Clan. As a point of reference for those who have read SOS, this takes place when Jonathan is just sixteen years old, leaving his older sister in her early twenties. As a reader I love finding a story that not only allows you to extract enjoyment from the experience, but something that forces you to think. There are so many pieces to this puzzle that my mind is whirling with conspiracies and trying to fit everything into place. There are writers who can write, they can give you the start, middle and ending of a story. Everything structured as it should be, every coma has safely tucked into its rightful place... then there is CD Reiss. There is such imagery in her words, nothing is just black or white. Every word is put to work - sweated - before it's allowed to rest.My need for this series, for this story - for all these Drazen gingers - is overwhelming. Of all the stories that I have read, all of the plots, the characters few of them reach the place that CDR does. From page one of Beg to the final word in Monica, from Theresa and her Capo and now, Fiona Drazen... my attention was captured. If you are coming across this novella and this is your first read of anything CDR I have no doubt that you just became an instant fan and will soon join the ranks with the rest of us who have made room in our hearts for these characters and this author.