Review: Wow!!!  Powerful Story!  A MUST read!!!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 04 22, 2013
I was provided an ARC of this book for an honest review and to be honest I did intrigue me at bit but I had no real expectations going into it that I would love it.  I cannot say enough about this book about what a great story it is!  It had me at the edge of seat the entire time and left me pissed off!  It is the first book in a series but I don't feel like I was left with a major cliffhanger.  I am looking forward to see what's next in this series!The story is about Emily Riddel, the sweet and innocent women that father runs a commune that might as well be running in the late 1800's. They believe that women have their place and it's to cater to the men, do their cooking, cleaning, and take care of what other needs they may have, if you know what I mean.  They are not allowed to date or marry who they like.  They are promised to whatever man sees fit by the commune leader who just happens to be Emily's father Owen.  The men always leave for the summer on "business" so Emily takes advantage of this time to have some fun down at the lake with her girlfriends.  That's when she meets that man of her dreams that will change her forever.  It was love at first sight for Emily and Levi Bryson. He was lost and looking for his cousin, Tope the local district attorney, when he stubbles across the beautiful Emily.  They have an instant connection and spend the next two days together.  In that short amount of time they fall deeply in love and decide they need to do what they can to be together.  Sounds great, right???  But standing in their way is the man who Emily is promised to Lorenzo. She has feels nothing but hate for him and would rather die than to marry him.  Emily has one ally at the commune, her Aunt Tess.  When it comes to the women of the commune, she is the leader and keeps them all in line little does anyone know Aunt Tess has been working with Tope for years to bring down the Owen and the others so the women can be free.Not only is does this book follow the love story of Emily and Levi but it shows the heartbreaking life of the women at the commune and what they must endure day in and day out.  They do know any other life so to them getting beatings and being told who to marry is normal.  I could not imagine living a life like this.  These women have no freedom to make their own choices, it like the womens revolution never happened.When Emily suddenly falls ill and is hospitalized, the men are forced to come back and that's when all hell seems to break loose. I was on the edge of my seat and could not turn those pages on my kindle fast enough!  I am a firm believer of doing a review without giving out the secrets of the book.  From this point on I could not put it down!  This book is a definite must read and I will be looking forward to the second book, Under-Ground.