Take Me: Review

Not to be dramatic (me, dramatic?!) BUT, this whole year has been a literary renaissance for me. Sure, I’ve always been a voracious reader, but there was something about this year that just completely renewed my love for fiction, and it all started with dark romance. I dipped my toes in with Katee Robert and slowly started moving into a space I didn’t even know existed. You know when you feel like something is missing, but you can’t quite put your finger on it? Well, what was missing for me was just dark, erotic, horror, romance, and all the triggers that can go with it. 

That said, Ella Jacobs has quickly become one of my favorite authors. Her books hit topics I’ve always been fascinated by but never quite found on paper, and her prose speaks to me in a way only my top favs do (I’m VERY sensitive to writing style). I was lucky enough to ARC read her latest book and well, you’ll see.. I loved it. 

Highlights:
Taken from the train and thrown in a dungeon, Julie finds herself at the mercy of a captor whose only goal is to train her into the perfect submissive. Can she make it out with her life.. and maybe her sanity? 

Trigger warnings: on her website here. 

What I thought:
I read this book twice, back to back. So yea, it was incredible. 

Take Me was an absolute love letter to psychological terror and manipulation. Be warned, it’s pitch-black and full of degradation… and written absolutely beautifully. It really takes us on a journey of submission when forced into the extreme, and the transformation that can happen when a person is pushed to the limit. Jacobs gives us such an intense and real view into the main character’s mind, I literally felt like I was in the dungeons there with her. And the main men… well, *chef’s kiss.* We all know I’m a sucker for a villain, but this was in the extreme. I fell for Julie’s captors right alongside her, and felt the agony of their pull. UGH, I could honestly gush all day about this book, and would be happy to do it. 

Give Take Me a look – it’s full of pain and suffering, torture and torment, and is a stunning journey of transformation that I found immensely satisfying. It will stick with you, people!!

P.s. extra points for the epilogue. I am a total sucker for a story that gives us a view beyond the ending. It’s delightfully aggressive and well worth it to see our MC’s and how they’ve progressed.