Reviewed by Cheryl
TITLE: Captive Hearts 
SERIES: Deviant Hearts
AUTHOR: A E Ryecart
PUBLISHER: Self Published
LENGTH: 308 pages
RELEASE DATE: February 23, 2018
BLURB:
“Too young, too blond, too skinny. Billy Grace was everything my head told me I didn’t want. Too bad my heart had other ideas.”
When Dashiell Slater uses his fists to stop a vicious assault, the last thing he expects is to be offered a job as reward for being a Good Samaritan. Out of work and short of cash, all he has to do is chauffeur Billy around. It’s easy money so saying yes should be a no-brainer. And if the offer’s not quite legal, so what? Dashiell’s smart and savvy, and knows how the world works. But there are strings attached, and Dashiell doesn’t want to get entangled. He’s ready to say no and walk away – until he sees the fear, despair and fathomless sadness in Billy’s jade-green eyes.
“He was everything I wanted, but couldn’t have. What was the use in dreaming when I was already bought and paid for, the property of another man?”
Billy’s life is a daily round of fear and abuse. One wrong word or one wrong look can mean a beating, or worse. Dashiell’s everything Billy’s heart craves – a man who’ll love and protect him, who’ll keep him safe and catch him when he falls. But Billy can’t have what he yearns for, because to give in to his heart means breaking a promise he’s vowed to keep at all costs.
A soul-searing kiss, a whispered promise, and the chance of a future together is there for the taking. But life is never that simple and danger surrounds them at every turn. Imprisoned by devotion, duty and obligation, Billy’s heart is captive, but can falling for Dashiell finally set it free?
REVIEW:
This was an exciting book that grabbed my attention almost from the very start. I have to admit, it did feel a little like a “poor guy competing with his rich friends” vibe at the very start, but there was a reason for that and as soon as I found out what it was the story kicked in full force and I was hooked.
Billy and Dash are two very different characters, with very different voices. There was no blurring of the lines with these two, or any of the other characters. I like how they are almost unfailingly consistent and there is never any doubt who’s speaking or whose eyes we’re seeing through. This is definitely a character-driven story and characters are more than strong enough to pull it off.
I’m not going to lie and say everything about the book was flawless, because no book ever is, but there was nothing that I came across that drew me out of the story in any way. Yes, there were a few rough patches that maybe could have been polished a bit more, but know what, life isn’t polished, and I loved this book anyway.
My heart absolutely broke for Billy from the very first time I met him. He’s a wonderful character. In a way he’d broken, but in another is by far the strongest character in the book. His focus and motives are very clear and he never wavers. He’s incredibly loyal to those he loves and he doesn’t compromise on that.
If I’m being honest, Dash was a little bit harder to get a grip on and warm to. Despite his brooding emotions, he seemed more reserved and it was slightly more difficult to get a grip on his motivation. That being said, I did warm to him and I was cheering both of them on very soon.
The story is kind of a trope, I suppose, but it’s fresh and exciting and I was on the edge of my seat. The danger to at least one of the characters was very real right from the start and was heaping on both by the end. There were a few surprises I saw coming, but some real shockers. Although the tension started mounting right at the start, it really heaped on at the end and I read for way too long into the night.
I can heartily recommend this book if you’re looking for something to get your pulses racing while at the same time being a sweet romance with some hot sex.
RATING: 
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