Reviewed by Jen
TITLE: Twisted Deceit
SERIES: Deceit #3
AUTHOR: Autumn Winchester
PUBLISHER: Self published
LENGTH: 446 pages
RELEASE DATE: August 30, 2024
BLURB:
Koda was first introduced in “Shattered Deceit.”
Who am I? Isn’t that a request that crosses everyone’s mind at some point in their lives? But for me, the sense of self was slipping away.
I was freed from bondage. I was no longer devoid of love or cast aside. Yet, what did that mean for my identity?
I was merely Koda. A regular individual who transitioned from a boy to a man, perhaps lost in the vastness of the world, yet rooted firmly in reality. A man who endured mistreatment and abuse in his formative years until destiny intervened and rescued him.
TRIGGER WARNINGS – Human trafficking, child abuse (mentions, nothing on page description), thoughts of self-harm, issues with food, panic/anxiety attacks
Human trafficking, angst, trauma, unrequited love
REVIEW:
As the blurb states, we met Koda in book 1 while the boys were captives. This story picks up with Koda still in the hospital after being anonymously dropped off. Thankfully, his aunt Dawn has come forward to take him in. Koda was captive for a long time, so to say the outside world is a scary place, even given all he has experienced, would be an understatement. He is often close to giving up, feeling like he has no purpose and no energy to keep going. Much of this story is about him adjusting to life with Dawn, who provides a safe place and helps him with all of his needs, i.e. medical appointments, schooling, etc.
Jasper arrives with his younger brother to help their grandmother who lives next door. It takes a lot of adjusting for Koda to be comfortable around anyone, let alone other men. And while he never really achieves that with Jasper’s brother, he doesn’t seem to have the same issues with Jasper. Jasper has experience with abused children and seems to know how to handle Koda and make him feel comfortable. Again, much of this story is about Koda’s growth in the trusting anyone department.
I tagged BDSM in this review because there are some elements interspersed throughout. The other characters are in the lifestyle, and Jasper if often referred to as a Daddy. But, this isn’t introduced to Koda until the very end, and even then, it is highly tailored to Koda’s needs. Koda has been used and abused by men in unimaginable ways for years. But, he’s still a teenage boy through most of this story, and some things just naturally take place. It’s just another thing for him to accept and overcome really, and in the grand scheme of things, it was nice to see he had that ability.
Jasper and Koda go through a bit of time where they both are being stubborn, and a lack of communication has caused a little damage. But, as Koda grows, so does his understanding of things and Jasper eventually makes it his mission to earn back Koda’s trust.
This story moved a little slow for me, although I’m not sure there was a way around that given all the healing Koda need to do. All in all, I was happy with the way everything played out and to see Koda find some peace. It was also nice to see Asher doing so well with his recovery and relationship. This series, although tough at times given the content, has been an overall enjoyable read.
RATING: 
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