Release Date: December 14
Her tragic destiny was written long before he came into town.
[I received a digital arc for an honest review]
I am a huge fan of Kennedy L Mitchell’s writing and the characters she creates. When I saw she was writing a new suspenseful romance I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it! Mine to Save was a wild ride and I devoured it, it was so freaking good. The best way I could think to describe it is … think Criminal Minds with an X rating. All the dirty scenes you fantasize happening to one of the fine looking men on the BAU being made true.
“Catch a serial killer, help a woman overcome some of her trauma, and make myself feel again. Sounded like a win-win to me.“
FBI profiler Chandler Peters is assigned to help investigate a string of gruesome murders inflicted on women in a small Texas town. The one woman in town who actually might be of help, happens to be the only one he’s had any reaction to in a long time. Ellie was raised in a cult called ‘The Church’ but after not pleasing the leader who also happened to be her arranged husband she was released into the real world with no name, no family, no friends, and more than a little trauma. Clues lead to her being the killer’s main objection and Chandler will do everything in his power to protect her.
“He held me in a trance, never glancing away as he seemed to read every memory, detail, and emotion from where he sat several feet away.“
Ellie is a strong, brave and resilient character. She went through and in a way continues to experience so much trauma. After escaping the cult she was drawn straight into an abusive relationship that even when she ended it it still impacts her on the day to day. With all the sh*t in her life she has acquired some endearing quirks, like her addictions to candy and her obsession with crime shows. It isn’t until she meets Chandler that she finally understands how a man should make a woman feel as well as be treated. He makes her realize what it means to be beautiful both on the inside and out. Through knowing him and finding herself she truly understands true love and self-worth.
“All of you is safe with me. Your hopes, dreams, and past. All of it. I want all of it. I want all of you.“
Chandler is exhausted with his work and his life in general but under the constant weight of guilt from each case he’s starting to fall apart. He’s an Alpha male without being smothering and annoyingly possessive with Ellie. His unwavering support comes through by standing in the background while she fights her own battles. He helps her to see her worth and that even the dark parts of her are lovable and desirable. Through small glimpses of his past trauma we are able to understand how it affects him today, although a little more background on him would have been nice.
“I needed Ellie like I needed air to survive.”
Both Ellie and Chandler are complex characters with dark traumatic pasts. Because of that they understand each other’s needs when it comes to intimacy in a way that someone without their background couldn’t. And holy f*ck is it dark, dirty and intense. They both need pain to go along with their pleasure and they each know exactly what the other needs. Chandler finally has someone who won’t be repulsed by his needs and Ellie has found someone who won’t use those needs against her. Their dark pieces match perfectly and the writing is done really well where you feel that they are both getting so much out of the experiences without causing any harm.
Some might view this a bit insta lovey, even the characters point out on multiple occasions how little time they’ve known each other. Yet, their connection is believable, when you find that one person who completes you than you know and in their circumstances they aren’t going to let that go.
All in all, Mine to Save was a griping romantic suspense thriller. I appreciated how the story unfolded with the murder being solved before our eyes and I can’t wait to what Kennedy L Mitchell comes up with for Texas Ranger Alec Bronson 😍
OnceUpon_A_BookDream 