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Indebted #2
First Debt
“You say I’ll never own you. If I win—you willingly give me that right. You sign not only the debt agreement, but another—one that makes me your master until your last breath is taken. You do that, and I’ll give you this.”
Nila Weaver’s family is indebted. Stolen, taken, and bound not by monsters but by an agreement written over six hundred years ago, she has no way out.
She belongs to Jethro as much as she denies it.
Jethro Hawk’s patience is running out. His inheritance gift tests, challenges, and surprises him—and not in good ways. He hasn’t leashed her but he thinks he might’ve found a way to bind her forever.
Debts are mounting. Payment waiting.
Nila Weaver’s family is indebted. Stolen, taken, and bound not by monsters but by an agreement written over six hundred years ago, she has no way out.
She belongs to Jethro as much as she denies it.
Jethro Hawk’s patience is running out. His inheritance gift tests, challenges, and surprises him—and not in good ways. He hasn’t leashed her but he thinks he might’ve found a way to bind her forever.
Debts are mounting. Payment waiting.
316 pages, Paperback
First published November 12, 2014
About the author
Pepper Winters
114 books16.6k followersPepper Winters is a multiple New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today International Bestseller.
She currently has thirty books released in nine languages. She’s hit best-seller lists (USA Today, New York Times, and Wall Street Journal) thirty-three times. She dabbles in multiple genres, ranging from Dark Romance to Coming of Age.
After chasing her dreams to become a full-time writer, Pepper has earned recognition with awards for best Dark Romance, best BDSM Series, and best Hero. She’s an multiple #1 iBooks bestseller, along with #1 in Erotic Romance, Romantic Suspense, Contemporary, and Erotica Thriller. With 20 books currently published, she has hit the bestseller charts twenty-nine times in three years.
Pepper is a Hybrid Author of both Traditional and Self-published work. Her Pure Corruption Series was released by Grand Central, Hachette.
Her books have garnered foreign interest and are currently being translated into numerous languages, including already released titles in Italian, French, Hebrew, German, and Turkish.
NEWSLETTER: http://www.subscribepage.com/www.pepp...
Or follow her on her website
www.pepperwinters.com
She loves mail of any kind: pepperwinters@gmail.com
You can stalk her here:
Pinterest/Pepperwinters
Facebook Pepper Winters
Twitter @pepperwinters
Blog pepperwinters.wordpress.com
She currently has thirty books released in nine languages. She’s hit best-seller lists (USA Today, New York Times, and Wall Street Journal) thirty-three times. She dabbles in multiple genres, ranging from Dark Romance to Coming of Age.
After chasing her dreams to become a full-time writer, Pepper has earned recognition with awards for best Dark Romance, best BDSM Series, and best Hero. She’s an multiple #1 iBooks bestseller, along with #1 in Erotic Romance, Romantic Suspense, Contemporary, and Erotica Thriller. With 20 books currently published, she has hit the bestseller charts twenty-nine times in three years.
Pepper is a Hybrid Author of both Traditional and Self-published work. Her Pure Corruption Series was released by Grand Central, Hachette.
Her books have garnered foreign interest and are currently being translated into numerous languages, including already released titles in Italian, French, Hebrew, German, and Turkish.
NEWSLETTER: http://www.subscribepage.com/www.pepp...
Or follow her on her website
www.pepperwinters.com
She loves mail of any kind: pepperwinters@gmail.com
You can stalk her here:
Pinterest/Pepperwinters
Facebook Pepper Winters
Twitter @pepperwinters
Blog pepperwinters.wordpress.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,519 reviews
August 15, 2017
★★★★ 1/2! First Debt, book 2 of 7. A dark & sexual tale of Jethro’s quest to collect a centuries old debt from Nila when lust gets in the way!
“This single-minded lust between us was sacred.”
Books in Indebted Serial should be read in order:
Book 1: Debt Inheritance
Book 2: First Debt
Book 3: Second Debt
Book 4: Third Debt
Book 5: Fourth Debt
Book 6: Final Debt
Book 7: Indebted Epilogue
Debt Inheritance (book 1), is the opening of a very dark modern day tale. Fashion designer Nila Weaver, Threads, on the night of her fashion show, was introduced to a sophisticated and mysterious Jethro Hawk, Jet by her father and then sent off to dinner with him.
Except there was no dinner. Jethro had come to to collect the debt owed to his family by the Weaver family for centuries. Nila was forcefully whisked from her sheltered existence to his ancestor’s home, Hawksridge Hall, where she was to learn more about the debt and how she was to repay it…
First Debt (book 2) picks up at book 1’s ending. Nila, having been given some facts about the debt and coerced to sexual situations, is back butting head with a volatile Jethro. While Nila is anxious to learn more about her first debt repayment Jet is trying to stay detached and focused.
There is no denying that they are insanely attracted to each other. Nila justifies her lust with needing a way to manipulate Jet while he hides behind a mask of anger and hostility. With glimpses into Jethro’s past and present, it’s hinted that he is on a set course and cannot allow himself to show any weakness towards Nila.
It’s a constant power struggle which Jet wins by remaining her captor, yet Nila wins by chipping away at his frozen heart. But both are disposable pieces in a much larger, sinister game. With everyone watching can Nila stay ahead without knowing the rules and can Jet keep aloof and in charge? And more importantly when their sexual frustrations erupt how will they fight unseen forces out to destroy them?
Jethro Hawk, Jet is a product of his environment. As story unfolds we learn of an abusive upbringing and a different teenager conditioned to take over the family empire, any traces of goodness obliterated.
Eight words to describe Jethro: Ruthless, mercurial, complex, conflicted, determined, commanding, vengeful and tortured.
“In his late twenties, Jethro wore command like one would wear cologne.”
Nila Weaver, Threads fluctuates between vulnerable and naïve girl and a calculated and insightful vixen. I struggled to consolidate the two.
Eight words to describe Nila: Naïve, focused, impressionable, frail, spirited, feisty, confused and calculated.
First Debt is their continued journey and Nila’s slow uncovering of the truth and her pending demise. The build-up of sexual tension is intense (almost setting my Kindle on fire) and ended up delivering on steam. That said, the first half of story felt long-winded. Story ends abruptly leading right to book 3, Second Debt for the continuation of their story.
Depraved, dark and complex Jethro! Off-the-charts sexual tension and situations! Raw, rough and angry sex! Sinister plot! Spellbinding story-telling!
“You’ve destroyed me, Nila. And now it’s my job to make sure they don’t destroy you, too.”
***
Hero rating: 4.5 stars
Heroine rating: 3.5 stars
Sexual tension rating: 5+ stars
Sex scenes rating: 4.5 stars
Sex scenes frequency: 4 stars
Plot rating: 4.5 stars
Dialogue rating: 5 stars
Storytelling rating: 5 stars
Story ending rating: N/A
Book editing rating (5 = no edits spotted): 4.5 stars
************************************************
Overall rating: 4.5 stars
Would I recommend this series: Yes.
Would I re-read this series: Maybe later.
Would I read future books by this author: Yes.
August 18, 2017
HUGE 5 STARS!
This series from Pepper Winters is just amazing, and I can't wait to read the whole series again.
Reading this book again just filled my body with excitement because I know what's coming next, and even though you know what happens in it, you still can't believe what you're reading.
But I love PW so much. She is my inspiration. She was the one that made me want to start writing. THANK YOU PEPPER WINTERS FOR EXISTING!! xD
Nila Weaver is definitely one of my favourite heroines. She's just the type of character that doesn't get on my nerves because in some books you just wish the heroine would shut up and grow a pair! But Nila was refreshing, and I actually looked forward to reading from her perspective and being inside her head and knowing what she was thinking.
I really liked the fact that she doesn't give up either, she did run, but she hurt herself while doing in, but that just shows how much she wants her freedom and to escape from the debts paid to Jethro.
She has a backbone which I love from a heroine.
Now Jethro Hawk! I mean I love alpha males, but Jethro is probably one of my favourite alpha males right now. In this book we actually get to see more of him, and being in his head just made me think 'wish things could work out for you' because it kind of made me feel like he doesn't wanna be cruel to Nila. It's like he doesn't want to make her do the debts, so that made me change my perspective of him a little bit, but to be honest I liked him in the first book although he was a little terrifying.
Then the sex scene happened....OMG! I was waiting for it to happen.
I forgot all about the sex scene, and when I was reading this, I was like 'Is it gonna happen now? Is it gonna happen in this chapter?'
I could feel it happening!
What a sex scene it was! I had to have a minute to calm down because it was written really really good!
I can't write a good sex scene yet because I'm really inexperienced to imagine how a good sex scene is written XD But the two sex scenes DID.NOT.DISSAPOINT.AT.ALL!
This series from Pepper Winters is just amazing, and I can't wait to read the whole series again.
Reading this book again just filled my body with excitement because I know what's coming next, and even though you know what happens in it, you still can't believe what you're reading.
But I love PW so much. She is my inspiration. She was the one that made me want to start writing. THANK YOU PEPPER WINTERS FOR EXISTING!! xD
Nila Weaver is definitely one of my favourite heroines. She's just the type of character that doesn't get on my nerves because in some books you just wish the heroine would shut up and grow a pair! But Nila was refreshing, and I actually looked forward to reading from her perspective and being inside her head and knowing what she was thinking.
I really liked the fact that she doesn't give up either, she did run, but she hurt herself while doing in, but that just shows how much she wants her freedom and to escape from the debts paid to Jethro.
She has a backbone which I love from a heroine.
Now Jethro Hawk! I mean I love alpha males, but Jethro is probably one of my favourite alpha males right now. In this book we actually get to see more of him, and being in his head just made me think 'wish things could work out for you' because it kind of made me feel like he doesn't wanna be cruel to Nila. It's like he doesn't want to make her do the debts, so that made me change my perspective of him a little bit, but to be honest I liked him in the first book although he was a little terrifying.
Then the sex scene happened....OMG! I was waiting for it to happen.
I forgot all about the sex scene, and when I was reading this, I was like 'Is it gonna happen now? Is it gonna happen in this chapter?'
I could feel it happening!
What a sex scene it was! I had to have a minute to calm down because it was written really really good!
I can't write a good sex scene yet because I'm really inexperienced to imagine how a good sex scene is written XD But the two sex scenes DID.NOT.DISSAPOINT.AT.ALL!
November 20, 2014
5 stars!!!
Pepper Winters is one of my favorite authors of the dark and twisted genre, and she didn’t disappoint when it came to First Debt. She took a seriously messed up book with a crazy and intense ‘hero’ (and I use that term very loosely) that was kick ass on it’s own, and wrote a second book I loved even more than the first. Jethro Hawk is not anyones hero. He’s a villain. The bad guy in the story. But maybe… just maybe he’s not quite as bad as I originally thought.
Nila was told to run. And she did. But it’s pretty apparent that she wasn’t going to get far. I loved that she still tried. In these circumstances, it would be easiest to roll over and heel. To play nice and try to make things as pleasant as possible. But not Nila. She is doing her best to survive and she won’t let anyone control her. Jethro holds all the cards, but she slowly gets some of the power.
As the attraction and lust between Nila and Jethro come to a head, both have to decide if thats something they can handle. They both know their fate. Neither one chose it, but they are where they are.
The sexy times in First Debt were truly sinful. Sexy, erotic, raw, yet very sensual. When physical turns to intimacy, thats where their problems really begin. Neither one can afford any type of feelings toward one another.
Feelings. Thats what is different in this book, opposed to the first. It’s not sweet or light by any means, but the hero of the story struggles with his feelings and obligations. It didn’t seem quite as cruel as the first. I love how she made Jethro a tad bit more likable and redeemable, but still kept him on the dark side. It would be unrealistic for him to take a huge leap in such a short amount of time…. but I definitely think it’s possible in the end. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.
One thing is for sure. Nila and Jethro have both changed in big ways. They’ve been impacted hugely and it’s changed the way they thing, feel and look at things. Nila is as kick ass and resilient as ever. No matter how hard things get, she never gives up. She’s a fighter until the end. I love heroines who have that backbone. Even though Nila’s gone through this terrible ordeal, she’s living. Maybe even more than she ever did in her mundane life before Jethro.
Raw. Intense. Erotic. Deliciously Dark. Forbidden at it’s finest. I love that one of the big questions from book one got revealed. It wasn’t at all what I expected, which is great. Nothing better than being shocked or surprised by the twists and turns in a book.
Once again, Pepper Winters has written a dark and enthralling story. Be prepared to read nonstop because once you start this one, you won’t be able to put it down! 5 stars for the writing, 5 stars for the characters and 5 stars for the story! I’m anxiously awaiting more Jethro and Nila! For all lovers of the twisted tales, this is one I highly recommend!
Pepper Winters is one of my favorite authors of the dark and twisted genre, and she didn’t disappoint when it came to First Debt. She took a seriously messed up book with a crazy and intense ‘hero’ (and I use that term very loosely) that was kick ass on it’s own, and wrote a second book I loved even more than the first. Jethro Hawk is not anyones hero. He’s a villain. The bad guy in the story. But maybe… just maybe he’s not quite as bad as I originally thought.
Nila was told to run. And she did. But it’s pretty apparent that she wasn’t going to get far. I loved that she still tried. In these circumstances, it would be easiest to roll over and heel. To play nice and try to make things as pleasant as possible. But not Nila. She is doing her best to survive and she won’t let anyone control her. Jethro holds all the cards, but she slowly gets some of the power.
As the attraction and lust between Nila and Jethro come to a head, both have to decide if thats something they can handle. They both know their fate. Neither one chose it, but they are where they are.
“Kiss me.”
“I don’t kiss my enemies.”
“You just fuck them?”
“Only if they beg.”
The sexy times in First Debt were truly sinful. Sexy, erotic, raw, yet very sensual. When physical turns to intimacy, thats where their problems really begin. Neither one can afford any type of feelings toward one another.
Feelings. Thats what is different in this book, opposed to the first. It’s not sweet or light by any means, but the hero of the story struggles with his feelings and obligations. It didn’t seem quite as cruel as the first. I love how she made Jethro a tad bit more likable and redeemable, but still kept him on the dark side. It would be unrealistic for him to take a huge leap in such a short amount of time…. but I definitely think it’s possible in the end. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.
One thing is for sure. Nila and Jethro have both changed in big ways. They’ve been impacted hugely and it’s changed the way they thing, feel and look at things. Nila is as kick ass and resilient as ever. No matter how hard things get, she never gives up. She’s a fighter until the end. I love heroines who have that backbone. Even though Nila’s gone through this terrible ordeal, she’s living. Maybe even more than she ever did in her mundane life before Jethro.
Raw. Intense. Erotic. Deliciously Dark. Forbidden at it’s finest. I love that one of the big questions from book one got revealed. It wasn’t at all what I expected, which is great. Nothing better than being shocked or surprised by the twists and turns in a book.
Once again, Pepper Winters has written a dark and enthralling story. Be prepared to read nonstop because once you start this one, you won’t be able to put it down! 5 stars for the writing, 5 stars for the characters and 5 stars for the story! I’m anxiously awaiting more Jethro and Nila! For all lovers of the twisted tales, this is one I highly recommend!
“You’ve destroyed me, Nila. And now it’s my job to make sure they don’t destroy you, too.”
November 15, 2014
** 4-4,5 "x answers, 10x more questions" STARS **
“You’re a f*cking nightmare.”
“Kiss me.”
“You’re ruining my life.”
“Kiss me, Jethro. Kiss me.”
I'm so glad I'm one of the people that actually believed in Pepper Winters and her incredible writing skills enough not to give up on this series after reading Debt Inheritance and finding in it one of the most vile, nonredeemable, cruel, hardhearted male MCs EVER.
Even if you hated Book#1, even if you gave it only 1 star, I think you should give it another try and read this. Seriously. There are answers to some questions that will be sure to change your mind about this series.
Nila Weaver is no longer the vertigo-ridden, obedient, gullible and naive girl that she was before she ever met the Hawks. The unspeakable things that she has been through has changed her. Being away from her glamorous life of fashion and fame has changed her. The disappointment she feels for her father now has changed her. But most importantly, Jethro Hawk has changed her. Immensely.
I became more than Nila Weaver. More than daughter, twin-sister, and seamstress. I became the woman who would bring down a family’s legacy. I evolved into the woman who captured a Hawk.
~ NILA
Jethro "Jet" Hawk can feel the control he's been using as a cloak for all these years slipping away. All because of Nila Weaver. All because of the foreign and unwanted feeling of possession that consumes him every time she's around. All because of the lust that takes hold of his body every time she's near.
She’d given me the briefest taste of how divine it would be to own, not just her body, but her mind and soul, too. It was f*cking addicting. It was f*cking twisting with my head.
~ JET
And Nila sees right through him. She can sense the way he uses the coldness and the cruelty to cover up something warm that is deep inside him. She can sense the real him.
“I see you, Jethro Hawk. I see what you’re trying to hide, so don’t delude yourself into thinking I buy your hypocritical bullsh*t.”
~ NILA
The more Jet tries to push her away and out of his system, the more Nila gets under his skin, branding him, seeping through his pores into his heart. He has obligations to his family as the firstborn son. There are rules. There are debts that need extracting. And he won't be able to do what is expected of him, if this woman keeps crashing every wall he puts up between them. As mush as he tries, at the end Nila wins, and Jet is left ruined.
Nila Weaver was the sun upon my ice, turning me into a river that wanted to flow and change and grow.
~ JET
The more Jet tries to push her away, the more Nila feels drawn to him. But her inner battle keeps her from ever showing the vulnerability Jet causes in her. She values her freedom way more than the inescapable feeling of lust that burns her vessels with only the single touch of this man. She is a survivor and refuses to be the pray in this game. She is the hunter. She is determined to do whatever it takes to be the hunter and take down as many Hawks as possible at the end. But does Jet really belong in that house or in that family? Does he really deserve to fall down along with the rest of the Hawk family once Nila is done?
The attraction, the lust, the pull is too much. So they give in. No longer Weaver and Hawk, no longer debtee and debtor, just woman and man.
Now, they have broken the rules. They won't survive if anyone knows. Will they be able to keep it a secret? Will they be able to be...partners?
“You’ve destroyed me, Nila. And now it’s my job to make sure they don’t destroy you, too.”
~ JET
In Book#2, both us and Nila get to know the golden-eyed Kestrel "Kes" Hawk, the second brother of Jet, better. He is the solar opposite of Jet. While Jet is a man with so many unresolved problems, tying him into knots and leaving him as a cold-hearted b*stard -if you will-, Kes is so warm, so nice, so polite and so understanding, he makes it very hard to believe that he is a Hawk.
While Jet tries to keep Nila away in order to hide his true self from her, Nila finds solace in Kes and he slowly becomes the only "friend" Nila has in that dreadful house.
Nila is drawn to both Kes and Jet. One is the man that she has always dreamed of, and the other is the man she would normally hate. But she likes them both. She wants them both. In different ways.
Jethro was sleek, refined —a true diamond. Kes was more of a diamond in the rough.
~ NILA
Nila has a plan. A plan involving either Kes or Jet to get caught in her webs and become her savior. Her rescuer.
What better way for a Weaver to escape than for a Hawk to open her cage?
~ NILA
Some of the big questions are answered in this book about how the Debt Inheritance all started and about the identity of Kite007. (Or are they? Not so sure...) But of course, this is a Pepper Winters book, so a lot more questions are added also.
Things are getting more and more interesting with every new installment and I feel like I'm getting overly obsessed with this series! My OCD is coming back full force because of Jet and Nila, DAMN THEM! I want Second Debt RIGHT NOW! Waiting will feel just like:
Lastly, I'd like to talk about the reason for the 1 star subtraction from my rating:
You see, I am so happy that Jet is so much more lovable now. I am. I really am. But am I the only one around here that thinks his transition was rather sharp and abrupt? I wanted to experience it, I wanted to see the things about Nila that urge the change in him. I couldn't do any. I feel like Pepper got panicked after all the negative reviews that Debt Inheritance had gotten and tried to redeem Jethro AS SOON AND AS FAST AS POSSIBLE. Which didn't work for me. Thus, the minus 1 star.
P.S: OMG, how incredibly adorable is a jealous Jethro, right? My heart melted every damn time he was all like, "Don't touch what's mine! Nila is mine, damn you!" *sigh*
P.S #2: Apparently Meg Myers ~ DESIRE is the perfect song for Nila and J, according to Pepper Winters, so I'd recommend you to listen to it while reading if you can. It certainly intensified my reading experience.
///////////////////
BEFORE READING THE BOOK:
Totally off topic for now, but I DEMAND MORE KESTREL IN THIS BOOK!
You see, I secretly ship Nila and Kes. Yeah, yeah, I know. I can hear you all saying:
...but I can't help it!
July 15, 2015
5 It Just Keeps Getting Better Stars
If you've read the first book and found yourself unsure about where this series is going, READ THIS BOOK. First Debt just goes to further prove the genius that is the evil mind of Pepper Winters. I say evil because when you get to the cliffy at the end, you'll be convinced that the woman is fucking with you. She flawlessly and seamlessly weaves a twisted and dark tale that will leave you with more questions than answers but still leave you begging for more. If you haven't read the first book, DO NOT read my review as it will contain minor spoilers. I will keep it spoiler free for this book though.
First Debt takes off immediately where Debt Inheritance left off. Nila Weaver is given a choice; run and if she escapes then she's released from the Debt, but if she's caught she fully gives herself over to Jethro Hawk. Mind, body, and soul.
Pepper Winters manages to do the seemingly impossible in this book. She gives a naive and sheltered virgin a backbone of steel and she makes you BELIEVE it. She also humanizes a cold and brutal man and gives you a peak inside his cracked armor without ruining the effect of his control.
Both these characters are so deeply in my brain right now, I still can't stop thinking about them even a day after I finished. You really get to see both sides of the coin in their personalities. While Nila continues to develop more and more strength and truly come into her own, you also get glimpses of the vulnerable woman that has no control over her own fate. On the other hand you have a cold and ruthless Jethro, but then you get a glimpse of how he came to be the way he is and his...shall we say, motivation?
While book one was more of a build and set up for the story, this one really gives you an undercurrent of romance. Don't get me wrong, since it is a Pepper Winters book after all, it's certainly not sunshine and butterflies. No. But you do have a passion that so clearly burns between two people that couldn't be more dangerous to each other.
This author really knows how to build up a story that will keep you gripped to the pages from beginning to end. You'll be left with more questions with answers, but little by little you start getting more puzzle pieces...they're just not yet fitting together.
With the First Debt taking place you get to find out more about the Weaver/Hawke ancestor history that has all led to this. You get a pretty big chunk of it here, and yet there's obviously still plenty left to be answered.
You also really get that first semblance of the romance here. It may not be perfect but the foundation is being intricately laid out.
Prepare yourself for the mother of all cliffhangers too. If you thought it was bad before, you'll probably want to rip your hair out after this one. If I don't get the next book sometime soon, I'm pretty sure I'll cut a bitch LOL.
For more reviews visit
The only way I had a chance at surviving long enough to reap vengeance on the men who ruined my ancestors was to fight his ice with fire.
I had to burn.
I had to blaze.
I had to cinder his beliefs and control to the ground. And smear his soul with the ashes of his sins.
If you've read the first book and found yourself unsure about where this series is going, READ THIS BOOK. First Debt just goes to further prove the genius that is the evil mind of Pepper Winters. I say evil because when you get to the cliffy at the end, you'll be convinced that the woman is fucking with you. She flawlessly and seamlessly weaves a twisted and dark tale that will leave you with more questions than answers but still leave you begging for more. If you haven't read the first book, DO NOT read my review as it will contain minor spoilers. I will keep it spoiler free for this book though.
First Debt takes off immediately where Debt Inheritance left off. Nila Weaver is given a choice; run and if she escapes then she's released from the Debt, but if she's caught she fully gives herself over to Jethro Hawk. Mind, body, and soul.
Pepper Winters manages to do the seemingly impossible in this book. She gives a naive and sheltered virgin a backbone of steel and she makes you BELIEVE it. She also humanizes a cold and brutal man and gives you a peak inside his cracked armor without ruining the effect of his control.
Both these characters are so deeply in my brain right now, I still can't stop thinking about them even a day after I finished. You really get to see both sides of the coin in their personalities. While Nila continues to develop more and more strength and truly come into her own, you also get glimpses of the vulnerable woman that has no control over her own fate. On the other hand you have a cold and ruthless Jethro, but then you get a glimpse of how he came to be the way he is and his...shall we say, motivation?
While book one was more of a build and set up for the story, this one really gives you an undercurrent of romance. Don't get me wrong, since it is a Pepper Winters book after all, it's certainly not sunshine and butterflies. No. But you do have a passion that so clearly burns between two people that couldn't be more dangerous to each other.
"I don't kiss my enemies."
"You just fuck them?"
His mouth twitched into a roguish smile. "Only if they beg."
This author really knows how to build up a story that will keep you gripped to the pages from beginning to end. You'll be left with more questions with answers, but little by little you start getting more puzzle pieces...they're just not yet fitting together.
I shouted at her silently.
Cursed her wordlessly.
You feel me inside you?
You feel me claiming you?
You feel me destroying you?
You feel me around you?
You feel me undermining you?
You feel me making you care?
With the First Debt taking place you get to find out more about the Weaver/Hawke ancestor history that has all led to this. You get a pretty big chunk of it here, and yet there's obviously still plenty left to be answered.
You also really get that first semblance of the romance here. It may not be perfect but the foundation is being intricately laid out.
Prepare yourself for the mother of all cliffhangers too. If you thought it was bad before, you'll probably want to rip your hair out after this one. If I don't get the next book sometime soon, I'm pretty sure I'll cut a bitch LOL.
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November 13, 2014
Now live on Amazon!
4.5 stars!!
I was one of the readers who finished book 1 feeling shocked and a little angry with the (anti) hero Jethro Hawk. Though I never doubted that the author could redeem him in our eyes, there was a lot of work needed to be done before I could even forgive him, let alone like him. With this second book, the author has answered old questions, presented new ones, but most importantly, given us a reason to warm up to Jethro and both sympathize and admire Nila for her resiliency. Whether or not you were a fan of the first book, I can guarantee that reading this book will present these characters in a different light…and just maybe see Jethro set on a road towards redemption.
The story begins right where the first ended: Nila is on the run and Jethro is on the hunt. They play a dangerous game of clashing wits, neither one giving an inch. Despite her time in captivity, Nila is fiercely stubborn and proud, and her resolve to get out of this hellhole never wavers while facing pain and degradation. Yes, she’s physically attracted to Jethro – and only him – but her desire for freedom is stronger and throughout the book, I really did see her struggle between revenge and freedom vs. her growing feelings for Jethro. On the other end, the author gives us an inside look into Jethro’s mindset and we’re lead to believe that he’s not so cold-hearted and cruel after all. Stuck in a crazy family that harbors a deep hatred of another household, Jethro is coerced into acting like the prodigal son and buries the real him deep inside. No one but Nila has the power to force him to see that who he is now isn’t who he really is and meant to be, but their thoughts can’t be voiced with the eyes of his family members carefully scrutinizing each and every one of their moves.
Except for in lust. Filthy, wicked, and sinful lust. Unlike book 1 where sex was mainly perceived to be more ritualistic than intimate, sex in here is the only place where these characters’ vulnerability can be seen. Where weakness and compromise is allowed. Both Nila and Jethro are equals in lust.
But that creates a big problem: just how do they deal with their feelings for each other when they’re both smacked with problems: Jethro and his family, Nila and her freedom? This is where I think the author’s brilliant writing comes in, evoking tormenting and agonizing feelings because of the dichotomy presented. I really felt for both of these characters – especially Jethro – and their terrible situation.
Old questions like the reason behind the debt inheritance, Kite’s identity, etc... will all be answered but at the same time these answers lead to even more mystery that had me questioning what I knew already. When you read this book, please keep in mind that this is a series that’s dark first, romance second. It’s because of how twisty and messed up this entire situation is that makes any possible romance THAT much more precious.
First Debt is the 2nd installment in the Indebted serial and not a standalone. You must read Debt Inheritance first. The author has prefaced in all of these books that cliffhangers are to be expected and while it’ll leave you desperate for the next one, it’ll also be a satisfying reading experience as each of these books has a full beginning, middle, and end.
ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
4.5 stars!!
I was one of the readers who finished book 1 feeling shocked and a little angry with the (anti) hero Jethro Hawk. Though I never doubted that the author could redeem him in our eyes, there was a lot of work needed to be done before I could even forgive him, let alone like him. With this second book, the author has answered old questions, presented new ones, but most importantly, given us a reason to warm up to Jethro and both sympathize and admire Nila for her resiliency. Whether or not you were a fan of the first book, I can guarantee that reading this book will present these characters in a different light…and just maybe see Jethro set on a road towards redemption.
The story begins right where the first ended: Nila is on the run and Jethro is on the hunt. They play a dangerous game of clashing wits, neither one giving an inch. Despite her time in captivity, Nila is fiercely stubborn and proud, and her resolve to get out of this hellhole never wavers while facing pain and degradation. Yes, she’s physically attracted to Jethro – and only him – but her desire for freedom is stronger and throughout the book, I really did see her struggle between revenge and freedom vs. her growing feelings for Jethro. On the other end, the author gives us an inside look into Jethro’s mindset and we’re lead to believe that he’s not so cold-hearted and cruel after all. Stuck in a crazy family that harbors a deep hatred of another household, Jethro is coerced into acting like the prodigal son and buries the real him deep inside. No one but Nila has the power to force him to see that who he is now isn’t who he really is and meant to be, but their thoughts can’t be voiced with the eyes of his family members carefully scrutinizing each and every one of their moves.
Except for in lust. Filthy, wicked, and sinful lust. Unlike book 1 where sex was mainly perceived to be more ritualistic than intimate, sex in here is the only place where these characters’ vulnerability can be seen. Where weakness and compromise is allowed. Both Nila and Jethro are equals in lust.
But that creates a big problem: just how do they deal with their feelings for each other when they’re both smacked with problems: Jethro and his family, Nila and her freedom? This is where I think the author’s brilliant writing comes in, evoking tormenting and agonizing feelings because of the dichotomy presented. I really felt for both of these characters – especially Jethro – and their terrible situation.
Old questions like the reason behind the debt inheritance, Kite’s identity, etc... will all be answered but at the same time these answers lead to even more mystery that had me questioning what I knew already. When you read this book, please keep in mind that this is a series that’s dark first, romance second. It’s because of how twisty and messed up this entire situation is that makes any possible romance THAT much more precious.
First Debt is the 2nd installment in the Indebted serial and not a standalone. You must read Debt Inheritance first. The author has prefaced in all of these books that cliffhangers are to be expected and while it’ll leave you desperate for the next one, it’ll also be a satisfying reading experience as each of these books has a full beginning, middle, and end.
ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
November 11, 2014
5 Indebted Stars
Wow – what a ride! After the shock and awe of the first book, Debt Inheritance, the second book in this darkly mysterious series really gets the story flowing. In book one we were very much under starter’s orders with plenty of world building and the scene being set – now in Second Debt we’re rapidly galloping down the straight with plenty of hurdles to leap along the way.
This is how we ended the first book and how we begin the second – with Nila running for her life, her freedom and her sanity and Jethro chasing her down like the prey that she is. She’s not going to give up without a fight and is constantly battling to get one over on Jethro and often succeeds but she never really stood a chance and soon finds herself back in his clutches once more, albeit after gaining a minor victory of her own.
This is such a devilishly enigmatic series which is constantly playing with my mind and, no doubt, Nila’s. After her nightmarish introduction to the Brotherhood and all the degradation that it entailed, they now treat her like an honoured guest and are charming and friendly all the time knowing she has numerous ‘debts’ to repay and will ultimately pay with her head. It’s a curious juxtaposition between courteous gentlemen and deadly captors. No wonder the poor girl is more than a little lost and confused.
You’ve got to hand it to Nila – she’s definitely one of life’s copers. I think it’s safe to say that the poor girl was terrified and overwhelmed in Debt Inheritance but she definitely comes into her own in Second Debt. She’s not prepared to go down without a fight and she’s determined to take as many Hawks down with her as she possibly can. After her cossetted and stifling upbringing with her family, her current situation, however deadly it is, does offer some semblance of freedom and contentment, all barring the death sentence of course! She’s able to roam the mansion at will and can relax and do what she pleases. She constantly wars with Jethro for the upper hand and finds some chinks in his icy armour that she’s able to exploit.
Jethro was very much the fiercely stoic and demonic captor in Debt Inheritance with absolutely no redeeming features at all other than his handsome face and fit body. He’s the thief of Nila’s freedom, the instigator of her ultimate destruction but in Second Debt we get a far deeper insight to this man and find that not everything is as it first seems. He is as much a pawn in this deadly plan set in motion centuries before as Nila is – he’s still willing to carry out her sentence but we get to learn far more about how conflicted he is about all this. Not least about his overwhelming sexual attraction to her and the unexpected and fierce possessiveness he feels towards her.
This was such an incredibly compelling read that I absolutely devoured this in the space of 24 hours, such was my inability to put this down. I constantly found myself putting myself in Nila’s place and that’s not something many books inspire me to do anymore. Nila’s and Jethro’s connection is positively incendiary, like fire and ice, and neither of them has experienced anything like this before as the mysterious story peels back a few layers while still keeping plenty secret for the books to come. Nila has paid off the first brutal debt leaving her bleeding and in pain and this is supposed to be the most lenient punishment she has to endure – I fear for her when it comes to paying the second debt.
So much happens in this book – we get to know Jethro’s brothers much better, the mysterious Kite007 is finally unveiled and more is revealed about the Weaver’s apparent atrocities of the past. I find this so fascinating – how can this ‘debt’ transcend the centuries and the laws of the land and how can all parties be so willing to let it stand? I feel there is more to be revealed yet. This really does have the mysterious oppressive feeling of a gothic horror novel – set in an isolated sprawling mansion in the British countryside with the requisite stuffed kills adorning the walls and the dark ominous presence of Jethro, her lover and ultimately her executioner. What a truly original and thrilling series this is turning out to be. Steeped in mystery, eroticism and and intrigue, this really is Pepper Winters, Queen of the Darkness, at her finest. Absolutely can’t wait for Second Debt as this highly addictive story edges closer to it’s final destination.
Wow – what a ride! After the shock and awe of the first book, Debt Inheritance, the second book in this darkly mysterious series really gets the story flowing. In book one we were very much under starter’s orders with plenty of world building and the scene being set – now in Second Debt we’re rapidly galloping down the straight with plenty of hurdles to leap along the way.
He stepped from the sun’s glare, his teeth sparkling like diamonds. “Now…run.”
…
…
I ran.
This is how we ended the first book and how we begin the second – with Nila running for her life, her freedom and her sanity and Jethro chasing her down like the prey that she is. She’s not going to give up without a fight and is constantly battling to get one over on Jethro and often succeeds but she never really stood a chance and soon finds herself back in his clutches once more, albeit after gaining a minor victory of her own.
This is such a devilishly enigmatic series which is constantly playing with my mind and, no doubt, Nila’s. After her nightmarish introduction to the Brotherhood and all the degradation that it entailed, they now treat her like an honoured guest and are charming and friendly all the time knowing she has numerous ‘debts’ to repay and will ultimately pay with her head. It’s a curious juxtaposition between courteous gentlemen and deadly captors. No wonder the poor girl is more than a little lost and confused.
You’ve got to hand it to Nila – she’s definitely one of life’s copers. I think it’s safe to say that the poor girl was terrified and overwhelmed in Debt Inheritance but she definitely comes into her own in Second Debt. She’s not prepared to go down without a fight and she’s determined to take as many Hawks down with her as she possibly can. After her cossetted and stifling upbringing with her family, her current situation, however deadly it is, does offer some semblance of freedom and contentment, all barring the death sentence of course! She’s able to roam the mansion at will and can relax and do what she pleases. She constantly wars with Jethro for the upper hand and finds some chinks in his icy armour that she’s able to exploit.
Jethro was very much the fiercely stoic and demonic captor in Debt Inheritance with absolutely no redeeming features at all other than his handsome face and fit body. He’s the thief of Nila’s freedom, the instigator of her ultimate destruction but in Second Debt we get a far deeper insight to this man and find that not everything is as it first seems. He is as much a pawn in this deadly plan set in motion centuries before as Nila is – he’s still willing to carry out her sentence but we get to learn far more about how conflicted he is about all this. Not least about his overwhelming sexual attraction to her and the unexpected and fierce possessiveness he feels towards her.
This was such an incredibly compelling read that I absolutely devoured this in the space of 24 hours, such was my inability to put this down. I constantly found myself putting myself in Nila’s place and that’s not something many books inspire me to do anymore. Nila’s and Jethro’s connection is positively incendiary, like fire and ice, and neither of them has experienced anything like this before as the mysterious story peels back a few layers while still keeping plenty secret for the books to come. Nila has paid off the first brutal debt leaving her bleeding and in pain and this is supposed to be the most lenient punishment she has to endure – I fear for her when it comes to paying the second debt.
So much happens in this book – we get to know Jethro’s brothers much better, the mysterious Kite007 is finally unveiled and more is revealed about the Weaver’s apparent atrocities of the past. I find this so fascinating – how can this ‘debt’ transcend the centuries and the laws of the land and how can all parties be so willing to let it stand? I feel there is more to be revealed yet. This really does have the mysterious oppressive feeling of a gothic horror novel – set in an isolated sprawling mansion in the British countryside with the requisite stuffed kills adorning the walls and the dark ominous presence of Jethro, her lover and ultimately her executioner. What a truly original and thrilling series this is turning out to be. Steeped in mystery, eroticism and and intrigue, this really is Pepper Winters, Queen of the Darkness, at her finest. Absolutely can’t wait for Second Debt as this highly addictive story edges closer to it’s final destination.
March 21, 2016
5 "just kiss me" stars !!
i'm so in love with Jethro hawk don't get me wrong i still think he is an asshole but I am liking him more and more as the series moves along, I totally empathise with him and love seeing his genuine side sneak through when Nila is teasing him :D , but i feel like his soft side is going to be his undoing , i feel like his brother Kestrel is playing him and he should not be trusted ! and OMG kite007 is jethro ? whaaaaaat !!
it's time for payment . today is your first debt , Ms weaver . The debt inheritance has begun
i'm so in love with Jethro hawk don't get me wrong i still think he is an asshole but I am liking him more and more as the series moves along, I totally empathise with him and love seeing his genuine side sneak through when Nila is teasing him :D , but i feel like his soft side is going to be his undoing , i feel like his brother Kestrel is playing him and he should not be trusted ! and OMG kite007 is jethro ? whaaaaaat !!
“I’d been taught to be the master of my emotions. I prided myself on embracing all that he taught me. One little Weaver bitch would not undermine me. This was the way of our world.
My world.
Her world.
No matter how she bewitched me, no matter how she turned my body and willpower against me, I wouldn’t give in.
She’d learn that soon enough.”
June 25, 2020
4.5 Stars
Well, this second instalment grabbed a hold of my attention and didn't let go! The secrets are growing and my confusion is becoming more and more complete! I now need the answers,and like any great mind f@*k of a book, it is not giving them immediately;but at a slow pace to keep my enthrallment alive! I adore books like this, and even better my patience of waiting for most of the series to be done is paying off! There are cliffies at the end of each story, and I love the fact that I can keep going without having to wait!
The mental games between Jethro and Mila are becoming fascinating, and the sex between them is beyond intense! Whew! These sex scenes are some of the hottest I've ever read!!
I'm not going to say much about the story as it is important to experience it through your own eyes. This is a masterpiece though,and I'm not sure which direction it's going but I'm going to enjoy the ride!!!
Well, this second instalment grabbed a hold of my attention and didn't let go! The secrets are growing and my confusion is becoming more and more complete! I now need the answers,and like any great mind f@*k of a book, it is not giving them immediately;but at a slow pace to keep my enthrallment alive! I adore books like this, and even better my patience of waiting for most of the series to be done is paying off! There are cliffies at the end of each story, and I love the fact that I can keep going without having to wait!
The mental games between Jethro and Mila are becoming fascinating, and the sex between them is beyond intense! Whew! These sex scenes are some of the hottest I've ever read!!
I'm not going to say much about the story as it is important to experience it through your own eyes. This is a masterpiece though,and I'm not sure which direction it's going but I'm going to enjoy the ride!!!
February 10, 2017
4.5 STARS
“First Debt” is the second installment in the “Indebted” series by Pepper Winters.
Even if I still think the premise is partially plausible, I enjoyed this book, even more than the first one. Plausible or not, it's an interesting and unique premise.
“First Debt” is not as sick disturbing like the first book. It’s more intense and it’s more between Jethro and Nila. The story picks up right where the first book ends.
Nila is on the run. She runs for her life and for her freedom. Jethro hunts her, obviously wanting to catch his prey. He is eager to teach her a lesson. Both of them know who will win, but for Nila this game is not about winning, it’s about fight and survival. If the first book presented a terrified Nila, here Nila is determined to fight at all costs for what she wants, for what it’s right.
Jethro realize how much Nila wants her freedom and he knows she's ready to do anything for it. He is surprised by her actions. She intrigues him.
Nila wants not only to win, she also wants vengeance.
She's not the only one who wants to run.
Jethro was all his life his father's son. He knows his obligations as the firstborn son. He is the debtor and Nila is the debtee and he also knows she can’t be more...
Nila is the only one who brings to surface another face of Jethro.
If in the first book, Jethro seemed unredeemable, the author makes him more human in this book. We get to see a new Jethro, the real Jethro.
Both Nila and Jethro are struggling with their feelings. Nila wants to be free, but her feelings for her captor are growing every day. Jethro doesn’t know who he is anymore, especially since his captive continues to steal his power. Nila makes him question everything – who he is and what he feels. She sees him, the real Jethro and what he’s trying to hide. Jethro realizes how much Nila change him, but no one can ever know that if he wants to protect what they got.
None of them can’t deny their chemistry. When they are together intimately, everything disappears. When they are together, each one of them can be real.
Jethro wants to keep Nila, to protect her, but in order to do that he must keep her at arm’s length. They have to learn to deal with their feelings in order to survive. Both of them!
I must say I really liked the new Jethro. Jethro’s character is so well developed in this second book. If you dislike or even hate him in the first book, here, you will empathize with him. I really did! You will get to know him better, understand him and also understand his choices. Like I said before, he is more human in this installment. He is compassionate and even caring with Nila. I absolutely loved how possessive and jealous he is at some point. Needless to say, I really liked him in this book.
Nila is a great heroine. She is strong, even if she obviously has her fears. She is ready to fight and even do anything to be free. But she also is attracted to her enemy and this attraction can be dangerous. I truly felt for her. I liked her and I liked her a lot!
Both Jethro and Nila felt real to me and their relationship felt more intense than ever in this installment.
You will get some answers and you will find out what exactly means this “first debt”, but like me, I’m pretty sure in the end you will have other questions.
This series is really good, addictive and I can’t wait for the next installment.
Overall, a fantastic read!
“This was the ultimate test. The Debt Inheritance was more than history and payments — it was an important sequence of events that every firstborn Hawk had to complete in order to inherit his legacy.”
“First Debt” is the second installment in the “Indebted” series by Pepper Winters.
Even if I still think the premise is partially plausible, I enjoyed this book, even more than the first one. Plausible or not, it's an interesting and unique premise.
“First Debt” is not as sick disturbing like the first book. It’s more intense and it’s more between Jethro and Nila. The story picks up right where the first book ends.
Nila is on the run. She runs for her life and for her freedom. Jethro hunts her, obviously wanting to catch his prey. He is eager to teach her a lesson. Both of them know who will win, but for Nila this game is not about winning, it’s about fight and survival. If the first book presented a terrified Nila, here Nila is determined to fight at all costs for what she wants, for what it’s right.
Jethro realize how much Nila wants her freedom and he knows she's ready to do anything for it. He is surprised by her actions. She intrigues him.
“I had to burn. I had to blaze. I had to cinder his beliefs and control to the ground. And smear his soul with the ashes of his sins.”
Nila wants not only to win, she also wants vengeance.
She's not the only one who wants to run.
“Unlike my prey, I faced my demons and embraced them. I made them work for me, rather than control me, and forced them to submit by bowing at my fucking feet.”
Jethro was all his life his father's son. He knows his obligations as the firstborn son. He is the debtor and Nila is the debtee and he also knows she can’t be more...
Nila is the only one who brings to surface another face of Jethro.
If in the first book, Jethro seemed unredeemable, the author makes him more human in this book. We get to see a new Jethro, the real Jethro.
Both Nila and Jethro are struggling with their feelings. Nila wants to be free, but her feelings for her captor are growing every day. Jethro doesn’t know who he is anymore, especially since his captive continues to steal his power. Nila makes him question everything – who he is and what he feels. She sees him, the real Jethro and what he’s trying to hide. Jethro realizes how much Nila change him, but no one can ever know that if he wants to protect what they got.
“She owned me. Her laughable rage, her stupid sense of fairness. Somehow, she’d ensorcelled me.”
None of them can’t deny their chemistry. When they are together intimately, everything disappears. When they are together, each one of them can be real.
Jethro wants to keep Nila, to protect her, but in order to do that he must keep her at arm’s length. They have to learn to deal with their feelings in order to survive. Both of them!
I must say I really liked the new Jethro. Jethro’s character is so well developed in this second book. If you dislike or even hate him in the first book, here, you will empathize with him. I really did! You will get to know him better, understand him and also understand his choices. Like I said before, he is more human in this installment. He is compassionate and even caring with Nila. I absolutely loved how possessive and jealous he is at some point. Needless to say, I really liked him in this book.
Nila is a great heroine. She is strong, even if she obviously has her fears. She is ready to fight and even do anything to be free. But she also is attracted to her enemy and this attraction can be dangerous. I truly felt for her. I liked her and I liked her a lot!
Both Jethro and Nila felt real to me and their relationship felt more intense than ever in this installment.
You will get some answers and you will find out what exactly means this “first debt”, but like me, I’m pretty sure in the end you will have other questions.
This series is really good, addictive and I can’t wait for the next installment.
Overall, a fantastic read!
“We were both chained to a future we didn’t want, and there was no way out—for either of us.”
May 9, 2018
1st read: 15th April, 2015
2nd read: 9th May, 2018
And still it's so fucking good! ;)
---------------------
“I wouldn’t just kiss you. I would hold your cheeks and worship your mouth. I would devour your lips and make drunken love to your tongue. I would fucking inhale you, so you would live forever in my lungs...”
Oh my sweet God!!! That end. Shit shit shit!!!! :D
Update: This series will be an audio books soon and here's the amazing kiss scene from the book... :)
Ps. If you haven't read this series yet pls do not listen this teaser. It may contains spoiler for you and again if you haven't read this series YET you should start to read them asap! Cause they're all are amazing... :)
https://soundcloud.com/will-m-watt/fi...
Ps. I listened this teaser 5 times and I just can't get enough. This is sooooo hot!!!:-D
---------------------
“I wouldn’t just kiss you. I would hold your cheeks and worship your mouth. I would devour your lips and make drunken love to your tongue. I would fucking inhale you, so you would live forever in my lungs...”
“You’ve destroyed me, Nila. And now it’s my job to make sure they don’t destroy you, too.”
“Kiss me"
“You’re a fucking nightmare.”
“Kiss me.”
“You’re ruining my life.”
“Kiss me, Jethro. Kiss me.”
“You feel me inside you?
You feel me claiming you?
You feel me destroying you?
You feel me around you?
You feel me undermining you?
You feel me making you care?"
2nd read: 9th May, 2018
And still it's so fucking good! ;)
---------------------
“I wouldn’t just kiss you. I would hold your cheeks and worship your mouth. I would devour your lips and make drunken love to your tongue. I would fucking inhale you, so you would live forever in my lungs...”
Oh my sweet God!!! That end. Shit shit shit!!!! :D
Update: This series will be an audio books soon and here's the amazing kiss scene from the book... :)
Ps. If you haven't read this series yet pls do not listen this teaser. It may contains spoiler for you and again if you haven't read this series YET you should start to read them asap! Cause they're all are amazing... :)
https://soundcloud.com/will-m-watt/fi...
Ps. I listened this teaser 5 times and I just can't get enough. This is sooooo hot!!!:-D
---------------------
“I wouldn’t just kiss you. I would hold your cheeks and worship your mouth. I would devour your lips and make drunken love to your tongue. I would fucking inhale you, so you would live forever in my lungs...”
“You’ve destroyed me, Nila. And now it’s my job to make sure they don’t destroy you, too.”
“Kiss me"
“You’re a fucking nightmare.”
“Kiss me.”
“You’re ruining my life.”
“Kiss me, Jethro. Kiss me.”
“You feel me inside you?
You feel me claiming you?
You feel me destroying you?
You feel me around you?
You feel me undermining you?
You feel me making you care?"
November 16, 2014
4.5 HAWK STARS! ★★★★☆
♥ Buddy Read with my awesome bestie Penelope! ♥
"This wasn't about the chase. We all knew who would win. It was about defiance."
After being let down by my previous highly anticipated read, naturally I was wary about picking up another sequel by one of my favorite authors. And thank heavens Pepper Winters did not disappoint at all. After Book 1 that left many readers in shock with Jethro's downright stone-cold demeanour, this one definitely shine a whole new light on him and will have you begging for more Jethro by the end of it.
First Debt picks up right after the end of Book 1 where we have Nila running for her freedom as Jethro begins his hunt for her. In an almost dramatic manner where Jethro hunts her down on his horse, an attempt to escape proves to be a futile one on Nila's part (and not to mention some Hunger Games imagery when Nila starts climbing a tree LOL). These two certainly had each other at their throats as neither one would back down and further fueled with lust, there was no denying their attraction for each other.
Jethro's character definitely took a turn in this book as we got to tap deeper into his psyche and getting glimpses behind those cold walls. Although I was a little thrown off with the change in Jethro almost taking effect from the first chapter itself, what I appreciated was the author still allowed us to see the struggles Jethro constantly faced with his actions towards Nila. That for me, felt realistic as I didn't feel that the author drastically changed Jethro just because he was such a cold-hearted bastard in the first book. Which by the way, he's still pretty much one in this one and that pleases me.
The only person who could possibly be close enough to burn those cold walls down is Nila who constantly challenges him and pushes him to the brink of allowing his real self to surface.
What I felt was truly compelling about this read was the power play between Jethro and Nila. What started out as Jethro seizing full control over Nila, the author certainly had the tables turning in this instalment. You'll be wondering who's the hunter and prey now as Nila plays a dangerous game, knowing where to push Jethro's buttons. Neither one is willing to relinquish control and that really brought out an explosive dynamic between these two that is equally agonizing and sizzling to watch.
Also, the constant appearance of Kestrel who's the polar opposite of Jethro didn't really do much for me because I've always been on #teamjethro (I'm all for the bad guys, good guys kinda bore me LOL). But I'm all for it if it's gonna fan some fire of jealousy in that ice-cold Jethro.
With this one shedding light on some unanswered questions from the prior book and presenting new ones, this book surely gripped me from the get-go and I simply couldn't put it down. Ms. Pepper continues to dish out her brilliant yet twisted writing that leaves me begging for more.
And as for the reveal of Kite's identity, this one definitely proves to be a game-changer move and I absolutely cannot wait to see where the series will take us now.
First Debt is part of the Indebted series and cannot be read as a standalone.
♥ Buddy Read with my awesome bestie Penelope! ♥
"This wasn't about the chase. We all knew who would win. It was about defiance."
After being let down by my previous highly anticipated read, naturally I was wary about picking up another sequel by one of my favorite authors. And thank heavens Pepper Winters did not disappoint at all. After Book 1 that left many readers in shock with Jethro's downright stone-cold demeanour, this one definitely shine a whole new light on him and will have you begging for more Jethro by the end of it.
First Debt picks up right after the end of Book 1 where we have Nila running for her freedom as Jethro begins his hunt for her. In an almost dramatic manner where Jethro hunts her down on his horse, an attempt to escape proves to be a futile one on Nila's part (and not to mention some Hunger Games imagery when Nila starts climbing a tree LOL). These two certainly had each other at their throats as neither one would back down and further fueled with lust, there was no denying their attraction for each other.
Jethro's character definitely took a turn in this book as we got to tap deeper into his psyche and getting glimpses behind those cold walls. Although I was a little thrown off with the change in Jethro almost taking effect from the first chapter itself, what I appreciated was the author still allowed us to see the struggles Jethro constantly faced with his actions towards Nila. That for me, felt realistic as I didn't feel that the author drastically changed Jethro just because he was such a cold-hearted bastard in the first book. Which by the way, he's still pretty much one in this one and that pleases me.
"There was no way any other man could ever compete with the elegant chillness of Jethro. He was exactly like the iceberg he favoured, only in different lights, more truth shone. Some bright and light and binding, others black and deep and terrifying."
The only person who could possibly be close enough to burn those cold walls down is Nila who constantly challenges him and pushes him to the brink of allowing his real self to surface.
"I see you, Jethro Hawk. I see what you're trying to hide, so don't delude yourself into thinking I buy your hypocritical bullshit."
What I felt was truly compelling about this read was the power play between Jethro and Nila. What started out as Jethro seizing full control over Nila, the author certainly had the tables turning in this instalment. You'll be wondering who's the hunter and prey now as Nila plays a dangerous game, knowing where to push Jethro's buttons. Neither one is willing to relinquish control and that really brought out an explosive dynamic between these two that is equally agonizing and sizzling to watch.
"We're on even ground. Orgasm for an orgasm. Don't think it gives you power, because it doesn't."
Also, the constant appearance of Kestrel who's the polar opposite of Jethro didn't really do much for me because I've always been on #teamjethro (I'm all for the bad guys, good guys kinda bore me LOL). But I'm all for it if it's gonna fan some fire of jealousy in that ice-cold Jethro.
With this one shedding light on some unanswered questions from the prior book and presenting new ones, this book surely gripped me from the get-go and I simply couldn't put it down. Ms. Pepper continues to dish out her brilliant yet twisted writing that leaves me begging for more.
And as for the reveal of Kite's identity, this one definitely proves to be a game-changer move and I absolutely cannot wait to see where the series will take us now.
First Debt is part of the Indebted series and cannot be read as a standalone.
December 27, 2014
Picking up where the first book left off, 'First Debt' continues in the same addicting, suspenseful manner that is Ms. Winters' hallmark. I was so engrossed in this second installment of the series that I kept reading straight through until the early morning hours, when I finally lost the battle to sheer exhaustion and fell asleep with my iPad on my chest and glasses still on. When I woke up after a few hours of sleep, I picked up where I left off, not willing to leave my bed or brush my teeth until I had finished this book. It's that great!
I was captivated, watching Nila's transformation in this book from a damsel in distress to a force to be reckoned with. She is not the timid wallflower waiting to be rescued that we met in the first book. This kitten has grown some claws and is giving Jethro as good as she gets. I'm loving this ferocious, strong, and resilient side of Nila.
Jethro also seems to be transforming before our eyes. He's still cold and at times cruel, but this installment reveals a more human side to him. Like in the first book, you'll still hate him at times, but now you'll love him too. Nila has really cracked his steely exterior, allowing glimpses of Jethro's inner turmoil.
Where the first installment left me feeling sexually frustrated, in book 2 Ms. Winters delivers for readers in a big way! Finally giving in to their desire, Nila and Jethro go at it like bunnies on crack! They have some of the best angry-sex I've ever read. Two words: PANTY MELTING!
A few big revelations, like Kite's true identity, the first debt "payment" and Nila's developing friendship with Kes, drew me even deeper into this twisted story of revenge. Oh, and the steamy sex! Did I mention that already?
I have to admit, I have a hard time envisioning bad-ass English bikers that live in a mansion and dress and act like aristocrats. Biker gangs and polo matches don't mix in my mind. That is hard for me to reconcile in my little head. It doesn't detract from the story in my opinion, just makes me smile. Hell, if Ms. Winters wrote about men wearing pink Easter Bunny costumes and picking wild flowers, they'd probably be real bad-asses! That's talent!
So, I'll be anxiously awaiting the next installment. I can't wait to see where this story is going next! I'm completely hooked!
I was captivated, watching Nila's transformation in this book from a damsel in distress to a force to be reckoned with. She is not the timid wallflower waiting to be rescued that we met in the first book. This kitten has grown some claws and is giving Jethro as good as she gets. I'm loving this ferocious, strong, and resilient side of Nila.
Jethro also seems to be transforming before our eyes. He's still cold and at times cruel, but this installment reveals a more human side to him. Like in the first book, you'll still hate him at times, but now you'll love him too. Nila has really cracked his steely exterior, allowing glimpses of Jethro's inner turmoil.
Where the first installment left me feeling sexually frustrated, in book 2 Ms. Winters delivers for readers in a big way! Finally giving in to their desire, Nila and Jethro go at it like bunnies on crack! They have some of the best angry-sex I've ever read. Two words: PANTY MELTING!
A few big revelations, like Kite's true identity, the first debt "payment" and Nila's developing friendship with Kes, drew me even deeper into this twisted story of revenge. Oh, and the steamy sex! Did I mention that already?
I have to admit, I have a hard time envisioning bad-ass English bikers that live in a mansion and dress and act like aristocrats. Biker gangs and polo matches don't mix in my mind. That is hard for me to reconcile in my little head. It doesn't detract from the story in my opinion, just makes me smile. Hell, if Ms. Winters wrote about men wearing pink Easter Bunny costumes and picking wild flowers, they'd probably be real bad-asses! That's talent!
So, I'll be anxiously awaiting the next installment. I can't wait to see where this story is going next! I'm completely hooked!
Want to read
October 3, 2014
The next morning I was showered, dressed in a black maxi dress with a sequined orchid on the chest, and purple ballet slippers, before the sun was properly awake.
I sat prim and ready on the end of my neatly made bed.
Waiting.
He didn’t disappoint.
At precisely seven a.m., my door swung open revealing my nemesis dressed in black jeans and grey t-shirt. Seriously, didn’t he own any other colours?
He stopped short, frowning at my demure obedience.
I waved. “Morning, master, is it time for my walk? I’ve been waiting here like the good girl, anticipating my daily exercise.”
I knew I played with fire—or ice as the case might be—but I really didn’t give a damn.
Last night had broken something inside me and I’d yet to find whatever it was to try and fix it.
Standing, I crossed to him.
His nostrils flared, golden eyes delving deep into mine. “I thought you’d be hiding under your bed after your debacle yesterday.”
I shrugged. “Everyone has a limit and I crossed mine in your office.” I smiled softly, thinking of my replies to Kite and my father. I was prepared to unplug Jethro, just like I’d unplugged my phone. I hadn’t touched it since—it was still in pieces in the drawer. For now, I didn’t care about the outside world, or even Kite’s reply.
I didn’t care.
It was liberating.
My fingertips landed on his chest, dipping coyly to his belt. His eyes flared but he held his ground. “Then I crossed another limit and I feel surprisingly…calm.”
A limit where I’d stopped fretting of over the future. A limit where I was just as volatile and as unhinged as they were.
“I can’t keep up with you.” His voice was dark with a trace of anger. He cocked his head, his salt-and-pepper hair catching the morning sun glinting through the window. “You’ve surprised me again, Ms. Weaver, and once again I don’t like it.” He leaned forward, his lips so close to mine. “I’m beginning to wonder if everything I know about you is a lie.”
I stood my ground. “You don’t know a thing about me.”
He chuckled. “We Hawks have our ways. I know more than you think.”
His cryptic comment didn’t derail me. I stared harder, trying to understand just how much he knew. But it was pointless—like staring into a black lake with no reflection other than myself.
“Come. It’s time for Gemstone and breakfast.” He smiled coldly. “I have no doubt you’ll be starving after your…what was that last night? Would you prefer the word breakdown or hysterics?”
I straightened my shoulders. “Neither.”
“You have to pick one.”
“No, I don’t. If you want me to define it, I’ll call it my way of saying goodbye.”
He jerked. “Goodbye?” His knuckles went white as his hands clenched into fists. “To who?”
My eyes tightened, trying to read him. He played the perfect part. “To my past, to who I used to be, to a friend called Kite.”
The reaction was subtle.
The small intake of breath. The slight whitening of his face. The indiscernible flinch of his muscles.
Then it was gone, hidden beneath the snowy exterior he held so well. “Ah yes, the James Bond idiot, 007.” Moving quickly, he grabbed my elbow, dragging me toward the door. “Well, I’m glad you said your goodbyes. Nothing worse than dying with unfinished business.” His smile sent gale-force winds howling through my suddenly torn open chest.
I slammed on my breaks. “You can’t help yourself can you?”
He paused, forehead furrowed.
“You just have to be so damn cruel.”
He sighed dramatically, backing me away from the door and toward the centre of the room again. “I’m not cruel.”
I laughed. “Says the heartless human who probably doesn’t have a reflection when he stares in the mirror.”
He took another threatening step. I took one, too. Backing away from him—waltzing slowly around the room—hunter and prey.
“You’re saying I’m soulless?”
I nodded. “Completely soulless.”
He smirked. “Okay, try me. Ask me to do something. Make me prove to you that I have a soul.”
I frowned. “Like what?”
He took another step, pressing me closer to the bed. The anger throbbing around him switched to sexual INTEREST. My breathing picked up as his golden eyes darkened. “You’re the one who needs proof, Ms. Weaver. You make the choice.”
What could I make him do?
What would prove he had a heart and my resolution to seduce him would actually work?
I know.
I stopped retreating, locking my knees to stop myself from losing confidence and running. “I have something. A test. It will prove you’re not the monster I think you are.”
He came closer, a slow smile spreading his lips. “Go on.”
I balled my hands and took a deep breath. The precipice opened wide. I took a leap of faith and leapt. “Kiss me.”
The oxygen in the room disappeared. My heart erupted into flurries.
Jethro froze. “Excuse me?”
Standing tall, I said, “You’ve come so close to kissing me. By the stables, in the forest, just now by the door. Each time you get close you pull away. I want to know why.”
Jethro’s hands clenched by his sides. “And you think a stupid kiss will prove what?”
I narrowed my eyes. “That you’re not as cold as you think you are. That you do care—care enough to be affected by kissing your arch enemy.”
Jethro laughed, but it was laced with uncertainty and…was that fear?
“I’m not kissing you to prove such a ridiculous point.”
I splayed my hands, mocking him subtlety. “You said you’d do anything I asked.”
He chuckled softly. “I said something worthwhile.”
“Kissing me isn’t worthwhile?”
His eyes latched onto mine. A second ticked past. Another.
Then he lost his icy shell. “What the fuck do you want from me, Nila?”
My heart stopped.
Nila.
He’d called me Nila.
His eyes widened, noticing his slip, then furious temper etched his face. He stormed forward, threading his fingers around my throat. The smooth edges of his control were now jagged with temper.
I backed up until the bed stopped my escape, Jethro followed, his fingers tightening around my neck. “Tell me, goddammit. What the hell are you trying to do?”
My heart hurt at the unreadable expression in his gaze. He hid himself so well. The brief flashes of truth I’d gleaned didn’t add up. I was fishing for something that didn’t exist.
My eyes were heavy with tears. I shook my head. “I just want….”
There was no point to this argument. None.
“I need….”
To know you are capable of caring, just a little.
To want me, just a little.
To find something inside me that prevents you from killing me.
It was like wishing for a Pegasus to fly in and whisk me away. I wouldn’t get anything I wished for. Whatever I felt for Jethro was misplaced, ill-advised, and false. He didn’t have a caring bone in his body. I’d seen him hunt me. I’d seen his cold enjoyment of talking about taking my life.
He breathed hard, his scent of woods and leather surrounding me.
My hands flew up to hold his, trying to pry his fingers away. “Just…forget it. Let me go. Forget I was stupid enough to say anything.”
Jethro dropped his hands, pacing away. “Forget it? You’re the one bringing it up. You’re the one ruining the agreement between us.”
“What agreement?”
“The debts, Ms. Weaver! That’s all we’re meant to do. I don’t care about your wellbeing or emotional satisfaction. You had to ruin a straight forward obligation by trying to fucking kiss me in that coffee shop!”
My head shot up. Jethro was close to losing it. His pure way of speaking became littered with curses—the only sign of his temper WINNING over his artic control.
“I tried to kiss you that night because for the first time in my life my father gave me freedom. Can I help it I found you attractive?”
The atmosphere changed again, shedding its coldness for heat and heaviness.
“You found me attractive?”
God, he was so obtuse.
I couldn’t stop the laugh bubbling from my mouth. “Do you think I would’ve writhed on someone else’s fingers the way I did yours? I’m sexually starving but I’m not so desperate to allow someone to touch me that way who I don’t want!”
I clamped a hand over my mouth. Shit. I hadn’t meant to say I wanted him. That was a lie I was hiding even from myself. Sex with Jethro was supposed to be a weapon. Not something I wished he’d give me.
Jethro prowled toward me, pinning me against the four poster. His body heat sparked so hot and dangerously close to mine. His hands opened and closed at his side. So close. So temptingly close.
“This is getting INTERESTING, Ms. Weaver. You mean to tell me you want my cock? You want me to…fuck you?”
My stomach twisted. Wetness built in my core as the argument switched from exposing his weakness to exposing mine.
I bit my lip, refusing to answer.
He smirked, his eyes dropping to my mouth. His lips parted as his breathing turned heavy and ragged. “Tell me what you want from me. You have my undivided attention.”
All the frustration from dealing with Kite came back. The need. The sexual burn. The endless torture of living with a man who meant to kill me. A man my body wanted more than anything.
I embraced the heat of anger, glaring into Jethro’s golden eyes.
Don’t do this.
You’ll get hurt. Terribly hurt.
I couldn’t stop myself.
“I told you what I want. Kiss me.” My arms swooped up, looping around his neck.
He reared back, breaking my hold. His chest rose and fell as he breathed hard. His eyes were almost black with need. Need I was sure reflected in mine. “Kiss you?” He laughed. “Why would I kiss you? A kiss is emotion. A kiss is a weakness.” Placing his hands on either side of me holding onto the four poster, he murmured, “A kiss is not something you’ll get from me, Ms. Weaver.”
I pressed forward breaking his hold and stalking him for a change. “A kiss is nothing. What are you so afraid of?”
What am I doing?
What were we doing?
Rules were being broken in this very moment.
Consequences would come. Pain would be endured. But in that moment, I didn’t care.
All I cared about was Jethro’s lips on mine.
He dogged my grasp, then forced himself to stand tall and unmovable. I pressed myself against him, looking up into his golden eyes. His lips were so close. My heart fluttered like a dying hummingbird, my stomach twisted. So…close.
I couldn’t speak.
Jethro didn’t move back, he stood there, his hips flush against mine, his hands came up on their own accord, grabbing my waist, holding me in place.
We didn’t speak, only breathed—hard and fast, knowing how dangerous this whole fight was.
“Stop. Stop playing me. What did you hope to achieve? That I’d kiss you? Fuck you? Came to care for you? That I’d fall in love with you.” His voice dropped to whisper. “That I wouldn’t kill you?” He shook his head. “You’re still as clueless and naïve as the day I stole you.”
“Prove it.”
His nostrils flared. “I will not.”
Cocking my chin, I anchored myself in as much courage as possible. A horrible wave of vertigo threatened to steal my posture. I was so close to getting what I wanted there was no way I would let my idiotic brain topple me over.
“Prove it, Jethro. Prove how cold you are by giving me something I desperately need.”
I need to see there is hope. Just a small shred of hope.
“What makes you think I can be manipulated? I don’t care about your needs or desires.”
“Liar,” I whispered. “You do care. Otherwise you wouldn’t still be here. You wouldn’t be fighting this.” I rested my hands on his chest, digging my fingernails into his t-shirt. “You would’ve struck me and left if you were anything like you portray.”
I stood on my tiptoes, reaching for his mouth. “I told you, you’re a hypocrite,” I breathed.
He paused, calculation dark in his eyes. “One kiss?”
I nodded. “One kiss.”
Jethro’s control broke. ���Just one fucking kiss? Don’t you know what you’re asking from me? I don’t want to fucking kiss you!”
My heart broke. Was I so repulsive he didn’t want his lips anywhere on mine?
I withered in his gaze, falling back to my position of Weaver Whore. But then, I stopped. This was the only time I might get him this close. It might be my only hope. Glaring into his eyes, I snarled,” Kiss me. Give me one fracture of human company and I’ll never say another word to you again. I’ll be whatever you want. Just kiss me!”
His eyes went wide. “You’re an idiot.”
“So you keep telling me.”
“You’re wasting your time.”
“So you keep telling me.”
“I don’t want to kiss you.”
I lashed out. My arm came up. I opened my palm. And I slapped the self-righteous egotistical arsehole on the cheek.
The moment went from lust-heavy to stagnant with violence. We stared, breathing hard.
He growled, “You’re a fucking nightmare.”
“Kiss me.”
“You’re ruining my life.”
“Kiss me.”
“You’re—”
“Kiss me, Jethro. Kiss me. Just fucking kiss me and give me—”
His body crashed against mine. His hands flew up from my waist, grabbing my cheeks and holding me firm. His lips, oh his lips, they bruised mine as his head titled and with pure anger he gave me what I’d wanted for days.
My lungs were empty, he’d stolen all my air, but I no longer survived on oxygen. I survived on his lips, his taste, his unbridled energy pouring down my throat.
His tongue tore past my lips, taking me savage and hungry. There was nothing sweet or gentle. This was a punishment. This kiss was a reminder that I hadn’t won. He wasn’t kissing me. He was fighting me in every underhanded way.
His hands dropped from my cheeks, cupping my breasts. The violence in his touch bruised instantly. I arched my back, opening my mouth wider to scream, but he swallowed my cries, kissing me deeper, harder, stealing every inch of sanity I had left.
I thought a kiss would put me on even ground—show him that he did care. That he was human—just like me. I hadn’t gambled on being detonated into a billion tiny pieces that had no notion of who I’d been before he’d stolen my soul.
He backed me up, faster and faster to the bed. His breath saturated my lungs. His touch skated from my cheeks, to my breasts, to my waist, to my arse. Jerking me hard against the huge length of arousal in his jeans.
The bed stopped our motion, tumbling us onto the sheets, but nothing, absolutely nothing, could unweld our lips.
We were JOINED, kissing, frantic, desperate.
He groaned as I tugged at his t-shirt, needing it off—needing to feel his skin against mine, but there was no way I wanted to stop kissing him.
He was blood and fire and heat.
So different to the glacier he pretended to be.
Amazing teaser..
May 16, 2015
Nila weaver the Darling of Milan, doted daughter, sister and seamstress is now held prisoner in the house of hawks to pay the debts, an unavoidable curse laid upon the Weavers for the mistakes done by her forefathers. Now since she’s introduced to Debt inheritance and the cruel way in which the debts were extracted, she is determined to be the last weaver to suffer at the hands of hawks and the only way to attain that is to capture a Hawk.
Jethro Hawk has never let his guard down, he has done everything to become the perfect Hawk and the responsible first born so as to achieve the one goal, to inherit the vast property and change the course of his life. In order to do that he has to become what is expected from him, the debtee and his role is to break the Weaver woman Nila, and make her pay for her family's debts. Every snow has to melt during summer and Jethro sees his cold heart thawing when he’s around Nila.
Seriously didn’t expect such turn of events! It was an absolute delightful in making of the most controversial characters and story which you wouldn’t see coming. Only Pepper Winters could write such outstanding characters, whom you want to slap one minute and kiss their wounded heart the next. Don’t get me started with her writing! She has some crazy way to capture you with her words.
What? You don’t believe me! Well, I have read tons of books which has elephant size sexual tension built between the MC’s, but what Mrs Winters created here between Nila and Jet was fucking blue whale size sexual tension!!
This particular kiss was OMFG HOWT!! Just the way she was begging him… damn!! I too would have kissed her *grins*
Onto the next book...(Which I hear has a major Cliffy! Bless my sensitive heart!!)
Jethro Hawk has never let his guard down, he has done everything to become the perfect Hawk and the responsible first born so as to achieve the one goal, to inherit the vast property and change the course of his life. In order to do that he has to become what is expected from him, the debtee and his role is to break the Weaver woman Nila, and make her pay for her family's debts. Every snow has to melt during summer and Jethro sees his cold heart thawing when he’s around Nila.
“Nila is my undoing.”Will he divert from his goal or Is he going to be a pawn in this game of power, where their future is been decided and all that left is how well they play to end it all!
Seriously didn’t expect such turn of events! It was an absolute delightful in making of the most controversial characters and story which you wouldn’t see coming. Only Pepper Winters could write such outstanding characters, whom you want to slap one minute and kiss their wounded heart the next. Don’t get me started with her writing! She has some crazy way to capture you with her words.
What? You don’t believe me! Well, I have read tons of books which has elephant size sexual tension built between the MC’s, but what Mrs Winters created here between Nila and Jet was fucking blue whale size sexual tension!!
This particular kiss was OMFG HOWT!! Just the way she was begging him… damn!! I too would have kissed her *grins*
Onto the next book...(Which I hear has a major Cliffy! Bless my sensitive heart!!)
February 4, 2016
2/4/16 Gahhhh!! I forgot how awesome this was!!!! Headed right into book 3!
2/3/16 Doing a quick re-read of this one so I can finish the series since all are out now. I don't remember a whole lot of what happened in this one so I need a refresher!
Soooooooooooooooooooooo good.. so so good. Was going to move right on to book 3.. but I think I am to wait until maybe book 4 and 5 are out..or at least until 4 is out.
2/3/16 Doing a quick re-read of this one so I can finish the series since all are out now. I don't remember a whole lot of what happened in this one so I need a refresher!
Soooooooooooooooooooooo good.. so so good. Was going to move right on to book 3.. but I think I am to wait until maybe book 4 and 5 are out..or at least until 4 is out.
August 16, 2015
5 bat-shit crazy STARS
Yeah. Good luck with that one stud. You're a glutton for punishment if you actually think Ms. Winters doesn't have other plans for you. Just hold on tight and pray for mercy...that's what we do every time we open one of her books. Just sayin'.
A new Indebted book and I'm chronically late reading it. I have no clue why, because I love her unusual anti-heroes like nothing else and yet I need ages to pick them up. Here is another New Year's resolution...read Pepper Winters books as soon as they drop! :D
Ok, let's do this.
We start right where Debt Inheritance left off.
Nila is on the run! With Jethro is in hot pursuit.
Of course with a little help from half a docent foxhounds and a horse. No one said this was going to be a fair chase after all. But Nila continues to be a surprise for him. She is strong willed and tougher than he would have ever imagined. It’s not without trouble that he finds her and the real problems are only just starting to emerge.
It follows a ruthless mind-game and basically a battle of wills. The good stuff.
Jethro, oh dear Jethro!
That boy is in so much trouble and it is beautiful to see it all unravel. I have to say his little Jekyll and Hyde thing he has going in his head is amusing to say the least.
One second he is the cold hearted arsehole we love to hate and the next he shows almost human like tendencies. What gives? Not complaining, mind you. But the cracks he is showing might be a bit premature. I would have loved a smoother transition, to be honest. But I did love seeing his role in the family, his troubles and reasons. That made it all more plausible and easier to stomach, I guess.
But all in all a really interesting character and that first debt he collected? I don't know, but if that was the easy one? Oh boy!
Nila bad-ass Weaver
Where did you hide those balls all these years? I'm so glad you finally use them. Rock on girlfriend!
Nila grows stronger and more focused by the minute and that's saying something. Most people would crack under these circumstances, but for some reason this woman is a fast learner and can adjust like nothing I've seen before.
But despite all that is happening I have a feeling like they evened out the playing field and it just makes playing games so much more entertaining, doesn’t it?
What else can I say about this book? First and foremost, I loved a lot more than the last one. Especially Nila seems a lot more grounded and less all over the place. We get to see who she is, who she becomes and I love to see the fight in her.
Jethro on the other hand has this rather fast change of heart. The pure evil we loved to hate in the first instalment seems to have taken flight...puff and gone...
But regardless this book kept my pulse up and not necessarily because bad shit happened, but because I was afraid of what might happen. There is this constant undercurrent of danger lurking and it's rather amazing to see such skill in an author, but on the other hand I was scared as hell. Oh my poor nerves...
First Debt is not a book for casual reading or even skimming through. Every other sentence could be quoted. Seriously, you don't even want to see all the passages I highlighted. And I felt like paying extra attention because I was afraid of missing something important.
Also, the ending...HOLY SHIT! I screamed like a little girl and I'm still a little giddy. I love this shit! And yes, I swear a lot. Sorry, not sorry. ;P
**Off topic: one of my New Year's resolutions is working...I'm taking notes. Can you tell? ;D
“I’d been taught to be the master of my emotions. I prided myself on embracing all that he taught me. One little Weaver bitch would not undermine me. This was the way of our world.
My world.
Her world.
No matter how she bewitched me, no matter how she turned my body and willpower against me, I wouldn’t give in.
She’d learn that soon enough.”
Yeah. Good luck with that one stud. You're a glutton for punishment if you actually think Ms. Winters doesn't have other plans for you. Just hold on tight and pray for mercy...that's what we do every time we open one of her books. Just sayin'.
A new Indebted book and I'm chronically late reading it. I have no clue why, because I love her unusual anti-heroes like nothing else and yet I need ages to pick them up. Here is another New Year's resolution...read Pepper Winters books as soon as they drop! :D
Ok, let's do this.
We start right where Debt Inheritance left off.
Nila is on the run! With Jethro is in hot pursuit.
Of course with a little help from half a docent foxhounds and a horse. No one said this was going to be a fair chase after all. But Nila continues to be a surprise for him. She is strong willed and tougher than he would have ever imagined. It’s not without trouble that he finds her and the real problems are only just starting to emerge.
“This wasn't about the chase. We all knew who would win. It was about defiance. The word that I never knew or put into practice until last night, but now I lived and breathed it. I would be the most defiant thorn, stabbing holes in Jethro's carefully made plans.”
It follows a ruthless mind-game and basically a battle of wills. The good stuff.
“He claimed he was cold-hearted and impervious. He lied.
I'll show him. I'll prove he's as ill-equipped to play this charade as I am.”
Jethro, oh dear Jethro!
That boy is in so much trouble and it is beautiful to see it all unravel. I have to say his little Jekyll and Hyde thing he has going in his head is amusing to say the least.
One second he is the cold hearted arsehole we love to hate and the next he shows almost human like tendencies. What gives? Not complaining, mind you. But the cracks he is showing might be a bit premature. I would have loved a smoother transition, to be honest. But I did love seeing his role in the family, his troubles and reasons. That made it all more plausible and easier to stomach, I guess.
But all in all a really interesting character and that first debt he collected? I don't know, but if that was the easy one? Oh boy!
Nila bad-ass Weaver
Where did you hide those balls all these years? I'm so glad you finally use them. Rock on girlfriend!
Nila grows stronger and more focused by the minute and that's saying something. Most people would crack under these circumstances, but for some reason this woman is a fast learner and can adjust like nothing I've seen before.
But despite all that is happening I have a feeling like they evened out the playing field and it just makes playing games so much more entertaining, doesn’t it?
“We would keep on ruining each other.
We would keep on desecrating debts and vows.
And we would keep on fucking up our future until nothing but horror remained.”
What else can I say about this book? First and foremost, I loved a lot more than the last one. Especially Nila seems a lot more grounded and less all over the place. We get to see who she is, who she becomes and I love to see the fight in her.
Jethro on the other hand has this rather fast change of heart. The pure evil we loved to hate in the first instalment seems to have taken flight...puff and gone...
But regardless this book kept my pulse up and not necessarily because bad shit happened, but because I was afraid of what might happen. There is this constant undercurrent of danger lurking and it's rather amazing to see such skill in an author, but on the other hand I was scared as hell. Oh my poor nerves...
First Debt is not a book for casual reading or even skimming through. Every other sentence could be quoted. Seriously, you don't even want to see all the passages I highlighted. And I felt like paying extra attention because I was afraid of missing something important.
Also, the ending...HOLY SHIT! I screamed like a little girl and I'm still a little giddy. I love this shit! And yes, I swear a lot. Sorry, not sorry. ;P
**Off topic: one of my New Year's resolutions is working...I'm taking notes. Can you tell? ;D
April 12, 2017
1.5 stars, but should I be generous and give it 2?
I know, I know. I gave a rather scathing review of Debt Inheritance, so why on Earth did I read First Debt? Apparently I’m a glutton for punishment because I decided to give this book a chance when I saw it was available at the library. I figured I had nothing to lose except maybe some of my precious reading time, because…free. Oh, and it was the audio book version so…bonus!
Anyway, I was hoping this book would surprise me, and I admit I was a little curious to see how and when Nila grows a backbone. I may have liked this book a little more than the first, but basically First Debt did little to change my opinion of this series.
Nila proves she’s strong all right, but she’s still gullible, wishy washy, and really quite dim. She completely depleted my stores of patience and understanding.
We get to see more glimpses into Jethro’s thoughts, which is nice, but it’s not enough to redeem him. Despite his despicable, abusive, and often just weird behavior, I think we’re supposed to feel sorry for him for developing feelings for his captive. Like I couldn’t see that coming from a mile away as noted in my previous review. And the big plot twisting cliffhanger? Yeah, I totally predicted that while reading the first book also. There are remaining puzzles that might appeal to other readers though.
Obviously, I didn’t care for the story, but the writing style put me off as well. It’s writing like this that had me rolling my eyes and groaning out loud (and not in a good way).
I’m also wondering. Is this what’s considered purple prose?
And then there’s the obligatory your-penis-is-way-too-big for me dialog, only with a decidedly unsexy, harsh selfishness thrown in.
And on that note, I’m officially done with this series.
I know, I know. I gave a rather scathing review of Debt Inheritance, so why on Earth did I read First Debt? Apparently I’m a glutton for punishment because I decided to give this book a chance when I saw it was available at the library. I figured I had nothing to lose except maybe some of my precious reading time, because…free. Oh, and it was the audio book version so…bonus!
Anyway, I was hoping this book would surprise me, and I admit I was a little curious to see how and when Nila grows a backbone. I may have liked this book a little more than the first, but basically First Debt did little to change my opinion of this series.
Nila proves she’s strong all right, but she’s still gullible, wishy washy, and really quite dim. She completely depleted my stores of patience and understanding.
We get to see more glimpses into Jethro’s thoughts, which is nice, but it’s not enough to redeem him. Despite his despicable, abusive, and often just weird behavior, I think we’re supposed to feel sorry for him for developing feelings for his captive. Like I couldn’t see that coming from a mile away as noted in my previous review. And the big plot twisting cliffhanger? Yeah, I totally predicted that while reading the first book also. There are remaining puzzles that might appeal to other readers though.
Obviously, I didn’t care for the story, but the writing style put me off as well. It’s writing like this that had me rolling my eyes and groaning out loud (and not in a good way).
“Fuck me, please. I’m begging. I need it. I need you. I’ve never needed anything as much as you filling me. Jethro, I’ll die if you don’t fuck me this very minute.”
I’m also wondering. Is this what’s considered purple prose?
I sank inside with a barbarous impale. She screamed. I groaned. We both collapsed into one another. Falling, falling, swirling, swirling, we took each other prisoner. Punishing our bodies, focusing on one blistering goal.
And then there’s the obligatory your-penis-is-way-too-big for me dialog, only with a decidedly unsexy, harsh selfishness thrown in.
“Oh, God. No. Stop,” she cried. Her hips tried to dislodge my size.
“I can’t stop.”
“It hurts.” Her breath was cool against my fevered flesh.
“Let me in!” I thrust again, gritting my teeth.
And on that note, I’m officially done with this series.
February 6, 2015
♥♥♥ 4.25 STARS ♥♥♥
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'This woman had the power to ruin me. That would never be permitted. I had to ruin her first.'
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This series!! It has me completely hooked. If you have read the previous book, you know it ends with a cliffhanger. Nila has the chance to escape if she can run to edge of the property before she is caught. If she doesn't make it, Jethro will own her completely and Nila mustn't complain. To the surprise of Jethro, she actually runs. He is intrigued by her determination and her fight. No matter what, she doesn't give up her hope for freedom. Nila is figuring out how she wants to play this game. She is tired of losing to Jethro. She wants to survive and make it to the end. Her strategy is now to make Jethro fall for her in order to be able to control him.
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"Today is your First Debt, Ms. Weaver. The Debt Inheritance has begun."
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I can't tell you how much more I enjoyed this book than the previous one. It was just so good. I absolutely loved getting more into Jethro's mind and finally being able to understand him. He's changed quite a bit since the first book and it was in a believable way. I didn't think I would be able to like him at all, but I am definitely warming up to him. Things are getting a whole lot more interesting. Despite this book being so twisted, I was surprised by how much I was enjoying the sexual tension between Nila and Jethro. It was really hot and was very well done. I also really liked Nila. I love seeing her grow more stronger and more sure of herself. There was one scene that really made me feel for her. I don't know in what state I'd be in if I were in her shoes, so I really admire her resilience. Together these two were intense and I was really happy with how well I was able to connect with them both.
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“We would keep on ruining each other.
We would keep on desecrating debts and vows.
And we would keep on fucking up our future until nothing but horror remained.”
● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
In order to protect each other, they want to keep things purely physical, but their feelings are evolving, and that can be very dangerous for the both of them. I don't know what will happen next, but I am extremely excited to continue this series. I am very much liking the direction of the story. I liked the growth of both the characters, and the start of something romantic between Nila dnd Jethro. There were definitely some dark and horrifying things that took place in this book, so this isn't for everyone. I was glad that some of the questions I had were answered, but holy hell, do I have a ton more of them now. That ending...I had my guesses but I didn't see that coming. I can't wait to dig into the next book.
***WARNING: Contains scenes with violence.***
November 4, 2014
Review: Surj Harvey
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Where the hell do I start with this review? With the plot? With him? With her? With them? With Pepper's fantastic writing? Honestly, my head is spinning, my emotions are all over the place. This book has quite literally left me gob smacked, speechless, dumb founded... what in God's name do I do now? I feel lost... quite literally lost and I cannot believe this author chose to end the book there!!!! I mean there... how could you???? With all the revelations that have come to light, all I keep thinking about is all the avenues the story line could take and trust me, there are quite a few. Unfortunately, whichever way our characters go, one thing is for certain: Debts will have to be repaid.
Nila's character grew a lot in this book and she really came into her own. The strength and defiance she displayed was just awe inspiring. Nila was smart, brave and feisty and she would not accept her fate, fighting this stupidity every step of the way... taking any path necessary to gain her freedom. But what would happen when 'need' got in the way? Would her resolver falter? Would she crumble in front of the enemy? I was praying not for her sake.
"First Debt" was about a fight for power. It was a war between right and wrong, a battle with the past, an internal struggle with emotions. I was giddy with excitement as victories were gained. But there were times my heart bottomed out as the characters continued to play with fire, dancing so very close to the flame. But with any battle, there could only be one winner and unfortunately, in this case (ducks head as missiles head my way) I was on Jethro's side!!! I know, I know ...crazy huh!!! But you'll get it once you read the book... I promise.
This second book really mixed things up for me, showing sides to characters that shocked me, taking the story line in directions that surprised me and as a bonus, I got answers to so many questions that had driven me bat shit crazy in "Debt Inheritance." Who was Kite? What was the deal with Kestrel? Where did the debts originate from and what did the repayment entail? Yes all will be revealed in this installment. Slowly but surely, everything started to slot into place and finally, I was getting it.
Before I finish up my review, I have to mention one particular scene... I can't go into detail but OMG... the power behind it, the words, the intensity, the raw emotion coursing through those few pages... my heart thumped in my head, I couldn't look away... it was almost as if I was entranced by what I was reading... it was perfection ... just perfection and I really hope it has the same effect on you as it did me... trust me, you'll know when you get to it.
Pepper Winters has yet again excelled in her writing abilities and has quite literally delivered to her readers a literary masterpiece. I can't imagine anyone not being happy with this next installment. It was dark, twisted, f**ked up and 100% addictive and I couldn't rate it anything less than ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
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Where the hell do I start with this review? With the plot? With him? With her? With them? With Pepper's fantastic writing? Honestly, my head is spinning, my emotions are all over the place. This book has quite literally left me gob smacked, speechless, dumb founded... what in God's name do I do now? I feel lost... quite literally lost and I cannot believe this author chose to end the book there!!!! I mean there... how could you???? With all the revelations that have come to light, all I keep thinking about is all the avenues the story line could take and trust me, there are quite a few. Unfortunately, whichever way our characters go, one thing is for certain: Debts will have to be repaid.
"A pet can only hate for so long. But ply it with warmth, safety, kindness and good food and soon..you'll have no choice but to let go of that hate in your heart and embrace the life we're giving you."So who remembers how the first book in the series finished? Yup, that word... RUN!!! I couldn't wait to see the fallout of this challenge but my heart already knew who the winner would be: Jethro... the man who scared the ever loving life out of me. Looking back at my review for "Debt Inheritance," I remember saying how much I loathed and feared him. How he was a monster, a wolf in sheep's clothing. I don't recall saying anything positive about him at all. So what the hell happened? 15%... 15% into "First Debt" was all it took and I'd softened towards him... yup, warped mind and all . I mean really? WTF? Had I so quickly forgotten what this man had done, what he was capable of doing and what he had every intention of delivering? No I hadn't but he managed to wrap me around his little finger pretty quickly and that was it... I was gone!!! Lost to him and nothing he said or did would sway me otherwise. I was done for.
Nila's character grew a lot in this book and she really came into her own. The strength and defiance she displayed was just awe inspiring. Nila was smart, brave and feisty and she would not accept her fate, fighting this stupidity every step of the way... taking any path necessary to gain her freedom. But what would happen when 'need' got in the way? Would her resolver falter? Would she crumble in front of the enemy? I was praying not for her sake.
This was a battle. Every time we touched, licked and eventually fucked, it would be war. And only one victor would come out alive. I had every intention of winning.
"First Debt" was about a fight for power. It was a war between right and wrong, a battle with the past, an internal struggle with emotions. I was giddy with excitement as victories were gained. But there were times my heart bottomed out as the characters continued to play with fire, dancing so very close to the flame. But with any battle, there could only be one winner and unfortunately, in this case (ducks head as missiles head my way) I was on Jethro's side!!! I know, I know ...crazy huh!!! But you'll get it once you read the book... I promise.
I should have known it was the beginning of the end. I should have guessed how badly she would ruin me.
This second book really mixed things up for me, showing sides to characters that shocked me, taking the story line in directions that surprised me and as a bonus, I got answers to so many questions that had driven me bat shit crazy in "Debt Inheritance." Who was Kite? What was the deal with Kestrel? Where did the debts originate from and what did the repayment entail? Yes all will be revealed in this installment. Slowly but surely, everything started to slot into place and finally, I was getting it.
Before I finish up my review, I have to mention one particular scene... I can't go into detail but OMG... the power behind it, the words, the intensity, the raw emotion coursing through those few pages... my heart thumped in my head, I couldn't look away... it was almost as if I was entranced by what I was reading... it was perfection ... just perfection and I really hope it has the same effect on you as it did me... trust me, you'll know when you get to it.
"Kiss me."
"I don't kiss my enemies."
"You just fuck them?"
Only if they beg."
Pepper Winters has yet again excelled in her writing abilities and has quite literally delivered to her readers a literary masterpiece. I can't imagine anyone not being happy with this next installment. It was dark, twisted, f**ked up and 100% addictive and I couldn't rate it anything less than ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
December 20, 2015
4.5 omfg stars
I have to admit that I was debating between 4-5 stars, so this will take 4.5 stars from me. It certainly was a better installment to the first book, 'Debt Inheritance'.
I enjoyed the First Debt way more than the first one. I remember being frustrated after reading Debt Inheritance. I remember how much I loathed Jethro. I remember being even a fan of Kestrel and I was shipping him with Nila.
Well, guess what?
And boy, did the MCs in this book changed! Whoah! I couldn't believe how much Jet had changed in this sequel. It was like reading an entirely different character. I was so shocked that at first it didn't sit well with me. Such a rapid change of character? Like I said, it was like it wasn't the same character & I was a little disappointed to be honest.
BUT moving through the book I could see what was really going on. What was hidden beneath his character & I have to admit that I enjoyed his character development.
But what I enjoyed most was Nila's character development. The weak fashion artist we knew from the first part with the constant vertigo issues? She's got some balls & I certainly enjoyed how she changed throughout this sequel. I can't wait to see more of her in the next installment.
I have to say that I really admire Pepper's writing. She needs a damn applause for this. I loved the raging war between Jethro & Nila. I loved how their constant meetings were always a battle of who would win and who would lose. Who was the hunter & who was the prey. I enjoyed watching things becoming reversed. Nila going after Jethro & him trying to pull away from her. I'm such a happy reader thanks to her.
We couldn’t deny what’d just happened.
It wasn’t just sex. It wasn’t just lust.
It was something more.
What I can't say I enjoyed was that, even though I accidentally spoiled myself about Kite's identity, I have to say that it was the only thing predictable while reading this book. Yes, I already knew who he was while reading, but still, it seemed too obvious.
Nonetheless, I would encourage people to read this series. And I know that the first one may not be very pleasant, but keep reading, because this one definitely explains a lot & it doesn't disappoint! :)
I have to admit that I was debating between 4-5 stars, so this will take 4.5 stars from me. It certainly was a better installment to the first book, 'Debt Inheritance'.
I enjoyed the First Debt way more than the first one. I remember being frustrated after reading Debt Inheritance. I remember how much I loathed Jethro. I remember being even a fan of Kestrel and I was shipping him with Nila.
Well, guess what?
And boy, did the MCs in this book changed! Whoah! I couldn't believe how much Jet had changed in this sequel. It was like reading an entirely different character. I was so shocked that at first it didn't sit well with me. Such a rapid change of character? Like I said, it was like it wasn't the same character & I was a little disappointed to be honest.
BUT moving through the book I could see what was really going on. What was hidden beneath his character & I have to admit that I enjoyed his character development.
But what I enjoyed most was Nila's character development. The weak fashion artist we knew from the first part with the constant vertigo issues? She's got some balls & I certainly enjoyed how she changed throughout this sequel. I can't wait to see more of her in the next installment.
I have to say that I really admire Pepper's writing. She needs a damn applause for this. I loved the raging war between Jethro & Nila. I loved how their constant meetings were always a battle of who would win and who would lose. Who was the hunter & who was the prey. I enjoyed watching things becoming reversed. Nila going after Jethro & him trying to pull away from her. I'm such a happy reader thanks to her.
We couldn’t deny what’d just happened.
It wasn’t just sex. It wasn’t just lust.
It was something more.
What I can't say I enjoyed was that, even though I accidentally spoiled myself about Kite's identity, I have to say that it was the only thing predictable while reading this book. Yes, I already knew who he was while reading, but still, it seemed too obvious.
Nonetheless, I would encourage people to read this series. And I know that the first one may not be very pleasant, but keep reading, because this one definitely explains a lot & it doesn't disappoint! :)
November 18, 2014
"Then it's time for payment. Today is your First Debt, Ms. Weaver. The Debt Inheritance has begun."
Fist Debt was simply wicked and brilliant. You will be mesmerising with Pepper Winters's writing again. She does it - keeps you captivated with Jethro and Nila. The more I read, the more Jethro has my heart.
"SPELLBINDING, ACE, UTTERLY FABULOUS AND FASCINATING STORY"
In one word, Pepper Winters is a genius!
What is the story about? The story continues from Debt Inheritance..... RUN!!! What's happens, did she run or did she stay with Jethro?
Hero Like I said, he has my heart! He is deep and mysterious and yet full of emotions. I am magnetically drawn to his character.
Heroine She is darling but I hope she doesn't manipulate Jethro too much LOL I am bias!
Plot Just pick it up and read it! If you like dark romance, Pepper Winters is the lady!
Smut You know the answer the for that! I had some many highlighted quotes in this book. My ebook is almost fully highlighted. THAT GOOD!
Will I Re-Read Absolutely anytime. Jethro will not only keep you going but you will be in book hangover.
If you haven't read this series, don't waste time, do try it!
Happy reading
D xo
Fist Debt was simply wicked and brilliant. You will be mesmerising with Pepper Winters's writing again. She does it - keeps you captivated with Jethro and Nila. The more I read, the more Jethro has my heart.
"SPELLBINDING, ACE, UTTERLY FABULOUS AND FASCINATING STORY"
In one word, Pepper Winters is a genius!
What is the story about? The story continues from Debt Inheritance..... RUN!!! What's happens, did she run or did she stay with Jethro?
Hero Like I said, he has my heart! He is deep and mysterious and yet full of emotions. I am magnetically drawn to his character.
Heroine She is darling but I hope she doesn't manipulate Jethro too much LOL I am bias!
Plot Just pick it up and read it! If you like dark romance, Pepper Winters is the lady!
Smut You know the answer the for that! I had some many highlighted quotes in this book. My ebook is almost fully highlighted. THAT GOOD!
Will I Re-Read Absolutely anytime. Jethro will not only keep you going but you will be in book hangover.
If you haven't read this series, don't waste time, do try it!
Happy reading
D xo
November 17, 2014
4.25 Indebted Stars!
Well, I'm happy to say I like Jethro much better in this book. I was a bit apprehensive going into it as he wasn't an anti-hero I particularly liked (and yes, I like many anti-heroes).
The following contains spoilers for the ending of book one-
This book picks up right where the last left off. Nila is within the clutches of the Hawk family, Jethro specifically being her captor. She continues to fight for her way out of this nightmare. After a confrontation on the property, Jethro has given Nila a chance to escape and she's taken it. Forty-five minutes...time for the hunt....
We get a lot more character development with Jethro in this book and I think I really needed it. Gradually we are trickle fed Jet's inner conflicts between upholding his family tradition of making the Weavers pay, of pleasing his god-awful father, and battling between the coldness within and the all-consuming heat that Nila causes within his soul. We still don't know deep down what was done to "train" Jethro to be ruthless...to instill the coldness within for the first-born son to be able to extract each and every debt from the Weaver captive.
Can Jethro continue to maintain the physical and emotional boundaries, play by the rules, extract each and every debt? Can Nila hold strong to her inner self, not allowing Jethro to own her mind? He can have her body but not her soul... But will her mind too betray her? Can she resist his pull? It's an endless fight for control. Each of them want to win the upper hand but the physical pull between them may be both of their demise. Who will win in the end? Will neither?
This book is fairly dark, I'd go "medium rare" on the darkness factor. We finally get some erotic moments that I've been painfully holding out for. Ms Winters is the master of painting an intensely erotic, all-consuming sexual scene. This series promises to give the readers a lot of twists and turns, but I guess with it being a six book series, we've got lots of time and won't see a resolution anytime soon. I just hope my book attention deficit disorder can hold strong that long...
Looking forward to Indebted #3, Second Debt, to be released early 2015.
Want to read
August 19, 2014Please don't take forever to publish book 2.
March 28, 2015
"Empathy and softness weren’t permitted. They were the root of all evil for a person like me."
First Debt is the second book in the Indebted series. All I can say is Pepper Winters has one fantastic imagination. From the first book we have learned that Nila has been taken captive by the Hawk family. She is now the property of Jethro Hawk. The first book was full of horrors as Nila is just trying to come to terms with the situation she has been forced into! Jethro gives her the chance to run but if she is caught she must agree to his terms.
In the very beginning of First Debt Nila is running. You can't help but have hope that she will get away. But we know the truth- if she does get away the book will be over! The inevitable is she will get caught. The only question is: what will Jethro do to her when she does?
Jethro doesn't know what to think of Nila. (The truth is we don't know what to think of Jethro either). This heroine evokes a plethora of emotions from this hero. Emotions that he has tried to keep blocked off.
"How could I understand and keep my bearings when the bloody woman had more personalities than a Picasso painting? Sometimes naïve. Sometimes coy. Smart, fearful, proud, gullible. And above all, evolving."-Jethro
Nila is going through so much. She is certainly living through PTSD after everything she has already been through. Not to mention the anxiety of not knowing what is to come.
Truthfully she is finding herself. Somewhere through the torture and despair she is becoming stronger.
"The collar on my throat was heavy, but at least it had warmed. The diamonds no longer felt alien but a part of me. The courage of my ancestors. The spirit-strength of women I’d never met, living in a piece of jewelry throbbing with their guidance and energy."-Nila
The one thing Nila is certain of. She feels something for Jethro. She knows that if she can get him to kiss her she can gain some control back over this crazy situation.
When Jethro finally concedes and gives into his desires, it is game over. The floodgates open and Jethro looses all control over his drive to have her. The connection between the two is definitely high on octane. One thing Jethro knows, she is his and he is not going to share.
"Now, I would never be able to share. Never. She was mine."-Jethro
The physical connection between the two is undeniable.
"He was perfect. Utterly perfect. Our foreheads crashed together as he sank deeper and deeper."-NIla
It is the emotions that are still in question. Does Nila feel love for him? Is Jethro even capable of loving someone?
My heart hurts for Jethro. It is painfully clear that Nila is a means to an end. He feels trapped. His family has a hold on him and if he ever wants to break free Nila is the key.
"Hate and love… they were the same thing. I’d tried to harness only one— hate. I tried to be my father’s son, full of mistrust for others, while asserting dominance and fear."-Jethro
Nila continues to form a friendship with Jethro's brother. She thinks that she knows him. The truth is Nila doesn't know anything.
"It wasn’t ideal. It probably wasn’t healthy. But it was the best damn relationship I’d ever had."-Nila
Overall, First Debt only increased my anxiety over Nila's fate. Will she ever recover from this or will she have to check into a mental institution? While reading this, I longed for more emotional connection for Jethro and Nila. I hope that as their relationship continues to develop it will come. The dual POV keeps Jethro human. It is critical to see that Nila isn't the only one struggling. The intensity in the story is continually driving forward. The need to understand what cannot be understood outweighs any questions of logic. In other words, when reading this book just buckle up because it is going to be a bumpy ride.
First Debt is the second book in the Indebted series. All I can say is Pepper Winters has one fantastic imagination. From the first book we have learned that Nila has been taken captive by the Hawk family. She is now the property of Jethro Hawk. The first book was full of horrors as Nila is just trying to come to terms with the situation she has been forced into! Jethro gives her the chance to run but if she is caught she must agree to his terms.
In the very beginning of First Debt Nila is running. You can't help but have hope that she will get away. But we know the truth- if she does get away the book will be over! The inevitable is she will get caught. The only question is: what will Jethro do to her when she does?
Jethro doesn't know what to think of Nila. (The truth is we don't know what to think of Jethro either). This heroine evokes a plethora of emotions from this hero. Emotions that he has tried to keep blocked off.
"How could I understand and keep my bearings when the bloody woman had more personalities than a Picasso painting? Sometimes naïve. Sometimes coy. Smart, fearful, proud, gullible. And above all, evolving."-Jethro
Nila is going through so much. She is certainly living through PTSD after everything she has already been through. Not to mention the anxiety of not knowing what is to come.
Truthfully she is finding herself. Somewhere through the torture and despair she is becoming stronger.
"The collar on my throat was heavy, but at least it had warmed. The diamonds no longer felt alien but a part of me. The courage of my ancestors. The spirit-strength of women I’d never met, living in a piece of jewelry throbbing with their guidance and energy."-Nila
The one thing Nila is certain of. She feels something for Jethro. She knows that if she can get him to kiss her she can gain some control back over this crazy situation.
When Jethro finally concedes and gives into his desires, it is game over. The floodgates open and Jethro looses all control over his drive to have her. The connection between the two is definitely high on octane. One thing Jethro knows, she is his and he is not going to share.
"Now, I would never be able to share. Never. She was mine."-Jethro
The physical connection between the two is undeniable.
"He was perfect. Utterly perfect. Our foreheads crashed together as he sank deeper and deeper."-NIla
It is the emotions that are still in question. Does Nila feel love for him? Is Jethro even capable of loving someone?
My heart hurts for Jethro. It is painfully clear that Nila is a means to an end. He feels trapped. His family has a hold on him and if he ever wants to break free Nila is the key.
"Hate and love… they were the same thing. I’d tried to harness only one— hate. I tried to be my father’s son, full of mistrust for others, while asserting dominance and fear."-Jethro
Nila continues to form a friendship with Jethro's brother. She thinks that she knows him. The truth is Nila doesn't know anything.
"It wasn’t ideal. It probably wasn’t healthy. But it was the best damn relationship I’d ever had."-Nila
Overall, First Debt only increased my anxiety over Nila's fate. Will she ever recover from this or will she have to check into a mental institution? While reading this, I longed for more emotional connection for Jethro and Nila. I hope that as their relationship continues to develop it will come. The dual POV keeps Jethro human. It is critical to see that Nila isn't the only one struggling. The intensity in the story is continually driving forward. The need to understand what cannot be understood outweighs any questions of logic. In other words, when reading this book just buckle up because it is going to be a bumpy ride.
January 28, 2016
5 STARS
Ok… I am completely lost in this series. Sucked into the vortex of mind-fuckery. I will not rest until I get to the other side. I am not going to elaborate or give you any insight into the story. For that would be unfair to you. You must venture into the darkness alone and unprepared in order to fully experience it’s intrigue.
I leave with only a few visual treats and quotations. And then I am off to explore yet another chapter of this twisted tale.
Exceptional job Ms. Winters. You have ensnared yet another innocent victim.
Ok… I am completely lost in this series. Sucked into the vortex of mind-fuckery. I will not rest until I get to the other side. I am not going to elaborate or give you any insight into the story. For that would be unfair to you. You must venture into the darkness alone and unprepared in order to fully experience it’s intrigue.
Fuck her. Fuck me. Fuck everything.
For the first time in my life, I felt a stirring inside my frozen-over heart.
Not gratefulness or humaneness or tenderness.
No.
I felt…undone.
I should’ve known then that it was the beginning of the end.
I should’ve guessed how badly she would ruin me.
But all I could manage was dumbstruck desire.
I stared into the eyes of a worthy opponent.
I stared at Nila Weaver with awe.
I'm a shadow lurking in plain sight.
A predator in sheep's clothing.
I prey on the weak with no apology.
I hide my true temper beneath a veil of decorum.
I've mastered the art of suave.
I'm a gentleman. Distinguished, accomplished, and shrewd.
I'm all of those things but none of them.
Rules and laws don't apply to me.
I'm a rule-breaker, curse-maker, life-stealer.
I leave with only a few visual treats and quotations. And then I am off to explore yet another chapter of this twisted tale.
I stumbled at the sight. My heart shot from my chest and lay beating and mangled on the floor.
Exceptional job Ms. Winters. You have ensnared yet another innocent victim.
There was only so much fear a person could live with before the brain gave up and accepted.
June 4, 2015
Look at all these TEASERS!! How are you supposed to concentrated on work? Everyday life? ugh...
O.M.G I'm so excited!!! Eeeek... I cannot wait, I cannot wait!!!
***First Teaser***
F**k.
F**k her. F**k me. F**k everything.
For the first time in my life, I felt the stirring
inside my frozen heart.
I didn’t feel gratefulness, humaneness, or
tenderness.
No.
I stared into the eyes of a worthy opponent.
I stared at Nila Weaver with awe.
OMG that was so good and exhausting all at once. My brain and heart need a break
O.M.G I'm so excited!!! Eeeek... I cannot wait, I cannot wait!!!
***First Teaser***
F**k.
F**k her. F**k me. F**k everything.
For the first time in my life, I felt the stirring
inside my frozen heart.
I didn’t feel gratefulness, humaneness, or
tenderness.
No.
I stared into the eyes of a worthy opponent.
I stared at Nila Weaver with awe.
OMG that was so good and exhausting all at once. My brain and heart need a break
November 11, 2014
☆ I received an ARC via TSOR PR in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!! ☆
What in the world goes on in the mind of Pepper Winters? This lady seriously is crafty in upping the stakes in this sensual yet gritty, twisted, and controversial trilogy!
I swear, at the ending of book one, I was hyperventilating for Nila when Jethro presented the opportunity for her to get away. The questions it left in its wake were- will Nila do it? Is Jethro for real or just messing/or toying with her? And what is the catch?
First Debt really intensifies the fight for survival and Nila’s will to never back down. Sure, she’s in a sh*&y predicament, but I loved how her character grew and toughened throught her ordeal.
As for Jethro, well, I LOVED yetHATED him so much at first and throughout the first part of this installment but there was some inkling of light that there is some sort of vulnerable, humanity to him.
I’m DEFINITELY 100% on board for book 3 to see what further antes will be on he line and what will happen forward on! Gah!! The probabilities the author presents!!
I need MORE!!
What in the world goes on in the mind of Pepper Winters? This lady seriously is crafty in upping the stakes in this sensual yet gritty, twisted, and controversial trilogy!
I swear, at the ending of book one, I was hyperventilating for Nila when Jethro presented the opportunity for her to get away. The questions it left in its wake were- will Nila do it? Is Jethro for real or just messing/or toying with her? And what is the catch?
First Debt really intensifies the fight for survival and Nila’s will to never back down. Sure, she’s in a sh*&y predicament, but I loved how her character grew and toughened throught her ordeal.
As for Jethro, well, I LOVED yet
I’m DEFINITELY 100% on board for book 3 to see what further antes will be on he line and what will happen forward on! Gah!! The probabilities the author presents!!
I need MORE!!
September 19, 2015
**4.5 Stars!**
Review to come...I need a minute!
*******************
Book one was crazy, may God be with me on this one.
Review to come...I need a minute!
*******************
Book one was crazy, may God be with me on this one.
November 29, 2014
4.5 I heart Jethro stars!
Whew!
Mind, is blown. Heart, is still beating fast. Head, is confused. Body, is still on fire. That was intense!
At the end of book 1, we were left in anticipation of Nila running for her freedom. The poor girl is starved, tired, naked, and suffers from vertigo. Not to mention the horrendous luncheon she had just attended. Her head and body are in the worst predicament to run for her life. Yet still she tries.
From here on out, there is a battle of wits between the two. Nila is accepting of her fate, but she is going to do her damnedest to try to flip the switches on the Hawks, and stop the debt once and for all.
Both characters are battling with an onslaught of different emotions. Nila wants her revenge and is going to do all she can to stay strong. Jethro is dealing with new feelings. His icy layer is starting to thaw. The two can't help the lust/ hate relationship that they have. Who will come out on top, when it comes to the mind games they are playing?
Revelations are made when the "first debt" is paid (we still have no clue how many debts there are). Nila finds out more about her family's history. And Jethro is becoming more enamored with his property.
Nila is also sure she has the evidence she needs to know who the mysterious Kite007 is. She is going to use this knowledge in hopes of gaining trust and having an ally. Even with the sexting going on, Nila's body has a magnetic pull toward the cold Jethro. Dueling her need to hopefully get Jethro to open up, and to satisfy her own desires, she wants one thing. A simple kiss. But he is not as willing to give her what she wants.
Through all this mind fuckery, the underlying sexual tension is at an all time high. However, the consequences could be even higher.
This was an awesome sequel to the first book. We got some answers, and even more questions.
I am loving this series. It encompasses all of the elements in a great read for me. The story is original and paced very well. It has plenty of dark elements, and strong characters. The suspense and the "brain screw" is keeping me on the edge of my seat. And the sexual tension....holy shit, it's through the roof. When they finally give in, it's really intense and angry. So fucking hot! :P
So why not 5 stars from me?
Well as much as I loved everything, the thoughts of the MC's started to get to be too much. I definitely understand that the circumstances involved with both of them are extreme and are causing a lot of mixed feelings, but their mental duality was starting to make my head spin and get frustrating. I liked that they had conflicting emotions, but I think it was reiterated more than necessary.
The ending was shocking, and I am excited for the next book to come out. I have so many questions.... I can't wait to see what unfolds for Nila and Jethro.
Whew!
Mind, is blown. Heart, is still beating fast. Head, is confused. Body, is still on fire. That was intense!
At the end of book 1, we were left in anticipation of Nila running for her freedom. The poor girl is starved, tired, naked, and suffers from vertigo. Not to mention the horrendous luncheon she had just attended. Her head and body are in the worst predicament to run for her life. Yet still she tries.
From here on out, there is a battle of wits between the two. Nila is accepting of her fate, but she is going to do her damnedest to try to flip the switches on the Hawks, and stop the debt once and for all.
Both characters are battling with an onslaught of different emotions. Nila wants her revenge and is going to do all she can to stay strong. Jethro is dealing with new feelings. His icy layer is starting to thaw. The two can't help the lust/ hate relationship that they have. Who will come out on top, when it comes to the mind games they are playing?
Revelations are made when the "first debt" is paid (we still have no clue how many debts there are). Nila finds out more about her family's history. And Jethro is becoming more enamored with his property.
Nila is also sure she has the evidence she needs to know who the mysterious Kite007 is. She is going to use this knowledge in hopes of gaining trust and having an ally. Even with the sexting going on, Nila's body has a magnetic pull toward the cold Jethro. Dueling her need to hopefully get Jethro to open up, and to satisfy her own desires, she wants one thing. A simple kiss. But he is not as willing to give her what she wants.
Through all this mind fuckery, the underlying sexual tension is at an all time high. However, the consequences could be even higher.
This was an awesome sequel to the first book. We got some answers, and even more questions.
I am loving this series. It encompasses all of the elements in a great read for me. The story is original and paced very well. It has plenty of dark elements, and strong characters. The suspense and the "brain screw" is keeping me on the edge of my seat. And the sexual tension....holy shit, it's through the roof. When they finally give in, it's really intense and angry. So fucking hot! :P
So why not 5 stars from me?
Well as much as I loved everything, the thoughts of the MC's started to get to be too much. I definitely understand that the circumstances involved with both of them are extreme and are causing a lot of mixed feelings, but their mental duality was starting to make my head spin and get frustrating. I liked that they had conflicting emotions, but I think it was reiterated more than necessary.
The ending was shocking, and I am excited for the next book to come out. I have so many questions.... I can't wait to see what unfolds for Nila and Jethro.
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