Genre: Adult Fiction (Dark Romance/Erotica)
Expected Release Date: February 28, 2018
Publisher: Self
Given to The Grimm Order as an infant, Fawn was raised in a world shaped by the rich and powerful. When she was sold at the age of nine to a Suitor, Fawn believed he would protect her from the “Mainworld”, where those who know nothing about the Order live. Living with the cruel man who bought her freedom, she finds just what the Order is about: money, control, and status for the Owner and humiliation and abuse for those they own.
Unwilling to accept the expectations of being Owned, Fawn goes from golden girl to maid, content to live in the shadows of the Order as long as she isn’t Owned again.
It’s been ten years since she disgraced her former Owner’s name, and now the brooding Frenchman Elliot Lyon wants her. Master Lyon is kind, smart, and unlike any man she’s met. She doesn’t want to admit it to herself, but Fawn is drawn to him despite constantly planning her next escape.
Even the prettiest flowers have thorns, and Master Lyon is hiding secrets that will uproot everything she thinks she knows about him.
Bloom is the first book in The Order series by Nikki Rae. You can always count on something out of the box with this author, and that's one of the things I love about her stories. Fawn's world is pretty much a nightmare, literally. She isn't free. I'm not sure yet how the "outside world" is within this story, but I get the impression it's pretty much like our world. Then you have people like Fawn who are sold or stolen into the Order, much like, if not just like human trafficking. The rich and elite within the Order buy these children and young adults and do pretty much whatever they want to with them. Fawn's new owner seems different in many ways. He lost my loyalty pretty early on, but as I learned more about him, I found out the reasons behind his actions. I still don't excuse him. Fawn fights her feelings. She knows better, and the girl has some inner strength, let me tell you! She has to. It's how you survive in her world. These characters are complex, complicated, and feel so alive... it's easy to forget you're reading a book.
“Fawn,” he said suddenly, his voice soft but still making me jump in my seat. “Were they out of flower names?” he asked, a smile in his voice.
He let on that he knew about the inner-workings of the actual Compound more than my last Owner. Then again, my last one only cared about one thing. He didn't play these mind games this guy seemed to like.
Master Lyon sighed, convinced I wouldn't answer, but for some reason I couldn't keep my mouth shut.
“I was one of the originals at the California Compound.” I hesitated almost too long before I brought my eyes back to his face. He was staring, waiting for me to say more. “We all had animal names,” I said, trying and failing to hide the disgust in my voice.
“Fawn,” he said. “With those eyes?”
I blinked, wondering what he meant.
“They’re so large and expressive,” he explained. “You’re more of a Doe to me.”
So this would be my new name? Not Dog or Whore, but Doe?
He smiled like I’d said something funny but I wasn't joking. “Do you not like it?”
I didn't know why he cared if I did or did not like something. It shouldn't matter to him. I didn't like any of this and it was obvious. He was asking to toy with me, get me to talk. I was done talking. I bit the inside of my cheek to keep the words from spilling out.
He let on that he knew about the inner-workings of the actual Compound more than my last Owner. Then again, my last one only cared about one thing. He didn't play these mind games this guy seemed to like.
Master Lyon sighed, convinced I wouldn't answer, but for some reason I couldn't keep my mouth shut.
“I was one of the originals at the California Compound.” I hesitated almost too long before I brought my eyes back to his face. He was staring, waiting for me to say more. “We all had animal names,” I said, trying and failing to hide the disgust in my voice.
“Fawn,” he said. “With those eyes?”
I blinked, wondering what he meant.
“They’re so large and expressive,” he explained. “You’re more of a Doe to me.”
So this would be my new name? Not Dog or Whore, but Doe?
He smiled like I’d said something funny but I wasn't joking. “Do you not like it?”
I didn't know why he cared if I did or did not like something. It shouldn't matter to him. I didn't like any of this and it was obvious. He was asking to toy with me, get me to talk. I was done talking. I bit the inside of my cheek to keep the words from spilling out.
Check out my review of the next book in this series!
Have you read Nikki Rae's other books?
Nikki Rae is an independent author who lives in New Jersey. She explores human nature through fiction, concentrating on making the imaginary as real as possible. Her genres of choice are mainly dark, scary, romantic tales, but she’ll try anything once. When she is not writing, reading, or thinking, you can find her spending time with animals, drawing in a quiet corner, or studying people. Closely.
To learn more about Nikki Rae and her books, visit her website & blog.You can also find her on Goodreads, Facebook, Tumblr, and Twitter.
