3 out of 4 stars
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When Chrissie locks eyes with Nick, her life changes forever. He is violent, oppressive, and beautiful; he quickly becomes her drug of choice. Chrissie's friends and family beg her not to get involved with a man who has such a violent past. Still, Chrissie is infatuated. When Nick is sentenced to twenty years for attempted murder, Chrissie is distraught. In a desperate attempt to hold onto him, she begins writing him letters and drives ten hours to visit him in prison. Even behind bars, his hold on her is unbreakable.
Love can make people do all sorts of crazy things, and Chrissie is quickly getting in way over her head by thrusting herself into a world of lies and evil acts. Is loving Nick worth risking her own life?
The Outmate by Victoria L. Trenton is about as dark and twisted as a dysfunctional love story can get. The author has created a chilling tale that outlines one woman's addiction to a violent criminal. The book is told from the first-person perspective. It follows Chrissie as she immerses herself in a modern-day Bonnie and Clyde story.
Due to the criminal nature of these characters, I can't say that they were at all relatable, but the character development was outstanding. Chrissie's deep-seated issues with control were thoroughly conveyed as she fully submitted herself to Nick. She would often refer to him as "my Lord" and endure painful beatings to appease him. The control he had over her could be compared to a drug user looking for their next fix. She said, "Being around him was like the best roller coaster I'd ever been on or the most addictive drug I'd ever done. I was hooked."
Although I deeply despised Nick's character, I think this was the author's intent. From the description of his muscle-bound body and his immense strength, the author made it clear that Nick was a menacing creature. The instances of his rage were so well-described that I felt Chrissie's fear and shivered every time Nick made an appearance.
The only thing that I didn't enjoy about The Outmate was the extreme violence. Some parts were so gruesome that I had to put the book down and walk away. My stomach churned as Chrissie was repeatedly punched, choked, and degraded by Nick. The one part that I found especially vile was when she was locked in a cage for days without food or water. While these parts were necessary to describe the gravity of the situation, I didn't enjoy the feelings of sheer panic emerging from my body as I read. For that reason alone, I chose to give the book a rating of 3 out of 4 stars.
The book was professionally edited, and I only noticed a few small errors which didn't interfere with the overall readability of the text. I would recommend The Outmate to readers who are looking for a fast-paced story about dysfunctional lovers. For fans of erotica, this book explores various sexual encounters, including BDSM. If you like stories that delve into the mind of a criminal, this book is right up your alley!
Please take caution before picking up this book. The Outmate is an extremely violent book, and I would not recommend it to young readers or readers with a weak stomach. The book contains sexually graphic content, profane language, and instances of cannibalism. I would highly discourage women who have been in abusive relationships from reading this book.
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The Outmate
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