PRE-RELEASE REVIEW: 'Backlash' by Jack L. Pyke
5 HEART READ
Title: Backlash
Series: Don't...Book 4
Author: Jack L. Pyke
Published: Jan. 19, 2016
Cover Artist: Siol na Tine
Genre: Contemporary Romance; Dark Erotic Romance
Length: 126,000 Words/Novel
Tags: Gay; M/M; M/M/M; Menage; BDSM; D/s; Heavy Angst; Mental Illness; Suspense; Psychological Thriller; Society of Masters; CW: Torture; CW: Explicit Violence
BLURB:
In the aftermath of Jack Harrison’s release from the psychiatric unit, Gray Raoul’s natural instinct is to brutally repay the one responsible for financing Jack’s and Jan’s torturous psychological reconditioning. However, that person is a professional player in their own right, one who knows exactly how to manipulate everyone in Gray’s life. To help negotiate this delicate situation, Gray seeks to contract Trace and his ex-Diadem Dom, Gabriel Hunter. But the more Gray seems to regain control, the clearer it becomes that there’s something not quite right about Jan Richards. As Jan’s world unravels, taking Jack and Gray with it and bringing out one particular deadly player, Gray’s left with one last defence: break Jack down in order to partner up with Martin. But once freed, Martin’s out for retribution of his own, and he wants to get downright personal with Gray. Complete trust between Master and sub, between Gray and Jack, is about to be tested to the absolute limit.
Backlash, the fourth book in Jack L. Pyke’s Don’t…. series brings to mind one word – impassioned. Well, maybe two words – intensely impassioned! (This series is intended to be read as a whole for thorough enjoyment. See all my reviews here.)
For anyone who has followed this series you know how inarguably excruciating Antidote was. So here comes the shocker: Backlash is worse. Not in the same psychological aspect. More so in the overall personal, heartfelt tone of it. Like looking deep into someone’s soul.
As Backlash begins things are far from normal with the trio. Gray seems lost to his own thoughts, Jan appears to be regressing and Jack is struggling to return to life outside the ward.
The tension is palpable and the ever in control, efficient, competent, authoritative, dominant, Master Gray is consumed by living with the ghosts of the past; his ever present guilt that he was not there when Jack and Jan needed him the most and his loss at failing as a Master. And as he continues to try and protect Jack and Jan, not only from the kidnapper but from themselves, he is consumed with revenge.
Seeing Gray this broken, made it difficult at times to turn the page as you could sense his overwhelming desperation.
How could he keep "his" safe, get back what they had and at the same time, bleed dry those responsible for their downfall.
Backlash covers a lot of ground for all three men, past to present, and therefore I can only give you a sense of the theme. Your mind needs to take this frenzied journey Pyke has painstakingly intended for you. I always say I don’t know how Pyke could give you more but again in Backlash she seems to do just that, taking this thriller to an entirely new level.
As tensions begin to boil Jack, Jan and Gray slowly tackle secrets they have held inside, from themselves and each other. Secrets that not only begin to explain who they are but how they got where they are today. And as Martin begins to stealthily shine his black eyes again you begin to see the intense relationship he and Gray have shared over the years and just how much Gray has had to endure to love Jack and protect him from himself. And now Jan is thrust into learning these lessons as well, at a personal toll to himself.
All of this exposed when the kidnapper is still out there, upping is game like never before. And getting ready to hand Gray the fiercest of ultimatums at the most delicate of times.
An ultimatum that will test every man like nothing they have yet endured.
There were a few times that my mind got a little jumbled, as so many events and people from the past have relevance here. I found myself struggling to recall names and incidents. But ultimately I came to realize I wasn’t supposed to remember them until Pyke wanted me to – and that is her brilliance. Giving you the key to understanding at just the precise moment you need it.
Just like any good master of suspense Jack L. Pyke keeps you right on the edge of realization. As with any good thriller the finger is pointed here and then there as she adds one more twist, one more character flaw, until you just can’t take the itching in the back of your brain any longer.
All through Backlash Gray’s confusion, desire, loss, hurt, regret, shame, guilt – his need for retribution, redemption, and revenge – seep from the pages. Putting your right there, raw and ready. Wanting revenge yourself. Through Jack and Jan you have this desperate need for these three men to be whole again. As they are torn in every conceivable direction, open and exposed, so are you. And at the same time you see their ultimate understanding of their all-consuming need for one another. The explosive ending of Backlash will leave you crying and at the same time fist pumping and asking yourself why you are laughing.
But ultimately you will be left with the realization that Gray will take care of all that is his and he needs Martin just as much as he needs Jack. As Jack would say: “I’d do the bastard, then hold the man for a lifetime afterwards.”
I was given a copy of Backlash by the publisher, at no charge, in exchange for my fair and honest opinion.
Contact: E-mail
Jack blames her dark writing influences on living close to one of England’s finest forests. Having grown up hearing a history of kidnappings, murders, strange sightings, and sexual exploits her neck of the woods is renowned for, Jack takes that into her writing, having also learned that human coping strategies for intense situations can sometimes make the best of people have disastrously bad moments. Redeeming those flaws is Jack’s drive, and if that drive just happens to lead to sexual tension between two or more guys in a D/s relationship, Jack’s the first to let nature take its course.
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