Title: Damien
Author:  J Kenner
Publisher/Year:  Evil Eye Concepts 1/8/19
Length:   257 Pages
Series:  Stark Saga #6

Overview

I am Damien Stark. From the outside, I have a perfect life. A billionaire with a beautiful family. But if you could see inside my head, you’d know I’m as f-ed up as a person can be. Now more than ever.

I’m driven, relentless, and successful, but all of that means nothing without my wife and daughters. They’re my entire world, and I failed them. Now I can barely look at them without drowning in an abyss of self-recrimination.

Only one thing keeps me sane–losing myself in my wife’s silken caresses where I can pour all my pain into the one thing I know I can give her. Pleasure.

But the threats against my family are real, and I won’t let anything happen to them ever again. I’ll do whatever it takes to keep them safe–pay any price, embrace any darkness. They are mine.

I am Damien Stark. Do you want to see inside my head? Careful what you wish for.

My Thoughts

i will never ever get enough of this series and the characters that are in it because Ms Kenner does such an amazing job writing each and every installment.  If we thought that we had enough drama in the last installment, well even more is packed here.

We start off getting into the head of Damien, six years ago when he first crossed paths with Nikki at a pageant in Texas.  We’ve heard the story before, that he was a judge and she was competing and there was a spark, but that nothing could come of it for years.  Well, we now get to see what that night was like from his eyes, and then how life has changed for him and by him all for the better…or has it?

we’ve just come off the story line of Anne being kidnapped, and Bree being taken as well, but no one really understanding the motives.  We know who did it (Rory – the boy that Bree was dating) but not the why and how it came to happen.  Just when they think that they’re going to get insight, Rory’s murdered in prison and things are all in the dark again.

Of course, we know that the story line has to become even more complex.  That’s not enough.  Damien is still coping with the feelings that he failed his family by allowing things to happen and not being able to control the world and that pushes another wedge between the couple.  Things are strong between them, unbreakable, that is unless Damien breaks them.

Around them we see that others are feeling fragile as well.  Evelyn, one of our old favorites seems to be going through things, with Blaine and with Frank (Nikki’s dad).  There’s also Abby, Nikki’s business partner who’s going through things with Travis, their co-worker and that all amps up the tension in the story.

Sofia of course is the constant – as a reader, you want to hope that she’s able to change and that she cares more about having Damien in her life than making waves, but she makes it very difficult to trust her.  this story is yet another reason that we question everything.

Then there’s the entrance of Quincey, a guy that we sort of met through Dallas’ story, and again in the last book when Anne was taken, but i think that we’re going to get a dose of him soon since he’s got more secrets than we’re happy to let lay.

Roller coaster of anxiety and tension here right?  so what’s the best way to overcome that?  the traditional and well written steam and passion that only our author can write.  The scenes between Nikki and Damien are dirty, yet so full of passion and heat that you know they are based in love.  There’s something so intense and on fire between them that they use each other to feel better and use each other to survive.  It’s really sweet and makes you want to believe that it can be real…right?

We’re given closure for some of the story lines, and yet so many are left open which means that this series is far from over (or at least i hope).  so….now it’s off to find the next book to read while i wait for more STARK!  enjoy!