{"id":1086,"date":"2015-09-01T22:03:08","date_gmt":"2015-09-02T05:03:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/?p=1086"},"modified":"2024-04-11T04:06:04","modified_gmt":"2024-04-11T08:06:04","slug":"review-heart-recaptured-hades-hangmen-2-by-tillie-cole","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/?p=1086","title":{"rendered":"Review: Heart Recaptured (Hades Hangmen, #2) by Tillie Cole"},"content":{"rendered":"

Buy:\u00a0 Kindle Ebook<\/a>\u00a0 |\u00a0 Paperback<\/a><\/strong><\/h4>\n
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Review<\/b><\/h4>\n

4.5 stars<\/b><\/p>\n

HOLY SHIT, THAT WAS AN INTENSE READ! Descriptively horrific, but absolutely beautiful, this book took me on a wild ride and even though it was hard at times, it was so, so good!<\/strong><\/p>\n

Following on from It Ain’t Me, Babe<\/em>, this book plunges us back into the world of the Hades Hangmen MC. The Club operates way outside of the law, and there is no sugar-coating. These boys are wild, violent and highly sexed, and we get up close and person with all aspects of their lives \u2013 constantly! And loving the life is the Club\u2019s VP and biggest manwhore, Ky. Raised in the club, this is the only life he knows and he revels in it.<\/p>\n

Better to be on Hades\u2019s side, the side of sin. At least you know where you\u2019re going when you meet the boatman. Don\u2019t need to live striving to be something you\u2019re not. And the best part of it? You can have a shitload of fun living all kinds of fucked-up wrong, but it feels oh so fuckin\u2019 right!<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

In the first book of the series, the MC rescued Mae (from book 1) and her \u2018sisters\u2019 from a cult where they were essentially kept as sexual slaves. The young women had been raised in the commune and brainwashed into believing that they were Cursed \u2013 beautiful and desirable to the point where they tempt men into sin. Treated as whores, they were conditioned to believe that the only way to save their souls was through ritual \u2018joinings\u2019. Now under the protection of the MC, the women are exposed to the real world for the first time, and the most devout of them, Lilah, wants nothing more than to return to the life that she knew. She is utterly shattered being away from the commune and, terrified that being surrounded by such sin will damn her to hell, she rejects everything and everybody (with the exception of her two \u2018sisters\u2019), and her fear and confusion is heartbreaking.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am so scared\u2026 I am so scared of everything\u2026 of your world\u2026 of you\u2026 I do not want to be taken against my will again\u2026 I am so afraid.\u201d<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Ky was the one who rescued Lilah from the commune and was immediately enthralled by her, but as much as he wants her, he knows how scared she is of him and his world and he\u2019s been told to keep his hands off by his best friend and Club Prez, Styx. Lilah considers Ky to be a demon (albeit a good looking demon), and is terrified by him \u2013 especially knowing that he is attracted to her physically, further reinforcing her \u2018Cursed\u2019 status. But they are forced together when Ky is charged with protecting Lilah, while at the same time getting her out of her shell and orienting her to the real world (well, the real world according to a badass MC).<\/p>\n

\u201cGotta take life by the balls at some point and squeeze those fuckers with the skill of a whore.\u201d<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I really enjoyed the dynamic between Ky and Lilah. Ky is a violent killer who lives a life of crime and cares little for anything outside of sex, booze and his brothers. Lilah is pure and innocent, but she has a determined strength about her, and even though she accepts the need to learn about her new reality, she is still resistant. Her \u201cJesus freak<\/i>\u201d ways are extreme, and her constant preaching got a little tiresome, but Ky\u2019s complete lack of filter kept things entertaining.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh great, more Bible shit. Just what my fuckin\u2019 pounding hangover needs!\u201d
\nFeeling annoyed and gaping at his disregard of the Lord\u2019s written word, I muttered, \u201cJohn 4:8. It is worthy of your respect.\u201d
\n\u201cGot it,\u201d Ky said in amusement. \u201cGonna write down that worthy shit, frame it, and hang it on my wall.\u201d<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

And then comes the shift as Lilah starts to open up more to the world around her, trusting Ky and warming to him as he shows his tender side while guiding her through her journey. And it\u2019s gorgeous!<\/p>\n

\u201cYou are not that way with me. You are caring. You are loving. You are my teacher, my protector. You keep me safe. Ky, you <\/i>are my safety.\u201d<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Lilah starts to see Ky as the most important person in her world, and watching Ky-the-super-slut tame his wild ways as he falls for the lost and innocent girl is absolutely gorgeous! It happens slowly, as it needs to, and it\u2019s definitely not a smooth ride, but seeing these two completely opposite characters find common ground and develop a soul-deep connection is really special. They shouldn\u2019t love each other, they shouldn\u2019t even inhabit the same world, but they do, and somehow it works.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy am I so important for you to save? I am a burden thrust upon you.\u201d
\nGripping her finger, I brought it to my lips and kissed it, my chest almost exploding as I confessed, \u201cBecause I fuckin\u2019 love you, Li\u2026 I\u2019m fuckin\u2019 insane over you. You ain\u2019t no burden.\u201d
\n\u2026
\n\u201cI fuckin\u2019 love your crazy pilgrim ass.\u201d<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

But Lilah is still haunted by her demons, and those from her past are hell-bent on revenge, and this is where the book takes a turn for the dark, and OMFG it is INTENSE! I was literally sitting on the edge of my seat reading parts of this book. It\u2019s heartbreaking, disturbing and incredibly graphic, and by the time I got through it I felt like I\u2019d been run over! My emotions were all over the place.<\/p>\n

This is definitely not an easy read, and the book contains a lot of triggers \u2013 pedophilia, rape, sexual abuse, self-harm, torture, extreme violence and murder, as well as the nature of life within a hard-core MC, so make sure you\u2019re prepared for it before you dive in. It\u2019s now the morning after I finished this book, and I\u2019m still gobsmacked by the intensity of it and my reaction to it. Just looking at that cover, I feel completely haunted, but I\u2019m still overwhelmed by the beauty of the story. And that is all due to Tillie Cole\u2019s writing. She has woven an amazing story, and done a wonderful job with it. The darkness of Ky\u2019s world and all that Lilah has been through is graphically and emotionally portrayed, yet it is woven effortlessly with the beauty of the love story, the wonder of Lilah\u2019s \u2018awakening\u2019, and the all-consuming nature of their coming together. I was completely absorbed into the world, and the story enthralled me right through to the last page.<\/p>\n

\u201cBefore you I was vacant of love. Now I am replete. Before you I lived without hope. Now I am inspired. Before you I was broken. Now I am whole.\u201d
\n\u201cLilah,\u201d I rasped, fighting a fucking lump in my throat at her words. I tapped over my heart with my fist and said, \u201cYou’re in here, Li. You’re fuckin’ always in here.\u201d<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

And through it all, there are threads started for more books in the future. Apart from Flame and Maddie, there could easily be at least two other books coming. And speaking of Flame\u2026 holy shit, the man is possibly one of the most unique characters ever to get his own book. I am so looking forward to seeing how Tillie Cole turns him into a romantic hero.<\/p>\n

I loved this book. At times it hurt, and I was disgusted and appalled by some of the goings on, but overall it\u2019s an uplifting and beautiful story about love, hope and redemption, and I couldn\u2019t put it down.<\/p>\n

4.5 stars.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Hades Hangmen Series\u00a0<\/strong><\/h4>\n

\"It<\/a>\u00a0 \"Heart<\/a>\u00a0 \"Pageflex\u00a0 \"Deep\u00a0\u00a0\"\"\u00a0 \"\"<\/p>\n

\"\" \u00a0\"\" \u00a0\"\" \u00a0\"\"\u00a0\u00a0\"Cover<\/p>\n

It Ain\u2019t Me, Babe (#1)<\/strong> (Styx & Mae)
\nReview<\/a>
\nBuy:\u00a0 Kindle Ebook<\/a>\u00a0 |\u00a0 Paperback<\/a><\/p>\n

Heart Recaptured (#2)<\/strong> (Ky & Lilah)
\nReview<\/a>
\nBuy:\u00a0 Kindle Ebook<\/a>\u00a0 |\u00a0 Paperback<\/a><\/p>\n

Souls Unfractured (#3)<\/strong> (Flame & Maddie)
\nReview<\/a>
\nBuy:\u00a0 Kindle Ebook<\/a>\u00a0 |\u00a0 Paperback<\/a><\/p>\n

Deep Redemption (#4)\u00a0<\/strong>(Rider)
\nReview<\/a>
\nBuy:\u00a0Kindle Ebook<\/a>\u00a0 |\u00a0 Paperback<\/a><\/p>\n

Damnable Grace (#5) <\/strong>(AK)
\nReview<\/a>
\nBuy: Kindle Ebook<\/a><\/p>\n

I Do, Babe: A Novella\u00a0<\/strong>(#5.5) <\/strong>(Styx & Mae)
\nReview
\n<\/a>Buy:\u00a0 Kindle Ebook<\/a>\u00a0 |\u00a0 Paperback<\/a><\/p>\n

Crux Untamed (#6) <\/strong>(Hush, Cowboy & Sia)
\nReview<\/a>
\nBuy:\u00a0 Kindle Ebook<\/a><\/p>\n

Beauty Found (Hades Hangmen, #6.5)<\/strong> (Tank & Beauty)
\nReview<\/a>
\nBuy:\u00a0 Amazon<\/a>\u00a0 |\u00a0 Kobo\u00a0<\/a> |\u00a0 Nook<\/a>\u00a0 |\u00a0 Paperback<\/a><\/p>\n

Darkness Embraced (#7) <\/strong>(Tanner & Adelita)
\nReview<\/a>
\nBuy:\u00a0 Amazon\u00a0<\/a> |\u00a0 Nook\u00a0<\/a> |\u00a0 Kobo<\/a><\/p>\n

My Maddie (#8)<\/strong> (Flame & Maddie)
\nReview<\/a>
\nBuy:\u00a0 Amazon<\/a>\u00a0 |\u00a0\u00a0Nook<\/a>\u00a0 |\u00a0\u00a0Kobo<\/a>\u00a0 |\u00a0\u00a0iBooks\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n

Untitled (#9) <\/strong>(Viking)
\nTo be released<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

For similar reads, check out our Dark & Edgy Recommendations<\/a>
\n<\/strong><\/h4>\n

And for more books by this author, see our Tillie Cole Author Spotlight<\/a> page<\/strong><\/h4>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Buy:\u00a0 Kindle Ebook\u00a0 |\u00a0 Paperback Review 4.5 stars HOLY SHIT, THAT WAS AN INTENSE READ! Descriptively horrific, but absolutely beautiful, this book took me on a wild ride and even though it was hard at […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1121,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","yasr_overall_rating":4.5,"yasr_post_is_review":"","yasr_auto_insert_disabled":"","yasr_review_type":"Product","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1548,54,47,49,9,29],"tags":[91,48,26],"class_list":["post-1086","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-age-gap","category-bikers","category-dark-gritty","category-feeeeeeels","category-romance","category-steamy","tag-hades-hangmen","tag-review","tag-tillie-cole"],"yasr_visitor_votes":{"stars_attributes":{"read_only":false,"span_bottom":false},"number_of_votes":0,"sum_votes":0},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Heart-Recaptured.jpg?fit=150%2C239&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7gaNL-hw","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1086","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1086"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1086\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1121"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1086"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1086"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1086"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}