Dark Notes by Pam Godwin
Published by CreateSpace on April 6th 2016
Pages: 428
They call me a slut. Maybe I am.Sometimes I do things I despise.Sometimes men take without asking.
But I have a musical gift, only a year left of high school, and a plan.With one obstacle.
Emeric Marceaux doesn’t just take.He seizes my will power and bangs it like a dark note.When he commands me to play, I want to give him everything.I kneel for his punishments, tremble for his touch, and risk it all for our stolen moments.
He’s my obsession, my master, my music. And my teacher.
‘This brutal man is my home. His hell is my heaven. I’m his Ivory, and he’s my darkest note. No matter what happened, I will never resent this, I’ll never regret him.’
Pam Godwin never ceases to amaze me, I adore everything she writes because not only is it written exceedingly well but her art in tackling the darker elements of romance with such fearless honesty is admirable. Her words flow with poetic ardour, so tragic and heart-breaking, followed by a touch of bright side in the form of a romantic connection between two complex and beautifully nurtured characters creating the perfect balance between light and dark.
Dark Notes offered everything I want in a story. If you are a fan of Dark Romance that tackles very harsh, very real issues then you will not go far wrong with this book. In saying that though, put on your big girl panties because this book packs one hell of a punch right from the offset. There is no downplaying it, Ivory’s story is horrific – her home life is a day-to-day fight for survival.
It wasn’t always like this, she once had a Father who idolised her, a bigger Brother who protected her, and a Mother who once held her hand, but everything was ripped away one fateful day in her Father’s piano bar. With his tragic death life as she once knew it changed forever when her Father put everything he had into an exclusive school that practices the musical arts. Ivory’s dream was about to come true, a last passing gift from Father to Daughter, unfortunately it left the family in dire financial circumstances which created a torrent of emotional anger and hate from those closest to her.
Emeric Marceaux is a walking mass of stern intimidation. His new post at this exclusive school is no accident due to his incredible talent and strong networking connections. Reluctantly, he has made a promise to push though the principle’s brat into an exclusive college in New York and it should have been an easy promise to keep, that is until the poor girl with the holes in her shoes shows him that you cannot buy talent, you are born with it. Through sheer fight, love and determination Ivory is a beautiful broken contradiction; she’s beautiful, talented, outspoken and infuriating – everything Emeric looks for in a woman. He becomes enamoured to the point of obsessed, and when Emeric wants something, he will go to any lengths to get it.
From an abusive home, and turning tricks to pay the bills, to becoming a permanent fixture in Emeric Marceaux’s life, Ivory’s story is not an easy one, and as much as she admires her teacher, Emeric is not an easy man – he’s a dominant. At first it is pure fascination, her new safe place, until it becomes so much more…
Emeric and Ivory may have found something unique and special. A relationship based on honesty and physical pleasure, but every day creates a new risk, exposure being the most dangerous one of all.
Keeping their relationship secret whilst battling Ivory’s demons is what made this story tick. Each new challenge was fought with sheer determination and a will to succeed. Ivory is a tortured heroine with soul and a strength that is unfounded and I wanted her to have her HEA, and the magic here is you just didn’t know or even guess which way it was going to go and I loved that.
Dark Notes in intense, darkly atmospheric, gripping and sinfully sexy.
Emeric can play me like a Steinway any day!
5 Crowns
Guest review contributed by Perusing Princesses. Along with their book reviews, this blog features monthly authors (and their books) in their spotlight section. Their website’s forecast is sunny and pink with a chance of glitter.
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