Book Review: Controlled by Love: Dark Romance Novella

You know a book is great when you get invested and this, had me cussing like a sailor. KUDOS to the author for pulling it off.

Domestic violence and abusive relationships. Straight or gay, it doesn't really matter. What matters is that they are a reality a lot of people out there have to face.
I have worked for a couple of years in counselling and met so many women who were trying to get their lives together after years of domestic abuse! And each and everyone of them showed the same doubts and insecurities as our MC here, Greg.

'Is it possible to love and hate the same person at the same time?'

'I know he gets jealous but it's because he cares about me.'

All followed by the unavoidable: It was my fault.

Controlled by Love starts in a perky merry manner where Greg is trying to put a lid onto Ben's irritating and downright mean taunts but escalates pretty fast getting darker and darker with every page.

Ben wants Greg for himself and of course he ends up getting him. Through cold manipulation and a lot of bullying that borders on emotional torture. Greg is somewhat swept by the flow. Confused by his own reactions to Ben and unsure of both his feelings and his sexuality, he falls prey to Ben.

Did I blame Greg a bit for not seeing all those red blinking warning signs and stay away? No, I didn't. Because I have seen so many others telling exactly the same story. And because we humans are not all just as strong and don't always make the smart decisions.
Just because I would have punched the crazy fuck the first time he crossed the line and set a mile between us doesn't mean I'm sure what I would have done in Greg's shoes. Because I honestly doubt anyone would have been able to make a correct decision after months in which they have been played with by someone who's 'like an evil cat who relentlessly tortures its prey rather than kill it.'

There are a few moments along the way of this relationship between Greg and Ben when a few things seemed a bit off to me, like the first time Greg stayed in Ben's flat for a full week with very few comments and complaints.
But that pales in comparison to the description of the emotional and physical abuse that Greg goes through. That is so damn real that you want to reach between the pages and trash the paranoid a**hole!
If you say no and are still 'enticed' to do it because 'you're gonna like it' does it classify as consensual sex or is it clear cut rape?
If your mind screams no but the person doing stuff to you touches all the right places and makes your body react - does it mean you made love or were forced to something against your will?

And these are just few of the questions this novella raises.

Being slowly cut off from your friends and turned into a possession - that's something many of those women I spoke with faced. And lots of them had the marks to prove it.

I loved the way the author described Greg's inner turmoil as well as the emotional roller-coaster Ben put him through.

My favorite characters here were Tony and Peter. They were fabulous and I really wish for a couple of friends like these two! I really didn't care much for Ben's sister, perhaps because the relationship between her and Greg was cut off so swiftly and seemed to mean too less.

As for Ben, he is a 'crazy paranoid jealous fuck'; a cruel maniac who takes pleasure in other people's pain and doesn't give a flying fart on whether they are ok with it or not. And, unfortunately, he is a perfect picture of many other crazy maniacs out there in the real world. Just as Greg is the spitting image of many other people out there, who fall into their clutches.

This book is an eye opener and a glimpse into domestic violence and abuse that not many are privy to. It takes a lot of guts to come out into the open and say it, let alone seek help.

Controlled by Love presents a clear cut REAL portray of an abusive relationship with all its stages from the beginning till the very end. The author did a marvelous job setting that on the page and for that he has all my respect.
It is not perfect and could have also done with a better backstory, but it is one read you should not miss. If you'd like a glimpse into such a relationship, this a perfect example.

The end was very sweet, to counter all that darkness and I honestly hope I'll get to see a sequel. One of healing and acceptance and a happy ever after. Because, to quote Annie, 'I love him already.'

Check out this book and more of Tonwand North over at https://tonwandnorth.wixsite.com/tonwandnorth