ARC Review | Captive by Brighton Walsh♥

Captive

• Brighton Walsh

• Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin;
•  (March 24, 2015)
• ISBN-13: 978-1250059635
• Genre: New Adult
• Pre-order: Amazon | Barnes & Nobles
• Source: Review Copy was sent free of charge via St. Martin's Griffin. Thank you Michelle.
• Synopsis: He's the most dangerous man she's ever met…and she's falling in love with him. Madison Frost is desperate to escape her life. Daughter of a prominent businessman, she has everything a girl could ask for. Except for a family who's present in her life, and anyone to talk to outside the four walls of the prison she calls home. Madison dreams of one day leaving her life behind. She never thought being kidnapped is how it would happen. Now she's being held captive by a man who's as frightening as he is sinfully gorgeous.  Enormous, muscular, and filled with secrets, the man they call Ghost is an enigmatic mercenary, and Madison is trapped with him. She doesn't know who hired him or why, but the more time she spends at his mercy, the more she realizes he's not what he seems. Beneath his rough exterior lies an unexpected gentleness and a heart as broken and battered as her own. But as Madison lets down her walls, Ghost holds tight to his, hiding secrets that could destroy everything.

• Madison Frost is the daughter of a rich and successful businessman, but underneath all the wealth and glamour lies a lonely girl. She might seem to have everything but happiness and attention from her parents. The anti-hero in this novel is Ghost, and no that's not his real name. One day as she waiting to get picked up from school, she get's kidnapped by him who is terrifying yet absolutely gorgeous.

•  I usually notice the title and cover first of the book, I try not to judge books by covers but that's usually the first thing I see - At first, looking at the cover and title of Captive, I was guessing it was a Stockholm Syndrome novel. I didn't expect an actual good romance with this novel, there's no dark romance here, it's not an erotic novel - It's New Adult which I wasn't aware of. Madison gets kidnapped by Ghost, the reader should expect abuse and rape, but it DOES NOT happen here, which I'm quite happy about. I find novels where victims are raped yet they bond with their captor to be disturbing.. I've read a few good novels, although I don't agree with the concept because the men in those dark novels aren't likable, they're abusive and ruthless. I can understand if the male lead isn't abusive, and there is an actual connection there which isn't sexual. This novel reminded me of The Good Girl which I liked. 

• Similar to Colin from The Good Girl, Ghost is not a bad person at all. Sure, he kidnaps people but that is his job.. He does it for survival, and not because he actually wants to. He does not harm Madison emotionally and physically. I would like to know, why do kidnappers in every single captive similar book have to be handsome and young? It's like we're supposed to like them.. Now let's replace that "handsome and young" with a forty-five year old man that actually looks super creepy. The tables would turn then for sure.. Although, I did like Ghost's character. He does show kindness and mercy - he didn't offend me like most anti-heroes do. I liked Madison, I liked how her body was emphasized on being curvy. She wasn't the kind of heroine who is thin and not she wasn't shown as perfection. I'm skinny too, before someone assumes otherwise. It's just in a lot of novels, the girls tend to be tall and thin with natural curves, which is pretty unrealistic. I want to read about a short girl, big girl, and a tiny girl too.. 

• Well, hello swoon worthy couple - you have won me over. Madison's bond could be classified as Stockholm Syndrome, however, it's on the light side. Yes, Ghost is a kidnapper. He's supposed to be the bad guy, his actions are wrong and they cannot be justified - although, I do understand why he's a kidnapper by profession given his reasons. I liked that it wasn't a simply a take romance, it actually took time to build up. Since it is a New Adult novel, it does have graphic scenes but they're kept to a minimum compared to most NA novels. I liked how the Madison and Ghost seeked comfort in just talking, they even motivated each other. The slow burn was amazing - there is no insta love here, and they actually got to know each other.

•  Captive is told from two different perspectives: Madison's and Ghost's. I really did enjoy reading this novel and being inside their heads, I was rooting for the characters all the way! The plot was amazing though with twists, and thrills - although, a couple of parts towards the ending I didn't find necessary. This is a stand alone novel, and I look forward to more of the author's work in the future. I would have liked to give Captive 4.5 butterflies, but a couple of things bothered me so I would rate this four butterflies.

Recommended for fans of The Good Girl, Girl Stolen, and Stolen.

• Shukran for reading this! Leave your blog links in the comments & I'll be sure to check them out & follow :) Stay in tuned pretty creatures.. 
  
  
  “Never forget what you are, for surely the world will not. Make it your strength. Then it can never be your weakness.” —George R.R. Martin 
  
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