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Splintered
Everything in Ben's life was perfect. He had it all. The good career. The perfect partner, Evan. The happy home. They were even talking about turning the extra bedroom into a nursery.
But things start to splinter.
Evan begins missing time, not knowing where he was or how he got there. Terrors in the night rip them both from sleep, and Evan's suddenly violent outbursts cost him his job and his reputation.
And voices in his head turn from whispers to screams, commanding him to act.
To turn on Ben.
How far will Ben go to save his partner's life? How far is too far?
Should he have just... run away?
This book is part of the CRIMINAL DELIGHTS series. Each novel can be read as a standalone and contains a dark M/M romance.
Warning: These books are for adult readers who enjoy stories where lines between right and wrong get blurred.
High heat, twisted, and tantalizing, these are not for the fainthearted!
But things start to splinter.
Evan begins missing time, not knowing where he was or how he got there. Terrors in the night rip them both from sleep, and Evan's suddenly violent outbursts cost him his job and his reputation.
And voices in his head turn from whispers to screams, commanding him to act.
To turn on Ben.
How far will Ben go to save his partner's life? How far is too far?
Should he have just... run away?
This book is part of the CRIMINAL DELIGHTS series. Each novel can be read as a standalone and contains a dark M/M romance.
Warning: These books are for adult readers who enjoy stories where lines between right and wrong get blurred.
High heat, twisted, and tantalizing, these are not for the fainthearted!
161 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 6, 2019
About the author
Tal Bauer
33 books4,931 followersTal Bauer writes breathtaking, heartfelt, and often action-packed gay romance novels. His characters are head over heels for each other and fight against all odds for their happy ending. Nothing stands in the way of love. Tal is best known for his romantic suspense novels, including the Executive Office series, The Murder Between Us, The Grave Between Us, The Night of, and his MM sports romance, The Jock.
Website - www.talbauerwrites.com
Amazon Author - http://amazon.com/author/talbauer
Instagram - @TalBauerWrites
Newsletter - https://mailchi.mp/f1fd8baec198/talba...
Website - www.talbauerwrites.com
Amazon Author - http://amazon.com/author/talbauer
Instagram - @TalBauerWrites
Newsletter - https://mailchi.mp/f1fd8baec198/talba...
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 115 reviews
May 3, 2019
2.75
The overriding feeling I got from finishing this was this:
If this book was made into a film it would be paranormal horror.When reading it I was actually watching the film in my head.I could draw comparisons but I won't,only because I really don't want to give too much away.
Honestly it started out so positively.It's my first read by this Author and I loved his writing.I actually couldn't put it down but then it took a turn/ a twist that I kind of knew was coming but still hoped it wouldn't.I like pnr books,I really do but the theme (for want of a better word) here just isn't my thing at all.I just didn't find it credible.
On a positive note I was more than happy with the end.I'm sure this will work for a lot of people-just wasn't really my thing.
Review copy.
The overriding feeling I got from finishing this was this:
If this book was made into a film it would be paranormal horror.When reading it I was actually watching the film in my head.I could draw comparisons but I won't,only because I really don't want to give too much away.
Honestly it started out so positively.It's my first read by this Author and I loved his writing.I actually couldn't put it down but then it took a turn/ a twist that I kind of knew was coming but still hoped it wouldn't.I like pnr books,I really do but the theme (for want of a better word) here just isn't my thing at all.I just didn't find it credible.
On a positive note I was more than happy with the end.I'm sure this will work for a lot of people-just wasn't really my thing.
Review copy.
August 3, 2024
Strange, violent, mildly terrifying horror/romance about a couple whose "perfect" life is falling apart.
We're thrown into the middle of things: Evan and Ben have been together for several years. Evan is considering a job offer in New York, even though he and Ben live (and have a future planned) in San Francisco, where Ben is a teacher. Ben worries that Evan is cheating on him, but the more he pushes, the more Evan withdraws.
We find out Evan has been losing time; hours are unaccounted for. There's an incident at Evan's work that leaves both men shaken.
Ben, who is the sole narrator, comes across as a little selfish and obsessive, but tbh I didn't know enough about Evan and Ben to care about their relationship.
I also didn't expect, and didn't particularly like, all the religious stuff toward the end.
Why would Evan have a sudden crisis of faith? He'd left the Catholic church years ago and was living with his partner. The timing felt off.
Why didn't he trust his parents to have his back? Why did he shut Ben out? How was he going to have children with Ben when he never planned to tell his parents he was gay? Was he just going to hide the kids? I had so many questions.
This book would make a good movie. Bauer's writing plays on the sensory and visual. I could see the shadows, smell the blood, hear the whispers.
The ending is meant to be a HEA, but I was left with an uneasy feeling, which is perhaps the point of the story.
We're thrown into the middle of things: Evan and Ben have been together for several years. Evan is considering a job offer in New York, even though he and Ben live (and have a future planned) in San Francisco, where Ben is a teacher. Ben worries that Evan is cheating on him, but the more he pushes, the more Evan withdraws.
We find out Evan has been losing time; hours are unaccounted for. There's an incident at Evan's work that leaves both men shaken.
Ben, who is the sole narrator, comes across as a little selfish and obsessive, but tbh I didn't know enough about Evan and Ben to care about their relationship.
I also didn't expect, and didn't particularly like, all the religious stuff toward the end.
Why would Evan have a sudden crisis of faith? He'd left the Catholic church years ago and was living with his partner. The timing felt off.
Why didn't he trust his parents to have his back? Why did he shut Ben out? How was he going to have children with Ben when he never planned to tell his parents he was gay? Was he just going to hide the kids? I had so many questions.
This book would make a good movie. Bauer's writing plays on the sensory and visual. I could see the shadows, smell the blood, hear the whispers.
The ending is meant to be a HEA, but I was left with an uneasy feeling, which is perhaps the point of the story.
May 14, 2019
Something was wrong. Something was very, very wrong.
A very good firstly psychologist thriller and secondly paranormal thriller. I had a few minor issues with the character development (which I suppose it is a normal thing for a short length novel) but overall I enjoyed it.
My main issue probably was the fact that I didn’t really had a full picture of Evan's character. We get to know him after he starts having the psychotic, schizophrenic incidents. So, everything we know about him comes from Ben's memories and flashbacks and from Ben's point of view.
Evan appears to be a very weak character: His refusal to tell his parents about his sexuality, the secrets he keeps from Ben about his secret meetings with the priest, his denial to ask for help when the first symptoms started.
It seems that his character definitely helped the whole situation to get out of hands.
On the other had, I could not connect much with Ben as well. I couldn't understand the nature of his fighting with Evan about the golden opportunity in New York. His obsession with his parents' house for me is not a natural thing. I would have followed the love of my life to the ends of the Earth as long as he was happy and did not feel hemmed in. I supposed the ending showed that material things are not that important.
Lots of information in this book about the Ritual for Exorcism. I find fascinating that in 21st century, the catholic church still believes in it. Anyway, I am sure we will meet Father Mathew again in a future novel.
Excellent book cover!
June 2, 2019
3.5 stars.
If Tal Bauer writes it, I like it. Well, unless it involves reindeer. And even when I don't like something about a Tal Bauer story, I always appreciate his flawless writing, well-crafted characters, and uniqueness.
Both psychological thriller and paranormal horror, Splintered is gripping, thrusting the reader into darkness and doubt. The relationship between Evan and Ben is falling apart; that much is clear. The why isn't. There is much to be uncovered. And feared.
First things first, props for a story that gave me the heebie-jeebies even as it made me burst into laughter. If you're wondering how that is possible, I present Exhibit A:
Throughout the course of the novel, I did not know whether I could believe the various characters or trust their motivations. For me, that made it 100 times scarier than an axe-wielding murderer. Fans of A Time to Rise will find the supernatural aspects reminiscent and intriguing. Fortunately, there is no skanky Swiss Guardsman standing in the way of true love (yes, I'm probably the only reader who hopelessly continues to ship Alain and Luca).
As usual, Bauer pays meticulous attention to detail, seamlessly weaving historical and religious research into the story. Even if it's not your favorite subject - and trust, religion does not appeal to me - Splintered is a nevertheless absorbing dive into life, love, and faith.
When the novel drew to a conclusion, I felt unsettled. Confused. Yet I thoroughly enjoyed the story. Although reader mileage may vary regarding some of the themes, I found it a thoughtful and thrilling read.
Read for SBTB April - June 2019 Quarterly Challenge: A book with a dark or black cover.
If Tal Bauer writes it, I like it. Well, unless it involves reindeer. And even when I don't like something about a Tal Bauer story, I always appreciate his flawless writing, well-crafted characters, and uniqueness.
Both psychological thriller and paranormal horror, Splintered is gripping, thrusting the reader into darkness and doubt. The relationship between Evan and Ben is falling apart; that much is clear. The why isn't. There is much to be uncovered. And feared.
First things first, props for a story that gave me the heebie-jeebies even as it made me burst into laughter. If you're wondering how that is possible, I present Exhibit A:
Throughout the course of the novel, I did not know whether I could believe the various characters or trust their motivations. For me, that made it 100 times scarier than an axe-wielding murderer. Fans of A Time to Rise will find the supernatural aspects reminiscent and intriguing. Fortunately, there is no skanky Swiss Guardsman standing in the way of true love (yes, I'm probably the only reader who hopelessly continues to ship Alain and Luca).
As usual, Bauer pays meticulous attention to detail, seamlessly weaving historical and religious research into the story. Even if it's not your favorite subject - and trust, religion does not appeal to me - Splintered is a nevertheless absorbing dive into life, love, and faith.
When the novel drew to a conclusion, I felt unsettled. Confused. Yet I thoroughly enjoyed the story. Although reader mileage may vary regarding some of the themes, I found it a thoughtful and thrilling read.
Read for SBTB April - June 2019 Quarterly Challenge: A book with a dark or black cover.
Read
April 14, 2021It gave me the heebie jeebies... the writing was great as always but as a person who doesn’t like horror this was a little much. I still don’t know if that was a demon or a mental break down.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
May 3, 2019DNF @50%
The writing is excellent and the plot interesting enough. But the content is definitely not for me.
The writing is excellent and the plot interesting enough. But the content is definitely not for me.
May 8, 2019
Well that was different... unexpected storyline even though you could see it coming as elements of the story played out. This was more a paranormal horror type story, the MM element felt secondary to underlying issues. No spoilers here - well written for sure.
February 23, 2024
i think this is the most riveting thing i've read from Tal Bauer. i cried for like the whole first 25% and then was scared to death until the last 10% fr lmaoo jesus christ
the whole book is in Ben's pov. it's melancholic from the start when the background is set up. Ben is living in his childhood home with the love of his life, Evan. they were madly in love and talked nonstop about their future together; marriage, remodeling, and babies. and then Evan started changing slowly, starting with a potential promotion in New York, and then all at once. where there was already derision: Ben didn't want to move and Evan was being pressured to take a million dollar salary position, the end seems nigh with each change in Evan.
but the job promotion and the house fall to the wayside as Evan becomes more volatile and unpredictable. where affection once resided, cold detachment and clipped tones take up the gap that rapidly increases between the couple. Ben's mental health is in the same downward spiral after witnessing Evan's violent personality changes and behaviors. wrestling with his Catholic faith and how it coincides with his sexual identity, Evan's distress grows when he begins hearing voices and losing time. Ben can't tell who Evan is anymore especially as Evan's actions and words start increasingly invoking terror, leaving him to wonder if Evan has had a schizophrenic break.
this book goes down a predictable route but that's not entirely the part that is harrowing for me. Evan says and does some FUCKED UP STUFF 💀 there is one scene in particular that is really the catalyst to my upcoming sleepless night, but frankly it was enough to ruin my fucking week if i don't bleach my thoughts asap. the one sexy scene in this thing is completely tainted by the traumatizing bathroom scene that precedes it to the point that i just had to skip it cos no way in hell did i want that seared into my brain at midnight.
maybe i'm a wimp idk but if this had been any longer, i think i'd slap a 5 star rating on it. as it stands, 4.5 stars for a book that covers a lot of ground in less than 200 pages is fantastic. the ending was satisfying if a little unsettling overall, but this is one of those that'll linger w me for longer than i'm comfortable with lol. also i heavily recommend if for nothing else but to see if it freaks anyone else out. anyway now i have to try to sleep so wish me luck or whatever
the whole book is in Ben's pov. it's melancholic from the start when the background is set up. Ben is living in his childhood home with the love of his life, Evan. they were madly in love and talked nonstop about their future together; marriage, remodeling, and babies. and then Evan started changing slowly, starting with a potential promotion in New York, and then all at once. where there was already derision: Ben didn't want to move and Evan was being pressured to take a million dollar salary position, the end seems nigh with each change in Evan.
but the job promotion and the house fall to the wayside as Evan becomes more volatile and unpredictable. where affection once resided, cold detachment and clipped tones take up the gap that rapidly increases between the couple. Ben's mental health is in the same downward spiral after witnessing Evan's violent personality changes and behaviors. wrestling with his Catholic faith and how it coincides with his sexual identity, Evan's distress grows when he begins hearing voices and losing time. Ben can't tell who Evan is anymore especially as Evan's actions and words start increasingly invoking terror, leaving him to wonder if Evan has had a schizophrenic break.
this book goes down a predictable route but that's not entirely the part that is harrowing for me. Evan says and does some FUCKED UP STUFF 💀 there is one scene in particular that is really the catalyst to my upcoming sleepless night, but frankly it was enough to ruin my fucking week if i don't bleach my thoughts asap. the one sexy scene in this thing is completely tainted by the traumatizing bathroom scene that precedes it to the point that i just had to skip it cos no way in hell did i want that seared into my brain at midnight.
maybe i'm a wimp idk but if this had been any longer, i think i'd slap a 5 star rating on it. as it stands, 4.5 stars for a book that covers a lot of ground in less than 200 pages is fantastic. the ending was satisfying if a little unsettling overall, but this is one of those that'll linger w me for longer than i'm comfortable with lol. also i heavily recommend if for nothing else but to see if it freaks anyone else out. anyway now i have to try to sleep so wish me luck or whatever
November 26, 2021
Well, I'm happy that I didnt read this at night. Because #Damn
This is the one book that I haven't read by Tal Bauer.
It has:
- demonic possession?
- psychosis and depression...
- exorcisms!?
- attempted murder !
Very fluffy you see 🥲🥲🥲
But it also has two men in love, one drowning and the other his lifeline. Ben did everything and endured everything for Evan. Their love was able to persevere.
I loved how the ending kind of keeps you guessing in a way, even with the HEA.
Steam-o-meter is low steam for obvious reasons..
Read at your own risk please 🥲🤣
This is the one book that I haven't read by Tal Bauer.
It has:
- demonic possession?
- psychosis and depression...
- exorcisms!?
- attempted murder !
Very fluffy you see 🥲🥲🥲
But it also has two men in love, one drowning and the other his lifeline. Ben did everything and endured everything for Evan. Their love was able to persevere.
I loved how the ending kind of keeps you guessing in a way, even with the HEA.
Steam-o-meter is low steam for obvious reasons..
Read at your own risk please 🥲🤣
May 7, 2019
It kills me to give a Tal Bauer book a 3 but it’s all me and NOT the book! It just wasn’t my jam. I expected some gore and violence but the blurb didn’t really prepare me for the supernatural and religious references in the story. It’s more of a supernatural/horror story. As always, the research is impeccable and was quite interesting, the writing was excellent and many people will enjoy this greatly.
*An ARC was provided by the author, publisher or a promotional service and I have chosen to publish a fair and honest review*
*An ARC was provided by the author, publisher or a promotional service and I have chosen to publish a fair and honest review*
May 12, 2019
Who truly is in there?
When all is said and done, I couldn’t put this down.
The beginning felt repetitive, rehashing Ben’s need of home and staying and building a family. Obsessively. Which may have been the point, as we find out later. Tethers play an important role here (love, religion, work, family, place).
Nothing happened much until 21% in the book. I really wasn’t feeling the story. All we got were Ben’s deep-rooted feelings of needing to stay and the mystery of Evan, his partner.
The last 3/4 of the book really ramped up in terms of showing us what Ben was in the dark about, how Evan was changing, and finally bringing outsiders into the mix.
Ben was hard pressed to believe that Evan’s changes were anything other than physical or psychological and it frustrated me that a teacher of medieval history would not have the smallest drop of belief in “otherworldliness.”
What was happening to Evan was obvious to me, to everyone but Ben, a non-believer. Yet what also struck me was the weighty presence of the house they lived in. It was constant, yet never solidly dealt with even at the very end.
I won’t go into specifics as not to spoil this well written book, but it provides interesting discourse into the role of good and evil in a world created by a supernatural being such as God.
There is one rather disturbing scene that takes place in the bathroom. If you’re squeamish of blood or blood play, best skip the gruesome scene—although it had my eyes glued to the screen!!
At the end of this suspenseful story what can you expect? An HFN and questions left lingering in Ben’s mind as to what the nature of his reality truly is. You can also expect that the presence LOVE truly casts away evil.
When all is said and done, I couldn’t put this down.
The beginning felt repetitive, rehashing Ben’s need of home and staying and building a family. Obsessively. Which may have been the point, as we find out later. Tethers play an important role here (love, religion, work, family, place).
Nothing happened much until 21% in the book. I really wasn’t feeling the story. All we got were Ben’s deep-rooted feelings of needing to stay and the mystery of Evan, his partner.
The last 3/4 of the book really ramped up in terms of showing us what Ben was in the dark about, how Evan was changing, and finally bringing outsiders into the mix.
Ben was hard pressed to believe that Evan’s changes were anything other than physical or psychological and it frustrated me that a teacher of medieval history would not have the smallest drop of belief in “otherworldliness.”
What was happening to Evan was obvious to me, to everyone but Ben, a non-believer. Yet what also struck me was the weighty presence of the house they lived in. It was constant, yet never solidly dealt with even at the very end.
I won’t go into specifics as not to spoil this well written book, but it provides interesting discourse into the role of good and evil in a world created by a supernatural being such as God.
There is one rather disturbing scene that takes place in the bathroom. If you’re squeamish of blood or blood play, best skip the gruesome scene—although it had my eyes glued to the screen!!
At the end of this suspenseful story what can you expect? An HFN and questions left lingering in Ben’s mind as to what the nature of his reality truly is. You can also expect that the presence LOVE truly casts away evil.
May 12, 2019
This is book #6 of the Criminal Delights series so ideally I should've started with #1 and continued onwards. However, I totally jumped the gun and started with this because I saw who wrote this and my brain started chanting "gimme gimme" because I luuurrve me some Tal Bauer.
Now this story was more on the horror/scary(at least for me) end of the "darkness spectrum" and less on the "morally ambiguous/vile characters but you still have a soft spot for them" end of the spectrum.
I felt bad for Evan for most of the book but Ben? If selfishness had a face, it'd be Ben's. With ALL that was going on with Evan, Ben still managed to make it all about him and how his perfect future was now ruined blah blah blah.He annoyed me for so much of the book with things coming to a head when There was no valid reason for him to do that in my opinion.
I'll confess one thing: my threshold for the creepy/horror/scary is very very low. Infact, let's say it's permanently set at zero so I was unable to read this at night because I FELT the creepy/horror deep within. While reading this, I was equal parts scared and intrigued because the writing was sooo good.
This also showed me how talented Tal Bauer truly is. I'm used to his political intrigue books but this showed that he can totally branch out should he wish to and totally nail it every time.Tal Bauer does not disappoint.
All I can say is that if this is any indication of the writing talent this series, then it should be one hell of a ride!
**eARC Graciously given by Author in Exchange for A Honest Review**
Now this story was more on the horror/scary(at least for me) end of the "darkness spectrum" and less on the "morally ambiguous/vile characters but you still have a soft spot for them" end of the spectrum.
I felt bad for Evan for most of the book but Ben? If selfishness had a face, it'd be Ben's. With ALL that was going on with Evan, Ben still managed to make it all about him and how his perfect future was now ruined blah blah blah.He annoyed me for so much of the book with things coming to a head when There was no valid reason for him to do that in my opinion.
I'll confess one thing: my threshold for the creepy/horror/scary is very very low. Infact, let's say it's permanently set at zero so I was unable to read this at night because I FELT the creepy/horror deep within. While reading this, I was equal parts scared and intrigued because the writing was sooo good.
This also showed me how talented Tal Bauer truly is. I'm used to his political intrigue books but this showed that he can totally branch out should he wish to and totally nail it every time.Tal Bauer does not disappoint.
All I can say is that if this is any indication of the writing talent this series, then it should be one hell of a ride!
**eARC Graciously given by Author in Exchange for A Honest Review**
October 8, 2023
This book was wild! I wasn’t sure WTH was going on at first. This is the perfect book for the Halloween 🎃 season.
“He’d struggled. He’d gotten lost. And he’d splintered apart. The answer, then, was to love. To love Evan as hard, as deeply, as fully as he ever had, and to never, ever let that love go. Because if there was one truth Ben knew in the world, it was that he loved Evan and he always would.”
It was a love story but also it was creepy AF.
You get an HEA but to be honest I’m still feeling a bit unsettled.
“He’d struggled. He’d gotten lost. And he’d splintered apart. The answer, then, was to love. To love Evan as hard, as deeply, as fully as he ever had, and to never, ever let that love go. Because if there was one truth Ben knew in the world, it was that he loved Evan and he always would.”
It was a love story but also it was creepy AF.
You get an HEA but to be honest I’m still feeling a bit unsettled.
March 12, 2021
I wasn't really sure where the book was leading or whether if it was phsychological thriller or paranormal thriller but I still enjoyed reading it. I was expecting it to be gory and violent so the blurb didn't prepare me for the supernatural and religious aspect in the book. I still have a few unanswered questions but overall it was a good read with a good HEA after their excruciating experience. Aaaand I just want to say that I spent 2 minutes just staring at the book cover.. It was so creepy! 😅
August 14, 2022
❤️❤️❤️❤️
💋💋
M/M romance with a paranormal edge.
Tal does it again , drags you though he’ll and back with his characters.
I wasn’t sure I’d like this , im not a fan of paranormal books, wow was I wrong.
Excellent reading and writing, im blown away, but very disturbed at the same time .
💋💋
M/M romance with a paranormal edge.
Tal does it again , drags you though he’ll and back with his characters.
I wasn’t sure I’d like this , im not a fan of paranormal books, wow was I wrong.
Excellent reading and writing, im blown away, but very disturbed at the same time .
May 25, 2019
I absolutely love Tal's books, but I will not lie. This was not a direction I was expecting. At all. I was expecting an action adventure kind of thing and Tal blew me away. There are possible triggers. Possession, demons, attempted murder, stabbing, exorcisms. If any of that bothers you, have a care. But it's a good book. Definitely different but so good.
Ben is scared. He's been noticing more and more that Evan is drawing away. After all their hopes and dreams, Ben can't believe it would finally be over. But the changes he's seeing in Evan are not what he expected. And after being woke several times at night to Evan screaming like no one has ever heard, and losing his job they way he did, it was time to get help. What the diagnosis was, for Ben, was unbelievable. But he agrees to what Evan wants in order to get better. But it may come at a cost. That cost may be their lives.
Wow. So unexpected but so good. When you feel like things are over in the relationship, it's devastating. Especially when you still really love that person. When changes occur that no one expects, it's even worse. I felt so bad for Ben. He didn't know which end was up and he was thinking the worst. He's heartbroken at thinking his hopes and dreams with Evan are over. With all the plans they made. He's devastated. And Evan not really telling him anything just field the fire, so to speak.
But then I feel for Evan as well. Trying to explain what is going on scares him, because everyone will think he's nuts. He thinks he's off, so no telling what everyone else will think. And he knew the minute he told Ben, Ben would be super worried. What he didn't think about is that Ben is worried already. And thinking the worst about everything.
So with the both of them, communication is definitely key. And neither were communicating. It was a circle of misery. But they fought for each other. Even when Ben thought he would have to pack Evan's things to let him go, he fought for Evan. And Evan fought for Ben in the only way he knew how. The love was there, but they just had to get through the storm in front of them.
It's a really good book. I'd expect nothing less from Tal Bauer.
http://lovebytesreviews.com/
Ben is scared. He's been noticing more and more that Evan is drawing away. After all their hopes and dreams, Ben can't believe it would finally be over. But the changes he's seeing in Evan are not what he expected. And after being woke several times at night to Evan screaming like no one has ever heard, and losing his job they way he did, it was time to get help. What the diagnosis was, for Ben, was unbelievable. But he agrees to what Evan wants in order to get better. But it may come at a cost. That cost may be their lives.
Wow. So unexpected but so good. When you feel like things are over in the relationship, it's devastating. Especially when you still really love that person. When changes occur that no one expects, it's even worse. I felt so bad for Ben. He didn't know which end was up and he was thinking the worst. He's heartbroken at thinking his hopes and dreams with Evan are over. With all the plans they made. He's devastated. And Evan not really telling him anything just field the fire, so to speak.
But then I feel for Evan as well. Trying to explain what is going on scares him, because everyone will think he's nuts. He thinks he's off, so no telling what everyone else will think. And he knew the minute he told Ben, Ben would be super worried. What he didn't think about is that Ben is worried already. And thinking the worst about everything.
So with the both of them, communication is definitely key. And neither were communicating. It was a circle of misery. But they fought for each other. Even when Ben thought he would have to pack Evan's things to let him go, he fought for Evan. And Evan fought for Ben in the only way he knew how. The love was there, but they just had to get through the storm in front of them.
It's a really good book. I'd expect nothing less from Tal Bauer.
http://lovebytesreviews.com/
Want to read
May 2, 2019Wow does this sound good!!
July 13, 2024
Well, that was a weird one. Not really a romance. Not what I expected from this author. OK I guess.
October 9, 2021
I am a fan of Tal Bauer’s books, but I am a scaredy-cat - I own it. His book Soul on Fire gave me nightmares, but this one stopped me sleeping. I’m sorry Mr Bauer, I don’t think I can finish this one.
May 19, 2019
I give this book a 2.5. The writing style, flow, and flow was good but I knew it would be because I love Tal Bauer. The book was interesting and a good idea, I believed there was a demon and that their love would get them though the horrors. Tal excelled at that objective. But for criminal delights? No! ANOTHER BIG FAIL!!! This book said high heat, and tantalizing. This book had 1 sex scene and the other wasn't even sexy it was like an almost rape that didn't happen. And the sex scene that was on screen was lighthearted and romantic. Honestly, someone please throw these books AWAY! These books are false advertising. I feel as though this was just another book written by anyone and I wouldn't be able to recognize it. This DOESN'T belong in this series almost none of these do. None of them were dark and sexy except 2 and 3 those really did it for me. The WHIPPER AND THE STALKER GUY. THOSE AUTHORS SHOULD HAVE FINISHED THE REST OF THE SERIES! Nothing was sexy it was just sad and moving and you really wanted Evan to pull through and him and Ben to get their babies and fix up the house. I'm just disappointed in the series and if these books took off the warnings and disbanded the series just put these books out as standalone then that would be better because I've read dark, creepy, sexy, painful tears and this definitely wasn't it!!!°°
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 14, 2024
Cuánto me gusta este autor, tanto, tanto, que hasta soy capaz de leer, de cabo a rabo, una historia como esta, que no sé muy bien si es paranormal, dark o qué. Es una de esas historias de «matrimonio en crisis», en este caso, una pareja gay de San Francisco.
Ben, profesor de historia, anda mosca con su pareja, Evan, un ejecutivo de ventas que está a punto de lograr el puesto de trabajo de su vida. Cree que le va a dejar. En realidad, a Evan le pasa algo diferente. Es una historia, en cierto sentido, de terror.
Tal Bauer sabe crear una atmósfera muy inquietante. Es una de esas novelas no aptas para ser leídas de noche, a poco que te sugestionen estas descripciones.
Como no puede ser de otra manera, el romanticón de Tal Bauer les da su final feliz, del amor por encima de todo, amor vincit omnia.
Reseña algo más extensa, en mi blog.
Ben, profesor de historia, anda mosca con su pareja, Evan, un ejecutivo de ventas que está a punto de lograr el puesto de trabajo de su vida. Cree que le va a dejar. En realidad, a Evan le pasa algo diferente. Es una historia, en cierto sentido, de terror.
Tal Bauer sabe crear una atmósfera muy inquietante. Es una de esas novelas no aptas para ser leídas de noche, a poco que te sugestionen estas descripciones.
Como no puede ser de otra manera, el romanticón de Tal Bauer les da su final feliz, del amor por encima de todo, amor vincit omnia.
Reseña algo más extensa, en mi blog.
May 13, 2019
4.5 stars
This is my first read from this author. I have seen his books on KU but never read. I might have to check him out.
First off, wasn't sure where the book was leading us but as you progress further in the book you get the just of what the author is trying to convey to us. Splintered in the right word to describe what the characters were going through but Obsession was lost on me til about halfway through the book. Ben was obsessed with Evan not loving him but Ben didn't understand what Evan was dealing with. The stress and the struggles of keeping so much of his true self locked away he was easy pickens for what happened.
All in all book 7 was a great read even though it was low sex but high on demonic possession.
This is my first read from this author. I have seen his books on KU but never read. I might have to check him out.
First off, wasn't sure where the book was leading us but as you progress further in the book you get the just of what the author is trying to convey to us. Splintered in the right word to describe what the characters were going through but Obsession was lost on me til about halfway through the book. Ben was obsessed with Evan not loving him but Ben didn't understand what Evan was dealing with. The stress and the struggles of keeping so much of his true self locked away he was easy pickens for what happened.
All in all book 7 was a great read even though it was low sex but high on demonic possession.
October 5, 2023
I am so used to a certain type of Tal book that this was a shock to my system. It seems Tal can write anything because I very much enjoyed this. At first I wasn't sure if this was a psychological thriller or a paranormal thriller. I wasn't sure which way it would go which kept my attention the entire time. My heart went out to both Ben and Evan. I was so afraid for them. I don't want to give too much away but there is one thing I will comment on. That dildo scene. Holy hell. And not a sexy holy hell, a disturbing holy hell. I also cried at this book which I was NOT expecting. Overall this was a great reading experience.
Fuck, he loved Evan, had fallen for him from that very first night and had held his breath through the first six months, hoping what they had would keep going, that it would deepen, mature from weeknight dinner dates and sex-filled sleepovers and weekend hikes and wine tasting to something richer, something long-lasting. He’d been bursting when Evan blurted out “I love you” first, kissing him under a streetlight after a show in the city, tugging him out of the way of the crowds on the sidewalk and kissing him like he couldn’t wait a moment longer. Like the words had to come out. Ben had embarrassed himself, telling Evan he loved him so much, had fallen in love with him too, thought about him every moment of every day, and just, God, loved him.
Evan had laughed and kissed him and then kissed him again.
He’d moved Evan in a month later. He wanted everything. He wanted Evan. He wanted to kiss him under streetlights and on the back porch and in the kitchen and in bed, cradling his face as they made love, cuddling on the couch as they ate pizza and binge-watched Netflix.
Ben turned away. The water in the sink continued to run.
This slow death was the worst, the atrophy of love, the wasting away of affection. The emptiness where there was once fullness, an ache like an amputated limb. The love of his life was in the next room, the man he dreamed of growing old with, and yet, he didn’t know him at all anymore. He hadn’t even known he’d come home or was sleeping alone on the couch.
Finally, he kissed Evan, letting their lips mingle and caress. Evan shivered against him, melted into his arms. He fell into Ben, kissing him like he needed Ben’s love to survive, like the secret to life was inside of his soul.
Kissing turned to necking, and then to Evan pulling Ben upstairs, carefully, slowly. Inside the bedroom, Ben had remade the bed, flipping the mattress to hide the bloodstain and buying new sheets, gray this time, and a new comforter. Evan smiled as he laid back on the bed and opened his arms. “Love me,” he whispered. “Please.”
“After this, after I’m out of here, and after I’m back to living my life with you… there’s only one thing that I want. But, I have nothing. I can’t offer you the life I once could. I can’t offer you anything except for my love. I swear to you, there will never be a man who loves you as much as I do. I can’t ever tell you how much, how deeply, I love you. There aren’t words invented yet for how I feel about you.” He held out the rings. “All I can give you is me. Myself, just me and my love.” He swallowed hard. “Ben, will you marry me?”
Ben dropped to his knees as well. He clasped his hand over Evan’s, covering the rings. “All I’ve ever wanted was your love. Just that, and just you. Of course I’ll marry you.”
Fuck, he loved Evan, had fallen for him from that very first night and had held his breath through the first six months, hoping what they had would keep going, that it would deepen, mature from weeknight dinner dates and sex-filled sleepovers and weekend hikes and wine tasting to something richer, something long-lasting. He’d been bursting when Evan blurted out “I love you” first, kissing him under a streetlight after a show in the city, tugging him out of the way of the crowds on the sidewalk and kissing him like he couldn’t wait a moment longer. Like the words had to come out. Ben had embarrassed himself, telling Evan he loved him so much, had fallen in love with him too, thought about him every moment of every day, and just, God, loved him.
Evan had laughed and kissed him and then kissed him again.
He’d moved Evan in a month later. He wanted everything. He wanted Evan. He wanted to kiss him under streetlights and on the back porch and in the kitchen and in bed, cradling his face as they made love, cuddling on the couch as they ate pizza and binge-watched Netflix.
Ben turned away. The water in the sink continued to run.
This slow death was the worst, the atrophy of love, the wasting away of affection. The emptiness where there was once fullness, an ache like an amputated limb. The love of his life was in the next room, the man he dreamed of growing old with, and yet, he didn’t know him at all anymore. He hadn’t even known he’d come home or was sleeping alone on the couch.
Finally, he kissed Evan, letting their lips mingle and caress. Evan shivered against him, melted into his arms. He fell into Ben, kissing him like he needed Ben’s love to survive, like the secret to life was inside of his soul.
Kissing turned to necking, and then to Evan pulling Ben upstairs, carefully, slowly. Inside the bedroom, Ben had remade the bed, flipping the mattress to hide the bloodstain and buying new sheets, gray this time, and a new comforter. Evan smiled as he laid back on the bed and opened his arms. “Love me,” he whispered. “Please.”
“After this, after I’m out of here, and after I’m back to living my life with you… there’s only one thing that I want. But, I have nothing. I can’t offer you the life I once could. I can’t offer you anything except for my love. I swear to you, there will never be a man who loves you as much as I do. I can’t ever tell you how much, how deeply, I love you. There aren’t words invented yet for how I feel about you.” He held out the rings. “All I can give you is me. Myself, just me and my love.” He swallowed hard. “Ben, will you marry me?”
Ben dropped to his knees as well. He clasped his hand over Evan’s, covering the rings. “All I’ve ever wanted was your love. Just that, and just you. Of course I’ll marry you.”
October 29, 2023
What starts out looking like a marriage that’s falling apart slowly turns into… something else. Ben and Evan have been together for 3 years and are deeply in love - at least until recently, before Evan’s behavior inexplicably began to change.
Ben’s confusion about what’s caused his partner’s transformation starts to clear as we learn what’s really going on. The slow revelation of what’s happening with Evan is so creepy. But then the author leads us to second guess ourselves and what we’ve witnessed. So what *actually* happened?
I found the supernatural aspect to be very effective and unsettling. The faith/religion element is handled with Tal’s usual level of thoughtfulness and gravity. The seeming incompatibility between faith and science/logic is a main theme in this and by the end we’re left with no more answers than we started with. Which just adds to the creep factor, I think. He leaves it up to you to decide what you think.
But through all the turmoil and scary stuff, there is a beautiful, loving, deeply emotional relationship at the heart of the book. Who knew that horror and romance go so well together? Once again I am flabbergasted by how skillfully and gracefully Tal Bauer genre-hops. From sports romance to political thriller to horror, all of his books are infused with a huge helping of intense emotion, love, and thoughtful reflection. I’m consistently amazed at his ability to write successfully in whatever genre he feels like tackling.
Easy 5 stars.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Ben’s confusion about what’s caused his partner’s transformation starts to clear as we learn what’s really going on. The slow revelation of what’s happening with Evan is so creepy. But then the author leads us to second guess ourselves and what we’ve witnessed. So what *actually* happened?
I found the supernatural aspect to be very effective and unsettling. The faith/religion element is handled with Tal’s usual level of thoughtfulness and gravity. The seeming incompatibility between faith and science/logic is a main theme in this and by the end we’re left with no more answers than we started with. Which just adds to the creep factor, I think. He leaves it up to you to decide what you think.
But through all the turmoil and scary stuff, there is a beautiful, loving, deeply emotional relationship at the heart of the book. Who knew that horror and romance go so well together? Once again I am flabbergasted by how skillfully and gracefully Tal Bauer genre-hops. From sports romance to political thriller to horror, all of his books are infused with a huge helping of intense emotion, love, and thoughtful reflection. I’m consistently amazed at his ability to write successfully in whatever genre he feels like tackling.
Easy 5 stars.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
July 22, 2024
Ooof. 2.75 stars rounded up. This is a weird one.
If romance = tension + love story + HEA/HFN, then I suppose this minimally qualifies as an MM romance, but boy is that a stretch. Actually, it is an 80 minute long, January-release, Hollywood spec script gay psychological/paranormal thriller. I also could not help but imagine the two MMCs in their old, inherited house as anyone but Chad and Patrick from AHS Murder House.
This is billed as “dark romance,” but I think that’s also a misnomer. The story themes are dark (psychological and religious trauma, coming out issues, etc) but they don’t play into the relationship between the two main characters.
This is also billed as “high spice,” which lol, no. There is one actually quite sweet, and pretty short, on page/screen spice scene. There is frequent mention of the MMCs active sex life, but we don’t really see it because their relationship starts strained to the breaking point. There is one other scene that includes “spice” but it’s the equivalent of that scene in The Exorcist where Reagan uses the crucifix on herself, and I mean that analogy in every way. It’s stomach turning.
I think Bauer has quite a facility for tone and captured the creeping dread of this kind of story quite well. It’s unfortunate that the story is so paint by numbers. I hope it gets adapted to the screen and is handled with a little more subtlety. It has potential.
If romance = tension + love story + HEA/HFN, then I suppose this minimally qualifies as an MM romance, but boy is that a stretch. Actually, it is an 80 minute long, January-release, Hollywood spec script gay psychological/paranormal thriller. I also could not help but imagine the two MMCs in their old, inherited house as anyone but Chad and Patrick from AHS Murder House.
This is billed as “dark romance,” but I think that’s also a misnomer. The story themes are dark (psychological and religious trauma, coming out issues, etc) but they don’t play into the relationship between the two main characters.
This is also billed as “high spice,” which lol, no. There is one actually quite sweet, and pretty short, on page/screen spice scene. There is frequent mention of the MMCs active sex life, but we don’t really see it because their relationship starts strained to the breaking point. There is one other scene that includes “spice” but it’s the equivalent of that scene in The Exorcist where Reagan uses the crucifix on herself, and I mean that analogy in every way. It’s stomach turning.
I think Bauer has quite a facility for tone and captured the creeping dread of this kind of story quite well. It’s unfortunate that the story is so paint by numbers. I hope it gets adapted to the screen and is handled with a little more subtlety. It has potential.
May 3, 2019
This is suspense at its finest. The whole first half of this book has you waiting. You know there is something coming. You know it is not good. You know it is waiting for you to look away or let your guard down. And Tal Bauer is really good at instilling that anxiety and fear in the reader. Ben is easy to like and the reader is caught up with his journey to figure out what exactly is going on in his life. Evan is harder to like. Until you realize he may not be in control of what is going on either.
The second half is a whole different feel. It is more horror. With all kinds of religious overtones. With Ben not being religious at all, and with Evan struggling with his Catholic roots, it brings both men face to face with it in a way you might not expect. This is definitely a departure from what most people expect from Tal Bauer in terms of subject matter and style, but the depths of his characters and the skill in storytelling are certainly represented in all their Tal Bauer Glory!! My only recommendation is to not read this directly before bed. I did. The dreams were definitely influenced by this book! So thank you Tal Bauer for an intense read and some intense dreams!
The second half is a whole different feel. It is more horror. With all kinds of religious overtones. With Ben not being religious at all, and with Evan struggling with his Catholic roots, it brings both men face to face with it in a way you might not expect. This is definitely a departure from what most people expect from Tal Bauer in terms of subject matter and style, but the depths of his characters and the skill in storytelling are certainly represented in all their Tal Bauer Glory!! My only recommendation is to not read this directly before bed. I did. The dreams were definitely influenced by this book! So thank you Tal Bauer for an intense read and some intense dreams!
May 9, 2019
I'm gonna start saying that I'm awful at this kind of stuff. Giving my opinion, expressing myself and everything, even more knowing English isn't my native language.
First of all, Splintered is Tal's book. Tal's. That is enough reason to read this book. Because Tal is an amazingly talented writer. He can easily get in your head, make your heart race... Make you sympathize with his characters...
That's what happened to me while reading Splintered.
I admit confusion was what I felt for most of the reading, horror in some parts, awe in others.
Every character was special in a way, but Evan's parents have my whole heart. Ben was annoying sometimes, haha. But I kinda understand him. What he lived was frustrating and terrifying after all.
This book has a HEA, dare I say. And I loved every second.
It's worth your time, trust me.
~^~ I received an ARC for an objective review. ~^~
First of all, Splintered is Tal's book. Tal's. That is enough reason to read this book. Because Tal is an amazingly talented writer. He can easily get in your head, make your heart race... Make you sympathize with his characters...
That's what happened to me while reading Splintered.
I admit confusion was what I felt for most of the reading, horror in some parts, awe in others.
Every character was special in a way, but Evan's parents have my whole heart. Ben was annoying sometimes, haha. But I kinda understand him. What he lived was frustrating and terrifying after all.
This book has a HEA, dare I say. And I loved every second.
It's worth your time, trust me.
~^~ I received an ARC for an objective review. ~^~
July 10, 2023
This one doesn’t really seem to fit with the rest of the series and if you go in with the expectation of a dark romance, I think you’ll be greatly disappointed because the romance aspect is… kind of a secondary plot at best? And I have no clue where obsession even factors into anything.
But if you just want a standard Exorcist plot, this manages that. I kept waiting for a twist, but that never happens, it’s all pretty straight forward and then ends on a pretty anticlimactic note.
Three stars because I think perhaps I might have enjoyed it more if my expectations for it hadn’t been my expectations for a totally different genre. This isn’t dark romance, this is just paranormal horror.
But if you just want a standard Exorcist plot, this manages that. I kept waiting for a twist, but that never happens, it’s all pretty straight forward and then ends on a pretty anticlimactic note.
Three stars because I think perhaps I might have enjoyed it more if my expectations for it hadn’t been my expectations for a totally different genre. This isn’t dark romance, this is just paranormal horror.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 2, 2022
Through a dark MM read of the month, the group picked this book.
A week later, and I'm still not able to wrap my mind around this book. I've read some strange things, but this book certainly made me question my own sanity. First off, I didn't read the genre section this book was posted in (horror) which would have maybe helped me before I started.
Demons, mental health and horror mixed into one book.
It was well written, even though at the start I struggled to push through. But once I got about 30 percent in, i couldn't put this book down at all.
A week later, and I'm still not able to wrap my mind around this book. I've read some strange things, but this book certainly made me question my own sanity. First off, I didn't read the genre section this book was posted in (horror) which would have maybe helped me before I started.
Demons, mental health and horror mixed into one book.
It was well written, even though at the start I struggled to push through. But once I got about 30 percent in, i couldn't put this book down at all.
March 7, 2022
This was a hard one for me and one that hit a bit too close to home. Almost immediately I guessed Evan was either schizophrenic or possessed, because that was some creepy shit going on. Wasn’t expecting the possession because didn’t see how that fit in with the rest of the series. Already in too deep and just went with the horror. I avoid horrors. A lot of religion, psyche and Ben refusing to let go. I was glad the house burnt down, forcing a change. I did like how supportive the parents were, that made a nice change. It was interesting but a horror show.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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