Stranded: 8392 Book 2, Cara Dee

Gray has been rescued, Darius has been successful.  It should be smooth sailing from there on out, right?  Not so much.  If the extraction itself was full of surprises, additional dangers, and unforeseen pitfalls, why would the escape be any different?  Especially when the rescue changes from one young man to sixteen abuse survivors and a different enemy on their heels.  When Darius realizes that Gray isn't just a job, he finds that his heart has a mind of its own and it's set on keeping him.  But unless Gray can come to terms with finding a new normal, the real struggle in keeping him is just beginning.

Intense.  I seriously couldn't stop reading this.  I re-read Auctioned right before jumping into Stranded and was so glad I did.  There were so many nuanced reactions and thoughts that enriched what followed.  I forgot that this wasn't a duet so I was a bit shocked when it ended and at the edge of my seat knowing there's something big coming.  Gray is nowhere near the end of his journey and is dragging Darius along for the crazy.

This book was in Darius' POV whereas Auctioned was from Gray's and I have to say that I thought that was a fantastic choice.  Gray is going through incredible turmoil from what happened before and what he has to endure here that if we were to have his thoughts only we'd be just as lost as he becomes.  Seeing it all through Darius' lens gives us a perspective that feels a little more in control, as if we are the ones orchestrating the escape rather than being led and positioned like we would from a rescuee's point of view.  Plus, reading all the gooey, sappy, tender feelings Darius, the cold machine, comes to feel for Gray is all kinds of awesome.

There were a lot more light moments to enjoy because the imminent threat of torture and degradation weren't looming.  That's not to say there aren't tense moments and dangerous situations to navigate, not in the least, the circumstances just lent themselves to a sense of relief that was palpable and it showed in the boys' actions more often than not.  It helped when the we got to the challenging moments for Gray because it allowed you to feel when the seriousness shifted and to be on alert to the pivotal changes that will lead us to Deserted.

I wasn't sure if I would be okay with the darker nature of this series but I have to say that I'm impressed over and over again how brutal, frustrating, and moving this story is.  I'm more surprised at all the softness and hope I feel when each part comes to a close.  It's all mixed up with anticipation, anxiety, and reticence for the next part as well.  The seemingly incongruous jumble of feelings is why I love it so much.  I'm utterly invested and wouldn't have it any other way.

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“You have my word, Gray. I will get you off this island, and I will bring you home.”

It was supposed to be an easy in-and-out job. Nothing Darius Quinn hadn’t done before. But this job had something none of the others did: Gray Nolan.

Like Murphy’s Law advised, anything that could go wrong, would. A mission to save one hometown favorite son was turning into a quest to rescue thirteen traumatized young men against odds so steep, he’d need an oxygen mask to scale them.

Facing new dangers and an uncertain future, Darius keeps Gray close and is soon forced to accept that this has become much more than an assignment. For a man whose reputation was built on being ice-cold under pressure, Darius is beginning to discover how good it feels to burn.

*Stranded is the second book in The Auctioned Series.

Before you read further, you should read

Auctioned.

*99¢ on Amazon for a limited time!

My Review

Stranded Excerpt...

Even though the situation was serious, it was impossible not to find humor in it. Gray was endearing as all hell when he was high, and Darius was confident he hadn’t administered too much—or too little, for that matter.

   “Any nausea?” He smiled faintly and sat up. Easier to see Gray that way, and he was on his back with one arm stretched up while he was trying to pinch stars between his fingers. He wasn’t very successful.

   “Nope.” Gray wore a silly grin, trying to grab another star from the sky. “That’s the ninth time you’ve asked.”

   It was the second, but who was counting. Clearly not Gray.

   “First-time users get sick sometimes,” Darius answered.

  “Oh.” Gray yawned and folded his hands under his head instead. “Are we sleeping here tonight? Can we go catch bananas?”

   Darius coughed around a chuckle and dug out his battered pack of smokes from his jeans. “We’re staying a few hours, at least.” So far, no fresh blood had painted Gray’s bandage, and Darius was counting his blessings for it. That said, he wanted to be careful and not move around. “Can you wiggle your toes for me?”

  “Again?” Gray took on the huffy, insufferable tone of a complaining teenager. “See? I’m doing it.” Nothing. Nada. His feet were still.

   “You’re actually not,” Darius drawled. “Try again.”

   Gray frowned and concentrated, and the tip of his tongue poked out. It was…cute as fuck. “What about now? I’m trying to contact them.”

   Darius chuckled once more, and he was relieved when the toes did move. “There we go.”

   “Told you,” Gray sang. “Can’t cut off my pulse.”

   “Circulation,” Darius corrected with a laugh.

   “Hey.” Gray pushed himself up and supported his weight on his elbows. The silly, lazy grin was back. “You laughed, gorgeous.”

   That made Darius snort, and he lit up a smoke.

  “I’m just sayin’.” Gray plopped down again. “I’d let you wear my letterman jacket.”

Good lord, where the hell were the kid’s thoughts this time?

   “Mr. Stone-face,” Gray whispered at the sky. “Hottest cover, but the pages are blank. No, wait. I mean, they’re in another language. I can’t read your book. You know?”

   Darius’s forehead creased, and he exhaled some smoke. “I can’t even pretend to know what you’re rambling about, boy.”

   Gray waved a hand. “I know some things.”

   “Uh-huh.”

   “Like, you’re a good man. But then…? Poof. You were born in Greece.”

   “I…”

  “Because your book is in Greek!” Gray’s triumphant yell echoed and bounced between the trees.

Instantly alert, Darius narrowed his eyes and observed their surroundings. “Keep it down, knucklehead.” They hadn’t searched the whole island yet, and they couldn’t be too careful.