Review: Captivated – Lauren Dane

Vincenz Fardelle, exiled son of the Supreme Leader of the Imperialist Universe, has spent much of the last ten years working to stop the threat his father poses. But he’s not alone in his quest. Julian Marsters has lost his best friend and countless others in the war and has made vengeance his only goal.  In each other, Julian and Vincenz find not only like minds, but kindred spirits.However unexpected their relationship, everything changes for Vincenz and Julian when Hannah Black comes into their lives. Having been captured and held in near total isolation by imperialist troops, their immediate response is to protect her.Emotionally shattered but resilient, Hannah rebuilds herself.  Because of the warm safety she finds in the arms of Julian—and Vincenz—she becomes someone harder, stronger and bent on preventing the Imperialists from harming anyone else.For the two men, wrestling with their passionate feelings for Hannah is only the beginning. War is about to send all three into harm’s way and an equally dangerous secret could tear them apart.

Series:  Phantom Corps #3
Release Date:  May 1, 2012
Publisher:  Berkley Heat
Source:  Amazon, via my own wallet
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Reviewer’s Thoughts:

With the way Captivated started, I wasn’t sure how a terrorized Hannah was going to fit into all the alpha maleness of Vincenz and Julian.  Even more, how would they adapt to having a third person in their relationship.  But Lauren Dane crafted a beautiful story of three people coming to grips with their pasts and reshaping their future with each other.

Hannah Black is a medical doctor who was recruited to work in a joint Federation / Imperialist lab.  Instead of researching viruses, which is her specialty, she finds herself being held captive  and subjected to various tortures.  She keeps her sanity by counting the days through scratches she places in her scalp and by repeating her name, her parents and her naming over and over again. But when she’s rescued by Vincenz and the Phantom Corp, she discovers her journey is just beginning.

Vincenz Fardelle escaped his Imperalist leader father in hopes that he could help right the wrong his father committed.  While he’s found friends within the Phantom Corp, he always feels like he a man stuck between a rock and a hard place because of he who is and those questioning is loyalty.

Julian Marsters was saved from a life on the streets to join the Phantom Corp, but he lost the only family he had when she was killed by the Imperalists.  With her gone, he’s turned into a man who has a very dark side that even he doesn’t think he can get away from.

That all changes when Vincenz rescues Hannah.  From the moment he has her in his arms, he knows he is meant to protect her.  But it’s not only Vin who is drawn to Hannah.  She also manages to pull Julian from his darkness and make him lighter and happier. 

As Hannah heals, her relationship with Vin and Julian grows.  At first she’s not sure where she fits into the dynamics of Vin and Julian, but she finds that what they complete in her, she does the same for them.  They don’t have it easy, as Hannah tries to deal with who she is now and the three of them being called to help in the war.  But they figure out a way to build a relationship that ensure that all three of them know and feel loved.  As the story ended, you just knew they would build a better universe with the help of their friends.

If you like a little menage with two very alpha males and a little sci fi mixed in, definitely pick this one up.