Master of the Abyss (Mountain Masters & Dark Haven Book 3)

When you get to go on a journey and hear the crunch of boots and the scamper of mice, you know you're going to love the characters, too. More answers, delicate issues, old issues, and new ones. A whole roller coater in a book.

I cannot believe I fell for it AGAIN! I remembered the push and pull between Jake and Kallie because of each one’s issues – both of which go a long way in explaining their behavior. But I completely forgot who was responsible for the murders and I fell for the not-completely-obvious but certainly the person the writing pointed you to subtly … AGAIN! I do not care that it’s been a couple of years since I last read Master of the Abyss, it’s not something I should have forgotten so completely. But I got so caught up in the unfolding drama between Kallie and Jake that I took my eye off the ball and was blindsided by the revelation that who I thought had done it, hadn’t. Of course, that didn’t mean I didn’t enjoy the book all over again.While series readers met Jake in Master of the Mountain, Kallie is an unknown yet she wastes no time in making an impression as she defends her friends in a barroom brawl until a man lands on her ... literally. Unfortunately for Kallie her pride is what is injured the most as she’s had a crush on Jake since the day she laid eyes on him and he had front-row seat to her humiliation. Because Kallie is pretty much a tomboy and refuses to behave like all the other women in town she has kept her feelings secret. So it’s a bit disheartening for her that the first time the man of her dreams touches her it’s because she’d been knocked flat on her face in a fight. Kallie does what we learn she does best – picks herself up and moves forward. All is well until her brothers finalize a deal with Jake and Logan’s lodge to provide guided tours for their guests and Kallie has to go to the lodge for BDSM night to get an idea of what activities might take place on a tour with the kinksters. When Jake approaches her with a one-night-only offer to give her a guided introduction to the lifestyle she agrees because she doubts she’ll ever have the chance again. And it was hot! Not surprisingly the night only adds fuel to Kallie’s fire, but unexpectedly Jake finds himself wanting a repeat performance. Even though they agree to a sex-only arrangement, both soon want more but neither is willing to admit it because of their personal histories and yet the connection builds and makes for some increasingly erotic sex scenes.One of the things I enjoy about Sinclair’s series is that while the focus remains on the primary couple, readers are usually provided the opportunity to catch up with previously featured characters. With Jake and Logan being brothers it wasn’t really surprising, but I liked how Rebecca was included as an integral part of the Hunt family and inserted herself into Kallie’s circle. Not to downplay Jake’s baggage because it’s pretty devastating and made even more so as new facts are learned, but Kallie’s past hurts still break my heart when I read this book. To lose her mother at such a young age and then get bounced around from family member to family member, growing up feeling unwanted – I cannot even fathom what that would feel like. Jake’s rejections just compound her feelings of being unwanted and the culmination of these hurts present themselves in a scary as heck scene when Kallie faces off against the murderer, but at least this time I knew how it ended. I love Sinclair’s writing and am so glad I got the chance to go back and reread the Mountain Masters & Dark Haven series. I am so looking forward to rereading the next book in the series My Liege of Dark Haven soon as it was my very first Sinclair novel.I reviewed my personal copy of this book.Reviewed by Angela at Crystal's Many Reviewers!

Jake Hunt has a one night only rule ever since the slave he uncollared committed suicide. He just won't allow himself to open up to love and more than one night again. Not. Ever. Again. He is a protective male who has dated just about every woman in the community he lives in. Well if you consider one night a date. He is determined to not let anyone in and punish himself for not being able to see that his former slave was depressed or upset enough to jump off a cliff to her death. Jake can't get that image out of his head.Kalinda Masterson is a wilderness guide and she believes her self to by unloved and therefore unworthy of any man's love however she has been lusting after Jake for 2 years now and well he never really noticed her before he pulls her off a bar floor after being blindsided in a bar fight. Kalinda is tough, sassy, and very independent. Her name mean sun in Sanskrit and she definitely brings light into people's lives. She has issues of abandonment and when her family's wilderness guide business pairs up with the Hunt's lodge sparks fly.Jake only promises Kallie one night but that goes by the way side as he can't keep his hands off of her but someone else is watching, waiting, and judging. He decides if Kallie lives or dies. Can Jake shake his past in time to save Kallie?These characters work their way into your heart. Both Kallie and Jake have issues that need to be dealt with and Kallie give Jake a huge wake up call. He hurts her and it's so realistic that my heart broke for both of them as they struggled with their inner demons. I cared about these characters and that is a credit to Ms. Sinclair's ability to write characters who are realistic and so are the issues they face. I look forward to reading the rest of the series.

~4.5/5While I enjoyed the first book in this series, I loved this one.There’s a Serious element, a violent man on the loose killing women. And that was creepy, and pretty well done, but not what I was reading this for, nor what I remember of the book.Kallie is tough, and Jake pushes at her. Their romance is sweet and I loved reading it. Jake sees her in new ways, and he pushes her to see herself as well. Jake’s also trying to get over a previous bad experience, and Kallie helps him with that.The sex, the romance—it was all fantastic, of course. And I will be re-reading the book for those things.But the main part that stood out to me, and the scene that made me cry, was between Kallie and her cousins. Kallie, orphaned, had been passed around between family members, and with no explanation, led to think that no one wanted her. She had to be careful, or the man and his sons who kept her might throw her out. Jake sees it differently, sees the way the men really care for her. And he makes her see it, as well as showing the guys that she doesn’t. It was so sweet and heartbreaking, and it makes me want to cry just remembering it.I loved this book. It’s one I will be keeping on my phone and re-reading, and I look forward to reading more.[More of my reviews are available on my blog, Geeky Reading, to which there's a link on my profile.]

This is a great series! Jake and Kallie are a great pair and the troubles and heartache they overcome together is heartwarming. A great installment to, what has become, my favorite series to date!

This was sooooo much better than the first book in this series! The romance felt a lot less insta-lovey and the characters felt a lot stronger.I actually preferred Jake to Logan - I understood and empathasised with him more as a person. I never really 'got' Logan. To me, like Rebecca, he didn't make sense as a character and his decisions didn't match his personality. But Jake's history was adequately explained and I felt that I understood his motivations, decisions and fears. Similarly, Kallie had baggage that influenced her character too. We soon realise she's a sweet and naive girl trapped in a tomboy's body after a lifetime of percieved rejection. Jake helps her reconnect with the woman within.I also liked the fact that the sex scenes were a little shorter/less frequent (don't worry, there are still loads) but it just meant that we got more time dedicated to character growth outside of the bedroom.At times it was a little bit cheesy (namely the information sharing scene at the end with Jake and Kallie's cousins) and at other times a little bit unbelievable (when Kallie's overbearing protective cousins even let her go to Jake and Logan's bondage weekend in the first place) but all in all it balanced out and was quite an enjoyable read.

This is the third of the series (or second but there is a 1.5) and I really liked it. As the blurb says it is the story of Jake and Kallie and I really liked the thriller element in this one, even though it is not exactly difficult to work out who the bad guy is. Although it is a good story well told it is definitely one of those books where you have to take a leap of faith as Kallie's first time with Jake is just too trusting and unbelievable. However if you go with it, the rest falls into place nicely. I really like the sense of place in this series, the smell of the pine needles, the rustling in the undergrowth, even the sunrise, and sunset are realistically described and the animals all have their own character and quirkiness too. If you like romantic erotica with well written hot sex scenes, well thought out and written without sounding like a text book or crass you can't go wrong with this one.

I hate having to rearrange my book boyfriend list every time I read a new Cherise Sinclair book. At this rate, I just need a revolving showcase for all the men.Jake is strong and commanding, with an issue that's plagued him for years, but nothing compared to poor Kallie's baggage.While they're working through their troubles, there's an outside threat waiting to destroy everything.Highly recommended

Every book I've read by Cherise Sinclair has that wow factor that every girl wishes for! I've read every one of the shadowlands books, now it's the masters books turn.... And I can't wait!

No plot spoilersNo real potential triggersThere are no grammatical or editorial errors that I can recall.As ever Ms Sinclair has cleverly delivered a world where you feel you know the characters, liberally sprinkled with D/s.