Voyeur by Candace Wondrak
Series: The Dollhouse #1
Publication date: January 1st, 2021
Pages: 274
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Synopsis:
Welcome to the Dollhouse, where devils rule.
I used to be a good girl. I did everything right. But then I came home and found my boyfriend in bed with my sister, so I left, eventually finding myself at the Dollhouse--a strip club.
No good girl would be caught dead at the Dollhouse, but like I said, that was the old me. The new me?
The new me likes it dirty. Likes it rough. I like being put on display and watched... and he likes watching. He will do anything to take me as his won and make me his in every sick way possible.
He wants to own me. To control me. Roman is a devil in a suit, the kind of dangerous man who can bend anyone to his will. Together, with his partner in crime, Carter, he dominates me the moment we meet.
But I still have a mind of my own, my own wants and desires that include a sweet, kind, and dangerously cute neighbor of mine. If Roman wants to keep me, he'll either have to cage me or bow to me once in a while.
Even devils can break.
Voyeur is a dark RH/Why Choose romance, recommended 18+. It is a standalone novel full of graphic sex scenes and a bit of violence.



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Review:
To go from having everything she could ever want to having to start over from the ground level, Zoey is managing surprisingly well. While she is living in a shoebox apartment and starting work at a strip club, she still has her independence and a healthy amount of space between her and her family of privileged liars. When she discovered her boyfriend sleeping with her sister she had been devastated, the fact that her parents knew and asked her to not make a big deal of it, she was finished with the family all together. She could make it on her own and if she didn't, well, she wouldn't mind that outcome either. As long as she was away from that house of horrors in the rich part of town. As she starts to learn the ins and outs of the club, she learns of a man who frequents the establishment with his right hand man who has a penchant for disappearing into the backroom with the girls. When Zoey decides to peek and see gets more than she bargained for. Once Roman Russo set his eyes on her he knew he had to have her and Zoey was curious about the dark and mysterious man. What ensues will make Zoey question her life to that point and wonder just how twisted she truly was.
I liked this book well enough but I do feel like the reason for Zoey's running away from home and becoming one of the lower class individuals after her upper crust lifestyle would be a little more jarring than it was. She seemed to step into it fluidly and even understood the value of a dollar which she likely wouldn't have with her upbringing. I also think the reason she ran was a little odd. Yes, catching your boyfriend with your little sister and your parents approving of the secret relationship would be devastating. But enough to run away from home with nothing and try to disappear into the world? That seems a bit of a wild overreaction. Just dump the dude, take what you can of yours, and then leave if you so choose. There was no reason to run with nothing. But, what do I know?
I always enjoy Candace Wondrak's writing. There is always new elements to it that are really well defined and it follows a good flow of events. This one, while still at the level of brilliance that her writing normally is, was a story that was not entirely for me. I felt like the reason for Zoey leaving and the obstacles that she faced could have been a lot worse than what they were. It felt like a fluff book but with darkness intertwined which made it feel a little all over the place.
I did enjoy the characters for the most part. Lake was not my cup of tea. Too soft. Felt like he should definitely be either more assertive behind his good guy demeanor or push well into the sub category and show that a bit more. I would have liked to see Carter express his feelings a bit more. I know that he followed whatever Roman dictated but I wanted to see him have a little more emotional depth himself. When the perspective changed to his it was a good window into that but there wasn't enough shown that would make me feel like he was as smitten with her as Roman was.
I did enjoy the characters for the most part. Lake was not my cup of tea. Too soft. Felt like he should definitely be either more assertive behind his good guy demeanor or push well into the sub category and show that a bit more. I would have liked to see Carter express his feelings a bit more. I know that he followed whatever Roman dictated but I wanted to see him have a little more emotional depth himself. When the perspective changed to his it was a good window into that but there wasn't enough shown that would make me feel like he was as smitten with her as Roman was.
While there were some faults within the story that made it less than stellar, I still have to say that the book was decent. I wouldn't say it was a flop and I will be reading the sequel to see what happens even though the first book left off at a point where it could be wrapped up nicely as a standalone. Candace Wondrak is an amazing author, but even great authors have some books that aren't as good as others.
