Mélanie
⭐️ 5/5 | 🌶️ It’s complicated
These Monstrous Deeds by T.J. Hamel is an incredibly difficult novel to get through—and I was completely riveted from beginning to end. This first installment of Nathan and Carter’s story stirred up a storm of conflicting feelings. Certain scenes replayed in my mind long after I put the book down—some horrifying and brutal, others unexpectedly tender and deeply moving.
When you pick up a story centered on human trafficking, you expect darkness. What I didn’t anticipate was just how unflinching Hamel would be. There is no softening of the subject matter. The trigger warnings are absolutely serious and should not be taken lightly. The violence—both physical and sexual—is explicit and graphic. Much of it involves the two main characters directly. Because of that, I can’t assign a traditional spice rating. There are breathtakingly beautiful consensual moments, but they exist alongside scenes of devastating cruelty. It’s impossible to separate intimacy from trauma here.
Carter shattered me again and again. Watching him endure so much, seeing him slowly eroded into a shadow of himself, was heartbreaking. His internal conflict—developing feelings for Nathan while knowing Nathan is also his captor—was almost unbearable to witness. And then there’s Nathan, torn between duty and desire, between the role he’s expected to play and the man he might want to be. That duality was mesmerizing. Being inside Nathan’s head was, without question, my favorite aspect of the book. He’s layered, morally complex, and written with incredible nuance.
This story is both horrific and strangely beautiful, and I’m completely invested. I need to know where this will lead and how Nathan and Carter could possibly find their way to a HEA. Right now, that future feels nearly unattainable given everything stacked against them. I’m diving straight into book two.
⭐️ 5/5 | 🌶️ It’s complicated
These Monstrous Deeds by T.J. Hamel is an incredibly difficult novel to get through—and I was completely riveted from beginning to end. This first installment of Nathan and Carter’s story stirred up a storm of conflicting feelings. Certain scenes replayed in my mind long after I put the book down—some horrifying and brutal, others unexpectedly tender and deeply moving.
When you pick up a story centered on human trafficking, you expect darkness. What I didn’t anticipate was just how unflinching Hamel would be. There is no softening of the subject matter. The trigger warnings are absolutely serious and should not be taken lightly. The violence—both physical and sexual—is explicit and graphic. Much of it involves the two main characters directly. Because of that, I can’t assign a traditional spice rating. There are breathtakingly beautiful consensual moments, but they exist alongside scenes of devastating cruelty. It’s impossible to separate intimacy from trauma here.
Carter shattered me again and again. Watching him endure so much, seeing him slowly eroded into a shadow of himself, was heartbreaking. His internal conflict—developing feelings for Nathan while knowing Nathan is also his captor—was almost unbearable to witness. And then there’s Nathan, torn between duty and desire, between the role he’s expected to play and the man he might want to be. That duality was mesmerizing. Being inside Nathan’s head was, without question, my favorite aspect of the book. He’s layered, morally complex, and written with incredible nuance.
This story is both horrific and strangely beautiful, and I’m completely invested. I need to know where this will lead and how Nathan and Carter could possibly find their way to a HEA. Right now, that future feels nearly unattainable given everything stacked against them. I’m diving straight into book two.