Bex (Beckie Bookworm)'s Reviews > Cedarwood Cabin: A Dark Romance Thriller

The premise of this book was right up my street and this was a book I had high expectations for. I'm a sucker for anything dark and disturbed so I actually went into this blind. Unfortunately it didn't really deliver for me and whilst there were parts I enjoyed i also found it somewhat rushed and underdeveloped in places.

This type of fiction is hard to pull off with authenticity. There also needs to be decent back story and character development to give some nuance and hook in the reader. I just wasn't invested enough in the characters, they were not developed enough for me to experience that connection to them. Their actions didn't make much sense and the turn around in personality especially in regards to Dax just didn't feel believable or authentic.

This also didn't flow well, the narration style was overly simplictic with not enough added meat. The transition from captive to Stockholm occured over such a short period of time and there was no pivotal lightbulb moment for Flora when she then slipped over that edge. Basically the way I see it they just wore her down.

This also didn't feel that dark or shocking and for large parts of this I was wondering where that promised darkness was. When it did arrive it was such a 360 that I felt like I was reading a totally different book that just happened to share the same characters, it was that extreme. Dax and Lyka came across more as tyrannical schoolroom bullies than dark and without moral compasses which I'm assuming was the intent.

I also wasn't a fan of all of the earlier sexual shenanigans, it added zero to the overall plot. The Marty inclusion didn't lead anywhere so why even include it. Lyka and Dax's hook ups again why? Especially when Flora wasn't afforded the same courtesy and the fact every female except Nancy seemed to be a mega bitch.

I did like the whole set-up I just didn't think this was executed well. Also before anyone comes at me it wasn't the dark themes and content I had an issue with, these things I was 100% there for I just didn't find anything here that shocking if I'm honest. 

The spice though that was definitely on point and I have no complaints in that department. The encounters between Flora Dax and Lyka were scorching. So if your after a hot read it definitely has you covered in that department.

Be aware though if you want to give this a go we do have dub-con and borderline non-con, but again it didn't even blip me, we also have some sexual sadism which honestly wasn't that bad. I was more shocked by the bear incident that was bloody sadistic. You're not me though so I'd definitely suggest you check your triggers before picking this up.