Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

What an amazing read. How Danielle Bannister came up with this story, I will never know, however I would absolutely love for there to be a second book to this and I personally think, that the way she finished this book off, there will be a second book!!

Its sultry in a dark way and freaky in another way, both of which as a reader keeps you gripped and wanting more. Not for the faint hearted though!

So I am never agin renting an apartment off and ad- no matter how hot the guy renting it to me is! This book was romance and thriller rolled into one- a genre I did not know I needed until now! There are some difficult issues here of abuse, Stockholm syndrome etc but all are handled well and are not in the book for shock value but rather to further the plot line of the book. Ammanda was desperate for a new apartmwnt annd she thought she found the perfect one but what she really found was a Cage annd the man who held the key was walking sin.

Well I’m a little bit speechless. What an absolutely brilliant book from the beginning, right up to the end!

I was browsing Netgalley one day and decided I was in the mood for a bit of a dark smutty read. What I got was a whole lot more than that.

Our main character, Amanda Jackson, has had a string of toxic relationships, so she is used to bad men. But all she wants is an apartment and when she finds one in a luxury apartment block for much lower than its worth, she wonders if its too good to be true but still goes along to the viewing.

Connor, the owner of said apartment, has no problem finding his intended target. All it takes is a small classified ad to rent the property, and the offers come flooding in. But, he has to choose wisely, as the apartment is not what it seems. it's a cage. He works in the pet business, but no animals are exchanged with him. His job is to find, break and train women to become the perfect pet for his client but Amanda may just be his biggest challenge yet, which could also make her the perfect match for a client he has been wanting to bag for a long time.

One unique aspect of this book is that we had dual POV in the form of Amanda and Connor, which meant we had this Predator/prey commentary, which I found fascinating and gave the story more depth.

This is only a novella, but it feels so much more as a lot happens and you are taken to some dark places (metaphysically speaking). I really enjoyed the character progression of both Connor and Amanda and how they each ended up helping each other's arc, even though Amanda was the Captive (although her strength and determination definitely sets her apart from previous inhabitants)

And of course, the smut factor was dark, sexy and everything you could want from a story with such dark, sexual undertones.

The Cage is the first in a dark series by Danielle Bannister and I , and I am looking forward to seeing where she goes next with this after the surprising ending we were left with.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - A dark, smutty romance with strong predator/prey themes, bondage and more

I very much enjoyed this book. The characters were well developed and the story kept me engaged throughout. I would recommend this book to others. Thank you for the opportunity to read this ARC!

What a book! Amanda and Connor are so alike is scary. Malcolm is the opposite to both of them in every single way but he can see how this can end. I love the way you write and I'll totally read the sequel. I need to know how this ends.

The Cage was not at all what I was expecting. It’s labelled as General Fiction (Adult) | Mystery & Thrillers | Romance so when I read the blurb I was really expecting this to be a thriller about a serial killer with some romantic elements. This is really more of a dark romance. Unfortunately I did DNF this one. I could tell the main male character wasn’t someone I would be able to find redeemable. I do think this book has an audience, the writing was engaging from the start and the main female character was feisty and entertaining. Unfortunately it just wasn’t for me. I don’t mind dark, but due to some aspects of the story I would say this is one for the avid dark romance readers who look at trigger warnings like shopping lists! Thank you to NetGalley and City Owl Press for the opportunity to read and give my honest feedback.

So, this book was definitely not what I expected. Instead of a psychological thriller, I'd say it was more of an erotic dark romance. I was compelled to keep reading to see how it all played out, but then I was confused when it abruptly ended with no real conclusion. The story has potential, I just feel like it wasn't quite finished.

Really enjoyed this one! Id recommend reading trigger warnings before reading as it’s definitely not to everyone’s taste - but I discovered some things about myself whilst reading this that I am not very proud of........ That cliffhanger though....OMGGG I need the next one NOW!!!

Amanda has not had an easy life, and now she really needs a new place to live so she can get a job. But with no current job, her options are limited. So when she finds a gorgeous apartment that is affordable, she jumps at the chance. When she steps into the lobby, she already feels like something isn’t right. There’s no way this apartment is as good as it seems while being so cheap.

Connor, the blond and gorgeous property manager, is a walking red flag. He knows how to lure women to the apartment, and once they step inside, there is no escaping and the “training” could begin.

This was an extremely fast read. The writing was good and easy to follow and kept my interest throughout. However I had trouble connecting to the characters. This is much less thriller and completely dark romance. And while I enjoy the dark romance genre, I struggled with this story.

Because the writing was good, I think I would have enjoyed it more if it had been longer: more character development and more time to form a connection with the 2 main characters. However, any connection I had made with either character changed once a 3rd character was introduced toward the end. And then It ends on a cliffhanger which is definitely frustrating.

If you decide to give The Cage a read, please note some of the TWs:
Kidnapping
Dub-Con
Human trafficking
Child Abuse (past)
Domestic violence (past)
Bondage/Domination

Thank you NetGalley and City Owl Press for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Where to even start. This book is not for the faint of heart, it has a lot of triggers for many people including human trafficking, kidnapping, violence, rape and unfortunately seems to glorify toxic and abusive situations.

While I understand many people enjoy different tropes, this is just not something I would recommend for anyone who has been in an abusive situation which is ironic since the author dedicated it to readers who have been abused,

The story is all over the place, the description of the book is misleading as to what it actually is and the dialog was flat. The cover of the book is unfortunately the most appealing thing about this novel.

I received this arc via NetGalley and City Owl Press in exchange for an honest review,

3.5

This is a really difficult book to review because I was hooked by the story, I needed to know what happened to Amanda & so I just had to keep reading despite the human trafficking angle being really challenging. I usually ignore trigger warnings as I've not yet read anything that has got to me in the way this did. The spice was well written, but I couldn't get the situation to sit right.

The cliffhanger ending has totally left me wanting more. This is dark, suspense spice, well written, but difficult.

Check trigger warnings if you need to.

Amanda should’ve known it was too good to be true. No one lends out high-end apartments for cheap prices—no matter how down-trodden the area is. But the second she takes one look at the unit and her wickedly handsome landlord, she’s trapped. Literally.

It’s not an apartment building—it’s a kennel. And Amanda is not a tenant, but a pet to be kept until she’s “adopted” by a new Master. But first her landlord, aka Connor, needs to get her housebroken first.
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I don’t knowwhat to say about this one so this review is gonna sound as messy as this book. First off, I thought it was a psych thriller about kidnap & torture by how it sounded on Netgalley. But you ever go see a movie after thinking the commercials looked lit, only to realize they made the movie NOTHING like the commercials? Okay then you know how I feel.

This was more like a “dark romance” but it still didn’t work. The characters weren’t all that remarkable or believable, the chemistry was conveniently forced, the dialogue was basic and flat, there was no suspense, spice wasn’t spicing, and literally nothing happened—but somehow the plot was all over the place. The last few chapters are mostly dialogue while the rest is lots of sex scenes weirdly placed throughout. I also think it’s really disrespectful how the author writes an apology to anyone who’s suffered abuse at the beginning of the book, then proceeds to write a book that GLORIFIES IT.

Skip this. It’s not worth it

I thought this book was to be a psychological thriller. It wasn’t. What it was, was hardcore porn disguised as a kidnapping, human trafficking and the sickest romance all rolled into one. I honestly couldn’t finish this book. If I wanted to read porn I would have bought a Penthouse. Mind you, I’m not a prude and perhaps if I was into reading a blow by blow description of a kidnapper and his “pet” getting it on this would be great but to disguise porn as a thriller is more disturbing than the book. Thank you NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read and review this book. I have to go now and give myself a Silkwood Shower because I feel so dirty and used.

Thanks to City Owl Press, Danielle Bannister and Netgalley for letting me read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed The Cage and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys dark romance stories and isn't easily triggered.
Some parts were a little hard to read, regarding the treatment the women received. I also found Amanda's behavior a little odd at times.

I found myself conflicted when it came to Connor. I couldn't really see any good in him, except when it came to Amanda. Introducing Malcolm into the mix was interesting and I definitely want to see where the story goes, so I'll be eagerly awaiting the sequel.

4 Stars from me ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Wow. This book was a wild ride. I can’t think of another book in recent memory that has messed with my mind as much as this one did. I was in constant conflict on how to feel about all the major players. By the end I did finally feel like I knew who and what I was rooting for, but I was not at all ready for the book to end like it did!


I devoured this book in one day. I could not stop reading it. I honestly wish it would have just been a longer book instead of ending on a cliff hanger. But I can’t deny that I was totally engaged in this story from beginning to end.

This book very dark, and it has ALL of the trigger warnings. Please check those out before you read! But if you feel like you can safely read this book, buckle up for a crazy ride.

I started this book, completely disgusted by the contents. It made me uncomfortable, but something kept me reading. I ended up falling in love with this book the characters, the storyline, the plot, even though it is twisted it was very well done, and it made me want to know what’s coming next please checks trigger warnings.

All she wanted was an apartment. What she got was the Cage.

Amanda has a knack for falling for toxic men, then she meets Connor. He definitely fits the bill, because he kidnaps women and sells them.

All she was supposed to be was another "pet" but he can't stop breaking his own rules when it comes to her.

This is a dual POV, dark thriller and maybeeeee romance??? Amanda and Connor have got this dark attraction to each other. He's torn between getting her "adopted" or keeping her for himself.

And it ends with a damn cliffhanger! It was a quick read, the writing was good and their arespicy scenes (all things considered). The ending felt a little too convenient but I'm still interested in reading book 2 to see where this story will go.

WOW, what an insane ride! Twisted, unique, and devilishly good.

Amanda needs a place to stay ASAP. She finds a listing for a nice apartment, which is surprisingly a good price. And, to top it off, Connor, the man renting out the apartment, is incredibly good looking. Amanda follows Connor up to the apartment for a showing. However, after Connor steps out for a minute, Amanda quickly learns that she is locked in the apartment. Amanda tries various tactics to leave the apartment, but realizes Connor is a sick individual. However, she realizes she has one last card to play - make Connor fall for her.

I expected a typical thriller novel. But, wow, was I blown away! The plot ins incredibly unique. I really enjoyed Danielle Bannister's writing style. She does an excellent job developing the characters, making the protagonist likeable, and even the antagonist at times. Ms. Brewster does an excellent job tackling the difficult captor-victim relationship. The dark pasts of both characters are heavily explored.

I was drawn in from page one. And this I interest kept going, without dissipating, right until the last page. This book ends with a WILD plot twist. I cannot wait for Danielle Bannister to release the sequel! I NEED to know what happens next!

Thank you City Owl Press for the ARC.

The Cage has me trapped. I do not know how to feel about this book - should I love it, or hate it?
One thing for sure, it was NOT what I was expecting, which was more of a psychological thriller. No, this was more dark romance.

All Amanda wanted was a safe place to live. All Connor wants is a new Pet.
Told from multiple POV, a look into adult human trafficking, and a desire to be loved and wanted. But how far is too far?

I will say that part of me loved this book, because I do enjoy dark romance.
I did not, however, like the cliffhanger at the end! 😫

Please be cautioned if planning on reading - t.w. - kidnapping, submission, borderline rape, domestic violence, human trafficking.

Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Pub date: 22 Aug 2023