All Chained Up audiobook

****Full Review****3.5 starsI received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.Briar Davis grew up with a violent father, so when her boss asks for volunteers to help him at Devil's Rock, a prison, her hand doesn't immediately shoot up. When no one else volunteers, though, she thinks about the promotion she wants and how she doesn't want to be afraid anymore and suddenly she's passing through maximum security gates. Briar’s first day she meets Knox Callaghan, ripped, sexy, intense, and a convict. Knox has been in Devil's Rock for eight years serving out a murder sentence, his brother and he paid a visit to their cousin's rapist that ended badly for everyone. One look into Nurse Davis' eyes and he finds himself wanting things he knows a convict like him will never have. Even the eight years and bars, however, can't fully change the man and Knox saves Briar from sharing his cousin's fate. Suddenly, Knox and Briar have an opportunity they never thought possible, if only both are strong enough to take it. The first in a new series, Ms. Jordan starts off with a bang. The beginning tension between Briar and Knox with the forbidden aspect, Briar's physical fear, and Knox's emotional brick wall was fantastic, I flew through the pages. They only have a couple meetings in the beginning but those moments pack quite the punch. Their interactions are drawn out but in a needful way, we see Briar's trepidation around Knox, how his brick wall cracks around her, and how they both can't help poking and reaching out to one another because of the draw they feel. The first 40% reminded me of Michael and Sara (Knox is a little darker than Michael) from the tv show Prison Break and I can see fans of the show really enjoying this part.  After Knox rescues Briar from some inmates, his second parole hearing is moved up and he is released, switching the gears of the story. Now we have Briar and Knox free to act on the feelings they had to try and suppress in the prison. The sexual chemistry that was apparent in the beginning carries over to this second part but almost to the determent of the overall story. We get a lot of sexual situations, they are done really well, drawn out with words that evoke feelings and steam but it became our couple’s whole relationship. Knox and Briar don't so much grow together, as they bang together. There are glimpses of emotional strife with Knox not feeling he is good enough for Briar and dealing with society's perceptions of ex-convicts and Briar convincing herself and her sister that she is not ending up like her mother and self-destructing with a violent man. Heavy topics that if flushed out better definitely could have added a deeper level to their relationship and the story. Secondary characters flittered in and around the story with Knox's brother North having to survive in prison without him, Briar's sister providing a minor villain role, Briar's neighborhood gal pal that could be future heroine bait, Knox's aunt and uncle humanizing him more, and Reid. Reid ran a powerful gang in prison that Knox and his brother were welcomed into and protected them. Towards the end of the story and interjected in a somewhat awkward way, we get a lead in to Reid's future story as he escapes, makes his way back home, and finds his old gang has kidnapped the President of the United State's daughter. I think this would have worked better as an epilogue, finishing out Knox and Briar's story first, but either way, I can't wait to read it. Briar's self-imposed sheltered personality and life and Knox's anger, determination not to mess up his life again, and stoicism, made them intriguing characters to read about while their sexual chemistry made it fun and hot. Their sexual relationship was written in a way that would at times remind me of Victoria Dahl and Cara McKenna's writing, which I greatly enjoyed. While at times the emotional aspect peeked through the sexual angst, the second half was missing it a lot. As an introduction to the Devil's Rock series though, All Chained Up has me excited for future characters and books.

4.5 Stars He wasn’t that good or honorable. He wasn’t that strong. If she wanted to play with a wolf, then that’s what she would get. Another great read done and dusted! Who says I was in the throes of a book slump? Huh?Book slumps are no joke people, and when you pick up 5 consecutive books and can't get into any of them you start avoiding books all together. All Chained Up by Sophie Jordan goes under my fail safe banner, this ladies and gentleman was a scorching hot read with an alpha ex convict hero that zeroed in on one woman and it stayed like that for the entire book.Briar finds herself volunteering at the local prison, she's a nurse and the Devil's rock prison is running low on medical staff. Enter Knox Callaghan, resident badass, he's tough, stoic and the last thing he ever expected was for his mostly predictable prison sentence to be overturned by a good girl like Nurse Davis. In the beginning its all seering glanced and accidental touches, but when Briar is badly hurt while on duty everything changes. Knox saves her life and is subsequently released on parole.As you may well have guessed, Briar and Knox cross paths in the outside world. Where obviously there are no boundaries which catapults them into an addictive physical relationship. But they're time together leads to even more and both realise that sex isn't enough anymore. On one hand Briar is hesitant but willing to take a chance, on the other Knox feels he doesn't deserve happiness.While Knox is a strong and stoic type, he also carries around a lot of guilt which makes him feel as if he isn't good enough for Briar. I'll play the shrink for a bit and say that having to leave his brother behind in prison lead to even more guilt. Briar wasn't without her hangups either, coming from an abusive home she was rightfully weary of starting a relationship with a man convicted of murder. He came from a world where you staked a claim. Prison taught him about taking, having. Marking what was his. That was his instinct when it came to Briar. This book was fire, the H and h had such chemistry I mean it was just a heady experience reading the sex scenes alone. I've read a few historicals by Sophie Jordan but the heat in this contemporary outshined them. Suffice it to say I shall be reading the rest of this amazing series. Reid and the first daughter are bound to blow up the pages!

Sigh!!! I love this series!!! Super cute, I’m officially a fan of Sophie Jordan. The story was good, the romance was amazing. All in all a very good book!!

Loved. This. Book.***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***All Chained Up by Sophie JordanBook One of the Devil's Rock seriesPublisher: AvonPublication Date: March 29, 2016Rating: 4 starsSource: eARC from EdelweissSummary (from Goodreads):There are bad boys and then there are the men of Devil’s Rock . . .Some men come with a built-in warning label. Knox Callaghan is one of them. Danger radiates from every lean, muscled inch of him, and his deep blue eyes seem to see right through to Briar Davis’s most secret fantasies. But there’s one major problem: Briar is a nurse volunteering at the local prison, and Knox is an inmate who should be off-limits in every way.Knox feels it too—a shocking animal magnetism that drives him to risk his own life to protect Briar’s. Paroled at last, he tries to resist her. She’s too innocent, too sweet, and she has no idea what Knox is capable of. But a single touch can lead to a kiss—and a taste . . . until the only crime is denying what feels so right . . .“When the prison doors are open, the real dragon will fly out.”—Ho Chi MinhWhat I Liked:I've read a little bit of everything when it comes to Sophie Jordan - her YA, NA, adult historical romance, and now adult contemporary romance. Her YA books are hit or miss for me, I've only read one of her NA books (I loved Foreplay!), and I've read two of her historical romance novels (one I liked, one I hated). So I'm pretty split with Jordan, but I will always give her a shot, when it comes to her adult books. This new book by her, a contemporary romance novel? Hands down, my favorite Sophie Jordan book to date. I thought I liked Reign of Shadows and A Good Debutante's Guide to Ruin, but All Chained Up takes the cake!Knox Callaghan has been in prison for eight years. Prison has hardened him, driven emotion from him. But the new nurse volunteering at the prison has caught his attention. She's nervous around him, and it isn't entirely because he's a felon. Briar should be staying far away from dangerous men, especially given who her father was. But there is something about Knox that attracts. When a shocking event leads to Knox saving Briar's life, nothing is the same. Both of them have a new chance at life, and neither of them can stay away from each other.I haven't read too many books that feature an ex-con/felon, but two stand out in my mind - Dare To Run by Jen McLaughlin, and Time Served by Julianna Keyes. I loved both of those! And I love this one too. Knox blew me away, and I adored the sweet yet fiery romance.Knox is a one-of-a-kind male protagonist, as far as I've encountered. He seems to be devoid of emotion, and all he cares about is surviving prison and keeping his brother alive. Eight years have gone by, and both of them should be up for parole soon. Knox is a hardened, tough man, and he has been spending his prison time working out and bulking up even more (he used to play football). At twenty-eight, he is still ruggedly good-looking and Briar notices.I like Briar! I felt like I really understood her, her anxiety and fear of the prison and inmates, her need to shrink in on herself and protect herself from potential threats. Briar is a strong woman but subtly so - she isn't brazen and feisty and bold. Yet she isn't completely delicate. She's sweet and a little innocent (especially in Knox's eyes), and I like how she softens Knox's hard edges.The pair together is like fireworks. The first third of the book is spent in prison, with Knox and Briar interacting on occasion. I love how Jordan sets up the seeds for the relationship, but does not have the pair initiating any physical relationship yet. Briar gets to know Knox a little while in the prison health center. But it's when Knox is freed and finally living out of the prison that their relationship explodes. Briar and Knox have shared attraction since day one, but I like that the author kind of avoids the physical nature of their relationship until about two-fifths in.The chemistry between the pair is intense! There are several super hot scenes in this book, probably the hottest I've seen Jordan write. Knox has had a long time since he was with anyone... and Briar has a difficult time trusting men. So when the pair finally let their own walls down, it's pretty steamy. I like the development of the chemistry! Lots of sexual tension in this book.But like I said above, Jordan didn't make the relationship physical until about two-fourths in. This builds the emotional side of the relationship, and I liked how Knox and Briar fall in love. They're very attracted to each other, and on paper they don't seem to fit (ex-con + prim nurse), but they are absolutely a perfect match, both physically and emotionally.This story felt more like a life story, rather than a story that had a huge buildup and a crushing climax or something. If you know what I mean? I mean, there IS a climax, and it is very important to Knox and Briar's relationship. But I like that it wasn't TOO dramatic (well, I didn't find it too dramatic). There are other things going on besides Knox and Briar's relationship, but I won't say anything about them because the other plots are a bit spoilery.Overall, I am in love with this book! Mostly, Knox, but the story in general. I'm impressed with Jordan's storytelling! I can't imagine it was easy to write in the perspective of an ex-con, especially since Jordan wrote so much of the book's page-time physically in the prison. But she did it beautifully! This book was raw and a little heartbreaking (for Knox, in terms of his prison time and how he beats himself up) and super sexy.What I Did Not Like:I have to admit, I wasn't a big fan of Briar's sister! Don't get me wrong, her heart is in a good place. But she seems so controlling! That blind date? Who does that?! My sister would get some choice words. Of course, Briar is more passive than me but STILL. You won't like Briar's sister (I'm not sure if that is the intent or not).Alsoooo, any romance novel could benefit from one or two BIG intimate scenes! There was one or two, and then there were smaller shorter ones. I personally think there could have been another big one, in this story. But maybe I've just gotten really picky!Would I Recommend It:If you're a fan of adult contemporary romance novels, I highly recommend this one. I was a little wary of the content (prison, and then the event in which Knox saved Briar, that was scary), but Jordan wrote the story and subject matter so well. This book is much more raw and intense than Jordan's adult historical romance novels, but in a good way!Rating:4.5 stars -> rounded down to 4 stars. If you're a fan of Jordan's adult novels, then you should check this one out! It's not a light read, but it's very powerful and very, very steamy. I can't wait to read Reid's book!

Entertaining and thought provoking. I picked this up after it was chosed as a group read for a Facebook group's "Not-so Old-School" book of the month. I'm a nursing student and the idea of a literally locked up bad boy intrigued me. And for the most part, I really liked this escape into convict love. Knox really is a bad boy, in prison for something that most people would see as a justifiable homicide. He's had to toughen up a lot, so he's beyond edgy. His lady love is a volunteer nurse for the prison and she's intimidated as hell to be around all these lusty, crazy men. Innocence and edgy meet, and it was delicious! I felt like the reason for Knox's incarceration should have been more on her mind. She doesn't find out until well over halfway through the book. I just think that would be something that I would ask straight out. The rest of the book was well done. Maybe a little abrupt at the end, but I'd def recommend this for those of us who dig bad boys who are gruff and tough and haven't been naughty in years.

I was lucky to get an ARC from the author. This was sexy as all get out - I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. Can't wait for the next book!

Prison Break, only better!These are not the convicts you cross the street to avoid! Hot men and even hotter love scenes. I can't wait for Reid's story!!!

All Chained Up is the first story in Sophie Jordan’s Devil’s Rock series, named for the prison that is a key part of the setting. When Briar, a nurse, volunteers to go with a doctor from her clinic to treat inmates at Devil’s Rock following the retirement of their regular practitioner, she figures she can handle a few weeks of working in the prison setting, even if it does make her uncomfortable. Reassuring herself that there is security everywhere, she focuses on seeing the inmates as patients needing treatment, not as scary, large men. When she meets Knox, in the infirmary with injuries from a fight, she finds herself both frightened and fascinated by him. They share an electric connection though neither verbally acknowledges it. When Knox saves her life during an attempted infirmary take over, preventing a brutal assault, she sees that his stoic facade, in fact masks a man who cares. Paroled after 8 long years in prison, in part due to his help of Briar and her colleagues during the incident, a chance encounter between them at a convenience store leads Briar to throw caution to the winds and begin an affair with Knox. After locking down his emotions for so long, Knox is determined to make their time together only about sex (and good sex at that). As he adjusts to life on the outside again, will he be able to open his heart to Briar and embrace a new future?I really enjoyed this story! Knox avenged an assault on his cousin, and when things went too far, he and his younger brother North ended up in prison for manslaughter. For 8 long years, they’ve had each other’s backs, and been under the protection of the ruling internal gang leader, Reid, without whom they’d never have survived. Knox’s sudden probation leaves him out in the world again (with his brother still locked up) and having to adjust to everything that means after years of being strong and in control all the time. He has a parole officer checking on him regularly, rules to follow, and a job bartending at his uncle’s biker bar. Knox is determined never to go back to jail, and will do anything he needs to do to stay out of trouble. Knox’s character is that of a bad boy with a good heart, even if that heart is pretty scarred. He struggles with the idea of having a normal relationship. Indeed, the idea of an actual future with a woman is something he stopped thinking about once in jail, his focus solely on day to day survival. Now that’s he’s free, it’s something he begins to contemplate as he and Briar reconnect outside the prison.Briar has had her own share of trouble, including an abusive ex-boyfriend and a rocky relationship with her mother, who never left her abusive husband (Briar’s dad). She and her sister are on good terms though her sister worried about her being in danger working at the prison – a worry that turned out to be well founded when Briar was attacked there though Briar didn’t share that news. She’s shocked at herself though for being attracted to Knox who is clearly off limits while at the prison, and part of her worries that, like her mother, she is attracted to violent men. When he saves her from being assaulted she realizes that her assumptions about him were all wrong. And when they meet again on the outside, there is no reason not to act on that attraction. She trusts Knox, and this leads to several steamy scenes between them. Briar is sweet but feisty, and in her arms, Knox finds those humane pieces of himself that he’s had to hide for so long. I loved the two of them together, and how Knox is able to finally let down his guard and expose his feelings to Briar.The story moves at a swift pace, with a very interesting look at Knox’s life inside the prison in the first part of the story, as well as his re-adjustment to the outside world. Action scenes to go along with the sexy romance make for a compelling read. As well, contrary to the usual setup, there is a chapter in the latter part of the story (but not at the end) that sets up the plot for the next story with a hostage situation that will ensure readers want to pick up the next book to see how it all turns out. No worries, though, Knox and Briar get their happy ending in this one. 4.5 stars for this exciting and sexy read!He approached, stopping an inch behind her, not touching, but she stilled anyway, sensing him at her back. She didn’t turn around, but he heard the change in her breathing. The shallow rasp. Like she couldn’t get enough air.His chest tightened as he absorbed her warmth. Even this close, it was like a current connected them. All of him felt coiled and ready to snap like a contracting spring.She lifted her head and stared straight ahead into the cabinets, waiting. Was this it, then? She had invited him over here on the pretext of ice cream, but the first move was his?He closed the final distance and braced both hands on the counter, leaning in, letting her feel all of him against the trembling line of her body.He spoke into her ear and caught a whiff of pears. Just like all those times in the HSU. Except they were alone now. No guards. No handcuffs. Nothing was stopping him from touching her. “This is a bad idea,” he whispered.A shudder wracked her softness and vibrated into the length of him.He lifted his hand and fisted it into her hair, fingers sinking deep and tangling in the mass, the strands soft as silk against his rough palm. “You should tell me to go,” he growled, fingers delving deeper, searching for the band to free it. She released a soft whimper as he found the thin elastic and tugged it free. The band snapped and broke and the mass of silky hair fell over his hand and arm, tumbling down her back.Just like that, something snapped in him, too. The last invisible thread that had been holding him together.“Last chance,” he growled, thrusting his hips, letting her feel him, rock hard against her, letting her know exactly what was going to happen if she didn’t tell him to get the fuck out of here.He pulled back on her hair and another one of those little sounds escaped her as she arched her throat for him and he pressed his open mouth to the flushed skin at the side of her neck, directly beneath her ear.She pushed back against him in response, rocking her ass into his hardness.She might come to regret it, but he had his answer.

3.5/5This was really good for the most part although I'll admit that I wanted a bit more of the emotional side of the relationship instead of all the sex scenes. Know was a little frustrating at times but overall an entertaining read and I'm looking forward to Reid's book!----------------------------------------FULL REVIEWI was really nervous to start All Chained Up because it features a romance with a convict, not something that I would normally gravitate towards. Having loved Sophie Jordan's previous romance novels though, I was still eager to give this book a try. All Chained Up turned out to be quite the addicting read and mostly what I expected out of the book.Like I said before, I was very wary of Knox's character at first. The fact that he was a murderer should have made me (and the heroine) run in the opposite direction, but I found myself being very intrigued by his character. As you may have guessed, he was very much rough around the edges, intense and guarded his emotions. He was incredibly difficult to gauge because he wasn't the most open guy when it came to his feelings. Despite his murderer status, throughout the book, I began to grow an understanding of his personality. While his reason for killing was understandable, it still didn't excuse it. I didn't love his character, because I felt really weird rooting for a murderer, but I did feel like Sophie Jordan did a good job at making him redeemable. Briar, the nurse that Knox meets in prison, was a character that I liked overall. She was definitely a bit too innocent and naive for my tastes, but she had her moments where she really shined. Her compassion, dedication and inner strength that she exhibited after a dreadful and terrifying experience at the prison made her likeable.The chemistry between Knox and Briar was on fire from their very first meeting. Their connection was electric and you feel all that passion that they had between them from the beginning of All Chained Up. Nothing physical happened between them for a bit, but once they started, the two had a ton of steamy scenes together. While I thought Sophie Jordan excelled at the sexy times, I did want to see more of an emotional connection between Briar and Knox. A few more scenes of them connecting in a non-physical way would have been fantastic. Towards the middle, near the end, I did get really irritated with Knox for repeatedly pushing Briar away. I wanted him to get his shit together and fight for Briar and stop with the "I don't deserve her" thoughts. Thankfully, his frustrating behavior didn't last too long.In the end, I thought All Chained up was a captivating, intense and very enjoyable read. We meet a bunch of secondary characters in this one that I'm hoping will also get their books next. I'm looking forward to more in the series for sure.

HOLY FREAKING CRAP OF WONDER!I'm going to keep this review as spoiler free as possible, but it will be really hard. This was an amazing read. I am a big fan of Sophie's and when she offered me a chance to read All Chained Up, I was stoked. Starting this book at 4:30 today, I flew through the story, devouring the hot, gritty sexual tension between Briar and Knox. And the suspense. There was one scene where I was literally about to come out of my skin if I didn't get to the end of it! And there is this adorable moment that made me laugh out loud (and of course, my husband looks at me like I'm insane) and the whole book was just an intense, whirlwind of emotional awesomeness. I highly recommend this book if you like suspenseful, gritty contemporary romance.

"We're two consenting adults. What's wrong with this?"

This review was originally posted on Addicted To Romance Summary Briar is a nurse that when asked to volunteer at the prison since they were short staffed, she never realized what she was getting herself into....or the man that was sexy and dangerous and scary as hell and she wanted him, heaven help her. Knox is a inmate who has been in prison for eight years, doing everything he can to be tough and a survivor and helping his brother stay on top of the ladder. What Knox doesn't expect is to find himself so protective over Briar, a woman who is timid and reserved but shows the depth of her strength in the way she stands up to him. Knox knows that Briar is way too good for him, too good and innocent but he is drawn to her in a way he can't explain and is willing to fight for her. Knox and Briar will learn that love has no bounds, and it leaps up on you when you least expect it to...but will they be able to find a happy ever after despite how different they are from each other..... The Hero Knox did what he had to when his cousin was attacked and both he and his younger brother found themselves in prison. Knox only regrets the pain that he caused his family from his actions and for putting his brother North in the system. But Knox has learned not to dwell on the past but to focus on the future and to stay alive. Staying alive in prison is not easy by any means, and with his brother's help they have learned to be tough as steel and not let anything or anyone put a kink in their armor. Now Knox was quite the hero and not what I expected but was quite thrilling at times. He wasn’t that good or honorable. He wasn’t that strong. If she wanted to play with a wolf, then that’s what she would get. His character is full of mystery in many ways, he is very alpha but not with a woman he loves. I really liked how protective he was of Briar but also didn't override her. The Heroine Briar (weird name but I like that its unique and different) never imagined that she would end up volunteering at a prison as a nurse. Not exactly the kind of atmosphere she would prefer to find herself in. In fact, Briar regrets it the moment she arrives...until she meets inmate Knox. The type of man she has no idea how to deal with, and is out of her league. But Briar is a woman that doesn't back down from a challenge no matter how intimidating that challenge may be. What I really liked about Briar is though she seems a bit timid in the beginning, she definitely has hidden depths. And I really liked seeing how strong and courageous her character turns out to be. Plot and Story Line I have no idea why I haven't picked this series up because right now I feel like *banging my head against the wall*. It was quite idiotic to delay reading this book, and I think the biggest reason was the mixed reviews I found on these books. But honestly I LOVED this one ladies and gents....just LOVED it so dang much. I have just realized how talented Sophie Jordan is and she has come out with a bang with this new genre and series of books. Now Jordan has always been a personal favorite of mine, for years I have respected and fallen in love with her books. But All Chained Up was different and thrilling and unique and had a blast with it!!! Now a romance that develops in prison.....never read a book like this one before and I soaked it all up like a sponge. Honestly I couldn't get enough of it. I really liked seeing these two together and the way their relationship builds. At first they treat it like a fling, but their connection to each other has always run deeper than just sex since they first met. I enjoyed the way they work through some hurdles in their relationship and what Knox does for Briar at the end was priceless and I love the way they are willing to sacrifice for each other. " I lose you." His voice choked up a little then. "I would never heal from that. I can't lose you, Briar." They both mistakes and it just made the story seem so much more realistic and our characters human and easy to relate with. And we got a bit of a teaser for book 2, and honestly I can't wait for Noah's book. The Cover Sexy and HOT!!!! Love that they put in the dragon tattoo. Overall View All Chained Up is a sexy and fired up romance that will curl your toes and keep your hungering for more!!! A WINNER OF A READ! Click To Buy On Amazon [foogallery id="24074"]

Une romance un peu plus brut de décoffrage qui m'a fait penser à Prison Break dans son contexte, même si ce n'est pas du tout la même histoire.