Vanquish (Deliver #2)

This series deals with dark (as in pitch-black) subject matter. This second book details the attempted redemption of Van from the first book. In the first book he was unforgivable. Selfish. Cruel. He did incredible damage to Liv as well as over half a dozen others. Without remorse. Right at the end it seemed that, somehow, a tiny seed of a conscience had sprouted in one of the dark cracks of his soul. I was definitely intrigued, and couldn’t wait to read the second book to see how that played out.
True to form, Van struggles with his actions and feelings in this book. In the beginning he still stalks, physically and sexually abuses, manipulates, and disrespects boundaries. Given that is what he’s known his whole life, and what he was rewarded for/made to do as an adult, it makes sense. I don’t like it, but it makes sense.
Enter Amber. I thought it was pretty brilliant that the author wrote it so that, both of them profoundly damaged, they helped heal each other. Van consciously tried to help Amber whereas her helping Van was more subconscious/a side effect, but it helped all the same. It also worked because a healthy, well-adjusted individual never would have made it with Van- he simply would have been in prison. His initial actions toward Amber are shocking, and as a reader I couldn’t see how that was going to be forgiven. And quite honestly I did think the initial turn of the tide of Amber’s feelings toward Van was a little abrupt. After what he did to her in their initial, ahem, “encounter” she softened toward him and willingly allowed to happen again way too fast for it to be believable to me.
That said, clear character arcs are visible for Van, Amber, and even Liv with this book. Arguably even Josh. The suspense in this book isn’t due to a tangible villain, but instead the villains are the damage/mental illness of the two main characters. Usually I want an actual villain in my books, but this worked for me. I wasn’t on board with what I consider to be the physical abuse of Amber at Van’s hand, but to be fair that is a whole subculture that I don’t understand, and find completely unappealing. My being repelled by it doesn’t necessarily make it wrong. That said, if mutual consent isn’t achieved I do have a big problem with that. And while the first time Van hauls Amber outside and punishes her he doesn’t seek consent first the author does write about Amber’s subsequent feelings in response to it, and she is surprisingly okay with it. Again, not my cuppa and I sure don’t understand it, but hey… to each their own.
Outside of that component (which I just chose to overlook when it happened) I did enjoy the development of the trust between the main characters, and the gradual improvement in their disorders/issues. I also liked that Amber’s back story included multiple attempts at traditional medicine because that would have otherwise been my immediate reaction (“she needs a doctor, not a sadist!”). Since the author mentioned that Amber had tried that, unsuccessfully, it took that argument away. It became more of a situation where it was imperative that she do something about, and fast, as she was an agoraphobe with no family or friends who was about to lose her home. To be dumped out onto the street in that condition with no support or hope would have been unfathomable. She never would have recovered from that. So it could be said that, as awful and initially misguided as Van’s initial intents/actions were, he saved Amber. And she saved him back. He was alone, and totally unable to build relationships (see his “relationship” with Liv in book one where he can’t figure out why she doesn’t love him back).
All in all, this is seriously dark read with triggers, but that’s not all it is. It doesn’t read as a book that is shocking merely for the purpose of being shocking- there is more to it than that. And so if you can overlook those darker components I do recommend this for an interesting read about Van and Amber’s journey.
TRIGGER WARNING: non-consent, (what I consider to be) physical abuse, emotional abuse, mental and emotional illnesses, domestic abuse.

I just read Deliver and loved it and hurriedly read Vanquish. My opinion is not in the majority per the reviews however I didn’t like this story that much and put it in the OK category. Pam Godwin writes about very taboo and dark subjects and has the ability to make you believe in the romance between her very damaged characters. This is where I feel Vanquish went wrong. Van meets up with Amber as he is stalking his previous girlfriend Liv from Deliver. Van is desperately trying to find a way back into his daughters life and knows Liv is the key to that. Also, he’s still quite obsessed with her and can’t let go. Amber is also damaged- agoraphobic, OCD, bulimic just to name a few. Van is attracted to her because of her damange and insecurities and decides that she would make the perfect slave mainly because she won’t run away because of her fear of the outside.

When authors write about dark subjects like abduction they also need the reader to take a leap with them that a relationship is possible between the captor and captive. That worked really well in Deliver but not in Vanquish. It is too big of a leap for me to go from abduction and rape to attraction and love in such a short period of time. Van did all his dirty little tricks of punishment and humiliation but I couldn’t see his softer side to make the attraction more believable.

I really wished I liked it more but I’m still a big fan of the author.

I think I have found a new favorite author.

This is the second book that I’ve read by Pam Godwin and I have realized that she’s an amazing writer and writes the stuff that I love. The dark, the dirty, and the depraved. I’m talking taboo subjects like rape and sexual slavery. It makes me so giddy and excited!

Vanquish is Van’s story. I was intrigued by Van from the beginning of Deliver. I wanted to know his story. I wanted to know what made him the way he is and why. I wanted to know if he was capable of actually <i> loving </i> somebody selflessly.

Van’s story is heartbreaking. When it finally came out my heart hurt for him. It’s tragic, really. And the girl in this story, Amber. Her story is heartbreaking as well. Sexist pigs.

Amber is agoraphobic, OCD, bulimic, and suffers from anxiety and panic attacks. That’s enough to drive off even the strongest of people. But Van makes it his mission to <i> selflessly </i> fix Amber and take her from a broken doll to the flawless beauty queen she once was.

Pam Godwin did an awesome job of writing Amber’s character. It was completely believable and I felt what Amber was feeling. When she’d become panicked she’d pass out, I found my heart racing in my chest, just like hers was. As she started falling in love, I found myself falling with her. And to me, to be able to write like that, that’s a gift. I enjoy being able to really feel what I’m reading, and Pam is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors because she can do that effortlessly.

I started this series when I had no reviews for my blog due, but sadly, it may be a while before I can read Camila’s story, Disclaim, which is next. I’ve already one clicked it and I will read it one day, hopefully soon. I’ve fallen in love with this series and these characters.

Vanquish is book two in the series following Van who I grew to adore after reading his story. There was hints and foreshadowing in the way his character and personality is in book one that he tugged on my heart strings.

Again PLEASE LOOK AT THE TW, Van as in book one has an obsession with Liv, though hes had to learn to be without her after the events in the first book. However while his habits HAVENT changed, he is outside Livs house always watching until he comes across Amber. Livs neighbor whos also the damaged girl next door. Both souls are damaged and in a toxic way they heal each other in a way that frees them of there past. Amber didnt know she was also healing him in a way and did it almost subconsciously

….I have to say, I have read 100’s and 100’s of books no joke, and there have been several where the main guy who is an absolute hateful sadistic plank, has turned it around and I’ve ended up liking him – this has surpassed all that!
You need to read Deliver Book 1 before reading this and I can assure you, you will despise Van. Seriously, you will hate him, he is vindictive, conniving, evil, you name the nastiness and that is Van! After this book…you will love him! You will smile for him, cry for him, wish the best for him, and you will wonder how on earth that is possible? But it is

Pam has surpassed herself with this book, she has brought life and compassion to an irredeemable plank of a man and has completely smashed it!

5 stars just isn’t enough!

Galaxyaudiobook Member Benefit

- Able to comment

- List watched audiobooks

- List favorite audiobooks

- Bookmark will only available for Galaxyaudiobook member