Under His Control (Under His Heel Book 3)

If you love watching a big buff man unravel look no further.

By the time I’m reviewing this book, I would’ve already read this series a few times. It’s one of those books that makes no sense for me to like and yet I’m addicted to the story and the characters?? It makes no sense. But this is also one of the few books that makes me think I love books in space more than I normally do, so it does have that going for it as well.Content notes includes brainwashing, under the influence of drugs, sexual assault, kidnapping, mentions of rape, mentions of torture, torture under the guise of kink, violence, and misogyny. More content notes are available on the author’s website.This book delightfully continues from both Alex AND Tracht’s POVs and, I don’t know, you gain perspective on what’s going on in the story when you can read it from Tracht’s POV as well. He’s kind of a softie but let’s not forget he’s still a manipulative person who readily admits he brainwashed Alex to be who he is today, so you know. At least he’s aware of what he’s done?This book continues on the heels (hah!) of book 2, which is essentially a novella about Alex ~accidentally~ getting kidnapped and tortured when he tries to save Tracht’s nephew, Johan, from getting kidnapped. Alex and Johan both winded up being taken and Tracht had to strike up a deal with some…unsavory folks to try to save Alex when he realized that nobody else would care if his bondservant made it out of the ordeal alive. The deal he made takes shape in this book, in that he’ll have to transport an illegal container onboard his ship. And unfortunately for him, he has a very observant First Officer who suspects the container does not carry what the manifest says it carries.First Officer Espinosa is very good at her job, but maybe too morally good to be around someone like Tracht. It’s a miracle she’s even stayed this long. By the time this book starts, Alex has been in Tracht’s services as his bondservant for three years, so a very significant time has passed for anyone who is uncomfortable with Tracht’s treatment of Alex to have…left. And yet Espinosa has stayed on and here we come to see what might be her breaking point.We know that Tracht is very good at acting how “normal” people expect him to act, which is to say…not himself at all. He knows how to lie and manipulate people into thinking he’s normal instead of a psychopath but that also comes with a very tight control of his faculties at all times. Alex obviously knows how deep Tracht’s depravities run, but everyone else only sees what Tracht allows them to see. So, I think it’s even more fascinating that we see so much of the story here from Tracht’s perspective because he finds himself so often in situations where he has to make polite conversation with his crew and he HATES it so much. Even with his co-conspirator on board his ship, Dr. Singh.He doesn’t care for personal drama and Dr. Singh has drama galore in this book because she’s wondering what to do with her husband and bondservant (Nadia) now that Nadia’s contract is coming to an end. This is setting up the plot for the next book because what will become of Alex and Tracht once Alex’s contract ends?Sure, Tracht has given Alex a lot of free reign and even important duties onboard the ship (Alex is actually quite smart when he puts his mind to something, which, admittedly, isn’t often) but it doesn’t change the fact that Tracht has very much brainwashed and tailored Alex to what he wants Alex to be. It’s a toxic and messed up relationship and EVERYONE (even Tracht himself) knows it. I do think that after Parsons, Alex does have SOME awareness of what Tracht has done to him, but it’s also come to a point where he doesn’t care because even without Tracht’s meddling, Alex doesn’t have any other real prospects in life without Tracht? Obviously done that way BECAUSE of Tracht, but his life before wasn’t all grand either with his brother manipulating him at every turn and it’s how he ended up with a bond collar in the first place. It’s super messed up and Alex and Tracht are obviously not a model of any kind of a healthy relationship, but it is what it is.I like reading the story from Alex’s perspective, but it’s lowkey fun to read it from Tracht’s perspective too because he’s smart and it’s interesting to see him admitting what he’s done to Alex is messed up. Their sex scenes in this book are just as kinky as you’d expect, although blessedly nothing as shocking as the first book. What happens to Tracht in this book is also kept off the page and only mentioned in passing. Which I’m grateful for. Although we do see the ramifications and aftermath to Tracht’s psyche and how he handles his relationship with Alex afterwards.We do meet a new character called Bahjat at the VERY end of this book who will presumably have a larger role in the next book and I actually really loved how this character was introduced into the storyline and how casual it is. The character is trans and for all of Tracht’s many faults, he is super chill about her. Alex on the other hand tends to be a bit uncouth, so he doesn’t know YET but he’ll find out soon.I’ve actually come to really like this book. I like how the author doesn’t shy away from detailing the aftermath of certain things and how the characters aren’t simply okay after traumatic events. Even after the kidnapping Alex and Johan went through, Alex still remembers the trauma of that event, and we can see in the spin-off with Johan (Leashing His Heart) that he is definitely still very much not okay with what he went through, even though his ordeal was different than Alex’s. Here, we see Tracht spiraling and acknowledging even that HE should get therapy?? At least he’s self aware.I enjoyed this book. If you’ve made it this far into the series, I would say you’d enjoy reading this book too.

This is a great series and I can’t wait to continue to see what happens with them. I require more of their love, codependency, whatever one calls it.

By this book three years have passed since the contract was put in place and Alex enjoys more freedom on board the ship. Which I could only have guessed would come back and bite him since his memory between punishments seem to be non-existent.And with a nosy Espinosa and a shipping on the loose things turn dangerous in ways Tracht isn't familiar with.Though with Alex acting out to get attention, Tracht have fun returning his training to the basics in how to remember his place.I like how Tracht is unable to keep his affection from seeping in more in his control of Alex, and how he keeps fighting it, which again only confuses his boy.While I liked seeing the more forward side in Alex, the take charge and rescue side. I still like better when Tracht is on top of his game. Seeing him broken, even for a bit was disconcerting.But we see their relationship morphing more in to a D/s area than a master and his slave with how Alex takes care of Tracht. Though ever present is the thought that the contract will end soon, and what will happen after?

Rating should be a 3.5. The actual story wasn't bad. I enjoyed Tracht being entirely out of his element. Boy the shoe was surely on the other er, foot.... The author continues to amaze me with all the different ways she comes up with to torture. It's been 3 books now, can Alex still be that unaware? The more he is portrayed as incompetent, the more I feel he is being taken advantage of. But of course he is, that's the whole point. It's just...hmmm. Maybe my head will sort it out in the final book.

This third installment merely read like a big lead-up to a fourth installment. The first two books had more energy and inventiveness. Even the plot felt a bit tired - after all, a kidnap was the major part of Book II.Having said that, I would actually like to read a follow-up to this book, because I've really wanted to know who or what made Tracht a sadist who cares for no one (except Alex). And he's just begining to crack. I know Alex's past; now I want Tracht's. It's kind of a pity that the author didn't think she could have wrapped it up in this installment. I hate treading water instead of swimming.

I was afraid it wouldn't be as dark as the first two, but holy s**t! SO GOOD! I have no words! Tracht is the most perfect ever! This side of him, oh my god, give me a real life Tracht please!♥And Alex, so cute and how much he changed over the years.Loved every page and every moment. This was the best 2 days of my life - reading this amazing series!I want everyone to read this! If you love dark, and I mean really dark stories, don't hesitate, buy it and read! You won't regret it I promise!Give me more like this! And give me more Tracht and Alex. Or just Tracht! Please! Please say it will be more!*dead*

Overall, I like this series thus far… this book was alittle more tame to me compared to the first one but I have some choice words for Espinoza … like by this point we already knew T was a little crazy but COME ON he had just been assaulted , he had the right to want to kill or hurt iglesias! She was pissing me off. Hope to not see her next book!