Tamed. That’s what Liberty needs. The woman is as foolish as she is brave and has a wild heart that’s been a thorn in my side since she arrived on the island. She has me breaking all the rules I set for myself while demanding I break more. The easiest thing would be to distance myself, allow her fate to be out of my hands. Problem is, I still want her. And I don’t see that changing. I’ll have to find a way to tame her instead. A note from Nicole: Taming Liberty is the second book in the dark romance trilogy, Liberating Deceit, and ends on a CLIFFHANGER. It picks back up in the final installment, Claiming Liberty.

Enjoy book one in this thrilling captive romance trilogy by dark romance author Nicole Cypher... Caged. That’s the word that best describes my current predicament. Kidnapped and taken to a private island full of hungry, depraved men, it seems like my situation can’t get any worse, but, unfortunately, I’m not sure that’s true. The mystery of how I got here reeks of betrayal, and I don’t know how much more of it I can take. It’s starting to seem like lies and deceit are all that I know. The only crumb of comfort I have comes from one of the island residents, a man I’m told to call Mr. A. He isn’t quite like the rest, and he gives me hope I can’t help but cling to in a place like this. I hear the rumors, learn why he keeps me at the island manor instead of taking me for himself, and still, I try to put my trust in him like he asks. Because on an island of monsters, what choice do I have? I want to believe his intentions are pure … but will he turn out to be the biggest liar of them all? A note from Nicole: Caging Liberty is the first book in the 18+ steamy dark romance trilogy, Liberating Deceit, and follows the suspenseful relationship between Angel and Liberty. The whole series is loaded with twists and turns, so get ready for nothing to be as it seems! While it involves a dark theme (island of sex slaves), Angel is no sadist, and he’s more broken than depraved. This book ends on a CLIFFHANGER and picks back up in Taming Liberty.

Claimed. That’s what Liberty has been to me since she walked into my life. First by another man. Then by myself. I waited years to have her, spent my nights craving her, did my best to cage her, and none of it has worked out the way I planned. As far as I can see, there’s only one thing left to do… Let go and hope she claims me too. A note from Nicole: Claiming Liberty is the final book in the dark romance trilogy, Liberating Deceit, and is JAM-PACKED with suspense. Get ready for a grand finale!

“Kann's latest tour de force explores the ambivalence, during the founding of our nation, about whether political freedom should augur sexual freedom. Tracing the roots of patriarchal sexual repression back to revolutionary America, Kann asks highly contemporary questions about the boundaries between public and private life, suggesting, provocatively, that political and sexual freedom should go hand in hand.” —Ben Agger, University of Texas at Arlington The American Revolution was fought in the name of liberty. In popular imagination, the Revolution stands for the triumph of populism and the death of patriarchal elites. But this is not the case, argues Mark E. Kann. Rather, in the aftermath of the Revolution, America developed a society and system of laws that kept patriarchal authority alive and well—especially when it came to the sex lives of citizens. In Taming Passion for the Public Good, Kann contends that that despite the rhetoric of classical liberalism, the founding generation did not trust ordinary citizens with extensive liberty. Under the guise of paternalism, they were able simultaneously to retain social control while espousing liberal principles, with the goal of ultimately molding the country into the new American ideal: a moral and orderly citizenry that voluntarily did what was best for the public good. Mark E. Kann, Professor Emeritus of Political Science and History, held the USC Associates Chair in Social Science at the University of Southern California. He is the author of Republic of Men (NYU Press, 1998) and Punishment, Prisons, and Patriarchy (NYU Press, 2005).

Why religion must be separated from politics if democracy is to thrive around the world For eight years the president of the United States was a born-again Christian, backed by well-organized evangelicals who often seemed intent on erasing the church-state divide. In Europe, the increasing number of radicalized Muslims is creating widespread fear that Islam is undermining Western-style liberal democracy. And even in polytheistic Asia, the development of democracy has been hindered in some countries, particularly China, by a long history in which religion was tightly linked to the state. Ian Buruma is the first writer to provide a sharp-eyed look at the tensions between religion and politics on three continents. Drawing on many contemporary and historical examples, he argues that the violent passions inspired by religion must be tamed in order to make democracy work. Comparing the United States and Europe, Buruma asks why so many Americans—and so few Europeans—see religion as a help to democracy. Turning to China and Japan, he disputes the notion that only monotheistic religions pose problems for secular politics. Finally, he reconsiders the story of radical Islam in contemporary Europe, from the case of Salman Rushdie to the murder of Theo van Gogh. Sparing no one, Buruma exposes the follies of the current culture war between defenders of "Western values" and "multiculturalists," and explains that the creation of a democratic European Islam is not only possible, but necessary. Presenting a challenge to dogmatic believers and dogmatic secularists alike, Taming the Gods powerfully argues that religion and democracy can be compatible—but only if religious and secular authorities are kept firmly apart.