Book #Review: Enthralled (The Enslaved Duet 1) by Giana Darling .@GianaDarling

Book Title: Enthralled (The Enslaved Duet 1)
Author:  Giana Darling |Website| Twitter| Facebook| Instagram

Publisher: Giana Darling
Genre: Dark New Adult, Dark Romance,
Series/Standalone: Book 1
Format: ebook, Trade paperback

Cost: $3.99

Pages: 394

How I got it: Purchased

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Publisher
Publication Date: March 2019
Add To Goodreads
Synopsis:

It was the biggest day of my life. I know most people say that about something joyous; a graduation, a wedding ceremony, the birth of their first child. My situation was a little different.

Sure, it was my eighteenth birthday, but it was also the day that I was sold.
Sold to a man with hair like a crown of gold and eyes blacker than the darkest pits of Hell.
He bought me to own me, to control me, and to use me as a means to an end.
I was his tool and his weapon.
And through it all, somehow, I also became his salvation.

There are so many feelings I have about this book, I'm not sure where I'm supposed to go with it. First I went into this based on the review of a fave booktuber (Jess from Peace Love, Books) and I'm just a mixed bag of emotions ever since the book finished.  There are so many things going on in this story and it's all so complicated. There are many moving parts and just...OMGawd. The story was extremely engaging and the writing wonderful even if a bit poetic at times but once you got used to the writing style it wasn't a problem. I will give trigger warnings for those who need them, discussion of anorexia, sex trafficking, and suicide are within this novel.

Ok let's start with the fact that the protagonist is being manipulated by so many different people that it's impossible to see where she's going. Everyone has their reasons for using her to get to the other and no one is including her in the choice, of course almost all the people manipulating her young heart and life are the powerful men playing at getting back at each other.

Cosima is a young model struggling to support herself and her family. Born into poverty in a town controlled by the mafia and its violence, she's one of the few people in her family trying to stay above water. Her father is a drunk who gambles the families livelihood away, her mother is a devout wife and Catholic who despite all the reasons she should leave to protect her children actually puts them in deeper harm. She's hellbent on penance and suffering, even though as a child and even now Cosima doesn't' see her failings. (she's an infuriating insufferable idiot but we don't learn all of that until later & I'm so effing pissed at this woman, like all of this could have been avoided if she wasn't such an effing coward).

Cosima and her twin brother are pushed into using their beauty as models so they can earn money to protect their younger siblings from the terrible decisions her parents are and have made.  She puts herself into a risky situation and saves a man's life, in doing so puts the crosshairs of unseen enemies unto herself. Once the ball gets rolling and debts are called in her father who is another massive coward uses her as his trump card and sells her to pay his debts. Cosima sees little alternative to aide her family as her father's enemies are powerful and she's afraid of it blowing back on her family.

Trapped with a beast who now owns her, she's furious when she realizes the ties she has to this person. Forced into sexual slavery, she discovers a part of her craves giving up control. This she fights the best she can until she realizes that she's only hurting herself even more. Her sentence is for five years, and she's negotiated a deal that aides her family in getting out, now she's here not because of her father's debts but because of her own deal. While their initial scenes maybe triggering for some, they are very darkly erotic.

Then the story just unfolds beautifully, we get more mystery as the hands that are pulling the levers begin to be revealed and until the very end, we don't know who all the players in this game are. We get mystery, murder and mayhem, which while going in I didn't expect. I wouldn't necessarily call this one a romance, it's an extremely dark new adult with a few erotic moments.  I will say I was very intrigued by all the moving parts, the mystery the who done it of it all. The past comes back full force and the part that an unsuspecting villain plays is heart rendering. There are moments when Cosima is close to seeing some of the true nature and yet she is unwilling to see it. As the story unfolds and we learn that even her beast has monsters who can and will harm him, I'm even more intrigued. Who scares the big bad?? Unfortunately, we are given the answer to that and I just can't deal. I wanted to reach into the book and break them all. That moment is when we realized even he was making the most of bad situation and it wasn't all that it seemed and we get a glimpse of the hidden man.

As I stated there are many hidden and moving parts. So many enemies masquerading as friends, and hidden friends among them all. It's so engaging that I finished it in one weekend because I just needed to know. I'm on pins and needles until the second comes out in May. I want to know how it all unfolds. I want to know more about her brother and what's happening in his life.   I definitely had a deadly book hangover when I was done and didn't know what to do with all these feels.

Once out of the book, it reminded me of another I read a year or two ago and also a true life story I read about trafficking that told of a fame similar to the one played in this book and by similar men ( I believe even a royal of Europe was arrested in the sting operation). It made it even more real and brutal to know that these games do truly exist.

At the end we are left on a cliffhanger, how does it all turn out?? I looked and saw that the second comes out May 31st (to which I have already pre-ordered) and that the other family members have books. I'm hoping she comes out with a book for the brother soon as well because hello?? That sounds awesome.

 ★★★★☆

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Captive In The Dark (The Dark Duet) by C.J. Roberts

Happy Reading my loves, 

Snippet Book #Review: The Chalet (Submissive 3.5) by Tara Sue Me

Book Title: The Chalet ( The Submissive 3.5)
Author:  Tara Sue Me |Website| Twitter| Facebook| Instagram
Publisher: Intermix

Genre: Erotica Romance, BDSM Romance
Series/Standalone: Series Book 3.5
Format: ebook

Cost: $3.99

Pages: 127

How I got it: Purchased

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Publisher
Publication Date: Oct 21, 2014
Add To Goodreads
Synopsis:

New York Times bestselling author Tara Sue Me’s Submissive series is an international sensation. Now, Abby and Nathaniel’s story continues with their romantic wedding and a honeymoon too hot to believe…
Submitting her body was only the beginning.

Abby King didn’t know true passion until she gave herself to Nathaniel West, one of New York City’s most eligible bachelors and desired Dominants. Now, on the eve of her marriage, she realizes all her dreams are coming true. And with a romantic honeymoon getaway planned at a secluded Swiss chalet, she’s sure Nathaniel will find even more fantasies to fulfill…

Nathaniel never thought he’d settle down until Abby broke down his barriers and changed his plans. With their wedding only weeks away, he can barely wait to possess her completely—heart, body, and soul—and show her the true meaning of being both a wife and a submissive.

Only Abby has one more challenge in store before she becomes his: no sex and no collar for one month before the wedding. Nathaniel is willing to give it a shot but he has one scandalous stipulation—once that month is up, anything goes…

This is the book that brings us back into the lives of Abby and Nathienal after The Training (click for my review).  This is the story of the months leading up to their wedding and the adventures they go on leading there as well as what happens once they become man and wife.

This was a great little look at their lives after they cemented their relationship both as conventional husband and wife and their private lives as Dominant & submissive. I enjoyed Nathienal's surprises for their honeymoon and the way he pushes Abby's boundaries.  They work at discovering more about themselves and their relationship while reveling in the senses.

Their scenes are of course amazing to read and the descriptions make you feel like you are right there with them. I loved every second of this one.  While we did get to see some of their friends this one really focuses in on their dynamic and how they explore their roles while maintaining a "normal " relationship as well.

I highly recommend.

 ★★★★☆

RECOMMENDATIONS

• The Crossfire Series by Sylvia Day
• The Wicked Lover Series by Shayla Black

Happy Reading my loves, 

Book #Review: The Collar (The Submissive Series 6) by Tara Sue Me

Book Title: The Collar ( The Submissive 6, Partners in Play 2)
Author:  Tara Sue Me |Website| Twitter| Facebook| Instagram
Publisher: NAL/ Penguin

Genre: Erotica, BDSM Romance
Series/Standalone: Series Book 6
Format: Trade Paperback, ebook

Cost: $15.00

Pages: 336

How I got it: Purchased

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Publisher
Publication Date: July 07,2015
Add To Goodreads
Synopsis:

In her seductive new Submissive novel, Tara Sue Me introduces a sizzling hot new couple into Abby and Nathaniel's world and explores the red-hot passion between Jeff and Dena that won't be denied ... Fans of E. L. James, Sylvia Day, Maya Banks and Beth Kery will be seduced by New York Times bestselling author Tara Sue Me's enthralling Submissive series.

Nathaniel and Abby West are struggling to navigate the challenging waters of their own relationship, when they get a surprising phone call from their partners in play, Dena and Jeff, who are in need of a helping hand...

Seven years ago, desperate for something exhilarating to help her escape the pressures of her carefully controlled life, lawyer Dena Jenkins joined a local BDSM club as a submissive. There she met brooding Dominant, Jeff, and, despite Dena's doubts, they couldn't stay away from each other. But as the years have passed, their blazing connection has proven difficult to maintain and resulted in a history they'd rather forget. To save their passion, Dena and Jeff will have to rediscover what it means to trust - and give themselves to each other completely...

Before there was the fan fiction that became Fifty Shades of Grey, there was The Submissive... Indulge in the series that started it all: The Submissive, The Dominant, The Training, The Chalet, The Enticement, The Collar, The Exhibitionist and The Master.

Hi my loves, and we are back into the world of the partners at play series. this is the spin-off of the Submissive series and while we do get to see Abby and Nathaniel, this isn't their story.  We again meet up with the Delaware BDSM group which includes Jeff Parks a Dominant who was there when Abby needed a bit of help and who has become friends with Nathienal. He's also a good friend to Daniel from the bridge book of Seduced by Fire.

I really loved this story as well. Tara's writing and exploration of BDSM and how it appears for different couples just hits it out the park for me.  In this one, we explore how a relationship can fall apart and how the participants can circle around each other for years without really healing or letting go.  Jeff Parks a dominant we met briefly in Seduced by Fire, and the submissive Dena who helped to clarify things for Julie are back and this is their story.  Jeff has a few hang-ups and these inhibit his life without him realizing how they impact his decisions.  Dena is a woman who came to the BDSM world as an act of defiance and found a place she was meant to be in.

In this exploration of who they are they hit it off really well and fall into a great relationship one that comes with a few surprises.  As they grow in their relationship they are hit with a challenge that they decide to embrace, right as they catch their stride as Dominant and submissive their world is rocked and their relationship implodes.  There was so much pain and grief that there was no space for them in the relationship. They split but couldn't seem to grow past each other. They remained within the group even though they never played together again. Not until Julie needed help.  Then all the unspoken things start to bubble to the surface and they have no choice but to face them, especially when it appears Dena is in danger.

My heart hurt reading this. I so understood what lead to their breakup and totally understood how much it hurt them to even see each other much less try to find each other and deal together with their grief.  It showcased that even within the community that uses pain for therapy and even though they know how much their emotions impact everything, they weren't able to see their way back to each other for years.

When they did play together?? My gawds their scenes and moments were hot. The banter, the moments when Dena bratted out to gain his attention and even the moments Jeff needs to get in the headspace as her Dom are amazing to read.  I loved that the story was told in two parts, going between the past and the present-day consequences of the past moments and then finally moving forward.  It's not an easy story, it's not pretty but it is amazingly sexy, raw and real.

It wasn't until later in this book that I realized that the descriptions of Jeff being "dark" was her way of saying he's black without saying he's black. It's one of the only times I realized why most people wouldn't realize it was when he described what happened to him when he moved to NYC.  Other than those moments and a few more when Dena blatantly mentioned the difference between them, him being black is never mentioned again. While I loved that she didn't make him 'other' by mentioning it all the time, or fetishizing it by describing him weirdly; it was odd that him being black is never mentioned in other ways.  While as a black woman my race isn't the only part of me, it is apart of my experience in daily life, maybe this was her way of saying that within 'fringe' groups like the BDSM community these things don't matter as much?? I loved when Dena brought it up within the group and it was touched on without making it weird. I don't know if I'm explaining it well but him being black wasn't made weird, but it also could have been something you read without realizing she was saying he was black because she described him as 'dark'.  It's being diverse without being too controversial or without alienating those who normally wouldn't read a romance with a black male character.

I absolutely loved how the story unfolded. The history and how it impacted their actions today made this story bittersweet and made me excited to see more from the group. I can't wait to read more each of the characters we already know and get to know the rest of the group as well.

 ★★★★☆

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Sherri Hayes Finding Anna Series 
• Lynda Aicher Wicked Play Series
• The Submissive Series 

Happy Reading my loves, 

Book #Review: The Enticement (The Submissive Series 5) by Tara Sue Me

Book Title: The Enticement (The Submissive Series 5)
Author:  Tara Sue Me |Website| Twitter| Facebook| Instagram
Publisher: NAL/Penguin

Genre: Erotica Romance, BDSM Romance
Series/Standalone: Series Book 5
Format: Trade paperback, ebook

Cost: $15.00

Pages: 271

How I got it: Purchased

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Publisher
Publication Date: April 07, 2015
Add To Goodreads
Synopsis:

Limits were made to be pushed.

Abby West has everything she wanted: a family, a skyrocketing new career, and a sexy, Dominant husband who fulfills her every need. Only, as her life outside the bedroom becomes hectic, her Master’s sexual requirements inside become more extreme. Abby doesn’t understand Nathaniel’s increased need for control, but she can’t deny the delicious way her body reacts to his tantalizing demands…

Between Abby’s reluctance and Nathaniel’s unyielding commands, the delicate balance of power between the Dominant and his submissive threatens to shift. And as the underlying tension and desire between them heats up, so does the struggle to keep everything they value from falling apart …

With this title, we go back to the couple that started this series, Abby & Nathaniel.  They are now several years into their relationship, they are married and have children as well as still being active in the BDSM lifestyle.  This becomes an exploration of what does a committed D/s couple do as they begin to experience stagnation and growing pains from the new changes their lives demand?? Well, it becomes very erotic and a deeper exploration of what commitment to the lifestyle looks like for each couple involved.

Having lived the lifestyle for a while the couple is beginning to find themselves looking at their limits and their relationship to see if they need to make changes.  I absolutely loved this one,  my loves. It was a great story. Going back and seeing Abby and Nathienal as they navigate being parents while finding time and ways in which to serve each other without appearing anything but "normal" to their kids and the world was great.

Abby had developed her journaling (much like a submissive that I used to read in real life) into a blog that she shared and as the years have grown so has the blog. Going from just a way to work through the tasks Nathienal has given her much like a journal, it has developed into a popular site. And with that came a new opportunity that she wanted to explore. Nathienal being the great Dom that he was, is excited and encouraging. But as the demands on Abby's time start to come in so does Nathienal's new and increased need to dominate her.

Abby is loving her life, the children, her new career opportunity and of course the fact that they are starting to play even more than before. As they grow in their relationship and the demands on her time grows, she's noticing changes in her Master she's not quite prepared for. Nathienal is asking for more, demanding changes from their routine and she's not sure how she feels about it.  As this is happening new 'rivals' are putting themselves into play and while Abby doesn't doubt she's strong enough to maintain the course she's trying to decide does she want the new path Sir is taking them on.

It was so good to revisit their romance. As an established couple, their needs as Dom/ sub were very different from a few of the other stories in the series, of new couples coming together.  They have played together for years, they're in a committed relationship and they are starting to get a little routine.  With the new changes in their outside lives, it's pushing them to explore more within their D/s relationship and that like all changes makes some uncomfortable.

I loved reading the different scenarios that Nathienal would come up with. I liked seeing how he pushed Abby's stated limits and even explored around in what they have done several times.  I loved that he also acknowledged her need to explore more while never crushing her desire to be more than his wife and partner.  He was very supportive and even at times believed in her way more than she did herself. (like any good partner should).

Their scenes were off the chain erotic and so steamy. I absolutely loved how even in their most 'mundane' moments he could find ways to remind her who she was to him. Both of them grew as the story developed and Nathienal found himself needing to get into spaces within himself that allowed him not just to push his sub but also himself and what he needed to be a better Dominant for her.

I loved the friendships we got to see, not just the 'mundane' ones which they have maintained for years but also their D/s friends. I loved that they attended groups that allowed them to mentor and be mentored. It gave Abby a place and a group of women and men she could call to discuss being a submissive with.

Of course, we can't have a story about the exploration of their relationship without some strife and incidents. A few which allowed us the opportunity to see the differences in how some people play and allowed us to see Abby in many different scenarios and how she reacts when she knows she's supposed to serve Nathaniel even when he isn't there.  We are also introduced to a character from the Partners in Play series (the new spin-off to this series) which interconnects the stories and of course, saves Abby's butt.

I enjoyed the story so much and for such a small book it packed quite a sexy steamy punch while exploring what a years-long committed Dominant and Submissive relationship can look like.  It explored what happens when the mundane and the sexual have to exist within the same relationship and asks the question of how to manage both. I've said it before as well, but I'll state it again, their scenes?? Either in their bedroom or the playroom were so erotic, they were a couple in tune with each other and with their needs and sexiness and intimacy were extremely good.

I highly recommend my loves and while you can just dive in from here, I recommend following their story from the beginning.

 ★★★★1/2

RECOMMENDATIONS

• The Submissive Trilogy by Tara Sue Me
• Shayla Black's Wicked Lovers Series
• Lora Leigh's Bound Hearts Series (truly my first BDSM reads ever and so good!!)
• Lynda Aicher's Wicked Play series
• Sherri Hayes Finding Anna Series

Happy Reading my loves, 

Book #Review: Seduced by Fire (The Submissive Series 4) by Tara Sue Me

Book Title: Seduced by Fire ( The Submissive Series 4, Partners in Play 1)
Author:  Tara Sue Me |Website| Twitter| Facebook| Instagram
Publisher: New American Library/ Penguin

Genre: Erotica Romance, BDSM Romance
Series/Standalone: Series Book 4
Format: Trade Paperback, ebook

Cost: $15.00

Pages: 274

How I got it: Traded on Paperbackswap

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Publisher
Publication Date: March 4, 2014
Add To Goodreads
Synopsis:

Tara Sue Me became a worldwide phenomenon with the Submissive Trilogy. Now she presents a scorching tale about a risky passion too hot to ignore.

Julie Masterson craves a taste of danger.

Despite being familiar with the different games people play in the bedroom, she’s never given in to her curiosity about putting her body in someone else’s power—until a chance meeting with Daniel Covington, the seductive Senior VP of Weston Bank, draws her into a titillating new world of sexual experience, one that she never knew she desperately needed.

Daniel is highly respected within his community, but he hasn’t had an exclusive relationship for over two years. Yet Julie’s eager innocence is driving him to the brink of ecstasy, making him rethink his feelings about commitment.

As their sizzling connection heats up, Daniel is ready to take Julie fully under his command. But when the dangerous side of their play rears its ugly head, Julie will have to decide if she trusts him enough to surrender completely—or if she should escape before she gets burned...

I read and loved the Submissive trilogy (back when it was just three books), and when I found out there were more I kept picking up the books but somehow managed to skip this one.  Really I skipped picking it up because I could never find it in store when I had coupons and it never seemed to be on sale anywhere so I patiently waited and then it popped up on paperbackswap so I had to trade for it.

I picked this one up randomly the other day and devoured it in one sitting.  We are introduced to Julie and her business partner Sasha. Sasha is a submissive and she's shared somewhat with Julie who is curious but doesn't know if she wants to explore or how to go about determining what she wants.  When she meets Daniel he's with his Grandmother and everything about him screams high powered and business-like but they have chemistry and they both decide to explore it.

I loved how the story developed, from their meet-cute to Sasha's interference to the development of their relationship. It all felt real, like something that could happen to a friend while not being too outlandish.  I enjoyed that as a friend Sasha tried to keep everyone's secret but at the same time protect her friend.  I enjoyed Daniel's wit and banter with Julie. While liking Julie's no-nonsense life yet she craved something more.

The story develops and blooms just as their relationship does and as they explore what BDSM could mean for them. I liked that Julie didn't just jump right in and feel at home, she struggled with being a person who was so in charge of everything else in her life and yet here she needed to submit. I loved that she wondered, doubted and worked through it to determine where she really wanted to be. Daniel was a well written, well rounded Dominant. One who knew what he wanted but was willing to step back as the woman he wanted learned to explore this part of herself for the first time.

I loved how the discussion of whether it was right to deny pieces of yourself because it was easier to fit into society because it was brought up by the characters. Even though each character determined how much they disclosed to the world I was glad to see them addressing real-life concerns.

I was saddened when the adversarial part of the story came about because my gosh did that hurt my heart and scare me and Julie.  I wanted to know so much more about the men and women who made up the play group.  I loved the description of their dynamics and how the group tried to keep them all safe. From having demonstrations and even mentorship programs.

This wouldn't be an erotica book without touching on how sensual and steamy the scenes were. Whether the main characters were watching a demonstration or participating in their own scenes, the raunchiness and sensuality certainly raised the temps well above steamy.

I highly recommend for those looking for a well written BDSM novel with characters that are well rounded, extremely erotic scenes and hot Doms with paddles.

 ★★★★1/2☆

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Sylvia Day's Crossfire Series
• The Surrender Trilogy by Maya Banks
• The Submissive Trilogy by Tara Sue Me
• Danger Zone by Sierra Cartwright ( BDSM and Menage)
• Just about anything by Lily Harlem

Let me know if you have read this or if you have other recommendations for hot steamy BDSM.Happy Reading my loves, 

Book #Review: Rush (Breathless 1) by Maya Banks .@Maya_Banks

Book Title: Rush ( Breathless 1)
Author:  Maya Banks |Website| Twitter| Facebook|

Publisher: Penguin
Genre: Romance, Erotic Romance, New Adult
Series/Standalone: Series Book 1
Format: Trade Paperback

Cost: $15.00

Pages: 396

How I got it: Purchased

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Publisher
Publication Date: February 2013
Add To Goodreads
Synopsis:

Gabe, Jace, and Ash: three of the wealthiest, most powerful men in the country. They’re accustomed to getting anything they want. Anything at all. For Gabe, it’s making one particular fantasy come true with a woman who was forbidden fruit. Now she’s ripe for the picking...

When Gabe Hamilton saw Mia Crestwell walk into the ballroom for his hotel’s grand opening, he knew he was going to hell for what he had planned. After all, Mia is his best friend’s little sister. Except she’s not so little anymore. And Gabe has waited a long time to act on his desires.

Gabe has starred in Mia’s fantasies more than once, ever since she was a teenager with a huge crush on her brother’s best friend. So what if Gabe’s fourteen years older? Mia knows he’s way out of her league, but her attraction has only grown stronger with time. She’s an adult now, and there’s no reason not to act on her most secret desires.

As Gabe pulls her into his provocative world, she realizes there’s a lot she doesn’t know about him or how exacting his demands can be. Their relationship is intense and obsessive, but as they cross the line from secret sexual odyssey to something deeper, their affair runs the risk of being exposed—and vulnerable to a betrayal far more intimate than either expected.

I went into this one knowing it was Maya Banks and I've seen it all over and I wanted to read it, beyond that no clue of what it was about (I say this in just about every review, I purchase/ or read because of the author and their reputation or my previous experiences with their work not because of the synopsis~~ mostly).  Anyway into this review we go.

I seem to read the same themed books this month this one is about Gabe who is one of the three men who make up a successful firm, one of his best friend's little sister is Mia, who Gabe has had the hots for but has stayed away from because he knows his best friend would kill him for even looking in his sister's direction, much less do the things he wants to do to her.  Mia has had a crush on Gabe forever, but he's never even looked her way or so she believes.

With that premise in mind, I wanted to dive right in and see what kind of a mess these two were going to make.  Mia is just barely existing because she's not sure where she wants to go now that she's completed her degree so she's working a dead end job to keep her brother form taking care of her life for her. She decides to go to a party her brother was hosting and this decision changes the course of her life.   Gabe is at the party and knows now no matter what he can't stay away from Mia Offering her a job and a chance at being his lover Gabe takes the chance of a lifetime and Mia doesn't hesitate to take it.

I loved the chemistry between these two they had so much heat coming off the pages. They made me laugh and feel anxious and nervous. I yelled at the pages when Gabe did stupid things especially when he was a coward about certain things.  I loved how well they worked together, and how much Mia grew into her role. I loved that they were such a great duo even if they felt they had to hide it, which in fact kind of made it hotter.

I enjoyed the little office intrigue. I kept waiting to see when it would all blow up in their faces and who was going to find out first. I loved the flow of the book and how the scenes advanced their relationship.  Ohhhh when the Paris scene happened I freaked out because seriously what a freaking loser Gabe was being, just such a coward.  First of all the nerve on him planning something like that without letting me know. I going to kick your balls into your throat you try that again. Mia is way nicer than I am.

I absolutely loved that she had an amazing group of girlfriends who backed her up and loved her. I enjoyed that Mia was very much her own person and had rules and standards she would live by, yes she sublimated them for a while, but when push came to shove she stood up for them and demanded that others meet her on her level.  I absolutely loved how Gabe came correct when he realized Mia was worth it.

We go into romances knowing that they come is going to be together at the end. It's one of the major reasons we read romance, for the fantasy of the perfect romance, this one was messy, it was sexy, emotional *for the characters* and so well done. I loved every second of the drama, the sexy times and of course reading the path that lead to the happy ever after.  I really enjoyed the ending scenes as a native New Yorker.

I can't wait to see how Ash and Mia's brother handle their turns.  Let me know what you think of the story my loves and let's continue the discussion in the comments.

 ★★★★☆

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Alessandra Torre's Beautiful Innocence
• Tara Sue Me's The Submissive Trilogy
• Afterburn/ Aftershock by Sylvia Day
• Crave by Monica Murphy

Happy Reading my loves, 

ARC Book #Review: Switch It Up by Sara Brookes

Book Title: Switch It Up Noble House Kink 2)
Author:  Sara Brookes|Website| Twitter| Facebook|

Publisher: Harlequin - Carina Press
Genre: Erotica Romance
Series/Standalone: Book 2
Format: Ebook

Cost: $3.99

Pages: 368

How I got it: NetGalley

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble |
Publication Date: Feb 19 2018
Add To Goodreads
Synopsis:

Welcome to Noble House, Where Your Passion is Our Pleasure, and Someone is Always Watching…

Hacker Madeline Zane gets off crossing lines. So when she discovers security flaws in the Noble House website, she thinks nothing of showing up at the door of the hybrid fetish club and demanding an audience with the owner. Especially after watching an intense online scene of the notorious Dom bringing a submissive to her knees.

Kochran Duke is weary of always being in control, but meeting Maddy rekindles his pleasure in what had become strictly business. And instead of making him jealous, seeing her submit to his old friend Ezra has him aching for something he didn’t even know he was searching for.

The kind of heartbreak Ezra’s lived through changes a man. Maddy makes him crave a life he thought he’d put behind him for good. Watching her with Kochran only fuels his desires, rousing the caged beast within.

Fortunately at Noble House, virtually any fantasy can become reality.

This was very erotic and romantic, however, it jumped scenes too often giving a disjointed feel at times while reading I would have to skip back a few pages to make sure I didn't miss something. I did find that the overall story was great but there were many things that distracted from the story for me.

I really enjoyed the characters some were well written but more in the vein of telling me instead of showing me why they were great.  Also very little background on Maddie and Ezra and their family.
I really identified with Maddie as she as a nerd who was curious and adventurous enough to go after what she wanted even if it was totally different than she knew.  I loved her description of her computer set-up and her space as that sounds a lot like mine; which made me love her even more. My favorite part of the book was when Maddie found Kochran in the expensive paper supply store and he bought the expensive paper and pen for her.  I really loved that she enjoyed supplies as well, it just made me love her even more.

I did go into this one blind so I wasn't aware of where this story was going & was pleasantly surprised when it went there.  I love it, I enjoyed the story buildup, even if it seemed to move pretty fast.  Time wasn't really discussed so it's encapsulated.  This makes sure that the book would be able to age well but at the same time doesn't ground it in reality.

I did have a few issues with the book because there were moments that were unfinished discussions and scenes that were happening and then we found ourselves in another scene.  I did notice that even though the sex scenes and the scenes between the lovers were off the charts well written, the scenery was lax, and the secondary charters weren't as well written as they could have been.    I would love to see more of the sister's girlfriend and her family.  I would love to learn more about the secondary characters beyond their interactions with the characters in a small scene.  I'm guessing she's leaving space for us to formulate our own idea of how the scenery would look but I like when I'm reading for there to be a good amount of description enough for me to build the scene then I can add in my own ideas.

The story centered more on the lovers learning more about each other and about themselves as they developed beyond friends, boss employee into lovers.  We got the story from all three perspectives, and as the story progressed more from the men than Maddie.  A Warning for those who might need it, there is hot man on man love in this so if that doesn't rock your boat maybe skip this one.

 I found this story to be great, especially for the erotica scenes. Sometimes, however, the author's jumping from scene to scene left much of the story or discussion out and I was left feeling confused or disconnected from the story.  There are questions that aren't answered especially about Kochran's family and his relationship there.  While I know the story is about them as lovers they don't seem to have any attachments outside of this circle, it's almost like they live in a bubble.

I really enjoyed when Kochran challenges his worldview, when he embraced parts of himself he thought he had to hide so that he could be what people wanted from him. I'm glad Maddie decided to challenge them head on when she was introduced to their world. I loved reading Ezra's awakening after his life changed so dramatically.  And their scenes both in the dungeon and in the bedroom were very steamy.

A good hot menage featuring Bisexual Dominant men and their submissive, power exchange, and a lot of hot menage love.

 ★★★1/2☆

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Shayla Black- Anything by her
• Opal Carew - Anything by her

Happy Reading my loves, 

Book #Review: Ashwin (Gideon's Riders) by .@KitRocha

Book Title: Ashwin (Gideon's Riders)
Author:  Kit Rocha |Website| Twitter| Facebook|

Genre: Dystopian Erotic Romance
Series/Standalone: Series
Format: ebook

Cost: $4.99

Pages: 266

How I got it: Purchased

Purchase: Amazon | B&N |
Publication Date: March 7,2017
Add To Goodreads
Synopsis:

The first book in the follow-up to Kit Rocha's bestselling BEYOND series...
Gideon's Riders, Book One

Lieutenant Ashwin Malhotra is a Makhai soldier--genetically engineered to be cold, ruthless. Unfeeling. His commanding officers consider him the perfect operative, and they're right. Now, he has a simple mission: to infiltrate Gideon's Riders, the infamous sect of holy warriors that protects the people of Sector One.

He's never failed to execute an objective, but there's one thing he didn't anticipate--running into Dr. Kora Bellamy, the only woman to ever break through his icy exterior.

When Kora fled her life as a military doctor for the Makhai Project, all she wanted was peace--a quiet life where she could heal the sick and injured. The royal Rios family welcomed her like a sister, but she could never forget Ashwin. His sudden reappearance is a second chance--if she can manage to touch his heart.

When the simmering tension between them finally ignites, Kora doesn't realize she's playing with fire. Because she's not just falling in love with a man who may not be able to love her back. Ashwin has too many secrets--and one of them could destroy her.

I went into this one right after finishing book nine in the Beyond series and I'm so glad, because that book was amazing and while it continued the story of Sector Four it also gave us a bigger glimpse into Sector One and this one dives right into the Sector.  Sector One differed greatly from Sector Four, while Sector Four was all things sexy, dirty and raw, Sector One is all religious, royal and most closely resembled the world before the flares.

In Sector One Gideon is the royal heir who rules the people while he passed the powers of the religious aspect of the Sector to his sister who more closely resembled what the people needed.  Despite this clear and open decree there are those who don't believe that a King would really give up power, and so Ashwin is sent in to infiltrate and report back the truth.

When the war was taking place Ashwin asked Bren for a favor, for him to hide Kora because he feared what he as a Makhai warrior might do to her, Bren did as he asked and no matter what Ashwin did he couldn't get the information he needed about her whereabouts.  He came to Sector One to complete the mission and in doing so discovers Kora.  He knows that what's left of Eden doesn't know his secrets and he can't have them discovering them now.  By being here he places Kora in danger she's unaware of but he can't leave either. Now he is faced with completing the original mission or falling into line and aiding Gideon which aides Kora; what does a Makhai warrior who should have no feelings but the desire to complete the mission do??

Kora was one of the most gifted doctors in Eden and as such she was made to work on the Makhai warriors, being who she was she tried to make life better for them, especially for the warrior Ashwin.  She felt the connection with him and wished to make his life just a little bit lighter, but the Makhai are not meant to feel, fear or express emotion, they should only emulate the ones they think others need them to feel.  When she ran to Sector one she was welcomed into the royal family and treated like a sister to Gideon and while this made her uncomfortable it did give her the ability to walk amongst the people and aide them the best way she knew how.  In walks Ashwin and her life gets turned on it's head because with him comes danger not just to her but to the sector as well.

I absolutely loved this story.  I loved Ashwin as a character because he's so lost as to who is he to be.  To get and keep Kora he needs to be more of the man he had felt himself becoming before the end of the war, but he fears where those desires will lead him.  I cried when it was revealed what Ashwin did to save Kora because only love would have pushed someone to that extreme.  Having seen what an Makhai warrior in love could do Ashwin protected himself, Kora and the Sectors by going back to the military and considering the mission first. Kora for her part could no longer face the mission, she believed Ashwin fell during the war and that loss carved a part of who she was out and she wasn't willing to aide in the destruction anymore.

There are so many sweet moments as Ashwin learns what emotions are and how to handle them.  As he struggles with the training, the conditioning and his hearts deepest desire.  I loved that he learned to tell knock knock jokes for her, I loved their first dance, that moment made my heart hurt with the sweet innocence and yet dance with the simple eroticism inherent with two people dancing so close.  We had been seeing Ashwin a lot during the final books of the Beyond series and knew he was doing way more than he was supposed to be doing since he's truly supposed to be an agent of Eden, so when I knew we were getting his story I just knew it was going to be amazing.  And it wasn't just amazing, it like the Beyond series jerked your emotions, made you love it, made you want to cry, and turned you on while making you fall in love with not just the characters but with the sectors as well.

Ashwin's struggle to understand who he had to be here in the sector, Kora's desire to aide him while healing from being a part of Eden was a great story to read.  I absolutely am in love with Isabella and her family, Gideon is this mysterious leader that makes you want to sacrifice for him but doesn't ask it from anyone.  My favorite scenes are when the sector comes together, when we see the Riders healing from their extensive loses in the war.  I absolutely love the temple and the Priestess there who sees so much.  I also loved when Ashwin and Kora are at the hidden bunker, those moments are the best because they mean so much to the story.

I love the sector we are beginning to see and can't wait to get more. I especially loved that there were so many layers & secrets not just in Ashwin's life and Kora's but within the sector as well.  I can't wait until we get more. I especially want Gideon's story, but we won't be getting that one for a while I think. It will be interesting to see how this sector truly shapes up after the war, who Gideon turns out to be, how they rebuild the world around them and what the sectors fate will be.

I highly recommend this series and the Beyond series my loves. I literally read this in less than a day. I refused to stop reading until I knew everything that was happening in the world and now we have to wait for the next one**sob**

 ★★★★1/2☆

Happy Reading my loves, 

Erotic Book #Review: Bound To Submit (Blasphemy 1) by Laura Kaye

Book Title: Bound to Submit (Blasphemy 1)
Author:  Laura Kaye |Website| Twitter| Facebook|

Publisher: Laura Kaye
Genre: Erotic Romance,
Series/Standalone: Series
Format: ebook

Cost: $ FREE

Pages: 154

How I got it: Free on Kindle

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble |
Publication Date: October 2016
Add To Goodreads
Synopsis:

From the ruins of an abandoned church comes Baltimore’s hottest and most exclusive BDSM club. Twelve Masters. Infinite fantasies. Welcome to Blasphemy... He thinks he caused her pain, but she knows he’s the only one who can heal her… Kenna Sloane lost her career and her arm in the Marines, and now she feels like she’s losing herself. Submission is the only thing that ever freed her from pain and made her feel secure, and Kenna needs to serve again. Bad. The only problem is the Dom she wants once refused her submission and broke her heart, but, scarred on the inside and out, she’s not looking for love this time. She’s not even sure she’s capable. Griffin Hudson is haunted by the mistakes that cost him the only woman he ever loved. Now she’s back at his BDSM club, Blasphemy, and more beautiful than ever, and she’s asking for his help with the pain he knows he caused. Even though he’s scared to hurt her again, he can’t refuse her, because he’d give anything to earn a second chance. And this time, he’ll hold on forever.

I read this because I saw the new erotica preview for the third book Theirs to Take and it's a menage so I wanted to become a part of the world before the books launched, plus it was free on amazon that day.

I loved this book. It's a great introduction to this world and I loved how they came up with the name of the club and the location of the club, because omigawd that's hedonistic and hilarious and totally worthy of the name.  In this book we meet Kenna Sloan who is a Marine who has returned home due to being injured, while struggling to find herself again her mind runs to the reason she left in the first place and she decides to see if using BDSM as a way to get out of her head will help her recover, because it will force her to get out of her head and focus on serving a Master, so off to the club we go.

If you haven't figured this out yet, it's a second chance romance, at first you weren't quite sure because what if she turned up and he had someone else in his life?? Even though the ending was a forgone conclusion the journey there is where the real story takes place and I loved each of the steps necessary for them to end up together.  This reminded me of the book The Hard Truth About Sunshine, since it strives to discuss PTSD and how it affected the men and women returning from war.  While the honor of serving is always there, the reality isn't as beautiful or as noble as one might think.

There are moment within the story where Kenna's past come back to haunt her, where she discusses her time in the military and how she loved her job, her sense of loss and her sense of who she is so drastically changed due to the new circumstances she has.  We see how this shapes the way she feels about surviving the war, ho she interacts with her family, how she even views herself and we see how this affects her with her job and recovery.  Griffin's reaction to her is one of my all time favorites, and the way he made her feel ?!!!? There are just no words

I loved how the characters interacted from the friendships that the men had to the way Kenna and Master responded to each other to the fact that the other submissives weren't catty and mean.  The story flowed, the scenes were absolutely erotic, beautiful and well written.. They drew you in and made you feel as if you were right there experiencing it with her.  The description of both Dom Space and sub space were beautiful & pretty awesome to read.  Because this is a second chance romance, a lot of the finding out their quirks were already covered which allowed the story to fly by.

I enjoyed the pacing, the different POV from both main characters as it gave us a chance to see what the other was thinking especially during a scene.  The emotions drawn on during the scenes, the release each session brings, awakens more than Kenna realized and I as happy to read the way in which this as a positive influence in her life.  Kenna also had an awesome relationship with her sister and that as great to see, because that was a grounding influence as well.  I love that each of the Doms described so far have several different specialties and I can't wait to read them and their stories.

This is a planned 12 part series and wow mama the ones we've met so far?? Yeah I can't wait to dive into their stories and read all the fun, erotic and dirty things they engage in.

 ★★★★☆

Happy Reading my loves, 

Erotic Book #Review: Honor Bound (Knights of the Boardroom) by .@JoeyWHill

Book Title: Honor Bound (Knights of the Boardsroom)
Author:  Joey W Hill |Website| Twitter| Facebook|

Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Erotic Romance
Series/Standalone: Series
Format: ebook

Cost: $2.99

Pages: 134

How I got it: Purchased

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Publisher
Publication Date: Feb 2013
Add To Goodreads
Synopsis:

Bestselling author Joey W. Hill reveals the erotic bond between a Master and the beautiful submissive who stole his heart. Recapturing their night of unparalleled passion won’t be easy—but love won’t be denied… Peter Winston is a successful business man and a captain in the National Guard. On the night before his second tour in Afghanistan, he and his partners at Kensington & Associates head out to enjoy an upscale BDSM club. While the evening begins with laughter and whiskey, it takes a sharp turn when Peter, a sexual Dominant, sets his eyes on a beautiful masked submissive… Army Sergeant Dana Smith doesn’t often seek the shelter of a man, but being Peter’s gives her a welcome sense of sanctuary. What begins as a night of fantastic pleasure becomes something they hope will never end. But duty calls, and it will be over a year before they can see each other again. And when they do, things have drastically changed. Severely injured in the line of duty, Dana has lost her sight and her will to live. But Peter doesn’t accept defeat in business, battle or love. With the talents of the other K&A males, he’ll set the stage for another special night for them, knowing that only a submissive’s willingness to trust her Master will bring her back to love and life again.

I have been having a great reading month and part of that is because of this story; I really loved this story.  The characters felt real, they had great conversations, I loved how down to earth they felt; & how genuine they seemed.  I loved how Peter and the group got along, how much like brothers they seemed from the way they ragged on each other to how they rallied to support him.

Dana to me felt very real, funny, sarcastic, scared but bold, she felt like a well written woman should. Even though she's suffered she's still pushing herself and in one perfect night she gets so much of what she wants. Dana meets the perfect Dom who like her is having one last night of fun before they go off to perform their duty in the military, it's very erotic, wet, and holy smokes are they hot together.

                                           "Well, seeing as I'm a captain, I outrank you."

I really loved how steamy & erotic their scene was, how intimate their moments leading up to the full scene and later on when we glimpse Peter's letter and see how they affect her, it's just awesome to read.

For me this book was very emotional, I knew I loved Peter in those first few moments when he came home and the guys were all there waiting in his home and his reaction was everything.  Also I laughed at his inner monologue when he first sees Dana and he truly has a raw moment of thought.  I personally enjoyed the fact that this was written kind of the way a black author would have written it, Dana is black, her blackness wasn't written in a way that made her exotic for being black, nor was it used to make fun of her in anyway. She's just black and a submissive and the fact that she's being doing this for a while are all that matters.  And I love everything about the fact that she's owned this part of herself for so long.

I, as a black woman who is going blind (eventually) can totally relate to Dana's sense of disillusionment.  So much of how we are can be tied to our self image and to know our grasp of the world will change based on the loss of one of our most important senses?? Especially as a woman that's scary to know you'll be even more vulnerable, and need to rely on humans being good to not end up in some deep shyt.  I loved when Peter challenged her and made her confront her ideas of who she as now and who she could be again.  He didn't cater to her and yet he still looked out for her and that was beautiful.

"If you're falling, trust me to catch you, Sergeant."

Their bond was amazingly beautiful to read, not because it seemed perfect but because it was flawed and messy and still perfect for them.  I couldn't get enough of their conversations and how much they connected.  I loved that as a Dom Peter was fierce but fair, and even though her decision was one made a service woman, she still disobeyed and he took her to task for it.  And even that was fun to read.

She was broken into a hundred pieces, and couldn't see to pick any of them up. But he could see every one of them. He would figure out how to bring them back together. Pressing his face into the side of her head, he squeezed his lids tight, not wanting to let unmanly tears fall when her screams became sobs, a keening wail of pain.

I really enjoyed this story especially because I read the finale in this series years ago and know how they all end up but it's good to read the small building blocks that make the great stories we have.  While I know this is fiction and therefore removed from the consequences of the real world and the ramifications of the decisions made. Can we still talk about the fact that Peter stole her?? Let's look at the from a historical perspective... don't look so good now does it.  It works in the scene and works for the story particularly because she doesn't protest beyond throwing a bitch fit for not getting her way, but she still goes with him because he challenged her ideas about herself and she wanted the parts he awakened back in her life.

 ★★★★★

Bring tissues because I shed a tear or two throughout the story because Joey *the author* must be paid in tears. Happy Reading my loves,