Take Your Pleasure

Available at Amazon.com

Take Your Pleasure
Jasmine Haynes
ebook, 30k words
Published April 7th 2010 by Loose Id, LLC
ISBN 9781607375678

Natalie Beaumonde’s life turns upside down the day she walks in on her boyfriend, Van, playing submissive to a beautiful dominatrix. Not only has she been betrayed, but Natalie loses her belief in herself as a desirable woman. And when she starts making mistakes at work, her career being the one thing she’s always excelled at, she’s in danger of losing her self-worth and her job, too.

Lincoln Masters isn’t like most bosses. Instead of issuing a reprimand, he decides his sexy executive assistant needs a good spanking, something he’s been dying to deliver for almost a year. And afterward, he hatches a plan to help Natalie rebuild her self-confidence and show her wandering man the error of his ways: become the dominatrix her boyfriend is looking for. Being a Master himself, Lincoln’s the perfect dom to help her execute the punishment.

Lincoln’s terms for helping her? He wants a piece of Natalie, too. Now Natalie finds herself with a growing fascination for her boss. When Van’s punishment is complete, can she go back to being just Mr. Masters’ assistant?

When Natalie walks in on her boyfriend of two years with a Domme, she comes to the devastating revelation that she's never once fully satisfied him in all the time they've been together. With her self esteem at an all time low, she begins to screw up things at work and her boss, Mr. Masters takes immediate notice.

Lincoln has watched and lusted after Natalie since she came to work for him, but he's not one to mix business with pleasure. Especially the type of pleasure he has in mind. The situation though, is too much to resist, and he offers Natalie the chance to prove to herself that she is a desirable woman and to learn if her boyfriend truly cares for her at all, all in one night. The catch? By the end of the evening, her boss will fuck her.

Natalie agrees. Her boyfriend agrees. And the whole affair is quite an experience for all. Reader included.

Mr. Masters knows how to take control, but he's also capable of letting it go as well. Of course, any advantage taken will be justly punished. And the punishment is oh so delicious. The relationship between Natalie and Van is a rather strange one. The blow to her self esteem impacts Natalie more so than the loss of her boyfriend and she easily gravitates toward Lincoln, contemplating him in every action, every decision she makes. Van, too, relinquishes Natalie just as easily. As if they're entire two years together was just biding time.

3 out of 5 stars.

Exiled: Brides of the Kindred #7

"I'd rather have pain from you than pleasure from anyone else..." -Saber

Exiled
Evangeline Anderson
Brides of the Kindred, book seven
Kindle Edition, 325 pages
Published November 20th 2012 by Evangeline Anderson Books
ASIN B00AB4KSIY

A timid priestess turned Mistress...

A proud warrior posing as her slave...

Lissa is madly in love with Saber and it seems he returns her feelings but she has a problem. She and the man of her dreams both come from the same clan of the Touch Kindred. By the archaic laws of their people, they are too closely related to be bonded. Which means that even though there is no blood tie between them, they are doomed to remain apart.

But their personal dilemmas will soon be the least of their worries. Sacred scrolls, vital to the defense of the Kindred people, have been stolen and sold to a collector on the barbaric slave planet, Yonnie Six. To retrieve them, Lissa and Saber must go undercover as Mistress and slave on the savage world where domination, submission, and kinky sex are the order of the day. Will the love between them survive this trial by fire? Or will Lissa lose everything and be Exiled from the one person she loves above all others?

I missed the release date of this one which is unforgivable given how much I was looking forward to getting my hands on it. Picture Perfect, as you should know, remains my favorite of Anderson's, and this, book seven, revisits the precipice of the taboo that two people, raised as siblings, can't become romantically involved, despite the lack of blood relation between them. But in the case of Lissa and Saber, it goes a step further. In their culture, not only can one not mate with one of the same family, but neither can they marry within the same village. They can't even touch! What sucks, is that Lissa wasn't always a part of Saber's clan, but after the death of her family, she was adopted by his parents. Fate is a cruel master.

Lissa is *so* the wrong girl for this mission. Modest, innocent, and downright sickeningly sweet, to obtain the stolen documents that will help them defeat the Hoard, Lissa must turn herself into a tyrannical bitch and mistress to her body-slave, Saber. First, she has to get accustomed to her new garb and all of the goods it will expose. To say the least, she's doing all kinds of freaking out.

Saber, on the other hand, is a well trained warrior with complete self control. And utterly transparent. Lock and Deep have a two minute conversation with the guy and they manage to figure out he's smitten with Lissa. Of course, he's bound and determined not to act on any of his 'forbidden' desires.

I've wanted a story for Draven since we met the bastard. And I suspect such want was in the author's design, for despite his award winning villain performance, there's a human side to him. One that's suffered greatly. And L, shadow caster/Lauren's clone/shape shifter, a villain in her own right, plays perfectly into getting into Draven's backstory and pairs him nicely. Just in time, too, because Draven is lonely! The man practically begs her to just talk with him.

Things advance quite nicely. Even without the Dream Gas, though that was an interesting, albeit brief, treat. Kudos to Saber in that event. If it wasn't real, it wasn't worth it. Gotta love a guy with standards. And finally, enough is enough, and the two confess their feelings for one another and promptly make plans to wed once the mission is complete. Nothing like a bloodbath to bring things to fruition. And there's certainly nothing like taking a rod up the ass to know you've given your all to save your people. Ah, Saber. Yonnie Six chicks are so fucked up.

Which, in turn, fucks everything else up. With a loss of pride, and a gain of an indescribable amount of humiliation to bear, Saber cuts himself off...

Just in time for me to burst with uncontrollable laughter. Draven, you twisted son of a-- You think you know all the ways a bad guy can torture someone, but I did not see that one coming. And L's redemption? Way too easy. Almost as easy as Draven's. Just aweful! They deserved their own book! Draven was far too awesome to be thrown in as a side story.

• “Stop!” he roared aloud. Putting his hands to the sides of his head, he squeezed as though he could halt the endless flow of painful memories by physical pressure alone. “Stop, I can’t stand it anymore!”
    “Master?” An imp—a real one this time—came rushing into the room, its face gray with worry. “Is there a problem?” it asked, its voice trembling with fear.
    “It’s nothing.” Draven squeezed harder, willing the painful thoughts away. “Nothing, leave me.”
    “But I thought…is there something, anything I can do to ease you?”
    Slowly, Draven looked up, a cruel light kindled in his blank silver eyes. “As a matter of fact, there is something you can do.” Leaning forward he frowned at the imp. “Take the dagger from my dresser—that one there with the jeweled handle.”
    “This one?” The imp grasped the lovely but lethal instrument carefully. It was a trinket Draven had picked up on yet another world the Hoard had despoiled. He forgot which one now—they all ran together after a while.
    “Yes, that one.” Draven nodded. “Have you got a good grip on it?”
    “Yes, Master.” The imp’s claw tightened around the jeweled grip.
    “Good.” Draven leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. “Now kill yourself. Slowly.”
    And as the imp made the first cut, he smiled.

At least I didn't have to wait a year to read it, I suppose. Although, it appears I still have some waiting to do, as this doesn't look to be the end. Far from it actually.

5 out of 5 stars!

What a way to kick off 2013!

Author's Note
Some of you who have friended me on FaceBook know that I thought this was going to be the last book in the Kindred series. I was so sure, in fact, that I wrapped up Draven and L’s storyline along with Saber and Lissa’s. Imagine my surprise when an idea for book 8 came to me while I was writing the next to last chapter of book 7! I’m pleased to say that there will be another Kindred book and probably more than one after this. In fact, I promise to keep writing the books as long as good plots keep coming to me and I feel like I can give my readers a satisfying reading experience, which is very important to me. A few of my advance readers have asked if Draven will appear in any future books. My answer is I’m not sure but it’s certainly possible. He was a great bad guy and lots of fun to write but he and L might still have some adventures together in the Goddess’s realm. For the next book, however, I want to stick closer to home. I don’t know the name of the heroine for book 8 yet but I do know that she’s an Earth girl and Reddix, the Touch Kindred with the reversed Touch sense, will be the hero. I’ll probably start working on their story in early 2013.

Previously in the series:

Found: Brides of the Kindred #4

Found
Evangeline Anderson
Brides of the Kindred, book four
ebook, 379 pages
Published October 15th 2011 by self published (first published October 14th 2011)
ISBN 9781452444468

A warrior with a scarred heart who doesn’t know how to love. And the woman who must teach him how before it’s too late…

The son of the evil AllFather, Xairn is filled with conflicting emotions. On one hand, he has finally gained his freedom and cut the ties that bound him to his race and the sadistic male who is his father. But doing so has unleashed feelings in him Xairn would rather keep buried. Desires that he prayed would never manifest now rage through him and they are centered on one woman alone…

Lauren Jakes is the long lost cousin Liv and Sophie never knew they had. Abducted by the Scourge, she formed a connection with Xairn more meaningful than any other in his life. But though Lauren thinks she knows him, there is more to the huge Scourge warrior than she comprehends. A nightmare childhood and a cruel father have scarred Xairn’s heart almost past the point of healing. But that is nothing to the secret inside him—the forbidden desires coded into his very DNA itself, which urge him to commit unspeakable acts in order to sate his newly awakened hunger.

Now a conflict is brewing—both in Xairn’s soul, and aboard the Fathership where the twisted AllFather has hatched a new, malicious plot to bring his estranged son home. Can Xairn resist the brutal lust growing within him? Can he fight against his very nature which urges him to dominate and control any female he mates? Can Lauren heal his heart before the AllFather’s trap closes on both of them? And can she teach him how to love before it’s too late?

! Spoilers !

Xairn and Lauren have escaped the AllFather through a wormhole in space, but he's tracking them and Xairn knows there's nowhere they can hide. Not unless they change their very DNA.

So they seek out a man who can do just that. Xairn's been planning it for years, although Lauren was in no way a part of the fantasy and he begins to fear he hasn't the goods to afford to barter for the procedure for them both. Luckily, after Lauren nearly sells herself into sexual slavery to a guy called Spider, they're able to come to a deal with a scientist and Xairn's and Lauren's DNA are mixed.

Xairn awakens to find his grey skin now a rich, tanned white and his eyes a deep blue green. Lauren, though, as Xairn preferred, changed in no physical way. Her scent, however has been altered. For now she smells of him.

By now we've also learned the mating history of Xairn's people. The way they chained and bonded their females. Collared them. Branded them. And thoroughly dominated them. Things that Xairn feels compelled to act out upon Lauren. And despite his warnings, Lauren isn't all that affected by his BDSM urgings. Although getting pierced below the belt is definitely in the not-gonna-happen category.

Still, despite her acceptance of him, Xairn rejects her body. And her affection. Until, met with the chance of losing her yet again to Spider, he takes her name as a brand on his chest. Forevermore, she owns him. Body, heart, and soul.

Meanwhile, Sophia and Sylvan have prepared a quiet bonding ceremony much like an intimate wedding. Nadiah, Sylvan's cousin has been invited and although she's due to be bonded to Lick Yo-Dah Low (yeah...) she's psyched to be the female chosen to do the Luck Kiss which she's foreseen will be with a Kindred Warrior. And this girl's got the hots for Kindred Warriors.

Things get screwy though when Deep and Lock mistake Detective Rast as Sylvan's friend, Merrick, and push him into place for the Luck Kiss. And my, what a kiss it was. That man's no mere human. And neither is he a believer in Nadiah's gift. So yes, we're back to another couple off to a bad start and with a detective that doesn't have faith in psychics we're in the land of cliche again. But it's not so bad this time around, I must say.

• Olivia put a hand on her hip. ​"Seriously, Detective Rast, does it say ​professional jerk​ on your business cards or what?"
  ​ "No, it says that I find missing persons,"​ he snapped. ​"And I don​t need a bunch of psychic mumbo-jumbo to help me do it."
  "​I never offered you my help."​ Nadiah gave him a look that could freeze a laser beam. ​"And don'​t worry, Detective, I never will."
  His striking green eyes flashed. "​I wouldn'​t take it if you begged me."
  Nadiah put her hands on her hips. ​"Begged you? Are you out of your tiny human mind?"​ She sniffed and her eyes flickered down to his crotch. "​Though I'​m sure that​'s not the only thing that​s tiny about you."
  Detective Rast, who was as big as Xairn or any of the Kindred warriors Lauren had seen, raised an eyebrow at Nadiah. "​Are you saying you want to come down and check out my equipment? Because that​s certainly what it sounds like."
  Nadiah​s cheeks went bright red. "Of course not. I have no interest in your... your... in that!"
  He crossed his arms over his chest. ​"Then why were you looking south of my belt?"
  "​I... I was looking at your weapon,"​ Nadiah protested. ​"I have no interest in anything else."
  "​My weapon, huh?"​ He smirked. ​"Well, I think I can promise you it​'s a larger caliber than you could handle.​"
  

After Xairn and Lauren make it safely to Earth, we begin to explore the new Xairn. A virgin with an increasing desire to dominate (bondage included), who doesn't know even the basics of a relationship. As he attempts to avoid his urges during their first sexual encounter, he fails to realize his actions are exactly that. He maintains control of her through instruction and physically bracing her. I loved every minute! This was the Evangeline Anderson work I love.

When the sexual tension becomes too much for Xairn to fight or ignore, he suggests a different approach. He takes the submissive role. And I LMAO!

• The black leash was stiff and awkward to work with. In the end Lauren had to settle for tying his hands behind his back and making them fasten to the back of the kitchen chair he was sitting on. When she was done, Xairn looked up at her with fiery eyes.
  “Now slap me.”
  “What?” Lauren protested. “I dont want to do that!”
  “Do it,” he grated. “I could shred this little cord that binds me and snap the chair to splinters with no effort at all. “You need to assert your dominance, Mistress.”
  “But I can’t.”
  “Yes, you can,” he growled. “Damn it, Lauren, do you want this or not?”
  Lauren lifted her chin. “You know I do.”
  “If you want me, you have to dominate me first.” His eyes flashed. “Or I’ll free myself and dominate you instead.” Suddenly his voice dropped to an almost pleading tone. “Please, Lauren, I don’t… don't want to do that. Don’t want to hurt you.”
  Lauren took a deep breath. This wasn’t how she’d imagined her first time with Xairn. Hell, this wasn’t something she’d imagined doing with anyone. But she loved him and if this was what it took... “Fine,” she said in a low voice. “I’ll do it. And… and I won’t hold back.”
  “Good.” He looked at her hungrily. “Then slap me.”
  Lauren shook her head. “I said I’d do it but I’m going to do it my way, you understand?”
  He just stared at her, that hungry, animalistic look growing in his eyes. Lauren sensed she was losing him. Have to do something quick! Threading her fingers through his thick black hair, she grabbed a handful and yanked his head back. Then she leaned over him and looked him in the eye. “I said, do you understand?”
  Xairns whole body jerked and his eyes widened in obvious surprise. “Yes.”

Mmmm. Better than chocolate. But damn, out of all four books so far, this one had the least smut. And it was the most deserving!

Lauren doesn't hold the control for long and both are a bit lax when it comes to punishment but at least the task gets accomplished and by the end, the AllFather is dead, Xairn and Lauren are bonded, and Nadiah and Rast have settled their dispute.

Whew! You know it's a good read when your post ends up this long, and you still can't shut up. 5 out of 5 stars.

On to the next!

Previously in the series:

Beg Me

Beg Me
Shiloh Walker
ebook
Published November 19th 2010 by Shiloh Walker
ISBN 9781452497


Beg me…there had been a time when those words made her burn with desire. But now, there was only fear.

Once, Tania Sinclair’s life was almost perfect…oh, it had its ups and downs but she was happily married to a guy that adored her, one who had no problem indulging every kinky fantasy she ever had. But a couple of tragedies later, she’s barely holding it together. A car accident took away her husband, and an attack from somebody she should have been able to trust has shaken not only her confidence, but it’s also stripped away her fantasies and even made it painful to look back on her memories of her husband without fear.

Two years after her attack, Tania is determined to take her life back and the first step is taking back herself…her fantasies, her dreams, her memories. There’s only one person she can trust to do it, too. One person she wants enough…Drake Bennett, her husband’s best friend.

Falling for your best friend’s wife—never smart. Drake’s watched Tania quietly for years, watched her…wanted her, knowing he’d never have her. First, she was taken. And then, that night two years ago—a night that still scars her, a night that’s left bruises on her that still haven’t healed. He does what he can, though, because he loves her too much not to. He’s her friend, there when she needs him.

And now she needs him. She’s asked him for a favor…one that just about blows his mind…

Warning: This book involves light bondage play, rape fantasy & role-playing. The acts between the hero & heroine are consensual, but they may not be ideal for all readers.

It's been too long since I've picked up a Shiloh Walker book. Two whole months too long.

Three years ago, Tania lost her husband, Kyle, in a car accident. He was her everything, the one man she could share her sexual fantasies with, no matter how rough and kinky they were. A year after that, those fantasies and the memories linked with them were defiled and destroyed by Kyle's twin brother, Kent, as he used Tania's secrets against her in a savage attack that left her raped and nearly broken.

As she begins to take back her sexuality, and her very self, she turns to the only other person aware of her deviant desires-her husband's best friend, Drake. A man who's been in love with her long before Kyle became her husband.

This story has the kink, but surprisingly it also has the romance factor. Drake doesn't hide behind his feelings long and although he willingly plays Tania's fuck toy he makes it perfectly clear where his heart stands. It's a 4 out of 5 stars for me. The fulfillment of the rape fantasy could have been much hotter.

The Heron's Call

The Heron's Call
Isabo Kelly
ebook, 280 pages
Published February 20th 2007 by Samhain Publishing, Ltd.
ISBN 9781599984896

Only the brave will answer the Call...

Kael Zyhn is a Heron sword mage and the first of his kind to forge a mage sword in more than a generation. But the trance that took him just before forging the sword disrupted Kael's first meeting with his raynia, his soul twin. Twelve years later, he-s recovered from his ordeal and ready to claim his mate. Only to discover she wants nothing to do with him.

Rowena, an Aleanian sword sworn, can't forgive her long absent raynei for deserting her all those years ago. But she admits that she needs him to survive her latest mission. Unfortunately, the longer she's in Kael's presence, the more she wants him, despite the protests of her damaged heart.

To succeed in her quest, Rowena must learn to trust Kael. But can she dare trust him with her heart again? And will she risk his life by giving in to her desires?

Warning, this title contains the following: explicit sex, graphic language, mild violence, a little light "tie me up, tie me down", and a lot of sword fighting.

Rowena (daughter of a sword mage and a shapeshifter) hasn't seen her soulmate-her raynei-in twelve years... until he shows up out of nowhere with all his mage powers and ruins a perfectly good sword fight. It was seven against one but hey, she had it under control.

Kael found Rowena when she was much to young to bond. A single kiss and he was pulled from her life by a seizure and thrust into a six year long trance in which he forged a sword of great power. Three years after that he was left to recover and after that, his parents bid him to wait for her to achieve her place as priestess. In secret and shadow, Kael visited Rowena without her knowledge, watching and waiting to claim her as his.

The Heron's Call was so much more than I had expected. I raved inside with every fight Rowena gave Kael. And the way they kept reiterating what they meant and who they were to eachother... I melted. Loved Kael... so romantic, although in a I-need-to-fuck-you-now sort of way. While it's a rather tender reunion, the language tends to get vulgar so there's a fine mingling of smut and romance.

Romance does eventually tip the scale though. 4 out of 5 stars.

Taking Instruction

Taking Instruction
Cheyenne McCray
ebook, 77 pages
Published March 14th 2007 by Ellora's Cave
ISBN 9781419909825

Jessica Grayson is a college freshman who's had the hots for her university professor all year long. He's sexy and unobtainable-and she's determined to get into his bed.

Dating one of his own students is taboo and Craig Bennett intends to never break that school rule... Until he finds an end of the semester present in his office- the gorgeous co-ed he hasn't been able to keep off his mind. And she's naked, sitting on his desk.

It isn't long before Jessica discovers she's gotten more than she bargained for. She finds out exactly who's in control as she learns how the professor likes to play. A whole new world of BDSM is opened up to her and being a bad girl never felt so good.

As fate would have it, I never had the luck of having an attractive professor in college, or that mythical sexy teacher in high school either, so mayhaps that be the reason I never did get all hot and bothered by these student/teacher fantasies.

Jessica is that girl that most others hate: She's gorgeous and she knows it. She's also found a man that she won't let refuse her, no matter what taboo dictates. Craig is a thirty year old English professor who can't seem to keep his eyes off the twenty something coed, or her low cut blouses.

Many things kept me at arm's length with this one but what truly ended up sealing the deal and forcing the file closed was the breakage of one of my rules of romance- No sharing!

But.. if you like your BDSM with a bit of college/student fantasy and brothers sharing lovers, then fine.. here you go, have your fun. 2 out of 5 stars.

Erotic Stranger

Erotic Stranger
Cheyenne McCray
ebook, 46 pages
Published January 18th 2006 by Ellora's Cave Publishing Inc.
ISBN 9781419904974

Teri Carter can't remember the last time she had a man who really did anything for her. A corporate lawyer, she travels constantly, and her social life—especially her sex life—is nonexistent. It's been ages since she's been laid, and Teri has a deep, dark fantasy... She wants to spend one erotic night with a stranger.

Josh Williams is a BDSM Master who knows a born submissive when he sees one. After just a look at the green-eyed brunette in the hotel bar, he has no doubt he can teach her all about pain...pleasure...and complete submission. What he doesn't expect is what Teri has to teach him.

3 stars.

The Switch

The Switch
Evangeline Anderson
Dangerous Cravings sequel
ebook, 20 pages
Published 2007 by Loose Id, LLC
ISBN 9781596324381

It’s been a year since detectives Cole and Alex solved the BDSM serial murder spree that was going on in the seamy Tampa streets. In that time they've become much more than partners and best friends.

They are lovers -- Dominant and submissive. Alex willingly submits to her master’s hand and Cole has learned to give her both the pain and pleasure that she needs.

But now Alex wants to crack the whip for a change, and Cole's not sure he's willing to take it lying down.

Publisher’s Note: This book contains elements that may be objectionable to some readers: BDSM.

I closed up Dangerous Cravings and immediately dived into The Switch. How could I not? I needed so much more of Cole! And tied up at his lover's mercy???? Oh my damn.

Cole and Alex are now a year into their new relationship and have decided to switch places for the night, not that that lasts very long. Cole is all male, dominant and aggressive, and being tied down doesn't do for him what it does for Alex. His urge to take her, and claim her, brings out the forceful demands that Alex responds to all too well. Finally they switch back, as it should be.

It's a bit quick and I didn't get the fix I really needed. Yeah, I'm addicted. The one complaint though, is that I never did get a proposal. Damn him! 4 out of 5 stars.

Dangerous Cravings

Dangerous Cravings
Evangeline Anderson
ebook, 448 pages
Published  March 21, 2006  by Loose Id, LLC
ISBN 9781596323889


By day, Tampa homicide detective Alex Reed is fiercely intelligent and tougher than any of the men in her department. By night, she explores her darker side by writing highly erotic novels of bondage and submission under the pen name Victoria Tarlatan.

Detective Cole Berkley is Alex's longtime partner and best friend. He doesn't know anything about her secret hunger to be mastered, but he's about to find out. A serial killer is working his dark magic, transforming wicked women into works of erotic art. His hapless victims are found tied to the bed in classic bondage poses, strangled and tortured in unspeakable ways. To crack the case, Alex and Cole go undercover in the BDSM community, posing as Master and slave, Dominant and submissive.

Can Alex hold on to her secret while being forced to play out her most private fantasies with her partner? And can Cole handle the change in his tough-as-nails partner from one of the guys to a woman with deeply erotic needs? The friction between them will soon be the least of their worries. The killer has a list of intended victims. Victoria Tarlatan is on it, making Alex next in line for the killer's transformation. Will she pay for her Dangerous Cravings with her life?

Publisher's Note: This book contains explicit sexual content, graphic language, and situations some readers may find objectionable: Strong BDSM theme and content, violence.

Earlier this week I was needing something sweet in my reading. But then... I'm the type of person that needs a bit of sadism with her sugar. And that's where Dangerous Cravings comes in...

Stay with me now.

Erotic romance writer, and one of the best might I add, Evangeline Anderson, has outdone herself with this thrilling read about a serial killer targeting authors whose books focus on BDSM.

Cole Berkley and Alex Reed haven't spent the last five years of their partnership pining for one another. They're friends-friends who trust one another explicitly and have a very close, very comfortable relationship. But their newest case is about to bring out Alex's long kept secret and give the attraction between the two a very forceful shove.

Couldn't help but be completely engrossed by the gradual process Anderson wrote for Cole coming around to noticing Alex. First her voice. Then, her legs. And so on and so forth. It's one of those things where you're on the edge of your seat, waiting for the passion to explode, and yet, the high you get from that bit by bit is just as an intoxicating. Tease me... no, don't tease me! Gawd, I was dying to know how the first kiss was going to go down. And HOT DAMN I was not disappointed. Daddy issues make for the *best* drama. And some rather hot moments of weakness.

Cole is a virgin to the very idea of BDSM. He has no clue what the hell is going on. Alex writes the stuff, craves it, but won't speak a damn word about it so Cole is forced to use the investigation to try to make some sense of it all. He can't bring himself to comprehend what makes his best friend need to be held down and have pain inflicted during sex. But he loves Alex. He wants her. And he wants to be the lover she needs him to be, even though the idea of hurting her makes him physically sick.

Get over it, Cole!

“What the hell,” I said, slowly and distinctly, “was that about?”
     She turned to me and there was so much need, so much pain and confusion and shame in her eyes,that I felt my insides clench. God, she’d never even hinted at anything like this. Or maybe she had, and I just wasn’t paying attention ... Maybe I was ignoring her because I didn’t want to know.
     “Cole ...” Her voice was soft and tentative. The look on her face said she expected me to hit her at any time. I wanted to shake her, this vulnerable stranger. Shake her and demand what she had done with my tough, no-nonsense, takes-no-crap-off-anyone, one-of-the-guys partner.
     “Never mind,” I said, feeling the muscles in the side of my jaw bunch and tense. “Just get out.”
     “No.” Her eyes cleared a little, my rough words seeming to bringing her back to her senses. “No, I’m not leaving like this. I need ... I need ...” Her mouth worked uncertainly.
     “What?” I asked, my voice dangerously soft. “What do you think you need, Alex?”
     “I need you to understand,” she burst out, desperately. “I need you to know that I’m not ... thatI don’t ...”
     “Don’t what? Don’t get off on --”
     “Don’t say it.” She slid across the seat and pressed her small hand over my lips. In the dim glow of the lamp her eyes were wide and drowning deep. I felt in danger of falling in and never getting outagain. I wanted her so badly I ached. But I didn’t want to lay her down and take my time -- didn’t want to bring her gently or take her softly. I wanted what she wanted. I wanted to be rough with her. I couldn’t let myself want that.
     I pulled back from her, afraid that her touch, the press of her small, warm fingers against my lips, would set me off. “Get out,” I said again. I felt like a loaded gun with three pounds of pressure already on the trigger. “Get out, Alex.”
     “No.” She was trembling but determined. “No, come in with me.”
     “I can’t.” I heard a low grating sound and realized it was me, grinding my teeth. “I can’t -- I’ll hurt you.”
     She looked up at me, eyes wide and serious. “I know.”
     I could hear the steering wheel creak beneath my palms as I gripped it. I was holding it like a life preserver, knowing that if it left my hands, and my feet took me into her small dark house, I was lost. I can’t let that happen. I said it to myself over and over.
     “Cole,” she said, stroking the side of my face. “Cole, please ...”
     My control snapped and somehow my traitorous hands left the steering wheel and buried themselves in her silky hair, the same way they had the night before. I was again conscious of wanting to own her -- of wanting to possess her totally. Her mouth was as sweet as a bruised berry. I crushed her to me, wanting to own and if I couldn’t own, wanting to mark. To leave a sign on her skin that would let the world know I had been there.

Eventually Cole finds a balance between his own fantasies and Alex's needs and the scenes are a beautiful balance of the two. Despite the drama of a bitch of an ex wife and having an eight-year-old daughter, I found Cole-as Redd would say-extremely lickable.

Readers who find themselves opposed to BDSM may want to veer around this one but I would actually encourage it's reading for the very same reason. It's very light in the bondage... a few lashings, a bit of restraining, very little sex, but overall it's a very psychological approach to the topic, which is so Anderson. She gets me to respond on a mind level no other author ever has. I question so much when I read her work. About myself. And about the world around me. 5 out of 5 stars.

Another great thing about this book? It has an itty-bitty sequel!

Forever Bound

Forever Bound
Stacey Kennedy
ebook
Published April 22nd 2011 by Decadent Publishing
ISBN 2940011273988

Josie Harper had boyfriends, lovers, and even friends with benefits. None of them could satisfy her. Something had always been missing—something she was now desperate to find.

Gavin Scott longed for the perfect submissive. A woman worthy of the gift he could give to her as a Dom. Most failed to meet his expectations and he’d all but given up hope.

A high class match-maker in Las Vegas brings Josie and Gavin together. Tonight, Gavin will introduce Josie to the world of BDSM. As he skillfully guides her through the experience, Josie isn’t the only one captivated. Gavin is in awe of her control, someone this new to the lifestyle shouldn’t possess this great of a talent.

During their journey, Josie will find the missing piece of her soul and Gavin will meet the woman who was born to submit to him.

I *love* Stacey Kennedy's Blue Bloods series and especially The Watchers series so far, but book two of The Watchers, Whispers of Evil, is still on my shopping list. Until I can get my hands on a copy, I decided to try to appease myself with her first BDSM, Forever Bound.

There are some things I just don't respond to well in BDSM books, or in erotica in general, and damn it, this particular story not only focuses on just those very things but the entire story revolves around them, giving me absolutely nothing else to aid in the balance. So, it's for very personal reasons of taste that I give this one a 0 out of 5 stars- 1 star for the sake of Goodreads, but other than that I couldn't find a single thing that I could say deserved even that. =(

Come & Get Me

Come & Get Me
Reese Gabriel
e-book
Published March 30th 2005 by Ellora's Cave
ISBN 9781419901690

Ten years ago, college freshman Eleesha Greene played a sorority game called "Come and Get Me". She was chosen for a night of seduction at the hands of Ross Maclean, the gorgeous quarterback of the college football team. The sex was supposed to be no strings attached, but that night young Eleesha gave more than her body. She gave her heart to the handsome athlete.

Ross, his eyes set on the NFL, was not ready for a relationship. He left her the next morning and never looked back. The heartbreak of their parting left Eleesha with nothing but bitter memories of their time together.

A decade later she is a vice president of a large communications company that is about to be restructured. A hired consultant is called in to recommend staff cuts. When he turns out to be none other than Ross Maclean, Eleesha goes into a tailspin. A sexual sparring match ensues, fueled by increasing passion.

Ross made the biggest mistake of his life ten years ago. To fix it, he is going to play "Come and Get Me" again. And this time he has no intention of letting Eleesha go.

So... I honestly don't know if I chose to read this book. I say that because this particular title has two different blurbs posted on Goodreads and I'm not entirely certain which one I read that determined its placement on my TBR.

This story is one of those where everything begins and ends with sex. Where it all finds meaning, explanation, and purpose through the act of two bodies molding together and where everything one feels, thinks, or believes is birthed and determined by carnal pleasures.

Years ago, as a freshman in college, Eleesha had a huge crush on the star quarterback, Ross. And girls being the mean spirited bitches that they are, her intended sorority sisters used it as a weapon against her, plotting a game that would end in her shame. Eleesha spent one night in the arms of her dream lover, losing her heart to a man who wasn't prepared for the emotions she would stir in him.

Now, a decade later, Eleesha is yet again playing the part of a fool. She gives it up for Ross with little effort on his part. In dreams and out. She's certainly a character who's trapped in the past and has yet to mature past her deluded adolescence. Reminiscent of Kaylin Neya actually. Although an NC-17 version. She plays games that are quick to get old and honestly, I just wanted to kick her while wearing cleats. 1 out of 5 stars.

Masks

Masks
Evangeline Anderson
ebook, 60 pages
Published December 2005 by Ellora's Cave Publishing
ISBN 9781419904424
Amazon freebie

Chloe's identical twin sister Zoe wants a favor. She needs Chloe to dress up in her work clothes and meet an important client, pretending to be her. There's just one problem. Zoe isn't an investment banker as she's led everyone to believe—she's a dominatrix and her work clothes include a leather bustier, thigh-high boots and a feathered mask. There are three rules, according to Zoe—don't lose control of the situation, don't have sex with the client, and never take off the mask.

Shy, retiring Chloe has no idea how to go about dominating anyone. But that won't be a problem for long because the "client", Mark Jacobs, is a hot alpha male in a black leather mask of his own who prefers to take the lead when it comes to sex.

Soon Chloe is breaking all the rules for one night of forbidden passion but when she decides to take off her mask and asks Mark to do the same, she has no idea that the black leather he wears conceals a dark secret that may change her life forever.

Cruising Amazon, coming down from an Eternal Rider induced high, I found yet another quick read from Evangeline Anderson. And this baby's a good one.

The bestest twin sister anyone could ask for, Chloe agrees to take Zoe's place on an appointment with her new client-on the heels of learning just what it was her sister actually did for a living. A first grade teacher, Chloe knows nothing about playing the role of a dominatrix and fumbles mightily the first few moments in. Despite the attempt to get things back on track, the client, Mark, turns the tables and Chloe soon finds her own self strapped to the Saint Andrew's cross.

Thing is, Mark isn't out for domination. And despite the masks, he knows exactly who he's pleasuring. --A fact that I am so thankful for the author pointing out because I totally missed the slip. The BDSM is well, let's just say that if you're not a fan of it, it won't bother you. It's all basically a prop in the stage being set. Actually.. it might be better for those who aren't. Afterall, it's not everyone's fantasy. =) 5 out of 5 stars.

Hardware (DNF)

Hardware
Sara Brookes
ebook
Published November 1st 2010 by Liquid Silver Books
ISBN13 9781595787576


Women aren’t supposed to be geeks. They aren’t supposed to fix computer networks with expert ease either, but tell that to Allison—the resident computer guru in the small town of Gatlin Falls, Virginia.

Enthralled by watching her work so effortlessly, Patrick agrees to accompany Allison for a night at the movies so he can learn more about her. Even though he’s a perfect gentleman who prides himself on knowing exactly what a woman wants—and when she wants it—he can’t keep away from her. One scorching kiss in a dark theater changes everything.

Allison quickly learns Patrick’s definition of hardware is vastly different than her own and she allows him guide her on a path where she discovers new heights of passion she’s never imagined before. Taken by the calm she feels when she is around him, she is pulled into a world where there is comfort in wearing a pair of cuffs and sanctuary in accepting a collar.

First things first- I love this cover!

What I didn't love was Patrick. I don't think I've ever been so bored with a BDSM book before. Don't get me wrong, it's a good story, but... *sigh*

Patrick and Allison hit it off immediately when the register at Patrick's coffee shop (owned by his brother) fails and she steps in to save the day. On their first date, he asks permission to kiss her. Cute right?

Kinda? No? Hmmm. Definitely not.

And I learned something else- I don't care for female geeks. And wow, did Allison take the platinum trophy on that one. Computer programmer, Halo enthusiast, and comic book collector. Plus a whole lot of other things I won't get into.

Patrick, too, is a bit of a conundrum. He doesn't share, so no exhibitionism or three-ways. He doesn't do voyeur. And he doesn't do spanking.


In the end, I had to DNF. Wasn't in the mood for the mellow drama. I *DO* read books that don't have sex in them. No menage. No exhibitionism or voyeurism. No spanking. No... etc.. And I *STILL* love them. But, when I pick up a book expecting it... and am let down.. then it goes back on the shelf. 'k?

A Good Student

A Good Student
Kindle Edition
Published August 25th 2008 by eXcessica

When passionate Professor Conner Devlin meets oversexed student Emma Fiore, the sparks ignite: he’ll train her to be his classroom sex slave, carrying out his every desire, while she gets to experience the forbidden pleasure of submissive love before her marriage to a dull and unfeeling man. But Emma’s sizzling and insatiable desires soon overwhelm Conner and he finds himself hopelessly in love with his young submissive. Emma accepts him as her sexual Master, but will she have him as her real-life lover?

Through the means of BDSM and the demands of extreme sex, Conner tries to break down the barriers between them and make Emma acknowledge her feelings, until one night things become too real and the games are forgotten. Conner takes Emma prisoner for real and their passions erupt in a cataclysm of raw emotion that rocks them both and fuses them in a transcendent love.

I pressed my face into her neck and crushed her to me like I wanted to kill her.

"Told with intense honesty from the dominant’s point of view, A Good Student gives a rare and searing look inside a man’s heart as he’s caught in the throes of a compelling and overwhelming love and passion, all his thoughts and feelings exposed. Listening to Conner’s confessions is like having your own personal Master tell you everything he feels, with a poet’s skill and a therapist’s insight. You’ll never look at the dynamics of D/s and a man’s sexuality the same way again."

My first erotic novel read written by a man, and a Dom to boot! The above review, tagged on to the end of the blurb on Goodreads, had me oh so intrigued. Drove me to snatch it up.

A Good Student is told through the first person POV of Conner, a poetry instructor who is filling in at the local community college. Or he is at the time of the story, for the book itself opens up as Conner only recollects this time of his life. He's actually a writer of romance- or pornography as he likes to tell it- where BDSM is the primary star of his fantasies and aggression.

When he slips up, quite purposely on a subconscious level, and reveals his pen name to Emma, he finds her all too eager to learn more of his writing. And the world from which he finds his inspiration.

Reading an erotic story written and viewed through the eyes of a male was altogether a new and rewarding experience for me. While vulgarity and degradation come and go, the tale remains a very sensual one. The use of different euphemisms and metaphors so unlike anything I've read from a woman does well in eliciting an entirely unique imagery in the world of BDSM.

I felt her shudder and twitch like a rag doll as she moaned and sobbed helplessly in my embrace. I held her so hard I felt tears squeeze out of my eyes and roll down my cheeks, catching me by surprise as she came and came and I thought through my joy how absolutely foolish I was. This was only sex after all.

This was only sex, to hold a woman's heart and soul in your hands and know she wanted you to do whatever you wanted to her and have her respond like this. This was only sex, when you touched each other in places no one else had ever touched and made you feel things beyond your ability to describe. Only sex where, for one brief instant, no matter how short and fleeting, the barriers fell away and you were somehow one with her—this stranger—and you weren't alone anymore.

It was only sex.

Only sex.

As the relationship evolves from Teacher/Student to Dom/sub and so forth, we're taken along for Conner's psychological evaluation of his feelings. How he interprets love, understands it, and becomes a victim of it. As emotions becomes more and more involved an inevitable loss of control occurs when Conner perceives Emma breaking from character. Outside of their fantasy, Emma has a soon to be fiance whose world she has become trapped in. When that world collides with the one Conner has so delicately crafted, his rage comes to surface and a darkness forces its way into their passion.

I found myself intrigued by Conner, wanting to learn from him and of him. His take on history and philosophy arouses curiosity and compels the reader to examine their inner selves. Emma, however, I remained at odds with. Our personalities clashed so wildly that the only empathy I could afford her was in the way of pity.

Sex is the abundant ingredient of this book. And I mean, there's a *lot* of it. So much so that it's not a book you can't put down, it's one you must put down in order to breathe again. It's oppressively graphic and, at times, perversely crude. And I've never been one for degradation in my erotica. 3.5 out of 5 stars. But I have to say, this is an amazingly well written book.