Honestly I am at a loss for words. This book is one of those that drew me in from page one, and held me long after I hit the end. To write this review I will tell you I read this book twice. Not because I was struggling to write it, but because it was so good I had a serious book hangover afterwards. ~ KcLu, Guilty Pleasures
Description:
Kate’s fantasies have always featured sexy, dominant, crop-wielding men, but finding one in real life was easier said than done. She’s used to getting what she wants, but the creeps that keep flirting with her aren’t her kink.
Enter Banner. His intensity scares her—he’s looking for a slave, and Kate doesn’t want to be one. But when he offers to help find the perfect Dom for her, she’s glad to have a matchmaker and protector.
Banner knows he and Kate aren’t sexually compatible, so what better way to get the tasty almost-vanilla girl out of his head than finding her a good Dom? As it becomes clear that Kate has no clue what she wants when it comes to kink, he devises a series of experiments to help her figure things out—a perfect plan, if he could stop himself from training and bedding her. Obsessing about owning a girl who wants to be free isn’t healthy. But when Banner finds the right Dom to collar Kate, how will he hand over the leash?
Review copy provided for an honest review
This writing team absolutely blows me away with their ability to seamlessly compose a story together.
Often times when you have two people writing a book together, you can feel the two different voices in the work, but that is not the case at all here. Honestly I am at a loss for words. This book is one of those that drew me in from page one, and held me long after I hit the end. To write this review I will tell you I read this book twice. Not because I was struggling to write it, but because it was so good I had a serious book hangover afterwards.
Kate and Banner two people so drawn to each other, but yet they hold parts of themselves back from the other. They both know that they can’t find what each of them wants together. He is a sadist looking for his perfect slave, and she is a newbie looking to test her feet in the submission waters. Banner tries unsuccessfully to set Kate up with one of his friends, but her bratty rebelliousness show her that it will take someone special to bring out that deep submissive side of her. When she asks Banner to train her and show her what she really wants out of this lifestyle that calls to her on a deeper level, he can’t resist.
There is just something so mesmerizing about both Kate and Banner. The harder they fight not to love each other, the more I fell for them. She brings out not only his Dom side, but so much more of his personality. I think what I love best is that he isn’t one of those ubber-Domly asshats that people assume Doms should be. So often people assume if a character is given the title of Master or Dom, they should be bullies and/or assholes with a deep down heart of gold only one woman can barely find. While that can be true, there can be fun and laughter along with the BDSM play. They have done an amazing job of showing all the sides of Banner. I found myself identifying with Kate so much. I am one of those women that it will take a strong man to win my submission. Like me, Kate’s is not given over easily. She has a bratty core and sarcasm that just make it all that more fun to watch her breakdown her walls for Banner. Their journey to HEA is not an easy one, but oh boy is it ever a scorching hot one. I can’t wait to see what more this series will bring.
One last thing this book has one of the best quotes, and I want to share it as a bit of a non-spoiler tease. >
Having the wolf guard Little Red Riding Hood had not only been a bad idea, but it was especially hard on the poor, starving wolf.
How great is that?!?!? I hope y’all love this book as much as I have!
I had high hopes for this book, and although it held my attention and was enjoyable, I was left feeling somewhat unfulfilled. ~ Leigh, Guilty Pleasures
I had high hopes for this book, but unfortunately I was left feeling somewhat unfulfilled.
First off, let me say that this story was very easy to read. I was somewhat surprised to find that the author was actually TWO authors, because the writing flowed and the story engaged me. Enough so that I went and searched out whether there would be more books for the other characters mentioned, because I genuinely liked them! And yes, there are two more books coming featuring Banner’s best friends.
The problem was, the characters in this particular story irked me. On their own, each was likeable. Kate was a vanilla girl looking to get into BDSM, on the search for Master Right. And Banner was sweet and sexy and appeared to be the perfect Dom to train Kate. Together, the sex was hot and their chemistry totally clicked.
That’s where my affection for these two ended.
For a man who was looking for a slave and was supposedly an uber-Dom, Banner lacked the commanding presence that I like. During times of family trauma, he would fall apart rather than stay strong. Not that there is anything wrong with showing emotion in the face of tragedy, but on Banner it seemed more like weakness. Kate, on the other hand, came off as the stronger of the two. I could see this woman as a Domme, more than the submissive she desired to be.
There was also no real conflict in the story either. No great force keeping these two apart, except their own stubbornness. And that ticked me off. Each time I read the old “they deserve better than me” routine, it made me want to roll my eyes and smack someone. Preferably Kate or Banner.
I did root for these two to work out their non-issue and finally get together, but I had really hoped this story would pack more of a punch.
Banner’s friends Konstantin and Ambrose were fun, and their interactions and affection with Banner interesting enough to make me want to read their stories as well. I just need to cross my fingers that there is more of an actual conflict in these stories than their own altruistic beliefs that the other deserves something more than they can deliver.
3.25 Stars