STORY OF O

TITLE: STORY OF O

AUTHOR: PAULINE RÉAGE

Pages: 199

Date: 18/06/2013

Grade: 5

Own

This is going to be a first. I read the book, I thought it was brilliant and yet I’m not going to post either a plot summary or very much about my thoughts on this book here. I’m sure that most people have heard about this book. I’m also sure that they know that this is a rather hardcore work of erotica. If some of the books I’ve reviewed here in the past might shock other readers, this book has all the elements to actually offend them. It all depends on the way you look at erotica in general and BDSM in particular. I find it ALL rather fascinating, as I did this book. Especially considering that this book was first published in the 1950’s. Suffice to say that if erotic fiction is not your thing or even if it is something you’re new to and not quite sure about yet, this is not the book for you.

Having said that, I found this to be an intriguing read. The story of this character only identified as O is unimaginable and impossible to identify with. And yet it is written in such a way that you almost feel as if you could understand her. In fact I found myself going through the same emotions as O was; I kept on thinking that things couldn’t possibly progress any further, that surely we had reached the most extreme point, only to be surprised by what followed. And like O I found that I could take more.

This book is written in a rather detached tone and yet shares the most intimate details. The sentences are constructed in the most beautiful way – although I’m convinced that they would work better in the original language, French – emotions are explored in excruciating detail and yet I can’t remember coming across a single word that might be considered coarse.

So, don’t read it if the subject matter is not to your taste. If however you do like erotic fiction and haven’t read this book yet, go and do so now. This book, together with the Sleeping Beauty books by Anne Rice paved the way for the modern wave of erotic writing. And it is wonderful to not only see where it all started, but also to discover that it started of with a very high standard of writing.

THE MASTER UNDONE

TITLE: THE MASTER UNDONE

AUTHOR: LISA RENEE JONES

Pages: 40

Date: 16/06/2013

Grade: 5-

Details: An Inside Out Story

              Received from the author

Own / Kindle

Before I say anything else I have to point out the following. This novella is part of a series and it is very important that it is not read out of order. This book should not be read before “Being Me” since it is one big spoiler for things that are revealed in that story. If you have any doubts about the reading order please visit the Lisa Renee Jones’ website and have a look there or have a close look at the following graphic (which I found on the author's Facebook page):

I’m sure I read somewhere that Lisa Renee Jones is planning (already writing?) a full-length novel from Mark Comptom’s point of view. And, if I’m honest, I wasn’t sure how I felt about that. I wasn’t overly charmed by our Master from what I read in “If I Were You”, Rebecca’s Lost Journals and “Being Me” and wasn’t sure if there was anything the author could do to make me interested in his story.

Oh me of little faith. I should of course have known better. If all the previous Inside Out books and stories have proved anything, it is that Lisa Renee Jones writes wonderful stories around fascinating characters. The 40 pages in this way too short novella have made a convert out of me. I can’t wait to read more about this man, his past, his secrets and whether or not this woman he’s just met will be able to break through the walls he has so efficiently erected around his heart.

Mark Comptom, the Master, is not having an easy time of it. He’s made a few mistakes in the past. Mistakes for which he has paid a price but somebody else paid a much higher one, and now he is travelling to be with his mother who has been diagnosed with cancer. For a long time now Mark has been living his life convinced that he was in control; of himself, of his life and of those close to him. Now he finds himself wondering whether or not he still has that control; if he ever had it to begin with. He may no longer be sure who or what exactly he is but there is one thing Mark is very sure of; never again will he allow anybody to get close enough to him to put them at risk of being hurt by him.

Good intentions are all very well in theory; reality is often very different. When Mark meets Crystal Smith who works for Riptide in New York he finds himself dealing with reactions and emotions that are quite new to him.

Crystal Smith is the complete opposite of the sort of woman Mark usually finds himself attracted to; blond, assertive, independent and without a submissive bone in her body, she shouldn’t affect him at all. And yet:

“She’s everything I don’t like in a woman, and yet I can’t take my eyes of her.”

And:

“Yes – starving. I’m starving. For her.”

And Crystal is able to see right through him. She recognises things in Mark others never see because he doesn’t allow them to be visible. Both of them know that they shouldn’t get too close because they are just too similar.

“I’m a control freak, she readily admits. You’re a control freak. We’d be like two bulls after the same red scarf.”

But sometimes knowing the right thing to do and doing it are two very different things:

“I’m lost in her, in kissing her, in touching her, and I can feel how lost she is, too.”

For once, Mark finds himself in an encounter that is not completely in his hands. It may be due to his defences being low because of all the pain and fear that have recently entered his life, but for once it would seem that our Master has found his match:

“She’s real to me in a way no one else has felt in too long.”

I can’t wait to see how this story is going to develop. Without a doubt there will be fireworks involved.

THE PLEASURES OF SUMMER and A TOUCH OF SUMMER

TITLE: THE PLEASURES OF SUMMER

AUTHOR: EVIE HUNTER

Pages: 433

Date: 15/06/2013

Grade: 4+

Details: no. 2 Pleasures

             Received from Penguin

             Through Nudge

Own

Summer O’Sullivan. It is a name and face most people know from the scandalous headlines in the tabloids. With one broken engagement behind her, the daughter of a self-made and very rich airline owner is known for her outrageous exploits and scandalous adventures. But, it would appear that she is in danger and when her father has to travel from London to America for a month and Summer refuses to spend that time with her grandmother in Ireland, he decides to hire a body-guard to keep her safe. To say that Summer is less than impressed with this idea would be an understatement and she manages to get rid of several hired minders within little or no time.

Enter Flynn Grant, a former Army Ranger with little patience for spoiled little rich girls. Summer’s tricks won’t work with him. He may not like the job, but since he has been hired to keep this girl safe that is exactly what he will do. And what is more, he will do it on his terms; Summer will just have to get used to following orders.

Unsurprisingly it is a major culture clash when these two characters meet, but despite the anger and exasperation they ignite in each other there is no denying the attraction between Summer and Flynn. When Summer goes a bit too far while satisfying her curiosity it is only Flynn’s timely arrival that prevents her from ending up in a situation she was completely unprepared for. Flynn however is furious and this anger combined with the attraction he has been feeling leads to a night that more than answers Summer’s curious questions and gives them both something to think about.

A month in a remote Scottish hiding-place takes Summer completely out of her comfort-zone and gives both her and Flynn the opportunity to discover sides of each other that they never expected. Flynn may be on a mission and getting intimate with his principle may be against all his rules but when the attraction is this strong and the location this isolated it is almost impossible not to give in to the sexual tension.

When the threat against Summer finally catches up with her it will take a heroic effort from Flynn as well as everything she has learned in her month in the middle of nowhere to ensure her survival. But even that may not be enough to ensure their happily ever after.

I enjoyed this book. It is well written and Summer and Flynn are exciting characters to read about. Not to mention that the attraction between them and the way they handle it make this one steamy read. But, this is much more than a work of erotic fiction. There is a real sense of danger all through this story. The erotic scenes alternate nicely with those that explore the rest of Summer and Flynn’s relationship and the thriller-like aspects of this book.

I liked that there was so much more to Summer’s character than the flighty, spoiled young heiress we meet in the first few chapters. It was wonderful to see her grow into herself and really develop. Flynn goes through some changes as well, although his are less pronounced. I also enjoyed the brief reference to Jack Winter and Abbie Marshall from “The Pleasures ofWinter”. Although these books are definitely stand-alone stories the mention of Jack and Abbie’s upcoming wedding brings a little bit of continuity to this series of books without creating the need to read them in order.

And this is one hot read. With Flynn being a Dominant with a lot of experience when it comes to BDSM and Summer being curious about the life-style, there is a lot of room for a good dose of steamy action. As it is I would call this BDSM-light. There is some bondage and quite a bit of spanking but it never gets so heavy that it might leave the reader uncomfortable. Having said that, I have to admit that I was both surprised and intrigued by the alternative uses that were found for both Alka-Seltzer and tiger balm in this story. Who knew?

There were a few things in this book I was less than charmed with.  First of all, I had the identity of the threat to Summer identified as soon as they made their first appearance in the story. Also, I did get a bit fed up with the way in which both Summer and Flynn kept on going backwards and forwards as far as their feelings were concerned. And finally, I wasn’t convinced that this book needed the addition of Flynn’s former submissive and her upcoming marriage to his brother. Having said that, these were minor issues for me and didn’t stop me from thoroughly enjoying this book. Because this is a fun, tension filled and a very sexy romance, sure to give its reader hours of entertainment.

A TOUCH OF SUMMER

Size: 218KB

Date: 15/06/2013

Grade: 4+

Details:  no. 2.5 Pleasures

             Companion read to “The Pleasures of Summer”

Own / Kindle

Chronologically, this story is set in the middle of “The Pleasures of Summer” and takes place during the time Summer and Flynn spend in the Scottish highlands.

Finding themselves in the middle of nowhere with little to keep them occupied except the sexual attraction between them – an attraction Flynn is determined not to give in to – Summer and her bodyguard desperately need a diversion. An opportunity arises when it transpires that some of Flynn’s colleagues are involved in war-games with other groups of special forces on a deserted Island off the Scottish coast. While Flynn sees this weekend as a welcome diversion for the two of them, Summer treats it as a second opportunity to launch operation “Defeat the bodyguard”.

“Consequences. She liked the sound of those. The ones following her escapade in London had been spectacular, to say the least.”

But, best laid plains being what they are, their days away with the army don’t work out quite the way either Flynn or Summer has hoped. While Flynn discovers that even participating in war-games won’t kill his attraction to Summer, she finds out that maybe getting rid of Flynn isn’t her first priority after all.

This was a short but very nice addition to The Pleasures of Summer. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if this was a discarded chapter, published as a short story, although I may well be wrong about that. Having said that, this story could easily be read on its own strength. I’m not sure I’d advise anyone to do that though. I’m convinced this story is more enjoyable if you are familiar with what has happened to get these characters to this place. On the other hand, if you need convincing before purchasing “The Pleasures of Summer”, do read this story; it will leave you yearning for more. And more is exactly what the main book will give you.

BEING ME

TITLE: BEING ME

AUTHOR: LISA RENEE JONES

Pages: 336

Date: 11/06/2013

Grade: 5-

Details: Inside Out Trilogy no. 2

             Received from the author/publisher

              Through NetGalley

Own / Kindle

From the author’s website:

“Fascinated by the dark fantasies in the journals she’s discovered, and the two men who have now found a place in her life, Sara McMillan finds herself torn between her new life and her past. Now, more than ever, Sara identifies with the missing journal writer, Rebecca, and is certain that something sinister has happened.

In the arms of the sexy, tormented artist Chris Merit, Sara seeks answers about Rebecca and ends up discovering things about herself she never knew existed. Chris forces Sara to reconsider who she is and what she truly wants from life, but his dark desires threaten to tear them apart. Her boss, Mark Compton, offers her the shelter to understand just what those needs mean to her, and what they might have meant to Rebecca—but can she trust him to lead her to a final conclusion to Rebecca’s story?”

This story starts exactly where “If I Were You” ended. Sara is on her own in the storage unit, looking for new clues as to where the missing Rebecca might be when the lights go out and she hears sounds she can’t identify as well as footsteps getting closer… And so the reader is immediately back in the middle tension that pushes the Inside Out story along. And boy, is there a lot of tension; there is the continuing mystery of where Rebecca is and what may have happened to her, the added worry about Sara’s friend and colleague Ella who can’t be reached and, of course, Sara’s difficult relationship with the two dominant men in her life: Chris, her lover and Mark, her boss.

If I’m honest I have to admit that at times all that tension was almost a bit too much. I mean, I did love all the individual story-lines. I was intrigued with the mystery surrounding Rebecca and fascinated by the push and pull between Sara and Chris.

“Sara, he murmurs when I answer, and my name is a soft rasp of silky male perfection that radiates through me and settles in the deep hollow of my soul only he seems to fill.”

The added mystery involving Ella failed to convince me in this book, but I’ve got a sneaky suspicion that this particular thread will come into full bloom in “Revealing Us”, the third book.

Sara and Chris; if it is possible for two people to fully belong together yet at the same time be completely wrong for each other, than it is these two characters. Stories about characters who refuse to share their secrets with each other yet profess to need and love each other always tend to upset me, simply because I can’t imagine wanting to be with anyone I didn’t trust enough to share my past with or didn’t trust me enough to share theirs. If ever there was a red flag when it comes to relationships… 

“…Chris, a man I know will consume me, perhaps destroy me, but right now he feels as if he is saving me.”

On the other hand, I can’t deny that their wish to be together despite their better judgment telling them to stay apart, regardless of the emotional risks involved did make this story almost unputdownable.  

It is not as if these two don’t feel a pressing need to be together. They both want to believe that the other is all they need. That they can overcome past issues and future difficulties through the strength of their feelings for each other.

 “If I need to get lost, I’ll get lost in you.” (Chris)

But time and again life throws obstacles in their way, showing them that no matter how much they love each other and regardless of how desperately they want and need to be together, it is quite possible that love may not be enough.

 “I’ve always known we were two puzzle pieces that fit together in a hollow that is our pain.”

But what if those hollows are just too big?

When Sara is forced into a situation where she has to share her shameful past with Chris she finds the disclosure doesn’t send him running. With Chris she thinks she can be herself and still be good enough:

“I don’t try to be someone else with Chris, as I have with other men in my life. I’m rediscovering myself, or perhaps finding myself for the first time every.”

But her hope that he will in turn open up to her and allow her to share his pain and secrets, is not fulfilled. Chris remains convinced that she won’t be able to deal with all that he has been and still is. Whether or not Sara will ever be able to convince him that she can, remains to be seen.

But, while the future of the relationship between these two is still open-ended, some other mysteries are solved in this book. We do find out who Rebecca’s mysterious Master is and what has happened to her. Of course that is something I can’t reveal here without spoiling the story but I will say it came as a bit of a shock to me. We also find out more about Sara’s past and get a much better insight into who Chris is. All of this was very satisfying and although there were one or two shocking surprises, it all made perfect sense in the context of the story so far.

Overall I have to say that I greatly enjoyed reading this book. Yes, I did get a bit exasperated with Sara switching from being convinced she could handle Chris and their relationship because she loves him to being sure that they could never be together because of all the dark secrets, about every other page, but that continued tension was also one of the reasons I kept on turning the pages. This book is one, endless, emotional roller-coaster sweeping the reader up on a ride filled with highs and lows that will keep them engrossed until the very last page and then leave them begging for more.

So now there is one more installment in Rebecca’s Lost Journals – “The Master Undone” - to look forward to in August and the final book in the trilogy – “Revealing Us” – coming out in September. And although I’m grateful that I won’t have to wait a year for the conclusion of this story and can’t wait to see how all of this will end, a small part of me is sorry that this particular reading journey will end within about three months.

THE SLEEP ROOM

TITLE: THE SLEEP ROOM

AUTHOR: F.R. TALLIS

Pages: 372

Date: 09/06/2013

Grade: 4

Details: ARC received from Macmillan

              Through Nudge

Own

“A man dreams that he is a butterfly, and in the dream he has no knowledge of his life as a human being. When he wakes up he asks himself two questions: am I a man, who just dreamed that he was a butterfly? Or am I really a butterfly, now dreaming that I am a man?”

James Richardson, the narrator of this story, is a young and promising psychiatrist in England in the 1950’s. When he is offered the opportunity to work under the esteemed Dr. Hugh Maitland he accepts the offer immediately. Without a second thought he says goodbye to his old life and travels to Wyldehope Hall in Suffolk to take up his new post. In Wyldehope Hall, Dr. Maitland is running an experimental new form of treatment for patients with long term and extreme disturbances. The patients, six women, are kept asleep for months on end in the hope that they will, eventually, wake up cured of their problems. If the experiment were to be successful it would bring professional glory for both doctors involved in it.

It isn’t long after arriving in Wyldehope Hall that Richardson is starting to notice strange and at times disturbing occurrences. It is nothing he can put his fingers on, but something about the place feels wrong and some strange happenings aren’t easily explained through logical reasoning.

More worrying is Dr. Maitland’s reluctance to discuss the medical history of the women they are treating in “The Sleep Room”. And how is it possible that the six women appear to be dreaming at exactly the same time?

Although it is clear that there are others in the Hall who are uncomfortable in their surroundings, Richardson can’t find anybody who is willing to share their experiences with him. How can he discuss the disturbing things he’s felt and seen with others without having his own sanity questioned? And is the danger he senses real or something Richardson is only imagining? Is there something wrong with the house or is our young doctor losing his mind?

Part medical and part ghost story this is a fascinating book. What appears at first to be a purely medical story, focusing on dubious and controversial medical practices, slowly but steadily turns into something completely different. The ghostly manifestations are mentioned in an understated manner. The narrator, James Richardson, is very uncomfortable with the idea that something otherworldly might be going on around him. His logical mind and training don’t allow him to accept that the things he is experiencing might have anything other than a logical conclusion. And even when he reaches the point where he can no longer deny that the manifestations have to be supernatural he goes out of his way to find a logic based explanation for them. While this makes perfect sense as far as the character of Richardson is concerned, it does mean that this story isn’t nearly as ghostly as it might have been.

The medical side of the story on the other hand is, for me, the real thriller. The absolute power of Dr. Maitland, the unquestioning way in which those working for him go along with his ideas and treatments and the way in which the women in the Sleep Room are treated is the stuff of nightmares. Especially since everything described in this story sounds very credible and realistic. This story combined with the little I know about the normal practices in psychiatric hospitals in times past makes it all too easy to believe that what is happening to the women in this story is probably not as far-fetched as I might like to think.

I liked the way the tension in this story creeps up on the reader. In an almost imperceptible way this book gets darker and darker. So imperceptible in fact that by the time it all comes crashing down I was taken somewhat by surprise. And then, just when I thought the story was finished and things had come to a dramatic but overall satisfying conclusion the author threw me for a loop, leaving me uncertain about what exactly had happened and what to believe. It made for an impressive but not entirely satisfying conclusion.

I like that Tallis, who in his previous books has a fervent follower of Freud’s theories as his main protagonist, chose to have the main characters in this book debunk Freud and Jung as unscientific.

Mr. Tallis produces good books. His writing is smooth and his stories and characters are fascinating. Through his descriptions of the area surrounding Wyldehope Hall he gives the story exactly the right atmosphere for ghostly manifestations. And his knowledge of medical procedures and theories is obvious although not surprising considering that he is a clinical psychologist. The fact that he clearly knows what he is writing about makes this story more disturbing, rather than less.

Overall I would call this a fascinating combination of medical thriller and ghost story. The completely unexpected revelations at the end of the book only strengthen that fascination, although they also left me with one or two, unanswered, questions.

THE MISTRESS

UK edition

TITLE: THE MISTRESS FILES

AUTHOR: TIFFANY REISZ

Pages: 200

Date: 07/06/2013

Grade: 5+

Details: Original Sinners no. 3.5

Own / Kindle

The Blurb:

“When your boss is Kingsley Edge and he gives you an order, you do it. So when Kingsley decided that his other professional Dominants needed more training in the fine arts of Dominance, he went to his top Domme for help. He told her to write out some instructions for the other Dominants. His top Domme decided instead to write out erotic stories about her clients and her sessions with them. 

A female submissive who can't orgasm.

A male Dominant too scared to do kink with his blind wife.

A rock star with a secret.

A vanilla gay woman with an embarrassing little problem. 

A male switch with an itch for more than just pain.

These are their stories."

What can I say? How do I prevent what is supposed to be a review from turning into a gushing declaration of love and admiration? Where do I start?

Okay, let me start by stating that I’m going to say very little about the content of these stories. They’re wonderful and they’re short. Almost anything I might say about the actual storylines would constitute a spoiler.  So what I’m going to do is share a few quotes I wrote down while reading and attach my thoughts and feelings to them.

1.      The Case of the Acting Actress

      Sheridan Stratford’s first meeting with our Mistress, Nora.

      (By the way, there is a free story featuring Sheridan on Tiffany Reisz’ website. In fact, there are quite a few very good and very free stories there, but this particular one is called The Ingénue). 

      The actress hasn’t had an orgasm for years and our favourite Dominatrix is going to put an end to the draught. 

      “I know my way around a vagina.”

      And could The Mistress possibly get a bit too emotionally involved?

      “She walked a fine line with every client – a line of morality, legality, sexuality.”

2.      The Case of the Diffident Dom

      “Some days I’m less a Dominatrix and more a therapist.”

      And in this case that was probably just as well. I adore this story. I mean I love every single one of these five files but this one has a special place in my heart. I could completely understand why the Dom and husband would be so protective of his wife. But his wife’s frustration with that is not only equally understandable, it is also recognizable. This story made me feel every single emotion known to man; it made me smile and frown, laugh and cry, happy and sad. I loved it!

3.      The Case of the Reluctant Rockstar

      Yes, he has a secret and no, I’m not going to reveal it. Read the story, it’s well worth it.  

      My favourite quote?

      “We’re the antidote to yes-man.”

      And sometimes what a famous rockstar needs is somebody who isn’t afraid to say no; someone who can see right through him and introduce him to exactly what he needs. Enter Nora…

4.      The Case of the Secret Switch

      Okay, I think it will be almost immediately clear to anyone familiar with the other Original Sinners books and stories, who our secret switch is. That doesn’t mean I’m going to reveal it here though. Read the story!

      I loved that in this file reader (provided they are up to date with the books) knows more than Nora does. I have to admit, that was a bit of a rush. This was also the file with the most and the best quotes. I loved the following:

      “The fetishist, the freak, the fearful… I love them all. I’m one of them so I know how they feel, I know what they need and I want nothing more than to give it to them.”

      “And when someone paid for her best, she did her worst.”

      “Her pride demanded that she hate the penetration, but her body and her pride and her vagina were rarely on speaking terms.”

5.      The Case of the Brokenhearted Bartender

      This story was beautiful and tender. This is a client Nora will only see once despite the fact that by the time she sends the bartender home she will have given her something the girl didn’t even dream existed. And one more wonderful quote:

      “If you didn’t want pleasure with your pain, you should have gone to a doctor, not a Dominatrix.”

Did I mention that I loved these stories? 

US edition

I’m in awe of Tiffany Reisz; her books never fail to amaze me. She brings me funny, clever, unashamedly kinky, irreverent, sexy and fascinating characters. Regardless of how much of a story or scene may appear to revolve around some sexual act or another there is (almost) always something more going on. There is a deeper meaning to what is happening on the page. This is not sex for the sake of sex and that is what makes these books and stories so very special. That and the characters. Tiffany’s characters are fully-fleshed, you feel like you really get to know them. They are real individuals with their own characteristics, quirks and loveable traits. After three books, a few novella’s and several short stories I do feel I know them, would recognize them in the street and wouldn’t even be surprised if I did run into them (but that is a separate blog entry). 

And allow me to add how delighted I am to see the words "Case Files I -V" on the cover of this book. Surely if there are Case Files I -V there will also be Case Files VI - X, and beyond? 

Before I stop gushing I would like to add that I loved the homage to Anne Rice and her Sleeping Beauty Trilogy, Tiffany Reisz made in this book when Nora says:

“Seriously, I should start sending a cut of my checks to Anne Rice. I owe that woman half my clients.”

And I guess it is quite possible that Tiffany owes at least half her readers to Anne Rice. But, as much as I love Anne Rice and her books, for me, Tiffany steals the crown.

Further reading:

The Books:

The Siren

The Angel

The Prince 

The Shorts:

Seven Day Loan / The Gift

Little Red Riding Crop, Daniel Part Two and Submit to Desire

Immersed in Pleasure

TEMPTATION'S EDGE

TITLE: TEMPTATION’S EDGE

AUTHOR: EVE BERLIN

Pages: 326

Date: 06/06/2013

Grade: 5-

Details: no. 3 The Edge Trilogy

              Received from Black Lace

              Through Nudge

Own

Connor Galloway and Mischa Kennon: two strong and independent individuals. Two people with issues in their past that have left them convinced that they are not relationship material. Two people who are about to discover that assumptions, even those you make about yourself, can be very wrong.

When Connor and Mischa meet, the attraction between them is instant and neither of them is inclined to ignore it. After all, there is absolutely no reason why they shouldn’t enjoy each other. Mischa is only going to be in Seattle for a short while so the chances of their one night stand or fling or whatever you want to call it, becoming complicated are slim. As Mischa tells herself after their first night together:

“She was being ridiculous. They’d just met. And she was not that kind of girl. She’d just have to keep telling herself that until this terrible, strange yearning went away.”

But there is more to the link between Connor and Mischa than the instant attraction. Connor, like his friends Alec and Dante, is a Dominant with a bit of a sadistic streak, and although she may not be fully aware of it, Mischa is a natural submissive. Mischa has played with men in the past, she enjoys a bit of pain but until Connor she had never understood, felt, what BDSM was really about:

“She felt submissive, for the first time. Felt that melting sense of yielding, her mind emptying out.”

With every journey into sub-space Mischa’s emotions come closer to the surface. She will never tell Connor, but she can’t lie to herself any longer – she has feelings for this man, feelings much deeper and stronger than she has ever felt before, feelings she had promised herself she would never feel.

And it is much the same experience for Connor. He may not be the one submitting, but:

“It’s a power exchange. It works both ways. Except that I will be the one in command.”

Except that his command outside of the bedroom is slipping. The control he so desperately needs in his life is just not there when it comes to Mischa; he can’t get her out of his mind, his heart.

But can two individuals with so many issues find their way to each other or will those horrible memories from their youths hold them back and tear them apart?

This is the third title in The Edge trilogy and I’ve loved all three of them. I mean, what’s not to love; two strong and interesting characters, instant attraction, lots of hot sex with a nice kinky twist and a happily ever after. The only thing leaving me a bit disappointed is that the crisis scenes in all three books were very similar. Fortunately they’re not drawn out for too long, but still it would have been nice if that part of the story had been different in at least one of these three books.  Other than that though I really can’t find fault with this book or the trilogy. The story is well written and very easy to read. The characters are interesting and develop nicely - if a bit predictably - throughout the story. And these books are hot.

It was nice that the characters from the previous two books made an appearance in this one, lovely to see those pairings truly commit to each other; a wedding for Dylan and Alec (Pleasure's Edge) and an engagement for Kara and Dante (Desire's Edge).

These are wonderful books to read outside in the sun or anytime you want to escape into another, sensual and sexy world. They won’t qualify as literary master-pieces but they do bring you that wonderful happy feeling that comes with every well written feel-good story.