Purple Passion by Sindra van Yssel

 

Purple Passion is the first book I've read by Sindra van Yssel, but it won't be the last. In fact, if my TBR folder weren't so full right now I might just start buying up her back list and reading them all, after finishing Purple Passion.

Darren was pretty close to my definition of the ideal Dom. First and foremost, he's a good guy, next is that he's honest even when it's not easy to be honest. And finally, he's come to terms with his kinks and doesn't apologize for them. Oh, and he's pretty creative with them, too. A nice addition.

Darren McCorvey can’t believe his good luck when sexy violet-haired Lisa Martinez sits across from him at a table in a restaurant. Never mind she’s only at that table by mistake -- she certainly didn’t intend to join a bunch of BDSM aficionados -- he recognizes a submissive streak inside her that she thought was nothing but a weakness. She can’t believe this hunky guy is interested in her, but the things he’s into attract and scare her all at once. She pretends she’s interested to piss off her controlling ex-husband, and doesn’t intend to let it go any further. And Darren has no intention of falling in love, ever again. But after one fierce kiss it doesn’t seem to matter what they intended, what they’ve feared, or what obstacles their pasts can throw in the way.

I actually wasn't thrilled with the way things started, but it worked okay as a way to introduce Lisa to the lifestyle and to let the two characters meet.

The author handled the newbie explanations well, so I didn't feel as if she were talking down to the audience. And I love the way she had Darren introduce some of the new things to Lisa.I especially liked the way he helped her deal with bondage when he saw how scared she was.

BDSM elements:

• Bondage and Discipline: 2 of 3
• Dominance and Submission: 3 of 3
• Sadism and Masochism: 1 of 3 
• Extra Point: Yes

As for the writing elements:

• The plot was mostly the relationship, with a few smaller side plots here and there that added some depth.
• Not a thing wrong with pacing. This was a very enjoyable book to read.
• Prose and dialogue were very well done.
• Character development was beautiful

I'll definitely be keeping my eye out for more books by this author. Note the Heat Level? 

• Book Rating: Purple Passion: 9 of 10
• BDSM Intensity Level: 7 of 10
• Heat Level: 5 of 5

I highly recommend Purple Passion, it's a very sweet story, and the D/s is smokin' hot.

Surrender & Whips by Justus Roux

 
Surrender & Whips is two stories, the first is titled Surrender, the second is titled Whips.

Here is the blurb:

Surrender - Something is missing from Adam and Liz’s relationship. When Adam represents an unusual client and must observe her lifestyle he finds what his and Liz’s relationship needs.

Whips - Skye and Arnet love their Master beyond words, yet they are finding it harder to deny their growing feelings for each other.

Surrender gives us an all-knowing seemingly omnipotent Domme who knows better than Adam what he needs in bed. I have known Doms who could get it right a good bit of the time, and I've got some Domme friends who also seem to be pretty good at some aspects of this... but surrender stretched the believability factor for me. It was a decent story, but the main plotline just didn't work for me.

The main scenes are told with Adam as voyeur, watching the action and not experiencing it. All of the scenes also seemed to be designed to show the "omnipotent Domme", how she knew better than the men under her what they needed.

Whips had a nice fantasy setting. Not fantasy as in vampires or fairies, but fantasy as in the way the two submissives lived -- submissive to a rich man who had a house full of servants, so all they had to do was be available for his sexual whims. No housework required.  The story had promise, but it stretched out longer than it should have, and the ending didn't feel very satisfying to me. Others may feel differently, but it just didn't work for me.


BDSM elements:

• Bondage and Discipline: 2 of 3
• Dominance and Submission: 2 of 3
• Sadism and Masochism: 1 of 3
• Extra Point: No

As for the writing elements plot pacing prose dialogue character development world-building

• Book Rating: Surrender & Whips: 7 of 10
• BDSM Intensity Level: 5 of 10
• Heat Level: 2 of 5

 

Pink Ribbon by Jude Mason

 

Pink Ribbon is an F/m book, which is outside of what I normally read. I occasionally enjoy a nice F/m book, Joey W. Hill writes a sexy male sub, for instance.  It's a nice change of pace for me, every once in a while.

Speaking of sexy, considering that the pink ribbon in the story is wrapped around a certain part of the male anatomy... let us just take a look at the cover photo a moment, with our imaginations running rampant.

With Pink Ribbon I find myself conflicted because I enjoyed the main character and the story, but the writing style didn't work for me. Double negatives that ended up saying the opposite of what I think the author intended, and more typos than should ever be in a short story were minor issues. My biggest problem with the writing is that we start near the end, and then the author looks back to what brought him here, which means 95% of the book is written as his memory. And unfortunately, I'm not sure the author knew what to do with the tense much of the time. It was usually written in past tense, but occasionally was written in present tense and the whole thing just kept yanking me out of the fantasy.

Here's the blurb:

Rick, and his lovely wife Cass, have a special relationship: loving, caring and she's the boss. During the day, he's an in control attorney, but come quitting time, he belongs to her, and as it turns out, to her friends as well. One night he spoils dinner and, while waiting for punishment, reflects on how he began his strange and exciting journey into submission. His memories, and the arrival of Cass' friend Sabine, make for an evening to remember.

BDSM elements:

• Bondage and Discipline: Yes. 2 of 3
• Dominance and Submission: 3 of 3.
• Sadism and Masochism: The kink here is primarily of control expressed through orgasm denial. 1 of 3 
• Extra Point: Yes

As for the writing elements -- the plot was just a telling of how the man ended up in a cage - so not really a plot. Pacing was fine. Prose had a lot of problems, and dialogue had minor issues. Character development was sufficient for us to understand why this man was submitting to his wife.

• Book Rating: Pink Ribbon: 6 of 10
• BDSM Intensity Level: 7 of 10
• Heat Level: 4 of 5

Again, the story was a good one, the kink was believable, and the mental aspects were explained fairly well. But the writing style in Pink Ribbon spoiled the story for me, personally.

The Emperor’s Wolf by J. C. Owens

 

The Emperor’s Wolf starts out with a man in slavery to a woman he is pretty much disgusted by. But years of painful training have taught him to accept her touch, and to kneel before her, and to avert his eyes so she won't see the hatred in them. We thankfully don't see much interaction between these two, and we just get the barest of details to let us know why he is acquiescing to her, and how he went from being a solder to being favorite harem slave.

And then, well, the blurb does a good job of explaining what comes next:

The echoes of a war four years' past still resounds in the minds of those who endured it. Jaden longs to search for his sister, though he is bound in the fetters of slavery. When he is given to the very man who conquered his country, he is caught up in his own hatred, yet fascinated by the mystery of his new master, the Emperor of Tranaden, who all say is demonic, without mercy. Trapped in the snare of his master’s beauty, Jaden begins to realize that there is much more beneath the surface...

Dersai is Emperor to his fingertips, he is used to command and being obeyed. He will sacrifice anything to see his country safe. Beneath, he is well read, highly intelligent and far sighted in how he views others. Yet, Dersai has an inner demon, a demon that kept his kingdom free and safe from conquerors; only in his dreams can he imagine one strong enough to love him. Now his slave may be the only one who can set him free.

Let me be clear that this is not BDSM. It is a slave who is sold and traded and bartered for. And then later, there are elements of fantasy, and the D/s aspects all fade into the background and go away.

I enjoyed the fantasy elements, and I enjoyed a few of the scenes.

BDSM elements:

• Bondage and Discipline:3 of 3, though it is only for a short period of time
• Dominance and Submission: 2 of 3
• Sadism and Masochism:0 of 3
• Extra Point: No

As for the writing elements, the plot was nice, pacing had some issues, prose and dialogue were fine, character development was very well done, and world-building was creative and detailed.

• Book Rating:The Emperor’s Wolf : 7 of 10
• BDSM Intensity Level:5 of 10
• Heat Level: 2 of 5

 

Cruel to be Kind by Stephanie Vaughan

 

Before beginning the review of Cruel To Be Kind, can we all just pause for a moment to admire the cover? I'm not wired as a Domme, but the idea of topping this particular guy does something for me. To have all of that power at your beck and call? Wow.

Here's the blurb:

Steve Eriksson is a regular guy. He likes basketball and beer. He works hard in his family's construction and restoration business. Steve’s normal life is about to change. Because he's about to meet Megan.

Professional chef Megan Mussina returns to her home town looking for some peace and quiet. A place to put her life back in order after the disaster of a relationship gone publicly wrong. A new man in her life is the last thing she wants. Until she meets Steve.

From the first they share an overpowering physical attraction. Steve is just the sort of powerful, successful submissive man Megan never knew she needed. And Megan knows the one thing Steve never knew he craved. Sometimes, you've got to be Cruel to be Kind.

I love the way Megan seduces Steve into it, the way she takes control, and the care she has for him as she pushes his boundaries. She isn't really cruel, she seduces him with her power, but not with cruelty. It's a catchy title, but not the way she really treats him.

BDSM elements:

• Bondage and Discipline: 1 of 3
• Dominance and Submission: He's new to this, so it's the very beginnings of D/s for him. 2 of 3
• Sadism and Masochism: None. 0 of 3 
• Extra Point: Yes. The book is about Steve submitting to a woman for the first time, and realizing that while he's not sure about what Megan is doing, that he needs it.

As for the writing elements -- the plot is a good one, pacing was fine, prose and dialogue were well done, and character development was nicely done and much appreciated. 

• Book Rating: Cruel to be Kind: 9 of 10
• BDSM Intensity Level: 4 of 10
• Heat Level: 4 of 5

My biggest complaint? Cruel To Be Kind ended too soon. I wanted to see how far she was going to take him. I wanted to experience a much more intense scene. That's not to say it was a bad ending, it was a perfectly good ending. I enjoyed the characters and story though, so I greedily wanted more.

.