The Erotic Dark by Nina Lane

 

The Erotic Dark had a promising premise, but unfortunately, didn't follow through.

The writing style didn't work for me -- too much purple prose for my tastes, and a few times I couldn't focus on what was being said because of the flowery writing. I had to read a couple of the sentences a few times to get what the author was trying to say.

Some of the scenes were hot, but some of them disturbed even me, and it's kind of hard to squick me. It was the childish and taunting humiliation aspects that bothered me more than the lack of a safeword, though two scenes had me wanting to beat the crap out of the Dom bully, for taking things too far.

Here's the blurb:

SUBMISSION IS HER ONLY ESCAPE... And punishment takes many forms. Seeking escape from her criminal past, a desperate woman enslaves herself to a dark trio of men who own an antiquated Louisiana plantation. Known only as Lydia, she becomes controlled by three very different men -- malicious Preston, inflexible Kruin, and gentle Gabriel, all of whom introduce her to a world in which the lines between pleasure, pain, and shame are irrevocably blurred. 

The plantation becomes both Lydia's haven and her prison as she surrenders to the desires of her unholy trinity. Lydia's submission is fraught with tension and hunger, but what happens when the outside world enters her dark, anonymous sanctuary?

BDSM elements:

• Bondage and Discipline: 2 of 3. Lots of discipline, a little bondage. But the discipline in some cases was irresponsible.
• Dominance and Submission: 2 of 3.  Two of the men were Doms, one was just an ill mannered childish bully.
• Sadism and Masochism: 1 of 3. There was plenty of Sadism, too bad she didn't appear to be enough of a masochist to truly enjoy it. 
• Extra Point: No

As for the writing elements, the plot was a nice idea, but had some flaws in the execution.  Pacing was slow. Prose had issues, dialogue was fine. Character development was written well enough, I just didn't like most of the characters. 

• Book Rating: The Erotic Dark: 5 of 10
• BDSM Intensity Level: 5 of 10  (the book is rough, but too much of it doesn't fit my definition of BDSM)
• Heat Level: 2 of 5

The story is basically about four criminals who hide in this luxurious plantation, so they can escape prison sentences. The men are allowed in with, presumably, friendship and money. However, when Lydia wants in, she has to agree to submit to all three men. No safeword, no way to escape what they want to do to her, available to them at all times. The story could have been a good one, but one of the men isn't a Dom, he's an immature jerk focused on making her pay for turning him down when they were teens. Now she can't turn him down, must submit to whatever he wants to do to her. He's not a Dom, he's a bully, and the things he did to her were not arousing in the least.

Three More Wishes by Sean Michael

 

Three More Wishes is the sequel to Three Wishes --  (My review of Three Wishes).

I loved Three Wishes, and had high hopes for Three More Wishes. Unfortunately, the intensity just wasn't there for me in this second book. I'll give the blurb and then explain.

James, Guard, and Damien are back, still running their resort, where every fantasy, no matter how perverse, may come true. The three men continue working out the bumps in their threesome, but when it comes to their clients, they’re a well-oiled machine. Which works perfectly for the three new couples arriving in paradise.

Cameron is losing his sight, and he knows that he'll be useless once it goes completely. He's cashed in everything to leave his life behind for one last fling. Xander is on the island for a fantasy, too. He's looking for someone to love on, someone to care for and Cameron seems to be the perfect match, but can they make it work?

As a writer, Ben always writes the script, which is why his fantasy is to give up control. He thinks his fantasy can’t be fulfilled, so he settles in for a relaxing vacation on an island paradise instead. Is he really as safe as he thinks he is?

Finally, Leo is a consummate Top, always wanting better his technique. He wants to know what it's like to be a sub, but it won’t be easy for a Dominant to bottom for five days. Leo will do his dead level best to measure up; his only worry is who the boys chose to be his fantasy Top…

The story of the island's owners was sweet, but not terribly erotic for me. It fell flat, and I'm not sure I can explain why.

Cameron and Xander didn't really do the whole BDSM thing. There was some D/s, and Xander made a great service Top, but I found myself skimming some of the sex scenes.

The kidnapping scene started out great, and then fizzled. I loved the first part of it, but the ending was... well, I found myself skimming the sex scenes again.

I thought the scene with the Top wanting to learn what it was like to sub would be the best, and it started out that way, but then, once again, it just kind of fizzled out for me. I liked both men, enjoyed the way the romance worked out, but David kept promising "do that again and you'll get spanked", over and over and over and over and over again. He never did spank him. I have no respect for Dom's who don't follow through, and I was surprised that Leo could respect that. In fact, he didn't, since he kept doing what he was doing, and never did really fall into the role he'd come there to learn about.



BDSM elements:

• Bondage and Discipline: 1 of 3 
• Dominance and Submission:  2 of 3
• Sadism and Masochism: 0 of 3
• Extra Point: No

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

• Book Rating: Three More Wishes: 6 of 10
• BDSM Intensity Level: 3 of 10
• Heat Level: 2 of 5

Out of the Woods by Syd McGinley

 

I read Out of the Woods because most of the time I adore the writing of Syd McGinley. Parts of the story worked for me, but parts did not. At all.

I like the world and would enjoy learning more about it. I liked the characters. I liked most of the setup and plot(s). But the story moved too slow for me, and I didn't quite appreciate where the story ended. Not a huge cliff hanger, but a big enough one that it bugged me.

Here's the blurb:

Wild boy Tarin is determined not to be captured by the men who live in the decaying Before Times buildings on the other side of Tarin’s woodland home, but he’s just as determined to protect the younger boys in the woods.

No one remembers being a child or knows where all the women have gone or how society crumbled, but for as long as they can remember, boys have lived in the woods and are hunted by the men each Fall. Some boys believe in a mysterious Lady who protects them, while others think the men are magic. Tarin knows better – he’s met a man, and escaped by stabbing him.

Hunted through the woods as he tries to protect the weaker Cory, Tarin is trapped and claimed by the very man he knifed. All Tarin wants is to stay in the woods and not have to get ‘civilized,’ but he’s carried off into a different world of rules and discipline. Will he be able to survive now that he is Out of the Woods?

I am intrigued enough that I will probably read the next book. Maybe.

I find myself having a hard time grading this one on BDSM elements because it isn't BDSM. The "boys" are 18 and 19 year old wild boys who have lived in the woods and survived as best they can since about 10 or 11, and who don't remember anything before that age. The "boys" are captured by the men and then civilized and trained and expected to please their men in all ways. There are boys claimed by the officers and then there are boys are who community property who can't refuse anyone.  I'll talk abut each element, but I'm having a hard time putting a number on them.

BDSM elements:

• Bondage and Discipline: Discipline, for the most part, is scary and not tittilating. Bondage is more of being caught and not being able to escape, not so much being bound.
• Dominance and Submission: Some of the boys do seem to be naturally submissive, but Tarin is not.
• Sadism and Masochism: No.

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

• Book Rating: Out of the Woods : 7 of 10
• Heat Level:  2 of 5

 

Ermine & Bougainvillea by I.D. Locke

 

Ermine & Bougainvillea is a nice little short that is most memorable for the world building.

I've never thought dryads were exceptionally cool before... but now I do. The level of worldbuilding in this relatively short story was top notch.

Here's the blurb:

Wynn is an ermine shifter running for his life from homophobic coyote shifters who took exception to a gay shifter in their territory. He makes it to the safety of a dense tangle of bougainvillea vines where the coyotes can’t follow and falls into exhausted sleep. When he wakes, he discovers that the bougainvillea is actually home to a half-dryad named Etireh who pushes all of Wynn’s arousal buttons without even trying.

Etireh turns out to enjoy some of the same things that Wynn does, namely, Otherworldly gay men with a thing for kink and BDSM who would take pleasure in games of domination and submission. In Wynn, Etireh finds a partner who enjoys being submissive to his dominant and is more than willing to push boundaries and play in ways Etireh barely dared to dream about.

A few things fell flat for me. The introduction of Etireh's mother didn't make much sense. If we'd seen her again later in the story, so she could approve (or not) of Wynn then it would have been different.

And how is Etireh's name pronounced? Authors, if you're going to name your characters something exotic, give us a clue as to pronunciation. Please.

I'm still trying to figure out what didn't work for me with the sex. All of the elements were there... creativity, power exchange, a good balance of pain, some bondage. But it didn't especially work for me. I have no idea why it didn't.

BDSM elements:

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

As for the writing elements:

• The plot was just the story of meeting and then a first sex scene
• Pacing had issues, which is a real problem in a short story
• Prose and dialogue were fine
• Character development was okay, not great, but it was a short story
• World-building was really well done 

I'm going to give Ermine & Bougainvillea a 7 of 10. It was a good story with good characters and great worldbuilding, but it didn't really work for me and I'm having a hard time putting my finger on why it didn't.

• Book Rating: Ermine & Bougainvillea: 7 of 10
• BDSM Intensity Level: 6 of 10
• Heat Level: 2 of 5

.

Making Magic: New Orleans by Jade Falconer

 

Making Magic is a relatively short story at 67 pages, but it has enough length to tell the story with a couple of scenes and some nice details.

The blurb does a good job of explaining the basics, so I'll start there:

When Tommy boasted to his college friends that he could find out their professor's secrets, his only goal was to win a bet. In the sultry heat of New Orleans, the mysterious and eccentric teacher seemed like an easy mark to the precocious young man. But when all Elliott's far-fetched talk of energy and power had an actual physical effect on the college student, his opinion started to change. Was sex magic real? Tommy was about to find out.

This particular brand of sex magic involves the initiate being out of control. In other words - tied up and blindfolded. Which is where the kink comes in.

Making Magic was a fun little story with enough kink to make me happy.

BDSM elements:

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

As for the writing elements, the plot was a bit different and provided interest. Pacing was fine. Prose and dialogue were fine. Character development was sufficient for the story, World-building was nicely done, explaining the way the magic felt and acted.

• Book Rating: Making Magic: 8 of 10
• BDSM Intensity Level: 3 of 10
• Heat Level: 2 of 5

Thos who prefer the "kinder gentler" form of BDSM should be comfortable with the sex and power play in Making Magic.


.

Christmas Angel (a Hammer story) by Sean Michael

 

Christmas Angel is a touching story of healing and acceptance. But then, I think most of the books and shorts in Sean Michael's Hammer Series can be described that way. Some have more kink than others, and this is one of the more vanilla of the series. Not that it's vanilla, 'cause it's not. Just that it's more vanilla. There will be kink in the relationship, it just doesn't happen right off the bat.

Here's the blurb:

It’s Christmas Charity Auction time again at the Hammer Club, and this year Oliver has convinced Kein to put a couple of hours of time up for bid. Kein, confidence shattered by his Dom leaving him, is worried that no one will want him, even just for a couple hours of service.

Mac is attending the auction for the first time, and he’s drawn to Kein as soon as the beautiful sub walks onto the stage. His is the winning bid, and he and Kein retire to one of the back rooms to have dinner and get to know each other better.

Will sparks fly between them? Could Mac and Kein be each other’s Christmas angels?

All in all, it was a pretty satisfying little Christmas story. I could have used more kink, but the story just didn't call for it. Yet.

BDSM elements:

• Bondage and Discipline: One scene with some bondage, no discipline needed at this point in the relationship. 1 of 3.
• Dominance and Submission: Yes. 2 of 3
• Sadism and Masochism: No. 
• Extra Point: No

As for the writing elements: the plot was a good one, even if I do tire of subs who must be "fixed". Pacing was fine. Prose and dialogue were fine. Character development was very well done for such a short story.

• Book Rating: Christmas Angel: 9 of 10
• BDSM Intensity Level: 3 of 10
• Heat Level: 2 of 5

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

 

Restraint by Teresa Noelle Roberts

 

Restraint is a very intense short story - seventeen pages that grabbed me, disturbed me, surprised me, sickened me, and made me think.

To say that blood is not my thing would be an understatement. But even at that, the story grabbed me. And then when the twist came, it made what had come before a little easier to deal with. I don't want to spoil, so I'll give the blurb and then talk about it from there:

Luke's a top who loves to dance on the edge of safety with hot men who crave knives and cutting with their kinky sex. Playing such potentially risky games, Luke's control needs to be as steely as his handcuffs, as honed as his blades. Adorable, inexperienced Ethan tests all Luke's self-restraint - but Ethan is more than he appears, and Luke may be the one who's being tested.

If you are into blood play then this is the short story for you. If you are into cutting but not really the blood then it will probably still be okay. If cutting and blood play are a squick for you then unless you get into the psychology of edge play, you'll probably want to skip this one.

BDSM elements:

• Bondage and Discipline: Bondage but no discipline. 1 of 3
• Dominance and Submission: Some. 1 of 3
• Sadism and Masochism: Since I can't give a 10 of 3 here, I'll give as high as I can - 3 of 3 
• Extra Point:  Yes

As for the writing elements, the plot sneaks up on you and is a good one, pacing is fine, prose and dialogue are both well done, character development isn't terribly important in this very short story, but we learn more about our character than we realize while reading the story. 

This is a very well written short, and even though I don't enjoy blood play, I appreciated the story and the descriptions of what was going through Luke's head as he worked.

• Book Rating: Restraint: 9 of 10
• BDSM Intensity Level: 6 of 10
• Heat Level: 2 of 5

The intensity level is misleading, because this is extreme edge play, where everything is consensual, but safe and sane  aren't part of the equation. The heat level describes how it affected me personally - if you're into cutting and/or blood play then this is probably going to be a 5 of 5 for you.

Restraint is the first piece I've read by Teresa Noelle Roberts, but I will certainly be sure to check out anything else I see written by her to see if I might be interested.


 

Burn (A Hammer Novel) by Sean Michael

 

I have loved some of the books in Sean Michael's Hammer series... and then there have been some I haven't cared for as much.

Unfortunately, Burn fits into the latter category.

As the story opens we are introduced to two men who seem to have been friends for a while. Marshall comes to a bar for an annual get-together amongst friends after a really bad day at work (he's a firefighter) and Dave realizes Marshall is not in a good place at the moment, so he takes him home and pretty much offers sex as a way to get him out of his head.

The problem is that Dave is a Dom, and Marshal is not a submissive. In fact, at first it appears Marshall is a bit of a Top. So we have a Dom trying to slowly introduce the lifestyle to someone without actually explaining much of it to him, and without giving him a safeword. He does eventually give him a safeword, but in my opinion, too much happened without one.

Here's the blurb:

Marshall and Dave grew up in the same neighborhood. They’ve mostly lost touch as they've gotten older, getting together just once a year with a bunch of other old friends for a game of football. This year, firefighter Marshall is late, and when he does show up Dave can tell the man has not had a good day. When Dave suggests they leave the gang and go back to Marshall's place for some decompression time, Marshall jumps at the chance and, later, at Dave.

Things don't all go smoothly for the two men, though. Dave is into BDSM, a member of The Hammer Club, and he thinks he could use his skills to help Marshall relieve the stress and guilt the man carries over not being the perfect hero. Marshall thinks needing that kind of help is sick, though, and when he enjoys what Dave does to him, he's convinced there must be something wrong with him.

Can Dave figure out how to convince Marshall that kink is not sick at all, but a way to keep sane as well, or is their relationship doomed?

What we end up with is a close relationship where they occasionally play around with very light BDSM.  I had no problem with the day to day relationship, these men were great together. It just felt as if the way Dave introduced his kink to Marshall was a bit dishonest. I appreciate that the author didn't make everything work out perfectly in some of the middle parts of the book, because I can see all kinds of problems that can result from springing BDSM on your partner without warning them first. Or without giving them a safeword.

BDSM elements:

• Bondage and Discipline: 1 of 3 - no discipline at all; one scene where someone is handcuffed to the bed
• Dominance and Submission: 1 of 3, sort of. When Marshall has a bad day he eventually submits just to see if it will help - but other than that he's pretty adamant about not submitting.
• Sadism and Masochism: 0 of 3 
• Extra Point: No

As for the writing elements -- the plot is the movement of the relationship, pacing had some issues, prose and dialogue were Sean Michael's trademark stilted sentence structure, and character development was fine with Marshall but not so much with Dave.

As for the stilted sentence structure... I enjoyed it at first, several dozen of Sean Michael's books ago. But when almost every character of Sean Michael's talks in the same manner... I don't know, I guess it's starting to not work for me anymore. Or maybe it's just that this story didn't work, and when I read one of his stories that I do like it will be okay again.

• Book Rating: Burn: 6 of 10
• BDSM Intensity Level: 2 of 10
• Heat Level: 2 of 5

More often than not I enjoy Sean Michael's books and stories... but Burn just didn't work for me. If you prefer BDSM lite then the story might work for you.

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

 

Journey To The Dark Side by Marty Rayne

 

Journey To The Dark Side is a fun little short story about a male FBI agent and what I think is likely a city or county female detective, chosen for this role because she has experience with the world of BDSM, and the serial killer is targeting male submissives. The FBI agent who is chosen for the role of submissive is selected because he has the body, the profile, that the serial killer seems to be attracted to. He has no experience with the lifestyle, and is certainly not a submissive.

He's got five hours to learn how to be a submissive before his first public appearance.

Here's the blurb:

Serial killer Dante is targeting submissive males who frequent a fetish club, The Dark Side. Detective Monica Street is determined to end the killer's reign on the community and needs help. Enter sexy FBI Agent Jared Keller, who has the looks and ability Monica is looking for. And what's the best way to catch this killer? Draw him out by playing in the world of domination and submission. Only alpha-male Jared gets more than he bargains for as he is engulfed by Mistress Monica, whippings, and the trappings of a psychotic serial killer.

I liked that the author took the time to make the scenario believable. The reason this particular FBI agent was chosen, the personal connections that allowed for the FBI to be called into the case, the reason Monica was so familiar and had such skill with the lifestyle and yet was not a Domme. Sometimes I feel like an author has the idea for the scenes they want, but they can't figure out how to make the setup work for the scene. I didn't feel that with this story, Marty Rayne made the set up work for the story line.

BDSM elements:

• Bondage and Discipline: We are told that punishment spankings happen when they are in the club, but we aren't given descriptions of them. 0 of 3
• Dominance and Submission: All D/s is done for the purpose of appearing undercover in a BDSM club. 0 of 3
• Sadism and Masochism: None. Other than what the Serial Killer does, and that's not BDSM, it's just sick. 0 of 3 
• Extra Point: I'm going to give it the point, because the story happens in a BDSM club, and there is a lot of lifestyle stuff going on around them. And because Jared has to deal with the collar and leash, even if it is only for show.

As for the writing elements -- the plot was interesting and fairly involved for such a short story, pacing was fine, prose and dialogue were fine, character development was well done.

• Book Rating: Journey to the Dark Side: 9 of 10
• BDSM Intensity Level: 1 of 10
• Heat Level: 2 of 5

Journey To The Dark Side takes place in the world of BDSM, but it isn't really about BDSM. It's about catching a serial killer who is targeting submissives. It's still a nice romance, was well written, and was an enjoyable read.

.
 

Breaking Skye by Eden Bradley

 

Breaking Skye is a short story with details of a woman's first two BDSM experiences. For someone's first two experiences, they are good ones, I think. The second scene might be a bit intense for someone that new to the scene, but it worked out okay.

To get away from the story for a moment, I'd just like to say that Eden Bradley writes beautifully. Her descriptions include all five senses in a way that really resonates, and it brings her world to life for me. I think she could write about sitting in a traffic jam and make it interesting. So while the story itself wasn't the greatest, the telling of the story was very well done.

Here's the blurb:

Skye Ballard has always wanted to experience her fantasies of sexual submission. She craves to be commanded, taken over. She is convinced that all it will take to purge this yearning from her system is one night. Skye searches out the perfect Dominant for the job-it must be a man who is powerful, attractive, and naturally dominant. But when she meets Adam Dunne, she finds a man beyond her wildest dreams. Adam convinces her one night will not be enough for what he sees as a process, rather than a single experience. Skye soon discovers that being with him only makes her crave more. And while he begins with the idea of training her to be the perfect submissive-for someone else-soon all he can think of is making her his, making her yield. All he can think of is breaking Skye-and keeping her for himself.

I'm not sure that Breaking Skye was the correct title here. I mean, sure, she had to be shown how to submit, shown how to let go and enjoy. But I believe that Adam needed "breaking" more than Skye.

BDSM elements:

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

As for the writing elements, the plot is predictable, pacing was okay, prose was beautiful, dialogue was good, character development was well done for being a short.

Breaking Skye gives us the beginning of a story and then ends as soon as we get to a HFN place. If you're looking for a short story, a quickie you can read and be done with, then Breaking Skye is for you. 

• Book Rating: Breaking Skye: 8 of 10
• BDSM Intensity Level: 5 of 10
• Heat Level: 2 of 5

.

A Bid For Love by Michelle Houston

 

A Bid For Love is a nice little short that packs a lot of emotion. It does not, however, pack a lot of heat. It bills itself as BDSM, but the majority of BDSM action comes from things remembered, not things that happen in the time frame of the story. 

Here's the blurb:

Erika had thought that Ryan was out of her life, and that she was over him. When they run into each other at an art auction, and he outbids her on a painting of her grandmother's, she's willing to do anything to get it from him - including agree to spend 48 hours with him. Her head says at the end of it she can just walk away. Her heart isn't so sure.

BDSM elements:

• Bondage and Discipline: No. 0 of 3
• Dominance and Submission: Yes, but mostly it's remembered. 1 of 3
• Sadism and Masochism: Just a touch. 1 of 3 
• Extra Point: No

A Bid For Love does have one nice sex scene in it, and some people might rate it higher on the heat level than I did. That's a pretty subjective thing, so I do want to point out that it's a well written sex scene, even if it didn't do a lot for me.

As for the writing elements -- the story uses miscommunication as a plot device, and that is one of those things that tends to annoy me. If someone sends you a letter you have to sign for, you really should read it.  There were also a few editing issues. Pacing was fine. Prose and dialogue were good, and character development was well done.

• Book Rating:A Bid For Love: 8 of 10
• BDSM Intensity Level: 2 of 10
• Heat Level: 2 of 5

A Bid For Love is a sweet story with a nice ending. It's not very heavy on the BDSM, though it is clear that it has been a part of this couple's sex life in the past, and likely will be again in the future.

Ellery's Duty (Thrown to the Lions book 3) by Kim Dare

 
Ellery's Duty is the third book in the Thrown to the Lions series. I've read the first two books, but that was before I was reviewing BDSM books over here. I enjoyed both of the earlier books, though I would consider all of the books in this series as BDSM lite.

The first two books of the series involve a submissive human who volunteers to be "thrown to the lions". This basically means they are cuffed and blindfolded and taken to a home with a lot of men wearlions, and then they are "used" for an hour or so (with a safeword) before being returned to the chauffered car and then returned to the office that originally made the arrangements. The purpose of this, we learn, is so that the werelions can learn how to be with a human without damaging the human. The men are paid rather well for this.

We meet Kefir in the first two books. He's a rarity among the lions, not very dominant at all. He never joins in when the other lions are enjoying the "sacrifice".

In the third book, one of the human Doms decides that he wants to see for himself how the submissive men are being treated when they volunteer to be thrown to the lions, so he submits himself.

You can see where this is going... right? Here's the blurb:

As a well-respected dominant, Ellery has been watching the subs from the local leather bars disappear into the lions’ den for far too long, and he’s not convinced that everything is as fine as they all claim it is. He’s determined to find out what really happens in there. If the only way he can do that is to volunteer to be thrown to the lions himself, so be it.

Kefir’s never worked out what the other lions find so interesting about the human sacrifices who visit their den, but this new man is unlike any other human he’s ever met, and Kefir’s captivated. Can the smallest lion in the pride claim a man like Ellery as his pet—is that even the way Kefir wants to think of his human mate?

While all three books are written as stand alone books, I think that you should read at least one of the first two books before reading the third, so you can get an idea of how the Lion/Human relationship is supposed to work, as opposed to the way it works out in Ellery's Duty.

BDSM elements:

• Bondage and Discipline: None. 0 of 3
• Dominance and Submission: Yes. 3 of 3
• Sadism and Masochism: No. 0 of 3 
• Extra Point: No

As for the writing elements, the plot fits in with previous plots and gives a nice twist to the series. We also get an idea of who the next book will about, and that also promises to be an interesting plot twist. Pacing is fine, prose and dialogue are fine, character development is well done, and world building continues to be creatively written with this series.

If you enjoy Urban Fantasy and also like M/m erotica then this series might be a good match for you. If you enjoy BDSM lite then that's another plus. If you want your BDSM to be a bit more hardcore then you'll likely be a bit disappointed. 

• Book Rating: Ellery's Duty: 8 of 10
• BDSM Intensity Level: 3 of 10
• Heat Level: 2 of 5

Remember, the heat level here is how I personally saw things, and the lighter stuff doesn't really work for me all that much. If you prefer D/s without a lot of the other elements then your heat level will be higher than mine.

1. Ryland's Sacrifice
2. Marrick's Promise
3. Ellery's Duty
4. Cameron's Pride (Dec 8th)

.

Master Preston’s Bright Bottom by Lee Benoit

 
Master Preston’s Bright Bottom is a Torquere Press Sip about a service submissive who proves himself in the only way he knows how when the Master he has his eye on turns him down -- he offers non-sexual services that the Master is very much in need of. In this case, handyman services.

Here's the blurb:

Months ago, Paulo had one, intense public scene with Master Preston Rose, and now he can’t stop thinking about it. When he hears that Preston needs a handyman and gardener, Paulo offers his strong back and clever hands for manual labor. He'd rather offer his mouth and ass, but it's a start.

Preston, overwhelmed with work and secretly suffering painful arthritis in his hands, accepts Paulo's help with misgivings. He hasn’t had a sub of his own in years and Paulo's lack of experience is a big red flag. Preston wouldn't choose Paulo even if he was looking for a new sub, which he isn't -- is he? Working for Preston and getting to know the reclusive Dom, Paulo's more determined than ever to remain a part of the retired Dom's life, but will all of his work be enough to earn him the collar he dreams of?

Before I break down the BDSM elements, I should explain that the submission here is mostly of the non-sexual variety. There is very little sexual activity, and that will show in the breakdown. It's still a charming little story showing the heart of a service submissive.

BDSM elements:

• Bondage and Discipline:  No, the relationship is not that kind of relationship. It might get there later, but for now... not so much.  0 of 3
• Dominance and Submission: Yes. Again, mostly of the nonsexual variety, but it's there. 3 of 3
• Sadism and Masochism: No.  0 of 3
• Extra Point: No

As for the writing elements, the plot is a nice one. Pacing was good, prose and dialogue were well done, and character development was very well done.

• Short Story Rating: Master Preston’s Bright Bottom: 10 of 10
• BDSM Intensity Level: 3 of 10
• Heat Level: 2 of 5

This is an author I don't believe I've read before. I'll be keeping an eye out for other books by Lee Benoit.  I checked out her website and discovered she has a page of free stories up, and one of them, Lua-de-mel, immediately follows the events of Master Preston’s Bright Bottom. It's a nice little clothespin scene, and it was nice to see this couple interacting in a scene.

Punished by Brynn Paulin

 

Punished is yet another office romance. Another secretary who doesn't have a clue her boss is kinky, and another boss who has no clue his secretary is kinky, until fate intervenes to show them. In this case fate takes the form of said secretary paying at a club to be spanked, and her boss being the one being paid to spank her.

Here's the blurb:

Prim Natalia Cooper lives life on the straight and narrow, never veering into naughty territory. But she wants to. One night, years ago, her boyfriend gave her a few swats on the rear as part of their sex play and she loved it. She wants more. But he’s long gone and she hasn’t been spanked since. When she learns of a club where she can get exactly what she needs—anonymously—she’s so turned on and ready she can hardly bear it.

For Ethan Tavish, The Dungeon has served as a place to exert his dominance without making lasting commitments. He can hardly believe his eyes when he enters the play area to find his secretary, Natalia, bent over the spanking bench in a schoolgirl uniform. They’re both masked, but he’d recognize her anywhere. In an instant, he has a plan to give them what they both want…and perhaps a whole lot more.

My problems with the story:

• Ethan starts things at work, which is unprofessional and disrespectful. He had no way of knowing how she would feel about him, personally. He should have asked her out for dinner, or asked her to have a coffee with him, and talked to her about it that way. Until they communicated things and reached a level of consensuality, some agreed upon power exchange, then he had no right ordering her around. 
• The "conflict" was a bit contrived, and then was extended out longer than it should have been because of miscommunication. Conflict due to miscommunication is a personal pet peeve of mine, especially when it's from snapping shut a cellphone because you don't want to hear the rest of what the person has to say. 
• I've spoken before about people who meet and agree to marry after only a few dates - another pet peeve. 
• Oh, and to start out with a belt at full strength the second time you spank someone, in an office where people will hear if you make a noise with your voice... come on, belts make noise when they strike flesh -- that scene was so wrong for so many reasons. 
• And finally, they never discussed pregnancy or STD's and no condom was used.

What I liked: Natalia didn't try to deny what turned her on. Once she realized what she wanted, she accepted it and didn't fight with herself about it. She was also honest with Ethan when he asked her questions. I liked that Ethan was a nice guy who could be rough when the situation called for it, and that he made sure of her safeword before he got rough with her. 

BDSM elements:

• Bondage and Discipline: Yes, but nothing major. 1 of 3
• Dominance and Submission: Yes. 2 of 3
• Sadism and Masochism: Sort of, but it's all spanking and a bit of rough sex, I'm not sure it was actual S&M as much as a spanking fetish on both parts. Not that there's anything wrong with a spanking fetish, I don't want to give that impression. I'm just pointing out that a spanking fetish doesn't necessarily point to S&M.  1 of 3.
• Extra Point: No

As for the writing elements, the plot was kind of a tired old plot for me. And very predictable. Punished was a short story so the pacing was mostly fine. Prose and dialogue were okay. Character development was sufficient for a short story.

• Book Rating:Punished:  5 of 10
• BDSM Intensity Level:  4 of 10
• Heat Level: 2 of 5

.

Vampire Mistress (Vampire Queen Book 5) by Joey W. Hill

 

I chose not to read Vampire Mistress when it first came out because I was aware that Vampire Mistress would give us the first half of a story that would be completed in Vampire Trinity. I waited for Vampire Trinity to come out, so I could read the entire story once I started it.

Unfortunately, I'm not attached enough to these characters that I feel the need to read Vampire Trinity right away. I have an ARC of Venom that arrived this morning, and I'm going to read it, and possibly a few other books, before I begin Vampire Trinity.

Some of Joey W. Hill's books work for me in just about every way possible (Rough Canvas, for instance). Others just don't. And there were some word choices this time that jolted me out of the story, things like "not ungently", where I have to do the math and remember that a double negative cancels itself out so she saying it was done gently. This showed up several times in the form of "not un_____ly", and each time it annoyed me and pulled me out of the story.

Here's the blurb, then I'll talk about what worked for me and what did not.

Sometimes desire can work three ways...

In May 2010, Joey W. Hill returns to the dark and seductive landscape of her Vampire Queen novels as a desperate woman finds herself trapped between the desires of two men, each with his own mission of the night.

Gideon Green is a hardcore vampire hunter. But in the past year, his only family, his little brother, became a vampire queen’s servant – and then a vampire himself, giving Gideon a different view of the vampire world. Since Gideon’s sole purpose for over a decade has been killing vampires, the violence that has scarred his soul now haunts his conscience.

Then he crosses paths with a sexy BDSM night club owner, Mistress Anwyn. Their connection is immediate and intense, but she has a silent partner--the vampire Daegan Rei. When Anwyn is viciously attacked and turned by a rogue vampire, Gideon and Daegan join to protect her through a dangerous transition. As the bonds between the three of them draw tighter, Gideon faces an unbelievable truth...that the path to meaning in his life may be found in surrendering to the desires and needs of two vampires.

I think I'm going to start off here by talking about the writing elements:

The pacing was terrible. Way more telling than showing, and so much contemplation and inward searching I was tempted to start glossing over those paragraphs. I think there was possibly more contemplation and psych type stuff than there was action or dialogue. One of Ms. Hills strengths is her ability to show emotions, and have her characters deal with a whole lot of crap and then come out okay on the other side. But it wasn't there for me with Vampire Mistress. Based on the reviews on Amazon I think I'm in the minority, but... there it is. I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it, and there were times I almost set it aside to read something else.

The dialogue was good, no problems with that. Like I said, it was the inner searching stuff that had problems, and there was just so much of it. But prose was... a bit too wordy at times. I know authors are supposed to really describe everything, and give us all five senses as much as they can. But some of the descriptions were overdone for me.

Character development, for Joey W. Hill, wasn't all that good. I usually fall in love with her characters, and I did not. I like them, but not enough to feel the need to pick up the next book right now. For another author I would have said character development was okay but not great.

World-building is pretty consistent with other books in this series, and it's well done.

The plot was, well, it was predictable. It's a good plot, and a nice way to have a BDSM menage with a male Dom, female switch, and male sub/slave. The characters are strong, each with their own issues to deal with (of course), and they mesh nicely with the story.

I feel like I've talked only about what I didn't like, so I'll point out what I did like: the world building, the conflict expressed between vampire and the vampire's humanity, the camaraderie that Gideon and Daegan find when they begin to find the things they have in common instead of focusing on their differences. I loved that the first time this really happens, for something other than Anwyn, was when they were talking about weapons.


BDSM elements:

• Bondage and Discipline: Yes, though not all of the bondage is done with a BDSM purpose. We see the promise of some discipline towards the end, but until that scene it's not really a part of the story. I'm wavering between a 1 and 2, but I think it's a  2 of 3
• Dominance and Submission: Yes, but it's complicated. And the submission isn't given (for most of the story) because the person wants to submit, but because... well, I don't want to give spoilers, but he submits (or rather, believes he submits) for reasons other than that of a man who wants to submit, so I can't give it a 3. The Dominance is certainly there, but the submission parts need some work. 2 of 3
• Sadism and Masochism: Not really.  0 of 3
• Extra Point: No

I'm going to have to give Vampire Mistress a 7 of 10. I plan to read Vampire Trinity at some point, and I hope that it makes me feel better about Vampire Mistress than I feel at this time.

There are a couple of really nice (i.e. hot) scenes, but overall the Heat Level is only a 2 of 5 for me.  All in all, I was really looking forward to Gideon's story, and I find myself disappointed by what I've read of it so far. I have been such a fan of Joey W. Hill that it pains me to give a bad review, but I've gotta be honest. So...

• Book Rating:Vampire Mistress: 7 of 10
• BDSM Intensity Level: 4 of 10
• Heat Level: 2 of 5

1. The Vampire Queen's Servant
2. The Mark of the Vampire Queen
3. A Vampire's Claim
4. Beloved Vampire
5. Vampire Mistress
6. Vampire Trinity

.

Corporate Seduction by Bridget Midway

 

Corporate Seduction is, as the title suggests, an office romance. But this one has a few twists along the way. More than a few twists, actually.

Here's the blurb:

Maybelline "May" Davenport wants a few things in her life: to move up at work after she obtained her college degree, and to find a man who could sweep her off of her feet like the heroes in her erotic romance novels. She's sure she won't find that while working for a man she calls "the totem pole with style" even though she finds him attractive. Winston Biggers thinks he wants a dominant type of woman in his life. And although she doesn't seem the type, Win can't stop thinking about May, his administrative assistant. But he can't let her go. Not just yet. So he hides her newly-acquired degree to keep her as his assistant. But there are other important aspects about his life that he's hiding. When the truth comes out, will it be too much for May to take? Or will staying with this man make her Win Bigg?

The BDSM in Corporate Seduction is pretty tame, so if you don't like pain in your BDSM, this may be a good book for you.  The BDSM action is mostly D/s with no S&M between our main couple. 

BDSM elements:

• Bondage and Discipline:A very very very small amount. 1 of 3
• Dominance and Submission: Some. 1 of 3
• Sadism and Masochism: None. 0 of 3 
• Extra Point: No.

As for the writing elements, the plot was pretty predictable except for one surprise that was thrown into the mix towards the end. Pacing had issues. Prose and dialogue were fine, with a nice voice over all. Character developement was well done.

And the character development  is probably what carried the story for me. I've said it before, but good characters can overcome a lot of other problems with a story. There are two other books in this series and I am very interested in reading them.

• Book Rating: Corporate Seduction: 8 of 10
• BDSM Intensity Level: 2 of 10
• Heat Level: 2 of 10

The blurbs for the next two books give the appearance that there will be more S&M involved in future stories. We've met both female characters in Corporate Seduction, I look forward to reading their stories.

1. Corporate Seduction
2. Corporate Desires
3. Corporate Needs

.