Because You Are Mine by Beth Kery

Because You Are Mine: The Complete Novel (Because You Are Mine, #1-8)
Grade: B+
Hotness Level: Inferno
Kink Level: High Kink
Genre: Contemporary, BDSM
Series: Because You Are Mine #1-8
Published: March 2013
Reviewed by Kate
400 pages 
 
Ian, über-richy rich Dom, is an ass.  He’s all about control.  Controlling his business, controlling his employees, controlling every aspect of his life.  He has no time or interest in love.  Francesca, sweet, innocent Francesca is a painter.  She’s won a contest to paint a painting for Ian’s newest building.  And, being this is a romance, sparks of attraction fly when they first meet.  But despite being in control of his life, Ian can’t control the way his thoughts keep returning to Francesca.  So what’s a poor controlling Dom to do?  Ian will control everything about their sexual interactions, including when their interludes will end.  He acknowledges that they will both probably get hurt, but he just can’t turn away.  In exchange, Francesca will get pleasure and experience.  But just when Ian has reached the pinnacle of asshood, you discover why he is the way he is, and you, along with Francesca, fall in love with him.
 
I don’t think I’ve ever been so enthralled by such an ass of a hero before, but I really just couldn’t stop reading.  Francesca manages to walk that fine line between submission and doormat.  The author does a good job of showing us the torment Ian faces in his relationship with Francesca.  How he’s trying to protect his heart and trying to not be a complete ass.
 
This was originally written and released in 8 separate parts.  I’m glad that I read the complete novel, because I can’t imagine having to wait for the next installment to be released.  I’m not of huge fan of serialization as I tend to get sucked in and end up spending too much time and money on the whole series.
 
Do you have any serializations to recommend?  Are you a fan of the format or not?

Flasher! by Elene Sallinger

Flasher
Grade: B
Hotness Level: Inferno
Kink Level: No Kink up to High Kink
Genre: Contemporary, Erotica, Flash Fiction, BDSM, ménage
Reviewed by Kate

37 pages


This is a collection of flash fiction erotica, or extremely short stories. Most of the time we don’t know much about the characters back stories or how they met. There are no beginnings or endings, we are simply there with them at that moment in time. The six stories in this collection range from a hot and sweet after-boot camp reunion to crops and bondage. From strangers to masters and most things in between.

Elene Sallinger’s writing seared the pages and left my Kindle smoking. It felt like the stories were excerpts from books rather than just a collection of random scenes. My only complaint is that I now have six stories worth of characters that I want to know more about.

This was my first time reading any flash fiction.  It worked well for me as a quick break between book, although for some of the stories I really wanted to know more about the characters’ befores and afters.  Have any of you tried flash fiction? If so, what did you think?

Menage Monday — Bonds of Desire by Lynda Aicher

Bonds of Desire (Wicked Play, #3)
Grade: A
Hotness Level: Inferno
Kink Level: High Kink
Genre: Contemporary, BDSM

Series: Wicked Play #3
Published: 7/15/13
Reviewed by Kate
229 pages 


I have been reading menage and BDSM for a while now. When I run across a book that incorporates both I get a little excited. When I run across one that puts both the BDSM and the menage together like this one does, I walk around with a smile on my face for a week afterwards. Let’s see, what can I tell you about this book without sounding too gushy?

First off, the initial chapter is dark and tense and will suck you in and not let you go (it’s why I gave this book a high kink level). Tyler, a male escort, has been brought to the Den by a sadistic Dom. And when the scene goes wrong, Seth is the first one to rush to his side. Seth, a co-owner of the Den, has seen Tyler at the Den a few times before and always felt drawn to him. The Den calls Allie, a lawyer, in to council Tyler. Allie feels an immediate pull toward both Tyler and Seth. Allie and Seth take Tyler to the hospital and convince him to recover at Seth’s place. Tyler agrees, but he’ll only stay if Allie stays as well.

And so we have a set up that places Seth, Allie, and Tyler together in Seth’s place. And then the story gets really good. Each of the trio is drawn to the other two. Seth is a Dom, through and through and has never entertained the thought of having 2 subs, until now. Tyler couldn’t imagine wanting to be under another Dom after everything he’s been through, but there’s something so settling about being around Seth and Allie. Allie has been raised to think that anything outside of a vanilla mindset is wrong. So how can she be attracted to not only 2 men, but 2 men who are attracted to each other as well?

I have to say, Allie is the best heroine that I’ve run across in a long time. The inner turmoil she goes through is soooo realistic. Most of my notes were about agreeing with the feelings she was having. I could completely understand the doubts she had and I appreciated a heroine who was a bit reluctant without being tiresome, or annoying, or whiny.

I also love the relationship that develops during the course of the story. Despite being a co-owner of a BDSM club, Seth is not into pain at all. He doesn’t even go for the titles of Master or Sir. Allie is definitely a sub. Tyler falls somewhere in the middle. He’s a sub with Seth, but takes on more of a Dom role with Allie.

Perhaps I have been reading too much of the hardcore BDSM books out there right now. But I really enjoyed this more gentle look at a relationship that became more about the connections than the pain. The first two books in this series are more hardcore than this one. But this one could be read completely on it’s own with no issues.

I’ve added an auto-read author to my relatively short list. Lynda Aicher continues to impress me with her characters and storytelling. I’m looking forward to catching up on her backlist and anxiously awaiting book 4 in this series.  I think it’s become obvious that I enjoy both ménage and BDSM books.  And when they can be combined?  I’m in heaven  How about you?  Are there any sub-genres that you love to see together?  Cowboy sci-fi?  M/M historical?