We’ve finally reached the end of this six book series. Surely it has to go out on a bang, right?
Right?
Well, here’s the plot.
Damien, the dom and owner of the Den where much of the series had been set, has always held himself aloof. Distant. No sub could tempt him. Which is why he finds himself inexplicably drawn to fellow Dom Catrina. He feels that she’d look much better under the lash rather than the one holding it. As for Catrina, well, he’s just got to convince her that she’s really a sub in disguise.
I can’t even begin to tell you how wrong this is. Seriously. The whole fucking plot is that Catrina, a dom, isn’t really a dom but a sub. Not even a switch. But a full-on sub and that Damien is just the MAN to convince her of this.
If you’ve got a little throw up in your mouth at this concept you are not alone.
Also, in all six books not one of the male characters has been the sub. Not a one. Only the female ones. In my admittedly limited experience it’s more often the other way around. And it’s doubly problematic that all of the women are subs because not once in all six books has any of the subs asserted her power. And as a reminder for everyone out there… the sub is the one who has the power in BDSM, not the Dom. Which is why I’m so disappointed. I wanted to like this one more, but I couldn’t. I hated the message that was being sent. Namely that Catrina needed to change herself for a man, but he didn’t need to give anything up for her. This is wrong on so many levels.
Damien had intrigued me earlier in the series and I’d hoped his story would be awesome. But it just wasn’t. It was problematic. It was flat. If fucking followed the same beats as at least two of the other stories in the series. Some readers might like that, I didn’t. Damien deserved better.
Catrina was fairly bland. I can’t tell you much about her and that’s a problem. I kept hoping that this book would have both of them being switches depending on what the other needed. It’s fucking hard being in control all the time which is why so many powerful men prefer to be dominated in the bedroom. If you want examples, just look at 45′s sex scandals. I’m just so disappointed.
Gregorio once again stood out as the best character. And that’s a problem… because Gregorio is a fucking side character. It’s also got the consistent problem of using Britishisms with American characters. This time it was trainers and jumpers… which no. Speaking as a Coloradan it is sneakers (sometimes tennis shoes) and sweaters.
The sex was hot, as usual, and the copy editing is spot on. If you like formulaic stories with good sex. This is for you.
But for me, I wanted more depth. I wanted a story where the woman doesn’t have to change everything about herself for a man. I wanted Damien to not be a dick. I wanted a story that didn’t make me feel sick to my stomach.
So I can only give this
One star
If this is your jam, you can get it here.