Review: A commendable spanking romance
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 12 11, 2013
After former real estate agent Melissa Moffett aka Mitchell witnesses a mafia hit, she’s placed into the witness protection program and given a new identity and life as a secretary at a Catholic school. Contact with her family is severely limited, and she faces a solitary Christmas. When her coworker and friend Terri Coleman invites her to her family’s home for an “old-fashioned” Christmas, Melissa agrees to avoid spending the holidays alone. Very soon she learns that “old-fashioned” means the males of the family spank their women for bad behavior. That’s fine by Melissa who has been secretly enthralled by spanking. It becomes even more fine when she discovers how hunky Terri’s older single brother is. He’s quite taken by her too. After Melissa spies on Joe spanking/punishing his sister Terri, Melissa and Joe discover they share an interest spanking, and they act on their attraction to one another.  However, he’s a police detective, and he soon becomes suspicious of her identity.I really, really enjoyed this book. There is much to commend about An Old-Fashioned Christmas. With a few exceptions (which I’ll get to soon), this novel is everything a spanking romance should be. I loved the set-up of a woman in the witness protection program with a detective, and I waited with delicious anticipation for the trouble to begin. I was not disappointed. An Old-Fashioned Christmas has a well-developed, detailed plot (unusual for spanking romances); a sympathetic heroine with a secret spanking fetish; and hunky sexy cop hero who’s only too willing to fulfill her every fantasy. The setting is well-crafted also, and although the mundane family interactions could have dragged, they moved along quite nicely and gave the reader a sneak peek into the secret “normal” lives of a family of spankos. The novel provided warm and fuzzy pleasure accentuated by the spice of drama and high stakes.The sex scenes are erotic, and the spanking scenes are sure to delight spanking fiction fans and spankos.Now here’s the “but.” I had a few issues with the hero. First, let me emphasize that despite his flaws, I liked him and found him charming, delightfully alpha and hunky for the most part. However, I felt it was inappropriate for him to deliver a bare bottom spanking to his adult SISTER in such a way that he could see her female parts. When she protested, he threatened her with getting their father involved, with the implication that the father would spank her in similar manner. There’s a word for this kind of family. and I don’t think “old-fashioned” is it. It was an “ick” moment for me.I also took exception to Joe’s snooping. After Melissa unknowingly slips up and reveals her real name, he catches the discrepancy. Does he ask her about the different names? Does he question his sister/her friend? No. He sneaks into her room and rifles through her purse and wallet searching for clues. This was such a huge violation of her privacy, it make him look like a major A-hole. His action was essential to the plot, but I think it could have been written differently. He could have asked Melissa about her name, she could have realized what she’d done and become flustered, which would have furthered his suspicious. He still would have had the information he needed for the plot to progress.I also felt that Joe, while charming, crossed the line from alpha/Dom to bully at times. He constantly threatened his sister with spankings and by the end of the book had begun to threaten Melissa with the same. She enjoys spanking, but I found his behavior overbearing.Yet, I enjoyed the book. It compelled me to continue reading and I look forward to the next one that continues the story.