Review: Delightful Heroine, Steamy & Well-Written Scenes
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 06 14, 2013
Taking Over Me is an immensely satisfying story along with being super steamy as it deals with the BDSM lifestyle.  This is a story about seemingly opposites attracting and the freeing nature of the BDSM lifestyle as a girl geek discovers her wild side after meeting a sexy barista.  Allison has always seen herself, and been thought of by others, as one of the boys.  She loves working on computers, reading comic books, hanging out with the guys for video gaming night, and dresses for comfort instead of attraction.  She dates, but not very often.  She's a strong-willed woman though who's comfortable in her own skin.  She thinks herself way out of Patrick's league but he finds her fascinating.  Their relationship goes from 0 to 60 on their first date as she's been obsessed with him from their first meeting.  The excitement he represents and the fulfilling of her fantasies that he promises has her diving in wholeheartedly to what he offers her.  He's a Dom and wants her to be his Sub in some very tantalizing sexual interludes where she is the center of his attention.  As BDSM stories go, it's hot but not as graphic as some other titles I've read.  There's usage of cuffs, collars, and toys but nothing leaning towards the more darker side.  These interludes allow Allison to become bolder, like seeing a butterfly come out of its cocoon.  She takes pride in being a woman as opposed to hiding amongst the boys.  She's an admirable heroine who sticks up for herself and doesn't let her role of Sub in the bedroom be confused with her actions out of the bedroom.Patrick's dealt with disappointment in his past as a sports injury changed his future.  He now owns a coffeehouse with his brother Alex who's dealing with his own issues right now.  Patrick is charming with a sense of darkness surrounding him.  He freely admits to being a Dom on his first date with Allison and loves the sense of wildness he sees behind her controlled facade.  He wants her to come out and play with him as opposed to gaming with the boys.  He wants to remind her that she's a woman and proves it through numerous steamy scenes where her satisfaction is his goal.  Seeing him join her in her geek world while joining him in his decadent one showed two people truly wanting their relationship to work and I found these scenes delightfully fun.  Late in the story we discover Patrick's abusive past courtesy of his father.  This fact came out of nowhere and rears its head unexpectedly during a ridiculous disagreement between him and Allison.  It brings heretofore undiscussed fears of him becoming his father to light and leads to a Big Misunderstanding that is resolved quickly through words of wisdom from friends and family.  The ensuing HEA is sexy and satisfying.Along with numerous steamy and satisfying sexual encounters comes a believable explanation as to why an individual is drawn to BDSM.  It shows a devotion to empowerment instead of weakness and makes these characters more self-assured.  Surrounding the immensely likable protagonists comes an equally intriguing cast of secondary characters.  Patrick's brother and his friends who also live the BDSM lifestyle left a lasting impression on me and I truly hope to see more of them as they have issues to heal from too.  Ms. Brookes perfectly balances the physical and emotional aspects of this couple which makes their journey towards a HEA richly rewarding.