Review: The quiet, deep ones are always the best
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 07 10, 2012
This hero is what would happen if Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy had a baby with Sheldon Cooper: Ivan, a "tragically gorgeous," socially awkward, coolly disdainful scientist with six-pack abs and soulful brown eyes. I'm a huge fan of Big Bang Theory and an even bigger fan of Mr. Darcy, so I was pretty much in hero-heaven with Ivan. I love a nerdy, geeky hero, a hero with some flaws and insecurities, a hero not perfect in every way, but still somehow manages to be both dreamy and, at moments, romantic, despite his social ineptitude.Ivan is a reminder that not all heroes, alphas and Doms are the military type, or the corporate raider; nor are they always the Russian gazillionaire. Instead, in this case, he's the guy next door. An understated, very under the radar, quiet and intense uber-nerd. And he's slightly OCD. Ok, more than slightly. He is meticulous and regimented, tightly controlled, and I was ready to see him snap, but then, he did something I wasn't expecting.When Ivan asks Cami for some social lessons so he can better schmooze at the up-coming fundraiser at his department-head's home, I was fully expecting Cami to unwind that man, snapping Ivan's control like a rubber band. But it turns out that there's something more to Ivan, some hidden depths and a dark, kinky core to him. Just as Cami is teaching Ivan lessons, he begins to teach her lessons, sex lessons involving submission, because where bdsm is concerned, Ivan can be in complete control, something he greatly prizes. When he calls her a 'bad girl' and tells Cami to say 'Yes, Professor,' and spanks her, this hero got even better to me.While the bdsm element isn't heavy, not even medium bdsm to me, it was still way sexy and arousing. I always find it erotic seeing a woman innocent and inexperienced to bdsm supplicate herself for the very first time, that look and that feeling of suddenly finding herself on her knees at the feet of a man and liking it despite what her mind and society says about such a position. The action here is light but does include that lovely submission, some dirty talk, spanking, and anal play. "I've imagined this, you know. So many times. Tying you down so you can't get away, getting you so excited your p---- is soaked. Flogging that butt until it's hot and pink and you're begging for an orgasm. Begging for my c---. And then only letting you come when I'm finally f---ing your tight little a--." Yeah, Ivan has his moments, for sure.He also has some sweetly tender moments as well. This story is written in first-person from Cami's POV, but the author manages to let the reader know Ivan, to see those other facets of his personality, especially when she writes things like this: He didn't say anything at first but reached out a hand very slowly as though he thought I might pull away. He [..] ran his fingertips down the contour of my cheek to my chin. Proving my shape to all his senses, perhaps, finding a new way to see me. With his hesitance came a vulnerability, and I could read more than I usually did in his expression. (Picture the soulful eyes here.)This was a hot read for me, with the kind of sexy but awkward, unpolished hero I love. And as for Cami, there was a lot of appeal there as well. She felt real and hopeful, young without being silly, and the author made her funny and kind. The author wrote this romance with heart, her voice and characters feeling young, fresh and playful. She wrote a romance that's fun and so very sexy, but most of all, endearing and even smart. This one was sweet fun for me, a real pleasure to read.