Review: 4.5 blue ribbons from Romance Junkies
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 10 20, 2009
Organic chemist Lara Brunner has spent her life focused on being one of the best in her field - and she's succeeded, but at what cost?  She's stressed out and even her friends are concerned about her welfare but it's the fantasies plaguing her that really have her on edge.  Thankfully her good friend Samantha has the perfect solution to help her relax and experience a bit of the BDSM lifestyle she's craving.  She agrees to spend a weekend at a BDSM resort but never expected it to turn into a life changing event.Jaxon Greene is a bestselling author and scriptwriter but he also shares a classroom one night a week with Lara Brunner.  From his haughty demeanor Lara believes that Jaxon doesn't like her very much which is a shame since he stars in her erotic fantasies.  Imagine her surprise when she learns that Jaxon will be the man to guide her first experiences in the BDSM lifestyle.With her tenure at the university just weeks away Lara's on the verge of having everything she's worked so hard to obtain but she's also received a tempting offer from Taylor Pharmaceuticals and there's no denying she seriously needs a break.  Samantha's aware of Lara's frustration and feels that a weekend at Maison Domine, a small discrete BDSM mountainside retreat, could help Lara slow down and discover what she truly wants in life.The last thing Lara expects is to encounter Jaxon and discover that he would be the man with whom she'd be spending her weekend.  He's played the starring role in so many of her fantasies but she never thought that her desires could become reality - if only temporarily.  Jaxon comes to Maison Domine whenever he needs a break from his demanding life.  He'd been looking forward to introducing a shy new submissive to the scene - at Kat, the resort owner's request - but his emotions are jumbled by the knowledge that the woman in question is Lara, the uptight chemist he has to share a classroom with at the university.The time they spend together will have them reevaluating their goals and expectations, but what will happen when the weekend is over?  Will Jaxon decide to collar Lara as his submissive or will he let her go?  And what will Lara do about her position at the university?Lara and Jaxon are driven, intelligent individuals who have fought their attraction to each other until brought together by a mutual interest in BDSM.  I loved how Lara and Jaxon relate to each other and the sexual attraction between them is explosive.  This is a thoroughly enjoyable story that will appeal to many readers on an emotional level.MAISON DOMINE is one of three stories that make up the BINDING TIES line from Samhain.  Be sure to check out the other BINDING TIES stories:THE INITIATION OF ISABELLA by Jenna IvesBOUND BY DESIGN by Natasha MooreChrissy Dionne (courtesy of Romance Junkies)