Review: Quality sequel which stands on its own
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 03 12, 2014
Note: I was given an ARC of this book in return for an impartial review, which I believe I have delivered.I enjoyed Melinda Barron’s “Searching for Pandora,” and was very excited to see that she had written a sequel. Other than a few recurring characters (and location), there is no direct continuation of the plot, so new readers can read this without having read the first one (although Playing the Part will spoil several small character details from the first book). However, even with a new cast of characters and a new concept, it very much felt like it ‘clicked’ as a sequel, keeping up similar patterns of banter and sexual exploration (spanking movies here – shades of Bethany’s Woodshed – take the place of stripping in the former) while the overall plot is driven by the main characters’ participation in mystery and intrigue.Nash and Esme had a believable, if whirlwind, romance; if it was fast, their chemistry made it believable, especially when it came out in the romance scenes. The circumstances of how they first met, Esme’s job, and their imaginations resulted in a lot of essential role-playing, all of which gave a great vignette-like aspect to this, where we could observe the main characters in different roles and eras. I think Barron could run with this for a sequel. I’d love to see her actually write the book that got ‘Miss Brown’ into such hot water at the beginning.If I had one complaint, it would be that there is a dramatic turn in the last few pages which is quickly and quietly wrapped up just a few pages later, which I think could have been more effectively introduced earlier in the plot. But other than that, I was fully satisfied with Playing the Part, and would fully recommend it for fans of spanking stories or romances.