Review: A kinder, gentler approach to BDSM. A great start to the series.
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 08 5, 2013
Presley Flynn was a sweet character with the perfect balance of curiosity and trepidation. A sweet girl with a penchant for being a people-pleaser, she's hurt by the discovery that her fiance had cheated. Since the break-up, the ex-boyfriend starts sniffing around her when she tells him that she's moved on. Instead of being more assertive in getting rid of him, she comes across as a doormat. However, I didn't see her that way. Not everyone is wired to establish a very clear and forceful delivery of their wishes, and she just seems to prefer to keep the peace. That just adds to the aura of innocence about her. She's genteel to a fault, not uptight or virginal.As a Dom, Dmitri Pratt  was a character to fall in love with. He may have been the president of a casino business, but he never flashed his wealth around, nor was he arrogant. What differentiates him from all other rich CEO heroes was that he was down to earth. Instead of a fancy restaurant for a first date, it was a sports bar with burgers and fries. Dmitri had a kind heart that extended beyond the usual obligations as a Dom. What I loved most about him was that he wasn't afraid to acknowledge his jumbled feelings (in his mind) after meeting Presley. He never tried to push her away or discourage her from accepting him as her Dom, but he didn't strong-arm her into it either. It was simple mutual attraction playing itself out over time and conversation. Which brings me to what I loved the most about this story: Communication.The evolution of their relationship happened more out of the club rather than in it. They had to discover each other outside of play time. I enjoyed their phone conversations as they attempted to get to know one another through talking rather than just giving and receiving intimate pleasure.  They made a perfect couple - Presley was guileless and Dmitri had been lonely long enough to recognize a good thing staring him in the face.While all the club scenes were incredibly hot, they never involved sex between the main characters. Presley's sexual exploration is the catalyst, but I didn't get the feeling it was the driving force. It was actually very refreshing. If you're itching for the hot sex between these two, you won't be happy to hear that there's only one scene, and when it happens, it's the culmination of everything that has gone on between them since the beginning.The plot was crisp, clean, concise and not rushed at all. I thought the pacing was just right for both of them to discover what they really wanted. Presley had a believable character development under Dmitri's care which at one particular point was very predictable, but cleverly executed. That was just one of my favorite scenes. The secondary characters didn't take up major parts of the story, but just the few glimpses made them interesting enough that I look forward to reading each of their stories as well.This was a true kinky and therapeutic romance for both characters. I loved this author's gentler approach to BDSM romance, and I think it will appeal to those who are still a little squeamish or feel overwhelmed when there's too much sex in a book. I for one loved it and can't wait to continue on with this series.Final rating: 4.5 rounded p to 5 and I consider this a Top Pick for 2013 because I could this book many times over and not get bored.Disclaimer: I received an ARC  from the publisher via NetGalley for the purpose of an honest review.