Review: Romantic & Raw
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 03 24, 2014
Everything changes for quintessential good kid Evan Adams when his foster brother Damien casually mentions domination and submission, and Evan's teenage view of life turns upside down. He can't stop thinking about a woman bound for his taking, and soon finds himself craving the power and control that BDSM allows him to exercise. Julie Anderson grew up as the token poor kid in school, but when her mother marries a wealthy, predatory man, her life changes forever. Sexually abused by her stepfather and emotionally neglected by her ambivalent mother, Julie realizes that she needs to look out for number one. As the years pass, Evan realizes that there is a lack of emotional connection in his D/s relationships, while Julie marries a gay man in order to keep her own emotional and sexual distance. When brewery owner Evan approaches Julie’s distribution company, he falls head over heels for the woman in charge, and he knows almost immediately that she needs him. Julie is determined to never again let a man control her destiny, but she is completely unarmed by Evan’s powerful presence and his ability to make her feel safe and…calm. As Evan and Julie navigate the sensual world of a BDSM relationship, their fears and reservations put their love to the test.Once again, Ms. Crowe has created a novel that absolutely sucks you in from the very first page, immersing the reader in her tales of self-discovery and passion. Mutual Release is the 7th book in the powerful Stewart Realty series detailing Evan and Julie’s story.  The couple plays a role throughout the series, but since they are the primary focus of Mutual Release, it's able to be read independently (though do yourself a favor and read them all from the beginning – you won’t be sorry). I’ve never before considered the physical or emotional paths a person travels down when deciding to become a Dom. Evan’s uncertainty, self-loathing, anger and acceptance was spellbinding in its honesty. Likewise, Julie’s path takes her to the same emotional extremes, and reading about her transition from angry woman to calm submissive took my breath away. The sex in Mutual Release was also incredible…from Evan’s first time in the submissive role to he and Julie’s passionate encounters and volatile relationship, every scene was a heady and hypnotic mix of raw, wildly erotic sex and a breathy sense of anticipation for the next time. The inner turmoil I go through when reading this series was still there, though the highly romantic tone of this book was a refreshing reprieve from the dramatic insanity I usually feel with Ms. Crowe’s novels. For its honesty, uniqueness, character development and beyond decadent sex, Mutual Release is extremely deserving of a JERR Gold Star Award. Don’t miss out on this amazing story!Original review for JERR at [...]