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Bound by Darkness
Lila Anderson’s is having visions of murdered women in the back alleys of San Francisco through the eyes of a hero trying to save them. She’s supposed to be a dominatrix, not a psychic! This hero has a name. Drake Bennett. Drake leads a solitary life as a vampire and when Lila invades his mind he wants her out.
Then a known murderer kidnaps Lila, and uses her life experience in bondage and domination to break her and turn her against Drake. Will the deep feelings of desire she has for Drake and their psychic link be enough to save Lila before she succumbs to her dark desires?
Then a known murderer kidnaps Lila, and uses her life experience in bondage and domination to break her and turn her against Drake. Will the deep feelings of desire she has for Drake and their psychic link be enough to save Lila before she succumbs to her dark desires?
274 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 28, 2011
13 people are currently reading
194 people want to read
About the author
Buffy Christopher
10 books34 followersI love to write and I hope you love reading my stories. I live in Phoenix, AZ, happily married to my hubby for seventeen years and have two beautiful teenagers. A daughter who has just learned t drive and is a senior this year and a son who is as obsessed with his video games as I am with my writing. My family is my strength and my heart. They are always there for me and support me no matter what is going on. They are my blessing in life. Please visit me at http://buffychristopher.com/
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
November 21, 2019
I'll give this book 3 stars, but honestly I'm really struggling to lift it up that high. I picked this book up solely because I thought it was interesting that the main character was a Dominatrix. I envisioned a strong, sexually dominant female who knows her own mind and body. I thought, 'well, this could be fun.' It wasn't.
Lila was billed as a Dominatrix but in almost every sex scene she was playing a Submissive, getting off on her own rape essentially. (That's Submissive with a capital S by the way.) I don't mean to infer that BDSM and Dom/Sub relationships are akin to rape, of course not. But in the first sex scene for example, Lila was shackled, gagged, blindfolded and whipped by a homicidal maniac that she was terrified of, knew had killed at least one woman THAT NIGHT, didn't want to be in session with, but couldn't escape, and had no reasonable expectation of survival. Then afterwards she cried because of the trauma. Rape.
I very rarely don't finish books, but I almost gave up at that point. I just wouldn't have picked that book up to start with. That's before I even get into whether I believe Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs would have allowed her to enjoy any aspect of the experience if she was so scared for her life. Maybe I'm just being naive about the life-style, but it seems unlikely that basic biology would allow the body to prfioritize sexual satisfaction over physical survival to start with, no matter how much you like pain, need release, or how you've been 'trained'. Both fear and climax require hormones and, while no expert, I would expect those that produce fear to top those that lead to sexual enjoyment. It's worth noting too, that in those scenes in which she isn't a Submissive, she is never once a Dominant either.
Having read the book I can now read between the lines of the description and see that the clues were there. I just didn't see them, so I can't completely fault Christopher-Vincent for my dislike of the subject matter. I chose to read the book. I apparently let myself focus on the character's Dominatrix role as the primary focus of the description instead of the "life experience in bondage and domination to break her." Yea, that's the theme of the book. There is no female empowerment here. If you're looking for it, go elsewhere. I kind of wish I had.
The basic writing in the book is fine. I didn't notice very many editorial mishaps and, though I found it exceedingly repetitive, the plots moves along. Granted this is erotic fiction. There's probably 70 pages of plot and 200 pages of sex, most of it questionably consensual (if not wholly non-consensual).
In the end I can't completely trash the novel. I might not have liked it, and I didn't. I had to force myself to finish it. I acknowledge that most of those things I disliked are of the personal opinion sort. I was uncomfortable with Lila's constant role as a victim and her sexual satisfaction during extended scenes of abuse. These men were trying to hurt and break her. There were no safe words to use, no trust or understanding that the Sub was actually a power player in the game. She was a slave. There was never any real explanation for why Lila started having visions of Drake to start with and I thought that the centuries old antagonist was dispatched far, far too easily. These opinions can't reasonably be seen as a reflection of the book's intrinsic value as a piece of literature though, erotic or otherwise. I did really like the host of side characters, especially Charlie and David, and Drake was a pure, kind soul that you couldn't help but route for.
Lila was billed as a Dominatrix but in almost every sex scene she was playing a Submissive, getting off on her own rape essentially. (That's Submissive with a capital S by the way.) I don't mean to infer that BDSM and Dom/Sub relationships are akin to rape, of course not. But in the first sex scene for example, Lila was shackled, gagged, blindfolded and whipped by a homicidal maniac that she was terrified of, knew had killed at least one woman THAT NIGHT, didn't want to be in session with, but couldn't escape, and had no reasonable expectation of survival. Then afterwards she cried because of the trauma. Rape.
I very rarely don't finish books, but I almost gave up at that point. I just wouldn't have picked that book up to start with. That's before I even get into whether I believe Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs would have allowed her to enjoy any aspect of the experience if she was so scared for her life. Maybe I'm just being naive about the life-style, but it seems unlikely that basic biology would allow the body to prfioritize sexual satisfaction over physical survival to start with, no matter how much you like pain, need release, or how you've been 'trained'. Both fear and climax require hormones and, while no expert, I would expect those that produce fear to top those that lead to sexual enjoyment. It's worth noting too, that in those scenes in which she isn't a Submissive, she is never once a Dominant either.
Having read the book I can now read between the lines of the description and see that the clues were there. I just didn't see them, so I can't completely fault Christopher-Vincent for my dislike of the subject matter. I chose to read the book. I apparently let myself focus on the character's Dominatrix role as the primary focus of the description instead of the "life experience in bondage and domination to break her." Yea, that's the theme of the book. There is no female empowerment here. If you're looking for it, go elsewhere. I kind of wish I had.
The basic writing in the book is fine. I didn't notice very many editorial mishaps and, though I found it exceedingly repetitive, the plots moves along. Granted this is erotic fiction. There's probably 70 pages of plot and 200 pages of sex, most of it questionably consensual (if not wholly non-consensual).
In the end I can't completely trash the novel. I might not have liked it, and I didn't. I had to force myself to finish it. I acknowledge that most of those things I disliked are of the personal opinion sort. I was uncomfortable with Lila's constant role as a victim and her sexual satisfaction during extended scenes of abuse. These men were trying to hurt and break her. There were no safe words to use, no trust or understanding that the Sub was actually a power player in the game. She was a slave. There was never any real explanation for why Lila started having visions of Drake to start with and I thought that the centuries old antagonist was dispatched far, far too easily. These opinions can't reasonably be seen as a reflection of the book's intrinsic value as a piece of literature though, erotic or otherwise. I did really like the host of side characters, especially Charlie and David, and Drake was a pure, kind soul that you couldn't help but route for.
October 3, 2018
Bound by Darkness
This story portrays a godly man named Drake that was turned against his will and after a couple hundred years of being on his own he turns Simon to be a companion to him but Simon is a sadistic killer that Drake has been hunting for two hundred years to try and destroy to rectify his mistake in creating him. The characters were bold and deep to say the least. The BDSM scenes are off the charts and I was on the edge of my seat more times than I could count while Drake was hunting Simon.This was a thrilling read.
This story portrays a godly man named Drake that was turned against his will and after a couple hundred years of being on his own he turns Simon to be a companion to him but Simon is a sadistic killer that Drake has been hunting for two hundred years to try and destroy to rectify his mistake in creating him. The characters were bold and deep to say the least. The BDSM scenes are off the charts and I was on the edge of my seat more times than I could count while Drake was hunting Simon.This was a thrilling read.
June 30, 2013
Lila Anderson spent years as a slave for a B & D Master. Now, finally free and a Mistress herself, she is enjoying her sexual power which she uses for her job at The Pit, a bondage and domination club.
Recently, she has been plagued with dreams of dead women. She watches through the eyes of someone else, a man. But then she usually sees the dead women on television shortly thereafter, a dream that has become a reality. But now the visions are plaguing her while she is awake, and the man she sees the visions through is talking to her in her head.
Drake Bennett is a vampire, over four hundred years old. Years ago, he turned a young man, Simon, into a vampire. Simon was sick and sadistic and a human who never should have been turned. Now, Simon is murdering young women in Drake's territory, hoping to draw the notice of the Vampire Council. If noticed, it is Drake who would be punished to the death for the deaths.
While Drake is pursuing Simon, Lila keeps popping up in his head. Used to his solitude and betrayed by a woman before, he has no use for her and wants her out of his mind. But eventually Lila and Drake hook up, and there are immediate sparks.
When Lila is kidnapped by Simon, she hopes her psychic connection with Drake will help save her. Simon is determined to destroy anything Drake cares about, and he uses Lila's skills and bondage and domination to break her and turn her against Drake. Will Drake get to her in time before everything is lost?
BOUND BY DARKNESS is a thrilling and spicy paranormal romance with high intensity scenes. The attention to detail is spectacular, painting a picture in the reader's mind. The character development is grand, creating emotion for the reader to despise Simon and come to like Lila and Drake and even cheer for them. Dark and compelling characters, sizzling love scenes and a page-turning plot mesh together into a high adrenaline read!
Recently, she has been plagued with dreams of dead women. She watches through the eyes of someone else, a man. But then she usually sees the dead women on television shortly thereafter, a dream that has become a reality. But now the visions are plaguing her while she is awake, and the man she sees the visions through is talking to her in her head.
Drake Bennett is a vampire, over four hundred years old. Years ago, he turned a young man, Simon, into a vampire. Simon was sick and sadistic and a human who never should have been turned. Now, Simon is murdering young women in Drake's territory, hoping to draw the notice of the Vampire Council. If noticed, it is Drake who would be punished to the death for the deaths.
While Drake is pursuing Simon, Lila keeps popping up in his head. Used to his solitude and betrayed by a woman before, he has no use for her and wants her out of his mind. But eventually Lila and Drake hook up, and there are immediate sparks.
When Lila is kidnapped by Simon, she hopes her psychic connection with Drake will help save her. Simon is determined to destroy anything Drake cares about, and he uses Lila's skills and bondage and domination to break her and turn her against Drake. Will Drake get to her in time before everything is lost?
BOUND BY DARKNESS is a thrilling and spicy paranormal romance with high intensity scenes. The attention to detail is spectacular, painting a picture in the reader's mind. The character development is grand, creating emotion for the reader to despise Simon and come to like Lila and Drake and even cheer for them. Dark and compelling characters, sizzling love scenes and a page-turning plot mesh together into a high adrenaline read!
February 7, 2013
Ok, this was a free read. And it was a good size. I like dark reads. And I liked the idea of where this story was going. I even like the characters. I just down't know what it is. This should have been great. It started out fast and kept you their most of the time. But this just seemed to be missing something. Even in dark scenes where my heart should have been beating fast and I should have been anxious it was just a read threw. I felt none of those things.
This should have been great. I mean you had not one but two evil bad guys. And these guys should have been so evil it was scary. But they also just kinda fell short. I don't know. The story and the characters could have made for a great dark read with a twist of romance in their. And it was kinda. It just didn't elistic any emotional response from me bysides the fact that I had already started it I might as well finish it.
Just my opinion.
This should have been great. I mean you had not one but two evil bad guys. And these guys should have been so evil it was scary. But they also just kinda fell short. I don't know. The story and the characters could have made for a great dark read with a twist of romance in their. And it was kinda. It just didn't elistic any emotional response from me bysides the fact that I had already started it I might as well finish it.
Just my opinion.
May 8, 2012
Bound by Darkness by Buffy Christopher-Vincent
I liked the story or rather the premise of the story but couldn’t get past the writing style. The author wrote in third person but in such a way that it was very difficult to read. She also described every move or action that was being made. Too much emphasis and time was spent on descriptions and constantly repeating dialog. I got half way through and didn’t want to finish it.
I liked the story or rather the premise of the story but couldn’t get past the writing style. The author wrote in third person but in such a way that it was very difficult to read. She also described every move or action that was being made. Too much emphasis and time was spent on descriptions and constantly repeating dialog. I got half way through and didn’t want to finish it.
May 2, 2013
I found the beginning portion of this book slightly slow but once you get past that you discover it's needed so you can learn about the characters and background. A great read considering its a free download and I enjoyed the different aspects of being a vampire, not the usual things, garlic, crosses etc, wasn't too into the whole whip me thing but it may please some people. All in all the ending completed the story and plot so you walked away satisfied.
February 13, 2013
Not the best book I've ever read by far. Not even one of the best.
It was ok.
Nothing sensational except it had vampires.
It was not brilliantly written, but the characters were pretty decent.
I enjoyed it.
Glad it was free...
It was ok.
Nothing sensational except it had vampires.
It was not brilliantly written, but the characters were pretty decent.
I enjoyed it.
Glad it was free...
August 24, 2013
When I started reading this book, I realized it had B&D in it and I started to put it down right then. How people can stand pain is beyond my comprehension but it was essential to the storyone. Glad I finished reading b/c it was a good lovestory.
kindle-i-own-to-read
December 22, 2012Amazon Freebie 12/21/2012
May 12, 2013
Decent. The characters were likable and the story line well written. Enjoyed the book, wasn't quite what I was expecting even a parts that made my eyes pop out for a split second.
June 27, 2013
seriously hot!
March 16, 2015
Dark, dominating and finally freeing. This is a well written and steamy read to sink yourself into.
owned-to-read
January 1, 2014*downloaded free at ARE
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews