Protégée

Freedom Bound #1

by Dakota Lynn

An untimely end to a long, stable relationship leaves Amelia Grant at a crossroads. Should she try to reassemble her life much as it had been for the past 20 years or try something completely new? As the Internet becomes her lifeline to the outside world, she finds herself exploring lifestyles she never knew existed.

Dirk Gregory has been a successful Sub/Slave trainer and BDSM club owner for nearly his entire adult life. Immersing himself in his work, he has completely denied himself any chance of a romantic relationship. He can’t even bring himself to take a vacation, so when his friend Bella asks him to take on a complete novice and introduce her to the BDSM lifestyle during a break in his schedule, he obliges.

The immediate attraction between these two is undeniable to the point of distraction. As they each struggle to stay on task through the training program Dirk has crafted, they fall helplessly deeper into a relationship: A bond that is based on a rich understanding of one another, trust and mutual respect. But that doesn’t improve their situation. They can’t change who they are, and finally, they have to face reality and forge ahead in pursuit of the common goal: Find Amelia a suitable Dom.

Publisher’s Note: This book contains explicit sexual content, graphic language and situations that some readers may find objectionable: Anal play/intercourse, mild BDSM theme and elements.

Genres: BDSM, Erotica, Romance, Contemporary, Adult, Contemporary Romance, Amazon

159 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 16, 2011

About the author

I am an erotic romance novelist living in Texas.

In addition to writing, I enjoy riding my Harley, hanging out at my ranch with my dogs, horses and family, and reading books. I am actually a systems engineer by trade.

Now, I have no idea what it is about any of this that drives me to write these stories, but I know I'm not about to stop. I'm already conjuring up my next twisted tale. I have a lot of personal experiences and several nefarious friends to draw interesting stories from, as well as an endlessly perverted imagination. So, there will be no shortage of material to work with for years to come.

I sincerely hope that you enjoy reading my stories as much as I enjoy creating them. I can't thank you enough for your ongoing support. This has been an amazing experience for me.

Dakota Lynn

Reviews

[Optimist ♰King's Wench♰ · Rating 1 out of 5]

WARNING: The F bomb is about to get dropped off in here so if that offends you, keep on keepin’ on. I won’t be butt hurt. Promise.

The story in a nutshell is 40-something, Amy/Amelia, decides after her husband of 22 yrs dies that she’s going to explore BDSM. She starts online researching then starts hitting chat rooms & meets Mistress Bella. They chat for a couple months then decide to meet at a café & evolve into friends. Bella is hell-bent on getting Amy to enter the lifestyle & orchestrates a meet between Amy & Dirk (had a hard time getting the image of Marky Mark in all his polyester glory in Boogie Nights out of my head with this name) that lasts all of about 5 mins. Apparently, he agrees in this meet to train Amy, although I never fully understand how this comes to pass. Bella tells Amy she’s having dinner the following evening with Dirk & be ready so he can pick you up at 8:00. They have dinner; he pretty much tells her he’s going to train her for 12 days at his house & that’s that. 24/7. She’s just to email her boss & say she’s not coming in & has no time to inform her son either. She agrees; he says he’ll be by at 7:00 (ugh) the next morning to pick her up. He trains her, introduces her to all kinds of BDSM related activities, asks what her goals are all under the pretext that they will be realized but doesn’t explain how.
Here’s my gripes:
1. He talks up this whole issue of trust & full disclosure, says they’re a unit blah, blah, blah. Day 2 they have breakfast he takes her to the bathroom afterwards, sits her on the toilet & then proceeds to tell her that he slipped her a laxative & basically laughs as he tells her she’s about to Slumdog Millionaire it. WTF? I mean seriously…WHAT.IN.THE.FUCK?!?! So all that trust & honesty he was talking about is only supposed to run one way? Nuh unh. Negative, ghostrider. Here’s the kicker-does she take it that way & question the trust or look sideways at any drinks or food he gives to her thereafter, you ask? Nope. Which leads me to gripe #2.
2. These people are supposed to be adults, both are in their 40s, yet their decision making is juvenile. I can understand naivete & blind trust in a teenager or a 20-something (no offense, just wisdom comes with age supposedly) but this just reads ridiculous. First of all the training thing, who just uproots their entire life to go live with a stranger? He got Bella’s stamp of approval & that’s all you need? A Domme you met on the internet? Then he takes her to his house which is apparently out in the middle of B.F.E. & she doesn’t bat an eye? Two words for Amy: skin suit. I just hope Dirk doesn’t have a van down by the river. She’d probably go anyway, all doe-eyed thinking it was a picnic.
3. The whole “romance” between these two again just didn’t make sense for people their age. Their first sexual encounter which consists of a blow job & she’s thinking about love? C’mon man!! Really? How old are you again? I get instant attraction thing, but let’s call a spade a spade. The whole thing just never gels for me.
4. I find it ironic that the word desperate comes up semi-regularly but never seems to occur to either of these people that it applies to them. How’s about a little self-awareness? He even cautions her to not move quickly with a Dom & see things in said person that aren’t there out of desperation. Like meeting someone briefly at a coffee shop then having dinner with said person & then moving in with that person for 12 days in the middle of fucking nowhere? That kind of fast? Or a different kind of fast?
5. This is more an annoyance & definitely more subjective so take it with a grain of salt. As a person that works in the field of psychology, I think the whole concept of control theory is bogus. It’s just a cheap rip off of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs in my opinion. But…to each their own.
The pros are:
1. It’s fairly informative regarding poses & equipment.
2. Overall writing’s not bad, decent dialogue with an air of realism but sometimes feels…IDK…hokey? Also, the author misused the word ‘recant’.
3. I like that it’s told from both POVs.
Ordinarily, I’m not someone to demand realism in art. Its escapist for me but when all you give me is 2 people said people should be fully developed-that never happens. It’s not as though there isn’t time to do it either, there’s like 20 chapters in this thing! If you’re not going to fully develop the characters then there better be some sort of intrigue, good secondary characters or some smokin’ hot sex & guess what? Yup, none of those happen either! So, there’s nothing else to distract me from this 2 nutbags! That coupled with the fact that there’s just too much ambiguity overall that I had a hard time getting past.
Amy appears to be intelligent in so many areas picking up concepts quickly, making adjustments, being cognizant of his reactions to her, her ability to verbalize her thoughts, feelings & desires succinctly then other times she just comes across like a lovesick puppy. She literally knows nothing about him. There are some tidbits here & there but still she keeps coming back to the label love. It’s called a lot of things, honey, but love ain’t one of ‘em. But perhaps it’s the old adage of ‘the heart wants what it wants’ at work.
Honestly, I think Dirk’s fairly self-aware aside from the fact that he’s manipulating her desperation & basically exploiting it for financial gain which he seems to be somehow inexplicably unaware. He’s hyper-perceptive & reads her like a book for the most part. Also, the whole push/pull of him having feelings for her just reads trite, especially considering he’s having misgivings about training & has pretty much decided he’s ready to take a break from it which negates the boundary between them. So, it’s not only trite but a fallacy. And we’re back to the whole truth thing again. Hooray!

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this story. I agree with it being "sweet" and their is not much pain. It's far more about the mental process of Dominance and submission. And what a joy to have an older, experienced, intelligent, thoughtful female submissive with a skilled Dom. I get so tired of cluelessness in the heroines, and there's none of that here (even if she is a newbie).

[Sydney Blake · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dakota Lynn's Protegee gives a fresh perspective to bdsm. It delves into the psyche of a new sub and her seasoned Dom as much as it goes into the physical relationship between them. Amelia is in her 40's, a widow who, after 20 years of marriage, is searching for something new and exciting. She's someone I can relate to. And Dirk, Amelia's Dom trainer, is another character whom I can understand. I didn't do the math, but I imagined Dirk to be a little older than Amelia, and as many of us do when we hit mid-life, Dirk also has questions about what he wants for his future.

The writing is topnotch. The storytelling is compelling. The sex is hot. The bdsm focuses more on bondage and domination than it does on s/m. I heard someone call it "sugarkink," which I think fits. If you're into romance, but unsure about bdsm, this is a good book to start with. Sit back, relax, and enjoy.

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a bit of a surprise to me as it was a good bit tamer than I anticipated. I agree with Vivian who described it as "gentle and sweet". Although it had a few BDSM elements, I felt like it was more about bringing out natural submission. The BDSM was very mild with a bit of exhibitionism, a brief f/f scene, and an even more brief m/m scene. Overall, I enjoyed the story and found the characters easy to like. If you like HEA with these type of elements, this book is for you.

[Sassafrass · Rating 4 out of 5]

*3.5 stars*

I don't know what I was expecting with this one. I thought it was much gentler than what I got from the description. I really thought it was sweet the way the story ended. I would have liked the story to be longer though. I really wanted more of it. I think I will continue with this series.

[Angela Bee Bee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dirk is the Mr. Miyagi of BDSM. "A dom has no purpose without a sub"
"Every dom has a little sadistic streak, just like every sub posesses a little masochism" wax on...wax off Danielson....

Credit here for NO TYPOS! Good job. Love to see that. the third star is for the lack of typos and there was very little awkward dialog or interrupted flow in the reading.

As is typical of shorter stories, character development is slightly lacking. This is a good story and I learned some new stuff I'd never heard of before, the names of poses, the auction concept, suspension.

When we are in Dirks head, he never accepts what he is feeling, so when he does, it seems sudden. His personality is also not consistent. He speaks so formally using words like 'nonetheless' but when he is 'off duty' he sounds almost geeky. "oh. wow" "you arent going to be a full-blown slave" full blown? so unintelligent. But I get the concept of showing he has a pro Dom side and a casual funny side.

I liked the jealousy aspect of it and the concept of training as a business. Worst thing you can do to your hobby is turn it into a business. Burn out comes quick.

These characters are in their 40's so that detracts from the appeal. Dirk's money comes from inheritance and running the club and training. Another Dom clearly has more money than him which is a turn off.

would have liked to see Dirk training another sub, to see him when he really is professional.

There was a missed opportunity here to show Dirks vulnerability. But yet the angst and tension was pretty good for me. I would have liked to see the resolution in both their heads of the devotion greater than hate concept. This is a smart smut book.

The second book by DL is much much better. and easy to read without having read the first.

[Erica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting book and highly sexy and provocative. I enjoyed it and it was one that was on my mind a lot during the day as I was working. The self-discovery and self-evaluation that Amy goes through as she is doing her training with Dirk is quite enlightening and very interesting...more than just a kinky BDSM introduction. It's fairly light on the BDSM...but yet heavy D/s themes if that makes sense. What I didn't really care for were the constant changing POVs...and usually I really enjoy that because I love seeing the story from each character's mind's eye, but this one wasn't really done as well as others I have seen. It varied from being told in Amy's POV to Dirk's POV to both in third person...and there were editing mistakes throughout, such as a part told from Amy's POV and then it would say something like "Amelia nodded." Just distracting and a sign of poor editing. I also felt like the ending was REALLY rushed. The Dom that Dirk set her up with to me didn't seem to be a good situation, which is strange considering that he's supposed to know exactly what she would like, and then as soon as she said no to that and came back to Dirk, they immediately rush into marriage and collaring after like, a week? It just seemed that with all the time that the author spent on the training and the rules and every lesson that Amy learned, there should have been more time spent on the development of the ending. I finished the book with a feeling of that the author was trying to make the book fit into a certain length and just wrapped it up fast at the end without a smooth transition. However, the sex scenes were very hot, every single one had some kind of purpose or lesson to it, and Amy and Dirk are a good match...I just would have liked to have read more about their relationship after they both admitted they were in love.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was good. It wasn't great and it wasn't horrible just kind of there. Protegee is certainly on the more hardcore side of BDSM books and I was not quite prepared for it. Don't get me wrong I lovee BDSM books and I think they are totally hot but Protegee shows a whole other side to the Dom/sub atmosphere mostly with Slaves. It can be very intense and I'm not going to lie I got a teeny bit unsettled at some points but overall it was bearable. I would however suggest this book to an older crowd. I am 22 and the main characters in this book are in their 40s which I did not know until I started reading so it was hard for me to relate or even envision what they would look like because I am nowhere near that point in my years!

[Erika Tamblin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I think a lot of women will like that the main character is an older and more relatable women. I like that this author gets into some of the psychology of BDSM. I found that fascinating. I also liked that it felt like and actual love story and even made me all giddy at the end.

[Wollstonecrafthomegirl · Rating 1 out of 5]

Nope. Not for me. Not hot. The search for decent erotica continues.

[Greyling54 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Generally, a very enjoyable story. The set-up is rather unnaturally sudden, but if you're willing to suspend your disbelief on how Amelia and Dirk start their "training" relationship, the rest of the story is well done. As others have said, it's more about the mental aspects of submission than the physical.

I liked both characters. Amelia seemed brave to even consider training to be a submissive, but once she started into it, she embraced it, even when she hated what she was doing. Dirk (and I agree with whoever thought that was a stupid name) has become jaded with his work training subs, but Amelia is like a fresh new toy and he quickly finds himself enamored of her, even as he keeps reminding himself that his goal is to find Amelia a Dom. It takes him a long time to consider the possibility that he might be that Dom.

[chris lawson · Rating 1 out of 5]

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The company said it is important hi to you yuk this time yt? You to really be use a good

[Marilyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was an interesting book. I can't quite put my finger on why it took me so long to read, because when I picked it up, I would read until I feel asleep - and even then didn't want to put it down. However, the act of picking it up I found to be a challenge. I started it August 5th, so it took me over two months to read it... that said, apparently I read 23 books between then and now, so it wasn't for lack of focus!

I liked the ending, but I will admit, I found the beginning not to be of my fancy.

Dirk takes Amy on as a trainee - and it's Amy's first real experience in the BDSM lifestyle - or as a sub. So, naturally there are a few 'kinks' to iron out (pardon my pun!) I think one of the hard points I had with the book, is the expectation, that at the end of Amy's training, she will be auctioned (or sold, that is undecided in the beginning), to another Dom - and she has no control of who. This is to pay Dirk for his training, and fees. I still find it kind of hard to deal with. As well, as of this 'sale' Amy could be forced to quit her job, etc - all depending on the whims of her new Dom. Yes, I know some people live like this, go through it, and are perfectly happy. Yes it's part of Dirks' 'job' to make sure that Amy is sold to a proper Dom, and that through negotiations with him, price, as well as her terms and limits will be stated and agreed upon. But there are always situations where this doesn't happen...

Overall, it was enjoyable. However I will admit, this book is NOT for everyone, regardless of personviewpoints and kinks, and shouldn't be picked up lightly.

[Sally · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book :) Even if it's not your "cup of tea" - a good read I think (in comparison to others out there) of why it means so much to others. I usually stray from the romance genre in general (or any book I know is likely going to be fall anywhere near that category) - but this is much more than that and had me hooked from the first sentence. There was lots of hearing what the characters were thinking which normally drives me batty as I'm more a 'give it to me straight/cut to the chase' reader but this one was different. I found myself laughing with (and yes, sometimes at) the main character, Amelia - and actually learned a few things about myself as I learned more about her. Of course it has the HEA and that's always a good one for me lol I'm not going to read a book on my free time for pleasure if I know it's going to leave me in a mild slump by the end - I can find enough things to feel depressed about in my own life thank you very much! :P LOL So the HEA definitely was 'the icing on the cake' There were some things I noticed as I read that irked me - like certain aspects of the story that weren't as true to real life as one would assume if basing their opinions solely on this book - but I think it fit the story line and characters very well. -- Would I read this book again? Definitely. I found myself drawn to every character in it and am finding myself wishing there were a sequel to follow up where this specific one had left off. :)

[Willow Sanders · Rating 3 out of 5]

hmmm. I really wish the system allowed for half stars, because I woud totally give it a three and a half, but am really torn about giving it a four. There were parts of the book that I enjoyed Amy and Dirk are almost sugar sweet and their relationship kind of tra-la-la's along with minimal dramatic tension. There isn't a whole lot of character development- and personally had a hard time 'buying' their motivations and decisions sometimess. The way Dirk talked drove me batty - I understand the intention to delineate his club persona from his "oh im sweet and charming" but I didn't really buy either of them because they werent strong enough. And way, way WAY too much headhopping - and POV switches. Either do a shared POV in third person, a shared POV in first person.

[Vivian · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

This story is actually quite sweet with a gentle tone. Both main characters are upstanding and admirable. If anything, they're too perfect. The ease with which Amelia makes her transformation is unrealistic in my mind. Everyone was perfect and supportive except for a single secondary character who was brought into provide angst. As another sub she wasn't too terrifying either physically or emotionally, more spoiled. I think this will appeal to those looking for a gentle trainer story with exhibitionism and a light bit of f-f play.

[TJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wish this rating system allowed for half stars...I'd be more inclined to think 3.5 for this book.

I enjoyed reading this one. There was some decent character development and we got a good glimpse into the their thoughts as the book progressed, but things seemed to go a little TOO smoothly for Amelia. I can't see someone transitioning from a vanilla lifestyle to BDSM that quickly and easily - didn't seem very realistic. Nothing all that strong in the BDSM department. A fairly easy read, and it had its interesting moments.

[Victoria Farmer · Rating 4 out of 5]

As I hadn't read anything by Dakota Lynn before I downloaded a sample of this book because it appeared on a list of books to read of this genre. Have to say I was surprised and enjoyed it. Agreed its a story that has been written before, woman needs a change, meets a man with a dominant tendancy and ends up falling for him but he falls harder for her - but isn't that how most books are and who doesn't love a knight charging in on his steed to help the floundering damsel? I certainly do and I enjoyed this book so I'll be looking at other works by Dakota and enjoying those also!

[Flchickie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this book. Dakota does an excellent job diving into the mindset of a submissive, especially during those first experiences. There was a sweet connection between Dirk and Amelia. I couldn't put this book down and it was a nice shift from some of the more typical bdsm fiction pieces out there. For those of you who enjoy bdsm erotica, I highly recommend that you give this one a read.

[Tess · Rating 4 out of 5]

I keep reading posts about sugarkink and if I understand the definition correctly, this would certainly qualify. The book is about a novice sub and seems to be written for an audience that are exploring their bdsm interests. I liked this book, it was a fun and uncomplicated read and I enjoyed watching the relationship build between Dirk and Amelia.

[Tabatha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very sweet and almost gentle type of d/s relationship. I liked both characters very much, but at times it felt like Amy's(Amelia) transformation into a sub was unrealistic since this was all set during one week time span. I just found it a bit hard to believe, but beyond that it is a really enjoyable book and worth reading.

[Rochelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this one. I loved that in her 40's Amy was open to such a different lifestyle. Just shoes it's never to late to pursue what you want. I didn't like how fast they fell for each other. Amy just latched on like a love leech. How can you fall in love after giving someone a blowjob!?!? Otherwise a good book.

[Rachelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book and the characters.. It is a series with book 2 coming soon.. It's sugarkink and I enjoyed every minute of it! Book contains bdsm, m/m, f/f amongst other things. Oh and also m/f.. :)

[Sasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! Awesome story about a woman that chose to walk down the path of a world she never knew about, the world of BDSM. She finds she is naturally submissive and is tested to great lengths.. Very sexual and erotic. Great read!

[Ashley Kannenberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

WELL the only bad thing is that the next book doesn't continue with these people but i was very happy with this book although their story did end in this book i would liked for it to have been more drawn out

[Rachel Lune · Rating 4 out of 5]

My biggest drawback to this book- his name...Dirk! Aside from this, I really enjoyed reading Amy's story and seeing the bond between them grow.

A few parts felt a little rushed, the ending for one. But a great 'hot' read!

[Lily Marlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved this book,simply loved it!! one of the best bdsm books I've read so far

[Msshel · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable tale. I like the different perspective of the character's relationships.

[Racquel · Rating 2 out of 5]

meh

[Mallory]

entered by accident