Let me start with the warnings here: this is a story that starts with highly charged imagery, which really seems to celebrate both the “old South’s” racism and the distasteful side of a Dominant / Submissive relationship. While the Dom/Sub relationship is a trend throughout the book, the racism does become less overt, although no less offensive. There are also several highly charged sex scenes with bondage, anal sex and spanking.
When I first started this book, I truly didn’t know if I could finish; the opening scene was so distasteful and instantly had me disliking the main male character. However, it was beautifully written with description that put me right in the front row seeing the story as it progressed. While I don’t pretend to understand or even be all that curious about the Dom/Sub relationship dynamics, they were really well detailed, and I came to see Daniel as more than a distasteful character. Drawn with a series of interior monologues as well as an obvious need to protect, shelter and ‘fix” issues for everyone he encounters, we come to see how the past influenced his current behavior. Cynda is far more courageous and loving than one would expect, and she comes to have an understanding of her value and worth as a human being and woman as the story progresses.
Yes, at the heart of the story, this is a romance with kink, and the action around the couple has moments of laughter, pain and outrage as they deal with the difficulties of being in a relationship that is still taboo in much of the south – despite forward progress. All of these events and feelings are beautifully detailed and described by the author, creating a completely different impression of the book for me when complete than from the first chapters. I do understand that this is the second in the series, but there was also more than enough information provided about the secondary characters to not need to read these in order, and those who are inclined should look at the review here for Soft Sounds of Pleasure .
Reviewed for Jeep Diva - I received an electronic copy of the book from the author for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review, and all conclusions are my own responsibility.