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Restraint
A fast-paced novel hailed by Entertainment Weekly as a "well-crafted, suspenseful thriller [which] offers sex, erotica, and more sex."In Sherry Sonnett’s compelling first novel, Vega Johnson, a successful L.A. investment counselor, is leading a respectable but dull life when she meets Paul Lattimer, a major player in a mysterious, international finance game. Immediately fascinated by and drawn to his power, she soon gets caught up in his dark world of kinky sex, white collar crime, and murder.
262 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1994
About the author
Sherry Sonnett
8 books9 followersIn addition to my novel RESTRAINT, I've written two children's books, numerous articles for such publications at the New York Times and Ms. Magazine. I've also written for Hollywood, both movies and television.
I have a Masters degree from Harvard Divinity School, where I concentrated on consciousness, the many ways we bring the world into being and invest it with meaning. I am especially drawn to William James, the American psychologist and philosopher, and poke around in his books whenever I need to stand in the light of a brilliant and generous mind.
I have a Masters degree from Harvard Divinity School, where I concentrated on consciousness, the many ways we bring the world into being and invest it with meaning. I am especially drawn to William James, the American psychologist and philosopher, and poke around in his books whenever I need to stand in the light of a brilliant and generous mind.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
May 5, 2015
Well, what can I say. This book wasn't anything like what I was expecting or what I typically like. The synopsis was vague and I guess I was expecting one thing when in fact I got something else. With that being said, if your looking for a book with a bit of suspense then I guess this has it. It wasn't my kind of book, but that doesn't mean it's not for you.
This book started out giving some info on the main character Vega, an Investment and Financial Planner, going to a party for a restaurant opening. Her ex-husband, Don a VP for a public relations company that specializes in business and corporate accounts, invited her to go and she went because he asked her to. They separated on good terms and were better friends then when they were together. At the party she's introduced by her ex-husband Don, to a man, Paul Lattimer. He's the kind of man that you don't notice at first, but after seeing him you can't look away. He's has defined muscles and the looks that make him look masculine and in control. They hit it off and by the end of the evening they find themselves back at her house having sex.
A sort of pattern develop and a sort of relationship blooms. The problem is, that even after months of dating she really knows nothing about him. When she asks him where he's from he answers with New York, but he never gives details. When she asks about his family he says their dead and he doesn't elaborate. At some point Paul introduces her to some friends, but she comes to find out that their more business associates. She begins to put pieces together and realizes that he's deep into shady business practices. He's a facilitator for money laundry and he's not apposed to using force to get his way.
He gets her into his business and before you know it she's learning the tricks of the trade and she's handed him the names of some of her client's. The deeper she goes the more she comes to realize that she's not so innocent and she's not afraid to explore this new side to herself. Eventually she finds out that her first client's son is trying to take over the company and steal if from his father. She comforts him only to find out that the man behind it all is Paul, her new boy toy. He orchestrated the entire thing. He's the one who got her ex-husband to introduce them. He wanted to know everyone involved in her clients business. He's blackmailing her ex-husband, her clients son and many more. He's trying to take over the company so he can funnel money and she was just a pawn.
Vega confronts Paul and the truth comes out. He tells her theirs nothing she can do and to just enjoy the money she's making. He even offers to still have sex when he's in town. She agrees with an ulterior motive. He thinks he's got it all and after having sex she get's into his computer and transfers his files to herself and changes everything on the spreadsheet to make it look like he's skimming the profits off the top. She shows it to the associates he introduces her to and eventually the information get's to the main guy.
While sleeping with him Paul gets a call to meet with the man and he leaves. Vega gets a call a few days later from Paul asking her to meet him in a remote place and to bring money. He tells her he's getting out of town because his associates believe he's skimming off the top. She gives him a few thousand and he leaves. Vega believes she knows where he's at and drives to a remote house. She finds him there. He's carrying a gun for protection. He invites her in and tell her what he believes is happening. He's being set up. She hugs him and slips the gun out of his waist and agrees. She smiles and the light switches with Paul when he realizes she's the one behind it all. He underestimated her and the vengeance she'd seek for what he's done. After a short scuffle she shots him twice. He dies their in the floor of an abandoned house. She leaves knowing that no one can connect her to him.
That's were the story ends. She's learned a lot about herself and it's unclear where she's going. Will she work for the main guy, did what she do save her clients company, is her ex-husband safe now that the main blackmailer is dead. Many questions are left unanswered.
What was the point became my bigger question. I'm the kind of person who likes it when the point of a story is love. The kind of things a person will do for those they love can be deadly, yet in this book none of that seemed to be the point. She never truly loved Paul because he never let anyone in. She didn't really love her ex-husband because at the end she never really knew him. The story just left me wondering if the hours I spent reading it was worth my time. Hay maybe I'm wrong and their's someone out their who'll read this book and love it. Unfortunately that person wasn't me.
This book started out giving some info on the main character Vega, an Investment and Financial Planner, going to a party for a restaurant opening. Her ex-husband, Don a VP for a public relations company that specializes in business and corporate accounts, invited her to go and she went because he asked her to. They separated on good terms and were better friends then when they were together. At the party she's introduced by her ex-husband Don, to a man, Paul Lattimer. He's the kind of man that you don't notice at first, but after seeing him you can't look away. He's has defined muscles and the looks that make him look masculine and in control. They hit it off and by the end of the evening they find themselves back at her house having sex.
A sort of pattern develop and a sort of relationship blooms. The problem is, that even after months of dating she really knows nothing about him. When she asks him where he's from he answers with New York, but he never gives details. When she asks about his family he says their dead and he doesn't elaborate. At some point Paul introduces her to some friends, but she comes to find out that their more business associates. She begins to put pieces together and realizes that he's deep into shady business practices. He's a facilitator for money laundry and he's not apposed to using force to get his way.
He gets her into his business and before you know it she's learning the tricks of the trade and she's handed him the names of some of her client's. The deeper she goes the more she comes to realize that she's not so innocent and she's not afraid to explore this new side to herself. Eventually she finds out that her first client's son is trying to take over the company and steal if from his father. She comforts him only to find out that the man behind it all is Paul, her new boy toy. He orchestrated the entire thing. He's the one who got her ex-husband to introduce them. He wanted to know everyone involved in her clients business. He's blackmailing her ex-husband, her clients son and many more. He's trying to take over the company so he can funnel money and she was just a pawn.
Vega confronts Paul and the truth comes out. He tells her theirs nothing she can do and to just enjoy the money she's making. He even offers to still have sex when he's in town. She agrees with an ulterior motive. He thinks he's got it all and after having sex she get's into his computer and transfers his files to herself and changes everything on the spreadsheet to make it look like he's skimming the profits off the top. She shows it to the associates he introduces her to and eventually the information get's to the main guy.
While sleeping with him Paul gets a call to meet with the man and he leaves. Vega gets a call a few days later from Paul asking her to meet him in a remote place and to bring money. He tells her he's getting out of town because his associates believe he's skimming off the top. She gives him a few thousand and he leaves. Vega believes she knows where he's at and drives to a remote house. She finds him there. He's carrying a gun for protection. He invites her in and tell her what he believes is happening. He's being set up. She hugs him and slips the gun out of his waist and agrees. She smiles and the light switches with Paul when he realizes she's the one behind it all. He underestimated her and the vengeance she'd seek for what he's done. After a short scuffle she shots him twice. He dies their in the floor of an abandoned house. She leaves knowing that no one can connect her to him.
That's were the story ends. She's learned a lot about herself and it's unclear where she's going. Will she work for the main guy, did what she do save her clients company, is her ex-husband safe now that the main blackmailer is dead. Many questions are left unanswered.
What was the point became my bigger question. I'm the kind of person who likes it when the point of a story is love. The kind of things a person will do for those they love can be deadly, yet in this book none of that seemed to be the point. She never truly loved Paul because he never let anyone in. She didn't really love her ex-husband because at the end she never really knew him. The story just left me wondering if the hours I spent reading it was worth my time. Hay maybe I'm wrong and their's someone out their who'll read this book and love it. Unfortunately that person wasn't me.
August 4, 2021
Sexualizing babies is disgusting and pathological. Just awful
June 11, 2024
A very sexy read
A wonderful thriller in which a woman is seduced into a dark sensual world. The sex scenes are sensual and hot, the story contains well thought out twists and turns. This would have made a great movie giving the likes of Basic Instinct et al a run for their money!
A wonderful thriller in which a woman is seduced into a dark sensual world. The sex scenes are sensual and hot, the story contains well thought out twists and turns. This would have made a great movie giving the likes of Basic Instinct et al a run for their money!
November 23, 2022
Was surprised with this read but I did enjoy it quite alot
August 22, 2025
3.5 stars i enjoyed this book especially the stocks and shares job.
August 13, 2013
I was kind of back and forth with book I haven’t had a lot of free time lately so I have been picking up and putting the book down off and on for 20 -30 min at a time so it took me much longer to get through than I would have liked. To me it kind of read like a series of journal entries, as Vega told her story of self discovery and how she got to this place in her life that she was comfortable enough to take more risks in both her personal and professional life. While I liked the progression of the story, and I found it interesting I didn’t like the characters. Vega and Paul where just such deplorable human beings with no real feelings other than a passion for sex and money. They didn’t have any endearing qualities that made you care for them or draw you to them in any way. I didn’t have any real connection with the characters so I had a hard time empathizing in any way with Vega as she told her dark tail. Its one of those stories that are entirely subjective to the person reading it depending on your tastes. I personally could have used a little more dark humor to lighten it up in places.
Want to Read
June 24, 2013RESTRAINT, by Sherry Sonnett, is a superior reading experience. Its heroine stumbles into an erotic story which is told through slim, elegant prose. Sonnett guides her heroine through a maze of experiences, several of them sexually charged, which leads her to liberation. It's a stunning story, masterfully told, by a writer who knows the world and the reality of the interplay between men and women. Highly recommended!
September 26, 2016
It was an okay read, saved really by the ending. The main characters were not particularly likeable so I wasn't especially bothered what happened to either of them. Both Paul and Vega seemed to be living in life in order to make money and have lots of sex with lots of different partners, not necessarily in that order! There seemed to be very little love involved in the sex scenes so they left me a bit cold - 4/10 for this one, despite getting a bit better at the end.
June 23, 2013
this book was very different to what I expected.It wasn't a love story and the characters actually weren't that likeable.I found that the dramatic business stuff was the only good thing going for it.The love scenes were really lame.No passion between Paul and Vega.God knows why a smart woman like her allowed herself to be swept up in his world and be treated like that.
June 25, 2013
A very interesting female character - feminine, aggressive and fearless in discovering who she is. It made me wonder about the fate of Vega Johnson after the story ends. Beautifully written. Read it twice and twice couldn't put it down.
December 30, 2009
Pretentious in the dirty parts and boring as hell in the "suspense" parts... unless spreadsheets seem exciting to you.
June 16, 2014
Not at all what I expected. Just not for me.
May 11, 2014
it was not as erotic as i thought ot would be. but still a good read
February 8, 2015
Not for me.
April 29, 2014
I'm still hooked up. I don't know what to say. haha
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews