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Nothing Ventured: A Twisted Tale Of High Tech & High Heels
When übergeek and start-up founder Ed meets pretty blonde Amanda at the venture capital firm where he is seeking first round funding, he little suspects that she plans to introduce him to her own brand of BDSM sex. Ed has no experience of being a submissive, but Amanda is happy to show him the ropes – and the gags, the nipple clamps, the spanking paddle and the strap-on.
With a little help from some off-prescription pharmaceuticals Amanda soon has Ed just where she wants him; tied down with his rear in the air, ready for the taking. But Amanda has some demons of her own to exorcise, and her delight in subjugating Ed is mixed with doubts and uncertainties. Does she really want to be a dominatrix at all, or would she rather bottom for her old public school friend and right-wing extremist Shona, and her leatherdyke motorcycle gang?
As Amanda introduces Ed to pegging, enforced chastity and transatlantic teasing and denial, he is drawn into a complex geometry of sexual jealousy, abduction and dodgy independent film-making, where nothing is quite what it seems.
With a little help from some off-prescription pharmaceuticals Amanda soon has Ed just where she wants him; tied down with his rear in the air, ready for the taking. But Amanda has some demons of her own to exorcise, and her delight in subjugating Ed is mixed with doubts and uncertainties. Does she really want to be a dominatrix at all, or would she rather bottom for her old public school friend and right-wing extremist Shona, and her leatherdyke motorcycle gang?
As Amanda introduces Ed to pegging, enforced chastity and transatlantic teasing and denial, he is drawn into a complex geometry of sexual jealousy, abduction and dodgy independent film-making, where nothing is quite what it seems.
- GenresBDSM
104 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 19, 2013
1 person is currently reading
50 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
August 2, 2013
Nothing Ventured: a twisted tale of high tech and high heels primarily chronicles the budding romance between a venture capital executive, who is arguably a sociopath with domme leanings, and an entrepreneurial software geek/reformed bad boy. Much of the story is told in a humorous manner, which takes the edge off the devious and sadistic machinations of Amanda as she ensnares the here-to-fore vanilla Ed into becoming a submissive sex toy through trickery and surreptitiously administering drugs that make him more compliant and sexually potent. I found myself laughing at the outcome of her wicked scheming even while simultaneously thinking that many BDSM lifestyle readers would probably cringe at how the non-consensual power exchanges depicted misrepresent the sensibilities of most of the leather community.
Ultimately Amanda reveals the majority of her deceptions and the relationship continues because Ed finds himself drawn to the intensity of their sexual exploits, and he genuinely likes and respects Amanda. Without going into the minutiae of the storyline, Amanda gets carried away with her games and manipulations when she attempts to get Ed and her former lesbian lover jealous of one another while Ed is at a convention in Las Vegas (locked in a chastity device). Things really go south and the lovers nearly become the featured victims in a snuff movie. Drawing upon skills learned during his misspent youth, Ed extricates them from peril in a fashion that seems to give him leverage to steer their relationship toward normalcy, although that definition of normalcy is loose enough to encompass a ménage a trios with a pretty bisexual woman who was instrumental in their escape from disaster.
I enjoyed this relatively short book despite its politically incorrect elements. The kink was well written and imaginative and the characters were interestingly developed. The abrupt change in the direction of the plot was a little confusing, but this is an erotic book so I really didn’t expect an impeccably crafted story arc. I look forward to reading more from Salome Verdad.
Ultimately Amanda reveals the majority of her deceptions and the relationship continues because Ed finds himself drawn to the intensity of their sexual exploits, and he genuinely likes and respects Amanda. Without going into the minutiae of the storyline, Amanda gets carried away with her games and manipulations when she attempts to get Ed and her former lesbian lover jealous of one another while Ed is at a convention in Las Vegas (locked in a chastity device). Things really go south and the lovers nearly become the featured victims in a snuff movie. Drawing upon skills learned during his misspent youth, Ed extricates them from peril in a fashion that seems to give him leverage to steer their relationship toward normalcy, although that definition of normalcy is loose enough to encompass a ménage a trios with a pretty bisexual woman who was instrumental in their escape from disaster.
I enjoyed this relatively short book despite its politically incorrect elements. The kink was well written and imaginative and the characters were interestingly developed. The abrupt change in the direction of the plot was a little confusing, but this is an erotic book so I really didn’t expect an impeccably crafted story arc. I look forward to reading more from Salome Verdad.
January 4, 2015
Starts off with nicely written, plausible, erotic, consensual fem-dom. Nice work. Then it seems the author just got bored with the whole thing, veered into a ridiculous and uninteresting non-consensual situation that was just as suddenly resolved.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 19, 2013
First of all, I am Italian, so perhaps my English will not be of such high standard, sorry for that.
I liked this novel mainly because it is so well written, great choice of words, excellent capacity to describe places and persons, fine language, good period structure, all is so thoughtfully conceived and yet flowing smoothly. Moreover there are no doubts that this novel has been written by a Woman, and that, for a Femdom book, is, for me, in itself a distinctive plus.
Of course, after reading it all, I started analyzing this novel from the perspective of a submissive man looking for well written Femdom erotica, and it is conceivable that a person in a different perspective from mine, such as a Woman, for example, while reading it, could have different perceptions.
But then, I liked this novel only to a point, and that in 2 distinct meanings:
Firstly, I really liked a lot the first 3 chapters, where the erotic tension was so sharp that it was truly exciting to read, and even I was tempted to, you know, give myself pleasure.. But then, when I arrived to the chapter 4, the emotional impact of the story on me started to falter, the magic was getting thin..
Secondly,I liked it but I found it, as the chapters went by, increasingly unrealistic, unlikely in its tale evolution.
In fact, even in these first 3 chapters the "things" taking place were looking a little "mechanical", too fast evolving, and there were already some hints that this was a cleverly but coldly constructed story, and not some believable portrait of realistic emotions and games of a Woman playing a man into submission and a representation equally realistic of the submissive's guy emotions, which is, clearly, what I personally look for when I am trying to select a Femdom book..
For example:
1) He is always bound (except at the first scene) so that he does not really choose anything and then the Woman can conduct her game freely, except that all her moves seem the opposite of Free, but instead extremely planned in advance, cold mindedly...
2) He is also "forced" to sexual prowess by drugs given to him (Viagra and others), and they both have great fucking and great Orgasms, while the fact that he is full of Viagra ( the Author does not seem to know that a dose too high of Viagra can easily push a normal guy into heart attack), makes all Her plan irresistible, and his participation granted...
3) She has all the possible tools, much more than needed, (even if allegedly she had never used them much before) and she is mastering their use, but it is never clear why She makes all that efforts for getting him into submission..
Not wanting to tell the tale, in general a problem of this novel is that the pace accelerates relentlessy, and that the events that are taking place are immediately accepted by him and her as "normal" in this Femdom relationship.. strap-on becomes immediately sexual pleasure for him, then he accepts chastity belt with no erections allowed while he goes to an essential work meeting and has no problem of being found out with that at airport checks...
Again the "topos" of forced chastity, of "coming out",and of blackmail are evocated, and immediately represented as fully acceptable for him, and these "topoi" accumulate and increase all the time.. Later in the tale, again too many more "topoi" including spiteful Lesbian dykes, hints at snuff movies and worse.. , and then, a happy end in which the guy through Action becomes a Man again.. this is vastly unreal..
In my modest opinion, and reflecting my personal tastes, a sub man reading a FemDom Novel looks and hopes excitedly to arrive to the "point" in the book, after a "breaking" and a "training" when he is a complete slave to Her, and then hopes for a lenghty descriptions of Her Pleasures in using and abusing him.. but things here change too fast for that to take place, and there is no "plateau" of Her Contentment, nor placid, relaxed use by Her of the sub (and correspondent falling of the sub in a state of mind of growing submissivness). Also, bizarrely, here there is a complete lack of the emotions of humiliation by his side and of sadistic amusement and excitement in enforcing humiliations on him..
I liked this novel mainly because it is so well written, great choice of words, excellent capacity to describe places and persons, fine language, good period structure, all is so thoughtfully conceived and yet flowing smoothly. Moreover there are no doubts that this novel has been written by a Woman, and that, for a Femdom book, is, for me, in itself a distinctive plus.
Of course, after reading it all, I started analyzing this novel from the perspective of a submissive man looking for well written Femdom erotica, and it is conceivable that a person in a different perspective from mine, such as a Woman, for example, while reading it, could have different perceptions.
But then, I liked this novel only to a point, and that in 2 distinct meanings:
Firstly, I really liked a lot the first 3 chapters, where the erotic tension was so sharp that it was truly exciting to read, and even I was tempted to, you know, give myself pleasure.. But then, when I arrived to the chapter 4, the emotional impact of the story on me started to falter, the magic was getting thin..
Secondly,I liked it but I found it, as the chapters went by, increasingly unrealistic, unlikely in its tale evolution.
In fact, even in these first 3 chapters the "things" taking place were looking a little "mechanical", too fast evolving, and there were already some hints that this was a cleverly but coldly constructed story, and not some believable portrait of realistic emotions and games of a Woman playing a man into submission and a representation equally realistic of the submissive's guy emotions, which is, clearly, what I personally look for when I am trying to select a Femdom book..
For example:
1) He is always bound (except at the first scene) so that he does not really choose anything and then the Woman can conduct her game freely, except that all her moves seem the opposite of Free, but instead extremely planned in advance, cold mindedly...
2) He is also "forced" to sexual prowess by drugs given to him (Viagra and others), and they both have great fucking and great Orgasms, while the fact that he is full of Viagra ( the Author does not seem to know that a dose too high of Viagra can easily push a normal guy into heart attack), makes all Her plan irresistible, and his participation granted...
3) She has all the possible tools, much more than needed, (even if allegedly she had never used them much before) and she is mastering their use, but it is never clear why She makes all that efforts for getting him into submission..
Not wanting to tell the tale, in general a problem of this novel is that the pace accelerates relentlessy, and that the events that are taking place are immediately accepted by him and her as "normal" in this Femdom relationship.. strap-on becomes immediately sexual pleasure for him, then he accepts chastity belt with no erections allowed while he goes to an essential work meeting and has no problem of being found out with that at airport checks...
Again the "topos" of forced chastity, of "coming out",and of blackmail are evocated, and immediately represented as fully acceptable for him, and these "topoi" accumulate and increase all the time.. Later in the tale, again too many more "topoi" including spiteful Lesbian dykes, hints at snuff movies and worse.. , and then, a happy end in which the guy through Action becomes a Man again.. this is vastly unreal..
In my modest opinion, and reflecting my personal tastes, a sub man reading a FemDom Novel looks and hopes excitedly to arrive to the "point" in the book, after a "breaking" and a "training" when he is a complete slave to Her, and then hopes for a lenghty descriptions of Her Pleasures in using and abusing him.. but things here change too fast for that to take place, and there is no "plateau" of Her Contentment, nor placid, relaxed use by Her of the sub (and correspondent falling of the sub in a state of mind of growing submissivness). Also, bizarrely, here there is a complete lack of the emotions of humiliation by his side and of sadistic amusement and excitement in enforcing humiliations on him..
August 12, 2013
This one was recommended to me by a friend, and I must say, I was pleasantly surprised - especially for a first-time novelist. Salome Verdad brings us her two lead characters, Amanda and Ed, who are convincingly written as modern day, corporate colleagues. They enter into a sexual relationship which, whilst bizarre, one cannot help but acknowledge, is very much based on credible possibility. The BDSM activities described are very conducive with those employed by true S & M relationships as they exist today.
Ed’s sexual tastes are typically vanilla, whereas Amanda can only become aroused by domination. Ed is not a submissive, but he is willing to experiment, and the domination games often exceed his comfort zone. However, even though his consent appears to be strained at times, she doesn’t force him to do anything that is blatantly against his will. It also explores the heightened sexual desire that will occur within all people when they are subjected to orgasm denial, regardless of their actual sexual orientation.
A twist in the tale becomes apparent when Amanda’s own emotional teasing games go awry, and she finds herself overpowered and captured by her former, lesbian, sexual partners. This adds a rare, almost-thriller subplot to the story, which is highly creative, and seldom found in this genre.
The writing style is very accessible, and the sexual descriptions are easily enough to satisfy the essential ‘masturbation’ factor.
In all, an extraordinary first novel, and most insightful. Nothing Ventured should appeal to vanilla readers, and offers BDSM activity that any femdom enthusiast will easily relate to.
Ed’s sexual tastes are typically vanilla, whereas Amanda can only become aroused by domination. Ed is not a submissive, but he is willing to experiment, and the domination games often exceed his comfort zone. However, even though his consent appears to be strained at times, she doesn’t force him to do anything that is blatantly against his will. It also explores the heightened sexual desire that will occur within all people when they are subjected to orgasm denial, regardless of their actual sexual orientation.
A twist in the tale becomes apparent when Amanda’s own emotional teasing games go awry, and she finds herself overpowered and captured by her former, lesbian, sexual partners. This adds a rare, almost-thriller subplot to the story, which is highly creative, and seldom found in this genre.
The writing style is very accessible, and the sexual descriptions are easily enough to satisfy the essential ‘masturbation’ factor.
In all, an extraordinary first novel, and most insightful. Nothing Ventured should appeal to vanilla readers, and offers BDSM activity that any femdom enthusiast will easily relate to.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews