Club Wonderland

Friends and Benefits #2

by Christine d'Abo

Alice White isn't used to being ignored. So when the object of her lust does just that, she's bound and determined to get his attention. Her pursuit leads her to Wonderland, the kind of club she's only read about, and suddenly Alice is craving something she never knew she needed.

Gael Hernandez wants to be the youngest partner at his prestigious law firm, and not even a certain tempting legal assistant can distract him from his goal of financially helping his family. Until she shows up at his favorite club and surprises him with an interest in being restrained. But the BDSM lifestyle is no game to him, and he won't take things further until Alice is schooled into submission.

After a taste, Alice wants more. She offers to be Gael's sub for one weekend, with nothing forbidden and no boundaries. In a few short days, he gives her the strength to be the person she's always wanted to be. Now Alice just needs to convince Gael that he can dominate in the bedroom, and submit to love.

58,000 words

Genres: Erotica, BDSM, Romance, Erotic Romance, Contemporary Romance

157 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 14, 2013

About the author

A romance novelist and short story writer, Christine has over forty publications to her name. She loves to exercise and stops writing just long enough to keep her body in motion too. When she’s not pretending to be a ninja in her basement, she’s most likely spending time with her family and two dogs.


My thoughts on any of my Goodreads reviews are only my opinion as a reader. I don't post anything here that I'd give less than three stars to.

Reviews

[Deanie Nelder · Rating 3 out of 5]

Administrative professional Alice has had a crush on her boss (lawyer Gael) for a while. She can tell that he's interested in her but he's never acted on it, so when she sees him going into a mysterious club, she follows. She ends up in Club Wonderland, a strange BDSM club run by the Red (Drag) Queen. There, submissive Alice and Dominant Gael can follow their erotic desires, because if they're found out in the real world, Gael can kiss his promotion (and the money he needs to help his family) goodbye.

So, this book is interesting. The author tried to straddle the line between Alice in Wonderland homage and life in the real world, and it didn't work. She either needed to embrace the Wonderland motif more thoroughly, or disregard it completely. Gael and Alice are a great couple and have a lot of chemistry, but overall the book just seems flat.

[MsRomanticReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alice, a former child beauty pageant queen and model had the looks, but they never brought her luck in the dating department. She wasn't portrayed as the bimbo who used her looks to get what she wanted. She was smart, a hard worker and a helpful work colleague. Despite her attraction to Gael, she never acted upon it. Gael never seemed to pay any attention to her in a manner that was anything but professional. I thought she managed to fake confidence quite well. Sometimes it was genuine, other times it seemed to evaporate. However, I liked that she spoke up for herself more often than not.

I think the book blurb was a little misleading, especially the part about Alice “not used to being ignored and being bound and determined to get his attention”. That implied that she was a go-getter and probably not afraid of rejection, but she didn't come across that way to me.

Gael needed money to help out his parents, and his one shot was to make partner at his uncle's law firm, but there were strict rules he had to follow: no one could know of the family relation, no dating the office staff, and under no circumstances could his kinky lifestyle come to light. Alice hadn't gone unnoticed, but he was determined to keep his distance from her, no matter how much it pained him to do so.

I enjoyed Alice's honesty about her feelings and wants once she had followed Gael into Club Wonderland. Too many times characters beat around the bush or just don't say anything out of fear of rejection or embarrassment. While Alice explored her submissive side, she showed Gael that it was possible to find someone who embodied everything he wanted in a partner. Love, acceptance and enjoyment of the same lifestyle. However their time was cut short by Alice's mother. That was the only aspect of the story that I had a difficult time with. Her mother didn't do anything that would have made me think she was caring or considerate. Every time she came on the scene, she was telling Alice what she should do. At the end, it seemed like she had finally gotten her way, but then seeing her daughter mope made her do a complete three sixty. I just didn't buy how quickly that came about. Despite that hiccup, I liked that it was Alice who brought the ending full circle instead of having the man chase after her.

This was a very steamy read and not heavy on the BDSM. After all, Alice was a novice. But all the scenes were pretty hot. I thought the story flowed well, and the speed of their budding relationship didn't feel rushed, considering they'd been dancing around their mutual attraction for months. Having Alice not hold back also helped to move things along quicker because Gael always knew where he stood.

Club Wonderland is another story by this author that I'll be adding to my favorites list along with her Long Shots: Books 1-3 series. It's also one that I would read again.

Rating: 4-4.5

Disclaimer: I received a review copy from the publisher via NetGalley for the purpose of an honest review.

[Love Reading Romance · Rating 5 out of 5]

Club Wonderland is an erotic romance with allusions to Alice in Wonderland, so right from the start you know it is going to be fun. It's set in the same world and on virtually the same timeline as Christine d'Abo's earlier novel Sexcapades, but this time it follows Petra's friend Alice. In Club Wonderland we get a closer look at Alice White, a legal assistant who has been long lusting after Gael Hernandez, a lawyer at her workplace. Little does Alice know, but Gael has been longing for her too. The only problem is, he doubts she would be into his particular sexual appetites, so both are surprised when Alice turns up in his favorite BDSM club and likes what she finds.

Alice would have to be one of my favorite contemporary romance protagonists. She is quirky and funny but not in that two dimensional, designed for a quick laugh, way I've come to expect from a lot of novels. She has a real background and family history which is as much part of this story as the romance between her and Gael. She is hot for Gael right from the start but it is her willingness to try new things in order to get to know him better that makes this such a sexy story. She also has the most sarcastic internal dialogue that had me laughing out loud on more than one occasion.

Gael is a delicious hero. He is experienced as a dom, but quite inexperienced with love. In a lot of ways, his swoon-worthiness comes from his seemingly contradictory traits as determinedly in control, while being knocked off balance by his feelings for Alice. In the beginning, he appears quite shut off from his emotions, the typical aloof hero, but it is soon clear that this is far from his real persona. He is caring and sweet as he teaches Alice the ways of the sub and reveals his true desires to her. We also get to know a little about his romantic past, as well as his family who he is dedicated to looking after, so like Alice, he has quite a developed story.

In terms of the sex, this is a BDSM erotica, but it is relatively light. The reader is eased into this side of erotica, as Alice is eased into the BDSM lifestyle by Gael, making this a good start book for people wanting to explore BDSM literature without being thrown in the deep end.

My absolute only complaint about this novel was that I wish it could have been a little longer. I wanted to know more about Gael and I would have enjoyed a few more scenes from his perspective, though this isn't necessary. Basically, I just wanted more, but I know I'm being greedy.

I love the combination of humor and passion of Club Wonderland (the same humor and passion d'Abo did so well in Sexcapades) and I strongly recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys their romance funny, very sexy and with a light side of ropes and floggers. For those unfamiliar with BDSM erotica, this novel is your chance to venture down the rabbit hole. You know you want to.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed on: Where the Night Kind Roam

Club Wonderland by Christine d'Abo is the second book in the Friends and Benefits Series, I read the first book and really enjoyed it so I was happy when this book came up to request. I have always enjoyed d’Abo. I have to say, I preferred the first book in this series to this one. The character development in the first book was better, we had a better understanding of the characters and it was more humorous. Not that this book was even remotely bad, I definitely enjoyed it. The character development in this book wasn’t as good. We did learn some about Alice and her difficult relationship with her mother and her desire to please people. It was fun watching her explore her sexuality as well. Gael comes to us knowing what he likes and how he likes it, there is no exploration for him here, for him his exploration is more emotional. He’s never really had any emotional attachments to his subs and never really wanted one. Right now he has a lot at stake and Alice could blow all of that out of the water but I liked how he went for it anyway after a whole bunch of heming and hawing lol. Gael, while I did really like him he’s a great intense Dom but he is not as developed as Alice. He remains a bit of a mystery. There was also a bit of issue with the timing in this book. The beginning was a bit slow and the ending a bit rushed. Story was fun and since it is fairly short it did move along pretty quickly. I would actually give this book a 3.75 rating but since I don’t have a 3.75 rater it’s getting a 4. LOL

Rating: 3.75

*This book was provided to me through NetGalley for an honest review. No other compensation was provided.

[BookAddict ✒ La Crimson Femme · Rating 3 out of 5]

Want to walk on the wild side? Club Wonderland is a BDSM club I want to find. This is a 3.5 star story with a wonderful BDSM club. Ms. D'Abo's new series Friends and Benefits is fabulously kinky. The introduction of BDSM to Alice White is perfect for the BDSM Gateway category.

The kinky scenes in this tale are delicious. Ms. D'Abo does a great job of breaking in a new to BDSM person to the delights of submission. The theme of boss to subordinate increases the heat because it crosses the work authority taboo. Alice sees her boss, Gael Hernandez, going into a club and ends up finding a secret world she never knew. If only it were so easy to find this kind of club. Ms. D'Abo creates a fantasy BDSM filled with kinky scenes, sexy tools of the trade and a terrifying club owner. It's a captivating blend.

The BDSM in this story is shed in a positive light. While the play scenes are realistic, the entire BDSM package is washed under a romantic light. For those who are interested in the romantic version of BDSM, this story is very good. The characters are well developed. The conflict in the story is both believable and a bit depressing. What is good about this story is the conclusion to resolving the conflict reflects real world outcomes. Even though the sex is romantically kinky, the plot is well constructed - down to the bittersweet ending. This kinky erotica is recommended as a BDSM Gateway book. It will hook a reader into reading more BDSM novels.

*provided by NetGalley

[Daisy Sloan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Club Wonderland is a wonderful erotic re-telling of Alice in Wonderland. Right off the bat I was able to recognize Alice, The Cheshire Cat, The Queen of Hearts and of course the white rabbit that leads Alice into Wonderland.

Not only is it an erotic re-telling, it incorporates BDSM, bondage, spanking, a little tension, ok a lot of tension. I have to admit I loved every part of it.

The tension between Alice and Gael was amazing. It was the perfect amount without being over the top. When Alice and Gael finally hook up, it was hot as all get out! OMG!

But Gael wasn’t the perfect Dom. He made mistakes and this just made him that much more human. It made him lovable and realistic. After all, no one is perfect.

Alice made her own mistakes. She had to learn about herself, Gael, and how to stand on her own two feet.

This was definitely worth the read!

I receive a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.

[Margreet Asselbergs · Rating 4 out of 5]

CLUB WONDERLAND by Christine d'Abo
Advanced Reading Copy
Published: October 14, 2013, Carina Press

My rating: 4 of 5 ⭐️

Former child beauty queen, Alice White, is aware of the attention her looks can draw, but the only man she is interested in doesn't seem to notice her. Alice loves her work as legal assistant at the law offices, and is good at what she does, but it is a constant struggle to keep her mother from wanting to draw her back into a world where her looks are her only selling point. Alice has much more to offer than that.

With his family in financial need, Gael Hernandez signed on with his uncles law firm in hopes that he would make partner, and would be in a position to help them out. That is, if he could keep his nose clean, and that would mean no involvement with office staff, especially the gorgeous Alice, whose looks and generous heart are already a big distraction from his goal.

When Alice decides to fly solo on a Saturday night, and go out, she spots Gael and follows him into an obscure club. The name is Wonderland and it opens her eyes to a sexual smorgasbord she has only ever read about. Gael is living a BDSM lifestyle, but is very discreet about it and none to happy that Alice has followed him. But when she displays an interest, he can't resist and decides to test her willingness.

Knowing he is taking a risk, Gael invites Alice to spend a weekend as his submissive, and intrigued by her single experience, Alice accepts. She finds herself flourishing in the lifestyle and under Gael's guidance, giving her a strength and confidence in a short time, that had been lacking, while Gael finds himself connected to Alice on a deeper emotional level than he had anticipated. And when the weekend is cut short and family obligations and responsibilities, both real and perceived, threaten to pull apart their new found connection, it takes all of that strength, confidence and depth of feeling to stand up for their own wants and needs.

****

A fabulous short that holds a complete story.

Christine d'Abo introduces us to a world of BDSM as seen through the eyes of a novice, never losing sight of the importance of the storylline that it enhances. We get a quick glimpse in a variety of kink at Club Wonderland, which may be a brief shock to some, but it serves to break us out of conventional thought and into a more openminded space.....more accepting. Once there we are eased into what BDSM means and especially, what it does for someone like Alice. Misconceptions that still exist around the role of submissives are addressed once again and it is made clear that the ultimate power lies with them.
That knowledge is what gives Alice her strength and confidence. Never having had full control in her life, it may seem ironic at first that she willingly gives control to yet someone else, however, knowing that she holds the ultimate power to stop whatever is happening, instantly, in fact gives her the upper hand at all times. For Alice this is a heady feeling and one that allows her to comfortably, willingly and confidently submit herself.
For Gael, Alice has been a challenge from the start. She was someone he needed to resist, probably because he recognized the effect she could have on him if he let her come too close. He grew up in a liberal household, with respect to alternative lifestyles, but was aware the rest of the world was not as accepting. Craving and needing control, he tended to prefer incidental encounters at a club, avoiding emotional involvement. It was clear early on that would not be an option with Alice and she breaks through all his barriers with relative ease.

I really enjoyed Ms. d'Abo's writing style, her explanations and detailed descriptions when it comes to the BDSM lifestyle. For the non-initiated, it really helps put it in better perspective. The story was strong in itself, the characters compelling, the sex blistering hot. A great read! The book was just a bit too short!

✨An innocent ex-beauty queen, a grouchy Dom, a succulent short story!✨

**ARC courtesy of NetGalley and Carina Press in return for an honest review.**

[Marleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received my copy from Carina Press through NetGalley and rated it 3.5 stars.

What do we have here?

Well, we have a charming and easy to read story about two individuals, Alice and Gael, who are clearly attracted to each other but don’t act on their attraction for various reasons. Gael wouldn’t dream of approaching his beautiful co-worker. She may look like his idea of the perfect woman and come across as sweet-natured, that is not enough for him to abandon his plan of becoming a partner in his uncles company in order to safe his parent’s business. As for Alice, her reasons are far more straightforward; while she may be very attracted to Gael she has too much pride to throw herself at someone who obviously isn’t interested in her.

Things change when Alice follows Gael down a dark alley and into a club she didn’t know existed. Alice is shocked when she finds herself in what appears to be a sex club; shocked, but also excited. Her first encounter with the owner of the club, Mistress Red, put a smile on my face. Innocent Alice had no idea what to make of this woman, dressed in leather who suddenly kisses her.

Once she finds Gael it isn’t long before she discovers that Wonderland isn’t so much a sex club as a BDSM club and that Gael is a Dom. While Alice has no real idea what BDSM is or what a Dom does or whether or not she might be submissive, she can’t help feeling her body react to Gael when he gets into Dom mode.

Gael knows that getting involved with Alice might jeopardize all his carefully laid plans and does his best to scare her off. But Alice’s attraction to Gael is too strong and her curiosity about all the new feelings and emotions she’s experiencing too tempting to just walk away. She wants and needs to learn more about her reactions to everything Gael introduces her to.

After their one evening together neither Gael nor Alice is able to just walk away from the connection they both experienced. A weekend away, just the two of them, to explore whether or not Alice is indeed the woman Gael needs her to be seems the perfect solution. Until a family emergency throws a spanner in the works and threatens to tear them apart again.

To answer my own question, what we have here is a story that I seem to have read several times in the resent past. A stand-offish Dominant male encounters a rather innocent woman who turns out to be submissive although she has never had any desires to submit in the past. They really click and appear to be on the verge of their happy ending when due to an outside influence one of them suddenly feels the need to let the other one go. And so on. It is a nice story, the writing is fine and the book was easy to read, but the story was just too similar to other (dare I say better) ones I’ve read in the past.

I enjoyed the sexual interactions between Gael and Alice; they were hot and described in just the right amount of detail. Having said that, I’m wasn’t convinced by the speed with which Alice seems to take to all the new experiences.

Another thing that moved to fast was the ending of the book. While the pacing up until that point had been good and balanced I can’t help feeling that the author discovered she was getting close to the word count she had in mind and found herself having to rush to the finish line.

Having said all of that, there isn’t a whole lot wrong with this story either. Anyone who likes this genre but hasn’t read many similar stories yet will probably enjoy this novella a lot. As it is, this is an easy read, a charming story and a sexy way to spend an afternoon reading.

[Ashley F · Rating 2 out of 5]

This review was posted at Tsuki’s Book Blog on September 27, 2013.

I have this major issue with books surrounding "Alice in Wonderland" simply because I really enjoyed the original book. Most books follow a sort of stereotypical pattern of some girl named Alice falling 'down the rabbit hole' where she meets characters named after the book characters. Usually there is some sort of 'awakening' or 'growing up'. This was no different.

Alice is a law assistant. She has a huge crush on an associate partner, Gael, and one night she follows him to a club. "Wonderland" is a place for kinky sexual tastes and there Alice discovers Gael is a dom through the help of Chess, the bouncer, and Mistress Red, the owner. Gael is fascinated by Alice and begins teaching her about dominant/submissive relationships. Once they start they realize they are completely compatible but will outside forces such as family keep them apart?

Okay so like I said above, I tend to really dislike books that retell "Alice in Wonderland". This one was no different. First of all I can't stand it when the retelling actually has a character named Alice. Seriously!? Try to hide it just a bit. Then there was 'Chess' and "Mistress Red" and a guy who was 'late'. It was just too...similar that by halfway through the first Wonderland scene I was ready to DNF the book. I was too afraid I would spend the next 70% with characters like the March Hare, the Mad Hatter, etc. I didn't think I could risk it.

I was half-wrong. The book didn't redeem itself but it didn't devolve into scene after scene of Wonderland characters. I struggled with the characters for the most part and there wasn't much that drew me into the rest of the book other than the desire to know what happened in general. I ran into this same problem with another Christine d'Abo book I read earlier in the year. The story has a lot of plot but the characters are never really fleshed out. Alice wants control so naturally she gets off on being submissive. Gael wants power so he gets off on being dominant. They're pretty and they have issues. That's it. At the end I didn't really know much more about them other than their basic looks and their sexual desires.

I'll admit the book was readable which may sound harsh but it's really not. I could sit down and finish it in a few hours without stopping much and I could even get into reading some of the sexual scenes. The problem was the lack of that spark that would make it a reread. I can't see myself reading this one again simply because of it's overuse of Wonderland. I get the relation but for me, it ruined it. I would have rather had a club called Wonderland and let the rest be suggestive. It felt forced onto me as the reader and then the characters didn't make up for it.

If you're looking for a Harlequin length erotic romance then it might work for you. If you love "Alice in Wonderland" then it might be for you. It didn't work for me but I'm wondering if perhaps I wasn't the correct audience for it. Let me know what you think.

2 Stars
Published by Carina Press
October 14, 2013
157 Pages
Provided by--NetGalley

[Dana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Alice White has been crushing on her pseudo boss Gael Garcia for a few months now, but he won't give her the right time of day publicly. Privately, however, he notices her. He leaves cups of coffee on her desk as a thank you for all her hard work at the law firm. When Alice goes out by herself one night looking for a man, she sees Gael get out of a cab with a few other men and follows him down an alley to a secret door. At the door, she meets Chess, who welcomes her to Wonderland, but won't let her in, until she says that she's looking for Gael. Club Wonderland is not like any other dance club in downtown Toronto's scene. It is a BDSM club and Alice is about to fall down the rabbit hole.
Upon entrance into the club, Alice meets Mistress Red, the club's proprietor. Mistress Red shows Alice around her club, introducing Alice to this lifestyle that makes Alice a bit on the terrified side, until she sees Gael, and then all of a sudden, Alice is curious.
Gael, inwardly happy to see Alice, since he is harboring a huge crush on her, but outwardly is pissed off. His private life is private, but is willing to make an exception to his rule if Alice is willing to play by his rules.
Alice was a former child model and when she announced her retirement to her overbearing, controlling mother, Alice vowed to never let anyone control her again, unless, of course, it was Gael.
Alice and Gael spend one night together doing what Gael does best, and of course, Alice runs scared. She stays home from work for the next 3 days, and when Gael comes to check on her, they realize that they are attracted to each other, and want to make whatever they are to each other, work. Alice goes away with Gael for three days to try and see if they are compatible as both a Dom/Sub and as themselves. On the third day, Alice happens to hear her many, many voicemail messages and hears that her mother has been hospitalized. Alice's mom has been trying to get Alice to move back home, and she is also trying to set Alice up with a local, newly single dentist. When Gael drives Alice to her mother, he realizes that her mother is dominating her and wants Alice to see that her life is being controlled (uh hello pot- this is kettle), and she needs to make a choice- does she want to stay with her mother, or does she want to leave with Gael. So should Alice leave one controlling person for another?
This was an ARC-Netgalley copy and I enjoyed the writing style of the author. I could have done with less of the BDSM 101 and more of the characters feelings about it, like how and why did Gael get into this lifestyle, and why does Alice like this type of control over an overbearing mother controlling her. Alice's ultimate choice is one that will make all readers happy.

[Simply Love Book Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Slick‘s review posted on Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews

Review copy provided for an honest review

4.5 STARS

Christine D’Abo has done it again, I didn’t know if she’d be able to keep the magic alive after Sexcapades (the first book in this series) but she did with Club Wonderland, so much so that I’ll forgive her for naming her heroine Alice and the bouncer at Wonderland referring to her as “little rabbit.” That being said, I flat out loved Club Wonderland and very much enjoyed watching Alice as she fell in the world of BDSM after she follows one of the attorneys she works with to the club he frequents.

Alice intrigued me in Sexcapades and one thing I really loved that she was fiercely loyal to Petra and a good sounding board for her. While at times she comes off as aloof, as we get to know her it’s easy to understand why she is this way, what makes her tick, and her need to be in control of her own life. So, I was a little surprised when she so easily acquiesced to Gael’s lifestyle choices.

Gael was a little harder to read but I love how he was willing to do whatever it took to help his parents and their struggling business. While I didn’t always agree with the way he treated Alice, I understood his reasoning most of the time. Even though he thought he didn’t want a relationship, once he began to realize there was more between them I was quite satisfied with his need for them to spend time outside of the BDSM realm and get to know one another better.

The interplay between these two was interesting with Alice’s need for control and Gael being a DOM. There were many power plays and some interesting moments between them as they struggled to figure out how to be together.

I really wanted to give this book 5 stars because I enjoyed it so much but I couldn’t because there were some areas that bothered me in regards to their BDSM play. He did a scene with her when she knew very little about BDSM and that bothered me, as a respected Dom he should have known better than to do that. I also didn’t like that he never really discussed BDSM with her, he let her “research” on her own knowing she was using the internet and knowing that there is a lot of not so good information out there. Again, he should have been the one to answer her questions, make sure she understood the ins and outs, and introduce her to some other subs to talk to about it.

Despite my reservations about the BDSM play, I highly enjoyed this story. Club Wonderland was entertaining and enjoyable; the characters were quite intriguing and the love scenes hot and steamy. I’ve enjoyed both books in this series and can only hope there will be more!

[Amy H · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review..



that was a great book. It kept me interested till the very end. It was a fast paced book.


This book is about a girl named Alice. She works for a law firm, and loves her job. She is one of the few girls who can be a competent assistant. The one thing she loves about her job is one of the boss's. His name is Gael. He is trying to become partner in the law firm. He is a strict man, but their is something about him that she wants.

Alice and her best friend who runs a sex blog will find themselves in nice adventures that will go well for her best friend. leaving Alice alone and wanting a man. One night she was walking down the street looking for a club when she saw Gael. He was walking in a alley and going into a dark place.. She was going to follow him and see where he was going.
Alice found herself in a sex club. She had no idea what she was seeing or who these people could enjoy it. That is when she saw Gael. He made it clear that he doesn't want a relationship or be with her. His uncle is the owner of the law firm and put strict order of him if he ever wanted to make partner. One of which was no sleeping with the assistants. The thought of her calling him "Sir" turned him on. Now he will offer her a night of fun in "wonderland" to see if this is the life style that she wants to be in.
Now that Gael has gone to far, and needs Alice. He will offer her 3 days with him to see where it goes. Now Alice is going to learn the art of BDSM. How far can she go? will she say her safe word and end it all? will her mother come between them likes she has done her whole life? Can Alice ever really be happy?

[Heather M · Rating 3 out of 5]

Alice is a beautiful woman, and didn't want to pursue a career in modeling because she didn't want people to judge her for her looks. Which is in total contradiction to her feeling annoyed when her boss doesn't pay her any attention, other than professional.

Wanting to reassure herself that she can still get a date, she sets out to the club scene....alone. When she sees her boss go down an alley that isn't known for nightclubs, she follows him in and enters his world.

Gael has, of course, noticed Alice. She's gorgeous, how could he NOT notice her? He can't act on the attraction, because he needs to keep his career goals in sight. Imagine his surprise when he sees Alice in Club Wonderland looking shocked, and a bit turned on.

As with all of the books I've read by Christine, I enjoyed the story. It was a really easy, quick read (read it in one day). That said, I felt a lack of connection with the characters in this story. Alice seemed extremely superficial and self-centered, despite being painted as the office's favorite assistant who is always willing to help out. Gael, well, I am indifferent towards him. As with all of Christine's stories, though, the sex scenes were hot! ;)

My full review at: solefulreader.com

[Paris · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I did enjoy this book, it didn’t hold the same level of fun and breeziness that the first book had. This was a little bit deeper and darker and Gael and Alice were a little harder to connect with. I did like some of the twists and turns, like with Red for example. I didn’t see that one coming. The parallels with Alice in Wonderland were interesting. I liked how that all tied in, in fact that was probably the best part of the book trying to piece it all together.

I don’t know if Alice was all that believable. Or Gael for that matter. But together, they worked. I really enjoyed the progression of the book and how things worked out in the end. I would like to see more in this world so that we can get a glimpse of what happens even further in the future for this couple. I really would have liked to have just a little more time with them.

Overall, though it was enjoyable and kept me turning the pages. I will definitely keep picking up books by Christine d’Abo. She definitely knows how to write a super steamy sex scene.

Arc provided by the publisher via Netgalley for an honest review

[Niccisbookblog · Rating 4 out of 5]

Club wonderland is a fantastic erotic journey of two people finding something neither was looking for.

Gael wasnt looking for a new Sub or for love but he found both in Alice. Alice wasnt looking for a new journey through sex but she wanted Gael, Gael showed her the fine line between pleasure and pain.

The BDSM detailing in this story are authentic giving readers a true look into that world, i hate when authors hint at BDSM then skirt around it. Christine really pulls you into the rabbit hole of Wonderland through her writing the details are beautiful, really interesting characters carry the story well.

The sex isnt there just for shock factor, it really hold up the story.
I think i would have liked a bit more insight to Gael, i wanted to know more about him, he is a Sexy strong intelligent man who loves his family, and lives a BDSM Dom lifestyle, but that’s about all we get about him.

For a short novella there is a lot of story packed into it, but its not rushed in any way the tale flows and is a easy read.
I did really enjoy this book and will be looking for other titles by this author.

[Jackie - Fire & Ice Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

* I received my copy of this book from NetGalley.*

Welcome to Wonderland! A BDSM club that will tempt you to go inside. Alice excepts that call after seeing her boss go inside. She follows him into a whole new world. She is shocked about what she finds, but turned on at the same time.

The author brings Alice into a whole new world, while explaining exactly what it is. I like how she also takes it slow for readers that are new to this genre. Readers are not jumping in head first. While very enjoyable, I just wish it was a bit longer. Gale is one of those hot doms Who wants to keep his heart in place. I love how this book was dipped into a river of romance! I thought it was so cute! At first, I thought Gail was a bit heartless, but we got to see the way he cares about his family. After that, I fell in love with him.

This was a really awesome page turner that had me wanting more I was caught up in the story, and really intrigued by the characters..
Over all this was a really great read! This is the first book I have read by this author. I definitely will be picking up book one really soon! If you are new to the BDSM genre, I highly highly recommend you check out this book!

[Wanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Alice worked in a lawyer’s office, not exactly what her mother wanted her to do, but Alice gave up being a model, she liked her job. Gael is a sexy lawyer whose office is close to where Alice sits, he doesn’t seem to give her a second glance. When Alice is out looking for a club to dance she spots Gael going into another club, a club she never knew existed. She follows him into club “Wonderland” and steps into a whole new world…Gael World. Will she accept this lifestyle or run…..

This was an easy book to read, sex scenes were hot, and the characters had a good chemistry. I would have like it a little longer so I could have gotten to know and understand Gael and Alice a little more, and a little more detail at the would have been great. But over all a good easy, sexy fast read!

ARC Provided by NetGallery in exchange for an honest review.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finally! An author that depicts the BDSM lifestyle correctly and with class. Christine d'Abo has offered readers a glimpse into the BDSM world that is authentic and readable, with interesting characters and beautifully detailed settings. The BDSM scenes do not just exist for shock value; they actually frame events and move the story along. This novella does a great job of introducing a set of characters in a short amount of space, and not shorting any of the characters. I look forward to other books in the series, and will pick up book 1, Sexcapades, as soon as possible!. The story was strong and well-plotted, the characters engaging,Ms. d'Abo writes with wit and humor, and the sex - off the chain. I will definitely read this series.
*I received my copy from NetGalley.com in exchange for an honest review.

[Alina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was... good. Although I didn't fall in love or felt any kind of attachment to the main characters. What I did notice is the obvious similarities with the Fifty Shades of Grey series. Maybe Erika read this book too? Hmm.

Anyways. Good book as I head. Alice's mother pissed me off big time. I hated the first scene at the club, which was the main reason why I skipped pages. I absolutely loved the ending chapter, this I admit.

Overall, 4 stars for this one. But if I were to choose from this or Sexcapades, I'd, without a doubt, choose Sexcapades. I just adore that book and its characters way more than Club Wonderland's.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC FROM NETGALLEY

This was a easy read, It's defiantly not for everyone. I thought the main characters in the book played well into each other, they gave in sight to the the bdsm for newcomers that it isn't scary or painful in the way most people think about it.

[Denise Koopman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I statred this book a long time ago and I really had a hard time getting through it. It was different and I just didn't care for it at all. I had a hard time trying to get through it but I did it and I am glad I completed it so I can honestly view it.