Aching to Submit

by Natasha Knight

Though deeply in love with her husband Michael, for years Sophie has longed to give him not only her love, but her submission as well. In spite of her yearning to kneel at his feet, fear of rejection keeps her from sharing the truth with him. Though she would never give her body to another man, her need to submit drives her to seek out others like herself and learn more… until Michael discovers her deception and she fears her marriage may be over.

Despite the anger and sadness which tear at his heart when he learns that his wife has kept such an important secret from him, Michael is not going to give up the love of his life without a fight. It will take time, but he is more than ready to be the man she needs, the man to whom she will gladly submit. First, though, she must be firmly disciplined for her betrayal of his trust…

Standing naked before her husband, awaiting a punishment which will bring her to tears and leave her bare bottom red and sore, submission suddenly feels truly real to Sophie for the first time. As Michael asserts his dominance more and more with each passing day, Sophie begins to see him in a way she has never seen him before, and her desire for him seems to know no bounds. But is this just a second honeymoon of sorts, or will Sophie’s submission endure through the trials of everyday life?

Publisher’s Note: Aching to Submit is an erotic novel that includes spankings, anal play, exhibitionism, graphic sexual scenes, elements of BDSM, and more. If such material offends you, please don’t buy this book.'

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

127 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 13, 2013

About the author

Natasha Knight is the USA Today Bestselling author of Romantic Suspense and Dark Romance Novels. She has sold over a million books and is translated into six languages. She currently lives in The Netherlands with her husband and two daughters and when she’s not writing, she’s walking in the woods listening to a book, sitting in a corner reading or off exploring the world as often as she can get away.

Write Natasha here:
natasha@natasha-knight.com

Check out her books here:
https://natasha-knight.com

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Reviews

[Sophia Triad · Rating 4 out of 5]

BDSM in Amsterdam

Michael is Dutch. While he was working in States, he met, fell in love and marry the 12 years younger than him Sophie. Because of his work, after four years of marriage, they have moved back to Amsterdam where Sophie spends a lot of time alone. Michael is frequently travelling leaving Sophie on her own for days.

Moreover two miscarriages and the possibility that she will never become a mother are troubling poor, unhappy Sophie. Her relationship also with Michael’s mother and older sister is not ideal.

Young, lonely Sophie is in another country with different customs, far away from home.

The couple is obviously in love and they care for each other deeply. But something is missing. Sophie is less and less satisfied with their sexlife. Consequently, she decides to visit a small BDSM club while her husband is away in order to satisfy her curiosity.

Sophie will not betray her husband. She will not cheat. Basically she will endure patiently her half-satisfying, incomplete sexlife without sharing her deepest desires with her husband. When Michael finds out, he will be extremely angry. Not because she has kinky desires and he is ashamed of her, but because she lied and hid things from him.

The book shows the development in the life of a married couple; how they overcome their miscommunications; how each of them adapted and changes his/her habits to make the other person happy and how they finally achieve common satisfaction and completeness.

Although the main couple of the book may have jumped into the BDSM lifestyle a bit too fast, still the book is very well written, fast-paced and definitely enjoyable.

[BookAddict ✒ La Crimson Femme · Rating 4 out of 5]

A must read for couples who are struggling with how to start on their erotic kinky journey. Ms. Knight does an excellent job of capturing a couple who have shut down on communication and could possibly diverge in their marital path. Sophie is twelve years younger than her husband, Michael. As an ex-pat in Netherlands (which can be very difficult for Americans), Sophie needs to learn to adjust to a new culture and learn a new language. On top of it, her mother in law and one of her sister in laws roll up the welcome mat and give her the cold shoulder.

This book is beautifully realistic and painfully honest when it comes to the disconnect of a husband and wife. Ms. Knight does an excellent job with her character building. The flaws in both the relationship and the characters are easily relate-able. What I really enjoyed is how the husband stepped up in this story. Michael isn't a pansy-ass pussy playing wanna-be Dom. He decides to ride the kinky train and finds he really enjoys it. While he fears hurting his wife, he fears his enjoyment of his burgeoning sadistic tendencies more. Michael is a man who is not being manipulated. He takes on the role of Dom with some trepidation, but he's game and gives it his best shot.

The BDSM in this story is spot on. The private club run by Kyan is a fantasy come true. The caning, spanking and anal are all deliciously written with quite the loving touch. The sex starts out sweet and ends in an explosive erotic exhibition.

With each book, Ms. Knight's writing style matures. This one flowed smoothly. The plot is nice and tight. It's a quick read with surprising depth. The focus is on the erotic awakening, yet Ms. Knight enhances the story with pointed familial connections.

The heart of this story is acceptance. This is what makes the story so good. Ms. Knight clearly demonstrates each character's concern. She brings out more emotion by displaying their unease and despair. This baring of the soul allows the characters to be reborn. Their fumbling searching to fill the unspoken hole in their lives is replaced with an understanding of each other. This erotic power exchange with the start of a domestic discipline is inspiring. This maledom book is highly recommended to couples who want a good example of how to open the lines of communication and start their own kinky exploration.

*I received this book as a review copy in return for an honest review

[Casey Mckay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sophie is married to Michael, and he adores her. She loves him and she knows how much he loves her, but she is left wanting more. She fantasizes about submitting herself to a dominant man. She even goes so far as to visit a BDSM club, alone, to see if she can rid herself of her desire. Sophie is on a journey, one she thinks she has to go alone. Michael is hurt that she never shared her secret. Now that Sophie has lied and hidden things from her husband, is it too late for them to continue on this journey together?

Natasha Knight does a superb job in delving into the story of a woman who is letting herself explore her need of submission. I've read a lot of spanking fiction, and a lot of the time the spanking in the relationship is established before the story starts, or one of the characters is into the lifestyle and it is quickly established from the beginning “this is what happens”. Aching to Submit starts from the very beginning- the emotional first conversations between a couple starting to explore a possible relationship in a D/s lifestyle. It struck all kinds of chords for me, it made me emotional, it made me root for Michael and Sophie to find their way, it also made me pretty hot. But that was expected!

I think this book is relatable for any person who has ever felt like they had to keep a part of them hidden away. Opening yourself up and making yourself vulnerable to the person you cherish most in your life is a scary thing- Natasha did a great job demonstrating that.

[Emily Tilton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Natasha Knight does everything well, when it comes to BDSM fiction. To my taste, the thing I think she does as well as anyone, including nonpareils like Pauline Réage and the old anonymizers who formed my erotic self, is to capture the importance of shame to the submissive soul. Simple details like Michael telling Sophie that she must look at the floor, and punishing her for closing the drapes, become magical in the ongoing spell of Knight's narrative, and the characters draw a vividness from their relation to this part of the D/s dynamic that left me, in the end, moved and satisfied by the happy ending that must always result when a sub is lucky enough to be married to a Dom.

[Felicity Nichols · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to start off this review by congratulating Natasha Knight. This is a story that you could easily see happening in real life. I was impressed by the character development and growth throughout the story.

Sophie seeks something more than "vanilla" sex. She often masturbates to the thought of being dominated but isn't sure how her husband, Michael will react to her secret desires. She stops by a local BDSM club in Amsterdam often walking the path towards it. She convinces herself to enter the premises and meets Kyan. Kyan is a kind Dominant who helps her to see her desires for what they are. He acts a mentor towards her.

Michael has noticed a shift in Sophie's demeanor and isn't sure what it is. Coming home from work early one night he discovers the BDSM club that she's been attending. He forces Sophie to 'fess up and be honest about what she wants.

Aching to Submit is about a modern couple finding their way through D/s and growing into it. Natasha Knight fully delivers each character in their emotions. In parts of this story, my heart reached out to Sophie and Michael. I truly loved this story because it isn't a usual sugar coated D/s story where the characters have no emotions. In Aching To Submit, I found myself in tears of joy as I watched Michael and Sophie find their way to understand the shift in their marriage.

If you are new to the D/s lifestyle I recommend you read this as a guide of sorts. It truly relates to how many couples feel about a huge shift. Congratulations Natasha, I am a huge fan of Aching To Submit!

[Kristin Elyon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been a fan of Natasha Knight's for a long time now and when I saw she was releasing another book I just had to grab this one. Natasha Knight is an author I don't even have to read the summary of the book, I just one click buy every time... and this book was no different.

This book was so well done it was so real. I could actually see the scenes being played out in my head as I read... and ladies don't forget your change of panties for this story because it will leave you dripping for more.

One of my fave lines:

“She can take more than you think.” - That scene is just to die for. Good god this story was so sizzling I'm shocked my kindle didn't catch on fire.

MUST HAVE - ONE CLICK BUY IT NOW!

[Cara Bristol · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can’t believe I let this book sit in my Kindle so long before I read it. This might be one of the best books I’ve read all year. From the first page, Aching to Submit hooked me and didn’t let me go until the end. It is a well-written, beautiful love story about a couple finding their way in the BDSM lifestyle. While most BDSM romances start with the sex and/or BDSM and end with the couple falling in love, this one does the reverse—begins with a couple deeply in love but who need more from their relationship. I loved the sense of realism in this book, in the wife’s journey, in the couple’s growing BDSM practices and in details of the Amsterdam setting.

[Kiss of a sniper · Rating 3 out of 5]

Husband turned too fast into a dom;
Too quickly he accepted that his wife s***ed a c*** of a stranger on their first time visiting this bdsm club together...
Not realistic enough for me to give it more stars...

[☣ Jessica ☣ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. This was just about the perfect book. I've never been so jealous of any book character as I am of Sophie. My only complaint is that it ended so abruptly and quickly. I could have read it forever.

[Sylvia · Rating 4 out of 5]

The only reason I wouldn't give this five stars is that the characters delved pretty deep into the scene very quickly.

[Jennifer McGurk Finn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a huge fan of Natasha Knight, I have loved all her books but this one just didn't do it for me. I love reading about married people having problems and then working everything out but I did not like Sophie or how she worked it out. She was very immature and a cry baby if you ask me and I think Michael deserved better. Michael and Sophie have been happily married for two years, she was only 20 years old when they met. They lived in Scottsdale, Arizona until Michael got a job offer in Amsterdam and they've lived there for a few months now. Sophie feels isolated and alone and after two miscarriages she feels like a failure in her marriage. She longs for more sexually but she's afraid to talk to Michael about her desires and what she needs from him. So instead of confiding in the man she married who loves her she seeks out a stranger who she didn't even tell she was married at first. If I was Michael I would have been a hell of a lot more pissed.

[Lynne M · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a short, good little read. It's quite realistic about a couple becoming interested and participating in the BDSM lifestyle, which was very nice to read.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

4*

[Sheetal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too much happened in a short span

[Geena · Rating 3 out of 5]

The characters came across surprisingly real, and I like that Sophie didn't ever have to look elsewhere for her sexual satisfaction because of how much her husband loved her. That made what little plot it has very romantically satisfying.

[Tara Finnegan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aching to Submit By Natasha Knight (c) Spanking Romance Reviews

When I read a book by Natasha Knight there are certain things I have come to expect:
1. Hot as hell spankings and sex scenes.
2. Well Written story to capture my interest.
3. Likeable characters that I can really identify with.
4. A hot dominant man.
Aching to Submit has all that and so much more. It’s a journey that many a submissive and/or spanko will identify with, including the lumps and bumps along the road. It will speak to anyone who has either come out or still harbours a secret fantasy.
The opening scene has a very hot image of a young woman, Sophie, positioning herself over a desk, bottom bared for a punishment she desperately craves, but it’s not going to come. Its heart rending and poignant, rather like the song in Les Miserables, Only in my Mind.
We get to follow Sophie a little bit more and we can sense her loneliness. She is carrying a sadness from her childlessness, a secret guilt from her desire for submission which she feels makes her dirty, and she is incredibly isolated, being displaced from her native America to Amsterdam due to her husband’s work and his gruelling travelling schedule. All this results in Sophie’s shutting off from her husband.
We also get to see Michael, heartbroken and scared. As a divorcee, he can see the signs of a crumbling marriage and he is at a loss about how to get through to Sophie. He is also wracked wirh guilt as he feels he has caused her isolation and depression. He seems to be a tender, loving and indulgent husband.
Sophie’s need to submit becomes all pervasive to the point where she almost loses her sense of reason. She is aware of a BDSM club in Amsterdam and she stakes it out for a time before finally garnering the courage to go in. She is excited about what she sees but decides to keep away out of duty to her husband. But of course the draw is too strong and she returns. Kyan, the club leader sees her confusion and befriends her, even offering her the punishment she feels she needs, but Sophie rejects his offer, realising that Michael is the person she wishes to submit to. She is finally ready to tell him her secret.
At the same time, Michael becomes aware of Sophie’s secret trips to the club and is devastated by her rejection of him. Finally it all comes out in the open and Michael punishes Sophie for her deception. We get some beautiful insights into both Michael’s and Sophie’s thoughts as both grow into their new roles and their relationship strengthens with their newfound openness and trust. And we also get to witness the positive effect it has on their sex life!

I don’t want to add any spoilers, but suffice to say, as you’d expect from any of Natasha Knights books you’ll be gasping for breath at the eroticism of the steamy, smoking sex and spankings which are generously offered throughout.
Top marks, five out of five stars from me, for everything, sex, spankings, story and readers emotional involvement with the characters.
My favourite Natasha Knight book to date, and that is really saying something.

[Robin Reynolds · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm going to admit right now that while I've read lots of erotica (ok, maybe not “lots”, but quite a bit), I am very very new to reading domestic discipline stories, and not really familiar with the lifestyle. At all. Which I realized more and more as I got further into this book. And I believe this book is a good primer for anyone wanting to learn more.

I'm not going to go into a synopsis of the story, as the one here on Goodreads does a pretty good job, except to mention that there is a third character, Kyan, who owns a club Sophie goes to while Michael is out of town, and who takes her, and later Michael, under his whip, er, I mean, wing, and guides them on their journey. Kyan is an important part of the story, as he provides much wisdom and insight.

I prefer stories that are character driven over plot driven, and ACHING TO SUBMIT fits that category quite nicely. The characters are richly drawn, and likable and relateable (is that a word? My spell check thinks not.). The author gets deep into their heads and explores their thoughts and emotions. Sophie is drawn to the club, to the lifestyle, without understanding why or what it fully encompasses. She loves her husband, but after a couple of miscarriages and a move to a new country, and with Michael traveling a lot for his job, she is unhappy and dissatisfied. She fantasizes about being spanked, but when Kyan offers to do it for her, she is unable to accept, wanting to share the experience with Michael. But she is afraid to tell Michael.

When Michael does learn of her desires, he willingly steps into the role of dominant. He adores Sophie and will do anything to make her happy. But he is also nervous, worried that he will really hurt her, and then worried that there is something wrong with him when he realizes how much he likes being in charge and doling out punishment. Both characters do a lot of soul searching as they learn and adjust to the new experiences. And they also talk about it, discuss it, and learn to communicate with each other about it.

I feel that I now have a better understanding of domestic discipline. Do I want to experience it myself? Eh, let's not go that far. But I will continue reading about it, and I definitely want to read more from this author.

Edited to add note: Apparently some time after I wrote my review the title of the book was changed and the previous title is no longer even searchable!

[Heart5 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an enjoyable and I felt like realistic portrayal of the beginning of a D/s relationship. Following a couple of miscarriages Sophie is slowly pulling away from her husband Michael, and spiraling into somewhat of a depression. She craves the closeness and discipline of a D/s relationship, but is much too embarrassed to share those feelings with Michael. She finally works up the courage to visit a local BDSM club while Michael is traveling. There she meets Kyan, club owner, and dominant. Kyan helps her understand her need for the control and discipline of a D/s relationship. When Michael finds out about her activities he enlists Kyan’s help in being the dominant that Sophie needs.

The author does a really good job of portraying a couple in love, but slowly being pulled apart. Despite the distance, Sophie and Michael refuse to give up on their relationship. Sophie has opportunities to cheat on Michael both physically and emotionally but refuses. When Michael realizes what Sophie needs he quickly steps up to be the dominant husband that his wife needs. The author does a really good job of portraying both characters internal struggles with the D/s lifestyle.

The character development in this book is impressive. Not only did I feel an immediate connection to Sophie and Michael, but also to Kyan and his wife Julia. Michael’s family also adds a lot to the story by providing both conflict and comfort to the couple, without being the stereotypical in laws.

I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a moderate BDSM romance. The BDSM club the characters visit caters to dominate male/submissive female couples. The emphasis on the M/f relationship may not appeal to everyone, and could potentially offend some readers.

[Alexis Alvarez · Rating 5 out of 5]

A young, married woman struggles with her secret desires for spanking and submission. Afraid to tell her husband of her powerful and dark fantasies, she visits a BDSM club behind his back. When her husband finds out, though, she ends up getting what she wanted -- and much more.

The sex is hot & intense, but what Natasha does especially well here is to capture the yearning, anxiety and mixed feelings of her heroine in addition to the erotic.

The story moves at a good pace, and feels believable and realistic (even though the hero and heroine are, of course, way more sexy than people in my regular life, which is the way I always want my heroes and heroines in romance novels.)

If you enjoy stories about consensual and just-slightly-nonconsensual-but-you-know-he'd-stop-if-she-really-needed-him-to spanking and sex, then this is definitely something you'd enjoy.

I've read well over two hundred BDSM, spanking & various romance novels, and this one is still in my top five of all time list. It's just that good.

[Katherine Deane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could not put this book down!
I actually started and finished it in one day, it was so good!

I loved how she so realistically captured both Michael and Sophie's emotions, fears, desires...
It was wonderful!

The thoughts that both main characters went through were so spot on, it made it seem even more real. It made me want to go to a BDSM club, and find a mentor for my husband. :)

I loved the imperfections in the characters. They were real, they were flawed, they were beautiful.

The author did a great job of explaining the importance of trust and communication in any relationship, but especially under the blanket of BDSM, D/s, or DD.

As an avid reader of DD and D/S books, I can say honestly that I loved every bit of this book.

But I would like to give a warning that it does get quite heavy and erotic at certain points in the story. Especially the ending.

I loved it, and think this is one of the best books she has written.

What a sexy, fast, don't want to put it down, treat!

[Katy Beth Mckee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sophie wants more than her husband seems able to give her but she doesn't know how to ask. She makes what could have been a very horrible move but luckily she finds someone to help her finds answers without taking advantage of her. He gives her good advise on the need to communicate. And when communication begins Michael is able to give Sophie exactly what she needs. I love that we also get into Michael's head after he becomes aware of the situation and we see his own struggle to understand his wants as well.

[Joelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't often relate to "confession" stories or "new to BDSM" stories; I've never felt the need to confess and it's been quite a few years since I was new to anything. But Michael and Sophie's story interested me. A second marriage for him, her quite a bit younger than he. And her secret and her stresses. The drama of the BDSM club and her wanting to find out about it. Such a wonderful dominant and person in the character of the owner. I quite enjoyed following Michael and Sophie's tail of learning how to please each other, even through some scary moments. A beautiful, compelling romance.

[Sue Lyndon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aching to Submit is a well-written contemporary bdsm romance that’s heavy on the spanking and is one of the hottest books I’ve read in a while! The characters were so real I felt like they were sitting right next to me as I read this book. I also think a lot of married couples could relate to Michael and Sophie and their initial communication problems, and I’ve recommended this book to many friends. Aching to Submit is a hot, and at times intense, emotional ride with a wonderful conclusion that left me smiling and sighing with satisfaction.

[Jessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't usually lean toward bdsm plots, but this was nicely done. It's a pretty quick, smutty read about a young wife who's insecure and afraid her husband will judge her secret kinks, but he's really an understanding babe who would do anything for her.

[Xerxia · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a little too BDSM-y (in that absolute newbies were full-bore into the 'scene' waaaaay too quickly for me to find it believable) but the love story underneath was surprisingly nuanced. I do think there were too many subplots for such a short book.

[Sylvie · Rating 4 out of 5]

a very hot, kinky, story about a husband and wife finding their way in their newfound BDSM play.