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Submission #2
Control Burn Resist
This is a previously-published edition - ASIN: B00GOZ7X8M
Control
What you're breaking isn't some little, meaningless coupling. We aren't some casual screw, and we never were. Not from the first night. Not from the first time I laid eyes on you. You were built for me. I denied it as long as I could, but we were meant to be together. You are the sea under my sky. We are bound at the horizon.
Burn
Here's how it's going to be, goddess. Until you surrender yourself to me fully, I will not touch you. Until the world can know you belong to me, I will not kiss you. I'm going to be inches away, at your side. I'm going to whisper in your ear and put my breath on your neck, but the heat of my skin will not feel the shudder of yours until you commit yourself to me completely.
Resist
I looked down at him, with his tourmaline eyes and copper hair, and believed him despite my better judgment. I forgave him despite my misgivings. I loved him just because I did. My heart wasn't sensible or guarded enough. Not by a sight. I was a walking raw nerve ending of emotion, as if the years I'd spent away from men and sex had made me more emotional, more vulnerable, more foolish. I ran my fingers through his hair, feeling like the victim of a crime of consent.
Control
What you're breaking isn't some little, meaningless coupling. We aren't some casual screw, and we never were. Not from the first night. Not from the first time I laid eyes on you. You were built for me. I denied it as long as I could, but we were meant to be together. You are the sea under my sky. We are bound at the horizon.
Burn
Here's how it's going to be, goddess. Until you surrender yourself to me fully, I will not touch you. Until the world can know you belong to me, I will not kiss you. I'm going to be inches away, at your side. I'm going to whisper in your ear and put my breath on your neck, but the heat of my skin will not feel the shudder of yours until you commit yourself to me completely.
Resist
I looked down at him, with his tourmaline eyes and copper hair, and believed him despite my better judgment. I forgave him despite my misgivings. I loved him just because I did. My heart wasn't sensible or guarded enough. Not by a sight. I was a walking raw nerve ending of emotion, as if the years I'd spent away from men and sex had made me more emotional, more vulnerable, more foolish. I ran my fingers through his hair, feeling like the victim of a crime of consent.
606 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 16, 2013
884 people are currently reading
1444 people want to read
About the author
C.D. Reiss
112 books9,640 followersCD Reiss is a New York Times bestselling author. She still has to chop wood and carry water, which was buried in the fine print. Her lawyer is working it out with God but in the meantime, if you call and she doesn't pick up she's at the well hauling buckets.
Born in New York City, she moved to Hollywood, California to get her master's degree in screenwriting from USC. In case you want to know, that went nowhere but it did give her a big enough ego to write novels.
She's frequently referred to as the Shakespeare of Smut which is flattering but hasn't ever gotten her out of chopping a single cord of wood.
If you meet her in person, you should call her Christine.
***NONE OF MY BOOKS ARE SAFE***
Born in New York City, she moved to Hollywood, California to get her master's degree in screenwriting from USC. In case you want to know, that went nowhere but it did give her a big enough ego to write novels.
She's frequently referred to as the Shakespeare of Smut which is flattering but hasn't ever gotten her out of chopping a single cord of wood.
If you meet her in person, you should call her Christine.
***NONE OF MY BOOKS ARE SAFE***
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 221 reviews
August 15, 2017
★★★★★! Songs of Submission: Sequence 2 (Book 4-6). Playboy & mogul Jonathan Drazen’s seduction of aspiring singer Monica Faulkner!
The Submission series is the whirlwind saga of aspiring singer Monica Faulkner and hotelier and real estate magnate Jonathan Drazen. Books/novellas should be read in order:
11 novellas total, my reviews:
Book 1: Beg
Book 2: Tease
Book 3: Submit
Book 3.5: Jessica & Sharon
Book 4: Control
Book 5: Burn
Book 5.5: Rachel
Book 6: Resist
Book 7: Sing
Book 7.5: Monica
Book 8: Dominance
Book 9: Coda
Book 10: Breathe
Be sure to sign up for C.D. Reiss’ Newsletter:
http://cdreiss.com/cd-reiss-mailing-l...
August 11, 2016
An powerful continuance to a series which seems to seamlessly blend the erotic with the emotional...
MONICA FAULKNER
JONATHAN DRAZEN
THIS SEQUENCE CONTAINS BOOKS FOUR THROUGH SIX OF THE SERIES:
BOOK FOUR: CONTROL:
The series shifts into high gear with the fourth book. Outside forces are threatening to tear the couple apart, but it's one act of honest artistic expression which could shatter them both. I am completely enthralled with the Songs of Submission Series...
BOOK FIVE: BURN:
The fifth book in the Songs of Submission Series adds an extra helping of angst and sexual tension to complicate an already emotional tug-of-war between Jonathan & Monica.
BOOK SIX: RESIST:
The emotional up and down between Monica and Jonathan is overwhelming. Factor in all the outside forces pushing them apart, and it seems nearly impossible for there to be a satisfactory outcome...
I encourage you to click the links below to see my full reviews on each book.
My Full Reviews in the Songs of Submission Series:
(I will update links as more reviews become available)
1 --- Beg - Read my review here
2 --- Tease - Read my review here
3 --- Submit - Read my review here
3.5 - Jessica & Sharon - Read my review here
4 --- Control - Read my review here
5 --- Burn - Read my review here
5.5 - Rachel - Read my review here
6 --- Resist - Read my review here
7 --- Sing - Read my review here
7.5 - Monica - Read my review here
My Reviews of the Songs of Submission Sequences:
Songs of Submission: Sequence One - Read my review here
Songs of Submission: Sequence Two - YOU'RE READING IT
My Reviews of the Songs of Dominance Duo:
1 - Jessica - Read my review here
2 - Sharon - Read my review here
I forgave him despite my misgivings. I loved him just because I did. My heart wasn’t sensible or guarded enough. Not by a sight. I was a walking raw nerve ending of emotion, as if the years I’d spent away from men and sex had made me more emotional, more vulnerable, more foolish.In this installment of the Songs of Submission Series, we have the opportunity to delve more deeply into the psyche of Jonathan Drezen. The POV is no longer exclusively Monica's, Jonathan is now an active voice. The addition of his POV is fantastic, he gives us a slightly damaged but poignant perspective on the fragile yet volatile couple.
MONICA FAULKNER
“I never made the decision to love you. But I decided to trust you. That was a choice.”Monica remains one of the most level headed heroines I've read in ages. She is struggling in these books, and the angst is off the charts, but she remains a fantastic character...
JONATHAN DRAZEN
Her sexuality wasn’t coy or cute. She wasn’t saucy; she was feral. Her very presence on the earth stirred me.Jonathan and his haunted past make him an intriguing and mesmerizing character to follow. His point of view is raw and an absolute joy to read...
THIS SEQUENCE CONTAINS BOOKS FOUR THROUGH SIX OF THE SERIES:
BOOK FOUR: CONTROL:
The series shifts into high gear with the fourth book. Outside forces are threatening to tear the couple apart, but it's one act of honest artistic expression which could shatter them both. I am completely enthralled with the Songs of Submission Series...
BOOK FIVE: BURN:
The fifth book in the Songs of Submission Series adds an extra helping of angst and sexual tension to complicate an already emotional tug-of-war between Jonathan & Monica.
BOOK SIX: RESIST:
The emotional up and down between Monica and Jonathan is overwhelming. Factor in all the outside forces pushing them apart, and it seems nearly impossible for there to be a satisfactory outcome...
I encourage you to click the links below to see my full reviews on each book.
My Full Reviews in the Songs of Submission Series:
(I will update links as more reviews become available)
1 --- Beg - Read my review here
2 --- Tease - Read my review here
3 --- Submit - Read my review here
3.5 - Jessica & Sharon - Read my review here
4 --- Control - Read my review here
5 --- Burn - Read my review here
5.5 - Rachel - Read my review here
6 --- Resist - Read my review here
7 --- Sing - Read my review here
7.5 - Monica - Read my review here
My Reviews of the Songs of Submission Sequences:
Songs of Submission: Sequence One - Read my review here
Songs of Submission: Sequence Two - YOU'RE READING IT
My Reviews of the Songs of Dominance Duo:
1 - Jessica - Read my review here
2 - Sharon - Read my review here
November 25, 2014
I’m writing this with a very clear head. I left my anger and disappointment at the door.
As a reader, I’ll say the story from book 1-6 is okay.
As an individual, I’m deeply offended. This is the first time a book offends me so much. I’m not easily offended, to be frank.
I’ve noticed that the author tends to general-stereotype people of color throughout the story.
Chinese, housemaid. Filipinos, housemaid. Italian, gangster. Korean, irritating business manager. Hispanics, poor (Guessing from Rachel’s last name, her character is Hispanic?)
I’ve noticed those things since the first trilogy, but I let them slide because I understand sometimes generalization is inevitable. As the story progresses to the second part of the trilogy, the stereotyping gets worse.
The author likes to use Asia.
A lot.
In more than one occasion, the male character, Jonathan Drazen, views the time difference between L.A. and Asia as irritating. It’s not Asia’s fault that they live on the opposite side of the world, Mr. Drazen. If you can’t handle the pressure, please just do business with the people of Los Angeles. Besides, I doubt that the people in Asia demand you to answer their calls or emails right away. I’m sure they can calculate the hour’s difference and would totally understand if you didn’t answer them right this second.
According to Wikipedia, Asia is the largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the easter and northern hemispheres. So, when the author conveniently groups everything under Asia in the story, or when the author comfortably belittles Asians as the story suggests, I can only assume that the author:
1. Doesn’t care about Asia
2. Doesn’t know about Asia
3. Arrogant, ignorant, and insensitive
I’m guessing all of the above.
Asia is big and beautiful, do you know? If you’re so interested in incorporating Asia into your story, please do a little research. Pick a country or two; learn a few things about the people who live there.
Despite all that, I swallowed my annoyance and continued reading.
But then I arrived at this page, Chapter 26, book 6 Resist.
The sentences read:
“Fucking Asia. The whole continent should fall into the sea, and by the urgency of the dinging, it sounded as if it was.”
Too harsh even for a fiction, don’t you think? Again, if the male lead can’t stand doing business with Asia because time difference inconveniences him, then just don’t. Real people live in Asia, you know, I don't care if you write non-fiction or fiction, those sentences are offensive. The stereotyping is offensive. The generalization is offensive. It shows how insensitive or misinformed the author is.
Not all Chinese or Filipino are housemaids, you know.
Not every Koreans are dumb, you know.
Not every Italians are mobs, you know.
Wait. Do you know?
What did Asia do that was so horrible that they deserve to be sent into the bottom of the sea?
As I said earlier, some level of generalization and stereotyping is still acceptable. But if they were done repeatedly in a negative manner, it’s unfair. And cruel.
After those harsh sentences, I force myself to finish the book. I’m hoping the author—through the characters—would redeem themselves, giving me something to understand those words in a greater context.
Nope. Nothing.
The stereotyping continues in a manner that’s not acceptable to me.
I’m an Asian. I live in Asia. This is my home. I am proud of who I am, but I am smart enough not to twist my pride into arrogance and use it to look down at other people’s continent, other people’s country, other people’s race, other people’s religion, other people’s sexual preferences. Fictional or real, that behavior is NOT acceptable.
It’s sad that when organization like We Need Diverse Books campaigns very hard to bring more diversity into our bookworld, when big and indie authors join hands in bringing diversity into their creations, when stories are created to INSPIRE, some author blows it by being insensitive.
I will not change the ratings I’ve given to the first trilogy. Fair is fair. But this review is the summary of what I feel toward the Song of Submission series as a whole, from book 1-6.
No matter how captivating the story is, it means nothing when it hurts my feeling and insults my intelligence.
As a reader, I’ll say the story from book 1-6 is okay.
As an individual, I’m deeply offended. This is the first time a book offends me so much. I’m not easily offended, to be frank.
I’ve noticed that the author tends to general-stereotype people of color throughout the story.
Chinese, housemaid. Filipinos, housemaid. Italian, gangster. Korean, irritating business manager. Hispanics, poor (Guessing from Rachel’s last name, her character is Hispanic?)
I’ve noticed those things since the first trilogy, but I let them slide because I understand sometimes generalization is inevitable. As the story progresses to the second part of the trilogy, the stereotyping gets worse.
The author likes to use Asia.
A lot.
In more than one occasion, the male character, Jonathan Drazen, views the time difference between L.A. and Asia as irritating. It’s not Asia’s fault that they live on the opposite side of the world, Mr. Drazen. If you can’t handle the pressure, please just do business with the people of Los Angeles. Besides, I doubt that the people in Asia demand you to answer their calls or emails right away. I’m sure they can calculate the hour’s difference and would totally understand if you didn’t answer them right this second.
According to Wikipedia, Asia is the largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the easter and northern hemispheres. So, when the author conveniently groups everything under Asia in the story, or when the author comfortably belittles Asians as the story suggests, I can only assume that the author:
1. Doesn’t care about Asia
2. Doesn’t know about Asia
3. Arrogant, ignorant, and insensitive
I’m guessing all of the above.
Asia is big and beautiful, do you know? If you’re so interested in incorporating Asia into your story, please do a little research. Pick a country or two; learn a few things about the people who live there.
Despite all that, I swallowed my annoyance and continued reading.
But then I arrived at this page, Chapter 26, book 6 Resist.
The sentences read:
“Fucking Asia. The whole continent should fall into the sea, and by the urgency of the dinging, it sounded as if it was.”
Too harsh even for a fiction, don’t you think? Again, if the male lead can’t stand doing business with Asia because time difference inconveniences him, then just don’t. Real people live in Asia, you know, I don't care if you write non-fiction or fiction, those sentences are offensive. The stereotyping is offensive. The generalization is offensive. It shows how insensitive or misinformed the author is.
Not all Chinese or Filipino are housemaids, you know.
Not every Koreans are dumb, you know.
Not every Italians are mobs, you know.
Wait. Do you know?
What did Asia do that was so horrible that they deserve to be sent into the bottom of the sea?
As I said earlier, some level of generalization and stereotyping is still acceptable. But if they were done repeatedly in a negative manner, it’s unfair. And cruel.
After those harsh sentences, I force myself to finish the book. I’m hoping the author—through the characters—would redeem themselves, giving me something to understand those words in a greater context.
Nope. Nothing.
The stereotyping continues in a manner that’s not acceptable to me.
I’m an Asian. I live in Asia. This is my home. I am proud of who I am, but I am smart enough not to twist my pride into arrogance and use it to look down at other people’s continent, other people’s country, other people’s race, other people’s religion, other people’s sexual preferences. Fictional or real, that behavior is NOT acceptable.
It’s sad that when organization like We Need Diverse Books campaigns very hard to bring more diversity into our bookworld, when big and indie authors join hands in bringing diversity into their creations, when stories are created to INSPIRE, some author blows it by being insensitive.
I will not change the ratings I’ve given to the first trilogy. Fair is fair. But this review is the summary of what I feel toward the Song of Submission series as a whole, from book 1-6.
No matter how captivating the story is, it means nothing when it hurts my feeling and insults my intelligence.
July 27, 2014
We are introduced to the pivoting point of views as Control begins. After reading the bonus installments from Jonathan’s POV I was excited to venture further into his mind although it took me a while to adjust to change in voice this series had; I was greedy for Monica’s thoughts.
Monica hadn’t time to fully consider the weight of Jonathan’s declaration until now. But with new eyes she tries to envision what submitting to him will turn her into. What parts of her she stands to lose by releasing the control to him so easily. Too swayed by the thoughts of how others will view her, Monica fails to see the beauty that can come from her surrender.
Jonathan has already lost one woman by voicing the desires he had struggled to push down for years. Monica has given him something beyond what he ever imagined but just as she struggles with what the outside world would see her as, Jonathan has his own fears. As they both clearly see the lines that are drawn they find themselves at opposite ends.
With Monica walking away from Jonathan, unable to accept the idea of what others will see when the look at her, if she’s with him – she is lost. Jonathan became a part of her and leaving did not extract him from her soul, it just left a hole that was inescapable.
Jonathan is bound and determined to wait for Monica to realize what she wants and just how far she’s willing to go to take it. He knows he can’t force her or her submission won’t be an honest decision but only one made to calm the ache.
With the Vancouver exhibit taking place, Jonathan realizes that he has to form a plan in order to keep Monica. Leaving her to her own devices for too long will just make it easier for her to close herself off. But he isn’t willing to take just her body, he wants it all – and he won’t settle for anything less.
With the adjustment period over on the pivoting point of views over; I could not have enjoyed this installment without Jonathan’s POV. There was so many things that could have been misunderstood without having his voice involved in the story. Having read this again, I can appreciate that we had the warm up of Control in order to fully adjust to this shift. After the first few chapters of just Monica I found myself craving seeing the typed word ‘Jonathan’ at the start of the chapter. I needed to experience what this separation was doing to him. I needed it to match the longing in Monica’s story, the longing that I was experiencing in my own head – knowing that he was not going to fold – that he was going to not give up on what he knew they had found together.
After the shocking conclusion to Burn, Resist picks up just a few days after their plane lands in LA. Monica finds herself at his door with questions she needs answers to but Jonathan has other plans. As Jessica strikes out, Monica is forced to take a stand to fight for Jonathan. For the first time, Monica is the person watching someone walk away. But it’s never that simple. Jonathan’s secrets have been told in half-truths thus far, Monica wants to hear them from his lips and he wants to protect her from them. Protect himself from the chance of losing her because of them.
Monica committed to Jonathan. She loved him and she willingly gave herself to him, she isn’t about to go down without a fight. She just has to wait him out, let him come back.
Of all the books in this series, Resist holds a special place in my heart. There was something about this installment that just stuck with me. From Jessica and the famous two words... ‘Do it.’ to the ‘pick a verb’ line – there was something so primal about the feel of this. Monica and Jonathan’s love had always been intense, but it was like once they both admitted it to themselves it reached a new level. I had originally thought it was about the answers to all the questions I had, during the first read... experiencing it again I found that I was just as captivated.
I remember in my original review mentioning how important I felt reading Rachel was to this story. That scene still gave me chills – part of me loved that CDR gave us that little secret and the other still wishes that it would have been something that Jonathan realized in a conscious state.
“If I’d ever seen anything as sexy as Monica Faulkner in a stretched-out T-shirt and wielding a stringed instrument, I’d be at pains to remember it.”
The second sequence is a powerful experience. Between moments of pure animalistic passion and the brilliance of poetic writing; there was not a moment that you felt like your mind could wander from the story. CDR has a style that is so different from the thousands of authors out there. It’s not anything about someone being a better storyteller than someone else, it’s just a different tone and the way to tell the story. I’ve been entertained, gutted and made weak in the knees by all sorts of writing; it doesn’t need to be complex or over dramatic for me to latch on to it. But SOS was just so different, something that set such a stark contrast to everything else. Although the idea of a rich guy that is a little kinky who falls for the younger struggling girl is not a new idea in a romance book, this was not a recycled version of a used plot. Who the characters were, the roles they played didn’t matter. Their love mattered, the story was them – their passion, and everything else was just there in the back ground.
Rudyard Kipling said “Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind.” Now I know when he uttered these words he wasn’t imagining them used in the context of describing an erotic series. But the sentiment is the same. CDR used her words to captivate the reader, to bewitch the reader into falling down the rabbit hole and making us forget for the hours spent in the company of Jonathan & Monica; that they did not exist beyond our imaginations. A story told with such conviction there was no ability to deny it was real. The ability to turn fiction into something that feels so real that you can almost hold it in your hands may be a talent that many possess, but for CDR, it’s a talent that she has mastered.
Songs of Submission will remain one of my favorite series of all time. Authors often take time to thank the readers for buying their books; I feel that in this case, as the reader that I should thank C.D. Reiss for writing.
June 28, 2019
i was right.
Mon has a brain damage *sarcasm* cuz i cant explain to myself her acts any other way.
if you think he's ruining your career, then why you opening your legs to him?
if you think you may be a sub but not obedient, then why u r on ur knees?
if you think these ways, why you suddenly agreed to commit to him and admitted u love him AFTER u had a good proposition for ur career?
i'm a rebel in relationships (this doesn't change the fact that i fall for every alphas in real life too shut up). hard to believe i know. and i know difference between rebel and pain in the ass. Mon is worst... and Jon is not the best btw.
maybe i can think as she is consistent at least but NO. he asked politely, persistently, patiently her to not to meet with Jess.
and she did and tried to find a way for like 98416 times. consequence may be great for him but, oh god i'm tired. you are not a child for fuck sake.
“Goddess. You’re beautiful. Let me be yours.”
she dont have respect for people who close to her. all she says "fuck me", "i think im fallen", "im not whore". say something nice and btw nice doesnt have to be sweet and sugar.
“You belong to me. That means I take care of you. Your body and your heart.” He slid the navel bar through the piercing. “That means I’m committed to your happiness. And it means there is no other woman.” He slid the smaller diamond cap on top, sealing the gem to me. “I don’t share. And you don’t have to either. You have to trust me. [...] It’s a choice. Make it.”
like, she is "i become a bondage girl bc of you but please fuck me" and he is "commit ur self, i'm keeping words to myself and do as just i said" then things turned and he blocked her LOL and she tried to win him.
SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO is that necessary? you really have to do dis cliche?
ABSTRACT
“Commit. Yourself. To. Me.” He said it softly and firmly, half whisper, half scream.
“I’m yours. Touch me.”
“You don’t even know what you’re promising.”
“Yes, I—”
“I cannot watch you walk away again. If you commit yourself, you’re mine. You will set your limits, and I will honor them. You will be exclusive to me. You will submit yourself to me sexually. Completely.”
“Yes.”
“People will know.”
I thought I would have agreed to do anything for him, but that stopped me dead in my tracks. “Why can’t we be discreet?”
“I want everything. I want to take you out. I want us to be tied without worrying about who sees us, and I don’t want men looking at you like you’re single.”
“Fine, then Carnival’s going to put me on stage in a collar.”
that's. all.
but the main problem is, story taking too long. in series book two always a hard-to-like to me, you know why i'm saying this. characters turning a disaster, events becoming soap opera...
Someone pls explain Darren to me. he calls his then-ex-now-bff Mon as Jon's whore, but accepting Jon's plane offer bc he freaked out in the middle of airport when he saw reflection of himself and his boyfriend and went home (so he missed the plane). have a spine!
details like Rachel and his father and his hospitalization and Kevin (turns a jerk) and others happened but there is so much soap bullshit. i'm tired girls.
From my kneeling position, I eased her into a chair and spread her legs, kissing the devastation inside them. I didn’t have a mother’s healing kiss on a scratched knee, but I had no other way to show her the pain in my heart at seeing her hurt and knowing that I’d done it and I’d do it again and again.
i'm not reading #3 and i want to know Reiss with her The Edge Series.
please, hurt it
xoxoxo
iko
July 11, 2015
Of Course Loved It!!!!
June 15, 2019
Control-Part 4 of 9: More drama with the ex-wife. Jonathan just confuses me. I can't tell if he finally acknowledges his love of Monica and wants more or if he just wants to keep her but at arms length. Monica is still being stupid about her ex, Kevin. That guy is a sleaze ball and she's crazy for not cutting ties. I'm still loving every bit of of these two.
Burn-Part 5 of 9: The ex-wife finally made her play and it’s a big one. The ex-boyfriend is even more of a sleaze. Monica is still clueless about him. And how can the other ex-boyfriend/best friend think Kevin is better than Jonathan. Was he never around during their relationship? I like Jonathan more and more with each book.
Resist-Part 6 of 9: This dealt with the aftermath of the ex-wife’s power play. We get the dance of Monica wanting to help Jonathan out of what Jessica got him into, and Jonathan trying to keep Monica away from Jessica. I find it funny that his distraction technique is sex. Like that will make her forget everything. Thankfully we have no Kevin, the sleaze, in this episode. Once again it ends on a big cliffhanger.
Burn-Part 5 of 9: The ex-wife finally made her play and it’s a big one. The ex-boyfriend is even more of a sleaze. Monica is still clueless about him. And how can the other ex-boyfriend/best friend think Kevin is better than Jonathan. Was he never around during their relationship? I like Jonathan more and more with each book.
Resist-Part 6 of 9: This dealt with the aftermath of the ex-wife’s power play. We get the dance of Monica wanting to help Jonathan out of what Jessica got him into, and Jonathan trying to keep Monica away from Jessica. I find it funny that his distraction technique is sex. Like that will make her forget everything. Thankfully we have no Kevin, the sleaze, in this episode. Once again it ends on a big cliffhanger.
November 5, 2020
The control begins, the burn Mars the skin and soul and resisting doesn't eem to work. It's so emotionally hard, it's just singed my heart as a reader.
Intense is the word too soft to describe the volatile chemistry between Jonathan and Monica.
He seems to be mesmerized by the canary and wants to cage her and ends up twisting her into a painful knot. She's trying to resist but who can escape Jonathan..certainly not jessica ..certainly not Monica and definitely not me
5 supernova stars
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Intense is the word too soft to describe the volatile chemistry between Jonathan and Monica.
He seems to be mesmerized by the canary and wants to cage her and ends up twisting her into a painful knot. She's trying to resist but who can escape Jonathan..certainly not jessica ..certainly not Monica and definitely not me
5 supernova stars
Follow me on:
Email🌻 Bookbub 🌻 Twitter🌻 Instagram🌻 Blog🌻 Facebook🌻 Amazon 🌻
July 9, 2014
This was another compelling read but...idk, I think the serialization format forced unnecessary drama into the story so that each part ended on a cliffhanger. So they split, reconciled, had hot sex, split etc etc on repeat. At first it tore me up while I was reading it, but every time it repeated, it lost a little of its potential to shock, which was a pity when the writing was so good - the sex scenes in this are off the charts.
There is another, final part that concludes this story and this ends on a huge cliffhanger.
There is another, final part that concludes this story and this ends on a huge cliffhanger.
October 13, 2015
The story was good, but I so hated Monica. I don't like how she thinks and acts and how she sees herself if she accepts something from her boyfriend and how she sees submission. For me she is the main problem in this series.
March 30, 2017
STORY: 4.5 stars
PERFORMANCE: 5 stars
OVERALL: 5 stars
STORY
Monica and Jonathan's saga develops into a more intricate web in this second sequence. We still get plenty of hot and heavy kinky sex yet fortunately, there's more going on than just that, especially in the last 1/3rd. I think I enjoyed these three books more than the first three because Jonathan is more involved, giving us his direct point of view. Whatever the reason, I'm glad I continued listening and look forward to the next three books.
PERFORMANCE
Although sequence #1 was entertaining, I didn't find it so enthralling that I felt the need to listen to SEQUENCE 2. However, when I realized that this second installment was narrated by both a male and female narrator, I decided to give it a chance; I'm glad I did! Male narrator Christian Fox brings a whole new dynamic to this production! His manly, sexy voice perfectly fits our Alpha main character jonathan. And, when I use the term, "production", I'm being literal; this is a true production! Extra time and energy was put into this audiobook to make it more believable. For example, when playing back a secret recording, we get static and everything! I was very impressed with the performance of both narrators!
PERFORMANCE: 5 stars
OVERALL: 5 stars
STORY
Monica and Jonathan's saga develops into a more intricate web in this second sequence. We still get plenty of hot and heavy kinky sex yet fortunately, there's more going on than just that, especially in the last 1/3rd. I think I enjoyed these three books more than the first three because Jonathan is more involved, giving us his direct point of view. Whatever the reason, I'm glad I continued listening and look forward to the next three books.
PERFORMANCE
Although sequence #1 was entertaining, I didn't find it so enthralling that I felt the need to listen to SEQUENCE 2. However, when I realized that this second installment was narrated by both a male and female narrator, I decided to give it a chance; I'm glad I did! Male narrator Christian Fox brings a whole new dynamic to this production! His manly, sexy voice perfectly fits our Alpha main character jonathan. And, when I use the term, "production", I'm being literal; this is a true production! Extra time and energy was put into this audiobook to make it more believable. For example, when playing back a secret recording, we get static and everything! I was very impressed with the performance of both narrators!
March 16, 2014
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!! THIS SERIES IS THE BEST FREAKING THING SINCE, cheesecake, bread pudding and chocolate! HOLY SHIT! Onto Sing!
July 7, 2017
★¸¸.•*¨*•★Unabridged Audiobook Info★•*¨*•.¸¸★
Narrated by: Jo Raylan , Christian Fox
Length: 11 hrs and 48 mins
Release Date: 06-23-15
Publisher: Flip City Media Inc
Writing style: Dual POVs
Overall: ★★★☆☆
Performance-Christian Fox: ★★★★☆
Performance-Jo Raylan: ★★☆☆☆
Story: ★★☆☆☆
Audible Review Title: “Not really my cup of tea but I'm invested”
What disappointed you about Control, Burn, Resist: Books 4-6?
I fell out of like with Monica at the end of Submit in Sequence 1. I also had a hard time appreciating Jo Raylan’s narrating style. Jo is undoubtedly talented because how many narrators actually sing a character’s songs as well as she does? But overall, I couldn’t ignore how much I don’t like her narrating rhythm.
Would you ever listen to anything by CD Reiss again?
Yes, I would as long as Jo Raylan is NOT the female narrator. I love Christian Fox though, so I would definitely listen to a male POV only novel narrated by him or him paired with any other female narrator that I like more than Jo.
What did you like about the performance? What did you dislike?
I’ll focus on Christian Fox’s performance since I’ve already stated how I felt about Jo Raylan’s performance. Christian has a great voice and excellent vocal pacing. I enjoyed the nuances he added quite a bit and wished he could’ve narrated the entire novel solo. I really wanted more chapters narrated by him, but these novels were definitely more Monica POV heavy.
What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?
I was disappointed that Monica’s character kept flip flopping so much about her desire to be in a sexual relationship with Jonathan. By the second sequence, I erroneously assumed she would embrace their relationship and explore how that relationship positively impacted her life. Instead, she was a human yo-yo vacillating between pursuing her music career without any relationship with a man at all and loving the pleasure she experienced being with a rich, protective, alpha male like Jonathan who enjoyed and introduced her to various elements of BDSM. Her vacillating even infected him at one point, ugh! He, too, decided to check out of their relationship for her own good briefly before returning to his original determined pursuit of her.
Any additional comments?
I’m just hoping that this last sequence will see this couple finally embrace their relationship 100%. I want to see what it’s like for them when they are both fully into it without reservations or regrets. As a united front, they can resolve the Jessica issue and celebrate Monica’s growing singing / songwriting career as a true romantic couple.
•*¨*•
Coming up next: Sing Coda Dominance: Submission Series Bundle #3 in audiobook format which includes books 7-9.
Narrated by: Jo Raylan , Christian Fox
Length: 11 hrs and 48 mins
Release Date: 06-23-15
Publisher: Flip City Media Inc
Writing style: Dual POVs
Overall: ★★★☆☆
Performance-Christian Fox: ★★★★☆
Performance-Jo Raylan: ★★☆☆☆
Story: ★★☆☆☆
Audible Review Title: “Not really my cup of tea but I'm invested”
What disappointed you about Control, Burn, Resist: Books 4-6?
I fell out of like with Monica at the end of Submit in Sequence 1. I also had a hard time appreciating Jo Raylan’s narrating style. Jo is undoubtedly talented because how many narrators actually sing a character’s songs as well as she does? But overall, I couldn’t ignore how much I don’t like her narrating rhythm.
Would you ever listen to anything by CD Reiss again?
Yes, I would as long as Jo Raylan is NOT the female narrator. I love Christian Fox though, so I would definitely listen to a male POV only novel narrated by him or him paired with any other female narrator that I like more than Jo.
What did you like about the performance? What did you dislike?
I’ll focus on Christian Fox’s performance since I’ve already stated how I felt about Jo Raylan’s performance. Christian has a great voice and excellent vocal pacing. I enjoyed the nuances he added quite a bit and wished he could’ve narrated the entire novel solo. I really wanted more chapters narrated by him, but these novels were definitely more Monica POV heavy.
What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?
I was disappointed that Monica’s character kept flip flopping so much about her desire to be in a sexual relationship with Jonathan. By the second sequence, I erroneously assumed she would embrace their relationship and explore how that relationship positively impacted her life. Instead, she was a human yo-yo vacillating between pursuing her music career without any relationship with a man at all and loving the pleasure she experienced being with a rich, protective, alpha male like Jonathan who enjoyed and introduced her to various elements of BDSM. Her vacillating even infected him at one point, ugh! He, too, decided to check out of their relationship for her own good briefly before returning to his original determined pursuit of her.
Any additional comments?
I’m just hoping that this last sequence will see this couple finally embrace their relationship 100%. I want to see what it’s like for them when they are both fully into it without reservations or regrets. As a united front, they can resolve the Jessica issue and celebrate Monica’s growing singing / songwriting career as a true romantic couple.
•*¨*•
Coming up next: Sing Coda Dominance: Submission Series Bundle #3 in audiobook format which includes books 7-9.
March 16, 2014
Buddy read with Denisse
5 I've Fallen for Jonathan Drazen Stars
Once again I don't have anything more to add that hasn't been said about this series!! It's fantastic!!
5 I've Fallen for Jonathan Drazen Stars
Once again I don't have anything more to add that hasn't been said about this series!! It's fantastic!!
February 22, 2021
I got completely sucked in by this story. I can't seem to get enough of Monica & Jonathan. So many twists & turns. And the hotness, whew! Sooooo steamy. So glad there is a third book! Love the addition of Christian Fox as a narrator for the 2nd book.
July 19, 2019
🎧 Audio Review 🎧
Yes, I am in love with this series! Jonathan & Monica are so HOT together. The love story is perfect (to me), the sex scenes are super hot and the chemistry is amazing. I can't come up with one thing I dislike about this story. The characters are strong and the writing is really good. To top it all off...the narration is AMAZING!!! As if the story isn't hoot enough, she makes it 10x hotter. Great narration choice for an awesome series!
Yes, I am in love with this series! Jonathan & Monica are so HOT together. The love story is perfect (to me), the sex scenes are super hot and the chemistry is amazing. I can't come up with one thing I dislike about this story. The characters are strong and the writing is really good. To top it all off...the narration is AMAZING!!! As if the story isn't hoot enough, she makes it 10x hotter. Great narration choice for an awesome series!
December 6, 2013
Five stars are not enough!! I LOVED THE BOOKS!! LOVED, LOVED,LOVED them all. I don't think erotica even begins to describe these books. Yes,they are very erotic and so damn sexy. But the story speaks for itself. I am in awe. I will be starting the final one tonight. CANNOT WAIT
December 22, 2013
6 7 stars may not b enough. The sex was great, the story and characters even better. A fan for life.
September 25, 2014
Control
Control is the first part of the second sequence of Songs of Submission. The whole dynamic of the story has changed. Jonathan has finally let go of the crippling heartbreak of his marriage break up and Jessica no longer casts a lengthy shadow over his life. He’s moved on and he wants to move on with Monica. At first he just wanted to dominate her, to hold her to a contract but now he wants so much more. He wants to possess her, to keep her by his side, to love and protect – he wants to claim her and he wants no other.
Monica, although having accepted the role of sexual submissive, is still struggling with his dominant nature in the rest of their relationship. She’ll give up control sexually to him but is determined not to let him take control of any other aspect of her life. Monica is not intimidated by him, she teases and challenges him but she is determined to remain her own woman, not be kept dripping in expensive gifts and, most especially, she wants to achieve success in her career on her own merit and without Jonathan’s help. Cue a battle of wills between these two, especially as Jonathan has discovered something that makes him fear for her safety.
Jonathan’s starting to make my heart hurt a little. In Sequence One, he came over as a rather unfeeling but incredibly sexy dominant – he wants Monica but makes it clear he can never love her. He loves only his ex-wife, the woman who made him out to be abusive because he shared his sexual proclivities with her. Now he’s developing strong feelings for Monica and is once again facing the same heartbreak, the same issues. He is who he is and Monica is absolutely the perfect submissive for him but she’s never going to make it easy as they both struggle with the dynamics of the relationship.
“What we made together was greater than what I would have created myself. Monica was the perfect canvas for me. The rest was going to have to fall into place. She was mine. What we had was mine.”
Burn
We re-join them as we left them in Control – Monica has walked away from Jonathan. She believes firmly that their kink, joyfully indulged in private, now has far reaching ramifications for both of them in their professional lives. Every time she meets with someone in a professional capacity she is convinced they are imagining her bound and spread and waiting to be dominated. She has written song lyrics that she feels everyone will know are about Jonathan. She’s convinced that the world has thrown them together and shown them how perfect that can be and then spitefully shown them they can’t comfortably be a couple without being the puppets of other people’s imaginations.
Their separation is painful to say the least. Monica’s mind and body is a dry, arid desert without him – she can’t seem to have a normal physical response to anything, her body is so very well trained to react to Jonathan. Jonathan also firmly believes that they belong together but Monica has made the decision to walk away and he insists that she must make the decision to come back to him, fully prepared to fully commit.
Of course, they were never going to be able keep that painful physical distance for very long as they both ache so badly for the other’s touch and you can expect a hot and sexy scene that we really have come to expect and crave.
“When this ice cube melts, I’m going to make love to you so slow, everyone in this hotel is going to know my name. It won’t be play. It’s going to be dead serious.”
Resist
I find myself constantly worrying for these characters as CD Reiss piles on the agony, but I am like an addict looking for her next fix. I HAVE to know what’s coming next!
“He shifted closer to me and spoke in a whisper. “I’m taking you home, and I’m going to tie your wrists to the banister. I’m going to blindfold you, then I’m going to undress you slowly. I’m putting my lips all over you until you beg me to take you, which I may or may not do.”
“Jonathan,” I whispered, his name a white flag of surrender.”
We pick up in the aftermath of the events of the last few pages of Burn – nothing is ever going to be easy for these two. Little seeds of doubt are laying down thick roots in Monica’s brain as she wonders whether Jonathan is telling her the whole truth. How much of Jessica’s story is real and how much has she been deceived? There’s a lot of baring of souls in this one as we finally get to hear what happened to Rachel and understand the guilt that Jonathan carries around and finally, fully understand him, just the way he is and Monica will go to extreme lengths to protect the man she loves whole-heartedly.
“My name is Monica. I stand six feet tall in heels. I am descended from one of the greatest writers of the twentieth century. I can sing like an angel, and growl like a lion. I am music. I am a goddess”
I feel like, at long last, we finally got to know Jonathan 100% and see far beyond the sadist dominant exterior to the man beneath – the man who will show great nobility in his attempt to protect Monica from his perceived darker side and will break her heart in the process. Monica proves that she has cojones of steel and will do just about anything to protect her man. These two deserve their happiness but there are so many obstacles to overcome and then SOMETHING VERY BAD happens right at the end to leave you panting and salivating for book 7!
“My name is Monica. I sing like an angel and roar like a lion. I am the owner and ruler of my mind. I keep my own counsel. I decide how I feel. I answer to no one.”
It’s still as sexy as hell as the all-out sadist in Jonathan is once again unleashed and Monica thrives under his dominion over her – there’s some real HAWT and sexy scenes, as we’ve really come to expect from CD Reiss.
Control is the first part of the second sequence of Songs of Submission. The whole dynamic of the story has changed. Jonathan has finally let go of the crippling heartbreak of his marriage break up and Jessica no longer casts a lengthy shadow over his life. He’s moved on and he wants to move on with Monica. At first he just wanted to dominate her, to hold her to a contract but now he wants so much more. He wants to possess her, to keep her by his side, to love and protect – he wants to claim her and he wants no other.
Monica, although having accepted the role of sexual submissive, is still struggling with his dominant nature in the rest of their relationship. She’ll give up control sexually to him but is determined not to let him take control of any other aspect of her life. Monica is not intimidated by him, she teases and challenges him but she is determined to remain her own woman, not be kept dripping in expensive gifts and, most especially, she wants to achieve success in her career on her own merit and without Jonathan’s help. Cue a battle of wills between these two, especially as Jonathan has discovered something that makes him fear for her safety.
Jonathan’s starting to make my heart hurt a little. In Sequence One, he came over as a rather unfeeling but incredibly sexy dominant – he wants Monica but makes it clear he can never love her. He loves only his ex-wife, the woman who made him out to be abusive because he shared his sexual proclivities with her. Now he’s developing strong feelings for Monica and is once again facing the same heartbreak, the same issues. He is who he is and Monica is absolutely the perfect submissive for him but she’s never going to make it easy as they both struggle with the dynamics of the relationship.
“What we made together was greater than what I would have created myself. Monica was the perfect canvas for me. The rest was going to have to fall into place. She was mine. What we had was mine.”
Burn
We re-join them as we left them in Control – Monica has walked away from Jonathan. She believes firmly that their kink, joyfully indulged in private, now has far reaching ramifications for both of them in their professional lives. Every time she meets with someone in a professional capacity she is convinced they are imagining her bound and spread and waiting to be dominated. She has written song lyrics that she feels everyone will know are about Jonathan. She’s convinced that the world has thrown them together and shown them how perfect that can be and then spitefully shown them they can’t comfortably be a couple without being the puppets of other people’s imaginations.
Their separation is painful to say the least. Monica’s mind and body is a dry, arid desert without him – she can’t seem to have a normal physical response to anything, her body is so very well trained to react to Jonathan. Jonathan also firmly believes that they belong together but Monica has made the decision to walk away and he insists that she must make the decision to come back to him, fully prepared to fully commit.
Of course, they were never going to be able keep that painful physical distance for very long as they both ache so badly for the other’s touch and you can expect a hot and sexy scene that we really have come to expect and crave.
“When this ice cube melts, I’m going to make love to you so slow, everyone in this hotel is going to know my name. It won’t be play. It’s going to be dead serious.”
Resist
I find myself constantly worrying for these characters as CD Reiss piles on the agony, but I am like an addict looking for her next fix. I HAVE to know what’s coming next!
“He shifted closer to me and spoke in a whisper. “I’m taking you home, and I’m going to tie your wrists to the banister. I’m going to blindfold you, then I’m going to undress you slowly. I’m putting my lips all over you until you beg me to take you, which I may or may not do.”
“Jonathan,” I whispered, his name a white flag of surrender.”
We pick up in the aftermath of the events of the last few pages of Burn – nothing is ever going to be easy for these two. Little seeds of doubt are laying down thick roots in Monica’s brain as she wonders whether Jonathan is telling her the whole truth. How much of Jessica’s story is real and how much has she been deceived? There’s a lot of baring of souls in this one as we finally get to hear what happened to Rachel and understand the guilt that Jonathan carries around and finally, fully understand him, just the way he is and Monica will go to extreme lengths to protect the man she loves whole-heartedly.
“My name is Monica. I stand six feet tall in heels. I am descended from one of the greatest writers of the twentieth century. I can sing like an angel, and growl like a lion. I am music. I am a goddess”
I feel like, at long last, we finally got to know Jonathan 100% and see far beyond the sadist dominant exterior to the man beneath – the man who will show great nobility in his attempt to protect Monica from his perceived darker side and will break her heart in the process. Monica proves that she has cojones of steel and will do just about anything to protect her man. These two deserve their happiness but there are so many obstacles to overcome and then SOMETHING VERY BAD happens right at the end to leave you panting and salivating for book 7!
“My name is Monica. I sing like an angel and roar like a lion. I am the owner and ruler of my mind. I keep my own counsel. I decide how I feel. I answer to no one.”
It’s still as sexy as hell as the all-out sadist in Jonathan is once again unleashed and Monica thrives under his dominion over her – there’s some real HAWT and sexy scenes, as we’ve really come to expect from CD Reiss.
April 22, 2017
5 Stars Is STILL Not Enough!
Part 2 of one of my all time favorite series. Jonathan and Monica's story continues. It's sweet, emotional, happy, sad and hot. But, like books 1- 3, the standout feature is how seductive and sensual it is. As Jonathan and Monica are falling into each other, I am also falling under their spell.
It always comes down to the writing and CD Reiss is one of those authors that seemed made for writing for me. I connect so deeply with her stories and characters that I feel the emotions profoundly.
In this story, secrets get revealed, mysteries solved and Jonathan straddles the line between dominant and crazy controlling. And you know what? I still love him! The stakes start to really ramp up in this series and Jonathan and Monica have some pretty bad odds stacked against them. But in true Jonathan fashion, he has it all under control and he just needs to take care of Monica and show her that her submission is safe.
I didn't think it was possible to be more invested in a book that I was at the end of books 1-3 but CD ensnared me even further with this installment. I'm both ready to read books 7-9 and dreading the end of this series. Letting go of Jonathan is not going to be easy.
Part 2 of one of my all time favorite series. Jonathan and Monica's story continues. It's sweet, emotional, happy, sad and hot. But, like books 1- 3, the standout feature is how seductive and sensual it is. As Jonathan and Monica are falling into each other, I am also falling under their spell.
It always comes down to the writing and CD Reiss is one of those authors that seemed made for writing for me. I connect so deeply with her stories and characters that I feel the emotions profoundly.
In this story, secrets get revealed, mysteries solved and Jonathan straddles the line between dominant and crazy controlling. And you know what? I still love him! The stakes start to really ramp up in this series and Jonathan and Monica have some pretty bad odds stacked against them. But in true Jonathan fashion, he has it all under control and he just needs to take care of Monica and show her that her submission is safe.
I didn't think it was possible to be more invested in a book that I was at the end of books 1-3 but CD ensnared me even further with this installment. I'm both ready to read books 7-9 and dreading the end of this series. Letting go of Jonathan is not going to be easy.
April 14, 2019
2.5 ?? Stars
This is hard to describe, I’m having a hard time with what I feel about this book and series. It’s intriguing but got a little boring. Maybe it’s took long since I’m doing the 3 book series and not all the smaller ones. I think the thing I’m not loving right now is how confusing the characters seems. Their inner voice seems to lie as well as what they say outloud. It’s difficult trying to figure out what is true. I’ll finish this book(s) but not sure I’ll need to continue with this author if the last books don’t make more sense. Which is too bad because the story is interesting.
This is hard to describe, I’m having a hard time with what I feel about this book and series. It’s intriguing but got a little boring. Maybe it’s took long since I’m doing the 3 book series and not all the smaller ones. I think the thing I’m not loving right now is how confusing the characters seems. Their inner voice seems to lie as well as what they say outloud. It’s difficult trying to figure out what is true. I’ll finish this book(s) but not sure I’ll need to continue with this author if the last books don’t make more sense. Which is too bad because the story is interesting.
May 11, 2018
Audiobook: I really like the audio version of this book. The female narrator does such a great job of doing a male voice. It's not overdone, but its just deep enough to sound convincing. Also she sings more in this book and I really like that she doesn't just read the words like I've heard in other books. She has a Tori Amos style that I really like.
I am loving this series!! I usually don't pay $5.99 for an e-book unless it is something I KNOW is going to be great, but I am so glad I bit the bullet and bought this one. This is the second sequence in the Songs of Submission series. It contains short stories 4-6.
It was frustrating and sexy and sweet all wrapped up in one book. Their feelings come out in this book. They are finally open about how they feel, even though Jonathan is still holding back secrets from his past.
One thing I am really impressed with in this series is pleasure/pain aspect. I have read other books with this subject and I'm always thinking 'WHY are you hurting her? You love her!' For example, the Up in the Air series. I LOVED that series, but there were times when Bianca would be pushing through the pain from James' dominance. It didn't seem like she was enjoying it. But with this book, it makes sense. It's written in a way that I can almost feel how much Monica and Jonathan crave that part of their relationship. And unlike those other books, I understand and can almost feel the enjoyment they get out of a relationship like theirs. It is very well written in that respect.
Also, I usually hate it when the male does something stupid and when the female tries to confront him about it, he dominates her sexually to get her to stop. I usually hate the female for being weak. But again, this is written in a way that I don't mind it and turn out enjoying it. Mostly because Monica doesn't become a mindless twit. Even as Jonathan starts pulling her hair and barking orders, she can't help but give in, but at the same time she lets him know she is still mad and her submissiveness at the moment does not change the fact that she is mad at him. I love that. I love that Monica is submissive and strong at the same time.
Their relationship is stronger in some aspects in this book, but at the same time, they are all over the place. I'm ready for the drama to end. I want their HEA.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FAVORITE QUOTES
"[..] You were built for me. I denied it as long as I could, but we were meant to be together. You are the sea under my sky. We're bound at the horizon."
~Jonathan
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Jonathan, please, I can't bear the thought of you with someone else." His body was so close to mine, so real. That son of a b*tch. Built so right for me and how many others?
"Wait. You think there was someone else?" he asked.
"I bit my lip. I didn't know what I thought any more.
"Monica. There's. No. One. Else." He let the handle go and stared at me for a second. "There's only you. You think I'm stupid? You think I can create what we have with another woman? I know the world. I know the people in it. Us? What we have isn't something we made. It's something that existed before we even met."
~Monica and Jonathan - Even though I thought her accusations and insecurities came way out of left field and I was a little confused at this scene when she threw the other woman thing out there, I just loved how he answered her.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I don't want my life ruined."
"Neither do I. But this..." He brushed his hands over my face, bringing my skin to life. "This, I want. I've never wanted anything so badly. I feel your hands on your phone when you read my texts. I go to the Stock after your shifts just to stand where you've stood. I fall asleep on the pillow you used when you were in my bed. I need to share whatever piece of the world you're in. Tell me you don't feel the same."
~Monica and Jonathan
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"It means someone who had access to one of my accounts had them put in. To answer your next question, yes, Jessica had access to that account. Yes, I think it was her, and no, I don't know why."
Why?" I asked as if I hadn't heard him.
"Still don't know.[...]"
~Jonathan and Monica - This was actually one of the things that irritated me about Monica, she did this numerous times, he would tell her he didn't know something and she would immediately ask a question seeking the answer for what he JUST told her he didn't know. But his response here cracked me up.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"[...] You being afraid-it hurts my bones."
~Jonathan
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"What are you drinking?"
"Piss and vinegar."
~Random guy and Monica - her way of blowing someone off.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Jonathan," I whispered, his name a white flag of surrender.
"Did you just shudder, or is it cold in this parking lot?"
"Was there anyone before you?"
"You might have thought so at the time."
"I feel like no one's ever loved me before."
"I'm sure they did their best, but you always belonged to me."
~Monica and Jonathan
I am loving this series!! I usually don't pay $5.99 for an e-book unless it is something I KNOW is going to be great, but I am so glad I bit the bullet and bought this one. This is the second sequence in the Songs of Submission series. It contains short stories 4-6.
It was frustrating and sexy and sweet all wrapped up in one book. Their feelings come out in this book. They are finally open about how they feel, even though Jonathan is still holding back secrets from his past.
One thing I am really impressed with in this series is pleasure/pain aspect. I have read other books with this subject and I'm always thinking 'WHY are you hurting her? You love her!' For example, the Up in the Air series. I LOVED that series, but there were times when Bianca would be pushing through the pain from James' dominance. It didn't seem like she was enjoying it. But with this book, it makes sense. It's written in a way that I can almost feel how much Monica and Jonathan crave that part of their relationship. And unlike those other books, I understand and can almost feel the enjoyment they get out of a relationship like theirs. It is very well written in that respect.
Also, I usually hate it when the male does something stupid and when the female tries to confront him about it, he dominates her sexually to get her to stop. I usually hate the female for being weak. But again, this is written in a way that I don't mind it and turn out enjoying it. Mostly because Monica doesn't become a mindless twit. Even as Jonathan starts pulling her hair and barking orders, she can't help but give in, but at the same time she lets him know she is still mad and her submissiveness at the moment does not change the fact that she is mad at him. I love that. I love that Monica is submissive and strong at the same time.
Their relationship is stronger in some aspects in this book, but at the same time, they are all over the place. I'm ready for the drama to end. I want their HEA.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FAVORITE QUOTES
"[..] You were built for me. I denied it as long as I could, but we were meant to be together. You are the sea under my sky. We're bound at the horizon."
~Jonathan
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Jonathan, please, I can't bear the thought of you with someone else." His body was so close to mine, so real. That son of a b*tch. Built so right for me and how many others?
"Wait. You think there was someone else?" he asked.
"I bit my lip. I didn't know what I thought any more.
"Monica. There's. No. One. Else." He let the handle go and stared at me for a second. "There's only you. You think I'm stupid? You think I can create what we have with another woman? I know the world. I know the people in it. Us? What we have isn't something we made. It's something that existed before we even met."
~Monica and Jonathan - Even though I thought her accusations and insecurities came way out of left field and I was a little confused at this scene when she threw the other woman thing out there, I just loved how he answered her.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I don't want my life ruined."
"Neither do I. But this..." He brushed his hands over my face, bringing my skin to life. "This, I want. I've never wanted anything so badly. I feel your hands on your phone when you read my texts. I go to the Stock after your shifts just to stand where you've stood. I fall asleep on the pillow you used when you were in my bed. I need to share whatever piece of the world you're in. Tell me you don't feel the same."
~Monica and Jonathan
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"It means someone who had access to one of my accounts had them put in. To answer your next question, yes, Jessica had access to that account. Yes, I think it was her, and no, I don't know why."
Why?" I asked as if I hadn't heard him.
"Still don't know.[...]"
~Jonathan and Monica - This was actually one of the things that irritated me about Monica, she did this numerous times, he would tell her he didn't know something and she would immediately ask a question seeking the answer for what he JUST told her he didn't know. But his response here cracked me up.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"[...] You being afraid-it hurts my bones."
~Jonathan
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"What are you drinking?"
"Piss and vinegar."
~Random guy and Monica - her way of blowing someone off.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Jonathan," I whispered, his name a white flag of surrender.
"Did you just shudder, or is it cold in this parking lot?"
"Was there anyone before you?"
"You might have thought so at the time."
"I feel like no one's ever loved me before."
"I'm sure they did their best, but you always belonged to me."
~Monica and Jonathan
January 4, 2025
4.5 stars
August 16, 2015
Control, Burn, Resist picked up right where Bundle #1 left off. And this time we also get to jump into Jonathan's head with the change to dual POV's. This added another emotional level to this series. I was super excited to get a glimpse into what haunting things make this domineering man tick, while continuing with Monica On her journey of self discovery.
CD Reiss writes the most interesting and deep characters. They have an edge of realness to them, that most books in this genre are lacking. She draws the readers in, and makes them care about these broken characters. In a way, this series is a mystery. Each have secrets they hide deep inside. You just want to read more, and find out why these characters act they way they do.
I really enjoyed Monica's character. She's driven, talented, smart, caring, and sexy. She's not the standard wet mop female lead you tend to find in this genre. I like how she takes charge of her own life, but has a wiliness to submit to Jonathan in the bedroom. I enjoy watching her butt heads with Jonathan, as well. She takes a stand on the important things, and that's what really matters. She decided that sometimes letting go of control can be a good thing. She's also good for Jonathan. He's not used to having people stand up to him, and she's not his standard submissive. Also heat and sexual tension between the two of them flies straight off the page.
Where do I even start. Jonathan might just be one of my favorite erotic male leads. He's sexy, driven, smart, and tends to take what he wants. Unfortunately, Jonathan can be his own worst enemy at times. He's a bit self destructive. In Bundle #1, he seems to be in control of just about everything. I think that in the Bundle #2, you get to see what's actually going on below the surface. I enjoyed seeing seeing the damaged parts of Jonathan. It made him more real to me. Jonathan's part of the story was like peeling back the layers of an onion. You get to see why he's always holding back emotionally.
I really wasn't sure what to expect from the narration side of this audiobook. The first bundle was performed by a solo narrator, Jo Raylan. I so was blown away by her passionate performance, that purchasing the second bundle in this series was a no-brainer. Then it was announced that Bundle #2 would be a duel narration between Jo Raylan and Christian Fox. I'm not usually a fan of dual narrations, it can sometimes be distracting and disjointed. However, Jo and Christian's combined performance brought this series to whole new emotional level. They're narrations flowed so smoothly into each other, that I was never distracted by the change in narrator. I also loved the little snippets, where one narrator would pop-up in the other narrator's chapter. It was like a little yummy chocolate surprise, dropped in the middle of the chapter. Both narrators did a spectacular job encompassing the true emotions of their characters. I absolutely have to call attention to Jo Raylan's singing. She did such a wonderful job with Monica's lyrics. She has such a deep, soulful quality to her singing voice. These two really brought CD Reiss' story to life for me!
I wasn't sure that I could the CD Reiss could surpass the emotional power house that was Bundle #1, but she did it. CONTROL, BURN, RESIST was seductive, thrilling, and at times mysterious. CD has knack for writing beautifully broken characters. You can't help, but fall in love with them and their journey. The narrators of this audiobook, Jo and Christian, brought amazing depth to this story. I was completly enthralled, and I couldn't put it down. CD's passionate writing combined with very strong narration, made this one of my favorite audiobook of this year. I cannot wait until the release of Bundle #3, because this story left me on the edge of my seat.
***Audiobook was provided by the author in trade for a fair review***
CD Reiss writes the most interesting and deep characters. They have an edge of realness to them, that most books in this genre are lacking. She draws the readers in, and makes them care about these broken characters. In a way, this series is a mystery. Each have secrets they hide deep inside. You just want to read more, and find out why these characters act they way they do.
I really enjoyed Monica's character. She's driven, talented, smart, caring, and sexy. She's not the standard wet mop female lead you tend to find in this genre. I like how she takes charge of her own life, but has a wiliness to submit to Jonathan in the bedroom. I enjoy watching her butt heads with Jonathan, as well. She takes a stand on the important things, and that's what really matters. She decided that sometimes letting go of control can be a good thing. She's also good for Jonathan. He's not used to having people stand up to him, and she's not his standard submissive. Also heat and sexual tension between the two of them flies straight off the page.
Where do I even start. Jonathan might just be one of my favorite erotic male leads. He's sexy, driven, smart, and tends to take what he wants. Unfortunately, Jonathan can be his own worst enemy at times. He's a bit self destructive. In Bundle #1, he seems to be in control of just about everything. I think that in the Bundle #2, you get to see what's actually going on below the surface. I enjoyed seeing seeing the damaged parts of Jonathan. It made him more real to me. Jonathan's part of the story was like peeling back the layers of an onion. You get to see why he's always holding back emotionally.
I really wasn't sure what to expect from the narration side of this audiobook. The first bundle was performed by a solo narrator, Jo Raylan. I so was blown away by her passionate performance, that purchasing the second bundle in this series was a no-brainer. Then it was announced that Bundle #2 would be a duel narration between Jo Raylan and Christian Fox. I'm not usually a fan of dual narrations, it can sometimes be distracting and disjointed. However, Jo and Christian's combined performance brought this series to whole new emotional level. They're narrations flowed so smoothly into each other, that I was never distracted by the change in narrator. I also loved the little snippets, where one narrator would pop-up in the other narrator's chapter. It was like a little yummy chocolate surprise, dropped in the middle of the chapter. Both narrators did a spectacular job encompassing the true emotions of their characters. I absolutely have to call attention to Jo Raylan's singing. She did such a wonderful job with Monica's lyrics. She has such a deep, soulful quality to her singing voice. These two really brought CD Reiss' story to life for me!
I wasn't sure that I could the CD Reiss could surpass the emotional power house that was Bundle #1, but she did it. CONTROL, BURN, RESIST was seductive, thrilling, and at times mysterious. CD has knack for writing beautifully broken characters. You can't help, but fall in love with them and their journey. The narrators of this audiobook, Jo and Christian, brought amazing depth to this story. I was completly enthralled, and I couldn't put it down. CD's passionate writing combined with very strong narration, made this one of my favorite audiobook of this year. I cannot wait until the release of Bundle #3, because this story left me on the edge of my seat.
***Audiobook was provided by the author in trade for a fair review***
October 13, 2014
***5 "Sea and Sky" Stars***
After reading the first three books, there was no way in hell I wasn't buying a bundle that contained the next three. I was rabid for the continuation of Jonathan and Monica's story! Sequence Two gives us dual POV, and our peek inside the sexy billionaire's mind couldn't be better timed. Monica may not always know - yet - what's going on in that ginger head, but readers get a glimpse of his psyche. It's impossible not to root for these two as they navigate what it means to be Master and sub, friends, and lovers.
The writing is sharp with need and heavy with emotion:
My individual reviews (all spoiler-tagged) can be found here:
Control
Burn
Resist
After reading the first three books, there was no way in hell I wasn't buying a bundle that contained the next three. I was rabid for the continuation of Jonathan and Monica's story! Sequence Two gives us dual POV, and our peek inside the sexy billionaire's mind couldn't be better timed. Monica may not always know - yet - what's going on in that ginger head, but readers get a glimpse of his psyche. It's impossible not to root for these two as they navigate what it means to be Master and sub, friends, and lovers.
The writing is sharp with need and heavy with emotion:
I was desperate, on the edge of a cliff, a rope tied to my ankle and a boulder. The boulder was tipping over the edge of the cliff, and I would follow it to the bottom of the crevice.
It stung, and then pleasure blossomed like a thousand flowers.
I carried around an ache in my chest and a cloying desire on my skin.
My temper wasn't a fire burning out in a confused jumble of thoughts; it was a frozen lucidity, a clarity of intention whose sole purpose was to harm.
My individual reviews (all spoiler-tagged) can be found here:
Control
Burn
Resist
August 9, 2016
This is a collision of music, art, BDSM, dominance, submission, possession, obsession, guilt, unresolved love, unforgettable sex and memorable characters.
CD Reiss masterfully weaves a plot full of mystery and suspense while giving us erotic love scenes to rival all best selling books in any genre.
I fell in love with Jonathan from the first. Just like Monica, this man was so real and mysterious that he immediately gripped my heart and did not let go. I adore Monica with her sarcastic view of life and quick wit. She is a survivor and fighter. She deserves to succeed. The way the story evolves, her path to success and a happy ending is not a given and is fraught with obstacles.
I became very emotional while reading this series. I have to admit that I experienced every emotion possible to a human being while I devoured these pages. At the end, I was sobbing relentlessly, unable to control myself. I had no clue how CD Reiss was going to end the series and I must tell you the ending will ... surprise you. I did not expect it after reading all the installments.
NO SPOILERS HERE! This is one of those series that any reader of romance and erotica must read. It is unique in the quality of the writing and its plot line. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys a superb book and loves life.
CD Reiss masterfully weaves a plot full of mystery and suspense while giving us erotic love scenes to rival all best selling books in any genre.
I fell in love with Jonathan from the first. Just like Monica, this man was so real and mysterious that he immediately gripped my heart and did not let go. I adore Monica with her sarcastic view of life and quick wit. She is a survivor and fighter. She deserves to succeed. The way the story evolves, her path to success and a happy ending is not a given and is fraught with obstacles.
I became very emotional while reading this series. I have to admit that I experienced every emotion possible to a human being while I devoured these pages. At the end, I was sobbing relentlessly, unable to control myself. I had no clue how CD Reiss was going to end the series and I must tell you the ending will ... surprise you. I did not expect it after reading all the installments.
NO SPOILERS HERE! This is one of those series that any reader of romance and erotica must read. It is unique in the quality of the writing and its plot line. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys a superb book and loves life.
October 26, 2015
So what do you do when you don't know what to read next?? Grab the go to, the old faithful! One you KNOW will never disappoint!
Although I've read this series several times, for me it always seems like the first time. I find myself absorbed from the first page or in this case the first few minutes of listening. This audible series is one of my favorites! The narrators are phenomenal and made me feel as if Monica and Jonathan were real. I felt their emotion poor from my iPhone just as I had felt it when I read it the first time.
Simply AMAZING!!
Although I've read this series several times, for me it always seems like the first time. I find myself absorbed from the first page or in this case the first few minutes of listening. This audible series is one of my favorites! The narrators are phenomenal and made me feel as if Monica and Jonathan were real. I felt their emotion poor from my iPhone just as I had felt it when I read it the first time.
Simply AMAZING!!
June 30, 2014
God damn this gets me in a big hot mess constantly. My nerves are frazzled and my body resembles a zombie through lack of sleep and food. This really has take over my life...in a good way of course!
Jonathan, I cannot get enough of. I love reading from his point of view and I love how passionate he is. I'm still in a complete topsy turvy upside down muddle now that it's finished...what am I going to do with myself!
Jonathan, I cannot get enough of. I love reading from his point of view and I love how passionate he is. I'm still in a complete topsy turvy upside down muddle now that it's finished...what am I going to do with myself!
October 6, 2016
I don't know why I waited so long to list to the Sequence Two audio bundle in CD Reiss's Submission series. This set of stories about Jonathan and Monica is just an emotional rollercoaster that Sequence One.
Read this review in its entirety at The Book Nympho
Read this review in its entirety at The Book Nympho
August 31, 2025
Re-read August 2025
Still a classic dark billionaire romance
The audio is all 11 novellas for one credit. Very good deal.
And the audio is phonemail, narrated by the amazing Jo Raylan and Christian Fox
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
First read December 2022
Enjoyed every page of these 11 novellas combined into three collections
One Night book 1-3
One Year book 4-7
One Life book 8-11
Still a classic dark billionaire romance
The audio is all 11 novellas for one credit. Very good deal.
And the audio is phonemail, narrated by the amazing Jo Raylan and Christian Fox
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
First read December 2022
Enjoyed every page of these 11 novellas combined into three collections
One Night book 1-3
One Year book 4-7
One Life book 8-11
Displaying 1 - 30 of 221 reviews