Bold Strokes

by Jane Boon

“Boon paints an exquisite portrait of the intersection between fine art and the brave women who work in the darkened world of erotic dungeons. Like Erika, an artist of arousal and a dealer of dopamine, Boon creates a masterpiece with each stroke of her verbal cane.”

— KELLY CUTRONE, New York Times bestselling author

Ordained “Erika the Great” by the fawning art press, Erika Grieg oversees one of the hottest galleries in Chelsea. By night, in a secret dungeon in her gallery basement, Erika works as an elite dominatrix catering to the pervy needs of millionaires and billionaires. When her con artist father reappears with a dubious proposal, Erika escapes to Geneva, accepting an invitation from a wealthy investment banker who shares her taste for latex and art. These two solitary creatures are thrust together when Edouard’s business is rocked, and Erika fears for her future.

336 pages, Paperback

Published September 17, 2024

About the author

Jane Boon lives in Los Angeles and New York City with her husband, Norm Pearlstine. She studied technology and policy at MIT and later received a Ph.D. in industrial engineering. Jane has written for publications like The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg Businessweek, Time.com, McSweeneys.net, and TravelandLeisure.com. Jane enjoys improv and playing dress up, including the time she wore a corset, garters and thigh-high stockings as a dominatrix in the Fox TV series, Gotham. EDGE PLAY is her first novel.

Reviews

[Erika · Rating 5 out of 5]

I simply couldn't wait to get my eyes on this edition! After reading Edge Play, loving Amy's journey into BDSM, and finding her power, despite being entrenched in the male-dominated field I was hooked! Erika, the premier Dominatrix, was not the focus of edge play, so I was thirsty to find out more about Erika!


I am a distance Domination Femdom, and Jane exquisitely and expertly gives you a peek inside the minds of these two dynamic women as well as explores power dynamics, and the importance of consent not only in the fetish world but in our day-to-day lives!

Part study of Dominant Woman, part adventure and mystery, and tons of erotic play! This is a must-read for those titillated or curious about this lifestyle!

[Michael Trooper · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great follow up to Edge Play. I believe this was a lot of what Jane wanted to communicate in Edge Play, but because of the characters and situations it would have been forced or very long. Laying out the dynamics of relationships in the BDSM world as well as the art, academic, and ultra worlds is both interesting and done in a not heavy handed way.

The fact that we know many of the secondary characters and don't need the details let the author show us themes I believe she wanted to explore without bogging down.

As for the hot sex aspects, they are there, spot on and give the reader enough to keep the pages turning.

fun read.

[Treena Orchard · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED this book--HIGHLY RECOMMEND!! People lust for art and there is an art to lust, but what of the woman who learns to dominate in both domains? BOLD STROKES documents in delicious detail the men who pay to lay in the silent chambers of the vacubed, the haughty drama of artistic patronage, and complex family relationships more than one of us might recognize from our own lives. BOLD STROKES is a riveting, frisky read and Boon’s sultry and provoking heroine Erika Grieg is a woman you won’t soon forget.

[Virginia G · Rating 5 out of 5]

Smart and sexy. A fabulous beach read.

Erika Grieg, dominatrix by night and gallerist by day, has a problem. Her criminal father. Not wanting to get sucked into one of his schemes, she decamps to Geneva where one of her BDSM clients lives, and then things get interesting. Although it reads like a romp, Boon's research and knowledge about BDSM and the issues related to sex work and professional domination, comes through on every page.

Highly recommended.

[Tom H · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bold Strokes is a smart and satisfying read, and Erika Grieg is a fascinating and compelling heroine.

Are dominatrixes born or made? How much does the sex industry have in common with the art industry? What does it mean to monetize desire? Jane Boon digs into these topics and more, in this stylish, sexy novel.

Excellent Read - Highly Recommended!!

[Angelo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent book, exploring alternate sexuality themes of female dominance and submission, wrapped in an interesting story about the Art world. I learned so much about these seemingly disparate worlds from this heavily researched and expertly conveyed work. I can’t wait to read more books by author Jane Boon.