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The Game #15

For the Night

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Mistress Penelope Darling has spent the past ten years cherishing the Mclean House community she once founded with her closest friends. All of them gay men, most of them viewing her as a bossy little sister to be reckoned with. She’s also been in a loving relationship with her girlfriend—or so she thought.

After finding out her sub cheated on her, Penelope gets rid of everything. Her home, all the knickknacks, every picture…the girlfriend, of course. Her new plan is to never, ever be in a relationship again. She’s going to be a for-the-night Domme. Good for casual fun and friendship. That’s it.

Enter Nora Lilja. A new member. A ballsy young woman. A primal brat. A breath of fresh air with an angel on one shoulder and an irresistible devil on the other.

Penelope surrounds herself with friends and distractions. It’s a big month, with parties and events to plan. A cute newbie won’t break her resolve. Even when that girl turns out to be very, very persuasive, going so far as to claim she doesn’t want Penelope for the night.

She wants a shot at forever.

184 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 18, 2024

92 people are currently reading
229 people want to read

About the author

Cara Dee

97 books4,084 followers

I'm often stoically silent or, if the topic interests me, a chronic rambler. In other words, I can discuss writing forever and ever. Fiction, in particular. The love story—while a huge draw and constantly present—is secondary for me, because there's so much more to writing romance fiction than just making two (or more) people fall in love and have hot sex. There's a world to build, characters to develop, interests to create, and a topic or two to research thoroughly. Every book is a challenge for me, an opportunity to learn something new, and a puzzle to piece together. I want my characters to come to life, and the only way I know to do that is to give them substance—passions, history, goals, quirks, and strong opinions—and to let them evolve. Additionally, I want my men and women to be relatable. That means allowing room for everyday problems and, for lack of a better word, flaws. My characters will never be perfect.

Wait…this was supposed to be about me, not my writing.

I'm a writey person who loves to write. Always wanderlusting, twitterpating, kinking, and geeking. There's time for hockey and cupcakes, too. But mostly, I just love to write.

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5 stars
262 (41%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews
Profile Image for Dee.
2,011 reviews105 followers
July 30, 2024
If you're looking for a lesbian romance, this isn't it. 75% of the story is about all the characters (men) from the previous books, predominantly Ash. 15% about explaining k!nk, and a shallow 15% relationship development between the two women.

There are two sex/play scenes between the women, both of which Ash (male) is involved. Which isn't to say this is FFM. It is to say, the 'lesbian' character was happy to submit to a male for impact play. I guess it happens...but not in my world.

The mention of opening a safe space to bring children under three also gave me pause.

There's a lot of "talk" about the upcoming TPE games which I thought would be wickedly delicious but they fell flat for me.

The ending is HFN, and sets the stage for Ash's story next (MM) as though that was the entire point of the book. An interesting choice, really.
Profile Image for rebecca.
631 reviews23 followers
July 23, 2024
3.5/5

To be completely honest, I was a little sceptical about this book. But at the same time, I've been very, very excited about it since the end of the last book.

“A beautiful girl being beaten, taking my pain, suffering for me—wanting me.“


FF romances are not necessarily something I’m all too familiar with. I liked it though, of course I did. It’s a Cara Dee and in the Game Series. I love this world.

I’m not sure if it was the best idea to put Pen’s and Nora’s story into this series, though. Although this was more of a “something point five” kind of book. Which I appreciated.

The Game Series for me personally is just more of a kinky sausage feast than anything else, so a lesbian love story was a bit out of nowhere in my opinion (to be fair though, Penelope is a founder so it does kinda make sense).

“Waterdrops rolled down her abused flesh, as did tears down her face. I drew a deep breath, power and control surging within me.”


My rambling aside I did enjoy this book. It wasn’t too long but detailed enough and very straightforward with delicious kink mixed into all of the sappy romance.
Profile Image for Cadiva.
3,994 reviews436 followers
July 11, 2024
Short but still packed with perfect narrative from Cara.

It's not often I read an FF romance, but I knew that this one would hit all the right notes, while keeping itself fully immersed in the world of Mclean House.

It's got everything you'd expect for the kink side of things, but I also found it fairly low steam, which is a change in this series.

There's only one spicy scene between Penelope and Nora but there's lots of sweetness and unexpected romance blooming that Pen is desperately trying to resist.

We also get a bit more behind the scenes of Ash and Nathan, building up to their hopefully epic second chance romance!

#ARC kindly received from the author, I am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Elena.
967 reviews119 followers
September 20, 2025
3.5 stars

I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of f/f books I’ve read, but I didn’t want to skip this one because a) it’s about the only female founder and I was looking forward to getting to know Penelope better, since she was more of a secondary character in the previous books than most of the other founding members, and b) in this series every book has some developments about an overarching secondary “plot” or tidbits about previous or future couples and I didn’t want to miss anything. I was right.
I did enjoy Penelope and Nora’s story for itself, they are interesting characters and really well-matched and one thing I appreciate about this series is how different and unique each relationship/dynamic is from the others, in that regard this book didn’t disappoint. I also appreciated that there wasn’t a lot of focus on
All that said, there’s no denying that one of the things I loved the most about this book was the introduction of Ash’s character (he was already introduced in Parts of Us, but he didn’t have as much of a role as in this book) and the breadcrumbs about his and Nathan’s story. All the while I was reading this book, I was equally, if not more, interested in learning more about them than I was about Penelope and Nora. So yes, I liked this and I hope to follow the next steps in Pen and Nora’s relationship in the following books in the series, but what I’m really looking forward to now is Ash and Nathan’s book (which unfortunately isn’t available yet).
Profile Image for AussieMum.
1,393 reviews56 followers
August 9, 2024
I love anytime we get to peek behind the curtain at House McLean. However…

The men were supposed to take a backseat here to Penelope and Nora’s getting together. But it’s safe to say they stole every scene they were in. The FF romance got a bit lost, for me, in the midst of the setting up of Ash and Nathan for their book, which took a lot of page time, and the “game”, a TPE event that felt a bit lacklustre.

All in all I love this series but this felt very much like a filler book. But like the buttercream that fills a cakes layers, I still happily ate it up.
Profile Image for lauraღ.
2,344 reviews171 followers
September 9, 2024
1.5 stars. Meh! But as is often the case, this was more a case of me not vibing with the book, rather than the book being bad. Because it isn't bad; just not for me, apparently. I probably should have DNFed it, but I wanted to stick it out and see what the HEA would be like for these two women. Because I did like their dynamic! But it ended up being kinda anticlimactic, kinda disappointing.

The first thing to know is that this is book 15 in a series that follows different couples and groups in a kink community. I've read the first two books (quite liked the first, was a lil disappointed with the second) so I had basic knowledge of the overarching plot, and I'd already met a lot of the side characters, or heard them mentioned. So that wasn't a problem. The author mentions at the beginning that this is a standalone story, like the others are, but because it's book 15 in a series, it might be best to have read the other books. I didn't really feel like doing that, and the reason I wanted to read this was because it's the only sapphic book in the series. And like I said, I knew a bit about the series, so I figured I could still jump in and have a good time. 

But while the author says this COULD be read as a standalone, I wouldn't recommend it. It's hard to gauge, and I hope I'm not exaggerating, but it felt like 50% of the book consisted of the author referring to previous couples from other books, and spending a lot of time setting up the next couple in her upcoming book. Penelope and Nora's developing relationship got SO LITTLE page time, and it was really frustrating. Like, it's already a novella, so I wasn't expecting a slow burn epic or anything. And because the series is about a kink community, I definitely expected to see a lot of appearances from other characters. But it was just too much, and I felt like the women barely got to spend any time together, really getting to know each other. When they did, a lot of it was off page, and the reader would just be told 'they spent the night cuddling and talking about XYZ' or something like that, and then I'd just feel cheated. Even if you're not going for an HEA, even if it's just going to be a HFN, I still want to get to see the relationship develop. I don't want to spend pages and pages talking about Nathan and Ash's marriage problems, or a silly prank war, or get a bajillion bits of minutiae about the supporting cast.

Gah, it was such a let down. Soooo many instances where I had to pause and wonder 'Why am I being told this? How does this fit into Penelope and Nora's story?' Again, I don't want to downplay the fact that this is about a kink community, a kind of found family, and so of course, other characters are going to play a part. But if SO much of the book was going to concentrate on other characters, it should have been labelled as 14.5 or something. Or maybe just admit this can't be read as a standalone, because I imagine the people who'd get the most out of this would be those who've read the entire series and know all the characters. And even in that case, if I HAD read the entire series, I would still be disappointed at how little development there was for these two women in their own book.

The romance itself, if one can call it that, was pretty okay, whenever they actually had time together. The idea of Nora having this huge crush for so long, and tentatively/ impatiently waiting for her moment to pounce, was so cute. The couple of sex scenes were pretty good (though I expected more, because again, the series is focused on D/s, BDSM, kink, etc). But then there was some stuff I wasn't super into. Got to say, it's a very interesting choice to have a romance where the characters are building up to this huge, fun, kinky event at the end, and it DOESN'T take place between the main characters. Very interesting. I kept expecting that Pen would get someone to take over her duties for her, so that she could participate with Nora. Like, that would have been so much fun!! Instead, the TPE is between Nora and Ash. And I mean, Nora is a lesbian, and Ash is gay, so it's not like Pen would have gotten jealous. But still!! I wanted to see her being a little possessive, a little obsessive, stepping in, getting to share a bunch of these firsts with Nora!! The fact that Nora goes through the activity with some other character??? Such a let down. 

(Also, I thought I would be into TPE in this context but I really wasn't. Like, some of the stuff in that last section made me want to turn my brain off. Not just the stuff between Nora and Ash. Even with the established couples, I was just like... no thanks. So! You learn something new about yourself every day. It's what made this go from 2 stars to 1.5.)

Ultimately, this feels like... idk. The author wanted to write a sapphic book for these characters, but since most of the other books in the series are m/m, she was afraid that her readers wouldn't be interested. And so she made it really short, and packed it full of teasers for the next book, and references to previous books. Which isn't a bad thing in and of itself! But instead of describing it as 'a standalone, but you should probably read the previous books', I think we can admit this is just part of the series. And not really a romance. I say that with no malice! I didn't enjoy this, but hopefully lovers of the series will.
Profile Image for TC.
382 reviews2 followers
May 11, 2025
4.5 ✨

I read an F/F romance! Go me! This was super sweet and light and lovely. I just love this series so much. Getting to revisit all the previous characters all the time is just so fun. I loved the amount of time we got to spend with the rest of the community members, and it was great to see August/Anthony/Camden with the rest of the McLean crew. Camden was so adorable. Also the Ace spectrum rep was really refreshing, and I loved that unique element to this story. I can’t believe I’ve now read every book in The Game series. I will be waiting very impatiently for the next.
Profile Image for warhawke.
1,550 reviews2,237 followers
September 17, 2024

Genre: FF Romance
Type: Standalone Book 15 of The Game Series
POV: First Person- Dual
Rating:




After the end of her long-term relationship, Penelope Darling was ready for a new start—one that didn't involve the distraction of romance. But newcomer to the community, Nora Lilja, might just worm her way into her heart.



I was intrigued by this book, unfortunately it was a major letdown. It felt more like a filler for the series where the other characters (and there were a lot of them) overshadowed the main couple. At least 70% of the book focused on other community members. It was a disservice to the main couple, with barely any development in their characters or relationship

Right here. This was our beginning. I could feel it. She was going to give us a chance.


Throughout the story, there were two key events but the build-up only ended up falling flat. Considering the BDSM theme, I was expecting something more intense and alluring.




🔸️✖️🔸️. . . (F)BR with Twinsie CC . . .🔸️✖️🔸️





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Profile Image for Samantha.
1,602 reviews30 followers
July 10, 2024
I read everything Cara writes so although I've never read a sapphic novel before, I knew I couldn't skip this one. Not when I've been so dedicated to reading every book in this series, even when I'm not always a fan of the kinks presented. This book started out as a novella that quickly grew wings for the author so it reads like a long novella or a short novel which was a good introduction into this new type of pairing for me.

What this book is: As always, Cara writes the kink community really well. If you're someone who wants good kink representation in fiction, this series (and author!) is for you. This book (and series as a whole) hammers home that safe wording is OKAY. The words are there to be used, and doing so isn't the end of the world. That's so important to normalize. This book also continued series story lines with the brat prank coming to fruition, cameos of basically everyone, and just basically keeping the world of McLean House alive. As always, brats, sadists and their antics are front and center.

What this book isn't: It isn't a fulfilled HEA. It's more like an introduction to a relationship or a HFN. I'm really glad we got to know Penelope better. She's a founder that's always been just on the fringes so I'm glad her character got to come out to play. And Nora is a fun addition to the crew - she's honest, a tiny bit of a shit stirer, and she fits in a group with Shay and Lane well. But we don't get a whole lot of actual relationship building in this book. The foundation has been set, but that's really it. So if you're coming into this book looking for a deep romance, you're going to be disappointed. I'm sure we'll see more of these two in future books though so their story isn't over.

As a side note, the book is also not very steamy - only two real scenes, neither very long - compared to most of Cara's books. That might be a good thing for those who want to read everything in this series, but are new to sapphic fiction. Or it might be a bummer for those hoping to see a lot of spice between Pen and Nora.
Profile Image for Mary.
55 reviews
July 6, 2024
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

For the Night is the 15th book in The Game Series, and it was my very first sapphic romance novel. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. Cara brilliantly portrayed both female characters in their very individual ways, making their journey very engaging.

The ace representation of Pen was a highlight for me, and her explanation of her sexuality added depth to her character. The prank by the brats that was finally uncovered was a fun twist, adding a light-hearted element to the story.

The interactions between all the Founders were another strong point, as their familial and loving relationships shone through despite their diverse personalities. It was heartwarming to see how familiar and supportive they were with each other. Pen's decision to trust her gut and her friends' advice to start dating Nora was a development I really liked. Nora, as a new member and a ballsy young woman, brought a breath of fresh air into Pen's life.

However, I did find the pacing of the book a bit off, especially in the last 30%, where everything seemed to rush by too quickly. I also enjoyed the TPE Event but wished we had seen more of it and the rest of the stations.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Penelope Darling and am excited and hopeful to See more of her and more of Ash in his book. The anticipation of the next book, involving Nathan, Ash, and hopefully someone else who will help mend their marriage, has me very much looking forward to what's next.

This book is perfect for readers who enjoy sapphic romance, asexual representation, kink-positive themes, witty banter, and the warmth of a found family. Cara Dee has created a world that I absolutely love, and each book makes me fall in love with it even more. "For the Night" brings a happy vibe for our Founding Femme, with Pen's sass and wit shining through. Despite the fast pacing towards the end, it remains a delightful and engaging read.
Profile Image for Ky.
589 reviews90 followers
July 28, 2024
* 4 stars *

The Game series continues strong despite already having 15 entries. This time we got a slightly different story since it's the first time the main characters are female.

Penelope is a known character to fans of the series since she's one of the founders. But she had some more page time in the last book.

She had a long-term girlfriend, Ella, but they broke up after Ella cheated on her. It's been a few months since then and she's come to some conclusions about that relationship, herself, and what she wants in the future.

Nora is a lot younger and a new member of the tight-knit community. She has a crush on Penelope and isn't very subtle about it.

The two eventually hit it off but at first, Penelope is cautious and tries to keep her distance. It was supposed to be a casual thing but that changed pretty much immediately.

The story isn't very long but the rest of the characters are still there. Plus, we get some more details about Nathan and Ash. Their book is coming up soon and I'm very excited about it.


~ Copy provided by Bayou Book Junkie for my reading pleasure. A review wasn't a requirement. ~
Profile Image for Suzanne Irving.
2,720 reviews24 followers
July 16, 2024
I don’t read much FF fiction, but this is Cara Dee’s The Game Series which is my favorite BDSM series. Penelope has always been the outlier of this series, one of the founding members of the club, but female. My heart broke for her in the last book and in this book she is ready for a change. And she gets a big change from Ms. Dee who has her getting rid of almost every she owns and moving into her cabin on the grounds. Then she meets Nora. I won’t go into any details and spoil the story for you, but of course sparks fly.
Then we come to what has to be my favorite part of this series, where all of the characters from previous books are woven into the story. Ms. Dee gives us updates about what is happening with her beloved characters and not just focusing on the main couple (or group) and in a way that integrates them as the found family that they are. The many varied types of love relationships combined with adventure, fun, kink and so much more. Definitely a series worth following.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Lisa1269.
315 reviews4 followers
August 24, 2024
Once again, Cara Dee asked me to trust her as she steered me into unfamiliar territory in the Game series and that trust was well placed as she navigated us through our introduction to Penelope & Nora. Once of my favourite things about this series is how genuine the characters feel to me - there's an honesty about their feelings and the choices they make that makes them relatable, and Penelope's willingness to admit that she knows she would regret stubbornly sticking to her plan to avoid another serious relationship was so refreshing. Cara also resolves a little something that's been building between the brats and their Tops that I'd been waiting for and I wanted to note that I always enjoy the levity the brats bring, especially after a more intense scene. It's a bit surreal to me that we're 15 books into this series and I'm still enthusiastically waiting for more.
Profile Image for Shyandmoodreader.
281 reviews
July 22, 2024
Cara Dee Strikes Again

This was my first ever FF romance, and it was a great introduction to it! It was also Cara's first foray into FF romance as well I believe and she knocked it out of the park! 5/5 ⭐.

I have loved every single book Cara has put out, and have a special spot in my heart for the Game series, and this book just added to the overall story. Penelope has been a more mysterious figure in the background of the other books (silent but no less important). It was nice to get an insight into her mind and her overall character. I adored her, and honestly I loved Nora for her. There was more focus on building their relationship, rather than smutty scenes which I honestly loved as well, particularly because of Penelope. But don't be deterred because those scenes are 🥵🔥🔥
It was a very nice introduction for their characters and the start of a beautiful relationship. I say start, because it is a shorter read, particularly from Cara who we know can promise novellas that end up into two part stories 😂🥰 (never a complaint, I'll read every single sentence she writes). But Cara also has a habit of revisiting her characters further along in the Game series, as well as giving us more sneak peaks in other books.

It was great to revisit all the founders of McLean House (or House McLean 🫣😈). All the insights to the characters with books out already are amazing, and it really fleshes out her series as a whole honestly. It shows how interconnected this entire community is and I LOVE that.

This book also gives you clues as to who her pairings will be in the next Game series novel, and trust, it's two characters who have been briefly mentioned in passing, but enough to make us snap at the bit for more information 🥹🥰😈.

In total, this is a great intro to FF for those who haven't necessarily dove down that rabbit hole yet, and a spectacular addition to a well-rounded series with amazing, funny, quirky, realistic characters ❤️❤️ Will definitely reread time and time again!
Profile Image for CC.
1,255 reviews730 followers
September 15, 2024
2★

After a moving on from a long term relationship, Penelope is ready to reestablish herself and isn’t looking for a new commitment. Having followed Mistress Penelope online in the community’s forum for some time, Nora would like to close the gap and this particular weekend at McLean House may just be the opportunity she’s hoped for.

“I was thinking.” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “What if you called me Mistress instead?” I almost gasped.”


In starting this book, I was really looking forward to delving into a story focused on a lesbian couple. However, this book was the opposite as the focus was on every other character in this 15 book series, reserving about ten percent on Penelope and Nora, which made any connection with them impossible. Furthermore, the kinky games proposed for the weekend were underwhelming. Unfortunately, the story read like free bonus material while also setting up the next character’s book. Ultimately, it was a disservice to Penelope and Nora and a missed opportunity to showcase FF romance.


*This was a (F)BR with Twinsie Hawkey*


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137 reviews3 followers
July 26, 2024
It was great to finally get an up-close look at Penelope after reading bits and pieces throughout the series. In her story, she seems to struggle with recovering from her long-term relationship and finding the “new her” in the aftermath without making any impulsive, potentially harmful decisions…like a certain younger someone who has made it very clear that she’s interested AND seems to be a great potential partner.

FF is not always my jam, but I felt like these 2 were already considered “friends of friends” so I planned to soldier on. I was not expecting how open, honest, and in tune with their feelings they would be (why was that shocking when Cara always writes amazing yet real characters?!). It is always so low angst and refreshing to read. There’s only mild ex drama, which I am so thankful for. However, there were 2 major moments I didn’t see coming: the stink a member causes during the game, and Penelope defining her sexuality.

Interestingly enough, I wasn’t anticipating enjoying the servitude/slave/TPE game that occurred during the book, but the brats and sassy sadists kept me entertained. I cannot overstate this: the author has written characters with such distinct personalities and done so much world building that each book feels like you are getting to know each friend in your friend group.

We all know The Game series is HAWT, and Cara lists the tropes, kinks, and triggers at the beginning of every book. If you’re this far into the series, you don’t need me to warn you to check those first AND that you better be caught up with the storyline because this is definitely NOT a standalone series.
Profile Image for Mal.
542 reviews45 followers
July 12, 2024
4.5 ⭐️

So I love the Game Series, hands down one of my all time favourite series and contains some of my comfort reads like Breathless and a few others. So I excitedly look forward to every addition that comes and this one was stunning. This was my first book where both protagonists were women and the dynamic between them was spectacularly hot. I loved the push and pull, the dominance and submission, the sweet trust and honesty and the drama free giving in to the strong feelings both had developed, which tbf had been building for a while. Penelope and Nora were beautiful as they find their way to being together specially after what Penelope has just been through, (HFN, strongly leaning towards HEA with absolutely no cliffies at all)

Obviously I love how Cara Dee always transports us to the world of House McLean and all the found family comes out to say hi and be their fabulous selves. Loved seeing everyone and that brat prank was absolutely fantastic 😄. I wasn’t ready for the book to end, I wish there was more in the best way, I would love to see their relationship continue to develop and I hope we get a peek into their life again as the series goes along. Now the waiting for the next book begins which is Ash’s and I’m so excited 🥰

I cannot recommend this book and series enough, if you havnt started it, give it a go!

Expect:

* Domme/primal brat
* Hurt comfort
* Safewording
* Found Family
* TPE event
* Brat prank
* Crossovers like whoa
* Age gap
* D/s
* Low angst
* “You’re Mine” vibes
Profile Image for Elodie Melody .
248 reviews18 followers
July 7, 2024
I was waiting for Penelope’s story so much and I was not disappointed ~ I wish it could have been longer.

Such a pleasure to jump in the McLean House once again. I was missing them 🥰 it’s always so funny being around them 😂.
Penelope and Nora story is quite short but so freaking cute. I loved every moment. I honestly cannot wait to see their relationship blossom even more in the next books.

Ash and Nathan story was introduced a lot ~ I knowing it’s gonna be a MM/MM I screaming internally and cannot wait haha.
I wish I could have seen more about August/Anthony/Camden from We have till Monday because it’s one of my fav book but I was so happy seeing them here, that I forgive haha.

I fall in love with Ash in this book because he was just such a daddy bear to Nora it was so cute. 🥰
I love Pen & Nora’s dynamic and how Pen couldn’t resist the pull to Nora~
By learning to know our dear House McLean members, I was able to see more and more of those two ladies and see them get attached and fall in love.
I was a little bit scared as FF is not usually my type of read, even though I enjoy them, but this book has just its right place in the serie~ love and love ❤️
Cara Dee did it again ❤️

- asexual
- kink positive
- so much fun
- impact play
- found family
- TPE
Profile Image for zenzeromante.
182 reviews27 followers
Read
July 11, 2024
This was a 3½ star read, I guess? I loved Penelope, loved the relationship between Nora and Ash, but the book felt a bit rushed. Compared to all the other stories in the series this was too short, especially because a lot of the story focused not on Nora and Penelope, but on Penelope and the other founding members. I think the series has also gotten to a point where too many characters and overarching plot are mixing together, so shorter books end up feeling not enough. I would've loved to see more BDSM between Nora and Penelope—we actually only got to see two scenes. And they were great. But for the biggest part the BDSM focus was on Nora and Ash. I wouldn't have minded had the book been longer.
I'm a bit bummed out because I enjoyed this so much, but the ending felt incomplete. Not like the other books where the arc is complete, you've gotten to know the characters, but you know there might be more to come. Here it felt like the book was cut in half, like the ending should be the start of a new chapter.
I'm guessing it might be because an F/F book is not necessarily what people come to this series for, so maybe that's why this is a shorter book with a lot of focus on other characters/dynamics? Still, I'm hoping we get to see another Penelope/Nora book soon.
Profile Image for Pimm Cullen.
227 reviews12 followers
July 20, 2024
Penelope Darling was in a supposedly happy relationship for the last 10 years but that ended when her partner cheated. Now she's moving on and has made the decision that relationships are not for her. She cleared out her life for a fresh start minus any and all reminders of her ex. As one of the community founders, she's the one we've heard the least about. I'm glad that's changing as she always been on the periphery of the series so far.

Nora Lilja is a relatively new addition to McLean. Nora has a considerable different outlook on Penelope's relationship status, and she's very persuasive in her mission to turn Penelope's head. That could be problematic, but Nora is determined to show Penelope that relationships can be very different from what she experienced. She understands her concerns and hesitation. Nora is honest and feisty. She fits in well with the rest of the McLean community. I hope there is more of Penelope and Nora in future stories, as they settle into their HEA.

I love Cara's writing she always treats sensitive subjects with the proper care without undermining the gravity or diminishing the emotions. She understands that our differences are what make us unique and similar at the he same time.
Profile Image for Atid151.
55 reviews2 followers
July 22, 2024
Where is rest of the book?!

Cara is pretty much my favorite author last 2 years and almost everything she writes is automatic purchase and if not 5🌟 then 4.5 at most (especially the Game series - I've read each book at least twice) so I'm not sure what happened here.

First of all I don't read F/F but because I can't live without insight into lives of all the GS characters I made an exception....and I have to say the F/F element wasn't what actually bothered me here...

I'm usually the last person to say I don't feel the chemistry - just give me a little, tiny spark and I'll believe you but here... I'm sorry to say I didn't feel it. Yes, they fit together and yes, I liked both Penelope and Cora but I feel like I was more told than showed their feelings.

And when it was finally starting to take off it suddenly ended...no warning, no epilogue, nothing...it didn't even feel like they were together together. This was more like HFN.

So if it weren't for the interactions with other characters and Cara's writing (the way she puts words on paper is still top level in her genre) I wouldn't mind to skip this book.

On the bright side - can't wait for Ash and Nathan's story😍 I was wondering about those 2 ever since they were mentioned first time.
Profile Image for Merulus Valayil.
163 reviews
August 15, 2025
Seemed short but very community driven

I'm not one to read F/F, or M/F for that matter, but since this was in the series and I knew many other characters were going to show up and they had another Game, I read and enjoyed it very much. You could really feel the community in this one. I also enjoyed that they did a TPE event but kept it accessible for the brats and littles, but kept it geared towards the slaves. I also think there should be a Little themed Game in the future, especially considering not much Little stuff is explored in any of these stories, even with the littles that do regress a little. I think the most we've seen is actually in this book, when Camden brought bracelet craft supplies. That's the littlest activity I've heard any of them do after 14 books. And the diaper play of Cam/KC/Noa/Lucian doesn't count cuz their play with that is pure fetish. Anyway, I'm sad to have finished all the books currently out, including the 2 Tenley stories (holy crap, book 3.5 is hot hot hot and definitely worth getting on her website instead of on amazon cuz it's cheaper and she probably gets paid more for it anyway).
382 reviews14 followers
July 16, 2024
This is a short and sweet FF. I love the Game Series so I did have some expectations going in. While I do read FF occasionally, this one fell short for me.

I love Cara Dee's writing and it was excellent kink representation. It also did a great job of the kink community and scenes. The asexuality aspect and challenging of labels was perfect. I really loved how the author worked that in.

However, I did feel it missed the mark, at least for me. It was a bit too short. The story didn't feel like it was complete. It is extremely low angst and low spice. I had expected it to be more in the lines of the other books in the series and I felt that did a disservice to two very strong female characters.

Overall, I felt more connection to the outside characters and events going on in the community. It's still a solid book if you're looking for short and sweet FF. Just know that it is different than the other books in the series.

I sincerely hope we see more of these two characters as I'd love to see that relationship develop more.

4 stars for the sweetness.
Profile Image for read•me•romance.
312 reviews
July 18, 2024
🖤 For The Night // The Game Series// Cara Dee// Book 15 🖤

✨The Game Series is a must read for fans of shmink and found family! Books 1-14 are MM (+) with book 15 being the first FF!✨

🖤For The Night, is Mistress Penelope’s fresh start! She is ready to swear off of love after a huge heart break, when the bratty Nora decides to go for it! This one is relative sweet and short by Cara Dee standards, but still has plenty of heart, shmink, and found family! Most of the story takes place at McLean and I loved seeing these two fall in love in this place they call home! ✨

🖤Our favorite characters were sprinkled throughout the story and seeing them through the eyes of Penelope and Nora was a hoot and a half! 😂

✨ B •D •S •M Community
🖤 FF Romance
✨ Fresh Start / Hurt Comfort
🖤 Gaurded MC/ MC w. The Hard Pursuit
✨ Pining
🖤 16 y age gap
✨ Found Family
🖤 D s, S m , All the Bratting

🔥
Strict Top/ Bottom: Yes
D s
Intense S m
All the Bratting
Needy Bottom
High Protocol/ TPE themed “Game”
Pleasure D•mme
Dirty talk
B•ndage
Servitude

💋 @read.me.romance

Profile Image for Lisa.
1,486 reviews5 followers
July 19, 2024
The Game Series has been an enjoyable ride. I hardly ever read FF romance, but Cara Dee did it perfectly! In this book Mistress Penelope is recovering from a destroyed ten-year relationship by a cheating ex. She is not looking for anything serious anymore and just wants to hang out with her friends in the safe environment of Mclean House. A domme and a Founder, she just wants to rebuild her life and move on.

Nora is a sub who has been in the kink scene for several years, but she's new to this community. She's been interested in Penelope during this time because she has seen her periodically at events and really likes the way Penelope approaches the lifestyle. Nora has a bit of a crush on Penelope and would love a shot at something more, but she also knows that the domme is healing.

What happens when the two women realize that they are an exceptionally good match and going slow doesn't work anymore? This book as a nice relationship arc, appearances by many of the other group friends, and, of course, a Game. Happy reading!
Profile Image for Ζωή Παππά.
Author 3 books29 followers
July 10, 2024
"For the night" is book 15 in the game series and we finally get Penelope and Nora's story.
Penelope is getting over a bad break up and feels like relationships are not for her anymore.
Nora has always had a crush on Penelope and now that they are both single and Nora has joined house Mclean she hopes that the older woman will finally notice her.
I adored them together. They made me smile and I really liked their dynamic and chemistry. And the way they teased each other was super cute. I loved loved loved the ace representation, it was one of my favorite parts of the book. So good.
As always the found family theme in this series was absolutely the best. I adore every single person in this group and the banter between them is super entertaining and heartwarming. In this book Macklin's prank is also revealed and it was so worth the wait. And we got to know Ash and Nathan better who will be the focus of the next book.
And finally, I really enjoyed the game, it was very fun and interesting.
Definitely on of my favorite sapphic books. I adored it, I finished it in one sitting.
52 reviews
July 11, 2024
Absolutely loved Penelope and Nora! I have never actually read an FF book, and I am so happy that my first was Cara Dee (in fact, my first MM book was also Cara Dee!) This is a fantastic read. It is a bit shorter than some of the other The Game series, but still packs an emotional and spicy punch! Honestly, my favourite thing about this book was finally getting Penelope's side of things and perspective. We have seen Mistress Penelope since the first books, but she always seemed a bit seperate from everyone else. Seeing her point of view about the other characters I love was so fun, and I really really loved how her relationship with many of the founders (and brats) was shown. In this book we really just see the start of Penelope and Nora's relationship, so I am super hopeful that they get another book, or that we see their relationship develop more in further books. Now... BRING ON ASH AND NATHAN!
Profile Image for Erin Dore.
27 reviews1 follower
July 12, 2024
I wasn’t sure exactly what to expect from this book, aside from Cara’s ability to tell an amazing story, and yet, For the Night blew any expectations out of the water.

We’ve heard of Penelope since the beginning of The Game series, and I was so excited to finally get a glimpse into her life.

Her close and immediate world is made up mostly of men, her friends and brothers, and yet we got to see how seamlessly and perfectly she fit in.

Cara does an amazing job time and again of creating realistic obstacles that we all can relate to, despite who the main characters may be and who they may love. She also does an amazing job giving us glimpses of all the characters we have grown to know and love throughout this series.

I loved For the Night…and as always, I wish it were longer, but I know we will get to see Penelope and Nora’s relationship progress as the series goes on.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Hailey Benson.
41 reviews2 followers
July 18, 2024
The Game Series has another oefect addition

Cara Dee is a master at her craft. I've loved everything I've ever read by her, but The Game Series is a particular favorite of mine. It's my go-to comfort read, and this latest addition will be no exception.

Penelope and Nora came together perfectly, and I look forward to seeing more of them in future books.

As always, I loved the glimps at all of our other favorite subbies and toppy tops, and I particularly love how none of the secondary characters steal the show from the main characters. Cara Dee has perfected the art of balance, giving us exactly what we need from the main attraction while allowing us to "visit" with our favorites.

I loved getting to know Penelope more. As a founder, I've always been extraordinarily curious about her, and she didn't disappoint. Nora was the perfect amount combo of bratty/subbie and I love her addition to the group at McLean.

10/10
Highly recommend
88 reviews
December 5, 2024
I absolutely LOVE the Game series and I'm a queer woman, so this should be right up my alley...right?
It just wasn't spicy enough for me.
The reason I only gave this 4 stars instead of five is because Penelope's sexuality (which is explained in the book) simplified their sex too much for me.
The act of reciprocation is a pretty big deal in lesbian/biwomen sex and I felt Penelope's sexuality was an easy copout to not have to deal with that. And it also missed a lot of opportunities because of that.
So the sex scenes just didnt do it for me.

Also, Penelope's stances on relationships and intimacy changed hella quick, too quick for me.

All that being said, I still give it 4 stars because it was still a great read and it was nice to see the relationship and the sex approached from a realistic angle - which is sorely missing in sapphic stories. Hell, sapphic contemporary stories are rare in the first place!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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