No Safeword Matte: The Honeymoon

Safeword #7

by Candace Blevins

The wedding ceremony is over, and the couple is on their way to Hawaii. After so much build-up for the big night, how will Ethan handle it? Sam has no idea, and while she’s pretty sure she’s ready, she’s still a bit nervous. Who wouldn’t be?

Most newlyweds don’t ride bicycles up and then back down dormant volcanoes for fun on their honeymoon, but Sam and Ethan aren’t the average couple. They find lots of fun things to do on the islands and in the ocean, and Ethan’s creativity knows no bounds when in the privacy of their secluded beach house.

Genres: BDSM, Erotica, Romance, M F Romance, Contemporary Romance

ebook

First published July 15, 2014

About the author

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Candace Blevins writes urban fantasy, paranormal romance, epic fantasy contemporary BDSM romance, and two kick-ass motorcycle club series. She’s published more than fifty books. Candace lives with her husband of twenty-four years and their two teenaged daughters. The family’s beloved, goofy, retired racing greyhounds are usually at her side as she writes, quietly keeping her company. Or sometimes not so quietly.

Her urban fantasy series, Only Human, gives us a world where weredragons, werewolves, werelions, three different species of vampires, and a variety of other mythological beings exist.

Candace's various paranormal romance series are all sister series to the Only Human series, and give some secondary characters their happily ever after.

Her Dark(ish) Faerie Tale series gives us a close-up and personal look at Queen Mab, and her Dark Underbelly series is, as you’d expect, dark and (if you’re a little twisted) oh-so-yummy.

Her contemporary Safeword series gives us characters who happen to have some extreme kinks. Relationships can be difficult enough without throwing power exchange into the mix, and her books show characters who care enough about each other to fight to make the relationship work. Each couple in the Safeword series gives the reader a different take on the lifestyle.

You can visit Candace on the web at candaceblevins.com. Feel free to friend her on Facebook at facebook.com/candacesblevins and Goodreads at goodreads.com/CandaceBlevins. You can also join facebook.com/groups/CandacesKinksters to get sneak peeks into what she's writing now, images that inspire her, and the occasional juicy teaser.

Stay up to date on Candace’s newest releases, and get exclusive excerpts by joining her mailing list at http://bit.ly/cb-new-release.

Only Human series, urban fantasy
• Only Human
• An Unhuman Journey
• Of Humans and Monsters
• Defining Human
• Edge of Humanity
• Infinitely Human
• Unhuman Acts

Rolling Thunder Motorcycle Club
• Duke
• Brain
• Bash Volume I
• Bash Volume II
• Bash Volume III
• Horse
• Gonzo
• Nix
• Ghost
• Bud
• Razor
• Bubbles
• McGyver

The Birmingham RTMC
• Bobcat
• Dementor
• Frost
• Squatch

Cat out of Hell, series, paranormal romance:
• Cat out of Hell Volume I
• Cat out of Hell Volume II
• Cat out of Hell Volume III

The Dark Underbelly of The Chattanooga Supernaturals
• Pride (A short story featuring The Lion King)
• Indentured Freedom: Owned by the Vampire
• Leashed
• An Elegant Weapon

A Dark(ish) Faerie Tale
• Slave
• Lady
• Consort
• Queen

A Paranormal Halloween, paranormal romance
• Hallowed Destiny – Forged by Darkness
• Unhallowed Murder
• Countdown to Murder
• Unholy Murder

Pleasure Times Four Christmas series, ménage/RH paranormal romance
• Unexpected Gifts
• The Gift
• Present Tense
• Imperfect Gifts

Chattanooga Supernaturals series, paranormal romance:
• The Dragon King
• Riding the Storm
• Acceptable Risk
• Careful What You Ask For
• Uncaged
• Cocky Queen

The Safeword series, intense BDSM contemporary romance
• Safeword Rainbow
• Safeword: Davenport
• Safewords: Davenport and Chiffon
• Safeword: Quinacridone
• Safeword: Matte
• Safeword: Matte – In Training
• No Safeword: Matte – The Honeymoon
• No Safeword: Matte – Happily Ever After
• Safeword: Arabesque
• Safeword: Mayday (TBA)

Reviews

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

Update! September 8, 2014



I read the finished story several weeks ago. Ms. Blevins blew me away. Buy this book now and read it! Here's the issue I had with the beta version. When I read it as its beta form, I felt overwhelmed by the amount of SM. Ms. Blevin's trademark is intense and realistic SM scenes. The scenes were almost clinic and thoroughly in the SM zone without a bit of reprieve. My threshold of pain is much higher than many but obviously no where near what Sam takes from Ethan. At one point, the scenes with Sam's constant anal penetration by Ethan and physical endurance made me want to slit my wrists and just get it over with. It was too much for me. When I feel hopeless and believe there is no way to succeed, my personal thoughts always turn to death. Just put me out of my misery. Not very sexy and romantic, right?

With this finished version, Ms. Blevins added more romance and feeling. The passion between Ethan and Sam is evident. Even through each training session, Ethan's love for Sam shines through. Sam's desire to please Ethan is clear, even when she responds instinctively in pain. What a reader needs to understand with this dynamic, is that Ethan isn't too strict or abusive. He is giving Sam exactly what she wants. Sam desires to have her safeword taken away. She wants her control forcefully removed. While Ethan may be meeting her fantasies and desires, it's doled out in his way which is what makes it so good. Ethan owns it and owns Sam through his domination. Even through the pain and suffering she goes through and how much she hates it, she admits to wanting it and later on remembering it through her masturbation fantasies. This is the kind of insight a reader receives from Ms. Blevins. This is something hard to capture and explain if one hasn't experienced it. Ms. Blevins nails it dead on.

The BDSM in this story is brutally intense. For me I categorize as intense because it is physically demanding, not BDSM fantasy unrealistic. One must be in the peak of physical condition to last through these sessions. Still, this story isn't one sadistic anal torture scene after another. There are lovely honeymoon trips to explore the lovely Hawaii island. The bit with dolphins is wonderful for me and I enjoyed it. This nice balance between the kink and the non kink is perfect. While this kink is not my kink, I can completely appreciate it. I can also appreciate the physical need for domination play between the two. It's not a relationship I could ever be in, yet it works so well for Sam and Ethan. Their bonding together, even through mishaps is beautiful to witness. Loved it!

This story does spend time building more layers for both Sam and Ethan. The reader learns more about Sam's issues which make her lash out at Ethan. At the same time, the reader is able to slip into Ethan's shoes and understand his hurt and why Sam's lack of trust pains him. The way their relationship grows through missteps and bonding is lovely. It's nice to see how it isn't all perfect. How strong dominants can also be hurt and need to be loved. How obstinate submissives sometimes can't control themselves when a trigger occurs. Then when they come together and work through their differences, all is forgiven.

This is a highly recommended romance for those who prefer thorns to the rose petals.

old note
So, I can't really write a review yet because it's not really done editing. I will be posting my review once it's a finished product. Although honestly, I think it's as good as it needs to get. It's a finished product in my mind.

This is really heavy on the SM. As in, I'm not wet but horribly fascinated by these sadistic and masochistic characters. *shudders in fear*

[Optimist ♰King's Wench♰ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh.

I find myself in the same territory as the predecessor of this book regarding the lack of romance and relationship development.

AND it managed to squick me right, clean the fuck out.

*shocker* /sarcasm

This author has a seemingly uncanny ability to squick me on the regular.

Ethan and Sam have arrived at their honeymoon bungalow on Maui for the big moment. The scenes between these two are as gruelingly intense as ever and Ethan continues to amaze me with his creativity. There was some down time where they're just a couple enjoying their honeymoon, but by and large, it's just one intense scene after another.

Then I had a eureka moment.

Allow me to quote Jermaine from Flight of the Conchords:

It's business.
It's business time.
Oh. [More moans]
Ooh, makin' love.
Makin' love for...
Makin' love for two...
Makin' love for two...minutes.
When it's with me, girl, you only need two minutes, because I'm so intense. You say something like, "Is that it?" I know what you're trying to say. You're trying to say, "Aww yeah, that's it." Then you tell me you want some more. Well, I'm not surprised. But I'm quite sleepy.

It's business.
It's business time.
Business hours are over, baby.

To be clear. Two whole minutes is never ever going to be intense enough to be enough. Ever.


These books ain't smutty enough for me. That's it! Thank fuck I figured it out.

I found myself waiting for them fuck each other's legs off and it just never materialized. I mean, they fuck but it usually goes a little something like this:

Him: I'm hard. I'm so turned on by your submission to me. Thrust, thrust, growl/grunt.
Her: Owowowowowowowow, it hurts so bad! I wish it would be over. Begging, possibly crying. Oh, look at that I'm turned on. Writhing. Bliss.

Fin.

Wut? That's it?


I need for my kindle to ooze and trickle smutty nectar afterwards, so I found myself constantly disappointed. With that monster cock hanging around there really is no excuse for the lack of smut.

The story is thin with the kink being the highlight. The dialogue I didn't find as stilted in this one, but it's still dry as toast. I thought the whole dolphin sequence was sweet, though. I'm still struggling to understand the purpose of the Frisco conversation. It seemed like a non-sequitur and only served to make me wanna duct tape Sam's meddling mouth shut.

If you like intense SM and lack my level of smut greed, you'll be in hog heaven.

[Aղցela W. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spoiler Ahead This was book seven in the Safeword Series Sam and Ethan go on a kinky honeymoon to Maui. Ethan has been training Sam to take his Johnson anally and he is really big. Ms. Blevins writes some really good BDSM and Ethan is a sadist to Sam's masochist. I also liked how Maui was described and the different place they went and the things they did and the sex scenes where hot as hell I mean panties wet hot. This book must be read after books 2 and 6. This is Sam's dream come true and she is so very happy that she found a man that she could trust enough to not safeword with. I also liked how Sam called to check on Frisco because he is hiding part of himself which if you read book 9 in this series you will find out. This book was well written with no errors in grammar or spelling like all of Ms. Blevins books. I am looking forward to reading the next book about these two.

[Rara Loves to Read · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

After I finished reading No Safeword Matte – The Honeymoon by Candace Blevins, I didn’t know whether I wanted to curl up in a ball to protect all my lady bits or smoke a cigarette. And I don’t even smoke. But this book had such an impact on me that I’m still thinking about it long after I’ve read the last page.

I was so excited to read this book because I have really grown to love and care about Ethan and Samantha (Sam). They are fascinating as individuals but truly compelling as a couple. The Honeymoon is the third book telling us Ethan and Sam’s story. As their love for each other has grown, so has the trust between Dom and sub. Because of that increased trust, the scenes between the two were able to include more and more pain. Each book has included sexual interactions that may not fit the norm, but with each subsequent story, the S&M interactions between Ethan and Sam have become so much more. Therefore, if you are uncomfortable with the concept of a Dom giving his sub a lot of pain then I don’t recommend you read this book. But if you are able to accept that every stroke with the cane is about love and that a person’s soul can need pain, then No Safeword Matte is an absolute must read.

The reason that you must read this book is because of the relationship between Ethan and Sam. There is so much love between the two and it was evident in everything they did both in and out of the bedroom. I’ve rarely seen a couple so perfectly suited for each other. I was pulled into their hearts and souls because of the emotions that Ms. Blevins created with her writing. With each book in this series, I am more in awe with Ms. Blevins' abilities.

Why am I so amazed? First, Ms. Blevins can write S&M scenes that will make you cringe and be uncomfortable but will keep you glued to the pages with fascination. There is so much detail in everything she writes and I can easily picture everything as it is happening. Then there is the fact that though this is not a lifestyle that I am interested in adapting, Ms. Blevins is able to showcase the love and devotion between the two. I am able to understand why Sam needs the pain and how receiving it is a gift for Ethan.

But this book is about so much more than just pain and pleasure. Ms. Blevins showed that she is just as adept at writing sweet, loving scenes as she is at writing BDSM. There is a touching scene between Sam and a dolphin that left me teary eyed. The Honeymoon showcased the amazing connection between Ethan and Sam as they worked through a variety of issues stemming from changes in their agreed upon roles. The communication between the two is enviable and I was amazed how well they knew each other and were able to anticipate each other’s wants and needs so clearly.

I am so not ready to say goodbye to Ethan and Sam yet and luckily I don’t need to. Ms. Blevins has another book planned for these two with No Safeword Matte – Happily Ever After. I cannot wait to see what the future has in store for these two amazing people.

[Dar · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an experience, both for our characters and me as a reader. I have always enjoyed the relationship between these two, and this book takes them to a whole new level. There are some setbacks, but the honesty and communication between them, that makes what they have all the deeper and more pure. Definitely not BDSM-lite, but not hardcore either, this falls somewhere nicely in a groove that works for both Ethan and Sam

[Nikki · Rating 3 out of 5]

I Don'T know What To Say

I am trying to figure why I bought this third book, but I know I won't be buying the last. It was too much for me, to the point I just wanted to get to the end.

Whilst I enjoy reading about BDSM, this is very extreme, and my brain just can't comprehend the amount of pain someone has to have to get aroused.

I found the authors style of writing very good, and like how her prose just flowed. For that reason I gave the three stars. The characters were well developed and the other activities interesting. I may try her other books that are not in the BDSM world.

If you like extreme and very painful BSDM reads, you may enjoy this. Ive read as much as I can.

[Simplistic · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short and lots of kink this Novella could have been with the last book and just left some of the play out. Though play is a mild word. I still have problems understanding the madness of this that SAm is such a strong woman and she lets him demean and torture her so bad. Oh, you hurt me but you don't injure me wtf? If there are welts bruises blood or anything to that nature it is injuring. I couldn't believe what he put her through the night before they had that long plane ride. Oh, Wait! guess I should because he likes hurting her. I can even get it every other week for the weekend or something but almost every other night no. Though he still is better than some of the other "masters" in previous books at least he doesn't want to share her. But then again I think most in the lifestyle like being traded. But at least we see some of the real life around Sam and Ethan and not just Sadism all the time. I mean even as a slave they deserve to be made ready for sex nit dry, and for sure not anal with just her juices, yea that is beyond cruel. And they need a new dom in those instances. I do like that they prepare their subs for anal it is just gross to think of it with cleansing beforehand. I wish the covers were more in sync some have her with brown hair others blond.

[Tawnya · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been thinking about the review I would write. I do love these books. The author hits all of my buttons, with in depth BDSM scenes. Some of it feels over the top as I do not think people can recover as fast as what is portrayed so you just have to go with it.

But the reason that we get a 4 versus 5, is the author always manages to put a scene in the book that is sappy. Like the dolphin thing, really? It was just wrong.

So I question the authors ability to create a non sex scene that I actually enjoy reading.

[Pansy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honeymoon

What happens on a honeymoon in Hawaii? Sightseeing and sex,of course. Just because these two's ideas of sightseeing includes kayaking in the ocean and bicycling up and down volcanoes. Wore me out reading about it. Then the marathon sexcapades. Now they need a vacation to rest up from the honeymoon.

[Coccibelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Out of the norm spicy honeymoon

This 3rd novel from the Safeword matte series is not a standalone. It's the honeymoon of one of my favorite couples from Candace Blevins.

Sam and Ethan are very kinky and their scenes are very intense and almost too much to read. However, it is so well written that as a reader I can understand how their scenes really make their relationship deeper and bring them more intimately together.

They are really touching and heartwarming together, perfect soulmates. I also like how it seems realistic, their relationship is not perfect, they have trust issues to work on.

Overall an interesting book about overwhelming kink but still romantic.

[Victoria Rainey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cocktails and Books Review

Original Review Published here: http://www.cocktailsandbooks.com/revi...



No Safeword Matte – The Honeymoon is the eighth book in the Safeword series by Candace Blevins and the sequel to Safeword Matte and Safefword Matte – In Training. I found that reading the prior books is a must to get a better feel for the characters. The extreme nature of the characters’ kink feels a bit unusual if you don’t read the prior books.

Samantha is on her honeymoon and finally married her Dom, the man she loves. Sam is very independent and active in all aspects of her life except the bedroom. There, she is a submissive and a masochist. The more I get to know her character, she is less of a submissive and more of a masochist and this is why she struggles with submission. In this book, Sam talks to Ethan about her feelings more than in the past books.

Ethan is a sadist as well as a Dom. Ethan works hard for Sam’s submission but still fights her instincts when he pushes her. Ethan pushes Sam, at her request, past her boundaries. The more I get to know Ethan, I begin to wonder if he is more of a Dom with sadistic tendencies than a true Sadist.

The connection between Ethan and Sam is powerful. Sam communicated much better in this book than in the past. The sex scenes are intense and push Sam’s boundaries. The trust between Sam and Ethan has grown and that has led to more and more intense scenes. I still wonder why Sam’s strong masochist tendencies and lack of submissiveness has not been addressed up to now. Sam plays at being a submissive to get the pain that she seems too desperately want. Ethan worked very hard at bringing a psychological aspect in to force Sam’s submission.

This book was very well written with very lifelike plot. The main characters were fascinating and the secondary character was a great addition. Ms. Blevins keeps you on your toes all the way through because you don’t know what Ethan will do next. Overall, this is a magnificent book. I cant wait to read the next book in this series to see how Sam and Ethan continue their story.

[Heart5 · Rating 5 out of 5]

In No Safeword Matte: The Honeymoon the author takes away all of the outside story lines and focuses solely on the relationship between Ethan and Sam. The book picks up as they start their three week honeymoon in Hawaii, which also marks the beginning of their relationship without a safeword. It is hard to make a story like this work with no outside storylines to move things, along, but the author does a good job of keeping it interesting.

The intensity and duration of the D/s scenes increases quite a bit in this book, and there were times I really wanted Sam to have a safeword. One particular scene stretched out for a day and a half, and involved extreme physical, emotional and mental challenges for Sam. I can recall several years ago reading about the day to day training that Navy SEALs go through and this D/s scene makes the SEAL training seem mild. It is one of those scenes that was almost too much for me, but at the same time I could not put my Kindle down.

I understand that the BDSM in the book is completely consensual and Ethan is giving Sam what she craves, but at the same time at the most intense points it is hard for me to retain fond feelings for Ethan. Thankfully, the author throws in scenes outside the BDSM relationship, where it is just the couple having fun. Without those moments it would be hard to get through the intensity of the BDSM scenes. It would be interesting with this series if the reader could get an idea of how Ethan feels during the intense scenes.

This book is not an easy read. The scenes are such that I felt pushed to my limit reading them, but at the same time couldn’t put it down. I have really enjoyed reading this series and I am looking forward to the next book in the series.

[Kath Pigou · Rating 3 out of 5]

Candace Blevins’ books have an authenticity other books in this genre often seem to lack, created by her well-drawn characters. These are believable people with a wonderful, loving relationship, which happens to involve kink. The BDSM scenes are graphic and can be harrowing, but they are a very important part of this relationship.
‘No Safeword: Matte – The Honeymoon’ has plenty of hot sex, but it is interspersed with fun activities on the tropical island where Sam and Ethan have rented a house, on large grounds and complete with kinky accoutrements.
I like Sam’s strong character, and how she often has to fight herself to submit to Ethan. I also like the way he doesn’t back down, even when he knows she hates what he is putting her through at the time. She freely admits to feeling a sense of pride later in what she has endured, and that she likes the fact that Ethan is strong enough to demand these things of her. This book is not for those who are unprepared for explicit scenes of giving and accepting pain, but I really enjoyed reading this chapter in their relationship, and look forward to the final instalment.

[Cara · Rating 3 out of 5]

So I was very excited to read this story. I had not read any other books by Candace Blevins, but erotic and BDSM are some of my favorite books. This book however, takes it too a whole new place and that is why I would say that this book is strictly for over 21's.
So the story is as follows. Ethan and Sam's wedding is over and they are now off to Hawaii for their Honeymoon. The house that they have rented give them all the equipment they need for them to have a beautiful time. Sam has given Ethan permission to take away her safe word, to prove to him that she has the absolute trust in him. So they plan some of the PG stuff together but where it comes to the bedroom, that's all for Ethan, he is her Dom after all.
So I found the story line of this book to be choppy and while some of the sex scenes were amazing to read, some seemed extreme and placed in there just for shock value. I think the story would have been better if the author have done Ethan's POV all throughout the book and not just in certain parts.
I give this book 7 out of 10, as there was many things about the book that I enjoyed, but I found it was just a little extreme for me, but I'm sure others will enjoy it.

[Evita · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved every minute of The Honeymoon, even if I cringed a little or held my breath at what was happening. The story continues where In Training left off, so it is better appreciated if you’ve read it first.

I can feel the love between Sam and Ethan in each of the words by the author. The love for each other comes in the form of crops, paddles and even whips, Sam loves pain and Ethan is just the man to give it to her. Each day in their honeymoon brings new adventures and I just couldn’t wait to find out what he had in store for her. Let’s not forget they were on a beautiful island and they got to explore there too.

I am in awe of this couple, how they communicate, how they know each other so well and am so glad that there is yet another book about their happily ever after, if the author continued writing about them, I would be happy camper!

* I received a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had been waiting for this book since I read the previous ones and I have to say I loved this continuing romance of Ethan and Sam! This series (Matte) does need to be read in order to fully understand and appreciate the story of these two wonderful characters. My review will be short because I do not want to give any spoilers...this was a well written and intensely sexual romance (they are on their honeymoon). Its characters are a Sadist and masochist so there is serious BDSM but it also is a romance. The love that Ethan and Sam share is beautifully portrayed. If you have been following this series, you will not be disappointed in this awesome book. I am now really, really, really looking forward to the next book! Candace Blevins has become one of my favorite authors in the BDSM genre and I recommend her books to lovers of serious yet romantic BDSM stories.
I received a copy in exchange for an honest review

[zoegrl · Rating 5 out of 5]

BDSM, S/m, Love, Intense Play

Please read Safeword: Matte & In Training first. i promise that if you enjoy the subjects in the headline, you Will enjoy them!

:-)

Ms. Blevins is amazing, everything written could & does happen in real life. i've watched many scenes with similar activities, it's life when your best friend is a Sadistic Domme. i completely enjoyed reading, even tho it's not my level of masochism. The love & romance mixed together with S/m is wonderful. Hmmmm where are Ethan's friends? LOL

On to Happily Ever After! Can they do it? Sam doesn't want 24/7, i feel like that's what they have sometimes. She won't like that. i didn't read blurb, just guessing. Guess i have to read to find out.

Enjoy!

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the 3rd book with Ethan & Sam. Loved these two as a couple and I can't get enough!

It's a continuation from the first two books. It's hot, fast paced.. fun to read.. cringing.. in come places - but still lovin' it!

I can;t wait for HEA!

[Lyndac · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow. Since I went through the training with Sam I felt it only fair that I get to join in the honeymoon. There were times that I wanted to curl into a ball to make myself a smaller target, but then the love between these two came through and I could read again.

[Sheila · Rating 5 out of 5]

The honeymoon anal scene is the worth the entire book. No joke.

[Kristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

All the intense training from the previous book pays off here, and it was so worth it.
I'm a bit exhausted just from reading about Ethan and Sam's honeymoon.

[Melanie Marnell · Rating 5 out of 5]

New Memories

Ethan and Sam's Hawaiian honeymoon is adventurous, decadent and kinky. He fullfills his deepest desires with Sam while testing her limits and pushing her boundaries. A couple of tense moments cause Sam to really evaluate her submission to Ethan. Together they create memories that will last a lifetime.