Whimper Wonderland: Seekers Club

The Seekers Club #1

by Adora Crooks

A spicy, cozy kink novel featuring a submissive-turned-femdom and the grumpy man who gets on his knees only for her.

DOVE
I’ve been a good girl for too long. It's time to embrace my “bad girl” era.

After my breakup with my dominant, I decided I've had enough of toxic men to last a lifetime. So I update my kinksters-seeking-kinksters profile.

I’m hanging up my “submissive” hat. It’s time to see what domme Dove looks like.

Immediately, I get a message from a guy. He’s my age, hot in the way a disheveled librarian might be hot, and he sends me the most unhinged message:

I want you to f*** me like you hate me.

Well. Who am I to say no?

DORIAN
I’m a degenerate. A bastard. A cynic in reading glasses and an ever-present scowl.

But I know what I want. I want a dominant woman who can bring me to my knees.

Dove is the perfect candidate. Cute as a button, but playfully vicious behind closed doors. Before I know it I'm...feelings things. Things I shouldn't be feeling.

I can’t lose control. Not like that. Not again.

But, Christ, when I'm near her, she makes it hard to say anything other than…

Yes, Boss, may I please have another?

Genres: Romance, Christmas, BDSM, Dark, Amazon, Steamy, Smut

244 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 8, 2025

Reviews

[DodoRn_reads (Dominique)]

Thank you thank you Adora Crooks for this ARC!! I’m hooked where are the rest!! *Makes grabby hands**

Dorian and Dove have my heart! TWs below

Male/female open door sex scenes, BDSM scenes and a public kink club, public play, femdom / male sub scenes, masochism & receiving pleasure from pain, on-page panic attack, “Top Drop,” flashbacks to FMC’s toxic ex and their relationship, mentions of MMC’s past toxic relationship, reclaiming power through kink play.

If you’re ready to play enter away!! July 8th awaits

[Leonteenka]

Ta chemie? Love it ❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥

[Christina (Christina's Book Corner)]

A spicy, cozy kink novel featuring a submissive-turned-femdom and the grumpy man who gets on his knees only for her.

DOVE
I’ve been a good girl for too long. It's time to embrace my “bad girl” era.

After my breakup with my dominant, I decided I've had enough of toxic men to last a lifetime. So I update my kinksters-seeking-kinksters profile.

I’m hanging up my “submissive” hat. It’s time to see what domme Dove looks like.

Immediately, I get a message from a guy. He’s my age, hot in the way a disheveled librarian might be hot, and he sends me the most unhinged message:

I want you to f*** me like you hate me.

Well. Who am I to say no?

DORIAN
I’m a degenerate. A bastard. A cynic in reading glasses and an ever-present scowl.

But I know what I want. I want a dominant woman who can bring me to my knees.

Dove is the perfect candidate. Cute as a button, but playfully vicious behind closed doors. Before I know it I'm...feelings things. Things I shouldn't be feeling.

I can’t lose control. Not like that. Not again.

But, Christ, when I'm near her, she makes it hard to say anything other than…

Yes, Boss, may I please have another?


review: This book was fun and spicy

Dove is a new dom after dealing with being a sub and the trauma her ex dom put her through

she meets Dorian and plays with him

we see the then when Dove was a sub when she was getting into kink it started with a book

then she meets ophelia and she brings her to the club

I'm curious how ophelia and phantom story is gonna be


Shawn really put Dove through it then she meets Dorian on the app the play with them is hot .


she invited him to ophelia birthday cause shes nervous cause she hasn't faced these people in a year after what Shawn put her through.


things get intense with Dove and Dorian

ophelia party was a scavenger hunt she thought her boyfriend put it together but he was cheating but phantom really did it for her .


Dove figures out Dorian is poe from that book .

Dove and Dorian hook up turns out they are switches and they go to club to play and Dorian gets to be in charge .

[cris ୨♡୧]

una buena representación del bdsm en pleno 2026??? estoy sin palabras

✮⋆˙ Dorian pasó de necesitar el control a cederlo y Dove pasó de querer seguir órdenes a darlas. Mientras que el pasado de ambos los atormenta, pronto descubren que hay solo una forma de liberarse de sus demonios y es ceder a lo que poco a poco nació de un intercambio puramente masoquista y se transformó en confianza, anhelo y amor.

Miren cada que veo que un libro de dark romance menciona que tiene bdsm sé con seguridad que utilizarán solo el término como justificación para degradar a la mujer... y ya, no hay más trama. Así que leer a una autora que sabe escribir sobre el tema y sobre todo que recalca en todo momento que esta práctica está basada en el respeto, la confianza, la seguridad y EL CONSENTIMIENTO !!! es bastante refrescante.

Adora logró construir las bases de un mundo sólido con personajes reales que no se sienten ridículos, pretenciosos o enfermos. El libro ni siquiera es largo y la pluma de la autora es súper ligera, normalmente cuando leo libros en ingles me cuesta muchísimo poder avanzar rápido y este libro lo devoré.

Llevo años leyendo romance y aún así jamás me había encontrado con una trama así. Básicamente Dove entró al mundo del BDSM y se topó con el idiota equivocado, un hombre que piensa que la práctica significa tratar a la sumisa como un objeto, Dove comienza a caer poco a poco en las redes de una relación abusiva, controladora que solo busca quitarle su voz, alejándola de su grupo de amigos que es como su familia y sobre todo de ella misma.

Dorian, bueno la historia de él es digna de una película (literal), Dorian era un Dom que participaba con regularidad en el estilo de vida y en el club de BDSM hasta que un día la esposa de su hermano toca a su puerta y se aprovecha de la cercanía que había entre ellos para pedirle que la ayude a experimentar nuevas cosas para mejorar su relación, Dorian la introduce al club y lo que en un principio tuvo su línea firmemente trazada terminó difuminándose y haciéndolo perder a toda su familia.

Dove necesita el control y Dorian necesita cederlo. Y así amigas mías comienza un viaje en que el Dove aprende a ser una dominatrix para poder dejar escapar sus demonios utilizando a Dorian quien necesita desesperadamente una vía de escape para su dolor.

La relación de ellos crece de forma tan natural y la confianza da paso a esa vulnerabilidad, el climax de la historia llega cuando Dove descubre que el libro que la llevó a sentir curiosidad por ese mundo, estaba escrito de hecho por la cuñada de Dorian, la mujer de su hermano y quien se inspiró en las memorias de ambos para escribir y mostrarle a todo el mundo lo que ellos había vivido.

Cuando les digo que esta historia me dio romance, drama, representación de bdsm y más no les miento.

Mi cosa favorita fue el found family, el grupo de amigos que Dove encontró en ese club tan peculiar, personas con pasados dolorosos, kinks bastante raros pero que encuentran una base para construir relaciones de amistad sanas: confianza y respeto.

Definitivamente seguiré leyendo a la autora.

[Amy Bergesen]

How is this so cute, and spicy, and funny, and kind of adorable? I loved this little tale of relatable characters and their exploration of BDSM, and I can’t believe I even wrote that!

Dove develops an interest in kink from reading romance novels, but doesn’t know how to find out more. Then she meets Ophelia at a book reading. Ophelia introduces Dove to a kink club, Seekers. We get a great girl friendship between the two of them, chock full of humor, support, and vulnerability. They both have their share of heartbreak. Then Dove starts messaging with Dorian on the Seekers app, and the story really takes off. Dove is trying to take her life back by being a dom, but why does Dorian want to be punished?

A quirky little love story with explicit spice that exceeded my expectations.

HEA
Christmas
BDSM
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

[Bettina Sparacio]

"I call her boss and she kicks me in the balls. What we have is very real."

🖤

"On the worst night of my life, I met my soulmate for the first time. I just wasn't ready for him yet. And he wasn't ready for me, either."

🖤

"You're perfect. Believe me when I say I wouldn't change a thing about you."
"Nothing?"
"Nothing. I love this version of you. And I'll love every version that comes after. I love you—every messy piece of you."

🖤

"Yeah. Kismet. That's our safeword. It'll remind us that even if we're out of sync in the moment... we'll find our way back to each other eventually."

🖤

Bonus quote, because I love them so much:
"Will you fuck me when I'm a GILF, puppy?"
"I'd fuck you until your knuckles went white gripping your walker, boss."

[KaÁfrica]

jo, me han caído genial quiero que seamos amigos estoy libre los viernes por la tarde

[Jill Ramirez]

That was fun. I had a GREAT time! 🧀

[Virginie]

4.5 ⭐️

I discovered Adora Crooks through her Truth or Dare series, which I really enjoyed. So, when I saw that she was writing a new one, I was curious to read the first book in The Seekers Club series, which is none other than Whimper Wonderland.

Did I like this book? If the fact that I read it in one day isn’t enough of a clue, then I’ll state it outright: I absolutely loved Whimper Wonderland and its characters.

One of the reasons I signed up to receive an ARC of this book was because Dove is described as a sub who becomes a domme. I’m always interested in books where women embrace the role of domme. Perhaps I’m not searching properly, but it seems to me that most stories dealing with D/s dynamics portray the dom as a man and the sub as a woman. Of course, this is when the relationship is between a person who identifies as a woman and a person who identifies as a man.

The fact that Dove is a ‘new’ domme made her even more endearing to me, especially when you learn the reasons that led her to explore this aspect of her sexuality. I also appreciated that she is a young woman in her thirties who is still trying to figure herself out. I could really relate to that because I’m the same age and still feel like I haven’t managed to get my life in order or figure out who I really am. I found Dove a very endearing character, and beyond her relationship with Dorian, I also loved her friendship with Ophelia. I liked the emphasis in the story on the idea that our friends may eventually become our family.

As for Dorian, I admit that he remained a mystery to me for most of the book. I think the veil was lifted on him and his personality when Dove learned a certain piece of information about him. In fact, kudos to Adora Crooks because I only understood it at the same time as Dove—I usually discover this kind of secret much earlier. Despite him being a mystery to me, I immediately liked the gentleness he showed towards Dove. It was evident from the outset that he genuinely cared about her.

Overall, I really enjoyed the chemistry and banter between Dorian and Dove.

I am now extremely curious to find out what happens next in The Seekers Club series and to learn more about the other members we met in this first book.

Many thanks to Adora Crooks for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC of Whimper Wonderland. This review is my own. All opinions expressed are mine.

[Micasareads]

Omg!!!! 😍😍😍😍😍

I have never read a BDSM relationship couple that I vibed with more than this one!!!

I love how these characters are written, it’s a perfect balance of what the kink community is, how there’s a found family in it (when you find the right people that vibe) and how it’s normal and nothing to be ashamed of!

All the Shawn’s of the world can go kick rocks!

First off, I love how we came into this story, Dove in all her domme glory, and Dorian in his bratty puppy mode 😂 being able to then see flash backs and see how they started and where they are now felt natural and made sense!

Secondly! I loved piecing together the little foreshadowing moments along with Dove, I was right there with her in that bookstore going 👁️👄👁️ like I was solving a math equation 😂😂😂 I LOVED that they had a conversation about it right then and there (I am not a fan of 3rd act break ups and if there was one in this it probably would have been here but there wasn’t so yay!!!).

I will say, I am also not typically a fan of a F/M D/s dynamic but I loved the these characters in those roles! Of course, there are some exceptions later on! Which I also loved 😂

The relationship felt natural, and made me feel all warm and gooey on the inside, I think the length of this book was perfect too! It gave us enough and left the rest up to us (a HFN ending) and I am defs rooting for the others in the friend group too 😍😍

The spice! There is impact play, use of tools to inflict pain (nothing extreme), mentions of top drop, sub space, sub drop, lite degradation, O denial, use of scenes, safe words, talks of kink, and Switching (between D/s dynamics). There are mostly scenes of Dove in scenes as a domme to Dorian and not a participant in the sexual sense, but in the later part of the book there is a point where they spontaneously engage in play at his bookstore and the dynamic changes where both are involved in the scene.

❤️❤️❤️❤️
🌶️🌶️

[Mayras mini book reviews]

Spice: 4 (the amount of d/s scenes)

Recommend to someone looking for a book that depicts sub/dom dynamic and BDSM community.

The author sprinkled some kind of magic into this story.
I lost track of time whenever I sat down to read this book. I was so engrossed in the story that my adhd predictability shut off. Leaving me to just enjoy the ride.

I love books that showcases the BDSM community outside of Dark Romance. This book definitely meets that need. From Dove’s introduction to her journey in her role dynamic, this story showed that BDSM isn’t just about sex.
While Dorian’s story was not the main focus it added a good layer to the story.
There was enough background to each character to see the growth and to believe their connection. I loved how their relationship grew and went beyond their scenes.

Every scene depicting D/S relationship was chef's kiss for me. Would I loved to have seen more scenes in the club? Yes, but it wouldn’t be true to the characters’ relationship. Hopefully book two isn’t too far out. I can’t wait to read about Ophelia and Phantom. Honestly, I want to read each of the side characters' stories.

I can’t thank Adora Crooks enough for the opportunity to read their book ahead of the release date via ARC.

[Alex]

Non solo un romanzo Femdom in cui la Domme switcha almeno una scena (quasi fosse una tassa da pagare per esistere), ma ancora peggio: la storia di una sub che decide di giocare a fare la Domme e in cui il momento di svolta è lei che torna a fare la sub.
Perché venderlo come "Femdom", mi chiedo?

Da qui in poi SPOILER, perché ho bisogno di rantare e non voglio nascondere dietro la tag apposita.

Incontriamo Dove a un bar che osserva un tizio e pensa a quanto le sue mani sarebbero perfette per strangolarla, salvo poi dire "non faccio più queste cose". Avrei dovuto fermarmi qui, tanto il romanzo l'ho preso un giorno che era gratuito, non avrei sprecato soldi.
E invece no, sono andata avanti per scoprire che Dove si è avvicinata al BDSM per un romanzo su questa donna che, per ravvivare il matrimonio, chiede al cognato Dom di insegnarle il BDSM e tutti i casini che ne seguono, e che nella sua frequentazione del club Seekers ha praticamente trattato i dom (tendenzialmente uomini, chiamati "big, dumb dogs", mentre le uniche donne dominanti citate sono delle leather mommies, a quanto pare l'unico ruolo contemplato?) come dei distributori di sculacciate e strozzate, il che non è né rivoluzionario né femminista come potrebbe sembrare. Figurarsi quando poi incontra 'sto tizio, Shawn, che è così edgy che non ha un nome di scena e che "fucks like a man" e da cui lei va, alla ricerca di una relazione come quella tra la sua amica Ophelia e Phantom (il proprietario del club).
Da lì, è un racconto dell'orrore con questo Shawn, orrore che è la ragione per cui Dove in un moto di ribellione decide di giocare a fare la Domme. Giocare, perché non ha mostrato mezza inclinazione per il ruolo né ha alcun pensiero a riguardo.
Però una spera che con la pratica si renda conto di quanto è divertente il nuovo ruolo e, tra il capitolo iniziale (prima della backstory che ho raccontato) e tra le sue prime sperimentazioni, Dove sembra prenderci davvero gusto a fare la Domme.
Ci sono anche dei momenti carini (per i miei gusti) e un mezzo attacco di panico quando domina per la prima volta Dorian. (Dorian che, per inciso, viene descritto sempre come grande, con un "monster cock", e un brat, il che è una red flag nonostante le mie speranze.)
Quindi, nonostante a questo punto avessi visto (grazie a Zen) le recensioni che menzionavano uno "switching", ho pensato di continuare e vedere che ne usciva.
Peccato che abbiamo iniziato con la rivelazione che il cognato della tizia del libro era in realtà Dorian e che lui sta facendo il sub... per punizione? tanto che, di fatto, lui ha fatto topping from the bottom tutto il tempo (cosa che avevo fiutato), perché troppo Dom per riuscire a sottomettersi bene. A quel punto, appena Dove cerca di consolarlo sovrascrivendo il ricordo del sesso fatto con la cognata nella sua libreria, Dorian in un attimo di... foga fa come un lupo mannaro/vampiro qualsiasi, tira fuori il suo Dom interiore e prende il controllo del pompino.
E Dove non fa una piega.
Ho compensato io con tutte le pieghe del mondo, perché MA PORCA VACCAAAAAAAA! Si meritava di perdere l'uccello a morsi per questo cambio di regole in corsa, e invece no, a parte Dove triggerata dal ricordo di Shawn (🥱) per il resto è tutto okay, non aspettava altro dall'inizio della storia, no?
Io no e quindi ho smesso di leggere.
Detesto il sottinteso per cui entrambi abbiano cambiato ruolo solo in reazione al trauma, ma la loro vera indole è un'altra. Sembra quasi voler dire che tutto sommato una può giocare a fare la Domme, uno può giocare a fare il sub, ma sono sempre una sub e un Dom, un destino immutabile come il loro genere.
Che è lo stesso messaggio che manda lo switching nei romance Femdom, perché il messaggio è sempre "bimba, puoi giocare quanto vuoi a fare la dominatrice, ma davanti a un Uomo ti sottometti pure tu".
Anche perché, guarda caso, nei romance Maledom/femsub il Dom non si sottomette mai alla sua sub, nemmeno per mezza scena. Altrimenti che ne sarà della sua Virilità??????? Sia mai che la preziosa mascolinità dei protagonisti maschili dei romance sia intaccata da una parvenza di caratteristica femminile (come la sottomissione, per esempio).
E in questa storia non vale nemmeno il discorso "ma loro sono switch" perché la storia dà tutti gli elementi per dedurre che la dinamica Femdom/malesub che abbiamo visto fino a quel punto è solo una recita, visto che Dove non desiderava altro che sottomettersi di nuovo anche mentre faceva la Domme.
Quindi, bon, ennesima delusione di cui potevo fare a meno, ma che fa parte di un trend evidente di problemi del romance a prendere sul serio personagge con desideri al di fuori del recinto eteropatriarcale.

[BookishLatinaJenn (Jennifer)]

“Whimper Wonderland” is everything I didn’t know I needed: domme spice, cozy healing, and a cinnamon roll grump who drops to his knees like it’s his full-time job. And baby, he wants the overtime.

Dove’s glow-up from recovering submissive to confident, whip-smart domme was chef’s kiss. Watching her reclaim her power, not just in the bedroom but in her identity, had me cheering, fanning myself, and texting my book bestie, “DID YOU READ THIS?!”

And Dorian? This man is grumpy, broody, and absolutely feral for Dove. Timid where it counts, filthy when it’s called for. The emotional depth in his journey from broken Dom to surrendering sub? Whew. My Kindle blushed. I blushed.

Adora Crooks has created a spicy little wonderland with heart, humor, and so much care for kink dynamics. And yes, it had me kicking my feet like I was the one being told to “be a good boy.” Bring on The Seekers Club book two, because I am officially on my knees begging for more.

💌 Thank you to Adora Crooks for the eARC!

Tropes/Micro-Tropes
💥 Domme awakening
📚 Hot librarian vibes
🌶️ Kinky but cozy
🔁 Role reversal
📱 Online dating
🪩 Found family kink club
🛐 Worship kink, praise kink, degradation (CONSENSUAL), emotional healing

[Katie]

Read this for a book club.

For a dom/sub dynamic, they really had loose boundaries and terrible communication. And I think they fell in love over one night?

Also this whole group of sex club buddies is exclusively using their sex club names. Like Ophelia and Dove live together and they still use only their sex club names at home. Dorian is the only one who gets his real name back and I don’t know if he even knows Dove’s real name.

ALSO Dove’s favorite book is about a woman cheating on her husband with his brother? Like I don’t think it was ever stated that the husband was down with her getting lessons at the sex club? AND THIS WAS ABOUT THE AUTHORS REAL LIFE?! AND THE HUSBAND STAYED AND GOES ON BOOK TOURS WITH HER AND HATES HIS BROTHER? AND AS RECENTLY AS A YEAR AGO, SHE WAS BACK AT IT WITH THE BROTHER WHO IS DORIAN?!

So yeah, Dove meets her book boyfriend and is like, cool your sister in law is still holding this shit over you, enticing you with signed books for your store, but now you’re my soulmate. We can hook up in your bookstore and now we’re healed.

[Madelyn Cauffman]

This book was one of my favorites that I have ever read. The plot is so good, and the characters have such a good development arc. You start out with a shy FMC, Sadie, who becomes a part of the club the Seekers club where you can explore all of your kinks and fantasies. When joining the club, she met her best friend Ophelia and choose her stage name as Dove. Starting out as a submissive, she gets entangled in an abusive relationship and when she finally escapes, she makes a series of lifestyle changes. Due to the trauma, she becomes a dom and meets Dorian. Initially scared to let him touch her they engage in scenes that leave you on the edge of your seat until she invites him to Ophelias birthday. This is when everything for them changes because they are both falling for each other and have secrets that they have been keeping. This book was a 10/10 for me and I cannot wait for book two.

[Korkoi]

The Rewards for Taking A Chance -
I wasn’t sure if I was going to enjoy this book, but I am glad I persisted and continued because I found myself glued to the pages, as I watched two people who were carrying so much baggage in their lives, trying to fight their feelings for each other. The characters engage in the BDSM lifestyle to help them navigate their issues, but after pushing each other for so long, come to realise that the connection between them was fated and they were destined to be together.

WARNING! Carve out a few hours where there would be no interruptions before you start reading this book, because once you really get into the story, there is no chance you will want to stop. If you are looking for an intense, spicy and mesmerising story to read, then look no further than this book.

I received an advanced review copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Michelle N.]

Whimper Wonderland is the first book in the new series by Adora Crooks. The series is centered around a private BDSM club known as The Seekers Club. While the club itself is important to the story the focus of the story is the relationship between Dove and Dorian.
This is a well-written novel told from Dove and Dorian’s points of view and at different points in time. The focus of the story is the developing trust and love between Dove and Dorian as they find their strengths and support in each other.
While this is a book that has theme of BDSM it is not the overwhelming subject of the book. There is a much bigger focus on trust, friendship, and the love of the family you find. Adora Crooks wrote a spicy story with wonderful characters and a great twist. I am definitely looking forward to reading more books in this series.
I received an advanced reader copy for my honest review.

[Linds]

I loved this book. It was one of the best that I read during all of my holiday reads. I liked the way the story was told and how I was given little bits of information to catch me up on the characters while present day moments still seemed to be happening. To me, it seemed like a fun way to fill in pieces of a missing puzzle, much like getting to know people over time can be as well. I felt it had good story progression that kept me invested and indulging in long hours of reading just to know more and see where it went. I don't think that curiousity would be there, though, if I had not fallen in love with the characters. I was immediately enamored by the dynamic between the two love interests. A push and pull so passionate and intense, that their story will stick with you long after you turn the last page. I'm eagerly looking forward to reading the next one!

[Tima]

4.5 stars. This story is dual POV, well written, and a fast-paced, emotional, sweet and spicy, hurt/comfort, contemporary BDSM romance between “Dove”, the female cheese shop worker lead determined to try being a domme after being hurt by her dominant ex-boyfriend, and Dorian, the male bookstore owner lead looking to be submissive after the damage he inflicted when he last acted as a dominant. I enjoyed that both characters recognised that they were struggling emotionally and were trying something different. I appreciated the explicit negotiations and clearly referenced safe word. I enjoyed the spicy scenes and the evolution of intimacy through them. I enjoyed the secondary characters and their support and engagement. I enjoyed the community and found family.

I received a complimentary copy from the author and this is my voluntary honest review.

[Pirra Smith]

Le doy 4 estrellas tremendamente sorprendida porque para nada me esperaba lo bueno que ha terminado siendo este libro.

No te va a cambiar la vida para nada, no tiene un worbu épico, no es una prosa que se te salga el alma del cuerpo. Es un romance con una gran cantidad de spicy (se centra en la relación de dos personas que se conocen por el BDSM y el grupo de amigos del club de BDSM, así que no sorprende nada).

Tiene cosas que sorprenden, como que la dom sea ella y no él, algo que no suele aparecer en literatura donde los roles están muy cerrados. Ambos tienen tendencias en los dos lados y me gusta mucho cómo los exploran y llegan a un acuerdo de equilibro.

ADEMÁS de todo eso, tienes desarrollo de ambos personajes, sus problemas, miedos y cómo afectan a su relación. Creo que es superbonito y lo recomiendo muchísimo.

[J]

This is book 1 in Crooks the Seekers Club. A great intro to a new series. In all transparency, Crooks is a new author for me and I'm so excited to have found her now...I am addicted and can't wait for more from her and this series. Our main characters are Dorian and Dove and when reading the blurb on this the decision was made when Dove who is a sub decided to become a dom...I thought, wait, what?!? How is that gonna work, I have to read to find out and I did and I did...this was a wonderfully well written spicy and sweet with kink and humor that I didn't know I wanted and so glad I got. I can't wait for what's to come next!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Seleste]

4.5⭐️
Received an ARC copie of this book and can't be more happy of the fact that I was able to read this ...simply unique (in the good way) book.
It's a BDSM centered and I was pleasantly surprised to find out that it isn't the normal 'erotic story' but something more, someting real.
It's a cute Christmasy book with spicy undertone(or more like energy) that doesn't only focus on this, but also on the relationship and emotions of the main characters.
If you are craving something cute, but spicy - then this is for you...and I would say pretty much all of this author's works.
Only that it wasn't enough and now I can't way to read the next books, when they are out!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Misha]

Dare I say 4,5 stars?

What I liked:
- The sense of found family got me imediately hooked and I can't wait for Ophelia's story.
- I don't hate cozy when it involves kink. Good to know.
- It is very spicy in general but the story and character developement were also strongly present. TBH I expected back to back sex scenes and it wasn't the case.
- I love Dorian. He's the perfect flawed hero.
- Concent is sexy. I love when the healthiest of relationships are portrayed in books about BDSM. We need the possitive stereotype.
- Very fast paced and readable.

What I didn't like:
- I'm wondering myself why this book isn't 5 star material. I guess it didn't have strong emotional impact on me and that's the only flaw. I had great time but I wasn't OBSESSED.

[Selena]

This book was such a surprise. It was absolutely fantastic and just what I needed.

The fact that a book about kink can be a slow burn...
The fact that it explores dom and sub space with the emotional tolls it can take on you when boundaries are crossed...
The fact that it highlights the found family aspect of kinky misfits...

I love kink so much, because if done right, it's such a safe space with clear communication and consent. In literature, it's such a reprieve from all the forced miscommunication going on in so many books nowadays.

The book holds tension, explores the freedom of letting go, and moved me to tears at the realisation and exploration of finally being seen.

This was cozy and sweet and powerful all at once.

📖 A Whimper Wonderland by Adora Crooks
Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[Paris Browne]

Adora Crooks' (self-proclaimed) brand is 'idiots to lovers' and boy does she deliver with this one .
Dove and Dorian are both hurting when they match up on The Seekers App, Dove having decided she's done with her life as a submissive and now wants to try her hand at being a Domme. Enter Dorian, who quickly becomes her "emotional support self-loathing cis man". As they play together, they tell themselves they're doing a great job of keeping things casual, despite Dove talking ALOT during sessions. I'm sure you can imagine just how well their casual arrangement turns out.
This book was so funny, especially when fellow kinksters from the club are on page. Dove and Dorian were so loveable, and theirnconversations often had me kicking my feet and squealing. Their chemistry sizzled off the page, and there was something very satisfying to rolling my eyes at these idiots knowing they were heading for their HEA.
I loved that Adora also touched on some serious topics, too, through old relationships that turned very sour. I thought this was weaved in brilliantly, tackled sensitively but not taking away from the humour and joy in the rest of the story.
I'm delighted that this is the first in a series because I am absolutely not ready to say goodbye to this gang.

[Linda Fairburn]

Adora Crooks enters the world of BDSM again with a wonderful sexy story full of lust and kink parties.
Dove had one really bad experience with a Dom who really didn't want to be in the kink scene but wanted a submissive for a girlfriend.
It took a lot of courage to leave him but decided she wants to be in charge in future as not to get too involved.
What she found in Dorian is exactly what she needed but as for not wanting to get involved with a partner went out of the window over time for both of them.
Finding out Dorian was a Dom but wanted to try being a submissive will change them both, they both get to be the boss and explore there kinky love.

[Ash Book Reads]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I have the pleasure of reading this as an ARC reader for Adora and I was not disappointed. The way in which the dynamic between Dove and Dorian grows through the book is top level. I love everything about it.

The book is a 1st in a new series that follows the members of the Seeker Club which as you can guess is a Kink club. Dive is a submissive who gets abused by her dominant therefore decides she will become the dominant. There enters Dorian 😍 and he is such a good boy 🤤. As the story unfolds you learn more about the characters and the relationship unfolds. 10/10 Recommend

[bunny]

I didn’t expect to get absolutely wrecked by a cinnamon roll sub and a domme piecing herself back together, but here we fucking are. Dove is the kind of woman you root for, cry for, and want to be when you grow up. Dorian? That man surrenders like a goddamn prayer. Their chemistry scorched, but what hit harder was how soft and real the healing was. The BDSM wasn’t window dressing ... it was the fucking vehicle for growth, connection, forgiveness. Every scene had teeth, even the quiet ones. I didn’t just read this, I devoured it and immediately went digging for the next Seekers book like a junkie in withdrawal.

[aromanticshelf]

this was so so good, for a short book it did great on the spice, the plot, the characters, it honestly felt like a whole story. not only were the main characters broken and lovable and hot, but the side characters were just as good and i hope we get books about them! especially phantom!!

the only reason it lost a star is because there are several sentence and grammar mistakes as well as repetition. otherwise this was honestly such a lovely read, i love the club, the characters, the plot, everything about it just built great. having it edited would make this a perfect short yet fulfilling read!

[Niomi King]

What a wonderful change from the typical adults' club vibe. The characters aren't late teens meeting billionaires. They are your standard run of the mill daily life normies, aged 35, and just waiting for that freedom that only a Friday night can offer. But the roles are reversed in this book when Dove reclaims her power and becomes the dominant party during play time, while Dornian finds his power by giving it to Dove. It's empowering. It's teasing, and it will definitely have you biting that bottom lip a time or 2. It's funny and sweet and just a perfectly cosy read. I have already put book 2s release date in my calendar because there is no way I will risk missing it!

Highly recommend!