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Owning Regina: Diary of my unexpected passion for another woman
This is an updated cover edition of B00KKYKUYC.
Note: The cover was updated, but the book content is the same.
Everything you ever believed about your sexuality may be turned on its head upon meeting the right person.
When television commercial production coordinator Meg Curtis gets stood up by her longtime boyfriend, she vents her frustration by feverishly writing in a diary. At a time when she is unsure about all things romantic, she encounters 5th grade teacher Regina Baker at yoga class, a free-spirited single mom who is beautiful, playful, and impossibly intriguing. What starts as friendship turns sharply toward something more as they learn they each share a love for very dark and unconventional sensual expression. Despite significant differences in lifestyle, each woman is desperate to get close to the other to explore the depths of devotion.
Shocked, yet thrilled by the intense level of Regina’s erotic desire, Meg turns apprehensive. She had never been with a woman— never had to be in society with a woman, never had to wonder what labels may be placed upon her relationship, never considered herself anything but obsessed with men. Regina, also enchanted by a woman for the first time, finds freedom from the pressures of daily life by committing herself to Meg. Compelled by the need for a balance between worlds, the two embark on a daring, passionately physical role-playing game. Welcoming Regina’s darkest needs, Meg explores her own deep-seated desires that have been locked away in the shadows her whole life.
Erotic, amusing, and profoundly romantic, Owning Regina is a tale that will awaken you, possess you, and transport you to an alternate universe that steams with passion and danger.
This book, featuring elements of BDSM, is intended for mature audiences.
The Author:
Lorelei Elstrom is an office executive and blossoming writer based out of the San Francisco Bay Area. She never considered a career in writing until coming upon the idea of working in a fictionalized diary format, which provides absolute freedom to truly express one’s most private thoughts in the first person. Discovering this format helped her gain the courage to pick up the pen to write her first novel, Owning Regina.
Note: The cover was updated, but the book content is the same.
Everything you ever believed about your sexuality may be turned on its head upon meeting the right person.
When television commercial production coordinator Meg Curtis gets stood up by her longtime boyfriend, she vents her frustration by feverishly writing in a diary. At a time when she is unsure about all things romantic, she encounters 5th grade teacher Regina Baker at yoga class, a free-spirited single mom who is beautiful, playful, and impossibly intriguing. What starts as friendship turns sharply toward something more as they learn they each share a love for very dark and unconventional sensual expression. Despite significant differences in lifestyle, each woman is desperate to get close to the other to explore the depths of devotion.
Shocked, yet thrilled by the intense level of Regina’s erotic desire, Meg turns apprehensive. She had never been with a woman— never had to be in society with a woman, never had to wonder what labels may be placed upon her relationship, never considered herself anything but obsessed with men. Regina, also enchanted by a woman for the first time, finds freedom from the pressures of daily life by committing herself to Meg. Compelled by the need for a balance between worlds, the two embark on a daring, passionately physical role-playing game. Welcoming Regina’s darkest needs, Meg explores her own deep-seated desires that have been locked away in the shadows her whole life.
Erotic, amusing, and profoundly romantic, Owning Regina is a tale that will awaken you, possess you, and transport you to an alternate universe that steams with passion and danger.
This book, featuring elements of BDSM, is intended for mature audiences.
The Author:
Lorelei Elstrom is an office executive and blossoming writer based out of the San Francisco Bay Area. She never considered a career in writing until coming upon the idea of working in a fictionalized diary format, which provides absolute freedom to truly express one’s most private thoughts in the first person. Discovering this format helped her gain the courage to pick up the pen to write her first novel, Owning Regina.
292 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2014
71 people are currently reading
1037 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
August 31, 2014
Owning Regina is a lesbian love story about 2 ladies who are straight. They are both "Gay for you" in the vernacular of romance novels, and quite a bit of time was spent on the topic, so I feel its fair to mention it.
Regina is an extremely submissive lady, with a young son, who falls quickly for the main character. The main character is a switch, who claims she is a top, but spends most of the book ordering her "slave" to top her, whilst claiming that isn't what she wants.
The book is very preachy about what BDSM is, how to do it right, and what it isn't, and then spends every moment "scening" by using code phrases to enter and exit scenes, and changing personalities in scene, etc. I'm not into telling others not to roleplay, or not to "scene" or whatever, but if you are going to get preachy and tell me how to "do it right" you could have the courtesy of doing it right yourself.
I felt very sorry for Regina. As an extremely submissive person, myself, I can only imagine the emotional trauma the "top" causes her repeatedly.
Some of the scenes are not too bad, and some of the D/s was hot. Most of it was utterly ridiculous, and made me feel insulted, or sad.
Regina is an extremely submissive lady, with a young son, who falls quickly for the main character. The main character is a switch, who claims she is a top, but spends most of the book ordering her "slave" to top her, whilst claiming that isn't what she wants.
The book is very preachy about what BDSM is, how to do it right, and what it isn't, and then spends every moment "scening" by using code phrases to enter and exit scenes, and changing personalities in scene, etc. I'm not into telling others not to roleplay, or not to "scene" or whatever, but if you are going to get preachy and tell me how to "do it right" you could have the courtesy of doing it right yourself.
I felt very sorry for Regina. As an extremely submissive person, myself, I can only imagine the emotional trauma the "top" causes her repeatedly.
Some of the scenes are not too bad, and some of the D/s was hot. Most of it was utterly ridiculous, and made me feel insulted, or sad.
January 4, 2016
I've been trying to figure out for days what to say about this one. So here goes:
The good: the diary format lent itself very well to this book. I wouldn't typically go for that, but any stylistic issues, occasional typos, or weird formatting can be written off as being part of a diary. It also made Meg's voice VERY clear. Additionally, despite everything being from Meg's perspective (it being her diary), I still could clearly see what Regina was like, even if I would have liked to see more from her perspective. If it weren't for the format working so well, I'd give this book one star.
The bad: it's not the bdsm aspect, because I like books with that. It's the fact that some of the bdsm play is incredibly irresponsible. Meg checks in with Regina a lot, which is good, and they have their phrases for getting in and out of play, which is also good, but there's no talk of limits and Meg jumps into some pretty heavy shit. .
Want to read good lesbian bdsm romance? Check out At Her Feet by Rebekah Weatherspoon, The Night Off by Meghan O'Brien, The Collectors by Lesley Gowan, or Paisley Smith's Honkytonk Angels series.
The good: the diary format lent itself very well to this book. I wouldn't typically go for that, but any stylistic issues, occasional typos, or weird formatting can be written off as being part of a diary. It also made Meg's voice VERY clear. Additionally, despite everything being from Meg's perspective (it being her diary), I still could clearly see what Regina was like, even if I would have liked to see more from her perspective. If it weren't for the format working so well, I'd give this book one star.
The bad: it's not the bdsm aspect, because I like books with that. It's the fact that some of the bdsm play is incredibly irresponsible. Meg checks in with Regina a lot, which is good, and they have their phrases for getting in and out of play, which is also good, but there's no talk of limits and Meg jumps into some pretty heavy shit. .
Want to read good lesbian bdsm romance? Check out At Her Feet by Rebekah Weatherspoon, The Night Off by Meghan O'Brien, The Collectors by Lesley Gowan, or Paisley Smith's Honkytonk Angels series.
November 14, 2023
What's the point of a safe word when they literally gagged each other most of the time during their plays? It's okay if they trusted each other, but it made me cringe every time Meg and Regina went past their limit but were unable to scream for a safe word. That is pretty dangerous in real life.
Meg used the privilege of a Domme to order Regina to dominate her, what is the point? Regina obviously doesn't like being a Domme, so she's just followed her mistress's order. She gained little sexual gratification from it, and it ruined the whole point of their relationship in the first place.
It also bugged me that only the mistress and her slave have bed actions (they only have sex when they are in their domme and submissive personification).
Why is the usual non-Domme Meg and non-Sub Regina never make love to each other? It gave off some kind of emotional disconnect that I can't quite put my finger on.
Did they ever get married? The protagonist seemed to be troubled by it. She was pacing back and forth over the idea of a breakup, staying monogamous forever, or marriage. In the end, it was never mentioned again.
Her diary doesn't sound like a diary. It's kind of too perfect on how she delivered those dialogues.
Despite these flaws, I did enjoy the book. I love to put all the negatives on my reviews.
My favorite part in the book is the idea that sexual preferences are not all black and white, it is complicated. When you love something, you just love it; don't bother with all those labels.
Meg used the privilege of a Domme to order Regina to dominate her, what is the point? Regina obviously doesn't like being a Domme, so she's just followed her mistress's order. She gained little sexual gratification from it, and it ruined the whole point of their relationship in the first place.
It also bugged me that only the mistress and her slave have bed actions (they only have sex when they are in their domme and submissive personification).
Why is the usual non-Domme Meg and non-Sub Regina never make love to each other? It gave off some kind of emotional disconnect that I can't quite put my finger on.
Did they ever get married? The protagonist seemed to be troubled by it. She was pacing back and forth over the idea of a breakup, staying monogamous forever, or marriage. In the end, it was never mentioned again.
Her diary doesn't sound like a diary. It's kind of too perfect on how she delivered those dialogues.
Despite these flaws, I did enjoy the book. I love to put all the negatives on my reviews.
My favorite part in the book is the idea that sexual preferences are not all black and white, it is complicated. When you love something, you just love it; don't bother with all those labels.
August 25, 2014
Its extremely rare for me to want to write a review, but I enjoyed this book so much, I felt compelled to show my appreciation and perhaps encourage others in the BDSM scene, whether experienced or novice, to give it a try.
Speaking as a Male Dominant, I found the descriptions of the D/s dynamic to be excellent and extremely accurate, at least in my personal experience.
Taking up the challenge to explain what some would describe as the "dark urges" of BDSM sexuality is no small matter, but for Ms Elstrom to do so with such insight deserves more than the 5 star's permitted here.
Reluctantly, in the interests of safety, I must take issue with the idea of leaving alone a submissive who is bound and helpless, especially if they are gagged. This is in my opinion and that of others very experienced in the scene, definitely a dangerous thing to do. Yes, the idea of doing it is exciting, but as with all bondage play, the safety of the submissive must be the highest priority.
To end on a positive, I would urge anyone interested in experimenting with BDSM to read this book, as it gives a far better presentation of a BDSM relationship than "50 shades" ever did.
Speaking as a Male Dominant, I found the descriptions of the D/s dynamic to be excellent and extremely accurate, at least in my personal experience.
Taking up the challenge to explain what some would describe as the "dark urges" of BDSM sexuality is no small matter, but for Ms Elstrom to do so with such insight deserves more than the 5 star's permitted here.
Reluctantly, in the interests of safety, I must take issue with the idea of leaving alone a submissive who is bound and helpless, especially if they are gagged. This is in my opinion and that of others very experienced in the scene, definitely a dangerous thing to do. Yes, the idea of doing it is exciting, but as with all bondage play, the safety of the submissive must be the highest priority.
To end on a positive, I would urge anyone interested in experimenting with BDSM to read this book, as it gives a far better presentation of a BDSM relationship than "50 shades" ever did.
March 8, 2017
Wow! Fantastic! I've never read or explored anything BDSM but I loved the writing and the characters. I don't usually like diary formats but it had such a personal feel and was so well executed it was a great way to tell the story. Owning Regina is a perfect blend of a romance and eroticism and I really appreciated that both women were healthy, strong, and very functional people that happened to be into kink. It was a fun and excellent read. Well done, Ms. Elstrom!
January 31, 2017
Turns out i've read the first half of the book before, was it part of an anthology maybe?
Eh... I couldn't really get into the book. A lot of aspects of their game were not to my taste and the humiliation made me feel uncomfortable. That is not really romance material to me.
Eh... I couldn't really get into the book. A lot of aspects of their game were not to my taste and the humiliation made me feel uncomfortable. That is not really romance material to me.
February 24, 2015
Even though I read the whole thing, it was like watching a movie that just kept your interest enough, that when it was over you said...."I can't believe I watched the whole thing." .....then question, why? I'm not sure if I can express exactly how I feel about this book. There was plenty of times I thought the sex scenes were very hot...but on an emotional level....I found it disturbing. The number 1 reason for me was....they never had sex or made love unless they were playing "the game." I found that unbelievable & if it was me in that relationship, I would quickly get unattached emotionally. I just didn't connect with that part of their relationship.....maybe its my lack of not understanding the lifestyle on the level they were at....idk. They both at times were very immature for their age....which kind of ticked me off sometimes. I'm left with a lot of questions about their relationship & I'm left doubting it would ever last.
August 23, 2014
A very captivating story written in 1st person....not easy but very well done here. If anyone has questions about BDSM read this! I recommend this book based on my experience & that of fellow kinksters! This story is amazingly accurate in all ways: Meg's questioning of her sexuality but not her fetishes; Meg taking for granted how her friends impact her relationship & one of best descriptions about the ups & downs of any development between humans let alone the trust inherent in a BDSM relationship. 50 shades was so pathetically unbelievable I put it down for days...convincing myself the story would develop some credibility...NOT! I struggled but got through it....I'd love to just trash it but just regret the $ I paid for the ebook.
Owning Regina is worth every penny I spent! I hope to see more from Ms Elstrom. Bravo on your talent & thank you for a complete awesome story!
Owning Regina is worth every penny I spent! I hope to see more from Ms Elstrom. Bravo on your talent & thank you for a complete awesome story!
August 20, 2014
I totally loved this book! I've never read a book in a form of diary or finished reading a BDSM book (started Fifty Shades of Grey, even never got to the BDSM part). To my own surprise, I loved this one. I got hooked up from the first sentence and couldn't resist starting it before finishing my summer classes or finished two other books I was reading at that time, as I planned.
I loved how funny it is, and how the main character feels about everything that's happening to her, starting from being kinky (and feeling uncomfortable about her fantasies at first) and ending with being gay. "The game", as they call their Mistress vs Slave sex-game, perfectly entwines in their lives, even when it gets out of boundaries and influences their everyday life. I also enjoyed the idea of both women dominating at some point in the book and how their domination differ.
Another aspect that I find especially satisfying is that they're so different. Even the age. I mean, I myself find oddly attracted to women that are 8-15 yrs older than I am and I don't think there's anything shameful in it as long as the feeling is pure.
All in all, it was a great journey for me, a journey full of joy and fantasies.
I loved how funny it is, and how the main character feels about everything that's happening to her, starting from being kinky (and feeling uncomfortable about her fantasies at first) and ending with being gay. "The game", as they call their Mistress vs Slave sex-game, perfectly entwines in their lives, even when it gets out of boundaries and influences their everyday life. I also enjoyed the idea of both women dominating at some point in the book and how their domination differ.
Another aspect that I find especially satisfying is that they're so different. Even the age. I mean, I myself find oddly attracted to women that are 8-15 yrs older than I am and I don't think there's anything shameful in it as long as the feeling is pure.
All in all, it was a great journey for me, a journey full of joy and fantasies.
December 8, 2014
A fun, fast, and pleasurable read. The diary-style writing felt authentic, and the BDSM scenes were arousing. But it’s not just sexual/erotic. The author skilfully weaves in insightful details re: intimacy, the fear and hope at the beginning of relationships, and the characters’ desires for honesty and acceptance. I felt like I was given a window into Meg's and Regina's - particularly Meg’s – sexual and spiritual exploration. I would recommend the book to anyone wanting a peek at the same while also getting a good dose of arousing passion.
March 6, 2022
Owning Regina: Diary of My Unexpected Passion for Another Woman Based on two characters Meg and Regina. The day-by-day situations in a growing relationship between two women who are growing. This book contains a great deal of BDSM. I had some difficulty as it contains very little about safety, safe words, limits, and so on. The growth in the relationship is interesting but there were areas where I could feel the tension of some of the play. I liked it but would have liked it more that the situations felt safer.
March 9, 2015
This story will push your limits and encourage never ending thoughts of erotic experimentation. It made me want to do much more than kiss a girl and like it:) Take me as your submissive and thoroughly dominate me!
January 20, 2015
had not really considered kink as a sexual orientation. food for thought.
December 30, 2014
Can you believe how blue the sky is today?
December 9, 2014
As the author of this book, I must say it was an absolute blast to write. Once the book was finished, it was really challenging to find the right category/genre for marketing because the story falls somewhere between romance and erotica. But it doesn't fit squarely into either one. The thrust of the story is the romance, but it is driven by the characters' passion for dark sex and role playing.
As an example, "Regina" is a single mom and teacher. It was my goal to setup the BDSM content so that it realistically fit within real lives.
In all my creative endeavors, I've aimed to show BDSM as a healthy sexual orientation, rather than a mere physical activity.
From the early reviews, it seems I successfully managed to communicate this. Here two reviews that touch on the realistic integration of BDSM into the lives of regular people:
REVIEW #1 - Lily Zheng
Writer at The Stanford Daily
"I completed this book over the course of one morning, and I could not be more impressed with it. Ms. Elstrom takes us under the wing of Meg Curtis to depict a stunningly honest and organic relationship between two women, two uncertain people coming to terms with kink as something more nuanced and intricate than a simple set of actions. Over the course of this book, we are privy to the thoughts and feelings of Meg as she grows and changes as a woman--we see her feelings change from muddled to exuberant, and her actions change from hesitant to purposeful as she and Regina discover each other's lives, bodies, and identities.
Owning Regina is not a book about fantasy kink. There is no magic telepathy between people, no porno-levels of endurance, no "perfect" interactions or scenes. Rather, this book displays kink as it is in real life: consensual, communicative, and imperfect, a dance between people.
To be honest, I'm impressed at the realism portrayed in this book. The conflict feels real and pressing; the characters are deep, well-developed, and likeable, and most importantly, the writing touches me on an emotional level. I found myself feeling what the characters felt, and (though maybe this is just from too much time in the scene myself) feeling every sensation described in vivid detail. This is a diary--it's not hardcore erotica, but it's not a documentary either. It's gritty, dirty, raw, and satisfying in a way that neither of the two are on their own.
The inevitable comparison will come to Fifty Shades of Grey--this is nothing like it. The portrayal of kink shown in Fifty Shades is like buying a bucket of sand and a plastic palm tree and calling it Hawaii. It's fake, fantastical, and indicative not of kink but of all the popular misconceptions surrounding it that are embedded in our mass media. The author even clarified (quite proudly, even) that she had never done any of the things she wrote about. Owning Regina, in those respects, is completely different--and that's why it's so good.
I would recommend this book to anyone who wants more than a cheap thrill out of their reading, to anyone who enjoys seeing positive, realistic, and consensual depictions of kink in writing, and to anyone who wants to understand what kink is--what kink really is.
Five stars for an amazing read, and hats off to Ms. Elstrom for writing such an exquisite book!"
REVIEW #2 - Danielle Book Reviewer at Lesbrary.com
Owning Regina:Diary of My Unexpected Passion for Another Woman by Lorelei Elstrom is a woman-loving-woman’s answer to E. L. James’ Fifty Shades of Grey. Written in diary format, Meg Curtis gives us an up close and personal taste of exploring bondage, discipline, and sadomasochism (BDSM) for the first time. Describing her intense erotic inclination towards the world of dominance and submission, we learn that for Meg, her sexuality is very complex. When realizing she has developed a sincere interest for a woman, having always been with men, she is forced to rethink her sexual orientation. Meg initially struggles with the idea she may be something other than heterosexual, often in conflict with her perception of her future self and her newfound lust. Eventually disregarding the pressure to label herself, Meg is extremely satisfied to indulge in kinky behaviors with another person.
Meg Curtis, 26, meets Regina Baker, 38, at a local yoga class in San Francisco, California and instantly a connection sparks. The two women bond over Meg’s boot fetish and shortly thereafter, Regina senses there may be something worth trying with one another. Elstrom does a thorough job at introducing BDSM and establishing clear boundaries for the role-playing games shared between Meg and Regina. The women often check in with one another outside of the realm of the game to ensure they are on the same page. Adding more rules to maintain a distinction between emotions felt in real life and the harsh dialogue used in the game helps their relationship stay clear of confusion and reinforces consent.
Often BDSM is perceived by society as dirty, abusive, weird, and/or perverted, with a very narrow selection of stereotypical images, such as a woman wearing a latex or leather suit whipping a man’s behind. There is absolutely nothing wrong with BDSM if all of the acts between two (or more) partners are consensual, rooted in trust, and boundaries are respected. Anyone can be attracted to S&M regardless of their experiences. Further, engaging in such behavior allows agreeing adults to explore curiosities and taboo manners in a safe environment. Generally speaking, those who are attracted to BDSM would never intentionally hurt someone outside of the game mode; only in character would they think about participating in such seemingly torturous acts.
All in all, Owning Regina is a strikingly sexy book that I recommend to anyone curious about BDSM. Owning Regina can easily be devoured in one sitting —as the days in Meg’s life go on, there is an urgency for more and Elstrom does not hold back with her delivery. Having taken my first bite into a BDSM fiction featuring two female lovers has opened my mind to endless possibilities outside the lines of a vanilla romance. Aside from the swift declaration of love in a short passage of time (I often find these storylines unrealistic and stereotypical), I found Owning Regina to be a very fun read!
As an example, "Regina" is a single mom and teacher. It was my goal to setup the BDSM content so that it realistically fit within real lives.
In all my creative endeavors, I've aimed to show BDSM as a healthy sexual orientation, rather than a mere physical activity.
From the early reviews, it seems I successfully managed to communicate this. Here two reviews that touch on the realistic integration of BDSM into the lives of regular people:
REVIEW #1 - Lily Zheng
Writer at The Stanford Daily
Also a member of The Stanford Student Kink Club
"I completed this book over the course of one morning, and I could not be more impressed with it. Ms. Elstrom takes us under the wing of Meg Curtis to depict a stunningly honest and organic relationship between two women, two uncertain people coming to terms with kink as something more nuanced and intricate than a simple set of actions. Over the course of this book, we are privy to the thoughts and feelings of Meg as she grows and changes as a woman--we see her feelings change from muddled to exuberant, and her actions change from hesitant to purposeful as she and Regina discover each other's lives, bodies, and identities.
Owning Regina is not a book about fantasy kink. There is no magic telepathy between people, no porno-levels of endurance, no "perfect" interactions or scenes. Rather, this book displays kink as it is in real life: consensual, communicative, and imperfect, a dance between people.
To be honest, I'm impressed at the realism portrayed in this book. The conflict feels real and pressing; the characters are deep, well-developed, and likeable, and most importantly, the writing touches me on an emotional level. I found myself feeling what the characters felt, and (though maybe this is just from too much time in the scene myself) feeling every sensation described in vivid detail. This is a diary--it's not hardcore erotica, but it's not a documentary either. It's gritty, dirty, raw, and satisfying in a way that neither of the two are on their own.
The inevitable comparison will come to Fifty Shades of Grey--this is nothing like it. The portrayal of kink shown in Fifty Shades is like buying a bucket of sand and a plastic palm tree and calling it Hawaii. It's fake, fantastical, and indicative not of kink but of all the popular misconceptions surrounding it that are embedded in our mass media. The author even clarified (quite proudly, even) that she had never done any of the things she wrote about. Owning Regina, in those respects, is completely different--and that's why it's so good.
I would recommend this book to anyone who wants more than a cheap thrill out of their reading, to anyone who enjoys seeing positive, realistic, and consensual depictions of kink in writing, and to anyone who wants to understand what kink is--what kink really is.
Five stars for an amazing read, and hats off to Ms. Elstrom for writing such an exquisite book!"
REVIEW #2 - Danielle Book Reviewer at Lesbrary.com
Owning Regina:Diary of My Unexpected Passion for Another Woman by Lorelei Elstrom is a woman-loving-woman’s answer to E. L. James’ Fifty Shades of Grey. Written in diary format, Meg Curtis gives us an up close and personal taste of exploring bondage, discipline, and sadomasochism (BDSM) for the first time. Describing her intense erotic inclination towards the world of dominance and submission, we learn that for Meg, her sexuality is very complex. When realizing she has developed a sincere interest for a woman, having always been with men, she is forced to rethink her sexual orientation. Meg initially struggles with the idea she may be something other than heterosexual, often in conflict with her perception of her future self and her newfound lust. Eventually disregarding the pressure to label herself, Meg is extremely satisfied to indulge in kinky behaviors with another person.
Meg Curtis, 26, meets Regina Baker, 38, at a local yoga class in San Francisco, California and instantly a connection sparks. The two women bond over Meg’s boot fetish and shortly thereafter, Regina senses there may be something worth trying with one another. Elstrom does a thorough job at introducing BDSM and establishing clear boundaries for the role-playing games shared between Meg and Regina. The women often check in with one another outside of the realm of the game to ensure they are on the same page. Adding more rules to maintain a distinction between emotions felt in real life and the harsh dialogue used in the game helps their relationship stay clear of confusion and reinforces consent.
Often BDSM is perceived by society as dirty, abusive, weird, and/or perverted, with a very narrow selection of stereotypical images, such as a woman wearing a latex or leather suit whipping a man’s behind. There is absolutely nothing wrong with BDSM if all of the acts between two (or more) partners are consensual, rooted in trust, and boundaries are respected. Anyone can be attracted to S&M regardless of their experiences. Further, engaging in such behavior allows agreeing adults to explore curiosities and taboo manners in a safe environment. Generally speaking, those who are attracted to BDSM would never intentionally hurt someone outside of the game mode; only in character would they think about participating in such seemingly torturous acts.
All in all, Owning Regina is a strikingly sexy book that I recommend to anyone curious about BDSM. Owning Regina can easily be devoured in one sitting —as the days in Meg’s life go on, there is an urgency for more and Elstrom does not hold back with her delivery. Having taken my first bite into a BDSM fiction featuring two female lovers has opened my mind to endless possibilities outside the lines of a vanilla romance. Aside from the swift declaration of love in a short passage of time (I often find these storylines unrealistic and stereotypical), I found Owning Regina to be a very fun read!
May 12, 2020
I can't say this wasn't a book for me because I'm not into BDSM. I'm not into murder, but I enjoy the hell out of murder books. I felt it was "okay" but not okay enough for me to suggest it to anyone. Everything seemed slightly off. I was hope that balance between their sex and their love would be more apparent. But all the sex was in character and there non-role playing interaction with between budding to distant too often. I don't know. I can't knock someone for liking it but this just wasn't for me.
June 11, 2020
This book really does read a lot like a diary, and I wouldn't be surprised if it is actually based on one. It has the ups and downs of ordinary life down to pat, and there is a depth and complexity to the characters that I seldom see in books like this.
The erotic part is a bit shaky. Both characters are very realistic, but the way they stumble their way into a BDSM relationship is more concerning than sexy. They don't plan out their sometimes very violent scenes, which makes several of them border on both abuse and rape in an uncomfortable way.
I'd avoid the audio book, if only for the fact that the music chosen for it is all over the place. It's like the producers had a folder filled with available tracks they had the copyright for, and by God were they aiming to use them all. The accordion was the worst.
The erotic part is a bit shaky. Both characters are very realistic, but the way they stumble their way into a BDSM relationship is more concerning than sexy. They don't plan out their sometimes very violent scenes, which makes several of them border on both abuse and rape in an uncomfortable way.
I'd avoid the audio book, if only for the fact that the music chosen for it is all over the place. It's like the producers had a folder filled with available tracks they had the copyright for, and by God were they aiming to use them all. The accordion was the worst.
December 14, 2017
Ugh...just no. I really wanted to like this book; I wanted to enjoy it. Kinky lesbians? I am so down. But in the opinion of this particular kinky lesbian, it was borderline unreadable. First, the protagonist whines about being judged or fearing being judged, but entirely without any sense of self-awareness, she shames and judges everyone around her. From her parents to vanilla folks to other kinksters, no one is doing anything right but her and Regina. There’s body shaming, kink shaming (other kinksters are fake or silly), and ironically, a weird kind of homophobia.
As a reader, the diary format, while moderately novel, felt like a ruse to hide a lack of writing polish. Typos, grammatical issues, syntactical errors, and the incessant meandering rambling can be excused as the informality of a journal entry.
As a lesbian, the constant ‘I’m so straight; I love men; I’m not gay’ thing got old in a big hurry. Plus, the romance felt so Mary Sue. There was little depth or nuance. They meet and everything falls into place perfectly; they know each other’s moves and preference immediately; and go full-on D/s ownership after basically one encounter.
And lastly, as a kinkster myself, as a domme, this portrayal is hugely problematic, even dangerous. There’s zero negotiation, zero discussion of limits or preferences, no appreciable safe word. In one early scene, the narrator ties her sub to a kitchen post BY THE NECK with a heavy chain AND THEN LEAVES THE FREAKING ROOM! I know this is fiction and acts can work in fiction that wouldn’t fly in real life, but this was so far beyond the pale. Plus, negotiation is sexy. Discussion is sexy. The build-up to a good scene is sexy. All the things that make a healthy and robust D/s relationship work are outright missing.
It’s such a shame. There aren’t nearly enough lesbian kink stories out there, so I’m grateful for each one of them, but this one was, in my opinion, just plain awful.
As a reader, the diary format, while moderately novel, felt like a ruse to hide a lack of writing polish. Typos, grammatical issues, syntactical errors, and the incessant meandering rambling can be excused as the informality of a journal entry.
As a lesbian, the constant ‘I’m so straight; I love men; I’m not gay’ thing got old in a big hurry. Plus, the romance felt so Mary Sue. There was little depth or nuance. They meet and everything falls into place perfectly; they know each other’s moves and preference immediately; and go full-on D/s ownership after basically one encounter.
And lastly, as a kinkster myself, as a domme, this portrayal is hugely problematic, even dangerous. There’s zero negotiation, zero discussion of limits or preferences, no appreciable safe word. In one early scene, the narrator ties her sub to a kitchen post BY THE NECK with a heavy chain AND THEN LEAVES THE FREAKING ROOM! I know this is fiction and acts can work in fiction that wouldn’t fly in real life, but this was so far beyond the pale. Plus, negotiation is sexy. Discussion is sexy. The build-up to a good scene is sexy. All the things that make a healthy and robust D/s relationship work are outright missing.
It’s such a shame. There aren’t nearly enough lesbian kink stories out there, so I’m grateful for each one of them, but this one was, in my opinion, just plain awful.
September 16, 2020
Okay, seriously, I'm bored out of my mind. So here goes nothing; dnf.
I've a lot of problems with the part I've already read, other than boredom of course, but I'm too tired to get into them now. Suffice to say, while Elstrom manages to break some of the stereotypes attached to BDSM, she falls into and follows so many others that it had me screaming mentally at her and her two MCs.
Here are some:
1- the protags are hot as hell
2- accidental discovery of sexual orientation (it seems Elstrom forgot that she had our mc fantasizing about a woman at the start of the book, then being super shocked with the whole same-sex attraction later on)
3- BDSM = humiliation (right, yeah, no, I'm completely out of patience with this... there's a ton of other BDSM practices other than this!!)
4- the mistress/slave dynamic is portrayed as just, well, personas. I understand what the author was trying to do; people who play aren't incapable of love, romance or usual couple-ly activities. But she made seem like it's just a persona they play with, not a core part of their personality that's always under the surface, no matter how it's manifested in the relationship, whether play sessions, or TPE or any other form
Anyway, yeah, the book has some insightful passages, I'll try to locate and quote them later because they're actually quite good, but the rest is just erroneous, boring and frustrating.
I've a lot of problems with the part I've already read, other than boredom of course, but I'm too tired to get into them now. Suffice to say, while Elstrom manages to break some of the stereotypes attached to BDSM, she falls into and follows so many others that it had me screaming mentally at her and her two MCs.
Here are some:
1- the protags are hot as hell
2- accidental discovery of sexual orientation (it seems Elstrom forgot that she had our mc fantasizing about a woman at the start of the book, then being super shocked with the whole same-sex attraction later on)
3- BDSM = humiliation (right, yeah, no, I'm completely out of patience with this... there's a ton of other BDSM practices other than this!!)
4- the mistress/slave dynamic is portrayed as just, well, personas. I understand what the author was trying to do; people who play aren't incapable of love, romance or usual couple-ly activities. But she made seem like it's just a persona they play with, not a core part of their personality that's always under the surface, no matter how it's manifested in the relationship, whether play sessions, or TPE or any other form
Anyway, yeah, the book has some insightful passages, I'll try to locate and quote them later because they're actually quite good, but the rest is just erroneous, boring and frustrating.
August 27, 2014
I thoroughly enjoyed this story! I started out by listening to the first three parts in audiabook form. I found that audiobooks aren't for me, but I was enjoying the story so much that I went and got the Kindle version as soon as I finished listening to the third part of the audiobook. I began listening when my wife and I went to bed the other night and my wife gave me some odd looks when I was chuckling as I was listening. I loved the writing style. I did catch several typos, but not so many that they detracted from the story. I liked how the "BDSM" part of this story seemed more real than in most of the BDSM stories that I have read. Bottom line; this is a wonderful love story with some nice kink and a bit of humor mixed in. I look forward to reading more from this author.
August 26, 2015
Love the diary and raw feeling to this book!
This was definitely a new style of book for me and I really enjoyed it. I love the fact that it was written as a diary. It made me feel a real connection to the main character. It was almost like I was a kid and I was sneaking around reading her private diary trying not to get caught. This author has a great writing style that makes you feel that the story and character are real. The story has the tone of heartbreak, new romances, new experiences and relationships. It's a raw story, strictly to the point, oh and a lot of romance!!
This was definitely a new style of book for me and I really enjoyed it. I love the fact that it was written as a diary. It made me feel a real connection to the main character. It was almost like I was a kid and I was sneaking around reading her private diary trying not to get caught. This author has a great writing style that makes you feel that the story and character are real. The story has the tone of heartbreak, new romances, new experiences and relationships. It's a raw story, strictly to the point, oh and a lot of romance!!
August 1, 2014
The lease is always the best
The lease is always the best
I found this book to be interesting from beginning to end.also I could relate to the the people in the stories.at one point the book took it truest words that was written.it felt like something I would said. but often felt.who say love isn't love because it's the same sex.
nice work
The lease is always the best
I found this book to be interesting from beginning to end.also I could relate to the the people in the stories.at one point the book took it truest words that was written.it felt like something I would said. but often felt.who say love isn't love because it's the same sex.
nice work
July 25, 2024
Owning Regina: Diary of My Unexpected Passion for Another Woman by Lorelei Elstrom: The book is written as Meg’s diary. It covers Meg’s relationship with Regina from the beginning until the book ends. I love the idea of the book. The story works for me. The two women are drawn together at a yoga class and have coffee after. They move forward from there. They honestly lay all their cards on the table and build from that point. Neither have had any of the experiences their new relationship would have to have. It is a story about how they navigate the waters of this maybe affair (experiment at first). I loved the scenes as they shared their doubts and struggles. I liked the way they questioned each other. I felt their honesty with each other as they took the steps. It did not always go well it did the struggles are real and somewhat intense.
This is a lesbian book with, BDSM, S&M, humiliation, control, bondage, public bondage, and experimentation. You can feel the tension in many of the scenes. There is a sense of fear, worry, and concern over safety issues. The book could use more controlled scenes as these two women are new to this. A lot of what happens is off-the-cuff. A few of the situations go beyond what they call their game.
My one concern would be jumping into this type of relationship without real discussion, planning, and some hint of research. I am seeing the lack of learning and just running off doing whatever disregarding what could be major consequences. Hearsay and guesswork are not the basis of the heavy scenes they try when there could be massive consequences. I liked it and will give it 4 stars.
This is a lesbian book with, BDSM, S&M, humiliation, control, bondage, public bondage, and experimentation. You can feel the tension in many of the scenes. There is a sense of fear, worry, and concern over safety issues. The book could use more controlled scenes as these two women are new to this. A lot of what happens is off-the-cuff. A few of the situations go beyond what they call their game.
My one concern would be jumping into this type of relationship without real discussion, planning, and some hint of research. I am seeing the lack of learning and just running off doing whatever disregarding what could be major consequences. Hearsay and guesswork are not the basis of the heavy scenes they try when there could be massive consequences. I liked it and will give it 4 stars.
December 22, 2017
I really wrestled with two or three stars but ultimately had to give it two.
The overall book was interesting enough to finish, but stylistically it didn't work well. Moreover the narrator Meg is pretty unlikable.
As has been pointed out the entire book is preachy about s&m and what is real and fake. Yet the main character is extremely judgmental of a cross-dresser for example. She talks about bullwhips being a stupid depiction of pure fantasy when they can and do get used by people who live in a dynamic. Also for someone so preachy, she violates a lot of safety concerns within s&m relationships. For example there are situations where she is unable to utter a safe word and no other signal has been established.
From a narrative standpoint, there is a lot of "oh my god, am I gay now?" which gets a bit tedious. I won't spoil the ending but it seemed kinda dumb to me.
The actual depictions of scenes are pretty erotic and powerful but ultimately the book falls flat due to bad characters and flawed development.
The overall book was interesting enough to finish, but stylistically it didn't work well. Moreover the narrator Meg is pretty unlikable.
As has been pointed out the entire book is preachy about s&m and what is real and fake. Yet the main character is extremely judgmental of a cross-dresser for example. She talks about bullwhips being a stupid depiction of pure fantasy when they can and do get used by people who live in a dynamic. Also for someone so preachy, she violates a lot of safety concerns within s&m relationships. For example there are situations where she is unable to utter a safe word and no other signal has been established.
From a narrative standpoint, there is a lot of "oh my god, am I gay now?" which gets a bit tedious. I won't spoil the ending but it seemed kinda dumb to me.
The actual depictions of scenes are pretty erotic and powerful but ultimately the book falls flat due to bad characters and flawed development.
January 7, 2019
That was not a so bad reading... actually, I had some fun.
BUT.
Way too many scenes were totally irresponsible and some parts looked like non consensual "play" to me.
As a kinkster you have to be responsible, meaning: you don’t bind someone by his or her neck to a pole; you don’t leave anyone tieded up and gagged alone in a room for hours without any way to check if everything’s OK; you don’t play without a deep discussion and clear setting of you and your partner’s boundaries; you don’t do BDSM without any safeword, and you don’t do it within VERY blurred lines between "game" and "real life"; you don’t do this and you shouldn't allow anyone to do this to you.
I know this is fiction, but still...
BUT.
Way too many scenes were totally irresponsible and some parts looked like non consensual "play" to me.
As a kinkster you have to be responsible, meaning: you don’t bind someone by his or her neck to a pole; you don’t leave anyone tieded up and gagged alone in a room for hours without any way to check if everything’s OK; you don’t play without a deep discussion and clear setting of you and your partner’s boundaries; you don’t do BDSM without any safeword, and you don’t do it within VERY blurred lines between "game" and "real life"; you don’t do this and you shouldn't allow anyone to do this to you.
I know this is fiction, but still...
May 8, 2025
Gay for Only You!
This book takes us deep inside Meg’s mind in a way that’s both intriguing and unexpectedly entertaining. Her diary entries are unpredictable—just like her evolving relationship with Regina.
I won’t say their characters are particularly relatable, especially given how unconventional their sexual dynamic is. But that’s part of what makes this book stand out. Their kink is intense, but I loved how grounded and affectionate they remained outside of their play. It’s that contrast that made them feel real.
It’s a good read—but definitely not for just any audience. If you enjoy dark, kinky escapades with a touch of BDSM and a whole lot of emotional complexity, then this one’s for you.
This book takes us deep inside Meg’s mind in a way that’s both intriguing and unexpectedly entertaining. Her diary entries are unpredictable—just like her evolving relationship with Regina.
I won’t say their characters are particularly relatable, especially given how unconventional their sexual dynamic is. But that’s part of what makes this book stand out. Their kink is intense, but I loved how grounded and affectionate they remained outside of their play. It’s that contrast that made them feel real.
It’s a good read—but definitely not for just any audience. If you enjoy dark, kinky escapades with a touch of BDSM and a whole lot of emotional complexity, then this one’s for you.
August 23, 2018
I found this oddly profound and beautiful. Overall, it was well written and draws you into the characters very well, it was fun and made me smile. There were a few instances where i got worried about the portrayal of this kind of play, safe words and/or gestures are a necessity! Making sure that your play doesnt cause long term mental or physical damage should alwayd be the number one priority. They should have established propet boundaries and safety especially when using inprovised props not specifically designed for this kind of play (plastic bag, heavy random chain round neck etc). Other than that it was heartfelt and good, not perfect but good
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 23, 2023
wow!
It is amazing to see this lifestyle happen in such atypical fashion. I was goner from the opening. I fell in love with both MC’s and I was truly invested in them having a HEA. I’m so glad that the author didn’t manufacture silly ways to break them apart. I was worried. This played out fast, quick, and chock full of emotions. I actually liked each character.
There was something missing though. I kept looking for true whole body contact. I craved it, but didn’t really get it.
I would love to read more from this author. This was a remarkable break out book.
It is amazing to see this lifestyle happen in such atypical fashion. I was goner from the opening. I fell in love with both MC’s and I was truly invested in them having a HEA. I’m so glad that the author didn’t manufacture silly ways to break them apart. I was worried. This played out fast, quick, and chock full of emotions. I actually liked each character.
There was something missing though. I kept looking for true whole body contact. I craved it, but didn’t really get it.
I would love to read more from this author. This was a remarkable break out book.
October 30, 2019
OMG I like this book I can't believe that I started listening to the audiobook 9 hours straight without a break!! O-O I love the fact there are many actors and actresses on the audio other than the narrator. I also really like that they used soundtracks and songs. And it sets the mood alright. It was like I could reach a deeper level while connecting with the main characters. It's like I could sense their feelings. I'd love to listen to more audiobooks like this one.
November 30, 2020
Really disappointed in this book. Many of the kinky bits were hot - some though made me cringe and hoped no one was reading this for actual good ideas. The worst though was the biphobia. Surely the author could have figured out a way to write Meg’s understanding of her sexuality in a way that wasn’t so clouded in tropes. There were also some vanilla scenes that were so unbelievable that it pushed me way out of the story. It’s a real shame. Approach with caution.
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