Power was never something I stumbled into; I forged it. As CEO Calla Black by day and the masked dominatrix known only as The Black Dahlia by night, I built a life that kept everyone at a distance. Control kept me safe. Rules kept me steady. And then James Carter Jr walked into my world with his slow Southern charm and a hunger that matched the darkness I thought I had buried. I could handle him. I convinced myself I could.
What I never expected was her.
Amiyah Patterson is soft in all the ways I never learned to be. She is sunshine and sweetness wrapped around sharp intuition. She sees me in ways that terrify me. She sees James too, coaxing out the parts of him he tries to hide. Together they shift the ground beneath my feet, testing every rule I swore I would never break.
Desire becomes a living thing when the three of us collide. James offers submission wrapped in strength. Amiyah blooms under my touch and his. I find myself wanting both of them in ways that defy logic, craving the way they unravel me with hands, mouths, and loyalty.
But intimacy this deep comes with shadows. My past is a bruise that never fully healed. Their hearts carry wounds of their own. Loving one person is risky, loving two feels impossible. Still, I cannot walk away from the way they worship me, push me, challenge me, and anchor me when my walls start to crack.
ASCENSION is a sensual FMF why choose romance set in the world of Winston Hills. It is steeped in BDSM energy with a sadistic dominatrix who refuses to bow, a Southern gentleman who aches to kneel, and a woman rediscovering her desire while learning she deserves to be chosen in every way.
Three hearts. One bond. No apologies. This is what it feels like to rise.
This series just gets steamier and steamier as it goes lol. What I appreciate most about Barnes’ writing is that she writes characters who are who they are unapologetically. Considering the topics she writes about, I really appreciate that. Seeing Black queer characters being written about finding happiness and living boldly is always a positive.
What I didn’t like about this story though was that the characters at times didn’t feel like real people. They felt like dolls being moved around, and speaking in ways that didn’t feel authentic. Lena (one of the side characters, and the lead in the next book) especially sounded like a walking, talking self help book.
Again, the characters just didn’t feel honest. For instance, I get being accepting, but Calla’s (one of the FMCs) brothers casually talk about Calla’s sex life, with her and with her two lovers. Tbh, I didn’t like way every character knew every other character’s business. It’s okay for some things to be private (and I’m not referring to the fact that Calla, James, and Amiyah were in a relationship. I mean details about their sex lives.)
Lastly, I did not like the surprise pregnancy storyline at all. I didn’t like the way it was handled. The three main characters have a conversation where all three definitively state they don’t want children, and explain why. Then when Amiyah finds out she’s pregnant, they’re all accepting and happy about it without ever having conversations about why their attitudes about it changed. The two women even surprise James with the news at a party they’ve planned, in front of all his friends. Again, as far as they know he doesn’t want children. Even if they’re sure he’ll accept it, it’s a conversation they should’ve first had in private.
This last, last gripe is just a personal preference. I like my fictional poly relationships to be equally yoked. I like all participants to love each other equally. Here I felt like the relationship leaned Calla/Amiyah with James as a third wheel.
Okay, maybe I wasn’t done complaining lol. Why does every character either have dead parents, or the mother stayed with the abusive father thinking she was protecting the kids?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
My goodness this was not just an erotica. This was a novel that gave you the background of each of the main characters beautifully woven into an erotica. I think that for me this series pushes the sexual limitations that society has in the forefront. This book also explains why these people are sexually free. I am going 2 be thinking about this book for a while. Again for me there was a lot to unpack & throw away because the social construct that I didn't know that I had in my mind was irrelevant to these characters. This is because they easily could be people that I personally know in real life but don't realize it. What a way to free the chains in my mind that I didn't realize that I had!
Whew, where do I even start. ASCENSION is about control, desire, and what happens when the walls you built to survive start cracking in the presence of the right people.
Calla is commanding and layered. James brings quiet Southern strength and devotion, while Amiyah is softness with backbone and intuition. Their dynamic is magnetic, intentional, intimate, and emotionally charged.
This isn’t just about kink or power exchange. It’s about choosing love without apology, redefining safety, and rising into your truth, even when loving more than one person feels like the biggest risk of all.
This book was so well written. It’s rare we see a black man able to be submissive with out being seen as weak. This book showed me that there is still power in submissiveness. I can’t wait for the next one
The love and healing within this book was beautiful! Calla’s dad got exactly what he deserved. Glad Amiyah, Calla, and James got the love and family they’ve longed for.
I thought going into it, we’d see a balance in the relationship; instead, I felt like I was reading a story about Calla and Amiyah with a little bit of James in it when Calla felt like it. We weren’t really introduced to him as though it would be that way so I was extremely confused and didn’t like it at all. I didn’t mind Calla being their Dom (though I generally don’t like that Dom style in any book) but the whole thing felt “off.”
I didn't see myself particularly liking any of them which is unfortunate. In the previous books, there was at least one character I liked in each book. Speaking of the other characters, I know they’re in a polycule with each other but I thought it kind of odd that they were so openly in Amiyah, Calla, and James’s business like that.
Spoiler: For two women who had NEVER been with women before, they sure were written like subject matter experts from the first time, huh? LOL!
Oh, that conversation the three of them had in New York did NOT match how the “news” played out later. If it was going to be all that, the convo was unnecessary.
Lastly, I was so turned off by Lena’s…inspirational moments? I don’t know what to call it but I wanted her to stop. Some friends tell each other everything which is fine but some of her responses had me thinking SHE wanted to get with Amiyah.
Well, I guess I didn’t like it too much but I read the sneak peek for “Reverence,” I think it was and that seems like it could be interesting. Looking forward to that!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
After reading book 3 in the Winston Hills series, I love every FMC equally. Ascension became my favorite book in the series, well before I read the last page of the epilogue. I loved that each FMC and MMC all invested in healing before and while they were with their partners, being careful not to harm them verbally and emotionally. Some would say most of them had mommy and daddy issues but that is realistic to a lot of people’s lives. When you are afraid or refuse to do the work, you can and WILL carry those issues into your romantic relationships and parenthood.
Despite Calla, James and Amiyah mentioning they had no interest in marriage and children, Amiyah’s pregnancy changed all of that for them. It was after they did the work individually and Amiyah being visited by her mother and grandmother in her dreams that changed everything.
At times, I felt like Calla was more in love with Amiyah than James; only because there weren’t as many chapters of their lovemaking as it was with Calla and Amiyah. They experienced pleasure differently but sometimes I didn’t get that from Calla with James.
Ms. Calla Black aka The Black Dahlia is prove positive that the REAL dominants are WOMEN! That’s it and that’s ALL!
Great job C.M. Barnes, you knocked it out the park with your pen game AGAIN!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
But the repetition is excessive to me…This book is extreme smut with half baked plot.
I’m of the belief that eroticas don’t need to be 400 pages, especially if the same sentiments are going to be repeated over and over again in between the spicy scenes.
The characters do a lot of contemplation. There’s a lot of telling and not enough showing through action. If we’re going to have 400 pages, I’d rather see Calla show some tendencies of her father’s corruptive/controlling behavior towards James & Amiyah (outside of her being a Dom, bc that’s where the fear really resides) rather than her express she’s scared she’s going to become her dad over and over. Then I’d love to see how James & Amiyah respond to that. Then see Calla choose to work through that in therapy bc she loves them so much.
I’d rather see real, tangible evidence of their possession of one another rather than them claiming “you’re mine” or “you’re ours” over and over. And if I took a shot for every time I read the phrase “mind, body & soul” or a variation thereof, I would’ve had alcohol poisoning, respectfully 😭
Idk, I feel like the writing has potential and the spice is good…but the book overall kind of lacks depth for me.
I honestly keep coming back bc I enjoy the smut 🤷🏾♀️😂
In every book, one powerful theme consistently stood out to me: healing. C.M. Barnes doesn’t just tell stories she creates deeply emotional journeys that emphasize the importance of counseling, love, commitment, and the strength found in chosen family. Her characters are allowed to be broken, to confront their pain head on, and most importantly to heal without shame.
Reading Ascension felt like a release of everything I didn’t realize I’d been holding onto. The story unfolded in a way that felt intensely personal, as if it mirrored unspoken emotions and struggles I hadn’t yet given myself permission to face. There is a beautiful honesty in how Barnes portrays healing not as something neat or easy, but as something earned through vulnerability, support, and unwavering love.
This book is also a powerful celebration of found family and living life unapologetically. It reminds us that healing doesn’t mean forgetting the past it means choosing yourself, choosing love, and committing to a life that honors who you truly are. Ascension resonated with me on a deeply emotional level and is, without question, one of my favorite stories by C.M. Barnes.
I struggled to finish this one. It took me days, mostly because I never felt connected to the characters—they didn’t feel real enough for me to stay invested.
C.M. Barnes can absolutely write steamy smut, and that was the strongest part of the book. I did appreciate the therapy elements and the focus on healing—the emotional work the main characters were doing was one of the better aspects of the story. But the relationship dynamics didn’t work for me. It felt like Calla/Amiyah were already together and James was just there when convenient, which made things feel unbalanced.
And the surprise pregnancy? Major eye roll. One chapter everyone is firmly anti-kids, and the next she’s pregnant and suddenly everyone’s on board and excited. It felt rushed, convenient, and honestly irritating. That kind of whiplash undermines the emotional weight the moment is supposed to have. At that point, I probably should’ve DNF’d.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
This was a beautiful story. I loved that James was comfortable being himself and being open to share himself with his partners without being ashamed. I believe that many men are not completely comfortable with being open to exploring themselves and being honest about their likes and dislikes in the bedroom. So focused on looking a certain way. Calla being able to be herself being in control yet learning to trust and show vulnerability was so good to watch. The only critique I have is that there could have been a better way to build the relationship with James and the women. I wish the story showed him bonding with each woman a little more. It was implied but not shown. If that makes sense. It didn't flow for me like the other 2 books. Other than that I loved it. I can't wait for the next book.
Favorite book of the year!! No debate! This book was POWERFUL AF!! The words of affirmation, the encouragement, the healthy love and communication, OMG the communication is top tier; no keeping secrets, holding back words, nothing!! And hem GEMS dropped about knowing who you are, what you want and what you deserve…damn!! The way each character had to have their own individual healing journey that was also so similar to one another in a way that they could heal and grow together. Omg!!! This book had me boohoo’ing, crying real ass happy tears! I’m sad it’s over. Then the end, the Midnight Ballerina!! Come on!!! This whole series was amazing but this book here….EVERYTHINGGGGGG!!!! 🥹🥹🥹😩🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🖤🫶🏾🥵
IF you aren't open minded to bodily autonomy, polycules, and BDSM, these are not for you!
ME, I'm about that life so when I read the complete series, i almost cried! these books tell you of the WORK that it to be put in these relationships. sometimes when people are outside looking in, they are either prejudice, ignorant, OR celebratory.
this set of books will open your mind or completely turn you off.
and PLEASE, don't come on the internet, crying that there is no plot. it's there, your maturity level might not let you see it yet.
Another out of the box addition to the Winston Hills erotica series. This was probably more my jam because though once again poly, at least there was a central monogamous relationship that this was based on so the author gave time and space for Calla, James and Amaiyah to really figure out their relationship and build something together and heal from past trauma. Once again I could have done with less spice and more plot and getting to know each other outside of trauma and sex but I suppose that’s not what this genre calls for.
C.M. Barnes!!!! Girl whew 🥵 this was my favorite out of the series so far. I loved the depth we got of all three love interests backgrounds and getting the cameos of characters from the previous books. Calls, James and Amiyah were about true and honest love, care and freedom with no bounds. I really enjoyed their love story and the ending omg so cute, love a HEA! I can’t wait to read Calil and Lena’s book.
This book. This story. This journey is one every women should read. I laughed, I released and cried. The memories rushed in and some hurt more than others. The words in this story helped me heal even more. Hard copies are a must buy to keep near and dear to me.
This was such a beautiful story. The way it unfolded, the love, the village, the brotherhood, the love. Every word was woven together perfectly. And it’s spicy AF! It challenges norms and I love that for us. It’s on my top 10 for the year.
Beautiful series. Full of 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️….not missing a bit of seasoning. Opens your eyes to the dynamic behind polyamory. Informative & attention grabbing. It had me hot reading the whole book lol. Would definitely recommend.
The entire Winston Hills series is my fave but ASCENSION??! This is my favorite one, hands down. The story was so good I read this thick book in ONE sitting. If you haven’t gotten into Winston Hills yet, you’re missing out.
This book gave me so many emotions. I'm not one to tell you the story, therefore you will have to read this one for yourself. Well, read her other ones in the series first. 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
It was really good. We had more of a storyline to follow with the characters, but after reading books 1 and 2 the spice level fell a little flat for me.
What a great edition to the series I just love this universe soooo much. All the characters are so unapologetically theirselves and go for what they want and I love that for them plus the spicy level broke the scale lol. Thank you for sharing your talents with us well done!
Like the ones before it this book was full of spice and everything nice. However! This one felt different some how, almost poetic. I loved the verbiage a lot in this book, it was beautifully written and I loved the plot. Each character was thought out to the fullest extent there was no guessing or wondering it was a full circle moment. I would have loved to see that control taken from calla again other than that 1 time but other than that I did really enjoy it.