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Alicia is in love. Hopelessly, recklessly, dangerously in love.

What is it about Danica Moreau that keeps her coming back, even when every reason screams she shouldn’t? Alicia has nothing. Danica has everything. One is ordinary. The other is heir to one of the most powerful families in America.
And Russell Moreau—Danica’s ruthless, calculating father—never lets anyone forget it.

In Chicago, one week is all it takes for Alicia to surrender body and soul. Under Danica’s command, she learns not only what it means to be a submissive—but what it feels like to be the one woman Danica has ever truly needed.

Danica is in love too. Is it fate? Is it madness? No threat, no bodyguard, no warning can shake the bond they’ve forged. Together, they’ll risk everything.

Because there’s only one obstacle left in their path.

And taking him down begins with a cursed ring.

THE MISTRESS is a sapphic retelling of "The Monroe Trilogy". It's a three part serial featuring insta-love, toxic family dynamics, and a whole lotta sapphic spice.

TRAINED is Part 2.

222 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 1, 2025

51 people are currently reading
73 people want to read

About the author

Cynthia Dane

128 books519 followers

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5 stars
92 (54%)
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50 (29%)
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19 (11%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
Profile Image for Heather.
739 reviews12 followers
November 2, 2025
Phew! So much happens in this story, more than I was expecting! There is a lot of growth, especially with Alicia and her confidence as well as in her relationship with Danica. It hasn’t been that long but the instalove is strong and it seems there really is more than just attraction between these two. One things for sure, dear ol dad is not enthused. But just maybe long lost mom is? Read and find out! Can’t wait to see how this trilogy crushes the ending!!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
3 reviews
November 1, 2025
I Need More of Alicia and Danica Now

All I really can say is wow! I thought I had loved the first book of this series. I mean it was a great introduction to the characters. This book had all the meat of the story I didn't even know I needed. The development of their relationship was very quick and not typical. However, the growth of their intimate bond was amazing. Then intertwine that with the drama and obstacles hell bent on separating Danica and Alicia. It made for some intense moments. The only thing I am mad about is that I have to wait a month for the third installment to get the conclusion.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Cheryl   Graham-Petit.
4,124 reviews26 followers
August 9, 2016
I received an ARC of this book for an honest review, and quite honestly... this book is an outstanding read of action, danger, suspense, twists and turns, and love. Cynthia Dane has weaved a story of how true love can survive obstacles and make you stronger. It's edgy and will have you hanging on the edge of your seat. Looking forward to the third book in this trilogy.
78 reviews
November 6, 2025
Trained is the second part of a stunning sapphic retelling from Cynthia Dane and Hildred Billings. You need to have read Stained first. In Trained we get more spice and more diabolical family drama. Danica and Alicia have made their relationship official despite the numerous threats Alicia has received from Danica’s father. Alicia has not made Danica aware of those threats or the fact she has been meeting with Danica’s estranged mother.

Danica whisks Alicia away for a weeklong business trip to Chicago, where she plans to train Alicia in all the ways necessary to be her perfect submissive. Alicia finds herself to be an eager and willing student. The instalove is stronger than ever as both women are confessing their love to each other despite a super short courtship. Danica believes she has found “the one” with Alicia and Alicia is starting to entertain the idea too.

Unfortunately Danica’s father does not approve of Alicia in the slightest. He wants his daughter to marry someone of wealth and high social standing. Alicia is neither wealthy nor high society. She was a mere hostess at Danica’s sex club only a short while ago. Despite his unwelcome advice Danica continues to insist Alicia is her one true love and future wife. Daddy Moreau decides to take things to the extreme to remove the nuisance known as Alicia from his daughter’s life.

I thoroughly enjoyed this second installment in the Mistress series. The spice as Danica trains the lovely Alicia to be her perfect submissive was deliciously arousing. I could understand Alicia’s hesitancy to fully submit to the powerful Ms. Moreau but loved every moment when she did let herself succumb to their mutual desires.

I’m looking forward to reading the third and final installment Reigned. I definitely recommend this series if you’re into BDSM, instalove, and crazy billionaire drama.
Profile Image for Kaidee McMillan.
46 reviews2 followers
November 1, 2025
I want to thank Hildred for giving me an advance copy of Trained.  


Note: Trained is part 2 of The Mistress trilogy, which must be read in order.  If you proceed in reading this, I will assume that you have already read Stained.




As the title implies, this volume deals with Alicia's beginning training for being Danica's perfect submissive.  Or rather, that's it's introductory main story.  Before long, the mafia-style threats return, as do the mysterious meetings with unknown individuals, in random places.  


Alicia begins to truly understand the depth of what being in this world might mean.  The power, the responsibility, the rewards.  The gravity of the role she must play if she is to accept Danica's proposal to be her wife.  But, as the prophecy foretold, it will not be a smooth road to happy ever after.


The middle entry in The Mistress trilogy absolutely brings more spice, more intrigue, more danger, more surprises, and you absolutely should pick it up so you can enjoy them all.



4.5⭐️
471 reviews2 followers
November 12, 2025
Trained is Hot

Danica is very much in love with Alicia, she is now wanting to train her so that she can be the submission she desires. Alicia is all on board with learning and taking a trip to Chicago together is exactly what she needed. But running into Julia is not one of them. She learns what really happened to Danic'd mother and is now questioning things, but the biggest problem is Russell her father he keeps threatening to Alicia to leave his daughter or things will happened. This book really ups the ante with the spice and the family drama can't wait to see what happens in the third book
27 reviews
Read
November 10, 2025
I loved the series. The first book started slow and Danica was definitely unlovable. She grew on me, gradually, and she actually seemed more "real world" by book 2. Being a proud lesbian, whether out of not, isn't a walk in the park. Being a famous person with a savage parent is a double whammy; I did like her relentless focus. Believable, considering her position. In short, she turned out to be a very real character by the end of book one. It's a tribute to Hildred/Cynthia's storytelling skills that I'm ishing I could turn immediately to Book 3!
Profile Image for Zeinab Dh.
1,635 reviews38 followers
October 17, 2020
I chose to read and review this book. I enjoyed this one so far and I am a fan of this authors work. This book had a lot of elements that kept me glued till the end. It was full of drama suspense action hot steamy sex ... I could not put it down so amazing. I recommend it you will love it big time
575 reviews5 followers
November 28, 2025
ooo the tension! Brilliant writing, fabulous characters!

Hildred Billings has continued the saga with incredible success. My heart is racing, my anxiety for the main characters is on edge. This series is just so well written, with so much emotionally charged energy, a great deal of lust and so much hatred! I just am so darned impressed!
Profile Image for Milena.
420 reviews
December 26, 2025
Devourable

What a tangled web of a story. It's got love and mystery galore. Alicia has a lot to deal with and deals with things admirabley. Pete is still a hilarious character that can drive ya nuts.
55 reviews
November 10, 2025
I got to read this as a ARC and really enjoyed this second book in the series! I found the spice scenes a little more intense than in the first book, and that was certainly not a bad thing. I wanted to throttle Danica for a minute at the end, but excited to see the devious plans these ladies cook up in the third book.
Profile Image for Mary Clark.
799 reviews8 followers
August 21, 2016
The last time Alice interacted with Damon’s parents, his father threatened her and his mother warned her to stay away from Damon; she didn’t listen. For all his intimidating qualities Damon wants the same things as Alice; they want a loving, long-term monogamous relationship that will culminate in them creating the family Damon never got to have growing up. During their week in Chicago, Damon intends to train Alice in the submissive lifestyle and to lay down the foundations of what they expect from each other. Damon is training Alice to be his most important partner in life - his compliant submissive, so together they can become a powerful team. What better way that to debut Alice as his girlfriend at The Dark Hour. Damon wants Alice to be the most obedient, beautiful submissive woman there; after all they both have an image to maintain. But Damon cannot teach Alice everything; she is going to need female guidance, and there is no better person than Monica. Alice agrees to see Damon’s mother, Julia. They have a heart-to-heart talk about the past, and Julia again warns Alice how dangerous Russell can be. Invited to a ball, one of the biggest events of the year, Damon is obsessed to show off Alice as his new girlfriend; she makes him happy and he wants everyone to know. Russell doesn’t give up though, he keeps enticing Alice and gives her one final chance to leave peacefully. Waking up to a room full of smoke, it is a miracle Alice isn’t dead; to Russell she is beyond a nuisance now, she is a threat to the Monroe legacy – how many times has she been told to keep out of Damon’s life. Alice cannot convince Damon that his father is the culprit; he didn’t want to believe a single word she said. When Damon makes his own investigations into both his mother and father, he finds out that Alice has been right all along. Now it is time for Damon to act; he has a plan, but for it to work he needs Alice’s co-operation, but how will Russell react? This is the second instalment in the trilogy and it was a thoroughly engaging and intriguing read and I enjoyed it immensely. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.


Profile Image for Dora Harvey.
1,120 reviews10 followers
August 13, 2016
I received this book from the author for an honest review.

Wow, the Monroe Trilogy is awesome and one of the best I have read!! Damon Monroe is so freaking SEXY and HOT!! Pure pleasure. Dirty. Decadent. Divine—this sums up Damon and Alice’s relationship quite succinctly. There is lots of sex, so be warned. I do not feel they are gratuitous though; the sex scenes are so hot they almost burned through my iPad. Thrills and passion continue to keep Cynthia Dane’s readers glued to the pages of this fascinating series. The chemistry between Alice and Damon grows more potent the more time they spend together. Damon is controlling and he goes after what he wants, and he wants Alice. Damon told Alice that she is his, and he wants to train Alice to be his submissive as well as be his girlfriend. When Damon’s father, Russell, find out that Alice is not a play thing for Damon—that his son is serious about Alice—he ups the ante and offers Alice money to leave his son—second warning/threat. What Alice does not realize is if she continues to date Damon, will her life be in danger? Will Russell decide to carry out a third threat and/or will it be more malicious? Wow! I wasn't expecting the turn this series just took, it has quite an unexpected cliffhanger. There are several twists and turns, which involves suspense, intimidation, and danger within the story that makes it interesting and keeps you on the edge of your seat. The book will pique your interest and draw you in from the beginning to the very end. I cannot wait to read what happens next!!
Profile Image for Nadine Bookaholic.
3,728 reviews527 followers
September 9, 2016
Cynthia Dane has done it again, just when you think you know what is about to happen...YOU HAVE NO CLUE! So many twists and turns in this story its like a maze, the secrets...boy oh boy the secrets are plentiful and some of them are downright shocking!

One week in Chicago opens up a treasure-trove of secrets, lies, and manipulations, that seem to all stem from one man and one man only Russel Monroe, Damon's father. This man puts a whole new meaning behind the word psychopath, seriously he is one sadistic person that will do anything and everything in his power to get people to do what he wants.

Major cliffhanger! The next book (Reigned: An Alpha Billionaire Romance) is going to be one heck of a read I can just feel it! I look forward to seeing how things play out for Alice & Damon.

**I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review.**
Nadine's ARC image
Profile Image for Janice.
880 reviews
August 15, 2016
A Review of Trained: An Alpha Billionaire Romance (The Monroe Trilogy Book 2) by Cynthia Dane

A strong woman! - 5 stars

At the end of the first book, Alice has been threatened by Damon's father, to stay away from his son. Although Alice is taking the threats seriously, she just can't seem to stay away from Damon. They have only been together for a few weeks and he is already talking about marriage. In this second book, Damon wants Alice to go to Chicago with him for a week - a week in which he wants to train her to be his perfect submissive.

While in Chicago, Alice is once again approached by the woman with the scars on her face - a woman that she is sure is Damon's mother. After learning the horrors that this poor woman suffered, Alice is even more conflicted. Even she warns Alice to stay away from the Monroe family, but hers are warnings, not threats. What happens when Alice is forced to confront Damon with what his father has done? Will they be able to survive the fallout or will the plan they hatch give them what they all want? Another outstanding storyline that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Looking forward to the next book in the series.

**Complimentary Copy provided by Author for an honest review.**
Profile Image for Cindy Caron.
1,385 reviews4 followers
August 12, 2016
Omg! Omg! OMG! If you haven't read part one of this trilogy, WHAT are you waiting for? This has to be one of the most exciting, interesting HOT series I've read, and the best thing is...it's not even over yet! Wow! Damon Monroe is the hottest, most intriguing man out there, and he's on a warpath, or two, or three! Not only has he seduced the beautiful Alice, but he's swept her off of her feet to the extent that there will be no going back from the rabbit hole into which she has fallen. And fallen she has, right into love with a man who may be the end of her as she knows herself, in more ways than one.
But all is not roses in the live and love of Damon and Alice, as they struggle through many roadblocks thrown their way, mostly by one man in particular.
Full of action, suspense, fires, parties and love, this episode, like the rest of the series, is definitely worth the read. Ms. Dane has a writing style that will have you on the edge of your seat, biting your nails, as she leads us through the relationship that Fate has set in motion many years ago.
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Profile Image for April Symes.
5,013 reviews447 followers
August 28, 2016
This is book 2 in the Monroe Trilogy and wow Alice and Damon pack a lot of heat. Cynthia Dane really gets the romance , BDSM, intrigue, action, betrayal, and passion going in this round for the trilogy. Damon’s father has it out for Alice- he doesn’t want her in the family and finds a way to cause trouble for the lovebirds. Threats were made, Alice doesn’t take him seriously until ,well, she has to. The couple separate until Damon wises up and comes back. I felt at this point, he wasn’t repentant enough or apologetic enough toward Alice but that’s me. The story ends on a great cliffhanger and now we need part 3 to find out how Damon’s father will pay for his actions toward Alice and what he has up his sleeves next, for he will not give up in getting rid of her. Damon found out some hard truths and now the fallout will take place in book 3. Great story and I love how the author keeps these stories rolling out.

My rating: 4.5 stars ****
**I was given an ARC by the author in exchange for an honest review***
Profile Image for Laura.
1,487 reviews16 followers
August 8, 2016
This story picks up where Book One left off. This is not a standalone and Book One should be read first.

Alice and Damon have fallen for each other. Their relationship has progressed so quickly and with all of the warnings that Alice has received from Damon's parents, Alice is hesitant to share her feelings or acknowledge where this relationship is heading.

This book has an intense amount of heat and some serious suspense. Quite a few times I was on the edge of my seat quickly reading so I could know how Alice and Damon would make it through the obstacles being placed in their way. I can't wait for the final book in this trilogy!

*I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.*
Profile Image for CharmaineW .
2,111 reviews11 followers
August 13, 2016
Received this complimentary arc copy from the author for an honest review.
Oh Damon Monroe... You get hotter every day. You don't say much but oh boy, when you do...phew your words are like panty melting hot.
This is book 2 and the pace hots up even more. Damon wants Alice and takes her away for a week. He wants to train her to be his alone, wear his collar and so much more. One big threat is his father Russell, a dangerous man not to cross. So many secrets, so many threats. Can Alice be strong in all this.
I could not put this story down it grabbed my attention and wouldn't let go.
Lots of passion, confessions of love, secrets, lies, betrayals, danger and so much more. Now is the time to sort out Russell with an interesting plan. Oh boy!!!!
2,885 reviews17 followers
August 17, 2016
I received this ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Alice and Damon have admitted their love, but Alice's life is in danger. When Damon hires a bodyguard for Alice, she wonders about the necessity, but soon considers the other woman a friend. Alice is warned again that her life is in danger and her bodyguard is very concerned about not only the source of the warning, but also the threats. When the threats on Alice's life become a reality she is saved by her bodyguard. At first Damon refuses to believe Alice when she tells him about the identity of the person she suspects. Damon and Alice hatch a plan to take down the man responsible for her brush with death. Alice and Damon are sizzling hot and and sexy, I love these characters and this series.
Profile Image for Jo-Ann Forrest.
2,937 reviews23 followers
August 11, 2016
This is seriously great trilogy so far! This book picks up where the last left us on a cliffhanger. Alice is falling heads over heels in love with Damon Monroe, but she's being threaten by his father again and being pursued some crazy woman who turns out to be his long lost mother. From these encounters, she questions her reasons for being involved with Damon. Can love really conquer all? When something tragic happens to her, will he believe the threats are real? Can she survive without Damon in her life and go on? The surprise cliffhanger prepares you for more to come. Cynthia Dane you write a great sinfully sexy thriller!!!!
Profile Image for Heather.
1,433 reviews24 followers
August 10, 2016
This is the second installment featuring Damon Monroe and Alice and it picks up right where the first one ended. Despite repeated warnings to stay away from Damon, Alice finds herself falling in love. Good thing because Damon is already picturing marriage and babies!! Even as Damon is busy training Alice in the art of submission, others are trying their best to keep them apart. Plenty of hot scenes and a bit of suspense. Can't wait to see what's next since this ended on a cliff hanger.

ARC received in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Susan.
1,295 reviews21 followers
August 22, 2016
This series is so awesome. It is a real page turner, that you can not put down. Damon is the sexiest billionaire. Wow, he can set your kindle on fire. I like Alice too. She can be submissive, but at the same time, she is still her feisty self. Between their sizzling hot relationship and threats and suspense, once I started it, there was no stopping. I received this book from the author in return for an honest review, and I really can not wait until Book 3.
Profile Image for _booknerd.4ever_.
1,536 reviews11 followers
September 27, 2016
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review...

Wow! What a cliffhanger!!! MUST read Book 1 before reading this one. I still have this love/hate relationship with Damon. I'm glad to see Alice is getting stronger and confident! I'm starting to see the human side of Damon through that hard exterior of his. Cynthia Dane never disappoints her readers and always reels them in. I was hooked and couldn't put it down. I can't wait for Book 3!!!
Profile Image for Shannon Davison.
1,386 reviews11 followers
August 9, 2016
OMG, if I lick Damon can I keep him please? He is Dom to the core, but he can't control himself around Alice. Forces are still trying to rip them apart and Cynthia keeps making me cry. I'm on the edge of my seat waiting for book 3 now. I'm loving this trilogy so much. I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Tammy.
9,118 reviews50 followers
August 15, 2016
I am hooked on the Monroe Trilogy. Alice has fallen for Damon and not even his father’s threats will keep her away. Damon takes Alice away to Chicago to train her to be his submissive and gives herself to him. Will the other forces around them tear them apart? So much suspense and drama! I was hooked from beginning to end. Looking forward to see what happens next!
Profile Image for Sarah.
1,043 reviews
August 26, 2016
I loved the ending!! I can't wait to see the look on Russell's face!! Trained was full of lots of hot and sexy scenes, tons of drama, psychotic father, reunions, shopping (clothes and jewelry!), a cute parrot that loves to swear and talk dirty and did I mention drama!! I couldn't put it down!! I received a ARC for an honest review.
800 reviews2 followers
October 19, 2016
So far I've loved this series. For the most part I enjoy Cynthia Dane's writing. I'm not sure why this book was titled "trained" the book had a small portion dedicated to training but the book was definitely not about training a new submissive. There was a small amount about training a new submissive.
Profile Image for Janee.
2,714 reviews12 followers
September 28, 2016
More please

So very addictive. Can't wait the couple has in store. I hate that everything in this series is so quick. Why not prolong the torture for us readers?
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews

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