Obey Me

by Alana Lawler

253 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 31, 2026

About the author

Alana is a Royal Air Force Veteran of sixteen years whose time came to a sudden end with a Medical Discharge in 2021. Passionate about her time in the military she was unsure what path to venture down next.

Whilst she took a mainstream position, her love with reading was reignited whilst her husband was deployed. Diving into the realm of forbidden dark romance she found her imagination would run wild with where each plot was heading. With ideas and scenarios bursting in her mind she decided to write her own to make them come alive.

As she wrote her first novel, The Sicuro she found her fire once again. Enjoying character development, scenario plotting and pushing the boundaries of the ‘norm’.

Reviews

[Kay Bingham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do not sleep on this Indie Author! I found her through a mutual friend in time to beta read her second book. I then went back to read her first, have been cyber stalking her Insta (not in a Michael way) ever since and Book 2 of The Oxford Series did not disappoint, in fact it exceeded my expectations.

From her teasing online I thought I knew what to expect and some of what I expected was in the story but very loosely. (There’s a reason I’m a reader and not a writer.) Alana went in a different direction from what I thought and she did it so so well.

Cassidy is another strong FMC who knows exactly what she wants and isn’t afraid to take it, I adore her.
Harrison was not what I expected after reading Ruin Me but boy oh boy do I want to see more of him in book 3.
Michael, Michael, Michael, what to say about Michael? I can’t you’ll just have to read it when it’s released on the 31st Mar 2026
Jace is officially my fave Morally Grey Book Boyfriend 🥵🥵🥵

All in all ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
There’s something about Alana’s writing that really connects with me. I can’t explain it, (again, avid reader not a writer.) I’m invested in her characters from the offset. When you say out loud “ leave them the fuck alone” when one of the characters mentions the other by name you know the books a winner.

One of my fave excerpts from the book;
“Don’t corrupt him” “And if he wants corrupting?” Fuck, thoughts of those two indulging tonight have me squeezing my thighs together.
You and me both Cassidy, you and me both 🥵

30/01/2026 11:16 I get the email I’ve been waiting for ever since I was accepted to Beta Read for Alana Lawler for the second instalment of The Oxford Series. It fells like forever that she’s been teasing us with what Obey Me is going to be like but Do Not Be Fooled!!
31/01/2026 12:00 I’ve inhaled the book, been messaging poor Alana like a running commentary for the past 24hrs whilst I’ve been reading and all I can say once I’m finished is “Sorry that was not enough, when can I expect book 3?!?”

[Ivett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

"If you're at that delicious age where the twenty-something guy thrills you and the forty-something guy tempts you… why choose?" - the dedication.

Since I read Ruin Me beforehand, I already knew the main characters and thought I knew what to expect… but clearly, I didn’t know enough.

As I received this as an ARC, I won’t spoil anything. This book - just like Ruin Me - deserves all the hype and attention. I don’t want to take away that feeling when a story genuinely surprises you. So what can I say? READ IT.

Cassidy was already a strong woman in the first book, so I knew she would be strong AF in her own story. And oh boy… she did not disappoint. She knows exactly what she wants and isn’t afraid to take it. She’s a domme - and a wickedly amazing one.
Asking for a friend: Can I book a session with her?

Harrison is the twenty-something guy - sweet (maybe a little too sweet for my taste), but I loved seeing how he grew throughout the book and how his confidence developed.

Is Michael stalking? Nooo… he’s just making sure you’re fine.
Is he relentless? Maybe a little obsessed? Nooo… he’s just… well… Michael.
See it for yourself, girl. 😉

And Jace…
He is THE book boyfriend. The one who might destroy you - but you’d happily let him anyway.

Final thoughts:
The book ends in a kind of HFN situationship (I’m still deciding how I feel about that one). But now I’m very curious about what will happen in the next book.

Also… can we please get Jace on every page next time?

To Alana:
Thank you for letting me be part of your ARC team. Your writing style is amazing, and we dark romance readers definitely want more of your books.
(No pressure though… I swear. 😉)

[Georgia Keane · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘Obey Me’ is *chefs kiss*.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️

Then again, I already knew it was going to be. I knew this book was going to be insanely good, if ‘Ruin Me’ was anything to go by, and when I got that email saying I had been selected to Beta read it, well, I was excited AF.

Alana writes wickedly strong FMCs, and Cassidy is no different. She is a domme, who is looking to get her own establishment, and meets inexperienced interior designer, Harrison (who I fell head over heels in love with and want one). She also runs into an ex client, Michael, who wants to rekindle something, so he, ahem, pursues her..

It's really easy to connect with the characters, you care for them. The way she writes is refreshing, and feels easy to read and you really want to engage with them.

This wasn't the typical why choose book I was expecting and it blew me out of the water with its twists and turns, and that's what makes this book stand out from other why choose books, and why this book couldn't be put down.

It's a story of female empowerment, of not needing to have a man by your side and I think that's what makes this such a great book. It does have a HEA, but it's not the one you think you're getting at the outset of the book.

I cannot wait for book three because I KNOW it won't disappoint, and each book in this series just seems to get better and better.

[Leah Fairhurst · Rating 5 out of 5]

After finishing Ruin Me, the first book in the Oxford series, I couldn’t wait to dive into Cassidy’s story, and Obey Me did not disappoint.

Cassidy is a strong FMC who works as a Domme and is in the process of setting up her own establishment.

I love how Alana Lawler portrays Cassidy as an independent, strong women that does not need a man. She knows what she wants and how to get it.

When I read the dedication "If you're at that delicious age where the twenty-something guy thrills you and the forty-something guy tempts you.."

I had certain expectations about how the story might play out. However, Obey Me wasn’t the typical “why choose” dynamic I anticipated. Instead, it surprised me in the best possible way, delivering something much better.

I’ve really grown to love the characters in the Oxford series (with one notable exception—Michael, but we’ll leave that there!)

Harrison was incredibly sweet, and I really enjoyed watching his growth and confidence develop throughout the book. Jace, on the other hand, is the perfect morally grey MMC. He is complex, intense, posessive and with a hidden softness that makes him impossible not to love.

Now I'm just waiting patiently waiting for book 3.

Thank you to Alana Lawler for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Little Red · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book in the Oxford series which is interconnected. Sadly I hadn’t read the first book beforehand and wish I had, to better understand the history of the other characters. This had tropes of why choose, age gap, adult club and girl boss. I did like that it wasn’t obvious who the potential love interest/s were and kind of kept you guessing. I also liked the unusual choice of having the pov of someone who doesn’t normally. I won’t say anymore as I don’t want to potentially ruin anything. I give this book a 3.5 out of 5 stars.

[Zoe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely ATE this book up.

I had the absolute pleasure of having an ARC and I was waiting for the second book in The Oxford Series because book one was just another book I absolutely ate up.

Cassidy is such a strong female character in this story and you really feel her emotions, her thoughts and her feelings throughout. You really care for her character and want everything good for her.

Cassidy is a domme who is planning for her own establishment and she meets Harrison. Then there’s also her ex client Matthew.. urgh.
I need a Harrison in my life. He’s amazing.

The way Alana writes her characters is so refreshing and you can really engage with them.

This book is really about female empowerment and has so many twists and turns along the way. THAT ENDING!

Now I’m just patiently waiting for book three!

[Avelon Author · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cassidy Story of Unconventional Romance with no strings attached, while working in a sector sneered upon by society. This book ends on HFN situationship. The plot running in the background sets up the next book really well, making me really frustrated that I have to wait for book 3! I’m glad Action & Ash are still prominent characters, and the addition of Harrison expands the found family. I recommend reading Ruin Me first, just to understand the referencing in the book.