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Tenderly Wicked
Tenderly Wicked
Max has always been interested in the wicked ways of BDSM, but his unusual tastes haven't always been well received. But now he has Vadim, an eager Russian sub willing to fulfill his most daring fantasies.
There’s one problem—Max isn’t quite ready to accept what's right in front of him. His deep-seated insecurities threaten to spoil what's growing into more than just a kinky pastime. Will Max embrace Vadim's love or throw away his chance at true happiness?
There’s one problem—Max isn’t quite ready to accept what's right in front of him. His deep-seated insecurities threaten to spoil what's growing into more than just a kinky pastime. Will Max embrace Vadim's love or throw away his chance at true happiness?
168 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 12, 2016
11 people are currently reading
78 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
November 7, 2016
TENDERLY WICKED is a tale of an inexperienced dominant who makes several newbie mistakes. To compound this problem, the submissive is unable to communicate his discomfort or to use his safeword. This is a disaster waiting to happen.
Max is an ex-patriate in the rough city of Moscow. The black sheep in the family, he enjoys teaching in Russia and his life has been an adventure. His latest adventure is entering the intoxicating world of BDSM. Max's BDSM training is what he gleams from chat rooms and forums. Before a reader starts to scoff at Max's lack of education and experience in the kink world, this is how it used to be, before the internet.
Ms. Ross creates an interesting contemporary romance. Instead of creating a perfect dominant or an abusive one, she creates a newbie who doesn't know what he is doing. He kind of knows what he likes and he fumbles his way through scenes. This is pretty accurate and Max is a very credible dominant trying to do his best without guidance. The submissive, Vadim, possesses more experience with fetish play. However, his baseline is warped. As more is revealed about Vadim's previous kinky experiences, it is clear he received the raw end of the deal.
This story is not exactly a love story. Let me rephrase. It isn't a romance. It is a love story between two men who find the missing piece to end their loneliness with a sexual twist. The conflict in this story is well written as it becomes increasingly difficult for Max to meet the expectations he placed upon himself. Ms. Ross shows how the realities of two people trying to get kinky without a support group. It is so easy to accidentally get hurt. I appreciated the illustrations of pitfalls as well as Max's perspective. His introspection about whether he was a good and responsible dominant or not is what makes this book good.
The BDSM scenes are accurate and well researched. What is missing for me is a spark. I couldn't get into this book because neither Max nor Vadim appealed to me. It isn't because they weren't perfect. They just seemed a bit flat for me. Because I felt nothing for either one of them, despite their sad stories, I couldn't get into the story as much. Technically this story is well written and researched. The perspective it takes is rare and I like it. The story just gave me a more clinical feeling. It isn't that Ms. Ross lectured, because she did not. It is almost as if the sexy fun of BDSM was sucked out of this story. And perhaps that is intentional because it coincides with Max's dilemma and his crisis of faith.
Near the end of the story, I finally feel a bit and it is sorrow for Vadim. This boy is the proverbial kicked puppy left in the ditch on the side of the road. Makes me want to cuddle him and take him home. This erotic romance is recommended to kinky readers who enjoy newbie dominants learning the ropes.
friends-say-no
June 6, 2017Friends didn't like this one.
October 23, 2016
A very hot and enjoyable read! It's a story of building a BDSM relationship and the difficulties of it. There will be misunderstandings and problems, but it's a relationship of equals. I also liked that this book gives a sneak peek into what an expat's life in Russia looks like.
October 25, 2016
This is a hard book to give a rating to. For the well-polished writing alone it deserves 4-5 stars, however some of the content had me hovering around 2-3 stars.
Lets start with the things I loved. Top of the list is the setting. I’m not overly familiar with Moscow, nor do I think I’ve ever read an erotic novel set in the country, so I found myself absorbed in the details provided. Something that was slotted in effortlessly.
I liked the realism, to a point, of what it must be like for a sadist with no prior experience to explore his kinks. Things are bound to go wrong. Like anything in life, we learn as we go, and some learning curves are more dangerous than others. What I didn’t like was the lack of communication between these two men.
The story is told completely from Max’s point-of-view. His constant internal monologue, musings, and guessing how his submissive might be feeling or what he might be thinking, drove me to distraction. Communication is vital for the survival of any relationship, let alone one with two men relatively new to S&M, or so one would think.
There’s talk of wax play going wrong, but the scene is off page. The breath-play scene had some minor consequences, which could’ve been so much worse. And the scene where Max bound Vadim to the door, and what followed, made my blood run cold. It wasn’t the results of an unskilled sadist, it was outright neglect in my humble opinion. Why Max even started a scene in the state he was in I’ll never know. Then for him to allow his submissive, Vadim, to carry the guilt thinking he’d let Max down was inexcusable! Around that point, I considered giving this story a low rating. However the fact I got so angry with a fictional character is testament to a well written story.
This story is basically a lesson in how not to practice S&M. It’s well written, although bound to push a few buttons in readers. When Max finally admitted he had no right to continue honing his sadistic streak on Vadim, Vadim is crushed.
I didn’t feel Vadim’s pain as I never really got to know him. However, the calculated risk he took to win Max back, something that could’ve gone wrong but thankfully didn’t, left me in a much happier state of mind when I turned the last page.
Would I read more by this author? Absolutely.
Copy provided in exchange for an honest review
Lets start with the things I loved. Top of the list is the setting. I’m not overly familiar with Moscow, nor do I think I’ve ever read an erotic novel set in the country, so I found myself absorbed in the details provided. Something that was slotted in effortlessly.
I liked the realism, to a point, of what it must be like for a sadist with no prior experience to explore his kinks. Things are bound to go wrong. Like anything in life, we learn as we go, and some learning curves are more dangerous than others. What I didn’t like was the lack of communication between these two men.
The story is told completely from Max’s point-of-view. His constant internal monologue, musings, and guessing how his submissive might be feeling or what he might be thinking, drove me to distraction. Communication is vital for the survival of any relationship, let alone one with two men relatively new to S&M, or so one would think.
There’s talk of wax play going wrong, but the scene is off page. The breath-play scene had some minor consequences, which could’ve been so much worse. And the scene where Max bound Vadim to the door, and what followed, made my blood run cold. It wasn’t the results of an unskilled sadist, it was outright neglect in my humble opinion. Why Max even started a scene in the state he was in I’ll never know. Then for him to allow his submissive, Vadim, to carry the guilt thinking he’d let Max down was inexcusable! Around that point, I considered giving this story a low rating. However the fact I got so angry with a fictional character is testament to a well written story.
This story is basically a lesson in how not to practice S&M. It’s well written, although bound to push a few buttons in readers. When Max finally admitted he had no right to continue honing his sadistic streak on Vadim, Vadim is crushed.
I didn’t feel Vadim’s pain as I never really got to know him. However, the calculated risk he took to win Max back, something that could’ve gone wrong but thankfully didn’t, left me in a much happier state of mind when I turned the last page.
Would I read more by this author? Absolutely.
Copy provided in exchange for an honest review
October 31, 2016
It's a story of the dangers of miscommunication in a D/s relationship, or the lack of communication. The main character, Max, isn't flawless, but it makes him realistic, and I sympathized with him. He's not a steryotypical wealthy and self-confident Dom. He's a nervous newbie.
Although there's lot of angst, his relationship with Vadim gave me a warm feeling. Max strives to be caring and attentive, though he fails sometimes and his insecurities endanger everything he's achieved with Vadim.
Well-written kinky erotic scenes (especially the one in the park). Very vivid descriptions of Moscow where the story takes place.
Although there's lot of angst, his relationship with Vadim gave me a warm feeling. Max strives to be caring and attentive, though he fails sometimes and his insecurities endanger everything he's achieved with Vadim.
Well-written kinky erotic scenes (especially the one in the park). Very vivid descriptions of Moscow where the story takes place.
October 29, 2017
It’s been a long time since I refused to get out of bed in the morning on Sunday because I simply *had* to finish a book. This just happened with Tenderly Wicked.
It might seem strange to review a book by talking about a different book, but I would like to mention Lauren P. Burka’s short stories Mate and Whip Hand, which have been for years and years my very favourite bits of erotic writing. They are actually one story, in a way, featuring the same characters, Terry and D’Shane, a S/M gay couple who find each other and themselves when their sub/Dom relationship clicks into place. There was so much emotion for me in that story, in the way these two beautifully flawed characters discovered things about themselves through BDSM. The story had one major defect…it was too short…
That is where Tenderly Wicked comes in for me. It has something of the same emotional charge… but it goes into a much more articulate exploration of the two characters’ journey, which is as much psychological as physical (maybe more).
I have been swept away into this book since the very start. The moment Vadim made an entrance, actually. Vadim, whose point of view is never explored in the story. I know some Romance readers have an issue with this, but isn’t it how real life is? You fall in love with someone, and you never have the luxury of being into their heads. They are an unknowable mystery you can only explore day by day, skirting disaster, hoping to get the hang of them at some point. And that is what Max needs to do, as a Dom and as a friend, to make sense of this incredibly beautiful, strangely damaged, self-destructive, heart-breaking riddle that Vadim is. I have been deeply moved and shaken by this character. And his final dramatic act… well, no spoilers, but, it completely blew me away. Tears and sobs level of blew me away.
And I loved the Russian setting of the book. I enjoyed Max’s explorations of the Moscow streets and attractions as much as I enjoyed his explorations of Vadim’s slim, gorgeous body.
It might seem strange to review a book by talking about a different book, but I would like to mention Lauren P. Burka’s short stories Mate and Whip Hand, which have been for years and years my very favourite bits of erotic writing. They are actually one story, in a way, featuring the same characters, Terry and D’Shane, a S/M gay couple who find each other and themselves when their sub/Dom relationship clicks into place. There was so much emotion for me in that story, in the way these two beautifully flawed characters discovered things about themselves through BDSM. The story had one major defect…it was too short…
That is where Tenderly Wicked comes in for me. It has something of the same emotional charge… but it goes into a much more articulate exploration of the two characters’ journey, which is as much psychological as physical (maybe more).
I have been swept away into this book since the very start. The moment Vadim made an entrance, actually. Vadim, whose point of view is never explored in the story. I know some Romance readers have an issue with this, but isn’t it how real life is? You fall in love with someone, and you never have the luxury of being into their heads. They are an unknowable mystery you can only explore day by day, skirting disaster, hoping to get the hang of them at some point. And that is what Max needs to do, as a Dom and as a friend, to make sense of this incredibly beautiful, strangely damaged, self-destructive, heart-breaking riddle that Vadim is. I have been deeply moved and shaken by this character. And his final dramatic act… well, no spoilers, but, it completely blew me away. Tears and sobs level of blew me away.
And I loved the Russian setting of the book. I enjoyed Max’s explorations of the Moscow streets and attractions as much as I enjoyed his explorations of Vadim’s slim, gorgeous body.
March 8, 2017
Just the right amount of angst for me :)
September 29, 2016
Max has been interested in BDSM for a while, but he's never practice because he's interested in the darker aspects of it. He finally feels ready to pursue a BDSM relationship, so he visits a BDSM club. While he's outside, he notices Vadim. He's immediately taken with Vadim and takes him to his apartment. While they are in the scene, Max notices some severe bruises on Vadim. Even though this is Max's first time being someone's dom. He's a good dom and he takes care of Vadim, even though the two have a few missteps. Vadim's an interesting sub. He's never had a healthy BDSM relationship, but he's not weary. He trusts Max completely. Even though the story is told completely from Max's POV, I didn't feel like I missing anything.
March 10, 2019
Max and Vadim are sp freaking hot together - loved it
March 28, 2018
Katerina Ross’ Tenderly Wicked should be required reading for BDSM novices. It’s a delightfully cautionary tale of what can go wrong (and right) in a 24/7 lifestyle relationship.
Max is a language teacher and US ex-pat, fulfilling his aspiration to live in Moscow. He’s only dreamed of domination. After all, who would want an average looking newbie who can’t fake an air of mastery?
Summoning nerve to enter a club, he sees Vadim, smoking cigarette after cigarette in front, as if the gorgeous man is also nervous to enter. Vadim agrees to go home with Max without negotiation. Max is concerned about his sub’s negligence of his safety, especially when it is confirmed by bruises on Vadim’s back.
It’s a pattern. Vadim has little respect for his body. While Max and Vadim have oodles of chemistry, neither man communicates limits. Ross indicates Max “was so excruciatingly nervous about doing something wrong that he wanted to get as specific as possible… and so shy at the same time that he didn’t dare to.”
Vadim is scared to acknowledge his desires or distastes because his prior Dom abandoned him after Vadim wisely safe-worded. My heart broke as Vadim tells Max, “I knew of masochists of course, but nothing more than that they were sick perverts. A few psychos. I also knew about homosexuals to the same extent. If I was one of them, I must be not right in the head either, and it was better to hide it from others.” Readers know disaster awaits the new couple.
Set in the luscious, gritty city of Moscow, Tenderly Wicked could be a travel log, with its generous descriptions. But perhaps the choice of cities isn’t by chance. Because Russia‘s prejudice against gays is government-instigated, Max and Vadim have no support to ask questions of seasoned BDSM community members.
Will Max and Vadim be capable of honesty? Their road is circuitous. And yet, when they finally do communicate, they never break character. Ross conveys their words starkly, their emotions tucked in. And it flows just beautifully, poignant, yet realistic.
In Tenderly Wicked, I was finally treated to answers I’ve hungered to pose.
Aren’t sadists ever insecure? What questions would ethical Dom’s ask themselves as they learned how to provide pain without harm? If Dom’s enjoy the bliss of their sub’s, are they truly sadistic,? And who is serving whom?
Max is a language teacher and US ex-pat, fulfilling his aspiration to live in Moscow. He’s only dreamed of domination. After all, who would want an average looking newbie who can’t fake an air of mastery?
Summoning nerve to enter a club, he sees Vadim, smoking cigarette after cigarette in front, as if the gorgeous man is also nervous to enter. Vadim agrees to go home with Max without negotiation. Max is concerned about his sub’s negligence of his safety, especially when it is confirmed by bruises on Vadim’s back.
It’s a pattern. Vadim has little respect for his body. While Max and Vadim have oodles of chemistry, neither man communicates limits. Ross indicates Max “was so excruciatingly nervous about doing something wrong that he wanted to get as specific as possible… and so shy at the same time that he didn’t dare to.”
Vadim is scared to acknowledge his desires or distastes because his prior Dom abandoned him after Vadim wisely safe-worded. My heart broke as Vadim tells Max, “I knew of masochists of course, but nothing more than that they were sick perverts. A few psychos. I also knew about homosexuals to the same extent. If I was one of them, I must be not right in the head either, and it was better to hide it from others.” Readers know disaster awaits the new couple.
Set in the luscious, gritty city of Moscow, Tenderly Wicked could be a travel log, with its generous descriptions. But perhaps the choice of cities isn’t by chance. Because Russia‘s prejudice against gays is government-instigated, Max and Vadim have no support to ask questions of seasoned BDSM community members.
Will Max and Vadim be capable of honesty? Their road is circuitous. And yet, when they finally do communicate, they never break character. Ross conveys their words starkly, their emotions tucked in. And it flows just beautifully, poignant, yet realistic.
In Tenderly Wicked, I was finally treated to answers I’ve hungered to pose.
Aren’t sadists ever insecure? What questions would ethical Dom’s ask themselves as they learned how to provide pain without harm? If Dom’s enjoy the bliss of their sub’s, are they truly sadistic,? And who is serving whom?
December 12, 2019
Set in Moscow, which I have never been to but surely the author has from the detailed descriptions of travelling around the city on public transport, this book comes across as different, in an understaded way.
There are no grand story arcs with spies and police chases, nor oppulant BDSM clubs with high protocol, just a guy feeling his way in how turn his fantasies into being a responsible Dom in real life, worried of scaring off his sub if he confesses his lack of experience. The situation is not helped by his subs alarming lack of self preservation and reluctance to communicate.
I liked how the two of them meet almost by chance, and then dance around each other, moving slowly from a one night stand into living together despite their poor communication skills. I found the characters very believable (something I don't get in enough books), the situation seemed realistic and the sex hot.
My only minor peeve was that neither of them seemed to have any other friends.
Oh well, good that they have each other I guess. This book left me wanting to reassure Max and give Vadim a big cuddle, whilst sighing at him.
More please!
There are no grand story arcs with spies and police chases, nor oppulant BDSM clubs with high protocol, just a guy feeling his way in how turn his fantasies into being a responsible Dom in real life, worried of scaring off his sub if he confesses his lack of experience. The situation is not helped by his subs alarming lack of self preservation and reluctance to communicate.
I liked how the two of them meet almost by chance, and then dance around each other, moving slowly from a one night stand into living together despite their poor communication skills. I found the characters very believable (something I don't get in enough books), the situation seemed realistic and the sex hot.
My only minor peeve was that neither of them seemed to have any other friends.
Oh well, good that they have each other I guess. This book left me wanting to reassure Max and give Vadim a big cuddle, whilst sighing at him.
More please!
April 14, 2018
Tenderly Wicked is the first time I have read anything by author Katerina Ross. I will definitely be looking for this author again. I loved the connection and storyline. I really felt the BDSM brought this story to the next level. I loved it. I just could not get enough of this one.
Max had been to BDSM dungeons before. He wants a real relationship, not a fake BDSM one. He is tired of the games. He wants the real thing.
Vadim is a Russian sub. He has a past that is laden with sadness and issues. He is sometimes cheeky but overall he is perfect for Max.
I liked how these two got to know each other, explore their limits and find themselves at the end. There is a lot of discovery in this book and it was great to watch unfold.
When you want an intensely written BDSM story this is one I highly recommend.
Five Shooting Stars
Max had been to BDSM dungeons before. He wants a real relationship, not a fake BDSM one. He is tired of the games. He wants the real thing.
Vadim is a Russian sub. He has a past that is laden with sadness and issues. He is sometimes cheeky but overall he is perfect for Max.
I liked how these two got to know each other, explore their limits and find themselves at the end. There is a lot of discovery in this book and it was great to watch unfold.
When you want an intensely written BDSM story this is one I highly recommend.
Five Shooting Stars
August 1, 2017
Uncaged Book Reviews
Max is very interested in the ways of BDSM and of Dom/Sub relationships. He thinks he has found the perfect sub Vidim, as their relationship strays further than the normal Dom/Sub relationships, not just sexually but emotionally as well. They develop a sort of lovers bond the storyline does have a lot of sexual activity and some pretty high risk BDSM elements at one point in the storyline I did fear for Vidim’s safety. But as you go further into the book it kind of makes sense why they both keep quiet about certain things. A compelling read I only wish Max and Vidim had better communication skills with each other in this story but I guess if they did that wouldn’t have been have the enjoyment of the book. Reviewed by Jennifer
Max is very interested in the ways of BDSM and of Dom/Sub relationships. He thinks he has found the perfect sub Vidim, as their relationship strays further than the normal Dom/Sub relationships, not just sexually but emotionally as well. They develop a sort of lovers bond the storyline does have a lot of sexual activity and some pretty high risk BDSM elements at one point in the storyline I did fear for Vidim’s safety. But as you go further into the book it kind of makes sense why they both keep quiet about certain things. A compelling read I only wish Max and Vidim had better communication skills with each other in this story but I guess if they did that wouldn’t have been have the enjoyment of the book. Reviewed by Jennifer
October 20, 2019
Oh for all that is holy, all this miscommunication or the total lack of it is a constant annoyance through the book. If Max had just spent less time reading on the internet and more trying to pride Vadim's mind open, things would have been so different.
Yes it's well written and you get the full view of Moscow during their walks and trips through the city, their scenes are easily pictured through the words and you yearn for more intimacy than what is shown.
But between Vadim's flawed submission and Max's endless self doubt, I just wanted Max to drag Vadim to a shrink and himself to find a Dom that could tutor him.
Yes it's well written and you get the full view of Moscow during their walks and trips through the city, their scenes are easily pictured through the words and you yearn for more intimacy than what is shown.
But between Vadim's flawed submission and Max's endless self doubt, I just wanted Max to drag Vadim to a shrink and himself to find a Dom that could tutor him.
February 20, 2021
This is a TERRIFIC mild BDSM. Max a Dom and Vadim a Sub meet kind of by accident outside a Russian Club. Vadim has been down a long road of bad decisions. Max is tired of putting his wants and needs to the side. This book is based in Russia. This Author paints a picture in your mind so you can imagine the sights so clearly. I received this book as a gift. But I wanted to give it a full and honest review so everyone would know how much I really ENJOYED it. This book is tenderly wicked and uniquely divine. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK!!!!!
August 9, 2021
This book has scenes of light BDSM but the main focus of the story really is the relationship between the two MCs. It’s about them both having insecurities and building a partnership that works for them outside the expected norms.
It’s very well written and told.
It’s an MM romance told from one POV but we get a good sense of what the other MC is thinking and feeling too.
It’s very well written and told.
It’s an MM romance told from one POV but we get a good sense of what the other MC is thinking and feeling too.
October 2, 2024
Very short and it appears to be just an intro to a full story, it was a quick, ok read but didn't draw me enough to read the full tale.
December 8, 2016
For a debut novel this book was an extraordinary good read. We meet Max living in Moscow who wants to explore his kinky side as a Dom, something he has never done before. He goes out intending to visit a BDSM club but before he enters he spots Vadim and after talking they return to Max's flat instead. It turns out Vadim is a natural submissive who has been very cruelly treated in the past. Will Max be able to be everything that he should be to his new sub and can this be more than a one off assignation?
I really enjoyed the way Max treated Vadim. He cared enough to find out what made Vadim skittish and perhaps ashamed about what they were doing and encouraged Vadim to relate how he had come by his bruises and scars. There was such feeling and emotion in the writing and the book had obviously been well researched. I would give it 10 stars if I could.
I received a complimentary ARC and this is my voluntary review.
I really enjoyed the way Max treated Vadim. He cared enough to find out what made Vadim skittish and perhaps ashamed about what they were doing and encouraged Vadim to relate how he had come by his bruises and scars. There was such feeling and emotion in the writing and the book had obviously been well researched. I would give it 10 stars if I could.
I received a complimentary ARC and this is my voluntary review.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews