Safe Words

by Magnolia Robbins

Natalia Ross, a shy small-town girl fresh out of college, moves to New York to pursue her dreams as a journalist and lands the job “millions of girls would die for.” Hired as the assistant to Scarlett Stone, the high-profile, fabulously successful editor of the fashion blog Stitch. Scarlett, as enigmatic as she is rich and powerful, is merciless and demanding of Natalia and the rest of her employees. Even still, Natalia is intrigued by Scarlett’s unrelenting ways and the two find themselves in an unconventional physical affair. Through Scarlett’s depraved tastes in romance, Natalia experiences a personal awakening that begins to change her life forever and the two fall deeply in love. But their delicate balance of work and play is challenged when Scarlett and Natalia’s complicated and dangerous pasts begin to catch up with them. As both lives begin to unravel, Natalia and Scarlett discover that those with the power, aren’t always the ones in control.

Genres: BDSM, Lesbian, Lesbian Romance, Romance, LGBT, Fiction, Queer

162 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2018

About the author

Maggie is a bestselling queer romance author from the west coast. When she isn't writing, you'll almost always find a cup of coffee in her hands.

Reviews

[Michele · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well I have one positive thing to say about this book...thank god I read it AFTER Forbidden Melody. If I had read Safe Words first, I would not have read any further books from this author. Everything that was good about Forbidden Melody(except the blah title) was lacking in Safe Words. Zero chemistry between the mains, meh sex scenes, and disjointed plot pacing.

So to sum up, Safe Words= not good, Forbidden Melody= quite good.

[Alexis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Devil Wears Prada meets 50 Shades
Trigger warning for physical and psychological abuse.

This is a tough one to rate. Although the book isn't written as a comedy I still couldn't help laughing several times over all the blatant DWP and 50 Shades references. I don't know why I expected the author to try and hide it better, perhaps because it's what i'm used to with other books that are based on fanfiction. Perfect examples of that would be things like:
"I wondered for a moment if Scarlett might be the devil herself."
"Hundreds of women would die to work here.

Then there are of course the scenes in the elevator and use of various BDSM toys. I did expect this book to feature a lot more erotica but as it is there was very little of it throughout the book. Even the BDSM scenes were tame in comparison to some of the books i've read.

The chemistry between the two mains could have been explored a little more because I'm a total sucker for anything DWP and I just didn't feel enough sparks between Scarlett and Natalia. Perhaps that's also because instead of 1 we have 2 mustache twirling villains in this book so yes it's high on drama. Oh well at least the cover is stunning!

[Joc · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was hoping this would be much better than it was. I like DWP fanfiction normally but this was too close to the original to be uber even with changed names and events but it was also not close enough to the original to work as fanfiction. I like fanfiction because the work in creating the characters has already been done and as the reader I can just get into the story line. The first 40% was spent creating characters that are already known which seemed kind of pointless. Then the relationship between Scarlett and Natalia goes from zero to one hundred in under three seconds.

There is one scene of on page sex with elements of BDSM and thereafter there is very little chemistry between them so that I found it hard to believe in their connection. Natalia has come out of an abusive relationship but it is treated very surface level and I think there was supposed to be a comment around consent versus abuse but neither the BDSM nor the abuse is dealt with effectively enough to have an impact.

I think there was a lot of potential in the story that was never fully realised which was a pity considering the great cover and title. 2.5 stars.

[Sandra★ · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 ★

TW: Physical and mental abuse.

Even though I didn't absolutely love this story and felt it had quite a few things missing it was still fairly enjoyable and just what I needed at the moment, it was filled with angst but also had it's fair share of funny moments that made me laugh out loud. There was plenty of steamy and romantic scene and the bdsm scenes weren't super ''hardcore'' which I appreciated.

The only thing missing for me was getting to know the characters a little more and the characters getting to know each other more as well. I feel like they just went straight into the ''relationship'' not knowing one thing about each other. The two main characters sure had some steamy scenes but I still felt like the chemistry wasn't quite there.

I also felt it was kind of unrealistic that the main character just got out of a abussive relationship but still entered into a bdsm relationship without any thought or serious conversation about it.

Even though it wasn't my favorite I will still try out some other of Magnolia Robbins book since I've heard her other ones are better.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved the cover but not so much the story. Read this book after reading a highly entertaining book and was expecting a lot from Safe Words. Unfortunately, story felt really flat and the writing seems pretty simplistic - that’s just my thoughts though.

2.5 ⭐️ and rounding up cos I liked the cover ☺️

[Victoria · Rating 3 out of 5]

I actually took a star away because I got tired of hearing the phrase "We met eyes" about a dozen times.

[Sam Way · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book and the characters. It was very similar to the start of the 50 shades book, only F-F making it SO much better! And there’s no “inner f**king goddess” to put up with.

[Barbro-Katrin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’ve been warned that this was somewhat a cross between Devil Wears Prada and 50 shades. But I wasn’t prepared for how similar it was to almost every DWP fanfic out there and the movie/book it self. Seems like all that’s been changed is the names, their exes turned into woman, and some descriptions of the characters. Emily from DWP became Andrea, Andrea became Natalia and Miranda became Scarlett. I was so confused every time Andrea was mentioned.
This even had the “that’s all” at the end of Scarlett’s speech!
It’s basically a rip off off DWP and it doesn’t really try to hide it. I’ve read several books that started as DWP, but they were beautifully rewritten before they were published.
Someone said that they were sick of reading “we met eyes”, after I read that I couldn’t stop noticing the over use of those words.
The sex scenes were boring and tame. And there’s no talk about limits, likes/dislikes, they just jump right into on the first night they kiss. Without much build up.
The book wasn’t that well written. It was so short that I kept reading just to see how it ended. But I wouldn’t recommend this to anyone looking for either romance or erotica, cause it has none of it. There’s no depth to the story or the characters.

[Amy Girard · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a big fan of Magnolia Robbins books. This one was a bit different than her usual work but still very good. The BDSM scenes are what I would consider mild. They were however, well written with plenty of hotness. The story is fairly simple. Two women come together and find they have much more in common than they first thought. It's not a blow me over kind of romance but still a nice story. I did love how the tables turn at the very end.

[Megan [At The Cottage]]

Author faked disease and other despicable things

https://www.melissaterezeauthor.com/p...

https://www.sunflowerrosepublishing.c...

[LeeBookie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Safe Words is like a sapphic reimagining of The Devil Wears Prada. As the name implies, safe words are integral to the story and gives the book a comforting vibe as it applies to the MC’s. There is a subplot with abusive ex so obviously that part isn’t as comforting but it serves a purpose nonetheless. The story includes elements of BDSM but this isn’t erotica. It’s more of a standard romance level of steaminess so don’t let the light BDSM scare you off even if it’s not your usual cup of tea.

[Lori · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to give the author credit her story pulled me. The story flowed but for me the intimate scenes fell short, which was disappointing. The author actually left out key words to describe body parts. If you are going to write scenes with sexual content then you need to give the reader some type of visual that fits the scene. I really liked the storyline and the characters were interesting. Behind closed doors as the story would start to steam up it would just lose the flow.

I borrowed this from the lending library, in exchange for an honest review.

[Laurie Wutzke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Devil wears Prada with a twist

Hard to read at first because it’s a replica of the movie The Devil Wears Prada. But it gets better when the affair starts and we move away from the movie script.

[Maze · Rating 3 out of 5]

Let me start by saying the book cover is amazing. I normally don't pay attention to things such as that but with this book I just couldn't help it. I simply adore it. Very colorful and sexy. As far as the book itself, it was just okay. Reminded me of The Devil Wears Prada. Only real gripe I have is with the editing or the lack thereof.

[charles clayson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Captivating 🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹.
This story was astonishingly well thought out with vibrant characters. For I found it brilliantly written.

[Mallory · Rating 4 out of 5]

TW: A side storyline revolves around domestic abuse (both physical and emotional).

Disclaimer: I received and ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is a workplace romance (supervisor/supervisee) with light BDSM.

It took me a bit of time to get into this story. I got distracted at the beginning by the DWP similarities/nods which I am sure is actually a plus for many but not a fandom I follow.

That aside, as the story moved along and found its legs, the drama is distinct from DWP and as the story got into a new groove so did I. The beginning seemed slow but the back half had emotional intrigue I wasn’t expecting. I found myself more invested in the outcome of the main relationship, as well as the side female friendship stories than I thought I would after the first few chapters. Midway through I would have given this 3 stars, but the ending is strong, and I enjoyed the last scene a lot which often for me can make or break a book, so 4 stars it is.

Two complaints:
1. There were no surprises, by that I mean even the dramatic events/plot twists were fairly predictable and the chess moves were ones I saw coming.
2. For a title like Safe Words, I expected a bit more from the BDSM aspect of this story. On the other hand, it is very accessible for most audiences and might pique a readers curiosity enough to explore the BDSM community more on their own.

I will likely check out more of Robbins’ work.

[Cindy Stein · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a mash-up between The Devil Wears Prada and 50 Shades of Grey for lesbians. Natalia is a recent college graduate hired by a high-end fashion e-magazine for her first job. Her boss, Scarlett, is the demanding, ice queen boss, and Andrea is the experienced office manager who never seems satisfied with anything Natalia does. Slowly at first, it becomes clear that Scarlett and Natalia are headed for a Dom-Sub BDSM relationship with Natalia in the Sub role. But issues from past relationships make what is already a complicated situation even worse.

The book has a rather slow start and tracks The Devil movie a bit too closely, but then as the relationship begins, and the plot goes into high gear, it becomes a more engaging book that I was hooked on til the very end.

I liked this book much more than another of this author's books (Traffic & Weather), but she really needs to invest in a copy editor to get rid of all those little mistakes in the text that make the experience not as pleasant as it could be.

[Sue Ouellet-Cofsky · Rating 4 out of 5]

The more I read from Magnolia Robbins, the more I enjoy her books. I have no idea why I didn't read much F/F before her, perhaps I hadn't had a chance to find something that I could really sink my teeth into. The first book I read was sweet, loving with a little angst. This story was altogether different and for some reason something I hadn't really thought about. BDSM for me was always strong alpha male/submissive female stories for the most part with a bit of Domme thrown in here and there. This story with a strong female Domme and a woman who had no idea she could enjoy being submissive really brought a breath of fresh air to the BDSM Genre. Scarlett captivated me with her strong, powerful demeanor and watching Natalia grow into the woman she was meant to become, with a true strength all her own was a beautiful thing to read. A strong 4.5 stars for me!

[Just One More Page · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m not very good at reading blurbs before I read a book so I quite often go into a book blind and consequently it wasn’t what I was expecting from the title alone. It reads as though it started out at Devil Wears Prada fanfiction (but that should not be taken disparagingly - there are some incredible fanfiction writers out there).

There is a helpline at the end to help if any readers have gone through similar things and for that Robbins has to be applauded.

[Gina L · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good Read!

I enjoyed this story. Had the Devil Wears Prada classic vibe going in a lesbian way. I love the connection and chemistry between Scarlett Stone and Natalia Ross. I like where the story was going but I did NOT like the ending. After giving up her company, I would have thought the love they had for each other would be expressed somewhere different that what was now her ex’s company. Sort of fell flat for me.

[Janice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story

I enjoyed the story, and will read more from this author as soon as I have the chance.

I enjoy reading stories about people in BDSM relationships and seeing how they are mostly like everyone else outside of that aspect of their lives. And, of course, how they are very much different.

[Nour L · Rating 2 out of 5]

That was one of the most rushed books I've ever read... The DWP references were amusing at times, the BDSM parts were so flat, the sex scenes felt like the author was in a hurry to get it over with. The book has good characters if only some time was taken into developping them a bit more. Shame really.

[Emily Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heathy BDSM

Great Devil Wears Prada type storyline, but with a healthy dose of lesbian BDSM, contrasting it with an unhealthy controlling past relationship to show what proper BDSM can look like in a loving relationship. Way more plot than 50 Shades, too!

[Steve Going · Rating 1 out of 5]

What the f!

What is it with authors? They think an ending where the good guys lose and the bad guys get everything is enjoyable. I read romance to feel good. With your ending I felt robbed and empty. Not to mention I saw the ending coming a mile away (half way through the story).

[Kirian · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is two much citation from Devil wears Prada, sometimes felt more of a copy than a fanfic. I'm also not sure how to feel about the BDSM/Kink part mixed with workplace hierarchy. I could list a few lesfic with better handle on it: both discussion about consent and power imbalance.

[Dee]

The title, the cover, had me diving on this book. I'm glad I downloaded the kindle sample first.

[wilma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

The reading was very interesting it held my attention throughout it had lots of twists and I did not predict the outcome.

[Ankita Singh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review coming soon!

[David R Gilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read

Lesbian, erotic, submissives, demonic exs. This book has it all. Never read Magnolia before but will be doing so in future.

[A Bull In A Bookshop · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was okay. However I forgot I'd read it until I look at my list here. There was nothing memorable about it for me.

I do remember that the writing didn't annoy me. But the story itself was meh...