Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book
Rate this book
How far will you go to save a stranger?

A night out.
An exclusive club.
A complete stranger.

When I walked into his club, I thought it would be fun—exciting even. Troubled times had invaded my marriage and a night out with my best friend sounded like bliss.

I’m still young after all, just twenty-five years old, although lately it feels more like fifty.

It’s was time for something new, dare I say, something—thrilling? And yet, I never imagined what waited for me down that darkened alleyway, behind that steel door. Had I known, I probably would have run the other way.

But as I stepped over the threshold into that mysterious establishment, fate had plans of her own.

Solve the mystery today.

ebook

First published November 10, 2016

56 people are currently reading
494 people want to read

About the author

R.M. Gauthier

26 books835 followers
Renee Gauthier lives in Toronto, Canada. After returning to school, she graduated from the Film & Television program at Humber College in the spring of 2015.

During her years in this program she had the privilege of working on several short films and many commercials with her fellow students making up the crews. She had the pleasure of directing half of these projects and leading her crew to success. She has also taken on many other roles in including Production Manager, Assistant Director and Editor, and enjoys every aspect of the filmmaking process.

She is an author and when she started writing her novel, she had no idea that she would end up at this point… with one book finished and another underway.

Renee won 2nd place in the ‘League for Innovation Student Literary Contest’ for her One Act Play called ‘One Moment’.

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
19 (44%)
4 stars
10 (23%)
3 stars
7 (16%)
2 stars
5 (11%)
1 star
2 (4%)
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
Profile Image for Jennifer S. Alderson.
Author 47 books762 followers
May 28, 2017
Lexi is trapped in a loveless marriage and looking for a bit of adventure. Her best friend Haley introduces her to BDSM as a way of feeling alive. When the club owner takes an interest in Lexi, her world is turned upside down. Things quickly go from exciting to dangerous and Lexi is left to ponder her choices.
This is not a genre I normally would read, however it did pull me in and I ended up reading it in two sessions, something I rarely do! For that reason I am giving it 4 stars.
I won this book during a Mystery Thriller Week giveaway.
Profile Image for Tabi Slick.
Author 13 books112 followers
April 6, 2017
This book will definitely teach you that you should be careful what you wish for. Alexandria Shaw, who goes by Lexi, views her life as boring. She desperately desires a little more out of a life, a little more excitement. What she gets is quite a bit more than just a little excitement and could easily be lethal.

The Review & The Rant:

R.M. Gauthier has done an amazing job with the pacing of this story. It was never slow, she dropped surprises at the right time, and that’s not an easy thing to do. The conflict in this book definitely got under my skin so I have to give the author props for that. When things were going fine and dandy for Lexi I was cheering her on, but boy when she made bad decisions...so frustrating.

If we’re being truly honest, most of us have been swept up into a relationship we should’ve never gotten ourselves involved with in the first place. Lexi takes this concept to a whole new level. She says that she’s not stupid, but she is. I’m sorry. No wait, I’m not sorry. I have to say it. She gets herself involved with a CRAZY PERSON who has to have Dissociative Identity Disorder! And then defends him. Over. And over. And over again. If I could give Lexi any advice, and boy I wish I could, I’d tell her she is unhealthy. She needs to get herself some counseling and straight into a support group for those who’ve suffered through domestic violence. There are certain circumstances where she is incredibly intelligent, which made me root for her. Which made me scream at her when she would constantly do the opposite of what the little voice inside her head would advise her to do.

Hallelujah for Haley! Haley is her best friend. She’s a character that I definitely say at this point I like. She tries to tell Lexi to call the police, she tries to help her friend even when her friend doesn’t take her advice. Haley, I feel for you. That’s a frustrating position to be in and I don’t envy you for that. However, how could you introduce your friend to that kind of lifestyle in the first place? I don’t know. I really just don’t know.

I immediately got invested into Lexi’s story, to say the least, and desperately wanted to save her from some of her bad decisions. I hope that in future editions she grows into a stronger woman and realizes that she’s better off alone than with the company she’s getting herself involved with. I should warn anyone who hasn’t read 50 Shades of Gray that Control does include BDSM. I, for one, wasn’t prepared for this since I haven’t read 50 Shades of Gray. I’m not Rihanna. Chains and whips don’t excite me, but if they do then this book is for you!

Star Rating Report Card:

3.86 Stars out of 5
1) Were the characters believable?
★★ - 2 stars
2) Did you like the characters?
★★★★ - 4 stars
3) Does the story move at a good pace?
★★★★★ - 5 stars
4) Are there holes in the plot?
★★★ - 3 stars
5) Is there conflict?
★★★★★ - 5 stars
6) Is the point-of-view consistent?
★★★★★ - 5 stars
7) Did you enjoy the story overall?
★★★ - 3 stars
Profile Image for S.K. Wee.
Author 15 books342 followers
November 9, 2016
Great story dealing with love, lust and obsession. Lexi is dealing with a stale marriage and needs some excitement in her life. Enter Landon, a mysterious club owner and the sparks fly.
Profile Image for Jessica Jesinghaus.
Author 10 books181 followers
January 8, 2017
Holy crap! Told first person from the point of view of Lexi, we are allowed to witness Lexi's into into the BDSM realm. Her best friend, Hailey, has participated in the lifestyle for some time, but kept it secret from Lexi until the fateful day when Lexi laments the lack of excitement in her life. That night Hailey takes her to an exclusive club, except Lexi knows absolutely nothing about the type of club she's in. Shocker, right?

As a newcomer to the lifestyle, Lexi is understandably taken aback. While exploring the club she encounters Landon, the club's mysterious, wealthy owner. Now, as I was reading the first handful of chapters I couldn't help but draw parallels to Fifty Shades... especially when Lexi and Landon begin to discuss their contract. Landon: the damaged, reclusive millionaire. Lexi: the self-doubting innocent. But I assure you, that's where the similarities end.

Lexi is a married woman in a boring, thankless relationship. She's questioning her life, her accomplishments, and her future. She's infatuated with Landon, drawn to him magnetically, and her willingness to consider a contractual relationship with him is based solely on her desire to be near him. She's willing to do anything to be in his orbit.

Control has the bones of a great book! And the ending!?! WTF? I didn't see it coming. AT ALL! I seriously hope there's a second installment in the works. There is no HEA in this story and the ending is quite the shocker.

The only issue I had with this book, and what kept me from giving Control a full five stars, was the over use and/or misuse of certain punctuation. There were lots of sentences with random semicolons in them. Comas placed in abundance where there needn't be any. Another editing pass at this book to remove extraneous punctuation marks would give Control a facelift.

All told, this is an awesome story. The erotica element is mild, so readers worried about the BDSM content needn't be. It's more like a supporting character in the book than a gratuitous ploy to draw in readers. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys a dark romance.
Profile Image for Bookish .
Author 20 books171 followers
November 1, 2016
I couldn't put this book down. Right from the start, the characters were interesting, and I could relate easily to Lexi as she explored her thoughts and feelings. Before long, I felt like I knew her and was travelling alongside her in her adventures. I grew protective and defensive of her as the story progressed, and felt anger at those who hurt or disappointed her.

Comparisons with '50 Shades' are probably unavoidable, except that Gauthier's 'Control' is better written and the characters are more realistic. There is much less graphic sex, but there is a lot more thoughtful character development and a far more believable plot. The characters are less wooden and far less shallow and selfish than Ana and Christian, who both frustrated me and angered me at different times.
There are some occasional typos, but they are easy to overlook as the story keeps moving at a really good pace, with some surprises and twists to keep the reader hooked.

There are some sophisticated and complex ideas and themes explored in this book that really challenge the reader's own perceptions and assumptions. While some of the elements of the book are things that many people might not ever undertake or express an interest in, the point is that we can all benefit from remembering that there is always more to someone's story than what they are willing or able to tell us.

I really enjoyed this book. It's only for an adult audience, and I'd suggest that those adults be open-minded and not too conservative in their outlook on life. If you fit into that demographic, then you'll enjoy this book. If you thought '50 Shades' was good, this is better.
Profile Image for MelMon Sanchez.
587 reviews8 followers
January 2, 2018
Twisted! When Haley pulled her bff Lexie into her world, she never expected things to go the way they did. Not only was her marriage falling apart but her life right in front of her. Landon Miller becomes her infatuation and for sure he feels a pull to Lexie.

Things aren't as they seem at all when the story takes a turn for the worse. Alistair is there to claim what is his and nothing and no one is going to stand in his way.

This book felt too much like 50 Shades of Grey mixed with Behind the Door for my taste. The BDSM perspective was lost when Landon took things to the sadism side. In no real world or romance would that situation fly. Seems like Leroy is the one who really cares what happens to Lexie, even if it is under Landon's order.

I was upset that there wasn't any background to explain why he is so turtured with nightmares, how Alistair comes into play, why a billionaire bachelor would be the submissive to anyone in this way? Left to much unexplained for me.
Profile Image for Eva Pasco.
Author 7 books383 followers
November 2, 2016
How well do we know ourselves? That is the question I am still pondering, having walked more than a mile in Alexandria (Lexi) Shaw’s shoes after a night on the town with her girlfriend, touring an exclusive club catering to an elite clientele whose sexual forays embrace the subculture of BDSM.

Oh, Alexandria already knew she paid the price for previous choices she’d made in her life—one of them, maintaining her comfortably numb, subservient role of dutiful wife to a husband she wasn’t head-over-heels in love with.

Then, meeting club owner, Landon Miller awakened feelings inside Lexi she never knew existed, leading her astray from her well-worn path of predictability.

Hooked right from the beginning, I attribute this to the author’s narrative from Lexi’s point of view which “leashes” the reader’s attention for keeping pace along a story that leaves you reeling in disbelief.

While the author affords us a voyeuristic glimpse into an alternate lifestyle embraced by consenting adults, she does not make judgement calls or cast aspersions on the characters who engage in it. And, neither did I, because given the right catalyst, there’s no telling how anyone will react at a vulnerable moment by veering off course. Lexi does enough mind wrestling of her own over losing control to a man she can’t get out of her head. I can’t either, longing to meet him again in the next book of this series.

I highly recommend ‘Control’ for delving into uncharted territory, while focusing on the inner conflicts and psychological effects of following one’s heart to a dark place where nothing is as it seems, but can’t will yourself to leave.
Profile Image for P.J. Mann.
Author 18 books67 followers
July 12, 2018
An ejoyable read!

Control is the first book of a series, and already since the beginning the action kicks in, making you wonder about the identity and background of the elusive Landon Miller. That man is the kind of person who seems to be always a step ahed everything and everybody. he is the one your guts suggest you to avoid, but curiosity screams to follow. I found this book intriguing and very well written. The author was able to keep my attention always awake with new twists and turns in the plot. I am looking forward to see what is happening in the next book and who is actually Landon Miller.
12.6k reviews190 followers
April 19, 2018
Alexandria finds herself immersed in a web of deceit and lies. An impossible to put down book.
Profile Image for Liz Lawson.
729 reviews29 followers
October 15, 2017
Emotions invoked by this book .... frustration, anger... what did I just read? Suspense yes. The ending.... didn't see that coming. Landon is Lexi's lustful need. I loved the ending, not what I was expecting. Must read book two, can Lexis get her man or will her world crash and burn.
16 reviews
September 22, 2017
This book turned out to be quite the page-turner. A psychological thriller with many twists and turns. The BDSM portion was merely a backdrop to the story line... so there was no prolonged, detailed sex scenes involving BDSM which is a relief to those of us not into this type of thing. Having said that, there IS violence, manipulation, abuse and mental illness.

Positive:
The suspense and thriller portion was really good. I have to say that the novel kept me engaged to the end. And what an end! I didn't see that coming.

Negative:
I'm not sure that I will continue with the second book of the series. I was very disappointed with all of the editing issues (incorrect punctuation, grammar errors, missing words, etc...). It baffles me how authors can publish books without proper editing. Personally, I find it insulting that they would expect people to pay for a product that is incomplete. I won this book in a giveaway but I'm very reluctant to pay for any further books in the series due to all the editing problems.
Profile Image for Texas.
1,685 reviews394 followers
April 12, 2018
Control #1 - Not into BDSM, which doesn't get too graphic continuously, just in one scene. Didn't care for Lexi, a weak woman making bad decisions. I didn't trust Landon, a damaged character with more going on than the story lets surface. The story did get interesting, filled with suspense. By the way it ends, I'm assuming there's more to come. Disregarding the subject matter, Control was actually hard to put down once started, even though the first few chapters were slow going. I contacted the author to review her books, not knowing what the book was about.

Bound #2 - A suspenseful, action-packed, humorous continuation of Control. The beginning is slow, but the pace picks up quickly and keeps it up. Lexi redeems herself, and along with Landon, is full of surprises. Leroy is a great supporting character. If you like stories about the Mafia, read this. For those who care, there's infrequent cursing and no sex. Hopefully, we'll see more of Leroy and Landon; I get the impression there's more to their story. I contacted the author to review her books and she gave me this ARC.

Freedom #3 - Another suspenseful, intriguing continuation of Control and Bound, which must be read before reading this book. Well written, suspense filled and intriguing and told by Landon, we find out the rest of the story. Ms. Gauthier has done wonderful job with her descriptions, planning and combining bits of Control and Bound as needed; as well as the gamut of emotions experienced. A very addicting, substantial series that must be read. I contacted the author to review her books and luckily it was Landon's story.

Longing - Glad to get background on Leroy, I found him an interesting character in Control and Bound. The author tells interesting, suspenseful, action-packed stories, but does have a problem with grammar, word usage and punctuation. For those who care, she doesn't use vulgar language, and other than one sex scene in Control, there's no sex. There's improvement between Longing and Bound, and I hope to see Leroy and Landon in future books. I was put on a mailing list and received this short story.

The Christmas Miracle Series are a group of short stories concerning a man discovering love and his adaption to the changes that love brings to his life. The stories are interesting and quickly read, although I would have preferred a complete book. On Easter has a cliffhanger ending, but by this book's release, the reader knows there's more to the story yet to come.

Once Upon a Fabulous Time – A collection of stories from six authors. Five of these authors are new to me, but I enjoyed most of the stories. Most of the stories need editing, mainly wrongly used words or spelling errors. I contacted Ms. Gauthier many books ago to review her books.

R.M. Gauthier, Millie’s Story - This book is written with a librarian, the main character, reading mysteriously appearing, demanding-to-be-read books that each contain a fairy tale or story. As the story continues, in betwixt the mysterious books, the librarian grows more interesting, as does her story, and she has a dilemma, which will end her happy existence at the library that she built up over the years. I’ll let you discover which fairy tale she represents.
Profile Image for Tammy Crawford.
933 reviews7 followers
November 11, 2017
This book was so intense. This story was such a rollercoaster ride. One minute your happy, surprised, mad as hell, and crying from a broken heart. Highly recommend. Won this book in a giveaway. Thank you
Profile Image for Amy Shannon.
Author 127 books135 followers
January 21, 2018
Thrilling and extremely sexy

The reader enters a world of BDSM and definitely filled with control, more like the controlling of others, but some want that sort of thing. This story is thrilling and sexy, and filled with desire, not just from the pleasures, but also looking for a killer. It's a well written story, and deserves the attention it's getting. Lexi enters a world she's not familiar with, but it helps bring her to life. The characters had this great chemistry and the reader was left looking for the deception and murder in between them. It's a great story. Look forward to reading the next one in the series. This one does leave the reader hanging...
Profile Image for Amber Daniels.
Author 3 books28 followers
April 15, 2018
Loved this book. I can't wait to read the others that come after it!
+++UPDATE+++
I have now read them all and you should too! Trying to get into Landon Millers mind to find out what makes him who he is will be like pulling teeth all the way to the end.
Profile Image for Cyrene Olson.
1,412 reviews16 followers
March 2, 2017
Uncaged Book Reviews:

I’m not giving away anything more, but the author does a fantastic job with this story, and I had a hard time putting this one down, and this is not my go-to type of story – so that’s saying a lot. I stopped at 4 stars on this one, and I would have easily given it a full 5 star rating, except for the cliffhanger ending, which sucked the life right out of me. Will I read the next installment? You bet. I don’t mind a sedge way into the next installment, but I’m not a fan of books that demand you read the next one to complete the story arc.

Full review at UncagedBooks.com
Profile Image for J.B. Richards.
Author 6 books146 followers
Read
February 6, 2017
At first glance, Author R.M. Gauthier’s Mystery Thriller novel, “Control”, appears to be just another tale about a bored housewife having problems with her humdrum marriage. But once Alexandria Shaw is offered a choice between the Red Pill and the Blue Pill by best friend Haley, she is ushered through the world of an illicit private adult nightclub where public nudity, dominant/submissive role-playing, and sexual demonstrations are the norm. Enter nightclub owner Landon Miller who instantly has Lexi longing for a soiree and fantasizing about a personal relationship with this irresistibly charming and handsome stranger—this intriguing “man of mystery”. Readers will not be disappointed by this fast-paced, sexy Mystery Thriller!

As Alexandria navigates her way through Miller’s adult Wonderland, Author Gauthier executes a brilliant psychological drama that is—to say the least—heart-stopping, but certainly delicious! She elicits both sympathy and anger at her protagonist, Lexi Shaw, as she is caught up in a vendetta of jealousy between long-time rivals and suffers the single-most abusive, not to mention terrifying experience of her life. Here, the author’s treatment of the relationship between Landon and Shaw pulls no punches, and the reader is left shaken, chapter after chapter, by the ever increasing passion and tension that develops between Landon and Lexi. Gauthier demonstrates her genius in weaving a complex and incomparable Mystery Thriller tale as she delicately peels away the thick layers of Mr. Miller’s elusive past, ultimately revealing an ending that will certainly have readers gaping in disbelief!
Profile Image for Sushant Sawant.
36 reviews6 followers
November 8, 2016
If you are person who loves to read mystery and thriller genre, then you will definitely love this book. Based on the lines of the alternate lifestyle of BDSM, the author of this book has depicted this lifestyle without being subjective. Comparison with 50 Shades of Grey is imminent but let me assure you, if have read 50 Shades of Grey and have like it, then you will love this one.

Read this one for great story line, for the many thriller elements in the book and for awesome writing and narration of R.M.Gauthier. For more details regarding the book, visit http://the-empty-pages.blogspot.in/20...
Profile Image for Misty.
74 reviews6 followers
January 16, 2019
The book needs editing as there are multiple missing words and punctuation errors. The story is similar to Fifty Shades of Grey but without the sexual detail. There is an interesting twist but the book ends on a cliffhanger. It was fine and I’d like to know how it ends but I’m not sure I will pay to read the rest. I received this first book for free in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Mary Dickens.
17 reviews
May 26, 2017
I loved this book. It touched on BDSM, which I am not to fond of. There was suspense, twist and turns and the characters and story line was very believable. I highly recommend this series.
Profile Image for Abbie.
22 reviews74 followers
March 26, 2017

When a woman looking for a little excitement steps into an alternative lifestyle club, she’ll discover a world laden with mystery and desire.

A beautifully dark story about the complex desires we feel and the choices that we face. The characters are complex, the plot is riveting, and the ending will leave you longing for more.

In a sea of indie novels revolving around the BDSM world, R.M. Gauthier goes deeper beyond the physical. For a BDSM novel, the erotic themes are mild. I encourage readers who generally shy away from erotic books to still give it a chance. This isn’t just a book about sexual choices, but it’s a look into the parts of life that make us whole or leave us wanting more. If you’re looking for a breathtaking psychological thriller, this book is for.
1,471 reviews7 followers
March 20, 2022
Wow! What a book.

This book was not what I expected. It sure showed another side of peoples depravity. The main characters had a weird love connection. I can't believe the cliff hanger at the end. Can't wait to read the next book.
1,964 reviews
November 20, 2019
I'm not ready to review this book yet. I need more empathy and information . Perhaps after book 2.
941 reviews2 followers
November 1, 2024
A strange one

The author has created an interesting and unusual plot to go with an imaginative group of characters with an unexpected ending
Profile Image for J.B. Richards.
Author 6 books146 followers
February 6, 2017
At first glance, Author R.M. Gauthier’s Mystery Thriller novel, “Control”, appears to be just another tale about a bored housewife having problems with her humdrum marriage. But once Alexandria Shaw is offered a choice between the Red Pill and the Blue Pill by best friend Haley, she is ushered through the world of an illicit private adult nightclub where public nudity, dominant/submissive role-playing, and sexual demonstrations are the norm. Enter nightclub owner Landon Miller who instantly has Lexi longing for a soiree and fantasizing about a personal relationship with this irresistibly charming and handsome stranger—this intriguing “man of mystery”. Readers will not be disappointed by this fast-paced, sexy Mystery Thriller!

As Alexandria navigates her way through Miller’s adult Wonderland, Author Gauthier executes a brilliant psychological drama that is—to say the least—heart-stopping, but certainly delicious! She elicits both sympathy and anger at her protagonist, Lexi Shaw, as she is caught up in a vendetta of jealousy between long-time rivals and suffers the single-most abusive, not to mention terrifying experience of her life. Here, the author’s treatment of the relationship between Landon and Shaw pulls no punches, and the reader is left shaken, chapter after chapter, by the ever increasing passion and tension that develops between Landon and Lexi. Gauthier demonstrates her genius in weaving a complex and incomparable Mystery Thriller tale as she delicately peels away the thick layers of Mr. Miller’s elusive past, ultimately revealing an ending that will certainly have readers gaping in disbelief!

Note: This review has been posted to my Goodreads blog and to my Author's Blog at The Writers Block at The Yeshua and Miri Novel Series website.
Profile Image for Sarah Northwood.
Author 20 books375 followers
November 28, 2016
“Lexi” is looking to kick start her life, she’s stuck in a rut and just wants some happiness. That’s when her best friend takes her on a trip that opens her eyes to what’s out there. The story focuses on her journey into the BDSM world where she meets the charming and elusive Landon Miller. I found the story easy to read and I’m looking forward to finding out what happens next in the story as we are left on a cliff hanger.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.