Trapped

Club Indigo #1

by Karen Nappa

Neither was looking for love, much less for forever. But when a tornado traps them in a laundromat, one night together just isn’t enough.

Hard-working, middle-aged Laura Turner dotes on her family but she has little life of her own. After a loveless marriage and a bitter divorce, a dominant man is the last thing she wants.

James Black has worked hard to establish his construction business. Divorced for three years, he knows what he wants, and it isn’t the too-young and too-demanding submissives who throw themselves at him at Club Indigo. When James introduces Laura to the pleasures of the lifestyle, he realizes he may have found what he has been looking for – an intelligent woman who can be his partner, as well as his submissive.

A tornado brought them together, but a dark past keeps driving them apart. Can James coax Laura from the fear that won’t let her get what she needs, or will she stay trapped by her memories?

Publisher’s Note: This steamy contemporary romance contains elements of power exchange.

Genres: BDSM, Romance, Erotica, Abuse, Contemporary Romance, Suspense, Erotic Romance

237 pages, ebook

First published April 11, 2019

About the author

Karen Nappa is an Amazon bestselling author of Seasoned BDSM romance with HEA. Her books are available at the popular retailers and include series such as the Club Indigo series and The Quinn Quartet.

Immersed in the D/s lifestyle herself, she writes realistic albeit romantic stories. When not dominated by her cats or her Master (in that order—even if it earns her a spanking!), she loves going places to discover the stories waiting to be written.

She resides in the Netherlands with her dominant husband, two adult-ish sons—and whoever they might drag home with them—and, of course, her two Chausie cats. If she isn’t writing or texting with friends, she’s probably reading, running, or listening to heavy metal.

Reviews

[⭐ Emerson ⭐ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Trapped is an incredibly well-written debut novel by the writing duo known as Karen Nappa. It is the first book in their Club Indigo series.

The story chronicles a woman who is exploring BDSM for the first time with a Master she met whilst trapped at the laundromat. I loved their steamy little meet-cute.

The authors wrote about BDSM in a very responsible and accurate way.
The h was a complete novice. Her only knowledge of the lifestyle was from reading Cherise Sinclair books.
(Which is a pretty good start ;))
I'm always happy to see the lifestyle depicted in a positive light.

The main characters were compelling, likeable & well-developed. Their backstories were detailed & in-depth. The plot was engaging. The pace was just right. I had a hard time putting it down.

It was also refreshing to read a story where the characters weren't idealized. They resembled RL people, with RL bodies, problems, and insecurities... And they weren't 20 somethings.
Don't get me wrong, I like to read stories about people of any age, but sometimes it's nice to read a more mature & realistic romance.

Trapped is a beautiful love story. I really enjoyed meeting Laura and James.

The secondary characters were intriguing & fun, too. They'll definitely leave you wanting more Club Indigo!!!
Interconnected standalones are my absolute favorite reads.











Pick up your copy here: It's only $3.99 or FREE on KU!
https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B07QP84KP...

[Cécile Smits · Rating 5 out of 5]

How often do you witness the birth of the very first book of an author?
Not to mention the very first book of an author duo?
This was a first for me,and i really loved it!
I mean,even though it was the first,it blew me away.....só good!
I can’t wait for the other stories in this series,and i truelly hope they won’t stop there.....

About the story,it tells us how Laura and James meet. In the laundromat,during a storm. She’s still recovering from a bad marriage,and not ready for someone as dominant as James. Even though she loves reading about that kind of men,she doesn’t believe they are real. But they are,and James really is one. Misunderstandings and lack of contactinfo keeps them apart for some time,but Laura does want to know more about this BDSM stuff.....and James doesn’t stop searching for that sweet sub that haunts his dreams.

The journey towards eachother and their journey towards a happy life including BDSM is told with such love,it’s beautiful to watch.
I’m not going to spill the whole story,you need to feel this one yourself,trust me. I know you’ll love it!

[Metalkarin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great first standalone in series

I really enjoyed James and Laura. They’re people I can relate to, normal people with a kinky side.
The book is part of a series, but it has an happy ending - no cliffhangers 😁.

I think this book will appeal to people who enjoy Cherise Sinclair’s Masters of the Shadowlands.

[Cécile Smits · Rating 5 out of 5]

Karen Nappa got the rights back to the books of her very first series Club Indigo,and to celebrate that,she decided to polish them up.
Give them not only a new cover,but add to the stories.
That means Trapped is now called James,and the cover alone looks delicious!
Having read the original story,i was curious to what else she’d done,and after reading the ARC of James,i can safely say it’s got more…..body,more depth.
I can see the difference,and it shows how much she’s grown since she first published.
The heart of the story remains the same,but the added details give it a richer reading experience.


The people are still real,they could be living next door if you know what i mean. Living lives just like yours,with the addition of that delicious little bite of kink they enjoy.
They have their flawes,just like you,and go through disappointments and have their good moments,just like you.
They’re not super models,and again, they’re just like you.
They like,just like you,the same normal stuff,have the same kind of hobbies.
And they get hurt the same as you.
They have their insecurities,and their firm believes….just like you.


About the story,it tells us how Laura and James meet.
In the laundromat,during a storm.
She’s still recovering from a bad marriage,and not ready for someone as dominant as James.
Even though she loves reading about that kind of men,she doesn’t believe they are real.
But they are,and James really is one.
Misunderstandings and lack of contactinfo keeps them apart for some time,but Laura does want to know more about this BDSM stuff.....and James doesn’t stop searching for that sweet sub that haunts his dreams.
Her past makes it hard for her to trust men,but lucky for her,James is ready to prove her he’s a different man than her ex.
One that will do anything to make her happy…..if she’ll let him.
Unfortunately,her ex still causes trouble,and it makes her second guess everything….including her relationship with James.
He desperately wants to protect her from danger,but she pushes him away.
Will he be able to convince her it’s not a lack of strenght to accept his help?
That he’s not trying to take over her entire life,but merely wants her to be safe?




The journey towards eachother and their journey towards a happy life including BDSM is told with so much love,it’s beautiful to watch.
People care about their loved ones in this town ,and at the club they’re just as close.
They’re ready to help anyone that needs it,and in this case that means helping Laura and James find eachother. In every way.
They support them when times get rough,and they need someone to lean on.

This is a story that has all the feels,the highs as well as the lows.
The insecurities and vulnerabilities as well as the confidence and strenght.
To be able to tear down walls erected by bad experiences,and build something beautiful instead.
To survive the trouble thrown at you….together.

It’s also a story that introduces you to the world of BDSM,and it’s done with a lot of care,showing you the do’s and don’ts,and how to explore this world safely,including the need to communicate…..
It also shows that submission is not a show of weakness,but of strenght…..and trust in your partner.

In short,it’s a story i loved,very much!

[Kristina P · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book isn’t like most, both MCs are strong characters. Laura isn’t a typical damsel in distress. She’s been through the flames and crawled her way out to take care of herself. But then James comes in and shows her that all men aren’t the same. Can Laura learn to trust him or will she let her past dictate her future? No laundromat will ever be the same.

[Merissa (Archaeolibrarian) · Rating 4 out of 5]

TRAPPED is the first book in the Club Indigo series, and we meet Laura and James in a laundromat. James is a Dom who knows what he likes, and Laura is it. He knows she is a submissive, but she doesn't. Yes, she's read books about it, but that isn't real life... is it?

This was a great introduction to their world. There are plenty of characters to learn about and love. Some are not so nice, Jake for example. I'd like to list a redeeming quality, but I don't think he had any!

The pacing is smooth, enough to keep your interest without being an info-dump. James and Laura's relationship is not a smooth one, per se, but the heat is intense. I was hoping for a HEA, but I'll leave it to you to read to see if I got one.

A great start to the series and I can't wait to read more. Definitely recommended by me.

[Steelwhisper · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book came highly recommended for being "realistic" and SSC BDSM.



Ooookayyy...

If this is realistic, somewhere on this planet, then this area needs a whole lot more sex-ed in their schools. And SSC? Absolutely not! This was abuse and sexual harassment in disguise. Actually it was a lot like little Sallie imagines BDSM relationships work.

--- There be spoilers below this line ---

Laura visits a laundromat late at night during a storm. She is reading a BDSM romance written by Cherise Sinclair (unfortunately the author of this here book has taken Sinclair for reality!) and gets observed by yours truly, the domly dom James, who - like obviously a typically rabid and sex-craving dom - comes on to her. He orders her around, and when she refuses to do as he says, he threatens her with a spanking. Not just that - again like all these superdomly doms - he also devines just going by the book she reads, that she has to be a submissive.



Boy, could that go wrong! I've read Sinclair, and I'm a card-carrying female sadist, who'd probably crack his nuts for such a come-on! And most real doms actually know that such assumptions are no good idea at all.

And when she pushes back, the threatens her with a spanking, then declares that they will be having a BDSM session while in the laundromat. Nope. Giving her a safeword isn't changing this into consensual BDSM. He still is harassing and abusing her. Nope. That she comes or experiences lust or has an orgasm isn't turning this into consensual anything. Women can have orgasms from rape. It's a physical reaction, and oftentimes also a psychological reaction to abusive sex.

So. Welp. Just a few pages in I was shaking my head so fast and grumbling so loudly that my poor doggie thought I was angry at her. The entire initial meet-cute read like a very skeevy sexual harassment and actual physical abuse. So much so that it wasn't even funny and I gave up on this.

And no, I'm not going to explain how it really should have played out. Let me just say that he should have smiled and invited her to a munch. And the author really needs to up her game. This is plain old bodice ripping, and not of the good kind, either, because people will believe what she describes is okay.

[Kristen Lewendon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love that these leading characters have a few years of experience behind them. It makes them very relatable to me. The previous marriages and past relationship baggage are also relatable – to a lot of us, I think. I had previously read and enjoyed the original version of this book, but I had a couple reservations. This new edition of the story took nearly everything that was a pain point to me and transformed it. I still have a few frustrations over some actions the characters take, but for who James and Laura are and what they’re going through at the time, the actions make sense. I adored James. He rushes some of his fences, but I think the man has the patience of a saint. I loved Laura, but she pressed some of my hot buttons and that led to the above noted frustrations. I really liked the way the Lifestyle is portrayed here. And particularly the careful way it treads around Laura’s past abuse. I also appreciated the stressing of ‘safe, sane, and consensual’ that isn’t always found in a lot of the fiction in this genre. I had a lot of fun coming back to the beginning of this series and watching all these connections developing again.
I received a complimentary advance copy of this book through StoryOrigin.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable read from a somewhat different perspective…
This was a very enjoyable read about two people that were later on in life and in the case of Laura who had lost her partner, then had to go through all the bitterness and the indignity of a bitter divorce for something she had very little control over having been forced into a single life she had neither expected or desired. However now that finds herself in this situation she has decided to try to see if perhaps what she was looking for could be found in a BDSM lifestyle and then there was James a Dom that simply wanted a submissive with whom he can play and in Laura’s case who he thinks he can help overcome some of the trauma she has endured, the overcome and resolve issues together forming a close and lasting bond.
This is a very interesting read that holds your attention the characters are well written along with an excellent plot.
I voluntarily received and review an Advanced Reader Copy
I thoroughly enjoyed the book and look forward to reading any future publications; keep up all the great writing.

[Candy Ottarski · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great book. I thoroughly enjoyed the characters. It was a hot and steamy read. Laura Turner has had a bad experience in the love and relationship department. Her ex-husband physically and mentally abused her. She is now used to being in control. James Black is divorced and into the BSDM lifestyle. He has scenes with a few women but he has yet to find the perfect submissive. That is until the night the tornado hit the laundry mat and he met Laura. They have a night together neither of them will soon forget. But things in Laura's past seem to get in the way of any sort of relationship she has with James. She is trapped in her horrific past memories of her ex-husband. Will she be able to give James control he needs as a dominant? Can she be a submissive after the life she has had with her ex?

[Toni L · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book by this author that I've read and found it a really enjoyable read. The characters are interesting, the writing is good, it's nicely paced and is overall engaging. If you've never read any BDSM themed stories this would make a perfect entry as you can follow along with Laura on her journey. I don't know whether it was by design or accident but I found quite a few character names familiar from other sources (names only - not character personality). Looking forward to more in this series.

[Anne Donaldson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a brilliant book for both lovers of the BDSM genre and newbies to it, tracing the relationship of James, an established Dom, and Laura, a novice sub. They meet when stranded in a laundromat – how’s that for an opening setting! These are real people, with real issues, weight, apprehension, family dramas. The story itself is particularly relatable to anyone who has escaped (or wants to escape) an abusive marriage, as are Laura’s fears of being dominated in a non-caring way again. The heat is, well, hot, the story is engaging, the other characters make you want to know more – and I hope there’s a great deal of Club Indigo in my future!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Marybeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is really a how to book on building a D/s relationship. Laura has recovered from an abusive marriage. She is proud of the independence she has achieved. James is a Dom. He meets Laura unexpectedly during a tornado. This is the start of a relationship for them. Laura has to learn to trust again and James needs to be patient. There is some drama thrown in, but the main story is their relationship. I really enjoyed this story and I give it 5 stars. I can't wait for the next book in the series.

[Nancy Nicholson hughes · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a well written bdsm book of James and Laura. He is an experienced dom, and at their first meeting, she is vanilla, but shows an interest of being submissive. Fate has it, they meet again and she’s ready. This is a highly recommended read, and I look forward to read more from this author. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book.

[Deborah Grinaker]

This is a fascinating gentle introduction into Domination/Submissives (D/s) in the BDSM scene. The story is not all about BDSM either, it has action, adventure, criminal activity, rescue as well as family time, communication time (important for both sides of the relationship to learn), and identifying triggers from previous traumas. Yes, there are graphic sexual scenes, but no violence or degradation against submissives (who are not always women). There is a lot of trust involved in true BDSM, and accountability to each other and in the set. A definite recommend for those whose are curious about BDSM and who enjoy a well written story.

[Pico1 · Rating 5 out of 5]

An enjoyable book about two strong people – Laura and James. They meet by accident, and he gradually educates her about BDSM – but in a gentle, loving way. She has a lot of problems due to a bitter, unpleasant divorce – and other problems which come up related to her former husband. The story takes us through the process of resolving these issues. Both characters have good values and are intelligent and interesting, and the story moves quickly to its conclusion.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

A new series called Club Indigo by an Author I have not read before I will be looking for more stories by her. Laura Turner and James Black's story kept me turning pages I had to know how everything would turn out. There is BDSM, and one ex-husband that is really something. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Elizabeth McDaniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Laura and James took quite an interesting and long journey to reach their HEA. The world of BDSM is quite a big step for Laura after her abusive relationship with her exhusband. James enjoys the life of a Dom and loves Laura but her excited showing up bringing loan sharks after her when he gets killed makes her deepen her doubts with her relationship with James. Great unique story and characters.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Toi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful Read

James and Laura meet in the laundromat, survive a tornado an attack by her ex husband but can they survive when she pulls away because of fear - only time will tell.

[Blue Moon-Shepherd · Rating 5 out of 5]

First book of theirs I’ve read and

Loved it! I must admit, Laura was beginning to drive me a little bit crazy, but hey - it’s part of what made the story interesting- especially Jake’s character twists.

Well done.

[Heart5 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an enjoyable story to read. The characters were likeable and the story was both well written and well paced. I could definitely relate to Laura as she seemed to be the person everyone leaned on. James was a nice combination of stern and kind, and just overall perfect for Laura. I liked that the characters were a bit older than normal for this genre and were already well established in life. This was definitely a good start for this author and I look forward to reading more from her in the future.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.  Laura has a fear of commitment for good reason so when she's trapped by circumstances with Dom James, she is leary of continuing, but intrigued.  When her past comes back with a vengeance, can she move past it or is it even worth it?   Dominance and submission.

[Hope W · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trapped is a wonderful introduction to the new series, Club Indigo. I loved the attention gripping story that shows the developing love between James and Laura. James, a Dom, always put Laura's needs above his own as he introduced her to the real life of BDSM. He stressed the safe, sane, and consensual aspects of the lifestyle and showed patience with her past hurts. The spankings were appropriate and well written with the love developing yet deep. When you add the love story to the suspense and danger in the plot it makes for a sitting on the edge of your seat book. I highly recommend this book and look forward to more books from this author. I voluntarily received an arc copy of this book.

[Kathy Heare Watts · Rating 5 out of 5]

TRAPPED BY FEAR OF MY PAST

I enjoyed this story from beginning to end with a great cast of characters, plenty of emotions, angst, passion, and fears. Ms. Karen Nappa is a new author that I will definitely read again. After reading the prologue for the next book, Trusted, I am looking forward to seeing what will happen with Suzie.

The story will begin in a Laundromat with Laura doing her weekly load of laundry while another regular customer, James, is also there. The weather will become volatile with a tornado that will have them seeking shelter in a back room until rescued the next day. With Laura reading a BDSM book, the conversation will turn to dominance and submission and James will give her a mild taste of reality. But when the morning comes, they will get separated, and no contact information exchanged, it will leave them each feeling confused—she questions did he just use her, and he is trying to find her again.

The plot will have Laura confused that James hasn’t contacted her after their night in the laundromat and James has looked everywhere for her. Laura has decided to explore BDSM deeper, attending munches and making friends in the BDSM community. When they finally meet up again, it will be months later, can he convince her that he wants to see her again? That he hasn’t stopped thinking about her and has tried to find her.

“She was his—his sub, his lover, his woman.”

The story delves into the relationship of a dominant and submissive, having Laura experiencing a mild scene and wanting more. James is a patient teacher, and she is a willing pupil, and their relationship is working fine until they run into her ex while out on a date. The past still haunts her and seeing Jake only makes it worse. Will she run from what is developing with James fearing she is losing her independence? Throw in trouble brought on her doorstep by her ex and his gambling will take this tale into a life and death situation. Will she accept the help of James and the police to keep her safe?

I love how the author through her characters emphasize the principles of safe, sane and consensual, using safe words and respecting them. The various forms of play and how each individual or partners are as unique as any other couple. You can’t help but want to cheer for James and Laura as a couple and what things to work out with them.

“Do you realize if you commit, you’re mine—body, mind, and soul?”

[Valerie · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars rounded up for optimism about the rest of the series

The writing was okay and I understand the struggle when trying to establish a world in the first book that is to be used in rest of a series. Nevertheless, some things just did not jive with me. Here is my pros and cons list from this book, unique to me.
Pros:
-BDSM munches and normal every conversation with normal everyday struggles
-Club goers are not leather-clad GQ models & playboy bunnies
-Recognition of different body types in the scene
-fairly realistic questions & answer sessions between newbies and experienced lifestylers.
-Accusations and disbelief from non-kinksters who just don't get it & only attribute BDSM to the Fifty Shades series. (this was close to being unbelievable, but really people can be cruel so no arguments from me on this point)
Cons:
-broadly defining bisexuality as something that requires one to be dating a man and a woman at the same time. Nope, that's polyamory which most people in the lifestyle recognize. This was kind of done from James's POV so could be a character trait, but it bothered me since the book is in 3rd person omnipotent voice.
-it felt rather directionless for the most part, like things were just told to me in a timeline of events instead of being experienced.
-which leads me to how annoying I found Laura to be. They keep repeating over and over that Laura is a "strong independent woman" but for most of the book (not the crime fiction part) she really just rolls over. This isn't anything against her as a subbie. This is how she is outside of that in her expectation that James should have found her; and in her waiting for James to come around again after leaving and before she talked about how she was actually feeling. Yes Doms take control, but subs also don't have to just wait around like damsels in distress.
-and James...I want to like him, but all he represents is a caricature of "the Dom" and doesn't really seem to exist much beyond that as a person. Neither of the characters had a very strong personality when I was reading and I kind of meshed their dialogue together in the same voice when I read it.
-Please, please, please give me more reading material than just Cherise Sinclair's Masters of the Shadowlands series. I loved the series, but it was pure fictional BDSM fantasy. There are actual educational BDSM materials out there (yes, including Fetlife) but all Laura could explain to her sister about BDSM was by handing her BDSM erotica. Seriously?
-Also this happened to hit on a pet peeve of mine which is the meddlers. Immediate reactions toward a friend/family that one needs to go back and find the partner the person needed space from is just not helpful. Don't turn around every second and urge them to get back together. Respect people's individual decisions!

I was about to DNF this book at 32%. By 52% it felt like the story had stagnated. When the crime fiction section started, I felt more interested again though also like I was reading a completely different book that didn't really understand why it was even here. It was a different and fun section of the book, though the law & police work were not always on point.

Apparently I had a very different experience than other readers, though maybe it's just me and not the book. I still want to give the rest a try, believing that maybe after establishing the world's foundation, the telling will become more showing. *fingers crossed*

[ajjmb · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked Laura and James’ story because Laura is learning to trust someone besides herself again. I really liked the beginning. It had a nice catching of interest. James is a great Dom who is so patient with Laura’s insecurities. He helps her through so many trials. This was a great story. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

[Gaynor Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

Possibilities

I really enjoyed James and Laura's story. Learning to trust, letting go of the past, moving forward and opening yourself upto new experiences and new love is scary and hard to do. A really good BDSM book but also so much more.

[WBS-S · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book. it Was a thoughtful Tory and I am looking forward to reading the second book in the series. I will also look at other things this author has written... I’ve never read any of her books, except this one.

[Kristen Lewendon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love that these leading characters have a few years of experience behind them. It makes them very relatable to me. The previous marriages and past relationship baggage are also relatable – to a lot of us, I think. I adored James; the man has the patience of a saint. I loved Laura, but she pressed so many of my hot buttons that she frustrated the living daylights out of me. She knowingly and willfully puts herself in danger. She won’t ask for or accept help unless she’s given no other alternative. She holds her current partner responsible for her ex’s past bad behavior. She can’t have a reasoned, adult conversation unless she’s cornered into it. Argh! I can feel my shoulders rising up to my ears just from the stress of remembering it. I’ve read deeper into the series so I know I enjoy where it’s going, I’m just sorry I couldn’t love Laura as much as I did James. I really liked the way the Lifestyle is portrayed here. And particularly the careful way it treads around Laura’s past abuse. I also appreciated the stressing of ‘safe, sane, and consensual’ that isn’t always found in a lot of the fiction in this genre.

[E. Leta Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely story

Ms Kappa brings together a strong confident Dom and a woman with abuse in past and weaves them into a very satisfying story. Very Enjoyable!