Laid Bare

Mistress #0.5

by Anna Stone

Author's note: This is a print edition of Laid Bare: A Mistress Novella, which is available as a free ebook download from my website.

Two women trapped together. Five hours, intimately close. All their desires laid bare.
 
When journalism student Blair Chase lands an interview with the elusive Madison Sloane, CEO of Mistress Media, she can’t believe her luck. Renowned in the industry for her powerful, commanding presence, Madison is everything Blair wants to be. And with just one look at the captivating older woman, Blair realizes Madison is everything she wants.
 
Madison is all too used to journalists vying to crack her steely veneer. None have ever come close. So when Blair walks into her office, Madison has no intention of spilling her secrets, no matter how enticing she finds the red-haired woman.
 
Until fate makes an executive decision, trapping Blair and Madison in an elevator with no sign of rescue. Intimately close, with tensions rising between them, both women find themselves baring it all, their every desire exposed. Will something unexpected blossom from their ordeal?

Genres: Romance, Lesbian, BDSM, Queer, LGBT, Contemporary, Novella

110 pages, Paperback

First published August 9, 2020

About the author

Anna Stone is the award-winning author of lesbian romance bestsellers Being Hers, Tangled Vows, and more. Her sizzling sapphic romances feature strong, passionate women who love women. In every one of her books, you’ll find off-the-charts spice and a guaranteed happily ever after.
Anna lives in Australia with her fiancée and their two cats. When she isn't writing, she can usually be found with a coffee in one hand and a book in the other.
Subscribe to Anna's newsletter for an exclusive free novella and short stories at annastoneauthor.com/newsletter

Reviews

[CJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐

[Sprinkles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Imagine my glee when I found out this novella comes free when you subscribe to Anna Stone's newsletter. What a treat! It serves are a sort of prequel to the series, though it can certainly stand on its own.

This is a quick, sexy read featuring a trope familiar to many of us: two characters who are wildly attracted to each other, though temporarily annoyed, are trapped in an elevator together. With scenarios like these, I always stress about them having to pee (or wash their hands!). I'll suspend my belief for this.

Madison and Blair, like the other couples, have nice domme/sub chemistry. I'd say their level of kink is milder in comparison to the other couples in this universe.

I adore this series. I don't want it to end. Four stars!

[Swaye · Rating 5 out of 5]

A perfect, absolutely delicious novella. I can't wait to devour the whole series!

[Kay read by Gloria · Rating 5 out of 5]

No second-guessing or vacillating. A story of falling in love and moving forward.

[hubsie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun novella in the Mistress series, involving a keen journalist and the head of Mistress media trapped together in an elevator. I wonder what happens.....

[Tierney Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Features Madison and Blair, supporting characters that appear in book 1. I think I liked them better, actually, than bk 1's leads. I love a good forced proximity: when it's real proximity, like here trapped in an elevator, there's nowhere to go but good writing if you're going to pull the story off well.

The book finishes by seguing directly and neatly into book 1, so this may be short by v. worthwhile. And can be read as a standalone.

[Charmaine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I know this is a free short story but I felt as though it missed the mark in the erotic delights department which might have been its saving grace. Rather tame overall and lacking any genuine conviction.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

[Cherie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️ this was a hot novella from Anna Stone. She definitely delivers hotness and good writing. And I’ll be checking out another book in her Mistress series.

One thing I did not understand though, was MC Madison’s need for BDSM. I get it that she wanted to be in control after her traumatic experience in her twenties but, how she chose to demand Blair to being subjected to the mild violence made no sense to me. Can anyone else read this and explain it to me?

[Mari · Rating 4 out of 5]

I sure hope that elevator doesn't have a camera

[lauraღ · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was okay. It fit the bill for what I wanted to read in the moment (something quick and distracting) but it didn't really leave a mark on me. Blair and Madison were okay characters, but even for a novella, I feel like we only got to know them on a surface level. The fact that it took place in an elevator was unique, and I do like BDSM romances but. Idk. It's not a bad book; I just wasn't feeling it.

[Olivia · Rating 2 out of 5]

This like WASNT good 😭 the writing was bad, the plot was nonexistent, the romance was rushed, and the characters were not developed at all besides one random trauma thing thrown in to try to give the story depth *spoiler alert
/j* they failed. Also the smut WASNT efen like super good to make up for it 🙁

[Ngoni Brian · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've got no negative things to say about Laid Bare...a beautiful story.

[Patroe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it. Blair and Madison deserve a longer story! But I still enjoyed this short story

[Genia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh, it was okay. I didn't hate it; I think it was just too short for me. I knew it wasn't a long book going in though, so I should have known that it probably wouldn't really do it for me. I prefer longer books in which I can get a better feel for who the characters really are. I liked Madison and Blair based on the little I found out about them, but it just wasn't enough. Maybe I'd like the other books in this series better as they are longer; I may give the next one a try one day.

[MJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually really enjoyed this novella. Definitely high up there as part of the Mistress series. Two strangers trapped in an elevator….😈
Was a really fun concept. Definitely recommend.

Written in third person with 2x POV’s. Narrated by Lexi Rebe. Prequel Novella to the Mistress series. Forced Proximity (Trapped Together), CEO/Student, Domme/Sub Dynamic , Overcoming Trauma, One Night to Forever. 2x Spicy Scenes.

[Xiaoqing · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a short story, a prequel of Mistress series, but it is just as brilliant as the major book series. I love to see the ice queen melting for the innocent younger journalist student, the writing is smooth and the story very addictive and I love both ladies, they are strong and brave and intelligent and independent role models.

[Vita L. Licari · Rating 5 out of 5]

This introduced me to the series. Because of it, I bought the first book. When I'm 1/2way through it, I'll buy book 2 etc. I really enjoyed this story and the hot sex! 5 stars!

[J H · Rating 4 out of 5]

Steamy confined space novella

SAPPHIC BOOK BINGO: favorite trope, full-time writer, erotic romance, possibly other categories

Since it was a novella, there couldn't be a lot of the depth that would be expected in a full-length novel. The characters were interesting and they had great chemistry. It was a little bit ice queen mixed with a tad of domme/sub play. It was also an introduction to characters from the rest of the series.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you like the Mistress series then this little sliver of a book is great! It’s steamy and gives us more of Madison and Blair. Worth the read, just wish we’d have got even more!

[Star · Rating 4 out of 5]

Content warnings: panic attack, claustrophobia, being trapped in an elevator, references to past kidnapping + guns.

Rep: Both MCs are cis, white, lesbians.

While this was short, it was nice to read about how Madison and Blair got together. They're incredibly sweet in all of the other books, so it was great to get this story of them.

[Rose Lillian · Rating 3 out of 5]

There’s nothing funnier than ignoring your families racist and homophobic political commentary by reading a lesbian erotica written by a woman of color, and for that reason alone I should’ve given this five stars.

Also the forced proximity was fun and well done.

[Sally · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love in an elevator!

[molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.2⭐️

RICHTIG GUT junge ich bin so ein sucker für diesen stuck in an elevator trope legit das ist so baba.

weil blair ein ginger ist und so nicht locker lässt bei ihrem interview war die mir direkt sehr sympathisch weil ich konnte mich gut mit der leicht nervigen art identifizieren.

hat geballert

[cloverxheart · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable quick read.

It's really short so I had trouble figuring out what to rate it.
I liked the characters, especially Madison.
The writing was good, like it always is with her books.
I also enjoyed that their relationship isn't as "extreme" as others.

[Rosie 💋 · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am a big fan of Anna’s work but this books was not it, I can only speak from my personal opinion but it felt rushed and it was boring nothin really happened. We were hardly introduced to the characters and couldn’t really bound with them. Also the Epiloge felt so rushed. I am really looking forward to read the last 2 mistress books I hope they are as good as tangled vows :)

[MiserableFlower · Rating 2 out of 5]

I tried to like this one.... but it just falls flat. It’s supposed to be able bdsm and/or kink....... but it’s written like the author thinks one spank to the ass is totally a Domme thing to do. It’s cliched and dull. The writing style is like pulling nails. The POV switches frequently and you don’t realize right away who’s perspective it is. The rush to get this out there completely ate the passion and left things a little lacking.... it’d be nice if writers realized that kink doesn’t have to be able paddles or a leather studded, full furnished dungeon, and that it’s more about the dynamic.... that a health bdsm relationship discusses limits before ANY play is started..... apparently some very light bondage (if you can even call it that) is all it takes to be bdsm in this fic.... it also doesn’t help that everything is perfect and okay and nothing is discussed and yet it’s all tied together perfectly and happier ever after....

thanks but I’ll pass.

[AJ Holmes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great addition to her collection and a wonderful start to her Mistress series. Blair Chase is an aspiring journalist hoping to snag an interview with the infamous CEO of Mistress Media, Madison Sloane. That's not such an easy task as Madison is not one for interviews and journalist trying to get to the deep secrets they're convinced she's hiding with regards to her Mistress Media empire. However, no one has been quite as persistent as Blair, who seems to get closer than anyone has before. After five long hours of being trapped together in the warm, intimate spaces of the elevator with no means of escape, Blair and Madison lay themselves bare as they expose their secrets and desires. Blair gets more than the interview she'd sought... she may just get the woman, too.

[Carolyn G. Manuel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Journalism Student Blair Chase has an interview scheduled with Madison Sloane CEO of Mistress Media. But Madison makes her wait for hours and then says she must leave for a dinner meeting with investors. Begging to interview her during the ride to the restaurant they get in the elevator to leave the building. Fate traps them when the elevator falls several stories and stops. What they experience in the coming hours will change their futures. Erotic romance.

[Renée Dahlia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I tend to struggle with boss romances because of the power imbalance and while this one isn't technically a boss romance (one character is a CEO, the other is a journalist student) it has the flavour of a power imbalance in the set up. However, the situation with them getting stuck in a lift and the CEO being claustrophobic removed that imbalance and made the story work for me.