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Indecent Proposals #2
Preferential Treatment
A man on top of the world.
Mikhail Volkov began life as an orphan, raised in abject poverty on the fringes of a crumbling empire. Now he’s the ruler of his own empire—founder and CEO of Domovoy Technologies—and one of the wealthiest men in the world. Unfathomable luxury, comfort, and power is always at his fingertips. He wants for nothing—except for one elusive desire…
A woman strong enough to conquer him.
After years of struggle, Kate Pasternak has managed to claw her way above the poverty line to a life of moderate comfort—clean clothes, regular meals, a safe home. It’s a precarious position, balanced on the knife’s edge between her paycheck and her existing debts. But a chance encounter with the CEO of the company she works for could change all that.
An indecent proposal.
Mikhail Volkov has the money to get Kate out of debt. All he wants in return is… companionship. But this isn't the usual kind of arrangement. The hard-edged, cutthroat tech baron might be an alpha in the boardroom but, for the right woman, he lives to serve in the bedroom.
It seems too good to be true. And it probably is—because the deeper Kate gets entangled, the more she risks losing her own heart to a man who may not even have one.
Mikhail Volkov began life as an orphan, raised in abject poverty on the fringes of a crumbling empire. Now he’s the ruler of his own empire—founder and CEO of Domovoy Technologies—and one of the wealthiest men in the world. Unfathomable luxury, comfort, and power is always at his fingertips. He wants for nothing—except for one elusive desire…
A woman strong enough to conquer him.
After years of struggle, Kate Pasternak has managed to claw her way above the poverty line to a life of moderate comfort—clean clothes, regular meals, a safe home. It’s a precarious position, balanced on the knife’s edge between her paycheck and her existing debts. But a chance encounter with the CEO of the company she works for could change all that.
An indecent proposal.
Mikhail Volkov has the money to get Kate out of debt. All he wants in return is… companionship. But this isn't the usual kind of arrangement. The hard-edged, cutthroat tech baron might be an alpha in the boardroom but, for the right woman, he lives to serve in the bedroom.
It seems too good to be true. And it probably is—because the deeper Kate gets entangled, the more she risks losing her own heart to a man who may not even have one.
244 pages, ebook
First published April 21, 2022
456 people are currently reading
6338 people want to read
About the author
Heather Guerre
13 books1,013 followersHeather Guerre writes sexy-sweet fantasy, sci-fi, and contemporary romances. A hopeless romantic and an unapologetic nerd, Heather loves everything to do with romance, aliens, shifters, monsters, magic, and outer space.
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May 13, 2022Did not think I was here for a femdom story with an alpha bottom who just wants to please his lady and buy her nice things.
TURNS OUT I AM VERY MUCH HERE FOR IT. This was excellent.
TURNS OUT I AM VERY MUCH HERE FOR IT. This was excellent.
July 25, 2022
the heroine really had the audacity to complain to the hero about his endless amounts of money and how he’s part of the “problem”, yet has no problem buying a $10,000 watch with HIS money
i read this for the femdom, but it was probably the most lackluster part of book. the fact that this is called an erotica is LAUGHABLE. there actually has to be detailed sex scenes, not fade to black and repetitive. also, no one wants to jump into a sex scene when it’s already halfway through 😭 where’s the build up?!
someone needs to teach the h how to manage her money. she thought it was smart to spend the money the H was paying her, for being his domme, on materialistic items instead of paying off her debt. the debt was the whole reason she even started the relationship with the H 🤡 idk why this book triggered me as much as it did (sorry shariya, i tried 🫶🏻)
upside is i found a h i hate more than lily from the addicted series
i read this for the femdom, but it was probably the most lackluster part of book. the fact that this is called an erotica is LAUGHABLE. there actually has to be detailed sex scenes, not fade to black and repetitive. also, no one wants to jump into a sex scene when it’s already halfway through 😭 where’s the build up?!
someone needs to teach the h how to manage her money. she thought it was smart to spend the money the H was paying her, for being his domme, on materialistic items instead of paying off her debt. the debt was the whole reason she even started the relationship with the H 🤡 idk why this book triggered me as much as it did (sorry shariya, i tried 🫶🏻)
upside is i found a h i hate more than lily from the addicted series
April 21, 2022
4 Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained Stars ⭐
Kate is an average girl with little time for niceties. Barely making ends meet, getting fired for not holding her tongue would be bad. But in this instance, she's got it wrong. In fact, her boss Mikhail Volkov would like to hire her for another service.
“Five thousand. For sex. With me.”
“Yes.”
She sighed . “You’re into really weird stuff, aren’t you?”
Mikhail may shoulder the responsibility of his company, but in the bedroom it's a different matter. Actually, nothing brings him more pleasure than submitting. And with his first interaction with Kate, he instinctively knows she's a natural. The perfect ball buster...
“Let me make it up to you.” His whole body seemed somehow bigger, more muscular, as he strained to remain kneeling at her feet.
“Make up for what?”
“Making a mess.”
“And what else?” She dug her toe in just a bit harder, rewarded with a choked groan.
“Propositioning you.”
An arrangement with serious financial benefits. It should be easy right? Initially it's a win win situation for Kate. Extra money and the perfect way of obtaining her pleasure when and how she wants it. Whereas Mikhail has never experienced this level of sweet torture before. It all seems simple in theory.
“I beat you, and now I’m going to fuck you. You’re the spoils of war. Now, make me come, and then you can have yours.”
Too bad for those little feelings that have a way of creeping in and jeopardizing everything that's at play. Neither expected this turn of events and are avoiding it at all costs. But when the stakes get too high for Kate, she wants out. Unfortunately that's not on the table...
Preferential Treatment was certainly different. Usually a man like Mikhail isn't my choice of hero, yet I soon changed my tune. He may have been a masochist, but he was no pushover. Both Kate and Mikhail had real hangups that were substantiated. The wonderful storytelling made this so much more than a kinky read, but I never expected anything less. A sassy femdom and a submissive giant? Why not. 💜
ARC provided by the author in exchange for my honest opinion.
Kate is an average girl with little time for niceties. Barely making ends meet, getting fired for not holding her tongue would be bad. But in this instance, she's got it wrong. In fact, her boss Mikhail Volkov would like to hire her for another service.
“Five thousand. For sex. With me.”
“Yes.”
She sighed . “You’re into really weird stuff, aren’t you?”
Mikhail may shoulder the responsibility of his company, but in the bedroom it's a different matter. Actually, nothing brings him more pleasure than submitting. And with his first interaction with Kate, he instinctively knows she's a natural. The perfect ball buster...
“Let me make it up to you.” His whole body seemed somehow bigger, more muscular, as he strained to remain kneeling at her feet.
“Make up for what?”
“Making a mess.”
“And what else?” She dug her toe in just a bit harder, rewarded with a choked groan.
“Propositioning you.”
An arrangement with serious financial benefits. It should be easy right? Initially it's a win win situation for Kate. Extra money and the perfect way of obtaining her pleasure when and how she wants it. Whereas Mikhail has never experienced this level of sweet torture before. It all seems simple in theory.
“I beat you, and now I’m going to fuck you. You’re the spoils of war. Now, make me come, and then you can have yours.”
Too bad for those little feelings that have a way of creeping in and jeopardizing everything that's at play. Neither expected this turn of events and are avoiding it at all costs. But when the stakes get too high for Kate, she wants out. Unfortunately that's not on the table...
Preferential Treatment was certainly different. Usually a man like Mikhail isn't my choice of hero, yet I soon changed my tune. He may have been a masochist, but he was no pushover. Both Kate and Mikhail had real hangups that were substantiated. The wonderful storytelling made this so much more than a kinky read, but I never expected anything less. A sassy femdom and a submissive giant? Why not. 💜
ARC provided by the author in exchange for my honest opinion.
August 30, 2022
Libro que leo con un hombre sumiso: libro que le doy 4 estrellas. Chicas literalmente el chabon se pone hot porque ella le gasta toda la plata... soy el meme de screaming crying throwing up.
January 24, 2024
Finally, a fictional billionaire who is ugly not unlike real—🤐
Mikhail is a billionaire with a femdom kink. Kate is one of his employees who just so happens to have a dominant personality.
When someone asks what my favorite book is, Preferential Treatment comes to mind (after an initial brain fart because who would ask a reader that? To make them choose???). Since reading this (multiple times), I’ve tried to seek out other books that have the same essence, but…no dice. It is one of a kind.
Anyway, I can’t seem to form complete sentences about why I love the book, so here are some highlights:
Preferential Treatment is a captivating story with compelling characters. It is a romance that peppers in real-world issues without being distracting and pretentious. To balance the nuance and entertainment of these topics is indicative of Heather Guerre’s skill and talent. Amazed, awed, inspired. I love this damn book.
★★★★★
Mikhail is a billionaire with a femdom kink. Kate is one of his employees who just so happens to have a dominant personality.
When someone asks what my favorite book is, Preferential Treatment comes to mind (after an initial brain fart because who would ask a reader that? To make them choose???). Since reading this (multiple times), I’ve tried to seek out other books that have the same essence, but…no dice. It is one of a kind.
Anyway, I can’t seem to form complete sentences about why I love the book, so here are some highlights:
✦ Male begging—obviously
✦ Panicking when she cries and trying to get her to stop by offering to buy her more stuff
✦ Find something tall and thorny (if you know, you know)
✦ Taking care of her while she’s sick
✦ That “pressure” in his chest that he gets whenever he thinks of Kate, further proving a high IQ does not guarantee a high EQ
✦ The ring, and no, not the engagement one 🫣
✦ Billionaire bashing but in a productive, albeit optimistic, way
Preferential Treatment is a captivating story with compelling characters. It is a romance that peppers in real-world issues without being distracting and pretentious. To balance the nuance and entertainment of these topics is indicative of Heather Guerre’s skill and talent. Amazed, awed, inspired. I love this damn book.
★★★★★
June 22, 2022
arc review
find 👏 you 👏 a 👏 man 👏 who 👏 kneels 👏 like 👏 mikhail 👏 volkov 👏
okay real talk, i went in expecting preferential treatment to be theo's book … whoops. that said, at this point i'll take angel's book before his … #sorrynotsorry.
now despite my initial hesitation i persevered, because one, pt was written by one of my favorite underrated authors, heather guerre .. and two, i got an arc .. lol.
but as i'm sure you guys can tell from the four (plus a few extra stars) rating … this book was top. fucking. notch.
plot.
➷ kate [swimming in debt]
… has a natural bad bitch aura.
➷ mikhail [ceo & billionaire]
… wants to be stepped on.
and thus, an indecent proposal is born:
… kate will own and dominate mikhail.
… and in return mikhail, an obscenely rich and powerful man, will pay her for services rendered.
… oh, and obviously nobody will catch feelings, ahahahaha 🙃
so, what worked?
dare i say everything?
no, too broad?
♥ kate.
as i sorta mentioned at the top of my review i was NOT expecting preferential treatment to be about kate. i actually thought we were getting theo's book, soooo … i kinda had no idea who kate was. whoops.
luckily, heather guerre quickly made it evident that kate's was a unique story that needed to be told.
for one thing …
♥ kate was a bad bitch who did not hesitate to make mikhail kneel for her.
i have only read a few femdom romances and most of them left me lukewarm. i think it's because the characterization of the heroine when she's not in "dom" mode always had me side eyeing the ever-loving-crap outta her. kate felt like more than just a dominatrix, if that makes sense?
she had moments of vulnerability, she cared about mikhail dearly, and the strength with which she loved those closest to her was beautiful. moreover, i loved the way she was never afraid to push back against mikhail's insane amount of wealth.
i went into pt feeling nothing for kate.
i left cheering unbelievably loud for her.
♥/ 🅾🅺 mikhail.
mikhail was … hmm. i'm not sure. on the one hand, every time he blessed my pages i wanted to scream, "kneel for me daddy." which … i know. i'm judging myself for even writing that sentence. but no, i will not delete it 😙
on the other hand ..
🅾🅺 mikhail was unbelievably emotionally constipated.
due to that emotional constipation, i waffled between loving him … and also wanting to slap him upside his head. in the end, i loved the way he won kate back so i can't hate on him too hard.
if anything, i wanted a bit more from mikhail. i guess, kate was such a great heroine that i wanted just as much from mikhail as we were getting from kate.
alas .. it's not his fault that kate is so damn awesome.
that said, if mikhail wants to call me his "knyazhna" and worship the ground i walk on .. i won't complain ☺️
♥ theromance smut.
i didn't think i would like it …
as established, i'm dumb.
♥ the romance.
the way hg managed to get me so strongly invested in a lust-at-first-sight relationship still has my mind boggled. because usually, i'm not about that life. but here? i was allllll about it. preferential treatment is a clear example of, as i like to call it, emotional slow-burn.
they had to work at the emotional shit and i enjoyed every second of it.
i mean …
♥ the way they complimented each other so well *happy sigh*
i think my favorite part of the romance were actually the moments where they were just hanging out. for example, the shower scene. it was beyond adorable the way mikhail bravely took a shower kate's way … despite it causing him to freeze his ass off.
or the scene where kate starts crying.
mikhail is literally ready to buy her an entire ice cream stand if she'll only stop crying.
preferential treatment is a romance built on understanding. kate and mikhail understand each other on both an emotional and sexual level. when they both allow their guards to drop you can see that they are kindred spirits who have finally found each other.
what didn't work?
one teeny tiny thing …
i barely noticed it, tbh.
✘ relationship mode vs smut mode.
my one complaint with pt was the way the smut out weighed the romance. and what i mean by that is … i would have liked a few more emotional moments to round out the story.
there were times when i wanted to see kate and mikhail in "couple mode." and unfortunately, we didn't get that until the very end. more specifically, they weren't an official couple until the very end of the book.
i wanted them to define their relationship a tiny bit sooner. just a bit .. my greedy ass wanted more moments of them being cute and domestic, what can i say 🤷♀️
♥ tl;dr.
… i want mikhail to kneel for me.
… kate is a bad bitch.
… the smut actually worked for me.
… when the book focused on the romance i was hella invested.
… i need angel's story now.
… THIS is the billionaire spice i asked for.
thank you heather guerre for sending me an arc!!
❝please, knyazhna. own me.❞
find 👏 you 👏 a 👏 man 👏 who 👏 kneels 👏 like 👏 mikhail 👏 volkov 👏
okay real talk, i went in expecting preferential treatment to be theo's book … whoops. that said, at this point i'll take angel's book before his … #sorrynotsorry.
now despite my initial hesitation i persevered, because one, pt was written by one of my favorite underrated authors, heather guerre .. and two, i got an arc .. lol.
but as i'm sure you guys can tell from the four (plus a few extra stars) rating … this book was top. fucking. notch.
❝please,❞ he said gently, beseechingly. ❝let me be generous to you.❞
plot.
➷ kate [swimming in debt]
… has a natural bad bitch aura.
➷ mikhail [ceo & billionaire]
… wants to be stepped on.
and thus, an indecent proposal is born:
… kate will own and dominate mikhail.
… and in return mikhail, an obscenely rich and powerful man, will pay her for services rendered.
… oh, and obviously nobody will catch feelings, ahahahaha 🙃
so, what worked?
dare i say everything?
no, too broad?
♥ kate.
as i sorta mentioned at the top of my review i was NOT expecting preferential treatment to be about kate. i actually thought we were getting theo's book, soooo … i kinda had no idea who kate was. whoops.
luckily, heather guerre quickly made it evident that kate's was a unique story that needed to be told.
for one thing …
♥ kate was a bad bitch who did not hesitate to make mikhail kneel for her.
i have only read a few femdom romances and most of them left me lukewarm. i think it's because the characterization of the heroine when she's not in "dom" mode always had me side eyeing the ever-loving-crap outta her. kate felt like more than just a dominatrix, if that makes sense?
she had moments of vulnerability, she cared about mikhail dearly, and the strength with which she loved those closest to her was beautiful. moreover, i loved the way she was never afraid to push back against mikhail's insane amount of wealth.
i went into pt feeling nothing for kate.
i left cheering unbelievably loud for her.
♥/ 🅾🅺 mikhail.
mikhail was … hmm. i'm not sure. on the one hand, every time he blessed my pages i wanted to scream, "kneel for me daddy." which … i know. i'm judging myself for even writing that sentence. but no, i will not delete it 😙
on the other hand ..
🅾🅺 mikhail was unbelievably emotionally constipated.
due to that emotional constipation, i waffled between loving him … and also wanting to slap him upside his head. in the end, i loved the way he won kate back so i can't hate on him too hard.
if anything, i wanted a bit more from mikhail. i guess, kate was such a great heroine that i wanted just as much from mikhail as we were getting from kate.
alas .. it's not his fault that kate is so damn awesome.
that said, if mikhail wants to call me his "knyazhna" and worship the ground i walk on .. i won't complain ☺️
♥ the
i didn't think i would like it …
as established, i'm dumb.
♥ the romance.
the way hg managed to get me so strongly invested in a lust-at-first-sight relationship still has my mind boggled. because usually, i'm not about that life. but here? i was allllll about it. preferential treatment is a clear example of, as i like to call it, emotional slow-burn.
they had to work at the emotional shit and i enjoyed every second of it.
i mean …
♥ the way they complimented each other so well *happy sigh*
i think my favorite part of the romance were actually the moments where they were just hanging out. for example, the shower scene. it was beyond adorable the way mikhail bravely took a shower kate's way … despite it causing him to freeze his ass off.
or the scene where kate starts crying.
mikhail is literally ready to buy her an entire ice cream stand if she'll only stop crying.
❝please stop crying,❞ he pleaded with the panicked air of a man who was suddenly in way over his head. ❝are you hungry? will food help?❞
preferential treatment is a romance built on understanding. kate and mikhail understand each other on both an emotional and sexual level. when they both allow their guards to drop you can see that they are kindred spirits who have finally found each other.
what didn't work?
one teeny tiny thing …
i barely noticed it, tbh.
✘ relationship mode vs smut mode.
my one complaint with pt was the way the smut out weighed the romance. and what i mean by that is … i would have liked a few more emotional moments to round out the story.
there were times when i wanted to see kate and mikhail in "couple mode." and unfortunately, we didn't get that until the very end. more specifically, they weren't an official couple until the very end of the book.
i wanted them to define their relationship a tiny bit sooner. just a bit .. my greedy ass wanted more moments of them being cute and domestic, what can i say 🤷♀️
♥ tl;dr.
… i want mikhail to kneel for me.
… kate is a bad bitch.
… the smut actually worked for me.
… when the book focused on the romance i was hella invested.
… i need angel's story now.
… THIS is the billionaire spice i asked for.
❝people matter more than money. especially the people we love.❞
thank you heather guerre for sending me an arc!!
July 4, 2024
a subversive billionaire romance where she's the domme who punishes him by making him donate to charities hehe and [spoiler]
i like it, picasso.
i like it, picasso.
September 12, 2023
She ruined it for me.
I kept putting off reading this one because I'm not really into submissive men, but I loved the first book in the series and finally decided to give this one a go. I was really enjoying it; it still wasn't quite my thing but then the author just completely ruined it by basically making the book into a political propaganda rant.
Listen, Ms. Guerre has the right to write whatever the fuck she wants. I also have the right to hate it and write my review about it and never read any of her books ever again. That's how free markets work, if you have a bad product people don't buy and eventually you fold. The market takes care of itself.
I make a very concerted effort to not talk about my personal politics and beliefs on here and in my reviews because I understand something this author doesn't apparently, but politics can be very divisive. I've never understood people or companies that do this, because it's so blatantly stupid, but why would you set out to ostracize or piss off half of your customer base?
I have read books in the past where characters say or do political things here and there that differed with my views, and I have up to this point overlooked it because I know people all have different ideas and things they believe in and that's fine. If I was really annoyed, I just left a star rating and no review because again I don't want to be divisive, I want to be inclusive. But I have never read a book where it was crammed down my throat the way it was in this one.
And it pissed me the fuck off. I even waited a day and debated back and forth about writing this review, but I was still so irritated I couldn't let it go. So here we go.
Kate, the female main character's premise was no billionaire deserved the money they made unless they were giving it away and using it to fund politicians to change the American system. She actually made the comment that anything over so many millions they shouldn't be allowed to keep. Now what irked me the most was this was being spouted by a materialistic bitch that had no problem cutting off her white trash family that are admittedly trailer trash and under privileged, including her twin who needed bail money. Kate had no problem letting Mikhail spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on her in name brand luxury items but never actually donated anything herself. Not her time at shelters/nonprofits or her money.
Kate talked about how if billionaires gave away their money it would help kids to not have an upbringing like hers. Is she so deluded to think if her alcoholic drug addict parents had more money, they would have spent it on the kids or taken care of their kids better? And I can authoritatively speak on this being a broke disabled widow with 3 teenagers living in a trailer. I don't drink. I don't do drugs. I also have worked three jobs at once, gone to school full time while working full time, sacrificed anything for myself to make sure my kids had clothes, healthy food, school supplies, and one new pair of shoes each year when the new school year started. I spend one on one time with each of my kids, I sit and do homework with them, I encourage reading and learning new things. I make education an important focal point in their lives. Because that is what makes a good parent not what socioeconomic situation they are in. My one selfish splurge is my KU Unlimited subscription.
Now I think it would have been great to continue to have Mikhail donate to good causes. One of the best aspects of a capitalistic market is people can generate wealth and usually give back and invest in their communities. They expand their businesses creating more jobs, they donate to local charities, they tithe to their churches who then also help the community. Americans on the whole are a very giving caring people (maybe that's just my southern upbringing take). The American capitalist system has made America one of the richest countries in the world. We give more to help people and countries around the world to help them rise out of poverty THAN ANY OTHER COUNTRY IN THE WORLD!!! Tell me one other country that does more and gives more around the world than the USA. Please.....I'm waiting. Please don't spout off on me about war shit, I'm talking about humanitarian aid, food, clean water, medical care and supplies, and education. Billions upon billions of dollars.
Case in point for local community support. When tragedy strikes like hurricanes, tornados, wildfires the American people act. We donate money, clothing (even if it's hand-me-downs), food, and time. My uncle dropped everything and went with a group of people from his church for THREE months to help with clean up and rebuilding after hurricane Katrina in Louisianna, even though we live in Florida. He wasn't even considered middle class as an artist that painted business windows (You know like businesses that get Christmas/Santa scenes painted on their windows during the season). I get my kids involved in canned food drives with the schools and take them to volunteer. I always get a warm feeling in my heart when after these disasters you see how Americans mobilize for their fellow Americans even though they're strangers. You'll see trucks being unloaded with supplies from companies that have donated goods and from other communities. I love even seeing random Go Fund Me stories where strangers donate to help others in need because they're in a bad position.
Now if you think that the Government taking everybody's excess wealth because they can somehow spend it better is the answer, than you're fucked in the head.
Kate goes on tangents about how we needed way (and way was italicized for emphasis in the book) higher taxes, higher taxes on capital gains, and even taxes on unrealized gains. Okay so here's a quick lesson for her. Most small business owners file taxes as individuals (I know. I've owned 2 businesses in my life). So, let's say a small convenient store owner on his tax forms puts down all the money that came in from his shop over the year as $300,000. Some might say wow he's pretty well off he can pay more to help others. Now what they never seem to consider is once you take out his expenses like rent, utilities, insurance, and the cost of all the inventory he has to purchase to sell in the store well then he only brings home maybe under $100,000 and that's a big difference. Now consider this, how many small businesses do you know where it starts as one business and as years go by and they do well, building their reputation, and the business opens another location. Normally when businesses have a lower tax burden and are able to keep more of their earnings, they invest it back into their business. To make upgrades and save to branch into opening more locations or businesses. This helps grow the community and create more jobs. When they are overburdened by tax obligations, they decide not to hire those extra workers, they don't give that better benefits package, they don't do a Christmas bonus, they never open those other locations. And again, then you're trusting the gov't to spend that money wisely in your community, if it ever even sees your community. How many jobs have you ever gotten from a poor person?
Captial gains is taxing money you earned on your investments, including property. If I make money at my job and the gov't taxes me in income tax, then I take what's left and buy some mutual funds or stocks, or buy a house then any money I make over the years from my investments growing the gov't gets to come and tax it as well. So they get to tax me twice.
There are tax deferred contributions that people can make which is there to incentivize people to invest in their own retirement, such as 401Ks and IRAs. They will pay the tax on the gains when they take the money when they retire. And let's not forget what stocks/the stock market is...its people investing in companies so they can expand, innovate, do research, which creates jobs and wealth in communities all over the country. Such as a company using money coming in from people buying its stock and building a new factory. You get constructions jobs to build it, buying supplies and equipment from other companies (which helps with their growth), and then workers for the factory. If you raise capital gains to a punitive level, then people will stop investing.
Now the most maddening one Kate brought up is taxing UNrealized gains. That is taxing the growth on an investment even though you didn't take the money. So if you bought a house for $50,000 and now the market has done better and the gov't says your house is now worth $60,000, well you have to pay tax on that $10K even though you didn't sell the house. Let that sink in. It's taxing money you haven't actually received. Every year you'd get taxed on any investments/property growth even though you didn't take the money. And don't forget you're gonna pay capital gains when you do actually take it, on top of property tax you also pay every year.
It will also do away with farms and businesses being passed down through families. Let's say your family has owned a farm and land for 100 years. The land and farm were originally bought for $2000 4 generations ago. Well now that farm and land is worth $250,000 and you have to pay the Gov't tax on $248,000 to keep it. You'd have to sell the farm just to pay the tax. Or think about this, would you invest in your 401K over your 30-40 year career if you had to pay for the growth of your investments every year. Most people only earn 3-10% on investments. Why invest if you're just handing any growth over to the Gov't? Oh yeah that's right because they know how to better spend that money than you do. It's for the better good. I'm sure you'll be fine on your social security income. I wonder how all those retirees will come up with the tax bill if their house becomes worth more each year?
Now Mikhail makes a comment about Kate lecturing the Russian on communism and she scoffs and says that what was happening in the USSR wasn't "real" communism. Well okay then, show me where the real communism has worked. Cuba? Venezuela? "Democratic" communism in China? Again, I'm waiting....
Now Kate always punished Mikhail until he donated or did something she wanted. In fact, she left him and the gesture he had to do to prove he loved her, that she had argued with him about earlier in the book, was giving way half of his controlling shares in his company. The company that he built, to his employees as a profit-sharing deal so they could vote and control what the company did in the future. Mikhail no longer could choose what to do with his own company because that wasn't fair. I'm still not understanding the thought process on that one. I get the profit-sharing. It's a great incentive to get and reward great employees. But why Mikhail couldn't have deciding vote power was just given as an "billionaires were bad, shouldn't exist and have power" excuse. Not my words...the authors. The anger and disdain for "billionaires" and men of wealth from the author was palpable. She would have Kate actually get angry and pissed off just thinking about how much more money Mikhail had than her.
So, a couple things Kate did that just kept the train of rage rolling was one: she was resentful that someone with less experience but a higher degree than hers got a promotion she applied for. She only had an AA and trade certificate while the guy who got the job had a BA. Now I do believe that experience should be an integral part of a rounded-out view of your resume, but how can you be mad if someone went to school longer and put the work in, in that aspect more than you did. You want to be judged by your merit but don't want others to be judged by theirs. That makes no sense, and she came of sounding like a whiny asshole.
Two: Kate was punishing Mikhail until he agreed to donate $10 million to politicians to try to overthrow Citizen's United, which was a case where the Supreme Court upheld that the gov't couldn't restrict political donations from corporations and non-profits. So what chapped my ass was it's the do as I say, not as I do mantra here. Kate says it's fine for their company to donate $10 mil to try to overturn this because of course only her viewpoint is correct and virtuous. The ends justify the means. She can do it, but others can't. Because they might donate to greedy capitalist.
Now to the most rage inducing conversation in this book. I have never wanted to throat punch a character as badly as I did Kate in this moment. She is ranting to Mikhail about how he doesn't deserve to have all his money. And he says "why?" He came from literally nothing, brought up in a Russian orphanage, and because he worked hard in school and was smart, he was able to get a scholarship to a better high school. Mikhail still worked hard and was able to get a visa to come to graduate school in the US. He then built his company, yada yada and so on. This bitch had the audacity to tell him he was privileged because he was SMART. Are you fucking kidding me?!! Okay dumbass so for the sake of equity, I guess the world should take all its "smart" people, its Albert Einsteins, Neil deGrasse Tysons, Mensa members, scientists, physicists, innovators and smash them all in the head with some hammers until they are down on the same IQ level as the regular motherfuckers. You know, to be fair. Hmm?
Okay fucking rant over. And before anybody ascribes shit to me that isn't true. I'm a libertarian. I believe in small gov't. People should be able to live their lives and do whatever the fuck they want as long as it doesn't hurt other people. And I think if Ms. Guerre is so against working hard and keeping the money you earn for yourself. I would commend her and look forward to seeing where she gifts the gov't with her excess earnings and income from her books after her basic living expenses are paid. There is nothing stopping anyone who feels this strongly from donating money to the gov't. You can pay more income tax than you have too. I mean look how good the gov't is doing right now, with the economy and helping all the low-income and underprivileged people. I'm sure $4 a gallon gas, and double and triple the cost of food doesn't affect them at all. I'm sure they can all afford to go buy a $56K electric vehicle to fix it, easy peesy.
Okay rant really over. I'm sorry if I pissed off my friends. You all know I'm usually pretty laid back, open to discourse and all different views. Like I said I usually don't ever talk politics or about divisive topics, but this bitch got me all triggered. As I stated in the beginning, I really was enjoying this. I thought the scenes between Kate and Mikhail were pretty hot. I liked Mikhail and actually really liked Kate except when she started spewing ridiculousness. I still do not understand a seller of goods (books in this case) who would purposely try to ostracize half of their customer base. I had a manager who once told me, if your customer has a great experience, they maybe tell 2-3 people. If they have a horrible experience, they tell 20. So always do your best to give them a great experience. He was right. I've always taken that to heart and maybe so should some others. 🤷♀️
I kept putting off reading this one because I'm not really into submissive men, but I loved the first book in the series and finally decided to give this one a go. I was really enjoying it; it still wasn't quite my thing but then the author just completely ruined it by basically making the book into a political propaganda rant.
Listen, Ms. Guerre has the right to write whatever the fuck she wants. I also have the right to hate it and write my review about it and never read any of her books ever again. That's how free markets work, if you have a bad product people don't buy and eventually you fold. The market takes care of itself.
I make a very concerted effort to not talk about my personal politics and beliefs on here and in my reviews because I understand something this author doesn't apparently, but politics can be very divisive. I've never understood people or companies that do this, because it's so blatantly stupid, but why would you set out to ostracize or piss off half of your customer base?
I have read books in the past where characters say or do political things here and there that differed with my views, and I have up to this point overlooked it because I know people all have different ideas and things they believe in and that's fine. If I was really annoyed, I just left a star rating and no review because again I don't want to be divisive, I want to be inclusive. But I have never read a book where it was crammed down my throat the way it was in this one.
And it pissed me the fuck off. I even waited a day and debated back and forth about writing this review, but I was still so irritated I couldn't let it go. So here we go.
Kate, the female main character's premise was no billionaire deserved the money they made unless they were giving it away and using it to fund politicians to change the American system. She actually made the comment that anything over so many millions they shouldn't be allowed to keep. Now what irked me the most was this was being spouted by a materialistic bitch that had no problem cutting off her white trash family that are admittedly trailer trash and under privileged, including her twin who needed bail money. Kate had no problem letting Mikhail spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on her in name brand luxury items but never actually donated anything herself. Not her time at shelters/nonprofits or her money.
Kate talked about how if billionaires gave away their money it would help kids to not have an upbringing like hers. Is she so deluded to think if her alcoholic drug addict parents had more money, they would have spent it on the kids or taken care of their kids better? And I can authoritatively speak on this being a broke disabled widow with 3 teenagers living in a trailer. I don't drink. I don't do drugs. I also have worked three jobs at once, gone to school full time while working full time, sacrificed anything for myself to make sure my kids had clothes, healthy food, school supplies, and one new pair of shoes each year when the new school year started. I spend one on one time with each of my kids, I sit and do homework with them, I encourage reading and learning new things. I make education an important focal point in their lives. Because that is what makes a good parent not what socioeconomic situation they are in. My one selfish splurge is my KU Unlimited subscription.
Now I think it would have been great to continue to have Mikhail donate to good causes. One of the best aspects of a capitalistic market is people can generate wealth and usually give back and invest in their communities. They expand their businesses creating more jobs, they donate to local charities, they tithe to their churches who then also help the community. Americans on the whole are a very giving caring people (maybe that's just my southern upbringing take). The American capitalist system has made America one of the richest countries in the world. We give more to help people and countries around the world to help them rise out of poverty THAN ANY OTHER COUNTRY IN THE WORLD!!! Tell me one other country that does more and gives more around the world than the USA. Please.....I'm waiting. Please don't spout off on me about war shit, I'm talking about humanitarian aid, food, clean water, medical care and supplies, and education. Billions upon billions of dollars.
Case in point for local community support. When tragedy strikes like hurricanes, tornados, wildfires the American people act. We donate money, clothing (even if it's hand-me-downs), food, and time. My uncle dropped everything and went with a group of people from his church for THREE months to help with clean up and rebuilding after hurricane Katrina in Louisianna, even though we live in Florida. He wasn't even considered middle class as an artist that painted business windows (You know like businesses that get Christmas/Santa scenes painted on their windows during the season). I get my kids involved in canned food drives with the schools and take them to volunteer. I always get a warm feeling in my heart when after these disasters you see how Americans mobilize for their fellow Americans even though they're strangers. You'll see trucks being unloaded with supplies from companies that have donated goods and from other communities. I love even seeing random Go Fund Me stories where strangers donate to help others in need because they're in a bad position.
Now if you think that the Government taking everybody's excess wealth because they can somehow spend it better is the answer, than you're fucked in the head.
Kate goes on tangents about how we needed way (and way was italicized for emphasis in the book) higher taxes, higher taxes on capital gains, and even taxes on unrealized gains. Okay so here's a quick lesson for her. Most small business owners file taxes as individuals (I know. I've owned 2 businesses in my life). So, let's say a small convenient store owner on his tax forms puts down all the money that came in from his shop over the year as $300,000. Some might say wow he's pretty well off he can pay more to help others. Now what they never seem to consider is once you take out his expenses like rent, utilities, insurance, and the cost of all the inventory he has to purchase to sell in the store well then he only brings home maybe under $100,000 and that's a big difference. Now consider this, how many small businesses do you know where it starts as one business and as years go by and they do well, building their reputation, and the business opens another location. Normally when businesses have a lower tax burden and are able to keep more of their earnings, they invest it back into their business. To make upgrades and save to branch into opening more locations or businesses. This helps grow the community and create more jobs. When they are overburdened by tax obligations, they decide not to hire those extra workers, they don't give that better benefits package, they don't do a Christmas bonus, they never open those other locations. And again, then you're trusting the gov't to spend that money wisely in your community, if it ever even sees your community. How many jobs have you ever gotten from a poor person?
Captial gains is taxing money you earned on your investments, including property. If I make money at my job and the gov't taxes me in income tax, then I take what's left and buy some mutual funds or stocks, or buy a house then any money I make over the years from my investments growing the gov't gets to come and tax it as well. So they get to tax me twice.
There are tax deferred contributions that people can make which is there to incentivize people to invest in their own retirement, such as 401Ks and IRAs. They will pay the tax on the gains when they take the money when they retire. And let's not forget what stocks/the stock market is...its people investing in companies so they can expand, innovate, do research, which creates jobs and wealth in communities all over the country. Such as a company using money coming in from people buying its stock and building a new factory. You get constructions jobs to build it, buying supplies and equipment from other companies (which helps with their growth), and then workers for the factory. If you raise capital gains to a punitive level, then people will stop investing.
Now the most maddening one Kate brought up is taxing UNrealized gains. That is taxing the growth on an investment even though you didn't take the money. So if you bought a house for $50,000 and now the market has done better and the gov't says your house is now worth $60,000, well you have to pay tax on that $10K even though you didn't sell the house. Let that sink in. It's taxing money you haven't actually received. Every year you'd get taxed on any investments/property growth even though you didn't take the money. And don't forget you're gonna pay capital gains when you do actually take it, on top of property tax you also pay every year.
It will also do away with farms and businesses being passed down through families. Let's say your family has owned a farm and land for 100 years. The land and farm were originally bought for $2000 4 generations ago. Well now that farm and land is worth $250,000 and you have to pay the Gov't tax on $248,000 to keep it. You'd have to sell the farm just to pay the tax. Or think about this, would you invest in your 401K over your 30-40 year career if you had to pay for the growth of your investments every year. Most people only earn 3-10% on investments. Why invest if you're just handing any growth over to the Gov't? Oh yeah that's right because they know how to better spend that money than you do. It's for the better good. I'm sure you'll be fine on your social security income. I wonder how all those retirees will come up with the tax bill if their house becomes worth more each year?
Now Mikhail makes a comment about Kate lecturing the Russian on communism and she scoffs and says that what was happening in the USSR wasn't "real" communism. Well okay then, show me where the real communism has worked. Cuba? Venezuela? "Democratic" communism in China? Again, I'm waiting....
Now Kate always punished Mikhail until he donated or did something she wanted. In fact, she left him and the gesture he had to do to prove he loved her, that she had argued with him about earlier in the book, was giving way half of his controlling shares in his company. The company that he built, to his employees as a profit-sharing deal so they could vote and control what the company did in the future. Mikhail no longer could choose what to do with his own company because that wasn't fair. I'm still not understanding the thought process on that one. I get the profit-sharing. It's a great incentive to get and reward great employees. But why Mikhail couldn't have deciding vote power was just given as an "billionaires were bad, shouldn't exist and have power" excuse. Not my words...the authors. The anger and disdain for "billionaires" and men of wealth from the author was palpable. She would have Kate actually get angry and pissed off just thinking about how much more money Mikhail had than her.
So, a couple things Kate did that just kept the train of rage rolling was one: she was resentful that someone with less experience but a higher degree than hers got a promotion she applied for. She only had an AA and trade certificate while the guy who got the job had a BA. Now I do believe that experience should be an integral part of a rounded-out view of your resume, but how can you be mad if someone went to school longer and put the work in, in that aspect more than you did. You want to be judged by your merit but don't want others to be judged by theirs. That makes no sense, and she came of sounding like a whiny asshole.
Two: Kate was punishing Mikhail until he agreed to donate $10 million to politicians to try to overthrow Citizen's United, which was a case where the Supreme Court upheld that the gov't couldn't restrict political donations from corporations and non-profits. So what chapped my ass was it's the do as I say, not as I do mantra here. Kate says it's fine for their company to donate $10 mil to try to overturn this because of course only her viewpoint is correct and virtuous. The ends justify the means. She can do it, but others can't. Because they might donate to greedy capitalist.
Now to the most rage inducing conversation in this book. I have never wanted to throat punch a character as badly as I did Kate in this moment. She is ranting to Mikhail about how he doesn't deserve to have all his money. And he says "why?" He came from literally nothing, brought up in a Russian orphanage, and because he worked hard in school and was smart, he was able to get a scholarship to a better high school. Mikhail still worked hard and was able to get a visa to come to graduate school in the US. He then built his company, yada yada and so on. This bitch had the audacity to tell him he was privileged because he was SMART. Are you fucking kidding me?!! Okay dumbass so for the sake of equity, I guess the world should take all its "smart" people, its Albert Einsteins, Neil deGrasse Tysons, Mensa members, scientists, physicists, innovators and smash them all in the head with some hammers until they are down on the same IQ level as the regular motherfuckers. You know, to be fair. Hmm?
Okay fucking rant over. And before anybody ascribes shit to me that isn't true. I'm a libertarian. I believe in small gov't. People should be able to live their lives and do whatever the fuck they want as long as it doesn't hurt other people. And I think if Ms. Guerre is so against working hard and keeping the money you earn for yourself. I would commend her and look forward to seeing where she gifts the gov't with her excess earnings and income from her books after her basic living expenses are paid. There is nothing stopping anyone who feels this strongly from donating money to the gov't. You can pay more income tax than you have too. I mean look how good the gov't is doing right now, with the economy and helping all the low-income and underprivileged people. I'm sure $4 a gallon gas, and double and triple the cost of food doesn't affect them at all. I'm sure they can all afford to go buy a $56K electric vehicle to fix it, easy peesy.
Okay rant really over. I'm sorry if I pissed off my friends. You all know I'm usually pretty laid back, open to discourse and all different views. Like I said I usually don't ever talk politics or about divisive topics, but this bitch got me all triggered. As I stated in the beginning, I really was enjoying this. I thought the scenes between Kate and Mikhail were pretty hot. I liked Mikhail and actually really liked Kate except when she started spewing ridiculousness. I still do not understand a seller of goods (books in this case) who would purposely try to ostracize half of their customer base. I had a manager who once told me, if your customer has a great experience, they maybe tell 2-3 people. If they have a horrible experience, they tell 20. So always do your best to give them a great experience. He was right. I've always taken that to heart and maybe so should some others. 🤷♀️
June 21, 2022
Wow what a change from the last book in this series. I don’t think I’ve ever hated a h more. She went on and on and on about how much she hated the rich and how the H should just give up all his money🙄 but she sure didn’t mind reaping the benefits from that money.
December 26, 2022
On a second evaluation - an inexperienced Dom making shit up as they go along, is an inexperienced Dom, shouldn't matter if it's a man or a woman. I got sidetracked by it being femdom and I have since changed my rating from 2-stars to 1-star.*
I don't feel awful* giving this one star... But compared to my rating for Mutually Beneficial, it doesn't compare. I've loved all of her other books, so maybe it's just a case of it's me, not the book?
I liked the femdom aspect, but I didn't have any connection with her. I also got bored quickly with the whole rich guy (SELFMADE rich billionaire orphan, nonetheless) poor girl angle. Granted it's supposed to be transactional sex, so there needs to be either a major financial disparity or large power imbalance. None of it felt genuine. It was a boss/employee situation that didn't feel impacted the transactional sex at all.
The part of the story that bothered me the most, and unfortunately was a large part of the plot, was how the h 'forced' or 'manipulated' the submissive billionaire to donate to charities she liked. It didn't make sense, he hired her to dominate him in bed and what she thought because she disapproves of wealth that she should make him suddenly be more philanthropic? It was alluded to that he already was, so I don't understand what this achieved. Not to mention, she took the sex for money offer because supposedly she's poor and in debt. Her debt was discussed in detail, her rent issues, everything, and then with her first payments we get heavy descriptions of shopping trips (with Brands mentioned of every single thing she bought, yawn). But no mention of saving any of the money, ya know to give her financial stability? Or eliminating her debt? Yet we DID know exactly what Brand her new heels were and her winter jacket. It's almost as if the transactional sex book got swallowed by a sexy billionaires book. Why?!
In the end, too many cliches and tropes mashed into one book. The lectures on wealth and taxes, the poor girl rich boy, femdom but with almost no experience being one (it didn't gel), drug addict sister (with attacks and damages and a slight redemption arc shoved in), toxic relationship with mother, awful childhood, oh and I almost forgot - the HEAVILY repeated nicknames, UGH.
I will still read every single book Heather Guerre writes, sadly this one wasn't for me.
I don't feel awful* giving this one star... But compared to my rating for Mutually Beneficial, it doesn't compare. I've loved all of her other books, so maybe it's just a case of it's me, not the book?
I liked the femdom aspect, but I didn't have any connection with her. I also got bored quickly with the whole rich guy (SELFMADE rich billionaire orphan, nonetheless) poor girl angle. Granted it's supposed to be transactional sex, so there needs to be either a major financial disparity or large power imbalance. None of it felt genuine. It was a boss/employee situation that didn't feel impacted the transactional sex at all.
The part of the story that bothered me the most, and unfortunately was a large part of the plot, was how the h 'forced' or 'manipulated' the submissive billionaire to donate to charities she liked. It didn't make sense, he hired her to dominate him in bed and what she thought because she disapproves of wealth that she should make him suddenly be more philanthropic? It was alluded to that he already was, so I don't understand what this achieved. Not to mention, she took the sex for money offer because supposedly she's poor and in debt. Her debt was discussed in detail, her rent issues, everything, and then with her first payments we get heavy descriptions of shopping trips (with Brands mentioned of every single thing she bought, yawn). But no mention of saving any of the money, ya know to give her financial stability? Or eliminating her debt? Yet we DID know exactly what Brand her new heels were and her winter jacket. It's almost as if the transactional sex book got swallowed by a sexy billionaires book. Why?!
In the end, too many cliches and tropes mashed into one book. The lectures on wealth and taxes, the poor girl rich boy, femdom but with almost no experience being one (it didn't gel), drug addict sister (with attacks and damages and a slight redemption arc shoved in), toxic relationship with mother, awful childhood, oh and I almost forgot - the HEAVILY repeated nicknames, UGH.
I will still read every single book Heather Guerre writes, sadly this one wasn't for me.
April 21, 2022
This was an interesting, rather refreshing approach to a transactional sex billionaire romance. Leave it to Ms. Guerre to take a theme and trope that i usually avoid, and make it sweet, sexy, and heartwarming.
Kate has risen above a neglectful past and knows her worth, her sexuality, her boundaries. I fuckin love this in a heroine - no blushing virgin, no doormat, no tearing down other women. She struggles with her relationship with an addict sister, but holds her own, which i vastly respect.
Mikhail is a self-made man, a tech billionaire with the usual cold, stoic outward demeanor. But inside he is utterly submissive, a little bit playful, delightfully generous, and desperately in need of love (I mean, who isn't?)
Their first meeting made me laugh out loud, and their first dom encounter was scorching. Mikhail immediately lands on a term of endearment for Kate that just made my heart all squishy. He's so desperate for domination, and secretly desperate for someone to know his worth beyond his wealth and intelligence.
Kate is such an intriguing character. Against her preconceived ideals, she finds herself enjoying the luxury benefits of this paid companionship. Underneath the delight at being spoiled, she realizes that she simply enjoys being taken care of, for maybe the first time ever.
And then- and then! She begins to use her dominant position with him to better the world. Not that he doesn't already donate, but she expands that philanthropy and ties it in with his pleasure.
Three things that i love about Heather Guerre's work:
1- her heroines are sexually confident
2- her heroes are big ol marshmallows, even if that trait is hiding underneath a crusty layer
3- romance tends to follow a formula of the "80% conflict." the conflict in her books, if present, isn't the sort that makes me lose faith in the characters as a couple, if that makes sense.
The book, while overall enjoyable, did meander in spots, and i was a little surprised that some of the sex scenes were sort of fade to black. I loved the "grand gesture" towards the end, and the epilogue was cute and sexy.
Overall, this was a 4.5 star read and will be a reread.
ARC provided by author, but did not cast any bias on this review
Kate has risen above a neglectful past and knows her worth, her sexuality, her boundaries. I fuckin love this in a heroine - no blushing virgin, no doormat, no tearing down other women. She struggles with her relationship with an addict sister, but holds her own, which i vastly respect.
Mikhail is a self-made man, a tech billionaire with the usual cold, stoic outward demeanor. But inside he is utterly submissive, a little bit playful, delightfully generous, and desperately in need of love (I mean, who isn't?)
Their first meeting made me laugh out loud, and their first dom encounter was scorching. Mikhail immediately lands on a term of endearment for Kate that just made my heart all squishy. He's so desperate for domination, and secretly desperate for someone to know his worth beyond his wealth and intelligence.
Kate is such an intriguing character. Against her preconceived ideals, she finds herself enjoying the luxury benefits of this paid companionship. Underneath the delight at being spoiled, she realizes that she simply enjoys being taken care of, for maybe the first time ever.
And then- and then! She begins to use her dominant position with him to better the world. Not that he doesn't already donate, but she expands that philanthropy and ties it in with his pleasure.
Three things that i love about Heather Guerre's work:
1- her heroines are sexually confident
2- her heroes are big ol marshmallows, even if that trait is hiding underneath a crusty layer
3- romance tends to follow a formula of the "80% conflict." the conflict in her books, if present, isn't the sort that makes me lose faith in the characters as a couple, if that makes sense.
The book, while overall enjoyable, did meander in spots, and i was a little surprised that some of the sex scenes were sort of fade to black. I loved the "grand gesture" towards the end, and the epilogue was cute and sexy.
Overall, this was a 4.5 star read and will be a reread.
ARC provided by author, but did not cast any bias on this review
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 23, 2022
I’m confused… this was supposed to be an erotic novella not a poorly executed political debate 😒 thanks but no thanks.
September 13, 2024
3.5✨ (rounded down to 3 for GR)
2.25🌶️
I guess the end of 2024 is my era for trying new things in spicy romance, and this time, femdom is getting its turn!
I enjoyed myself well enough and appreciated being introduced to something new as a reader, but overall, the characters fell a little flat. I believed in their lust connection for sure, and the mutual satisfaction they got from their arrangement, but when it came to romance and love... that I didn't really believe, so my investment in the story wasn't really there.
Elements/tropes/safety I can remember:
✨femdom (submissive MMC in the sheets, alpha in the streets)
✨Russian billionaire businessman MMC
✨Prickly and dominant-by-nature FMC
✨CEO x employee
✨sex arrangement
✨orgasm denial/delay (FMC to MMC)
✨”I don’t know how to love” MMC
✨MMC has had arrangements with other women in the past, but once he gets over the pre-conceived idea that the arrangement with the FMC will end, he embraces and only wants the FMC
✨third-act separation, with resolution
2.25🌶️
I guess the end of 2024 is my era for trying new things in spicy romance, and this time, femdom is getting its turn!
I enjoyed myself well enough and appreciated being introduced to something new as a reader, but overall, the characters fell a little flat. I believed in their lust connection for sure, and the mutual satisfaction they got from their arrangement, but when it came to romance and love... that I didn't really believe, so my investment in the story wasn't really there.
Elements/tropes/safety I can remember:
✨femdom (submissive MMC in the sheets, alpha in the streets)
✨Russian billionaire businessman MMC
✨Prickly and dominant-by-nature FMC
✨CEO x employee
✨sex arrangement
✨orgasm denial/delay (FMC to MMC)
✨”I don’t know how to love” MMC
✨MMC has had arrangements with other women in the past, but once he gets over the pre-conceived idea that the arrangement with the FMC will end, he embraces and only wants the FMC
✨third-act separation, with resolution
April 24, 2022
I just have one question
Why was this so fucking good?!?
It is official Heather Guerre is one of my favorite authors
Why was this so fucking good?!?
It is official Heather Guerre is one of my favorite authors
January 11, 2025
3.5 ⭐
Now I know I'd rather be reading "Good boy." than good girl.
Now I know I'd rather be reading "Good boy." than good girl.
December 1, 2022
okay hear me out, but this felt like what if Maxim from The Master was a submissive who lived to serve? so yeah basically i really love it.
my minor quibble was i felt a bit thrust (he he he) into Mikhail Volkov and Kate Pasternak's lives in the first chapter; she's been working at his company, struggles to make ends meet, and is aware of him as the owner but hasn't met him. He meets her just the once and is ready to proposition her and senses her domme-ness. ehhhh, okay? I wish there was a little more buildup on the front end but whatever, once we got going it was hot as fuck and really fun.
Loved that Kate is a midwestern girl from ANTIGO WISCONSIN lmao (personally hilarious), and that she was finding her way as a domme, but wasn't a total beginner either. also i felt this treated sex work in a far better way than a lot of similar books (including the Cole).
There's so much imagery of Mikhail as a shuddering, worked over stallion and well. that appealed to me as well lmao.
my minor quibble was i felt a bit thrust (he he he) into Mikhail Volkov and Kate Pasternak's lives in the first chapter; she's been working at his company, struggles to make ends meet, and is aware of him as the owner but hasn't met him. He meets her just the once and is ready to proposition her and senses her domme-ness. ehhhh, okay? I wish there was a little more buildup on the front end but whatever, once we got going it was hot as fuck and really fun.
Loved that Kate is a midwestern girl from ANTIGO WISCONSIN lmao (personally hilarious), and that she was finding her way as a domme, but wasn't a total beginner either. also i felt this treated sex work in a far better way than a lot of similar books (including the Cole).
There's so much imagery of Mikhail as a shuddering, worked over stallion and well. that appealed to me as well lmao.
June 21, 2022
This was EVERYTHING I wanted!
I'd had in on my TBR since it came out, and I knew I'd loved Demon Lover. But this was contemporary, and I just wasn't really in the mood :/
So other books kept getting in the way. But now. Finally. I read it. And it was perfect.
🖤 I adored being in Kate's head. She has so much personality, and she was so fun to be with. Plus, having a domme FMC who doesn't go through a moral spiral over liking to be dominant, was so wonderfully welcome.
Kate had me laughing multiple times with her inner thoughts.
There were so many examples of small lines that just elevated her for me.
I've heard some mixed opinions on the whole "she makes him donate his wealth" plot line in this book, but honestly I liked it. It seemed perfectly in character for both and worked well for me.
Okay, okay. I need to stop. Just one more!
🖤 Mikhail is a shithead... of the sexy, "I can fix him" variety.
This man straight up takes advantage of a woman in debt, so she'll sell her body to him. My dude. But I knew this going in, so I was ready for the romance with this terrible man. Give me this trash man. But this is also the reason I've put the story on my dub-con shelf.
🖤 The femdom was scorchingly hot. It had so much I liked. The control, the denial, the focus on her, the service mindset, the punishment/rewards, the payment/money domination. Plus safewords! (Even if Mikhail was a brat about it). I found them both so hot. Mikhail was so delicious in his submission.
Final thoughts
Heahter Guerre, please, can I have some more? You write femdom so well. Have another 5 stars from me. Clearly I am going to simp for any femdom she writes.
I'd had in on my TBR since it came out, and I knew I'd loved Demon Lover. But this was contemporary, and I just wasn't really in the mood :/
So other books kept getting in the way. But now. Finally. I read it. And it was perfect.
🖤 I adored being in Kate's head. She has so much personality, and she was so fun to be with. Plus, having a domme FMC who doesn't go through a moral spiral over liking to be dominant, was so wonderfully welcome.
A no-nonsense woman who would inevitably tell Kate to go fuck herself in logistics jargon.
Kate had me laughing multiple times with her inner thoughts.
No sense in licking his boots on her way out.
There were so many examples of small lines that just elevated her for me.
Jesus Christ, who needed enemies when she was this good at self-sabotage?
I've heard some mixed opinions on the whole "she makes him donate his wealth" plot line in this book, but honestly I liked it. It seemed perfectly in character for both and worked well for me.
She'd always imagined herself manning the guillotine during the revolution, not jerking off the ruling class.
Okay, okay. I need to stop. Just one more!
She gound his pushiness weirdly endearing. She was like the opposite of a brat tamer. She was a brat enabler.
🖤 Mikhail is a shithead... of the sexy, "I can fix him" variety.
Mikhail could believe it. She needed money. He had more money than anyone could ever need. It was a win-win situation. She would say yes. He knew she would.
This man straight up takes advantage of a woman in debt, so she'll sell her body to him. My dude. But I knew this going in, so I was ready for the romance with this terrible man. Give me this trash man. But this is also the reason I've put the story on my dub-con shelf.
"I'm too rich for consquences."
🖤 The femdom was scorchingly hot. It had so much I liked. The control, the denial, the focus on her, the service mindset, the punishment/rewards, the payment/money domination. Plus safewords! (Even if Mikhail was a brat about it). I found them both so hot. Mikhail was so delicious in his submission.
Final thoughts
Heahter Guerre, please, can I have some more? You write femdom so well. Have another 5 stars from me. Clearly I am going to simp for any femdom she writes.
June 29, 2023
4.5 stars
Billionaire CEO makes an indecent proposal to his employee… but with a twist.
I did not expect to find the femmedom / male sub dynamic this hot, but it really worked for me. There ended up being so much worshipping, spoiling, and caretaking - and the kink helped the characters emotionally connect as well.
I probably shouldn’t have been surprised because I love Heather Guerre’s books - I’ve read 6 now and they were all 4 stars or above for me, with several 5 stars. They are steamy but always have an emotional punch, which is a nice change from all the lighthearted books I usually read.
Also, this moment that made me think - oh, that would be heartbreaking in a different story:
Billionaire CEO makes an indecent proposal to his employee… but with a twist.
I did not expect to find the femmedom / male sub dynamic this hot, but it really worked for me. There ended up being so much worshipping, spoiling, and caretaking - and the kink helped the characters emotionally connect as well.
I probably shouldn’t have been surprised because I love Heather Guerre’s books - I’ve read 6 now and they were all 4 stars or above for me, with several 5 stars. They are steamy but always have an emotional punch, which is a nice change from all the lighthearted books I usually read.
Also, this moment that made me think - oh, that would be heartbreaking in a different story:
May 12, 2022
Oh baby. Oh baby. New kink unlocked. That is all.
April 24, 2022
I’m not usually into femdom but holy cripes, Kate bossing Mikhail around was amazing. I loved the character growth and tender moments, like when they each used personal nicknames. Also loved that she helped him use his fortune for good, flipping the billionaire trope.
November 26, 2023
*3 ½ stars
my girl kate took the "ask for a car while you ride that dick" quite literally... good for her.
my girl kate took the "ask for a car while you ride that dick" quite literally... good for her.
February 27, 2023
I liked this book from the very first paragraph:
She didn’t bother standing up to peer over cubicles at the commotion. It was almost certainly because of a food delivery. The only reason anybody ever got excited about anything around here was because there was free food in the break room.
What kept it from being a 5 for me was mostly the epilogue (give up 10 mil are you crazy?), and even all throughout the story I kept asking myself how does this work out to be an eventual marriage?? A few other things missed the mark but on the whole I enjoyed this very much.
Kate is smart and competitive (I loved the game nights with Theo and Anna) and I feel that it is a truly gifted writer when they can really put themselves in so many different scenarios (from chess strategy to childhood deprivation) and put together a cohesive, relatable, entertaining story.
I could understand where Kate was coming from and the questions she had from his proposition:
"She needed the money, but her pride had some value too, and being a billionaire’s on-call sugar baby rankled a little bit. She’d always imagined herself manning the guillotine during the revolution, not jerking off the ruling the class."
and
"Charming, sneaky bastard. She had to move away from sentimental talk or she’d end up cuddling him like a puppy. Apparently she was a very soft domme, but she sensed that she was not being paid for softness."
and the humor was just right!
"But Mikhail was a CEO’s name, not a pet wolf’s. Something more intimate would suit, but all she could think of was “Mike,” which sounded ridiculous. She fought a smile as she considered calling him that, just to see his reaction."
and
“It’s very difficult to find mustard compresses in American pharmacies.”
“Yeah, I’ve always thought so too.”
“But there is a Ukrainian shop near here that sells them.”
“Oh, thank goodness.”
I was a little at a loss with Mishka:
“I wish I were capable of it, Katya. I know I’d love you, if I could.”
Guess what, he does love her but is just too broken to know it.
His realization: It couldn’t be. Love was supposed to be grand and poetic and magical, and all Mikhail felt was a base need—something like hunger or thirst. It was primal and simplistic and far too straightforward to be love.
and finally, this sweetness:
I did not know what love was until you took it from me.
Please give me your heart back, because you already have mine.
With love always, Your Mishka.
Not sure why he needed to show his love the way he did, giving up 50% of his shares but oh well.
She didn’t bother standing up to peer over cubicles at the commotion. It was almost certainly because of a food delivery. The only reason anybody ever got excited about anything around here was because there was free food in the break room.
What kept it from being a 5 for me was mostly the epilogue (give up 10 mil are you crazy?), and even all throughout the story I kept asking myself how does this work out to be an eventual marriage?? A few other things missed the mark but on the whole I enjoyed this very much.
Kate is smart and competitive (I loved the game nights with Theo and Anna) and I feel that it is a truly gifted writer when they can really put themselves in so many different scenarios (from chess strategy to childhood deprivation) and put together a cohesive, relatable, entertaining story.
I could understand where Kate was coming from and the questions she had from his proposition:
"She needed the money, but her pride had some value too, and being a billionaire’s on-call sugar baby rankled a little bit. She’d always imagined herself manning the guillotine during the revolution, not jerking off the ruling the class."
and
"Charming, sneaky bastard. She had to move away from sentimental talk or she’d end up cuddling him like a puppy. Apparently she was a very soft domme, but she sensed that she was not being paid for softness."
and the humor was just right!
"But Mikhail was a CEO’s name, not a pet wolf’s. Something more intimate would suit, but all she could think of was “Mike,” which sounded ridiculous. She fought a smile as she considered calling him that, just to see his reaction."
and
“It’s very difficult to find mustard compresses in American pharmacies.”
“Yeah, I’ve always thought so too.”
“But there is a Ukrainian shop near here that sells them.”
“Oh, thank goodness.”
I was a little at a loss with Mishka:
“I wish I were capable of it, Katya. I know I’d love you, if I could.”
Guess what, he does love her but is just too broken to know it.
His realization: It couldn’t be. Love was supposed to be grand and poetic and magical, and all Mikhail felt was a base need—something like hunger or thirst. It was primal and simplistic and far too straightforward to be love.
and finally, this sweetness:
I did not know what love was until you took it from me.
Please give me your heart back, because you already have mine.
With love always, Your Mishka.
Not sure why he needed to show his love the way he did, giving up 50% of his shares but oh well.
December 25, 2024
4.5
you know what HELL YEAH.
i need 100 more books exactly like this but slightly different pls and thank yewww!👅🙏
you know what HELL YEAH.
i need 100 more books exactly like this but slightly different pls and thank yewww!👅🙏
March 4, 2023
Ok, so who doesn’t love an FMC that tells their billionaire boyfriend to his face how unethical billionaires are?
I’m not really even into the femdom kink but when I want to read a romance about a dominant female lead, THIS is what I’m talking about. I loved Kate in that she was unapologetic in who she was, had great self esteem despite her upbringing and brought her man to heel in THE sexiest way. She’s not superwoman or a broken woman… she’s just simply her own woman. Mikhail is equally dynamic and complete as a man and as a character, who just happens to be a sub. They connect because of WHO they are, not on merely what spicy preferences they have.
Transaction relationships are all well in good until someone catches feelings… will it be the submissive billionaire or the down to earth employee who falls head over heels?
Even if you think you don’t like femdom, or billionaires, or contemporary romance, or Heather Guerre, Preferential Treatment is a must-try. It’s not only incredibly hot, but thoughtfully written. Pretty much anyone who reads spicy books and has access to KU should at least give it a shot. It’s stupid good.
I’m not really even into the femdom kink but when I want to read a romance about a dominant female lead, THIS is what I’m talking about. I loved Kate in that she was unapologetic in who she was, had great self esteem despite her upbringing and brought her man to heel in THE sexiest way. She’s not superwoman or a broken woman… she’s just simply her own woman. Mikhail is equally dynamic and complete as a man and as a character, who just happens to be a sub. They connect because of WHO they are, not on merely what spicy preferences they have.
Transaction relationships are all well in good until someone catches feelings… will it be the submissive billionaire or the down to earth employee who falls head over heels?
Even if you think you don’t like femdom, or billionaires, or contemporary romance, or Heather Guerre, Preferential Treatment is a must-try. It’s not only incredibly hot, but thoughtfully written. Pretty much anyone who reads spicy books and has access to KU should at least give it a shot. It’s stupid good.
April 15, 2024
Get it here:
Amazon US * Amazon UK
I was so here for a strong femdom-ish heroine that had no problem taking the rich hero's money. And we did get that for the most part but I do wish there was more depth to the sexual aspects of their relationships. For a story that was mostly based around the heroines control over the hero, there really wasn't a ton of that going on. Sure, they had some hot scenes but a lot of them felt rushed or weren't fully depicted. I could be wrong but it seemed like most of those scenes either started mid-way through or faded to black pretty fast into them. And then we'd just get a synopsis of how she controlled him without actually seeing it play out.
Overall, I did enjoy these characters and I loved seeing their dynamic when it was present on page.
Amazon US * Amazon UK
I was so here for a strong femdom-ish heroine that had no problem taking the rich hero's money. And we did get that for the most part but I do wish there was more depth to the sexual aspects of their relationships. For a story that was mostly based around the heroines control over the hero, there really wasn't a ton of that going on. Sure, they had some hot scenes but a lot of them felt rushed or weren't fully depicted. I could be wrong but it seemed like most of those scenes either started mid-way through or faded to black pretty fast into them. And then we'd just get a synopsis of how she controlled him without actually seeing it play out.
Overall, I did enjoy these characters and I loved seeing their dynamic when it was present on page.
November 25, 2024
“Preferential Treatment” by Heather Guerre
5⭐️/5⭐️
3🌶/5🌶
“He was beautiful. A big, powerful man made weak and needy, utterly at Kate’s mercy.”
-Are you sick of reading about ultra wealthy MMCs who are never confronted over their materialistic nature? Does the idea of a billionaire love interest make you queasy? Then you need to give this book a chance. Yes, the MMC is a billionaire, but this is unlike any billionaire romance you’ll ever read. I first read this book in 2022 after it was released, so completing a reread was long overdue. This story has remained in the back of my mind ever since I first read it; I constantly recommend it to readers.
-The basic premise is: Kate works for a big-time tech company, and by chance meets its CEO Mikhail. Their meeting scratches an itch Mikhail thought dormant, and he proposes an arrangement with Kate: let him pay her for her dominance in the bedroom. It’s a win-win, Kate gets extra cash, and Mikahil is sexually satisfied. But this power exchange quickly becomes complicated, because they both realize an emotional connection is impossible to avoid.
-I LOVE Kate, I think she’s such an interesting and unique FMC. It’s immediately apparent that money and material possession hold a significant meaning for her. She grew up in poverty and childhood neglect, so being able to afford beyond basic necessities brings her immeasurable joy. At one point she goes on a big solo shopping spree, buying thousands and thousands of dollars worth of clothes and shoes. When she gets home she is able to acknowledge how content she is with these items, while also recognizing that it’s not the most healthy coping mechanism. But perhaps what is most satisfying about Kate is her ability to stay true to herself, even if it means going through life alone. She never backs down from Mikhail, she is straightforward and direct. She has morals and ethics, and not once does she lose sight of them.
-Mikahil, on the other hand, is emotionally detached and doesn’t believe he’s capable of falling in love with someone. He also grew up in poverty, and fought for every opportunity available. Eventually he was able to establish himself as a tech mogul and one of the most wealthy businessmen in the world. But money can’t buy EVERYTHING, which Mikail learns the hard way.
-This is a somewhat soft femdom situation. Kate definitely dominates Mikhail, but it’s more for his humiliation than to hurt him. There’s a ton of orgasm denial, and Mikhail begging for relief, and Kate gloating in his face that she owns him. It’s amazing.
-Heather Guerre is one of my all-time favorite authors, and this book in particular is a favorite of mine. Also, there’s something extra hot whenever the characters play chess as foreplay, lol. You can read “Preferential Treatment” on Kindle Unlimited!
5⭐️/5⭐️
3🌶/5🌶
“He was beautiful. A big, powerful man made weak and needy, utterly at Kate’s mercy.”
-Are you sick of reading about ultra wealthy MMCs who are never confronted over their materialistic nature? Does the idea of a billionaire love interest make you queasy? Then you need to give this book a chance. Yes, the MMC is a billionaire, but this is unlike any billionaire romance you’ll ever read. I first read this book in 2022 after it was released, so completing a reread was long overdue. This story has remained in the back of my mind ever since I first read it; I constantly recommend it to readers.
-The basic premise is: Kate works for a big-time tech company, and by chance meets its CEO Mikhail. Their meeting scratches an itch Mikhail thought dormant, and he proposes an arrangement with Kate: let him pay her for her dominance in the bedroom. It’s a win-win, Kate gets extra cash, and Mikahil is sexually satisfied. But this power exchange quickly becomes complicated, because they both realize an emotional connection is impossible to avoid.
-I LOVE Kate, I think she’s such an interesting and unique FMC. It’s immediately apparent that money and material possession hold a significant meaning for her. She grew up in poverty and childhood neglect, so being able to afford beyond basic necessities brings her immeasurable joy. At one point she goes on a big solo shopping spree, buying thousands and thousands of dollars worth of clothes and shoes. When she gets home she is able to acknowledge how content she is with these items, while also recognizing that it’s not the most healthy coping mechanism. But perhaps what is most satisfying about Kate is her ability to stay true to herself, even if it means going through life alone. She never backs down from Mikhail, she is straightforward and direct. She has morals and ethics, and not once does she lose sight of them.
-Mikahil, on the other hand, is emotionally detached and doesn’t believe he’s capable of falling in love with someone. He also grew up in poverty, and fought for every opportunity available. Eventually he was able to establish himself as a tech mogul and one of the most wealthy businessmen in the world. But money can’t buy EVERYTHING, which Mikail learns the hard way.
-This is a somewhat soft femdom situation. Kate definitely dominates Mikhail, but it’s more for his humiliation than to hurt him. There’s a ton of orgasm denial, and Mikhail begging for relief, and Kate gloating in his face that she owns him. It’s amazing.
-Heather Guerre is one of my all-time favorite authors, and this book in particular is a favorite of mine. Also, there’s something extra hot whenever the characters play chess as foreplay, lol. You can read “Preferential Treatment” on Kindle Unlimited!
July 21, 2023
I think this is the worst heroine I've ever read. I wish I could give .1 of a star.
I wanted to read this for the femdom, but all I got were ick vibes. The heroine's version of femdom was basically just....edging and coercing the hero to spend all his money? So that she could "ruin" him financially? And yet Kate is DESPERATE to be wealthy and wants to live in luxury. Yet only has access to said luxury because of our hero Mikhail. And yet vilifies poor Mikhail for his wealth.
Kate, girlie, get thyself to a therapist and into a financial management class. And maybe economics. And maybe poli sci.
I wanted to read this for the femdom, but all I got were ick vibes. The heroine's version of femdom was basically just....edging and coercing the hero to spend all his money? So that she could "ruin" him financially? And yet Kate is DESPERATE to be wealthy and wants to live in luxury. Yet only has access to said luxury because of our hero Mikhail. And yet vilifies poor Mikhail for his wealth.
Kate, girlie, get thyself to a therapist and into a financial management class. And maybe economics. And maybe poli sci.
February 15, 2023
Loved it until the author introduced woke nonsense
I was really enjoying this book after reading others by the author. Her descriptions of sex are hot without being gross. And then all of a sudden she starts in with the income inequality nonsense. I can tell you that anyone who’s escaped communism wouldn’t give 5 seconds of thought to the nonsense that the female protagonist spouts. They’d just show her the door.
The author’s politics ruined an otherwise excellent story.
Avoid.
I was really enjoying this book after reading others by the author. Her descriptions of sex are hot without being gross. And then all of a sudden she starts in with the income inequality nonsense. I can tell you that anyone who’s escaped communism wouldn’t give 5 seconds of thought to the nonsense that the female protagonist spouts. They’d just show her the door.
The author’s politics ruined an otherwise excellent story.
Avoid.
July 15, 2022
Total femdom fantasy!
Rich billionaire wants to utterly spoil and pleasure the FMC and she is all in for it.
Honestly just wish it was longer. And also feel like we missed out an a good opportunity to have Mikhail brush Kate’s hair given her anxiety…
Rich billionaire wants to utterly spoil and pleasure the FMC and she is all in for it.
Honestly just wish it was longer. And also feel like we missed out an a good opportunity to have Mikhail brush Kate’s hair given her anxiety…
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 14, 2022
3.25
I wanted more from the book, but it was still okay.
I wanted more from the book, but it was still okay.
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