“She’s so very good at being bad.”
Xavier:
My truth is control.
My truth is that good is rewarded
and that bad is punished.
Aubrey Knight thought she could disrupt my business
and get away with it.
But, she was sorely mistaken.
So, when her father lost the election
and came to me begging for money I struck a deal.
The little brat would serve as collateral until the loan was repaid.
She thinks she can test me.
How laughable.
She will submit to me,
and it will be a beautiful submission.
Aubrey:
I will never submit to him.
The characters are interesting, and Aubrey especially drew me in, although Xavier’s story is fascinating and just as tragic. The age gap was a bit much for me, but wasn’t as big as expected. The guy on the cover looks way older than any 42-year-old hotties I’ve ever seen. It would have worked better if she’d been a bit more assertive and self-assured. Her timid compliance with life was disappointing.
There’s a lot going on with Aubrey’s family that drives the action, and I can’t be specific without being a spoiler but it’s good stuff. The dom-sub stuff bored me, and Aubrey was entirely too submissive. It’s one thing to be submissive in the bedroom but she’s submissive in every aspect of her life, first with her parents then with Xavier. I want strong heroines who kick ass, so she just didn’t have enough fierce for me. Similarly, Xavier’s whole thing with control gives me a serial killer crazy vibe, but not dark and sexy in a Cole Blackwell way. I liked the character in general but didn’t like that aspect of his personality at all.
This is a well-written story with interesting characters but the whole “yes, master” thing just isn’t my cup of tea. It’s always hit or miss for me with the BDSM stuff because sometimes it’s a great part of the story and others it drags down the whole book for me. The characters are complex and the action is good, but the specifics aren’t to my personal taste. I still recommend the book. If age gap or BDSM is your thing, you will LOVE it because the author does it well. I received an ARC from Social butterfly PR in exchange for an honest review.
