Category Archives: Mischief

Review: Lost in You by Sommer Marsden

lostTitle: Lost in You by Sommer Marsden
Publisher: Mischief
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic, Romance
Length: 200 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Author

Summary:

Trapped inside a luxury mall during a violent storm, small town girl, Clover Brite, is thrust into the arms of international playboy Dorian Martin. Lightning strikes inside the building as well as outside…

Clover is the site manager for the renovation of the Baltimore Rotunda and first meets the owner, Dorian, when the ‘storm of the century’ traps the two of them inside the luxury mall. Upscale stores surround them and all are available at the end of Dorian’s keyring, and though money doesn’t impress her much, they begin to fall for each other.

Too aware of the differences between them and struggling with angst from her childhood, Clover flees back to her small town world. Dorian follows in hot pursuit. But will Clover realise that what happened that stormy night could lead to a future?

The Review:

Lost in You by Sommer Marsdenis a sweet yet passion-filled romance between two unlikely lovers. Clover Brite and Dorian Martin come from completely different worlds, but neither can resist their smoking hot desire. Both are carrying their fair share of emotional baggage and their promising relationship is threatened by Clover’s insecurities.

Although Clover is the project manager for a renovation of one of Dorian’s properties, the two meet for the first time during a super-storm. Trapped at the mall by the weather, there is an immediate attraction between them. Clover is quite flustered at first, but Dorian soon puts her at ease and pretty soon the two are indulging in some scorching hot sex. But once she and Dorian return to real life, Clover’s issues jeopardize their fragile relationship.

Insta-lust is rarely a firm foundation for a new relationship and in Lost in You, Clover and Dorian learn this difficult lesson fairly quickly. They are likable characters in the beginning, but once reality sets in, they become quite frustrating at times. Clover is young, but she has a heightened sense of responsibility which is a good thing for her career, but this spells disaster for her personal life. She also has unresolved issues stemming from her childhood and coupled with her awareness of the social differences between her and Dorian, she is quick to assume there is no future for them.

Dorian is handsome, charming and refreshingly down to earth. He is in his mid-twenties and he is working hard overcome his playboy, party image. He never comes across as a snob or class conscious, so Clover’s reaction to the differences between them has no basis in reality and he never gives up on trying to convince her to give them a chance. He always remains a likable character but his pursuit of Clover becomes a little manipulative at times. It is a real turning point when he finally stops pursuing Clover and leaves the future of their relationship in her hands.

Although Dorian and Clover are sometimes exasperating, the secondary cast of characters is superb. Clover’s grandmother and surrogate aunt Brani are absolutely wonderful. Their scenes are warm and witty and neither of them put up with Clover’s negativity.  Older and wiser, their advice to Clover is spot on and thankfully, she finally begins to listen to them.

Sommer Marsden beautifully redeems both characters into well-rounded, appealing characters and Lost in You concludes with a highly romantic and deliciously steamy happily ever ending that readers are going to love.

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Filed under Contemporary, Erotic, Lost in You, Mischief, Rated B, Review, Romance, Sommer Marsden

Review: Out of the Shadows and into the Darkness by Senta Holland

Title: Out of the Shadows and into the Darkness by Senta Holland
Publisher: HarperCollins
Imprint: Mischief
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic, BDSM
Length: 200 pages
Book Rating: C

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publicist

Summary:

A deeply felt and superbly written BDSM love story, Senta Holland’s Out of the Shadows explores the beautiful darkness in seven bedrooms.
Senta, a thirty something Londoner, travels around the planet looking for the man who can match her. The one she finds is her ‘Nai’, a high society American in Asia.
Senta’s story is both complicated and made more exciting by the fact that it unfolds in the dark world of BDSM, a world that can be hostile to single, independent females.
Highly erotic, deeply romantic and insightful this book shows the BDSM experience from the inside out, as reality, not just fantasy.

Links: HarperCollins Mischief * Amazon UK * Amazon US * Feature in Marie Claire Magazine * Review in CoffeeCakeandKink * Review by Netgalley/Goodreads

The Review:

Senta Holland’s Out of the Shadows and into the Darkness has to be one of the most unusual novels I have ever read. Part poetry, part stream of consciousness, it is a fascinating story about Senta and Nai’s BDSM relationship.

Senta is unapologetic about her desires and kinks, and I admire her embracing and exploring her sexuality. On her journey to find a compatible Dom, she learns from her mistakes and moves on when the relationship no longer meets her needs. With Nai, she has found her perfect match and Senta is willing to make any sacrifice to keep him in her life.

Written in diary format in first person, the narrative in Out of the Shadows and into the Darkness is quite unique and it takes some getting used to. The flow of the story is sometimes uneven as Senta’s thoughts veer from present to past without clear scene breaks. The passage of time is elusive and it is sometimes difficult to differentiate between reality and fantasy. Personal details such as age, previous relationships and career are glossed over.

The BDSM scenes between Senta and Nai are intense and quite graphic. Senta is very submissive and she embraces the spankings, beatings, whippings and canings she receives from Nai. There are no discussions of hard limits or safe words, and Senta submits to all of Nai’s demands. Their scenes later in the novel are not for the sexually faint of heart as Nai pushes Senta well past her boundaries.

Out of the Shadows and into the Darkness is not a typical romance but it is full of strong emotions. Senta Holland brings readers an intriguing and introspective perspective of what goes on behind the closed doors of a BDSM relationship.


Excerpt

Power exchange

I am looking at him.

No, he is looking at me. And I am taking it in, the way he looks at me.

There is promise and thrill in this exchange. And a lot of love and trust. I am strong, I am free, I am wild. Just as he, in everything.

And I am here by my own choice.

I take in his energy. I let it go down into my very core.

He can see exactly what is happening. I hold the moment. I am in control. He humbly waits for my decision.

I choose to surrender.

Slowly, the balance of power between us shifts.

I give myself to him. He takes my power from me.

This is a complex, sophisticated process.

And it is wonderfully erotic and deeply fulfilling and dizzyingly wild. And it can happen without a word, without touch. Breath by breath.

I submit. I submit to his domination.

That is what I want. That is what he wants.

I am his submissive. Maybe for a lifetime, maybe just for now.

The tension between us is generating its own charge.

Submission to him arouses me. This is my true sexuality. Not my social role, not at all, but my sexuality.

Like many sexual orientations, it needs the right match to thrive.

Looking at each other, we have found it.

I am naked.

He is fully dressed.

He reaches out towards me.

He could do so many things to me, right now.

My submission calls for them. My vagina is opening her soft red mouth.

I want to yield and I want him to meet my softness with ruthless force.

I long to be subjected. In my way.

He touches my hair. Follows the long strands down over my shoulder and to the tip of my breasts. I am still.

My hands are bound behind my back.

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Filed under BDSM, Erotic, HarperCollins, Mischief, Out of the Shadows and into the Darkness, Rated C, Review, Senta Holland