The Deep End (Honey #1) by Kristen Ashley @KristenAshley68 @InkSlingerPR

 4 Stars 

The Queen of all Alphas finally entered the BDSM genre realm with her latest release, The Deep End. Welcome to the decadent world of the Bee's Honey Club and prepare yourself for Olivier and Amèlie’s wildly erotic ride.

I'm always excited when hearing there's a new series in the making and Kristen Ashley, my favorite author, now writing BDSM stories is like making all my literary dreams come true. Her romances are extremely steamy, I could only imagine what a full-blown D/s read would be like. Reading the synopsis piqued my curiosity and all these wicked thoughts flooded my mind…

A love story set in a sex club! Sign me up!

A hedonistic den where all dark desires are fulfilled;

Limits of sexual fantasies are boundless;

The promise of sizzling mouth-watering kinkery;

And gorgeous Alpha males submit to the salacious commands of their Mistresses...

Wait. What??

Okay, so the concept of an Alpha submitting to a Domme was nerve-wracking and screwed with my mind a little. It was inconceivable that KA, the author who spoiled me with so many beloved and incomparable heroes, would write about an Alpha-sub. (Not even sure what an “Alpha-sub” was for shit's sake – but I certainly do now). I LOVE the way her fictional men dominate both in and out of the bedroom. How can I possibly love a hero who sexually submits? It's their overly controlling nature that melts me into a big pile of goo and one of the countless reasons why I love getting lost within her stories.

Nervousness be damned, I trustingly laid my heart in KA's hands knowing full well that she would never - could never let me down. Delighted to say she hasn’t. Admittedly, the beginning of this read had a different feel than what I'm used to and it took some time for me to connect with Olivier and Amèlie. However, the vividly descriptive writing that I am familiar with surfaced as the story progressed. Once these characters revealed themselves, and their relationship evolved from sexual encounters and club scenes to feelings of love, I was all in. And note ~ it is a testament to Ashley's story-telling talents to pen an extremely different kind of tale, one that really tested my comfort level, while remaining true to her a style. That's why she's my queen of romance. Whether writing about badass bikers, anti-heroes, vampires & werewolves, ghosts that haunt the living, insanely hot PI's, brooding sexy cops or D/s erotica - I know down to my bones the very essence of a KA story that I relish will ultimately shine through. This time, she sprinkled a heavy dose of delicious kink into her goodness.

Olivier (Olly) is a KA hero through and through, who could be extremely dominant at times, despite his sexually submissive nature. He's all sorts of sexy, swoon-worthy manliness and I love him. A cocky and cheeky S.O.B who's insanely intense, temperamental, possessive, controlling and most importantly... ALL ALPHA-MALE. Amélie is undoubtedly his woman, and Olivier goes about claiming her in every way, in a very clear and dominant way, inside and out of the Honey Club.

Olivier is a mighty beast. Strong, passionate, devoted – he possesses some of the important qualities I look for in a storybook hero. But it was his internal conflict that fascinated me.

He struggled with submitting, regardless of his deep-seated yearning to surrender control. I loved the way Amélie sensed his hesitations and as his Mistress, handled him with care by freely giving exactly what he desired during their scenes.

Amélie was both patient and forceful when opening up her world to Olly. She broke through the barriers while allowing him the time to find comfort with his sexual proclivities. Conversely, being a dominant herself, Amélie willingly accepted the man Olly needed to be when playtime was over. It was an essential part of their dynamic relationship that I needed to understand in order to connect with this couple.

Amélie's (Leigh-Leigh) character took me by surprise and not what I expected a Domme to be. Overly sophisticated, reserved and confident in her sexuality, she wielded her dominance and riding crop with finesse. However, she was burdened with insecurities. Tired of entertaining temporary "toys", Amélie wanted to share her life with a man who could own her heart and satisfy her desires. I adored the way Olivier recognized Amélie's vulnerabilities and affectionately tended to her needs as well. Together, this couple’s relationship grew sexually and emotionally, both giving and taking. They balanced each other beautifully. I savored every moment of their journey from building bonds of trust to discovering a shared deep-rooted connection from their play/love relationship.

Now with a new series, a new genre and taking a great departure from the norm, fans may be apprehensive fearing the unknown. After all, this is unchartered territory for Ms. Ashley. Having read The Deep End and expressing the same concerns, I would encourage both fans and those who enjoy BDSM reads to open their minds, take a faithful leap into this couple’s story, and judge it for themselves. I had my doubts, it was unfamiliar to me in the beginning, but happy to say I enjoyed it. I will warn that Olivier and Amèlie's sexual play was wildly kinky and outrageous at times. More than once I needed to take a step back, catch my breath and wrap my head around the scenes – they were extremely intense and scorching hot. A good start to what I believe will be a great series. I cannot wait to play with more sexy bees from the Honey.

I voluntarily reviewed an advance copy of this publication  

Sebring (Unfinished Hero #5) by Kristen Ashley @KristenAshley68

The finale to a beloved series makes me melancholy, but one from this author totally devastates me. I have a hard enough time letting go of Ms. Ashley’s characters and the excitement that overcomes me the first time I step into their literary worlds. Saying goodbye is excruciating, since I’m always anxious for the next installment. Through the power of KA’s flawless descriptive writings, I’ve emotionally attached myself to Knight, Creed, Raid and Deacon…feeling as if they somehow magically became real. As much as I wanted my hands on Nick’s romance, it broke me knowing that the story line was coming to an end. Stepping into Sebring, I faced a great challenge with getting to know and hopefully liking Nick, the ‘dark horse’, introduced in Knight.  Bracing myself, the struggle was real because, lets face it… Nick was a douche. Nevertheless, I liked the challenge of an edgy bad-boy reinventing himself in a way that leaves me no choice but to fall for him. By the end of the prologue, Nick had my heart wrapped tight around his little pinky finger. Olivia (Livvie) and Nick’s erotic romance superbly capped this series and once again, Kristen Ashley overwhelmed me with yet another deeply passionate, highly emotional, poignant tale. If you have not read the series in its entirety, I highly recommend jumping on that pronto to understand Nick’s mindset. His character started off (in prior installments) as someone I loathed. Jealous, spoiled, sabotaging – he took full advantage of his brother, Knight.  After reading Sebring, I hate reflecting back on the asshole he used to be. But, it’s crucial to remember his beginnings to appreciate his character’s transformation. When a hero/heroine is at their worst, Ashley is at her best as she triumphantly scripts their path towards redemption. I absolutely savored seeing Nick struggle from his lowest point, work hard to piece his life back together, while winning my affection along the way. I loved the man he became. Loved how he earned the respect of his brother, friends and family. Adored how Nick forced himself through the cracks of Livvie’s armor, drawing her from the darkness of fear into dawn’s light. He had my nerves twisted in knots with his elaborate plan of using Livvie to avenge the murder of his late girlfriend/partner, Hettie (his target being Vincent Shade). But without a doubt, his feelings for Livvie were sincere practically from the start. His heart and soul belonged to Olivia Shade as he placed her needs above all else. It may have taken Nick a while, but in his struggle, he found strength for the sake of his love. That’s the true beauty of this tale. The man Nick Sebring became is compassionate, understanding, selfless and fiercely protective of Livvie. Even though Nick’s an anti-hero (overly dark, edgy and living by his own set of rules), to me he’s also a true Alpha-hero in every sense of the word. He was the perfectly flawed, dynamic protagonist.   Seeing Livvie’s life was achingly painful. Trapped under her father’s (a nefarious, heartless bastard) control, she played the role of his dutiful daughter, while helping to run the crumbling ‘family business’. She survived by maintaining a stone-cold facade. Her somber character made my heart bleed when seeing into her dark and lonely life. What I admired the most was, hidden beneath the shroud of sorrow, stood a woman of great strength who dared to hope. I desperately wanted Livvie to find happiness, and it shattered me knowing she was the pawn in Nick’s plan. My anxiety level soared knowing that the realization would send her reeling. Fortunately for her (and my nerves), what began under false pretenses became very real rather quickly for Nick, when realizing Olivia Shade is not what she appeared to be. She was desolate. She was vulnerable. She was trapped in a prison created by her family and Nick made it his mission to unravel the layers and free her from darkness. He found exquisite beauty in his Livvie and a second chance to love again. In the end, Nick was amazingly romantic as he moved heaven and earth in hopes of bringing Livvie much deserved love and joy. From the onset, these two ignited in a frenzied fury of erotic explosions. Their sexual chemistry was unrivaled and wild. It was combustible. I was constantly fanning myself down as they frantically battled for domination during each passionate encounter. Nick was incredible and beyond sexy. As Livvie desperately needed affection, Nick consistently gave her everything, and I ate all the intensity up with a spoon. And I loved seeing their tumultuous affair become more than just a romp. Profound feelings of love developed, consuming both, which made me swoon. I'm always giddy when seeing past loves pop up within the story-line. Knight, of course, comes into play and manages to make me fall even deeper in love with him. He openly welcomes Nick back into the fold and forgives. It was a truly remarkable moment of tenderness and healing between two brothers that struck a chord within my heart. There’s so much more substance to Kristen Ashley’s prose than just a beautifully scripted romance. There are inspirational messages conveyed through her character’s experiences, which brings to light the significance of forgiveness, redemption and family. Whether we are journeying through a motorcycle club, parallel universes, the burgs of Indy, the mountainous towns of Colorado, or in the city of Denver where men live by their own codes – these fundamentals are ever-present in her tales. It’s brothers and sisters lending an abundance of guidance, love and support in a time of need.  With each read, I walk away uplifted and tremendously moved as she feeds my soul. Like all good things, this series came to an end and Sebring was phenomenal. It was one hell of a gripping erotic romance filled with nerve-wracking moments of angst as anti-heroes faced off against their vile foes. GAH! My anxieties climbed sky-high as Nair and Benito added even more drama and twists to the plot. I hated to let these sexy men go…but when one door closes, the promise of what’s to come opens. A secondary character from the Rock Chick Series, who teamed up with Nick, was heavily involved in this story line. I’m keeping my fingers crossed hoping to see more of him in the future. ARC received from Author in exchange for an honest review.

The King (The Original Sinners #6) by Tiffany Reisz

4.5 Stars Arc received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review I am always at a loss for words after reading one of Tiffany Reisz’s tales. I cannot fathom why in the world I am drawn to this series like the proverbial moth to a flame. Totally baffles me since she hits on all, and I mean ALL, of my “no-go” triggers. Maybe it’s her impeccable writing style and superb story telling talents. Maybe it’s because this author has the balls to incorporate every taboo I can imagine into her story line in a way wherein I can cast aside all my inhibitions. Whatever the reason, I love this series. I swear I can hear the gasps of Sister Mary Frances, my grammar school teacher, each time I queue one of Reisz’s masterpieces onto my kindle. It’s blasphemous, yet so worth it. I happily run back for more from this amazing author and was tickled pink upon hearing THE KING was getting his own story. It was absolutely magnificent. But, I would not consider this a stand-alone novel and recommend reading the entirety of the Siren Series to fully understand all characters involved.     As with the previous installments, this series goes well beyond the stereotypical BDSM ‘tie ‘em up and spank their ass’ erotic love story. Yes, the sexual element runs rampant throughout, especially since Kingsley oozes raw sex appeal in every way. I always feel as if I’ve journeyed deep within the soul of each of character; an up close view into their psyche. Crawling into Kingsley mind was a head-trip. All that coupled with a cast of multi-faceted characters and an intriguing plot, made this an excellent read that blew me away. I felt as if I waited a lifetime for Kingsley Theophilé Boissonneault to tell his story and his majesty did not disappoint. Forever the self-indulgent sexual fiend, Kingsley’s character intrigued me, second only to the mighty Søren, as far as piquing my curiosity. Finally some insight on what makes him tick and the birth of the man that we come to know as “Kingsley Edge”. We see the creation of his empire – the Eighth Circle. His rise to power as the king of the New York BDSM underworld was not an easy climb, but with all things Kingsley, it was amazingly entertaining. It is here we are introduced to new characters, such as Sam, who becomes his “right hand man” sort to speak. She came across as a female version of Kingsley with a hint of Nora mixed in - snarky, tricky and charming. I’ve come to adore her. But what called to me the most was seeing the dynamics of his relationship with Søren, without Nora being the intermediary. Their love and connection is told through Kingsley’s eyes and sheds new light on the bond that exists between these two powerful men. I now see Søren as more than just the dominant commanding sadist. He was more laid back and humorous, and I fell in love with le prêtre even more. I am not one to read M/M romances. Ms. Reisz’s novels are the exception for me. But the love story told is so touching, so intense, my heart ached seeing the depths of Kingsley’s love for the only man he will submit to. His desperation to have any piece of Søren overwhelmed me.   All in all, I loved seeing the world through the kinky eyes of Kingsley Edge. Long live the King and bravo, Tiffany Reisz, for penning yet another brilliant saga. I will wait, with bated breath, for the next installment. TRIPLES with EMMA