SHATTERED BONDS by Lynda Aicher

Publisher:               Carina Press           

Published:               September 15, 2014        

ISBN:                     978 1 42689 903 4

Genre:                   Contemporary Romance, Erotica, BDSM

Book Format:          E-book

Obtained via:          Publisher

Reviewed by:          Helena Stone, helenastone63@gmail.com

Rating:                   4.5

         

This is the seventh and final title in the ‘Wicked Play’ series.

Lives can be shattered in one short, cruel, moment. A single act of madness throws the lives of the owners of The Den into panic and chaos. It is up to Noah Bakker to do what he can to limit the fall-out and keep his friends and business partners as safe as possible.

Noah hasn’t had a sub or participated in a Scene since a tragic event four years ago changed his life and forced him to question everything he believed to be true about himself. Forced to play a bigger than usual role in the running of The Den he is grateful for Liv Delcour’s unquestioning support even as the attraction he feels towards her scares him.

Liv didn’t know about the lifestyle choices her sister and the other owners of The Den have made. When the secret comes out in the most public way possible, she finds herself more intrigued than shocked. Noah’s dominant strength, both in his dealings with the press and in the bedroom, arouse feelings in Liv she hasn’t experienced before, doesn’t quite understand, but can’t deny.

Liv isn’t sure she’ll ever be able to completely submit to Noah. Noah isn’t sure he can risk allowing a woman into his heart and life again. As everybody connected to The Den struggles to salvage what’s left of their lives, Noah and Liv have to find a way to follow their heart without risking their sanity.

Shattered Bonds starts with a bang. Before you’re five percent into the story you’ll be worrying about at least half the characters you’ve come to love while reading the ‘Wicked Play’ series. Everything is suddenly uncertain. There are questions about life and death as well as the future of The Den and it’s impossible not to get caught up in the worry and uncertainty.

In the midst of the chaos that ensues, Liv is the light and bright spark keeping everyone going. There were times when she was a bit too much for me; too good, too cheerful, too understanding and too unquestioning. But overall she made me smile as well as wish I was a better person. And, given the darkness Noah struggles with, Liv’s character had to be both understanding and patient for the story and the romance to work.

Noah broke my heart for most of this book. His pain, fear and reluctance to commit ever again were so vivid it made me hurt for him. The way he eventually deals with his issues and the sacrifice Liv makes to make that possible for him, were both heartbreaking and utterly beautiful.

Ultimately this is a book about love, friendship and loyalty. Things that might shatter us if we have to face them alone, can be managed if those who are close to us gather around to see us through. It is a wonderful truth and powerful message.

As always Lynda Aicher has put several pearls of wisdom in her story. I’ve decided to not quote BDSM related statements this time since I covered those in my previous reviews. The following sentiment though rang very true for me:

“She didn’t go around envisioning the sex lives of any of her other friends.”

This is such a wonderful line. The whole world seems to feel they have the right to judge how people who are into kink or are gay or ‘other than the norm’ have sex. And yet those same people probably don’t spend a minute thinking about their neighbours’ sex life. Because they know it’s none of their business. Well, guess what. It’s none of your business either if the people concerned happen to like something you’re not into or you don’t understand.

The following scene brought tears to my eyes. Liv’s selflessness was astounding and inspiring.

“You have so much love to give, but your heart is still broken. Her actions shattered it. But it still beats. You’re still alive. You need to find a way to piece it back together so you’re not afraid to use it again.” – Liv to Noah.

As she did in the previous books in this series, Lynda Aicher manages to give us yet another perspective on BDSM. With Liv not being submissive, even though she does enjoy kinky sex, and Noah no longer comfortable with the idea of a full-time D/s relationship, this book shows that it isn’t all or nothing. We all develop our relationships based on our personal needs, and that’s the only way it can possibly work. I’m both delighted and impressed at how well Lynda Aicher managed to convey that message in this series.

I have adored this series from the very beginning. Every single title brought me hours of reading joy and all the characters I encountered in the stories will stay with me for one reason or another. For that reason, the epilogue left me with a big smile as well as a bit teary-eyed. It was a wonderful and very romantic ending to a series I’ve loved from start to finish. It was also goodbye. As much as it was great to have the series end on a high, I can’t deny I will miss these characters and The Den. The world and characters Lynda Aicher created became real for me and saying goodbye to them is a bit like saying goodbye to trusted friends. Not having a next book to look forward to is going to take a bit of getting used to. On the upside though, there’s a new series on the way and if the ‘Wicked Play’ books are anything to go by, it’s going to be fun losing myself in new characters.

“That was what this day was really about. The victory of love and the promise it had given them all when someone had tried to destroy it.”

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.

 

BONDS OF COURAGE by Lynda Aicher

Publisher:               Carina Press 

Published:              June 16, 2014

ISBN:                     978 1 42689 848 8

Genre:                   Contemporary Romance / BDSM

Book Format:          E-book

Obtained via:          Publisher

Reviewed by:          Helena Stone, helenastone63@gmail.com

Rating:                  4.5

‘Bonds of Courage’ is the sixth title in the ‘Wicked Play’ series and more than lived up to the expectations I had based on those earlier books. Over the course of six books I have gotten very attached to The Den, the people who own the place and their partners.

This instalment features Vanessa Delcour – full-time rep for professional athletes, partner in The Den, an exclusive sex club, and known as Mistress V an experienced Domme. For years she has successfully kept all the threads of her life separated and she is determined to keep it that way. Vanessa is in control of her life and doesn’t allow anyone to breach her carefully set boundaries or anything to control her. It is a balancing act but a successful one until Holden Hauke applies for membership at The Den.

Holdon Hauke is a professional hockey player. He has kept his sexual needs and desires buried, especially after one indiscrete photo of him tied to a spanking bench nearly cost him his career and forced a mid-season transfer. With the summer break on his hands Holden turns to The Den in the hope of finding a discrete Mistress. One look at Vanessa is enough to tell Holden he’s found what he’s been looking for.

With their first encounter going off to a bad start because of Holden’s lie on his application to The Den and Vanessa’s reluctance to let anyone in to her life never mind her heart a relationship between these two seems doomed from the start. Holden is not prepared to give up though. He may be submissive, he is determined to do whatever it takes to show Vanessa that they belong together.

For the sixth consecutive time Lynda Aicher has brought her readers two characters who are interesting, easy to root for yet realistic and flawed. I fell in love with Holden the moment he made his first appearance. I loved the ease with which he surrendered to his needs despite the risks involved and Vanessa’s attempts to push him away, and delighted in the release he found in bondage.

“The firm clasp of the thick bands of leather was his freedom.”

Vanessa was a little bit harder to like. She was so determined to be independent, to keep all the different threads in her life separate and avoid all attachments, that it was almost too easy to believe she really was the hard bitch she portrait herself as. That image made the rare occasion on which her hard shell cracked all the more beautiful though.

“It made no sense, but he was under her skin, burning through her as no other sub ever had.”

This story is a reversal of the BDSM story we usually read. In this book it isn’t the sub who needs to be convinced of his needs, it isn’t the sub running away from something new and scary. This time we are dealing with a sub who knows exactly what he wants and has a job on his hands convincing his Domme that his needs happen to mirror hers.

“He could make her happy. Please her. He got everything he needed by giving her what she needed. It was a perfect combination that.”

I loved Holden for getting Vanessa, for taking his time and for reading her well enough to know what all her small sign and gestures meant. I loved the moment he gave her a pair of flip-flops.

“The only time she wasn’t in heels was when she let her shields down, and he wanted that all the time with him.”

I’m very grateful that although there is lots of angst and conflict in this book I didn’t have to read my way through a lengthy split between the protagonists based on fear or a misunderstanding. I’m equally happy that the author kept things real; the resolution of issues was organic and believable.

Overall this was a wonderful, smooth, very sexy and fascinating read. The descriptions of Vanessa’s sessions with Holden were captivating as were the occasions when the two of them gave into their feelings without any play involved.

I discovered that there is one more Wicked Play story to come in September 2014. While I’m delighted to have another book in this series to look forward to I am already sad that book will also mean I’ll have to say goodbye to The Den and all who play and love there.

“I’m yours. In every way. Beyond the playroom. Beyond the spankings and bondage and play – I belong to you.”

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.

 

BONDS OF DENIAL by Lynda Aicher

Publisher:  Carina Press
Published:   03/02/2014
ISBN:  B00GKBHJJ8
Genre:   Erotic Romance M/M
Book format:  Kindle
Obtained via:    NetGalley
Reviewed by name and email address:  Helena helenastone63@gmail.com

Rating: 5

When Rockford Fielding was 14 years old, his father caught him kissing another boy. The punishment his career military parent inflicted on Rock was enough to have him deny his feelings for the next twenty years. Watching Carter Montgomery on the security screens in The Den force Rock’s repressed feelings to the surface. Unable to deny his true desires any longer he hires the gorgeous escort only to discover that the habits of a lifetime don’t change during one three hour encounter.

Carter has worked for the escort agency for almost fourteen years. Four months away from the end of his second contract he has every intention of turning his back on the only career he’s ever known. But the closer he gets to the start of his new life and the deeper his feelings for Rock grow, the more his insecurities catch up with him. Caught between lack of confidence in his own abilities to make money in any other way and the certainty that Rock will end up leaving him because of his shameful profession, the escort starts undermining the budding relationship.

As the two man move from paid encounters to simple dates the mutual attraction becomes undeniable. But with both of them facing insecurities and fear their instincts to avoid complications and possible heartbreak may be stronger than their need to be together.

When I finished my review of ‘Bonds of Hope’ I mentioned I really wanted to read Rock’s story. The tough and standoffish man in charge of security at The Den had intrigued me more with every subsequent ‘Wicked Play’ title. Sometimes wishes come true and this one not only got fulfilled, it also exceeded all my expectations and hopes. In fact, I think Rock and Carter’s story is my favourite in this series so far.

From the very start of the book it was impossible not to fall a little bit in love with both Rock and Carter. The courage it takes for Rock to, after 34 years of denial, at last acknowledge his feelings and explore his gay nature is astounding and Lynda Aicher does a wonderful job describing the struggle inside this man. The conflict between his attraction to Carter and his need to explore that feeling, and the shame and fear he experiences just thinking about the fact that he actually is attracted to another man was both powerful and heartbreaking. Carter’s patience with the man who doesn’t seem to be able to admit to his wants and needs was tender and beautiful even before they exchanged their paid encounters for simple dates.

There’s so much angst in this story. We’re 26% into it, watching Rock’s third meeting, be it first date, with Carter before he can admit out loud, to both himself and the man he hungers for, that he is gay. But once Rock takes that first step, there is no holding him back. A weight has been lifted of his shoulders and for the first time in his life he feels as if he is allowed to be who he is.

“Each step was one more away from something and closer to another. That was always true, only this was the first time he was actively looking forward to where he was going.” - Rock

Carter’s character is equally beautiful. When we meet him we’re introduced to a confident man, not ashamed of what he does for a living and compassionate enough to take the time it takes for Rock to come to terms with his needs. It is only as the story unfolds and Rock and Carter get closer that the escort’s insecurities surface. Fourteen years in the business have left their mark. Carter may claim to be unashamed of his work he is not sure he is able to live without it. What is more, he can’t help being afraid that sooner rather than later Rock will leave him because of it. He knows that good things don’t last for people like him and it isn’t long before he is pushing the man he is falling for away, convinced that it is better to reject than to be rejected.

I loved when the roles reversed. Rock, his decision made had no doubts and was prepared to burn his ships behind him if that was what it took to live the life he was meant to live with the man he has fallen for. When Carter’s insecurities threaten to tear them apart it is Rock who has the patience and courage to do what is necessary to proof that his love is real, that he has confidence in his lover and wants to spend the rest of his life with him.

“Thank you”, he mumbled. “For what?” “Holding me”. “Anytime”. Rock said, his arms cinching tighter. “Anytime.”

The lengths Rock goes to go to in order to proof both his willing embrace of his true nature and his love for Carter had me reading with tears in my eyes.

“I’ll always come back for you. Always.” – Rock

Tears that returned when, at long last, Carter was able to believe his lover’s feelings and commitment.

“God, I love you. I don’t know how I got you, but I am never pushing you away again.” – Carter

While this series may be set around the owners of a BDSM club, this book doesn’t contain any elements of Domination and submission. And this story didn’t lack anything as a result. In fact, throwing the BDSM dynamic into this story on top of the angst and the M/M story-line would probably have been overkill. This was a perfect read; fantastic characters, a wonderful romance, a captivating and believable story and lots of realistic angst. I really couldn’t ask for more.

The knowledge that we’re nearing the end of this series leaves me kind of sad. I will miss these characters, their friendships and loyalty and, most of all, the wonderful stories. Thankfully there are two more “Wicked Play” books to come before I have to face that moment. I’ll be first in line to get my hands on them as soon as they become available.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.