The Pleasure Room - By D.N. Simmons *Review & Giveaway*

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Felicity Summers is an ambitious reporter who's trying to make a name for herself as a serious investigative journalist with the biggest newspaper in the city; the Chicago Word. When she catches wind of a rumor about the city's mayor that might just be the hottest story of the decade, she jumps at the opportunity to expose the corrupt mayor and derail his chances at winning a second term. All she has to do is infiltrate a private BDSM club to catch him in the act. Simple right? Well, maybe it would have been if not for the club's extremely dominant, gorgeous and charming owner, Sir Alistair Montgomery-Piers. He takes notice of her at one of the scenes and sees something in Felicity that he wants to her to explore. Alistair makes her an offer neither she nor her body can refuse. Can Felicity stay focused on her mission long enough to get the proof for her top secret story, or will Alistair completely take over her heart, mind, body and soul? Reader Advisory. This novel contains the following warnings: Adult Themes. Strong Sexual Situations. Lots of Foul Language. Hot, Naked Bodies. Sexy Accents. Lusty Toys That Make You Beg For More. And a Whole Lot of Other Naughty Things That Will Send Your Libido Into Overdrive... Are Your Ready To Unleash Your Desires?

Without further ado, she walked towards the back to the black door Gregory led her to before marked “Employees only”. She took her membership card and ran it through the card slot and the red light turned green and the door unlocked. She opened it and began making her trek up the two small flights of stairs. Once she reached the top, she parted the red velvet curtains, not sure what she was going to see this time around. She tried hard not to stand in the doorway like a deer caught in a set of headlights, but once again, her feet failed her. This time she didn't have Gregory to guide her and she felt like she was teetering on the edge of a panic attack. Two scenes were going on at the same time. Hanging from a leather swing contraption was a beautiful and very naked blonde woman. Both her legs were spread wide, ankles bound by the straps on the swing. Her wrist were handcuffed to the other end of the swing and she lay helpless, exposed for all to see, while her female Domme spanked her breast teasingly with a leather crop. The other scene was another spanking. A muscular man, almost the size of the bouncer who'd let her in, was bound to that cross-shaped contraption and his female mistress was tearing into him with a leather whip. Each contact to his skin left red welts that the crowd appeared to approve of.

“It's beautiful, isn't it?” a deep, caramel-smooth, British voice asked her from behind causing her to nearly jump out of her skin. So much for playing it cool.

Felicity turned around, ready to curse out whoever it was violating her personal space. But when her eyes trailed up his tall, powerfully built frame and locked on the jade-green gaze of the man before her, she lost her voice. His full, luscious lips parted in a killer smile that would make Don Juan envious. His jaw was strong and defined and made her want to run her fingers along the smooth lines. Everything about this man was sheer perfection. Never in her life had she seen a man so beautiful with such a presence, that it engulfed her. It frightened her and excited her. She immediately felt her nipples harden and the little things were betraying her through her bra and blouse. His eyes didn't miss the show, either. They glided down her body, taking in her appearance from head to toe, lingering only but a second at her breasts. Long enough for his lip to quirk up at the corner ever so slightly.

“W-what did you say?” was the only words Felicity could form at the moment. He ought to be grateful for that... or was it the other way around? she wondered.

“I said they're beautiful, aren't they?” he repeated. That same sensuous, crisp accent slicing through her mental barrier like a hot knife through butter.

Simmons writes BDSM magic. I was a little skeptical it was going to be another typical billionaire Dom books but there's a beautiful dynamic built between the main characters which sets it apart from other novels. Simmons is savvy on the BDSM front and allows a trustful relationship to develop from mutual attraction. I enjoyed the "discovery" aspect of the novel and it transitioned well into a slightly more experienced level of intimate play. Alistair was a flawless Dom who was blessedly lacking in the arrogant asshole persona that so often graces billionaire's in BDSM these days. He was equal parts firm as he was sweet. I liked that he laughed and didn't have some horrifying past that "made him the way he is." This, my friends, is how a writer can have a dominant male without making him a brooding douchebag. Kudos Simmons!

My only problems were with Felicity and the finale drama. Felicity was judgemental and she often made me cringe with her comments. Granted she sorted herself out and stopped being so closed minded but it definitely made her less likeable. She also came across as slightly naive and whingey when she didn't know what to do or what decision to make. God dammit woman where was the authoritative confidence you showed at the end. In regards to the finale drama, the relationship conflict wasn't a surprise but the last emotional panic seemed a little bit over dramatic.

Otherwise this is a wonderful BDSM read and definitely a high recommend. Think Cherise Sinclair - Masters of the Shadowlands series, Simmons is of a similar vein. Grab a copy and let me know what YOU think! :)

D.N. Simmons lives in Chicago IL., with a rambunctious German Shepherd that's too big for his own good and mischievous cat that she affectionately calls "Itty-bitty". She is highly acclaimed for her groundbreaking, fast-paced and engaging novels winning “Author of the Month” at Warrior of Words, “New Voice Of Today” at Romance Reviews and “Rising Star” at Love Romance and More.

She has been nominated at Love Romances and More, for “Best Book” of 2012 and “Best Paranormal Book” of 2012.

When she isn't writing, D.N. loves to read, listen to music, watch movies and TV and hang out with friends.

To learn more, and have the opportunity to speak with the author personally, please visit her official website at www.dnsimmons.com. D.N. is always interesting in meeting new and wonderful people.
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The Education of Victoria - By Angela Meadows

Lessons in love and a whole lot more, are in store in this saucy romp set in a European finishing school for young ladies. Packed off to a continental finishing school, 16-year-old Victoria thinks she will be taught how to be a dutiful wife for a gentleman. But she soon discovers that she has a lot to learn in the arts of pleasure at the Venus School for Young Ladies. There she encounters the strictness of Principal Madame Thackeray and her team of tutors. Under their guidance she learns the finer arts of sexual pleasure and discovers that there are plenty of fellow students and staff willing to share their carnal knowledge with this sweet young English rose. On returning to England, she finds her father in financial difficulty, and must turn her newfound education to good use to save the family estate.

I have many feelings about this book and not many of them positive, sorry. I was fuming only 4% into the book and it didn't improve at all. There is no plot outside of Victoria going to the finishing school and learning about sex which I don't think that constitutes a plot at all, forgive me if I'm wrong. This one dimensional story is barely interesting, its like an erotic description of the variations on sex jumping from one sexual encounter to the next. There is no character development, I know as much about Victoria at the end that I do at the start of the novel. The only saving grace is Meadows writes erotic scenes well and if you're just wanting some erotic bit of reading with no plot then by all means, this is your novel! However, I appreciate a little more substance and plot - after all I am wanting a story not a collection of explicit scenes. Sadly, these weren't the reasons I was fuming. While "The Education of Victoria" attempts to take a feminist stance and talks about freeing women to become independent it fails horribly. I tried to give some leeway here because Meadows sets the novel during the reign of Queen Victoria but I just can't.

From the moment Victoria steps into her "supposedly liberal" finishing school everything is male focused. What she and the girls are taught is for the benefit of men. I don't want to read a book about the narrow focus on, and dominance of, men in society - I see it everyday thank you very much. Yet this novel attempts to cover the masculine focus by trying to convince readers the purpose of the sexual finishing school is to free and empower women. How can you empower women by relaying the message that all sex is for and about men? This kind of mixed message is the problem with women's sexuality in current society - there is a misguided understanding that sexual encounters are for the benefit of men and that women should aspire to be their sexual fantasy, nothing more. It shrinks women into one dimensional beings whose worth is determined by their attractiveness to males.

What I have always loved about the erotic romance genre is plethora of leading ladies who own their sexuality beyond physical appearance or the approval of men. They are confident in themselves, in what they want/need and aren't afraid to get it. But in this novel there is no mention of the academic studies the girls at the finishing school undertake and everything Victoria gains or loses is through sex. Obviously this young lady is quite intelligent but the story is consumed by her ability to have and give sexual pleasure to men. This novel confuses strong, sexual and powerful women with a heavily male focused understanding of sexuality and slaps a female empowerment sticker on top. Take this stunner of a quote "...you must learn when servicing a man, his pleasure is paramount and you should not divide your energy pleasuring yourself as well as him." There is so much wrong with that sentence I can't even. It has nothing to do with female empowerment and everything to do with men - how a woman can best please a man. BAHUMBUG! Despite the time period I just can't accept this novel.

I'll give the book two ratings for those of you who aren't concerned with plot...

1/5 as a novel 4/5 erotic scenes
xxx Literary George
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Thank you to NetGalley, Angela Meadows and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

Domino Effect - By Jill Elaine Hughes

The Domino Trilogy - Book 1

Peter Rostovich is an enigmatic international artist with ties to the Russian mafia. He manipulates everyone he comes in contract with and nobody can figure him out—not even himself. More than that, he has a taste for bondage, which he infuses into his art.

Virginal Nancy Delaney is an aspiring reporter who tries to crack Peter’s shell. His work is like nothing she’s ever seen—complete with a live sculpture that gets the exhibit shut down by the police.

Peter hates reporters, but Nancy captivates him to the point where he makes her part of his exhibit within seconds of meeting her. He introduces her to the world of BDSM, but his involvement in the criminal underworld puts Nancy in the sights of his fiercest enemy.

First off - MASSIVE CLIFFHANGER and no official release date for the sequel - Butterfly Effect. Right, now that's out of the way, I liked this book. Which is a little strange for me because I didn't really like Nancy Delaney. The tension between the two characters is built and sustained well. There were enough twists to make sure I turned the next page but despite an avid interest I couldn't like Nancy. She was condescending towards her room mate and supposedly best friend. Making snide comments about her room mate never having to work for anything and being supported by her rich family while Nancy has had to work hard for everything. Even in a dangerous situation she takes a moment to insult her best friend's intelligence by stating "only I can get us out alive," right... Nancy talks to herself and calls the much more courageous/smarter voice her "alter ego" which I found annoying. Why couldn't it just be another part of her rather than an "alternate." She also gets on her high horse about Peter, grouching he is only using her for sex and yet... treats him like he is only good for sex and influencing people to get what she wants. I'm sorry - who is using who here?

The plot left me with a lot of unanswered questions - why was Nancy so important? What is the link between Peter and the Russian guy? What will happen next? (obviously...) The book ends up in a much darker place than it started and takes a while to get going. While I still have issues with the novel it was a gripping read and I'm keeping an eye out for the sequel. If you're wanting a romance with BDSM towards the end then this is your book.

3/5

xxx Literary George

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