They’re getting over their exes together, but some exes don’t want to stay in the past…Jared and Leigh both know what it’s like to be trapped in a seven year relationship where they give more than they get, the question is whether or not they can move on from them.Two steps forward, one step back. That’s how Jared’s life feels when it comes to his ex Marissa. Every time he thinks he’s escaped … Marissa. Every time he thinks he’s escaped the vortex of her emotional demands, she ends up sucking him right back in; but for the first time, he thinks he might have the strength to pull free entirely. At least he hopes so. Right now it just seems like he’s hurting everyone around him and he doesn’t know how to make it right.
Leigh Douglas spent seven years with the man she thought she would one day marry, but she’s now realized that she needs him to fight just as hard for her as she always fought for him. Since he won’t, she’s working on getting over him and finding someone who won’t take her for granted. On the other side of the equation, she’s definitely falling for Jared, but he’s still entangled with his ex. No one can understand the hooks that Marissa has in him like Leigh can, but that doesn’t mean that she’s willing to take the back-seat again in another relationship.
As Jared tries to side-step his ex and Leigh takes her first steps into the domination and submission-filled world of the Stronghold club, their friends hold a collective breath as everyone wonders whose heart will be broken in the end.
This is a full-length character driven BDSM romance with hot scenes and a HEA. It can be read on its own, although is more fulfilling when read as part of the Stronghold series. Breaking the Chain is approximately 93k words long.
Stronghold Series
1. The Sassy Submissive
2. Taming the Tease
2.5 On His Knees
3. Mastering Lexie
3.5 Pieces of Stronghold
4. Breaking the Chain
5. Bound to the Past
6. Stripping the Sub
7. Tempting the Domme
8. Hardcore Vanilla
more
The Stronghold Doms is a wonderful series about a group of friends who all attend (or end up attending) a BDSM club. In Breaking the Chain we get to know the story of Leigh, best friend to the heroine of Book 1, and Jared, an original member of the group. This pair connect through their mutual unhappy love lives. Jared having been in a fairly toxic relationship whilst Leigh’s ex had an early mid-life crisis. Having invested years of their lives in relationships that have recently failed, both are understandably cautious about jumping into a new one with both feet.
I found both main characters to be very believable, their reactions, their fears, their responses and decisions all felt very natural and realistic. It was very easy to buy into their growing connection and scorching hot chemistry. There is no unnecessary angst or drama in the story in terms of the main characters and their relationship. There’s plenty of upset caused by Marissa, a total drama queen who only wants what she can no longer have. However Jared and Leigh don’t let this impact on their relationship and I liked that the author demonstrated how a mature couple navigate the turbulence that life often throws into our pathways.
I maybe felt the pace was a little slow at times, though none of the story felt like idle filler used to add pages rather than content. Overall the writing is very strong, Golden Angel portrays very realistic kink relationships, even if the fact that they are all great friends, all into BDSM and have a club on their doorstep is a little stretch on reality. Leigh and Jarad’s was almost more of a DD relationship than a truly kinky one, the play never extending much past spankings and making it ideal if you are new or less enthused by the genre but want to sample this author’s work.
One of the real great strengths of the Stronghold Doms series is just how stand alone each story is. Sometimes there is a slight overlap in the timeline of books, and if you start with the latest there will definitely be a few minor spoilers for earlier books. This is a great series of reads that I am more than happy to recommend.
Leigh and Jared are the ones that get their story in Breaking the Chain and what a story it is! They both deserve their happy after só much! After being taken for granted for years and years by their partners,they both finally draw the line and i am so glad they did. Understanding where they come from has them building a friendship and gradually it grows into something more. If only Jared’s ex,Marissa didn’t return and make their life miserable,things could be just wonderful…..I loved the chemistry between Leigh and Jared,i loved them,period.
When hearts are mangled and trust is destroyed it takes two Brave and daring souls to find their way to each other. Beautiful story and I hope to see more from them in the future.
This was an interesting couple. Both Jared and Leigh had baggage that they had to deal with so they found comfort with each other. Leigh is a total vanilla and wants to try the lifestyle. I liked Leigh experimenting. It gave great insight into how someone starts in the world of kink. Jared is more than happy to teach Leigh the ways. Jared is more like a disciplinarian for Leigh to keep her reaching for her goals. But as Leigh discovers she likes the softer kink, she is willing to try more. Jared is the perfect Dom for this. He has a softer side and patience of a saint. I really fell hard for these two and would love to read more about them.
Rose Lane has a great narration voice. She is easy to listen to and brings the story to life. I really enjoyed the innocence she gave Leigh. I look forward to hearing more from Rose Lane.
Breaking the Chain can also be found in “Nights at Stronghold” box set. This book is one that is so relatable to me personally. Have you ever been on that relationship rollercoaster? You know, the one where you’ve invested years in a relationship and another person, trying desperately to make it work and yet the other person seems to disregard and stomp on everything you’re trying to do, destroying you and what you’re trying to build as a couple. Meet Jared and Leigh. If you’ve been following the Stronghold Doms series then you know what they’ve been going through. If you haven’t, then you’re in for an awakening. Golden Angel has absolutely nailed the emotional and physical toll of what such a relationship can produce. All the emotions, the fears, the emotional turmoil. Not just from one point of view, but from our two main characters, but from the entire circle of friends. Heart wrenching and heart warming but definitely not a fluff book. Thank you so much from those of us that have traveled this road.
Stronghold DomsGreat Audible Listen JaredLeigh!
4.5 HotStars!
Breaking the Chain
Stronghold Doms Series, Book 4
By: Golden Angel
Narrated by: Rose Lane
This is my 2nd Golden Angel book and I enjoyed it as much as my 1st book, “The Sassy Submissive”. She has a great writing style and I love this world she created and the characters in the world. The circle of friends belong to the same BDSM club, Stronghold, their friendships & relationships are unique and tight knit. They support and look out for each other. This is Jared & Leigh’s story, it is a friends to lovers. Both had just gotten out of longterm relationships, Jared’s ex, Marissa, belongs to the club and decides she wants him back. She stirs up trouble and lots of drama for both Jared and Leigh. It was nice to see the crew again, the alpha Doms and Subs. The scenes & kink was fairly pretty tame in this book, Jared is a Dom but nothing hardcore, some punishments, bondage and spanking. Loved the slow burn romance between Jared and Leigh. I am looking forward to listening to more from the Stronghold Doms! Thanks for another great story.
I listened to the Audible edition, Rose Lane is a wonderful narrator and voice performer. She brings the characters and their story to life from the pages to your ears. Thank you for a great listen!
Thank you AudiobookObsession
One of my favorite stories in the series
After the setup in Pieces of Stronghold, I was eager to get into Jared and Leigh’s story. Note while you don’t have to have read Pieces of Stronghold or any of the other previous books to enjoy this, reading the series in order does help fill in background material and makes each book a richer experience.
I really liked the setup of a friends to lovers story here, plus that the two had so much in common. They each had an ex to move on from, which meant they really understood what the other was going through, and so they each reacted as a mature adult to the other’s ex drama. As someone who isn’t in the lifestyle, I also found Leigh to be particularly relatable, and I really enjoyed watching this relationship develop. Of course, we also get glimpses of other members of Stronghold, some coupled (or tripled) up and some not, and it was fun to see how some of those relationships are progressing as well. 5+ stars
This is Leigh and Jared’s story! Jared broke up with his ex and is seeing how it never truly will work out with them even though Marissa is determined to get him back with any cost. Leigh broke up with her ex and starts to fall for Jared. Two people that realize they deserve better but with all the drama can they be together? 5/5 stars
I love this book, I love this series!! Can be read as stand-alone, but so much better after reading the other books in the Stronghold Doms series and even the Venus Rising series first. The friend group as secondary characters is so great to continue reading in each of these books. Told in dual POV with HEA for this couple. I love Jared and Leigh and am so glad they found one another. Their relationship starts out as strictly friends supporting each other through both their breakups of long term relationships. Jared is so good for Leigh, and she is so good for him. One of my favorite couples!
Leigh and Jared both recently ended long term relationships. Once they were done and moving on Jared and Leigh both seem to be drawn to each other. As they looked back at their old relationships were they with them because they loved them or were in live with or did they stay out of habit? As things move along, Leigh and Jared both find a measure of comfort and understanding as they deal with their exes that no one else can really understand. When Jake finally realizes how very unhappy he was with his ex, Marissa, he’s determined that he will not go back and in essence kicks her to the curb. Leigh carefully embarks on this new relationship but realizes that she is over Michael and wants to move out with her life. The problem is Marissa is a letting go. She shows up at Stronghold, she threatened Leigh in text messages and even stopped her on a girl’s night out. Things come to a head during a melee in a dance club wear Angel and Leigh are both injured. As a result Jared finally gets to tell Marissa once and for all they’re done, they’re over, there is no chance of reconciliation. He also declares his love for Leigh as she does for him.
The Stronghold group of friends keeps enlarging and with each subsequent newly-formed couple the drama continues and life truly does go on. A new relationships are formed, old ones are rekindled and life truly does change for all of them.