“… This is a story that is intense in its passions, full of pain and pleasure, with absolutely glorious BDSM scenes to enjoy. I lost myself in it, restricting myself to a few chapters each night so I could make it last…” – Bending the Bookshelf – VINE VOICE“… She wove the romance blossoming seamlessly into the lifestyle while giving the story a little intrigue. Even if you are vanilla, you can … romance blossoming seamlessly into the lifestyle while giving the story a little intrigue. Even if you are vanilla, you can appreciate the knowledge that Mistress Black Rose imparts and the patience She shows in explaining what can make for a wonderful D/s relationship… – Amazon Reviewer
“… this story is a love story, make no mistake. What it does is to carefully and gently reveal a subculture that most people have no understanding of, and within which most people would not be able to imagine as the setting for a love story…” – Amazon Reviewer
As a manager at Avery’s Marketing Agency, Quinn is killing herself to make CMO – a promotion she’s been gunning towards for years. Just when it seems like she’s almost there, she nearly has a nervous break-down from the stress. She’s got to figure out a way to blow off steam, or everything she’s worked for will unravel.
Quinn starts to wonder how her beautiful co-worker Estelle deals with the same work stress and simultaneously keeps it all together. The answer surprises Quinn, and she soon finds herself in the D/s Lifestyle of BDSM.
As one of Mistress Jade’s subs, Quinn realizes that handing the reins of power over to someone else for a change feels amazing! With each session, Quinn’s iron walls start to crumble. As the relationship between Mistress Jade and Quinn heats up, Quinn agonizes as to whether she should pursue uncovering Jade’s hidden identity. She’s handling work better, entertaining ideas of relationships she never would have thought possible, and finally finding balance in her life. If she tries to find out who Jade is, it might rock the boat and cause things to change.
Figuring out who Mistress Jade is, suddenly takes a backseat, as Quinn is thrust into a dilemma of epic proportions. She’ll have to choose between love and life, or her career. It will be the hardest decision she’s ever had to make, and if she doesn’t choose right, it could cost her everything she’s built up for herself, including her beloved Mistress Jade.
***This book contains bondage, submission, and intimate sex scenes between two women who identify as bisexual or lesbian. If you find this content offensive, please do not buy this book.***
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Quinn’s life revolves around work, not letting any distractions in. Not even letting the gorgeous women she works with tempt her out for a nightcap. I feel so sad for her even as I feel sad for myself too. Because of my health issues, when school is open, I literally have no energy left for anything else. Even conversing is a problem and I spend my weekends in bed, hoping to replenish my energy levels a bit and use reading for my blog as an excuse. At the same time, I throw myself into work because it’s better than dealing with my mental and physical health issues. At the point Quinn starts to realize she might need something outside of work, I seemed to remember there were things I liked doing before I got swallowed up. The bar she’s introduced to by a colleague is my kind of place, quiet, old, and LGBTQ friendly. I’ve experienced the former but never been to an LGBTQ friendly bar and jealousy slayeth me. Only for another colleague that she’s been eyeing quite appreciatively to drop some things in her ear and hand that just might kick-start Quinn’s world again. And I’m urging her on, for herself and for me, mentally pushing her to do what needs doing, even as she scares us both and reacts the same way I reacted when I was told I needed antidepressants 5 years ago – pride shut that shit down immediately, seeing nothing but weakness in giving in to those pills. The only difference between us? She took the advice she’d been given and called Mistress Jade and envy sloshed over me again. But as they begin to talk on the phone, I’m up and ready to take notes because I get the feeling Mistress Jade is about to teach this baby Domme some good lessons. Yup, I was right. Even with all the research I do, so many things are unclear and I’m scribbling personal notes to self. Nope, not to become a professional (still too innocent and shy) but for me and my special person (when they appear). The first Scene she had was every bit as painful yet as tender as I’d imagined. It was breathtaking. It also finally answered why there are so many subs online and not as many Dom(me)s. Now that she and Estelle seem bound by a secret, I can’t help hoping a love interest will develop there and yes, I’m controlling myself from going to the last page. But I’m greedy. Now that Quinn is letting go, I want her to also find love so badly. Hnm, I wonder if the lines between Quinn and I are getting blurred. The change in Quinn is almost instantaneous, as though she just awoke from a deep slumber and her confidence apparently woke up with it! I’ve got a placard cheering her on as she and Estelle get closer. This tale is so hot, literally and figuratively, that it should come with a warning label. I’ve always thought I wouldn’t be able to handle dishing out pain beyond a certain level, but Quinn made me see it from such a different perspective that pain and pleasure began to meld in my mind. And as she falls into a deeper submission, I find myself jealous of Mistress Jade even as I’m starting to have a theory about who she might be. But I’m also learning that In the Lifestyle or not, regardless of sexuality, pleasing your partner gives the same feeling of pride and accomplishment that can’t be compared to any other fulfillment. But when things seem to get deeper with Mistress Jade, Quinn can’t decipher if feelings are involved in her Dommes part or if nothing has changed and she’s too scared to ask. Only for her to be offered what she’s always wanted at work at the price of her professional principles which of course leads to a disagreement with Estelle and I want to just hand her over to Mistress Jade and ask not to let her leave subspace until she’s herself again. But she goes ahead and makes a huge mistake and my guess was proven true and aaarrgghh, I need a moment to finish smacking Quinn in my head. The fallout is spectacular and the term Double Entendre will never have the same meaning to me again. But then the most complicated game of ‘win her back begins’ and I’m sitting at the edge of my seat, marveling at the strength Quinn never knew she had, while mentally crossing all crossable limbs that she and her current partner in crime know what they’re doing and it works. Then, I’m crying as Iona drops words of advice that we so often forget. We get so caught up in everything that we forget that life is a hard, domineering mistress and we’re allowed self-care. It’s the way I’ve always thought a loving D/s relationship should be but I never applied it to life in general. The end is as blissful, sweet and piercing as you would expect, pun intended!
Verdict? A keeper of a love story that will keep you mesmerized while taking you even deeper into the lifestyle!