Welcome to The Castle.Hannah Alder used to know who she was. She used to be strong, have confidence…then the thing happened, and suddenly Hannah seems to have lost everything… including herself. Freshly-released from her father’s hospital, she is banished from home, sent to live with an uncle who puts her to work for the summer, interning under the chief building inspector in a small Ohio town. … a small Ohio town. No one knows her, yet – somehow – everyone seems to know exactly why she’s there.
It’s while on the job that Hannah first discovers The Castle, a massive stone structure set in the wheat fields of Ohio. It’s soon-to-be THE vacation destination for the kink-inclined…if the Doms who run it can ever get it properly permitted and licensed, but Hannah’s nasty boss is determined that that will never happen. While on an inspection visit, one Dom in particular catches Hannah’s eye: Master Sam–strong, dark, wickedly-attractive, every inch of him the very last thing someone like Hannah needs in her life.
Sam Cooper sees Hannah coming a mile away, looking horribly out-of-place in a poorly-fitted business suit, Girl Friday to the building-inspector who’s determined to shut them down before they even open. Sam is experienced in the BDSM world, a partner in a major kink-friendly resort… definitely not his first rodeo. Yet what he sees in Hannah’s astonished eyes as he gives her a private tour of The Castle makes him do something he can’t believe: he slips her his business card.
Will Hannah call? Of course not. Not when she’s working so hard to get back everything she’s lost. She’s getting better after all…
Sometimes what you fight the hardest, is what you need the most.
Publisher’s Note: While this is the first book in Maren Smith’s hugely popular Masters of the Castle series, it can be read as a standalone, as can all the others. The series numbers are just a guideline as to recommended reading order.
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I have to admit to reading a few of these books completely out of order but since they were so wonderful, I wanted to start at the beginning to get the full effect of the underlying plot I’ve seen throughout the books I have read. I can almost see where the problems have arisen from and REALLY dislike the “snake” that was introduced in “Holding Hannah”. This was a quick, easy read that gave the introduction into several of what I’m hoping will turn out to be the main characters in the overall series. The castle is a fifteenth-century monstrosity from Scotland that had been torn down, shipped by three boats, then by train, and finally by truck until all the pieces were delivered in rural Ohio where six Doms have combined their life savings to rebuild it and turn it into a BDSM Resort. It’s during this construction period when we’re introduced to two of the Doms, Marshall, and Sam. John Goodson, the chief inspector of licensing and permits shows up with an assistant, both realize there will be another battle to fight but are determined to be polite throughout the ordeal. What happens during that inspection is an eye-opener to say the least and snowballs throughout the entire storyline. I’m enthralled with this series and can’t wait to start the next one.
Fall in love with the characters in this book! It’s one of the first books I read in this series and I’m truly tempted to go back and read it again!
What the hell did I just read?
I fell down the dark, kink rabbit hole with this book. It was everything and nothing that I expected. Let me explain –
When I read the blurb, I just knew that I had to read this book. It has been awhile since I have read a kink romance novel, and I loved the concept of this book. I mean, two Doms trying to open a BDSM resort castle – need I say anymore!? Yeah, well I’m going to anyway.
Unfortunately, the blurb is pretty much the whole novella. I am going to spoil the only thing the description doesn’t give away because I feel like it is important for the readers to know. Hannah is a cutter. And while she doesn’t self-harm to harm herself, she does it because that is her kink. She doesn’t realize it because everyone around her thinks she is sick. However, Master Sam knows how to help Hannah. And it was actually pretty intriguing.
The weirdest part of this whole book? It’s a romance novel without sex. Yep, you read that right. While there are some sexy dominating times, they never do the deed. It actually leaves me pretty puzzled. The author builds and builds on this blood kink, but we never get to see Master Sam bring that kink to life for Hannah. I am disappointed because I was curious! I wanted to see how this whole kink works, but the author leaves me hanging. Not cool…
I can’t say that I recommend this book, but I think I will continue the series. Something tells me the castle holds more interesting stories. *wink*
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What a great start to this series. Hannah and Marshall hit it off and I am so glad she stood up to her Uncle. You will need to read to see what happens. Enjoy.
A good book is a book that can keep your attention and make you want to keep reading! A great book is one that makes you a bit uncomfortable and pushes you outside your comfort zone but you have to keep reading!
Hannah and Sam’s story was great! Maren Smith takes what I will call a “fringe” or “not popular” kink and gives it some love. Now I don’t live a BDSM lifestyle but I do love reading about it. So in my head I have a list of what my hard limits would be. The specific kink in this book was on that list until I read this book! Maren does a phenomenal job to describing this kink was such respect and dignity! The way she describes Hannah’s fascination and the complexity of the enjoyment of this specific kink through her different senses was incredible to read and so well written! I appreciate a book that can pull me out of my comfort zone but not to the point where it pulls me out of the story!
I appreciate the risk that Maren takes in writing this particular story! It is definitely a great hook to what I imagine is a wonderful series!!!