What lengths would you go to in order to save your marriage?Broken trust. Bitter arguments. Burning secrets.Their marriage in ruins, David and Shannon must alter their balance of power or risk losing everything important – including their love. There’s one alternative left. Domestic Discipline. While the intense change is amazing, both are left with fear and self-doubt. As old behaviors … behaviors resurface, they’re forced to face secrets from the past.
Will the new dynamic be enough? Are they strong enough? Do they love each other enough?
Publisher’s Note: This steamy contemporary three-book set includes elements of angst, betrayal, and power exchange but guarantees an HEA. Experience the journey of a couple deeply in love, struggling to hold on to what they hold dear.
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ONE WOMAN’S JOURNEY INTO DOMESTIC DISCIPLINE
Ms. Piper Stone ranks as one of my all-time favorite authors with her uncanny ability to take her readers on a journey and how she weaves so many emotions into her stories. She throws in little things hinting that much more is to come, and you can’t help but keep the pages turning as you are immersed in her tales and the lives of her characters. She has never disappointed me with her amazing story-telling talent. This story was gut-wrenching and had me laughing, crying and groaning with the lives of Shannon and David Parker.
The story is the journey of a married couple, David and Shannon Parker; it is broken down into three sections. It is a very raw emotional journey to save a marriage of ten years. It isn’t something they enter in lightly, but with research, discussions, guidance, rules, and a trial period. The bickering has ended, no more name calling, accusations, and unhappiness—at least for a little while. The journey into a domestic discipline marriage starts as a way to save a marriage—for David and Shannon; it is a game changer, but it isn’t an easy journey. Secrets have a way of trying to sabotage their happiness.
ANTICIPATION
David and Shannon are a ticking time-bomb ready to detonate. They are both on edge with each other, name calling, bickering, and both extremely unhappy. Shannon has learned something about David that has shattered her world, making her even nastier. David will take a step away, going to stay with his business partner to give them a break. Is this the end of their marriage?
“She’s willful, mouthy, and opinionated. She even borders on rude. She calls me filthy names and loses control at least once a day. She tries my patience, and I swear to God, she’s trying to shove me out of her life.”
But Shannon will run into an old friend, Tina, who tells her about domestic discipline and how it helps and encourages her to do her own research. At this point, what does she have to lose?
“Where there is punishment, there is also absolution. And there is love.”
“If you truly love each other, you’ll do anything and everything it takes to find a way back to each other, no matter the obstacles and no matter how difficult the very aspect is for either of you. The people most in love are the ones who are selfless, as well as committed.”
“I’m terrified of disappointing you because I know what that’s going to mean.”
DECISION
The second part of the story has been the hardest, deepest, emotional roller-coaster ride to read. OMG, I felt physical as well as emotional pain for both David and Shannon. Both are struggling, with their jobs, with other people in their lives and with each other. What seemed to be going well with their foray into domestic discipline has hit a brick wall, and they are both floundering. And now, the bickering has started again.
“She was flat out lying to him. Why? Because you aren’t there for her.”
“This isn’t about trying. It’s about needing to the point you must live this way. You taught me that. You did.”
“They’d both crossed the line into another realm. What they did with the understanding now would shape or destroy them.”
When a potential client makes her moves on David, he is shocked, flattered, and unsure how to handle her. She will be so bold to make her moves on him in front of Shannon and in public. Then Shannon is hurt and just knows he is having an affair; he is back to working late, that she doesn’t trust him. What happens when her new intern is a hot, younger man, and he exudes sex appeal and makes it know he is interested in her?
“I don’t want you to give up on us. I haven’t. I refuse to.” –Shannon
“Just because we’re having problems doesn’t mean I’ll run into the arms of another woman. And just because you have concerns doesn’t mean you can act like a child. Am I clear?”
Will Tina be able to talk sense into Shannon before she goes too far and crosses the line? How far is a friend willing to go? Even if it will risk their friendship, to try and help? Shannon and David are both on the precipice of falling over the edge—and if either one does, it will end their marriage.
“Will you stop for one minute? You jump to conclusions about everything and always have. That’s part of the issue here. You aren’t giving David the benefit of the doubt. You aren’t allowing him to take control. From what I can tell and from what you’ve told me, you aren’t giving him the power. You’re usurping power from underneath. You have to turn over the reins to him, or this won’t work. My guess is, David is reeling from not knowing what to do, and you’re pushing him. If you don’t stop, you’re going to push him completely out of your life.” –Tina
Will a boot camp for DD and D/s help them? David is willing to try, and that will be their next journey to save their marriage. Secrets will be revealed, and now the healing can begin.
“As they held each other, David shivered and prayed to God he had the strength. The next chapter was going to be the most difficult of his life, but he was going to let nothing stand in the way of helping her heal. And in the end, maybe he could as well.”
DISCIPLINE
The more projects for David and Bruce to expand their business, the less time he has at home with Shannon and the doubts and insecurities start creeping in. Shannon fears he is having an affair and acts out. Will the DD boot camp be an answer to save their marriage? Will they learn and embrace Total Power Exchange? Will Stephen Robbins have the answers?
“Open—Honest—Giving—Truthful—Loving.”
“Remember, every relationship is about two people, two entities and two souls. Trust begins with communication, and communication begins with total honesty. The DD relationship is not something you can adapt to overnight. You’re going to make mistakes.”
Work for Shannon includes a major case she has been working on—but even with it, she is distracted, and when the board of directors summons her for a meeting, she believes this is the end, that she is being fired—but the news is exciting, frightening, and something that she must consider, but what will David say? What about his business? What about the moves Jameson is making towards her? What about their DD boot camp week? What happens when work, especially Jameson, interferes with her vacation time? Will David understand, or will he give her an ultimatum—and what will she do? When will David open up about his past and let Shannon in?
“Women need honesty more than anything. They don’t care, at the end of the day, how much money you make or how many bobbles you give them. They see so many gifts as an admittance of something, some betrayal. Just talk with her. Tell her what happened in your past. Just remember those deep feelings you have for her. Shannon may be a strong woman, but she must have a stronger man. The saddest aspect is, most men have no idea how to be as strong as they need to be. However, I have a very good feeling about you and about your marriage.”
OMG how much angst and emotional turmoil can Piper Stone put her characters through in these three books. How could any marriage survive everything the author threw at them without breaking down emotionally and physically. The rawness and level of hurt and pain were off the charts as Shannon and David struggle to add DD to their lifestyle, without the knowledge or ability to make it really happen in the correct way. And, man oh man, does that cause a few problems for them along the way. This book has betrayal, jealousy, heartache, despair, hope, and most importantly, love. This is a voluntary review of an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from Blushing Books.
3.5 stars
I had mixed feelings about the book. I felt the history should may be have been revealed earlier because the story did make more sense. I did find their struggles a bit repetitive which I don’t mind when it’s showing relationship struggles but waiting ten yrs for some baggage to come out is too long in my opinion particularly when the struggles keep recurring. I did have a difficult time with DD to begin with which is totally a personal opinion.
Shannon and David had been married for ten years but now their marriage was in trouble. They were nasty to each other and even though they loved each other the couldn’t get together on anything. Shannon’s fiend Tina recommend they try Domestic Dominance. This trilogy is about their journey to become more intimate through DD. It is at times a bit erotic and they definitely have some very hot encounters. The author does a good job of explaining the benefits and pitfalls that a couple taking on this lifestyle would experience. The characters are flawed and multidimensional and develop and solidify their personalities as the story continues. At times it is a hard read because of the emotional trauma that they go through and the barriers to success they face. It seems like a realistic depiction of what life was like for them. The writer does a great job of telling their story and I had to read it all the way through to see how it was going to turn out. It is a compelling and complicated storyline worth exploring.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is a three-book set that tells the story of David and Shannon. David and Shannon’s marriage is in trouble and they try domestic discipline to try and safe it. Will it work? Will other’s try and break them up? This is an emotional ride with loads of drama and suspense. The characters really draw you into the read and you can feel their pain, hurt and angst. A good read!
Lot of intensive, emotional content but not really for me.
This book describes an unusual approach to solving marital problems. Shannon and David have been happily married for over 10 years and theirs was a love match. However, 10 years down the line, they absolutely annoy the living daylights out of one another and are totally incapable of having a simple conversation without it ending in a shouting match filled with obscenities. Shannon’s makes a suggestion after David walks out to put some distance between them so they could see the woods from the trees in their relationship. She suggests ‘Domestic Discipline which is practically another name for a Dominant/Submissive scenario only between cohabiting people, married or otherwise. Personally I didn’t appreciate the approach as David’s character has doubts and fears but doesn’t understand the physical limits he can go to in his punishment. However it was sad to see how far was Shannon was prepared to go to save her marriage. Would allowing your husband to beat you really provide the momentum for tipping a dying relationship onto it’s happy conclusion?! Maybe. But for how long?!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is the first book of Piper Stone’s I’ve read and what an introduction to her work! We are given an up close and personal look of David and Shannon Parker’s ten year marriage. For the past months there have been nothing but arguing, fighting, name calling, resentment, and borderline hatred of each other. Divorce appears to be on the immediate horizon until they decide to try changing their lifestyle using Domestic Discipline.
Piper Stone has broken this story into three parts. All emotionally intense and sexually charged. But as more than half of today’s population knows, fixing a relationship is hard work, regardless of the means used. An emotionally charged rollercoaster with flawed characters and a sexual chemistry that burns between them, this is one you don’t want to miss.
So…I stopped reading this book several times. I just couldn’t continue because of personal lines being crossed. But, I was curious and so I continued. The book was worth the read. So many emotions! There is a HEA, but the author makes you work for it!