Lucy, a dancer, begins a rigorous relationship with a rich patron of the company. He has her completely at his mercy with his erotic, creative requirements, and yet persistently holds her at arm’s length. When things begin to unravel, will they grow closer or push each other further away? Will their strict arrangement ever find its way to romantic love? (contains BDSM themes)
I owe the talented author of this book a huge apology…Mea Culpa Mea Culpa Mea Maxima Culpa; I’m the worst fangirl ever! Every single time I’ve re-read Mercy, I’ve told myself I HAVE to write a review, I HAVE to tell someone, anyone, and everyone that’s curious about this story how absolutely amazing it is! **sigh** and after reading it, once again for what must be the twentieth time, I promised myself I wouldn’t touch it until I’d posted my review.
This story is so much more than two mismatched and lonely people who find each other and have an abusive, harmful, and hurtful relationship. Make no mistake about it; this is a brutal love story, it involves some very domineering, sadistic, and dirty kink. If this is not your cup of tea, if your tastes run to the more, shall we say ‘normal’, vanilla, and conventional romance then please, PLEASE, do not read this story. I promise you, it will offend you and you’ll hate it. But if you’re into kink involving D/s, and you can get on board an Alpha who is an unapologetic Sadist, and if you like your romance with a dark and nasty twist on the side then **patting the seat cushion** come sit by me; I want to tell you a little bit about this story.
Lucy Merritt’s danced ballet her entire life. As far as she’s concerned, it is her life, she’s worked hard to get the principal position at a small dance company. But just shy of twenty-eight, she knows her days are numbered, it’s just a matter of time before her badly tortured and punished body begins to self-destruct. She has no plans for the future; it’s something she can’t even think about, especially now that her fiancé had left her at the altar. He realized he loved someone else and despite telling Lucy he loved her, he must not have. While Lucy was upset, she wasn’t heartbroken; she knew she hadn’t loved him, either. Just par for the course, there’s little joy in her lonely and sad life.
Matthew Norris is divorced and in his forties, a wealthy developer, a self-made millionaire. He’s a patron of the arts and has recently invested in the dance company and has is quite taken with Lucy, he’s become a fan of hers. Matthew invites Lucy to discuss a proposition he wants to make her, and if his hunch is correct she won’t be able to refuse. While it’s unconventional, he’s sure Lucy won’t be able to resist.
“Don’t fall in love with me, Lucy, or I will hurt you. Don’t fall in love with me or I’ll show you that love hurts.”
Lucy and Matthew come to an understanding, she agrees to his terms and rules, as any good submissive would. She has only a few requests that he agrees to. Matthew makes it perfectly clear she’s nothing but an object to him, one that can be used in any way he chooses, sharing her with anyone he chooses and he makes it clear he plans to. Lucy does have a safeword she can use, if she needs to, that will put an end to their play. Matthew makes it clear it’s to be used only when absolutely necessary.
“And as I lay there still and quiet, I thought, this, this is what he meant about using me. This is what it really feels like to be used.”
After a particularly brutal session, one that involves so much humiliation that even I wanted to cry for Lucy, she comes to the realization that she can’t ever let herself fall for Matthew. Lucy convinces herself she means nothing to him.
“I need to remind myself that no matter how beautiful and perfect you are, you’re nothing more to me than three holes to f*ck and an ass to beat on when I’m feeling punchy.”
And use her, he does. Matthew is brutal, vicious and sadistic with Lucy. As time goes on, and they begin to develop feeling for one another, this is when he ramps up the humiliation and punishments. As if he’s punishing himself, for feeling anything for Ms. Merritt.
“You know why they call it falling, Lucy? Why they call it falling in love? Because it’s completely out of your control. And I hate being out of control.”
But Mercy isn’t just a simple noun, that signifies compassion or to beg for leniency, or the word Lucy Merritt chose as her safeword, one she never intended to use; there was nothing he had done, could do, or would do that would make Lucy utter that word. Or so she thought. It was a powerful, seemingly simple word that could bring a man to his knees, slaying him in the process.
Amazingly good and disturbingly insightful!
This story grips you at the beginning as you want to know more about Lucy and Matthew, and while you get glimpses, you never really get to know them. You do get to know their dynamic with each other, to the exclusivity of everything and everyone else. This is an amazing journey, an amazing story, and even when you reach the end, you don’t have the answers you thought you wanted at beginning, but you definitely were enthralled by the story and resolution you arrived at the end
Very interesting to say the least.
Intense dark BDSM story. Well written and I enjoyed it as I do most of Anabel Joseph’s books. Not for the faint-hearted though, especially if BDSM and D/s is not your thing.
Ms Joseph at her twisted best!
In real life I would be appalled by some of the things described in this book. But when it comes to fictional characters and situations, I let my non pc-mind enjoy.
This book is not for faint hearted readers. But the ones familiar with Ms Joseph’s stories, they expect the unexpected. And for the newbys, buckle up, you’re in for a wild ride!