Shame. Panic. Desire. Dominance. Disgust.All feelings that I was familiar with from the age of sixteen. That’s when I met Ana. The girl next door who became so much more. Until her, I was alone in the dark desires that I didn’t understand, that I couldn’t reconcile.My best friend, she accepted me. Helped me see that there was no shame in the things that we both craved. Her submission was a drug, … submission was a drug, my dominance over her a high that I’d never experienced. When we were together, I was at peace for the first time in my life.
But it was too good to last. Our own guilt over our feelings, of our appetite for pain and pleasure, destroyed us.
I was convinced that all I needed was a chance, just one more chance to overcome my shame, and Ana would be able to trust me again.
If only it were that easy.
*WARNING: This book is an erotic romance and does contain consensual sexual situations between characters under eighteen that include submission and domination.
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My first book from Fiona Cole, and what an awesome way to start! Shame Me Not is in a class by itself when it comes to smart, sexy stories. It draws you in slowly, letting you get to know Kevin and Ana, watching them find themselves in each other…then BAM!
No spoilers here, but I loved the way Fiona dealt with Ana’s very real fears and concerns. I appreciated Ana’s struggle with her wants and needs, and her relationship with Kevin. Friends to Lovers is a common trope, but the twists to this story put it in an elevated category. Kevin and Ana’s path isn’t easy, it’s filled with doubt and shame, and I loved every step. 5 Stars!!
This was my first book by Fiona Cole, I didn’t know what to expect going in. I went in blind without reading the blurb or reviews just went based off the cover. I instantly fell in love and wanted to read more from the author.
Anna and Kevin are best friends who both share the same kinky interest in the bedroom, in high school they are the only ones who know each others secret. Kevin does something heart wrenching that causes Anna to leave straight for college never wanting to see Kevin again. Fast forward, Kevin and Anna are both in college exploring relationships with other people but still can’t find anyone to satisfy their needs better than each other.
Anna in the beginning of the book was naive and put a lot of trust and control in Kevin. As she grows up she becomes more secure in her sexuality and knows who she is and what she wants (eventually). Kevin son of a political senator grew up being the perfect son and caring what people thought of him. Being with Anna fully and out in the open was not an option as he didn’t want people to know about his kinks such as choking Anna. They both needed to grow up and I think the author showed that perfectly. This was truly a love story!
I cannot get enough of Fiona Cole’s writing! She captivates the reader from the very beginning. In this story you have Ana and Kevin who are the best of friends. As they navigate school and their friendship, they also navigate who they truly are in their relationship and their preferences. No matter what they seem to come back to each other.
One of my favorite books of the year!
OMG…. where have you been!
Shame was my first book by Fiona Cole and shame on me for not finding her sooner. I absolutely loved this book. Kevin and Ana where such well written characters and the topic and hand we written perfectly. The way Kevin felt about his desires for a man at such a young age was though provoking.
I enjoyed this one immensely, and have found a new go to author.
I love this friends to lovers story. Its very sexy. I am a new Fiona Cole reader and her writing just keeps getting better. I am looking forward to all of her future books.
I truly enjoyed Shame with a passion. Shamed was full of emotions from young 16 years old without a beat. Kevin and Ana werent the regular teenager. Full with curiosity, emotional tension.. high sexual drive!
The story had shown many sides of relationship… Shame had portrayed the story with challenges.. self esteem and the ability to decide..
I love Kevin and Ana relationship..the journey was slow…intimate.. thoughtful even sometimes it broke my heart into pieces.
It was a whole new experience. Even though I have read books talking about the topic it was the first time that I read the start of it. I like how Fiona deals with these kinds of topics in her books. I find it very refreshing.
As a reader, I was part of Ana and Kevin’s journey. I felt their confusion, their doubts, their questioning about their likes, their shame. I struggled with them to find “the normal” in life.
Despite understanding Ana’s point of view, I have to admit I got a bit frustrated with her towards the end, but in the end, it was a necessary part in their journey.
Shame is my first Fiona Cole novel and I can’t believe I have not read her books before. OMG…this story was hot. Yet it wasn’t only about steam. This is a story about communication and not hiding what you truly desire. This best friends to lovers novel was unique and I loved these two characters. The story was well-written and emotional and it gave us a good glimpse of what these characters were going through. You will feel for them throughout the book.
Shame was an excellent read and I would highly recommend it.
Shame is a 5-star hot, steamy and erotic story that has the potential to unleash your most inner secret desires and make your core weep and set your heart aflame. It is highly likely that you will be squirming in your seat with a sly smirk on your face while you immerse yourself in all things Kevin and Ana. Fiona has done an amazing job when it comes to exposing the secrets lives behind the closed doors of consenting adults.
Shame was my introduction into the writing of Fiona Cole and it was an eye-opening experience that I embraced with every fibre of my being. The writing was intoxicating and alluring. It pulled me in deeper and deeper with each chapter. The sexual discovery of two best friends was a beautiful story of trust, communication, and self-awareness. Kevin and Ana grew together through all of their experiences. Theirs was not an easy journey, which is what made the story that much more enticing. My heart beamed and bled for them. Every chapter unveiled something new that tugged at my heartstrings in some way, shape, or form.
When the lightbulb finally shines bright: “It was like being on a diet of no sweets for years and you’d convinced yourself that a sweet potato was dessert, but then you have cake and knew that you were a dirty liar, because hot dayum, that cake was better than you remembered. You knew it was wrong and shouldn’t have it because it was bad for you, but it was just too good to deny.”
Fiona Cole has tackled a topic that can be described as taboo and even shameful. Not only did she tackle it, she embraced it and turned it into something acceptable. We get to experience the characters as they look inside of themselves to try and understand who they really are and more importantly, why they are who they are. At times, they both struggle with the truth, possibly even hate and deny who they are inside. But with the love, caring, and understanding of the other, they learn to accept themselves, learn what each needs and how to make it work–together.
Some things just aren’t negotiable 🙂 “You shouldn’t be anyone but you, because you’re perfect.” “Okay, but I’m not willing to compromise on pinching, bites, and slaps. I need those. Just in hidden areas.” “Thank f**k, because I love my handprint on you’re a**.”
Finding enjoyment in reading books like Shame could be considered a shameful act, but why? Readers of erotic romance shouldn’t be ashamed of what they like. They should take each book and learn from it, grow into who really are. Exploring the different sides of sexuality is not always looked upon favourably, but who are we trying to please. Fiona has done an amazing job when it comes to exposing the secrets behind the closed doors of consenting adults. Shame may just spice things up behind your own closed doors.
Shame is the first book I have ever read by Fiona Cole and it will definitely not be my last.
I stayed up late last night to finish reading it and I am still taking it all in. It is unlike anything I have ever read and I have to admit that at times it shocked me and I mean SHOCKED me. Going into it, I had a feeling it was going to be an intense novel, but nothing could have prepared me for what I read. It was dark, gritty and completely out of my comfort zone, but no matter how much it tested what I thought was right and wrong, I could not put it down. I was enthralled with Kevin and Ana. They are unlike any characters I have ever come across.
Ana moves in next door to Kevin and from the very first day they meet, their friendship blossoms and they become the best of friends. Their relationship starts as your typical sweet friends to lover romance novel where they are the best of friends who do everything together and understand each other like no one else does, but the moment Ana discovers Kevin’s deepest, darkest desires, everything changes between them. They both learn that they want the same things.
Kevin is a sadist and Ana is a masochist. Kevin is into humiliation and dealing out pain. Ana is into receiving it. Ana is independent but she wants someone to take care of her and make most of her choices for her because all she’s ever done is take care of her mom, so she just wants someone to take the reigns in her life, because she’s tired of being in charge and taking care of others. She just wants someone to ease her burden, and Kevin is just the person for the job, because all he wants is to take care of her. They are perfect for each other in every sense of the word, they just don’t see it.
They ultimately give into their desires and when they do, they are filled with feelings of guilt, shame and disgust. Kevin has a hard time coming to terms with what he desires and feels it’s wrong and is disgusted with himself. Ana eventually starts hating what she desires too and wishes she were normal and tries to be someone she’s not, but it all proves to be useless because she can’t stop wanting what she desires. It’s a part of her she can’t deny forever.
Reading Kevin and Ana’s story not only taught me new things, but it also has taught me to be more understanding, because I know that if someone had told me they were into what Kevin and Ana liked before I read Shame I would have thought they were crazy, but after reading their story, I have realized just how difficult it is for someone to come to terms with what they enjoy intimately because they always have to worry about what others are going to think. Just seeing how much Kevin and Ana struggled to accept themselves honestly broke my heart. I hated seeing how ashamed they were of themselves and what they desired when it was something that just came natural to them. They vied with that part of themselves and because of it they hurt each other time and time again, which frustrated me to no end, but at the same time I was glad they made the choices they did because it helped them grow as people.
If there is one thing I really appreciate about Shame it is that Kevin and Ana’s desires do not stem from a hard past, abuse or trauma, which I feel is starting to be a recurring theme in dark romance novels, and the fact that Fiona Cole did not take that approach was refreshing, because Kevin and Ana don’t desire what they do to cope with a difficult upbringing or past. They do it out of pure desire and I like that because it doesn’t feel like some excuse for the things they are into. They are simply into what they desire because it comes naturally to them and I appreciate that as a reader, because it helps me understand that there are people out there who have the same desires as Kevin and Ana, and through their story I have learned to be more open minded and to not be so quick to judge others when it comes to what they like sexually. If anything I need to be more understanding, because it’s not easy for people to accept what they like, and after seeing both Kevin and Ana’s internal struggles I truly sympathize with people who are going through what Kevin and Ana went through and will take what I learned from their story and just try to be more understanding.
Overall, I enjoyed reading Shame, which I did not expect at all since I am not into the BDSM genre or a big fan of dark romance novels, but Fiona Cole did the impossible and created a story that not only changed my perspective but also taught me so much.
I give Shame 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it to all fans of BDSM and dark romance novels out there. You will enjoy it. I have no doubt about it.
This book was more than just about BDSM or kink. There actually wasn’t that much description in the book at all. It’s about two people who are trying to understand who they are, what they like, accept their feelings, and step forward with their life under their own rules and without judgement from others.
Ana and Kevin meet as teenagers becoming fast friends. Even though they like each other secretly, they maintain that arm distance and remain best friends instead. These two learn quickly that they like things differently than all of their other friends or how other people describe a sexual relationship. But, as in life, sex comes with so much shame and embarrassment. Add in the additional challenge of a sadist and a masochist and you have the makings of a very different relationship than what most couples have. Others might even find this lifestyle appalling, revolting or abusive at first glance. When we don’t understand something, we tend to turn on it and call foul or not normal.
We get to see Ana and Kevin fight with their feelings, hurt each other because they don’t understand themselves and run away from who they are time and again. But in the end and through their shame of their preferences, they finally meet in the middle. I thought this author did a really good job making the reader understand the shame the characters were feeling and portrayed two people who had to fight through their discomforts to find peace within their soul and their lives. It’s something we should all view with a different mind-set and understand we’re not all created the same, but that doesn’t have to mean we’re not normal either.
Shame Me Not is my first book by Fiona Cole, and she definitely did not disappoint. It is a coming-of-age and friends-to-lovers story. We meet the two main characters, Kevin and Anabelle (Ana) when they are in high school, and read about how they grow and mature over a span of ten years. Fiona found a way to keep me intrigued and wanting more with each page I read.
The main female character is Anabelle, who moves in next door to Kevin, the main male character. Ana and Kevin develop a fast and close friendship. Over time, they realize that they have a mutual preference in their sexual activity, and it is apparent that both of them are ashamed of their “different” sexual tastes.
Kevin and Ana have a huge falling out toward the end of high school, where they don’t speak for a few years. The story picks back up when Kevin and Ana are finishing college, and Ana has moved back home because her mother becomes ill. They attempt to repair their friendship, which quickly returns to where it was. Again, they try to come to accept that their sexual interests are different than what is considered “normal,” but fail to do so. Ana begins a relationship with a sweet, “normal” guy named Andrew, and Kevin ends up giving her the ultimatum: him or Andrew.
Again, Kevin and Ana don’t speak for a few years. We see them come back together, for a final time, when they are in their careers. They attempt to repair their friendship again, and try to again come to terms with the fact that their sexual interests aren’t “normal.” This time, however, they move their relationship from friends-with-benefits to lovers. I won’t spoil it whether or not they get their happily ever after ;-).
Throughout the entire story, Fiona kept coming back to the overarching theme of “shame.” Kevin and Ana both really struggled to accept who they were and what kinds of sexual activities they desired. I found myself sucked into their feelings, feeling myself hurting for them, and wishing desperately that they would realize that just because their tastes are “different” doesn’t mean it’s bad.
Overall, I thought this story was very good. At the beginning, it was a bit difficult for me to get hooked, but I think that is because the high school Kevin and Ana were a bit dramatic for my taste. However, I pushed through because I kept wondering what was going to happen to them. And thank goodness I did. It quickly became something I was obsessed with reading, and found myself thinking about them when I wasn’t reading. I really appreciated how even though I’ve read my fair shares of friends-to-lovers stories, this one was different than any of them I’ve read. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a story filled with angst, sadness, HOT sex, and learning to love yourself for who you are.
My first from this author and not my last. The story spans a long period of time, starting in high school and going into adulthood. Submission and domination are not usually my thing but this story does a good job of explaining Anna’s issues with accepting her quirks. The reader knows how both characters feel at each stage in their relationship and it is a wonderful roller coaster ride. The ending was perfect and I highly recommend this book.
OMG I LOVED this book so much. It appealed to me on every level, I was captivated and could not put it down. This is my first read by this author and definitely will not my last. If you are looking for a dark romance filled with angst, dominance and mind blowing sex scenes then this is the book for you. I like that the book is divided into three parts which you an opportunity to see how Kevin and Ana’s relationship develops over the course of ten years. Kevin and Ana who begin as young friends but are hiding their true selves and sexual desires. Together they discover their need for a rough and intense relationship. They struggle throughout the years to maintain the relationship while attempting to hide it from others. These characters are strong, emotional, unique and lovable. I truly enjoyed Shame Me Not from beginning to end.
First, I’d like to mention that this book has an alternate cover and title. The cover I have chosen to show is the one from the actual version that I purchased which was titled Shame Me Not. The book was renamed Shame (Shame Me Not #1) and given another cover
As far as I am aware, the only thing different about the books are the titles and cover. The story in both are the same. Kevin Harding and Annabelle Montgomery (Kev and Ana) both have a secret. They both crave rough, violent sex. Kev dreams of dominating and shaming his lovers and Ana dreams about being dominated and shamed by her lover. Neither of them can find pleasure without inflicting/feeling pain and shame. As if that isn’t hard enough, they are also only in highschool.
This book spans many years and starts out with Ana moving in next door to Kev. They become fast friends and open up to each other in ways they aren’t able to with anyone else. The only thing they don’t share with each other is their sexual desires. They hide in fear of being called a freak or pervert. Eventually, they both realize they have the same lust for the taboo. Which leads them on an incredible journey of self discovery and letting go of their shame.
Fiona Cole’s writing is magnificent! She will suck you in and break your heart a million times before putting it back together over-and-over again! This book is incredibly taboo and deals with underage sex which could be uncomfortable for some. However, I found it to be refreshing. Yes, even teenagers fantasize about taboo things. It’s COMPLETELY normal! I love that she went there and explored this subject and how it would shape these two individuals. I was brought back to my teenage years and the shame I felt over my fantasies which made the story all the more real for me. It peels back the surface and lets you see the effect of society’s judgement when it comes to sex and what most would find to be an unsavory fetish.
5 out of 5 stars!
Shame Me Not is a BEAUTIFUL story full of love, loss, angst, sex and despair. Don’t skip this one! It’s incredible!
Loved, loved, loved this book! Such a wonderful tale of discovering who you are and learning to be yourself. No one should feel shame for their wants and needs and this story truly signifies the painful journey one takes in finding oneself.
Thank you so much to author Isabel Love for introducing me to this book! Your recommendation is the reason I wanted to read this!
Also, shout out to Cincinnati! Love to read about books close to home and being a UC student I love that I can picture some of the places Kevin and Ana visit!
Definitely want to read more by Fiona!
This book was super hyped up with in reader groups on Facebook. So I decided I needed to see what the fuss was about. I was not disappointed!
This is a story of 2 people, Ana and Kevin, as they struggle to deal with their sexual preferences. They are neighbors. They find, as friends (both 16), that they see something in each other and become best friends because they can completely be themselves. Eventually it progresses into experimenting with each other. After some time they ended up having a falling out and went their separate ways. She comes back home toward the end of college and they end up being best friends again and then again progress to lovers.
This book has so much more than just a lot of hot sex. They have a real friendship. They have relationships with other people. They have other real life problems. And along with it all is the constant fear that some one will find out what kind of kinky things they are up to in the bedroom. I loved that they took turns feeling the severe insecurity of it all. I love that no matter how much Ana runs from him, Kevin is always there for her. I cried so many times. My stomach was constantly in knots. I laughed at their banter. At times my heart was racing, and stayed that way for 15-20 minutes after I put the book down! And I did not want to put it down. I was sad to see it end because I would loved to have spent more time with Kevin and Ana!
Where did Fiona Cole come from. I’m completely blown away by Shame Me Not. What a beautiful and captivating story about friendship and acknowledging your true self. Kevin and Ana are just like any other 16 year olds except they hide who they truly are deep down. They both wear masks but not when they’re around one another. Kevin and Ana are best friends and neighbors. Share everything with each other except their hidden desires and sexual preferences.
Kevin was amazing. I instantly liked him for who he was and how he cared for Ana. No matter what he was there for her. When he had sex it had to be rough, he had to be the one in control. To dominate his partner.
I enjoyed Ana as well. She moved to a new town and just wanted to fit in. Tried to please everyone but only Kevin’s friendship mattered. All her life she’s been the one in charge and making decisions especially when it came to her mother. Ana was sick of sweet and soft. She wanted to be dominated, to be cared for. When Ana and Kevin both revealed their true dark desires they finally let go. It was intense, hard and erotic. But still fears and insecurities hid beneath the surface throughout the years.
Shame Me Not spanned over ten years and no matter how strained their friendship or how intense and rough their sexual relationship became they could always rely on one another. Ana and Kevin’s friendship was extraordinary. I loved witnessing how it evolved from neighbors to best friends. How important they were to each other. There were heartbreaking and enthralling scenes that definitely made an impact on me. Kevin thought himself as a monster when he was young and Ana looked at herself and saw a freak when she became an adult. She just wanted normal whereas Kevin just wanted her to embrace her dark needs.
Fiona Cole depicted their struggles, fears and insecurities beautifully. The incredibly intense and erotic scenes were mesmerizing. At no point did I dislike Kevin because of how rough he was towards Ana. They trusted each other explicitly.
Shame Me Not was a beautiful romance and love story. Fiona Cole shares a powerful message. To be honest, not hide yourself and communicate. Ana and Kevin made me smile, hurt, swoon and frustrated the hell out of me but their love and trust for one another was epic. Shame Me Not was a winner. Definitely a must read. Wow!
5 BadAssDirtyPinkieStars