Above all else Pascal Van Der Braack is a gentleman. Devastatingly debonair and seductively charming. Always styled and perfected.He is also a cad, scoundrel, rogue and kink empire founder. Tutored in the highest of society, having been born of royalty only to deny it, he found his solace in a world where rules need not apply. Where he chooses to ensure rules and duty do not apply. Some call him …
Some call him Sir, others call him Master and no one would dare risk his wrath unless they required the punishment he favourably delivers. No one except one, who has just strapped a collar around his throat. One he asked for. Now he needs to appropriate his businesses correctly for peace to ensue. He needs to find the correct path forward for everyone concerned, so he can relax, enjoy, and finally hand over the responsibility to someone else.
Simple.
But where comfort and a safety of sorts once dwelt, there is now uncertainty, and a feeling of longing he no longer understands. A need unfulfilled. As problems arise and allies scheme, he finds himself searching for answers in the most unlikely of places.
Lilah
It’s the same every day. I found it odd at first but I’m used to it now. I was so tired and weak when I got here that it was helpful really. That small woman comes in to help me wash and get dressed. I don’t know where the clothes come from, but they’re nice enough, and at least they’re clean and dry. Not like the rags I arrived in. They were taken from me the moment I took them off to get into the shower, the first shower I’d had in god knows how long. For nearly a year, I’d been running the streets. A year without a real bed or a home of any sort. There isn’t a long and awful story to tell about an abusive family member or a broken home. I suppose I just slipped through the cracks and got lost at some point. I lost my job first, then I couldn’t afford the bills or my apartment, so the landlord threw me out. I don’t blame him, he did the right thing for himself. And then it was just a long and never-ending road to nothingness.
So, now I’m here, wherever here is.
And I don’t know why…
Note from the author*
This Trilogy is a continuation/spin off of The White Trilogy. It is possible to read VDB as standalone, but the backstory to the characters, and some elements of this story, are within the White Trilogy books. I would therefore recommend that before you start this Trilogy you read the White Trilogy first
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I’m sitting here wondering why I have left it so long to read this book. I’m actually kicking myself for not reading it sooner. If you’ve read The White trilogy then you will have already met Pascal Van Der Braack, and I have absolutely loved learning more about this intriguing man.
I can see why many fall to their knees before Pascal. He’s suave and mysterious – a complex character that is for certain. Just when I thought I had a better understanding of him he would surprise me, and then I would remind myself that this is indeed Pascal Van Der Braack and that there are very few who truly know the man. Pascal has stolen my heart, yet over the years he has shown little evidence of having one of his own but it’s in there – hidden very deeply, and I cannot wait to see more glimpses of it as this story progresses.
Lilah completely surprised me. She is not the person I first thought she was going to be and I absolutely loved witnessing her journey throughout the story. I adore this woman. She’s been through tough times and her strength is one of things I admire most about her. Her intelligence is another. When I think back to some of the first scenes in this book compared with one of the last, the transformation in Lilah is incredible. I have a feeling we’ve just seen the tip of the iceberg and I am looking forward to witnessing Lilah shine.
There is no mistaking the chemistry and connection between Lilah and Pascal. I’m anticipating great things in the future for this couple although they both have obstacles to overcome first. I love that Alex is playing a key role in helping them both, and I love that I was reminded how much I adore and at times can despise this man. I’ll never forget how instantly my feelings for Alex changed whilst reading Absorbing White, and I don’t think I’ve ever experienced anything similar in any other book in all honesty.
This is a story about self-discovery and acceptance. It is much more than a man meets woman romance story and I have thoroughly enjoyed every moment of this compelling read. Will Lilah flourish under Alex’s expert guidance? I cannot wait to find out!
Five must-read stars is what I award The Parlour. Perfectly told using dual POVs, this is a fabulous start to what I envisage will be another incredible trilogy by Charlotte E. Hart.
Pascale eclipsed Alexander in my heart in this offshoot of the White series. Pascale is not an easy man to love, but you know he has a heart – somewhere. Full of secrets and tricks…
The Parlour is an exploration of all things unconventional and outside the box.
It makes you question your preconceptions on what is perceived as normal behaviour when it comes to our inbuilt sexual identities.
This is a novel of discovery and acceptance where the only way forward sometimes is to embrace that individual darkness we all carry to some degree inside ourselves.
This is not a vanilla love story of boy meets girl and girl redeems his wicked ways.
This is a tale of reshaping yourself into something completely foreign but which also has a somewhat comfortable familiarity to it and enveloping and nurturing the innermost core of oneself all for the care and love of another: now that’s true worship and adoration.
“You believe this world depraved, indecent. I am not a monster because of it, and neither are you. Do you comprehend? Do not allow your judgemental sentimentality to tarnish our moments, Lilah. They have been exquisite in their complexity.”
The Parlour continues the story of Pascal Van Der Braack.
This is a story I needed as I felt things were left unfinished with more to add after the last white novel.
I really wanted to explore what makes this complicated switchy Sadist tick.
And here I certainly was introduced to so much more than I originally expected.
I have fallen hook line and sinker for this puzzling enigma all over again.
The heart of Pascal is really such a thing of beauty so well hidden you would doubt its actual existence.
But Lilah along with Pascal’s sole reason for existing the Fearsome Mr White has that hidden ability that can bring Pascal to his knees: not that he’s altogether that comfortable with allowing another human as close as Alex and his Rose.
But it seems that this is a choice he has to embrace for the good of them all.
So, this can be read as standalone no issues: but for the whole immersion, I suggest you read the white trilogy first as it explains so much more in greater detail.
It will help you get more of a handle on Pascal’s deviant and diverse character.
The Parlour at its heart is a celebration of all things decadent and different and I bloody devoured it.
I voluntary reviewed an Arc of The Parlour (The VDB Trilogy, #1)
All opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
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Throughly blown away by yet another truly superb story from Ms Hart!
I didn’t think it was possible for me to love Pascal Van Der Braak move than I did when reading the White Trilogy but I was wrong and that doesn’t happen often, just ask my hubs lol.
Learning more about the delightful VDB and stepping deeper into his world has been a pure pleasure and deepened my love for him.
It has been nice reconnecting with Pascal, Alexander and Elizabeth, like visiting with good friends you haven’t seen for a while (this really shows the strength of feeling I have for these characters). Plus there are new characters to get to know and possibly love, for example Lilah. There is something about her that I like (not love just yet but I’m sure that will come the more I read of this series), she has such strength and yet shows weakness that makes her a truly believable character and one I am finding myself relating to more and more. Watching her growth as the story progressed gives me high hopes for her and her future progression as a character. It is nice to see a female character with balls enough to stand up to all the alpha men as there are too many simpering females in books so she was refreshing although like I said she has a lot of growing to do judging by the ending of this book. Now all there is for me to do is to dive into book two and see where Ms Hart is taking everyone, pretty sure it’s not going to be a pretty journey though 😉