★★★★★ 5
Wonderful introduction to kink. Enjoy!
Format: Kindle
Anna Stone's latest book is stand-alone and the first in a series that I expect will feature 4 stand-alone novels. Each book will probably focus on another partner in the group of owners of the sapphic kinky nightclub - Club Velvet.
As is often the case with Stone's book, the plot introduces an inexperienced submissive young woman and a jaded, very experienced, dominant older woman (in this case she's only in her 30's). As often is the case, there's chemistry, the younger woman discovers her sexuality with the help of the older woman, and from one kinky session to another their feelings for each other deepen.
You can call it a pattern, or a trope, a recurring theme, or whatever.
However, let me point out that despite the (many) similarities, each and every one of Stone's books presents the same idea in a different light, depicting the characters with different backgrounds that offer different obstacles in the relationship. Stone doesn't fall into the cliche of an author who recreates the same story again and again. Rather, she presents us, her readers, with a recurring opportunity to learn more about the world of kink and to gain more understanding and insight into the intricacies and delicacies of a kinky relationship.
While not all her stories present an introductory level of BDSM, many of them do, and by that Stone is doing the kink community a great service. She presents respect, mutual consent, attentive partners, immaculate aftercare, and overall a very attractive depiction of kinky relationships.
So, this book falls into the introductory criteria and it is done very well. I have read all of Stone's previous books and I love her writing but in this book, in particular, I felt the inner monologues and the emotional hurdles were justified and created great conflicts. Those conflicts were resolved through honest and open communication, and through self-work, supported by the other MC, and that's true for each of the MCs who both had demons to deal with.
I love seeing a resolution brought about by a joint effort and through open communication and this sealed the deal for me.
T&T:
Tropes: Age gap, workplace romance (hot for boss), ice queen, BDSM, rich girl/poor girl
Triggers: sexual expolitation, plagiarism, open-door sex scenes, BDSM, parental neglect
Rating: 4.5 stars.
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Reviewed in the United States on January 11, 2024
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