The Reckoning

Just finished The Reckoning by James Byron Huggins. The plot was filled with (in my mind) a fabulously, sexy and somewhat dark & tortured hero. His past was filled with a large number of bodies from his time in the military, most recently in Black Light - a secret division that was extremely covert and used for nefarious reasons. The underlying goal of the leader of the Black Light division was seeking power; the ultimate power generated via evil. This book is filled with intrigue, love, excellent fighting scenes, a connection to Christianity along with a strong military theme. The story generally moved at a fairly good pace, but did get bogged down with a bit too many details. The writer also allowed the main character, Gage (what a strong name!), to talk to himself in his head…that really slowed the pace of action and got a bit tedious at times. Overall it was a well-written story. What's not to like about a sexy military guy that saves the girl? 3.5 chocolate covered strawberries

Review by Liz Frey

By the Light of the Moon

Yes! I am so excited to say that I love By the Light of the Moon, the second book in the Moonlight Breed series. It is just as strong as the first book in the series and continues along a solid storyline. In my opinion, the second book in any series is the make-it or break-it point for any series because the author has to demonstrate their ability to carry on the energy from the first book while exploring enough new territory to keep the reader interested. And Danielle does just that as she brings more fabulous characters into focus, revisits previous characters and introduces a few new ones in this m/m shifter love story that bursts with love, humor and a smidge of suspense.

It’s love at first sight when Logan and Keeton meet at a party. Unfortunately Logan has his girlfriend Mariah on his arm and is forced to control his instant attraction to Keeton. As a Moonlight Breed shifter,
Logan has spent years searching for his mate and scents Keeton as his long-awaited mate. Certain Mariah isn’t the one for him even before meeting Keeton and now compelled to claim Keeton, Logan breaks up with her that same night. Unfortunately she doesn’t just go away and the suspense around her character keep readers flipping pages. As we uncover her story, we begin to uncover more of their preternatural world which is pieced together simply enough throughout the story to flow very naturally.

Believing at first that he’s rid himself of Mariah, Logan is ready to claim Keeton but Keeton isn’t quite so sure. When he learns they are destined mates Keeton runs scared. He comes from a family that includes shifters and he is all too aware that being a mate means a lifetime commitment and he worries that the connection is only about Logan’s shifter pheromones. It’s not long before Keeton returns to Logan, unable to deny the attraction but he asks to take their relationship slowly. And while he refuses to let Logan claim him fully, slow is not how I would describe the progression of their relationship. Hot, definitely steamy and perhaps even wicked at times – but definitely not slow. There are some melt-in-your mouth worthy sex scenes in this book.

Logan and Keeton are the epitome of “opposites attract” and they couldn’t be any more well-suited for one another. Wildly flamboyant Keeton has an over-the-top personality but once you know him, you can’t help but love him. He was a standout secondary character in Leap of Faith and shines even more brightly taking the lead in his own romance. In the beginning of this book, the reader sees a more subdued side of Keeton until (thanks to Braxton) he discovers that he’s special enough to allow his true personality to shine through. And Logan adores everything about him, from his painted toes to his highlighted blonde hair. As the more dominant partner, Logan is still tender, gentle and protective of his mate who he refers to as “angel” and “baby” more often than using his name. They were a believable couple with realistic and fun dialogue that clearly illustrates their chemistry… hot, hot, hot.

As the couple fall in love, they are also forced to deal with Mariah who returns for Logan. Learning that she is an Arsidian Demon in her mating heat determined to kill Keeton and seduce Logan, Logan becomes ferociously protective of Keeton. At times, his protectiveness is laugh aloud funny, particularly Keeton’s reactions to it, and other times poignant as it demonstrates his devotion to his mate. How they finally rid themselves of Mariah shows that family and love conquer all.

By the Light of the Moon is a great book. I simply couldn't put it down (the circles under my eyes are proof). At one point in the book, Keeton says he’d crawl inside [Logan’s] skin if he could. That’s how I felt about this book – I just wanted to crawl inside it and live with this fabulous, funny and loving family. Any reader who enjoys shifter stories must read this series - but start with the first book first (always my rule of thumb!) - and then come back and tell me what you think.

RATING: 5 Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries.

My Turn for Scents

Hello everyone,

This week has been so crazy busy but not all bad. Work has been insane and my son fell from his four wheeler (still trying to get an answer as to whether his arm is broken or not) but… it is high school basketball playoffs. I love watching basketball, especially when a local team is making it to the states. My son’s team is out of it but his friends just one Regional’s –YEAH!!! I don’t have any voice left from all of the yelling. As busy as I have been there is still time to read. This week’s choice was left me with mix feeling.



I loved Nikki Duncan’s first book Sounds to Die By. I went into thinking about the series as a whole, “Sensory Ops Series”, the hero or heroine having a special ability caused by or related to sight, scent , hearing or touch. The first book was right in line with my thoughts. Ian was fabulous with his lack of sight but instead he rises above and we the readers get pulled in immediately to the world of sound. Nikki’s story makes you realize that anything is possible, that there are no real limitations unless you give up and have your own private pity party. Exceptional reading.



But I struggled with the second book, Scents of Persuasion. I was expecting to be immediately introduced to our main characters, one of which would have some type of sensory challenge to overcome?! That wasn’t the case. Breck and Kami's characters are great but I was reading the book waiting for something that never materialized. I keep going back to the beginning to see if I was missing something but…no. Once I realized that wasn’t going to be the gist of the series I could get into the plot. The storyline is great and moves smoothly. I loved that fact that she brought Ian and Kieralyn back in her second story and of course their whole team. As a reader, you start getting attached to all the characters and it is nice when they show up in subsequent books, even if it is just briefly.



The ending was great and worth staying with the story. I give this book 3 chocolate dipped strawberries. Take time for yourselves this week and enjoy your reading.

Review by Shari

Touchy Feely Friday

It's the last Friday in the miserable month of February. WOO HOO! Bring on springtime! Those warm days spoiled me but the ice we got Monday night reminded me that there is plenty of winter left:( No worries, warm weather will get here and I will be a happy girl. Now to figure out how to read in a tanning bed......hmmmm. This week we read Nikki Duncan and her Sensory Ops Series. This was the first book I have read by Nikki and I did enjoy it. In fact I will add the rest of this series to my to be read pile (it used to be a list I kept now it's more of a pile..lol) .

Scent of Persuasion by Nikki Duncan

Actress Kami Evans is tackling the biggest role of her life—as an escort. There’s definitely something going on in Madame V’s mansion, but Kami has to prove herself trustworthy before she can dig deeper and prove her stepbrother didn’t commit suicide.

Her first assignment: seduce a CEO and, oddly, steal his hair brush. He’s everything she avoids in a man: suave, sexy, suited. She plays her role all the way to the bedroom…and finds it stunningly difficult to walk away.

Breck Lawson’s undercover assignment, posing as a replacement CEO, is yielding zero clues as to why his friend tried to kill himself—until Kami comes on the scene. She’s everything he likes in a woman: safe, sexy, temporary. She also arouses him just by walking into a room, a sure sign it’s time to push her away.

Then he connects the dots she unwittingly shares, and realizes their investigations are linked by delicate strands of DNA. Keeping her near isn’t wise, but he has to know her secrets and keep her safe.

Unless they trust each other and come clean, those dots could lead to death for both of them…

This was an outside of the box read for me. It took me a couple chapters to get into the book and that could be because I read out of order. But once I got into it I enjoyed it. Nikki took a big story and crammed it into a great short story. Nothing got left out or overlooked. It amazes me how authors can do that! What kept me reading was the fact that Kami and Breck were working for the same cause. I was dying to know when they would figure it out! The Ava twist was a surprise too (no,I'm not saying anymore). I have to admit that Breck was kinda cold towards Kami when all was said and done. He soooo coulda handled that better. But he's a man and they have to learn everything the hard way.

I give this book 3 chocolate dipped strawberries and a bottle of hair dye (purple is my color of choice). Hope everyone has a fab week and make sure you add this series to your to be read list or pile!

WILD, WET & WICKED in Whispering Cove

Mackenzie McKade, Cathryn Fox, and Nikki Duncan have teamed up in a contemporary erotic anthology being released throughout January and February 2011. The anthology takes place in Whispering Cove, Maine, a small seaside village, where a ten-year high school reunion is bringing back the students who have all left town after graduation. Though they have each found some level of success, they have yet to find love (and that's all their well-meaning, meddlesome grandfathers want for them.).
Great secondary characters – the town’s grandfathers – have turned into matchmakers as they prepare for the return of their grandchildren. During a poker game, the men place a wager on which of their grandchildren will be the first to the altar, and the first to give them some great grandkids. The grandfather sub-plot is truly at the crux of what makes this anthology a winner.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

WILD in Whispering Cove is the story of Andie Adair who left town ten years ago after a boating accident that killed her parents. Blaming herself, she escapes Whispering Cove and leaves behind her family, friends, and a fiancè. She manages to stay away until she receives an ambiguous telephone call from her grandfather that leaves her concerned for his health. If only she knew it was all part of his plan.

Desperate not to lose her only living relative before seeing him again, she flies across country and straight into the arms of the fiancé she left behind. Though Whispering Cove is the last place she wants to be, she finds herself falling into Brody McGrath’s arms. The reader is brought on a journey as Andie relives past memories and attempts to come to terms with her grief. Andie’s pain is palpable, calling on the empathy of the reader.

Now the town’s sheriff, Brody doesn’t know why Andie left all those years ago but he doesn’t plan on letting her go again. While he reacquaints her with Whispering Cove, he pushes her to work through the pain from which she’s running. Brody’s love is written with such depth that it comes off the page to embrace the reader. Even without the sizzling sex, their passion for each other is illustrated in every touch.

Wet in Whispering Cove is the story of Katy Wilson who left her family’s restaurant to pursue her dream of becoming a chef and found her way onto her own daytime cooking show. Though she’s experienced success in her career, Katy has never found another love like her childhood sweetheart. And now she’s returned to Whispering Cove at the request of her grandfather who warns her that the family’s business is in financial trouble.

With an eight-week hiatus from her cooking show, her contract under renewal and tired of city life, Katy is looking forward to returning home and having time to consider her next move. That decision is nearly made for her the moment she sees Trent Parker again. Trent has never given up on reuniting with Katy even though he let her go ten years ago. When he finds out that she’s in town, he decides it’s his job to show her that Whispering Cove is where she belongs. Their attraction is just as strong as ever – especially after he sprays her down with his hose – and the need to connect again is undeniable.

The reader gets front row passes to watch the re-building of trust in a relationship that should never have broke. As they re-discover their connection to one another, hiding from the paparazzi that have followed Katy to her hometown, there are funny moments and a sizzling kitchen encounter that seals the deal. And when they discover what readers already knew, their future is filled with possibility.

Wicked in Whispering Cove is the story of Braydon Mitchell, a sexy freelance writer who has spent the past ten years sailing around the world. He is returning home because of concerns for his grandfather’s health but Braydon also plans to mix in some fun and attend his high school reunion. But he certainly has no plans to put down anchor in the small town in which he was raised by his grandparents until he meets his grandfather’s sexy doctor and things change.

Danica Kent has returned as Whispering Cove’s town doctor after medical school and residency in the city. She provides care to all her patients but has a special place in her heart for the town grandfathers who suddenly seem to be up to mischief. A house call to one of them brings her face-to-face with Braydon, her high school crush, and she suddenly feels like the clumsy, dorky girl she was back then. Her reinvented self falters as she works to gain hold of her self-esteem in the face of Braydon’s return. Readers will appreciate and relate to how down-to-earth the heroine is.

The reader watches not only the evolution of a sweet relationship, but also the blossoming of Danica’s spirit, as they discover a connection to one another. With a splash of humorous moments and tantalizing encounters, Wicked is a good read. When sexual sparks flair between them, Danica and Braydon begin something that neither can predict how it will end. But I guarantee hopeless romantics will not be disappointed.

The Whispering Cove anthology has that piece that many anthologies miss – the strong back story that authenticates the characters’ motivations and grounds the separate stories into one complete collection. Well done. 4 chocolate-dipped strawberries (just keep them away from Katy and Trent because they do wicked things with chocolate!).

Hump Day Howdy - gotta love a devil in a red dress!

Super sorry for the delay in posting - my home has been supplanted in the Bermuda Triangle...seriously. My cell phone had a text on it Wednesday when I woke up date/time stamped June 1,1980. My router had every light flashing but no internet connection to be found. And my alarm clock was set for 12:34pm instead of 6:30am...what the heck is up with that? There are just some weeks where you shouldn't even bother leaving home: draw the shades, cuddle up with steaming cuppa tea, fuzzy blankie and a good book....like a Nikki Duncan. And if I know Ms. Nikki, she will appreciate this next part too - because you've been soooo good during this post full moon lunacy....deep breath in, let it out. Have a little bite of some tasty, calorie free goodness. Eye candy always makes it better! And look - he brought us a mental vacation too! Awwwww.

So that being said, my turn to review some Nikki Duncan goodness, with book two of her Sensory Ops series - Scent of Persuasion. Kamille Evans takes the leap from mild mannered actress to sultry and captivating call girl for Madame V, endeavoring to discover proof that her step brother didn't kill himself. Breck Lawson hires Kami for an evening charity event - a busy CEO doesn't have time for entanglements or complications, especially if he is really undercover to discover the identity and motive for his best friend's shooting. Their verbal sparring stirs up passion, their physical connection explodes on the page. Unknowingly, their investigations are so closely interconnected that their being together could prove fatal. The question begged to be asked is can two people who are lying about their identities get to know one another so well that they fall in love?

The dialogue was very well written, sassy and flirty but still designed to build tension both in the suspense/mystery investigation and in the sexual relationship between Kami and Breck - from the very first sex scene in the chair....hoo boy! Bringing back Keiralyn and Ian just makes the story more fab! Immensely enjoyable, great story with a sweetly vulnerable, sexy heroine and my favorite flavor fella - mysterious alpha male!

I give Nikki Duncan's Scent of Persuasion a tasty five chocolate dipped strawberries and affirm her belief that books are the transport to a better place, if only for a while!

See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil

I don’t know about the rest of you, but the last couple of weeks have been very hectic, with little time for any indulgences, much less guilty ones- so I was really glad that I got to escape for awhile with Nikki Duncan. When T and the girls were talking about Nikki’s Sensory Ops series, I was somewhat skeptical. I just wasn’t sure how long she could keep my attention with a series focused on characters who had certain limited, and certain heightened, sensory abilities. Well, I was wrong, big time, and anyone who knows me, knows that doesn’t happen (or at least I don’t admit it) often. I was immediately hooked on Sounds to Die By. Seriously, by page 10, I had to find out what happened to these women that were being kidnapped and whether FBI Agent Kieralyn Beckett and NSA “listener” Ian Cabrera would end up together. I found myself intrigued by this overwhelming world of sound that Duncan paints. To think that one could learn so much from the nuances of sound, whether the sounds of fabric rubbing against fabric which can indicate where someone is carrying a gun or the sounds of passion when a lover’s heart beats fast with anticipation. Rather than pity him, you almost want to be Cabera and have that world open to you too. I was also drawn to the characters right away. I wanted to find out how Ian was blinded and scarred, who his father really was and what was happening to these poor kidnapped women, especially Kieralyn’s best friend Lena. It was an excellent blend of suspense and romance. I loved everything but the ugly cheesy cover. Sorry, but the two models are not nearly as attractive as the characters were in my imagination! I give this first book in the series 4 and a half chocolate dipped strawberries.



Cat Devon

Just Another Manic Monday

Oh great now I am going to have that song stuck in my head for the rest of the day and I don't have anyone to blame but myself. LOL For you regular followers my daughter made it back from Florida and had a fabulous time, and as you can see I survived as well, but just barely....I missed her!!! So basketball season is over and baseball season hasn't quit started yet(I'm not counting registration)so it's that limbo time where I feel like I am supposed to be somewhere but I'm not, but shhhh don't tell anyone because they might come up with someplace for me to be. If you have not figured it out yet the is Nikki Duncan's Sensory Ops week . WOO HOO Welcome Nikki!!! I met Nikki a few years ago at RAW and I happen to think she is one of the nicest, funniest people around, so if you have not read her books now would be a great time to start. The first book in the series is Sounds to Die By and that would be where we will begin this week.

Sounds to Die By, Nikki Duncan, Samhain Publishing, October 2009
Rookie FBI Agent Kieralyn Beckett is in a delicate position. Her team refuses to buy into her theory that a string of kidnappings is connected. If she pushes too hard, they’ll discover the latest victim was her college roommate and boot her off the case. A garbled recording is the only evidence, and there’s only one man who can decipher it. The hard part will be convincing him to take the case.
Blinded as a child, NSA “listener” Ian Cabrera spends the majority of his time analyzing data while secretly searching for his father, a missing CIA operative. His plate is full, but Kieralyn’s passion and determination, as well as the erotic beat of her heart, spark his interest. So does the mention of his father’s code name on her recording.
There’s only one way to follow this new crumb-trail of clues without tipping her off about what he’s really after. Convince her she needs him to be her undercover partner, despite his handicap. Between her eyes and his ears, they make one beautifully orchestrated team. Every time they touch, though, the arousal they generate creates one red-hot element of distraction…

When Kieralyn Beckette's best friend disappears and the only clue is a bad recording she won't take no for an answer from NSA listener Ian Cabrera. She needs his help to prove that her friend is part of a kidnapping ring. Her FBI team won't beleive the kidnappings are connected and he is her only hope of convincing them that they are. She is determind to have him listen to the recording to find the evidence that she needs to convince her team before they realize that she has a personal interest in the case. So she sweet talks her way past Ian's security and finally convinces him to listen to the recording. He helps her break down the converstions on the recordings but Kieralyn knows he is holding something back.

When Ian Cabrera agrees to help Kieralyn with her recording he had no idea how it was going to change his life. While listening he hears the name "El Dogo" which was his fathers undercover name before he went missing, and was presumed dead, several years before. Ian can't believe his father would be involved in a human trafficking ring but he also never thought his father would just leave his family. Instead of giving all of the information to Kieralyn he decides to investigate it himself.

While both characters are incredibly independant they cannot ignore the instant and mutual attraction they have for each other. But the questions is...can they trust each other enough to solve this case and take their attraction to the next level?

I enjoyed this book for several reason. The first was the very well thought out story that is full of action and suspense. The second was the development of the realtionship between the characters, I loved that Ian was first attracted to Kieralyn because of her heartbeat. The incredibly descriptive way that Ms. Duncan writes about the way that Ian "sees" was very believeable and added so much to the story line. We get enough information about the secondary characters that you want to read about what happens next for all of them. Great first novel and I couldn't wait to read the next one. I give Sounds to Die By 5 chocolate dipped strawberries.

GUEST INTERVIEW: Nikki Duncan

The Indulgent Bloggers welcome Nikki Duncan to our site this week for a Special Sensory Ops Week. We all agreed after meeting her at RAW2010, she’s been one of our favorite people – fun, funny and incredibly talented (and for an interesting story, ask her about her bull-riding skills!). Today we invited Nikki for an interview here at the Guilty Indulgence Book Club to hear her thoughts on the series along with some other words of wisdom she’s willing to bestow upon us.

And remember to come by each day for a different review on her books (and be sure to comment to you can WIN a free book).

Welcome, Nikki. Like Keiralyn from SOUNDS TO DIE BY, we’ll get right to the point. We each just recently read your Sensory Ops series and enjoyed that it was such a unique idea in a book world where so much is alike. Where did the idea come from? What inspired you?

The Sensory Ops series started out as just the one book SOUNDS TO DIE BY. When I introduced the men on the FBI team I was instantly interested in writing a story for each of them, but it was my editor’s idea to have each book somehow center around a sense. It was one of her brilliant ideas I loved and fully intend to see through.

Was it a challenge to create heroes with differing senses while still maintaining their "alpha" status?

Ian is the only hero with a heightened sense so far and yes he was very hard to write. I don’t know any blind people, so writing one as a hero who was fully able to take care of himself was indeed a challenge. As for the other books, the challenge is lying in interesting ways to use the senses like in SCENT OF PERSUASION where I used DNA based perfume as the murder weapon. ;)

What else is in store for this series? Is there another coming soon?

My plans for the series so far includes the introduction of a new hero, an Empath, and a fun plot for killing people with a touch. The empath story is drafted, but needs some tweaking, and I’ve plotted the touch story – I just need more hours in a day to write it. I’m still knocking ideas around for sight and taste.

In the meantime I’ve written a straight contemporary novella as part of an anthology with Mackenzie McKade and Cathryn Fox that we’ve self-published.

Right, Rebecca reviewed that in three-parts on our site earlier this year. Great reviews! But what about Sensory Ops? We must have more.

I just recently completed and submitted a second contemporary novella that is connected to the Sensory Ops Series. If you remember Trevor, the friend from SCENT OF PERSUASION, it will be his story.

We love your website tagline... lyrically layering love, senses and suspense. How did you come up with that?

Oh, I wish I could take the credit for that, but it was a result of some lovely compliments about my writing. Though I do always strive to deliver on the line no matter what story I am working on. Well, except the ones I’ve done that don’t have suspense.

This is your first series and you are a fairly new author. Any advice to others just starting out?

Keep at it. The road to publication is hard and often long, so keep pushing through those moments of discouragement. And keep in mind that one contract doesn’t guarantee a second or a third. It’s always important to keep writing and keep growing as a writer.

Our indulgence is reading romance. What is your guilty indulgence?

Romance books have always been one of my favorite indulgences. I also love long soaks in a hot tub or quiet time on the couch watching a great show or movie.

A girl after our hearts, anytime Nikki wants to guest blog with us, we’ll take her up on it. She’s great. Her books are great. And if you haven’t read one yet, COMMENT this week on any review to WIN a FREE Nikki Duncan BOOK.

CONTEST ALERT!!!!

Master of the Mountain

I read a lot… those of you who follow the Guilty Indulgence Review Site know this already but I preface this review with my statement because it matters that I read a lot when I say that Cherise Sinclair is a master of the erotica/ BDSM genre. I have found no other author in this genre whose every book I have loved. Oh, there are some I like most of what they’ve written, some of what they’ve written but never all of what they’ve written. So when I took the step to read another series after the fabulous Masters of the Shadowlands, it was with some hesitancy. I didn’t want her to let me down – I was afraid – until I “opened” the book.

This book, as do each of her stories, powerfully depicts the wonders of new love, trust and romance of a different nature. This is where my warning comes in that if you aren't interested in BDSM, Master of the Mountain may not be for you. With that being said, I would rate this as a moderate (certainly not hard core) BDSM erotica with a primary focus on the developing romantic relationship between the main characters. If you’ve never read something like this, Master of the Mountain would be a good first. (Heck, it was for the main character, Becca!)

The heroine, Becca, is attending her first swinger’s weekend with her boyfriend. She is apprehensive and insecure but she has agreed to attend for the sake of their bland sex life in hopes that this will spice up their relationship. But it takes only a few hours for her to be certain the swinger lifestyle is not for her. Even though several of the group members make her feel wanted, she just doesn’t want to participate so when her boyfriend entertains in their small cabin and she doesn’t want to join in, Becca finds herself without a place to stay. A city girl, this is Becca’s first time out in the wilderness and she feels completely out of her element. Certain her relationship is history, she wants only to return to the city but is stuck with no transportation. Then along comes Logan.

Mmm… mmm… Logan. Mysterious, dark and hunky Logan owns the lodge with his brother Jake (read the next book for his story). Suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder from the war, he is plagued with terrible nightmares from which he has trouble waking. Once hurting his brother during one particularly horrible episode, he is afraid to have a woman in his bed concerned he may harm her. And so he is afraid to fall in love because he has convinced himself he cannot have a relationship.

And so it is that Becca and Logan are perfect for one another. Seeing Becca so lost sets off Logan’s protective instinct. He finds her plus-size curves sexy but she doubts that a man as handsome as Logan could be interested in a curvy woman like her. He is determined to teach her otherwise. Noticing signs of a true submissive inside Becca, Logan gives an introduction to his dominant lifestyle. Logan is sweet but firm, teaching her to embrace her submissive desires as he guides her to a pleasure she has never known. With Logan, Becca learns to love her body, overcome some of her fears and discover that she’s not so frigid after all.

It would just be wrong if I didn’t mention the amazing hot sex, especially in the great outdoors when Logan pushes Becca to the point where her sounds of pleasure can be heard across the mountain to where the swinger group is picnicking (absolutely adorable when the group brings it up at dinner only to discover it was Becca). I bet her ex-boyfriend was kicking himself then. And when Logan carries her through the room filled with swingers, straight to his apartment and announcing that she belonged to him, I wanted to cheer in victory for Becca!

As much as Logan heals Becca and brings her to self-fulfillment, Becca begins to heal Logan. She is exactly what this war-scarred Dom needs to move into a committed relationship. And just when I think Logan is convinced to do just that and the HEA is only a page turn away, Logan rejects Becca. Not understanding his motivation (stubborn Dom for insisting she be honest but not doing it himself!), she falls back on her insecurities. She doesn’t know that Logan is scared because he’s falling in love with her and is still convinced he may harm her during his nightmares.

Sinclair’s balance of descriptive detail to build understanding and descriptive dialogue to build relationships is perfection. There are never slow moments in this book – each page, each scene has you hanging on for more, desiring more (hmm... sounds like a good master to me). It comes down to the very end when Logan finally comes to his senses and has to work to win Becca back. (I only wish she’d made him suffer a bit more.) With the powerful message of trust at the crux of the story, once again all the rest just builds on that theme. Master of the Mountain is my newest favorite Cherise Sinclair story. A definite 5 Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries book.

Go Ahead. Make Me, Sir.

I’ve said it before when reviewing Cherise Sinclair's Masters of the Shadowlands books – let me say it again - here’s my recommendation. Listen real close because this is very important. Book five of the Masters of the Shadowlands books is now available and it's Friday. Put the kids to bed. Pour yourself a glass of wine. Keep the bottle close. Slip into some comfy jammies. Light a candle. Read in an uninterrupted location where heavy breathing is acceptable. You will l-o-v-e this book.

Cherise Sinclair hits the nail on the head again with Make Me, Sir in her series that, at times, seems so real it could be non-fiction. The striking imagery of the BDSM world with its erotic submission and intense passion explodes from the pages of each of Sinclair’s Masters of the Shadowlands books. But Make Me, Sir is the best yet.

Throughout the country, rebellious submissives are being kidnapped from BDSM clubs. The FBI is working to locate the source of the human trafficking ring, by placing undercover agents in the clubs to pose as decoys. Gabrielle Renard works for the FBI as a victim specialist, not an agent; but after one of her friends is taken, she uses her experience as a submissive to be placed as bait at the Shadowlands, an exclusive Florida BDSM club.

Dom Marcus Atherton “Master Marcus” manages the Shadowlands’ trainee program, but he doesn’t know why the club’s owner has assigned a new trainee to him without any information except that he is to keep the sub on for at least one month. Having been married to a diva of a sub before, Marcus has no desire to deal with a sub that is constantly talking back and disobeying him. And yet, something about Gabi draws him to her. She’s sassy but he senses a sweetness and desire to fully submit when she isn’t acting out for inexplicable reasons.

Gabi doesn’t mind talking back to Master Marcus especially since he first appears to be like other stuffy lawyers she’s known. Then Gabi starts to see the man behind the suit and it makes her yearn for something she can’t have: Marcus, as her Master. Gabi knows she can’t break cover, not with a slaver targeting the Shadowlands but she’s also never desired anyone the way she does Master Marcus.

Make Me, Sir is Cherise Sinclair’s hottest, most engaging and intense Masters of the Shadowlands book yet. Right from the start, Marcus and Gabi have great chemistry. The jokes they share and their casual rapport when outside a scene speaks to their connection beyond the sexual attraction. As are all Sinclair’s characters, Marcus and Gabi are multi-dimensional and so genuine that the reader has a sense of actually seeing and hearing the characters moan (if only, right?!). Marcus and Gabi seemed to fit perfect together. Her feistiness and his unrelenting patience are meant for each other and the way they fall in love sort of backwards fits these unique characters. It wouldn’t have been logical any other way.

Anyone who has read my reviews knows that I judge a book first by the hero (sorry, can’t help myself!) and let me say… Marcus, oh Master Marcus, you caught my attention in the last Masters of the Shadowlands book and won me over in this book. He is sexy, intelligent, intuitive, dominant, and yet so sweetly caring. It is no surprise that Gabi fell for him as he unknowingly acts as her anchor on this undercover operation. Dare I say he is perfect.

Working undercover, Gabi is out of her comfort zone with no field training but she’s committed to finding the slavers who took her friend and this propels her forward. Gabi is the friend every woman needs to have, incredibly loyal and a genuinely kind-hearted person with a past that comes out as she plays her role as a bratty submissive. The reader can feel her pain when she needs to play the role of rebellious submissive, thereby resisting her true sub nature, just as Marcus can sense as well. My heart clenched when finally Marcus pushes for the truth and Gabi finds herself unintentionally sharing her secrets, their relationship moves into a whole new dimension.

The couples from each of the previous books are secondary characters in Make Me, Sir.  It was nice to revisit and reconnect with the couples, a natural evolution of sorts as marriages are planned and babies are hatched. A secondary plot involving Jessica and Master Z will have readers cheering Jessica on and squinting through some nail-biting scenes. It takes a talented author to weave past characters so intrinsically into a storyline that the book wouldn’t be the same without them. Somehow calling them secondary characters seems to diminish their role in the story.

It was touching when the all-so-very-dominant masters learned of Gabi's undercover operation and were upset they had treated her as a rebellious sub without knowing otherwise. But committed to helping Gabi continue in order to save women being abducted for the slavery ring, they had to knowingly punish a sub who did not thrive on it. The tenderness they felt towards her spoke volumes of thier gentle and caring natures though I think they may have had a bit too much fun during the puppy scene. 

With so much eroticism and emotion packed into her books, a reader can only wait impatiently for another installment of the Masters of the Shadowlands to be written soon. And need I even say that I give this book 5 chocolate-dipped strawberries.

Throw Me Around Thursday

Mentally drained...must have time with friends to carry on. Ever had one of those weeks? Weekend can't get here fast enough. Got lots of plans and loving this weather! Suppose to be 70 degrees tomorrow! Warm weather makes me happy and chases the dark mood away. Now if it were only May.....

Jumped into Lean On Me by Cherise Sinclair this week and all I can say is wow! Mind you this is not my first time that I've read a story about the BDSM lifestyle but this is the first one that delved into it this deeply. That stuff gets pretty rough. I don't see me letting anybody call me their little sub and there's even less chance of me calling anybody Master and lastly no one and I mean no one takes my shoes! It was a great educational experience. LOL. I will definitely read all of these in this series.

Lean On Me by Cherise Sinclair
Andrea wants to submit, but not to just any so-called Dom. He has to be tougher than the slum-bred bullies she grew up with. She’d given up finding a true Dom when her friend finagles her a place as a trainee in an exclusive BDSM club with the powerful Shadowlands Masters. Andrea’s thrilled…and terrified.
Forced to accept an unknown submissive into his carefully run trainee program, Master Cullen is furious. Not only is the young woman new to BDSM, but she’s unsuited to her role--armoured in leather like a Domme, she’s more liable to punch a Dom than kneel. He decides to push her right back out the door. But as he ruthlessly intimidates her, punishes her, then cuddles her, his glimpse of the woman inside the emotional armour intrigues him, and her utter surrender captures his heart.
Although Master Cullen is famous for his unfettered lifestyle, Andrea believes he might be interested in her, until she discovers he’s not just a bartender--he’s a cop. Maybe he’d overlook her past brush with the law, but when another trainee accuses her of stealing money, Andrea knows she’s lost the Master she wanted with all her heart.

Like a said in the begining I really liked this book. I personally don't know if I could live that kind of a lifestyle. It's one thing in the bedroom but outside that.... I just don't know. I loved how Andrea softened Cullen up and made him break all his rules about trainees. It's always good to see a man eat his words! I'm not sure how Andrea came to the conclusion that she was a sub. She is very very independent. Owns her own business and doesn't want to ask for help. Growing up in her shoes made her tough. Even when she falls from a ladder and has to go to the ER she still tells noone. This pushes Cullen to the edge and he feels she doesn't care enough for him to trust him. I feel she really doesn't give Cullen a fair chance to ever prove that he can be trusted. Once he's gone from her life she realizes how much he means to her and that shutting him out hurts him as well she is set on getting her Master back but to do so she must submit in a very public way. Will she chicken out?

I give this book 4 chocolate dipped strawberries and a collar (yes you can have one too Mizz B!). Hope everyone has an awesome Friday!

Whip Me Wednesday... Please, Sir.

So it's a well known fact amongst my group of friends that things are running less than smoothly in my life right now. I seem to be doing alot of swinging and missing (nods to Tyra and Rebecca who are about to kick off baseball season yet again when I either join the ranks on the crappy bleachers or become a baseball widow until the end of summer) in my personal and professional life...and reading the volumes necessary to keep up with multiple book groups, blogs and reviews is getting dicey.

Thankfully, Rebecca tossed me a proverbial bone with this series....just my cuppa tea. Having survived last Fever book, latest House of Night book and long awaiting newest Jeanine Frost, I am pretty leery of taking on new series at this point.

However, I must confess, I too am completely captivated by Cherise Sinclair's work! Oddly enough, I read Master of the Mountain (close your ears Tyra, if this is out of order, forgive me) when it came out last year and OMG! fell in love. I simply adore the "realness" of the characters - flawed, scarred, feisty women and men who seek a connection deeper than mere "romance". For those who do not read much BDSM or who are intrigued by it concepts but maybe dont understand the deeper reasoning behind it, Cherise Sinclair does a beautiful job of guiding the reader through the process in a way that feels very open and natural and allows much of the sensuality of the experience to permeate the story. The "romance" of hero and heroine twines so tightly with the growth of the Dom/sub relationship that even a reader unaccustomed to the genre may feel comfortable with. Scenes flow with dialogue that helps propel the storyline but doesnt interfere with it which is a common mistake with some BDSM works (seriously, communication is crucial but dont talk a scene to death or it loses its sensuality and power). OK, enough of my critical analysis of the author's writing style - off my soapbox and onto the next review, right?

I am not sure why I always get the really challenging stories but this week's pick for me was no exception. Cherise Sinclair's Breaking Free broke my heart and mended it all in one fell swoop! Returning again to Shadowlands, Master Z's house of pleasure and pain as I like to call it, Sinclair builds upon her world. This time relaying the story of two unlikely wounded souls, Nolan King: ex-military, contractor, uber-disciplined Dom and Beth: shy gardiner, scarred and problematic sub.

Beth must yield to become aroused, but she's too scared to give up control.
The last thing she wants is a ruthless, powerful Dom. But that's just what she gets, and exactly what she needs...

Beth presents a problem to club owner Master Z. She's a sub with very difficult boundary issues - obviously having been badly mistreated by previous Dom(s). Unbeknownst to any in the Florida club, Beth is on the run from her husband, the very Dom who abused her so. Z goads Nolan into taking the difficult case on, knowing he would be up for the challenge. Watching Beth's fears recede and her trust grow with the scary Dom manages to be reward in itself. Beth is so closed off from herself, she is unable to feel, having spent so long in "shut down" mode during her abusive marriage. Nolan manages to train his natural "sub" to feel, revel in her sexuality and understand that submissives may maintain dignity and safety even when relinquishing control over their bodies and minds to the "right" Dom. Nolan assesses the way to garner her cooperation, chips away at her protective layers until she releases control and boy, howdy, does she release! Phew! (Fan and ice water puhlease) He masters her body, forces her to enage in experiences and she begins to heal. (I am oh so intrigued by Nolan's July 4th BBQ traditions...)

To be perfectly honest, one of my favorite aspects of this particular story in the series is the very clearly defined difference in D/s and S/M. Using the Cullen/Deborah storyline to reveal more about the psyche of those who enjoy pain and refute the belief that all Dom's enjoy delivering pain was particularly clever. Also, while I greatly appreciate the authors clearcut instructions that persons interested in exploring this alternative lifestyle be "safe, sane and consensual", I have to appreciate that she does reinforce the idea that this lifestyle is built upon clear boundaries, immense trust and that frequently leads to committed relationships - at least among her characters. While the climatic ending scences are intense and graphic and not very pleasant, the author does not back down from the topics of abuse and excess in this lifestyle which as a reader I also appreciate. Certainly Cherise Sinclair knows how to write a hot, hot alpha male who knows what he wants and isnt afraid to paddle it's ass to get it!

I give this super spanky installment in the Shadowlands series a yummy five chocolate dipped strawberries and promise to always say "thank you, Sir!" when I want some more!!!!!

Tie Me Down Tuesday

Ok I have to start this blog with a big HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my daughter who turns 14 today. She is in Florida right now doing the World Strides trip with her school and this is the first time that she has ever been out of state without one of her parents. She is excited and I am a HOT MESS. LOL I know she will have a great time and will remember this week for the rest of her life. Now lets get to this weeks book, we are continuing with the Master's of the Shadowlands week by Cherise Sinclair. Rebecca called me after finishing the first book in the series and told me I had to stop whatever I was reading and buy these books immediately and can I just say THANKS!! WOW what a series! Now I realize that these kinds of stories may not be for everyone, but really once you get past the kink it comes down to a really great love story. I get to tell you about Master Dan and Kari and their story is the second in the series and is called Dark Citadel.

Dark Citadel, Cherise Sinclair, Loose-Id, April 2009
After Kari breaks up with her date during Beginner's Night at Club Shadowlands, she's given the option to continue with an experienced dominant. Despite her steamy fantasies about BDSM, the inexperienced schoolteacher plans to simply observe. Yet under the unyielding hands of Master Dan, she not only participates, but gives him everything he asks for. There is nothing she can hide from him. Not her passion…or her love.
Still mourning the death of his wife, Master Dan avoids getting involved with women and he never takes a sub twice. But this modest little beginner is such a sweetie, one night is far from enough. As he plumbs her responses, taking her ever deeper into the world of BDSM, the gentle submissive begins to show him how barren his life has become and what a dark citadel he's made of his heart.
During their three nights together, the teacher will learn to submit...can she teach the master to love?

Kari is a school teacher that has been told she is a cold fish when it comes to sex. Her current boyfriend wants to tie her up during sex and while it sounds intriguing she doesn't trust him enough to try it. So they go to Club Shadowlands for their newbie D/s classes. When Buck becomes aggressive and possessive she decides to leave, but Master Z stops her on her way out and talks her into staying under the tutelage of Master Dan. After an intense session with Master Dan, Kari is hurt when he leaves her abruptly but learns that Master Dan never takes the same sub twice.

Master Dan is having a hard time forgetting the new subbie. After leaving her the first night he is determined not to play with her again but when he walks in that second night and hears Master Cullen calling her "his sub" there is no way he is going to allow that to happen. He tries to fight his attraction to Kari and ends up confusing her and hurting her. He just can't seem to get over the guilt that he feels for his late wife's death, even though her accident was not his fault.

The two agree to just keep the relationship about sex and Master Dan teaching Kari how to be a good sub. After several sessions in which Master Dan pushes her beyond her expectations and perceived limits they grow closer but Master Dan still refuses to acknowledge his feelings. One night in the capture garden the conflicting signals come to a head and neither will come out unscathed.

The emotional roller coaster that Master Dan sends Kari on is quite the ride. I seriously wanted to punch him every time he pulled away from her. I hurt for her. It's amazing to me how some authors in just a few pages can suck you so far into a story you come out the other end feeling like you just ran a marathon. For me, Ms. Sinclair is one of those authors. She takes you into a world that not a lot of us really know that much about and the way that she describes and walks you through it makes you feel like you are there. She explains the world in a way that at the end you understand that being a submissive doesn't mean you are weak or a doormat. She underlines the importance of honesty and trust that has to be there for a relationship like this to work. She has become one of my auto-buy authors...club this is Cherise, Cherise this is the club, welcome! I give Dark Citadel 5 chocolate dipped strawberries and a warm subbie blankie to help you come down from the experience.

GUEST INTERVIEW: Cherise Sinclair

Happy Valentine’s Day!

What better way to celebrate than to have Cherise Sinclair, Romance Author Extraordinaire, visit to talk to us about her Masters of the Shadowlands series. We have been looking forward to this feature week all month since we confirmed her visit; and we’re certain that you will love her (and her books) as much as we do. So sit down and indulge with us as we talk with Cherise…

Tell us how the idea for the Masters of the Shadowlands series come about?

A series? That’s so funny since I sure didn’t plan to write a series--or even to write erotic romance. You see, I’d been sick for a month, feeling ugly and unfeminine, and somehow I stumbled onto some erotic romances that made me feel female and sexy again. In response, I tossed aside the mainstream book I’d been working on and wrote Club Shadowlands--a purely self-indulgent erotic fantasy just for me. But, of course, no writer throws away a manuscript, and a crit partner, Amber Green suggested I send it to her publisher--Loose Id. They bought the book and asked for another.

But five books? I blame it on the way new Doms keep appearing in the books. They’re so intriguing and so utterly confident that I start wondering what kind of woman would shake them up. And then I just have to write the story. Book number four was supposed to be the end of the Shadowlands stories, but Master Marcus appeared--and damn, that southern accent and the contrast of his sternness and politeness did me in.Yep. Us too!
And, I swear, in Master of the Abyss, I did my best not to introduce any men that could possibly be interesting. Really! I didn’t bring in any new Doms at all. And yet, now I’m writing a story for the heroine’s rugged cousin where the conservative cop gets lured into the dark side.
Oh my hell – we can’t wait for that book! Even though we’re supposed to be focusing on the Shadowlands, we couldn’t leave out the Masters of the Mountain so they get a special day later in the week too.

Now, we can’t talk about Masters of the Shadowlands without addressing Master Z, the original Dom that has the amazing ability to read a person which has proven important in many of the books. Why did you make this part of who he is?
Actually, I was worried about Jessica who blindly wanders into a BDSM club. She needed a very perceptive Dom. Now, an experienced Dom can be incredibly observant, but Master Z kept taking it farther to the point he was actually reading emotions. Once he started, he refused to give up that trait--despite my protests that I wasn’t writing a paranormal. Well, we bargained and he won, although he agreed to keep it very low key. (It’s pretty sad when the author loses arguments with her own characters.)
We each have our favorite master but wondered if you had a favorite or is it like when you have children and you can’t say who it is?
Master Z is still my favorite--probably because I was a virgin erotic romance writer and he was my first. Don’t y’all always have a certain fondness for your first? However, when I’m writing a book, each Master pretty hangs around, arguing over plotlines and harassing me (pushy Doms). They’re all wonderful, and honestly, I wouldn’t throw any of them out of my bed (although my husband would). LOL
Your subs tend to be more like the average woman rather than stick-thin models. As real women ourselves, we appreciate this. Why did you choose to have your women "soft and rounded"?
Oh, you’ve hit one of my hot buttons. I’m so angry with how our idiotic must-be-thin-and-young culture affects how we women think of ourselves.

When a man looks in the mirror, he sucks in his ample gut, flexes his flabby biceps, and says, “Lookin’ good, stud.” A woman, no matter how lovely, checks the mirror and moans, certain that her hips are too big, or she has too many wrinkles, or unable to see anything but her dimpled thighs. The slender women want breasts, the buxom women want their hips to disappear, hair is either too limp or too curly, skin is too pale or too blotchy, and on and on. Why can’t we look in the mirror and say, “Damn, I look hot.” But no--I’ve rarely met a woman who was content with her body, and doesn’t that just break your heart?
That’s why the message you put in your books about women’s beauty is so important.

Now I’ve always had more of a pear-shape than an hourglass figure--and I hated it. But I remember, back in my younger days… I’d bent over to pick up a dropped pencil. I turned and surprised the manager who was holding his hands up, fingers flexing as he pretended he held my ass in his hands. I could even hear the little, "mmmmm" he uttered under his breath. Was he thinking my butt was too big? Oh, no…he figured it was just right. LOL

Men really don’t see us the way we see ourselves.
So, we have to know… do any of your characters reflect your own personality?
Oh sure--me, my friends, my co-workers, my family--characters are a conglomeration of everyone I’ve met. I do have a fondness for heroines whose insecurities are mixed with a sense of humor and an “I can do It” attitude.
Your newest release, MAKE ME, SIR is unique in that it brings back, and integrates, past characters into the storyline. What made you choose to do that? (And please do it again!)
Oh, I’m blaming y’all for that. Readers sent me emails complaining that Master Z and Jessica weren’t around enough, and one woman wanted to see what would happen when Jessica met Z’s children. So I tried to just increase the time a little, and then Z yanked the story from my fingers and created his own subplot. (Do you get the impression I’m submissive?) Because of that, the book ended up being much, much longer than I’d planned. (My editor is very patient with me.)
Please, please, please tell us there's more to come. Is there another book in the series planned? Can you give us a release date?
Eeek! All right, in Make Me, Sir, I deliberately left a few story threads untied and set up some new characters to pave the way for the next book--or two. Galen and Vance want their own story.
YES! We were hoping you’d say that. Hello, sexy FBI agent Doms!!
Master Raoul thinks he deserves one also. Every time he steps forward to suggest a plot point, he’s got that damned flogger in his hand, and I’m getting an “I’ve been patient long enough, subbie” look from him. Not a good thing.

So I’m hoping to write one or two more. As for when…that’s up in the air. I usually do a story or two between Shadowlands so the last hero and heroine’s traits don’t slide over into the new ones, so I haven’t started the next yet.

As for release dates, I can’t tell you. Loose Id would probably contract and schedule the next book, but since I hate deadlines, they don’t get anything until I have a plotline figured out and know where I’m going with a story. It probably drives them buggers. LOL
Well, we’ll be waiting (impatiently) for the next release. Thank you for coming to our site today and answering our questions.
And thanks to the Guilty Indulgence Book Club for having me here today. Hugs and smooches to all the readers who’ve been so wonderful with emails and suggestions and just hanging out in the Shadowlands with me.To CONTACT Cherise Sinclair or for more information on her books, go to www.CheriseSinclair.com. She will also be commenting throughout the week here so leave a thought/ question and come back to see what she says.

Club Shadowlands

Masters of the Shadowlands 1: Club Shadowlands
Her car disabled during a tropical storm, Jessica Randall discovers the isolated house where she's sheltering is a private bondage club. At first shocked, she soon becomes aroused watching the interactions between the Doms and their subs. But she's a professional woman—an accountant—and surely isn't submissive . . . is she?

Master Z hasn't been so attracted to a woman in years. But the little sub who has wandered into his club intrigues him. She's intelligent. Reserved. Conservative. After he discovers her interest in BDSM, he can't resist breaching her walls and unleashing the passion she keeps hidden within.

Review:
I absolutely loved reading this series. Cherise Sinclair grabs your attention from the first chapter and it doesn’t stop until the last page. I can’t tell you how much sleep I lost because I couldn’t find a place to stop reading and put the book down. And just a warning, buy all of them at one time because the last page of one turns into the first of the next. The stories are sizzling hot but also hold you because they seem so real for the life style. I applaud her in depth research into the life style and believe that is what makes the stories so great.

As for the Dominant Master and owner of the Shawdowlands, Master Z, he finds Jessica totally by chance but the story isn’t one of falling in love and two days later living together and marrying each other. We all read plenty of those stories. The relationship between Master Z and Jessica is slow and built on gaining trust a little bit at a time. There is no marriage at the end of this tale but you couldn’t ask for a better last page.
Realistic – Powerful – Sizzling –Sensual – BDSM at its best!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you enjoy reading BDSM, I would like you to read this series and let me know if you know of any other series that might come close to Sinclair. I don’t think it will happen. This is not just the best in it genre, I think it might be put in my ultimate favorite category. The only problem in reading a book this great is that you tend to use it to gage everything else you read. I may not be able to give out a top rating again for awhile.

I give Club Shawdowlands 5 chocolate dipped Strawberries without any reservations. Sinclair will also be placed in my “read anything they write” group of authors. WOW

Reviewed by Shari

Masters of the Shadowlands Week

We are kicking off our Masters of the Shadowlands Week with Cherise Sinclair today! The Masters of the Shadowlands series centers around a private BDSM club, Club Shadowlands with each book exploring the relationship between and a different master and their submissive. The love stories each evolve in their own way, themes of the books vary to keep the series exciting but of course, one way or another, the hero and heroine find a happily ever after. Sinclair is a Master at writing in this genre, truly setting a standard for other authors to follow. The books are very near non-fictional (but aren't indeed).

WARNING: So you can't say we didn't warn you, let's lay it all out there. This series contains explicit sexual content, graphic language, and situations that some readers may find objectionable: Anal play, BDSM theme and content, exhibitionism, voyeurism.

SO, we're starting off with the very inspiration for this week... a group review I participated in with other reviewers from the TRR site. It was oodles of fun to discuss the entire series with other fans who love Sinclair's series as much as I do, especially the newest and most complex of her books yet... MAKE ME, SIR. I'll give a single review of that book later in the week but for now, I hope you enjoy this.

The Club Shadowlands series by Cherise Sinclair is a favorite of many TRR reviewers. In the spirit of community, Debbie, Michelle R, Rebecca and Rho have come together to write a joint review on Ms Sinclair's newest installment, MAKE ME, SIR, now available at Loose Id. Each book in the Club Shadowlands' series is a romance story centered on a Club Shadowlands' Master Dominant. MAKE ME, SIR is the story of Master Marcus and FBI social worker Gabrielle. Gabrielle has been sent to Shadowlands to act as a decoy for the FBI in an attempt to uncover a ring of kidnappers targeting submissives who play in club settings.


Michelle: Ok ladies, we have to start off as always by giving MAKE ME, SIR a rating. So what do you say?
I'll start. I'm going with 5 STARS. *stands up and applauds* As always, Ms Sinclair had me riveted. I downloaded the book at midnight and fell asleep holding onto my Kindle. There just wasn't an easy place to put this one down! The entire day I just kept telling myself, "I'll go start a load of laundry after just a little bit more…" **shakes head** Clearly, I have an addiction to the Shadowlands' Masters.


Rho: I don't think there is any other option for me than 5 stars. I'd give it a whole lot more if I could. I loved Marcus and Gabi's story. It held me entranced and made me laugh, cry, and scream at my Kindle screen a bit, but all the while I was awed at how Cherise Sinclair has written such an amazing and original story...AGAIN!


Rebecca: Absolutely 5 STARS and even though I'd give each of her Shadowlands books this same rating, this book tops them all for me. Ms Sinclair sets the bar for the BDSM erotica genre, especially with her hot dominant alpha males.


Debbie: Absolutely a 5 star rating. I would rate it higher if I could. Like Rebecca, even though I have loved all of her books, to me this was by far the best. She just keeps getting better with each installment.


Rho: Ok, I think it's been firmly established that I LURVE my hot alpha men, and I love it even more when they fall hard for their woman. Who's left of the unattached Masters that you can't wait to watch fall? For me is going Master Raoul! He's got that quiet strength that is extremely sexy and he's so tender at times as well. I would love to see him get a little hot under the collar. But I really want to see how he'll use his talent with ropes on her. *shivers*


Michelle: *eyes twinkling at Rho's idea* I love a book with Shibari! It actually calls to my inner fashionista. The designs those rope masters can make are fascinating and breathtaking. I've got my fingers crossed. Maybe Nolan and Raoul can do something together.


Rho: *snorts* Fashionista. LMAO And here I am just wanting to get tied up.


Debbie: I would love to see Master Raoul with a smart mouthed bratty sub like Gabi. I would love to see him get flustered and see just how he handles it. Master Holt is fairly new. I would like to see him put through a few paces to see how he would handle the pressure.


Rebecca: I've got to see those FBI agents we met in MAKE ME, SIR fall for their perfect sub. I just know there has to be some smoking stories Sinclair has in store for them. If not, I've got some ideas myself for Galen and Vance. *wink wink*


Rho: Well, Rebecca, are you thinking of a hot federal agent sandwich maybe? Because that sounds pretty darn yummy! Two alphas for the price of one. LOL


Michelle R: I know it should be Raoul or Sam, but I am all in with you on the FBI agents! And the whole ménage / polyamorous relationship is exactly where my mind was going!! *grins, lost in a daydream* We are smutty kindred spirits, aren't we?


Debbie: Master Holt is a new addition to Shadowlands. How did you feel about him when he took Gabi so far that she blacked out and froze? I was really mad at Master Holt for doing that to her. I know they were trying to get some answers for her behavior but he was making me so angry at him for how he was treating her and what he was saying to her. Once the scene was over and I saw how scared he got and how he did actually care, it changed my opinion of him a little. I would love to see him get his own book and end up with a submissive that is hard to control and then see how he handled the situation. What do you other ladies think?


Michelle R: It would be interesting to learn more about Holt. I thought Sinclair used him in a clever way to develop the plot. The scene would have played out differently if it had been Marcus who triggered her flashback and catatonia. Either she would have not responded as strongly, because she had some basic trust in Marcus, or it could have swung the other way and really destroyed the foundation they'd built. In the same way, I also liked how the FBI's demand for secrecy meant Z had to stay quiet, and his usual insights couldn't be shared so readily with the doms. All of this worked to drive them to the climax. Really, such brilliant use of secondary characters. Brilliant.


Rebecca: It's always so difficult for me to use the term "climax" when reviewing these books. *wink* Well done, Michelle. I know. All of the Masters' true spirit and compassion came out at that point and I fell in love with them all over again. An alpha male with a sensitive side - that's the perfect combination for me.


Rho: The thing I took away most from that scene was just how important honest communication is between any sub and Dom. I mean, if Gabi had been honest (or at least been able to be honest) the whole thing could have been avoided. However, I loved Holt's response. He seems to be on the younger side as far as the Doms/Masters are concerned but he seemed to have it together and know how to take care of a sub. I hope we get to see a whole lot more of him.


Michelle: Honesty IS critical with BDSM play. Even though she didn't know she had the trigger, if she'd filled out the questionnaire honestly, they would have been better prepared.


Rebecca: I enjoyed the sub-plot of Jessica and Z that was incorporated into this book. The other books focused solely on one couple and it was unexpected to get so much information on the others. I really felt like we got to catch up with all the other couples. Which of all the couples is your favorite and why? I'll tell you mine first... Master Cullen & Andrea are my favorite couple. Watching her struggle to trust herself as well as believe she was worthy of Cullens' love was powerful. But I think much of why I like this couple hinges on the scene when Cullen goes to Andrea's aunt's home during her grandmother's birthday party. That scene melted my heart. His commitment to the developing relationship couldn't be questioned after that.


Rho: I love how Andrea calls Master Cullen "Senor". LOL. And that scene you are talking about is one of my absolute favorites in the whole book. I like that Master Cullen seems so easy going and then you say something wrong and you may end up being a bar ornament!


Michelle R: *turns red* A bar ornament. That's been my nightmare since Jessica sat atop his bar. Jessica and Z will always be first for me. Even though the teacher in me relates to Kari, I think I spiritually connected more to Jessica. I'd want to beat the doody out of anyone, even a mean scary dom, if I thought one of my girls was unhappy. It would be instinctual and I'd end up in as much trouble as she does. I think my mouth may be even worse than hers too. Z's maturity and his ability to nurture and pick up on others fascinates me. They are both so strong and different, and yet so perfect together. *sighs* Yep. MAKE ME, SIR really satisfied that need to get more J and Z.


Rebecca: I related to Jessica and was sooo excited to hear more about her and Z too. When an author can revisit a character from a previous book and weave them into the story so that they are essential to the storyline, I call that genius.


Rho: Oooh, that's a hard one. I feel like every time I read a new book in the series, I like that couple the best! LOL I have to say that Master Marcus and Gabi have been my favorite couple. I am such a sucker for Southern gentlemen (this Yankee has been married to one for the last 10 years!) and I just loved how Gabi came in and turned Master Marcus' world upside down and made him reevaluate everything he thought he wanted in a sub. I loved the strength of conviction and character in both Marcus and Gabi, championing for those who have been hurt by others--trying to make it right for the victims again. And the fact that they burned up the sheets together....well that's just the icing on the cake!


Michelle R: Ohh. Rho, I was raised in Texas, so that man curled my toesies too. *sheepish grin* That southern drawl is my undoing!


Rho: Yep, gotta love that Southern drawl. My hubby still knows how to win me over by using that. *blushes*


Debbie: I love Master Marcus. I'm with you ladies. That southern drawl just makes me melt. Every time he was call her darlin' my knees just went weak.
**collective sigh**


Michelle R: I thought this book was chock full of tension - sexual tension, sensual tension, emotional tension, and suspense-filled tension, thanks to those kidnappers. Without revealing too much, what was your favorite tension filled moment? I've got to go with the tension between Marcus and Gabi when they tried to maintain control of themselves. He's thinkin' "I'm her trainer not her Master. I can't do that." And she's busy thinking, "This isn't real. I am just here as a decoy to catch the kidnappers." And the two of them are working so hard to keep it professional and not fall in love. All that holdin' back just about killed me. **looks at her nails** I need a new manicure. I just didn't handle all that angst well at all.


Rho: I'm just going to say two words: HOT STUFF. *shivers* I think those of you who have read the book will know exactly what I mean. I get goose bumps just thinking about that scene. Master Marcus is an unbelievable Dom. *sigh*


Michelle: *bouncing in her seat* I know exactly the part you are talking about. Have mercy! *fans herself* She may be funny, but she sure gets her rump in trouble. *wink, wink*


Rho: Yeah, I felt like a lot of their great intense scenes started out with or ended with humor. I loved that about them as a couple.


Rebecca: I loved the humor between Marcus and Gabi too. It made them real to me... and I was just a bit envious of their ease and chemistry as a couple.


Debbie: My favorite tension filled moment was the way Gabi felt during the candle play. And then what happened at the end of it. But I was also on the edge of my seat at the docks. OMG that was a tense few pages of reading.


Rebecca: OK... my tense moment that just won't leave me when I think back on the story is not as much fun. I can't stop thinking on the scene when Marcus restrains Gabi outdoors with the other Masters around. He knows exactly what he wants - the truth about why she misbehaves - but the whole time, I just know what is going to happen. My heart is thumping and I'm repeating over and over in my head "don't do this. don't do this. don't do this." and when the scene ends, I'm actually closing my eyes because I don't want to know just how bad it's going to be.


Rho: That was such a crucial point in the book. It's like the turning point in their relationship. I agree I was on the edge of my seat, biting my nails and cringing my way through it. That was definitely a time when I started yelling at the kindle screen.


Michelle: That was a defining moment in the book for sure. My tummy still churns for them all. They were trying to help. To take care of her. Talk about backfiring.


Rebecca: I know. All of the Masters' true spirit and compassion came out at that point and I fell in love with them all over again. An alpha male with a sensitive side - that's the perfect combination for me.


Michelle: Well ladies, it really has been wonderful sharing this experience with you. For some reason, this series is one I can talk for hours about with my girlfriends. On chat boards or by the beach with a fruity drink in my hand, I've had as much fun reliving these books with friends as I have reading them. What are your final thoughts as we wrap this up?


Debbie: I have loved this entire series. They just seem to get better with each installment. I hope in future books we will continue to see some of the other couples come back. I loved the added suspense in this book also. Cherise is a master of the arts. All I can say is that she can't write these books fast enough to suit me.


Rho: This is a fabulous series. It's erotic, it's romantic, has wonderfully suspenseful plots, and amazing characters (including so many yummy sexy alpha men--I did say I LURVE them, didn't I?). But even more than that, I think it's a wonderful introduction to the BDSM genre of Erotica, or even the lifestyle. I love that Cherise Sinclair added a note from the author in this book telling people that it's great to be curious or interested in the lifestyle, but to BE SMART, and realize that these are books, so it's not exactly how things would be in real life. It's wonderful how much Cherise cares for her readers. She's truly amazing! And I, for one, cannot WAIT until the next book comes out -- it's soon, right? Please tell me it's soon.


Rebecca: I'm sure I already said this but it can be said again... Sinclair sets a standard and I measure all other books in this genre against her series. It's erotically delicious while combining romance and suspense. Not just an afterthought, the BDSM component is integrated into the developing relationships so seamlessly that it could not be the same story without it. What a realistic view of the BDSM lifestyle.


And there you have it, Dear Readers, high praise and a whole lotta swoonin' from these reviewers. And just so you can't say we didn't tell ya, we want to point out that Shadowlands' is a private BDSM club, so expect dominance/submission play, exhibitionism, mild pain play, mild verbal abuse, oral/anal/vaginal sex, some seriously sensual play, toys and wickedly creative doms who play with them, independent strong submissives, and hunky alpha doms who love nothing better than giving a subbie exactly what she needs, especially when it involves huggin'. It's BDSM, friends, so prepare to have your toes curl! And as always, ENJOY!


Reviewed by Debbie, Michelle R, Rebecca and Rho


This interview/ review was originally done for The Romance Reviews.
http://erotic.theromancereviews.com/viewbooksreview.php?bookid=1320