Full disclosure, this book is not a genre I read, nor care to read that often. I purchased this book based on the recommendation of another author.
And I'm glad I did.
Detective Zinnia Jackson's got problems--A mother she can't talk to, a sister dying of cancer, a co-worker she can't stand and a new assignment--to go undercover as a submissive in the city's ultra-secretive BDSM community, in order to catch the man responsible for flooding her city with illegal gambling machines.
Zinnia's (Zin's) character is fully fleshed. The author left no stone unturned in making sure the reader knew exactly what we were getting. Zin is fiercely independent and has mastered the art of letting people see only what she wants them to see. However, when Ray Casey is brought in to train her as a submissive, she discovers parts of herself, she isn't sure she wants to know about, much less experience.
The author handled Zin's journey of discovery with a very delicate touch. Though the ideas, the teachings, the lessons, and the rope burns are introduced to her with little regard for subtlety, the understanding of what each means, develops over time. Like Zin, I gradually let my guard down and began to trust the process. She as a submissive. I as a reader.
When it comes to sex scenes, I'd much rather read foreplay than the actual sex. I mean how many times can you read about heaving breasts, earth-shattering climaxes and electric current running through the body, before it all starts to sound like the same scene with different characters? The author does an excellent job with the scenes leading up to actual sex-play. I'm a strong believer that if these scenes aren't written well, the sex, no matter how beautifully written, is going to fall flat. Not the case here.
And though the genre is erotic romance, I was pleased to find the sexually charged imagery was supported by a strong plot and a very well-written narrative. In short, even if there was no erotica involved, I feel that this story would be more than able to stand on its own as a taut crime thriller or urban drama.
The scene where Zin was talking to her dying sister, really stood out for me:
[ Desperately, I squeezed her hand. "Tell me about dying, Del."
Her eyes fluttered open and she looked out the splattered window. "It's a little like being a raindrop. You wanna cling to the glass, but the ground's calling your name." ]
It was the quality of the writing that kept me in the story. The details and descriptions were vivid and the exchanges of dialogue rang true.
There weren't many missteps, but I will point out that I felt Ray's internal dialogue was a little too feminized at times. Mainly when describing his feelings or his sexual desires. It's not uncommon for female authors when they write from a male POV to sometimes slip into more emotive thought patterns, loading up with what the male is feeling and longing for, instead of balancing this with more of what the male is seeing and envisioning. At times, I think she nailed it. Other times, Ray seemed to contradict the characterization Ms. Connor carefully built up for him. But other than that, I think the author did a very good job with the POV overall.
I also felt that the word `thrum' was used a few too many times. It's a good word--sensual, forceful, but just uncommon enough, in my opinion, to stick out like a `sore thrumb' if you use it more than two or three times in the same story. ;)
But what impressed me most of all was the level of detail. I know next to nothing about `BDSM, sub/dom, roping' culture, but after reading this book, I feel like I could at least fake my way through a conversation. The descriptions of how the ropes were tied, what each tie meant and was meant to do and the deeper exploration of the sub/dom relationship all leapt off the page. I wouldn't dare speculate as to how Ms. Connor came about all of her information and details, but any time I read an author who appears to have done the requisite research it is a genuine pleasure.
Lastly, I don't think it would be fair to discuss this book without touching on the issue of race. The setting is South Carolina. The main character is an independent black female, being trained to `let go' and submit herself to a white male. I had my doubts as to whether I could buy the premise. There were so many ways this story could have gone off the rails, to become sidetracked with stereotypes or littered with blatant shock value narrative. Ms. Connor however, was able to hold this story together long enough for me to follow to the conclusion. I think the best choice she made was to not strip Zin of her core qualities and have her blindly submit. The character questioned, debated, doubted and feared every step of the way. And even though I wasn't entirely comfortable with the premise, I was very comfortable with the manner in which the story was told. There were no shortcuts. Ms. Connor delivered what was advertised. Your individual tastes and preconceptions may vary, but this was not a shoddy plotline, thrown together for the sole purpose of exploiting race and sexual subculture. The execution of this story was careful, thoughtful and skilled.
Not many writers could have pulled this off. Hats off to Ms. Connor for attempting to do so and in my opinion, succeeding. I look forward to reading more from her catalog.
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Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on February 27, 2014
Top reviews from other countries
- Christina WallaceReviewed in Canada on January 7, 2025
Brilliant police romance with Shibari
- Christine HolmesReviewed in the United Kingdom on January 1, 2015
Emotionally gripping
