✮✮✮A delicious world of erotica, BDSM with alpha-subs and their Dommes, and a gripping love story…Welcome to The Bee’s Honey! The first book in New York Times bestselling author Kristen Ashley’s Honey Series, THE DEEP END is a seductive and rich love story now available! ✮✮✮
Fall into THE DEEP END and grab your copy today!
About THE DEEP END (Erotic Romance Releasing March 7, 2017):
Enter a decadent sensual world where gorgeous alpha males are committed to fulfilling a woman's every desire…
Olivier isn’t sure what he’s gotten himself into when he joins the Honey Club, only that a dark part of him hungers for the lifestyle offered by this exclusive club. Here, no boundary will be left untested…and one's deepest fantasies will become an exquisite reality.
When Amélie invites Olivier to surrender, she gives the alpha submissive what he craves. Soon they both find themselves falling harder than they ever anticipated—but as their connection deepens, the truth about Olivier’s past could destroy everything…
Gripping and seductive, The Deep End is the first book in a sensational new series from bestselling author Kristen Ashley.
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REVIEW: 3.5 Stars
I am always a fan of Kristen Ashley and like every book of
hers, this one is incredibly well written (with one exception, in my opinion.
The hero’s speech). Her characters are complex and extremely developed. The
world she has created is consistent and decedent. That being said, The Deep End
just didn’t do it for me. The story never quite pulled me all the way in and,
for me, it was too slow.
The author takes the story in a really interesting direction.
Exploring the different styles of Dominatirix/sub relationships, focusing on
that of the Domme and Alpha sub (which I hadn’t known about before this). It’s
not always about s guy who will fall at your feet and do everything you ask. Amélie is
a pretty fascinating character at times. Despite her refined speech and
appearance, her dominatrix attitude, she is not an ice queen with her subs.
And, she prefers a very different kind of guy.
Olivier is an Alpha sub, if he hadn’t been, I would have
lost interest in the story very quickly. In most respects he's super alpha,
dominating, self-assured, manly. But at the club he wants to be sub, not a
slave (there is a difference). He doesn’t bow down in complete submission at
his Domme’s command. Though he does what he’s told, he does it with an air of
defiance. He wants to be broken, or at least, he wants her to try and break
him. His arrogance and borderline
insolence is something Amélie gets off on. I admit, it was this tug of
war, the struggle of personalities that kept me reading. It was pretty fascinating
to delve into.
I knew going in that this book was pretty hard core BDSM. And,
fair warning, that is not a warning to take lightly. Even though its way more
BDSM than I like, I can’t dock stars from the book because of my preferences.
It’s the author’s creation and if you enjoy the more extreme, then you’ll definitely
like this book. As I said before, very well written. And, it was clear she had
done her research and truly cam to understand the mentality behind what she was
writing. There are a lot of aspects of
BDSM that I enjoy reading about, but when you start getting into pony play and
such, as well as a lot of anal, it becomes a turn off for me. Again though,
this is strictly my preference and has no bearing on the rating.
The one thing that really kept me from getting lost in the
story was the hero’s way of speaking. Amélie is very refined. In her
vocabulary, her speech pattern, her look. They all scream money, education, and
sophistication. Then in walks Olivier. His name is French, he’s wearing an
expensive and perfectly tailored suit. He’s sexy as sin. I couldn’t wait to see
how a man who is her equal in all those ways would handle his inner sub. Then
he opens his mouth and the illusion is shattered. He doesn’t often speak in
full sentences, he uses words like “gonna” and loses the G on words ending in “ing.”
It’s a very jarring juxtaposition with Amélie and it constantly pulled me
out of the story.
Overall, not a bad read, but not something I’ll read again. Depending
on your preference as a reader, its very possible others will disagree with me
and find this a fascinating and riveting story. But, for me, it was pretty
mediocre. And, even though the other characters had me slightly curious about
their stories, it’s wasn’t enough for me to continue the series.
EXCERPT:
As he slowly closed the door behind him and moved his eyes to look through the room, taking it in, she watched them get wide.
They dropped to her and his amusement was clear. Not only radiating from his gaze but twitching his lips.
Another unusual—and unacceptable—reaction.
He thought this was funny.
She hoped like fuck she had the opportunity to prove him wrong.
She crossed her arms on her chest and slightly put out a foot, like she was about to start tapping her toe. In the wrap dress she wore, she knew this opened the overlap, not exposing anything, but the promise for him was impossible to resist.
His attention dropped to her legs.
“In the playrooms,” she began with a snap, and his gaze cut to hers, “I want eye contact. Unless otherwise instructed, you should not only feel free to look me directly in the eyes, if I’m in your line of sight or I’m not giving you something that your body’s natural reaction would make it difficult to meet my gaze, I require it.”
She stood there staring as he did nothing but dip his chin in acknowledgment.
Cheeky.
Exceptionally cheeky.
Fabulous.
“Unless I’ve asked for their silence or for them to ask for leave to speak, I also require my toys to respond when they’re spoken to. Even if it’s only a ‘yes, Mistress,’ or ‘no, Mistress.’”
His stance relaxed, like he was settling in at the beginning of a show he found vaguely intriguing, and his deep rumble of a voice bounced like boulders through the room. “Yes, Mistress.”
Christ, even his voice declared his challenge.
“Excellent,” she allowed. “Your name?”
“Olivier,” he answered.
French.
Also unusual, at least in this country. And interesting.
She liked it a great deal.
She studied him.
He let her, holding her eyes.
“I’m Mistress Amélie,” she eventually informed him.
“I know. You got a lotta fans out there…Mistress.”
The hesitation over him saying “Mistress” gave less of the impression he was testing her and more of the strange impression the word was unpracticed when, with any experienced sub, it would slip right off their tongue.
She made no comment to that.
“There are things we should go over,” she remarked.
“Right,” he stated, his big body adjusting again, now like he was settling in further, intent on giving her the same attention he would a flight attendant who gave the safety address.
That being no more than a courtesy.
She fought the shiver his actions created but allowed the irritation.
“Your safe word is kitten,” she stated.
“Yes, Mistress.”
“You’re open to any kind of play,” she went on.
“Yes, Mistress.”
“It’s important and now’s the time to share should there be anything you wish me to shy away from, Olivier. Especially as this is the first time I’ve played with you.”
Something in his eyes flashed. Blue eyes that were the color of nothing and everything. Not sky. Not sea. Not midnight. A pure blue that only existed in the unchartable depths of a rainbow.
She felt that flash snake up between her thighs, taking residence in her womb.
He wanted this conversation done so she would play with him. He wanted the preliminaries over so they’d get to the good stuff.
He wanted her.
She stared into those blue eyes and for a moment felt mesmerized.
For God’s sake, Leigh, she berated herself in an effort to pull it together. Rainbow?
“Olivier,” she prompted.
“I’m open to anything,” he confirmed.
About Kristen Ashley: Kristen Ashley was born in Gary, Indiana, USA and nearly killed her mother and herself making it into the world, seeing as she had the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck (already attempting to accessorise and she hadn't taken her first breath!). Her mother said they took Kristen away, put her Mom back in her room, her mother looked out the window, and Gary was on fire (Dr. King had been assassinated four days before). Kristen's Mom remembered thinking it was the end of the world. Quite the dramatic beginning. Nothing's changed. Kristen grew up in Brownsburg, Indiana and has lived in Denver, Colorado and the West Country of England. Thus, she's blessed to have friends and family around the globe. Her family was (is) loopy (to say the least) but loopy is good when you want to write. They all lived together on a very small farm in a small farm town in the heartland. She grew up with Glenn Miller, The Everly Brothers, REO Speedwagon and Whitesnake (and the wardrobes that matched). Needless to say, growing up in a house full of music, clothes and love was a good way to grow up. And as she keeps growing, it keeps getting better.
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