Summary
They think they know me, but they have no idea.
As a professional Domme, I see men and women come and go. But no one ever sticks around, and I like it that way.
I have a secret to protect—at all costs.
So when the cocky, handsome, and submissive Clay Bradley weasels his way into my heart, I do the one thing I’ve always excelled at. I push him away—forever.
And like a good boy, he listens.
But a few months later, during a chance encounter, he shows up again, but this time he isn’t alone.
He has the stunning Jade on his arm.
And she has a request of her own. She wants me to teach her.
I should say no.
Training a woman who makes my knees weak is bad enough. But this particular woman is dating the man who still has my heart. It’s a recipe for disaster.
Made worse by one simple thing: they know my secret.
And they won’t let go.
But how can I protect what’s mine if I’m holding onto them too?
Jade and Clay are the only ones who truly see me and the only ones who know…
I’m so much more than Madame.
Review
That was a fascinating study on what it means to be in a relationship.
Do you choose your partner? Eden’s answer is no. Be it in the past, when she chose poorly, or now, when her heart sways between two people. Clay and Jade would tend to agree, as their relationship is impractical and kind of forbidden, what with the age gap and the fact that Jade’s father is Clay’s boss. You don’t even choose your partner’s gender, especially when you’re attracted to both.
Do you open up to them? All three of them discover that trust and honesty are important in a relationship. While Eden has the biggest secret, they all keep things from each other and from other people in their life–sometimes for valid reasons–and it always puts a dent in their relations. In romance, it’s an easy way to get a conflict, so I felt it was a weak point in this book. Though it kind of made sense with the story’s theme.
What’s the place of intimacy? Eden and Clay start as Madame and her client, and their sexy moments are always tainted: is it just a job, or is it something more? Eden sure wants to keep it professional, separating feelings and sex. Avoiding feelings even. More importantly, what kind of intimacy are they looking for? They all have peculiar needs, and the book is their journey through exploring the dynamics of their special relationship.
What about other people? Because of their secret, and the very nature of their relationship, neither of them let anyone else in. Eden keeps her friends and coworkers at bay; Clay doesn’t even have a real relationship with his mother; and Jade keeps so many secrets from her father, even though she’s close to him. They live in a bubble, and at first, there’s only one person invited in–no spoiler!
The trio really has a lot of work to do before they even accept all aspects of their relationship, even more before they publicly acknowledge it. That’s what the author wrote about, and though sometimes I saw more lust than love, it was still a very good book.
Quickie
- Series: Salacious players’ club #6 (can be read as a standalone)
- Hashtags: #erotica #menage #MFF romance #age gap #second chance #single mother #workplace romance #forbidden romance
- Triggers: BDSM, mention of past abuse
- Main “couple”: Jade Penner & Eden St Clair & Clay Bradley
- Hotness: 5/5
- Romance: 4/5
- + I loved the reflection on the Dom/sub relationship
- – I had a hard time believing that it was more than lust between them
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