review || FREED

Stacey was my first enjoyable look into the world of BDSM. DESIRED is still very much my favorite book in the genre, but Sasha's Overwatch series is a super close 2nd.

Club Sin: FREED by Stacey Kennedy

Publisher: Loveswept (11/4/2014)

Series: Club Sin, book 4

Genre: Erotic Romance

Source: NetGalley

Buy It For Your Kindle | Nook || Goodreads

My Rating: ★★★★

Mary Schmidt knows only too well how thrilling a Master’s touch can be. Her husband, Charles, had been her ultimate fantasy, a seducer in the erotic dance of dominance and submission. She misses the sensual lifestyle they shared, but mourns him so deeply she cannot bear to embrace her submissive needs with another Dom—until a man who exudes temptation reawakens desires she can no longer deny.
 
Elliott Foster is dazzled by Mary. He instantly knows that she’s the woman he’s been waiting for—a woman who turns games into need. As her Master, he dares to unlock the deepest pleasures of her flesh, releasing her from pain and healing her mind. When Mary’s lithe body comes to life under his, he knows their connection goes beyond sex. Now that he has found the perfect woman, the perfect partner, the perfect submissive, he desires only to give her everything she craves.

- - -

Connect with Stacey || Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

- - -

I have to be forthright and honest...

...it took me a minute to get into this book.

Stacey does BDSM and the club-scene very well. I enjoy her writing and I love this series. My problem was the age of the characters. As a mid-twenty-something, I like my characters in their mid-twenties to mid-thirties. I have a hard time relating to older, and now that I've made it to my mid-to-late twenties, I even have a hard time reading (some) New Adult books. It's easier to read and relate to characters who are in your age group.

However...

Because I like Stacey and CLUB SIN, I decided to push through. After all, you get glimpses of the other characters.

Mary has not participated in her friend's club due to the age difference. However, when he introduces her to Elliott, she decides to give him a shot. She's been without a Dom since the passing of her husband, and she has a need to be taken. 

What I liked about Elliott was that he was a respectful Dom -- as are all of Stacey's (which I've also learned is the sign of a true Dom). Mary is older, has had kids... as with many women, she doesn't care much for her body. Elliott allows her to go into their scenes dressed in a corset and doesn't make her take them off. He wants it off, of course, but he understands that's one of her boundaries.

I liked how caring he was. I understood Mary's set-backs. 

I wanted Mary to move on with her life. I get that when you're married for years to your best friend, it's hard to move on when they're taken from you. I'm glad she finds someone like Elliott.