Insolence
Lex ValentineContemporary erotic romance
Available from Cobblestone Press
ISBN: 978-1-60088-531-0
April 2010
| Aric Calderwood is less than pleased when his best friend, Ainsley Connor, shows up at his BDSM club, Insolence, after he'd specifically told her not to just the night before. Aric does not tolerate disobedience from his subs, but, unfortunately, Ainsley isn't his sub. She is a dominant just like he is, but that doesn't excuse her flagrant disregard of his wishes. So, he doesn't believe her when she claims she is only there to be his willing submissive for the weekend. Nor does he think she has it in her to willingly submit to all the things he desires to do to her, but the tears welling in her eyes convince him he'd be a fool not to at least take her up on her offer. Except once he touches her, Aric's dominant control is nearly shattered by a flood of memories and emotion. Though he demands her submission, his weekend of intimacy with Ainsley shows Aric exactly what he's been missing in his life, and he realizes that he no longer cares if she's submissive or insolent, all he wants is her.
Insolence has all ingredients for a successful and satisfying BDSM story. Aric is a successful dominant who has known Ainsley since grade school. He thought he understood exactly who she was and what she wanted, but for once, all his great Dom instincts fall short when it came to his best friend. He fails to notice that she has been in love with him since their early days together, and that he not only also loves her, but that he needs everything she has to offer him. I really liked Aric and Ainsley, and I especially admired her for attempting to give Aric what she believed he required for them to have a successful relationship. I did have some trouble, however, with Aric placing Ainsley in velvet-lined, steel metal handcuffs instead of Velcro BDSM cuffs. Even though the cuffs weren't meant to pinch or hurt; metal cuffs, even lined ones, can bruise. So, they seemed like a questionable choice for someone who has had ten years in the business, and owned his own club. And, even though Ainsley didn't seem to require it, Aric did not provide Ainsley with enough aftercare, in my opinion. He kind of pushed her through her paces, both of them climaxed and then it was off to the shower together. No tender petting, no words of love or encouragement telling her how pleased he was, or how proud he was of her for doing so well. Aric was a submissive trainer, who knew that Ainsley wasn't a submissive, and yet he gave Ainsley no verbal recognition, or reward, for the pain she accepted at his hand simply to please him. He also didn't punish un-submissive behavior, which I could better understand, since this relationship was more about learning and discovering than dominance and submission. I found Insolence definitely worth reading, but mostly because of Ainsley's courage and devotion toward Aric. I liked Aric, and even admired him for finally facing up to what was really important to him, I just couldn't fall in love with him, even though I was pleased that Ainsley could. As a contemporary erotic romance with BDSM elements, Insolence will offer readers a journey of discovery with a taste of the forbidden.
Overall rating:
Reviewer: Kathryn |
