FINAL DECISION: For a short novella, this one was surprisingly good. I enjoyed how the relationship between Jamie and Alex develops. The ending where a crisis requires a dramatic gesture, this one was emotional and dramatic. My only negative was that I didn’t get to know Alex enough as a character.

THE STORY: Attorney Jamie Fielding is at a crossroads in his life. A series of failed and unfulfilling relationships send him on a personal journey to challenge his own notions of his sexuality and sexual needs. He makes his way to the sex club Blasphemy where he meets Alex McGarrey who is one of the dominant masters of the club who also is a sadist. Alex feels a pull towards Jamie when they meet, but Alex doesn’t intend to take on someone who is just investigating being an masochist and bisexual. But there is something about Jamie and Alex just can’t resist.

OPINION: This was a book that I enjoyed more and more as it progressed. I worried that I would not be able to see how Jamie who is totally new to both masochism and bisexuality would work with the more experienced and jaded Alex. But something just clicked between these two. Their encounters are definitely on the more extreme side but there is a undercurrent of consent and respect that works better here than perhaps in any of the other books in this series.

I felt an understanding and connection with Jamie whose personal journey is central to the story. Alex’s character remains more elusive. When there is a dramatic problem towards the end of the book, I didn’t feel enough understanding of Alex’s character to feel connected to his reaction. Intellectually I understood, but there were deeper issues that I didn’t feel were fully explored.

While this book is beautifully crafted as a novella, I think that a longer book would have explored Alex’s backstory more and give better insight to his character. But that is a quibble in what is a very enjoyable read.

For fans of Kaye’s Hard Ink series there is even a cameo by a character that jump starts Jamie’s personal journey.

WORTH MENTIONING: This is a m/m romance.

CONNECTED BOOKS: ON HIS KNEES is the fourth book in the Blasphemy series. These books are connected by the club and small appearances by others, but each book is independent and can be read as a standalone.

STAR RATING: I give this book 4 stars.

“The music faded away along with all the people, until it was just the two of them, divided by a room, five years, and her once-broken heart.”

FINAL DECISION:  A book that has a strong, independent heroine that has experienced much pain and yet takes control of her own pleasure by confronting the pain in her past.  I loved Kenna and Griffin.

THE STORY:  Kenna Sloane is an ex-Marine, amputee and motivational speaker.  She is having problems adjusting to her new life.  As a way of solving that problem, she decides to confront her past.  Five years ago, Griffin Hudson was her lover and Dominant.  When Kenna fell in love with him and wanted more, he rejected her.  Now Kenna wants to see if the Dom/Sub lifestyle she liked so much can help her recover.  She returns to Blasphemy, the sex club that Griffin owns and where he is one of the 12 Masters.  What Kenna doesn’t know is that Griffin has never forgotten her.  He quickly regretted his rejection of the perfect woman for him and now that she has returned, he plans to keep her.

OPINION:  I loved how strong and independent Kenna was in this book.  She is a tough woman who has experienced the trauma and death of war but has begun to pull herself together.  When she sees that her life is not what she wants it to be, she takes action.  She returns to the dom/sub life that brought her happiness even though she experienced pain as well when Griffin rejected her.

“Unlike the rest of her life right now, at least here — right here in this room — she knew what the rules were, what was expected of her, and what she could do to succeed.  She knew who and what she was.  And God, she hadn’t realized how much she needed that.  All of that.  Because she’s lost it when she’s lost the Marines. She’d just lost so much.”

The story of Kenna is powerful; she is a warrior.  I loved how her being an amputee is part of the story but it doesn’t diminish her sexuality or sexual attraction.  Her qualities amplify the attraction Griffin has for her.  She can be strong, be physically imperfect and have lingering emotional scars, but she is allowed to be sexual and attractive.

Griffin is a sweetheart.  I don’t know how Kaye does it, but she manages to make him incredibly alpha and yet kind and compassionate.  His reaction to her service as a Marine and her amputation is so supportive that I could see how Kenna fell in love with him.

In this book, Griffin has already gone through his conversion to recognizing how wrong he was in the past.  He knows what he lost and is determined to not lose her again.

While this book is centered around the Blasphemy Club, the sex play in this book is only about the relationship between Kenna and Griffin.  They have already dealt with their sexual compatibility and their attraction to one another.  This book is really about Kenna coming to terms with herself.  She manages to do this through her sex play and her relationship with Griffin which opens her up to happiness again and her ability to deal with her grief and guilt.

I thought this book was thoughtful and sexy.

The only criticism I had was that I thought Kenna forgave Griffin way too easily after his prior rejection of her.

WORTH MENTIONING:  This is a novella.

CONNECTED BOOKS:  BOUND TO SUBMIT is the first book in the Blasphemy series.  There is a connected book that operates as a prequel entitled HARD TO SERVE.  It is not necessary to read HARD TO SERVE before BOUND TO SUBMIT.

STAR RATING:  I give this book 4 stars.

NOTE:  I received an electronic copy of this book in order to provide a review.  I was not required to write a positive review.  All opinions contained herein are my own.