This is the 2nd sadist character Cherise has written. The first character, his woman was a masochist so it made sense they’d be perfect for each other after working through some issues. In Edge, Lindsey is neither a masochist nor does she want to be one. So how can this work, right?

Well, it worked perfectly of course with many bumps along the way. I also love that in some of the more recent books from Cherise a lot of time is spent out of the BDSM Clubs and shows the characters in their jobs and lives away from the Dom/Sub situations in the Club.

Alexander deVries is both a mercenary and in the security business working for Simon. Its after a mission his masochist needs come out and he needs to decompress at the Club. Since the subs he mainly scenes with are men its assumed he’s bi-sexual. That is not the case and I liked and understood the reason he gave.

Lindsey has been working as one of the receptionist manning the front desk of Dark Haven. We’d met her in a previous book but didn’t know the secret she was hiding from everyone. Turns out she killed her husband in self defense and has been on the run ever since.

Lindsey owes deVries from losing in game that was played in a previous book, when he calls that token in both of their lives change but with deVries having a few hang ups from an ex wife and Lindsey being hunted by men that will kill her if they find her there road to happiness is not an easy one.

The story is equal parts BDSM and outside life. Its written so it all blends perfectly. Every character from the previous Mountain Masters and Dark Haven make an appearance in this book which was great to see how all the couples were doing and even getting to see them in action when things go south when the men hunting Lindsey find her.

I am always sad when I come to the end of a Cherise book, I could read her stories forever.
( )

This novel is a stand alone sequel in a series. In general I like Cherise Sinclair's work very much. This novel is not the best in this series, nor is it the best of the author's work as a whole. And that's putting it mildly.

Ms. Sinclair is excellent in her particular genre of romantic D/s bdsm relationships.
On the one hand the interaction between Zander and Lindsey - a sadist vs a non-masochist submissive - is an interesting premise for a novel. The solution the main characters find, a compromise of sorts, is interesting as well. In and of itself, I liked the fact that this issue of square peg in a round hole problem is in the novel. I like the way it gets solved. Entirely disagree with the way Zander deals with HurtMe, but hey, I'd expect nothing better from this type of guy, see spoilers below.

And that's about where the interesting bits end.

As novel characters go, I liked none of the main characters in this novel.

Lindsey:
As always, the focal point of Sinclair's novels is the female main character. In this case, Lindsey.
She's originally from Texas. She's has (had) quite a life when we meet her. She likes to bake things. That's about the depth you're going to get from her.
This particular 'pet' did not seem very attractive as a novel character. The way the 'pets' are described and act: they're are starting to get on my nerves altogether.

Zander / DeVries:
The novel's male main character is DeVries, a name who readers of the series will recognize and most likely associate with labels like sadist, cold, controlled from previous 'experiences' with him.
But Zander DeVries as portrayed in this novel is not a well built character, imo. Zander's actions don't seem to match his brief (as outlined in this novel as well as in prequels). Also, Zander as portrayed in this novel does come across to me as an attractive or even trustworthy Dom; though he may be a skilled top, he does not seem relationship material.
He's portrayed as a vat of gunpowder ready to explode at anything he doesn't like, and he does explode, far too frequently for my taste.

The Zander in this novel I really hate and/or he really scares the willies out of me with all this no-talking, jump-to-conclusions, overprotective-no-matter-what-you-think-about-it, I-say-what-I-like-and-no-apologies-ever attitude.
The way he deals with Lindsey after she had her trigger moment: He cuddles her until she's calmed down a bit but afterwards he still doesn't know *what* triggered her so doesn't know what to avoid triggering it again?!
The way he deals with Dixon who has a breakdown over unrequited love and unrealistic expectations - Won't play or talk to him?!
I could go on about the break-up reaction, the punishment, etc, but I'd better leave it at just these two examples from a long, long list.


I have to say also, that the decision the author made, or Xavier and Simon in this case, to send Zander to the shelter, with his described attitudes, posture and physique, amazes me to no end. And the kids liked him? Really?? Um... Don't believe a word of it. Macho in the wrong sense of the word from a to z. No way will battered kids and mothers 'like' this type of guy. They'd be scared shitless and run for the hills.

The D/s dynamic in this novel:
The D/s dynamic is the basis for all of the author's novels I've read. And it's fine. Nothing wrong with it. And I'm willing to believe *some* couples end up this way.
But the setting for this novel is a bdsm *club*. With presumably a variety of bdsm flavors. I mean, people do still vary in their likes/dislikes, right? No they don't, if you read the author's work in general and this depiction of a sadist. (I'm not even going into commenting on the gay/lesbian treatment here.) They all end up in a standard D/s Dom/pet relationship. With a 'girly' demeanor on the female side and an overprotective domineering Real Man on the other side. Puh-lease... How real does that sound?
I dislike more and more the particular D/s relationship style these novels portray as if there were nothing else. The overprotective, interfering, high handed Dom's are starting to get on my nerves. The way the characters and the environment respond to the D/s dynamic and Dom's is starting to seem silly.

The other characters:
I found myself having problems as well with the way many of the other characters (Xavier, Simon in particular but also the other Dark Haven membership such as Abby, Rona, Logan, Jake, etc etc) act towards DeVries and Lindsey - It reflects very poorly on them. So non-confrontational, so forgiving, so okay-shrugs, so ow you poor girl, here's a cookie and some alcohol...
Uptil now I had a healthy respect for most of these guys/gals. I'm starting to question where that came from.

The sadist premise:
Then there's the premise itself. Zander is a sadist. The depictions of how that works out in terms of feeling, sensation, emotion, thought could have been better. That has to do mainly with the choices the author made for Zander in this novel.
In a way, I feel sorry for Zander the Sadist. The author deals him a bad hand in this novel, in setting him up with a submissive non-masochist girl. His partner could have been anyone. A guy, a girl, a masochist, a submissive masochist, a bottoming masochist, whatever. It could have been for life, it could have been permanent play appointments, it could have been anything. Why does it *have* to end up in a D/s going-steady, getting-married, having-babies relationship???
I so would have wished him to get a real masochist woman (as that seems his preferred gender). Of course, she'd run for the hills as well with that macho nonsense of his...


In short:
- This novel is not the best in this series, nor is it the best of the author's work as a whole. And that's putting it mildly.
- Zander is not a well built character, his actions don't match his brief (as outlined in this novel as well as prequels). Zander is not an attractive or even trustworthy Dom, though he may be a skilled top, he's also not relationship material.
- Lindsey as a 'pet' is not attractive either. The 'pets' are starting to get on my nerves altogether in fact.
- The overprotective, interfering, high handed Dom's are starting to get on my nerves.
- I dislike more and more the particular D/s relationship style these novels portray as if there were nothing else.
- I dislike that sadism/masochism can't seem to get proper treatment from the author in this novel. ( )

So. let me say first of all it is a well-crafted story with sensual detail and likeable characters. And still I think this book does not live up to the other books, in this series or the other. It is almost as if through the attempt to include ever more diverse sexual engagements, the characters are beginning to suffer. More so because the books begin to try to tie up loose ends left from previous books. It still is a very enjoyable book and one worth reading - just not as good as many of the others had been. ( )

So. let me say first of all it is a well-crafted story with sensual detail and likeable characters. And still I think this book does not live up to the other books, in this series or the other. It is almost as if through the attempt to include ever more diverse sexual engagements, the characters are beginning to suffer. More so because the books begin to try to tie up loose ends left from previous books. It still is a very enjoyable book and one worth reading - just not as good as many of the others had been. ( )

So. let me say first of all it is a well-crafted story with sensual detail and likeable characters. And still I think this book does not live up to the other books, in this series or the other. It is almost as if through the attempt to include ever more diverse sexual engagements, the characters are beginning to suffer. More so because the books begin to try to tie up loose ends left from previous books. It still is a very enjoyable book and one worth reading - just not as good as many of the others had been. ( )