Knots by Chanse Lowel

Chanse Lowell was a new author for me, although the subject matter of this book is a familiar one, I had no idea what to expect from this author. I was surprised and delighted by this book. There is no millionaire flaunting his money and good looks, there is no young female losing her virginity to “the lifestyle”, not a bondage club in sight, and there is no antagonist trying to keep our H/h from each other. What there is, is the fulfillment of a long time love, sadness, guilt and self loathing that is overcome though love and personal growth, an Alpha male who can use a flogger as easily as he can express his emotions, and a 27 year old women who discovers her true sexual needs and her desire to please another. This is a true love story, and did I mention the sex is HOT, and tastefully woven throughout the story , well let me just say it again – The sex is Hot and so supportive to the books storyline and our heroines journey to self discovery.

The lead characters Mark and Jeanie are well written but don’t come with a lot of back story, they are more characters in the here and now, there is a brief glimpse into what life with Jeanie’s parents must have been like for her growing up, and a small slice of time with Mark’s Mother. I was very pleased that Mark our controlling uber Dom, actually had feelings and was not ashamed or embarrassed to show them – it was so nice to see him as a real person. He was a very patient, gentle, loving, but firm in his training of Jeanie, he was not wishy washy or easily distracted from his goal to have her in his life. He is confident in his lifestyle choice, holds down a job, and is supportive of Jeanie on her journey towards overcoming guilt, poor self image, and sexual awakening.

Jeanie has a harder path to tread, she holds herself responsible for her husband’s death, his lack of love for her, letting his family down and falling in love with her husband’s best friend so soon after his death. Jeanie has a poor self image, is insecure, and feels alone in life. Jeanie has to accept the knowledge that she really didn’t love her husband, and may have married him for the wrong reasons; she also realizes that she has never really had a fulfilling sex life. Jeanie is a smart, questioning, adventurous women, willing to overcome her personal issues, and wants nothing more than to have the love, and a place in the right person life.

The supporting characters were also well written, each had their own personalities, but presented a unified family, love, strength and forgiveness. The cultural glimpses of the Tongan lifestyle added a dimension to the story that worked really well, whether it was how they dealt with death, or their day to day lives. One of the happiest moments for me was the family including Jeanie and Mark just as they would their natural born daughter or son in their lives and family.

I was given this ARC copy of Knots by the author for an honest review; once it’s published I will purchase my own copy. For me this was a wonderful 4 star read, and I am thankful for the opportunity the author provided me.
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Copy provided by author for honest review :)