BONDS OF TRUST

TITLE: BONDS OF TRUST

AUTHOR: LYNDA AICHER

Pages: 280

Date: 16/12/2012

Grade: 4

Details: no. 1 Wicked Play

              Received from Carina Press

              Through NetGalley

Own/Kindle

Cali Reynolds marriage lasted for twenty-two years. Twenty-two years without passion and without sexual fulfilment. Years during which her now ex-husband managed to make her feel that their failure to connect in the bedroom was her fault. Twenty-two years during which she has grown to doubt her every desire. Now that the marriage is over and Cali has spent some time living alone she is at last ready to face those desires, to find out if what she thinks she wants really is what she needs. Deep down inside she has always wanted someone to dominate her in the bedroom and on this night she is going to find out if what she has dreamt of is indeed everything she has imagined it would be. She is going to The Den, a BDSM club, during a night for new-comers to submit herself to a Master and learn the truth.

Jake McCallister has been a Master at the Den for almost five years. When he is asked to have a look at one of the novices that evening he can’t help thinking that the 44 year old he is looking at might be at his club for all the wrong reasons. But the woman, Cali, makes him curious as well. So instead of handing her over to one of the other Doms for her introduction to the life-style he decides to do the job himself only to discover that Cali is perfect. She may be new to this experience but every move she makes, every reaction of her body indicates that she was made to be a submissive. And before the night is over, before Cali flees in a turmoil of confused feelings and emotions, Jake knows that he, who has never wanted to claim a sub, wants to spend more time with her.

From that very first moment it is clear that Cali and Jake were made for each other. Both of them thrive in each others company. The sensations and emotions they experience  while together overwhelm, scare and delight them. The need to be together is strong, but it is quite possible that the forces keeping them apart are even stronger. Between Cali’s shame and Jake’s fear of commitment the obstacles they will have to overcome are almost as big as the love they feel for each other.

This is a love story. Yes, it is a very erotic work of fiction and a lot of the story is of a very sexual nature, but more than anything else this is the story of two people finding their perfect partner; finding that which they thought they could never have. The sex in this story is very descriptive but in a sensual and sensitive way. This author isn’t out to shock her readers, quite the opposite in fact. She shows that love and connections come in various different guises and that finding them depends on finding the right person to share them with.

I really appreciated that the author allowed me to get to know her characters beyond the bed/play-room. While their relationship develops mostly during their “scenes” together, the reader gets real glimpses at who they are and what motivates them through their interactions with the other people around them. This makes both Cali and Jake into fully developed characters whose feelings and actions make sense and who are easy to like and understand.

I was also delighted to read a story about a forty-four year old woman. All too often the women in these erotic romances are young (think twenties up to early thirties), and although there is nothing wrong with that, it makes a wonderful change to read about a woman only a little bit younger than I am for a change. I like the message this conveys; you don’t need to be young to fall into love and/or lust because it is never too late to fully embrace what you are and need. We are never too old to make the changes necessary to live our best lives.

I am looking forward to reading the future books in this series. If this book sets the standard I know I may expect more hours spent in reading bliss.