Veena’s review of Bound Beneath His Pain Dirty Little Secrets, Book 1) by Stacey Kennedy
Erotic Romance published by Loveswept 05 Jul 16
I have enjoyed Ms. Kennedy’s earlier series and was somewhat intrigued by the concept of the DC (Dominants Council). It turns out that the DC consists of four billionaires who are dominants, but, interestingly enough, at least from this book, it appears more about their ownership in sex clubs that cater to BDSM. Micah is dark, so it’s Allie who really adds the delicious in the book that takes it from a mundane erotic story into a true romance.
Holt Industries is adding to their real estate holdings with a takeover of a local failing real estate company. For Micah this is a cut-and-dried business deal. For Allie Bennett, it means friends losing their jobs, even if she and her assistant are assured theirs in the new company. A chance encounter in an elevator with Allie and then an overheard conversation change things for Micah and for the ailing company that will now live on, thanks to Allie.
An interesting twist here is that it is Micah who does the chasing. He sends Allie flowers which she returns and only later accepts after he sends flowers to all his female employees. The only way Micah gets a date with her is by accompanying her to a business lunch, which he normally would never have attended. I admire Allie for standing up for herself and keeping their relationship on her terms, regardless of how much he gets to her.
She finally succumbs when she sees the soft side that Micah reserves for the children he helps through his charity. Convinced that there are hidden depths in Micah, she accepts his invitation to dinner, only to succumb to his dark seduction. Micah, however, quickly proves how little he knows her when he allows her to wake up alone. His housekeeper giving her an outfit to wear for work is just the icing on the cake. Micah will really have to make himself vulnerable to get another chance with his lady scorned.
Of course, she’s going to give him another chance and then she’s going to go on a journey of exploration, not just together with Micah as he helps fulfill her sexual fantasies, but also working to discover what the DC is and the hidden facets of Micah’s life. Her brother Darius makes a strong entry into the story, along with her best friend Taylor, who seems to be Darius’s kryptonite.
All in all, an interesting start to a new series. Can’t wait to see how it turns out for Darius and Taylor.
Grade: B
Summary:
The USA Today bestselling author of the Club Sin novels kicks off a deeply sensual new series by introducing readers to Micah, a man who takes what he wants—until he meets the one woman he needs.
Real estate mogul Micah Holt exerts absolute control over all aspects of his life. He keeps his dark side hidden away from the press, who will chase down any hint of scandal. He’s always in command of his world, careful to expose his closely guarded secrets only to those he knows he can trust. Then Allie Bennett shakes his legendary discipline. She’s beautiful, pure, untainted. But is Micah willing to sacrifice her innocence for his own selfish obsessions?When that sexy smile makes her body burn, Allie tries with all her might to ignore it. For one thing, Micah’s her new boss. For another, he’s as complicated as he is devastatingly handsome. Still, Allie can only fight so much before she gives in to his dangerous games. She knows he’s got dark secrets. But when she discovers the true depth of his pain, Allie must decide how far she’s willing to go to light the way for love.
Other books in this series:
Restrained Under His Duty – April 2017
