Dark Blue could have been wonderful, and while definitely worth reading, I can’t help but feel that it fell short of what it could have been. ~ Leigh, Guilty Pleasures
Description:
The hottest lessons require the strictest discipline…
Five years after losing her husband, Carla Jonas has finally decided to go for her dreams—all her dreams, from studying literature at Oxford to exploring a secret desire to be dominated and disciplined. A desire she never knew she had until six months ago, when a mysterious masked man pleasured her at a fetish party.
She’s stunned when she meets her new college professor. Not only is the gorgeous French academic, Alex Lemaitre, notoriously strict, this isn’t the first time they’ve met. She’d know that exotic accent anywhere—he’s her masked lover. Except he won’t even admit he was there that night.
There’s no mistaking the sexual attraction smoldering between them, and when he issues her a challenge, she’s more than up for it. Even when his unique tutoring methods drag her far beyond her comfort zone.
But as he leads her on a journey of sensual discovery, she’s not sure if any degree of submission will find its way into his guarded heart, or if she’ll end up with her own heart broken.
Product Warnings
Contains an intense relationship between a hot French professor and a smart woman who knows what she wants from him. Also features desktop discipline, fantasies fulfilled, secrets revealed, and motorbike sex.
Review copy provided for an honest review
Dark Blue was a mix of emotions for me. I couldn’t put it down, but I’m not sure how I really felt about it.
The romance between Professor Alex Lemaitre and returning student Carla Jonas was complex and steeped exploration; in both of them trying to discover the needs they each had, to discipline or accept such discipline. To control through sexual domination or be controlled. Alex was a multi-faceted hero in that he was dominant and caring, while at the same time being hard and aloof. He was a likeable, if somewhat confusing, character. I did not feel as much of a liking for Carla. She seemed to only have a backbone at certain times. She was bold enough to return to school and live out her dreams after the death of her husband, but afraid to stand up to her family. Assured enough to confront Alex about whether he was the masked man she met at a fetish party, but afraid to read an erotic poem aloud in class.
The story itself was written in a very lush manner. The references to erotic poetry, the enchantment of the Oxford setting, and the British sayings immersed the reader in an English flavor which was charming. However, I just felt that in some manner, the sex and the plot itself fell short.
The build up to the relationship between the characters was erotic, but during the actual sex scenes, I felt it was too rushed. I wanted more detail to understand the emotions between these two. Also, a mystery stalker was introduced into the plot, whose identity seemed to be resolved too obviously, and the allusions to Alex’s past seemed to hint at darkness, but I found the actual explanations to be, frankly, anti-climactic.
A story with a sexy hero where discipline and BDSM were woven into a mix of erotic poetry, and a forbidden relationship between a professor and his student, Dark Blue had a lot of potential that I feel was not fully tapped. A second book has been released in this series with Alex’s brother, whom we have already met, so I am interested in hearing about his story. I just hope that Ms. Bond explores the full potential that Alex’s brother’s story has to offer. Dark Blue could have been wonderful, and while definitely worth reading, I can’t help but feel that it fell short of what it could have been.
3.5 Stars
Thanks for the review Leigh
Great cover – this sounds promising. Thanks for the honest review!!
Thank you for the review. I would like to read this book.