Thursday 19 March 2015

Review: Libertine Awakenings by Cat Ravenelle

****4 Stars****

 
 
Wow this book does not beat about the bush in throwing you right into the thick of things as it opens with a sex scene, granted it is a dream but it does set the tone for the story.
We meet Alexis on a flight into Chicago where she is on her way to a hotel rendezvous for sex with a man she barely knows and wow it is way more than just sex, it was a sizzling hot introduction to the world of BDSM for Alexis. I think the author is clever in keeping the mystique of the man in question as you don't really get to meet him as a reader initially and that situation definitely adds to the first few scenes.
It would seem though that Alexis also has other business in Chicago and we soon get to see there is a rather complicated past to Alexis and her childhood is shrouded in secrets and mystery. And so we follow Alexis on a parallel path as she discovers and awakens her true sexual nature alongside of uncovering her family secrets and so discovering exactly who she is in more ways than one.
The sex scenes in this book are plentiful and seriously hot covering a range of kink with a visit to a sex club, some f/f and m/f/m all as Justin pushes Alexis to test her limits. I was little unsure at first as the negotiations of their arrangement are only hinted at but as Justin came into Alexis’ life a little more and their relationship develops that did settle a little.
I am still unsure about Justin as he is still very mysterious and keeping so many secrets that I am eager to discover and just as I thought we may get some answers we are left rather abruptly with a “to be continued”.
Quite an intriguing book that did suck me in rather quickly and I am eager to read more and learn more about Alexis’ mysterious childhood secrets and Justin. A brilliant debut novel from an author that I will definitely be looking for more from.
 
 

Blurb:

 
Alexis Downing is beautiful, smart, and focused on her master's thesis. She seems to have it all, but the secrets of her past have left her broken and devoid of feeling. As a result, she regards men and sex as necessary inconveniences until she meets Justin Simmons, a handsome scientist from Chicago. He invites her to engage in a one-night stand. No strings. She just needs to do what he says and relinquish her control.
Intrigued, Alexis decides to take a risk.
Through Justin's guidance, she experiments with bondage and submission. It's her first time and the liaison leaves her wanting more. An agreement is made and Justin takes her on a journey of pleasure and pain that leaves her breathless, yet stronger than ever before. In each lesson, she learns about trust and humility. In each session, her emotional self emerges a bit more. They explore every aspect of her evolving sexuality. As she awakens to pleasure she's never experienced, her boundaries expand. She begins to understand that submission brings power. Power that she will cling to as the secrets of her past are revealed.
Libertine Awakenings is the psychosexual odyssey of Alexis Downing. Filled with smoldering, graphic sex, mystery, and romance, Libertine Awakenings is bound to please and entice even without a safe word.
 
 
 
 

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