Reviewer: Tracy My Prerogative by Sasha White
Publisher: Berkley, Penguin
Publication Date: September 2, 2008
Genres: Fiction, Erotica
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She does what she likes…
…and what she likes is absolutely wicked.Kelsey Howard is happy with the single life. She has great friends, a fun job tending bar, and a nice apartment. Not to mention the freedom to enjoy a few wild sex games with strangers—the riskier the better. But what she’s really looking for in the darkness is love.
Then Kelsey realizes she’s got an anonymous stranger watching her every move—and every move she makes is arousing them both. In fact, not only is she not scared, she thinks she may have finally found her soul mate. Especially when she meets the mischievous mystery man in the flesh. That’s when the fun and games really start, and Kelsey realizes just how far she’s prepared to go for love.
When we first meet Kelsey she seems pretty happy with her life. She’s on vacation in Jamaica and having a great time. Even when she returns home she seems pretty content with her job, with her friends and with her love for picking up strangers to have sex.
As we get into the book we realize that Kelsey’s not really happy at all. She feels that as much as she loves her job as a bartender and enjoys her co-workers she’s kind of an outsider there. Her sister is getting married and is conservative so she really doesn’t hang with her much and then there’s her mother who is constantly trying to find “real” jobs for Kelsey so that she’ll stop working at the bar. On top of all of this Kelsey feels that there’s a “darkness” inside of her and she’s not quite sure how to fix the problem and make herself happy.
Harlan is Kelsey’s neighbor and has been watching her. One day Harlan watches Kelsey pleasuring herself and is completely hooked on her. He is an artist and uses Kelsey as his muse. He seems to see the total Kelsey while others just see bits and pieces of her – basically what she chooses to show them. Kelsey figures out she’s being watched and gives Harlan a couple of “shows” before she finally flashes him her phone number. The relationship starts from there and grows. Harlan falls for Kelsey but she doesn’t seem to think that she’s good at relationships and is more than hesitant. She wants the love, but doesn’t want to be held back in her sexual exploits. Harlan shows her that it’s ok to be herself and that she can be loved anyway. I really liked the way Harlan was a calming balm to Kelsey’s high-strung self.
Now the whole premise of this book kind of squicked me out when I first read the blurb. I mean, there’s a guy watching her? Psycho stalker man is the first thing that comes to mind. However, the way that Ms. White wrote the scenes and set the stage for Kelsey and Harlan was done so well that there just doesn’t seem anything wrong with it at all. It was tastefully done – both the emotion and the sex scenes.
*The book did kind of throw me off at first since it started out 1st person POV and continued that way whenever we were in Kelsey’s head, but then it turned 3rd person when we were hearing from Harlan. I got used to it though and it just didn’t seem that strange after a while.
Was the author new to you and would you read something by this author again?
I had read her book Trouble and really liked it. I will definitely read more of her work.
Did you enjoy the book: Definitely
Would you recommend this book to others? Absolutely
Score: 3.75 out of 5
Great review Tracy. I’ve read a lot of Sasha’s stories, then she started leaning more towards bondage (Bound) and that just doesn’t do it much for me so I haven’t read one for awhile. I do like her free-spirited heroines though.
I LOVE this book. I thought the 1st person view of Kelsey and 3rd person of Harlan tells the story really well.
Great review, Tracy. I actually like books that alternate between the characters’ points of view like that. I’ll have to keep this one in mind.
Thanks guys. This was the first book that I’d read (that I remember, at least) where there were alternating POV’s. It threw me out of the story at first but as I said I adjusted and then it was fine. 🙂
Tracy,
Now that you’re used to the alternating POVs, you should read Twisted Creek by Jodi Thomas. Come on, you know you want to…
This book sounds really good. I’ve read some SW in the past and really enjoyed it. I’m adding it to the list.
Actually it sounded good from the review. I’ll have to check it out.
Thanks Rowena – it was a fun book.
This was a really good review, Tracy. I defintely want to check this out, thanks!
I’m going to delurk to say Thank you so much for the thoughtful review, Tracy. I’m thrilled with what you had to say.
I knew going out with MY PREROGATIVE that some readers might find a few things different about it, the voyuerism, the POV’s, and Kelsey’s bit of a wild streak…but I’m so glad readers are able to understand her, and they’re finding that the story works for them.
I also just wanted to assure Stacey, that not all of my books have a BDSM edge, In fact, I’d say less than half of them do, but there are definitely some there. (BOUND and WICKED for sure, and then one of the novellas in next summers release MOST WANTED will be BDSM, and yes, MY PREROGATIVE does have a scene or two with that edge, but it’s not a BDSM story) In general I’d say my Aphrodisia books tend to not have that side to them, but the Berkley ones do tend to be more edgy.
I hope that helps. If any of you are ever in doubt about what a book of mine contains, please feel free to email me using the contact button on my website. I’d be happy to share some details to help you chose only the stories you will enjoy.