Trent and Nia Connelly have been married for nearly a year and already their marriage is falling apart. Trent finally files for divorce when his wife continually pushes him away, denying them both what they need secually.

Nia discovers too late what her fears and deceptions have wrought and now must fight to prove to Trent that they still have a marriage worth saving. When she offers herself, body and soul, as the obedient submissive he’s always desired, Trent is forced to reevaluate everything he knows about himself, his wife, and the entire marriage.

This is a very intense novella that deals with the overt needs of Trent as a true Dominant and Nia as a genuine submissive. He thought she understood that bondage et al would be a part of their relationship from the very beginning, but Nia’s fears and her shame in her own sexual needs erected barriers between them and the marriage appeared to be on the road to slow death. Now, with divorce papers having been served, Nia recognizes that she is on the verge of losing the one man she loves, and she has to choose between admitting both to herself and to Trent the true nature of her sexual desires, or hanging on to her fears. Trent is the owner of a pleasure club that features BDSM and is a master dominant. Yet Nia has to decide if she can put herself into her husband’s hands. It all comes down to trust.

It matters not if the reader enters into this lifestyle or whether this is a preferred way of interacting with one’s lovers. This story is really about trust and honesty. Trent loves his wife but is no longer willing to live with her distrust and fear. If we were all really honest, we would recognize that all abusive relationships are rooted in fear. It is often thought that BDSM is abuse, and I am not convinced that it is without its dangers. But I know many spouses who suffer many years of abuse and unhealthy control by their husbands or wives that is rooted in a pathological insecurity and a need to isolate for the purpose of possessing the partner. Such a relationship is far more abusive than careful and caring BDSM relationships. That being said, I think that the real themes in this novella are important for a reader’s consideration and I think it takes courage for an author to deal openly with such subjects.

On a negative note, while I understood Trent’s deep and all-consuming anger at feeling betrayed by Nia, I felt that it went on just a bit long. I think in addition to trust and honesty, forgiveness is possible far more than most people are willing to practice. On the other hand, such a sense of betrayal is often difficult to let go. I think Ms Aidan handled that issue with literary expertise as well. So I have to say that all in all, I liked this story, and while BDSM is not me, I found the back story and underlying themes to be instructive and of great interest. I give this novella a 3.75 out of 5.

This book is available from Ellora’s Cave. You can buy it here in e-format.

You can read more from Judith at Dr J’s Book Place.