Judith‘s review of Divertissement by Madeleine Oh
John Kent wants Ellen, not just as an incredibly sexy submissive lover, but as his wife.
To do that, he has to convince fiercely independent Ellen Forsythe that giving up her single state will be more than worth the sacrifice. Not an easy job. But John is not a man to waver or give up when he has a goal in sight–and Ellen is firmly in his sights.
Madeleine Oh has been writing erotic literature for many years and this short story demonstrates a clear grasp of what good fiction should be. This love story is built around a very intentional and hardcore BDSM relationship. Both John and Ellen are widowed, both have had long-standing relationships with their spouses and their marriages were built on a foundation of love as expressed in the Dom/sub configuration.
Ellen is a truly independent woman, successful in her business relationships that take her all over Europe. Because she has this freedom, she has chosen to be in a relationship with John Kent as his submissive. It is there she believes she achieves a balance in her life. Her business requires that she make many decisions. In her personal and sexual relationship with John she can give up control and allow him to provide for all her needs.
John has been lonely for a very long time. He has tried to fill the emotional holes in his life with temporary relationships or sexual encounters in tandem with other Doms, but he was not aware of how needy he had become until he met Ellen and she began to fill his life with her laughter, her joy, her willing spirit that also freed him to be himself.
This short story is highly erotic and for those who are offended by the BDSM relationship, this is not for you. But it is an opportunity to understand that for those who choose this lifestyle it is about freedom and pleasing your Dom or submissive. It has been said that the submissive holds all the power, because the Dom only realizes pleasure when he has pleased his or her submissive. So it would appear with John and Ellen.
Now I have to admit that the level of involvement to which John and Ellen have journeyed is just hard for me to understand. Canes and whips really bother me. But it is obvious that for these two it has brought great emotional nurture and physical pleasure. The way the Dom/sub relationship is played out has also changed with John because he has allowed his love for Ellen to become a part of the mix. Even those who know him well can see that the manner in which he relates to Ellen has changed.
This story is really about love given and received, shared in a way that is not chosen by many, but which has given great satisfaction to these two. The story also briefly brings in two other couples who have found that the BDSM lifestyle has enriched their personal relationship. Certainly there is a great deal more freedom to be who they are than one would assume given that the word “bondage” doesn’t seem compatible with “freedom.” But that is what these three couples seem to have gotten from their involvement.
This is a very well-written tale that is short but quite complete in its scope, which reveals a strong love relationship between two people who have both “been around” and who know what and who they want. If this kind of loving is your thing, then I think you will be pleased with this little literary divertissement.
I give this story a rating of 3.75 out of 5.
You can read more from Judith at Dr. J’s Book Place.
This book is available from Ellora’s Cave. You can buy it here in e-format.