Title: “Taming Me”
Series: Cover to Covers #5
Author: Alexandrea Weis
Genre: Adult, Contemporary Romance
Release Date: February 2, 2015
Lexie Palmer is a writer in search of the perfect story.
When a case of mistaken identity introduces her to the charismatic dominant, Garrett Hughes, she discovers her salvation. In hopes of penning an accurate portrayal of the BDSM lifestyle, Garrett agrees to educate Lexie.
She eagerly places herself in Garret’s capable hands, but what starts out as just business with the sexy Mr. Hughes takes a turn toward the unexpected.
Soon, Lexie becomes immersed in his world, and finds Garret taking control of her life. Her experiences with Garrett may be providing wonderful material for her book, but how far is she willing to go to for her story?
Lexie Palmer is about to get a lesson in submission that she will never forget.
Amazon Amazon CA Amazon UK Amazon AU smashwords iTunes
Complimentary copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review
It has now been a year since I was introduced to Alexandrea Weis and her books for the first time, and her ability to create stories that are engaging, lifelike, and filled with romance have made her become one of my favourite authors. There is just something about her books that always draw me in from the very beginning, and I can honestly say that “Taming Me” did the same as the other novels I have, so far, had the pleasure of reading: I lost myself in the love story, yes, but, moreover, the characters, Lexie and Garrett, made me realise that, although people – in my opinion, at least – deep down do not ever change, they do have the ability to evolve and become better at making compromises in order to find happiness.
As ever, I will endeavour to write a completely spoiler free review, so I will not necessarily provide you with a rundown of the plot – because that is not the way I write my reviews – however, I cannot avoid it entirely, of course.
Lexie Palmer, a somewhat successful romance novelist, has hit a rut: her books are not selling as well as they used to, and so she needs to come up with a completely new approach to find inspiration for her next novel. Luckily, a chance meeting in a park seems to do the trick, and her fascination with the life of Garrett Hughes commences. Because as soon as Garrett reveals that he is a Dom, a new story begins to form in her mind, and Lexie manages to convince Garrett to depart with his insider knowledge into the BDSM lifestyle; but as time passes, Lexie finds herself becoming more and more interested in this intriguing man, instead of the Dom, and the question is if she will be able to let go of her preconceived notions about how a relationship should be like and take a chance? And is Garrett actually who he says he is? Hmm. Well, you will have to read the book in order to find out. 😉
Lexie is a wonderful character: independent, strong, and determined to succeed as a writer. She is rather jaded when it concerns men, but that is due to her failed marriage. And you cannot really question that or blame her for feeling that way. I loved seeing her evolve from this rather “playing-it-safe” woman and into one willing and, mostly, unafraid to take chances.
Garrett was first introduced to us in the “That Night With You” – the previous book of the Cover To Covers Series – and I have to confess that I have been looking forward to getting his story ever since. To be perfectly honest, he is quite the enigma: a successful architect, elusive, and not someone to reveal his innermost thoughts until the very end. This, to me, does not mean that he is a frustrating character, though that could very well have been the case; no, the subtlety of this man, the way he speaks and educate Lexie, intrigued me so, and I could not help but think that this man has a very specific agenda when it concerns her…but what is it? In the end, Garrett bares his soul completely, and that made me fall in love with him entirely.
The title of this book is, in my opinion, spot on: because who will be tamed, Lexie or Garrett? I see both of them as being pretty stubborn characters – on the surface, at least – and they refuse to let go of their stubbornness throughout most of the story; however, that is not to say this is wrong. No, these characters have trust issues, and I enjoyed seeing them tear down their walls, bit by bit, until, in the end, they find the courage to trust in one another completely. You cannot truly love another person if you do not have trust – not in my opinion, anyway – and Lexie and Garrett are pretty good examples of this fact.
I cannot profess to know a great deal about what the BDSM lifestyle is like in the real world, but Miss Weiss manages to paint a very vivid, believable picture of it, and it definitely appears to be a topic very well researched. The setting of the book, New Orleans, is interesting and captivating, and you get the sense that this may be just the perfect city when is concerns the pleasures that are of a sexual nature: it is more open, more free, if you will, and definitely not frowned upon to have “different” tastes.
The storytelling skills of Miss Weis are, as always, unique and engaging; Lexie and Garrett may be fictional, but they could actually be real people: that is how believable and genuine they are. Furthermore, the pace of the story flows really well, and the dry wit and banter between all the characters made me chuckle or even roll my eyes in amusement a time or two.
I have nothing but praise for this book, and I can honestly say that, out of all the books of Miss Weis’ that I have read and marked as favourites? This one tops them all. Thank you for a lovely reading experience, Miss Weis! And thank you for always satisfying my romantic – and, at times, cynical – heart with your love stories. ❤
“When I punish a sub, I want to make the punishment memorable, but in another way I want to make it reinforce their submission to me.” He removed his tie, curling it about his long fingers.” Punishment is about withholding pleasure; tempting, promising, but never giving.”
I was mesmerized by the way the cool gray silk was laced in and around his fingers. I hurriedly gazed down at the drink in my hand. “So what do you do, spank them, tie them up, what?”
He took my drink and put it on the table. “Would you like a demonstration?”
“No.” I shrank away, picturing being held over his lap and spanked like a child.
He leaned toward me, holding up his tie. “If you want to truly learn about my world, Lexie, you must experience it.” His face inched ever so close to mine. “I promise I will not hurt you,” he softly added.
His thin lips hovered in front of me as I considered his offer. He had a point; perhaps I needed to experience what he did to his subs in order to be able to write about it. As his dark brown eyes seared into me, my resistance slipped away.
“All right, fine.” I sat back against the sofa. “But I’m only agreeing to do this for the sake of the book.”
“Of course. It’s all about the book.” He stood from the sofa and went to the middle of the room. “Come here.”
Taking in a deep breath, I stood up and approached him. Without my heels I came right under his chin, and I could see the slight dimple there. I had never noticed that before.
“Turn around,” he commanded.
Sighing at the insistence in his voice, I did as he asked, wishing he could just ask nicely for once. When his hands went to the zipper on the back of my dress I almost pulled away, and then remembered his words from previous encounters. I had to relax, and I had to trust him.
“You didn’t pull away,” he whispered as the zipper slowly eased downward. “You’re learning.”
“I’m getting—”
“No talking. You never talk when I’m punishing you.”
I snorted. Silly me.
After he had pushed my black cocktail dress off my shoulders, I stood calmly as the fabric slid down my body and gathered about my ankles. Standing before him in my underwear and strapless bra did not seem like such a feat anymore. Maybe I was getting the hang of this; and then another thought hit me. Or maybe I wanted to be naked in front of him.
His fingers lightly stroked along my shoulders and then his deep voice said, “Put your hands behind your back.”
Still not sure what to expect, I complied, and soon I felt the silk tie being wrapped about my wrists and secured tightly. At this point, I should have been getting concerned. Every instinct I had was screaming at me not to go along with his plans, but at a certain point in a relationship there comes a time when belief in another person outweighs reason. We want to believe someone will be kind to us, love us, or take care of us no matter how many times our past has taught us otherwise. This was that moment for me. I believed Garrett would not hurt me, and I knew then that I trusted him.
When his hands left my wrists, they began working their way down my back until his fingers hooked the top of my black silk panties. He eased the panties down my hips and all the way to my ankles. Lifting my right foot and then my left, he removed the underwear and dress from about my feet.
The cool air in my apartment was making my flesh dance with goose pimples, and when his hand cupped my behind, the chill turned into a rush of heat.
“On your knees,” he said behind me.
With a little awkward effort I got down on my knees. I prepared myself for a few slaps on my butt, thinking that was what he had in mind for my punishment. But when he kneeled behind me and pushed my head over to the hardwood floor, my stomach clenched. Feeling so exposed only compounded the rush of adrenaline racing through me. My heart was pounding and my breath was coming in nervous gasps. I stayed like that for a few minutes, waiting for him to touch me, spank me … do something.
Keep reading – I hope you enjoy the interview with Miss Weis!
Hello Alexandrea,
Thank you so much for letting The Danish Bookaholic Blog run an interview with you. I have been looking forward to it for some time now.
Here goes:
1. What does a typical day look like for you?
My day starts and ends with my animals. I get up, feed furry people and spend the day juggling their needs and my writing. I do spend several hours a day on the computer, usually with dogs at my feet or a squirrel in my lap. When I am not writing, or tending to the zoo, I am an avid runner.
2. Where do you find the inspiration for your books?
Anything can bring a story to mind. Things just pop into my head, usually when I am driving … don’t ask me why. I’m not sure how the process works, and that is probably one mystery I don’t wish to know about. I just get an idea and it builds, until it needs to be written down.
3. What, in your opinion, is the most challenging aspect of being a self-published author today?
PR! Without a doubt getting your name out there is tough. There are so many books, so many writers that you have to really struggle to stand out. It’s a real challenge.
4. Out of all the books you have written, which one is your favourite? (If you have one, that is?)
My favorite is always my first, To My Senses, with The Ghosts of Rue Dumaine running a close second. I love those stories, the heartache and the poignancy of the characters still gets to me. I guess your first book is like a first love … unforgettable.
5. How did you research the BDSM life style in your latest book, “Taming Me”? 😉
LOL! I should probably say lots of hands on experience, but my husband would die! Thank God for Google. Although, I did interview a few Doms about their methods for handling subs. This is New Orleans and there are lots of bars in the French Quarter where such individuals hang out, and are surprisingly open to talking about their lifestyle. However, I already have 4-legged Doms in my life, telling me what to do all day long, so I kind of had an idea of where to start.
Again, thank you so much for stopping by!
Alexandrea Weis is an advanced practice registered nurse who was born and raised in New Orleans. Having been brought up in the motion picture industry, she learned to tell stories from a different perspective and began writing at the age of eight. Infusing the rich tapestry of her hometown into her award-winning novels, she believes that creating vivid characters makes a story moving and memorable. A permitted/certified wildlife rehabber with the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries, Weis rescues orphaned and injured wildlife. She lives with her husband and pets in New Orleans.
To read more about Alexandrea Weis or her books, you can go to the following sites:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
GOOD LUCK!
HOSTED BY:
The Danish Bookaholic Blog 