His To Take (Wicked Lovers 9) by Shayla Black-Review & Giveaway
His To Take
Wicked Lovers #9
by Shayla Black
Genre: adult, contemporary, erotic romance
Release Date: March 3, 2015
Amazon.com / Barnes and Noble / KOBO / The Book Depository
ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date March 3, 2015
Racing against time, NSA Agent Joaquin Muñoz is searching for a little girl who vanished twenty years ago with a dangerous secret. Since Bailey Benson fits the profile, Joaquin abducts the beauty and whisks her to the safety of Club Dominion—before anyone can silence her for good.
At first, Bailey is terrified, but when her captor demands information about her past, she’s stunned. Are her horrific visions actually distant memories that imperil all she holds dear? Confined with Joaquin in a place that echoes with moans and breathes passion, he proves himself a fierce protector, as well as a sensual Master who’s slowly crawling deeper in her head…and heart. But giving in to him might be the most delicious danger of all.
Because Bailey soon learns that her past isn’t the only mystery. Joaquin has a secret of his own—a burning vengeance in his soul. The exposed truth leaves her vulnerable and wondering how much about the man she loves is a lie, how much more is at risk than her heart. And if she can trust him to protect her long enough to learn the truth.
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REVIEW: HIS TO TAKE is the ninth full length installment in Shayla Black’s adult, contemporary Wicked Lovers erotic, romance series focusing on a close knit group of friends, family and formers SEALs, FBI and NSA agents who partake in the BDSM life style. This is NSA Agent Joaquin Munoz and ballet dancer Bailey Benson’s storyline. Although HIS TO TAKE is the ninth book in the series, it can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty as can most of the books in this series.
Told from alternating third person points of view the storyline focuses on the search for a missing woman who disappeared twenty years earlier and is presumed dead at the hands of a terrorist cell searching for information into DNA manipulation. With what appears to be a serial killer on the hunt for all women who fit the missing female’s description, NSA Agent Joaquin Munoz disobeys the direct orders of his superiors and sets out on his own to save a woman the others believe holds the secrets to a two decades old mystery. When Bailey Benson’s profile matches all of the previous victim’s profiles, Joaquin easily locates and abducts Bailey then hides her away at Club Dominion-the BDSM club owned by Mitchell Thorpe (Theirs to Cherish #8).
The premise finds Joaquin immediately attracted to Bailey but our hero is a man who does not do relationships; does not fall in love; and has had very little contact with anyone in years. His reaction to Bailey is visceral but I didn’t quite buy into Joaquin’s growing love. He is an NSA agent whose life has been spent rescuing others and hunting terrorists. Their time spent at Club Dominion finds our hero needing to ‘spank’ Bailey for her lack of self preservation and in this the storyline takes a rather unwelcome turn for this reader. Neither Bailey nor Joaquin had ever considered the BDSM lifestyle but in the presence of the others, both have a need to partake of the action. This particular aspect of the storyline felt awkward, contrived and unnecessary, and frankly not believable. It was short lived and not without some cringe worthy moments especially when both were acting on the advice from the professional BDSM members. Joaquin’s need to punish Bailey does not sit well with the others-there is no role playing or Dom/sub action, it is purely punishment for disobeying orders.
Most, if not all, of the previous storyline couples and lovers play a secondary or supporting role as many favors are called in to help with the investigation into the number of deaths and the people hunting for Bailey Benson. Callie, Sean and Thorpe (Theirs to Cherish) prepare for their upcoming wedding and by way of a storyline role or mention, the extended and ensemble cast of characters makes for an interesting few days in isolation for Baily and Joaquin. It was nice revisiting with previous couples, lovers and their growing extended families.
The sexual situations include some BDSM, some spanking and punishment-not only for our leading couple but as part of Club Dominion’s available assets. Most of the BDSM content is voyeuristic as we are pulled into the needs of the heroes, from the previous storylines, to punish their lovers for a perceived act of betrayal or disobedience-again, these actions felt a little gratuitous and unnecessary to the overall plot. I understand that WICKED LOVERS is a series whereby all of our heroes and heroines partake in the BDSM lifestyle, but Bailey and Joaquin were completely out of their element and uncomfortable with what needed to be done.
HIS TO TAKE is a fast paced, intense and intriguing storyline. Shayla Black combines mystery and suspense, with a little bit of erotic imagery to stimulate the senses and need to read on. Revisiting old friends and previous storyline characters was a welcome addition to HIS TO TAKE. I am looking forward to many more storylines in the Wicked Lovers series.
Copy supplied by the publisher through Netgalley.
Reviewed by Sandy
The Reading Cafe and Shayla’s publisher are offering a paper copy of HIS TO TAKE to ONE (1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe.
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