Sweet Persuasion (Sweet Series #2) Book

Well I tried, I really tried to love this one... to give it a chance, despite the subject matter (woman who runs a business making people's fantasies come true wants to live out her fantasy of becoming a sex slave). But I discovered that no matter how much I like an author's previous works, I'm just not into the whole bondage/domination/submissive thing. I don't see the romance in it, it's not arousing to me, doesn't get me hot or even lukewarm, and a lot of the time I find it demeaning. So why did I read this book? Well gee, it's Maya Banks, you know? And I happen to love most of what she writes, but darn it, this one just didn't totally work for me. I just didn't feel the romance. I didn't particularly care for either the hero, Damon (he just wasn't my type--seemed a little too sophisticated, too urbane) or the heroine, Serena (I don't think she knew what she wanted), therefore I wasn't all that invested in what happened to them. And although at first I was thinking (about the bondage scenes) "This isn't all that bad" and "he's treating her quite well" later on in the book when the heroine was about to be 'punished' I was shouting out "Run, Serena, head for the hills!"

***********Spoilers ahead***************************
There was one scene, I think it was after Damon and Serena had some rather rough anal sex, that Damon brought her over to lie (exhausted) at his feet on a pallet while he worked on his laptop from his big comfy chair, while he 'lovingly' rubbed his toes across her nude body, that I thought "this guy really needs a dog..."! And this was just the beginning of scenes that irritated me. The scene where she 'serviced' him orally while he met with two business associates, and then later they joined in? Just a big ewww for me. But the straw that broke the camel's back for me was when Serena did something that was thoughtless that ended up worrying Damon, so he ordered her to do something and she had the nerve to defy him, and then of course she was due a big 'punishment'. And it was pretty darn punishing. Twelve lashes with a leather belt to your torso, then 12 'welts' to your butt? And then you provide the hero with oral sex? And all in front of some party guests? And you're not humiliated, you're aroused? And then you're forced to kneel (for hours) in front of his 'chair' while the party goes on around you? And then you're fed (like a dog with his master) with your head in the hero's lap? So not for me...
*****************************************************************

Okay, so after all that, why did I still give it 3 stars? I happened to like Ms. Banks writing style, if not the sex scenes. It flows nicely and there are no dead spots. I enjoyed reading about Serena and her two friends, Faith (Sweet Surrender) and Julie (the upcoming Sweet Seduction) and thought some of their conversations (about their love lives) were pretty funny. I enjoyed the small glimpse into Damon's life outside of his relationship with Serena. The visit to his mother's house in Louisiana and his relationship with her brought some much needed background to his character--he wasn't just a fabulously wealthy, kinky businessman after all! I just wish the author would have spent a little more time delving into Serena's background--I felt she got a little short-changed.

So, if you don't mind a storyline heavy on BDSM, you may actually love this book. For me, a little bit of BDSM goes a long way, and I'm afraid this one was a little hard for me to take. Will I continue on with this series? You betcha. I'm dying to read Micah's story (that guy has some secrets, I'm sure), and I also want to see how Julie (the masseuse) gets Nathan to finally notice her. This one wasn't quite up my alley, but you can't win 'em all! 3 stars.

Warning: This book contains explicit language and sex, including oral and anal, bondage (with cuffs, a rotating table with clamps, etc.), themes of domination and submission, whipping (with a whip and a man's belt), semi-public nudity and sex acts in front of party guests. Definitely not for the faint of heart!