I could see where the author was going with this, but it didn't really work for me.

The major conflict of the story is based on mistaken assumptions and poor communication. Not just between the h/h, but it is pretty indicative of things when the gossip mill seems to supply more accurate, relevant information to the main characters than they provide to each other. Also, relationship misadventures due to miscommunication bothers me in mainstream romance, in bdsm it's even worse. The doesn't-seem-all-that-sane-or-consensual group scenes seriously squicked me out, and I wasn't even there -- the heroine seemed traumatized even before being captured by the villain. And the end, where her trauma is cured by the magical lovin' of the hero -- I don't even... smh.

There was a lot of WTFery, not much communication or negotiation, and it didn't seem very romantic to me at all. I doubt that I'll be trying more by this author. ( )