FTC Disclaimer : This review was requested by the publicist. I have reviewed many of the authors work and consider myself a fan. The author has also participated in many events on the blog. I have not been paid for the review nor was I coerced into giving it a positive review. I actually just enjoyed it.

This is one of the most messed up ménages that I have ever read and the set up made me feel a little uneasy. Daniel and Naya are in a committed relationship. They are engaged to be married and everything seems perfect but, of course, it is not. Naya is a hardcore masochist and Daniel is no sadist. They have been paying Dominatrix to come to their home and see to her needs. It temporarily fills the void and they think that everything is hunky-dory. That is, until they meet Remy.

This is not a tale of spanking and restraints. This is a story of sexual submission, hard-core sadism and three people finding their missing parts. It isn’t for the faint of heart and pushed more than one of my limited buttons; I just love a book that challenges my black and white view of the word.

Daniel and Naya worried me. Filling the missing bits of their relationship with paid service Tops was not the way to start a marriage but it was clear that what they had was love. It was refreshing that they could speak to each other freely about their feelings and that they were willing to put that much work into their relationship. I worried that Remy would screw that up but he truly didn’t. He did threaten the fabric of their relationship though as he showed them that what they were doing was simply not enough.

Remy was so destructive that I was torn between wanting him away from Daniel and wanting him healed. He had a truly awful upbringing and that affected the way that he saw himself. He only thought he was good enough to be a part time player in their relationship, but he wanted so much more. I both love and pitied him. I loved the way he was when he was with them, the amazing Dom who could give the Naya the pain she needed whilst freeing Daniel’s submissive side. I loved that he had the ability to learn and adapt, that he so was so upset when he hurt them too much and that he tried even harder to be what they needed. I pitied the way he hated himself so much, he couldn’t even let himself stay the night after even the most emotive scene. He was the main player in this book for me and I adored him. I didn’t know if he could be a long term part of a ménage though; he judged himself too harshly and I didn’t know if he had it in him to invest that kind of emotion into other people willingly.

Daniel broke my heart all over again. He didn’t even know that he was submissive and was well and truly suppressing his bisexual side. It didn’t surprise me that the submissive in him had quelled every part of himself apart from the side that is what she needed, but in doing so he had cut off a part that was intrinsic to who he was. I loved that he wanted to worship them, that he would throw everything at making them happy because it made him happy, but in another way it made me sad as they couldn’t see his actions for what they truly were. I loved him with Remy, loved how happy he was. I knew his priority was Naya though, and I knew that that could spell the end of their little tryst.

Naya was the least vivid character in this book. She had her roll to play, and I adored how she was when she was in the scenes with the boys but, unlike them, I couldn’t see much of her character when she was alone. It was her needs that set up this unhappy little pyramid but it was also her needs that could drive them apart. She was vital but I just couldn’t see her roll in anything other than the ménage.

The sex between them was intense, emotional and so hot I had to put it down a couple of times to calm the heck down. The intense look at pain and submission should have been difficult to read but the contentment that it brought each character was hard to deny. I have to applaud the writing of the authors in this book; they made a difficult topic very easy to relate to and enjoy.

So this is a bit of a squeeing review but it deserves it; I haven’t read a book so captivating in quite a while. It challenged me in ways I can’t explain and I truly recommend it to everyone. If you like angsty, sexy BDSM ménages, pick this one up immediately. ( )

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.

Quick & Dirty: Steaming *HOT* ménage romance! Dark, intense and creatively written.

Opening Sentence: “She’s a star, you know.”

The Review:

*Warning: This is a series for mature readers who can handle tough language and sexual situations, i.e. ménage, BDSM, and male/male.* Naya is a dancer who likes her sex a little bit rough. Unfortunately for her, her partner Daniel just can’t bring himself to give Naya the kind of pain that she needs. They have hired a lot of female Doms in the past to give her the release she needs. A new job leads Naya and Daniel in a different direction with a different partner.

Club Devant is looking for a new dancer. Daniel knows that his fiance, Naya, is good enough to work for Declan Shaw’s club. Daniel works for Declan as his money man and he knows the club is headed for trouble if Declan doesn’t turn the situation around. He hopes that his sexy fiance can help with that.

Naya knows from the moment that she dances with Remy that he can give her something she needs sexually, dominance. She wants him in the bedroom but Naya has always been dominated by females and she doesn’t want to upset Daniel with her revelation. Lucky for her, Daniel saw the way Remy and Naya danced together and invites Remy over for a session.

Daniel and Naya discover more about themselves with Remy than they ever thought possible. As a result they want to include Remy in their everyday relationship, but as always jealousy rears it’s ugly little head and Remy believes it’s too good to be true while Daniel and Naya prove their love for each other and Remy.

Daniel and Naya are very open about their relationship to each other. They communicate their thoughts and feelings and because of that they have a great relationship. Naya and Daniel are tough when they want to be but when Remy flips that switch they are submissive in their own ways. Naya likes the high and often gets lost in her pleasure but Daniel still keeps an eye on her to make sure she is okay and often pisses off Remy in the process.

I really did enjoy Daniel and Naya and their relationship. They were never hateful to each other. It was easy to understand Daniel not wanting to cause Naya pain. There were a few moments when it felt like the relationship could have turned bad but with their easy communication, they were able to get through it.

Chains and Canes is a hot and steamy book. There is also a lot of emotional baggage to handle. Chains and Canes really was a wonderful novel in terms of the relationship and that Naya was a wonderfully strong female character. I fell in love with all these characters and really wished them the best. If you want to try something a little different I would recommend this erotic novel. It is the second novel in the Club Devant series but this novel really just focuses on the couple so the first novel Lead and Follow doesn’t necessarily need to be read in order to understand Chains and Canes. Although it may help to understand aspects of the Club more clearly.

Notable Scene:

Only satin graced her skin now. She knelt and rummaged among Remy’s things until she found the stiff black belt he’d wear with his suit costume. She felt powerful, although she was handing everything to him–handing him his own belt.

That magic switch clicked over in her mind. Remy eyed the belt witha combination of hunger and suspicion. Always his suspicion, as if she’d yank it back and tease him for wanting too much. The magic switch was her submission. No more bossing around her Sir, the one she was beginning to care for more than was safe or wise. But it was happening anyway. She wanted him happy.

Remove feelings from this exploration? She’d be deluded to believe that lie any longer.

“Please, Sir. I need to be beaten and fucked, and you need to beat me and fuck me. I can’t breathe now. I know you can’t. Afterward…we’ll take a breath and do our goddamn jobs.”

“Daniel blew me,” he said hoarsely. “That doesn’t mean he’s given me permission to smack on you again. He’d flip his shit.”

“I give permission. Daniel has my best interests at heart, but he’s used to rescuing me and holding my hand through hard times.” She lifted the belt again, both hands now, an offering. “I’m capable of doing both myself. At least… That’s as much a goal for me as anything to do with my dancing. You and I need to know we can do this without Daniel playing bodyguard.”

“Why? This is a fling, Naya.”

“Don’t be dense. You’re not.” She tipped her chin toward her chest but didn’t look away from his devouring gaze. “Last time I’ll beg, Sir. Even of you. Please.”

FTC Advisory: Katie Porter graciously provided me with a copy of Chains and Cains. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. ( )