Tuesday, March 7, 2017

Release Launch & Review - The Deep End by Kristen Ashley

THE DEEP END - header banner    

✮✮✮A delicious world of erotica, BDSM with alpha-subs and their Dommes, and a gripping love story…Welcome to The Bee’s Honey! The first book in New York Times bestselling author Kristen Ashley’s Honey Series, THE DEEP END is a seductive and rich love story now available! ✮✮✮

Fall into THE DEEP END and grab your copy today!

  THE-DEEP-END-cover

About THE DEEP END (Erotic Romance Releasing March 7, 2017):

Enter a decadent sensual world where gorgeous alpha males are committed to fulfilling a woman's every desire…

Olivier isn’t sure what he’s gotten himself into when he joins the Honey Club, only that a dark part of him hungers for the lifestyle offered by this exclusive club. Here, no boundary will be left untested…and one's deepest fantasies will become an exquisite reality.

When Amélie invites Olivier to surrender, she gives the alpha submissive what he craves. Soon they both find themselves falling harder than they ever anticipated—but as their connection deepens, the truth about Olivier’s past could destroy everything…

Gripping and seductive, The Deep End is the first book in a sensational new series from bestselling author Kristen Ashley.

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    THE DEEP END - Tour teaser 2       EXCERPT:

As he slowly closed the door behind him and moved his eyes to look through the room, taking it in, she watched them get wide. They dropped to her and his amusement was clear. Not only radiating from his gaze but twitching his lips. Another unusual—and unacceptable—reaction. He thought this was funny. She hoped like fuck she had the opportunity to prove him wrong. She crossed her arms on her chest and slightly put out a foot, like she was about to start tapping her toe. In the wrap dress she wore, she knew this opened the overlap, not exposing anything, but the promise for him was impossible to resist. His attention dropped to her legs. “In the playrooms,” she began with a snap, and his gaze cut to hers, “I want eye contact. Unless otherwise instructed, you should not only feel free to look me directly in the eyes, if I’m in your line of sight or I’m not giving you something that your body’s natural reaction would make it difficult to meet my gaze, I require it.” She stood there staring as he did nothing but dip his chin in acknowledgment. Cheeky. Exceptionally cheeky. Fabulous. “Unless I’ve asked for their silence or for them to ask for leave to speak, I also require my toys to respond when they’re spoken to. Even if it’s only a ‘yes, Mistress,’ or ‘no, Mistress.’” His stance relaxed, like he was settling in at the beginning of a show he found vaguely intriguing, and his deep rumble of a voice bounced like boulders through the room. “Yes, Mistress.” Christ, even his voice declared his challenge. “Excellent,” she allowed. “Your name?” “Olivier,” he answered. French. Also unusual, at least in this country. And interesting. She liked it a great deal. She studied him. He let her, holding her eyes. “I’m Mistress Amélie,” she eventually informed him. “I know. You got a lotta fans out there…Mistress.” The hesitation over him saying “Mistress” gave less of the impression he was testing her and more of the strange impression the word was unpracticed when, with any experienced sub, it would slip right off their tongue. She made no comment to that. “There are things we should go over,” she remarked. “Right,” he stated, his big body adjusting again, now like he was settling in further, intent on giving her the same attention he would a flight attendant who gave the safety address. That being no more than a courtesy. She fought the shiver his actions created but allowed the irritation. “Your safe word is kitten,” she stated. “Yes, Mistress.” “You’re open to any kind of play,” she went on. “Yes, Mistress.” “It’s important and now’s the time to share should there be anything you wish me to shy away from, Olivier. Especially as this is the first time I’ve played with you.” Something in his eyes flashed. Blue eyes that were the color of nothing and everything. Not sky. Not sea. Not midnight. A pure blue that only existed in the unchartable depths of a rainbow. She felt that flash snake up between her thighs, taking residence in her womb. He wanted this conversation done so she would play with him. He wanted the preliminaries over so they’d get to the good stuff. He wanted her. She stared into those blue eyes and for a moment felt mesmerized. For God’s sake, Leigh, she berated herself in an effort to pull it together. Rainbow? “Olivier,” she prompted. “I’m open to anything,” he confirmed.    



I was excited to read this book, something completely different from KA's "normal" books....and I mostly enjoyed it. I will say that the book started out kind of slow for me, but once I got past that slow part, I quite enjoyed it.

Amelie is a Domme at the Bee's Honey, and one of the top ones at that. Olivier is new to the club and catches her eye. Amelie has been feeling a bit disconnected and dissatisfied with her exploits lately, but she sees Olivier and believes he's been what she's missing. Their play is nothing short of kinky and hot....and there's a lot of it. I'll admit I was a bit confused by the term alpha-sub, but KA makes it work. Olivier may be a sub, but he's not groveling at Amelie's feet....she needs someone who will challenge her, and Olivier does that quite well. 

I enjoyed that there were times where they weren't always in Domme/sub mode and I liked the way they differentiated it with the names they used. It helped to keep the settings straight and made the feel of it more real to me. Both characters had issues to work through and their major misunderstanding with each other could have been avoided, if cooler heads had prevailed....alas, I think it did help both of them get over some of their underlying issues, despite the drama it caused.

Now, if you're going into this thinking it's going to be just like other KA books, then I think you'll be disappointed; and what I mean by that is that the story is unlike any she's written and if you're looking for that typical KA alpha, you're not going to find it here. I think KA shows some growth in her writing here, and I liked that she expanded upon her typical alpha male.

Throughout this book, another Mistress and situation was alluded to....and it really makes me curious about the next book. Overall, I think this was a decent jump off to a new series by the author.



 




  Kristin Ashley - headshot


About Kristen Ashley: Kristen Ashley was born in Gary, Indiana, USA and nearly killed her mother and herself making it into the world, seeing as she had the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck (already attempting to accessorise and she hadn't taken her first breath!). Her mother said they took Kristen away, put her Mom back in her room, her mother looked out the window, and Gary was on fire (Dr. King had been assassinated four days before). Kristen's Mom remembered thinking it was the end of the world. Quite the dramatic beginning. Nothing's changed. Kristen grew up in Brownsburg, Indiana and has lived in Denver, Colorado and the West Country of England. Thus, she's blessed to have friends and family around the globe. Her family was (is) loopy (to say the least) but loopy is good when you want to write. They all lived together on a very small farm in a small farm town in the heartland. She grew up with Glenn Miller, The Everly Brothers, REO Speedwagon and Whitesnake (and the wardrobes that matched). Needless to say, growing up in a house full of music, clothes and love was a good way to grow up. And as she keeps growing, it keeps getting better.
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