Monday, June 17, 2013

Review: Taste: An Aristocratic Femdom Love Story

Recently I've had a couple of questions come my way about Dommes.  Definitely not my area of expertise, but as Queenie has convinced me that Olivia of Stronghold needs her own book I realized I needed to start branching out and checking out some Domme books.  I've found a couple that I like - such as Vanilla on Top - but which still have elements of alpha men in them though, they're more of "switches" than 100% Fem-Doms. 

I had the good luck to be contacted by Beth Taylor the author of Taste: An Aristocratic Femdom Love Story, asking if I would read her work.  This isn't exactly an erotica story, although there are erotic elements and moments, but it's definitely one of the most beautiful emotional stories I've ever read in terms of BDSM. 

The main characters are twins, Freddie and Luke, and Luke has recently read an email he shouldn't have and is shocked to find out that: 

1. His twin Freddie is cheating on Steph whom they've both known for all their lives and have deep connections with / love for

2. The woman he's cheating on Steph with is abusive and controlling

At least that's how it seems to him.  He's further shocked when he confronts Freddie about this relationship - demanding that such contact be handled through either e-mail or text for "documentation purposes" since he's no longer sure that Freddie should be trusted with their family's heritage due to these shocking revelations - and discovers that his friend isn't the least bit ashamed of the relationship that Luke has uncovered. 

What ends up really throwing Luke back, however, is when Freddie reveals that the woman who sent him the email is Steph and that he doesn't consider what she does to him abusive.  In fact he likes it. Loves it.  Luke freaks out a bit, no longer knowing how to deal with the fact that neither Freddie or Steph are who he thought they were.

Or are they?

This novella deals with a very realistic reaction that someone might have to discovering that their loved one is involved in a BDSM relationship, specifically one where the woman is in charge.  The writing style is rather different but surprisingly easy to fall into and I thought it ended up adding to the emotional appeal of the story.  The back and forth between Freddie and Luke is extremely realistic and rather eye-opening... I wish I could make some of the people who comment on my stories read it.  There is so much emotional and mental upheaval going on between the twins, as well as between the third partner in Freddie and Steph's relationship, Philip, also a long-time friend of Luke, Freddie and Steph.  

This is the kind of story that deals with breaking open people's conceptions, with having your private life exposed to the people you love, and with the intricate relationships that are possible between people who love each other... whether it's two or more of them.  

My only complaint about the book?  I wish it was longer.  I'd love to see where these characters go.    

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