this is not something i would ordinarily seek out but i enjoyed it overall! it was well written and in 3rd person which i don’t see much of in romances but there wasn’t much side plot so it felt a little flat to me. i liked the characterisation for the most part but the mcs both felt quite contradictory and it took me out of the story.

Content Warnings

flor3nce17's review against another edition

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emotional medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character

3.5

This was an okay read.
Didn't love but didn't hate it.
It was easy to read through to distract myself.

Content Warnings

kyeruhh's review

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Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

It was fine, a fun dynamic but felt a bit shallow.

Content Warnings

cjadlp's review

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Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.75

Spoiler-Free Summary

As CEO of Domovoy Technologies, Mikhail Volkov is one of the wealthiest men in the world. Kate Pasternack works in the company’s logistics department, struggling to pay rent and her heaps of debt. After a chance encounter, Mikhail hires her as his Dom. Soon, what should have been a transactional relationship starts to feel a little too real.

What Worked (for me)

The third-person limited POV helps Kate stand out as a strong-willed, independent character. I thought it was a clever narrative choice, and a refreshing change of pace.

The external conflict does not rest on their secret relationship, its unconventional nature, or even miscommunication. I wouldn’t have faulted Guerre for relying on these easy tropes, but I appreciated that the story went a different direction.

If you like (or suspect you might like) to read about a billionaire studmuffin with a Russian accent groveling naked on his knees, well. He also plays chess like a pro, which somehow makes it better.

Bonus points for the photo scavenger hunt. Looking forward to trying this the next time my husband travels.

What Didn’t Work

This is the first romance book I’ve read that prioritized the A Story (action) at the expense of the B Story. As a result, even when you see the connection between the main characters deepening, it doesn’t feel… convincing or stable. Also, any character development Kate experiences is superficial at best, which is sad, because homegirl is no better equipped for a real relationship at the end of the book than she was at the start.

We’re shown the conflict in Kate’s life — all those things that need fixing — but we receive minimal context beyond her relationships with her mother and sister. How did Kate accumulate so much medical debt? How did she learn to fall so seamlessly into the role of dom?

I acknowledge that this is 100% a me problem, but this woman cannot be trusted with her own finances. (I did laugh at the refrain of “guess I’m just materialistic.”) If irresponsible spending drives you bonkers, you’re going to spend a lot of time mad at Kate for dropping $4k on a coat when she’s almost $50k in debt with compounding interest.

So. Much. Edging. It’s done well, but… maybe mix things up a bit?

Final Thoughts

Overall, this was a fun, surprisingly accessible, quick read and a great introduction to fem-dom with bonus boss/employee secret relationship and wholesome board game nights. I enjoyed the ride.

That said, I wanted more. More emotion. More growth. More backstory. More obstacles. It felt like Guerre was too busy setting up more books in the series to really let Kate and Mikhail have their moments.