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cravingpages's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
damianameade's review
5.0
As a fan of BDSM and kink, I was excited when I got the chance to read Watch Me by Stacey Kennedy. It certainly didn’t let me down!
Disclaimer: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for review. This does not effect my review outcome.
Content Warnings:
Reference to sexual abuse, assault, date rape, suicide, emotional trauma.
I am grateful to Kennedy for putting the CW’s in the front of her book. More authors need to do this.
To be completely honest, I was hesitant about how into this story I would be. The premise felt contrived when I started in but I was so glad to see I was wrong. I’ve read stories where an alpha male helps the sweet, battered and broken virgin overcome her hang ups and trauma and by the second sex scene she is miraculously cured by his amazing penis. Kennedy, thankfully, doesn’t do this at all.
Watch Me is a sexy romance that goes deeper – helping not only Zoey overcome her pain but also Rhys. I was very impressed at how well Kennedy wrote about the aftermath of traumatic experiences. Zoey’s fear was very real on the page – something I related to and could practically check off a list the number of issues so many of us who have had past sexual trauma deal with. It felt very real without making the pain she felt a fetish. At no point was Zoey’s past made into a kink or something to get off on. Instead all the sex is focused on consent, healing, and pleasure.
If someone wants to write a healing romance that includes a character recovering from past sexual abuse, I’d hold Watch Me up as the goal.
As for the billionaire love interest tropes – they were all on point. Fans of this subgenre of steamy romance will definitely enjoy this story – including a few twists I haven’t see in other work of the same flavor.
The only thing that left me cool was the timeline. It is acknowledged that Zoey and Rhys move fast, so it’s not expected for readers to ignore it. I think I would have enjoyed it more if the realism I experienced in the characters flowed into that part of the story as well. But this was a tiny matter that didn’t ruin it for me.
I am now a fan of the Phoenix series. The next book, Keep Me, focuses on my 2 favorite characters from Watch Me – Elise, a PI, and Archer, Phoenix’s security guy. I love hackers and PIs so they’re right up my alley plus the playful banter, enemies-to-lovers fun between them is sure to make for a fun follow up!
Disclaimer: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for review. This does not effect my review outcome.
Content Warnings:
Reference to sexual abuse, assault, date rape, suicide, emotional trauma.
I am grateful to Kennedy for putting the CW’s in the front of her book. More authors need to do this.
To be completely honest, I was hesitant about how into this story I would be. The premise felt contrived when I started in but I was so glad to see I was wrong. I’ve read stories where an alpha male helps the sweet, battered and broken virgin overcome her hang ups and trauma and by the second sex scene she is miraculously cured by his amazing penis. Kennedy, thankfully, doesn’t do this at all.
Watch Me is a sexy romance that goes deeper – helping not only Zoey overcome her pain but also Rhys. I was very impressed at how well Kennedy wrote about the aftermath of traumatic experiences. Zoey’s fear was very real on the page – something I related to and could practically check off a list the number of issues so many of us who have had past sexual trauma deal with. It felt very real without making the pain she felt a fetish. At no point was Zoey’s past made into a kink or something to get off on. Instead all the sex is focused on consent, healing, and pleasure.
If someone wants to write a healing romance that includes a character recovering from past sexual abuse, I’d hold Watch Me up as the goal.
As for the billionaire love interest tropes – they were all on point. Fans of this subgenre of steamy romance will definitely enjoy this story – including a few twists I haven’t see in other work of the same flavor.
The only thing that left me cool was the timeline. It is acknowledged that Zoey and Rhys move fast, so it’s not expected for readers to ignore it. I think I would have enjoyed it more if the realism I experienced in the characters flowed into that part of the story as well. But this was a tiny matter that didn’t ruin it for me.
I am now a fan of the Phoenix series. The next book, Keep Me, focuses on my 2 favorite characters from Watch Me – Elise, a PI, and Archer, Phoenix’s security guy. I love hackers and PIs so they’re right up my alley plus the playful banter, enemies-to-lovers fun between them is sure to make for a fun follow up!
maryd274's review against another edition
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.5
gizdawgs's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
beckyrendon's review
4.0
HOLY VOYEURISTIC HOTNESS!!!
I have no shame in saying this book is beyond sexy. Wickedly hot and all kinds of naughty fun, Watch Me is erotic, sensuality with a love story brought on by healing.
If you wear glasses, are reading on a e-device, or are in public beware of steam rising, foggy glasses, and turning into molten desire.
I have no shame in saying this book is beyond sexy. Wickedly hot and all kinds of naughty fun, Watch Me is erotic, sensuality with a love story brought on by healing.
If you wear glasses, are reading on a e-device, or are in public beware of steam rising, foggy glasses, and turning into molten desire.
jessicafarmer80's review against another edition
4.0
4⭐️ for me! I really enjoyed Watch Me. It’s not my typical genre (think 50 Shades). I decided to mix things up a bit and I’m glad I did! The cover caught my eye and then when I read the book description, I immediately wanted to know more about this secret club - The Phoenix.
It’s definitely a steamy story that keeps you on the edge of your seat wondering how things will play out! The two main characters Zoey & Rhys have chemistry from the very beginning and it’s fun to watch their relationship unfold and heat up! I kept thinking who would I cast as their characters for a movie version! I mentioned 50 Shades above, but I enjoyed this book more. It dealt with voyeurism (vs BDSM) and I liked that it lacked all the “Gray issues” (contracts, going too far, emotional/physical pain, etc). Rhys was protective and a gentleman throughout the story.
Will there be a sequel? It looks like there will be a next book (Keep Me) following two other intriguing characters from Watch Me (Archer & Elise), also set in the Phoenix Club. I look forward to reading this second book in the series and more books by this author!
Thanks to Stacey Kennedy and NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review!
It’s definitely a steamy story that keeps you on the edge of your seat wondering how things will play out! The two main characters Zoey & Rhys have chemistry from the very beginning and it’s fun to watch their relationship unfold and heat up! I kept thinking who would I cast as their characters for a movie version! I mentioned 50 Shades above, but I enjoyed this book more. It dealt with voyeurism (vs BDSM) and I liked that it lacked all the “Gray issues” (contracts, going too far, emotional/physical pain, etc). Rhys was protective and a gentleman throughout the story.
Will there be a sequel? It looks like there will be a next book (Keep Me) following two other intriguing characters from Watch Me (Archer & Elise), also set in the Phoenix Club. I look forward to reading this second book in the series and more books by this author!
Thanks to Stacey Kennedy and NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review!
inmyhumbleopinion's review
4.0
Watch me is an erotic tale of female empowerment and the healing power of love. Neither Rhys nor Zoey expected what was to happen but they each brought something to the table. This book explores the eroticism of voyeurism and exhibitionism while learning to own ones sexuality. The characters were wonderful and I’m looking forward to learning more about them.
july_brekker's review against another edition
3.0
It's not a bad story. There's really nothing bad about it at all. I just couldn't "bond" with the characters... I don't know why, I just wasn't able to truly care about any of them.
maferg01's review against another edition
4.0
Sweet and steamy
Watch Me is a steamy, but also sweet story about a woman finding a way to take control back from those that betrayed her and a man who wants to fill her memory with good experiences before she leaves a city she now hates. Zoey comes to Phoenix, a private adult club, to live out a wild fantasy and also show the men who betrayed her that they didn’t break her. The owner Rhys sees her pain and knows he has to make things right. What he didn’t count on is falling for her too. As they spend more time together, exploring both the city and each other, they begin to fall hard. Will Zoey walk away when her time is up or will she stay with Rhys.
I loved that this story isn’t dark, but a contemporary, sweet and spicy romance set in a private club. It wasn’t erotica, but it was a steamy romance with a number of sweet moments and a lot of heart. As Rhys and Zoey date, getting to know each other, and also spend time in the club together, we quickly realize how compatible they are. Zoey needs someone in her corner and Rhys is a protector. He’s not an alpha, taking control, but a good man determined to right a wrong and I loved him for it. In audio, though it was narrated only by Chloe Ryan, I didn’t miss a second narrator. I was immediately sucked into this series and I am planning to finish the series to find out what happens with both Rhys and Zoey’s friends. Stacey left a lot of hints about what could come in this series and I was quite intrigued.
Watch Me is a steamy, but also sweet story about a woman finding a way to take control back from those that betrayed her and a man who wants to fill her memory with good experiences before she leaves a city she now hates. Zoey comes to Phoenix, a private adult club, to live out a wild fantasy and also show the men who betrayed her that they didn’t break her. The owner Rhys sees her pain and knows he has to make things right. What he didn’t count on is falling for her too. As they spend more time together, exploring both the city and each other, they begin to fall hard. Will Zoey walk away when her time is up or will she stay with Rhys.
I loved that this story isn’t dark, but a contemporary, sweet and spicy romance set in a private club. It wasn’t erotica, but it was a steamy romance with a number of sweet moments and a lot of heart. As Rhys and Zoey date, getting to know each other, and also spend time in the club together, we quickly realize how compatible they are. Zoey needs someone in her corner and Rhys is a protector. He’s not an alpha, taking control, but a good man determined to right a wrong and I loved him for it. In audio, though it was narrated only by Chloe Ryan, I didn’t miss a second narrator. I was immediately sucked into this series and I am planning to finish the series to find out what happens with both Rhys and Zoey’s friends. Stacey left a lot of hints about what could come in this series and I was quite intrigued.
bikabiro's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75