A review by pearlbrook
The Dominant by Tara Sue Me

5.0

Summary: This is the book that introduced me to the scene eight years ago, and I have loved every moment of my journey.

BDSM erotica. Nathaniel and Abby have pined over each other for years without the other knowing. Now Abby takes the chance to explore BDSM for the first time, as Nathaniel's submissive. He tries to keep emotion out of the relationship but is that possible for these two? Expect a butt load (hehe) of sex, BDSM scenes which are relatively light but include some corporal punishment, and a bit of angst.

Time for a history lesson: this is the book that introduced me to BDSM. Back around 2009 it was available for free online and it was the first kinky romance I ever read. This book is directly responsible for the wonderful eight years I have spent so far on my local scene and I have done and enjoyed a whole lot more than I ever dreamt of. No, this book isn't perfect. Yes, if this particular couple was in a real life relationship it would be super concerning. But it's also a great read - better than 50 Shades, you can't change my mind - and is a reasonable gateway book into the kinds of things you can get up to if you so desire. More below.

This book is an alternative POV of book 1 ([b:The Submissive|17407233|The Submissive (Submissive, #1)|Tara Sue Me|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1361512956l/17407233._SX50_.jpg|21489886]), so I'm going to link you to my review of that book and then talk about why this one gets a higher rating.

FYI: this book was written before 50 Shades was. They were both fanfics, but The Submissive was written first.

Main review!

Spoiler

Character rating: 7/10
Plot rating: 9/10
Setting rating: 10/10
Overall rating: 9/10

Why this book is better than Book 1: This book is told from the point of view of Nathaniel, someone who has experience in BDSM and understands how to scene. Why is this important? We get to witness his inner acknowledgement of how terrible his manipulation of the safeword idea is; we get to hear him being lambasted for failing to provide necessary aftercare, and we get a better view of how scenes *should* be run. This is so far beyond important that I cannot stress enough how vital this knowledge is. It takes the series from a "maybe slightly dodgy author daydream" to a more realistic, safe understanding of an M/s relationship. The issues are still there, but I feel like they're properly recognised and addressed.

There are also a few parts of book one that are very much a "fade to black" moment. In this book we get to see those moments! It made the book longer but it was so worth it.

In general, this book really fleshed out who Nathaniel is and what his motivations are. He became a more likeable person and that can only benefit the series.

Final opinion: I'm biased about this book because it catalysed my own BDSM journey. But I would recommend giving this whole series a read if you are interested in the lifestyle, or simply want a bit of good BDSM erotica. And if you have any questions about the book or the scene, please feel free to ask in the comments!