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A review by crystalisreading
The Darker Side of Pleasure by Eden Bradley
3.0
I hadn't read any Eden Bradly before. If these 3 shorter stories are any indication, her writing is much different from most of the BDSM romances I've read before. They weren't bad, but I didn't love them either. instalove occurred in the highest degrees, except in the couple that was already married. There was a lot of inner thoughts, and a lot of repetition. Also, everyone was unrealistically, stunningly beautiful. all the time.
On the other hand, I appreciated the different aspects these stories represented of the lifestyle. Whether it was a grieving couple who found a way to rejuvenate their marriage by embracing their kink, or a mousy disconnected young woman who found her passion in being an abject slave, part of all kinds of group activities, or just a strong, curious woman being introduced to a new and bewilderingly pleasing lifestyle, the stories were generally different from what I'd read before, and different from each other as well. The middle story, in particular, almost surmounted its instalove and gorgeous cast by being almost fairy-tale like--if Anne Rice wrote the fairy tale. It had that almost disconnected, painted with a broad stroke quality, and I could appreciate that, if not the variety of instant relationships (and the slightly dishonorable behavior of two of the characters.
So, overall, not amazing, but not at all bad. I'd probably try reading more works by this author, under a variety of her nom-de-plumes.
On the other hand, I appreciated the different aspects these stories represented of the lifestyle. Whether it was a grieving couple who found a way to rejuvenate their marriage by embracing their kink, or a mousy disconnected young woman who found her passion in being an abject slave, part of all kinds of group activities, or just a strong, curious woman being introduced to a new and bewilderingly pleasing lifestyle, the stories were generally different from what I'd read before, and different from each other as well. The middle story, in particular, almost surmounted its instalove and gorgeous cast by being almost fairy-tale like--if Anne Rice wrote the fairy tale. It had that almost disconnected, painted with a broad stroke quality, and I could appreciate that, if not the variety of instant relationships (and the slightly dishonorable behavior of two of the characters.
So, overall, not amazing, but not at all bad. I'd probably try reading more works by this author, under a variety of her nom-de-plumes.