Saturday, September 27, 2014

Review: Owned by Fate by Tessa Bailey


Owned by Fate by Tessa Bailey
Publication Date: September 29th by Entangled Brazen
Purchase Links: Amazon | Kobo

About the book:

A sexy category romance from Entangled's Brazen imprint...

Her mind rejects his world. But her body knows its master.

Journalist Caroline Preston arrives at Serve, New York City’s hottest BDSM club, with one goal—to hate it. If her brother wasn’t trying to turn the family’s respectable financial magazine into a publication that features “lifestyle” pieces for the wealthy and adventurous, she wouldn’t even be there, trying to write an article about a world she doesn’t understand. But then she sees him.

Jonah Briggs doesn’t leave his post for just anyone. As the owner of the club, his sole purpose is to ensure that his clientele get everything they need, but when he sees Caroline, his only thought is what he wants—to dominate the sexy little reporter and give the most exquisite pleasure she’s ever experienced.

Caroline has no intention of entering that particular lion’s den—not with her family’s reputation at stake—no matter how dark, sexy, and complex the lion in question may be. But with every encounter, she craves more, and with every slide of his lips, she realizes Jonah might just be the man to break down all her defenses…if she’ll let him.

My Thoughts:
Reading the description for Owned by Fate you’d expect for it to be a fiery hot romance, and it was, but I didn’t expect some of the tender and heartbreaking emotions I felt.  A steamy romance is always welcome but I appreciate it when an author makes me feel for the characters, and makes it more than just sex.  Tessa Bailey pulled that off brilliantly here.

Caroline must write an opinion piece on Serve, a successful bar/BDSM club that caters to a lifestyle she looks down on with every fiber of her being.  But her brother convinced her to write the article to help her family’s floundering magazine and business. As part of her research, Caroline visits the club expecting to be disgusted but instead she’s intrigued and a bit overcome.  She meets Jonah, the Serve’s owner, and her attraction to this forbidden man is overpowering.  He convinces her to go against her better judgment and find out exactly what happens upstairs in the exclusive part of the club.

Jonah has no idea Caroline is there to write an article on his club, he just knows that the minute he spied her on the club’s security feed upstairs he had to come down and meet her. It’s immediately apparent that Caroline’s there with the intention of hating everything about the lifestyle he embraces, but he senses her conflicted feelings.  As much as Caroline wants to despise his club, Jonah can tell she’s a little thrilled by what she’s labeled as deviant.

Caroline was so judgmental through much of this story, and even though I was frustrated a few times with her, the flashes of guilt and honesty made me more tolerant.  I could see the gradual shift in her opinions as she got to see “the man” Jonah instead of just her preconceived ideas. Through it all Caroline had sympathy others feelings, especially Jonah, and so it was easy to like her.   

I completely adored Jonah. He wasn’t your typical “dominant” you’d find in a BDSM novel.  Yes, he liked to dominate in the bedroom behind closed doors, but that was hardly the main feature of his personality.  He was sweet, and caring with a vulnerable side.  Jonah is intensely attracted to Caroline, she has a pull on him like no other, but at the back of his mind is the fact that she wants him in spite of herself. Caroline makes it clear that she takes no pleasure in the fact that she’s drawn to him and his lifestyle, and this hurts him, makes him feel less for his tendencies. 

There were sexy times that had me squirming in my seat. Tessa Bailey knows how to write scenes that could light your panties on fire! 

“If I sit across from you much longer, I’m going to pull you astride my lap and kiss your superbly formed mouth until you soak straight through my pants.—“It wouldn’t take long, sweetheart.  I can do amazing things with my tongue.”

I enjoyed the steam, but I loved witnessing Jonah gradually burrow his way into Caroline’s heart and mind, even more.  I don’t think there’s a female out there that could resist his pull. 

Owned by Fate was a sizzling romance with a strong emotional pull to make you root for Caroline and Jonah’s HEA!  Another win by Tessa Bailey! 

4 Suns



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