Design: 3.7

The cover certainly evokes the ménage á trois that is to be found on the pages that follow. The imagery is enticing and makes you double-take, “what is going on here?!” The fonts and colors are fitting, with the purple banner behind the title popping off the page against the provocative black and white cover image. The interior design is fairly standard, but done well. All around nice and engaging design that is fitting for the book and makes it easily and enjoyably readable.

Review: 3.5 hearts

Fan me off, please! Pheww! “Fifty Shades” eat your heart out! Talk about a steamy office romance between not two but three friends / co-workers turned something – more? This isn’t just a short romance novel, but a steamy bondage story with a lot of ménage á trois talk, inetion, and acts – almost makes you go “is there something to this… to try it for myself perhaps?!”

The story is captivating from go. The writing is excellent. The character development, albeit in a short book, is exceptional despite that and supportive of the storyline. The story does transform you quickly in time and space, and you become so enthralled and invested in the characters and story so quickly that you’re almost begging for more – bondage fan or not. Take a moment, fan yourself off – you almost need to with this book!

This book could be considered provocative by some (this is definitely not PG-13), but it checks a lot of boxes to make it an engaging and enjoyable story: it has great writing; well developed characters; an attention-grabbing, enjoyable and engaging storyline; you feel as if you are almost physically there witnessing the actions, movements and emotions of the characters thanks to the great writing – like a voyeur – and you like it. You are left on the edge of your seat throughout the whole book asking “how will they pull this idea off?” and ““will she or won’t she?” as well as “how will this end?” You immediately become invested in the storyline and it retains your attention throughout; and no doubt that you will find yourself a little turned on… Mari Carr, flawlessly accomplishes bringing a blush to your cheeks while simultaneously heating them – and other body parts.

Without giving away too much of the actual story, the three main characters – Bella, Justin and Ned – are all quite interesting in their own right and well-matched – hence the success of this story. All three characters have certain character traits that make them appealing, endearing, and quite attractive – while being very different, but you find them equally attractive nonetheless. The dynamic of the three characters is quite interesting and intriguing. The development of their relationship throughout the story is what I found to be the most successful part of the story that helped bring it to its end: how the characters’ fantasies, desires and honesty about their wants came to light and ultimately fruition. In effect, this is a romantic story wrapped up in a taboo bow – one that you feel that you shouldn’t partake in (bondage and ménage á trois are considered taboo by most, right?), but you feel so naughty and brave by partaking anyway. Reading how Justin makes Ned come to the realization of their true – long-term – wants and desires, and what their future might look like – being there to witness his “a-ha!” moment and then feeling as if you are taking part in Justin and Ned’s plan when it comes to Bella – it is so provocative and engaging. Even though the reader might not understand the dynamic of these two characters from the reader’s personal experience and life – how does one only want to engage in intimacy and sex whilst sharing a partner with another man, how is that such a turn-on? – Mari Carr makes it feel almost normal and kind of beautiful
in how that relationship is shown.

Further, when it comes to the story’s plot, you find yourself thinking about how in the world, in real actual life, this scenario that this book revolves around will actually play out… is it far-fetched? Do things like this really happen, like really? But the pieces are all there, and as quickly as the flag of doubt is raised in the reader’s mind, Mari Carr eases it with the next level of depth to the story (for the most part), making it all pretty plausible and sensual. Carr is simply leaving us the crumbs on the path that we’re walking down, for us to piece together. And that’s when all of the pieces and the story just make sense, and you kind of find yourself going, “but of course!” like it’s the most natural thing. Perhaps for those more vanilla, this might seem a little out of their realm and the plot of the story far-fetched, but the way the story is written and characters interact… it totally seems like this type of thing happens every day – just in a world that a lot of us are unaware of – but in a very sexy world though. And it then makes you wonder what the hell you’ve been missing out on…

So for those readers who want a little something quick (the read that is, not the sexy parts, which the book is full of) and different, this is a great read that will only leave you wanting more… more taboo and X-rated sex in your life. But don’t start this book unless you’ve got the time to read it in one sitting because you won’t want to put it down, and have a fan at the ready to cool your flushed cheeks.

Excerpt from Amazon:

Though Bella has crushed on Justin and Ned since her first day on the job, she’s smart enough to know a ménage with her hot bosses is probably number one on the list of workplace no-nos. But a genius wouldn’t say no to their exceptionally tempting offer — a no-holds-barred night of wicked fantasies at a local sex club.