Series: Masters of the Shadowlands #5
Published by Lightning Source Incorporated on 2011-12
Genres: BDSM, Erotica
Pages: 380
Format: eBook
Goodreads
Her job is to make his life miserable. His job is to make her submit. Whose heart will surrender first?
Across the country, rebellious BDSM submissives are being systematically kidnapped, one from each club. When her friend falls prey to the slavers, FBI victim specialist Gabrielle volunteers to be bait in a club not yet hit: the Shadowlands.
She finds that being a bratty sub comes naturally, especially when she gets to twit the appallingly conservative Master of the trainees. But she soon discovers he's not as stuffy as she'd thought. Or as mean. She'd expected punishment, even humiliation, but she sure never expected to fall in love with a damned lawyer.
Courtesy of a prima donna ex-wife, Marcus loathes disobedient submissives. When the club owner insists he admit an incredibly bratty trainee, he's furious. But as he comes to know Gabrielle and sees the alluring sweetness beneath the sass, he starts to fall for her.
Unfortunately, Marcus isn't the only one who believes the feisty redhead is a prize worth capturing. And in the world of the slaver, such treasure is worth a hefty fee.
Publisher's Note: This book contains explicit sexual content, graphic language, and situations that some readers may find objectionable: Anal play/intercourse, strong BDSM theme and elements, violence.
Favourite quote from this book “100,000 sperm and YOU were the one who who won….
I have issues with restraint. So many issues that this book was bought on PDF to read on my kindle (which is a pain in the ass by the way) but it was worth it! I noticed a change in Sinclairs writing in master of the abyss. The writing was less of a short style and more like a full length out novel. I have loved every single one of her books but these last two were fully fleshed out erotic novels with a fabulous suspense driven side story.
Master Marcus kinda hooked me in Cullen’s story. The man with the sharp suits and southern drawl……yum! I can honestly say I’m pretty sure I’d struggle saying no to him but that is exactly what Gabi has to do in this book! Gabrielle is a social worker, working undercover in Shadowlands with the FBI, to smash a human trafficking ring. These faceless baddies (who are very likely to appear in future novels) are targeting stubborn submissive who are to be sold to the highest bidder for the chance to “break” them. I always think that it is brave of an author to use such a dark side story in a romance novel, but Sinclair did it justice. The lengths that Gabi went to to be a “bratty” sub, against her true nature, was quite heartbreaking (as, as with all Sinclair’s heroines, she was damaged). She truly wanted this ring to be stopped and get the women back but to do it she had to break something in herself. Marcus had to take her on as a Trainee and, although he doesn’t try to, he can’t help but feel drawn in by the little sub who seems to be going against her true nature to get punished. No-one but Z knows why Gabi is there, which leads to some awkward misunderstandings with Jessica, and the unusual lengths that Master Marcus uses to get to the bottom of his little sub does end up causing some issues.
I loved Marcus. I’m afraid Cullen has ruined me for all other Masters, but Marcus could come a close second. He is strict, charming and completely relentless! His punishments were unusual (there is a scene with a piece of ginger that Terry Pratchett would be proud of) but never made me feel squirmy. The lengths that he went to to try to get to the bottom of her fears were typical of a Dom in love (I didn’t need Cullen’s comment of “another one bites the dust” to figure this one out) and the man was like chocolate all the way through…all smooth, tasty and completely sweet! I did like Gabi. She wasn’t a ball-buster like Andrea but still had enough guts for me not to hate her. I’m never going to like a book where the woman hasn’t got a little bit of spunk and spirit about her. The lines she came out with to get the Masters annoyed with her nearly made me cry with laughter (I liked when she called Raoul Munchkin) and I actually felt for her when she realised that she was actively destroying her burgeoning relationship with Marcus for the good of the case.
I recommend this book. You don’t need to read the others (although the previous characters are in this book, they only feature as side story fodder) but reading Jessica’s story could be useful, as both she and Z feature in this book quite heavily towards the end. Marcus still comes second in my heart to Cullen but I’d still be happy to get chased around the capture gardens by him any day of the week 🙂 Now off to petition Ms Sinclair for a book about either Vance, Galen or Raoul 🙂
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