Natural Law by Joey W. Hill Published by Story Witch Press on February 5, 2016
Genres: Fiction, Erotica, General, Romance
Pages: 288
Format: eBook
Goodreads
Mackenzie "Mac" Nighthorse is a highly respected homicide detective and a career cop. There isn't a dangerous situation that can back him down. However, the personal becomes uncomfortably entangled in the professional when he goes undercover in a high class BDSM club as a male submissive to find a Dominatrix who is winning the trust and then murdering her chosen partners. When his path crosses Violet Siemanski's, he realizes he's found a Mistress willing to be his ally in finding the murderess. But Violet is also going to shatter Mac's shields and make him question who he is and what he wants, a challenge more disturbing than any case he's ever worked.
I decided to review this book because, with the number of times I have devoured it, I feel I should.
CW here for torture (in the sub-plot), fetish-shaming and gun-violence.
I will also put a caveat that some scenes are uncomfortable as, as Violet is trying to get Mac to admit to his hard and soft limits, she does push every one of his limits to get him to safe word out of the scene. The sexual scenes are inventive, well written and explicit; you have been warned.
Cop Mac Nighthorse is given an undercover assignment as a sub in a BSDM club. He is tasked to find the Domme that is murdering closeted male subs and leaving their brutalized bodies for their families to find. As a sub himself, the abuse of power shown in these callous crimes is incredibly offensive and he is willing to put it all on the line to stop her, including telling his boss about his sexual nature.
Mac isn’t a typical sub. With his muscled stature and Alpha stare, he could easily pass for a Dom – to say he attracts attention within the club is an understatement. He soon attracts the attention of Violet, a young Domme who, although inexperienced, is fierce. When she decides to make a play for him, he stands little chance of resisting. To be fair, he doesn’t try very hard. The chemistry is explosive, but Violet wants more than hot sex; can she be the Domme to get him to admit to his hard limits? Mac isn’t looking for a Mistress, he is looking for a murderer but, to cement his cover, he has to give it his all; but he never expected to find someone who appeals to his submissive nature in the way violet does.
There is so much to love about this book. It is a story about trust but, for me, it is about trusting someone enough to be who you really are. For the murdered subs, they gave that trust and it was abused in a heinous way. For Mac, he doesn’t give that trust to anyone. It is an interesting theme.
On the surface, Mac accepts his submissive nature, but it isn’t a true reflection of what’s going on in his head. His inability to safe word means he doesn’t trust anyone enough to be vulnerable which leads him to topping from the bottom in a bid to keep some control. Violet must push hard, and sometimes take advice, to break down those walls and get her to trust him – I enjoyed the fact that she ensured his safety by taking advice on her behaviours and actions. I thought it showed a wonderful, responsible side to her.
Throughout the book, Joey Hill uses sex scenes to show how close they get. Each scene challenges Mac and you see her take apart his walls, one by one. From Dominating him in the club to taking him to a sexual retreat where he must be a full-time slave, she pushes his boundaries. Violet shows him that he is safe with her and that starts to build as they spend more time out of scene. Mac is Alpha as hell outside of the bedroom however it manifests as nurture; this is an Alpha sub with a nurturing side, and I LOVED it.
The suspense plot is unpleasant, but it is also thrilling.
Thanks for the review.