Book Review – The Dom of My Dreams by M.F. Sinclair

The Dom of My Dreams: A BDSM Novel
This is the one that kept me up practically all night last night. I’ve had it on my TBR list for what feels like ages, having heard about it in the past from other readers, so I purchased it, but didn’t necessarily bump it to the top of my TBR list. And then I received this recommendation by Stephanie…

“Please, please, please read “The Dom of My Dreams”  by M.F. Sinclair. I would love to see this writer get credit for a job well done.  If your in the mood for something similar to 50 Shade of Grey than this is THE book to read!!!

Absolutely LOVED it, it’s a keeper and I may have to re-read again.”

… and that was all it took. I love myself a good Dom book, so why in the heck, after an adamant email like that, would I delay any longer?

I started it around 7pm and couldn’t stop, didn’t want to stop, and internally *squeed* with glee at my little moments of anguish. There were lots of them! Not the “physical pain” type of anguish you might think of when referring to this genre.

Because to me, it is sooooo much more then an erotica/BDSM story. I was actually quite surprised by how it all so tangibly played out. This one took me on an exhilarating ride. In fact, it was kind of light on the “BDSM” side, and BIG on the emotional side. My heart was wholeheartedly invested, and the attraction, teasing, dominating and game playing the heroine was subjected to, absolutely sucked me in, right from the start. The start, I tell you!!! There was no “me needing to warm up to it, during first 20%” like I sometimes need before I’m “in-in” you know? Nope, I enjoyed loving/hating this Dom, right from the beginning.

I was so excited I messaged one of my reading buddies (who once mentioned it to me):

Maryse: Christina! How come you didn’t tell me how amazingly good Dom of My Dreams is?? I LOVE it!!!… I started reading it and salivating over the tension and her stress over how much she was falling for him. And him being so cold to her. ARGH!!! SOOOO good!!!

Christina: Giiiiiiirl I read that book so long ago!!! It was really good though. Haha. Seriously.

sidenote from Maryse —> *smirk* hrmmm… thanks! (sarcastic ;)) LOL!

Maryse: I know right?! I’ve only got 15% left of it, but OMG… help me, I dont want it to be over. I gotta find out if this author has anything more out.
All of his headgames with her… and every once in awhile his heart peeps through… *sigh* plus he’s just enough of an ass to tick me off so bad, but not enough of one to make me afraid to recommend it … Even the BDSM is on the tamer side.

If I can call BDSM “tamer” (tee hee!) Well, I suppose it depends on who’s reading it. Some might take issue with a few of the scenes and “disciplinary” methods and/or character’s requests, but after the string of “dark reads” I read a few weeks ago, this one to me, was much easier to take.

And for the story as a whole, the writing was paced well enough for me to feel like I was right there. I wasn’t being told what was happening, I was living it (oh except for a moment in the middle where we kind of fast forwarded a bit, where I would have loved to experience all of that, too… but no biggie).

I believed everything that was said, and experienced everything that was felt. I’d reluctantly let go (with the heroine), only to pull back again. This is another book where I was right there with her. Lulled into a moments of comfort and cuddles where the lines of strictly “D/s” fun blurred into… maybe more? But then, only to be spanked hard by by the hero in a moment of shocking clarity when this ‘Dom of my Dreams” becomes a Dom of my nightmares. Well … not really. Well. Sort of. You’ll see.

“Your pet?” I asked.

“Yes, my pet,” he answered darkly, passion-filled eyes boring into mine. “That’s what you’ll be called from here on in. I shall train you and teach you obedience, just like I would to an animal, hence the sobriquet for you is ‘pet.’ You teach a pet tricks, you discipline a pet when it’s been bad, you own a pet and, in turn, your pet is loyal and devoted to you. The word suits you, don’t you think?”

What could I believe? What could I trust? At times, I thought I knew. I was sure of my (her) feelings, and of his feelings and thought to myself that if she just let go a little, played the game with him, she’d be rewarded. She’d see that her own insecurities were holding them back and maybe it wasn’t him. Maybe it was her. You know.. the whole “just tell him what you feel!!!” thing.

And then… I’d be all, “UGH!! OH NO! He did not just say that… do that… act like that” and so on. And I was right back on her side.

He took his coffee, paid the cashier, left a big tip, and turned toward me.

His lake-water green eyes glanced my way, a blank expression plastered across his beautiful face. Nervous, I wrapped my arms across my chest, smiled at him and was about to utter a good morning when he strode right by me and went straight to the front door, treating me as if I were nothing more than a passing stranger among many.

UGH!! I was all…. “what!what!whaaaaat!!??” hehe.

So what’s it about?

Marjorie works for a small publishing company, and has been given the job to “court” a best selling (HUGELY famous & gorgeous author) who is looking to sign with a new publisher. Although she can’t imagine why someone so famous would want to sign on with them, she is told he specifically requested her.

And during their first meeting together, Marjorie is absolutely star struck, but then… she is quickly struck silly by his proposition.

“All right. Let’s say I’m indeed suggesting what you think I’m suggesting. What would you do? You’d turn down the opportunity to work with me? You’d tell me to go away?”

Annoyed, I shot him a look and gritted my teeth. Why? Why was I forced to have drinks with this dark-haired alpha male?

Do whatever he wants, be his “sub” and he will seriously consider signing with them. Of course, no guarantees, and all that. And as appalled as she is (professionally) by his preposterous proposal,

Great. Just great. My first time meeting a superstar author and he turned out to be an egocentric, sexual-harrasing jerk. I had no idea if I should be turned on or offended. I felt the former. I should have felt the latter.

her personal kinky side would really reeeaalllly like to give it a go. For herself, though, not for the job. She’s always had a crush on him, and she’s been dying to give her sub side a test. However she doesn’t tell him that. That’s giving away too much of herself, right off the bat.

Oh boy, it’s emotionally rough from here on out. He can be the ultimate jerk at times, but then again… this is what she was looking for, right? Sorta.

And its the journey of self-discovery that she takes with him that had me riveted. Struggling with her “love ’em and leave ’em side” (of which she has successfully achieved over the course of her sexual life), vs her intense attraction and desire for him. His approval, his respect, and maybe even his heart.

Heh. You know where I’m going with this, right? Eeeeeep!! My heart was beating out of my chest at times, ’cause I was SO into them, and at the same time, as reluctant as she was. As infuriated. As insulted. As heartbroken. SO SO FUN!!!

Sooooo fun people!! And you know what? There are some surprises in this one, too! No murder mysteries going on in the background, no power struggles or twists and turns of that sort. Nope, the twists and turns are part of her own regular world. Lies, truths, friends… pasts, and personalities reveal things that I thought to myself. No. Way! Really? But when certain secrets are exposed, it all comes to a bewildering head.

Now it wasn’t perfect. There were a few character contradictions that had me questioning if I had read something incorrectly (or through rose-colored glasses). For example, I actually saw the heroine “one way” (perhaps it was because I was in her head, and felt what she did) and by the end, I was told to perceive something quite different, about her. That she had certain characteristics (character flaws?). But, I didn’t actually perceive them, while reading it. So I’m not sure what I missed, or maybe what “she” missed but that was a character discrepancy that had me somewhat befuddled. Again, I won’t give it away, but by the end, you might see where I’m coming from.

But overall, an easy read in terms of the genre (light BDSM, nothing too dark), and again, I’ll repeat, some people might have reservations or take issue with the subject matter, so this book might not be for everyone. The characters, and story development are straightforward enough to enjoy with ease. And rest-assured, what sucked me in, was that the drama hurt, and I felt it! This one played tricks with my heart, and for that, I love it. Oh. And yes. HOT!!!! Steaming hot!!!

4.5 stars!

Now, if only the author would write more…