The opening of this novel really reminded me of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. The parallels were almost comical, and I get the impression that may have been done deliberately. The FMC additionally has a whole load of curiosity, which added an element of Alice in Wonderland to the vibe of this one.
BDSM isn’t something I usually enjoy reading, however this novel is very carefully crafted and it worked. My main gripe with the genre is the feeling I get of how these preferences can so easily slide into abuse and, for that reason, I particularly liked how the author focused on the difference and why it’s so important. The dom/sub relationship isn’t about one giving it all and the other just taking. The necessary rawness of true vulnerability and the requirement of absolute trust, which needs to be earned are portrayed very well.
My only gripe with this novel is that the MMC’s abilities are never explained. I just have to take the author’s word for it that Zachary has special abilities to read emotions. I’m never given any whys or wherefores for such abilities, or whether others might exist who can do the same, and that omission simply didn’t work for me.
