Title: Lucien and Serenity by Brita Addams
Sapphire Club Book One
Publisher: Musa Publishing, LLC
Genre: Historical, Romance, Erotic, BDSM
Word Count: 66,195
Book Rating: B
Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Author
Summary:
Fulfill your wicked fantasies at the Sapphire Club
Serenity Damrill has returned to her husband, Lucien, after a ten-year absence. She carries with her a secret that could destroy her life and possibly all that Lucien has built. She needs Lucien’s protection, and she is determined to repair her marriage.
Quite happy running the Sapphire Club, where his clients live out their wildest fantasies, Lucien has no need for the frigid wife who deserted him the day after they were married. Though he still desires her, he doubts she’ll consent to the type of intimate relationship he craves.
But in the Sapphire Club, where rules don’t exist, anything is possible…
Contains elements of bondage, anal play, voyeurism, spanking, and lots of romance.
The Review:
Lucien and Serenity is the first installment in Brita Addams’ Sapphire Club series. This highly erotic historical romance takes place in a BDSM club where pain and pleasure are explored by Lucien, Serenity and the club members.
Serenity and Lucien’s whirlwind courtship culminated in a wedding a mere six months after their first meeting. Serenity fled from Lucien after their disastrous wedding night, and Lucien let his pride get in the way of going after her. Fast forward ten years and the couple finally reunites when Serenity seeks refuge with Lucien at his wildly successful BDSM club. Lucien is, at first, mistrustful of Serenity’s sudden desire to reconcile, but she slowly regains his trust. But when the reasons for her return become clear, will their fragile bond withstand Lucien’s doubts and suspicions?
Serenity and Lucien’s marriage is unusual because it was not an arranged marriage as was so common back in the early 1800s. However, the advice Serenity received from her mother regarding the marriage bed was, unfortunately, pretty much the norm for women. So when she took her mother’s words to heart, Serenity pretty much ruined any chance of enjoying the sensual side of marriage. Since it is very obvious that she is not as emotionally invested in their union as Lucien, the wedding night fiasco made it easy for Serenity to decide to flee from Lucien and enjoy her freedom. As the years pass, she meets a gentle man who introduces her to deliciously naught aspects of desire (much to Lucien’s surprised delight).
Lucien’s stubbornness and anger make it easy for him not to go after Serenity and by the time the two reconcile ten years down the road, he is hardened and rather jaded. His close friend Prentice Hyde introduced him to BDSM side of his sexuality and together, the two men opened the scandalous but incredibly popular BDSM club. In the intervening years, Lucien has not pined after his wayward bride and after her sudden reappearance, he treats her like one of the club’s clientele. Lucien immediately sets about “disciplining” her but he quickly realizes that Serenity rather enjoys her “punishment”. They are soon exploring their mutual desire and his distrust fades away only to be rekindled when confronted by Serenity’s past.
The first few chapters of Lucien and Serenity are a little disjointed as the couple’s back story is presented in short vignettes. These quick glimpses are useful in showing where the characters’ lives have taken them but few details about their day to day lives are revealed. After their reconciliation, the story’s flow is much smoother and while past events are hinted at, little information is disclosed. Little by little, through day to day interactions and sexual intimacy, Lucien and Serenity regain one another’s trust, but they each make it clear any discussion of their pasts is strictly off limits. This, of course, sets the stage for the conflict that occurs later in the story and eventually leads to a shocking breach of trust.
Lucien and Serenity explore numerous facets of BDSM play including bondage, spanking, and submission. The various club members’ sexual exploits are also explicitly detailed as Serenity and Lucien indulge their voyeuristic impulses. There is plenty of hot sex in Lucien and Serenity but, at times, it overpowers the story.
There are a few of secondary characters on hand to spice up the story. Prentice is a very intriguing man and he is calm, confident and quite unflappable. I am very eager to read more about him in future installments. Lucien’s nephew Haynes is also fascinating and his story promises to be very interesting.
Delectably steamy and unapologetically carnal, Lucien and Serenity is a wonderful beginning to Brita Addams’ Sapphire Club series. Fans of erotic historical romances featuring BDSM are sure to enjoy this highly passionate love story.
Thanks for the review Kathy