Review: Willing Sacrifice by Joey W. Hill

KINDLE

Willing Sacrifice (Knights of the Board Room #6) by Joey W. Hill
Erotica
Ellora's Cave Publishing Inc. (May 1, 2013)

Rating: B
Heat: Sizzling

Heroine: Janet Albright – Survivor, Domme 
Hero: Maxwell Ackerman – Ex-Navy SEAL, Flexible

 

 

 

Synopsis:

Janet Albright prefers her men submissive, her relationships confined to a club environment. Which is why her attraction to former Navy SEAL Maxwell Ackerman doesn’t make a lot of sense. There isn’t a submissive bone in his muscular body, suggesting her interest in the man is best indulged as a private fantasy.

When a crisis situation reveals different sides of them both, the attraction becomes mutual and undeniable. Janet and Max take the plunge, willing to see if the give-and-take of their unexpected relationship can satisfy their deepest desires. Until ghosts from their past emerge, threatening to destroy the delicate balance of power before their love can find a way to tip the scales.

Review:

Janet Albright, assistant to the first Knight of the Board Room - Matt Kensington (Board Resolution), is tough as nails. A member of the same club as our Knights, Janet finds herself in the same position: On top. As a Domme, Janet has three no’s: No emotional attachments. No sex. No anything outside of the club. Especially not with a man like Maxwell Ackerman. As a military man, an ex-Navy SEAL, Max is solid and dependable. Firm. There is nothing about him that’s particularly submissive. And nothing about the two of them together should make sense.

But neither is exactly how they seem to the outside world. Both are plagued by personal demons and haunted by ghosts of their pasts. Pasts that have made them two strong and willful individuals not used to bending. Especially Janet. But after years of tiptoeing around their feelings for each other, feelings that have only grown more intense, they decide to see where this thing between them can go.

Janet and Max together blurs the lines of D/s. In most D/s relationships, there is a top and a bottom. One dominant, one submissive. Okay, sure, sometimes one partner can be a switch, but they still fulfill the role opposite of their partner at the time. With Max and Janet, there is a definite give and take between them. Max isn’t a switch. Max simply has very keen senses, knowing when to push and when not to, and puts them to good use with Janet. Their relationship is not an easy one to find a balance with, but it was definitely worth the extra effort.

And the more I got to know who Max and Janet are, the more I wanted them to find that balance. Both have such heartbreaking back stories. So much they’ve had to overcome in their lives. I wanted so badly for Janet to finally expose her soft underbelly to someone. To Max. When she finally does… it made me cry.

I will admit that a woman in the dominant role isn’t my favorite thing though. Which might explain why Ben is my favorite Knight (Hostile Takeover)—you can’t get any more dominant than Ben Callahan! But, personal preference aside, I still respected the heck out of Janet. She was my kind of woman: confident, strong, and not afraid to be a little vulnerable at times. And Max! Whew, even when he let Janet control things, his machismo was still palpable. Even when she had him cuffed and bound, he could break free and take charge if he wanted to. Sigh. So hot.

I also truly adored the glimpses we’re given of my favorite K&A men. Especially Ben. Oh, Ben. I loved his small but important role in Janet and Max’s story. That man… he melts my butter!

Willing Sacrifice had an element of suspense to it too. Max’s background as a Navy SEAL and Janet’s surprisingly dark past as a ballerina came together to make some interesting drama. I knew that Miz Hill did romance and erotica well – very well – but when she combined that with some extra suspense and drama? Wow. I bow down to the mistress!

 

Favorite Quote:

From the direction of her glance, the way it shifted upward at her own leisurely pace, he had a pretty good idea she'd been studying his ass. He was wearing slacks and the K&A dark embroidered placket shirt, no sports coat over it at the moment. When he lifted a brow, she shrugged.
"That's sexual harassment," he muttered.
Despite the distance, she offered a seductive smile and picked up her pen. "Report me," she mouthed, and gave him a wink.
He grinned all the way back to the parking deck.