Push The Button

by Feminista Jones

Nicole and David are two 30-something, professional, Black Americans chasing their dreams and accomplishing their goals while investing in a romantic future together. On the surface, they appear to be just like any other couple—they travel, work hard, and spend quality time with family and friends. Behind their masks, David and Nicole live an erotic, intense dynamic based on the complements of domination and submission and the peaks of pain and pleasure known as “The Life”. They have their boundaries, they play by the rules, and they seek to ascend to the highest level of connection a couple can achieve by indulging in their deepest fantasies and exploring the darkest corners of their minds.

Life for the couple is not without obstacles, however. What happens when a force from the past threatens to destroy everything David and Nicole have built together? Can their devotion to each other withstand the trials they are forced to endure? Push The Button explores a side of the BDSM Lifestyle that often goes ignored—the “normalcy”. Like any other couple, these two have their ups and downs, and they must decide if their love is enough to keep them together. Follow Nicole and David as they love each other, struggle together, and grow in their powerful connection.

Genres: Erotica, Fiction, Romance

126 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2013

Reviews

[Agnieszka · Rating 1 out of 5]

Nope. Nope. Nope.

Big fat pile of nope.

DANGER SUPER WARNING VERY BAD DEATH CAUSING TYPE BDSM PRACTICES PRESENTED AS NORMAL IN THIS BOOK

This book presents itself as a realistic depiction of a D/s couple's life. Maybe it is. People seem to think it is.

This book presents choking and breath control like something you can do safely as long as you know the choked person's limits. Nope. Nope. Nope. You can't.

Here, read Jay Wiseman's writing about breath control and why it's dangerous and you shouldn't do it. http://www.jaywiseman.com/SEX_BDSM_Br...

So look. I can happily read problematic as shit fantasy erotica where people do horrible things, ignore consent, get killed by tentacles, I don't care. And it doesn't bother me when the book telegraphs clearly that what it's presenting is an unrealistic fantasy. This book telegraphs that it's presenting a realistic depiction of a healthy relationship, and for the most part I suppose it is, even if it's not the kind of thing I find hot to read about. And then it depicts and presents as normal the dangerous practice of choking. And that's a bit pile of NOPE. That goes beyond Not My Kink, beyond squick, and all the way into This Book Is Bad and I have to tell you it's bad.

Now about the rest of the book.

The writing was OK. I mean, at least as good as 50 Shades of Grey. But that's not saying much and I know I am damning it with faint praise. Also it was not sexy.

The one good thing I can say about this book is I learned what the thing I really hate is called "Hight Protocol". "High protocol" is a fetish for having stupid rules, doing housework, not being allowed to talk, capitalizing the pronoun of the sexually dominant partner, and addressing each other by stupid made up names like "Sir" and "slut" and not just in bed for kicks but all the goddamn time. High Protocol is not my kink and I think it's a stupid kink and I never want to read another piece of erotica with it again.

[Stacy · Rating 1 out of 5]

*Contains spoilers *



I did not like this book at all. It was horrible. Nicole had no personality, it was a all about David. Character development was poor. I could not connect with anyone at all. I had no idea who Nicole was. I didnt care after some time. According to this, bdsm means doing chores. I only liked the bathroom sex scene. As for the ending, omg, that stupid plot twist did the opposite of shocking anyone. It was all a dream, like omg really, where have we seen this ending before? Like almost every movie and every crap romance novel. The ending felt like you gave up FJ. Thus leaving the reader to do exactly that too. It was a short book yet I took days to finished. Not so bad writing skills (not the best) but the plot was poor.

[Cate · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'll be writing a more thorough review on my blog later this weekend, but suffice it to say that I thoroughly enjoyed this little erotic novella. Not only are the sex scenes steamy, but the characters are engaging, and the story is well written. Comparisons to 50 Shades are inevitable, but in this case, they only serve to elevate the material even more by highlighting just how flawed that book really is. FJ really takes the time to not just navigate BDSM and D/s relationships, but to demonstrate what they look like with and without abuse, therefore dispelling the notion that BDSM is inherently abusive. It's a fun, relatively fast read with a great twist ending. Definitely recommend it.

[Marg · Rating 4 out of 5]

i wasn't sure what to expect when i first started the book but i enjoyed it. i especially appreciated how the author gave us a glimpse of the normalcy of BDSM relationships and also the reverence and trust that goes into these relationships. that was very eye opening. definitely a different kind of erotic fiction.

[Purplegirl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. I have read quite a few BDSM and D/s books. With them being fiction, I usually enjoy the stories even when some things are not anywhere near true to life. It's fiction so it's for enjoyment. I get that and I like it. For once, this is a book that doesn't show a submissive as being insecure, having mental problems or in a D/s relationship because she was abused as a child or adult. If nothing else, the author gets kudos for that. Nicole was a smart woman that had a career and made a CHOICE to be a submissive. Push The Button is probably the most realistic lifestyle book I have read along with the added drama. It's fiction people so there has to be some drama to keep it interesting.

There is mention of breath play which is an edgier type of play but the author never made it seem that Nicole didn't consent to that type of play. It wasn't forced on her. The chores and activities with her Dom were not forced on her. This book showed a lot of the day to day interactions between Dom and sub.

The writing was good. There were a few errors. In the beginning there were quite a few italics. People have made reference that the ending was problematic but I thought it was a good twist to the story. As I said earlier, this is still fiction. I thought the ending was explained well so I don't see what the problem is.

[Reka Beezy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm not a fan of "high protocol," which I just learned about today, so yay me. The whole calling the female character a "bitch" and "slut" was not endearing to me at all. Nicole also got in "trouble" quite a lot, but I'm supposed to believe that David (or whatever his name is) is just perfect? Nah. I need to figure out what happens to the Dom when he gets out of pocket...or does nothing happen because a Sub is supposed to be pushed around all the time? I don't know. Maybe I just need to read a book where the female is the Dom and the male the Sub. Or maybe I just don't need to read BDSM erotica anymore. *shrug*

[Lynn. · Rating 1 out of 5]

I follow Feminista on twitter, so I decided to read her book. I found the characters to be lacking any personality. Nicole wasn't a feminist and only cared about what David wanted the entire time. I couldn't even finish this book due to being bored halfway into it and because their relationship didn't seem healthy to me.

[Awallens · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m not sure I buy it

I like the relationship between the main characters, it’s very obvious they care about each other. Not sure I buy all the plot twist though. I’ve read better erotica, but this is OK.

[Teri · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve been following Feminista Jones on Twitter for a while. I was initially interested in her feminist views but if you follow her long enough you’ll find out that she talks about her personal life too. For example, on certain occasions she talks about her activity in Dominant/submissive (D/s) relationships. She also answers questions on the subject on her blog as well as her Youtube channel. Although she is older than I am, I can’t help but feel like we’re girlfriends (in my head) seeing that she gives most of her advice in a loving, non-judgemental, but no-nonsense manner that I can certainly appreciate. When I heard she had a book coming out, I knew I had to have it and finally bought it after a few no book-buying phases.

I read this book in about 2 days. It was an easy but still interesting read. I think D/s relationships often get a bad rap because of the BDSM elements that get misconstrued as abusive. Sometimes people just aren’t into it so they don’t like it (and feel so staunchly about it that they must force their views upon the world, but I digress). Even when I’m not, I try to take a lesson from the great book of Andre 3000, “Whatever floats your boat and finds your lost remote”.

The book’s overall tone was very “day in the life”. It communicates what she gets out of this type of relationship besides the obvious: sexual satisfaction. With the way the book is written I can’t help but wonder exactly how many autobiographical implications in this book for Ms. Jones.

The book flowed pretty smoothly. However, I did not enjoy the ending. While I am glad the books did not have a semi-trauamtic ending like I thought it might, did you really have to trick us, Feminista? It just seemed like a lazy move/ a slap in the mouth to adjust to one ending and them BAM! PSYCH! Try again!

I just wish there were more. More character development, a more complete ending, just more. Any chance for a longer story for your next book, Feminista Jones?

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hmm.. so many twists and turns. I did enjoy it. Definitely unpredictable.

[Tamara Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone who has read “50 Shades of Gray,” I was intrigued with the premise of a book presenting a BDSM relationship experiences by people of color. In “Push the Button,” the readers are introduced to David and Nicole, a thirty something black couple who are excelling in their professional goals as well as enjoy a dominant/submissive lifestyle.

The book begins with David being aware on a business trip and Nicole giving him pleasure via Skype. As the book progresses, the author shifts the story from the present day of David and Nicole’s relationship to the darker days of abused Nicole experienced at the hand of her previous lover Marcus.

Although David has been open and honest with Nicole during the course of their relationship, Nicole neglected to fully disclose her relationship with Marcus and the traumatic event which led her to leave him. During a night out at their favorite social club, David and Marcus meet and Nicole is forced to face her past which inadvertently embarrasses David.

After David punishes Nicole for her forgetfulness, their relationship grows stronger and he eventually proposes to her. While they are enjoying being engaged and living their lives in a dominant/submissive relationship, danger is lurking around the corner.

Even during their tumultuous experiences, David and Nicole never lose their love for each other and I loved the playful interactions between David and Nicole. I especially liked the email exchanges and their screen names which is a play on their actual names.

I wish more books existed that presents the BDSM lifestyle from the perspective of people of color however this is a great opportunity to discover that white people are the only ones who enjoy an erotic lifestyle.

[Matthew · Rating 1 out of 5]

A book that started as a blog entry and became a series of blog entries, and was eventually, for some reason, published as a book. What we have here is amateur internet erotica, and even when it comes to that I've read better. It's rife with cliché, the book tries to be soapy, but the characters are too flat to make me care, and sometimes the writing is so all-over-the-place it can be confusing. For example, our protagonist couple are named Nicole and David, and Nicole's ex is named Marcus. At one point the narrative is interrupted by a flashback to a sexy scene between Nicole and Marcus that took place in the past, but it's a few pages before the author makes this clear, confusing the reader to think they are reading about Nicole and David in the present. I am not sure if this was intentional. The book is full of typos and badly in need of a copy editor. One last thing, I in no way identify as a feminist, however, it still gives me great pause to see an author, who has taken the pen name "Feminista," portray such a feeble and powerless female protagonist as Nicole. I am learning about power exchange relationships, but I can't help but see this dynamic, especially as it is portrayed here, as being at odds with even the most flexible notions of feminism or even humane treatment of a human being.

There is an accompanying short story, "No. 1 Fan." More poorly written internet porn. An absurd fantasy of a stalker effortlessly seducing a singing star, but mostly harmless compared to the rather concerning main text.

[Kayla Lords · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read Push the Button by Feminista Jones as part of our 2021 Kinky Book Club. I’m glad the foreword, written by the author, explained that the original story was written as blog posts on her site. Without that I might have criticized the choppiness of the story. What I truly enjoyed was the authenticity of the characters emotions, specifically David and Nicole. Even though their power exchange dynamic is more restrictive than what I prefer, their feelings were very real to me. My only other complaint was that it ended too quickly and abruptly. I would have happily stayed in their world for longer.

[problematick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting, with several twists (I could have done with one fewer). The immersion of the characters in "The Life" is deep, enough to make me a little uncomfortable--a challenge to my sensibilities that I enjoyed, overall. There's often more telling than showing, but it packs a lot into a fairly short book.

[Nisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you FJ for this realistic look into what a d/s relationship looks like. For a person who has been increasingly intrigued by The Life and how it all works for a while now, this book definitely helped me become more comfortable.

[Talia Sharpp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thrilling, gripping and enchanting love story

My heart was shattered and put together again multiple times as I shared in the life and love of David and Nicole. A great short read. Very sexy.

[Naima Camille Truxon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story. Suspenseful. Page turner.

Makes me yearn to be owned. Really loved it. It was provocative as well as sweet. I liked the characters

[CreShonda Greason · Rating 4 out of 5]

Push the button

Good book, looking to read more on BDSM romance between African American couples in the lifestyle. Feminists is definitely on to something

[Nicole Huggins · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great short read

I really enjoyed this book. Didn't want it to end. Would love to see this be made into a miniseries.

[Ancella Abrams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book by feminista Jones I read this book twice and enjoyed reading it every single time, everyone Should get a copy of this book .

[Nikkita Mcpherson · Rating 5 out of 5]

If the title and the brilliance of Feminista Jones is not enough. Just block off 6 hours to read and reread IMMEDIATELY AFTER!

[Sarah A · Rating 3 out of 5]

fun!

[Rebecca Templer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great depiction of D/s dynamic. Story was blah and the ending dull.

[Jackie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Was excited to read this, given the author's pen name. But it turned out to be a portrait of a black woman who is a submissive both in her sexual life and in her everyday interactions with her boyfriend/fiancé David, which did not appeal to me at all. I'm having a hard time thinking about such a relationship as feminist.

Nicole/Star is a social worker, but we see very little of her work life; most of what we are shown is David telling her what to do, in the guise of catering to her need to submit and to experience physical pain: "She, of course, was His to use as He needed" (50). We hear about Nicole's former boyfriend, who committed an heinous act of physical abuse on her without her consent, and I guess we're meant to appreciate David in contrast, because he cares about Nicole's career and wants her to thrive. But I found their relationship rather disturbing, nonetheless. As Nicole seems to have no personality at all, besides a desire to serve David, I had difficulty understanding her motives or relating to her wants and needs.

There's not much in the way of plot until Nicole's abusive former boyfriend shows up at a holiday party at David's mother's house (son of mom's new boyfriend), and he and David get into a fight, during which Nicole falls off the porch and ends up in a coma . The story takes a major turn toward melodrama here, complete with amnesia, paternity confusion, and an "it was all a dream" ending.

Must be extra difficult being a sexually-submissive African-American woman, given our country's history of enslaving Africans. We get little hint of this in this book, though.

(FYI, the characters' race is not mentioned directly, just implied via cultural cues)

[Lily Mulholland · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this book because I like a lot of what Feminista Jones has to say about women, race and the general inequities of our modern, Western society. I also liked that this book was written in response to some ridiculously popular but totally shallow, lame and unironic erotica. This was a pretty kinky and, at times, unsettling read, but the final act left me pissed off and angry, as the author pulled one of the laziest tricks in the book. Intending (I surmise) to put in a plot twist, the author instead fell into a trap from which there is no return. If you've read Sue Townsend's The Queen and I you will know what I mean. For those of you who don't, no spoilers here!

[Cassandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful! Beautifully written. Strikes the perfect balance between "believable" and "dreamy." David and Nicole are engaging characters you really root for; they are multidimensional people with nuance, and their characterization is consistent. That is, it feels like they remain fundamentally themselves even as they grow in their relationship and as individuals.

The villain is genuinely menacing, and the stakes feel high for everybody. Anyway, it's just a really good, thoughtful, fun book. And the sex scenes are scorching hot, so. This book's kind of got everything. A+

[Shaunna · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a seriously quick read. I was done in a few hours. I loved the twist ending. I personally would've liked to see more character development. What brought them to The Life. How they're relationship grew. Etc. Maybe that's material for a prequel or two. Hint hint.

I could actually see this as a movie. Or at least I would like to see it on film. It was definitely a solid debut by the author, Ms. Jones, who I know personally...on Twitter. LOL

[Chris · Rating 1 out of 5]

There are a lot of things to like about the book. The strongest aspects, for me, were character and voice. But the story arc just didn't work for me. When I look back on the book, I can't identify much in the way of character development, and really no plot - just things, happening one after another.

I'm very curious to see what this author might do in future. This feels like a great first attempt.

[A M · Rating 2 out of 5]

Super quick and disappointing read. I was looking forward to this book because I'm a huge fan of Feminista Jones and all she has to say/write about feminism and healthy relationships. This book, however, showcased very little of that genius. That said, I do believe it was a much realer look inside The Life compared to 50 Shades (which disturbed me INCREDIBLY) so I appreciated that. However I feel that FJ is capable of so much more so I hope she'll try again with a sequel!!

[Nicole Zeckner · Rating 3 out of 5]

The characters are well crafted, but the story is a bit disjointed at times. For example, there are points where there are flashbacks with no indication, which left me confused. The ending was also not particularly strong.

That being said, I enjoyed the book. If/when the author puts out something else I'll pick it up as well.