What do you think?
Rate this book
LA Doms #3
The Companion Contract
Control. Submission. Power.
Amy Mendoza knew she'd never have a Cinderella story. She walked away from the ashes of her childhood on her own, and signed her first porn contract the day she turned eighteen. The money's been good, but it's time to walk away again before the life drags her down. When a mysterious stranger offers her an unusual contract—sexual companion to a recently relapsed rock star—she accepts.
Amy quickly and gratefully falls into an easy rhythm of control and submission—but it's not her client who keeps her up at night. Emanuel, lead guitarist and the man who hired her, occupies her thoughts—and soon, her bed. Their connection is intense, and although Amy knows sleeping with Emanuel isn't what she's there for—isn't what she's being paid for—what's between them is too strong to ignore. But there's more to Emanuel than Amy knows, and submitting to him might come at too high a price…
Amy Mendoza knew she'd never have a Cinderella story. She walked away from the ashes of her childhood on her own, and signed her first porn contract the day she turned eighteen. The money's been good, but it's time to walk away again before the life drags her down. When a mysterious stranger offers her an unusual contract—sexual companion to a recently relapsed rock star—she accepts.
Amy quickly and gratefully falls into an easy rhythm of control and submission—but it's not her client who keeps her up at night. Emanuel, lead guitarist and the man who hired her, occupies her thoughts—and soon, her bed. Their connection is intense, and although Amy knows sleeping with Emanuel isn't what she's there for—isn't what she's being paid for—what's between them is too strong to ignore. But there's more to Emanuel than Amy knows, and submitting to him might come at too high a price…
233 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 9, 2015
16 people are currently reading
769 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
January 29, 2015
About this time last year, I got into reading a lot of erotica/erotic romance - ssh, don't judge me, the British winters are cold and lonely :P But I stopped pretty quickly because there was so much bad. Most of my reviews were 1 star rants and, let's face it, when you've read about one throbbing penis then you've read about them all.
So we parted ways. I read more YA, fantasy, sci-fi and contemporary, and I forgot about erotica... until I saw this book highly recommended in my Goodreads feed. What was this? An erotic romance filled with unique dynamics, diverse characters and more than a touch of the girly tingles? No way! But apparently yes.
The Companion Contract is surprising in the best of ways. For one thing, as much as I pride myself on being liberal and open-minded, I'm a bit of a puritan when it comes to relationships - by that, I mean that I like two characters (don't care about their gender) who have sex with each other, don't dally in that whole "love triangle" business, and don't go around shagging others outside of their relationship. It's not that I care if other people do this, just that it doesn't turn me on. I'm also not a big fan of threesomes.
However, this novel actually challenged the way I think about things. Perhaps the most interesting thing about The Companion Contract is how Ames clearly distinguishes between sexual activity and passion/romance. The protagonist and narrator, Amy Mendoza, is an American-born Japanese-Filipino porn star looking to get out of the business. She's had sex with countless men and women and never feels ashamed of her sexuality. She enjoys sex and doesn't have any qualms about getting down and dirty with men she's just met.
In this book, Amy is offered a job as a sober companion for a rock star recovering from a drug addiction. She's happy to do it because the guy - Miles - is hot, she likes having sex with hot men, and she gets paid to do it. They have a lot of sex, often kinky sex, and she enjoys it. But things get more complicated when she begins to develop a very different set of feelings for the albino man who hired her - Emmanuel.
I imagine this story might be hard to swallow for those who feel that love and sex are inextricably entwined, but I appreciated the way Ames managed to challenge my views. She also portrays all the difficulties female sex workers face in the industry without ever turning this into a lesson on the "dark truths" of porn work. It was surprisingly sensitive, thoughtful and interesting.
I also think there is much room for praise where the characters are concerned; firstly, because of their diversity - a Japanese-Filipino protagonist, a Colombian albino and a transgender woman, to name but a few - and secondly, because of the way the author never neglects their characterization. For example, I felt sure that Miles would be a throwaway character used to bring Amy and Emmanuel together, but he had a complex personality and history of his own.
Top off all this good writing and seriousness with a heavy dose of hot sex and you have a pretty damn impressive erotic novel. I think my only complaint is that the book is a little too long. There were a couple of scenes that could have been shortened, or simply cut all together. But still, definitely worth reading.
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Tumblr
So we parted ways. I read more YA, fantasy, sci-fi and contemporary, and I forgot about erotica... until I saw this book highly recommended in my Goodreads feed. What was this? An erotic romance filled with unique dynamics, diverse characters and more than a touch of the girly tingles? No way! But apparently yes.
The Companion Contract is surprising in the best of ways. For one thing, as much as I pride myself on being liberal and open-minded, I'm a bit of a puritan when it comes to relationships - by that, I mean that I like two characters (don't care about their gender) who have sex with each other, don't dally in that whole "love triangle" business, and don't go around shagging others outside of their relationship. It's not that I care if other people do this, just that it doesn't turn me on. I'm also not a big fan of threesomes.
However, this novel actually challenged the way I think about things. Perhaps the most interesting thing about The Companion Contract is how Ames clearly distinguishes between sexual activity and passion/romance. The protagonist and narrator, Amy Mendoza, is an American-born Japanese-Filipino porn star looking to get out of the business. She's had sex with countless men and women and never feels ashamed of her sexuality. She enjoys sex and doesn't have any qualms about getting down and dirty with men she's just met.
In this book, Amy is offered a job as a sober companion for a rock star recovering from a drug addiction. She's happy to do it because the guy - Miles - is hot, she likes having sex with hot men, and she gets paid to do it. They have a lot of sex, often kinky sex, and she enjoys it. But things get more complicated when she begins to develop a very different set of feelings for the albino man who hired her - Emmanuel.
I imagine this story might be hard to swallow for those who feel that love and sex are inextricably entwined, but I appreciated the way Ames managed to challenge my views. She also portrays all the difficulties female sex workers face in the industry without ever turning this into a lesson on the "dark truths" of porn work. It was surprisingly sensitive, thoughtful and interesting.
I also think there is much room for praise where the characters are concerned; firstly, because of their diversity - a Japanese-Filipino protagonist, a Colombian albino and a transgender woman, to name but a few - and secondly, because of the way the author never neglects their characterization. For example, I felt sure that Miles would be a throwaway character used to bring Amy and Emmanuel together, but he had a complex personality and history of his own.
Top off all this good writing and seriousness with a heavy dose of hot sex and you have a pretty damn impressive erotic novel. I think my only complaint is that the book is a little too long. There were a couple of scenes that could have been shortened, or simply cut all together. But still, definitely worth reading.
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Tumblr
April 29, 2020
Complex, nuanced, intensely compelling story, wonderful characterization. Beautiful. The novel is is so balanced. It tackles complex stuff, allowing both the hard stuff and the hope in at the same time. I especially liked the depiction of solidarity & community: among sex workers, immigrants, and women of color. I also loved how queer the story feels. Not just the many queer characters but the story itself. The D/s relationship is deeply nuanced, very hot & just gorgeous, from negotiations through play. It feels like such an important story. I'm so glad Solace Ames put The Companion Contract out into the world!
January 15, 2015
Review available on Bibliodaze.
http://bibliodaze.com/2015/01/review-...
http://bibliodaze.com/2015/01/review-...
December 25, 2014
**** ARC provided by NetGalley ****
I just finished reading (Christmas day!) the Companion contract by Solace Ames and let me tell you - this book is something else! Solace knows how to write and she knows how to grab the reader's attention right on page one. I found it amazing how easy it was for me to connect with Amy and to understand where she was coming from. Creating characters that you can relate to is tough but Solace does it superbly well. Being inside of Amy's head was entertaining as hell. And the sex? Loved it. All of it!
The Best: Is not often that you read erotica with such unique characters that feel so real. Not to ruin the surprises this book holds for its readers I won't go into detail but one thing - Emanuel. Wow.
Buy it? Yes. And that's a loud yes!
I just finished reading (Christmas day!) the Companion contract by Solace Ames and let me tell you - this book is something else! Solace knows how to write and she knows how to grab the reader's attention right on page one. I found it amazing how easy it was for me to connect with Amy and to understand where she was coming from. Creating characters that you can relate to is tough but Solace does it superbly well. Being inside of Amy's head was entertaining as hell. And the sex? Loved it. All of it!
The Best: Is not often that you read erotica with such unique characters that feel so real. Not to ruin the surprises this book holds for its readers I won't go into detail but one thing - Emanuel. Wow.
Buy it? Yes. And that's a loud yes!
April 8, 2015
A copy of this book was provided by the author for an honest review at Romancing Rakes for the Love of Romance.
THE COMPANION CONTRACT is the latest entry in Solace Ames’s excellent LA Doms series, and although it ended up being a good read for me, it wasn’t nearly as good of a romance as her previous stories.
In this story, we meet Amy Mendoza, who lost her entire family to deportation at the age of thirteen, forcing her into life choices that no child should ever have to make. Now eight years later, the world knows her only as the porn star Serena Sakamoto, and she’s made the most of what life has dealt her in order to stay alive and send money back to her family in the Philippines. But when Amy’s good friend Chiho needs rescuing from a Hollywood party gone wrong, the man who helps them out might end up being the one person Amy can count on to be there for her when nobody else ever has.
Emanuel de la Isla experienced the best and worst of life as he moved from a violent upbringing in South America to incredible success as part of the seminal rock band Avert. When he witnesses Amy’s strength in handling pressure under fire, he realizes she’s the perfect person to keep track of Avert’s problem lead singer as the band attempts a long awaited reunion album and tour. As Amy becomes indispensable to the success of the band’s future, it becomes all too obvious that she’s just as crucial to Emanuel’s happiness as he is to hers. But when the band’s planned future derails yet again, it remains to be seen if Amy and Emanuel’s love can survive outside the protected bubble they’d created together.
As with the other books I’ve read by Solace Ames, I was struck by the richness and elegance of how she structures her stories and develops her characters. No matter how unlike the events and people she writes about are with respect to my own life, I am always able to fully relate on an emotional level to what her characters are feeling and experiencing. In THE COMPANION CONTRACT, our heroine is a porn star who deliberately chose this career on her 18th birthday because she knew it was her best option to make enough money to support herself and her distant family. She falls in love with an albino Afro-Colombian who is the lead guitarist of the band she loved best as a teenager, and becomes the close friend of both the band’s lead singer, who has ongoing problems with drug addiction, and the trans woman he loves but cannot have. All of these characters are fleshed out beautifully and their interactions with the hero and heroine are both organic and essential. By the end of the story, each character is in a better place than they started, and optimistic that they will continue to be happy.
Yet, as a romance first and foremost, THE COMPANION CONTRACT missed the mark somewhat for me. Although I believed in Amy and Emanuel’s love, it was often pushed aside in favor of the various dramas associated with Miles, Avert’s unreliable lead singer, and Xiomara, the trans woman important to both him and Emanuel even as she was still learning how to live as her true self. And with the story told entirely from Amy’s first person POV, it was difficult for me to understand what motivated Emanuel beyond caretaking of his loved ones and a sexual pull toward Amy that she shared in return. That also affected my reaction when Emanuel and Amy were briefly separated, as she worried he wouldn’t return even though he swore he would, and I wondered why she didn’t believe him when I’d never seen any reason why he would lie.
Still, THE COMPANION CONTRACT is a lovely read overall and if you’re good with the romance being equal to other parts of the story, then you shouldn’t have any problems. Either way, I’m still a fan of Solace Ames and look forward to what she’ll be writing next.
Favorite Quote:
I wasn’t a beggar or a queen. I had room in my heart to love everyone who stayed behind.
I was only myself.
And that was enough.
THE COMPANION CONTRACT is the latest entry in Solace Ames’s excellent LA Doms series, and although it ended up being a good read for me, it wasn’t nearly as good of a romance as her previous stories.
In this story, we meet Amy Mendoza, who lost her entire family to deportation at the age of thirteen, forcing her into life choices that no child should ever have to make. Now eight years later, the world knows her only as the porn star Serena Sakamoto, and she’s made the most of what life has dealt her in order to stay alive and send money back to her family in the Philippines. But when Amy’s good friend Chiho needs rescuing from a Hollywood party gone wrong, the man who helps them out might end up being the one person Amy can count on to be there for her when nobody else ever has.
Emanuel de la Isla experienced the best and worst of life as he moved from a violent upbringing in South America to incredible success as part of the seminal rock band Avert. When he witnesses Amy’s strength in handling pressure under fire, he realizes she’s the perfect person to keep track of Avert’s problem lead singer as the band attempts a long awaited reunion album and tour. As Amy becomes indispensable to the success of the band’s future, it becomes all too obvious that she’s just as crucial to Emanuel’s happiness as he is to hers. But when the band’s planned future derails yet again, it remains to be seen if Amy and Emanuel’s love can survive outside the protected bubble they’d created together.
As with the other books I’ve read by Solace Ames, I was struck by the richness and elegance of how she structures her stories and develops her characters. No matter how unlike the events and people she writes about are with respect to my own life, I am always able to fully relate on an emotional level to what her characters are feeling and experiencing. In THE COMPANION CONTRACT, our heroine is a porn star who deliberately chose this career on her 18th birthday because she knew it was her best option to make enough money to support herself and her distant family. She falls in love with an albino Afro-Colombian who is the lead guitarist of the band she loved best as a teenager, and becomes the close friend of both the band’s lead singer, who has ongoing problems with drug addiction, and the trans woman he loves but cannot have. All of these characters are fleshed out beautifully and their interactions with the hero and heroine are both organic and essential. By the end of the story, each character is in a better place than they started, and optimistic that they will continue to be happy.
Yet, as a romance first and foremost, THE COMPANION CONTRACT missed the mark somewhat for me. Although I believed in Amy and Emanuel’s love, it was often pushed aside in favor of the various dramas associated with Miles, Avert’s unreliable lead singer, and Xiomara, the trans woman important to both him and Emanuel even as she was still learning how to live as her true self. And with the story told entirely from Amy’s first person POV, it was difficult for me to understand what motivated Emanuel beyond caretaking of his loved ones and a sexual pull toward Amy that she shared in return. That also affected my reaction when Emanuel and Amy were briefly separated, as she worried he wouldn’t return even though he swore he would, and I wondered why she didn’t believe him when I’d never seen any reason why he would lie.
Still, THE COMPANION CONTRACT is a lovely read overall and if you’re good with the romance being equal to other parts of the story, then you shouldn’t have any problems. Either way, I’m still a fan of Solace Ames and look forward to what she’ll be writing next.
Favorite Quote:
I wasn’t a beggar or a queen. I had room in my heart to love everyone who stayed behind.
I was only myself.
And that was enough.
January 27, 2015
Unhappy with her life as a porn star, Amy takes an offer to be a companion to a former rock star, trying to make his way back into the stop light. It is her job to watch over him and help him transition into a sober lifestyle, meeting all his needs.
This book was a hot mess, IMO. I did not finish it, stopping at 55%. It was like watching a horrific car wreck, while you don't want to look.. you just can't turn away until you get to the point you have seen enough. That is where I'm at with this book.
I kept trying to give it one more chapter, trying to find something within the pages to hang onto. Unfortunately I did not find it. I never connected with the characters. I don't understand the idolism Amy has with Emmanuel. And let's not mention the fact I wanted to slap Miles half the time for his fit throwing immaturity. I just didn't get this book.
I also did not like the transition in scenes without a break of some sort. I would often have to reread paragraphs trying to figure out what was happening and how the character went from one place into another from one sentence to the next.
I know there have been some higher reviews, some people seem to love it. So I want to remind those reading this that this is my opinion, and my opinion is my own.
NOTE: This book contains sexual situations, some BDSM scenes, drug addition, transgender characters and same sex relationships.
**I received a digital copy of this book in exchange of an honest review**
July 10, 2015
While I can really get behind this book in terms of the diversity of lives it portrays, it was just not my style.
Ranging from addiction to transgendered to the blurred lines of bisexuality and race, including albinism, The Companion Contract was an extremely diverse read about people from every walk of life.
The first half of the story was interesting. Amy is a porn star disenchanted with the business. Honestly, when she signed this companion contract with a rock star albino I was hoping for a story more akin to Leah Raeders. I was sorely disappointed.
I didn't like Amy. I can respect her for being sexually comfortable and laid back. But I didn't need to hear about it every second page. If I hadn't been reading this while waiting for a flight, I might have dnf'd it.
Overall: great premise, poor execution.
Ranging from addiction to transgendered to the blurred lines of bisexuality and race, including albinism, The Companion Contract was an extremely diverse read about people from every walk of life.
The first half of the story was interesting. Amy is a porn star disenchanted with the business. Honestly, when she signed this companion contract with a rock star albino I was hoping for a story more akin to Leah Raeders. I was sorely disappointed.
I didn't like Amy. I can respect her for being sexually comfortable and laid back. But I didn't need to hear about it every second page. If I hadn't been reading this while waiting for a flight, I might have dnf'd it.
Overall: great premise, poor execution.
June 12, 2015
I loved this. Vivid, emotional and raw. Honest and gritty. Hot. Racially diverse. Passionate love. Epic. Five stars for me.
February 4, 2015
I'm not sure I actually wrote reviews of the first two LA Doms books: The Dom Project (which was clever, hilarious and sexy) and The Submission Gift (which explored intriguing ideas about relationships, gender constructs and sex work). They were both stellar reads for me. I was disappointed with The Companion Contract in comparison, though it's not actually a bad book.
The story revolves around Amy Mendoza, a Filipino-American porn star on the verge of retirement and Emanuel, the Colombian lead guitarist for a rock band on the rebound. Emanuel hires Amy as a sober companion for the band's struggling lead singer with the understanding that one of the ways she might distract him is via sex. So far, so good, right?
The problems for me stemmed from two things: 1) the book is first-person POV entirely from Amy's perspective and 2) the ensemble nature of the cast detracted from the main romance. What that added up to is that I didn't feel like I got to know the mysterious, aloof Emanuel very well at all. He seemed like a good enough guy--loyal and fierce about protecting those under his care. I just didn't quite feel the love. And, for me at least, it was immediately clear why anyone would love Amy. She's smart and sexy and struggling a little bit with where to go next in her life. And her characterization was spot-on.
The large ensemble cast was an interesting choice, but unfortunately one that didn't work well for me. A band has to have other band members and an entourage, plus Amy knows a lot of people in LA and so her friends and family make appearances too. In particular, there are Miles, the lead singer Amy is hired to babysit, and Emanuel's cousin, super interesting characters who seem ready for a book of their own. It's just that I thought too much of their backstory and current struggles were written into this book. I actually enjoy when romances are interconnected, but this one seemed to happen at the expense of the main story. I think if the entire series had been written like this, it would have been less jarring--for example, the way Kit Rocha's Beyond series is written--as a completely interconnected world. But while characters from the previous books make cameos in the others, the other two books in the LA Doms series were just more focused.
I really wanted to love this book as much as I did the other two, but unfortunately it was not to be. It's still worth reading, even if you haven't read the other books (which all function as stand-alones), mainly because Amy is great example of why diversity in romance is so hugely important. Her experiences, her voice, her journey, everything about her was perfection. I just wanted to see more of her with the love of her life.
The story revolves around Amy Mendoza, a Filipino-American porn star on the verge of retirement and Emanuel, the Colombian lead guitarist for a rock band on the rebound. Emanuel hires Amy as a sober companion for the band's struggling lead singer with the understanding that one of the ways she might distract him is via sex. So far, so good, right?
The problems for me stemmed from two things: 1) the book is first-person POV entirely from Amy's perspective and 2) the ensemble nature of the cast detracted from the main romance. What that added up to is that I didn't feel like I got to know the mysterious, aloof Emanuel very well at all. He seemed like a good enough guy--loyal and fierce about protecting those under his care. I just didn't quite feel the love. And, for me at least, it was immediately clear why anyone would love Amy. She's smart and sexy and struggling a little bit with where to go next in her life. And her characterization was spot-on.
The large ensemble cast was an interesting choice, but unfortunately one that didn't work well for me. A band has to have other band members and an entourage, plus Amy knows a lot of people in LA and so her friends and family make appearances too. In particular, there are Miles, the lead singer Amy is hired to babysit, and Emanuel's cousin, super interesting characters who seem ready for a book of their own. It's just that I thought too much of their backstory and current struggles were written into this book. I actually enjoy when romances are interconnected, but this one seemed to happen at the expense of the main story. I think if the entire series had been written like this, it would have been less jarring--for example, the way Kit Rocha's Beyond series is written--as a completely interconnected world. But while characters from the previous books make cameos in the others, the other two books in the LA Doms series were just more focused.
I really wanted to love this book as much as I did the other two, but unfortunately it was not to be. It's still worth reading, even if you haven't read the other books (which all function as stand-alones), mainly because Amy is great example of why diversity in romance is so hugely important. Her experiences, her voice, her journey, everything about her was perfection. I just wanted to see more of her with the love of her life.
April 24, 2015
I loved it.
I've never read anything like this. I didn't love everything about it but it still gets 5 big stars because the strengths far outweighed the weaknesses. I liked the heroine from the start. Amy is a porn star unhappy in the business. In the first chapter she collects her drugged-out friend from a party. The friend starts convulsing and an ambulance is called. This is not a great time for a meet cute. While the paramedics are working on her friend, she gets the hots for a large, mysterious Colombian albino former rock star.
Rock stars and age differences (older hero) aren't my favorite. She's 20. He's close to 40? The description made him sound like an albino Lawrence Fishbourne from the Matrix. He hires her to be a sober companion and escort for his recovering (maybe) addict lead singer, Miles.
This combination of elements is unusual, to say the least.
I liked the portrayal of Amy's sexuality and the unflinching look at the porn industry. It was uncomfortable to read about some of the things she'd done. It was uncomfortable to read about both characters' backstories. The author doesn't shy away from ugly topics. Amy is sexy and good at her job. She's not broken or defined by what she's done for money.
The writing throughout is lyrical and beautiful, sometimes too poetic for my taste when describing music and intangible things. Some of the dialogue sounded unnatural, with deep thoughts people seldom express out loud. Other lines were biting and funny. "I want to fuck you like an ocelot." I loled. The writing is as unique as special as the characters. I thought Emanuel was a little too perfect, but it really bothered me that he only saw his daughters 3 times a year and this is presented as ideal. 3 months a year? 3 weeks a year? I also liked Miles as a character, but not a romantic hero.
I took my time reading this and really enjoyed the experience. It was thought-provoking, beautiful, ugly, different, excellent.
***I follow this author on twitter and we share the same publisher. I bought the book.
I've never read anything like this. I didn't love everything about it but it still gets 5 big stars because the strengths far outweighed the weaknesses. I liked the heroine from the start. Amy is a porn star unhappy in the business. In the first chapter she collects her drugged-out friend from a party. The friend starts convulsing and an ambulance is called. This is not a great time for a meet cute. While the paramedics are working on her friend, she gets the hots for a large, mysterious Colombian albino former rock star.
Rock stars and age differences (older hero) aren't my favorite. She's 20. He's close to 40? The description made him sound like an albino Lawrence Fishbourne from the Matrix. He hires her to be a sober companion and escort for his recovering (maybe) addict lead singer, Miles.
This combination of elements is unusual, to say the least.
I liked the portrayal of Amy's sexuality and the unflinching look at the porn industry. It was uncomfortable to read about some of the things she'd done. It was uncomfortable to read about both characters' backstories. The author doesn't shy away from ugly topics. Amy is sexy and good at her job. She's not broken or defined by what she's done for money.
The writing throughout is lyrical and beautiful, sometimes too poetic for my taste when describing music and intangible things. Some of the dialogue sounded unnatural, with deep thoughts people seldom express out loud. Other lines were biting and funny. "I want to fuck you like an ocelot." I loled. The writing is as unique as special as the characters. I thought Emanuel was a little too perfect, but it really bothered me that he only saw his daughters 3 times a year and this is presented as ideal. 3 months a year? 3 weeks a year? I also liked Miles as a character, but not a romantic hero.
I took my time reading this and really enjoyed the experience. It was thought-provoking, beautiful, ugly, different, excellent.
***I follow this author on twitter and we share the same publisher. I bought the book.
May 6, 2015
Read this on vacation; can't remember much...or maybe I'm just old. Yeah, it's that old thang.
What do you get when you take one Albino rock star, one half-Filipino porn star, and a rock star who needs a sober companion who will also bang, blow, and whip him per doctor's orders? Well, you get this book.
Emanuel, albino and lead guitarist for Avert, hires Amy to help Miles, another Avert band member, stay sober while the band tries to stage a comeback. Amy's tired of doing porn, so I guess being a paid companion for a lot of money looks good in comparison. At least I thought so when I quit porn. What? Was that audible? Moving on...
And if Miles needs to bang one out in her butt as part of his recovery, whatevs. Not like she hasn't done it before. But I would...maybe...just maybe...question which branch of psychology the doctor practices because...ow. However, sounds like Amy's butt is made of stronger stuff than mine, so power to the people.
The problem is that Amy is drawn to Emanuel. But it's hard to start a relationship when you've got another man's peen in your mouth. Makes conversation very difficult.
But Amy and Emanuel work it out, and he takes her to Pound Town. Sorry, Miles! Good luck with your sobriety! Maybe your peen can be your sober companion now that Amy is with Emanuel.
Ames' books are gritty and dark--they ain't pretty. Amy lets Miles use her body; she gives Miles some good ol' fashioned BDSM beatings; and Emanuel puts a hurtin' on Amy 'cuz she likes it. Reminds me of making confession on Sundays.
An interesting book but darkly erotic. Romantic in its own way as Amy yearns for Emanuel but not Disney Princess sweet. More like Maleficent on a bad day, whippin' yo ass.
What do you get when you take one Albino rock star, one half-Filipino porn star, and a rock star who needs a sober companion who will also bang, blow, and whip him per doctor's orders? Well, you get this book.
Emanuel, albino and lead guitarist for Avert, hires Amy to help Miles, another Avert band member, stay sober while the band tries to stage a comeback. Amy's tired of doing porn, so I guess being a paid companion for a lot of money looks good in comparison. At least I thought so when I quit porn. What? Was that audible? Moving on...
And if Miles needs to bang one out in her butt as part of his recovery, whatevs. Not like she hasn't done it before. But I would...maybe...just maybe...question which branch of psychology the doctor practices because...ow. However, sounds like Amy's butt is made of stronger stuff than mine, so power to the people.
The problem is that Amy is drawn to Emanuel. But it's hard to start a relationship when you've got another man's peen in your mouth. Makes conversation very difficult.
But Amy and Emanuel work it out, and he takes her to Pound Town. Sorry, Miles! Good luck with your sobriety! Maybe your peen can be your sober companion now that Amy is with Emanuel.
Ames' books are gritty and dark--they ain't pretty. Amy lets Miles use her body; she gives Miles some good ol' fashioned BDSM beatings; and Emanuel puts a hurtin' on Amy 'cuz she likes it. Reminds me of making confession on Sundays.
An interesting book but darkly erotic. Romantic in its own way as Amy yearns for Emanuel but not Disney Princess sweet. More like Maleficent on a bad day, whippin' yo ass.
February 15, 2015
Apologies in advance, this review is likely not going to be remotely helpful.
I don’t know what to say about this book. I don’t know what to think about it. It’s certainly not what I was expecting. From the description, I figured on a read that was sort of smutty, and maybe a little dirty. What I got was this insanely compelling allegory on life, sexuality, immigration, and the human condition—complete with bizarre ocelot analogies.
Written entirely from Amy’s perspective, her narrative is quite bluntly honest. And though her voice is sometimes oddly stilted, the text often takes on a poetic, almost lyrical, quality.
A touch gritty and at times near vulgar, the book is so straight forward and hyper-realistic, that it is utterly surreal. Which makes no sense, I know. It’s just…it’s really, really good. Do yourself the favor of giving this one a chance. I can’t imagine that you’ll be sorry.
For the sake of full disclosure it must be stated that I received this book, free of charge, from Netgalley.
I don’t know what to say about this book. I don’t know what to think about it. It’s certainly not what I was expecting. From the description, I figured on a read that was sort of smutty, and maybe a little dirty. What I got was this insanely compelling allegory on life, sexuality, immigration, and the human condition—complete with bizarre ocelot analogies.
Written entirely from Amy’s perspective, her narrative is quite bluntly honest. And though her voice is sometimes oddly stilted, the text often takes on a poetic, almost lyrical, quality.
A touch gritty and at times near vulgar, the book is so straight forward and hyper-realistic, that it is utterly surreal. Which makes no sense, I know. It’s just…it’s really, really good. Do yourself the favor of giving this one a chance. I can’t imagine that you’ll be sorry.
For the sake of full disclosure it must be stated that I received this book, free of charge, from Netgalley.
Read
February 16, 2015I am unsure on my rating...
Those handful of references she makes to where she is from (and I am not talking about the porn industry here) simplify that aspect to its negatives, yet the bigger more important thing- as to who she is and who she has chose to become was splendidly done- dark, different, but factual; she doesn't dramatize much- as former pornstar meets former rockstar with oddball entourage/not- entourage alongside, things got interesting as they both reveal their pasts anď how the same has brought them together.
Bonus for me Xiaomara (sp?) and maybe even Miles.
Thank you, NG!
Those handful of references she makes to where she is from (and I am not talking about the porn industry here) simplify that aspect to its negatives, yet the bigger more important thing- as to who she is and who she has chose to become was splendidly done- dark, different, but factual; she doesn't dramatize much- as former pornstar meets former rockstar with oddball entourage/not- entourage alongside, things got interesting as they both reveal their pasts anď how the same has brought them together.
Bonus for me Xiaomara (sp?) and maybe even Miles.
Thank you, NG!
March 19, 2015
7.75/10
'The Companion Contract' has great characters, who feel real. I can imagine meeting them in the flesh. Solace Ames writing is incredible, it was a welcome surprise.
I received an ARC of this novel thanks to the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review. My thanks for the opportunity.
'The Companion Contract' has great characters, who feel real. I can imagine meeting them in the flesh. Solace Ames writing is incredible, it was a welcome surprise.
All I can see anymore is you. You drown the world in your light.
I received an ARC of this novel thanks to the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review. My thanks for the opportunity.
June 17, 2015
The heroine is fascinating. An old-for-her-years 21 year old heroine, who is a porn star, owns it. This story read like a fever dream, with it's near delirious descriptions of the high and lows of a retired porn star and an alt-rock band. I still haven't processed how I feel about it. The heroine is cool.
Bought from kobo.
Bought from kobo.
January 30, 2015
Wow! I need to recover and remember how to make words and breathe. Review coming soon.
September 27, 2016
3.5 stars
This is probably the most diverse and interesting erotic novel I've ever read.
This is probably the most diverse and interesting erotic novel I've ever read.
August 17, 2021
Contratto a tre è un romanzo erotico che fa parte della serie LA Doms, nonostante ciò, si può leggere singolarmente senza problemi.
La storia viene raccontata in prima persona (unico punto di vista) dalla protagonista Amy Mendoza, una giovane ragazza che dopo aver iniziato una carriera nel porno decide di accettare un incarico speciale: cercare di tenere lontano dalla droga un membro di una famosa band del passato che cerca di tornare alla ribalta. L'incarico sembra soddisfarla fino a quando non comincia a provare qualcosa per il suo datore di lavoro: Emanuel de la Isla, chitarrista della band.
I due protagonisti sono sicuramente ben caratterizzati e unici: lei è una ragazza americana con origini filippine, dal carattere forte e tosto mentre Emanuel è un chitarrista albino dal passato singolare, dominante e fuori dagli schemi (non ha problemi ad accettare la professione di Amy anzi quasi gli fa piacere che abbia esperienza).
Ma nonostante questo non sono riuscita mai a provare empatia per la protagonista e quindi, ci sono stati momenti in cui ho fatto davvero fatica ad andare avanti nella lettura.
Oltre ai protagonisti anche la tematica del mondo del porno è affrontata in maniera particolare: non in maniera bigotta come capita spesso ma come un lavoro come tanti altri.
Per quanto riguarda la componente erotica, l'autrice è molto dettagliata e non esita a spiegare determinati aspetti della vita di un'attrice porno ma anche se cerca in qualche modo di differenziare quello che c'è tra Amy/Miles e Amy/Emanuel in realtà in quest'ultimo rapporto non ho trovato la storia romantica che invece avrei tanto voluto ma resta un po' una storia di sesso.
Inoltre, secondo me, l'autrice ha inserito troppe tematiche legate ad altri membri della band che secondo me andavano approfondite meglio (o ancora meglio un volume per ogni membro come va tanto di moda).
Buone premesse ma non mi ha convinto.
La storia viene raccontata in prima persona (unico punto di vista) dalla protagonista Amy Mendoza, una giovane ragazza che dopo aver iniziato una carriera nel porno decide di accettare un incarico speciale: cercare di tenere lontano dalla droga un membro di una famosa band del passato che cerca di tornare alla ribalta. L'incarico sembra soddisfarla fino a quando non comincia a provare qualcosa per il suo datore di lavoro: Emanuel de la Isla, chitarrista della band.
I due protagonisti sono sicuramente ben caratterizzati e unici: lei è una ragazza americana con origini filippine, dal carattere forte e tosto mentre Emanuel è un chitarrista albino dal passato singolare, dominante e fuori dagli schemi (non ha problemi ad accettare la professione di Amy anzi quasi gli fa piacere che abbia esperienza).
Ma nonostante questo non sono riuscita mai a provare empatia per la protagonista e quindi, ci sono stati momenti in cui ho fatto davvero fatica ad andare avanti nella lettura.
Oltre ai protagonisti anche la tematica del mondo del porno è affrontata in maniera particolare: non in maniera bigotta come capita spesso ma come un lavoro come tanti altri.
Per quanto riguarda la componente erotica, l'autrice è molto dettagliata e non esita a spiegare determinati aspetti della vita di un'attrice porno ma anche se cerca in qualche modo di differenziare quello che c'è tra Amy/Miles e Amy/Emanuel in realtà in quest'ultimo rapporto non ho trovato la storia romantica che invece avrei tanto voluto ma resta un po' una storia di sesso.
Inoltre, secondo me, l'autrice ha inserito troppe tematiche legate ad altri membri della band che secondo me andavano approfondite meglio (o ancora meglio un volume per ogni membro come va tanto di moda).
Buone premesse ma non mi ha convinto.
March 13, 2018
I read this book a couple months ago and I really enjoyed it. It was really well written. Personally, I don't think sex and feelings can be distinguished. If I like someone romantically, the chances are that I will not look for physical pleasure elsewhere. But, quite a few of my preconceived notions were torn up. I like how the protagonist separates the physical from the literal.
The characters are all well written. And almost all of them have multiple layers. I also liked how diverse they are. This book addresses a lot of issues. I enjoyed it immensely and I'll go out and buy a paperback for sure.
The characters are all well written. And almost all of them have multiple layers. I also liked how diverse they are. This book addresses a lot of issues. I enjoyed it immensely and I'll go out and buy a paperback for sure.
March 22, 2019
Different from other erotic romance novels I've read, I really appreciate how connected the plot and the sex always are to the emotional motivations of the characters, especially given how messy those emotions are. The resolution is great and totally earned, and Amy and Emmanuel are a compelling and unique couple, but I have to admit I really loved the early part with Amy acting as Miles's sober companion/sexual healer. I absolutely recommend this and wouldn't be surprised if I read more in this series.
December 16, 2024
Third entry to a trilogy of loosely connected books, was nice to catch the character call backs.
I didn't love this one as much even though the plot was way different, maybe just because I didn't identify with the personalities as much as the other books.
But I loved the way the author handled the interactions and the careers.
I didn't love this one as much even though the plot was way different, maybe just because I didn't identify with the personalities as much as the other books.
But I loved the way the author handled the interactions and the careers.
December 5, 2017
Niente da fare, ma io ci ho provato. Giunta a pagina 80 ho capito che Solace non mi va né su né giù. Controllo? Sottomissione? Potere? Bah… sarà anche, ma trovo più stimolante Biancaneve e i sette nani. Quando si dice che la pubblicità è l’anima del commercio… se la lettura di un quarto di romanzo definito “erotico” mi lascia un blando senso di insofferenza, può anche darsi che sia solo un bluff. La scrittura è buona, ma la trama non è nient’altro che un rosa con un paio di scene di sesso descritte neanche tanto bene. Adieu.
December 9, 2017
I loved the LA setting and the diversity of the characters, both in terms of class and ethnicity. Such a refreshing change from the white Billionaires stalking NYC streets and playing in their deluxe dungeons.
March 14, 2018
The Companion Contract was an extremely diverse read, It gets one star for that and the other star for the attempt to make a different kind story but, to be honest, I liked better the idea of what this book could have been than what ended up being.
August 1, 2017
Aburrido
August 10, 2020
A dark story (and Not My Kink) but Ames is to be commended for the deep psychology of the characters and for her facility with their respective industries.
March 16, 2015
ARC provided by Netgalley
2.5
I'm a big fan of Ames' previous two LA Doms books, but THE COMPANION CONTRACT left me feeling rather flat. Amy Mendoza, a Japanese-Fillipino-American, has a meet rather ugly with an Afro-Colombian albino man while she is in the midst of extricating her cocaine OD'ing friend at an industry party. Amy's been starring in hardcore porn films since she turned 18, and now, at 21, is on the verge of burn-out. So when Emanuel, the man from the party, calls her and offers her a job being the sober companion/sexual outlet for the heroin-addicted white singer of his formerly famous band, Avert, which Emanuel is trying to revive, Amy's pleased, even though she's far more attracted to strong, silent Emanuel than she is to playful bad-boy Miles Morrison.
Amy and Miles engage in banter, and in sex, and Miles manages to stay on the straight and narrow, even after his former girlfriend, transwoman Xiomara (Emanuel's cousin) arrives back on the scene to fill in for the band's injured bass player. But when Amy decides mid-book that she can't accompany the band on tour, because she's crushing too hard on 40-something Emanuel, Emanuel takes her in hand, making her his girlfriend as well as his sub. There's some melodrama with the band—will Miles stick it out, or not?—and some melodrama with Emanuel leaving Amy in order to go on a business trip (Amy, whose entire family was deported when she was 13, has major abandonment issues), but not much else in the way of plot.
What was more troubling, the romance between 21-year-old Amy and 40-something Emanuel doesn't resonate at all—because we never see into his head? Because we don't really see Amy and Emanuel falling for one another? Because Emanuel comes across more like the ghost Amy's friend called him when she saw him at that party, sketchy, undeveloped beyond a history of trauma in his native Columbia? Because, since Amy's narrating, and he's her Dom, she doesn't allow us (or herself?) much insight into him? Amy's narrative voice is somewhat detached, distanced, which may also contribute to the problem. Or perhaps it's because she spends more time with Miles than with Emanuel?
There's a lot of interesting insights into life as a sex-worker, though, for example:
"I fuck for money but I still want to be treated like a human being, you know?" (Loc 379)
"I enjoy what I do, often, but it's not the kind of enjoyment civilians understand. If somebody is doing something with me, and I'm helping them do it, and if I'm doing it the right way, and it's not too uncomfortable and we're making it look good for the camera, well, I enjoy it. The way normal people enjoy being good at their jobs. But I wouldn't call it good sex. I don't have good sex that often" (595).
"Nobody from the outside understands. The best we can hope for is that they known they don't understand" (1927)
2.5
I'm a big fan of Ames' previous two LA Doms books, but THE COMPANION CONTRACT left me feeling rather flat. Amy Mendoza, a Japanese-Fillipino-American, has a meet rather ugly with an Afro-Colombian albino man while she is in the midst of extricating her cocaine OD'ing friend at an industry party. Amy's been starring in hardcore porn films since she turned 18, and now, at 21, is on the verge of burn-out. So when Emanuel, the man from the party, calls her and offers her a job being the sober companion/sexual outlet for the heroin-addicted white singer of his formerly famous band, Avert, which Emanuel is trying to revive, Amy's pleased, even though she's far more attracted to strong, silent Emanuel than she is to playful bad-boy Miles Morrison.
Amy and Miles engage in banter, and in sex, and Miles manages to stay on the straight and narrow, even after his former girlfriend, transwoman Xiomara (Emanuel's cousin) arrives back on the scene to fill in for the band's injured bass player. But when Amy decides mid-book that she can't accompany the band on tour, because she's crushing too hard on 40-something Emanuel, Emanuel takes her in hand, making her his girlfriend as well as his sub. There's some melodrama with the band—will Miles stick it out, or not?—and some melodrama with Emanuel leaving Amy in order to go on a business trip (Amy, whose entire family was deported when she was 13, has major abandonment issues), but not much else in the way of plot.
What was more troubling, the romance between 21-year-old Amy and 40-something Emanuel doesn't resonate at all—because we never see into his head? Because we don't really see Amy and Emanuel falling for one another? Because Emanuel comes across more like the ghost Amy's friend called him when she saw him at that party, sketchy, undeveloped beyond a history of trauma in his native Columbia? Because, since Amy's narrating, and he's her Dom, she doesn't allow us (or herself?) much insight into him? Amy's narrative voice is somewhat detached, distanced, which may also contribute to the problem. Or perhaps it's because she spends more time with Miles than with Emanuel?
There's a lot of interesting insights into life as a sex-worker, though, for example:
"I fuck for money but I still want to be treated like a human being, you know?" (Loc 379)
"I enjoy what I do, often, but it's not the kind of enjoyment civilians understand. If somebody is doing something with me, and I'm helping them do it, and if I'm doing it the right way, and it's not too uncomfortable and we're making it look good for the camera, well, I enjoy it. The way normal people enjoy being good at their jobs. But I wouldn't call it good sex. I don't have good sex that often" (595).
"Nobody from the outside understands. The best we can hope for is that they known they don't understand" (1927)
February 26, 2015
Leigh's review posted on Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews
3.5 Stars
I was frankly surprised by the depth of this book. I picked it up thinking it was a piece of fluff (not that there’s anything wrong with fluffy!) about a woman being hired to serve a spoiled rock star but falling in love with her employer instead. I thought this would be taking place in a world of tour buses and concert venues and have kinky contracts galore.
What I was not anticipating was a story that took place almost entirely outside of the premise told in the summary.
Amy is involved in the world of porn but trying to find her way out. Stumbling into a paid position as the “sober companion” to a rock star trying to make a comeback, her role was more of a distraction to keep the lead singer away from drugs. But while her position may be to care for the singer, her attention is focused on the heart behind the band, Emmanuel.
Emmanuel is actually one of the more interesting main characters I’ve come across. Dominant and charismatic, Emmanuel is an unusual mix. An albino Svengali who escaped his guerilla background in Columbia to become a respected musician trying to bring his band back to life.
Yet, I have to say that while Emmanuel was intense and the story was beautifully told, I think the author was trying to put too much into one book which prevented me from fully connecting with anyone. The other band members had stories of their own that could have been told separately, rather than trying to be put all into Amy and Emmanuel’s tale. In addition, while I understood the interest Amy and Emmanuel had for one another, I don’t know that I truly felt the affection or romance.
The Companion Contract was a well written story with unique characters and an interesting premise. I just wish it was either more on point to the summary that was given, or that a more appropriate description was provided for the story. I went in anticipating one thing, and receiving another. And while the story wasn’t any less expertly written, it just wasn’t what I was expecting.
Review copy provided for an honest review.
3.5 Stars
I was frankly surprised by the depth of this book. I picked it up thinking it was a piece of fluff (not that there’s anything wrong with fluffy!) about a woman being hired to serve a spoiled rock star but falling in love with her employer instead. I thought this would be taking place in a world of tour buses and concert venues and have kinky contracts galore.
What I was not anticipating was a story that took place almost entirely outside of the premise told in the summary.
Amy is involved in the world of porn but trying to find her way out. Stumbling into a paid position as the “sober companion” to a rock star trying to make a comeback, her role was more of a distraction to keep the lead singer away from drugs. But while her position may be to care for the singer, her attention is focused on the heart behind the band, Emmanuel.
Emmanuel is actually one of the more interesting main characters I’ve come across. Dominant and charismatic, Emmanuel is an unusual mix. An albino Svengali who escaped his guerilla background in Columbia to become a respected musician trying to bring his band back to life.
Yet, I have to say that while Emmanuel was intense and the story was beautifully told, I think the author was trying to put too much into one book which prevented me from fully connecting with anyone. The other band members had stories of their own that could have been told separately, rather than trying to be put all into Amy and Emmanuel’s tale. In addition, while I understood the interest Amy and Emmanuel had for one another, I don’t know that I truly felt the affection or romance.
The Companion Contract was a well written story with unique characters and an interesting premise. I just wish it was either more on point to the summary that was given, or that a more appropriate description was provided for the story. I went in anticipating one thing, and receiving another. And while the story wasn’t any less expertly written, it just wasn’t what I was expecting.
Review copy provided for an honest review.
October 19, 2016
The Companion Contract has been paraded as "the good alternative to 50 Shades of Grey", and I can definitely see why.
I learned that this book existed from Mara Wilson's twitter. Granted, nobody would believe me if I said I learned about an erotica book because I'm a fan of Roald Dahl's Matilda, yet here we are.
I wasn't particularly interested in the plot. Or the whole genre, actually. I felt the prose wasn't dealing too well with the first-person narrator. And it wasn't exactly a page-turner.
So. Why do I give it 4 stars?
The Companion Contract's characters are unlike any I've ever read. They aren't only incredibly diverse, but they are written very sensibly and thoughtfully.
Amy is the main character and narrator. She is an american-born Filipino-Japanese pornography actress, working in the sex industry to provide for herself since her family was deported back to the Philippines when she was barely a teenager.
While she's at a party she runs into Emanuel, and is immediately struck with him. Not only because he's a huge albino man, and not only because, being a black Colombian man living in the US, they have a similar backstory of pain and discrimination. Emanuel is the leader of a famous band, one whose songs helped Amy through many a tough day when she was fourteen and all alone.
Emanuel immediately takes to Amy, and hires her to be the companion to Miles, the band's frontman, who's coming out (again) of his drug addiction and needs to be kept clean and "entertained".
Of course, while she does, she falls for Emanuel and finds out just how much he likes control (and this is the part of the story where the book becomes a better written 50 Shades).
This novel is, first and foremost, an ode to diversity of every kind, whether it's racial variety, sexual orientation, or gender identity. It comes as no surprise that the author has lived on her own skin a good chunk of the experiences she writes about.
I learned that this book existed from Mara Wilson's twitter. Granted, nobody would believe me if I said I learned about an erotica book because I'm a fan of Roald Dahl's Matilda, yet here we are.
I wasn't particularly interested in the plot. Or the whole genre, actually. I felt the prose wasn't dealing too well with the first-person narrator. And it wasn't exactly a page-turner.
So. Why do I give it 4 stars?
The Companion Contract's characters are unlike any I've ever read. They aren't only incredibly diverse, but they are written very sensibly and thoughtfully.
Amy is the main character and narrator. She is an american-born Filipino-Japanese pornography actress, working in the sex industry to provide for herself since her family was deported back to the Philippines when she was barely a teenager.
While she's at a party she runs into Emanuel, and is immediately struck with him. Not only because he's a huge albino man, and not only because, being a black Colombian man living in the US, they have a similar backstory of pain and discrimination. Emanuel is the leader of a famous band, one whose songs helped Amy through many a tough day when she was fourteen and all alone.
Emanuel immediately takes to Amy, and hires her to be the companion to Miles, the band's frontman, who's coming out (again) of his drug addiction and needs to be kept clean and "entertained".
Of course, while she does, she falls for Emanuel and finds out just how much he likes control (and this is the part of the story where the book becomes a better written 50 Shades).
This novel is, first and foremost, an ode to diversity of every kind, whether it's racial variety, sexual orientation, or gender identity. It comes as no surprise that the author has lived on her own skin a good chunk of the experiences she writes about.
December 3, 2015
Amy is a porn star, ready to retire at age 21. Emmanuel is a guitarist, for a once popular rock band attempting to reunite. He offers her a job as a sober companion to Miles, the recovering drug addict lead singer. I don't mind that she's a porn star, she clearly states it's a job and she works hard to marker herself, there is no emotional involvement with her co-stars. Emmanuel offers her the job after seeing her cool head when her friend overdosed at a party. However he indicated that sex with Miles would be part of the job, she accepts the offer and proceeds to give Emmanuel a blow job. This set up a strange relationship, I didn't want to read about. To me she's being paid to have sex with her client and she does, which sounded to much like prostitution. She thinks about Emanuel but has kinky sex with Miles. 40% into the book she is still having sex with Miles and no relationship is developed with Emmanuel, who is the hero of the story. I enjoyed the eclectic and different characters, Emmanuel is a Colombian albino and there is a transgender band member. Amy enters into a sexual relationship with Emmanuel abrubtly, she kisses Miles good-bye and jumps into bed with Emmanuel. He is good to her and for her, accepting of her job not judging her past and boosting her self esteem with kindness and compliments. I'm not a big fan of threesomes, but the one here is very emotional and not awkward at all. The writting was good and relationships are complex, but too bizzare for me.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews