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Nature of Desire #5
Mistress of Redemption
The white-collar life Jonathan Powell created for himself is gone. Standing outside Wentworth prison after serving his five-year sentence, he knows he has to start over. No more hooking up with Dominant women so he can enjoy the challenge of screwing up their minds. But who knew his last target would be a psychopathic killer who tried to off two cops? No, it wasn't the game that was the problem. He just made some key mistakes. Mistakes he won't make again.
Then Mistress Dona shows up to give him a ride from the prison into his new life, and his resolve goes out the window. She's everything he can't resist. Dona knows she has to help Jonathan make the right choice this time, because Hell doesn't offer options. He has to understand and accept what surrender truly means. His only hope is a Mistress of Redemption. The problem is she may lose her own soul in the attempt to save his.
Fifth in the Nature of Desire Series (features Jonathan from Natural Law).
Reader Advisory: This book contains a very gritty and frank journey to Hell and contains many BDSM elements. Some of the situations and scenes may be disturbing to some readers. It is not for the faint of heart.
Then Mistress Dona shows up to give him a ride from the prison into his new life, and his resolve goes out the window. She's everything he can't resist. Dona knows she has to help Jonathan make the right choice this time, because Hell doesn't offer options. He has to understand and accept what surrender truly means. His only hope is a Mistress of Redemption. The problem is she may lose her own soul in the attempt to save his.
Fifth in the Nature of Desire Series (features Jonathan from Natural Law).
Reader Advisory: This book contains a very gritty and frank journey to Hell and contains many BDSM elements. Some of the situations and scenes may be disturbing to some readers. It is not for the faint of heart.
216 pages, ebook
First published September 6, 2006
About the author
Joey W. Hill
114 books3,407 followers"BDSM Romance for the Heart & Soul"
A submissive herself, Hill brings authenticity to her intensely emotional BDSM love stories. With over fifty titles and six series, her contemporary and paranormal romances feature everything from billionaires, bikers, SEALs, firefighters, cops and housemaids, to vampires, mermaids, witches and angels.
"Joey translates the world of BDSM with such intense power and exquisite beauty. LOVE is the most powerful element entwined through the Dominance and submission.” –Goodreads, Pink Lady
Joey is the recipient of the RT Book Reviews Career Achievement Award for Erotic Romance, and she loves to hear from her readers!
Website: storywitch.com
Facebook: @JoeyWHillAuthor
MeWe: mewe.com/i/joeywhill
Twitter: @JoeyWHill
A submissive herself, Hill brings authenticity to her intensely emotional BDSM love stories. With over fifty titles and six series, her contemporary and paranormal romances feature everything from billionaires, bikers, SEALs, firefighters, cops and housemaids, to vampires, mermaids, witches and angels.
"Joey translates the world of BDSM with such intense power and exquisite beauty. LOVE is the most powerful element entwined through the Dominance and submission.” –Goodreads, Pink Lady
Joey is the recipient of the RT Book Reviews Career Achievement Award for Erotic Romance, and she loves to hear from her readers!
Website: storywitch.com
Facebook: @JoeyWHillAuthor
MeWe: mewe.com/i/joeywhill
Twitter: @JoeyWHill
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews
September 2, 2009
Hey, remember that asshole, Jonathan Powell? Well, he's baaack! And boy, does he get his.
Jonathan Powell has finished his five year debt to society for his part in the S&M killings that gripped Florida. After nearly causing the death of Violet and Mac Nighthorse, this unrepentant badboy is already eager to get back out there when an old mistress from his past zooms up in a red Mercedes. Her strong, take charge, kick ass persona is like waving a red flag in the face of this twisted submissive and he answers her challenge. He falls asleep on the way to wherever Dona is taking him and when he wakes up, he feels off balance and unsure. This place that Dona has brought him to instantly feels surreal and frightening. Quickly he comes to realize that things are definitely not what they seem and if he wishes to save his soul then he had better take his punishment like a good little boy.
Edge Play: Pushing yourself to the edge of your ability to cope.
If you're thinking about reading this book then chances are you are already aware of how crazy Joey W. Hill can get. You've been warned.
This was a supremely uncomfortable and awe inspiring book to read. I had no idea what it was about because none of the reviews that I had read prior to reading this book had really hinted as to how this story would unfold. Well, I'm not going to ruin it for you, either. Just know that when Mistress Dona says that she's the Goddess of Pain, the Goth Mistress from Hell, she's not lying and prepare yourself. She scared the bejeezus out of me.
This isn't so much erotica as more of a trip into hell where Joey W. Hill systematically rips the character of Jonathan AKA Nathan apart and then puts him back together again. It's a trippy look into a damaged male mind and it's painful road to redemption. That some of the torments are pleasurable to this submissive shouldn't weigh into the fact that this story was all about the purification of pain. I'm not kidding. Mistress Dona Beats. The. Holy. Crap. Out. Of. Him.
If you can make it past the first part of the book and past the piercings, you will be struck dumb by the level of torment and despair that Nathan endures, before being amazed by the level of enlightenment that he receives. It's as if Joey W. Hill was testing you to see if you could handle it before showing you something truly special.
This isn't all pain and male screaming, though. There are some fantastic moments of intimacy that only this supremely talented author can write. When Nathan realizes how far he has fallen, he reaches out to Dona and asks her where she has been all his life. My heart just cracked when I read that part. Everything had been leading up to that moment and after originally thinking that Joey W. Hill had lost her mind, I have got to say bravo. Bravo for daring to go far, far beyond the realms of comfort and for showing me something special.
Jonathan Powell has finished his five year debt to society for his part in the S&M killings that gripped Florida. After nearly causing the death of Violet and Mac Nighthorse, this unrepentant badboy is already eager to get back out there when an old mistress from his past zooms up in a red Mercedes. Her strong, take charge, kick ass persona is like waving a red flag in the face of this twisted submissive and he answers her challenge. He falls asleep on the way to wherever Dona is taking him and when he wakes up, he feels off balance and unsure. This place that Dona has brought him to instantly feels surreal and frightening. Quickly he comes to realize that things are definitely not what they seem and if he wishes to save his soul then he had better take his punishment like a good little boy.
Edge Play: Pushing yourself to the edge of your ability to cope.
If you're thinking about reading this book then chances are you are already aware of how crazy Joey W. Hill can get. You've been warned.
This was a supremely uncomfortable and awe inspiring book to read. I had no idea what it was about because none of the reviews that I had read prior to reading this book had really hinted as to how this story would unfold. Well, I'm not going to ruin it for you, either. Just know that when Mistress Dona says that she's the Goddess of Pain, the Goth Mistress from Hell, she's not lying and prepare yourself. She scared the bejeezus out of me.
This isn't so much erotica as more of a trip into hell where Joey W. Hill systematically rips the character of Jonathan AKA Nathan apart and then puts him back together again. It's a trippy look into a damaged male mind and it's painful road to redemption. That some of the torments are pleasurable to this submissive shouldn't weigh into the fact that this story was all about the purification of pain. I'm not kidding. Mistress Dona Beats. The. Holy. Crap. Out. Of. Him.
If you can make it past the first part of the book and past the piercings, you will be struck dumb by the level of torment and despair that Nathan endures, before being amazed by the level of enlightenment that he receives. It's as if Joey W. Hill was testing you to see if you could handle it before showing you something truly special.
This isn't all pain and male screaming, though. There are some fantastic moments of intimacy that only this supremely talented author can write. When Nathan realizes how far he has fallen, he reaches out to Dona and asks her where she has been all his life. My heart just cracked when I read that part. Everything had been leading up to that moment and after originally thinking that Joey W. Hill had lost her mind, I have got to say bravo. Bravo for daring to go far, far beyond the realms of comfort and for showing me something special.
January 8, 2011
I really enjoyed this. I thought Hill's imagination was at it's extremely clever best.
Be forewarned, this installment of the series is not like the rest. It is tripped out (yet deep & intelligent, IMO) & turns religious dogma on it's ear in a very subtle way.
It has an extremely existential bent to it & I really thought, "how better than to deal with a character like Jonathan?" so it really worked for me & I bought the angle.
My favorite aspect of the book was Hill's whole concept of God & Lucifer. I loved the new context she gave to Heaven & Hell & I felt it worked so well & was so smart.
SPOILERS....
Hill's concept of the "soul" in general was fantastic. It is not something you can really lose per say, at least not to the the Devil in the traditional sense. Every soul has a true mate & that is what each one is seeking but of course, there are those that allow evil to creep in (for whatever personal reasons) & mask one's true soul. This is the case with Jonathan, who we find out is really Nathan until he created the character of Jonathan out of trying to cope/protect himself from a very scary & abusive childhood. Jonathan grows out of control, the darkness takes over & when he dies by knife in prison, his soul is taken through the redemption process to see if it can avoid the painful process of cleansing through Hell.
In this world, Lucifer & God are actually soulmates working together to help all souls that pass on to either redeem themselves enough in Purgatory to then be put back in "The Hall of Souls" (the human world)usually as a new person w/out any memory of their experience but hopefully, forging their way now on the right Karmic path.
Or if the soul is completely lost, if it cannot redeem in Purgatory, as in the case with Jonathan, go to Hell until the soul is sufficiently punished in order to rise up from the ashes & take root in the human world again, with the lessons learned, now cleansed in order to help it on it's path & make amends in the human world.
The theory is all about Karmic retribution. The soul is constantly reincarnated, it has a destiny & the path it follows is a result of how that soul deals in the the human world.
There is no Evil b'c of the Devil. You don't sell your soul to him or become possessed by demons per say as we typically see.
No, the person becomes possessed b'c THEY create it's own evil through choice & refusal to take responsibility for him or herself. They allow that insidiousness to grow so it becomes the marrow of the soul, completely creating another person & in effect (symbolically) they are possessed.
I thought this was just brilliant stuff here.
The souls cleansing process is to be stripped raw & has to face its past mistakes...has to look in the mirror & decide whether or not it can let go of the evil to truly understand & ask for true forgiveness. Very simple, logical stuff here yet the way Hill craft's the story, pretty deep. Really liked this one. I thought it was a hella' lot better than the typical Romance, sentimental schmaltzy style of the last 2 in the series.
Be forewarned, this installment of the series is not like the rest. It is tripped out (yet deep & intelligent, IMO) & turns religious dogma on it's ear in a very subtle way.
It has an extremely existential bent to it & I really thought, "how better than to deal with a character like Jonathan?" so it really worked for me & I bought the angle.
My favorite aspect of the book was Hill's whole concept of God & Lucifer. I loved the new context she gave to Heaven & Hell & I felt it worked so well & was so smart.
SPOILERS....
Hill's concept of the "soul" in general was fantastic. It is not something you can really lose per say, at least not to the the Devil in the traditional sense. Every soul has a true mate & that is what each one is seeking but of course, there are those that allow evil to creep in (for whatever personal reasons) & mask one's true soul. This is the case with Jonathan, who we find out is really Nathan until he created the character of Jonathan out of trying to cope/protect himself from a very scary & abusive childhood. Jonathan grows out of control, the darkness takes over & when he dies by knife in prison, his soul is taken through the redemption process to see if it can avoid the painful process of cleansing through Hell.
In this world, Lucifer & God are actually soulmates working together to help all souls that pass on to either redeem themselves enough in Purgatory to then be put back in "The Hall of Souls" (the human world)usually as a new person w/out any memory of their experience but hopefully, forging their way now on the right Karmic path.
Or if the soul is completely lost, if it cannot redeem in Purgatory, as in the case with Jonathan, go to Hell until the soul is sufficiently punished in order to rise up from the ashes & take root in the human world again, with the lessons learned, now cleansed in order to help it on it's path & make amends in the human world.
The theory is all about Karmic retribution. The soul is constantly reincarnated, it has a destiny & the path it follows is a result of how that soul deals in the the human world.
There is no Evil b'c of the Devil. You don't sell your soul to him or become possessed by demons per say as we typically see.
No, the person becomes possessed b'c THEY create it's own evil through choice & refusal to take responsibility for him or herself. They allow that insidiousness to grow so it becomes the marrow of the soul, completely creating another person & in effect (symbolically) they are possessed.
I thought this was just brilliant stuff here.
The souls cleansing process is to be stripped raw & has to face its past mistakes...has to look in the mirror & decide whether or not it can let go of the evil to truly understand & ask for true forgiveness. Very simple, logical stuff here yet the way Hill craft's the story, pretty deep. Really liked this one. I thought it was a hella' lot better than the typical Romance, sentimental schmaltzy style of the last 2 in the series.
December 18, 2016
Oh dear. Do not read this as your first Joey Hill book. Or second. Or ...
Was flummoxed to find myself starting on a contemporary modern book that seemed to follow on from the book Natural Law (a great read BTW) only to find myself in paranormal land??!
Got too confused and a bit too irritated with the many women/sirens that seemed set on making Nathan/Jonathan's existence a living hell (that alone should have made me twig, right?)
Did not, could not. Would not finish this book.
Am a bit nervous now as this is the second of Joey's non vampire book that I've started and slowly, warily backed away from.
Stars are for the writing style only which is second to none. The plausibility of the plot was just....none.
Pity, cos I thought I'd found another rock solid author-crush in a very sparse populated genre.
Will keep going but Imma tell you, another poor showing and I'm abandoning the Hill.
Was flummoxed to find myself starting on a contemporary modern book that seemed to follow on from the book Natural Law (a great read BTW) only to find myself in paranormal land??!
Got too confused and a bit too irritated with the many women/sirens that seemed set on making Nathan/Jonathan's existence a living hell (that alone should have made me twig, right?)
Did not, could not. Would not finish this book.
Am a bit nervous now as this is the second of Joey's non vampire book that I've started and slowly, warily backed away from.
Stars are for the writing style only which is second to none. The plausibility of the plot was just....none.
Pity, cos I thought I'd found another rock solid author-crush in a very sparse populated genre.
Will keep going but Imma tell you, another poor showing and I'm abandoning the Hill.
October 24, 2013
I'm a bit unsure of how to review this book. I enjoy contemporary stories and I enjoy PNR. However, I don't like for books in a series to switch genres. There were some allusions to other-ness in the first book of this series, but the books are decidedly contemporary. I know it shouldn't matter this much, but it throws me mentally to combine the varied worlds. I had a similar issue with Lori Foster's My Man, Michael.
Were this a PNR series, I would have given the book a higher rating. The writing is superb, beautiful and haunting at the same time. BUT I can't overlook how out of place the story felt to me as a reader. It was a completely different world. I'm conflicted, so giving this book a middle of the road rating.
Were this a PNR series, I would have given the book a higher rating. The writing is superb, beautiful and haunting at the same time. BUT I can't overlook how out of place the story felt to me as a reader. It was a completely different world. I'm conflicted, so giving this book a middle of the road rating.
August 27, 2016
I was looking forward to this book so much. The bad guy in the first 2 books in the series was going to be redeemed. What's better than that?
Well not this book. This book was horrible, it was an episode of twilight zone! The first 3 books are straight forward contemporary romances. The 4th book has a tiny little bit of fantasy, more like magical realism. But this one was just out of this world, literally! It takes place in purgatory and hell!
There were so many things wrong with this book that I can't even...
The only good thing about it was that it was short!
I'm going to read the next one because another book by this author is one of my all time favorites and I'm going to ignore this one book and move on. But gaaaah I'm disappointed :(
Well not this book. This book was horrible, it was an episode of twilight zone! The first 3 books are straight forward contemporary romances. The 4th book has a tiny little bit of fantasy, more like magical realism. But this one was just out of this world, literally! It takes place in purgatory and hell!
There were so many things wrong with this book that I can't even...
The only good thing about it was that it was short!
I'm going to read the next one because another book by this author is one of my all time favorites and I'm going to ignore this one book and move on. But gaaaah I'm disappointed :(
October 26, 2013
Ugh! How Ms. Hill went from 5 stars with Mirror of my Soul to this blows my mind. The sudden 'lets throw paranormal into the mix' kills me. I love paranormals and I love erotica, hell I've read and loved paranormal erotica before. However, the difference is I went into that world expecting it. I don't like when authors randomly insert paranormal elements into a series when prior to said book there was none. Totally ruined it for me in my personal opinion. I'll still give the next one in the series a shot and I'll at least always have Tyler...
July 15, 2012
This is a comprehensive review of the series as a whole.
Every character is unique, each one bringing his/her own experiences to the BDSM scene. And every story is deeply buried under layers of hurt and distrust. But these characters are mighty, their love limitless. Lots of dungeon time, winding dark sensuality with anguish and courage, making these stories live on long after they’re devoured.
Every character is unique, each one bringing his/her own experiences to the BDSM scene. And every story is deeply buried under layers of hurt and distrust. But these characters are mighty, their love limitless. Lots of dungeon time, winding dark sensuality with anguish and courage, making these stories live on long after they’re devoured.
July 8, 2008
I don't like paranormals in general. This book had way too much paranormal stuff in it with weird half-human and half-animals. I couldn't even read more than a few chapters. Totally not my kind of genre.
January 2, 2009
Hey, remember that asshole, Jonathan Powell? Well, he's baaack! And boy, does he get his.
Jonathan Powell has finished his five year debt to society for his part in the S&M killings that gripped Florida. After nearly causing the death of Violet and Mac Nighthorse, this unrepentant badboy is already eager to get back out there when an old mistress from his past zooms up in a red Mercedes. Her strong, take charge, kick ass persona is like waving a red flag in the face of this twisted submissive and he answers her challenge. He falls asleep on the way to wherever Dona is taking him and when he wakes up, he feels off balance and unsure. This place that Dona has brought him to instantly feels surreal and frightening. Quickly he comes to realize that things are definitely not what they seem and if he wishes to save his soul then he had better take his punishment like a good little boy.
Edge Play: Pushing yourself to the edge of your ability to cope.
If you're thinking about reading this book then chances are you are already aware of how crazy Joey W. Hill can get. You've been warned.
This was a supremely uncomfortable and awe inspiring book to read. I had no idea what it was about because none of the reviews that I had read prior to reading this book had really hinted as to how this story would unfold. Well, I'm not going to ruin it for you, either. Just know that when Mistress Dona says that she's the Goddess of Pain, the Goth Mistress from Hell, she's not lying and prepare yourself. She scared the bejeezus out of me.
This isn't so much erotica as more of a trip into hell where Joey W. Hill systematically rips the character of Jonathan AKA Nathan apart and then puts him back together again. It's a trippy look into a damaged male mind and it's painful road to redemption. That some of the torments are pleasurable to this submissive shouldn't weigh into the fact that this story was all about the purification of pain. I'm not kidding. Mistress Dona Beats. The. Holy. Crap. Out. Of. Him.
If you can make it past the first part of the book and past the piercings, you will be struck dumb by the level of torment and despair that Nathan endures, before being amazed by the level of enlightenment that he receives. It's as if Joey W. Hill was testing you to see if you could handle it before showing you something truly special.
This isn't all pain and male screaming, though. There are some fantastic moments of intimacy that only this supremely talented author can write. When Nathan realizes how far he has fallen, he reaches out to Dona and asks her where she has been all his life. My heart just cracked when I read that part. Everything had been leading up to that moment and after originally thinking that Joey W. Hill had lost her mind, I have got to say bravo. Bravo for daring to go far, far beyond the realms of comfort and for showing me something special.
Jonathan Powell has finished his five year debt to society for his part in the S&M killings that gripped Florida. After nearly causing the death of Violet and Mac Nighthorse, this unrepentant badboy is already eager to get back out there when an old mistress from his past zooms up in a red Mercedes. Her strong, take charge, kick ass persona is like waving a red flag in the face of this twisted submissive and he answers her challenge. He falls asleep on the way to wherever Dona is taking him and when he wakes up, he feels off balance and unsure. This place that Dona has brought him to instantly feels surreal and frightening. Quickly he comes to realize that things are definitely not what they seem and if he wishes to save his soul then he had better take his punishment like a good little boy.
Edge Play: Pushing yourself to the edge of your ability to cope.
If you're thinking about reading this book then chances are you are already aware of how crazy Joey W. Hill can get. You've been warned.
This was a supremely uncomfortable and awe inspiring book to read. I had no idea what it was about because none of the reviews that I had read prior to reading this book had really hinted as to how this story would unfold. Well, I'm not going to ruin it for you, either. Just know that when Mistress Dona says that she's the Goddess of Pain, the Goth Mistress from Hell, she's not lying and prepare yourself. She scared the bejeezus out of me.
This isn't so much erotica as more of a trip into hell where Joey W. Hill systematically rips the character of Jonathan AKA Nathan apart and then puts him back together again. It's a trippy look into a damaged male mind and it's painful road to redemption. That some of the torments are pleasurable to this submissive shouldn't weigh into the fact that this story was all about the purification of pain. I'm not kidding. Mistress Dona Beats. The. Holy. Crap. Out. Of. Him.
If you can make it past the first part of the book and past the piercings, you will be struck dumb by the level of torment and despair that Nathan endures, before being amazed by the level of enlightenment that he receives. It's as if Joey W. Hill was testing you to see if you could handle it before showing you something truly special.
This isn't all pain and male screaming, though. There are some fantastic moments of intimacy that only this supremely talented author can write. When Nathan realizes how far he has fallen, he reaches out to Dona and asks her where she has been all his life. My heart just cracked when I read that part. Everything had been leading up to that moment and after originally thinking that Joey W. Hill had lost her mind, I have got to say bravo. Bravo for daring to go far, far beyond the realms of comfort and for showing me something special.
May 7, 2011
After reading Mirror of my Soul I expected Mistress of Redemption to be equally great. It wasn't.
The author introduced the book by saying she didn't generally write books about bad guys but a domme had challenged her to do just that - then she said the magic word for me - redemption. The book was about redemption. I was all over that in a hot second but about 20 pages into the book it was a major WTH? The redemption takes place in purgatory so the majority of what happens is fantastical.
I was majorly disappointed but I read along waiting for Jonathan to return to reality. I waited and I waited. Eventually I was skimming over large sections of switching scenes and unending circular dialogue until he FINALLY returned to the real world. I was thinking "Yes! Finally." But, then poof the book was over. WAAAIIIIIT!!! Go back.
BUT, alas it was done. Jonathan had found his redemption in purgatory so the author only gave it a token nod in the real world. :-(
To me -Jonathan got off easy. He suffered for his redemption in fantasy land. His only meeting with those he'd actually made suffer in the "real" world was glossed over. In the end it was over and I felt cheated.
The author introduced the book by saying she didn't generally write books about bad guys but a domme had challenged her to do just that - then she said the magic word for me - redemption. The book was about redemption. I was all over that in a hot second but about 20 pages into the book it was a major WTH? The redemption takes place in purgatory so the majority of what happens is fantastical.
I was majorly disappointed but I read along waiting for Jonathan to return to reality. I waited and I waited. Eventually I was skimming over large sections of switching scenes and unending circular dialogue until he FINALLY returned to the real world. I was thinking "Yes! Finally." But, then poof the book was over. WAAAIIIIIT!!! Go back.
BUT, alas it was done. Jonathan had found his redemption in purgatory so the author only gave it a token nod in the real world. :-(
To me -Jonathan got off easy. He suffered for his redemption in fantasy land. His only meeting with those he'd actually made suffer in the "real" world was glossed over. In the end it was over and I felt cheated.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 29, 2016
I loved the ending. All the PNR ... it's funny because I was thinking I wanted to read a PNR and had been set to read this - because I'd been glomming some of Ms. Hill's books.
It was ... O_o I mean it is hard. core. I don't know about the whole "redemption" part but - shit that's one way to do it.
I will say - I'm not 100% sure but - I don't think they let you keep piercings in prison? So ... but anyway. I'm talking in circles because if you read it, you get it. If you haven't - you'll ... you need to find out on your own. And if you want to have nothing to do with it ... you won't want to know.
Seriously the ending was so cute and sweet though.
And shoutout for the holy shit amazing evil twisted ass revenge Dona gets on her cheating husband's mistress.
C- ... maybe D+ it was just ... yeah
It was ... O_o I mean it is hard. core. I don't know about the whole "redemption" part but - shit that's one way to do it.
I will say - I'm not 100% sure but - I don't think they let you keep piercings in prison? So ... but anyway. I'm talking in circles because if you read it, you get it. If you haven't - you'll ... you need to find out on your own. And if you want to have nothing to do with it ... you won't want to know.
Seriously the ending was so cute and sweet though.
And shoutout for the holy shit amazing evil twisted ass revenge Dona gets on her cheating husband's mistress.
C- ... maybe D+ it was just ... yeah
September 19, 2009
When I was reading this I was appalled by what Mistress Donna put Jonathan through. Having read the other Joey Hill books I could not find one reason why he would have to go through redemption. Yes, he was a total jerk, who played mind games, was manipulative and hurt his "poor mistresses "feelings. It was not until towards the end of the book when it became clear that Mistress Donna's goal was to save his soul. It was more violent then i am comfortable with but still a very good read.
May 28, 2015
No. Just no. She just totally went and jumped the shark with this one which is really so disappointing. This was such an amazing series until she decided to move this series into crazy paranormal and I like paranormal books but not randomly in the middle of series which contains no hint of it previously.
March 27, 2012
Talk about a trip to hell--this book is quite different from the previous "Nature of Desire" series--it's good--just very different
August 28, 2013
Just couldn't get into it. :(
January 9, 2014
Not my favourite book in the series why did it all off a sudden become a paranormal book.
January 21, 2016
Whoa! Someone recommended Joey Hill to me, and I went into it not sure what I would find, but I certainly wasn't expecting this! The main character is apparently the villain from an earlier work that I haven't read, and is just getting out of prison after serving the sentence given to him at the end of the previous work. He is picked up outside the prison by a Domme from the club he used to frequent, only
****MAJOR MAJOR SPOILER ALERT******
she actually takes him down into Purgatory, where she is a Mistress of Redemption. He is given the opportunity to atone for his crimes through suffering, and to be reborn into a new karmic cycle. There's a lot more than that, but I can't discuss it without revealing even more spoilers than I already have.
This is not, as you might have guessed from that brief description, your garden-variety erotica, even of the BDSM variety. The sex scenes are explicit and intense and may not be for everyone--the main character first achieves sexual climax while chained to a bar by his pierced genitals, for example--but a significant portion of the story is taken up with the characters' discussions of the nature of good and evil, the corrupting power of abuse and betrayal, and the possibility of personal redemption through suffering and self-sacrifice. There is also a rather subversive cosmology that combines elements of both Christianity and Buddhism. All in all, this may not be everyone's cup of tea, but for those who are interested, it is both a sympathetic description of a non-mainstream form of sexuality, and a serious meditation on if/how a person can come back after having allowed a hard past to pull them under into the darkness.
****MAJOR MAJOR SPOILER ALERT******
she actually takes him down into Purgatory, where she is a Mistress of Redemption. He is given the opportunity to atone for his crimes through suffering, and to be reborn into a new karmic cycle. There's a lot more than that, but I can't discuss it without revealing even more spoilers than I already have.
This is not, as you might have guessed from that brief description, your garden-variety erotica, even of the BDSM variety. The sex scenes are explicit and intense and may not be for everyone--the main character first achieves sexual climax while chained to a bar by his pierced genitals, for example--but a significant portion of the story is taken up with the characters' discussions of the nature of good and evil, the corrupting power of abuse and betrayal, and the possibility of personal redemption through suffering and self-sacrifice. There is also a rather subversive cosmology that combines elements of both Christianity and Buddhism. All in all, this may not be everyone's cup of tea, but for those who are interested, it is both a sympathetic description of a non-mainstream form of sexuality, and a serious meditation on if/how a person can come back after having allowed a hard past to pull them under into the darkness.
August 7, 2011
A very interesting addition to this series which is not paranormal usually, but contemporary BDSM. This book however, was largely paranormal in nature which might throw some people off. If you've read the Daughters of Arrienne, then you'll recognize Lucifer in all his winged majesty (he's NOT the Devil in this, btw, but the guardian in charge of the redemption of sinners).
Jonathan Powell was the manipulating sub that almost got Mac and Violet from book 3 killed. He's spent 5 years in jail for his complicity in the S/M Killer's crimes and is now being released. He meets Donna, a Domme, and is "cleansed" shall we say. He must come to terms with all the evil he has perpetrated in his life and bear his punishments, which are extensive! This was as hard core as I've read in this genre. It's horrifying what Jonathan goes through. Think of it as A Christmas Carol for BDSM. Donna is all three spirits, showing him his past in intimate detail as well as what he put others through and the future he can have if he is redeemed. But Donna has many layers too and she's got a compelling story. We get to see how the pain Jonathan endures brigs him to terms with himself and to his true soulmate. He an Donna are meant to be together, but the trip is extraordinary. Warning though! Jonathan never refuses any of his punishments, but I questioned his true consent to much of what he endured. The question is whether what he endures is real, or only in the "dream" world. Really compelling stuff.
Jonathan Powell was the manipulating sub that almost got Mac and Violet from book 3 killed. He's spent 5 years in jail for his complicity in the S/M Killer's crimes and is now being released. He meets Donna, a Domme, and is "cleansed" shall we say. He must come to terms with all the evil he has perpetrated in his life and bear his punishments, which are extensive! This was as hard core as I've read in this genre. It's horrifying what Jonathan goes through. Think of it as A Christmas Carol for BDSM. Donna is all three spirits, showing him his past in intimate detail as well as what he put others through and the future he can have if he is redeemed. But Donna has many layers too and she's got a compelling story. We get to see how the pain Jonathan endures brigs him to terms with himself and to his true soulmate. He an Donna are meant to be together, but the trip is extraordinary. Warning though! Jonathan never refuses any of his punishments, but I questioned his true consent to much of what he endured. The question is whether what he endures is real, or only in the "dream" world. Really compelling stuff.
April 13, 2011
I'm still reading it, and a little under halfway through in one sitting.
So far, while it's got more of a sense of 'hardcore' and force to it than I'm normally used to, Joey manages to balance that with emotional depth between the characters well enough that I don't particularly mind. Not to mention, the -- I hesitate to call him the hero -- the main male character deserves at least a little of what he's given. In book two of the series, the conniving little thing almost killed one of the best characters I've come across in any book, ever.
But Joey's guiding hand managed to nudge me past my glaring animosity for him. She's that good. In one book, she can have you hissing at a character you dislike them so much, and in the next you find yourself wanting to see why they are who they are, and hoping, grudgingly, that they get a happy ending of thier own. Not to mention I only briefly questioned the why of putting a semi-paranormal book based in Hell, Lucifer, burning pits, the whole shebang, smack bang in the middle of a series of books otherwise based in the real, 21st century world. I answered my own question though. "Of course he's in Hell! He ****ed with Mac!"
Readers who don't mind heavy, and I do mean heavy, BDSM with real emotional content and believable characters (even the leopard girl. Only Joey could manage to put a leopard girl in Hell and still make it seem feasible.), and a very talented author behind it all should definitely give this book a look.
...Still not as good as Mac's book. Natural Desire freaking rocked.
So far, while it's got more of a sense of 'hardcore' and force to it than I'm normally used to, Joey manages to balance that with emotional depth between the characters well enough that I don't particularly mind. Not to mention, the -- I hesitate to call him the hero -- the main male character deserves at least a little of what he's given. In book two of the series, the conniving little thing almost killed one of the best characters I've come across in any book, ever.
But Joey's guiding hand managed to nudge me past my glaring animosity for him. She's that good. In one book, she can have you hissing at a character you dislike them so much, and in the next you find yourself wanting to see why they are who they are, and hoping, grudgingly, that they get a happy ending of thier own. Not to mention I only briefly questioned the why of putting a semi-paranormal book based in Hell, Lucifer, burning pits, the whole shebang, smack bang in the middle of a series of books otherwise based in the real, 21st century world. I answered my own question though. "Of course he's in Hell! He ****ed with Mac!"
Readers who don't mind heavy, and I do mean heavy, BDSM with real emotional content and believable characters (even the leopard girl. Only Joey could manage to put a leopard girl in Hell and still make it seem feasible.), and a very talented author behind it all should definitely give this book a look.
...Still not as good as Mac's book. Natural Desire freaking rocked.
November 4, 2013
Jonathan Powell - the guy we loved to hate in the 2 books in NoD series is back and he is getting his comeuppance in a horrific way. (I wish all *ssh*les in the real world get the same treatment. But i digress....)
This story is intense. Intensely painful to read. The story is good - bad guy gets his due in the afterlife, realizes the error of his ways, repents and gets another shot in life. And J Hill does not disappoint in the roller coaster ride of emotions going through the characters in the story. Jonathan Powell is just a sleaze, but what he gets as punishment is just - shudder! I cringed at some of the "sexual punishment" given to him. J Hill can make the reader feel the pain and suffering with her excellent storytelling.
Dona is a hard Mistress through and through but you see her tender side every now and then. And her own history is just so heart-breaking. I felt sad for her.
If you are easily affected by the emotions running in a story...this book is emotional. It will probably make you very emotional. But it is worth a read. So would i recommend it? If you dont mind the bit about heaven and hell, redemption and the whole concept, give it a try.
This story is intense. Intensely painful to read. The story is good - bad guy gets his due in the afterlife, realizes the error of his ways, repents and gets another shot in life. And J Hill does not disappoint in the roller coaster ride of emotions going through the characters in the story. Jonathan Powell is just a sleaze, but what he gets as punishment is just - shudder! I cringed at some of the "sexual punishment" given to him. J Hill can make the reader feel the pain and suffering with her excellent storytelling.
Dona is a hard Mistress through and through but you see her tender side every now and then. And her own history is just so heart-breaking. I felt sad for her.
If you are easily affected by the emotions running in a story...this book is emotional. It will probably make you very emotional. But it is worth a read. So would i recommend it? If you dont mind the bit about heaven and hell, redemption and the whole concept, give it a try.
June 19, 2016
Woah this one came out of left field!
I hate writing negative reviews so I will make this brief.
Joey is a fantastic writer and I have loved almost everything I have read by her. This series however is a contemporary romance and I HATE how authors throw in paranormal elements into a contemp series. That aside, the hero sucked. Like I wouldn't have given a flying f**k if he got shanked in the prison yard and bleed out before anyone could get to him. He was a villain in previous who totally deserved to go to prison, and while I love a dark hero there was nothing heroic about this asshole. His actions didn't redeem him, the whole story was BS.
My recommendation SKIP THIS BOOK. And move onto Rough Canvas which is delicious!!
I hate writing negative reviews so I will make this brief.
Joey is a fantastic writer and I have loved almost everything I have read by her. This series however is a contemporary romance and I HATE how authors throw in paranormal elements into a contemp series. That aside, the hero sucked. Like I wouldn't have given a flying f**k if he got shanked in the prison yard and bleed out before anyone could get to him. He was a villain in previous who totally deserved to go to prison, and while I love a dark hero there was nothing heroic about this asshole. His actions didn't redeem him, the whole story was BS.
My recommendation SKIP THIS BOOK. And move onto Rough Canvas which is delicious!!
November 15, 2015
For those who enjoy simple romance with a little BDSM spice, this is NOT the book for you. With this book in her popular Natural Law series, Joey Hill has dived deep into the dynamics of submission and domination and the interplay of power dynamics. There's also a supernatural element that many readers found off-putting, but I enjoyed. It allows the story to really go all out in a way that most BDSM books can't.
For readers that sensitive to triggers, there are some very disturbing parts to this book. Jonathan Powell, as was clear from the other books, is not a nice man and this book reveals things from his past that explore those aspects of his personality in depth. And yet by the end it has a positive message about love and redemption, for those who are open to it.
For readers that sensitive to triggers, there are some very disturbing parts to this book. Jonathan Powell, as was clear from the other books, is not a nice man and this book reveals things from his past that explore those aspects of his personality in depth. And yet by the end it has a positive message about love and redemption, for those who are open to it.
September 12, 2016
This story takes a wide turn in the Nature of Desire series for Joey Hill, but even in its strange and bewildering subject, it only proves Ms. Hill's depth of revelation and true belief in her characters. Jonathon Powell is released from prison after his stay of 5 years, after his part in nearly killing our beloved Mac Nighthorse. Jonathon is tempted past the gates of Hell by Dona and their journey of redemption is what this story entails. If you read it for what is is without judging Jonathon and Dona, it reveals a very beautiful story of how love can cleanse the soul. A very different twist but a very intriguing read.
July 12, 2016
I'm not quite sure how to rate this book. It was very weird. Not at all like the rest of the books in the series, and I spent the first part of the book trying to figure out what the heck was going on. When I finally figured out what was going on, I wasn't sure if I was interested in finishing or not -- I did finish but with very mixed feelings. Had I realized it was extremely paranormal bdsm with extreme emphasis on sadism and other worldly revenge, I don't know that I would have started the book. It was ok, but I wouldn't do it again.
February 10, 2012
Well, it is quite a challenge to take a negative character from two prior books in the series and mold him into a man worthy of HEA (Happy Ever After). Leave it to Joey Hill to depart from the confines of reality based storytelling in order to make it happen. Best of all, the reader is not forcibly convinced to forgive Jonathan, or even Dona for that matter, but in the end I believed in their journey. This had some hints of truly violent D/s but it worked for me in the context.
Read
April 19, 2012I've read several of Joey W. Hill's titles I adored. The prose in this story is consistently deft and graceful. The emotional conflict sharp and well portrayed.
My complaint might well be minor for another reader. Despite being set in the afterlife, this story felt too real, which spoiled the sexy fantasy for me.
I recommend this book for anyone who enjoys a thoroughly tortured alpha sub being redeemed by a firm, but loving Mistress.
My complaint might well be minor for another reader. Despite being set in the afterlife, this story felt too real, which spoiled the sexy fantasy for me.
I recommend this book for anyone who enjoys a thoroughly tortured alpha sub being redeemed by a firm, but loving Mistress.
July 4, 2012
I READ ALOT OF JOEY'S BOOKS AND THIS IS THE FIRST ONE I DIDNT REALLY CARE FOR. IT WAS A LIL ODD AND TOOK ME AWHILE TO READ IT. IF IT WAS IN A SERIES..I MIGHT HAVE SKIPPED IT. ABOUT 70% IN THE BOOK IS WHERE IT PICKED UP AND I STARTED TO ENJOY IT. I THINK IF IT SPENT MORE TIME DURING THE PRESENT IT WOULD BE BETTER. I LIKED THE ENDING AND THINK THAT COULD OF BEEN LONGER BC IT WAS SWEET BETWEEN DONA AND NATHAN. IM GLAD I FINISHED IT AND NOW I CAN MOVE ON TO THE NEXT BOOK IN THE SERIES.
July 4, 2012
Or 3,5 stars. Jonathan is last character that I thought of to read but the reason of writer is right because also him has a past and demons that made him the bastard that was. Mistress of redemption is a surreal story and the travel to hell also if drammatic and scare surprised me because made the digging in the past of Nathan and the his redeption less actual and original. Is true there is the methaphor of pain and of fire as path to heal but yet I not like much this book.
August 2, 2013
Update - I was finally able to fully engage the characters without being distracted by the paranormal elements by the time I reached chapter 6. I'm so glad I was able to finish; powerful story.
I really don't know if I can keep reading this book. I don't like paranormal or fantasy. The categories on this book should changed. I feel compelled to read it e cause I have loved the series prior to this book.
I really don't know if I can keep reading this book. I don't like paranormal or fantasy. The categories on this book should changed. I feel compelled to read it e cause I have loved the series prior to this book.
March 6, 2015
This has gotta be my favorite Joey hill book so far. It's just so silly! Our bad guy from several previous books dies and goes to hell, where he gets tortured by his soul mate in an attempt to redeem his soul.
It actually reminded me a lot of those books they have in the backs of churches (you know, the amazing grace story or Nicky Cruz - I was the worst person I could imagine being, then god's love changed me). I'm actually a bit of a sucker for those stories :)
It actually reminded me a lot of those books they have in the backs of churches (you know, the amazing grace story or Nicky Cruz - I was the worst person I could imagine being, then god's love changed me). I'm actually a bit of a sucker for those stories :)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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