Submitting to Him

Fire and Ice #1

by Tara Conrad

An act of betrayal, a call to 911, and a note from the brother she lost give Natalie the courage to embark on a journey of self-exploration.
Unknowingly set up by their friends, Alex and Natalie spend the evening together at New York City’s Fire and Ice Club.
Neither one is looking for love, but their chemistry is too strong to ignore.
They agree to a relationship with an expiration date—the insurance policy both believe will keep their hearts safe.
Distance makes the heart grow fonder, or so they say.
Forces outside their control seek to pull them apart, but they find their way back to one another.
The couple’s connection is stronger than ever until tragedy strikes Natalie’s family.
Mistakes are made. Words that can’t be taken back are uttered.
Sometimes it takes the love of friends to pick up the pieces.
Can two broken souls find their way back to one another?

Genres: BDSM, Romance, Erotica, Dark Romance

422 pages, ebook

Published June 7, 2022

About the author

Tara Conrad writes sizzling, emotionally charged romances that blend passion, angst, and unforgettable love stories. From dark Irish mafia worlds to steamy second chances and spicy club romances, her books are filled with captivating plots, deep emotional connections, and characters who love hard—and fight harder for their happily ever after.

Tara is married to her real-life hero, George. They’ve been in love for over 30 years, and it was his encouragement that launched her writing journey. Their enduring bond inspires every story she tells.

Looking for your next binge-worthy romance?
Explore Tara’s best sellers now.

Reviews

[Bloody Blogger Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

HOLY HOTNESS 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

This page turner had me glued to my seat‼ The story of Alex and Natalie was burning the pages🔥. So many obstacles and sobbing but so so worth it‼ I read it in one sitting and I highly recommend it. The story flowed so well and the world building was terrific. I don't do spoilers but I know everyone would love this story‼📖🤩😍🔥🧡

[Sherell Burns · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was my first read by T. L. Conrad and most likely my last. The story lacked flow and insight of the topic at hand. The story was rushed and timelines didn’t add up. At 14% I was mad I even started the book. At 26% I decided to read the reviews of others to see if it was just me. The 4 and 5 stars given by other readers was too generous. There’s no way they read the book. The author could definitely use an editor and beta readers that are willing to give constructive feedback. I’m not one to start a book and not complete it so unfortunately I had to finish. I have never been so happy to see “The End” in a book. It’s a no for me.

[〰️Beth〰️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

You know that saying….

It’s not you it’s me…. Well I just lost the mood to read this book. Good potential story arcs moving forward so I will eventually go back and read again.

[Kirsten Pardini · Rating 4 out of 5]

Natalie and Alex

Just fair warning this story is so intense. I think the reason I rated this a 4 star instead of 5, because it hit a little close to home. I wanted to throat punch her mom, and basically that whole town.

Please understand the story is outstanding, and we'll written. But the crazy emphasis on the town as a whole pushing her to conform was alot on me. But I have past experiences (not with a town mind you) that make this especially hard to read.

[Colleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow I absolutely love this book. It was well written and you felt the strength and struggle and heartbreak in the main character Natalie and her finding her lifestyle in bdsm with Alex and watching them grow together was fantastic, this book really pulled you in I highly recommend this book and I can't wait for the next book

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book! Well written and always kept me intrigued. I thought it would end one way with the characters and it went completely down another path. Loved that and Can’t wait for a sequel and just fell in love with the characters. 100% worth the read I couldn’t put it down. Will love to read where the next journey takes Alex and Natalie.

[Katherine Dougherty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alex and Natalie story was beautiful. Their love is one for the ages. They both overcome many obstacles to be together and it made their relationship as Dom and submissive even stronger. Loved this story and can't wait to see where their journey takes them

[Shabby -BookBistroBlog · Rating 4 out of 5]

A BDSM romance of Natalie & Alex with complications of an ex who won't quit, parents who won't accept and a brother who isn't there.
It was a good story, altho very predictable. This topic has been done to death and no surprising twist or turns that I couldn't easily figure out.
Writing is smooth but a new editor would make it better
4 stars
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[Suze Prescot · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tense Romance

A surprise visit to her boyfriend leaves Natalie heartbroken, while her early return leads to an unexpected journey. Alex has foresworn relationships until he is tasked with escorting her at the club one evening. Her interest piques his.
Not focused on the 'lifestyle' as such, this story tracks a young woman's quest for independence while trying to be a good daughter and a good submissive.

[Inked Orca · Rating 2 out of 5]

Her decision to surprise her boyfriend left her heartbroken. Natalie walked in her boyfriend cheating on her with her best friend and headed back to NY. Back at her apartment, she hears voices in her friend’s room and thinks she’s in danger, calling the police as she tries to figure out what was happening. Thinking that her friend was being assaulted but in reality, her friend is into BDSM and was acting out a scene with her boyfriend. Natalie is curious about the lifestyle, so her friend invites her to watch her scene at the club. Seeing the dynamic of the lifestyle made her curious, and she wanted to give it a try.

Alex didn’t want to escort Natalie around the club and have her freak out about what she sees. But when he meets her, things change and she agrees to sign a contract with him to try the lifestyle. Both agree it would be for the duration of Natalie’s stay in NY. When she returns to her hometown, things will be different. While living worlds apart, they did not expect that exploring their sexual relationship would lead to a more serious connection.



Submitting to Him is a BDSM romance that deals with many topics. A small town with strict parents and tragic pasts. There are also mentions of suicide, rape, death and abuse. It paints a picture of two people who are trying to heal from their pasts and learn to love and trust each other. The story follows their journey as they explore their sexuality and learn to overcome the obstacles in their way. There are a few grammatical mistakes in the book.



It takes you along their journey as they explore their relationship. Alex's trying to figure out what having a sub that's also a girlfriend will be like while Natalie learns about the lifestyle. There is so much taking place in this book that it felt overwhelming with subplots dealing with a variety of sensitive issues. Alex and Natalie have a lot to learn and, ultimately, must decide if they are willing to make the sacrifices that come with being in a relationship. The novel follows their journey as they navigate the complexities of the BDSM lifestyle and the emotions that come with it. It's a story of love, acceptance and transformation.



This book didn’t do it for me. It felt a bit rushed. I couldn’t connect with the characters. And it made me wonder if Natalie’s interest in the BDSM lifestyle was not a result of her relationship with her parents. She did everything they asked of her. Even her ex-boyfriend knew that he could just tell her to do something and she would do it. That’s one of my problems with her character, but then she started to stand up for herself. I guess it was her way of asserting independence. But it felt off to me.



I wanted to give this book more stars, but I don’t think it was my cup of tea. I did enjoy a few things about it, but I think the rushed way of writing gave it a matter-of-fact tone. I couldn’t feel or connect with the characters and I found myself skipping a few paragraphs. The rushed writing style didn’t allow for the development of meaningful relationships between the characters, nor did it give the reader enough time to really understand what the characters were feeling. As a result, I felt disconnected from the story and wasn’t able to truly immerse myself in the book.

[Cherise Adams · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this as a recommendation from an author I like. The character development and flow was strong - I found myself audibly rooting for and against some of the characters as I read along. There were some areas where a chapter was clearly cut short and could have benefited from more context. There were several grammatical errors, which were easy to look over but made the book feel slightly unpolished. Wouldn’t read again but might read another from the series in the future.

[Stacey Harper · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book kept me engaged the entire time, it's hot, but also raw, real, and elicits a lot of emotion. Highly recommend

[Leah · Rating 2 out of 5]

The time jumps in this are so jarring! As an example: they agree to be casual for a few months, the next chapter is then at the end of those months, and they've fallen for each other. Where is the build up?!

[Nagma (Take A Look At My Bookshelf) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has been on my TBR for a while and I’m glad I finally got a chance to listen to it! This was a fast-paced, spicy, dom/sub book I could not put down! I loved the characters and how their relationship was described. The narrator was fantastic!

Rating: 5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Romance with a twist

Truly enjoyed this book. It was well written with a really good plot to it. The characters are easily believable. Couldn't stop reading this book. If you like romance with hint od BDSM you will like this book.

[Jodi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this story. The author did a fantastic job writing this story. You get a first hand look at what BDSM really is. The characters come alive this story. Earning five stars from me!

[Paula Sullivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this book!!!

Excellent story! Pulled all my emotions up and down like a roller coaster, in a very good way! I highly recommend reading Alex and Natalie's story!

[Jacqueline Morris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Submitting to him

This book had a great story plot, and strong characters that you can identify with

The end I felt was just a little rushed for me

[Lina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written with great character development. I genuinely cared about the characters.

[Alyssa · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a wild ride for sure. A good read even if you don’t know much about dom/sub, I didn’t. I was just curious and intrigued. It was a bit longer than books I normally go for, but it was definitely worth it. I 100% recommend this book.

[Shirley · Rating 5 out of 5]

the main character's Alex and Natalie... the key players her bff lana and her dominate Brandon... then theirs Maxim ... when Alex was asked to more or less babysit Natalie somehow, someway their connection began ... Alex forms a desire to show and help natalie the ways of D/s... Sadly for Natalie she struggles, has her heart broken, and then her curiosity gets started... her life and coming out to find she really enjoys what her and Alex share ....in the end with true love with her dominate/ husband to be... they have their mishaps and yet they grow and learn about one another...
was a truly great read ... I feel anyone who gives the book a chance will truly enjoy the reading ..

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon today (4/9/2023)! 🎁

[Ann · Rating 1 out of 5]

Omg….Natalie has to be one of the most annoying characters. How are you a therapist and just let people walk all over you? Could barely finish this.

[Arin Baur · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my goodness I love this series so much so far I couldn’t put this book down I stay up all night until I finish reading it! From the very start I was loving the characters well except for tommy but you could blame me. This book as mystery and a little bit of everything in one could enjoy in my opinion! With two people who have hard paths meet everything can change when they meet and let the walls down. The girl character is very independent strong and so much more. The main guy is a man who is caring hot and so many other things what happens when they both come together to watch and support their best friends sparks will happen among other things too! Overall a fun awesome unpredictable and very interesting book!! I can’t wait to read more from this author you might want something for your emotions during some parts of this book. Be prepared to want to stay up all night reading lol.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Shifty Bugger · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

This book was great I loved the, the author brought out all the emotions. Natalie thought she would surprise her fiancee and come home early, as soon as she opened the door to what she was confronted with was something she didn't think could happen. Natalie has another six months until she graduates so when she surprised her room-mate it really opened her eyes, her friend decided to drag her out to a club Fire and Ice her friend was going to do a scene with her Dom but before they both took off they introduced her to Alex who is a Dom he looked after her showing her different things he would answer any questions by the end of the night they swapped phone numbers. The chemistry was hot and steamy, spicy, passion, discipline, whips, Dom/sub. This book was so worth reading I could not put it down.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Michelle R · Rating 3 out of 5]

There wasn’t a lot of plot itself. It was meant for readers to learn a little bit more about the community and what a relationship between a submissive and a dominant is supposed to look like, for its intent it was very good. The change of POV was very entertaining, the characters are very cute. One thing it bothered me was the first page of every chapter with the flames was hard to read. Overall, it was a very informative book, definitely recommend it if someone wants to learn about the lifestyle.

2/5🌶️

[Sassy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tara Conrad is an amazing author, creating a safe space for readers to immerse themselves a BDSM without feeling uncomfortable. The main characters, Natalie and Alex, draw you into their lives so easily, you feel like you're part of them. I was left wanting more, unable at times to put the book down, needing to know what was going to happen next as the author spun drama, mystery, heartache, and love intricately together. Her Surrender is a wonderfully written story, that leaves you ready for the next chapter.

[Julie Sherman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great

This is a great detailed story of a young lady who eventually sticks up for herself and finds herself. A man who didn't know what he wanted till it was smack in his face.
Loved the story and how it was written. This is a new author to me and Miss Tara Conrad didn't disappoint.
Summer Reading Challenge.

[Nikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book in the Fire and I’ve series and the first book I’ve read by this author. Tara did an amazing job at captivating me and reeling me into this book. I was completely hooked from the beginning to the end. This is a BDSM read and it’s written so beautifully.

Natalie decides to surprise her boyfriend of 10 years buy ends up walking in in a scene she never expected to see. Heartbroken, she returns home to her friend and roommate but thinks something’s wrong and calls 911. Then Lana explains her BDSM lifestyle. Then she takes Natalie to club Fire and Ice and hooks her up with her friend Alex who was going to show her around. I fell I. Live with Alex. He’s patient and great for Natalie as she explores the Dom/sub lifestyle. But they both have demons to fight. I loved seeing their dom/sub relationship tune into something more. I don’t want to give too much away but there’s so much more to this story.

This book was amazing. Full of tension, steam, drama, struggles, chemistry, emotional, twists, heartbreak, friends, loss, love and so much more. Can’t wait to read book 2!

[Bri Serena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love, love, love! This was such a fun read. I didn't expect the bit of suspense to be thrown in, which just added to my enjoyment.

Natalie is a student in NYC who experiences a betrayal. She then meets a handsome man at a BDSM club, and they click right away. However, she soon graduates a.mnd has to return home to fulfill her prior obligations.

Unfortunately, the home she returns to is not accepting of the woman she has become.

I truly loved the character development in this book. The relationship between Natalie and Alex is amazing! I don't know much about the BDSM lifestyle but I feel it was represented in such a beautiful, loving, and respectful way.

Highly recommend!