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Black Light #3
Valentine Roulette
Three hours. Four hard limits. Eight sexy stories.
Are you brave enough to spin the wheel?
Get ready to explore some of your naughtiest desires while you celebrate Valentine’s Day with eight kinky stories from eight USA Today and international bestselling authors! Black Light is the most exclusive BDSM club in Washington, D.C. and for one night they’re changing the rules of play to entertain their members with a game of chance – Valentine Roulette. Challenge and adventure awaits as these sexy dominants spin to win their submissives, and the subs spin to choose how they will play. Their prize if they last the night? One free month at Black Light, and for some of our daring participants… even a chance at love.
Enjoy over 200,000 words of edgy, romantic stories including:
Broken by Renee Rose
Revealed by Livia Grant
Wet by Jennifer Bene
Unbroken by Maren Smith
Unraveled by Addison Cain
Unmasked by Lee Savino
Stripped by Sophie Kisker
Bared by Measha Stone
Are you brave enough to spin the wheel?
Get ready to explore some of your naughtiest desires while you celebrate Valentine’s Day with eight kinky stories from eight USA Today and international bestselling authors! Black Light is the most exclusive BDSM club in Washington, D.C. and for one night they’re changing the rules of play to entertain their members with a game of chance – Valentine Roulette. Challenge and adventure awaits as these sexy dominants spin to win their submissives, and the subs spin to choose how they will play. Their prize if they last the night? One free month at Black Light, and for some of our daring participants… even a chance at love.
Enjoy over 200,000 words of edgy, romantic stories including:
Broken by Renee Rose
Revealed by Livia Grant
Wet by Jennifer Bene
Unbroken by Maren Smith
Unraveled by Addison Cain
Unmasked by Lee Savino
Stripped by Sophie Kisker
Bared by Measha Stone
690 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 10, 2016
706 people are currently reading
1079 people want to read
About the author
Livia Grant
53 books1,346 followersUSA Today bestselling author Livia Grant lives in Chicago with her husband and furry rescue dog named Max. She is fortunate to have been able to travel extensively and as much as she loves to visit places around the globe, the Midwest and its changing seasons will always be home. Livia's readers appreciate her riveting stories filled with deep, character driven plots, often spiced with elements of BDSM.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 217 reviews
February 16, 2022
I've read this anthology before, sometime back when it first release (or soon after) but obviously BEFORE I put my reviews on here too. So with a TBR list a mile high , of course I'm going to do a re-read in between arcs instead.
Broken by Renee Rose - 4 stars
Slave to pain (aka Jennifer) and Master D scene together at BlackLight each week. But that's all Jennifer will ever allow them to be, ships that pass in the night, no attachment, no emotion, no connection, despite the fact that his brand of sadism is a perfect fit for her mile wide masochistic streak. Jennifer has barriers so high Master D will need a miracle to break them down but first he needs to win her on a spin of the wheel.
They spin three kinks, age-play, whipping and anal-intercourse. Don't be put of by the age play, it isn't really any more than her using the word Daddy, and if you skip this one you will miss a wonderfully intimate portrait of a man using dominance to release a sub from years of unhappiness and pain.
I liked that Jennifer and Master D already had a connection, it made the scenes more intense and I found I easily believed in the depth of their feelings. I remember first time round finding the level of sado-masochism in this hard to handle, but I've now read so much more that it no longer makes me cringe. It's not my kink but I understand the beauty of the dynamic. This is one scorching hot read, and a great opening story.
Revealed by Livia Grant - 4 stars
I love Khloe and Ryder, and have read all their stories though I'd actually forgotten this one where they first met. I really felt a huge emotional connection to Khloe, reading about her pain and loneliness was like hearing it from a friend. The girl who seems to have it all has nothing at all. Her emotions were heartbreaking to read about.
There is some intense medical play, plus two other spins that gave us some scorching hot scenes to observe. My only issue at the end was that Ryder's play felt far too hard core for a total newbie to the scene to handle. It was addressed at one point, and yes this is fiction, so perhaps others found it easier to let go. Personally it felt that, along with boundaries being severely pushed, believability was also being pushed too.
However this was more than made up for with the intensity of the connection between Khloe and Ryder. He went from zero to hero during the story, with the way he saw the true Khloe and what she needed. Though that ending is quite tough. If I hadn't been aware of what the future had in store for this pair it would really have been a bitter pill to swallow. Thankfully it's very much a sugar-coated one.
Wet by Jennifer Bene - 5 stars
Sienna so beautifully portrayed the lack of worth those of us with self esteem issues can suffer from. A sub willing to forego aftercare and any real affection because she wasn't worthy of it. Alexander, of course, was the uber confident and in charge Dom with a liking to be called Daddy and a craving to push his sub's buttons. Written so well, he induced shivers down my spine.
Ms Bene pushes our boundaries, and poor Sienna's, with a terror inducing scene of water-based breath play. As someone who struggles to get their face wet in the shower, this both horrified and thrilled me in equal measure. It was certainly hot. Communication is vital to any BDSM scenes, so Alexander was determined to push until the very tongue tied and shy Sienna let go and talked. I can totally empathise with her when she struggled with answering his questions
You either know, or you don't know, that terrifying hot-cold feeling of opening your mouth and having a totally blank, panic filled mind. Because whatever you could say they will obviously find boring and not be interested in. It was both hard to read Sienna in those moments and uplifting too. I love that the author gives her characters real flaws that resonate with many readers.
Given that the majority of this scene wasn't overtly sexual in nature I was amazed by how incredibly intimate it felt. A part of me did feel that Alexander overstepped the boundaries in demanding personal information from someone who he had no long term commitment with, but without it we wouldn't have had such an amazing story.
Unmasked by Lee Savino - 3 stars
Whilst this story didn't have quite the emotional or 'kink' impact of other stories in the book, I appreciated how it examined the feminists dilemma of submitting to a man. Chessie and Kane were both easy to like characters, though neither really captured my heart if I'm being honest.
Kane did seem to take extra care with Chessie since she was yet another "totally new to the scene and never tried it before" submissive. However I would have liked him to remind Chessie of her safeword/signal given that very fact. I also felt the 'nasty/jealous sub' moment was not only cliched but fed into that cliche of having to have a rival and bitchy female in the story.
Unraveled by Addison Cain - 3 stars
This was one of those books that I enjoyed well enough as I read it, but mental cogitations after the fact saw it mimic the title and unravel somewhat. The 'hero' of the story not only isn't the Dom that the heroine plays Valentine Roulette with, but their relationship prior to the night had been toxic. So it made believing that they had any sort of feelings for one another very difficult. All three characters also had personality defects, and not in a good way.
Klara was brilliant in that she had taken on huge responsibilities at a very young age. She was so tough and strong, when life kicked her in the lady balls she pulled up her big girl pants and kicked it back twice as hard. So it made me wonder why she would burn her bridges by not giving adequate notice to her employer. Nor did I believe that employer held enough sway to get her blacklisted by his competitors.
For an ex-military man, Spencer was a childish, whiney arse-hole whose behaviour was as far from professional as it was possible to get. Self-centred to the nth degree he didn't deserve Klara in any way shape or form.
And Will, I kind of liked him until their last scene where he deliberately pushed Klara beyond her breaking point, despite knowing she was totally inexperienced and that she was unlikely to safe word until he took things to the extreme. He even acknowledge that the play wasn't 'sane' because Klara had felt forced into taking part. He knew that and still continued. He also knew, from the previous scene, where her breaking point was and he stomped right over it. At that point I wasn't sure who was the most despicable male, him or Spencer. The only way either man would ever get any sympathy from me was if I threw a dictionary, containing the word, at their conceited, idiotic heads.
Unbroken by Maren Smith - 3.5 stars
This story is less about the BDSM play and much more about the two protagonists, Abby and Newton, connecting. This really left me in a quandary because I loved the depth it gave the story, and you could really see not only the characters grow but also the fledgling connection start to bloom. However it meant, for me, that it lacked that sizzle that I want from a BlackLight book but overall the pros and cons are balanced.
I did like both characters and enjoyed the story, it was also a nice change of pace to give the book some balance. Extra points were earned for the pair NOT being madly in love with one another at the end of the story!
Bared by Measha Stone - 4.5 stars
I'm a real sucker for second chance, so this was already going well with me. Add into the mix a heroine who hid her vulnerabilities behind a hard as nails exterior and an amazing Dom who was determined not to let her run away a second time, and you've got yourself a winner.
They spin humiliation, but don't worry, it never felt too much or too over the top. In fact it was very gentle in those terms. However Dane does lay bare all of Riley's insecurities and fears, pushing her to truly accept her submissive nature. Yes he pushes her, and pushes her hard, but he is there every single step of the way, ready to catch her should she fall and always, always giving her the strength and support she needs.
When Dane got Riley to wash the word she wrote about herself off of her arm, I wasn't sure whether to sob or swoon.
Stripped by Sophie Kisker - 4 stars
I really enjoyed this story, though it did stir a bit of conflict inside me. I admired that Sari made the decision she did (in the bathroom) though I could equally understand why Adam was upset by it. I didn't agree with his "special" comment, that's a very male perpetuation of a problem that has been around for a long time.
I felt we spent more time in Sari's mind during the story, which was great because the author really showed us what some peoples submission looked like. I found her thought process and decisions to be fascinating and enlightening. It wasn't the steamiest offering in the book but it was a well written and very entertaining story.
Broken by Renee Rose - 4 stars
Slave to pain (aka Jennifer) and Master D scene together at BlackLight each week. But that's all Jennifer will ever allow them to be, ships that pass in the night, no attachment, no emotion, no connection, despite the fact that his brand of sadism is a perfect fit for her mile wide masochistic streak. Jennifer has barriers so high Master D will need a miracle to break them down but first he needs to win her on a spin of the wheel.
They spin three kinks, age-play, whipping and anal-intercourse. Don't be put of by the age play, it isn't really any more than her using the word Daddy, and if you skip this one you will miss a wonderfully intimate portrait of a man using dominance to release a sub from years of unhappiness and pain.
I liked that Jennifer and Master D already had a connection, it made the scenes more intense and I found I easily believed in the depth of their feelings. I remember first time round finding the level of sado-masochism in this hard to handle, but I've now read so much more that it no longer makes me cringe. It's not my kink but I understand the beauty of the dynamic. This is one scorching hot read, and a great opening story.
Revealed by Livia Grant - 4 stars
I love Khloe and Ryder, and have read all their stories though I'd actually forgotten this one where they first met. I really felt a huge emotional connection to Khloe, reading about her pain and loneliness was like hearing it from a friend. The girl who seems to have it all has nothing at all. Her emotions were heartbreaking to read about.
There is some intense medical play, plus two other spins that gave us some scorching hot scenes to observe. My only issue at the end was that Ryder's play felt far too hard core for a total newbie to the scene to handle. It was addressed at one point, and yes this is fiction, so perhaps others found it easier to let go. Personally it felt that, along with boundaries being severely pushed, believability was also being pushed too.
However this was more than made up for with the intensity of the connection between Khloe and Ryder. He went from zero to hero during the story, with the way he saw the true Khloe and what she needed. Though that ending is quite tough. If I hadn't been aware of what the future had in store for this pair it would really have been a bitter pill to swallow. Thankfully it's very much a sugar-coated one.
Wet by Jennifer Bene - 5 stars
Sienna so beautifully portrayed the lack of worth those of us with self esteem issues can suffer from. A sub willing to forego aftercare and any real affection because she wasn't worthy of it. Alexander, of course, was the uber confident and in charge Dom with a liking to be called Daddy and a craving to push his sub's buttons. Written so well, he induced shivers down my spine.
Ms Bene pushes our boundaries, and poor Sienna's, with a terror inducing scene of water-based breath play. As someone who struggles to get their face wet in the shower, this both horrified and thrilled me in equal measure. It was certainly hot. Communication is vital to any BDSM scenes, so Alexander was determined to push until the very tongue tied and shy Sienna let go and talked. I can totally empathise with her when she struggled with answering his questions
There was no script for this interaction, no easy answers, she had to fucking talk to him, and that was the problem.
You either know, or you don't know, that terrifying hot-cold feeling of opening your mouth and having a totally blank, panic filled mind. Because whatever you could say they will obviously find boring and not be interested in. It was both hard to read Sienna in those moments and uplifting too. I love that the author gives her characters real flaws that resonate with many readers.
Given that the majority of this scene wasn't overtly sexual in nature I was amazed by how incredibly intimate it felt. A part of me did feel that Alexander overstepped the boundaries in demanding personal information from someone who he had no long term commitment with, but without it we wouldn't have had such an amazing story.
Unmasked by Lee Savino - 3 stars
Whilst this story didn't have quite the emotional or 'kink' impact of other stories in the book, I appreciated how it examined the feminists dilemma of submitting to a man. Chessie and Kane were both easy to like characters, though neither really captured my heart if I'm being honest.
Kane did seem to take extra care with Chessie since she was yet another "totally new to the scene and never tried it before" submissive. However I would have liked him to remind Chessie of her safeword/signal given that very fact. I also felt the 'nasty/jealous sub' moment was not only cliched but fed into that cliche of having to have a rival and bitchy female in the story.
Unraveled by Addison Cain - 3 stars
This was one of those books that I enjoyed well enough as I read it, but mental cogitations after the fact saw it mimic the title and unravel somewhat. The 'hero' of the story not only isn't the Dom that the heroine plays Valentine Roulette with, but their relationship prior to the night had been toxic. So it made believing that they had any sort of feelings for one another very difficult. All three characters also had personality defects, and not in a good way.
Klara was brilliant in that she had taken on huge responsibilities at a very young age. She was so tough and strong, when life kicked her in the lady balls she pulled up her big girl pants and kicked it back twice as hard. So it made me wonder why she would burn her bridges by not giving adequate notice to her employer. Nor did I believe that employer held enough sway to get her blacklisted by his competitors.
For an ex-military man, Spencer was a childish, whiney arse-hole whose behaviour was as far from professional as it was possible to get. Self-centred to the nth degree he didn't deserve Klara in any way shape or form.
And Will, I kind of liked him until their last scene where he deliberately pushed Klara beyond her breaking point, despite knowing she was totally inexperienced and that she was unlikely to safe word until he took things to the extreme. He even acknowledge that the play wasn't 'sane' because Klara had felt forced into taking part. He knew that and still continued. He also knew, from the previous scene, where her breaking point was and he stomped right over it. At that point I wasn't sure who was the most despicable male, him or Spencer. The only way either man would ever get any sympathy from me was if I threw a dictionary, containing the word, at their conceited, idiotic heads.
Unbroken by Maren Smith - 3.5 stars
This story is less about the BDSM play and much more about the two protagonists, Abby and Newton, connecting. This really left me in a quandary because I loved the depth it gave the story, and you could really see not only the characters grow but also the fledgling connection start to bloom. However it meant, for me, that it lacked that sizzle that I want from a BlackLight book but overall the pros and cons are balanced.
I did like both characters and enjoyed the story, it was also a nice change of pace to give the book some balance. Extra points were earned for the pair NOT being madly in love with one another at the end of the story!
Bared by Measha Stone - 4.5 stars
I'm a real sucker for second chance, so this was already going well with me. Add into the mix a heroine who hid her vulnerabilities behind a hard as nails exterior and an amazing Dom who was determined not to let her run away a second time, and you've got yourself a winner.
They spin humiliation, but don't worry, it never felt too much or too over the top. In fact it was very gentle in those terms. However Dane does lay bare all of Riley's insecurities and fears, pushing her to truly accept her submissive nature. Yes he pushes her, and pushes her hard, but he is there every single step of the way, ready to catch her should she fall and always, always giving her the strength and support she needs.
When Dane got Riley to wash the word she wrote about herself off of her arm, I wasn't sure whether to sob or swoon.
Stripped by Sophie Kisker - 4 stars
I really enjoyed this story, though it did stir a bit of conflict inside me. I admired that Sari made the decision she did (in the bathroom) though I could equally understand why Adam was upset by it. I didn't agree with his "special" comment, that's a very male perpetuation of a problem that has been around for a long time.
I felt we spent more time in Sari's mind during the story, which was great because the author really showed us what some peoples submission looked like. I found her thought process and decisions to be fascinating and enlightening. It wasn't the steamiest offering in the book but it was a well written and very entertaining story.
July 29, 2020
"Three hours. You can do anything for three hours."
Eight novellas, all taking place on the same night in a BDSM club.
This was a great read. Two authors I was previously familiar with and many more were new to me. I liked some of stories and characters more than others but all were well written, and I enjoyed a range of different takes on the same basic premise. Some of the "scenes" described here were real eye-openers too.
I feel you don't need to have read the first two books in this series to enjoy this collection. There are references to characters and events from those books but only in passing. Everything and everyone important in these stories are all new.
Bravo to everyone involved. Very recommended.
Eight novellas, all taking place on the same night in a BDSM club.
This was a great read. Two authors I was previously familiar with and many more were new to me. I liked some of stories and characters more than others but all were well written, and I enjoyed a range of different takes on the same basic premise. Some of the "scenes" described here were real eye-openers too.
I feel you don't need to have read the first two books in this series to enjoy this collection. There are references to characters and events from those books but only in passing. Everything and everyone important in these stories are all new.
Bravo to everyone involved. Very recommended.
February 9, 2017
OH wow!!! Where do I start? I've read the three books that were published before this and they were all great so when I heard about an anthology with stories for several authors, I was thrilled. ALL of these stories are out of this world good! Each with a couple that I'm hoping we get more from at a later date. Some of the stories were a little out of my comfort zone but it didn't stop me from reading them. After all, BDSM is suppose to push the boundries of your comfort zones, right? And push it does! Love the whole anthology and I can't wait for updates on the couples!!!
August 4, 2023
Prch Amz Feb 14, 2021
A solid 4 average for all the books in this anthology.
I liked the first 4 or 5 best. The last 2 or 3 were more of a 3 star and not as well written in my opinion.
Looking forward to reading more of the first few authors.
I'll try to get the books listed later, but they are all shorts and I didn't find any of them listed separately.
Lots of Very Erotic Adult Steam.
A solid 4 average for all the books in this anthology.
I liked the first 4 or 5 best. The last 2 or 3 were more of a 3 star and not as well written in my opinion.
Looking forward to reading more of the first few authors.
I'll try to get the books listed later, but they are all shorts and I didn't find any of them listed separately.
Lots of Very Erotic Adult Steam.
Want to read
November 24, 2022💝FREE on Amazon today (8/31/2018)!💝
September 10, 2019
I think that, if I had read this Valentine Roulette first, I might not have read the rest of them.
Current rating: 2.6 rounded up to 3 stars
Broken by Renee Rose – 3 stars
Revealed by Livia Grant – 1.5 star – I did not find this one sexy AT ALL. I’m not into medical play but this was waaaaay beyond my hard limit. Catheters are NOT sexy. And the hobby horse or whatever in the last part? Not well described so I got nothing but the idea of pain and a ghostly sensation of clitoris splinters. AND THEN the ending???! Not even a HFN? UGH. Hated it. Even though I dislike Livia Grant’s writing, I’m going to read the corresponding book because I want the end of the story. But that’s just cause I’m nosy.
Wet by Jennifer Bene – 4.5 stars - THIS ONE I LOVED. I loved damn near everything except the end. IDK, the ending just needed a bit more but other than that, love.
Unmasked by Lee Savino – 3 stars – Meh
Unraveled by Addison Cain – 0 star – WHAT THE FUCK??! WHY would this be here. The whole idea if the DMs wanting the participants was hard enough. I do not get off on pining or unrequited ANYTHING. I don’t do unrequited. It’s just stupid. So the whole situation was bad enough but then to add in the fucking female character getting the watersports and what Will did to her. I seriously gagged, almost tossed my cookies and felt terrible for her. It’s a story that should have ended in a fist fight and a police visit. So for it to end with her crying in the bathroom and with Spencer getting the girl AND sex. God. WHAT IN THE ACTUAL FUCK?? Unhappy MrsJ. GOD!! I can't get over what Will did to her!! Having a bunch of men stand in line to piss on her makes me so mad i STILL am upset! It's one thing if you're ok with it but this chick is like me and I HATE bodily fluids. I'd have gone to jail for overreaction cause I'd have tried my best to kill him. Right after I vomited all over him.
Unbroken by Maren Smith – 3.5 stars – I really liked this one a lot. It was reaching for a 4.
Bared by Measha Stone – 3 stars – not as humiliating as I expected.
Stripped by Sophie Kisker – 3.5 stars – I KNEW it.
Current rating: 2.6 rounded up to 3 stars
Broken by Renee Rose – 3 stars
Revealed by Livia Grant – 1.5 star – I did not find this one sexy AT ALL. I’m not into medical play but this was waaaaay beyond my hard limit. Catheters are NOT sexy. And the hobby horse or whatever in the last part? Not well described so I got nothing but the idea of pain and a ghostly sensation of clitoris splinters. AND THEN the ending???! Not even a HFN? UGH. Hated it. Even though I dislike Livia Grant’s writing, I’m going to read the corresponding book because I want the end of the story. But that’s just cause I’m nosy.
Wet by Jennifer Bene – 4.5 stars - THIS ONE I LOVED. I loved damn near everything except the end. IDK, the ending just needed a bit more but other than that, love.
Unmasked by Lee Savino – 3 stars – Meh
Unraveled by Addison Cain – 0 star – WHAT THE FUCK??! WHY would this be here. The whole idea if the DMs wanting the participants was hard enough. I do not get off on pining or unrequited ANYTHING. I don’t do unrequited. It’s just stupid. So the whole situation was bad enough but then to add in the fucking female character getting the watersports and what Will did to her. I seriously gagged, almost tossed my cookies and felt terrible for her. It’s a story that should have ended in a fist fight and a police visit. So for it to end with her crying in the bathroom and with Spencer getting the girl AND sex. God. WHAT IN THE ACTUAL FUCK?? Unhappy MrsJ. GOD!! I can't get over what Will did to her!! Having a bunch of men stand in line to piss on her makes me so mad i STILL am upset! It's one thing if you're ok with it but this chick is like me and I HATE bodily fluids. I'd have gone to jail for overreaction cause I'd have tried my best to kill him. Right after I vomited all over him.
Unbroken by Maren Smith – 3.5 stars – I really liked this one a lot. It was reaching for a 4.
Bared by Measha Stone – 3 stars – not as humiliating as I expected.
Stripped by Sophie Kisker – 3.5 stars – I KNEW it.
June 1, 2020
Some good, some less so.
I enjoyed the premise - two roulette wheels, one to match Doms with a sub, the other to pick an activity - but I found the way it played out to be a little problematic. For one thing, anyone who has spent any time in the scene knows that there’s usually an abundance of subs and a shortage of Doms, not the other way around. Which, ok, it’s your fantasy, but the reason for this massive sub shortage seems to be in order to thrust reluctant women into participating in some pretty hardcore stuff. Not all of them, but enough that it was a little squicky.
And I get the appeal of that, I do. But the problem for me is that it set up most of the scenarios as the Doms knowing what was best for subs they’d never met before and forcing them to do things they didn’t want to do because the only other option was a safeword. So there was no real negotiation, no discussion of limits or even what turned them on or off, and that’s every bit as important as the ultimate get-out-of-jail-free card that is a safeword.
Now that I have that off my chest, here are my impressions of each story. Mild spoilers follow, major ones hidden.
Broken by Renee Rose
This one dealt with some age play, which I personally dislike, but I’ve tried to keep that separate from my review. The characters - Jennifer and Derek - were interesting, and they’d played before, so I enjoyed that dynamic. Jennifer’s a pain slut, so she’s not thrilled to pull ageplay, but even then - the language was a little stilted, and childish (intentionally so) but the result for me was that something that should have been hot ended up awkward.
Some of the things I had a problem with maybe could have worked in a longer novel, if they were in a relationship with really good communication and mutual trust - but to do it in the middle of a scene, in the middle of a club, with someone who doesn’t like ageplay and won’t even tell him her real name? Totally irresponsible.
Overall, though, the story wins me over. The Dom in question does actually care about her, and finds a way to convince her to accept aftercare, and the author makes it really obvious that he cares about her. And I do love the way it ends.
Revealed by Livia Grant
This is a reluctant sub story, and I’ve already said how I feel about that. Not only that, but Khloe’s also a famous model and actress, and no matter how many disclosures someone signs, there is no possible way it’s not going to leak.
So she gets matched with Ryder, who says at one point that this is where “the other BDSM play partners would read her fear and back down from it.
She’s about to safeword before the scene even starts, but he kisses her, so she can’t.
He cuts her out of her clothes, which I personally hate, even if she is rich enough to replace them.
And then this completely inexperienced sub, who has never been to a BDSM club, has never submitted, and is famous enough to be recognizable just walking from her car to the door,
Just in case you think I’m being too judgmental, the club owners are concerned enough about how hardcore it’s getting that they come over to try to stop it, and then Ryder says he “fucked up royally tonight”. YA THINK?
It actually gets worse after that. First he
Here’s the thing - people who play know that scenes sometimes go wrong. That’s why communication is so important. I love to read some hardcore sh!t, but this is irresponsible and this isn’t what consent looks like. Also, she’s going to sub drop so hard she won’t be able to function, and nobody’s going to be around to pick up the pieces.
Just - no.
Wet by Jennifer Bene
This is my favorite, thus far. Sienna is an experienced sub who, for the most part, knows what she’s getting in to. Even so, the use of “little girl” language by Alexander makes me cringe, especially because Sienna doesn’t like it, either.
They draw “water-based breath play”. Breath play is dangerous enough, to do it with someone you’ve just met? Yikes. But the author makes it very clear that the entire scene is being closely monitored, and it turns out to be pretty hot. He balances the pleasure with the pain, and the journey the two of them go on during the scene crescendos nicely.
There’s some “break her down and put her back together” language which isn’t great, but overall, I enjoyed the way Alexander pulled Sienna out of her shell, and the sex was pretty hot. I’d read more of these two.
Unmasked by Lee Savino
Chestier (which is short for Chelsea, somehow) is another unwilling sub, who shows up because she hasn’t had an orgasm she can remember, and because her roommate promises to pay her rent for three months if she does. She’s a Washington lobbyist who comes to the event wearing a mask for anonymity, reasoning that she can’t possibly persuade anyone who has seen her naked and begging.
She draws Sybian Orgasm Torture, safewords out of the Dom who gets matched with her, and is traded with another sub to end up matched with Senator Kane. They recognize each other, having met the night before, but both pretend not to.
The first thing he does is
There’s a Big Misunderstanding before the story resolves, and some really lovely aftercare and discussion of sub space and sub drop. For the most part, I enjoyed this one.
Unraveled by Addison Cain
I love Kara Eriksson. Spencer is a big asshole for a good portion of this and I was hoping the entire time that he’d end up on his knees to her, but that’s not the premise of these stories. Once again, the dearth of willing submissives gives us someone unwilling. She’s never submitted before, she’s never even fantasized about submitting.
The first part of this started so strong, it almost felt like the Valentine’s Roulette game was shoehorned in to fit the premise.
The Dom she draws on the roulette wheel is the first person of color I’ve seen in this book, and he
If you are only going to have one black person, don’t have him be the one who does this. The first couple of scenes are done well, but the last part, when he once again violates the nature of consent.
Bared by Measha Stone
I enjoyed this one quite a bit more than most of the others, but at this point in the book, the repetitiveness of the introducing the premise is getting to be a bit tiresome. This is where I feel like a good editor would have pared some things down.
These two are exes, so that helps with a lot of what follows. Humiliation play, imo, can be difficult because what’s humiliating for one person might be a day at the beach for another. I enjoyed most of how this story plays out.
This one also showcases explicit consent, which is such a relief after the abundance of dub con throughout the rest of the book.
A few times, there’s mention of a birthmark between her breasts, but no description of what it is. A mole? Skin discoloration? An extra nipple? Little things like that yanked me out of the story from time to time.
She mouths off to him quite a lot, and the point at which he’s finally had it is pretty hot, but getting there felt a little rocky.
The progression of the scene is quite nice, and the attraction seems natural.
His punishment of her hit all the right buttons for me, and the blow job, the teasing, and the eventual fucking - it’s all good stuff.
Stripped by Sophie Kisker
Another story I really enjoyed. That’s two in a row!
I really like Adam, the H and the Dom in this story. He’s thoughtful, careful, and considerate, and he pushes all my buttons.
There are a few places where it feels like some of the action is over-explained or over-justified in a jarring way, just like in Bared and it makes me suspect that an editor went through and just randomly stuck things in.
The wax play is great, and the way he ramps up the intensity is perfect.
I’m a little uncomfortable when she rolls
________
So there we have it. A few of these authors I might read again, a few not. I’m still pretty taken with the concept of Valentine Roulette — it’s a fun premise - I just wish it played out in a way that didn’t require such a suspension of disbelief, and in a way that was a lot more consensual.
Thanks for reading, I welcome your feedback on my review!
I enjoyed the premise - two roulette wheels, one to match Doms with a sub, the other to pick an activity - but I found the way it played out to be a little problematic. For one thing, anyone who has spent any time in the scene knows that there’s usually an abundance of subs and a shortage of Doms, not the other way around. Which, ok, it’s your fantasy, but the reason for this massive sub shortage seems to be in order to thrust reluctant women into participating in some pretty hardcore stuff. Not all of them, but enough that it was a little squicky.
And I get the appeal of that, I do. But the problem for me is that it set up most of the scenarios as the Doms knowing what was best for subs they’d never met before and forcing them to do things they didn’t want to do because the only other option was a safeword. So there was no real negotiation, no discussion of limits or even what turned them on or off, and that’s every bit as important as the ultimate get-out-of-jail-free card that is a safeword.
Now that I have that off my chest, here are my impressions of each story. Mild spoilers follow, major ones hidden.
Broken by Renee Rose
This one dealt with some age play, which I personally dislike, but I’ve tried to keep that separate from my review. The characters - Jennifer and Derek - were interesting, and they’d played before, so I enjoyed that dynamic. Jennifer’s a pain slut, so she’s not thrilled to pull ageplay, but even then - the language was a little stilted, and childish (intentionally so) but the result for me was that something that should have been hot ended up awkward.
Some of the things I had a problem with maybe could have worked in a longer novel, if they were in a relationship with really good communication and mutual trust - but to do it in the middle of a scene, in the middle of a club, with someone who doesn’t like ageplay and won’t even tell him her real name? Totally irresponsible.
Overall, though, the story wins me over. The Dom in question does actually care about her, and finds a way to convince her to accept aftercare, and the author makes it really obvious that he cares about her. And I do love the way it ends.
Revealed by Livia Grant
This is a reluctant sub story, and I’ve already said how I feel about that. Not only that, but Khloe’s also a famous model and actress, and no matter how many disclosures someone signs, there is no possible way it’s not going to leak.
So she gets matched with Ryder, who says at one point that this is where “the other BDSM play partners would read her fear and back down from it.
She’s about to safeword before the scene even starts, but he kisses her, so she can’t.
He cuts her out of her clothes, which I personally hate, even if she is rich enough to replace them.
And then this completely inexperienced sub, who has never been to a BDSM club, has never submitted, and is famous enough to be recognizable just walking from her car to the door,
Just in case you think I’m being too judgmental, the club owners are concerned enough about how hardcore it’s getting that they come over to try to stop it, and then Ryder says he “fucked up royally tonight”. YA THINK?
It actually gets worse after that. First he
Here’s the thing - people who play know that scenes sometimes go wrong. That’s why communication is so important. I love to read some hardcore sh!t, but this is irresponsible and this isn’t what consent looks like. Also, she’s going to sub drop so hard she won’t be able to function, and nobody’s going to be around to pick up the pieces.
Just - no.
Wet by Jennifer Bene
This is my favorite, thus far. Sienna is an experienced sub who, for the most part, knows what she’s getting in to. Even so, the use of “little girl” language by Alexander makes me cringe, especially because Sienna doesn’t like it, either.
They draw “water-based breath play”. Breath play is dangerous enough, to do it with someone you’ve just met? Yikes. But the author makes it very clear that the entire scene is being closely monitored, and it turns out to be pretty hot. He balances the pleasure with the pain, and the journey the two of them go on during the scene crescendos nicely.
There’s some “break her down and put her back together” language which isn’t great, but overall, I enjoyed the way Alexander pulled Sienna out of her shell, and the sex was pretty hot. I’d read more of these two.
Unmasked by Lee Savino
Chestier (which is short for Chelsea, somehow) is another unwilling sub, who shows up because she hasn’t had an orgasm she can remember, and because her roommate promises to pay her rent for three months if she does. She’s a Washington lobbyist who comes to the event wearing a mask for anonymity, reasoning that she can’t possibly persuade anyone who has seen her naked and begging.
She draws Sybian Orgasm Torture, safewords out of the Dom who gets matched with her, and is traded with another sub to end up matched with Senator Kane. They recognize each other, having met the night before, but both pretend not to.
The first thing he does is
There’s a Big Misunderstanding before the story resolves, and some really lovely aftercare and discussion of sub space and sub drop. For the most part, I enjoyed this one.
Unraveled by Addison Cain
I love Kara Eriksson. Spencer is a big asshole for a good portion of this and I was hoping the entire time that he’d end up on his knees to her, but that’s not the premise of these stories. Once again, the dearth of willing submissives gives us someone unwilling. She’s never submitted before, she’s never even fantasized about submitting.
The first part of this started so strong, it almost felt like the Valentine’s Roulette game was shoehorned in to fit the premise.
The Dom she draws on the roulette wheel is the first person of color I’ve seen in this book, and he
If you are only going to have one black person, don’t have him be the one who does this. The first couple of scenes are done well, but the last part, when he once again violates the nature of consent.
Bared by Measha Stone
I enjoyed this one quite a bit more than most of the others, but at this point in the book, the repetitiveness of the introducing the premise is getting to be a bit tiresome. This is where I feel like a good editor would have pared some things down.
These two are exes, so that helps with a lot of what follows. Humiliation play, imo, can be difficult because what’s humiliating for one person might be a day at the beach for another. I enjoyed most of how this story plays out.
This one also showcases explicit consent, which is such a relief after the abundance of dub con throughout the rest of the book.
A few times, there’s mention of a birthmark between her breasts, but no description of what it is. A mole? Skin discoloration? An extra nipple? Little things like that yanked me out of the story from time to time.
She mouths off to him quite a lot, and the point at which he’s finally had it is pretty hot, but getting there felt a little rocky.
The progression of the scene is quite nice, and the attraction seems natural.
His punishment of her hit all the right buttons for me, and the blow job, the teasing, and the eventual fucking - it’s all good stuff.
Stripped by Sophie Kisker
Another story I really enjoyed. That’s two in a row!
I really like Adam, the H and the Dom in this story. He’s thoughtful, careful, and considerate, and he pushes all my buttons.
There are a few places where it feels like some of the action is over-explained or over-justified in a jarring way, just like in Bared and it makes me suspect that an editor went through and just randomly stuck things in.
The wax play is great, and the way he ramps up the intensity is perfect.
I’m a little uncomfortable when she rolls
________
So there we have it. A few of these authors I might read again, a few not. I’m still pretty taken with the concept of Valentine Roulette — it’s a fun premise - I just wish it played out in a way that didn’t require such a suspension of disbelief, and in a way that was a lot more consensual.
Thanks for reading, I welcome your feedback on my review!
October 9, 2017
I will continue to update this review as I finish each of the stories...
I started reading this anthology with the thinking that I would just read a story or two to start off, well that totally changed once I started. First we begin with "Valentine Roulette Introduction" which consists of two parts, Early January and Valentine's Day, evening, at Black Light, before the individual stories begin.
Early January
We meet all the key players responsible for Black Light the newest and most exclusive BDSM club in DC. This club is owned by three people Jaxson, Chase, and Emma. These three are also in a triad relationship. They have a staff meeting with the head staff about the upcoming event Valentine's Day Roulette the premise behind this special event is that it will pair off a Dom with a sub with the spin of the roulette wheel and then the next roulette wheel will pick which kink they will scene with. Kinda fun idea, you don't know who or what you will be doing that night beforehand so it makes it more exciting and may open you up to a kink that you never tried before. There are also some great prizes that can be won which include a free month membership with the value of $2,500.
Valentine's Day, evening, at Black Light
In this chapter (about 30ish pages long) each of the Doms spin the wheel to see which sub they will be playing with that evening, then the sub gets her turn at the wheel to see which kink they will b doing. They do have hard limits and safewords in place for both the Dom and sub so if anyone is uncomfortable about anything they can either slow down or stop for the night. This is where it gets fun, you can feel the anticipation of each of them waiting to see who will be chosen to be with whom and what kink they will be performing. There are several stage areas for where the scenes will take place and tables with chairs for those that will just be watching.
Let the fun begin!
Broken - Renee Rose
Master D & Slave to Pain (Derek & Jennifer) Derek is former Navy SEAL now a government contractor and Jennifer is active Military (Major in the Army)
The kink they had with the original spin was age play/daddy dom
Master D & Slave to Pain have been playing together every weekend for a couple of months now, Derek has asked Jennifer out several times and she has always shot him down wanting to keep her kinky life separate from her life outside of the club. They are an enjoyable couple to watch and I would love to see more of them
Tamed - Livia Grant
Khloe & Ryder (Princess & Mr. Helms)
Khloe is an actress and model & Ryder in an undercover CIA operative
The Kink they had with the original spin was Medical Play.
Khloe is also new to the BDSM scene and Ryder is super intense and scary.
Khloe is in a vulnerable place right now but I think Ryder may just be the answer she needs.
Wet - Jennifer Bene
Unraveled - Addison Cain
Stripped - Sophie Kisker
Unmasked - Lee Savino
Unbroken - Maren Smith
Bared - Measha Stone
I started reading this anthology with the thinking that I would just read a story or two to start off, well that totally changed once I started. First we begin with "Valentine Roulette Introduction" which consists of two parts, Early January and Valentine's Day, evening, at Black Light, before the individual stories begin.
Early January
We meet all the key players responsible for Black Light the newest and most exclusive BDSM club in DC. This club is owned by three people Jaxson, Chase, and Emma. These three are also in a triad relationship. They have a staff meeting with the head staff about the upcoming event Valentine's Day Roulette the premise behind this special event is that it will pair off a Dom with a sub with the spin of the roulette wheel and then the next roulette wheel will pick which kink they will scene with. Kinda fun idea, you don't know who or what you will be doing that night beforehand so it makes it more exciting and may open you up to a kink that you never tried before. There are also some great prizes that can be won which include a free month membership with the value of $2,500.
Valentine's Day, evening, at Black Light
In this chapter (about 30ish pages long) each of the Doms spin the wheel to see which sub they will be playing with that evening, then the sub gets her turn at the wheel to see which kink they will b doing. They do have hard limits and safewords in place for both the Dom and sub so if anyone is uncomfortable about anything they can either slow down or stop for the night. This is where it gets fun, you can feel the anticipation of each of them waiting to see who will be chosen to be with whom and what kink they will be performing. There are several stage areas for where the scenes will take place and tables with chairs for those that will just be watching.
Let the fun begin!
Broken - Renee Rose
Master D & Slave to Pain (Derek & Jennifer) Derek is former Navy SEAL now a government contractor and Jennifer is active Military (Major in the Army)
The kink they had with the original spin was age play/daddy dom
Master D & Slave to Pain have been playing together every weekend for a couple of months now, Derek has asked Jennifer out several times and she has always shot him down wanting to keep her kinky life separate from her life outside of the club. They are an enjoyable couple to watch and I would love to see more of them
Tamed - Livia Grant
Khloe & Ryder (Princess & Mr. Helms)
Khloe is an actress and model & Ryder in an undercover CIA operative
The Kink they had with the original spin was Medical Play.
Khloe is also new to the BDSM scene and Ryder is super intense and scary.
Khloe is in a vulnerable place right now but I think Ryder may just be the answer she needs.
Wet - Jennifer Bene
Unraveled - Addison Cain
Stripped - Sophie Kisker
Unmasked - Lee Savino
Unbroken - Maren Smith
Bared - Measha Stone
February 9, 2017
Where do I begin? 8 doms and 8 subs all head to an exclusive BDSM club on Valentine's night all trying to win their chance at having a free months membership. The rules are that they spin the Roulette wheel and that decides whom they're paired with and aside form the 4 hard limits they've listed the wheel also decides their scene. I love how although each story is a separate scene with the pairs were still all together in the club. The couples hear and see what's happening at other scenes and until we the reader get to that particular story it spikes your interest as to what's happening. When you get there and are in the eyes of the person so much more makes sense. I personally don't favor one couple over because there's always more then what meets the eye, as their scene unfolds we get deeper into their personal stories. I did enjoy going further into some scenes that I've been curious about and in these stories we learn about them quiet a few, is a a nice variety. This book was hot and steamy, such a great read. This is my unbiased and voluntary review.
August 23, 2017
Oh, I just don't know where to start. Seriously! What a smoking HOT, wonderful addition to this new series, one that I could not put down until I finished it because, well because I didn't want to. Eight, yes eight, steamy novellas written by such talented authors it kept me glued to my seat at the expense of everything else I should have been doing. Ha! No synopsis from me, you can read it for yourself and absolutely no spoilers either. Buy the book, clear your calendar, and settle in for the best game of Roulette ever!
May 14, 2022
Unbroken by Maren Smith
Biggest complaint, I wanted more! The story ended just as they had worked out some pretty major issues.
Biggest complaint, I wanted more! The story ended just as they had worked out some pretty major issues.
February 7, 2017
THREE HOURS. FOUR HARD LIMITS AND EIGHT KINKY AUTHORS!
My review can be very short. I love, love, loved this book. I am a huge fan of the Black Light world and then add eight great kinky authors to the mix and you get one amazing book.
Eventhough each story centers around a different couple, they stories are interwoven with eachtother and events that take place in one story are seen or heard in the other stories. They all connect to make ito ne big story.
Renee Rose – Broken
The story of Master D and Slave to Pain; two pretty hardcore S/M players. The Roulette ball falls on Ageplay. Not something they are into which leads to hilarious and some unexpected tender and emotional moments. I loved this story a lot.
Livia Grant – Revealed
The Roulettewheel throws together experienced sadist Ryder with newbie actress Khloe. There is a instant strong connection between the two. Limits are pushed and both find out new things about themselves but what will happen after that night? A real intense story and I am estactic that there will be a future full book about Ryder and Khloe.
Jennifer Bene –Wet
The title says it all. This story has a play I never heard of before, water based breath play. Sienna is a sub who sees herself as a object, but that is not what Daddy Dom Aexander sees. A emotional, intense but also very tender story follows.
Lee Savino - Unmasked
Newbie sub Chessie gets to play with Master Kane. Chessie hasn’t had an orgasm in a long time. That is a challenge no Dom can turn down. But whappens the mask finally comes off. What will it reveal? This was a very emotional story
Addison Caine-Unraveled
This was a very edgy story. It feautures the more extreme plays, breathplay and waterworks. What makes it even harder is the fact that there is no real connection between Klara and her Dom for the night Coleman. Klare is a newbie while Coleman is a experienced sadist. There is a third player to add even more tension to the story. Spencer is not happy that Klara is playing. This story made me a bit uncomfortable because I felt Coleman went to far and I am not sure if it happend out of spite or he was trying to help in his own way. I am glad there was a HEA.
Maren Smith- Unbroken
This story featured a few plays I hadn’t heard about before. Who know tickeling was one and cell popping, what is that? Newton and Abby don’t like each other which results in a lot of great verbal one liners. Abby acted like a real brat most of the time, which started to get a little annoying, but Newton handeled it like the Dom that he is. Maren Smith knows how the write a great BDSM story.
Measha Stone-Bared
The story of ex lovers Dane and Riley and a play of humilitation. A intense and very vexy scene follows. Emotions run high when Riley is forced to deal with her insecurities. Will they get back together or will it tear them futher apart? A very moving well written story.
Sophie Kisker-Stripped
The story of Sari and Adam. It features an amazing sensuel scene of waxplay and fantasy play, but will the secret that Sari has been keeping ruin everything? It was the shortest story of the book and for that reason it felt a bit rushed. I would have liked a few chapters more so there would be more of a connection between the characters.
I received a ARC from the author.
My review can be very short. I love, love, loved this book. I am a huge fan of the Black Light world and then add eight great kinky authors to the mix and you get one amazing book.
Eventhough each story centers around a different couple, they stories are interwoven with eachtother and events that take place in one story are seen or heard in the other stories. They all connect to make ito ne big story.
Renee Rose – Broken
The story of Master D and Slave to Pain; two pretty hardcore S/M players. The Roulette ball falls on Ageplay. Not something they are into which leads to hilarious and some unexpected tender and emotional moments. I loved this story a lot.
Livia Grant – Revealed
The Roulettewheel throws together experienced sadist Ryder with newbie actress Khloe. There is a instant strong connection between the two. Limits are pushed and both find out new things about themselves but what will happen after that night? A real intense story and I am estactic that there will be a future full book about Ryder and Khloe.
Jennifer Bene –Wet
The title says it all. This story has a play I never heard of before, water based breath play. Sienna is a sub who sees herself as a object, but that is not what Daddy Dom Aexander sees. A emotional, intense but also very tender story follows.
Lee Savino - Unmasked
Newbie sub Chessie gets to play with Master Kane. Chessie hasn’t had an orgasm in a long time. That is a challenge no Dom can turn down. But whappens the mask finally comes off. What will it reveal? This was a very emotional story
Addison Caine-Unraveled
This was a very edgy story. It feautures the more extreme plays, breathplay and waterworks. What makes it even harder is the fact that there is no real connection between Klara and her Dom for the night Coleman. Klare is a newbie while Coleman is a experienced sadist. There is a third player to add even more tension to the story. Spencer is not happy that Klara is playing. This story made me a bit uncomfortable because I felt Coleman went to far and I am not sure if it happend out of spite or he was trying to help in his own way. I am glad there was a HEA.
Maren Smith- Unbroken
This story featured a few plays I hadn’t heard about before. Who know tickeling was one and cell popping, what is that? Newton and Abby don’t like each other which results in a lot of great verbal one liners. Abby acted like a real brat most of the time, which started to get a little annoying, but Newton handeled it like the Dom that he is. Maren Smith knows how the write a great BDSM story.
Measha Stone-Bared
The story of ex lovers Dane and Riley and a play of humilitation. A intense and very vexy scene follows. Emotions run high when Riley is forced to deal with her insecurities. Will they get back together or will it tear them futher apart? A very moving well written story.
Sophie Kisker-Stripped
The story of Sari and Adam. It features an amazing sensuel scene of waxplay and fantasy play, but will the secret that Sari has been keeping ruin everything? It was the shortest story of the book and for that reason it felt a bit rushed. I would have liked a few chapters more so there would be more of a connection between the characters.
I received a ARC from the author.
February 7, 2017
This is one amazing, amazing collection of stories. There are 3 hours and 4 hard limits for the Valentines Day Roulette party at Black Light. 8 stories tell the tales of a Dom and sub as they take the journey on the wheel, will everyone be happy with their draw by the end of the night?
Each book is almost a stand alone book on it's own. The authors have done a fabulous job of creating a beginning, middle and end to their individual books in addition to touching on the other stories, keeping it cohesive. The work done in this collection is phenomenal, the reader is not only sucked into the stories but also is exposed to some very risky and kinky adventures.
The best compliment I can give? Some things on my very hard limit would be moved to my soft limit when presented in the fashion that these stories create, that's how good the stories are. An absolute must read!
Each book is almost a stand alone book on it's own. The authors have done a fabulous job of creating a beginning, middle and end to their individual books in addition to touching on the other stories, keeping it cohesive. The work done in this collection is phenomenal, the reader is not only sucked into the stories but also is exposed to some very risky and kinky adventures.
The best compliment I can give? Some things on my very hard limit would be moved to my soft limit when presented in the fashion that these stories create, that's how good the stories are. An absolute must read!
September 11, 2018
What a fantastic sexy book. You get to follow 8 Doms and 8 subs and what a journey. If you can think about what you like it probably did happen at the Black Light BDSM club. I will not tell you about the stories because you need to read them and enjoy the books like I did.
February 7, 2017
Black Light: Valentine Roulette" contains 8 fabulous different emotional romantic stories and all feature very erotic and scintillating BDSM experiences. The premise of the box set is that Black Light, BDSM club, is having a Valentine's Day game of chance. The winners will get a free month of membership to Black Light. The game is rather simple. Eight Doms spin a roulette wheel to determine who their sub for the evening will be. In turn each sub will spin a separate roulette wheel which will determine what type of scene they'll play. They must do three different scenes within a three hour timeframe in order to win the prize. There's a constant, in each of these authors individual books, the Doms break through the subs emotional or subconscious walls. It's in the romantic story that each authors plots, characters, and styles shine.
It's difficult reviewing a boxed set because you must critique eight incredibly unique stories by eight exceptionally amazing authors. Livia Grant, Jennifer Bene, Addison Cain, Sophie Kisker, Lee Savino, Renee Rose, Maren Smith, and Measha Stone all bring their "A-Games". They smoothly intertwined their stories with the scene setting first narrative. All of the "novellettes" are strong romantically, psychologically, and sexually. Each author's story has emphasizes a different element, be it the romance or the emotional walls. Showcasing the various authors individual styles and strengths. The Dom and sub pairings range from couples who know each other well, are complete strangers, or adversaries. The scenes encompass, Age Play, Water, Sybian-Orgasm Torture, Medical Play Capture Fantasy, to name a few. Each Dom uses their activity to break down the sub's emotional walls and build up their strengths. In most cases ending up with an emotional or romance connection with each other.
Honestly there isn't a really weak story in the entirety of Black Light: Valentine Roulette". All are compelling, every one sexy as all get out, and a couple that are just romantic. There is one, my favorite, which is not only intriguing, erotic but the romance is wonderfully sweet and touching. Sophie Kisker's "Stripped" is my favorite but I'm a sucker for character heavy, sensitive hero, wide-eyed heroine romances. There's a style in this box set for everyone whether you prefer heavy BDSM, psychological focus, or a romantic spotlight. If you want to have a "Kinky Little Valentine's Day" then buy the "Black Light: Valentine Roulette" Box Set.
This novel was provided, voluntarily read, and honestly reviewed.
If you like this review and would like to see more and get more extended versions of some of my reviews go to lightningcitybookreviews.com
It's difficult reviewing a boxed set because you must critique eight incredibly unique stories by eight exceptionally amazing authors. Livia Grant, Jennifer Bene, Addison Cain, Sophie Kisker, Lee Savino, Renee Rose, Maren Smith, and Measha Stone all bring their "A-Games". They smoothly intertwined their stories with the scene setting first narrative. All of the "novellettes" are strong romantically, psychologically, and sexually. Each author's story has emphasizes a different element, be it the romance or the emotional walls. Showcasing the various authors individual styles and strengths. The Dom and sub pairings range from couples who know each other well, are complete strangers, or adversaries. The scenes encompass, Age Play, Water, Sybian-Orgasm Torture, Medical Play Capture Fantasy, to name a few. Each Dom uses their activity to break down the sub's emotional walls and build up their strengths. In most cases ending up with an emotional or romance connection with each other.
Honestly there isn't a really weak story in the entirety of Black Light: Valentine Roulette". All are compelling, every one sexy as all get out, and a couple that are just romantic. There is one, my favorite, which is not only intriguing, erotic but the romance is wonderfully sweet and touching. Sophie Kisker's "Stripped" is my favorite but I'm a sucker for character heavy, sensitive hero, wide-eyed heroine romances. There's a style in this box set for everyone whether you prefer heavy BDSM, psychological focus, or a romantic spotlight. If you want to have a "Kinky Little Valentine's Day" then buy the "Black Light: Valentine Roulette" Box Set.
This novel was provided, voluntarily read, and honestly reviewed.
If you like this review and would like to see more and get more extended versions of some of my reviews go to lightningcitybookreviews.com
February 10, 2017
WOW!!! What a creative and well written compilations of authors. While each story is about it's own couple, they all intertwine on Valentine's night at the Black Light club.
I was shocked (in a good way) about the twist and turns each story takes and the interaction between the couples. If you're looking for something sexy and naughty this Valentine's Day, look no further than this book. You will not be disappointed:)
I was shocked (in a good way) about the twist and turns each story takes and the interaction between the couples. If you're looking for something sexy and naughty this Valentine's Day, look no further than this book. You will not be disappointed:)
February 12, 2017
Revealed - Livia Grant
So, I gotta be honest…hardcore medical play isn’t really my thing. It makes me uncomfortable and I don’t normally like reading about it… but there was something really special about this story. Something special only Ms. Grant can manage. Dom’s choice had me holding my breath and there is this moment in the story when I think my heart stopped and things got out of control and and I can��t spoil it!! This was so intense and amazing! You just have to read it for yourself!
Wet - Jennifer Bene
Wow! And wow just doesn’t cover it. I loved how the author did a little play on words and added certain things that made you feel special as you read. This story blew me away with how amazing it was. It was sexy-as-hell and at the same time, the underline romance tone was perfect. He was matched with the perfect sub and I can’t spoil it but holy moley you need to read this story for yourself. Hold your breath as you prepare to be immersed in one of the most beautiful ‘mind game’ sexy romance stories.
Unraveled - Addison Cain
Holy cow! Wow! I honestly don’t think I would have survived the night of this story. It was such a wild intense sexy hardcore ride. The wheel was not kind at all but dang was it hot! Especially the second spin! What a lucky lady! Although, I admit the last spin was a bit much for me to handle myself but then suddenly… it stopped and the entire ending was beautiful! I need more of her Spencer! Pretty please? My favorite line was “You won as soon as you walked in the room” I cried. That entire ending scene was just amazing!! I don’t know if this is considered a spoiler or not but for me when I read a bdsm book I LOVE reading about the imperfect scenes and safe wording situations because it shows the real relationship between the Dom and the sub and this book was amazing with the proper aftercare after the safewording situation. So a round of applause to the author to having such a wonderful ending to a strong moment.
Stripped - Sophie Kisker
Wow! This one was really hot! The first spin was delicious and I didn’t want to see it end! I’ve never experienced that before but if I ever do I want it to be like that! Dang, that last spin was super hot and her idea was so fun! Then the end. The beautiful surprising ending! I really liked this story and wish to see more of these characters!
Unmasked - Lee Savino
This story was really different for me. Yes, it was sizzling hot and kinky but at the same time, something this story focused on a lot is aftercare. I really liked the attention to detail, explaining about subspace and subdrop. How important it is to have the proper after care. I love reading about it because it really shows the connection with the Dom and his sub not just inside the scene. It is a totally different kind of story and I loved it! I would love so much to see more of the couple!
Broken - Renee Rose
I know this was supposed to be a super kinky and sexy story but I’m just blown away with the love story between these two. I’m not saying it wasn’t kinky and sexy because it was! It totally was. I just love how as a hard ass Dom he could still play the daddy role and give her exactly what she needed even when she really didn’t know what she needed. He was still the perfect Dom for her even in a role-play situation. I loved how he helped her work through her issues in a loving caring way. Even though they were in a kinky environment he really took control and helped her how she needed it. I really hope we see more of these two!
Unbroken - Maren Smith
I’ve gotta admit, this was a bit different to me. The wheel spins involved in this story… I didn’t know where actual things so it was kinda cool. I/m kinda embarrassed that I learned some things in this book. The idea of cell popping is very interesting and it was great to read about! I liked how she was bratty and not submissive at all but they still ended up working together. This was a super hot fun book and I would love to see the coffee date and more of this couple!
Bared - Measha Stone
Well I gotta be honest this book was a little rough for me but I made it through! It was really sweet in a super fun and kinky way. He just wanted what was best for her and his methods were a little abnormal but they worked. The ending scene was wonderful! I want to read more of these two!
This novel was provided, voluntarily read, and honestly reviewed.
So, I gotta be honest…hardcore medical play isn’t really my thing. It makes me uncomfortable and I don’t normally like reading about it… but there was something really special about this story. Something special only Ms. Grant can manage. Dom’s choice had me holding my breath and there is this moment in the story when I think my heart stopped and things got out of control and and I can��t spoil it!! This was so intense and amazing! You just have to read it for yourself!
Wet - Jennifer Bene
Wow! And wow just doesn’t cover it. I loved how the author did a little play on words and added certain things that made you feel special as you read. This story blew me away with how amazing it was. It was sexy-as-hell and at the same time, the underline romance tone was perfect. He was matched with the perfect sub and I can’t spoil it but holy moley you need to read this story for yourself. Hold your breath as you prepare to be immersed in one of the most beautiful ‘mind game’ sexy romance stories.
Unraveled - Addison Cain
Holy cow! Wow! I honestly don’t think I would have survived the night of this story. It was such a wild intense sexy hardcore ride. The wheel was not kind at all but dang was it hot! Especially the second spin! What a lucky lady! Although, I admit the last spin was a bit much for me to handle myself but then suddenly… it stopped and the entire ending was beautiful! I need more of her Spencer! Pretty please? My favorite line was “You won as soon as you walked in the room” I cried. That entire ending scene was just amazing!! I don’t know if this is considered a spoiler or not but for me when I read a bdsm book I LOVE reading about the imperfect scenes and safe wording situations because it shows the real relationship between the Dom and the sub and this book was amazing with the proper aftercare after the safewording situation. So a round of applause to the author to having such a wonderful ending to a strong moment.
Stripped - Sophie Kisker
Wow! This one was really hot! The first spin was delicious and I didn’t want to see it end! I’ve never experienced that before but if I ever do I want it to be like that! Dang, that last spin was super hot and her idea was so fun! Then the end. The beautiful surprising ending! I really liked this story and wish to see more of these characters!
Unmasked - Lee Savino
This story was really different for me. Yes, it was sizzling hot and kinky but at the same time, something this story focused on a lot is aftercare. I really liked the attention to detail, explaining about subspace and subdrop. How important it is to have the proper after care. I love reading about it because it really shows the connection with the Dom and his sub not just inside the scene. It is a totally different kind of story and I loved it! I would love so much to see more of the couple!
Broken - Renee Rose
I know this was supposed to be a super kinky and sexy story but I’m just blown away with the love story between these two. I’m not saying it wasn’t kinky and sexy because it was! It totally was. I just love how as a hard ass Dom he could still play the daddy role and give her exactly what she needed even when she really didn’t know what she needed. He was still the perfect Dom for her even in a role-play situation. I loved how he helped her work through her issues in a loving caring way. Even though they were in a kinky environment he really took control and helped her how she needed it. I really hope we see more of these two!
Unbroken - Maren Smith
I’ve gotta admit, this was a bit different to me. The wheel spins involved in this story… I didn’t know where actual things so it was kinda cool. I/m kinda embarrassed that I learned some things in this book. The idea of cell popping is very interesting and it was great to read about! I liked how she was bratty and not submissive at all but they still ended up working together. This was a super hot fun book and I would love to see the coffee date and more of this couple!
Bared - Measha Stone
Well I gotta be honest this book was a little rough for me but I made it through! It was really sweet in a super fun and kinky way. He just wanted what was best for her and his methods were a little abnormal but they worked. The ending scene was wonderful! I want to read more of these two!
This novel was provided, voluntarily read, and honestly reviewed.
October 8, 2017
“Black Light Valentine Roulette” might have been a gateway anthology for me. Yes, I have a hefty addiction to books and buy them regularly, but this collection started me down that crooked path to sinfully delicious stories. There’s no real order to read them and consecutive is a tad dull. I admit to jumping around and then losing my place, so jumping around again. I’m fairly sure I’ve read each story at least twice now, some even more. It’s a fun collection that if you don’t already own it, you should buy it, as it too will become your gateway to some incredible authors.
February 9, 2017
3.75- 4 stars. This was a good read. Black Light: Valentine Roulette is an anthology. The story is centered around an up and coming exclusive BDSM club, Black Light. The club owners, a romantic triad, Chase, Emma, and Jaxon, decide to run a Valentine Roulette party. They have doms and subs enter in a roulette drawing to be matched with play partners and they roll to be matched with activities to do together ( humiliation, water based breath play, whipping, etc.) It was a really interesting game and all the partners, while they may not have seemed obvious matches, turned out to be perfect matches.
Three hours. Four hard limits. Eight sexy stories.
Are you brave enough to spin the wheel?
Included in the box set:
Tamed - Livia Grant
Wet - Jennifer Bene
Unraveled - Addison Cain
Stripped - Sophie Kisker
Unmasked - Lee Savino
Broken - Renee Rose
Unbroken - Maren Smith
Bared - Measha Stone
This is a long anthology. Eight stories, anywhere from 4 to 14 chapters. I don't know the page count, because I read an arc but there were 10092 locations. It was a long book and it took me a long time to get through. The stories are all good. They are heavier BDSM than I am use to reading. There were scenes I had never read about before (cell popping, "watersports", etc.) All of the stories were emotional (I cried several times), delving deep into the psyches of the characters. I enjoyed them all. My favorites were Broken, Unraveled, and Bared. I think it was because they all featured couples that had a prior relationship (ex-lovers, regular play partners, hated boss/employee). The stories are all long enough and with enough depth to have a beginning/middle/end and an HEA. There is one exception; Revealed ends in a cliffhanger, to be continued at a later date, which I didn't really like not knowing ahead of time. I hadn't read anything by any of these authors, but I was impressed by the writing. The sexy scenes were all hot and edgy. I definitely felt like the characters had depth and I felt the connection between the partners.
Overall, this is a good BDSM anthology. It is a great introduction to readers who want to read more than BDSM-lite books. I will definitely look into reading more from these authors in the future.
*an arc was provided for an honest review*
Three hours. Four hard limits. Eight sexy stories.
Are you brave enough to spin the wheel?
Included in the box set:
Tamed - Livia Grant
Wet - Jennifer Bene
Unraveled - Addison Cain
Stripped - Sophie Kisker
Unmasked - Lee Savino
Broken - Renee Rose
Unbroken - Maren Smith
Bared - Measha Stone
This is a long anthology. Eight stories, anywhere from 4 to 14 chapters. I don't know the page count, because I read an arc but there were 10092 locations. It was a long book and it took me a long time to get through. The stories are all good. They are heavier BDSM than I am use to reading. There were scenes I had never read about before (cell popping, "watersports", etc.) All of the stories were emotional (I cried several times), delving deep into the psyches of the characters. I enjoyed them all. My favorites were Broken, Unraveled, and Bared. I think it was because they all featured couples that had a prior relationship (ex-lovers, regular play partners, hated boss/employee). The stories are all long enough and with enough depth to have a beginning/middle/end and an HEA. There is one exception; Revealed ends in a cliffhanger, to be continued at a later date, which I didn't really like not knowing ahead of time. I hadn't read anything by any of these authors, but I was impressed by the writing. The sexy scenes were all hot and edgy. I definitely felt like the characters had depth and I felt the connection between the partners.
Overall, this is a good BDSM anthology. It is a great introduction to readers who want to read more than BDSM-lite books. I will definitely look into reading more from these authors in the future.
*an arc was provided for an honest review*
May 21, 2017
I was grateful to receive a free copy of Valentine Roulette (Black Light) in exchange for an honest review. I really liked the concept of the book, about a BDSM club hosting a Valentine contest, involving different scenes. Each scene had a different author, and a unique style of writing. Some scenes were more likable then others. Having never been to one of these clubs, some of the scenes were difficult to visualize. I definitely learned a few things. As a reader, it was difficult to get emotionally attached to the characters, because each scene was like a short story so there was very little character development/attachment. I would only recommend this book to readers that can handle some very kinky/adult themes scenes.
April 28, 2024
I thought since there are 8 stories, I would probably read 4 or 5 but each one was so good, I kept reading on all the way through. All these stories take place on Valentines Day at a BDSM club in Washington. Each one was very different and I found myself rooting for each of these couples to get their HEA or at least a HFN. I wasn't disappointed. And I really enjoyed having Chase (from the first book in this series) as Master of Ceremonies. I'm definitely reading on in this series. And I found a few more authors to add to my TBR.
February 4, 2019
4/5 - BDSM anthology * full review to come *
LOVED some of the books more than others... This anthology showcases some of my favorite kink authors and this book is HOT!
But if you aren’t into real BDSM dungeon kink and don’t want to learn of the various ways subs like to be dominated in explicit detail don’t read.
LOVED some of the books more than others... This anthology showcases some of my favorite kink authors and this book is HOT!
But if you aren’t into real BDSM dungeon kink and don’t want to learn of the various ways subs like to be dominated in explicit detail don’t read.
February 7, 2022
After reading this book, I realized I'm not much a fan of short stories. Actually, I'm not sure why I didn't know that considering I struggle with novellas. Mainly because I need an attachment to the characters. I need them to develop. Short stories don't give you time for that.
Two of these stories stuck out for me:
Broken by Renee Rose, I loved. I so want more of Jennifer and Derek.
Wet by Jennifer Bene was another really good one. I really liked Alexander and Sienna. I could read more of them.
Unraveled by Addison Cain wasn't bad either with Spencer and Klara. I hope we see some more of them as the series goes on because he's the Dungeon Master.
The rest were just meh for me. A couple I really didn't like at all.
Two of these stories stuck out for me:
Broken by Renee Rose, I loved. I so want more of Jennifer and Derek.
Wet by Jennifer Bene was another really good one. I really liked Alexander and Sienna. I could read more of them.
Unraveled by Addison Cain wasn't bad either with Spencer and Klara. I hope we see some more of them as the series goes on because he's the Dungeon Master.
The rest were just meh for me. A couple I really didn't like at all.
September 19, 2024
I’m no BDSM expert but deliberately making her cry not once but twice by manipulating the fact he knew she wouldn’t safe word / using her real identify against her? Because he won’t accept she doesn’t want to date him? I didn’t come here for rapey vibes
June 17, 2018
This is another great part of the Black Light series. Loved reading novellas by some previous read authors as well as some new to me authors.
February 23, 2021
This Steamy Collection Of Quick Reads Takes Place In D.C.’s Favorite BDSM Club! 15 Couples Battle It Out.
This is book three in the Black Light series. It can be read as a standalone, though the series builds. This book is a collection of eight novellas plus an introduction by eight different authors. It includes:
Valentine Roulette Introduction: by Livia Grant and Jennifer Bene
Broken : by Renee Rose
Revealed: by Livia Grant
Wet: by Jennifer Bene
Unmasked: by Lee Savino
Unraveled: by Addison Cain
Unbroken: by Maren Smith
Bared: by Measha Stone
Stripped: by Sophie Kisker
Black Light is the new and ultra secret D.C. BDSM club. It remains to be seen if the owners can turn it into profit-making venture, so they hope to build up some Valentine’s excitement to drum up new memberships via word of mouth. Their idea is to sell tickets to an evening of Valentine Roulette. Fifteen Doms and fifteen subs sign up for the night of games, and the lucky ticket holders get to watch the evening of entertainment as the drama unfolds. Doms spin the wheel to see which sub they are assigned. Subs spin the wheel to see what scene the couple will enact. Each have only four hard limits in an intimidating list of over twenty possibilities. To win a month of free membership to the club, couples must get through the three hours event without using their safe word.
Each story is written in third person, in alternating POVs. The collection as a whole is nicely written. The concept is rather creative and it works well. Overall I rate this collection of quick reads 4.5 stars.
VALENTINE ROULETTE INTRODUCTION:
This story gives the history of Black Light, a secret BDSM club located under Runway – the hugely successful Georgetown nightclub operated by the same owners. The politics of running a private club are played out as they plan their Valentine event. Owners Jaxson Davidson, Chase Cartwright, and Emma Fischer are partners behind the scenes as well. Though it is mostly in the background, there is a peak into the lovers’ story.
For anyone that has not read the first two books in the series, this does a great job of getting readers up to date enough to follow along. It takes you behind the scenes. It is well-written.
BROKEN:
Major Jennifer Riggs would lose her career if her weekend persona came to light. Black Light takes care to keep things private, and she has been in attendance since the day they opened. She goes by Slave to Pain, and she is not looking for a relationship or anything out side of the club. She loves alphas but knows from past experience that their obsessive tendencies clash with her career aspirations. Still, she needs an outlet for her commanding career, and Master D knows just how to satisfy her. The problem is that he asked for her name and she had to turn him down. And last week she saw him from afar in the Pentagon. She knows he wants more from her, but that it could only end in disaster.
This is very well-written. The characters are wonderfully developed and real.
REVEALED:
Khloe Monroe, turning twenty-five, lives and breathes for her career as a highly successful Hollywood actress. It has meant personal sacrifice, but she had made a decision years ago to do what it takes. To celebrate her birthday, she decides to treat herself by leaving her Hollywood movie set for her one week hiatus a little early. She has a chance to walk the red carpet and be photographed among the who’s who of Broadway on the opening night of a friend’s play – which is always a good thing for her career. That, and she gets to scratch an itch with her boyfriend. But things don’t go as she planned when she arrives in New York, and suddenly the loneliness overwhelms her. She thinks back to the last time she had a real connection, and although she had burned that bridge, she finds herself in D.C. looking up her ex-boyfriend Chase Cartwright.
Ryder Helms, nearly forty, is dying to get back to Moscow. Hanging out in Langley is not his idea of fun. His forced leave is not appreciated and is putting his deep-cover identity as well as years of hard work at risk. The higher ups aren’t happy about his three medical incidents and insist he takes some time off. His cover in the Volkov Bratva, however, is about to finally pay dividends. The timing couldn’t be worse – it’s just bad luck that his line of work has him leaping from moving vehicles and getting shot. If he were in Moscow it would be easy to get a little release. Finding women to satisfy the sadist in him is easy there, though their tolerance for pain might be influenced by money and gifts. The BDSM scene in the states is more like a game in comparison. Ryder lives the life of a sadist – it is no act. He isn’t expecting to be too impressed when his old friend Spencer Cook invites him as a guest to Black Light.
This is well-written. The characters are unique and well-developed.
WET:
The story opens January twenty-second at the Overtime Club where Muscles (a.k.a. Terry) – a dungeon monitor at both Overtime and Black Light – suggests one of the regular subs there give Black Light a try. He had been tasked to recruit some subs for the upcoming Valentine Roulette event. He worries that this sub doesn’t get the care she needs at Overtime and thinks she might find a better match at Black Light.
Sienna, a stenographer, hates socializing. She sits and listens all day long, so she has learned to keep her mouth shut. Her job doesn’t pay all the bills so she waitresses in the evenings, too. She needs an outlet for her long work hours and solitude, which she gets via serious submission and humiliation – not everybody’s cup of tea. It is the only way to clear her head. She heads to Overtime Club once or twice a week for some pick-up play to do just that. She hasn’t been in a relationship in about a year, and the Doms she plays with haven’t been asking her out. To avoid the hassle and rejection, she prefers uncomplicated arrangements – playing for one night and moving on. There aren’t many Doms left that she has not subbed for at the club already, so when Terry expresses his concerns and suggests Black Light, Sienna agrees to give it go. She might not agree with Terry that the Doms are not treating her right, but she knows she is running out of options at Overtime.
Alexander Reed, a partner at Lambert, Urbanski and Reed, the law firm that represents Black Light, enjoys the six months of free membership he got as part of his compensation for his work with Black Light. He always wanted to be an attorney – the adrenaline rush of arguing a case thrills him. It is that same alpha characteristic that makes him love being a dominant. He has a thing for brunettes with wide innocent eyes – the flashy and mouthy type isn’t for him. He loves to push, punish, and break his subs – like crushing a hostile witness on the stand. But he is cognizant of his responsibilities as a Dom, and he also loves building his subs back up. The last sub he had wanted something real with him, but she was too weak of heart to let him really take charge like he wanted to. Excited and nervous about the night’s possibilities, he hopes he is matched with a ‘little’ – because he loves to play Daddy.
This is very well-written. The characters are unique, well-developed, and authentic.
UNMASKED:
Senator Kane finally gets his story!
Senator Preston Kane the Third, thirty-seven, was raised in Georgia where he learned to be a Southern gentleman. He is a lawyer, and his domineering personality has helped to propel his political career; combined with his work ethic, he has become a powerful U.S. Senator. His good looks and bachelor status make him a popular D.C. figure. But his ninety hour work weeks leave him in need of an outlet, so he finds himself at Black Light on the weekends. Whipping and caning women who willingly submit to him gives him the high he craves. He considers a woman’s submission a treasure and respects a woman that hands it over. The gentleman in him naturally understands the responsibility he assumes with their submission. He doesn’t often scene with a sub more than once; hence he often scenes with newbies. New subs are unpredictable and take a delicate approach. It is his responsibility to push subs and learn what they like and don’t like without taking the sub over the edge – because once she safe words, their play is over.
Chelsea Wilhelmina Jones, a D.C. lobbyist in roughly her early to mid-thirties, is a feminist. Known as Chessie by her friends, she uses logic and the power of persuasion to move D.C.’s most powerful figures toward her way of thinking. While she was once impressed with the city full of national leaders, she has since become bored. But what has her so preoccupied lately is her need for release. She has not been on a date in years and cannot seem to take care of the job herself. She works long hours and cannot seem to get out of her own head long enough to relax. Yet when she is seated at Senator Kane’s table at a dinner event on February thirteenth, she is taken aback by his height, his looks, and his blue eyes despite everything he stands for. The feminist in her should be offended, but she finds herself oddly drawn to him.
This story is thoughtful and well-written. The characters are real and unique.
URAVELED:
This short story goes behind the scenes at Black Light. It is a little less traditional than the others (if that term can even be applied). The introduction had given a sneak peak of some of the various personalities that help keep the club running. Two figures – Maxine Torres and Spencer Cook– are prone to butting heads. While Maxine manages Runway upstairs, Spencer is the Dungeon Master downstairs. He runs the show and doesn’t want Maxine sticking her nose in his business. She keeps trying to get Noah from Runway involved in placing liquor orders for both establishments, something about saving money, but Spencer wants to keep things separate. He runs the show for Jaxson and that is that, typical alpha behavior. When Jaxson is finally swayed by Maxine into interviewing for a head bartender position at Black Light, Spencer isn’t happy. He is even more unhappy when she suggests her best friend.
Kara Eriksson has a good gig at Jack Varens’ nightclub and cannot afford to take risks with her income. She has been bartending for fifteen years and has proven herself quite capable of running the bar. Staffing, menus, dealing with vendors, ordering – she can do it all in her no-nonsense manner. Nothing distracts her from getting the job done, and she knows how to turn on the charm at the drop of a hat to keep the customers happy. She is raising her fourteen year old brother, and Elias deserves the best. He attends one of the best private high schools in D.C. and has his heart set on camp over the summer. Klara works without complaint to provide for him.
UNBROKEN:
Abby frequently finds herself the rather unfortunate victim of Murphy’s Law, and running into Newton shouldn’t be a surprise. Still, she has high hopes for Black Light’s evening of Valentine Roulette. She has been involved in the D.C. BDSM scene for more than two years now. It has helped her achieve the sense of control she desperately needs; she won’t be seen as weak again. She works as a cabby to pay her tuition, and tries to make enough to get the kink out of her system twice a month. She first saw Newton when she became a Crucible member – while she was in the middle of a scene with Terry, a.k.a. Muscles. She never understood why he took an immediate dislike to her. They later crossed paths at Overtime Club, too. And now that Terry hooked her up at Black Light, it was not entirely a surprise to see that Newton had also signed up for the night’s festivities. Still, he angered her. He always gave her a disapproving look. But as she was not his submissive, she gleefully egged him on at each opportunity.
Newton has seen Abby scene with Doms for the past two years, and cannot for the life of him figure out why she seems to get along with everyone except him. She glared at him when he first saw her in that memorable scene with Terry, and her opinion of him never made any sense. Still, he looks forward to a night of fun and surprises at Black Light. He has worked hard the last three years. Building his own online fitness channel took a lot of time and effort, but it does seem to be picking up speed now with over a million subscribers. He always looks forward to his time in the club. His favorite kink is being a Daddy Dom, though he hasn’t limited himself to that alone. He is anxious to see what the roulette wheel brings him.
BARED:
Riley, snarky and combative, doesn’t make a very good submissive. She tops from the bottom and disobeys, but the inexperienced Doms she plays with aren’t quick enough to catch on. She carefully crafts her limits and rules to ensure she is fully in charge. As a powerful attorney by day, the idea of being vulnerable is hard to swallow. It has nothing to do with being shy – she just doesn’t want to appear as anything less than in total control. She already feels like a failure. She cannot reconcile her high-powered career with her kink. She had been a D.A. for a time, but couldn’t stomach some of the depravities she prosecuted and eventually went into litigation. She has taken stock recently and realizes that her ex had been right. He said she needed to embrace her submissive nature, challenge herself to expand her comfort zone. He had introduced her to the community, but she walked away from him eight years ago when she became frozen with fear. He had disappeared for a time, but seeing him around of late has her jealous and full of regret. She has doubted the wisdom of leaving Dane all along, and hopes that her participation in the Valentine Roulette event will challenge her. With rules and a set amount of time, it seems the perfect opportunity.
Dane Stellar had planned to make serving in the Army his career, but it didn’t turn out that way. After his girlfriend broke up with him eight years ago, he later accepted an invitation to Fort Jackson to become a drill sergeant. Five years later, an accident left him with a broken neck and facing lots of rehab. He returned to D.C. and fought his way back, though, and two years later he is in top physical shape. He is now the owner of a gym, but he still works with the military, these days as a contractor. He keeps busy. In his down time he goes to BDSM clubs. He is a member of the newly-opened Black Light, where he sometimes sees Riley. It pains him to see her spinning her wheels with the inexperienced Doms. He wishes he might have done more to keep her from walking away eight years ago, but didn’t feel he had much of a choice then. He had believed he was the problem at the time, but upon returning to D.C. and seeing her again, he knew that wasn’t the case.
This is book three in the Black Light series. It can be read as a standalone, though the series builds. This book is a collection of eight novellas plus an introduction by eight different authors. It includes:
Valentine Roulette Introduction: by Livia Grant and Jennifer Bene
Broken : by Renee Rose
Revealed: by Livia Grant
Wet: by Jennifer Bene
Unmasked: by Lee Savino
Unraveled: by Addison Cain
Unbroken: by Maren Smith
Bared: by Measha Stone
Stripped: by Sophie Kisker
Black Light is the new and ultra secret D.C. BDSM club. It remains to be seen if the owners can turn it into profit-making venture, so they hope to build up some Valentine’s excitement to drum up new memberships via word of mouth. Their idea is to sell tickets to an evening of Valentine Roulette. Fifteen Doms and fifteen subs sign up for the night of games, and the lucky ticket holders get to watch the evening of entertainment as the drama unfolds. Doms spin the wheel to see which sub they are assigned. Subs spin the wheel to see what scene the couple will enact. Each have only four hard limits in an intimidating list of over twenty possibilities. To win a month of free membership to the club, couples must get through the three hours event without using their safe word.
Each story is written in third person, in alternating POVs. The collection as a whole is nicely written. The concept is rather creative and it works well. Overall I rate this collection of quick reads 4.5 stars.
VALENTINE ROULETTE INTRODUCTION:
This story gives the history of Black Light, a secret BDSM club located under Runway – the hugely successful Georgetown nightclub operated by the same owners. The politics of running a private club are played out as they plan their Valentine event. Owners Jaxson Davidson, Chase Cartwright, and Emma Fischer are partners behind the scenes as well. Though it is mostly in the background, there is a peak into the lovers’ story.
For anyone that has not read the first two books in the series, this does a great job of getting readers up to date enough to follow along. It takes you behind the scenes. It is well-written.
BROKEN:
Major Jennifer Riggs would lose her career if her weekend persona came to light. Black Light takes care to keep things private, and she has been in attendance since the day they opened. She goes by Slave to Pain, and she is not looking for a relationship or anything out side of the club. She loves alphas but knows from past experience that their obsessive tendencies clash with her career aspirations. Still, she needs an outlet for her commanding career, and Master D knows just how to satisfy her. The problem is that he asked for her name and she had to turn him down. And last week she saw him from afar in the Pentagon. She knows he wants more from her, but that it could only end in disaster.
This is very well-written. The characters are wonderfully developed and real.
REVEALED:
Khloe Monroe, turning twenty-five, lives and breathes for her career as a highly successful Hollywood actress. It has meant personal sacrifice, but she had made a decision years ago to do what it takes. To celebrate her birthday, she decides to treat herself by leaving her Hollywood movie set for her one week hiatus a little early. She has a chance to walk the red carpet and be photographed among the who’s who of Broadway on the opening night of a friend’s play – which is always a good thing for her career. That, and she gets to scratch an itch with her boyfriend. But things don’t go as she planned when she arrives in New York, and suddenly the loneliness overwhelms her. She thinks back to the last time she had a real connection, and although she had burned that bridge, she finds herself in D.C. looking up her ex-boyfriend Chase Cartwright.
Ryder Helms, nearly forty, is dying to get back to Moscow. Hanging out in Langley is not his idea of fun. His forced leave is not appreciated and is putting his deep-cover identity as well as years of hard work at risk. The higher ups aren’t happy about his three medical incidents and insist he takes some time off. His cover in the Volkov Bratva, however, is about to finally pay dividends. The timing couldn’t be worse – it’s just bad luck that his line of work has him leaping from moving vehicles and getting shot. If he were in Moscow it would be easy to get a little release. Finding women to satisfy the sadist in him is easy there, though their tolerance for pain might be influenced by money and gifts. The BDSM scene in the states is more like a game in comparison. Ryder lives the life of a sadist – it is no act. He isn’t expecting to be too impressed when his old friend Spencer Cook invites him as a guest to Black Light.
This is well-written. The characters are unique and well-developed.
WET:
The story opens January twenty-second at the Overtime Club where Muscles (a.k.a. Terry) – a dungeon monitor at both Overtime and Black Light – suggests one of the regular subs there give Black Light a try. He had been tasked to recruit some subs for the upcoming Valentine Roulette event. He worries that this sub doesn’t get the care she needs at Overtime and thinks she might find a better match at Black Light.
Sienna, a stenographer, hates socializing. She sits and listens all day long, so she has learned to keep her mouth shut. Her job doesn’t pay all the bills so she waitresses in the evenings, too. She needs an outlet for her long work hours and solitude, which she gets via serious submission and humiliation – not everybody’s cup of tea. It is the only way to clear her head. She heads to Overtime Club once or twice a week for some pick-up play to do just that. She hasn’t been in a relationship in about a year, and the Doms she plays with haven’t been asking her out. To avoid the hassle and rejection, she prefers uncomplicated arrangements – playing for one night and moving on. There aren’t many Doms left that she has not subbed for at the club already, so when Terry expresses his concerns and suggests Black Light, Sienna agrees to give it go. She might not agree with Terry that the Doms are not treating her right, but she knows she is running out of options at Overtime.
Alexander Reed, a partner at Lambert, Urbanski and Reed, the law firm that represents Black Light, enjoys the six months of free membership he got as part of his compensation for his work with Black Light. He always wanted to be an attorney – the adrenaline rush of arguing a case thrills him. It is that same alpha characteristic that makes him love being a dominant. He has a thing for brunettes with wide innocent eyes – the flashy and mouthy type isn’t for him. He loves to push, punish, and break his subs – like crushing a hostile witness on the stand. But he is cognizant of his responsibilities as a Dom, and he also loves building his subs back up. The last sub he had wanted something real with him, but she was too weak of heart to let him really take charge like he wanted to. Excited and nervous about the night’s possibilities, he hopes he is matched with a ‘little’ – because he loves to play Daddy.
This is very well-written. The characters are unique, well-developed, and authentic.
UNMASKED:
Senator Kane finally gets his story!
Senator Preston Kane the Third, thirty-seven, was raised in Georgia where he learned to be a Southern gentleman. He is a lawyer, and his domineering personality has helped to propel his political career; combined with his work ethic, he has become a powerful U.S. Senator. His good looks and bachelor status make him a popular D.C. figure. But his ninety hour work weeks leave him in need of an outlet, so he finds himself at Black Light on the weekends. Whipping and caning women who willingly submit to him gives him the high he craves. He considers a woman’s submission a treasure and respects a woman that hands it over. The gentleman in him naturally understands the responsibility he assumes with their submission. He doesn’t often scene with a sub more than once; hence he often scenes with newbies. New subs are unpredictable and take a delicate approach. It is his responsibility to push subs and learn what they like and don’t like without taking the sub over the edge – because once she safe words, their play is over.
Chelsea Wilhelmina Jones, a D.C. lobbyist in roughly her early to mid-thirties, is a feminist. Known as Chessie by her friends, she uses logic and the power of persuasion to move D.C.’s most powerful figures toward her way of thinking. While she was once impressed with the city full of national leaders, she has since become bored. But what has her so preoccupied lately is her need for release. She has not been on a date in years and cannot seem to take care of the job herself. She works long hours and cannot seem to get out of her own head long enough to relax. Yet when she is seated at Senator Kane’s table at a dinner event on February thirteenth, she is taken aback by his height, his looks, and his blue eyes despite everything he stands for. The feminist in her should be offended, but she finds herself oddly drawn to him.
This story is thoughtful and well-written. The characters are real and unique.
URAVELED:
This short story goes behind the scenes at Black Light. It is a little less traditional than the others (if that term can even be applied). The introduction had given a sneak peak of some of the various personalities that help keep the club running. Two figures – Maxine Torres and Spencer Cook– are prone to butting heads. While Maxine manages Runway upstairs, Spencer is the Dungeon Master downstairs. He runs the show and doesn’t want Maxine sticking her nose in his business. She keeps trying to get Noah from Runway involved in placing liquor orders for both establishments, something about saving money, but Spencer wants to keep things separate. He runs the show for Jaxson and that is that, typical alpha behavior. When Jaxson is finally swayed by Maxine into interviewing for a head bartender position at Black Light, Spencer isn’t happy. He is even more unhappy when she suggests her best friend.
Kara Eriksson has a good gig at Jack Varens’ nightclub and cannot afford to take risks with her income. She has been bartending for fifteen years and has proven herself quite capable of running the bar. Staffing, menus, dealing with vendors, ordering – she can do it all in her no-nonsense manner. Nothing distracts her from getting the job done, and she knows how to turn on the charm at the drop of a hat to keep the customers happy. She is raising her fourteen year old brother, and Elias deserves the best. He attends one of the best private high schools in D.C. and has his heart set on camp over the summer. Klara works without complaint to provide for him.
UNBROKEN:
Abby frequently finds herself the rather unfortunate victim of Murphy’s Law, and running into Newton shouldn’t be a surprise. Still, she has high hopes for Black Light’s evening of Valentine Roulette. She has been involved in the D.C. BDSM scene for more than two years now. It has helped her achieve the sense of control she desperately needs; she won’t be seen as weak again. She works as a cabby to pay her tuition, and tries to make enough to get the kink out of her system twice a month. She first saw Newton when she became a Crucible member – while she was in the middle of a scene with Terry, a.k.a. Muscles. She never understood why he took an immediate dislike to her. They later crossed paths at Overtime Club, too. And now that Terry hooked her up at Black Light, it was not entirely a surprise to see that Newton had also signed up for the night’s festivities. Still, he angered her. He always gave her a disapproving look. But as she was not his submissive, she gleefully egged him on at each opportunity.
Newton has seen Abby scene with Doms for the past two years, and cannot for the life of him figure out why she seems to get along with everyone except him. She glared at him when he first saw her in that memorable scene with Terry, and her opinion of him never made any sense. Still, he looks forward to a night of fun and surprises at Black Light. He has worked hard the last three years. Building his own online fitness channel took a lot of time and effort, but it does seem to be picking up speed now with over a million subscribers. He always looks forward to his time in the club. His favorite kink is being a Daddy Dom, though he hasn’t limited himself to that alone. He is anxious to see what the roulette wheel brings him.
BARED:
Riley, snarky and combative, doesn’t make a very good submissive. She tops from the bottom and disobeys, but the inexperienced Doms she plays with aren’t quick enough to catch on. She carefully crafts her limits and rules to ensure she is fully in charge. As a powerful attorney by day, the idea of being vulnerable is hard to swallow. It has nothing to do with being shy – she just doesn’t want to appear as anything less than in total control. She already feels like a failure. She cannot reconcile her high-powered career with her kink. She had been a D.A. for a time, but couldn’t stomach some of the depravities she prosecuted and eventually went into litigation. She has taken stock recently and realizes that her ex had been right. He said she needed to embrace her submissive nature, challenge herself to expand her comfort zone. He had introduced her to the community, but she walked away from him eight years ago when she became frozen with fear. He had disappeared for a time, but seeing him around of late has her jealous and full of regret. She has doubted the wisdom of leaving Dane all along, and hopes that her participation in the Valentine Roulette event will challenge her. With rules and a set amount of time, it seems the perfect opportunity.
Dane Stellar had planned to make serving in the Army his career, but it didn’t turn out that way. After his girlfriend broke up with him eight years ago, he later accepted an invitation to Fort Jackson to become a drill sergeant. Five years later, an accident left him with a broken neck and facing lots of rehab. He returned to D.C. and fought his way back, though, and two years later he is in top physical shape. He is now the owner of a gym, but he still works with the military, these days as a contractor. He keeps busy. In his down time he goes to BDSM clubs. He is a member of the newly-opened Black Light, where he sometimes sees Riley. It pains him to see her spinning her wheels with the inexperienced Doms. He wishes he might have done more to keep her from walking away eight years ago, but didn’t feel he had much of a choice then. He had believed he was the problem at the time, but upon returning to D.C. and seeing her again, he knew that wasn’t the case.
February 17, 2017
*A copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley and I'm freely giving my honest review.*
I liked this book but at times I felt like the stories was to detailed in the descriptions of the the different scenes playing out in the club and I must admit I didn't enjoy it all equally.
These stories are excellent if you are curious about BDSM because it describes the variety of kinks very good.
The writing style in most of the stories are easy to read and with lots of dialogues so I enjoyed the stories but some more then others.
Because of the variation in the stories I have given them individual stars in addition to give the whole bundle 4 stars.
Broken by Renee Rose
Jennifer and Derek
5 stars
Revealed by Livia Grant
Khloe and Ryder
4 stars
Wet by Jennifer Bene
Sienna and Alexander
4 stars
Unmasked by Lee Savino
Master Kane and Cassie
4 stars
Unraveled by Addison Cain
Klara and Spencer
4 stars
Unbroken by Maren Smith
Abby and Newton
3 stars
Bared by Measha Stone
Riley and Dane
3 stars
Stripped by Sophie Kisker
Sari and Adam
4 stars
February 21, 2017
I must say that with the exception of one, these were all new to me authors. But after reading this box set I definitely want to read more from these authors! This BDSM boxed set has something for every taste in it from medical play to breath play and much more.
February 9, 2017
I read and reviewed several stories in this anthology, they were all amazing!
Broken by Renee Rose - This was a great story! Major Jennifer Dibbs has a big secret in her life...she loves being dominated and receiving pain. If that ever got out though, it could ruin her career. So she goes to Black Light and sees Master D, and both remain anonymous. Until Valentine's Day, when both play Roulette at the Black Light Club. This was a sweet, sexy story, where Master D finally breaks thru Jennifer's walls and shows her that she can have her professional military career and still have a fulfilling, private kinky life with him!
Wet by Jennifer Bene - this one featured a form of breath play I'd never seen before. I also loved the dom and sub in this one. She got so mad at him!! It was intense and sexy and funny, all at once!
Unmasked by Lee Savino - So hot and sexy! What happens when you take a repressed, women's rights advocate and pair her with a strong, sexy dom with the nickname The Kane? Fireworks!! I wouldn't mind a session with The Kane myself!!
Stripped by Sophie Kisker - I loved this story! It had the perfect combination of dominance, innocence, sweetness and hella lotta sexy!!
This book was pure, fun sexiness from start to finish! It was a really hot read, but they had good storylines too! I'd definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys sexy reads!!
I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book.
Broken by Renee Rose - This was a great story! Major Jennifer Dibbs has a big secret in her life...she loves being dominated and receiving pain. If that ever got out though, it could ruin her career. So she goes to Black Light and sees Master D, and both remain anonymous. Until Valentine's Day, when both play Roulette at the Black Light Club. This was a sweet, sexy story, where Master D finally breaks thru Jennifer's walls and shows her that she can have her professional military career and still have a fulfilling, private kinky life with him!
Wet by Jennifer Bene - this one featured a form of breath play I'd never seen before. I also loved the dom and sub in this one. She got so mad at him!! It was intense and sexy and funny, all at once!
Unmasked by Lee Savino - So hot and sexy! What happens when you take a repressed, women's rights advocate and pair her with a strong, sexy dom with the nickname The Kane? Fireworks!! I wouldn't mind a session with The Kane myself!!
Stripped by Sophie Kisker - I loved this story! It had the perfect combination of dominance, innocence, sweetness and hella lotta sexy!!
This book was pure, fun sexiness from start to finish! It was a really hot read, but they had good storylines too! I'd definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys sexy reads!!
I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book.
February 13, 2017
Okay, this collection was HOT! I am talking melt your Kindle and you may need a glass of ice water hot. Very short stories about a BDSM underground club that decides to play a Valentine's Roulette game and let the wheel determine who ended up with who, what "scene" they were going to act out, etc.
Good stories, scorching hot, enjoyed reading new authors and it was a lot of fun!
I received an ARC copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Good stories, scorching hot, enjoyed reading new authors and it was a lot of fun!
I received an ARC copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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