Ice Queen

While I liked having some (potential) switch representation, I really dislike this "dominant knows your kink orientation better than yourself" trope a lot. It feels condescending as fuck- it would have been so much better if Marguerite had had the itch to explore the other side of the game on her own. See, I don't think Tyler is a good guy, he is actually quite a bully and not at all responsible (don't get me started on Marguerite's later sessions). The first scene between these two (aside from the whole coercion thing, M doesn't want this) is basically mindfuck torture, something that would be a big scary thing even for established partners. He violates two of the three (we can argue about the third) hard limits for the weekend, so show more consent is basically null - and it is supposed to be okay because "he knows that her body wants it" and "he's like really in love with her"? WTF?. It's well written enough, like the rest of the series, but I actually read this more like a horror novel, not a romance. show less

I really dislike setting books aside, but there's just not going to be any redeeming this to make the rest of it worth it. And I'm definitely not up for reading an entire second book just to finish out their story!
From the first two books in the series I could see that Hill didn't really have a good grasp of BDSM (beyond what you might gather from reading *an* article and watching some amateur porn or something). But there was some creativity to their scenes, and I was curious to see how things might play out. I chalked it up to 'fantasy BDSM fluff' or something. But this one has finally taken the BS too far. It's jumped the shark entirely.
They've never done scenes together before and haven't yet built real trust between them, and, show more in fact, within the first few hours of their altered dynamic *he breaks two out of her three hard limits stated and agreed upon beforehand!* F*** no. And then, while she's already really struggling with submission (like fight or flight, panic attack levels) and despite him seeing physical scars showing she's experienced *actual and prolonged torture* (apparently 60 cigarette burns on her back, among other things!), and her stating she can't bear 'hands grabbing her in the dark' (you know, like the trauma you might have received from someone repeatedly burning you where you can't even see them...) he decides she has to have her entire body restrained (can't even wiggle her head), spread eagled, AND have *full sensory deprivation*, WHILE being partially submerged upside down in water! What the actual f***?!? Oh, and she shouldn't worry about not being able to say a safeword or signal a need to stop, 'he'll just keep a good eye on her'?! WtH? 'So yeah, just breathe through this straw to avoid being waterboarded, while I wield a razor near your privates, AND surprise attack you with a vibrator on high speed and nipple clamps! TRUST ME YET?!?!?' And then after, when she can barely even walk, she crawls into bed (after he asks her about her preferred sleep position btw, when you might reasonably expect to rest and let your guard down) he instead surprise straps her, spread again, by her wrists and ankles, face down (it's not like she might have any triggers for being at someone's mercy while they come at her from behind or anything!!!). And he ends up *shoving multiple ice cubes up both of her lower orifices*. Not some in-and-out stimulation either, mind you, just a handful of ice on your sensitive inner parts while you can't even shift them around well *because you're strapped down*. ?!

And these are supposed to be the two best, most experienced Dominants in the entire BDSM club as well, so there's no shrugging it off like 'well, we never said they were *good* at BDSM, clearly they're newbies just winging it, have fun and don't judge!'. No.

It gives the strong message that trust, communication, consent and safety (*the very cornerstones of BDSM!*) are all just for suckers, and the pros don't need to bother with such trivial things. Doms should just go with whatever their gut tells 'em! Also, that trauma is nonsense and your Dom should just push you beyond it until you're cured! (That was a major theme in book 1 as well). (Also it's small compared to all the rest, but they use 'sub' and 'slave' entirely interchangeably. They really just have no genuine understanding of any of this).
I'm a little horrified at how careless the author is about the practices they based their entire series around! Even by their third book in! It's really a shame. show less

It is an unambiguous keeper!! I am afraid I might crush my fretfulness with the overwhelming delight devoured from this book. Hill concocts a blazing blend of shadowy romance, wanton sexual prowess and the fantastically carved S&M scenarios. Marguerite and Tyler undoubtedly synchronize a sizzling nucleus with a frosty exterior.

I do love Joey Hill. for me, her speciality has been creating female dommes, who make the experience work. However here she twists it, by giving us a female domme and pairing her with the ultimate male dom, and seeing what happens. It's intense and sexual, romantic and sensual. I believed their relationship and wanted it to work for them, as well as finding the sex scenes incredibly hot. Not for the faint hearted, there is a lot about the BDSM life style here, but def for those who want an emotional journey along with the explicit sex.

Some of Marguerite's rituals frustrated me, I didn't understand at first how it all played out, stick with it, there are many layers here for both of them. Although I don't like the stereotype that those in BDSM have an abusive background

OHH , my recomendation for this book appeared on Maryse.net Search in Reader Suggestions .


Uffff ...
Que decir de este libro...
Joey W.Hill escribe cosas muy duras . Y acà cuando digo "duras" quiero decir a veces insoportables de leer , crudas , aterradoramente explìcitas y muchas veces perturbadoras al estilo de AMERICAN PHSYCHO . Asì que hubo varias partes que las saltee porque era demasiado ... tooo much ... y eso que no soy una chuavechita ni una monja ... pero , no sè , habìa cosas fuertes , juegos sexuales la verdad no eran de mi gusto .
Pero igual lo seguì leyendo .
Si , a pesar de los temas sexuales , me enganchè con la historia de estos dos . Màs allà del BDSM , hay una historia de amor atrapante y creible .
No lo show more recomiendo pero si se animan , denle para adelante nomàs . show less

Really enjoyed this one, but not a full 5 stars