Book Review - Stolen Moments by Maren Smith

 

Five Stars!

Stolen Moments is a fantastically good book. It also, oddly, the first book I've read of Maren Smith's where I kind of wished there was less spanking in it.

Not because the spanking in this book isn't amazing. It is. The hero, Draven Gray, is a satisfying hunk of brawn, intelligence and emotional wherewithal all wrapped up in a butcher's apron. Flora O'Bannon is a twenty-first century girl in a nineteenth century spot of bother and often in need of a bit of discipline.

The thing is though, a lot of people in the world think that a book's hero shouldn't keep putting a grown woman over his knee and spanking her bare bottom. Those people are wrong of course but there you are. Maren Smith's book is so exquisitely written, so atmospheric and so compelling that, quite frankly, it deserves to be in every bookshop everywhere. It seems almost a shame to limit its readership to our little niche corner of unashamed spankos.

Pictured: Unashamed spankos

This is in no way a complaint, you understand. You know me, I'm all about the spankings. I also love time travel, historical romance and late nineteenth century London in particular so this book pushed all my buttons, ("Pushed my buttons" sounds so much like a sexual euphemism there that I am just going to leave it and pretend that I meant to do it.)

The sense of time and place is so brilliantly evoked that you can almost smell it. The dark dingy streets of Whitechapel serve as the backdrop to Flora's extraordinary adventure as she's whisked from present day New Orleans to London in 1888 and straight into the path of Jack the Ripper.

The violence depicted in the early part of the book is visceral and bloody. Smith spares us none of the grisly details of the Ripper's appalling crimes. Which makes it truly gut-wrenching when Flora's own life is in danger because we know what the man is capable of.

Contrasting with the horror, is the natural, supportive and loving relationship between Draven and Flora. A relationship that starts, as so many great storybook romances do, with the hero rescuing a damsel in distress. In fact, Flora is not so much distressed as completely unconscious and when her consciousness does come back, her memory doesn't come back with it.

Everything about this book is great. The dialogue is a joy to read. Making the hero a butcher by profession was a stroke of genius. I've been vegetarian for the last thirty years but now I'm wondering why all romantic heroes aren't butchers? Not only can he see off bad guys with a vast selection of knives and the knowledge of how to use them, but he'll then take you home and cook you a hot meal. What's not to love about that?

"Lay one hand on her and I will personally send you straight to the devil's front gate.
We have a long-standing relationship, he and I. You can give him my regards."

Stolen Moments is fast paced with plenty of plot twists to keep the reader on their toes throughout. Yet the love affair between the two main characters doesn't seem forced or rushed. The author allows enough space in the tightly-plotted action for the two characters to get to know one another properly.

At one point in the story, Draven wonders if Flora is "simply a woman in the wrong place at the wrong time". Flora may be a woman out of her own time but, it turns out, she is in exactly the place and time where she needs to be.


Want to know more about the book review star rating system? Or find out what other books I've reviewed? Check out this page here.

Book Review - Daddy Shark by Maren Smith

He's not actually that big. That'd be impractical.

 

Five Stars!

There are some superhero powers which really lend themselves to being a Daddy Dom. Super strength would be a great one. Or mind-reading. Kinda turning into a shark, though? Hmmm, not so much.

Shark-like transformation, though, is the super-power that Daddy Shark’s hero Ommin has been blessed with. The poor lad has spent a lifetime not feeling comfortable in his (sometimes shark-like) skin and has hidden away rather than embracing his magical fish powers.

This is not what Ommin looks like.

Happily, as our story starts, Ommin bravely – and very publicly – saves a man’s life and suddenly everybody wants to know all about him. This brings him into the path of the very delightful Britney, a junior reporter on a local radio station.

There is a lot of wonderfully written Dommy sex ‘n’ spanks in this book. Maren Smith is very good at this sort of thing. Ommin’s expert Domming skills are even more impressive given that at the start of the book, he is a complete novice in all things BDSM. He’s obviously a natural at it though. It turns out that fish transformation isn’t Ommin’s only super-power.

Nor is this.

For all its outlandish superhero antics (and I haven’t even mentioned Ommin’s friend Liquidman yet), this book actually provides one of the most down-to-earth and realistic depictions of someone learning about the BDSM lifestyle.

Inspired by a tell-tale indicator of Britney’s kinky preferences, Ommin takes to the internet to do some research. This might be the first erotic novel I’ve read that directly references Fetlife. (And I’ve read hundreds of the things, believe me.) Maren Smith also cheekily throws in references to fellow authors like Allysa Hart, Rayanna Jamison and Maggie Ryan, whose book blurbs Ommin uses as part of his research.

What the dickens is going on with this one's legs? No wonder he's cross.

The romance between Ommin and Britney ignites quickly and soars like a rocket. They are clearly a very good fit for one another. The chemistry between the two is beautifully drawn and the dialogue is very, very funny. Supporting character Jim (the aforementioned Liquidman) is a brilliant addition to the cast. Every scene he is in is hilarious.

Of course, this is a superhero story. And inevitably, Ommin and Britney’s D/s time gets interrupted more than they’d like by “Superhero needed to save the day”-type business. Goes with the territory, you see. Throughout the book, Ommin really grows into his role. He transforms from hermit-like self-conscious ‘freak’ to super-cool confident day-saver. This is in no small way down to Britney’s encouragement and support.

This is absolutely the last Manshark picture. I promise.

You know that he will save the day. You don’t mess with the Sharkman. Or his sassy little submissive.

Want to know more about the book review star rating system? Or find out what other books I've reviewed? Check out this page here.

Super Daddies!

I'm all about promoting a new anthology series, "Super Daddies" today. A collection of novellas which includes a story from Rayanna Jamison and Allysa Hart whose new book series, "Daddy of the Month Club", I was excitedly reviewing a couple of days ago.

There are also stories by a whole bunch of other great authors including site favourite Maren Smith.

The anthology is subtitled "A Naughty Nerdy Romantic Comedy Anthology" which ticks all my boxes. Naughtiness, nerdiness, romance and comedy are literally my four favourite things. After cats. And tea.

I have just purchased my copy and it is sitting on my ever-increasing virtual e-book pile. I'll review it when I'm finished and let you know what I think. Of course, you will have all read it by then so we'll be able to compare notes on Super Daddies.

Super Daddies

Seven HOT new novellas by some of the best-known authors in the genre. Get ready for love, laughs, and all the comic action that any anthology filled with Daddy Doms who know where to draw the line and Littles who can’t wait to cross them can hold. Have you been super naughty? Don’t worry… have we got a Daddy for that!

Available on Amazon and FREE in KU

Amazon US → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07V8K946B/

Amazon UK → https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07V8K946B/

Amazon CA → https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07V8K946B/

Amazon AU → https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B07V8K946B/

Included in this anthology are:

Weathering Lainey by Stella Moore
Lainey Goldberg has spent her entire life believing she's completely normal. Until an evil corporation tries to kidnap her, a man she only knows as "Daddy" rescues her, and she's forced to come to terms with the fact that she has powers she never dreamed of. Can she learn to live under Daddy's rules and come to terms with her new reality? Or will she risk both their lives by doing things her own way?

Little Villain by Golden Angel
Chaotica is the right hand lady of the city's biggest villain… until she's captured by the vigilante Pluto. Things haven't been going well with her Daddy for a long time, so when Pluto suddenly starts making all the right moves she can't help but wonder… is he just playing a part to get her to talk? Or would she be better off switching sides and taking a chance on a Daddy who seems too good to be true?

Super Daddy by Allysa Hart and Rayanna Jamison
I wasn’t the damsel in distress type. And yet here I was, wrapped up in a shit-show of epic proportions, with a gang of bad guys after me and a leak somewhere in the ranks of the police department charged with keeping me safe. The next thing I know, I’m holed up in a talking house with Brian, the butter-voiced superhero who ‘rescued’ me against my will. He has a hard-as-steel body and even harder hands, but there’s something about him I just can’t resist. I’ve never needed anyone, and I don’t want to start now, but when he tells me to call him Daddy, I almost believe it when he says he can keep me safe… Almost…

Daddy’s Sassy Little Superhero by Adaline Raine
I should have paid more attention to the night things changed, but I didn’t. No one ever paid me any attention, but now I’m super strong. I hurt the baddest man in the city and now he’s coming after me.

Daddy Shark by Maren Smith
Ommin Jones had always been alone. He had a job, his own place, and no friends (just the way he liked it). Sadly, all that changed the night he saved another man’s life. Now, despite all his best efforts, everyone wanted his autograph and the media wouldn’t leave him alone. He hated it… right up until he met Britney, a late-night radio personality and Little as lonely as he was. No, Ommin never meant to be a super hero. But for one very special Little, he wasn’t just Ommin the Sharkman. He was… Daddy Shark!

Daddy’s Justice by R.J. Gray
When Loki and his dark forces ascend on Midgard, my team is dispatched. The mission: Track down the valkyrie demi-god, Morrigan, and protect her, no matter the cost. The problem: Morrigan has no idea what she is, she doesn’t cooperate, and I, the God of Justice, am not accustomed to disobedience. Also, falling in love wasn’t part of the assignment. Loki is unstoppable; he’ll kill her if he can, but from the moment she calls me Daddy, everything changes. Now, to get to her, he’ll have to go through me… Fat chance.

Ultragirl Powers Up by Emily Tilton
Midwestern college girl Susan Corday has just discovered she's actually the last survivor of a race of alien warriors, whose almost unlimited powers come directly from her sexual arousal. Can the extremely dominant Nightprince teach the newly minted Ultragirl to keep her powers in check with his considerable skills as a loving daddy? Earth's newest superhero is about to find out that she's really a naughty little at heart, and badly in need of a sound spanking.

Return both of and to Corbin's Bend

There is big exciting news for fans of the multi-author fictional spanking community-based series, Corbin's Bend. It's coming back! Oh yes, indeedy.

It was on the internet and everything. And to get us all in the mood for more Colorado-based DD deliciousness, Blushing Books have re-released all the original Corbin's Bend novels as box sets. Available for your reading pleasure are:

Welcome to Corbin's Bend

Return to Corbin's Bend

At Home in Corbin's Bend

and

Corbin's Bend Homecoming

I'm going to focus on the second book, Return to Corbin's Bend, because that's the one that has my book, East End Girl, in it. And, you know me. I'm all about shameless self-promotion.

Wouldn't this book look perfect on your virtual coffee table?

East End Girl is the story of Kirsty Logan who ups sticks from London and moves 3000 miles to Colorado in pursuit of the perfect spanky lifestyle in Corbin's Bend. It doesn't work out quite as she expects and she struggles to fit in. Her self-destructive behaviour threatens her whole future in the community. But the lovely spankos of Corbin's Bend - and one especially lovely spanko in particular - help her to find herself. Not entirely through the medium of spanking, I hasten to add. But there are a lot of spankings in it. I know you expect nothing less.

The especially lovely spanko's name is Logan.

There are seven other amazing books in this collection by amazing authors like Constance Masters, Tara Finnegan and Maren Smith. I have reviewed the books in this collection here. And here. Also here. I talk about this series a lot, to be honest.

So while we all twiddle our thumbs in impatient expectation for the next Corbin's Bend arrivals, reacquaint yourselves with the heroes and heroines, spankers and spankees, Heads of Household and Takens in Hand of Corbin's Bend.

And if you haven't read any Corbin's Bend yet. My goodness, you have a lot of catching up to do.

Saturday Spankings - “You want to take this further?”

Saturday Spankings: The Blog

Hello Saturday Spank fans!

Did you know that there are now THIRTY Corbin's Bend books? Or somewhere between twenty-six and thirty-four depending on how you count them, anyway. I'm going with thirty because it's a nice round number and includes all three seasons, the specials but doesn't include the box sets.

That's pretty bloody impressive body of work from a whole bunch of excellent spanky authors including (amongst many others) Maggie Ryan, Maren Smith, Ruth Staunton, Constance Masters and Thianna D. Especially Thianna D in fact, who has masterminded the whole Corbin's Bend series from the get go.

She must be very proud of what she has achieved so far. And she doesn't seem to be planning to quit any time soon as a fourth season has now been promised!

The spanking literally does not stop in the Bend.

My - very small - contribution to the Corbin's Bend series was my Corbin's Bend Season Two book, East End Girl in which Londoner Kirsty Beale finds life in a new country 3000 miles away from home a little harder to adjust to than she originally anticipated.

Luckily she has very sexy Logan Barrett to take her mind off things. They have been enjoying one another's company for a while now and things are about to get a lot sexier.

“You want to take this further?” 

“Oh God, yes!” 

He pulled her t-shirt over her head and then frowned when she began to giggle. 

“Sorry,” she said, putting her hand over her mouth. “It just occurred to me that I don’t know whether taking things further with you means sex or spanking.”

Logan pushed his hand underneath the fabric of her lacy push-up bra and squeezed her breast slightly, enjoying the feeling of her soft body against the rougher skin of his hands. “Trust me, Kirsty, with you, it definitely means both.”

Available all kinds of everywhere!

Check out the rest of the Saturday Spankers on the list below!

Domestic Service

This is my 'D' post for the Spanking A-Z Blog Challenge. "What's that?" you ask. Check out my page here for more information and a list of all the wonderful bloggers taking part.

Violet Plover, the heroine of my first book His Lordship's Apprentice, is a scullery maid at the home of our hero, Lord Hardcastle. She is far older than most scullery maids actually would have been at the end of the nineteenth century. Most girls in service started as children and scullery maid was very much the bottom-most rung in the hierarchy of servants. I had to tweak the story a bit to ensure that she could hold this lowly position while still being old enough to take part in the sort of things required in a spanky erotic romance.

Just your everyday story of  a scullery maid who lucks out to an extraordinary degree.

In 1891, one in three women between the ages of fifteen and twenty were employed in domestic service. Violet had a far better time of it than her real-life counterparts, progressing quickly from scullery maid to parlour maid to onstage magician's assistant to Lord Hardcastle's alter ego "The Marvellous Marvelo". Do things between Violet and her sexy, titled boss progress further still? (Spoiler: Yes. Of course they do.)

The following scene takes place near the beginning the story. Following an unfortunate incident in the dining room involving an escaped dove and a lot of bad language, Violet has been summoned to Lord Hardcastle's study. Nobility such as Lord Hardcastle wouldn't normally be involved in the hiring and firing of lowly domestic staff. Violet has no idea what to expect from this encounter. But, hey, this is a spanky romance. You can probably guess how it's going to pan out.

Lord Hardcastle turned to Violet. “Very well,” he said. “To business. I understand that you have been in my service for two months.” 

“Yes, my Lord” Violet replied. Her nervousness rendered her throat so dry that she could barely speak at all. Was that a sufficient response she wondered? Should one provide more information when addressing a lord or speak as little as possible? She honestly had no idea. Much as she had been warned that Lord Hardcastle was highly irregular compared to other men of his station, she hadn’t imagined that a scullery maid such as herself would have to interact with his Lordship face to face. Certainly not this soon.

Ah well, Violet reasoned, it hardly mattered. She fully expected to be fired without a reference and doubted she would need to interact with the nobility again.

“Well, Violet,” continued Lord Hardcastle, oblivious to Violet’s internal panic. “Firstly, I want to thank you for the swift way you dealt with my escaped dove. I should not have left her on the table like that and it was understandable that you disturbed her. You dealt with the recapture very professionally. I was impressed. She is a trained bird and very valuable. I should have hated to see her injured or upset. Thank you.” 

Violet stared at Lord Hardcastle in shock. This was not what she had anticipated. 

“However,” Lord Hardcastle continued. “There are standards of behaviour – and of course language – we uphold to in this house. I reserve the right to entertain visitors in my own home without them being subjected to the kind of words that would shock a sailor.” 

Violet’s heart sank once more. “I am very sorry, my Lord” she mumbled. 

“I am sure you are,” responded Lord Hardcastle. “I am also sure you are a valuable member of staff here. I have no desire to terminate your employment over this incident. However, you will be punished.” 

“Yes, my Lord.” 

“I’ll offer you the choice, Violet. Either you can forfeit a day’s wages or submit to a spanking.” 

Violet’s head was a confusion of different emotions. While she was elated that she still had a job, she was truly terrified at the prospect of being physically punished by Lord Hardcastle. She knew she didn’t have a choice. She could not afford to lose a day’s wages; her family were relying on her. 

“I will take the spanking, my Lord.”

Domestic servants are usually the bit-players in books. Historical romances normally focus on the lives, loves and, hopefully spankings, of the nobility.

However, there are some great examples of books where the domestic staff get the chance to enjoy sex and/or romance with their employers out there. Below are three of my favourites.

Geneva DeCroix's The Lady's Maid (which annoyingly, now seems to be only available to purchase separately as single chapters rather than the complete book that I bought) follows the story of Jesslina who accepts the post as a Lady's Maid to the wife of Lord Piers. Lord Piers household is a veritable orgy of sex and sexy violence. Everyone fucks and spanks everyone, it seems. The story starts with Jesslina receiving a harsh spanking from Lord Piers, but soon she's watching the male servants being beaten and buggered by the butler and happily administering punishments to the mistress herself. Honestly, they're all at it.

Utter filth. In a good way.

Maren Smith's Angel of Hawkhaven is an altogether more romantic affair. Ella Rayette is down on her luck following the death of her debt-ridden father and forced to work in a tavern where she is rescued from a savage beating from her boss by a mysterious 'angel'. She promptly steals his watch because, hey, a girl's got to get by somehow. Awkwardly, when she procures a new position as lady's maid to a difficult and demanding woman with a severe disability, she discovers that her new boss - the lady's brother  - is none other than her 'angel', Matthew Hawkhaven. It's a wonderful and unexpectedly moving story in which Ella struggles to prove herself in her new position while battling the conflicting feelings she feels towards the Master of the house.

Beautifully written historical romance

And for absolute, adorable romance, look no further than Renee Rose's Pleasing the Colonel. Our heroine Amanda Downy has been employed as a governess to the children of widowed Colonel Watson. As a governess, Amanda is not really one of the servant classes. Nor, of course, is she one of the family. Governesses occupied a sort of limbo between Upstairs and Downstairs. Although the sweet and believably written romance between Amanda and her employer means that she is certainly headed Upstairs. (And that sounded a lot more innuendo-y that I intended it.) This was one of the first books I read by Renee Rose and it is still one of my absolute favourites

"He opened a drawer in his desk and pulled out a leather strap." Mm.

If  you can recommend any books where domestic servants get to enjoy some sexy, spanky or romantic action, then please let me know in the comments. I do love a historical romance. Real life servants may have had a terrible time of it but, happily, their fictional erotic counterparts get to have a lot more fun.

Book Reviews - More Corbin's Bend Season 2!

Want to know more about the book review star rating system? Or find out what other books I've reviewed? Check out this page here.

I am very almost up-to-date with my Corbin's Bend Season 2 reading. Just got the last book, Ruth Staunton's Learning to Live Again to read and that'll be the whole Season done and dusted.

In the mean time, here are are my eagerly anticipated (by someone possibly somewhere) reviews of books six to eight.

Life's Unexpected Gifts

Life's Unexpected Gifts - Livia Grant



Physically abusive relationships are not an easy thing to tackle in a series of books about domestic discipline. I admire anyone who tries to take on this subject. Katherine R Blake handled the subject beautifully last season in her heartbreaking story A Simple Misunderstanding.

Life's Unexpected Gifts deals with a slightly different situation and also handles it sensitively and believably. Hallie Boudreaux has had to deal with abuse at different times in her life and at the beginning of this story is driving away from an abusive boyfriend in order to find some solace at her Aunt and Uncle's home in Corbin's Bend.

She staggers into town half frozen and near to collapse after her car breaks down. Having no idea of the unique disciplinary nature of Corbin's Bend, it is a little unfortunate that her first encounter with the residents of Corbin's Bend is when she barges into Traci Jackson's home and finds her being spanked with a belt by her brother, Troy.

Given Hallie's history, she has rather strong feelings about violence towards women. And it takes a good long while before Troy can persuade her that domestic discipline is a whole different kettle of fish to domestic abuse. But persuade her he does because Troy is a determined chap and because this is Corbin's Bend and the spankos always win in the end. Hurrah!

Given, the amount of time Troy spends explaining things to Hallie, this book is often in danger of reading a little too much like a How-To manual. But ultimately the love story takes centre stage and the epilogue is very sweet indeed.

Poor Traci, though. Troy's sister starts the book complaining how she hasn't got a man in her life (even after several years in the Bend) and ends the book still single. While these two incomers just waltz in and start a DD relationship in no time at all. Always the bridesmaid, eh, Traci? I hope we can return to Traci's story at some point. I'm sure there's a perfect guy out there for her somewhere.

Have Paddle Will Travel

Have Paddle Will Travel - Maren Smith

Five Stars!

You know what, Maren Smith is so very, very good at this sort of thing. This book was an absolute joy and a delight from beginning to end. The two heroes, Ettie and Vance are wonderfully hilarious.

Ettie writes a baffling sounding newsletter full of made up news stories largely involving the entirely fictional and often bizarre deaths of her neighbour, Vance. Vance runs a handmade spanky implements business which, to be honest, feels like a slightly more useful contribution to the Bend than Ettie's. In order to test out his products, Vance has accumulated a bevy of accommodating female residents ready and eager to go over his lap. That's the type of community service I could totally get on board with, to be honest.

The pair dislike one another intensely. Or do they? Or are these strong feelings of hate merely masking much deeper passions below? What do you reckon? The set up is marvellous. It's like a 1930s screwball comedy - all witty put-downs and simmering passions.

Ettie and Vance find themselves stranded in the middle of nowhere during a snowstorm. Being near-frozen, soaking wet and without any kind of food for several days isn't the sort of situation that's going to put anyone in the best of moods but Ettie and Vance get through it. In fact with all the sexy and spanky shenanigans (because of course there is!), they get through it rather well.

And they do have some food in their shack in the middle of nowhere after Vance kills a squirrel leading to my absolute favourite lines in a book stuffed full of corking dialogue.

A Perfect Partnership

A Perfect Partnership - Rayanna Jamison



Josiah the hero of A Perfect Partnership has had a very sheltered life growing up in a religious community. Having never been selected for arranged marriage, he decides to move away from the polygamous lifestyle and start a new life looking for 'the one' to share his life with. And having grown up in a Domestic Discipline environment, what better place to make a new start than Corbin's Bend? He runs into confrontational, opinionated and close to being-out-of-control Laney almost immediately and, despite their very obvious differences, a strange kind of platonic-yet-spanking relationship ensues.

I really liked the innocence of Josiah. It's an unusual position for a hero of an erotic romance to be less world-wise and less sexually experienced than the heroine and Rayanna Jamison handles it really well. I have previously thought about writing a story where the hero is a virgin. Largely because I write historical romances and while the convention is that the girls are swooning virgins and the men have sown their wild oats, in reality virgin bridegrooms would hardly have been uncommon in the 19th century.

It's a somewhat different world that Rayanna Jamison is writing about here, of course. And a man of Josiah's age still being a virgin in the 21st century is a fairly unusual state of affairs. The basic question is still the same "Is it possible to have a hero who is dominant and sexy while being previously sexually inexperienced?" After reading this excellent story, I now know that the answer is a resounding "Yes. Yes it certainly is."



So eight down, one to go. This has been a fantastic season of Corbin's Bend books. (Yes, obviously one of the books, East End Girl, was mine. I'm not saying that one is fantastic. I mean, it is, obviously but I am far too modest and polite to say so.)

If you want more Corbin's Bend spanky goodness (and why on earth wouldn't you?) there's a collection of stories, Love in the Rockies, all featuring characters from previous Corbin's Bend books. Kirsty and Logan from East End Girl make a reappearance in my story, The Perfect Housewife.

Love in the Rockies

There's a Love in the Rockies Facebook event this Friday at 3pm PST / 11pm GMT (and a whole host of different other times in different time zones). I'll be hosting the first shift so get there bright and early in order to take part, have fun and hopefully win a shedload of cool, spanky prizes including books, gift cards and this deliciously wicked looking paddle.

Ooh look it's all Corbin's Bend-y and heart-shaped. That looks like fun.

Ah. Right. That's the other side, then. Kind of brutal-looking, isn't it? Yikes.

See you all there this Friday! (Well not see you, obviously. That's not how the internet works.) I was going to say that it'll be the most fun you can have with your clothes on. But come to think of it, there's no obligation for you to wear clothes. We don't stand on ceremony at Corbin's Bend Facebook parties. Do whatever makes you feel comfortable. Especially because if you do win that paddle, you probably won't be comfortable again for a while.

Note: These books are now available as a box set Return to Corbin's Bend