“Why they think everyone should be alike in making love when no one can even agree on what ice cream they like, I’ll never know” -“Dark Citadel”(Masters of the Shadowlands Series Book 2)
With the release and popularity explosion of “Fifty Shades of Grey,” erotic romance novels have become increasingly present in stores.
Although the genre of erotica and BDSM novels can be controversial at times, I feel I should provide you with reviews on all types of romance novels. If you are wondering if reading these types of novels says something bad about you, my response to you would be “Hell no, it doesn’t.” Some people read the erotic genre simply because they like to. It doesn’t necessarily mean they participate in such activities, but if they do, so what? There is absolutely no shame in it.
The quote above sums up what Cherise Sinclair’s series, “Masters of the Shadowlands,” a series solely focused on Dominant/submissive members of a private BDSM club, is focused on. We don’t all have the same opinions, thoughts, likes, dislikes or even sexual preferences. You don’t have to fall into what people think the status quo is for a certain aspect of life. And that is exactly what Sinclair’s characters do. They don’t follow the status quo. Do what you want and what makes you happy and, in some cases, make sure you do it in a safe and consensual manner.
Book synopsis
Jessica Randal, an accountant, becomes stranded during a storm with the only hope for shelter being a lone mansion in the middle of nowhere. The mansion isn’t just a rich family’s home, though. Jessica discovers she has stumbled upon a private BDSM club.
Master Z, owner of the “Shadowlands,” caters to all varying types of sexual preferences in his club, as long as it follows his golden rule of safe and consensual.
Z hasn’t found a submissive he is willing to commit full time to until Jessica, drenched and covered in mud, walks into his club. Jessica, though, is used to the straight-laced life of being an accountant, all of which doesn’t involve the kinky lifestyle of a Dominant/submissive relationship.
“Club Shadowlands,” the first novel in the Masters of the Shadowlands series, brings to realistic life the lifestyle of BDSM in the form of a master dominant opening the eyes of an abruptly introduced submissive to the lifestyle.
Bonus! It’s FREE!
What more do I need to say? Free is always good! Without spending a dime, you get a taste of the erotic world Sinclair has created, and you can see if it intrigues you enough to venture further into the series. Z and Jessica do appear in the novels following “Club Shadowlands” conclusion.
Thoughts on the book
Overall, I wasn’t disappointed with this book. It introduced the characters and the different facets of the club and lifestyle smoothly without overwhelming you. The sexy scenes are steamy, and Master Z definitely shows he is in control and knows what he is doing
It is a bit fast paced at times, and I felt at one or two points there could have been something added between the fast jumps from one occurrence to the next. But it didn’t bother me to the point of being annoying.
One strange thing I originally didn’t like was the fact that Master Z can sense a person’s thoughts/emotions.
“Within a short distance, I can actually read minds. Emotions, rather, and limited to what the person feels”
This added character trait of Master Z’s threw me off and made me think I had stumbled upon a supernatural novel set in a BDSM club. I soon, however, accepted it as a unique character trait for him. After a while, it grows on you. Z is the only character throughout the series, though, with a unique ability. It makes Master Z quite effective as the owner of the “Shadowlands” who endeavors to watch over and protect all his members. And it helps him in his meddling attempts to find the perfect and permanent submissive for other dominants.
The series and the author
Sinclair does a fantastic job in opening your eyes to the realistic aspects of a BDSM lifestyle and a Dominant/submissive relationship. She comes off as very informed on the subject of BDSM. Check out her website and see what I mean. She has written several articles about different aspects of participating in BDSM, which show how knowledgeable she is.
Sinclair doesn’t simply explore dominant and submissive relationships in her series, though. She also incorporates into her series the varying types of Dominant/submissive relationships. Some of her books explore the aspects of a relationship between a sadist and a masochist, a female dominant and a male submissive and two dominants sharing one submissive. She explores it all.
So, check it out if you are interested. Remember this is a work of fiction, and if you choose to explore outside of just reading, be careful.
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