Review ~*~ Romance Book Club by Michelle Hughes

Blurb ~*~

Jessie has given up on men. Her high school turned college sweetheart left her for another man, and if that wasn't a warning sign that she was meant to be the cat lady, nothing was. Give her a romance novel, a bottle of wine, and her favorite feline companion, and life was perfect in her eyes.

When her book club decided to focus on sexy alpha male romances for the month, she had no idea how far the ladies were willing to go in the name of research. Finding herself in Sensation's Dungeon was certainly not part of her plans, neither was meeting sexy club owner and dungeon Master, Chase Davenport. With a body built for sin, bedroom eyes that promised fantasies guaranteed to lead her straight to hell, the pages of a book suddenly appeared tame.

"Welcome to my Dungeon." Those four little words might even tempt a bookworm to step into a world of sensual debauchery. So what really goes on behind the scenes at the Romance Book Club? Step into Sensation's and discover the answer for yourself.

Available ~*~ Paperback & eBook
Pages ~*~  255

5 Star Review ~*~

Romance Book Club is a refreshing tale of romance with BDSM that has no abuse or major trauma in the characters pasts. It shows a side of the lifestyle that is not glamorized or what you might usually read in current stories.  These are two people who could be your neighbors, or friends from a book club, that find a common interest in portions of the BDSM lifestyle and share the experiences with each other. 

While Romance Book Club contains its fair share of angst and conflict, it fits really well into the story and mirrors much of what most people face at some point in their lives, making it very easy for the reader to become invested in the characters and their lives as we flip through the pages trying to figure out what might happen next. Jessie is very shy after a somewhat devastating experience when she was younger and she basically hides her sexuality, ignoring that it is even a part of her.  After meeting Chase though, her curiosity is piqued. Jessie is almost ready to jump and take a few chances and Chase is more than ready to introduce her to her sexuality and the pleasure that can come along with it.

I am not sure if the author intends to write more books around this group of women, but I hope so because I would like to know more about what might have happened to them. The Romance Book Club has a variety of women with different personalities who react very differently to what happens throughout the story and I am curious how their perceptions change or don't...

I also loved that Michelle Hughes included some great book club questions at the end so that either with others or on your own, you can really think about the important parts of the story, how you felt about it, and if any perceptions you may have had have now changed.

For anyone not sure, the BDSM in Romance Book Club is rather tame, but it fits the couple perfectly.  While it is a part of the story, it is almost a side part.  While the 'kinky' part of their relationship has needs, there are other facets to Chase and Jessie that are well explored and show how people can have a little sprinkle or full on smorgasbord of kink in their lives and still struggle with the same issues as you and me.

From the Author ~*~

Writing Romance Book Club was like revealing a long lost secret.  It took me back years in time, and reminded me of some incredible people who shaped my life.  I hope if nothing else happens, people that read this book get a different perspective on the world of BDSM.    One of the things I felt needed to be explored was the side of this that didn't involve abusive males intent on degrading women.  There has been much focus on this recently with popular romance.

From the Inside Flap ~*~

Ladies gathering for a weekly book club meeting discussing romance novels might not seem like headline news, but what those women decide to do because of their curiosity just might shock you.  With the latest boom of Mommy Porn titles filling up the bestseller book charts, author Michelle Hughes decided to blow the cover on how far some women were willing to take their obsession with the new fad.  Long walks on the beach were not included in the information Hughes chose to highlight.

In her new novel, Romance Book Club released by Tears of Crimson Books, Hughes explores the sexual adventures of a fictional character who finds more heat in a dungeon than behind the pages in a book.  The author claims the experiences are based on reality, while clarifying that the names and places have been altered to protect identities. Hughes would not divulge the true location of the fictional book club the story was based upon, citing the need for privacy for people who participated in activities that are still not fully accepted in many communities.

After arriving at a dungeon club to research the real lifestyle of BDSM, Jessie meets the owner and is invited on a personal tour of sensual debauchery.  For a young woman with no previous experience in this setting, the leather clad lifestyle intrigues her.  She discovers a world that surpasses all the parameters in the books she's read on the subject, and is forced to make a decision on whether to step into this situation, or keep her interest hidden behind the written word.  The subject matter is watered down to fit into the romance category, but the portrayal of kink is embedded behind the flowery words giving a unique insight into this greatly exaggerated topic.

Hughes stated that the misconceptions about the lifestyle, and the people that choose to pursue it, is inaccurate at best in current pop culture books.  The majority of fiction books released under this genre show emotional issues of characters that encouraged them to seek out the sadomasochist side to find fulfillment.  Hughes claims that this novel was created to show that normal, everyday people without a traumatic childhood can also find satisfaction in this exploration of passion when they enter their adult lives.

Tears of Crimson Books is an independent publishing company founded by author Michelle Hughes.  To date, several bestselling books have been released under this umbrella. Authors interested in working with Tears of Crimson Books can contact Hughes through the Tears of Crimson 

About the Author ~*~

Michelle Hughes is a former singer/songwriter.  She is the mother to five incredible children, and married to the greatest fisherman on earth (with a real job on the side).  Living on top of a mountain in beautiful Alabama, she writes while surrounded by the beauty of nature.

~*~I received a copy of this book to review but I was not financially compensated in any way. The opinions expressed are my own and are based on my observations while reading this novel. ~*~