bellphegor's review
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism and Sexual assault
xakyr's review
5.0
This is by far my favorite of the series and I haven't even read books 4 or 5 yet! This story explores the D/s relationship, especially with an inexperienced partner. The feelings between Leah and Mike seem to leap from the page, almost as if you could feel what they were feeling with them. Leah is a very believable character, and the trust Mike shows her also makes him a belivable, almost real character to me as well. It was a very intense and emotional book for me, yet was also a steamy and erotic read also.
shadowmaster13's review against another edition
3.0
I'm writing this review for a reason. Hold 'Em is different in a big way to the erotica I have read before.
The Vegas Top Guns is a series set around the Air Force base outside Las Vegas. Specifically the 64th Aggressor Squadron, who train to fly like enemy combatant to teach other pilots from around the world how to fly better. The couple all have a different kind of kink. [b:Double Down|13553273|Double Down (Vegas Top Guns, #1)|Katie Porter|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1332212154s/13553273.jpg|19122190], has Cassie and Ryan who like to role-play, [b:Inside Bet|13553278|Inside Bet (Vegas Top Guns, #2)|Katie Porter|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1333394682s/13553278.jpg|19122196], has Heather and Jon, who are just into the kink - there's nothing specific and the kink part of it is mostly about Heather realising that her desires are okay.
Which brings me to Hold 'Em. The kink between Mike and Leah in Hold 'Em is BDSM. Now I'm sure you're thinking that I exaggerated when I said this way different, I wasn't. I've read enough BDSM books to know that the lighter stuff is kind of hot, but this is something different, the dominant in Hold 'Em is Leah. The only time I've gotten close to this has been books where the heroine acts like a domme, but really just needs the alphaness of the hero to help her realise she needs to submit and, [b:Taming the Fire|4953254|Taming the Fire (ACRO, #4)|Sydney Croft|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1320498725s/4953254.jpg|5019000] which has Ulrika actually being the dominant. But while I love the ACRO series, Taming the Fire included it's not a BDSM book and that's just how Ulrika deals with her beast (she's a werewolf) need for inflicting pain.
Mike is alpha. He's all alpha and he's completely at ease with his need to submit to a dominant woman. The sex is hot and I got the connection between them as well as just the excitement of finding a like-minded person. Leah is totally conscious of the responsibility of being the dom and during their "scenes" how much trust Mike is putting in her hands. Mike is in no way belittled outside the bedroom and he is still absolutely a hard-ass. With an eight-pack since Leah and Mike broke up.
We see the resolution of Leah's partying self-destruction, aided but not caused by Mike which I liked, I hate when characters change because someone else wants them too and not because they realised they needed to. Mike comes to grips in a nice way with his issues to do with gender roles and his parents marriage, aided by the view of his brother's happy marriage, where his sister-in-law works and they both do house work when they get home.
Seriously this is a good book and the aspect of Leah being the dom and Mike the submissive has only one issue for me, that is Leah is totally inexperienced with being a dom and Mike trusts her to spank him and use toys almost straight of the bat, it doesn't seem very safety conscious. Also they don't really seem to have a line because Leah uses her dom-ness to boss Mike around outside of sexual situations in a way that makes me want Mike to say no not here and would absolutely annoy the crap out of me in a male dom/female sub BDSM book. The other thing is that there's absolutely no issues between them due to their past relationship, no baggage brought into the relationship and that doesn't feel realistic.
The next book Hard Way, will be out sometime next April according to the author's website, about Dash and Sunny, who are married. I'll be reading it.
The Vegas Top Guns is a series set around the Air Force base outside Las Vegas. Specifically the 64th Aggressor Squadron, who train to fly like enemy combatant to teach other pilots from around the world how to fly better. The couple all have a different kind of kink. [b:Double Down|13553273|Double Down (Vegas Top Guns, #1)|Katie Porter|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1332212154s/13553273.jpg|19122190], has Cassie and Ryan who like to role-play, [b:Inside Bet|13553278|Inside Bet (Vegas Top Guns, #2)|Katie Porter|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1333394682s/13553278.jpg|19122196], has Heather and Jon, who are just into the kink - there's nothing specific and the kink part of it is mostly about Heather realising that her desires are okay.
Which brings me to Hold 'Em. The kink between Mike and Leah in Hold 'Em is BDSM. Now I'm sure you're thinking that I exaggerated when I said this way different, I wasn't. I've read enough BDSM books to know that the lighter stuff is kind of hot, but this is something different, the dominant in Hold 'Em is Leah. The only time I've gotten close to this has been books where the heroine acts like a domme, but really just needs the alphaness of the hero to help her realise she needs to submit and, [b:Taming the Fire|4953254|Taming the Fire (ACRO, #4)|Sydney Croft|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1320498725s/4953254.jpg|5019000] which has Ulrika actually being the dominant. But while I love the ACRO series, Taming the Fire included it's not a BDSM book and that's just how Ulrika deals with her beast (she's a werewolf) need for inflicting pain.
Mike is alpha. He's all alpha and he's completely at ease with his need to submit to a dominant woman. The sex is hot and I got the connection between them as well as just the excitement of finding a like-minded person. Leah is totally conscious of the responsibility of being the dom and during their "scenes" how much trust Mike is putting in her hands. Mike is in no way belittled outside the bedroom and he is still absolutely a hard-ass. With an eight-pack since Leah and Mike broke up.
We see the resolution of Leah's partying self-destruction, aided but not caused by Mike which I liked, I hate when characters change because someone else wants them too and not because they realised they needed to. Mike comes to grips in a nice way with his issues to do with gender roles and his parents marriage, aided by the view of his brother's happy marriage, where his sister-in-law works and they both do house work when they get home.
Seriously this is a good book and the aspect of Leah being the dom and Mike the submissive has only one issue for me, that is Leah is totally inexperienced with being a dom and Mike trusts her to spank him and use toys almost straight of the bat, it doesn't seem very safety conscious. Also they don't really seem to have a line because Leah uses her dom-ness to boss Mike around outside of sexual situations in a way that makes me want Mike to say no not here and would absolutely annoy the crap out of me in a male dom/female sub BDSM book. The other thing is that there's absolutely no issues between them due to their past relationship, no baggage brought into the relationship and that doesn't feel realistic.
The next book Hard Way, will be out sometime next April according to the author's website, about Dash and Sunny, who are married. I'll be reading it.
scorchingnix's review
5.0
Reviewed on http://scorchingbookreviews.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/a-nix-bdsm-arc-review-hold-em-by-katie.html
It’s time for Leah “Princess” Girardi’s book folks and it’s certainly a wild ride! After months of drinking hard, playing hard and fighting hard, Leah knows it’s time to focus on the job at hand. Now she’s on the wagon, she’s focused on a promotion in the flight squadron and her life is getting back on track. That is until the new recruit put under her care turns out to be Mike, an ex-boyfriend who had gotten under her skin.
Mike had followed Leah’s career and fully expected her to be there on his first day. He didn’t expect the Major to dump him in her care or under her tutelage. The sparks fly from the second they see each other again but a lot has changed for Mike since the last time they met. Mike has since discovered his true sexual desires, specifically the desire to submit to a woman he trusts. Leah is a woman that could be everything that he wants, if only she could be the one thing he needs. All the signals that he sends her way show that she has no experience in the field of BDSM, the only way to find out if she can Dominate him is to simply show her what that is. But when he comes to her wrists out, asking to be cuffed, what will she say?
Once they start their liaison, it seems that Leah has a taste for being in charge in the bedroom. But she is untrained and nervous about her role; can she really imagine this as a lifestyle role forever? Mike is looking for a permanent relationship and isn’t going to short-change himself this time; can he really convince Leah that they are worth a shot? And will he be able to trust his body into her care forever?
This book was a revelation for me. I loved the second one, but this one was far better. It dealt with something that I adore but rarely find done well; Fem-Dom. There are many books that portray the Domme as a ball-busting bitch and the male sub as a nervous man, as submissive in life as he is in the bedroom. This is not one of those books. These two were definitely bedroom BDSM practitioners only; outside Mike was definitely Alpha and Leah was a hot mess.
Leah was a liability in all the previous books. In this one she is trying to not be a hot-mess. When Mike turns up, she sees him as her downfall, a temptation that will undo all her months of hard work. I was over-joyed when he actually starts to cement the fragile foundations she has started to lay. You see, she isn’t allowed to play whilst under the influence which, with a man as hot as Mike, is motive enough to stay sober. She likes the idea of being of control of Mike in the bedroom, seems to be a natural, but she lacks the experience that is required. This book sees Mike effectively training her and I loved that she embraced the sparks between them with enough gusto to try.
Mike was AMAZING. A sub who is Alpha outside of the bedroom? Sign. Me. Up. The fact that he had enough respect for himself to want more than a part-time Dom, enough respect for his own body to call his safe-word when he feels he is danger and enough respect for his safety that he is able to advise his Domme without topping from the bottom? I LOVE THIS MAN. He was a strong man who chose to give up control in this one aspect of his life because he enjoyed it; it was as simple as that. I will warn you that the man has a masochistic streak a mile wide but most of the action takes place "off-page".
The whole gang were present in this book again and I loved seeing them (especially Tin Tin :D) It is a nice addition to a series and I can’t wait to see if the other men get a book too! I love the feel of this series, the complete abandonment of inhibitions as shown by the characters. It is one that I will continue to read and reread; I whole heartedly recommend this book and the one before it.
This is a scorching hot book with very sweet undertones. With a Domme in training who wants to get her life back on track and a submissive man who is unwilling to short-change himself, this is a story that amused me, upset me, infuriated me and turned me on. Can I have a Mike? I’d be willing to hone my caning skills :D
It’s time for Leah “Princess” Girardi’s book folks and it’s certainly a wild ride! After months of drinking hard, playing hard and fighting hard, Leah knows it’s time to focus on the job at hand. Now she’s on the wagon, she’s focused on a promotion in the flight squadron and her life is getting back on track. That is until the new recruit put under her care turns out to be Mike, an ex-boyfriend who had gotten under her skin.
Mike had followed Leah’s career and fully expected her to be there on his first day. He didn’t expect the Major to dump him in her care or under her tutelage. The sparks fly from the second they see each other again but a lot has changed for Mike since the last time they met. Mike has since discovered his true sexual desires, specifically the desire to submit to a woman he trusts. Leah is a woman that could be everything that he wants, if only she could be the one thing he needs. All the signals that he sends her way show that she has no experience in the field of BDSM, the only way to find out if she can Dominate him is to simply show her what that is. But when he comes to her wrists out, asking to be cuffed, what will she say?
Once they start their liaison, it seems that Leah has a taste for being in charge in the bedroom. But she is untrained and nervous about her role; can she really imagine this as a lifestyle role forever? Mike is looking for a permanent relationship and isn’t going to short-change himself this time; can he really convince Leah that they are worth a shot? And will he be able to trust his body into her care forever?
This book was a revelation for me. I loved the second one, but this one was far better. It dealt with something that I adore but rarely find done well; Fem-Dom. There are many books that portray the Domme as a ball-busting bitch and the male sub as a nervous man, as submissive in life as he is in the bedroom. This is not one of those books. These two were definitely bedroom BDSM practitioners only; outside Mike was definitely Alpha and Leah was a hot mess.
Leah was a liability in all the previous books. In this one she is trying to not be a hot-mess. When Mike turns up, she sees him as her downfall, a temptation that will undo all her months of hard work. I was over-joyed when he actually starts to cement the fragile foundations she has started to lay. You see, she isn’t allowed to play whilst under the influence which, with a man as hot as Mike, is motive enough to stay sober. She likes the idea of being of control of Mike in the bedroom, seems to be a natural, but she lacks the experience that is required. This book sees Mike effectively training her and I loved that she embraced the sparks between them with enough gusto to try.
Mike was AMAZING. A sub who is Alpha outside of the bedroom? Sign. Me. Up. The fact that he had enough respect for himself to want more than a part-time Dom, enough respect for his own body to call his safe-word when he feels he is danger and enough respect for his safety that he is able to advise his Domme without topping from the bottom? I LOVE THIS MAN. He was a strong man who chose to give up control in this one aspect of his life because he enjoyed it; it was as simple as that. I will warn you that the man has a masochistic streak a mile wide but most of the action takes place "off-page".
The whole gang were present in this book again and I loved seeing them (especially Tin Tin :D) It is a nice addition to a series and I can’t wait to see if the other men get a book too! I love the feel of this series, the complete abandonment of inhibitions as shown by the characters. It is one that I will continue to read and reread; I whole heartedly recommend this book and the one before it.
This is a scorching hot book with very sweet undertones. With a Domme in training who wants to get her life back on track and a submissive man who is unwilling to short-change himself, this is a story that amused me, upset me, infuriated me and turned me on. Can I have a Mike? I’d be willing to hone my caning skills :D
jessmahler's review
4.0
One of the best femdom stories I have ever read. Compared to other femdom, it's five stars.
Characters are believably flawed but still engaging. Both learn and grow through out the story. Kink is well done and largely accurate, a nice change. I'd rate the kink as moderate, but YMMV.
My only issue with the book is Leah's insecurities. By the last quarter of the book I was ready to slap her (while still being able to sympathize with her, especially when Michael kept making things worse!)
Characters are believably flawed but still engaging. Both learn and grow through out the story. Kink is well done and largely accurate, a nice change. I'd rate the kink as moderate, but YMMV.
My only issue with the book is Leah's insecurities. By the last quarter of the book I was ready to slap her (while still being able to sympathize with her, especially when Michael kept making things worse!)
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