Synopsis:
Jonathan Drazen.
Gorgeous. Check.
Charming. Check.
Smart. Check.
Rich. Hey... I'm not gonna complain.
All the ingredients for a few nights of mind-blowing pleasure are right there. He's made it perfectly clear he can't love me, and I'm not out to fall in love either.
But I can't stay away from him. He's got this bossy way about him in bed. The word "Sir," falls from my lips, and when he tells me to get on my knees...well, my knees have a mind of their own.
I got this. I can be his slave for a few nights and walk away unscathed.
We get in. Get it on. Get the hell out. Done.
He knows the line between love and lust. It's right between my legs. Now, let's see if that line blurs for me.
Rating:
Review and Discussion:
If you follow me on
Goodreads, you might be aware that I went a little crazy this week when I completely inhaled the Songs of Submission novella series by C.D. Reiss. Each novella is short and easily consumed within a few hours, so now here I am at the end of it all with a massive reading hangover and a plethora of emotions I want to share with the world.
I had every intention of not becoming addicted to this story. I was in the market for some entertaining erotica, and this series came along. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the first book, and so I just continued reading... and reading... and reading. This series was so dangerously addictive. When I was at work, all I could think about was these characters. When I was looking for a birthday card for my friend, I browsed the cards wondering which one would best suit the main characters. This story invaded every part of my life, and it was a fantastic experience.
The writing in this series is surprisingly excellent. I'm not used to reading high quality erotic novels, but this one is definitely of a higher calibre from what I've been reading previously. Mind you, I did notice a few grammatical and spelling errors throughout the novellas, but I was happy to ignore them because of how much I enjoyed the story. The story flows effortlessly, and the characters all have their place and their role is expertly crafted, which alludes to their increased involvement in the plot later in the series. And when they do come back, holy moly it is with an intense purpose.
But, without a doubt, my favourite thing about this story was our main character. Monica is headstrong, determined, and has a clear idea of what she wants her future to look like and how she can get herself there. She enters into her ~relationship~ with Jonathan with a clear head and open eyes, aware of anything and everything that might happen. It's refreshing to read such an admirable, feminist character in such a cliché story trope, and her strength is maintained throughout the series (with a few minor slip-ups here and there).
Jonathan's character, however, I loved a little less. In the beginning, I adored him as much as I adored Monica, but as the series progressed, I became uncomfortable with the amount of control he tried to execute over Monica in her day-to-day life. I was one hundred percent on board him being in control during their sexcapades, but when he extended this to her personal life because he was jealous or insecure, it made me feel a little less love for him. In the end, his character did regain itself in my good books, but I still love him with caution.
This series is the result of two of my favourite things coming together – cheesy cliché and strong female characters. It's refreshing, entertaining, indecently hot, and addicting. If you're in the market for some good quality smut, this is the series for you.
Beg (Songs of Submission, #1)
Published: 16 January 2013
My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
This was an intriguing start, to say the least. Jonathan, a real estate zillionaire, meets Monica, a waitress with dreams of being a singer, and together they begin a BDSM relationship that is so juicy and addicting, you won't be able to put it down. Some issues with the plot, but otherwise, a wonderful read.
"I trust myself. I trust my instincts and my resolve. You just make me curious is all."
Tease (Songs of Submission, #2)
Published: 24 February 2013
My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
This novella focused a lot on Monica and Jonathan's pasts, which was insightful as well as frustrating. Bringing exes into a plot only caused a heap of drama to go down, and I feel the drama pot being stirred already. It is high quality, entertaining, and surprisingly charming smut.
"If you have never seen beauty in a moment of suffering, you have never seen beauty at all."
Submit (Songs of Submission, #3)
Published: 17 March 2013
My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
This novella was definitely my favourite in the whole series. Monica's strength of character was the highlight, especially in how she negotiates her relationship with Jonathan. The plot twist was cruel and heartbreaking, but in the end it made our characters' love stronger.
"My name is Monica, and I am not submissive. I stand six feet tall in heels. I am descended from one of the greatest writers of the twentieth century. I can sing like an angel, and growl like a lion. I am not owned. I am music."
Control (Songs of Submission, #4)
Published: 10 May 2013
My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
In this novella, Jonathan's controlling tendencies extended to Monica's personal life, which made me somewhat uncomfortable. I loved the whole jealous boyfriend trope, but his overall control was suffocating. I enjoyed watching Monica develop and struggle to establish these boundaries.
"I accepted him as a dominant in bed, and that worked out very well for us. In the outside world, I was my own woman."
Burn (Songs of Submission, #5)
Published: 4 June 2013
My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
This novella was full of sexual tension as Monica and Jonathan tried to sort out what they each wanted from the relationship. I enjoyed the focus on Monica's personal life beyond Jonathan, and the added drama of their exes just made this story one big juicy addiction.
"I can’t fuck a commitment out of you. That’ll be worthless. I have to have your heart, Monica. The real thing. Without fear."
Resist (Songs of Submission, #6)
Published: 7 August 2013
My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
I started to grow tired of Jonathan's drama and unwillingness to open up to Monica. His controlling tendencies of Monica's personal life really rubbed me the wrong way. Monica's character, however, was a delight as always. It ended with a massive cliffhanger, too!
"The truth is that I love you. The rest is unnecessary complication."
Sing (Songs of Submission, #7)
Published: 7 October 2013
My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
This novella was probably my least favourite of the series, mostly because not a lot actually happened. Jonathan had been hospitalised, and Monica gave up everything about her own independent life to be by his bedside. She made a lot of stupid decisions, but in the end it was refreshing to see her in control.
"There’s no one else, no one whose soul balances mine the way his does."
Dominance (Songs of Submission, #8)
Published: 22 October 2014
My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
This is a collection of short stories and scenes from the series in Jonathan's point of view. The stories insightful, but I felt they weren't completely necessary. The information revealed in these stories was eventually revealed in the series, but if you're an avid fan of the series I'd recommend this to you.
Coda (Songs of Submission, #9)
Published: 18 March 2015
My Rating: ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆
This one was hugely disappointing, mostly because nothing of significance happens.The happily ever after had already been achieved, and this book was just a play-out of their married life and. The pacing was weird, the writing style wasn't my cup of tea, and I just felt like it didn't serve a purpose in the series. (Updated 18 July 2015)
