Book Review: The Perfect Submissive by Kay Jaybee


 

 

The Perfect Submissive is published by Xcite books and is available now.

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What’s the difference between erotica and erotic romance?

Some of it comes down to elements such as plot, emotional depth and pacing… erotica should have none of these. Or rather, it should have these but they shouldn’t be taking centre stage.

The Perfect Submissive makes for a perfect submission in this category (was that too far to reach for a pun? Yes, yes it was).

The Perfect Submissive’s setup is pleasingly simple, a nice hotel with a special ‘fifth floor’ for special clients, all of which is explored through the eyes of new staff member Jess and graphic designer Sam as they both become the prey of the proprietor Laura Peters.

The plot is minimal, the cast of characters large enough to give variety but small enough to be both manageable and distinctive. But overall everything about this book has a slightly stripped down feel. There’s no painfully florid prose, no endless chapters of emotional turmoil and heartbreak. This is definitely a book that fits into the one chapter at a time category of erotica, and has a levity of style and forgivingness of plot that works well for this.

But that’s not to say that this book feels in any way incomplete. It’s just that it’s focus isn’t on crawling deep into your brain to play with your heart-strings. Instead it sets out to be something altogether different. It sets out to be fun. And it succeeds, the adventures related in this book never carry anything other than a sense of play, yes it’s kinky painful play, but it has a real feeling of escape, of being in another world where nothing truly bad can happen… at least nothing you don’t secretly want. Put simply this book goes on my list of “Happy BDSM” titles.

Now with the one chapter at a time books the sex scenes are key. And The Perfect Submissive does deliver. There is a truly impressive creativity at work here so that each scene feels fresh and original. The build-up of tension and sensation is well executed.

The only criticism I can level is that sometimes scenes felt like they concluded rather abruptly. I’m not talking magical spontaneous out of nowhere orgasms, but there are times when the incredible responsiveness of the characters leads to the temptation to skip back a page or two to read it all over again.

Overall though this is an enjoyable fun sexy read that succeeds by not trying to be anything else.

Also being a massive rope geek how could I (k)not love a book with a single-line reef knot on the cover?