Safe Word - erotic fiction by Cleis Press Inc. - review by Airen Wolf

In the book Carrie's Story by Molly Weatherfield, we meet Carrie is sold by her Master in an auction. She is contracted to give 1 year's service to her new owner and at the end of the book is whisked away by him to parts unknown. This book picks up where the other left off, with a bit of a twist. We are greeted by Carrie after her year of service is over. She is on her way to meet up with Jonathan. After a quick history of the Sade family we are lead to understand that Jonathan is excited and scared to meet up with Carrie as he has a proposition for her she may not choose to accept.

The author takes an unusual viewpoint when telling this tale as she lets the principle characters have equal time and they tell their stories in a captivating way that leaves the reader putting off even important activities just to read the next page, or maybe it was just me that had this problem! After greeting Carrie Jonathan demands that she tell him all about what happened, but she has questions for him as well. Jonathan is bemused and mystified at the subtle changes in Carrie and they have an amazing sojourn through the course of the recounting of her tale.

Turns out Jonathan has endured his own punishments and has only just been able to reclaim his place among the august group of Dom/mes that he plays with. His tale was particularly hot and added a lovely counterpoint to Carrie's tale of being a thoroughbred pony, and a very highly prized race winner at that! The reader is pulled ever deeper into the luxurious world these people have built for themselves. This is a very lush book that can't help but appeal to even the most hardened critic.

By the end of the book I found myself unable to decide at which end of the whip I would have preferred to be! Quite a feat given that I have never been comfortable or even wanted to be submissive. This is a flight of fancy type book that paints such an amazing view of the whole 'scene' that I was willing to suspend reality and play a game of "What If".

The ending of the book was inevitable but surprising none-the-less, I won't give it away but I will say it's worth reading the rest of the book for the plot twist alone!

The book is printed on acid free paper and is a slightly oversized paperback published by Cleiss Press. The cover isn't safe for work as it is a picture of a lovely naked woman clad in stockings and high heel boots. She is cuffed and kneeling over a bed. A good book cover would eliminate any concern of censure but the woman is VERY lovely...

Unlike some of Cleiss Press's books this story doesn't come with an author's foreward or an author bio at the end of the book. It would have been nice to get the author's feelings about the book like the first book offered.

One of the major touch points for me was the way the author made sure the reader understands that the whole experience followed the code of BDSM, namely that everything in the book was safe, sane and concensual. While some of the situations were unusual or strenuous the principles of the mantra were upheld at all times. This understanding is also understated enough that it doesn't remove the desire to immerse onesself in the story, she mentions the contract but doesn't harp on it.

I recently loaned this book and the first part, Carrie's Story to a friend who was dissatisfied with the newest craze Fifty Shades Of Grey and she was thankful that there are still books out there that are worth reading. Now I cannot say for certain because I have not read the other series but I do know that I adore this one! Safe Word is an all around great book and when paired with Carrie's Story it is simply enthralling.