#BookReview – “My Liege of Dark Haven” by Cherise Sinclair

Blurb

Threatened by university cutbacks, Professor Abigail Bern’s only hope is to publish a provocative research paper–soon. Planning to covertly observe behavior in the notorious Dark Haven BDSM club, she takes a receptionist job. When the owner calls upon her to assist in a demonstration, she’s appalled. Then fascinated. Under the unyielding hands of the master known as my Liege, she discovers a need to be more than an observer. 

Xavier’s new receptionist is striving to keep an emotional distance, and he’s intrigued. Although she’s intriguingly intelligent, beautifully submissive, and sweetly vulnerable, her defenses keep her on the fringe of life. As he draws her into truly participating, she, in turn, begins to fill his world. 

Ever since meeting Xavier, Abby questions everything she believes about herself. She’s falling for the stern owner of Dark Haven, and he’s beginning to care for her…until the day he learns why she’s in his club. 

Review

In the fifth book in the Mountain Masters and Dark Haven series, Professor Abigail Bern needs to publish an unusual, memorable paper for a respected journal before the end of summer, or she’ll lose her job at the university. She knows a little bit about the BDSM lifestyle since her horrible ex-boyfriend and fellow professor is a Dom, but she never felt comfortable with him to try it out. For her research into BDSM culture, she finds a job at Dark Haven, an exclusive club in San Francisco.

Xavier Leduc lives his life in a strict routine. He never does relationships or commitments, and he keeps his women in neat little categories. He’s lonely but committed to his club and his charity work. Then he meets Abby. He’s drawn to her and can’t let her go. After he finds out why she really joined the club, their tentative D/s relationship and her new friendships with several club members are put to the test.

Both Abby and Xavier are great characters. She’s intelligent and caring, but insecure and timid due to the mental and verbal abuse she’s suffered from her father and stepsister. Xavier is controlled and determined, but still reeling from the death of his wife a few years earlier.

The reader learns a lot about their pasts through their narrative, but Xavier and Abby didn’t share many details with each other, which I found frustrating. Even though they tried to help one another confront their pain and move on, they didn’t have enough information to do so, not with all the secrets and omissions wedged between them.

The couples from the previous books made appearances in this one. Since I’ve only read book one in the series, I only knew Logan and Rebecca, and it was nice to see how their lives have changed. The next book in the series is set up, and I loved every scene with Lindsey and deVries. Damn, that man is to die for! Yummy!

I love erotic romances, but in my opinion, the numerous sex scenes in this story slowed the pacing. I don’t want to give away spoilers, but I wasn’t satisfied with Abby and Xavier’s brief discussion about her bitchy stepsister Janae and the too friendly way he acted with Janae at the party. The discussion barely wrapped up the problems and shouldn’t have been enough for Abby to forgive him. Also, I had trouble visualizing some of the scenes (not the sex scenes) and would’ve appreciated more description. There were a few unanswered questions but none affected the overall story arc.

Other than those issues, I really liked the story and the characters.

3.5 Stars