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I don’t want to hurt him—I just want to punish him.
It’s bad enough being the only female owner of the Salacious Players’ Club, but I’m also the only one without a kink, or so I thought.
Imagine my surprise when the kink quiz suggests that I’m not so vanilla after all.
In fact, I’m a lot more like Emerson Grant than I thought.
Just one problem—I have no idea how to be a Domme.
That is, until the app matches me with someone willing to help me learn.
He’s too young for me.
Too stubborn. Too good looking.
And, oh yeah, my friend’s son.
Beau Grant is a brat. I’d hate that about him if I didn’t love punishing him so much.
Underneath all of that attitude is a man who is misunderstood, selfless, and in need of direction.
But if he wants mercy, he has to earn it.
There are a million reasons why I should stay away, but I’m tired of doing what everyone thinks I should do.
I finally know what I want, and I’m ready to take what’s mine.
It’s bad enough being the only female owner of the Salacious Players’ Club, but I’m also the only one without a kink, or so I thought.
Imagine my surprise when the kink quiz suggests that I’m not so vanilla after all.
In fact, I’m a lot more like Emerson Grant than I thought.
Just one problem—I have no idea how to be a Domme.
That is, until the app matches me with someone willing to help me learn.
He’s too young for me.
Too stubborn. Too good looking.
And, oh yeah, my friend’s son.
Beau Grant is a brat. I’d hate that about him if I didn’t love punishing him so much.
Underneath all of that attitude is a man who is misunderstood, selfless, and in need of direction.
But if he wants mercy, he has to earn it.
There are a million reasons why I should stay away, but I’m tired of doing what everyone thinks I should do.
I finally know what I want, and I’m ready to take what’s mine.
384 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 25, 2022
About the author
Sara Cate
33 books11.9k followersSara Cate is a USA Today best-selling author of steamy romance and sexy book boyfriends. Although she writes a wide range of tropes, Sara is best known for her age gap and taboo romances. One thing you can expect from her entire collection is heaps of steam and plenty of angst.
Living in Arizona with her husband and kids, Sara spends most of her time reading, writing, or baking.
Find out more at: www.saracatebooks.com
Living in Arizona with her husband and kids, Sara spends most of her time reading, writing, or baking.
Find out more at: www.saracatebooks.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 4,128 reviews
September 3, 2022
Changing and upping my rating to 5-stars, because gushing about this book to Valkyrie has made me realise that even though this book is not without its flaws, my feelings towards it are stronger.
It’s officially one of my favourite series! I can see myself rereading it and loving it even more.
—————————————
“He looks so good on his knees for me.”
Sara Cate continues to write and include the type of crack I crave in my stories.
I’ve absolutely adored this series! From beginning to end it has fulfilled a lot of the things I want in my stories. Did I expect to find that in a series surrounding a sex club? No.
Does it make it all the more better that I found this level of satisfaction in a story about a sex club? Obviously.
These books have been addicting in the best way possible. Whenever I picked them up, I didn’t want to put them down. I pictured it all so vividly.
My main two qualms as to why this isn’t a 5-star read:
• I wish we had more background on the ridiculous purity culture Maggie was raised in.
• And I’d have liked more of a resolution between Beau and Emerson. If you’ve read book one, you know how much of a tumultuous relationship they had and I needed more than one conversation.
I think both of those things would’ve added more to the romance. Not that it was lacking in any way though.
Beau and Maggie were so good together! I cannot fault Sara Cate on writing about couples you just want to root for. She’s hit it out of the park with every single couple.
And I just loved that the roles were reversed here: Maggie is the Domme and Beau was the submissive and seeing them figure out what that means to them on an individual level as well as together was so, so good to read about.
I can’t tell you how much bliss I was in whenever I read one of these books and I hope the series hasn’t come to an end. According to the acknowledgments, we should be getting some more and I hope that turns out to be a lot more.
It’s officially one of my favourite series! I can see myself rereading it and loving it even more.
—————————————
“He looks so good on his knees for me.”
Sara Cate continues to write and include the type of crack I crave in my stories.
I’ve absolutely adored this series! From beginning to end it has fulfilled a lot of the things I want in my stories. Did I expect to find that in a series surrounding a sex club? No.
Does it make it all the more better that I found this level of satisfaction in a story about a sex club? Obviously.
These books have been addicting in the best way possible. Whenever I picked them up, I didn’t want to put them down. I pictured it all so vividly.
My main two qualms as to why this isn’t a 5-star read:
• I wish we had more background on the ridiculous purity culture Maggie was raised in.
• And I’d have liked more of a resolution between Beau and Emerson. If you’ve read book one, you know how much of a tumultuous relationship they had and I needed more than one conversation.
I think both of those things would’ve added more to the romance. Not that it was lacking in any way though.
Beau and Maggie were so good together! I cannot fault Sara Cate on writing about couples you just want to root for. She’s hit it out of the park with every single couple.
And I just loved that the roles were reversed here: Maggie is the Domme and Beau was the submissive and seeing them figure out what that means to them on an individual level as well as together was so, so good to read about.
I can’t tell you how much bliss I was in whenever I read one of these books and I hope the series hasn’t come to an end. According to the acknowledgments, we should be getting some more and I hope that turns out to be a lot more.
October 24, 2022
If this is about Emerson’s son and Maggie, I’m hoping he gets a better portrayal than the dumbfounded child he was in the first book… 👀👀👀👀👀
September 1, 2022
upd2: DNF at 53%. It took me forever to read the first half of the book, and I’d rather not finish it.
Maggie doesn’t seem like a Domme to me, and her relationship with Beau lacked chemistry. Nothing about them being together was exciting. There were a lot of things that reminded me of Praise, they even used the same safe word as Emerson and Charlie lmao. Also, Maggie said that she had to work twice as hard to be like other co-founders, but she still didn’t get her own book cover 💀💀💀 hashtag feminism
upd: well, I was wrong, it’s about Maggie and Beau! The third book disappointed me, but I’ll still give this one a try
My bet it’s a FF romance with Maggie and Madame Kink
Maggie doesn’t seem like a Domme to me, and her relationship with Beau lacked chemistry. Nothing about them being together was exciting. There were a lot of things that reminded me of Praise, they even used the same safe word as Emerson and Charlie lmao. Also, Maggie said that she had to work twice as hard to be like other co-founders, but she still didn’t get her own book cover 💀💀💀 hashtag feminism
upd: well, I was wrong, it’s about Maggie and Beau! The third book disappointed me, but I’ll still give this one a try
My bet it’s a FF romance with Maggie and Madame Kink
April 2, 2023
➥ 1 Star *:･ﾟ✧ dnf @ 25%
This didn't work for me for a multitude of reasons:
✮ The Bisexual Representation: the fmc is supposedly bi, and from what I read in this book, she cheated on her girlfriend, and she literally would not stop sexualising every woman she laid her eyes on: even a pregnant woman once. There are so many stereotypes surrounding bi people cheating that I was just really unimpressed with the depiction of the fmc's sexuality.
✮ Terrible Dialogue/Writing: the dialogue was unnatural and cringey. Both in sexual circumstances and outside of them, I couldn't take any of the characters seriously. In reading a book about a supposedly dominant woman, I want to be able to take her seriously. I understand if some people felt that was executed to their preference, but it was not good enough for me.
✮ Long, boring, unnecessary set-up: it takes a while for the fmc and mmc to meet and interact, and even when they do, it's bracketed by boring side-happenings and filler. Something I look for in every book, is for it to be engaging from the beginning. Since I didn't require or expect this book to reach a profound emotional depth, I assumed that the sex-scenes would be prevalent and well written, but they were neither.
✮ The dominant fmc was badly executed: I was actually really looking forward to reading a book about a dominant woman and a submissive man, because more often than not, we see the reverse in BDSM romance. In those romances, the women tend to lack a back bone and substance, so I hoped that the different dynamic would allow for a well-written powerful female character, that would exude confidence, power and sensuality, in the way that dominant men are portrayed as doing when they're written as the dominant ones. I wanted to read about a woman that had everyone wrapped around her finger.
Instead, this woman 'finds out' that she's dominant by taking a quiz, that simply tells her she is, even though she is generally meek and unconfident. Then, in her first interaction with the supposedly submissive man, the man catches her when she falls...*crickets*. Should that not be...the other way around? In all seriousness, I'm concerned with the seemingly low number of people that have read a book with a hot woman in it...may I recommend you some sapphic ones? As mentioned, her demeanor is weak and flimsy, and it's a character's demeanor that feeds their 'dominant' title. She even stutters and blushes when saying the words of sexual parts. Just to note: I am unaware of the fmc's backstory that may have been elaborated on in previous books, so there may be explanation for some of the factors I've mentioned, but I'm sure many of my other points still stand to explain why I think she did not work as a dominant female character.
✮ Misogyny: I'll mainly focus on the two instances that bothered me the most...
1) The fmc only enjoys hanging out with The Boys™, even though they talk down women all the time, including the ones they sexual engage with.
I could not believe my eyes when I first read this "girls are too much drama" pick-me shit.
2) There's a whole scene where one of the owners of the club presumes a woman is into degradation, tells her to "shut the fuck up and take [his] cock" and then shares this and laughs about it with the other people in his friend group (all men except her) and then still tries to justify himself? And again, this is never re-addressed or reflected upon, the "dominant" man is just like that and, again, she's only friends with men. Additionally, she literally thanks the gods for the men she's friends with just because they treat her like a human being and maybe even possibly like an equal...*more crickets*:
And then their whole friend group laughed about it 😊.
3) I was called a tumblr feminist for saying this, but it's something I've noticed in many romances that just really irks me, especially considering it's extremely unnecessary. It's when the female character say something in an attempt to be feminist but then is corrected by a MAN and humiliated for trying to say something that supports her community:
To me, it's like a small micro-aggression where men try to downplay and make fun of feminism.
✮ Badly written BDSM: the bdsm was, therefore, written very apparently unprofessionally and unclassily and it just kind of takes away from the luxurious, sensual atmosphere that authors like this should strive to create. Getting consent right, and writing respectful characters, canNOT be that difficult.
✮ The book cover: this one has little to do with the book itself, but the fmc in this book is one of the four owners of the BDSM club so she should logically be on the cover just like the rest were, but they put a man on it anyway and I even heard the author who blocked people that mentioned it - baffling.
This didn't work for me for a multitude of reasons:
✮ The Bisexual Representation: the fmc is supposedly bi, and from what I read in this book, she cheated on her girlfriend, and she literally would not stop sexualising every woman she laid her eyes on: even a pregnant woman once. There are so many stereotypes surrounding bi people cheating that I was just really unimpressed with the depiction of the fmc's sexuality.
✮ Terrible Dialogue/Writing: the dialogue was unnatural and cringey. Both in sexual circumstances and outside of them, I couldn't take any of the characters seriously. In reading a book about a supposedly dominant woman, I want to be able to take her seriously. I understand if some people felt that was executed to their preference, but it was not good enough for me.
✮ Long, boring, unnecessary set-up: it takes a while for the fmc and mmc to meet and interact, and even when they do, it's bracketed by boring side-happenings and filler. Something I look for in every book, is for it to be engaging from the beginning. Since I didn't require or expect this book to reach a profound emotional depth, I assumed that the sex-scenes would be prevalent and well written, but they were neither.
✮ The dominant fmc was badly executed: I was actually really looking forward to reading a book about a dominant woman and a submissive man, because more often than not, we see the reverse in BDSM romance. In those romances, the women tend to lack a back bone and substance, so I hoped that the different dynamic would allow for a well-written powerful female character, that would exude confidence, power and sensuality, in the way that dominant men are portrayed as doing when they're written as the dominant ones. I wanted to read about a woman that had everyone wrapped around her finger.
Instead, this woman 'finds out' that she's dominant by taking a quiz, that simply tells her she is, even though she is generally meek and unconfident. Then, in her first interaction with the supposedly submissive man, the man catches her when she falls...*crickets*. Should that not be...the other way around? In all seriousness, I'm concerned with the seemingly low number of people that have read a book with a hot woman in it...may I recommend you some sapphic ones? As mentioned, her demeanor is weak and flimsy, and it's a character's demeanor that feeds their 'dominant' title. She even stutters and blushes when saying the words of sexual parts. Just to note: I am unaware of the fmc's backstory that may have been elaborated on in previous books, so there may be explanation for some of the factors I've mentioned, but I'm sure many of my other points still stand to explain why I think she did not work as a dominant female character.
✮ Misogyny: I'll mainly focus on the two instances that bothered me the most...
1) The fmc only enjoys hanging out with The Boys™, even though they talk down women all the time, including the ones they sexual engage with.
Emerson laughs. Maybe he's the only one who pick up on it, but I don't do so well with the girls. I work with men. I've always worked with men and I'm used to them. It's easier this way, and I love girls, I really do, but they are exhausting in the best way possible. But still exhausting.
I could not believe my eyes when I first read this "girls are too much drama" pick-me shit.
2) There's a whole scene where one of the owners of the club presumes a woman is into degradation, tells her to "shut the fuck up and take [his] cock" and then shares this and laughs about it with the other people in his friend group (all men except her) and then still tries to justify himself? And again, this is never re-addressed or reflected upon, the "dominant" man is just like that and, again, she's only friends with men. Additionally, she literally thanks the gods for the men she's friends with just because they treat her like a human being and maybe even possibly like an equal...*more crickets*:
But I love working with these three. Emerson, Garrett and Hunter are rare. (😻😻) They don't talk over me or belittle my ideas. (OMG!!!!!!!!!!) They actually listen to me, and as is apparent tonight, they treat me like a friend (wow, I'm touched). Even though I can't exactly join in on their crazy sex stories. I mean...they're three single men in their prime. I can't exactly say I'm surprised. (boyz will be boyz 😜😜)
"I thought we were getting along great," Emerson says, looking genuinely despondent after his failed attempt to be the slightest bit adventurous in the bedroom (poor guy 😔😞💔). "She seemed kinky enough (?), and she definitely appeared into it, but I guess I was wrong (why didn't you just ask her if it was okay/if she was into it???). Not a fan of a little sexy degradation apparently (making her out to be lame and disappointing bc she didn't want him to degrade her - wowww dreamy.)
And then their whole friend group laughed about it 😊.
3) I was called a tumblr feminist for saying this, but it's something I've noticed in many romances that just really irks me, especially considering it's extremely unnecessary. It's when the female character say something in an attempt to be feminist but then is corrected by a MAN and humiliated for trying to say something that supports her community:
"I'm not crying. I'm just feeling sorry for myself."
"Why? Because you bought a beautiful house?"
"No. Because I bought a giant fixer-upper on a whim and now I have to figure out how to fill it."
"You mean with a husband and kids?" he asks, pulling away.
"God, no!" I reply shoving him in the chest. "Not all women need a husband-"
"It was a joke!" he says with a laugh.
To me, it's like a small micro-aggression where men try to downplay and make fun of feminism.
✮ Badly written BDSM: the bdsm was, therefore, written very apparently unprofessionally and unclassily and it just kind of takes away from the luxurious, sensual atmosphere that authors like this should strive to create. Getting consent right, and writing respectful characters, canNOT be that difficult.
✮ The book cover: this one has little to do with the book itself, but the fmc in this book is one of the four owners of the BDSM club so she should logically be on the cover just like the rest were, but they put a man on it anyway and I even heard the author who blocked people that mentioned it - baffling.
September 10, 2022
4.5 ★
I can’t believe this series is all over now, but dang what a strong finish. [edit: i lied it’s not over]. This book is the one that intrigued me the most ever since I learned it was going to be about Maggie & Beau. Maggie seemed so mysterious and I didn’t feel like i knew much about her at all after the first three books, so I was excited to finally get to her book! She’s such a relatable character, never quite knowing what she wanted with relationships or in bed, and basically just deciding to not bother anymore. She became a workaholic set on reaching goals that her friends were reaching simply because it seemed like the thing to do. Meanwhile Beau was just a lost soul. Wanting to rebel against his dad and the club, but not even knowing what he was rebelling against. When his curiosity gets the best of him and he starts to explore his wants and needs, he really starts to find his way.
I felt like both Maggie and Beau were a little lost. Not really knowing what they desired or feeling as if what they did desire was wrong. When they found each other, they really grew into themselves. What was intended to be merely transactional quickly turned into something neither of them expected. They had such a strong connection from the beginning and finally found someone safe to truly be themselves with.
Not to mention this was just HOT. It’s so rare to read about a dominant FMC and submissive MC, so this dynamic was so fun to read about. And while Beau tended to take a submissive role, the rare moments when roles were reversed were just as hotttt. They both brought out the best in each other, in and out of the bedroom and I really loved their relationship. AND NO THIRD ACT BREAK UP HECK YEAAAAAH.
I love how this final book ended up repairing so much of the damage done between Emerson and Beau in the first book, that part truly warmed my heart. Okay I’m done. I miss them already
I can’t believe this series is all over now, but dang what a strong finish. [edit: i lied it’s not over]. This book is the one that intrigued me the most ever since I learned it was going to be about Maggie & Beau. Maggie seemed so mysterious and I didn’t feel like i knew much about her at all after the first three books, so I was excited to finally get to her book! She’s such a relatable character, never quite knowing what she wanted with relationships or in bed, and basically just deciding to not bother anymore. She became a workaholic set on reaching goals that her friends were reaching simply because it seemed like the thing to do. Meanwhile Beau was just a lost soul. Wanting to rebel against his dad and the club, but not even knowing what he was rebelling against. When his curiosity gets the best of him and he starts to explore his wants and needs, he really starts to find his way.
I felt like both Maggie and Beau were a little lost. Not really knowing what they desired or feeling as if what they did desire was wrong. When they found each other, they really grew into themselves. What was intended to be merely transactional quickly turned into something neither of them expected. They had such a strong connection from the beginning and finally found someone safe to truly be themselves with.
Not to mention this was just HOT. It’s so rare to read about a dominant FMC and submissive MC, so this dynamic was so fun to read about. And while Beau tended to take a submissive role, the rare moments when roles were reversed were just as hotttt. They both brought out the best in each other, in and out of the bedroom and I really loved their relationship. AND NO THIRD ACT BREAK UP HECK YEAAAAAH.
I love how this final book ended up repairing so much of the damage done between Emerson and Beau in the first book, that part truly warmed my heart. Okay I’m done. I miss them already
June 14, 2023
Update: I just found out that the cover model for this book is a Magic Mike dancer and I want to give it another star!
Wow, this was so hot and so good.
I wondered at first if I was going to really like Maggie, as she was so insecure and self-flaggellating, as a 34 year old professional woman I couldn’t stomach her. But she grew on me, she grew as a character and embraced her dominant side and her sexuality and it was great to read.
There was a lot of character growth in this book for both Beau and Maggie and that stuff is my catnip. I love a good reverse age gap as well and this was the best I’ve read in awhile. I love that Cate always pushes the boundaries into discomfort and balances that with a whole bunch of smut. This time the smut helped to drive the plot forward as well as playing up each character, showing their growth and how their partner met their newly discovered needs. Just so sweet.
It was great to see Beau get punished multiple times for his behaviour, we all know he deserved it, and it added to my liking for his character. He knew he was a jerk and a brat and was asking for her to take him in hand. Boy did she take him in hand, he got several things done to his ass (no spoilers here but her punishments for him were creative, hot AND hilarious) and I am not one for discipline kink usually but I was here for this.
One thing that was a bit weird for me though was the one flashback scene of Maggie and her mother. It was a good scene to explain some of the shame that she was raised with but honestly, why did Cate only include the one scene? It read a bit like she meant to explore that further with Maggie’s character but then didn’t for whatever reason. That was a shame because I would have loved to have seen more of Maggie’s past to understand her better and perhaps linking that more closely to the club protesters may have added a bit more depth to this story. But again, I enjoyed the story in spite of that and loved the untraditional ending for the couple.
This series seems all wrapped up but I see two more books on the horizon so I’m curious to know who they will feature. Perhaps a MM with Geo the bartender? I think we know who Madame will be about, but I’m excited to see who her love interest is, will Cate go female or male, or both? Hmmm.
Wow, this was so hot and so good.
I wondered at first if I was going to really like Maggie, as she was so insecure and self-flaggellating, as a 34 year old professional woman I couldn’t stomach her. But she grew on me, she grew as a character and embraced her dominant side and her sexuality and it was great to read.
There was a lot of character growth in this book for both Beau and Maggie and that stuff is my catnip. I love a good reverse age gap as well and this was the best I’ve read in awhile. I love that Cate always pushes the boundaries into discomfort and balances that with a whole bunch of smut. This time the smut helped to drive the plot forward as well as playing up each character, showing their growth and how their partner met their newly discovered needs. Just so sweet.
It was great to see Beau get punished multiple times for his behaviour, we all know he deserved it, and it added to my liking for his character. He knew he was a jerk and a brat and was asking for her to take him in hand. Boy did she take him in hand, he got several things done to his ass (no spoilers here but her punishments for him were creative, hot AND hilarious) and I am not one for discipline kink usually but I was here for this.
One thing that was a bit weird for me though was the one flashback scene of Maggie and her mother. It was a good scene to explain some of the shame that she was raised with but honestly, why did Cate only include the one scene? It read a bit like she meant to explore that further with Maggie’s character but then didn’t for whatever reason. That was a shame because I would have loved to have seen more of Maggie’s past to understand her better and perhaps linking that more closely to the club protesters may have added a bit more depth to this story. But again, I enjoyed the story in spite of that and loved the untraditional ending for the couple.
This series seems all wrapped up but I see two more books on the horizon so I’m curious to know who they will feature. Perhaps a MM with Geo the bartender? I think we know who Madame will be about, but I’m excited to see who her love interest is, will Cate go female or male, or both? Hmmm.
September 5, 2022
Before reading this book, I was intrigued by Maggie being a Domme, but I wasn’t sure if I could enjoy Beau, the main male character. From previous books, I wasn’t sure if I could even tolerate him. But I should have never doubted Cate’s magic when it comes to character development.
Beau turned out to be my favorite thing from the book. I’m pretty sure he and Hunter are my two favorite characters from the whole series. And it’s because both have one thing in common: a hell of a personal journey of self discovery, acceptance and healing.
The way Beau’s internal struggles and prejudices got explored and unraveled was such a wild ride. I’m in total awe of the deep and complex emotions he went through. And how none of it was linear or flat. He felt real in the way he would fluctuate between his old and new self as he grew as a person.
He’s a great example of what toxic masculinity can do to a man who doesn’t fit in the box designed by gender role expectations. Beau believed he had to be like his dad, dominant and always in control. And that made him feel miserable, lost and most of all, angry. The way he had internalized all these fucked up notions and how frustrated all that made him was utterly fascinating to me.
I’m a sucker for men with daddy issues and Beau fitted the role so prettily. His relationship with Emerson was so interesting and well done. I wish we had seen more of it, though. I was hoping for them to have a longer conversation by the end of the book. But still, I loved to see these two utter idiots try to make things work.
And on top of that, he had become best friends with Sophie, his ex’s trans sister. Their friendship was one of the most wholesome and heartwarming shit I’ve ever read, ngl.
Maggie was a great surprise. My only complain is that the character we knew from previous books and this Maggie had nothing in common. I’m assuming this is because even her supposedly best friends never cared to get to know her that well, and that was reflected in the way they talked about her in their POVs from previous books.
In fact, the whole group dynamic when it came to Maggie pissed me off. Even at the end, when everyone discovered what was going on between her and Emerson’s son, no one talked to her. I found myself missing a scene where her friends showed support, or even just teased them. The way they never talked about it and then Maggie and Beau moved to a different state made it seem like things had cooled off between her and her group of friends. I don’t know but it pissed me off. It made it seem as if they could accent Emerson marrying his son’s ex-gf a lot easier than Maggie dating said son and that’s totally bullshit.
As for the kink aspect, phew 😮💨 Sara Cate knows what she’s doing. The way she interlaced sexual desires and emotional connections was flawless. I loved the pace of the romance and how easy things seemed to be once they found “the right person.”
The scene where they switched roles was incredibly hot and then it turned into such an intense and almost uncomfortable moment. Beau’s emotional break down felt cathartic and that’s probably one of my favorite scenes.
The punishment scene was also fascinating. The way he was disgusted at himself because he had a hard time tolerating the intense pain of the crop was a great example of his internalized gender role expectations. And the way he shattered at the end and broke free of all that bullshit was beautiful.
By the end of the story, even with two epilogues that expanded over the course of four years, I was left with the feeling of needing more. I’m crossing all my fingers and toes in hopes of Crate writing more about Beau and Maggie, they deserve it.
Beau turned out to be my favorite thing from the book. I’m pretty sure he and Hunter are my two favorite characters from the whole series. And it’s because both have one thing in common: a hell of a personal journey of self discovery, acceptance and healing.
The way Beau’s internal struggles and prejudices got explored and unraveled was such a wild ride. I’m in total awe of the deep and complex emotions he went through. And how none of it was linear or flat. He felt real in the way he would fluctuate between his old and new self as he grew as a person.
He’s a great example of what toxic masculinity can do to a man who doesn’t fit in the box designed by gender role expectations. Beau believed he had to be like his dad, dominant and always in control. And that made him feel miserable, lost and most of all, angry. The way he had internalized all these fucked up notions and how frustrated all that made him was utterly fascinating to me.
I’m a sucker for men with daddy issues and Beau fitted the role so prettily. His relationship with Emerson was so interesting and well done. I wish we had seen more of it, though. I was hoping for them to have a longer conversation by the end of the book. But still, I loved to see these two utter idiots try to make things work.
And on top of that, he had become best friends with Sophie, his ex’s trans sister. Their friendship was one of the most wholesome and heartwarming shit I’ve ever read, ngl.
Maggie was a great surprise. My only complain is that the character we knew from previous books and this Maggie had nothing in common. I’m assuming this is because even her supposedly best friends never cared to get to know her that well, and that was reflected in the way they talked about her in their POVs from previous books.
In fact, the whole group dynamic when it came to Maggie pissed me off. Even at the end, when everyone discovered what was going on between her and Emerson’s son, no one talked to her. I found myself missing a scene where her friends showed support, or even just teased them. The way they never talked about it and then Maggie and Beau moved to a different state made it seem like things had cooled off between her and her group of friends. I don’t know but it pissed me off. It made it seem as if they could accent Emerson marrying his son’s ex-gf a lot easier than Maggie dating said son and that’s totally bullshit.
As for the kink aspect, phew 😮💨 Sara Cate knows what she’s doing. The way she interlaced sexual desires and emotional connections was flawless. I loved the pace of the romance and how easy things seemed to be once they found “the right person.”
The scene where they switched roles was incredibly hot and then it turned into such an intense and almost uncomfortable moment. Beau’s emotional break down felt cathartic and that’s probably one of my favorite scenes.
The punishment scene was also fascinating. The way he was disgusted at himself because he had a hard time tolerating the intense pain of the crop was a great example of his internalized gender role expectations. And the way he shattered at the end and broke free of all that bullshit was beautiful.
By the end of the story, even with two epilogues that expanded over the course of four years, I was left with the feeling of needing more. I’m crossing all my fingers and toes in hopes of Crate writing more about Beau and Maggie, they deserve it.
November 4, 2023
4/5
Definitely my favorite book of the series! Love Maggie so much!
Definitely my favorite book of the series! Love Maggie so much!
"I don’t want to be the only voice in her head that tells her she’s beautiful"
"I’m not perfect, by any means. But I want to be…for you. I’ve never been in love before,” he says, and my breath hitches. “I thought I was. But it never felt like this. I never wanted to be better for anyone. Maggie…my heart is yours. Do whatever you want with it."
August 30, 2022
4.25 stars
Mercy is the fourth book in Sara Cate’s ‘Salacious Players Club’ and I have truly enjoyed every book in this series. I think the third book is my fave, but this was a close second. Maggie and Beau’s story was insightful, steamy, and emotional at times.
Beau is a character I wasn’t crazy about at the start of this series, but I loved seeing his growth through this book. And Maggie- I was thrilled to see this side of her. Maggie is a heroine I think a lot of women will be able to relate to. I enjoyed seeing her embrace herself and even though she and Beau were new to all of this, they were in it together.
Sara Cate’s writing is always fantastic and I love that she writes out of the box. I’ve read several other books of hers outside of this series and I’m excited to read more!
Mercy is the fourth book in Sara Cate’s ‘Salacious Players Club’ and I have truly enjoyed every book in this series. I think the third book is my fave, but this was a close second. Maggie and Beau’s story was insightful, steamy, and emotional at times.
Beau is a character I wasn’t crazy about at the start of this series, but I loved seeing his growth through this book. And Maggie- I was thrilled to see this side of her. Maggie is a heroine I think a lot of women will be able to relate to. I enjoyed seeing her embrace herself and even though she and Beau were new to all of this, they were in it together.
Sara Cate’s writing is always fantastic and I love that she writes out of the box. I’ve read several other books of hers outside of this series and I’m excited to read more!
September 3, 2022
5 “I’m yours. I’ll do whatever you want.” stars
He wants to bring me pleasure. Even if that means letting me hurt him, torture him, punish him, and use him. What he wants is to give me what I want.
Holy. Fucking. Shit.
I think that this book broke me. I’m not sure how I can go on from this. This was just the perfect book for me.
I’m very simple person, if a book with a relationship between a man and a woman is BDSM and the woman is the domme, I will read it, no matter what. This type of dynamic is one of my favourite dynamic when it comes to kink in books and god was this book everything I wanted it to be.
This book couldn’t have came out at a better time in my life because i’ve been spending the last months trying to find the perfect femdom book for me, as i’ve been really craving those lately. So thank you book for making my job easier and safely securing yourself into the top spot on the list.
Look, I won’t lie here. This book was my most anticipated book of the last 3 months. I screamed of joy and fangirled so much when I saw that I was getting an ARC of it and the second that it hit my kindle, I sat down and read the entire book in one sitting. There was no way I was putting this book down until I reached the last word of the story. I cannot even put into words how excited I was to read this book. Before I got a copy of it for myself, I was anxiously counting down the days until I could get my hands on this book. Just ask my friends and my mom, i’m pretty sure that they are sick and tired of hearing me talk about how much I want to read this book. I’ve been hyped for this book for what feels like an eternity. And now that the day is finally here and that I read it, I can safely say that this book was just perfect for me. This was everything I have ever wanted in a book and more, so much more.
You know that moment when you’ve been waiting to read a book for a while and then you finally get your hands on it and it’s as perfect as you wanted it to me. This is what I experienced with this book and i’m so happy about it. This book was everything I could have ever wished it would be. It just so perfect to me. I couldn’t have asked for anything, but there is nothing about this book that I wish was a little different. This book was absolutely perfect to me.
Also, i’ve been really stingy with my 5 stars ratings this year and this is only my 12th 5 stars read of the entire year. But well played Sara Cate, you can take your very well deserved stars. Because I don’t think that someone could have made a book more suited to my reading tastes.
Brief Summary
Beau is 22 years old. He is a little lost in life and he doesn’t know what he wants to do next. He is also a massive brat who is realizing that he might be into kink and a sub. Maggie is 34 years old and she is just realizing that she might be into kink and a domme. Turns out that Beau is her perfect match and that they fall in love.
“I’m going to use you, Beau. In fact, when you’re here, you’re not Beau anymore. We are not friends or lovers or acquaintances. You are my property to do whatever I want with, and if you deserve it, I’ll punish you. It will hurt, and I’ll try to make sure you don’t enjoy it. But if you earn it, I’ll reward you, and I’ll make sure you do like it.”
First, the kink exploration in this book was just so good. They both think that they aren’t into kink but they start realizing that they might be into kink after all. And they experience kink together. I loved seeing them explore the different aspects of kink and what would be good for them. I loved seeing them trying out many things to see what would work for them as individuals and as a couple. I just loved seeing them experiement with kink and find the footing and what they love, together. I just loved seeing Maggie learn to be a domme and what it meant for her. I loved seeing her shape up into her role more and more through the book, it was just so wonderful to read about. I also loved seeing Beau learn to submit. The more the book progressed, the more he seemed to feel more and more comfortable in his skin and I loved seeing how well it suited him. What I loved the most about the kink exploration in this book is seeing how happy it made the characters and how much happier they seemed the more the book progressed, I just loved how them exploring their kinks lead to them actually being happy in their relationship and with themselves. That was such a lovely part of the book and I had the best time reading it.
Also, they both had hang ups about sex and about the idea of enjoying it, or about being a sub when it comes to Beau. So I loved seeing them explore kink together and realize that there is no shame in them being into it. The kink exploration in this book was just so well described and such a joy to read.
Second, my absolute favourite trope in books is the redemption of a character who was an asshole in previous books of the series. I just adore this trope to pieces. And this book included this trope. Beau was shown in book 1 of this series as a kind of evil side character who was an asshole and wasn’t nice to anyone. So you can imagine my excitement when this book was announced to be about him. I was so excited to see how he would redeem himself after that and his redemption was absolutely perfect to me. I really liked how his redemption was him doing some self reflecting and some growing up and becoming a better person of himself. His character progression was just so much fun to read about and I adored every seconds of it.
Third, I just adored the relationship progression in this one. I loved it started with them talking online and then they hung out and kept spending time together and they slowly discovered that they might be perfect for each other. The relationship progression in this book just seemed so natural and it was a joy to follow. These characters just seemed to seamlessly fall in love through the pages and that was so much fun to read for me.
Fourth, the relationship in this book. I just loved it, so much. The relationship between Beau and Maggie is the stuff that my dreams are made off. They were just so well suited for each other. They truly completed each other. And I just loved how much they cared for each other and how it showed through their every action. I loved how they talked about everything and how they always listened to each other. They truly had one of the best and cutest relationship I have ever read about and I just adored every seconds of it. I just loved how they accept each other no matter wha and how they cheer each other on through it all. It was just the cutest thing ever.
Also, the love that these two had for each other was just so swoony, I adored reading about it, so much.
“I’m not perfect, by any means. But I want to be…for you. I’ve never been in love before […] I thought I was. But it never felt like this. I never wanted to be better for anyone. Maggie…my heart is yours. Do whatever you want with it.”
Also, I just adored how well fleshed out Maggie and Beau were. Their characters and how well developed they were really made their romance for me. I just loved being able to be into both of these characters heads and seeing their character developement as the book progressed. These two were just absolutely wonderful characters and reading about them truly was a joy for me.
Fifth, the dynamic in this book was just the best. I absolutely adored it. I just loved how Beau was a little shit who just wanted to be punished and how Maggie just wanted to put Beau in line and make him obey her. Their dynamic just made the book so much fun to read and it really added to the interactions between the characters. It just made this book so engaging and a joy to read.
Also, Beau is a brat who loves to break the rules so that he can get punished. And I just loved how Maggie loved punishing him and putting him in his place. That was just absolutely wonderful to read about.
Sixth, I always love a good age gap. Expecially when the woman is older, count me in, any time. I live for these kind of couples. And I expecially loved it in this case.
Seventh, the sex scenes in this book. I’m pretty sure that I went between drooling and having my jaw drop in the floor many times while I was reading the sex scenes in this book. I loved that there was so many of them and how all of them were very diversified and included the characters trying many different kinks and things. If you know me, you know that I never can pass up a good sex scene in a book and the ones in this book were just truly exceptional. The more I read the book, the more I kept thinking that a certain scene would be my favourite and then another one came along and it took its spot, and that happened to me many times while reading this book.
Also, the dirty talk in this book was just absolutely fantastic and a joy to read.
Also, I just adored how the kink was done in this book. I loved how it talked a lot about it being consensual and agreed to by both characters, but it was done in a very beautifully way that never felt like I was reading a textbook on BDSM for beginners, which I have felt like a lot while reading kinky book, so massive congratulations to the author for this, it truly was seemlessly incorporated into the book. Also, I loved how much aftercare there was in this book. I’m a sucker for a cute aftercare scene and the ones in this book just made me swoon due to how sweet they were.
Also, special mention to how many different kink were explored in this book, this truly was a very diversified pool and I loved how each and every one of them were shown.
“As far as what you’re supposed to do, don’t worry about that. I will tell you what to do. You don’t need to think or worry. Just obey.”
Eight, this book has some hurt/comfort. Not much, but just enough for me to cry my eyes out a couple of times while I was reading this book, and that is something I always appreciate. I always love a good hurt/comfort and this element was incorporated super well into this book for me.
Ninth, reading this book just made me so emotional. I was so invested in the characters and their lives and I kept wanting to cry for them when things weren’t going like they wanted to and then cheer for them when they were. I was just so into these two characters and their lives and I appreciated every seconds I spent reading this book.
In conclusion, i’m pretty sure that Sara Cate found a way to scan my brain and pull out everything I have ever wanted into a book so that she could incorporate it into this book. It really is rare for me to find a book that incorporates so many things I love into one book and this one had everything I could have ever asked for.
I’m not even sure that my review was able to do this book’s justice because i’m not sure that there is enough words in the English language for me to describe how much I loved every seconds I spent reading this book. This book was just the perfect reading experience for me, and one that I won’t forget about any time soon.
I received an ARC of this book and this is my honest opinion
He wants to bring me pleasure. Even if that means letting me hurt him, torture him, punish him, and use him. What he wants is to give me what I want.
Holy. Fucking. Shit.
I think that this book broke me. I’m not sure how I can go on from this. This was just the perfect book for me.
I’m very simple person, if a book with a relationship between a man and a woman is BDSM and the woman is the domme, I will read it, no matter what. This type of dynamic is one of my favourite dynamic when it comes to kink in books and god was this book everything I wanted it to be.
This book couldn’t have came out at a better time in my life because i’ve been spending the last months trying to find the perfect femdom book for me, as i’ve been really craving those lately. So thank you book for making my job easier and safely securing yourself into the top spot on the list.
Look, I won’t lie here. This book was my most anticipated book of the last 3 months. I screamed of joy and fangirled so much when I saw that I was getting an ARC of it and the second that it hit my kindle, I sat down and read the entire book in one sitting. There was no way I was putting this book down until I reached the last word of the story. I cannot even put into words how excited I was to read this book. Before I got a copy of it for myself, I was anxiously counting down the days until I could get my hands on this book. Just ask my friends and my mom, i’m pretty sure that they are sick and tired of hearing me talk about how much I want to read this book. I’ve been hyped for this book for what feels like an eternity. And now that the day is finally here and that I read it, I can safely say that this book was just perfect for me. This was everything I have ever wanted in a book and more, so much more.
You know that moment when you’ve been waiting to read a book for a while and then you finally get your hands on it and it’s as perfect as you wanted it to me. This is what I experienced with this book and i’m so happy about it. This book was everything I could have ever wished it would be. It just so perfect to me. I couldn’t have asked for anything, but there is nothing about this book that I wish was a little different. This book was absolutely perfect to me.
Also, i’ve been really stingy with my 5 stars ratings this year and this is only my 12th 5 stars read of the entire year. But well played Sara Cate, you can take your very well deserved stars. Because I don’t think that someone could have made a book more suited to my reading tastes.
Brief Summary
Beau is 22 years old. He is a little lost in life and he doesn’t know what he wants to do next. He is also a massive brat who is realizing that he might be into kink and a sub. Maggie is 34 years old and she is just realizing that she might be into kink and a domme. Turns out that Beau is her perfect match and that they fall in love.
“I’m going to use you, Beau. In fact, when you’re here, you’re not Beau anymore. We are not friends or lovers or acquaintances. You are my property to do whatever I want with, and if you deserve it, I’ll punish you. It will hurt, and I’ll try to make sure you don’t enjoy it. But if you earn it, I’ll reward you, and I’ll make sure you do like it.”
First, the kink exploration in this book was just so good. They both think that they aren’t into kink but they start realizing that they might be into kink after all. And they experience kink together. I loved seeing them explore the different aspects of kink and what would be good for them. I loved seeing them trying out many things to see what would work for them as individuals and as a couple. I just loved seeing them experiement with kink and find the footing and what they love, together. I just loved seeing Maggie learn to be a domme and what it meant for her. I loved seeing her shape up into her role more and more through the book, it was just so wonderful to read about. I also loved seeing Beau learn to submit. The more the book progressed, the more he seemed to feel more and more comfortable in his skin and I loved seeing how well it suited him. What I loved the most about the kink exploration in this book is seeing how happy it made the characters and how much happier they seemed the more the book progressed, I just loved how them exploring their kinks lead to them actually being happy in their relationship and with themselves. That was such a lovely part of the book and I had the best time reading it.
Also, they both had hang ups about sex and about the idea of enjoying it, or about being a sub when it comes to Beau. So I loved seeing them explore kink together and realize that there is no shame in them being into it. The kink exploration in this book was just so well described and such a joy to read.
Second, my absolute favourite trope in books is the redemption of a character who was an asshole in previous books of the series. I just adore this trope to pieces. And this book included this trope. Beau was shown in book 1 of this series as a kind of evil side character who was an asshole and wasn’t nice to anyone. So you can imagine my excitement when this book was announced to be about him. I was so excited to see how he would redeem himself after that and his redemption was absolutely perfect to me. I really liked how his redemption was him doing some self reflecting and some growing up and becoming a better person of himself. His character progression was just so much fun to read about and I adored every seconds of it.
Third, I just adored the relationship progression in this one. I loved it started with them talking online and then they hung out and kept spending time together and they slowly discovered that they might be perfect for each other. The relationship progression in this book just seemed so natural and it was a joy to follow. These characters just seemed to seamlessly fall in love through the pages and that was so much fun to read for me.
Fourth, the relationship in this book. I just loved it, so much. The relationship between Beau and Maggie is the stuff that my dreams are made off. They were just so well suited for each other. They truly completed each other. And I just loved how much they cared for each other and how it showed through their every action. I loved how they talked about everything and how they always listened to each other. They truly had one of the best and cutest relationship I have ever read about and I just adored every seconds of it. I just loved how they accept each other no matter wha and how they cheer each other on through it all. It was just the cutest thing ever.
Also, the love that these two had for each other was just so swoony, I adored reading about it, so much.
“I’m not perfect, by any means. But I want to be…for you. I’ve never been in love before […] I thought I was. But it never felt like this. I never wanted to be better for anyone. Maggie…my heart is yours. Do whatever you want with it.”
Also, I just adored how well fleshed out Maggie and Beau were. Their characters and how well developed they were really made their romance for me. I just loved being able to be into both of these characters heads and seeing their character developement as the book progressed. These two were just absolutely wonderful characters and reading about them truly was a joy for me.
Fifth, the dynamic in this book was just the best. I absolutely adored it. I just loved how Beau was a little shit who just wanted to be punished and how Maggie just wanted to put Beau in line and make him obey her. Their dynamic just made the book so much fun to read and it really added to the interactions between the characters. It just made this book so engaging and a joy to read.
Also, Beau is a brat who loves to break the rules so that he can get punished. And I just loved how Maggie loved punishing him and putting him in his place. That was just absolutely wonderful to read about.
Sixth, I always love a good age gap. Expecially when the woman is older, count me in, any time. I live for these kind of couples. And I expecially loved it in this case.
Seventh, the sex scenes in this book. I’m pretty sure that I went between drooling and having my jaw drop in the floor many times while I was reading the sex scenes in this book. I loved that there was so many of them and how all of them were very diversified and included the characters trying many different kinks and things. If you know me, you know that I never can pass up a good sex scene in a book and the ones in this book were just truly exceptional. The more I read the book, the more I kept thinking that a certain scene would be my favourite and then another one came along and it took its spot, and that happened to me many times while reading this book.
Also, the dirty talk in this book was just absolutely fantastic and a joy to read.
Also, I just adored how the kink was done in this book. I loved how it talked a lot about it being consensual and agreed to by both characters, but it was done in a very beautifully way that never felt like I was reading a textbook on BDSM for beginners, which I have felt like a lot while reading kinky book, so massive congratulations to the author for this, it truly was seemlessly incorporated into the book. Also, I loved how much aftercare there was in this book. I’m a sucker for a cute aftercare scene and the ones in this book just made me swoon due to how sweet they were.
Also, special mention to how many different kink were explored in this book, this truly was a very diversified pool and I loved how each and every one of them were shown.
“As far as what you’re supposed to do, don’t worry about that. I will tell you what to do. You don’t need to think or worry. Just obey.”
Eight, this book has some hurt/comfort. Not much, but just enough for me to cry my eyes out a couple of times while I was reading this book, and that is something I always appreciate. I always love a good hurt/comfort and this element was incorporated super well into this book for me.
Ninth, reading this book just made me so emotional. I was so invested in the characters and their lives and I kept wanting to cry for them when things weren’t going like they wanted to and then cheer for them when they were. I was just so into these two characters and their lives and I appreciated every seconds I spent reading this book.
In conclusion, i’m pretty sure that Sara Cate found a way to scan my brain and pull out everything I have ever wanted into a book so that she could incorporate it into this book. It really is rare for me to find a book that incorporates so many things I love into one book and this one had everything I could have ever asked for.
I’m not even sure that my review was able to do this book’s justice because i’m not sure that there is enough words in the English language for me to describe how much I loved every seconds I spent reading this book. This book was just the perfect reading experience for me, and one that I won’t forget about any time soon.
I received an ARC of this book and this is my honest opinion
August 23, 2022
Hi my name is Kristie, and I want Maggie to be my Domme.
I LOVED THIS BOOK. SERIOUSLY! Sara Cate has a beautiful ability to mix spice, love and heartfelt moments to make up the perfect book, and Mercy did not disappoint!
I related to Maggie A LOT . As someone who grew up in purity culture, being shamed for wanting to explore my own sexuality, I felt a connection to Maggie's story and her growth in to becoming her own woman. Beau, BEAU BEAU BEAU. My man is a beautiful mess. Never feeling good enough, man enough, strong enough to be in a relationship. When both Maggie and Beau (separately) take the k*nk quiz, they find something new about themselves. Maggie is a Domme, a brat tamer. And Beau, well he's the Brat.
THE SPICE IN THIS IS IMMACULATE. GETTING TO SEE A FEMALE MAIN CHARACTER TAKE CONTROL, OWN HER SEXUALITY, AND TEACH HIM A LESSON WAS PURE PERFECTION.
I loved this series with all my heart, and this one just rounded out it perfectly. So sad to see it over, I can only hope Sara writes more!!
4.5/5 stars
4/5 spice
**ARC for honest review**
I LOVED THIS BOOK. SERIOUSLY! Sara Cate has a beautiful ability to mix spice, love and heartfelt moments to make up the perfect book, and Mercy did not disappoint!
I related to Maggie A LOT . As someone who grew up in purity culture, being shamed for wanting to explore my own sexuality, I felt a connection to Maggie's story and her growth in to becoming her own woman. Beau, BEAU BEAU BEAU. My man is a beautiful mess. Never feeling good enough, man enough, strong enough to be in a relationship. When both Maggie and Beau (separately) take the k*nk quiz, they find something new about themselves. Maggie is a Domme, a brat tamer. And Beau, well he's the Brat.
THE SPICE IN THIS IS IMMACULATE. GETTING TO SEE A FEMALE MAIN CHARACTER TAKE CONTROL, OWN HER SEXUALITY, AND TEACH HIM A LESSON WAS PURE PERFECTION.
I loved this series with all my heart, and this one just rounded out it perfectly. So sad to see it over, I can only hope Sara writes more!!
4.5/5 stars
4/5 spice
**ARC for honest review**
August 26, 2022
libro que leo donde el hombre es sumiso libro que le doy 4 estrellas (igual podría haber sido un poco mas patético el wacho.. pero la mina dominante NONONO MUY HOT LO QUE QUIERAS REINAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA)
January 19, 2023
3 ⭐️ A sweet story but my least favorite in the series
Maggie and Beau embark on a journey of exploration to bring out their inner dom and sub. I loved their dynamic and thought they were super sweet together. I especially loved the emotional connections they made and the healing that went on during ‘scenes’. Specifically, the scene when Beau submits to the crop.
However, I now realize female doms and male subs are not really my thing, so I didn’t love this like the other books. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t read it. If you love the series, don’t miss out on this story.
There were a couple of things, though, that I didn’t like or didn’t really seem to fit.
There weren’t really any high stakes, which meant there was hardly any tension or real conflict. Everything gets resolved pretty easily, and I found that a little boring.
Sometimes, the writing didn’t really flow easily. There were a few times I had to go back and reread sentences because the way they were put together just threw me off, which literally never happened in the previous books. So I don't know, maybe this book was a little rushed and could have gone through one more round of edits.
Making it a big deal that Maggie bought a house and was going to fix it up didn’t really add to the plot. It seemed like it was supposed to be important to the story with how it was set up, but nothing came of it.
Having Beau be Maggie’s handyman also was hardly utilized and didn’t seem to matter. I thought there would be more buildup or more importance to him helping her with the house, but it wasn’t. He was really only there to be Maggie's sub, and occasionally, he painted a few rooms.
At one point, Beau mentions how he’s cheated on every girlfriend he ever has had, and it really worries Maggie. She brings it up a couple of times, and it’s one thing that initially holds her back from 100% committing to Beau. But then they do end up committing, but his past cheating isn’t really discussed in much depth. Beau just says he would never do it, and that’s that. It felt brushed over when I think it should have confronted it more.
Beau’s mom is suddenly okay with him going to the sex club, and even running one after she has been bashing Emerson and his business for years seemed far-fetched. This woman was so hateful towards that club and people who go there, but she’s instantly okay with Beau’s involvement as long as he’s happy? Didn’t really make much sense to me.
I truly enjoy this series and am sad to see it come to an end. What a ride! Thank you, Sara Cate, for writing these entertaining, amazing stories that embrace sex and kinks in a positive and healthy way. 💕
UPDATE: JK! There’s going to be two more book! Cannot wait!
Maggie and Beau embark on a journey of exploration to bring out their inner dom and sub. I loved their dynamic and thought they were super sweet together. I especially loved the emotional connections they made and the healing that went on during ‘scenes’. Specifically, the scene when Beau submits to the crop.
However, I now realize female doms and male subs are not really my thing, so I didn’t love this like the other books. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t read it. If you love the series, don’t miss out on this story.
There were a couple of things, though, that I didn’t like or didn’t really seem to fit.
There weren’t really any high stakes, which meant there was hardly any tension or real conflict. Everything gets resolved pretty easily, and I found that a little boring.
Sometimes, the writing didn’t really flow easily. There were a few times I had to go back and reread sentences because the way they were put together just threw me off, which literally never happened in the previous books. So I don't know, maybe this book was a little rushed and could have gone through one more round of edits.
Making it a big deal that Maggie bought a house and was going to fix it up didn’t really add to the plot. It seemed like it was supposed to be important to the story with how it was set up, but nothing came of it.
Having Beau be Maggie’s handyman also was hardly utilized and didn’t seem to matter. I thought there would be more buildup or more importance to him helping her with the house, but it wasn’t. He was really only there to be Maggie's sub, and occasionally, he painted a few rooms.
At one point, Beau mentions how he’s cheated on every girlfriend he ever has had, and it really worries Maggie. She brings it up a couple of times, and it’s one thing that initially holds her back from 100% committing to Beau. But then they do end up committing, but his past cheating isn’t really discussed in much depth. Beau just says he would never do it, and that’s that. It felt brushed over when I think it should have confronted it more.
Beau’s mom is suddenly okay with him going to the sex club, and even running one after she has been bashing Emerson and his business for years seemed far-fetched. This woman was so hateful towards that club and people who go there, but she’s instantly okay with Beau’s involvement as long as he’s happy? Didn’t really make much sense to me.
I truly enjoy this series and am sad to see it come to an end. What a ride! Thank you, Sara Cate, for writing these entertaining, amazing stories that embrace sex and kinks in a positive and healthy way. 💕
UPDATE: JK! There’s going to be two more book! Cannot wait!
January 5, 2024
TA KSIĄŻKA! OFICJALNIE MOJA ULUBIONA Z CAŁEJ SERII!
To było I D E A L N E
Ta odwrócona różnica wieku, gdzie ona jest starsza, ta relacja domina - uległy, gdzie Beau przez całe życie miał do głowy kładzione, że mężczyzna to jest ta silna i dominująca strona, zmiany w ich relacji, to jak tu wchodzimy do ich głowy i możemy zobaczyć tą wewnętrzną walke.
To nie jest płytki erotyk, to jest tak duuuużo więcej!
Ale oczywiście smut 10/10 jak to zwykle u Sary Cate 🔥🛐
Kilka razy tak się mocno zaśmiałam, jak np Emerson albo Charlie próbowali coś jej doradzać XD GDYBY TYLKO WIEDZIELI Z KIM ONA TE RADY CHCE W ŻYCIE WPROWADZIĆ
Będę mieć książkowego kaca jak nic…
Początek roku a już wiem, że ta książka trafi do najlepszych 2024 👑
To było I D E A L N E
Ta odwrócona różnica wieku, gdzie ona jest starsza, ta relacja domina - uległy, gdzie Beau przez całe życie miał do głowy kładzione, że mężczyzna to jest ta silna i dominująca strona, zmiany w ich relacji, to jak tu wchodzimy do ich głowy i możemy zobaczyć tą wewnętrzną walke.
To nie jest płytki erotyk, to jest tak duuuużo więcej!
Ale oczywiście smut 10/10 jak to zwykle u Sary Cate 🔥🛐
Kilka razy tak się mocno zaśmiałam, jak np Emerson albo Charlie próbowali coś jej doradzać XD GDYBY TYLKO WIEDZIELI Z KIM ONA TE RADY CHCE W ŻYCIE WPROWADZIĆ
Będę mieć książkowego kaca jak nic…
Początek roku a już wiem, że ta książka trafi do najlepszych 2024 👑
September 8, 2023
Whoah, an unexpected 4 stars!
Let me mention that I'm a bit bitter that it took this series until the 4th book to get a good rating from me...
Review:
Biggest complaint: I DIDN'T WANT THIS BOOK TO END!!
Second Biggest Complaint: I WISH IT WERE MAGGIE WHO WAS HIT IN THE HEAD BY A CROWBAR!
No, it's not because I hate her. In fact, I love her.
What I mean is, I just wished she'd jump in front of Beau to save him and get hit instead. I would have so ENJOYED the drama and Beau's reaction to that.
Truly a missed opportunity on Sara Cate's part to give us for some deep, deep Beau angst while waiting for Maggie to recover from her injury.
I want to see a man in crisis, is that too much to ask?
First of all, the CHEMISTRY!
Beau and Maggie had EPIC chemistry.
I mean, they practically burned my ears off (audiobook) with that palpitating chemistry.
To prefrace a little...
I've never really been a reader who particularly enjoys kinky scenes, cause I usually don't "get" them, tbh and always preferred "regular" sex scenes.
Like... I don't feel a thing when a heroine is calling the hero "sir" and doing all that BDSM stuff. I just don’t really get it, so I could always take it or leave it...
But in this book, the kinky scenes not only served a purpose and helped organically propel the story forward in a hot, meaningful way, but they also just MADE SENSE to me.
Like, Beau belonged on his knees in front of Maggie. It just made sense.
And did I mention they were HOT...?
I AM NOT KIDDING. This book was hot as fck.
Things I didn't quite enjoy, so it's a 4-star instead of a 5:
Maggie's body issues.
*sigh*
I truly don't care for insecure heroines. Authors need to understand that writing women who are okay and love their bodies and don't need to justify or mention why they love their bodies, is better.
Like... omg she has belly rolls, let's make a big deal out of it...
*rolls eyes*
I don't care. Just describe her body so we can visualize the character we're reading about, then move on. Stop making it a "thing."
I cringe every time, I swear.
I also did not care for the "I'm a sub. Therefore, I'm weak and not a real man" thing.
That just felt weird to me.
Cause guess what? You're not a real masculine man if you're worried about your masculinity... I mean, it's proven fact. The most masculine men couldn't care less whether they were masculine or man enough...
So because of that, Beau DID get a little less hot to me...
What I wanted was for Beau's whole thing to JUST be about not knowing that was his kink and then finding that out, and dealing with how he treated his father about being the owner of a kink club when he himself is now a kinky person.
See? That would have been enough (better) tension.
We didn't need the whole "questioning masculinity" thing.
It made me uncomfortable, made Beau less attractive, and felt REALLY clichéd.
And that's about it!
Go listen to this book now!
And come thank me later! 😊
Let me mention that I'm a bit bitter that it took this series until the 4th book to get a good rating from me...
Review:
Biggest complaint: I DIDN'T WANT THIS BOOK TO END!!
Second Biggest Complaint: I WISH IT WERE MAGGIE WHO WAS HIT IN THE HEAD BY A CROWBAR!
No, it's not because I hate her. In fact, I love her.
What I mean is, I just wished she'd jump in front of Beau to save him and get hit instead. I would have so ENJOYED the drama and Beau's reaction to that.
Truly a missed opportunity on Sara Cate's part to give us for some deep, deep Beau angst while waiting for Maggie to recover from her injury.
I want to see a man in crisis, is that too much to ask?
First of all, the CHEMISTRY!
Beau and Maggie had EPIC chemistry.
I mean, they practically burned my ears off (audiobook) with that palpitating chemistry.
To prefrace a little...
I've never really been a reader who particularly enjoys kinky scenes, cause I usually don't "get" them, tbh and always preferred "regular" sex scenes.
Like... I don't feel a thing when a heroine is calling the hero "sir" and doing all that BDSM stuff. I just don’t really get it, so I could always take it or leave it...
But in this book, the kinky scenes not only served a purpose and helped organically propel the story forward in a hot, meaningful way, but they also just MADE SENSE to me.
Like, Beau belonged on his knees in front of Maggie. It just made sense.
And did I mention they were HOT...?
I AM NOT KIDDING. This book was hot as fck.
Things I didn't quite enjoy, so it's a 4-star instead of a 5:
Maggie's body issues.
*sigh*
I truly don't care for insecure heroines. Authors need to understand that writing women who are okay and love their bodies and don't need to justify or mention why they love their bodies, is better.
Like... omg she has belly rolls, let's make a big deal out of it...
*rolls eyes*
I don't care. Just describe her body so we can visualize the character we're reading about, then move on. Stop making it a "thing."
I cringe every time, I swear.
I also did not care for the "I'm a sub. Therefore, I'm weak and not a real man" thing.
That just felt weird to me.
Cause guess what? You're not a real masculine man if you're worried about your masculinity... I mean, it's proven fact. The most masculine men couldn't care less whether they were masculine or man enough...
So because of that, Beau DID get a little less hot to me...
What I wanted was for Beau's whole thing to JUST be about not knowing that was his kink and then finding that out, and dealing with how he treated his father about being the owner of a kink club when he himself is now a kinky person.
See? That would have been enough (better) tension.
We didn't need the whole "questioning masculinity" thing.
It made me uncomfortable, made Beau less attractive, and felt REALLY clichéd.
And that's about it!
Go listen to this book now!
And come thank me later! 😊
September 6, 2022
"You don’t see what I see."
I loved this book. We're not able to see ourselves as others do, and we never reveal ourselves fully. But maybe some people see through that. And then we find ourselves at their mercy, in a way. We give them power, but we can also take some of it back.
I struggled with giving Mercy 4 stars, but that's only because I'm comparing it to the others in the series. Make no mistake, Sara Cate is a wonderful writer and she knows how to weave a story and keep you interested. She also knows how to write kink that is so much more than just that.
"With one lopsided grin, Beau can make a woman forget her own name. Forget she has a boyfriend. Or convictions."
First stop: character development. I really didn't like Beau after the other books in the series. Too cocky, too spoiled, too intolerant. He cheated on Charlie, and then had the balls not to take his dad and Charlie's relationship well. Here? I can honestly say I don't fully understand him yet, but I can see where all that stems from. He has a heart, he just doesn't let anyone see it. He needs help.
"She looks like heaven—if heaven was a filthy sin."
Maggie was great. Some of the things she thinks could easily have come from my own mind (except for the domme kink, which I don't have). It was easy to relate to her, the person who's always in charge and who's always been mature and responsible. Who struggles to allow herself to be happy. There's another side to her, but when something's so deeply ingrained, it's hard to let loose and allow yourself to just be.
"It���s terrifying. How do people do this all the time? Put themselves in such a vulnerable position? Open themselves up to rejection and heartbreak? Isn’t it easier to just avoid it altogether? Stay home. Stay alone."
For different reasons, Beau and Maggie take the Salacious app kink quiz, and find themselves in a position they didn't expect. When they meet, the chemistry between them is off the charts. But, indeed, how do people do this? How do people trust others with their preferences and with their true selves? How do people give in to what they want?
How do you know you have the right person, and that you can trust them to like you because, and not despite, who you are?
"I hope that was worth it."
A moment later he responds. "Do your best, ma’am."
It's in their scenes that they find themselves, and I loved how all of it was written. She's still in control, but she finds her confidence, not only in terms of sex but in her own body as well. Playing the role of a domme allows her to finally tap into the wonderful woman who's been there all along. Beau is more than just submissive. He's lost, he needs guidance, someone to show him the way, the wrongs in his past, and how to move forward. And this is where their relationship truly works.
"I won’t meet his friends and we can’t go on dates. There is no future, only secrets. So, how mine is he, really? And why do I care?"
Things get messy, though. None of them expected to feel so much, or to enjoy it so much. It's not just the sex, it's everything. But where is this going, really? She's 34, he's 22. He's her best friend's son. They're keeping secrets from everyone around them, and it's becoming increasingly difficult to do that because they can't keep their hands off each other. Or their hearts from getting mixed up in it.
Is it worth it? The answer is a big, resounding yes.
"All I know is that I am hers—in all the ways. And I did not see that coming."
There were times when I felt like this was more of a mother-son relationship, but I get it. They both needed aftercare, and I mean that in every way. I loved Emerson in this book too, and it really shows the great guy he truly is.
Kudos to Sara for not following the typical romance structure and for skipping the third-act conflict. It was perfect. Anything else would just be adding unnecessary drama to a relationship that already had so much to handle.
"It’s never perfect, but I never expected it to be. No matter what, we’re always us."
Society wants to dictate who we are. Don't show your body, enjoying sex is wrong, sex clubs are the gateway to hell. All we want is to be someone else's fantasy, for a little bit, or forever.
And sometimes that leads to unapologetically being whoever you want to be, and to real happiness.
I loved this book. We're not able to see ourselves as others do, and we never reveal ourselves fully. But maybe some people see through that. And then we find ourselves at their mercy, in a way. We give them power, but we can also take some of it back.
I struggled with giving Mercy 4 stars, but that's only because I'm comparing it to the others in the series. Make no mistake, Sara Cate is a wonderful writer and she knows how to weave a story and keep you interested. She also knows how to write kink that is so much more than just that.
"With one lopsided grin, Beau can make a woman forget her own name. Forget she has a boyfriend. Or convictions."
First stop: character development. I really didn't like Beau after the other books in the series. Too cocky, too spoiled, too intolerant. He cheated on Charlie, and then had the balls not to take his dad and Charlie's relationship well. Here? I can honestly say I don't fully understand him yet, but I can see where all that stems from. He has a heart, he just doesn't let anyone see it. He needs help.
"She looks like heaven—if heaven was a filthy sin."
Maggie was great. Some of the things she thinks could easily have come from my own mind (except for the domme kink, which I don't have). It was easy to relate to her, the person who's always in charge and who's always been mature and responsible. Who struggles to allow herself to be happy. There's another side to her, but when something's so deeply ingrained, it's hard to let loose and allow yourself to just be.
"It���s terrifying. How do people do this all the time? Put themselves in such a vulnerable position? Open themselves up to rejection and heartbreak? Isn’t it easier to just avoid it altogether? Stay home. Stay alone."
For different reasons, Beau and Maggie take the Salacious app kink quiz, and find themselves in a position they didn't expect. When they meet, the chemistry between them is off the charts. But, indeed, how do people do this? How do people trust others with their preferences and with their true selves? How do people give in to what they want?
How do you know you have the right person, and that you can trust them to like you because, and not despite, who you are?
"I hope that was worth it."
A moment later he responds. "Do your best, ma’am."
It's in their scenes that they find themselves, and I loved how all of it was written. She's still in control, but she finds her confidence, not only in terms of sex but in her own body as well. Playing the role of a domme allows her to finally tap into the wonderful woman who's been there all along. Beau is more than just submissive. He's lost, he needs guidance, someone to show him the way, the wrongs in his past, and how to move forward. And this is where their relationship truly works.
"I won’t meet his friends and we can’t go on dates. There is no future, only secrets. So, how mine is he, really? And why do I care?"
Things get messy, though. None of them expected to feel so much, or to enjoy it so much. It's not just the sex, it's everything. But where is this going, really? She's 34, he's 22. He's her best friend's son. They're keeping secrets from everyone around them, and it's becoming increasingly difficult to do that because they can't keep their hands off each other. Or their hearts from getting mixed up in it.
Is it worth it? The answer is a big, resounding yes.
"All I know is that I am hers—in all the ways. And I did not see that coming."
There were times when I felt like this was more of a mother-son relationship, but I get it. They both needed aftercare, and I mean that in every way. I loved Emerson in this book too, and it really shows the great guy he truly is.
Kudos to Sara for not following the typical romance structure and for skipping the third-act conflict. It was perfect. Anything else would just be adding unnecessary drama to a relationship that already had so much to handle.
"It’s never perfect, but I never expected it to be. No matter what, we’re always us."
Society wants to dictate who we are. Don't show your body, enjoying sex is wrong, sex clubs are the gateway to hell. All we want is to be someone else's fantasy, for a little bit, or forever.
And sometimes that leads to unapologetically being whoever you want to be, and to real happiness.
August 17, 2022
*Thank you to the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.*
I don't even know how to write another review for this series at this point. I feel like a broken record with the things I have to say. The Salacious Players Club has been SUCH a great ride for me this year. I'm so glad that Praise blew up the way it does and so many people have been introduced to this club and these characters. They are all broken but all beautiful in their own way. Each relationship has made me so happy and I've loved everyone.
Since I first read Praise and I saw what the tropes were for each book coming this year, I have been excited for Mercy. All it said besides the book at the time was Best Friend's Son, Reverse Age Gap. And I just knew. I KNEW it would be about Maggie and Beau. I never doubted for a second and I was THRILLED and anticipating what Sara Cate was going to do for us.
Each book has explored k!nk in such a compassionate and normalizing way and still made is smexy and fun. So exploring a Domme and her sub who are figuring it out together and discovering what they like... I knew it was going to be emotional and I knew it was going to hit me hard. Boy did it!
Beau and Maggie both had so much to learn together. Watching them do that through research and experimentation together was amazing. I loved how they discovered their dynamic together when neither of them was fully sure of how it would work. They just knew they had chemistry and that they wanted to explore together.
While I think they keep their relationship a secret for too long in this book, I would have liked to see more interactions between them as a couple with our other characters, I loved seeing the work they were doing together. Their time together was meaningful and precious.
I very much hope Sara Cate has more Salacious books up her sleeves. We get to see a bit more of Eden and Fitz (not together, but individually) and I would love them each to get a book.. maybe with a certain wealthy Salacious member? Who knows...
5 stars
4 on the spice scale
I don't even know how to write another review for this series at this point. I feel like a broken record with the things I have to say. The Salacious Players Club has been SUCH a great ride for me this year. I'm so glad that Praise blew up the way it does and so many people have been introduced to this club and these characters. They are all broken but all beautiful in their own way. Each relationship has made me so happy and I've loved everyone.
Since I first read Praise and I saw what the tropes were for each book coming this year, I have been excited for Mercy. All it said besides the book at the time was Best Friend's Son, Reverse Age Gap. And I just knew. I KNEW it would be about Maggie and Beau. I never doubted for a second and I was THRILLED and anticipating what Sara Cate was going to do for us.
Each book has explored k!nk in such a compassionate and normalizing way and still made is smexy and fun. So exploring a Domme and her sub who are figuring it out together and discovering what they like... I knew it was going to be emotional and I knew it was going to hit me hard. Boy did it!
Beau and Maggie both had so much to learn together. Watching them do that through research and experimentation together was amazing. I loved how they discovered their dynamic together when neither of them was fully sure of how it would work. They just knew they had chemistry and that they wanted to explore together.
While I think they keep their relationship a secret for too long in this book, I would have liked to see more interactions between them as a couple with our other characters, I loved seeing the work they were doing together. Their time together was meaningful and precious.
I very much hope Sara Cate has more Salacious books up her sleeves. We get to see a bit more of Eden and Fitz (not together, but individually) and I would love them each to get a book.. maybe with a certain wealthy Salacious member? Who knows...
5 stars
4 on the spice scale
November 26, 2022
nunca me había sentido tan entendida
Read
April 14, 2023DNF 35%
Cutting to the chase, not feeling their chemistry.
Beau doesn't read as a submissive and Maggie doesn't read as a Domme.
Pointless to continue.
Cutting to the chase, not feeling their chemistry.
Beau doesn't read as a submissive and Maggie doesn't read as a Domme.
Pointless to continue.
January 31, 2024
*Grumbles in brat* FINE. I GET THE HYPE NOW.
This was my first Sara Cate, and it will not be last! I would put Sara in the same category as Sierra Simone as someone who writes great steam AND great plot. I loved Beau's character development-while this was my first book in the series, I already knew that he was a HORRIBLE boyfriend to Charlie-and watching him mature and finally take accountability for his actions was great. Additionally, I enjoyed seeing Maggie step into her power. As someone who grew up in the Bible belt and went to a VERY conservative high school, I could definitely relate to Maggie's journey in freeing herself from purity culture (I just wished we were able to see more of that journey because one flashback wasn't enough for meeeee)
Side note: Sure, Beau was a dick, but I feel like people telling him to get over his dad marrying his ex was a LITTLE unfair. Especially since it had only been a year. ESPECIALLY SINCE HIS DAD AND CHARLIE ARE ALWAYS MAKING OUT IN FRONT OF HIM. Honestly, he was handling this better than I would and I'm 31! If one of my parents dated an ex, I would be an absolute NIGHTMARE; I mean it, I'm throwing tomatoes at your wedding; I'm audibly gagging every time you kiss in front of me, I'm requesting "Shout Out to My Ex" at your wedding reception etc. Just...the audacity of sexy DILF Emerson clutching his pearls when he finds out about Maggie and Beau. Sit your fine ass down sir! The hug between him and Beau made me emotional though 😭
Even when Beau was being an intolerant little shit, Emerson loved him unconditionally.
Maggie/Beau's song: Uncover-Zara Larsson
Beau’s song: Bad Liar-Imagine Dragons
This was my first Sara Cate, and it will not be last! I would put Sara in the same category as Sierra Simone as someone who writes great steam AND great plot. I loved Beau's character development-while this was my first book in the series, I already knew that he was a HORRIBLE boyfriend to Charlie-and watching him mature and finally take accountability for his actions was great. Additionally, I enjoyed seeing Maggie step into her power. As someone who grew up in the Bible belt and went to a VERY conservative high school, I could definitely relate to Maggie's journey in freeing herself from purity culture (I just wished we were able to see more of that journey because one flashback wasn't enough for meeeee)
Side note: Sure, Beau was a dick, but I feel like people telling him to get over his dad marrying his ex was a LITTLE unfair. Especially since it had only been a year. ESPECIALLY SINCE HIS DAD AND CHARLIE ARE ALWAYS MAKING OUT IN FRONT OF HIM. Honestly, he was handling this better than I would and I'm 31! If one of my parents dated an ex, I would be an absolute NIGHTMARE; I mean it, I'm throwing tomatoes at your wedding; I'm audibly gagging every time you kiss in front of me, I'm requesting "Shout Out to My Ex" at your wedding reception etc. Just...the audacity of sexy DILF Emerson clutching his pearls when he finds out about Maggie and Beau. Sit your fine ass down sir! The hug between him and Beau made me emotional though 😭
Even when Beau was being an intolerant little shit, Emerson loved him unconditionally.
Maggie/Beau's song: Uncover-Zara Larsson
Beau’s song: Bad Liar-Imagine Dragons
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Want to read
August 5, 2022Huh so this is supposed to be Maggie’s book but it’s not her on the cover???????????
August 25, 2022
I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about this installment of the Salacious Players’ Club series. BUT, holy wow!! There really is everything though. There’s emotion, plot, character development, and steam. for. days.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Darkness: 🤍
Heat: 🌶🌶🌶
Ending: 💗 {HEA}
POV: 👫🏻 {Dual}
🗂 Genre: Contemporary Romance
✨ Tropes: Age Gap
⛔️ Warning: This book may cause blushing, squirming, combusting panties, and/or self-care.
⚠️ Safety Squad: If you have any hesitation, check the warnings before diving in. Otherwise, blind is best!!
📣 Type: Mercy is part of the Salacious Players’ Club series of interconnected standalones. However, these books will be best enjoyed when read in order.
🛑 Be Advised: My Goodreads shelves are … explicit in both senses. As such, they could be considered spoiler-y.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Darkness: 🤍
Heat: 🌶🌶🌶
Ending: 💗 {HEA}
POV: 👫🏻 {Dual}
🗂 Genre: Contemporary Romance
✨ Tropes: Age Gap
⛔️ Warning: This book may cause blushing, squirming, combusting panties, and/or self-care.
⚠️ Safety Squad: If you have any hesitation, check the warnings before diving in. Otherwise, blind is best!!
📣 Type: Mercy is part of the Salacious Players’ Club series of interconnected standalones. However, these books will be best enjoyed when read in order.
🛑 Be Advised: My Goodreads shelves are … explicit in both senses. As such, they could be considered spoiler-y.
September 7, 2022
This is my favorite of the series so far! I loved the character development and growth that Maggie and Beau both went through over the course of the story and their dynamic was everything.
September 18, 2022
3 Stars
Opinion Breakdown
The Good: The premise. The side characters.
The Not-So-Good: The end. I didn't like that we don't get to experience Phoenix or the H getting into his new role. The conflict was very meh, and then when it's resolved we jump right into a HEA. Granted, we get two epilogues which is definitely better than none -- but it still didn't feel like enough to me.
The Bad: I don't know if I'd really say this was bad, but I think what bothered me the most was a lack of connection to the h. I didn't feel like I got to really know her or understand her hangups (other than growing up with a conservative family). I also wanted her to come into her own a lot more. It felt like she was playing at the new persona more than anything to me.
Overall: This was kind of underwhelming and just okay for me. I didn't hate it or anything, but I guess I just wanted much more. I like the idea of an alpha type man being a submissive, so if anyone has any recommendations-- I'm all ears!
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Maggie and Beau's story. Maggie is the only vanilla owner of a sex club and match app when she gets pressured to take the online quiz that helps determine her kinks. She is shocked to find that she is like her closest friend, Emerson, and a dominant. When someone else new to the app and a submissive shows up as a potential match, they agree to try out the new lifestyle together. But then it ends up being Emerson's son and they decide to try out the lifestyle in secret together. There is some big reveals for them personally, some sexy times, and some mild drama...and they get a HEA ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Maggie and Beau's POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Good for the most part. I never skimmed and I thought it mostly flowed well.
Instalove: No, they take a while to develop stronger feelings.
H (Hero) rating: 3.5 stars. Beau. I liked him a little more than the h. He was damaged and insecure and I appreciated how he came to better understand himself (but he was bratty)
h (heroine) rating: 3 stars. Maggie. She was alright. I get that she was newly dealing with this new personal dynamic, but I didn't feel any connection with her or feel like she was all that great tbh.
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Yes
Heat level: Hot. They have some hot tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Mild
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: No
Separation: No
Possible Triggers: Yes
Closure: This ends with what I would call a HEA ending , but I still wanted to experience much more of their HEA.
Safety: This one is probably Safe with exception for most safety gang readers depending on personal preferences.
Opinion Breakdown
The Good: The premise. The side characters.
The Not-So-Good: The end. I didn't like that we don't get to experience Phoenix or the H getting into his new role. The conflict was very meh, and then when it's resolved we jump right into a HEA. Granted, we get two epilogues which is definitely better than none -- but it still didn't feel like enough to me.
The Bad: I don't know if I'd really say this was bad, but I think what bothered me the most was a lack of connection to the h. I didn't feel like I got to really know her or understand her hangups (other than growing up with a conservative family). I also wanted her to come into her own a lot more. It felt like she was playing at the new persona more than anything to me.
Overall: This was kind of underwhelming and just okay for me. I didn't hate it or anything, but I guess I just wanted much more. I like the idea of an alpha type man being a submissive, so if anyone has any recommendations-- I'm all ears!
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Maggie and Beau's story. Maggie is the only vanilla owner of a sex club and match app when she gets pressured to take the online quiz that helps determine her kinks. She is shocked to find that she is like her closest friend, Emerson, and a dominant. When someone else new to the app and a submissive shows up as a potential match, they agree to try out the new lifestyle together. But then it ends up being Emerson's son and they decide to try out the lifestyle in secret together. There is some big reveals for them personally, some sexy times, and some mild drama...and they get a HEA ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Maggie and Beau's POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Good for the most part. I never skimmed and I thought it mostly flowed well.
Instalove: No, they take a while to develop stronger feelings.
H (Hero) rating: 3.5 stars. Beau. I liked him a little more than the h. He was damaged and insecure and I appreciated how he came to better understand himself (but he was bratty)
h (heroine) rating: 3 stars. Maggie. She was alright. I get that she was newly dealing with this new personal dynamic, but I didn't feel any connection with her or feel like she was all that great tbh.
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Yes
Heat level: Hot. They have some hot tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Mild
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: No
Separation: No
Possible Triggers: Yes
Closure: This ends with what I would call a HEA ending , but I still wanted to experience much more of their HEA.
Safety: This one is probably Safe with exception for most safety gang readers depending on personal preferences.
January 3, 2024
NO THIRD ACT BREAKUP CAN I GET A HALLELUJAH
🙌🏼 🙌🏼 🙌🏼
I just get excited everytime it doesn’t happen and have to announce it. 😌
I feel like Beau got a redemption. I think he was just a lost man looking for guidance, which he found with Maggie. I liked the D/s dynamic being reversed and her being older as well (most books it’s the other way around).
The only thing is I wish we got more personal everyday moments with these two. A lot of the scenes were them in their roles, not just getting to know each other. I did still feel their connection - it was hot and intimate. The epilogues were much needed and gave me closure on their relationship.
🙌🏼 🙌🏼 🙌🏼
I just get excited everytime it doesn’t happen and have to announce it. 😌
I feel like Beau got a redemption. I think he was just a lost man looking for guidance, which he found with Maggie. I liked the D/s dynamic being reversed and her being older as well (most books it’s the other way around).
The only thing is I wish we got more personal everyday moments with these two. A lot of the scenes were them in their roles, not just getting to know each other. I did still feel their connection - it was hot and intimate. The epilogues were much needed and gave me closure on their relationship.
August 25, 2022
Whelp, Beau and Maggie gave me exactly what I was looking for! I was hooked from the beginning, and couldn't put this down. Mercy is the last book (for now) in the Salacious Players' Club (SPC) series! If you read Praise (Book 1), Beau is the son of the hero and ex-boyfriend of the heroine from that book (good ole ex-boyfriend's dad trope done well). Maggie is a co-owner of the club. Throughout the series, Maggie has always been reserved and not comfortable with discussing what her kinks could be with her friends, in part due to how she was raised. Her friends convince her to take the SPC app kink quiz.....which results in a Domme/Mistress kink. Though Maggie is surprised, the app matches her with a local person in the area who also recently took the quiz and got a Submissive/Brat result. And who might that local person be? You guessed right, it's Beau! If you recall from Praise, Beau has some negative preconceived notions about the club, kink, BDSM lifestyle. However, one night with Maggie has Beau reconsidering what he thought he knew about what it means to be a "good boy".
I love to see BDSM used as healing, and that is exactly what we got to experience with both Beau and Maggie. Beau has a lot of pent up frustration about his dad marrying his ex-girlfriend, his toxic mom, and feeling stagnant in life. Maggie has never gotten a chance to truly explore her sexuality and what feels right for her in the bedroom. Seeing them explore the BDSM dynamic together was a beautiful journey. Even outside of the smex, their conversations and time spent together is intimate and you can feel the genuine bond and shared vulnerabilities between them as the story goes on.
Did I mention how HAWT the smex was? I just knew these two would be on fire in the bedroom, and I was NOT disappointed. This author has a way of writing her smex scenes that just works for me. I would argue this was the spiciest book in the series!
I can't wait to see what the author does next with this series! Each book has been better than the last, and equally as addictive. If you haven't read this series, now is the time to binge all four books!
TROPES: older woman/younger man age gap (H is 22, h is 34); sex club; BDSM (Domme/sub); BDSM as healing; pegging (!!!); best friend’s son; forbidden/taboo
TRIGGER WARNINGS: one or two physical fight scenes (NOT between H/h)
I love to see BDSM used as healing, and that is exactly what we got to experience with both Beau and Maggie. Beau has a lot of pent up frustration about his dad marrying his ex-girlfriend, his toxic mom, and feeling stagnant in life. Maggie has never gotten a chance to truly explore her sexuality and what feels right for her in the bedroom. Seeing them explore the BDSM dynamic together was a beautiful journey. Even outside of the smex, their conversations and time spent together is intimate and you can feel the genuine bond and shared vulnerabilities between them as the story goes on.
Did I mention how HAWT the smex was? I just knew these two would be on fire in the bedroom, and I was NOT disappointed. This author has a way of writing her smex scenes that just works for me. I would argue this was the spiciest book in the series!
I can't wait to see what the author does next with this series! Each book has been better than the last, and equally as addictive. If you haven't read this series, now is the time to binge all four books!
TROPES: older woman/younger man age gap (H is 22, h is 34); sex club; BDSM (Domme/sub); BDSM as healing; pegging (!!!); best friend’s son; forbidden/taboo
TRIGGER WARNINGS: one or two physical fight scenes (NOT between H/h)
September 12, 2022
I wasn’t sure how I was gonna feel about this one after Beau’s performance in Praise. But like any author worth her salt, Sara Cate was able to take a despised character and make him likable.
Not only that, she made me want to take his side against Emerson and Sophie. Plus she didn’t paint this perfect picture of him. No, Beau is exceedingly flawed but I was drawn in and learned to love him for all of his imperfections.
The biggest reason for that is Maggie. I enjoyed that they not only considered themselves vanilla, they had issues with sex and intimacy in general.
Maggie was raised in a conservative family/town that banged it into her head that sex was only for true love otherwise it was dirty. Beau only saw the toxicity between his parents. Not to mention he had no idea what he needed.
These two characters evolved both sexually and emotionally. The kink was fun but it was when those pesky emotions came into play that it really got good.
Yeah it was steamy but it was so much more when they realized it was more than experimental kink.
Overall, it was a different kind of love story and I’m happy I finally found a reverse age gap that I could really sink my teeth into.
Not only that, she made me want to take his side against Emerson and Sophie. Plus she didn’t paint this perfect picture of him. No, Beau is exceedingly flawed but I was drawn in and learned to love him for all of his imperfections.
The biggest reason for that is Maggie. I enjoyed that they not only considered themselves vanilla, they had issues with sex and intimacy in general.
Maggie was raised in a conservative family/town that banged it into her head that sex was only for true love otherwise it was dirty. Beau only saw the toxicity between his parents. Not to mention he had no idea what he needed.
These two characters evolved both sexually and emotionally. The kink was fun but it was when those pesky emotions came into play that it really got good.
Yeah it was steamy but it was so much more when they realized it was more than experimental kink.
Overall, it was a different kind of love story and I’m happy I finally found a reverse age gap that I could really sink my teeth into.
Shelved as 'skipping'
September 22, 2023This has always been one of my most rec'd authors, and someone I automatically one-click. Being blocked from her readers group for saying I am disappointed about the cover not being a woman? Not sure I am going to bother reading her work going forward.
ETA: Went against "branding" to have a woman on the cover for Mercy, but we can have a woman on the cover of Madame? Mercy was never really Maggie's book, it was always Beau's.
ETA: Went against "branding" to have a woman on the cover for Mercy, but we can have a woman on the cover of Madame? Mercy was never really Maggie's book, it was always Beau's.
August 28, 2022
Absolutely yes ma’am.
September 6, 2022
There is no future, only secrets.
Maggie and Beau. What can I say to express how much I enjoyed their story. I’m not sure. What I will say is once again Sara Cate has given us another story that while hot and kinky at its base is heartfelt at its core. The relationship and bond that is built between this pairing has depth and gets emotional, but it also has this fun lightness to it as well. Some of their banter had me holding back laughter and a lot of their convos/scenes had me holding back tears. Something about Maggie and Beau felt a little more “real” to me than the other books, that’s not to say I didn’t love those as well, because I did. This one maybe felt a little more relatable in ways, and oddly enough I related more to Beau.
Ok, I don’t want to spoil anything, so I’m keeping this brief. This book was extremely entertaining. It’s emotional, it’s hot, it’s fun, and it’s honestly just a great read. Domme/sub. Best friend/business partner’s son. Age gap. Secret romance.
I want to hurt him and fuck his brains out at the same time. I have every intention of making this both bliss and agony.
CW/TW (these may spoil some things, so warning): physically violent attack, verbally abusive argument, consented physical pain
Tiktok - https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTRPvDEfb/
Maggie and Beau. What can I say to express how much I enjoyed their story. I’m not sure. What I will say is once again Sara Cate has given us another story that while hot and kinky at its base is heartfelt at its core. The relationship and bond that is built between this pairing has depth and gets emotional, but it also has this fun lightness to it as well. Some of their banter had me holding back laughter and a lot of their convos/scenes had me holding back tears. Something about Maggie and Beau felt a little more “real” to me than the other books, that’s not to say I didn’t love those as well, because I did. This one maybe felt a little more relatable in ways, and oddly enough I related more to Beau.
Ok, I don’t want to spoil anything, so I’m keeping this brief. This book was extremely entertaining. It’s emotional, it’s hot, it’s fun, and it’s honestly just a great read. Domme/sub. Best friend/business partner’s son. Age gap. Secret romance.
I want to hurt him and fuck his brains out at the same time. I have every intention of making this both bliss and agony.
CW/TW (these may spoil some things, so warning): physically violent attack, verbally abusive argument, consented physical pain
Tiktok - https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTRPvDEfb/
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