She sighed and began, “Aryas—“

“Get you don’t want to and won’t push it. Hope you do. Hope you get over it. Hope you come back to us and to you in all the ways you should do that. You can’t find that in you…” He shrugged but didn’t stop coming at her. “That’s the way it is. I can’t push that. You gotta find that in you. But connecting with you. Seeing where you’re at. Getting you to come back to the family. Taking your pulse is only part of why I asked you here. I also got another reason.”

Evangeline took another sip of her coffee before she asked, “And what’s that?”

“Got a sub for you.”

She blinked and her stomach pitched.

“Sorry?” she queried.

“Perfect for you. No strings. No boundaries. This guy is not looking to connect. He’s not looking for a relationship. Hell, sheer number of Dommes he goes through, you might only get one crack at him before he vanishes from your life. But at least you’ll get off the way you like it that one time. And if you can keep him around awhile, you might have some fun, break yourself back in, give yourself what you need, without any baggage.”

Um.

Whoa.

That all sounded way too good to be true.

But still.

“I’m not…I don’t think…” She swallowed. “I’m not ready for that, and to be honest, Ary, I’m not sure I’ll ever go back there.”

“Fool thing to think, more fool thing to do,” Aryas returned instantly. “Especially when you got a chance to have a go with this guy. You got a shot at a guy like this guy, you should take it. And I mean that for you. Only for you. For where you’re at. For what I suspect you need about now. He doesn’t want to hold hands. He doesn’t want to share a drink in the hunting ground. He doesn’t want you to give him your number or stake your claim on him in the club or anywhere. He wants you to get him off and he’s open to anything you wanna do to pull that off.”

He’s open to anything you wanna do to pull that off.

She fought squirming in her seat and it made her angry.

This was not a part of her life anymore.

Kristen Ashley is one of those authors who makes me want to flee away on a deserted island finding the time to read her books. I love her stories, her protagonists, her writing style it’s definitely my cup of tea, but she wrote so many novels, I didn’t read and there’s so little time to do it. “The Farthest Edge” is the second book of the Honey series, but can also be read as a standalone story. The thread that keeps together the novels is the setting in an exclusive BDSM club and the group of Doms and subs that attend it, becoming with time the protagonists of the stories. I like to read this kind of books, but I have to admit I have a soft spot for male Doms in these stories, but I also have to say I never read about an “alpha-sub” like Branch, I loved him. Branch’s past has left deep wounds in him, transforming him into a detached man, who seems to wear armor no one has been able to overcome. He tried to silence his demons by dealing with them through extreme situations, looking for something nobody seems to be able to give him, as long as Evangeline enters his life. Evangeline is a Domme who attended the Honey club, but she decided to take a break from the life-style of the club, after a scene with her sub com gone very bad. Aryas, in turn, Dom and owner of the club, is able to push Branch and Evangeline toward each other, launching a challenge she can’t refuse: no one has ever gone beyond Branch barriers. He isn’t the classic sub and the way for Evangeline to fo after him is tough, but it was spectacular how she put her clami on him. She is a strong woman and has conquered me for her stubbornness. Despite her past, she is not afraid to play with Branch and care for him, knowing their relationship is doomed because of all Branch’s past and no certainty for their future. The only way she can earn Branch’s trust, overcome his armor, and win his submission is giving him everything he craves, become indispensable to Branch as the air he breathes and pushing him to want to go back to her searching for more and more. Together they find their balance and they are amazing together to read, and it’s real BDSM between them, with intense and extreme scenes, very hot scenes. Branch’s past is always lurking on them, his secrets are a limit in their relationship and a constant danger, but despite all of this, the thing I liked in him the most is his brutal honesty towards Evangeline and his instinct ti protect her. His priority is always and only Evangeline, her security and he doesn’t want to hurt her. I absolutely adored when he goes totally “alpha” on her. I liked also the other characters in the story, the Honey club is a real group of friends who have been able to give Evangeline the space and time she needed to think, then be present at her side and making her feel their warmth and support. Among all, my favorites are Olly, Amèlie, Aryas and Stellan. Without realizing it, however, Branch has also become part of this family over the time, potential allies in the time of need. I recommend this book to those who love the BDSM genre, I started the series from this book, but I’m going to read also “The Deep End” and I hope the stories of others will soon be published. Could I cheer on Stellan?

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Kristen Ashley’s THE FARTHEST EDGE – Review & Excerpt Tour Schedule:

May 29th

BJ’s Book Blog – Review & Excerpt

Booklovers For Life – Excerpt

Feeding My Addiction Book Reviews – Excerpt

Happily Ever After Book Reviews – Review & Excerpt

Kris & Vik Book Therapy Cafe – Review & Excerpt

Meli’s Book Blog – Excerpt

Sheila’s Book Corner – Review & Excerpt

May 30th

Agents of Romance – Review & Excerpt

Book Reader Chronicles – Review & Excerpt

Garden of REden – Review

Lit. 4 Ladies – Review & Excerpt

Nose Stuck in a Book – Review & Excerpt

Random Book Muses – Review

Viviana, Enchantress – Excerpt

May 31st

All Romance Reviews – Review & Excerpt

Books to Breathe – Review & Excerpt

Foxy Blog – Excerpt

Knotty Girl Reviews – Review & Excerpt

Read. Eat. Love. – Review & Excerpt

Shayna Renee’s Spicy Reads – Review & Excerpt

The Book Boyfriend Addict – Excerpt

June 1st

Ana’s Attic Book Blog – Review & Excerpt

Coffee Books Life – Excerpt

Nicely Phrased – Review

Pervy Ladies Book Blog – Review & Excerpt

The Book Bellas – Review & Excerpt

TjLovesToRead – Review & Excerpt

June 2nd

City of Fandoms – Review

Evermore Books – Review & Excerpt

Living in Our Own Story – Review

PBC – Excerpt

Under the Covers – Review & Excerpt

We Like It Big Book Blog – Review & Excerpt

June 3rd

Book Lovers Hangout – Excerpt

Caroline Jane Reads – Excerpt

Love Between the Sheets – Review & Excerpt

Marieke’s Books – Review & Excerpt

Reading Between the Wines Book Club – Excerpt

RentasticReads – Review

June 4th

A crazy vermonters book reviews – Review

Brittany’s Book Blog – Excerpt

Dog-Eared Daydreams – Review

Live Read and Breathe – Review

Love Notes Book Blog – Excerpt

Mustreadbooksordie – Review & Excerpt

June 5th

Fictional Rendezvous Book Blog – Excerpt

Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews – Review & Excerpt

Krista’s Dust Jacket – Review & Excerpt

Reading in Pajamas – Review & Excerpt

S3OC – Review & Excerpt

Smut Book Junkie Reviews – Review & Excerpt

June 6th

Bookalicious Babes Blog – Review & Excerpt

NallaReads – Review & Excerpt

Novel Grounds – Review

Read more sleep less – Review & Excerpt

Shameless Book Club – Review & Excerpt

Theory of A Dreamer – Review & Excerpt

June 7th

An Asian Chick & Her Cat Walk into a Book Blog – Review

Behind Closed Doors Book Review – Review

iScream Books – Review & Excerpt

KT Book Reviews – Review & Excerpt

Red Cheeks Reads – Review & Excerpt

Sizzling Pages Romance Reviews – Review & Excerpt

June 8th

After Dark Book Lovers – Review & Excerpt

Books 2 Blog – Review & Excerpt

Feel the Book – Review & Excerpt

Give Me Books – Review

Renee Entress’s Blog – Review & Excerpt

The Book Avenue – Review & Excerpt

June 9th

Amo& Sarah’s Book Corner – Review

I’m A Book Shark – Excerpt

Queenzany – Review & Excerpt

The Hopeless Romantics Book Blog – Review

Vera is Reading – Excerpt

we stole your book boyfriend – Excerpt

June 10th

Angie and Jessica’s Dreamy Reads – Review & Excerpt

Brittany’s Book Blog – Review

Collector of book boyfriends – Review

G & T’s Indie Café – Excerpt

Scandalicious Book Reviews – Review

Shooting Stars Reviews – Review

About Kristen Ashley:

Kristen Ashley was born in Gary, Indiana, USA and nearly killed her mother and herself making it into the world, seeing as she had the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck (already attempting to accessorizeand she hadn’t taken her first breath!). Her mother said they took Kristen away, put her Mom back in her room, her mother looked out the window, and Gary was on fire (Dr. King had been assassinated four days before). Kristen’s Mom remembered thinking it was the end of the world. Quite the dramatic beginning.

Nothing’s changed.

Kristen grew up in Brownsburg, Indiana and has lived in Denver, Colorado and the West Country of England. Thus, she’s blessed to have friends and family around the globe. Her family was (is) loopy (to say the least) but loopy is good when you want to write. They all lived together on a very small farm in a small farm town in the heartland. She grew up with Glenn Miller, The Everly Brothers, REO Speedwagon and Whitesnake (and the wardrobes that matched).

Needless to say, growing up in a house full of music, clothes and love was a good way to grow up.

And as she keeps growing, it keeps getting better.

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Entrate al club Honey, dove ogni limite di confine legato alla sensualità sarà messo alla prova alla ricerca del piacere finale … Branch non esiste. Vivendo senza farsi notare, sta cercando un modo per dimenticare il suo passato e il senso di colpa che lo tormenta. Ma nessuna donna è mai riuscita a portarlo oltre al limite di cui ha così intensamente bisogno. Dopo un’esperienza traumatica a sua volta, Evangeline si è allontanata dal mondo decadente del club Honey, ma quando riceve la proposta di Branch – di giocare senza confini o impegni – ne rimane troppo tentata per poter rifiutare. Mentre la loro passione si accende, Evangeline e Branch si spingono a vicenda oltre i limiti più estremi, soddisfando i loro desideri più oscuri, trovandosi coinvolti sempre più a fondo di quanto non avrebbero mai immaginato

Kristen Ashley è una di quelle autrici che mi fa desiderare di fuggire su un’isola deserta per avere il tempo di poter leggere i suoi libri. Amo le sue storie, i suoi protagonisti. Il suo modo di scrivere è “nelle mie corde”, ma sono veramente troppi i suoi romanzi che non ho letto e troppo poco il tempo a disposizione per farlo. “The Farthest Edge” è il secondo libro della “serie Honey”, ma può anche essere letto come storia autoconclusiva. Il filo conduttore che tiene uniti fra loro i vari romanzi è l’ambientazione in un esclusivo club BDSM e il gruppo di Dom e sub che lo frequentano, che si trasformano, con l’andare del tempo, nei protagonisti dei vari racconti. Mi piace leggere questo genere di libri, devo ammettere però di avere un debole per i Dom di solito, ma devo dire anche che non mi era mai capitato di incontrare un “alpha-sub” come Branch, per cui sono rimasta colpita e affondata subito. Il passato di Branch ha lasciato in lui delle ferite profonde, trasformandolo in un uomo distaccato, che sembra indossare un’armatura che nessuno è stato in grado, nel tempo, di scalfire. Cerca di mettere a tacere i suoi demoni affrontando situazioni estreme, alla ricerca di qualcosa che nessuno sembra in grado di dargli, fino a quando nella sua vita non entra Evangeline. Evangeline è una Domme che frequentava il club Honey, ma che ha deciso di prendersi una pausa dalla vita del club, dopo una scena con il suo sub andata molto, molto male. Aryas, a sua volta Dom e proprietario del club, riesce a spingere Branch ed Evangeline l’uno verso l’altra, lanciando verso la Domme una sfida alla quale sa che la donna non potrà mai dire di no: nessuno è mai riuscito a oltrepassare le barriere di Branch. Lui non è il classico sub e la strada da fare per Evangeline si presenta subito in salita, ma il modo in cui lo rivendica come suo è spettacolare. È una donna tosta e mi ha conquistato per la sua testardaggine e forza di volontà. Nonostante tutto quello che ha passato, non ha paura di mettersi in gioco completamente con Branch, pur sapendo che il loro è un rapporto nato tra mille vincoli di riservatezza e nessuna certezza per il futuro. L’unico modo che ha di guadagnare la fiducia di Branch, superare la sua armatura e conquistare la sua sottomissione è quello di riuscire a dargli tutto quello di cui lui ha bisogno, diventare indispensabile per Branch come l’aria che respira e spingerlo a farlo ritornare da lei per avere sempre di più. Insieme trovano un loro equilibrio e sono una coppia meravigliosa da leggere, ed è vero BDSM tra loro, con scene intense, estreme e molto hot. Il passato di Branch incombe sempre su di loro, i suoi segreti sono un limite nel loro rapporto e un costante pericolo, ma nonostante tutto questo, la cosa che mi è piaciuta in lui è la sua brutale onestà nei confronti di Evangeline e il suo istinto protettivo. La sua priorità è sempre e solo Evangeline, la sua sicurezza e il timore di farla soffrire. Non parliamo invece di quanto l’ho adorato quando è venuto fuori il suo lato totalmente alpha con lei. Mi sono piaciuti anche molti altri personaggi presenti nella storia, quello del club Honey è un vero e proprio gruppo di amici che hanno saputo dare a Evangeline lo spazio e il tempo di cui lei aveva bisogno per pensare, per poi essere presenti al suo fianco facendole sentire il loro calore e appoggio. Tra tutti i miei preferiti ci sono Olly, Amèlie, Aryas e Stellan. Senza rendersene conto, però, nel tempo anche Branch è entrato a far parte di questa famiglia, conquistando possibili alleati da schierare al suo fianco.

Consiglio di cuore questo libro a chi ama il genere BDSM; ho iniziato la serie da questo libro, ma sicuramente leggerò anche “The Deep End” e spero che vengano presto pubblicate anche le storie degli altri. Posso candidare Stellan?

Recensione di

Editing a cura di

She drove into the Honey, seeing the parking lot empty except for Aryas’s black Cayenne and a black GMC SUV, feeling that hunger grow.

Right.

Fine.

Fun and done.

All good.

She grabbed the handles of her small bag before she opened the door and threw her leg out.

As instructed (by Aryas), she parked close to and approached the back door to the club.

As expected, it was open.

She moved through the halls, keeping centered and focused so as not to have any kind of freakout that the last time she was there, she’d been carried out by Aryas, beaten to hell and not giving a damn.

Because she might have been beaten to hell.

But the worst of it was, her heart had been broken.

She walked directly to Aryas’s playroom, known as the red room since it was decorated in reds, and the opaque shades that could be drawn down over the wall of windows to black out what was inside were the only shades in any of the rooms that weren’t black, they were red.

As she approached, she saw the red shades were drawn down.

She kept her gait steady.

It had been a year and the last scene she’d had was a bad one. She’d been assaulted at the same time she’d had a relationship end very, very badly with a man she’d thought she’d loved and was considering spending the rest of her life with.

That happened.

A year ago.

This was now.

It was just a look-over anyway. It might be she wouldn’t like what she saw. Or he wouldn’t. And then giving any headspace to worrying what came after that was just a waste.

She was a Domme.

She’d trained under Mistress Sixxand Mistress Amélie, the two finest Dommes Evangeline had ever had the honor to see at play.

And before Kevin, even if she’d only been in her late twenties, she was one of the most sought-after Dommes at the Honey.

Now she was just thirty years old and she made good money. She took care of herself. She was successful. Educated. She wasn’t hard to look at. She had her own style in looks, clothes (and play) that she was honing to perfection.

She could do this.

She totally could do this.

She opened the door, stepped in and saw him.

Oh my.

She was so totally going to do this.

She closed the door behind her, dropped her bag and stood right where she was.

Aryas’s red room, known as his because this was mostly where he took his slaves, looked more like an opulent boudoir. Plush. Sumptuous. Heavy, carved furniture. Big, posted bed dressed in red and topped at headboard and ceiling with mirrors. Candelabrums everywhere.

No candles had been lit right then. The scene was not set, only red-shaded table lamps here and there were illuminating the space.

It still gave it a feel.

And that feel was good.

But more, the man before her was amazing.

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About Kristen Ashley:

Kristen Ashley was born in Gary, Indiana, USA and nearly killed her mother and herself making it into the world, seeing as she had the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck (already attempting to accessorize and she hadn’t taken her first breath!). Her mother said they took Kristen away, put her Mom back in her room, her mother looked out the window, and Gary was on fire (Dr. King had been assassinated four days before). Kristen’s Mom remembered thinking it was the end of the world. Quite the dramatic beginning.

Nothing’s changed.

Kristen grew up in Brownsburg, Indiana and has lived in Denver, Colorado and the West Country of England. Thus, she’s blessed to have friends and family around the globe. Her family was (is) loopy (to say the least) but loopy is good when you want to write. They all lived together on a very small farm in a small farm town in the heartland. She grew up with Glenn Miller, The Everly Brothers, REO Speedwagon and Whitesnake (and the wardrobes that matched).

Needless to say, growing up in a house full of music, clothes and love was a good way to grow up.

And as she keeps growing, it keeps getting better.

Aryas knew her.

He knew what she liked.

He knew how she played.

He knew exactly what would make her squirm in her seat.

And he knew precisely how long it had been since she’d had her kink.

“You’re throwing down the gauntlet,” she accused quietly.

“You feel like picking up the glove?” he shot back, shaking the piece of paper at her.

She stared into Aryas’s eyes.

No strings.

Anything she wanted to do to get him off.

When he was done with her, he’d vanish from her life.

Her gaze dropped to the paper.

“Be you, and we’ll make it interesting, lay five grand on that fucker, he’ll give you one go and then he’ll move on,” Aryas pushed, but it was a dare.

She looked back at him.

A dare.

Yes, he knew her.

“No reflection on you and your skills, which are sublime, my beautiful baby.” He grinned wicked grin. “Just that this guy is unbreakable. There’s no edge for him any Domme can get anywhere near to push him off and that’s what he’s looking for. Being taken to the farthest edge and shoved right the fuck over.”

Taken to the farthest edge.

Evangeline was not into that. She wasn’t into extreme. Not like many who were into that in the life.

No, the edges she coasted were exactly what Aryas wasn’t quite saying, but she read this guy couldn’t handle.

Unless he had the right Mistress to lead the way.

Damn it all, she was getting wet.

“Five grand?” she snapped.

Aryas pressed his lips together and she was too peeved to get more peeved that he did it to suppress his amusement.

He unpressed them to confirm, “Five grand. But Leenie, babe, just to get it straight, he walks away from you at first meet, we’re even. It’s only if you get a crack at him the bet is on.”

She lifted her nose at the same time she snatched the paper from his hand, declaring, “He won’t walk away.”

“He might,” Aryas said gently, and his sudden loss of humor and careful tone made her focus on him again. “Beware of that. He’s done it before. In some ways, he doesn’t give a shit about anything. In some ways, he can be frustratingly choosy.”

“If I want him, he walks away, I’ll still get him,” she announced.

About Kristen Ashley:

Kristen Ashley was born in Gary, Indiana, USA and nearly killed her mother and herself making it into the world, seeing as she had the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck (already attempting to accessorise and she hadn’t taken her first breath!). Her mother said they took Kristen away, put her Mom back in her room, her mother looked out the window, and Gary was on fire (Dr. King had been assassinated four days before). Kristen’s Mom remembered thinking it was the end of the world. Quite the dramatic beginning.

Nothing’s changed.

Kristen grew up in Brownsburg, Indiana and has lived in Denver, Colorado and the West Country of England. Thus, she’s blessed to have friends and family around the globe. Her family was (is) loopy (to say the least) but loopy is good when you want to write. They all lived together on a very small farm in a small farm town in the heartland. She grew up with Glenn Miller, The Everly Brothers, REO Speedwagon and Whitesnake (and the wardrobes that matched).

Needless to say, growing up in a house full of music, clothes and love was a good way to grow up.

And as she keeps growing, it keeps getting better.