What do you think?
Rate this book
Beards & Bondage #1
Haven
A week-long getaway…
City girl Claudia Cade's carefree life is plunged into chaos when a camping trip with her brother in the national forests of Northern California turns into a deadly dash for her survival.
A solitary world turned upside down…
Nature photographer Shepard Olsen has resigned himself to a quiet existence, with only his dog by his side, until a woman in need of his protection shows up on his doorstep and throws his universe into disarray.
Two lives linked by tragedy…
Claudia is desperate to heal from her traumatic loss, but can’t stop thinking about her run-in with evil….or the grizzled mountain man whose quick thinking and good aim saved her life. When she shows up on Shep's doorstep again, she finds she isn't the only one who can't move on.
…saved by bliss.
The two begin an intense, passionate relationship of Dominance and submission, pleasure and pain, but with dark memories haunting them and decisions about the future rapidly approaching, Claudia can’t help but wonder...how long can they be each other's haven?
*** WARNING: This book contains a sexual relationship between a fashionista and a cranky mountain man who are dealing with physical and emotional trauma. And a very big, cuddly dog.***
City girl Claudia Cade's carefree life is plunged into chaos when a camping trip with her brother in the national forests of Northern California turns into a deadly dash for her survival.
A solitary world turned upside down…
Nature photographer Shepard Olsen has resigned himself to a quiet existence, with only his dog by his side, until a woman in need of his protection shows up on his doorstep and throws his universe into disarray.
Two lives linked by tragedy…
Claudia is desperate to heal from her traumatic loss, but can’t stop thinking about her run-in with evil….or the grizzled mountain man whose quick thinking and good aim saved her life. When she shows up on Shep's doorstep again, she finds she isn't the only one who can't move on.
…saved by bliss.
The two begin an intense, passionate relationship of Dominance and submission, pleasure and pain, but with dark memories haunting them and decisions about the future rapidly approaching, Claudia can’t help but wonder...how long can they be each other's haven?
*** WARNING: This book contains a sexual relationship between a fashionista and a cranky mountain man who are dealing with physical and emotional trauma. And a very big, cuddly dog.***
258 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 19, 2017
About the author
Rebekah Weatherspoon
30 books2,824 followersAfter years of meddling in her friends’ love lives, Rebekah Weatherspoon turned to writing romance to get her fix. Raised in Southern New Hampshire, Rebekah Weatherspoon now lives in Southern California where she will remain forever because she hates moving.
Her BDSM romance At Her Feet won the Golden Crown Literary Award for erotic lesbian fiction. Her novella FIT (#1 in the FIT Trilogy) won the Romantic Times Book Reviews Reviewers’ Choice Award for Best Erotica Novella, SATED (#3 in the FIT Trilogy) was nominated for the the Romantic Times Book Reviews Reviewers’ Choice Award for Best Digital Erotic Romance and most recently SOUL TO KEEP VSS#3 won the 2017 Lambda Literary Award for Best LGBTQ Erotica.
Her 2018 romantic comedy RAFE: A Buff Male Nanny received praise from both Entertainment Weekly and the New York Times. You can look for her most recent romantic comedy XENI : A Marriage of Inconvenience now, and a retelling of Sleeping Beauty, A COWBOY TO REMEMBER, late February 2020 from Kensington Books. In the meant time, you can find Rebekah and her books on twitter at @rdotspoon and her website www.rebekahweatherspoon.com,
Her BDSM romance At Her Feet won the Golden Crown Literary Award for erotic lesbian fiction. Her novella FIT (#1 in the FIT Trilogy) won the Romantic Times Book Reviews Reviewers’ Choice Award for Best Erotica Novella, SATED (#3 in the FIT Trilogy) was nominated for the the Romantic Times Book Reviews Reviewers’ Choice Award for Best Digital Erotic Romance and most recently SOUL TO KEEP VSS#3 won the 2017 Lambda Literary Award for Best LGBTQ Erotica.
Her 2018 romantic comedy RAFE: A Buff Male Nanny received praise from both Entertainment Weekly and the New York Times. You can look for her most recent romantic comedy XENI : A Marriage of Inconvenience now, and a retelling of Sleeping Beauty, A COWBOY TO REMEMBER, late February 2020 from Kensington Books. In the meant time, you can find Rebekah and her books on twitter at @rdotspoon and her website www.rebekahweatherspoon.com,
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 558 reviews
June 22, 2017
3.5 Grumpy Mountain Man Stars
Haven is the first book I have read from Rebekah Weatherspoon and I enjoyed it. I love me some rugged mountain men and Shep was yummy. I thought Shep was broody, and sexy but at times I wondered why he would respond to things the way he did. What I mean is there were times where I felt like he was grumpy for no reason. Claudia was great. She was sweet, honest, sassy, and game for some kinky time. I will say I didn't like that she went all wishy washy towards the end. The reason this book was a 3.5 star and not higher is because it was too light on development side for me. There is tons of kinky sex, maybe too much(if that is a thing lol), but I would have liked more character and plot development. I would class this read as Erotica more than Romance. It was hot Erotica though and it did have a HEA, but I felt the ending was rushed. Still overall this was an entertaining read with hot smexy time, and likable characters.
http://jessicasoverthetopbookobsessio...
Haven is the first book I have read from Rebekah Weatherspoon and I enjoyed it. I love me some rugged mountain men and Shep was yummy. I thought Shep was broody, and sexy but at times I wondered why he would respond to things the way he did. What I mean is there were times where I felt like he was grumpy for no reason. Claudia was great. She was sweet, honest, sassy, and game for some kinky time. I will say I didn't like that she went all wishy washy towards the end. The reason this book was a 3.5 star and not higher is because it was too light on development side for me. There is tons of kinky sex, maybe too much(if that is a thing lol), but I would have liked more character and plot development. I would class this read as Erotica more than Romance. It was hot Erotica though and it did have a HEA, but I felt the ending was rushed. Still overall this was an entertaining read with hot smexy time, and likable characters.
http://jessicasoverthetopbookobsessio...
September 22, 2017
***4.25 Stars***
Strong heroine + introverted, kinky, dominant mountain man = LOTS of great sex in the mountains y'all!!!!
The blurb for the book gives you all the information you need for the plot PERFECTLY...but let me add to that and tell you what else you're going to get.
Anyone who knows me or reads my reviews knows that I'm pretty hard on my heroines. And I gotta tell you...I've got an epic girl crush on Claudia! Her strength and honesty throughout this book is amazing! She's been through a very traumatic event and she's trying to navigate through her emotions in this new version of herself...the version that has survived a brutal attack, lost her brother, and is drawn to the touch of a stranger.
Her vulnerabilities were palpable throughout this whole book, but so was her confidence. She's a woman who knows her body, knows her wants, her needs....and she isn't afraid to ask for any of it.
"I want to feel something that isn't THIS for as long as possible. I need something to break. I need something in me to finally shatter. I couldn't get myself there at home and everyone around me was all about me pushing forward, but you can give me this. I know you can."
Claudia owned her sexuality. I can't get over how sex positive this book is. There was no shyness about her body, or hiding the fact that she enjoyed a good, hard fuck, or the fact that she loved the power of being down on her knees for a man.
I'm telling you...serious girl crush. Claudia did not play around.
"I quit my job. And I dumped my boyfriend."
"Because of the nightmares?"
"Because neither was making me feel better when I was awake."
Let's turn our attention to Shep, shall we?
Oh what a leading man he was! Who would have thought to come up with an introverted Dominant? Rebekah Weatherspoon, that's who! Shep was quiet and thoughtful and liked his isolated world on the mountaintop. He also likes control and the sound a flogger makes against a woman's body.
Even though he's dealing with his own aftereffects from their initial meeting, he took such care of Claudia...she came first. He saw she was struggling emotionally, and he would do whatever he could to give her the comfort she was searching for....that they both were searching for.
And that brings me to one of my favorite things about this book....SEX DIDN'T SOLVE THEIR ISSUES! Yep, you read that right. Magic peen didn't give Claudia the a-ha moment where everything was magically okay. And Shep didn't wake up one morning thinking that he didn't need his flogger or his mountain.
This is a story about two people who were brought together by horrible circumstances and find a comfort in each other because of that shared experience. That event bonded them, but their honesty and openness is what made their relationship evolve into so much more.
That brings me to my next favorite thing...THE BANTER!! Oh man, it's great! I'm not even going to say anything...I'm just gonna give you a few snippets of my highlights (and I highlighted the crap out of this book!)
"I can't remember the last time I came that hard."
"I try not to oversell it."
It's not all serious folks. This book has its emotional moments, but it's not weighed down by this big dark cloud of a tragedy floating above the MC's heads. There's humor and sass and lighthearted moments of Netflix watching...it's two people getting to know each other and everything that comes with that.
"Took you fucking long enough," I say as I stand. I want to cancel this stupid dinner and spend the rest of the night worshiping her body on my own dining room table.
"Phsst whatever, bitch. You cannot rush perfection and you know I look good."
"You look amazing."
"I would be a jerk and say something smart about how you're not that cute, but you're sexy as hell and I want you to do all kinds of things to me right now."
"When we get back. I'll do things."
"What kind of things?"
"Kind of fucked up things."
"I like that."
See? The banter - great! Claudia - Awesome!
I do have to give one tiny disclaimer...the author's writing style does take some getting used to (at least it did for me). It's a bit choppy at times and can lack contractions. I know this may not bother some, but for me it made me stumble in my reading. The delivery is straighforward in a way that I'm not accustomed to.
My only other niggle is a bit of a rushed ending and I'm not the biggest fan of time jumps. I would have liked more elaboration of what happened during that time. Even with my bit of issues, I'm still very satisfied with the ending (even though I'd classify it as more of a HFN - though I have no doubts that these two are coasting towards an HEA).
I'm not sure who the next book in this series is about (I'm hoping it's Claudia's BFF, Liz - she was just as awesome...and let me add "positive and supportive female friendships" to my big ol' PRO column for this book!). Whatever and whoever it's about...I know I'll be reading it.
Rebekah Weatherspoon is a new-to-me author that I'm so happy was recommended to me. If this book is anything to go by, I'm about to do some serious damage to my bank account and fatten up my kindle. Off to buy her entire backlist...
***ARC courtesy of publisher, via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review***
October 2, 2021
3.5-4 stars? rounding down to 3 but that feels too harsh? idk
i love rebekah's writing and her characters, and both books i've read by her (the first book in the fit trilogy, and now this) have both been very engaging, very well written, and felt real. this can be hard to accomplish in the romance genre filled with men written by women, so this felt like a fresh take on the grumpy, rugged outdoorsman. i liked claudia and shep a ton, but romances about distracting yourself from pain with sex just don't resonate with me. i'm not a psychologist so i can't assess this on its realism but if i were in claudia's shoes, i just don't think i could casually live (and get railed) at the place i narrowly escaped murder. it's beyond my experience and i don't think i'll ever understand.
even though i felt like the murder aspect of this story was a bit unrealistic, especially with how it goes kind of unexplained in the end, i can't knock it for the great characters and dialogue. rebekah just makes them so relatable and engaging to read about, even when going through great deals of anguish.
i love rebekah's writing and her characters, and both books i've read by her (the first book in the fit trilogy, and now this) have both been very engaging, very well written, and felt real. this can be hard to accomplish in the romance genre filled with men written by women, so this felt like a fresh take on the grumpy, rugged outdoorsman. i liked claudia and shep a ton, but romances about distracting yourself from pain with sex just don't resonate with me. i'm not a psychologist so i can't assess this on its realism but if i were in claudia's shoes, i just don't think i could casually live (and get railed) at the place i narrowly escaped murder. it's beyond my experience and i don't think i'll ever understand.
even though i felt like the murder aspect of this story was a bit unrealistic, especially with how it goes kind of unexplained in the end, i can't knock it for the great characters and dialogue. rebekah just makes them so relatable and engaging to read about, even when going through great deals of anguish.
October 20, 2020
Review to come.
February 21, 2024
“Do you have any idea how good it feels to know that you’re mine?”
I was hoping to like this one more, but I just didn’t.
I really liked how it started. The story had me hooked but as it progressed, I could not tell you why these two even wanted to be together. Nothing about their relationship felt convincing.
They had the sexual chemistry down. The BDSM aspect was probably my favourite part.
But the emotional bond? Lacked. Severely. With the way things were going, I assumed they would trauma bond, but we barely got that. The relationship felt empty to me and I started to lose interest, the more I read.
I know the author can write more heartfelt stories and I was hoping for this to be one. Especially since the two experienced something really shit together. But it didn’t bring them closer, even though I’m supposed to believe that it did?
The bare bones were there but I needed more meat to the story. More depth, more emotions.
CW: loss of loved ones.
I was hoping to like this one more, but I just didn’t.
I really liked how it started. The story had me hooked but as it progressed, I could not tell you why these two even wanted to be together. Nothing about their relationship felt convincing.
They had the sexual chemistry down. The BDSM aspect was probably my favourite part.
But the emotional bond? Lacked. Severely. With the way things were going, I assumed they would trauma bond, but we barely got that. The relationship felt empty to me and I started to lose interest, the more I read.
I know the author can write more heartfelt stories and I was hoping for this to be one. Especially since the two experienced something really shit together. But it didn’t bring them closer, even though I’m supposed to believe that it did?
The bare bones were there but I needed more meat to the story. More depth, more emotions.
CW: loss of loved ones.
April 28, 2017
Haven had a really promising start but it lost me about halfway through - pretty much when all the hot sex started - and it went downhill from there.
I was digging the idea that Claudia and Shep felt a strong connection as a result of the events of that horrific night, and I was all on board when they agreed to comfort each other with some really kinky sex. Yes, they were refreshingly honest and upfront in coming to their agreement (the D/s relationship kinda requires it) but I couldn’t help but be left feeling cold with the perfunctory way they approached it. The sex scenes that started off really hot eventually became a turn off and I started skimming past them. Which is a shame because kink or no kink, I adore a well-written sex scene, especially if they're emotionally charged. I just wasn't feeling a deeper connection, especially on Claudia's part, and it started to feel very much like she was in the throes of magic dick syndrome.
At the start of the book I'd got the impression that Shep was a proper Dom, but except for ordering Claudia around (and ordering stuff online), I didn’t really see that in the execution. It felt to me like the author tried to make the kink light and playful, which usually makes for a great fun time, but when there’s real trauma involved and real wounds they’re trying to heal (that was the purpose of this entire week together, after all), it defeats the purpose and I felt that their D/s connection lost a lot of its substance.
Speaking of trauma, I almost feel like the fact that Claudia was jumped in the woods by strangers and ran barefoot for two miles in the pitch dark while being hunted down was... sort of glossed over. I meant, don't get me wrong, I know she had the physical wounds to show for the horrific events, and yes, it's obvious she's in deep mourning from losing her brother, and that she's got... some emotional scarring, that was there, and kinda vague, and never really discussed. I guess I'm saying that if this had happened to me, I'd probably be too afraid to leave my apartment or sleep with my lights off - never mind go traipsing back across the country and into those very same woods. I know every person mourns differently, and that fear or anxiety manifests (or doesn’t manifest) itself differently as well, but at times I felt like her brother could’ve just as well have been killed in a remote car crash somewhere, as opposed to at the violent hands of two serial killers who nearly got her, too. I did see more of her PTSD surface towards the end of the book, but that's when things got super confusing and she ran and then somehow (off-page) got herself sorted enough to come crawling back to Shep. I was not convinced, and I was not a fan of the way she waltzed back into his life (his life was turned upside down too, by the way, thank you very much)
If I didn’t think about it too hard or dig too deep, Haven was a light and sexy erotica. I enjoyed that it was written in dual POV (I don’t read much m/f romance anymore, but back when I did, the POV was almost always female, so the M/F POV was nice). I do wish Claudia's character described him more though, or showed more appreciation for him physically beyond his massive dick (by what little I could gather, he was an impressive specimen but all she kept talking about was his peen - come on, at least describe his eyes or his hands or his forearms or something). Just more appreciation of his character in general would've been nice really. His POV on the other hand constantly described how beautiful she was. So yeah, I guess I thought Shep deserved better.
I was digging the idea that Claudia and Shep felt a strong connection as a result of the events of that horrific night, and I was all on board when they agreed to comfort each other with some really kinky sex. Yes, they were refreshingly honest and upfront in coming to their agreement (the D/s relationship kinda requires it) but I couldn’t help but be left feeling cold with the perfunctory way they approached it. The sex scenes that started off really hot eventually became a turn off and I started skimming past them. Which is a shame because kink or no kink, I adore a well-written sex scene, especially if they're emotionally charged. I just wasn't feeling a deeper connection, especially on Claudia's part, and it started to feel very much like she was in the throes of magic dick syndrome.
At the start of the book I'd got the impression that Shep was a proper Dom, but except for ordering Claudia around (and ordering stuff online), I didn’t really see that in the execution. It felt to me like the author tried to make the kink light and playful, which usually makes for a great fun time, but when there’s real trauma involved and real wounds they’re trying to heal (that was the purpose of this entire week together, after all), it defeats the purpose and I felt that their D/s connection lost a lot of its substance.
Speaking of trauma, I almost feel like the fact that Claudia was jumped in the woods by strangers and ran barefoot for two miles in the pitch dark while being hunted down was... sort of glossed over. I meant, don't get me wrong, I know she had the physical wounds to show for the horrific events, and yes, it's obvious she's in deep mourning from losing her brother, and that she's got... some emotional scarring, that was there, and kinda vague, and never really discussed. I guess I'm saying that if this had happened to me, I'd probably be too afraid to leave my apartment or sleep with my lights off - never mind go traipsing back across the country and into those very same woods. I know every person mourns differently, and that fear or anxiety manifests (or doesn’t manifest) itself differently as well, but at times I felt like her brother could’ve just as well have been killed in a remote car crash somewhere, as opposed to at the violent hands of two serial killers who nearly got her, too. I did see more of her PTSD surface towards the end of the book, but that's when things got super confusing and she ran and then somehow (off-page) got herself sorted enough to come crawling back to Shep. I was not convinced, and I was not a fan of the way she waltzed back into his life (his life was turned upside down too, by the way, thank you very much)
If I didn’t think about it too hard or dig too deep, Haven was a light and sexy erotica. I enjoyed that it was written in dual POV (I don’t read much m/f romance anymore, but back when I did, the POV was almost always female, so the M/F POV was nice). I do wish Claudia's character described him more though, or showed more appreciation for him physically beyond his massive dick (by what little I could gather, he was an impressive specimen but all she kept talking about was his peen - come on, at least describe his eyes or his hands or his forearms or something). Just more appreciation of his character in general would've been nice really. His POV on the other hand constantly described how beautiful she was. So yeah, I guess I thought Shep deserved better.
April 26, 2017
How can I pass up a series titled, Beards & Bondage?? What I liked most about this story is while it is erotic, and there is a beard, and there is some bondage, their courtship is presented so well. And the trauma and recovery the heroine goes through in this book felt so realistic.
Claudia is from the city but goes on a camping trip with her brother but they run into big trouble. Two men attack them, killing her brother and severely wounding her. The only reason she is alive is because she ran to a cabin, and directly into Shepherd Olsen, or just Shep. He lives in this remote cabin and is a nature photographer. He takes one look at the bloody woman, sees her attacker and after a brief warning, shoots. He rushes her to the hospital and answers all of the police questions. He feels protective over Claudia, as her parents are dead and she just lost her beloved brother.
Shep is single, after his last girlfriend didn't understand his dominate needs. He now spends one week a year at a BDSM club in LA, where he can act out his dominate fantasies, before retreating into the woods for the rest of the year. As Claudia slowly recovers in the hospital, he spends time with her and gives her the comfort she is craving. And then she goes back to the city and to her life.
Claudia has a hard time adjusting back to her life. She is grieving her brother, she dumps her boyfriend and quits her job. She is lost - and after a few months, finds herself going back to that mountain in search of Shep.
Before she makes that journey, the reader has a glimpse into Claudia's life after she goes back home. I think about four to six months pass as the author allows you to see how Claudia is living.
My brother is gone. After weeks and weeks of being told to be patient. I can’t even do the weird things I’ve been dreaming of like squeezing his hand one more time or kissing his forehead and telling him I’m comforted by the fact that he’s with our parents again. I’m not looking at my brother. I’m looking at a slashed and gutted husk sutured back together again, a grotesque monster movie version of what my brother used to be. The pain rises in my chest again. The crashing is back in my ears. I can hear his screams, mixing with the sounds of the brush crunching under my feet. The sounds of that man chasing me. I’ve tried to cope without my brother these last few months, but when I see him, we are back in those woods again.
Her grief felt so real to me. I'm so glad the author took her time in showing us that Claudia is grieving and feeling lost.
Besides the realistic nature of Claudia's traumatic experience and how she has a hard time coping afterwards, I also loved how these two communicate and are honest with each other. If every romantic couple could do this, it would erase so many unnecessary fights. It's scary to be honest, but Claudia is at a point where it's either be honest or live in a black hole for the rest of her bleak life.
“Option two is I come here and I tell you that I’ve been wanting to see you in this very specific, weird way. I think it's some sort of survivor’s thing. I mean I know it is. But I don't know how you enter into any interpersonal relationship that way. Like this super fucked up thing happened and we were both there. Wanna be friends?"
When they are reunited, it's a little awkward but it's also hopeful. Shep tells her what he likes out of a physical relationship, and while Claudia is not that well versed in BDSM, she wants to try it. She wants to be there for his fantasies, all the while hoping it will help her find what she is looking for - and it does. They are both a little lost in life, Shep trying to recover from the messy situation of breaking up with his last girlfriend and the remote life he leads.
“Not a complete mountain man, are you? I thought you were gonna teach me how to whittle wood into the shape of a deer while we stared at the fire and you told me about the old days before indoor plumbing.” She freezes then looks up at me. “Shit. You do have indoor plumbing right?”
“Yes. And I don't know how to whittle.”
"Shame."
They give themselves one week to explore each other and what the other needs and they take on life together for that week. It's scary for them at first to open up and allow the other to see their vulnerabilities and wants and desires. But they trust each other and realize their feelings run deep.
And it's mighty sexy. And verra dirty and erotic.
She's looking at me. Waiting. I flip the switch.
And they are off. Hold on tight Claudia.
Very much looking forward to more in this series.
Grade: B+
Claudia is from the city but goes on a camping trip with her brother but they run into big trouble. Two men attack them, killing her brother and severely wounding her. The only reason she is alive is because she ran to a cabin, and directly into Shepherd Olsen, or just Shep. He lives in this remote cabin and is a nature photographer. He takes one look at the bloody woman, sees her attacker and after a brief warning, shoots. He rushes her to the hospital and answers all of the police questions. He feels protective over Claudia, as her parents are dead and she just lost her beloved brother.
Shep is single, after his last girlfriend didn't understand his dominate needs. He now spends one week a year at a BDSM club in LA, where he can act out his dominate fantasies, before retreating into the woods for the rest of the year. As Claudia slowly recovers in the hospital, he spends time with her and gives her the comfort she is craving. And then she goes back to the city and to her life.
Claudia has a hard time adjusting back to her life. She is grieving her brother, she dumps her boyfriend and quits her job. She is lost - and after a few months, finds herself going back to that mountain in search of Shep.
Before she makes that journey, the reader has a glimpse into Claudia's life after she goes back home. I think about four to six months pass as the author allows you to see how Claudia is living.
My brother is gone. After weeks and weeks of being told to be patient. I can’t even do the weird things I’ve been dreaming of like squeezing his hand one more time or kissing his forehead and telling him I’m comforted by the fact that he’s with our parents again. I’m not looking at my brother. I’m looking at a slashed and gutted husk sutured back together again, a grotesque monster movie version of what my brother used to be. The pain rises in my chest again. The crashing is back in my ears. I can hear his screams, mixing with the sounds of the brush crunching under my feet. The sounds of that man chasing me. I’ve tried to cope without my brother these last few months, but when I see him, we are back in those woods again.
Her grief felt so real to me. I'm so glad the author took her time in showing us that Claudia is grieving and feeling lost.
Besides the realistic nature of Claudia's traumatic experience and how she has a hard time coping afterwards, I also loved how these two communicate and are honest with each other. If every romantic couple could do this, it would erase so many unnecessary fights. It's scary to be honest, but Claudia is at a point where it's either be honest or live in a black hole for the rest of her bleak life.
“Option two is I come here and I tell you that I’ve been wanting to see you in this very specific, weird way. I think it's some sort of survivor’s thing. I mean I know it is. But I don't know how you enter into any interpersonal relationship that way. Like this super fucked up thing happened and we were both there. Wanna be friends?"
When they are reunited, it's a little awkward but it's also hopeful. Shep tells her what he likes out of a physical relationship, and while Claudia is not that well versed in BDSM, she wants to try it. She wants to be there for his fantasies, all the while hoping it will help her find what she is looking for - and it does. They are both a little lost in life, Shep trying to recover from the messy situation of breaking up with his last girlfriend and the remote life he leads.
“Not a complete mountain man, are you? I thought you were gonna teach me how to whittle wood into the shape of a deer while we stared at the fire and you told me about the old days before indoor plumbing.” She freezes then looks up at me. “Shit. You do have indoor plumbing right?”
“Yes. And I don't know how to whittle.”
"Shame."
They give themselves one week to explore each other and what the other needs and they take on life together for that week. It's scary for them at first to open up and allow the other to see their vulnerabilities and wants and desires. But they trust each other and realize their feelings run deep.
And it's mighty sexy. And verra dirty and erotic.
She's looking at me. Waiting. I flip the switch.
And they are off. Hold on tight Claudia.
Very much looking forward to more in this series.
Grade: B+
Read
August 29, 2017I love this author's work, she's getting up there with Cara McKenna for sexy smart erotica IMO.
This one is really cool. The premise (woman is horribly attacked in woods, develops BDSM relationship with mountain man saviour) sounded about as far as possible from my cup of tea, but is handled brilliantly.
For one, we do not have to sit through the attack. Something horrible happened, and the book is about how the heroine deals with the aftermath. No lurking serial killer, no on page awful. I have read so very many loving descriptions of female pain and trauma in the name of entertainment and this book just *didn't do it*. It was incredible how noticable and refreshing that was. Also how it keeps the focus on the heroine, not some ghastly man. It's her story, not theirs.
For another, sex/BDSM doesn’t fix Claudia. It brings the MCs together and gives them something to do while they fall in love, but it's not going to deal with her trauma. That's up to her, with Shep's support.
I am not generally a BDSM reader, but it seemed to me well handled, and I loved the characters--including how the huge solitary dominant hero was shown to be vulnerable and shamed by by an ex girlfriend's betrayal of his kink. Really well done, and lots of the author's usual humour and snappy dialogue too.
This one is really cool. The premise (woman is horribly attacked in woods, develops BDSM relationship with mountain man saviour) sounded about as far as possible from my cup of tea, but is handled brilliantly.
For one, we do not have to sit through the attack. Something horrible happened, and the book is about how the heroine deals with the aftermath. No lurking serial killer, no on page awful. I have read so very many loving descriptions of female pain and trauma in the name of entertainment and this book just *didn't do it*. It was incredible how noticable and refreshing that was. Also how it keeps the focus on the heroine, not some ghastly man. It's her story, not theirs.
For another, sex/BDSM doesn’t fix Claudia. It brings the MCs together and gives them something to do while they fall in love, but it's not going to deal with her trauma. That's up to her, with Shep's support.
I am not generally a BDSM reader, but it seemed to me well handled, and I loved the characters--including how the huge solitary dominant hero was shown to be vulnerable and shamed by by an ex girlfriend's betrayal of his kink. Really well done, and lots of the author's usual humour and snappy dialogue too.
April 26, 2017
Haven has the same vein and rhythm as Treasure. They are both romance novel, but with gritty tone than Fit trilogy and Sugar Baby series that have candied approach. That completely debunks my theory that this book is going to be fluffy. I should’ve believed that ominous murder synopsis. Trigger warning for gun, and blood, gore at the beginning of the novel.
The heroine of Haven, Claudia met the hero Shep in an unlike circumstance. She was running away from her kidnapper that also killed her brother. He was forced to shoot him. This is certainly not your cabin-mountain romance. This specific moment and alliance bind something between them.
Months later, Claudia came back to the mountain to thank him for saving her lives. Now, they’re both changed people. He has bloods in his hands. She, with her survivor’s guilt, and post traumatic disorder. She’s still coping.
Haven explores that, “tragedy brings people closer together.” The main characters went through something similar. Only they could draw and relate to each other. This trope could become disastrous if the author couldn’t handle it respectfully. In which Weatherspoon delivers it realistically. There’s an explicit buildup of trust, and consent. There’s also the gradual getting to know each other phase which is always my favorite thing about romance novels.
Tragedy shouldn’t only be the foundation of the relationship. Even the characters are aware that it’s an unusual situation and it shouldn’t be romanticized. The relationship wasn’t treated as the cure to Claudia’s PTSD.
I love this part because there’s uncertainty about it. For me, this is a realistic approach because they haven’t known each other in a long time. A lot of things could happen! That can also be romantic without over doing it.
I want to tell him I love him. I don’t know if I do, but I want to tell someone who isn’t Liz or Brook something that matches what I’m feeling. That it hurts not to tell certain people I love them anymore, face to face. I open my mouth before I can stop myself.
“Can I tell you I love you even if I don’t know if I mean it? I don’t think I mean it, that way.”
“With that caveat, yeah.”
“I love you so much. It hurts.” I say as I bury my nose in his chest hair. I’m crying again. His hand strokes down my back. He kisses the top of my head.
“I love you too.”
As expected, the BDSM is just right for me. If you haven’t read any BDSM and you’d like to try, I highly suggest picking up Haven or Fit Trilogy. They are one of my first foray into this genre. It’s well done, not entirely wild by my definition. It’s simply spot on and great.
Overall: I love the quaint and nature vibes of this story. It’s so beautiful despite the murder. I swooned, I laughed, I cried. I got emotional. It’s a 5-star read for me. Haven is one of my favorite reads this year. A perfect opening for a series. I can’t wait enough for the next novel.
The heroine of Haven, Claudia met the hero Shep in an unlike circumstance. She was running away from her kidnapper that also killed her brother. He was forced to shoot him. This is certainly not your cabin-mountain romance. This specific moment and alliance bind something between them.
Months later, Claudia came back to the mountain to thank him for saving her lives. Now, they’re both changed people. He has bloods in his hands. She, with her survivor’s guilt, and post traumatic disorder. She’s still coping.
Haven explores that, “tragedy brings people closer together.” The main characters went through something similar. Only they could draw and relate to each other. This trope could become disastrous if the author couldn’t handle it respectfully. In which Weatherspoon delivers it realistically. There’s an explicit buildup of trust, and consent. There’s also the gradual getting to know each other phase which is always my favorite thing about romance novels.
Tragedy shouldn’t only be the foundation of the relationship. Even the characters are aware that it’s an unusual situation and it shouldn’t be romanticized. The relationship wasn’t treated as the cure to Claudia’s PTSD.
I love this part because there’s uncertainty about it. For me, this is a realistic approach because they haven’t known each other in a long time. A lot of things could happen! That can also be romantic without over doing it.
I want to tell him I love him. I don’t know if I do, but I want to tell someone who isn’t Liz or Brook something that matches what I’m feeling. That it hurts not to tell certain people I love them anymore, face to face. I open my mouth before I can stop myself.
“Can I tell you I love you even if I don’t know if I mean it? I don’t think I mean it, that way.”
“With that caveat, yeah.”
“I love you so much. It hurts.” I say as I bury my nose in his chest hair. I’m crying again. His hand strokes down my back. He kisses the top of my head.
“I love you too.”
As expected, the BDSM is just right for me. If you haven’t read any BDSM and you’d like to try, I highly suggest picking up Haven or Fit Trilogy. They are one of my first foray into this genre. It’s well done, not entirely wild by my definition. It’s simply spot on and great.
Overall: I love the quaint and nature vibes of this story. It’s so beautiful despite the murder. I swooned, I laughed, I cried. I got emotional. It’s a 5-star read for me. Haven is one of my favorite reads this year. A perfect opening for a series. I can’t wait enough for the next novel.
July 14, 2021
I liked the beginning of this book, It intrigued me but halfway through the book I don't know I just didn’t feel connected to the characters and I didn’t like the main characters, but I want to read other books by this author this was just not for me.
July 12, 2020
Two people who go through a traumatic event together, one being a victim and one being a savior just form a connection that they can’t really figure out. I mean, it’s clear what it is, but there’s something more and deeper they feel and need from each other. So the mountain man and the city girl, some casual dom/sub that turns into more. Yeah. Go read the blurb.
I am not usually good at admitting when I am wrong, but I picked this up to fill a slot on a bookish bingo. That’s it. I expected it to be well written, but I did NOT expect to enjoy and invest so much in the characters and this story. The writing is witty and easy to read. There are a few times I felt like I was missing something, but overall I just loved this book. I can’t explain it, but I did NOT want to put it down. I just vibed with it. So I’d like to thank Korrie (curlyhairlass19 on IG) for posting about this book in her stories, because I fell in LURVE with Claudia & Shep. Oh and Titus is such a good boy.
Ok that’s all. Read this book if you want a hot and sexy survivor/hero story set on a mountain.
I am not usually good at admitting when I am wrong, but I picked this up to fill a slot on a bookish bingo. That’s it. I expected it to be well written, but I did NOT expect to enjoy and invest so much in the characters and this story. The writing is witty and easy to read. There are a few times I felt like I was missing something, but overall I just loved this book. I can’t explain it, but I did NOT want to put it down. I just vibed with it. So I’d like to thank Korrie (curlyhairlass19 on IG) for posting about this book in her stories, because I fell in LURVE with Claudia & Shep. Oh and Titus is such a good boy.
Ok that’s all. Read this book if you want a hot and sexy survivor/hero story set on a mountain.
April 22, 2021
SERIES: Beards & Bondage #1
GENRE: erotica
TROPES/THEMES: dom/sub, small town, trauma, alpha male
CLIFFHANGER: no
TRIGGER WARNINGS: death of a sibling
HOTTIE METER: 4🌡
RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
SONG: earned it
this book deals with emotional and physical trauma
there are themes of suspense with a lot of steamy time
Claudia and Shep find each other trough some hard times for both of them but especially Claudia who is dealing with death of her brother.
Shep helps her in more ways then one. Even though they are very opposite they are exactly what they need. I liked how the plotline was unpredictable. The progression of the relationship and their connection feels very realistic. The kinky and steamy times are never repetitive and overall this was a quick read.
GENRE: erotica
TROPES/THEMES: dom/sub, small town, trauma, alpha male
CLIFFHANGER: no
TRIGGER WARNINGS: death of a sibling
HOTTIE METER: 4🌡
RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
SONG: earned it
this book deals with emotional and physical trauma
there are themes of suspense with a lot of steamy time
Claudia and Shep find each other trough some hard times for both of them but especially Claudia who is dealing with death of her brother.
Shep helps her in more ways then one. Even though they are very opposite they are exactly what they need. I liked how the plotline was unpredictable. The progression of the relationship and their connection feels very realistic. The kinky and steamy times are never repetitive and overall this was a quick read.
March 6, 2024
Re-read on March 6, 2024. Rating still stands.
So I gave this one 3.5 stars and rounded it up to 4 stars. I have to say once the book just moved straight to Shep and Claudia having hot sexy times it got a lot better. I think Weatherspoon was trying to do a romantic suspense book and the suspense part did not work for me at all. There were so many holes in that whole plot, and anytime one of the characters referenced it I would go, oh yeah, random serial killer? What? And then moved on. But if you want a solid BDSM book, this is definitely a great read.
"Haven" follows Shep Oleson who is a nature photographer (and I think doing something with the forestry services?? Or was that the same job???) who returns to his mountainside home after a week away seeing to his needs. We quickly find out that Shep is a dominant and after his last disastrous relationship, he just keeps himself away from women. When someone comes to his door asking for help and covered in blood, Shep quickly realizes the woman is in danger. Shep protects the woman, shoots the man who was pursuing her, and quickly starts to feel something for the woman who he finds out is named Claudia. With Claudia left reeling from a loss during her pursuit and left with PTSD from the entire incident, she can't stop thinking about Shep. And then she returns because she feels like he is the only one that can give her what she needs.
The book focuses on Claudia and Shep and Weatherspoon goes back and forth throughout the book giving you Claudia and Shep's perspectives. I honestly loved both characters and I was dying for them to make things work. Outside of the hot hot hot love scenes, Weatherspoon gives you a great sense of these characters, and the side ones as well. The biggest thing I grappled with was the whole random murder plot with no explanation. I am just going to live it alone because if I start trying to take it apart I am going to get even more confused.
The flow was great too, the book moves and Weatherspoon does a great job of giving you a sense of how much time has past. Which frankly I loved. I would have had a harder time with some things in this one if everything progressed in like two weeks. Though I will admit the initial conversations regarding sex, what Shep was into, and what Claudia wanted didn't gel right away. I felt like I plopped into a conversation that just happened out of nowhere. I wish it had been written a bit more organically.
The setting of a mountain town in California was great. You could feel the isolation at times, but also got a great sense of how beautiful and small things were.
The ending was great and we get a Happily Ever After (HEA).
So I gave this one 3.5 stars and rounded it up to 4 stars. I have to say once the book just moved straight to Shep and Claudia having hot sexy times it got a lot better. I think Weatherspoon was trying to do a romantic suspense book and the suspense part did not work for me at all. There were so many holes in that whole plot, and anytime one of the characters referenced it I would go, oh yeah, random serial killer? What? And then moved on. But if you want a solid BDSM book, this is definitely a great read.
"Haven" follows Shep Oleson who is a nature photographer (and I think doing something with the forestry services?? Or was that the same job???) who returns to his mountainside home after a week away seeing to his needs. We quickly find out that Shep is a dominant and after his last disastrous relationship, he just keeps himself away from women. When someone comes to his door asking for help and covered in blood, Shep quickly realizes the woman is in danger. Shep protects the woman, shoots the man who was pursuing her, and quickly starts to feel something for the woman who he finds out is named Claudia. With Claudia left reeling from a loss during her pursuit and left with PTSD from the entire incident, she can't stop thinking about Shep. And then she returns because she feels like he is the only one that can give her what she needs.
The book focuses on Claudia and Shep and Weatherspoon goes back and forth throughout the book giving you Claudia and Shep's perspectives. I honestly loved both characters and I was dying for them to make things work. Outside of the hot hot hot love scenes, Weatherspoon gives you a great sense of these characters, and the side ones as well. The biggest thing I grappled with was the whole random murder plot with no explanation. I am just going to live it alone because if I start trying to take it apart I am going to get even more confused.
The flow was great too, the book moves and Weatherspoon does a great job of giving you a sense of how much time has past. Which frankly I loved. I would have had a harder time with some things in this one if everything progressed in like two weeks. Though I will admit the initial conversations regarding sex, what Shep was into, and what Claudia wanted didn't gel right away. I felt like I plopped into a conversation that just happened out of nowhere. I wish it had been written a bit more organically.
The setting of a mountain town in California was great. You could feel the isolation at times, but also got a great sense of how beautiful and small things were.
The ending was great and we get a Happily Ever After (HEA).
May 27, 2017
What can you expect from a series called Beards & Bondage? Unsubstantial BDSM smut, right? Wrong! Surprisingly, this was a lot more than just that.
It was a touching story of loss and grief, fighting your inner demons by sharing your pain with the only person who knows what you're going through and trying to comfort one another by any means necessary.
This was such a great blend of steam, romance and tragedy, it totally took me off guard.
ARC provided by the author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
May 7, 2018
2/5
This review was originally posted here.
Haven came very highly recommended after its release at the beginning of last year. I grabbed it up when it was very hyped, but I've been putting it off until now. I've read one of Rebekah Weatherspoon's books in the past, and I like her writing, but overall, Haven fell a little short for me.
I'll start by saying that Haven had a very strong opening. I was engrossed right from the beginning, and Weatherspoon's writing kept me engaged the whole way through. The story opens with our two main characters being thrown together by a traumatic event, and subsequently forming a bond. The theme of processing that trauma is explored throughout the rest of the novel, and is actually the reason Shep and Claudia initiate their relationship. Unfortunately, I just couldn't connect to their relationship and just wasn't a huge fan of it overall.
Shep and Claudia's relationship sorely lacked development. Let me start off by saying that they definitely had sexual chemistry & I thought their sexual relationship was relatively well developed. I thought they communicated their desires well and were accommodating to each other regarding the D/s element. I also appreciated that consent was very central to their encounters, but there wasn't much else about their relationship I actually liked.
Beyond their sexual desires, their shared traumatic past and a little bit of their pasts, Shep and Claudia don't actually talk about much. I never got a sense of what either of the characters liked outside the bedroom, what they were like before the incident at the beginning, what their hopes and dreams were. I never felt a connection to either of these characters because we never got to know them. So, unsurprisingly, it felt unrealistic to me that after only a few days of sex and hardly any talking, they formed a romantic bond and fell in love with each other. *eye roll.* I think I may have liked this better if, at the end of the book, Shep and Claudia realised they only thought they loved each other because of their connection after the incident, and I would've liked to have seen them get to know each other more.
Another thing I think would've bumped up my enjoyment of this book is if Shep and Claudia had realised earlier on that sex wasn't going to heal their trauma. I know each person heals differently, and that trauma affects people differently, but I was still a bit iffy about their relationship being built on the notion of healing each other. To me, that's not healthy. And throughout the novel, it became obvious that the sex wasn't actually healing either of them, anyway.
In the last chapter, Claudia tells Shep that she's been seeing a therapist who's been helping her process and sort through everything, but I think it would've been nice to see that explored on-page and not just off-page. Also, even after the above revelation from Shep at 92%, there's no mention of him dealing with his trauma.
Overall, I think I just wanted a little more from Haven. The start was strong and the writing was engaging. The sex scenes were hot as hell, but everything else kind of lacked for me. The relationship needed more development outside of sex and I wish I'd gotten to know the characters more & see them dealing with their trauma. On the plus side, Shep's dog is the freaking cutest and I loved Claudia's best friend, Liz. I'll definitely be reading more of Rebekah Weatherspoon's books, but this series may not be for me.
This review was originally posted here.
Haven came very highly recommended after its release at the beginning of last year. I grabbed it up when it was very hyped, but I've been putting it off until now. I've read one of Rebekah Weatherspoon's books in the past, and I like her writing, but overall, Haven fell a little short for me.
I'll start by saying that Haven had a very strong opening. I was engrossed right from the beginning, and Weatherspoon's writing kept me engaged the whole way through. The story opens with our two main characters being thrown together by a traumatic event, and subsequently forming a bond. The theme of processing that trauma is explored throughout the rest of the novel, and is actually the reason Shep and Claudia initiate their relationship. Unfortunately, I just couldn't connect to their relationship and just wasn't a huge fan of it overall.
Shep and Claudia's relationship sorely lacked development. Let me start off by saying that they definitely had sexual chemistry & I thought their sexual relationship was relatively well developed. I thought they communicated their desires well and were accommodating to each other regarding the D/s element. I also appreciated that consent was very central to their encounters, but there wasn't much else about their relationship I actually liked.
Beyond their sexual desires, their shared traumatic past and a little bit of their pasts, Shep and Claudia don't actually talk about much. I never got a sense of what either of the characters liked outside the bedroom, what they were like before the incident at the beginning, what their hopes and dreams were. I never felt a connection to either of these characters because we never got to know them. So, unsurprisingly, it felt unrealistic to me that after only a few days of sex and hardly any talking, they formed a romantic bond and fell in love with each other. *eye roll.* I think I may have liked this better if, at the end of the book, Shep and Claudia realised they only thought they loved each other because of their connection after the incident, and I would've liked to have seen them get to know each other more.
Another thing I think would've bumped up my enjoyment of this book is if Shep and Claudia had realised earlier on that sex wasn't going to heal their trauma. I know each person heals differently, and that trauma affects people differently, but I was still a bit iffy about their relationship being built on the notion of healing each other. To me, that's not healthy. And throughout the novel, it became obvious that the sex wasn't actually healing either of them, anyway.
"My dick isn't a magic wand. I wasn't going to save her. I wasn't going to heal her with my kisses or however much I decided to jizz all over her back. And I sure as fuck wasn't going to fix myself."
In the last chapter, Claudia tells Shep that she's been seeing a therapist who's been helping her process and sort through everything, but I think it would've been nice to see that explored on-page and not just off-page. Also, even after the above revelation from Shep at 92%, there's no mention of him dealing with his trauma.
Overall, I think I just wanted a little more from Haven. The start was strong and the writing was engaging. The sex scenes were hot as hell, but everything else kind of lacked for me. The relationship needed more development outside of sex and I wish I'd gotten to know the characters more & see them dealing with their trauma. On the plus side, Shep's dog is the freaking cutest and I loved Claudia's best friend, Liz. I'll definitely be reading more of Rebekah Weatherspoon's books, but this series may not be for me.
December 5, 2021
12/04/2021
I was feeling the need for a reread of the book that put Rebekah Weatherspoon on the map for me.... I cant help but give another big contented sigh over this ending ... I simply love it. 💙
**************
5 "in love with this author" stars.
This was a really unexpected book for me. I found myself caught up in Claudia and Shep's story immediately and even though this is a hugely sexy and erotic book the storyline is what had me absolutely riveted to reading it.
I totally loved this book and finally had to put it down at 2 am last night with 20% left and I finished the rest this morning with my coffee.
This is an addictive, sexy and well written book that deals with a traumatic event that forever alters two people and it is a great romance story too. I will be looking for more books by this author.
ARC received in exchange for an honest review.
I was feeling the need for a reread of the book that put Rebekah Weatherspoon on the map for me.... I cant help but give another big contented sigh over this ending ... I simply love it. 💙
**************
5 "in love with this author" stars.
This was a really unexpected book for me. I found myself caught up in Claudia and Shep's story immediately and even though this is a hugely sexy and erotic book the storyline is what had me absolutely riveted to reading it.
I totally loved this book and finally had to put it down at 2 am last night with 20% left and I finished the rest this morning with my coffee.
This is an addictive, sexy and well written book that deals with a traumatic event that forever alters two people and it is a great romance story too. I will be looking for more books by this author.
ARC received in exchange for an honest review.
February 16, 2022
3.5⭐
The first half was really promising and at this point I actually considered to rate it 5*. Unfortunately, what was set up to be a deeply emotional and angsty story felt a bit rushed out in the second half, especially through the end. I didn't like the heroine that much, but the hero saved the book for me.
The first half was really promising and at this point I actually considered to rate it 5*. Unfortunately, what was set up to be a deeply emotional and angsty story felt a bit rushed out in the second half, especially through the end. I didn't like the heroine that much, but the hero saved the book for me.
March 22, 2018
I loved this so much omg I can't believe it.
Fast paced
Great communication
Handles trauma in a very realistic way
Healthy bdsm
MOUNTAIN MAN TROPE
Their relationship was so cute and their banter made me ridiculously happy
Very very sexy and the sex scenes never felt repetitive or overdone
I had a great time reading this
Fast paced
Great communication
Handles trauma in a very realistic way
Healthy bdsm
MOUNTAIN MAN TROPE
Their relationship was so cute and their banter made me ridiculously happy
Very very sexy and the sex scenes never felt repetitive or overdone
I had a great time reading this
January 30, 2018
This book just did it for me, y’all. I was totally engrossed by the opening—which should come with a zillion TWs. This review may be a bit spoilery, idk.
The protags in this are great. I just want to start by saying that. Claudia is a city girl from NYC on vacation with her brother in Northern California. She’s camping on the mountain where Shep lives. He’s a loner but I liked all the ways that he wasn’t this total burly mountain man stereotype (for one thing, he’s a photographer for the National Park Service, which was kinda neat). I also loved Liz, Claudia’s bff who I’m happy to see is the FMC in the next book!
Anyway, we meet Claudia as she is being chased by a serial killer from the campsite where her brother is already dead. She pounds on Shep’s cabin, and Shep ends up shooting and killing the man chasing her. It’s A LOT, but it sucked me into the story immediately. The book skips forward in time as Claudia returns home and tries to cope with what happened to her and her brother. I think this is where the decision to write in first person present tense really works—I felt like I was inside Claudia’s head during those passages. They were some of the strongest in the book, IMO.
She returns to Shep’s town several months later seeking some kind of closure. Shep is seeking this as well. He’s a Dominant and they have a frank discussion about him wanting her to be his submissive. They begin a sexual D/s relationship and this plays a big part the development of their feelings for each other. It only takes place over a few days, but clearly the trauma of the experience has created a special bond between them that other people don’t quite understand.
This book isn’t entirely Super Serious—Weatherspoon has a great sense of humour and that’s evident here as well—but overall this is a heavy book and it won’t necessarily work for everyone. BDSM is something I don’t think I’ll ever entirely understand and the D/s part is important here. I have no idea how realistic those scenes really are, so I can’t judge, but it worked for me within the framework of the story.
There is a huuuuuge element of trauma here and coping strategies and I didn’t feel like that was entirely... resolved? Which is why I’m knocking the rating just a bit. The ending skips forward in time again and then happens kinda quickly and I was left feeling like there was so much left to explore with their relationship, with trauma, with moving on with their lives, Claudia going to therapy and Shep decidedly NOT going to therapy even though he needs to process what happened as well. This isn’t a super long book and I think what she did do in the length was fantastic. Just wanted more!
The protags in this are great. I just want to start by saying that. Claudia is a city girl from NYC on vacation with her brother in Northern California. She’s camping on the mountain where Shep lives. He’s a loner but I liked all the ways that he wasn’t this total burly mountain man stereotype (for one thing, he’s a photographer for the National Park Service, which was kinda neat). I also loved Liz, Claudia’s bff who I’m happy to see is the FMC in the next book!
Anyway, we meet Claudia as she is being chased by a serial killer from the campsite where her brother is already dead. She pounds on Shep’s cabin, and Shep ends up shooting and killing the man chasing her. It’s A LOT, but it sucked me into the story immediately. The book skips forward in time as Claudia returns home and tries to cope with what happened to her and her brother. I think this is where the decision to write in first person present tense really works—I felt like I was inside Claudia’s head during those passages. They were some of the strongest in the book, IMO.
She returns to Shep’s town several months later seeking some kind of closure. Shep is seeking this as well. He’s a Dominant and they have a frank discussion about him wanting her to be his submissive. They begin a sexual D/s relationship and this plays a big part the development of their feelings for each other. It only takes place over a few days, but clearly the trauma of the experience has created a special bond between them that other people don’t quite understand.
This book isn’t entirely Super Serious—Weatherspoon has a great sense of humour and that’s evident here as well—but overall this is a heavy book and it won’t necessarily work for everyone. BDSM is something I don’t think I’ll ever entirely understand and the D/s part is important here. I have no idea how realistic those scenes really are, so I can’t judge, but it worked for me within the framework of the story.
There is a huuuuuge element of trauma here and coping strategies and I didn’t feel like that was entirely... resolved? Which is why I’m knocking the rating just a bit. The ending skips forward in time again and then happens kinda quickly and I was left feeling like there was so much left to explore with their relationship, with trauma, with moving on with their lives, Claudia going to therapy and Shep decidedly NOT going to therapy even though he needs to process what happened as well. This isn’t a super long book and I think what she did do in the length was fantastic. Just wanted more!
December 22, 2022
This started out really strong for me but kinda tapered off around the 40% mark
April 26, 2017
Boricuan Bookworms Book Reviews
Okay, first impression? I feel like I got whiplash from those first few chapters, not gonna lie. Everything started so quick. There were no slow introductions like there usually are in New Adult novels. It’s all straight up action (not that kind of action) (okay maybe a little bit of that action) from the very first page and it grips you til the very end.
The main reasons why I loved this book more than others of its genre:
- The characters had so much raw chemistry it gave me chills. Shep and Claudia have this incredible banter that makes you laugh and also appreciate them as characters. They’re also incredibly romantic with each other in a healthy way. Their relationship is built on communication, consent and trust and I respect that.
- THE SMUT. Listen, I’m kind of a smut connoisseur of sorts and I know good smut when I see it and this? This is straight up filth and I love it. Everything was straight to the point (without blurring the lines of consent); there’s also no dolling up the descriptions with a bunch of adjectives; it’s just pure explicit sex. Safe sex too! I was so happy to see that play out as well, even within the whole BDSM lifestyle. Still, while it is very graphic, you can tell there’s a connection between these characters. Also, n0 slutshaming amongst them. I’m always down for sex-positive stories!
- The healthy portrayal of a BDSM deal! I’m so tired of seeing problematic and borderline non consensual “BDSM” erotica out there. This book explains the proper terminology and etiquette pretty well and we see that CONSENT is the base of a good Dom/Sub relationship.
- A black heroine! FINALLY! I don’t want to generalize but there is A LOT of Romance books out there and most of them (the popular ones at least) only feature white couples. I was pleasantly surprised to see an interracial relationship in this book without it being the explicit fetishization of black women. Claudia is fierce, her comebacks are epic and I loved getting inside her head. She is a breath of fresh air, honestly. I can see why Shep is so smitten LOL.
- I really felt like I was on a trip while reading this novel. It made my heart swell, made me giggle like a schoolgirl; I even teared up at times. It was just a pleasant read overall which is what I look for when I read Romance.
I don’t know if we’ll ever know what happens after (I really hope there’s a novella coming up because I can’t wait to see more of these two) but Rebekah Weatherspoon has officially made it to my list of auto-buy authors.
A review copy of this book was provided by the publisher via Netgalley
Okay, first impression? I feel like I got whiplash from those first few chapters, not gonna lie. Everything started so quick. There were no slow introductions like there usually are in New Adult novels. It’s all straight up action (not that kind of action) (okay maybe a little bit of that action) from the very first page and it grips you til the very end.
The main reasons why I loved this book more than others of its genre:
- The characters had so much raw chemistry it gave me chills. Shep and Claudia have this incredible banter that makes you laugh and also appreciate them as characters. They’re also incredibly romantic with each other in a healthy way. Their relationship is built on communication, consent and trust and I respect that.
- THE SMUT. Listen, I’m kind of a smut connoisseur of sorts and I know good smut when I see it and this? This is straight up filth and I love it. Everything was straight to the point (without blurring the lines of consent); there’s also no dolling up the descriptions with a bunch of adjectives; it’s just pure explicit sex. Safe sex too! I was so happy to see that play out as well, even within the whole BDSM lifestyle. Still, while it is very graphic, you can tell there’s a connection between these characters. Also, n0 slutshaming amongst them. I’m always down for sex-positive stories!
- The healthy portrayal of a BDSM deal! I’m so tired of seeing problematic and borderline non consensual “BDSM” erotica out there. This book explains the proper terminology and etiquette pretty well and we see that CONSENT is the base of a good Dom/Sub relationship.
- A black heroine! FINALLY! I don’t want to generalize but there is A LOT of Romance books out there and most of them (the popular ones at least) only feature white couples. I was pleasantly surprised to see an interracial relationship in this book without it being the explicit fetishization of black women. Claudia is fierce, her comebacks are epic and I loved getting inside her head. She is a breath of fresh air, honestly. I can see why Shep is so smitten LOL.
- I really felt like I was on a trip while reading this novel. It made my heart swell, made me giggle like a schoolgirl; I even teared up at times. It was just a pleasant read overall which is what I look for when I read Romance.
I don’t know if we’ll ever know what happens after (I really hope there’s a novella coming up because I can’t wait to see more of these two) but Rebekah Weatherspoon has officially made it to my list of auto-buy authors.
A review copy of this book was provided by the publisher via Netgalley
June 7, 2017
This book wasn't remotely on my radar. But in the lead up to it's release I had been hearing a lot of good things about HAVEN, not just from readers but from authors I enjoy, and after seeing it available for immediate read on NG I was looking forward to the chance to dip my toe into a new author and read a good, emotionally complex, take on the whole bondage niche of erotica.
But.. I mean. Yeah, there's lots of emotions flying around but I never connected with it (not that we're supposed to) and some of it was annoying. I wish I could lay all that annoyance at the heroine's feet and be done with it but, while she was the worst of the two, I definitely felt irritated by both leads. And the supporting cast. And.. yeah, all the characters. Except the dog.
That being said, Weatherspoon sets up this story in a really interesting way; something traumatic happens to the heroine right as the book opens and she ends up crashing into the hero's life, literally, and he is then forced into doing something horrible (but also reasonable, if that makes sense), too. Beyond that secondary element all the violence happens off page and I really liked and appreciated that we had the repercussions of the trauma without being forced through the nitty gritty.
However. I just.. I guess it's the author's writing, maybe? This was my first read by Weatherspoon and I'm definitely not blown away. It was hard to get into, hard to stay focused on when I did find myself chewing through more than a few chapters at a time, and.. well, as shallow as it was, I did like the steamy moments. But it didn't balance out the rest. And that epilogue..? Honestly, I just don't really have words for what this made (didn't make) me feel. It wasn't terrible but I was also really happy to be done with it.
At this point I'm not sure if I would read on in the Beards & Bondage series or investigate the author's backlist and I unfortunately would not recommend this read.
** I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
But.. I mean. Yeah, there's lots of emotions flying around but I never connected with it (not that we're supposed to) and some of it was annoying. I wish I could lay all that annoyance at the heroine's feet and be done with it but, while she was the worst of the two, I definitely felt irritated by both leads. And the supporting cast. And.. yeah, all the characters. Except the dog.
That being said, Weatherspoon sets up this story in a really interesting way; something traumatic happens to the heroine right as the book opens and she ends up crashing into the hero's life, literally, and he is then forced into doing something horrible (but also reasonable, if that makes sense), too. Beyond that secondary element all the violence happens off page and I really liked and appreciated that we had the repercussions of the trauma without being forced through the nitty gritty.
However. I just.. I guess it's the author's writing, maybe? This was my first read by Weatherspoon and I'm definitely not blown away. It was hard to get into, hard to stay focused on when I did find myself chewing through more than a few chapters at a time, and.. well, as shallow as it was, I did like the steamy moments. But it didn't balance out the rest. And that epilogue..? Honestly, I just don't really have words for what this made (didn't make) me feel. It wasn't terrible but I was also really happy to be done with it.
At this point I'm not sure if I would read on in the Beards & Bondage series or investigate the author's backlist and I unfortunately would not recommend this read.
** I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
April 11, 2017
Caveats: I’m not a reviewer. I don’t just know the author, I adore her so my love of this book is extremely biased. I was given an ARC and still I can’t wait to get my preorder so I can read all the dirty parts again.
All right to understand why I love this book we have to talk about the author’s previous series—the Sugar Baby trilogy. (I think that’s the name of the series. I should check, but I’m not a reviewer and I refuse to be arsed with the details.) This series was light and heartwarming and fun and dirty. It was also fucking hilarious, which is so my weakness.
HAVEN was not light and fun. The book opens with the heroine literally running for her life. She’s being hunted by a serial killer who thinks hunting humans is the best game. This is told from the hero’s POV and we only know what he does. A woman is pleading for her life and the man chasing her is armed. But this is the mountains, so is the hero. In a split second he has to decide to take a man’s life.
This is so not the norm meet cute. It’s so not the foundation one would expect a romance to bloom. It begs the question: If not for this traumatizing event would the hero and heroine have such a deep connection?
And that folks is the story in a nutshell. This is why I was taken by surprise by HAVEN. This is why I loved it. Even though there are plenty parts of the story that are familiar to this longtime romance reader (a cast of thousands, a man with a dark past, a grumpy hero, a tortured heroine, a forbidden romance), it’s a fresh take I haven’t seen.
Now if you loved the humor of the author’s previous novels, don’t be scared off. This book still has that signature wit.
“Not a complete mountain man, are you? I thought you were gonna teach me how to whittle wood into the shape of a deer while we stared at the fire and you told me about the old days before indoor plumbing.”
“What in the sweet nature man hell?”
“...We’re not using all this tonight are we?”
“Yes. All of it. It’s all going into various orifices. Even the box.”
These are just a few examples that made me cackle.
So...let’s talk about the filth for a second. This book earned it’s right to say it’s BDSM. Shep is a Dom. Claudia is a somewhat first time submissive. When things get cooking he most definitely exerts his dominance. There are a lot of frank discussions of what he needs and what she needs, and it happens often, especially given the fragility of the heroine. Yet, not once, did I ever feel like he didn’t have her full consent. There was never a scene where I was left uncomfortable because as a Dom, he just knew what she needed and gave it to her thus leaving her raw and vulnerable. And me thinking “girl, you should have used your safeword. Twice.”
And that’s why I needed to clutch pearls so often while I read.
“See, barely touched you, barely said a word and you’re already asking. Begging isn’t far away.”
This book totally fulfills any lumberjack fantasy you might have had. Yes, that beard is used. And abused in the best way. The sex is frequent and frank and oh so good.
Buy this book for the filth. Stay for the emotional pay off. Yes, ma’am.
Overall, this is a fantastic start to a new series. It sets itself apart not just from her previous light series, but from other romances on the market. This book made my heart ache, made me laugh and made me feel like I needed a cigarette or two.
Don’t walk, run to pick up HAVEN.
All right to understand why I love this book we have to talk about the author’s previous series—the Sugar Baby trilogy. (I think that’s the name of the series. I should check, but I’m not a reviewer and I refuse to be arsed with the details.) This series was light and heartwarming and fun and dirty. It was also fucking hilarious, which is so my weakness.
HAVEN was not light and fun. The book opens with the heroine literally running for her life. She’s being hunted by a serial killer who thinks hunting humans is the best game. This is told from the hero’s POV and we only know what he does. A woman is pleading for her life and the man chasing her is armed. But this is the mountains, so is the hero. In a split second he has to decide to take a man’s life.
This is so not the norm meet cute. It’s so not the foundation one would expect a romance to bloom. It begs the question: If not for this traumatizing event would the hero and heroine have such a deep connection?
And that folks is the story in a nutshell. This is why I was taken by surprise by HAVEN. This is why I loved it. Even though there are plenty parts of the story that are familiar to this longtime romance reader (a cast of thousands, a man with a dark past, a grumpy hero, a tortured heroine, a forbidden romance), it’s a fresh take I haven’t seen.
Now if you loved the humor of the author’s previous novels, don’t be scared off. This book still has that signature wit.
“Not a complete mountain man, are you? I thought you were gonna teach me how to whittle wood into the shape of a deer while we stared at the fire and you told me about the old days before indoor plumbing.”
“What in the sweet nature man hell?”
“...We’re not using all this tonight are we?”
“Yes. All of it. It’s all going into various orifices. Even the box.”
These are just a few examples that made me cackle.
So...let’s talk about the filth for a second. This book earned it’s right to say it’s BDSM. Shep is a Dom. Claudia is a somewhat first time submissive. When things get cooking he most definitely exerts his dominance. There are a lot of frank discussions of what he needs and what she needs, and it happens often, especially given the fragility of the heroine. Yet, not once, did I ever feel like he didn’t have her full consent. There was never a scene where I was left uncomfortable because as a Dom, he just knew what she needed and gave it to her thus leaving her raw and vulnerable. And me thinking “girl, you should have used your safeword. Twice.”
And that’s why I needed to clutch pearls so often while I read.
“See, barely touched you, barely said a word and you’re already asking. Begging isn’t far away.”
This book totally fulfills any lumberjack fantasy you might have had. Yes, that beard is used. And abused in the best way. The sex is frequent and frank and oh so good.
Buy this book for the filth. Stay for the emotional pay off. Yes, ma’am.
Overall, this is a fantastic start to a new series. It sets itself apart not just from her previous light series, but from other romances on the market. This book made my heart ache, made me laugh and made me feel like I needed a cigarette or two.
Don’t walk, run to pick up HAVEN.
April 26, 2017
I liked this book until the end and would have given it 5 stars if it wasn't for the ending.
It went at a great pace that was realistic and not insta-love. Then I hit about 87% and everything happened at once and it just jumped time with no real explanation. I liked Shep and I felt sorry for him that he had to deal with the small minded people that lived in his town. He was done so wrong and he was sweet. Sexy too, a tad too much kink for me, but fit him. I like Claudia at first then she pissed me off. Shep was trying to help and she just did him wrong just like the other women in his life. I can't say much because it will give it away.... but I didn't like what she did and it ruined the story to the point where I didn't like her anymore.
Maybe I am just picky, but it was soooo good then yuk 😔
Received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley.
It went at a great pace that was realistic and not insta-love. Then I hit about 87% and everything happened at once and it just jumped time with no real explanation. I liked Shep and I felt sorry for him that he had to deal with the small minded people that lived in his town. He was done so wrong and he was sweet. Sexy too, a tad too much kink for me, but fit him. I like Claudia at first then she pissed me off. Shep was trying to help and she just did him wrong just like the other women in his life. I can't say much because it will give it away.... but I didn't like what she did and it ruined the story to the point where I didn't like her anymore.
Maybe I am just picky, but it was soooo good then yuk 😔
Received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley.
April 28, 2017
It has been a while since I have been completely obsessed over a novel. But Haven is the perfect New Adult novel that I cannot recommend enough to romance readers. This is the perfect story that one can read in a weekend because it starts right off with action and makes you invested in the characters within the first chapter of the book. From the moment Shep saved Claudia from a terrible situation in the woods, I knew this story was going to be a 5/5 star story for me. It had everything I ever wanted: a soft yet dominant male lead, a quirky female protagonist, an adorable dog, steamy romance scenes, and a well represented interracial couple. Haven is just one of those books that you connect to and never want to stop reading.
I love a good fast paced romance novel, and Haven delivered that so well. Right off the bat we were thrust into the story and introduced to the two main characters who both were so incredibly genuine and relatable. I loved their personalities and dialogue as I saw their relationship develop in a well paced way. They both were so interesting and their dynamic was so unique, especially when Shep was explaining the relationship between a Dom/sub to Claudia in an open and honest way. Their relationship was so pure, and it will forever be one of my favorite relationships that I have ever read in a romance novel because their chemistry was off the charts.
Not only were the main characters well written, but the plot was as well. There were always new problems introduced into the story along with great character development. I enjoyed every moment of this story and wished that it didn’t end as soon as it did. I was completely engaged in the lives of Shep and Claudia and their connection to the nature around them that brought them together and only wished that we got a longer glimpse into their lives. This was the type of novel that left you with open ended questions and made you want more, and I adored every second of it. This was such a well written diverse romance that I believe any person would fall in love with. It was just what I needed to remind me why I love reading so much. This book is one that knocks it out of the park and that you need to read in order to understand the hype surrounding it.
I love a good fast paced romance novel, and Haven delivered that so well. Right off the bat we were thrust into the story and introduced to the two main characters who both were so incredibly genuine and relatable. I loved their personalities and dialogue as I saw their relationship develop in a well paced way. They both were so interesting and their dynamic was so unique, especially when Shep was explaining the relationship between a Dom/sub to Claudia in an open and honest way. Their relationship was so pure, and it will forever be one of my favorite relationships that I have ever read in a romance novel because their chemistry was off the charts.
Not only were the main characters well written, but the plot was as well. There were always new problems introduced into the story along with great character development. I enjoyed every moment of this story and wished that it didn’t end as soon as it did. I was completely engaged in the lives of Shep and Claudia and their connection to the nature around them that brought them together and only wished that we got a longer glimpse into their lives. This was the type of novel that left you with open ended questions and made you want more, and I adored every second of it. This was such a well written diverse romance that I believe any person would fall in love with. It was just what I needed to remind me why I love reading so much. This book is one that knocks it out of the park and that you need to read in order to understand the hype surrounding it.
January 9, 2020
Not going to lie, I did get teased a bit by my colleagues at the library when Haven arrived on the holdshelf for me. But, haters gonna hate, and I'm a firm believer in #noshame #nosuchthingasaguiltypleasureread. Also, ever since Cap sported a beard in 2018's Avengers: Infinity War I've had feelings.
Okay, that said, this was very sexy book that I wish had just a bit more character development in the later pages. Basically, mountain recluse and nature photographer Shepard Olsen rescues city-girl Claudia Cade from murders when she stumbles upon his porch covered in blood and beat to hell one night. The murderers succeeded in killing Claudia's one and only family member, her brother, while they were out camping, and Shep and his shotgun are the only thing that save her from the same fate.
Claudia spends a few nights recovering from her physical wounds in the local hospital and forms an instant PTSD-drive connection with Shep, who also will continue to have his own struggles since he shot and killed one of Claudia's pursuers. They both try to return to their "normal lives" but are thrown back together when Claudia comes back to Shep's small town community to thank you, and tell him she thinks she needs to be with him to help process her trauma.
From there, they enter into a very consensual and very very hot BDSM relationship, which I was on board with. BUT, I just thought the ending came so very quickly. Of course they eventually realize sex won't heal all wounds, and Claudia leaves Shep behind, but then through the powers of therapy and time recovers enough to come back and they have their HEA.
I wanted a bit more of her journey on the page, but whatever. This was still pretty great and I'll definitely read more of this series.
Okay, that said, this was very sexy book that I wish had just a bit more character development in the later pages. Basically, mountain recluse and nature photographer Shepard Olsen rescues city-girl Claudia Cade from murders when she stumbles upon his porch covered in blood and beat to hell one night. The murderers succeeded in killing Claudia's one and only family member, her brother, while they were out camping, and Shep and his shotgun are the only thing that save her from the same fate.
Claudia spends a few nights recovering from her physical wounds in the local hospital and forms an instant PTSD-drive connection with Shep, who also will continue to have his own struggles since he shot and killed one of Claudia's pursuers. They both try to return to their "normal lives" but are thrown back together when Claudia comes back to Shep's small town community to thank you, and tell him she thinks she needs to be with him to help process her trauma.
From there, they enter into a very consensual and very very hot BDSM relationship, which I was on board with. BUT, I just thought the ending came so very quickly. Of course they eventually realize sex won't heal all wounds, and Claudia leaves Shep behind, but then through the powers of therapy and time recovers enough to come back and they have their HEA.
I wanted a bit more of her journey on the page, but whatever. This was still pretty great and I'll definitely read more of this series.
July 11, 2020
More like 3.75-ish but Yay for Healing
This book was about letting go of who a person was before a traumatic event and making peace with the new person. That involved really dealing with the catalyst of the change, the trauma.
I spent a lot of time trying to figure out Shep’s trauma since Claudia’s was explicitly detailed. I liked the writing style and I loved the characters communication with each other. Their chemistry was off the charts from the beginning to the end.
The sex was so sexy in on a explicit way as well as the subtleties. It’s the rubbing of the back as well as the pounding through the mattress. It all made for scorchingly hot novel that was really gave me the warm fuzzies in my belly.
I didn’t get a real sense of the before Shep or the before Claudia and it made it hard to fully appreciate who they are today but I think I do prefer the “After” personalities. I’m also curious why the author chose to make the healing independent from the justice available from the criminal justice system. There were a few comments about what was going to happen but the FBI dudes never appeared again and we didn’t hear much about the legal procedure.
I wonder if the author wrote an epilogue, like 2 years later in the lives of Shep and Claudia. That would be super cool to catch up with them and see if they really do have those kids and he stays home. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and can’t wait to try book 2.
This book was about letting go of who a person was before a traumatic event and making peace with the new person. That involved really dealing with the catalyst of the change, the trauma.
I spent a lot of time trying to figure out Shep’s trauma since Claudia’s was explicitly detailed. I liked the writing style and I loved the characters communication with each other. Their chemistry was off the charts from the beginning to the end.
The sex was so sexy in on a explicit way as well as the subtleties. It’s the rubbing of the back as well as the pounding through the mattress. It all made for scorchingly hot novel that was really gave me the warm fuzzies in my belly.
I didn’t get a real sense of the before Shep or the before Claudia and it made it hard to fully appreciate who they are today but I think I do prefer the “After” personalities. I’m also curious why the author chose to make the healing independent from the justice available from the criminal justice system. There were a few comments about what was going to happen but the FBI dudes never appeared again and we didn’t hear much about the legal procedure.
I wonder if the author wrote an epilogue, like 2 years later in the lives of Shep and Claudia. That would be super cool to catch up with them and see if they really do have those kids and he stays home. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and can’t wait to try book 2.
April 27, 2017
I've never read Weatherspoon... I'll be changing that in moments as I prepare to buy all the books because, whoa.
This was a freaking awesome book. I loved the prose, the honesty of the characters, the raw feelings that were so genuine, the hot af sex, and the quiet peace throughout. I loved the instant jump into the story, the way it moved with ease, and dug itself into me, not letting my mind go.
If I have anything to wish for it would be for the last chapters to not feel so rushed. I wanted more from the characters because in the end it all felt a little too neat and tidy. But perhaps that is where we'll pick up in the next book? This is listed as a #1, so I'm assuming there will be more... I just hope it's more with Claudia and Shep.
Recommended.
ARC received via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
This was a freaking awesome book. I loved the prose, the honesty of the characters, the raw feelings that were so genuine, the hot af sex, and the quiet peace throughout. I loved the instant jump into the story, the way it moved with ease, and dug itself into me, not letting my mind go.
If I have anything to wish for it would be for the last chapters to not feel so rushed. I wanted more from the characters because in the end it all felt a little too neat and tidy. But perhaps that is where we'll pick up in the next book? This is listed as a #1, so I'm assuming there will be more... I just hope it's more with Claudia and Shep.
Recommended.
ARC received via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
February 10, 2023
This was a mixed bag for me.
First of all, loved both Claudia and Shep. The book starts off with a traumatic event and I appreciated seeing how they both began to heal individually and with each other. I especially love that this story was very clear about not having a “magic dick fixes trauma” storyline. Their D/s dynamic was..whew🥵 so good. Really liked the humor they had in some moments of dialogue as well. Shep’s dog was also super cute.
On the other hand, something about the actual writing wasn’t clicking with me. It seemed very..stilted? There wasn’t a great flow to it. Also this book was the epitome of telling and not showing. Lots of character and relationship development was just told to us, nothing to really show me how they progressed from strangers to sexual partners/friends to lovers. It just kinda happened? So while I appreciated it when we got there, I would’ve liked a better journey to that point.
I’m gonna keep reading more from Rebekah Weatherspoon just to see if anything tops Rafe and Xeni for me!
First of all, loved both Claudia and Shep. The book starts off with a traumatic event and I appreciated seeing how they both began to heal individually and with each other. I especially love that this story was very clear about not having a “magic dick fixes trauma” storyline. Their D/s dynamic was..whew🥵 so good. Really liked the humor they had in some moments of dialogue as well. Shep’s dog was also super cute.
On the other hand, something about the actual writing wasn’t clicking with me. It seemed very..stilted? There wasn’t a great flow to it. Also this book was the epitome of telling and not showing. Lots of character and relationship development was just told to us, nothing to really show me how they progressed from strangers to sexual partners/friends to lovers. It just kinda happened? So while I appreciated it when we got there, I would’ve liked a better journey to that point.
I’m gonna keep reading more from Rebekah Weatherspoon just to see if anything tops Rafe and Xeni for me!
February 24, 2021
Contemporary Romance/Erotica : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
CW: Physical and Emotional Trauma, Gun Violence, Panic Attacks/Disorder, BDSM
Beards & Bondage Series
#1 Haven : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
#2 Sanctuary :
#3 Harbor : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Gotta love Mrs Weatherspoon!
Showing healthy communication inside and out of the bedroom. The handling of trauma was top tier and realistic. The banter was fun. And obviously the the sex scenes were extra steamy...
#BLACKATHON2021
CW: Physical and Emotional Trauma, Gun Violence, Panic Attacks/Disorder, BDSM
Beards & Bondage Series
#1 Haven : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
#2 Sanctuary :
#3 Harbor : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Gotta love Mrs Weatherspoon!
Showing healthy communication inside and out of the bedroom. The handling of trauma was top tier and realistic. The banter was fun. And obviously the the sex scenes were extra steamy...
#BLACKATHON2021
Displaying 1 - 30 of 558 reviews