BREAKING FREE - Cherise Sinclair
Masters of the Shadowlands, Book 3
Loose Id - www.loose-id.com
ISBN: 978-1-59632-965-2
June 2009
Erotic Contemporary

Tampa, Florida - Present Day

The stress-free evening at Club Shadowlands that Nolan King had anticipated takes a turn when Master Z asks his opinion on a scene playing out.  The scarred, redheaded sub is not enjoying the scene, and she apparently has a very long list of hard limits.  Nolan accepts Master Z’s challenge to work with the woman, and the first thing he does is toss out her list.

Beth Stanton needs the controlled and supervised atmosphere at Club Shadowlands in order to indulge her submissive side, but she no longer has the trust necessary to truly enjoy herself.  When Master Z gives her the choice between losing her membership or taking on Master Nolan as her Dom, she’s not sure which terrifies her more.  She’s learned the hard way to be wary of men, and Master Nolan is a large, scary looking man.  When he manages to arouse her, Beth is astonished, because this hasn’t happened in longer than she cares to remember.  At the same time though, she’s worried, because Master Nolan is a threat to the control that is barely holding her together.

BREAKING FREE is an erotic story with two very strong characters.  Beth suffered years of severe abuse and is still trying to deal with the emotional trauma.  She hadn’t realized the man she was with was more sadist than Dom, and now that she’s finally free of him, she’s having trouble trusting a Dom.  She’s not interested in a relationship, so Club Shadowlands is perfect for her needs, if only she could let herself trust a little bit.  Nolan is an intimidating man, but – much to Beth’s surprise – he’s also gentle and compassionate.  Without even talking to her, Nolan understands that she’s been abused: the scars that cover almost all of her body are proof of that.  His approach is different from the other Doms, and manages to get results.  Their encounters are intense, and push boundaries, but more on the emotional side of sex than the physical.

Interactions with Master Z and his sub, Jessica; the bartender Cullen; and another couple, Dan and Kari, help to bring the relationship outside of the Club.  Beth has been running for a year, and hadn’t developed any friendships until Jessica.  She’s slowly beginning to loosen up a bit, and with their help, and Nolan’s, Beth starts to build up her confidence again.  While BREAKING FREE is set in the BDSM world and this is a major part of the story, overall this is a character-driven tale.  It realistically addresses the issues of an abused woman trying to reclaim her former life, and matches her with a man patient and understanding enough to take her where she needs to go, without pushing her too far.  A riveting tale, BREAKING FREE is a book I highly recommend.

Jennifer Bishop