Reviewed by Elise Logan
Title: Pink Ribbon
Author: Jude Mason
Publisher: Venus Press
ISBN: 1-59836-361-1
Genre: BDSM erotic fiction
Publication Date: 2006
Rating: 4.5 of 5
In this short piece, Rick is a sub, and his wife, Cass, is his Domme. I have to say that it is a pleasure to read a well-done Domme piece, and this one fit the bill.
There is so much good about this piece that I hardly know where to begin. The story is written from Rick’s point of view, which is interesting. I wasn’t sure how well that would work for me, being mainly in the male character’s point of view, but it worked surprisingly well. The story begins with a little scene that sets the tone for the story, and there is a clear indication that there is a delineation between roles in the outside world and roles in the relationship. Rick is high-powered in his day-job, and has chosen, very explicitly chosen, to give all control to Cass in their relationship. Being in his point of view, you see the dichotomy of his day job versus his relationship, and it creates a nice dynamic for the story, as well as really investing the reader in the characters. Cass, as the Domme, is commanding and in charge, but still caring. Over the course of the story, it is clear that the communication between Cass and Rick is very good, and that Cass is clearly aware of Rick’s limits and respects them. She takes the dominant role in every sense in the relationship, including protecting him when he is in the submissive role. This is a nice departure from the stereotypical heartless Valkyrie who often appears in Domme stories.
Two main things about the story made it less than perfect for me. The first is the lack of background. I really would have liked to see more information on how Rick and Cass came to where they are in their relationship, which seems to be fairly new, at least in terms of Domme/sub. The second issue is confusion in the time line of the story. At the beginning of the story, Rick is caged and is recalling how he got there. The recall begins with him in the cage, and moves from there. However, Rick says that when he is sent to the cage at the end of the story that it is the first time in the cage. This inconsistency is extremely jarring, and is the main thing that keeps me from rating the story higher.
In short, I would say that this is one of the best Domme stories I have read in quite some time, and is well worth reading. If you are looking for a break from the stereotype, one with good characterization and excellent dynamics between the characters, this is definitely a story for you.