BDSM Reviews

Thursday, May 24, 2007

The Master's Prize By: Maggie Nash


Title: The Master's Prize
Author: Maggie Nash
Publisher: Triskelion Publishing
ISBN: 1-60186-166-4

Score: 3.5

I enjoyed Maggie Nash's voice in The Master's Prize. Her descriptives were well written and her characters on a whole fascinated me. Her writing style is somewhere between conversational and dark erotica. I enjoyed that, it gave a mix up to the usual, either conversational/light or dark.

Mitchell and Elise first met at a Fetish Club one night. Elise showed up for a special training class for newbies as an observer. I liked the idea that Mitchell Collins had taken such an interest in Elise upon their first meeting that he even shows up at her radio studio to pay 5k to kiss her. It was a cute story line, despite the many overdone story lines out there. Elise of course is having none of that. This man has been stalking her for a month. Leaving messages at work, telling of his interest. To her he's hot and creepy. His explanation is, when he wants something he goes after it.

When he does kiss her on live radio sparks fly instantly. Now he wants to have dinner with her for another 10k. She's embarressed and hates her reaction to this man so she takes off out of the room. Mitchell isn't about to lose track of her again and races after her. After some heated word exchanges she agrees. No obligation, just dinner.

At the last minute, Mitchell changes his mind and has her brought to his place, where he's grilling dinner. They never actually eat dinner, she wants him and wants him now. That is after she learns that she didn't even have to be there. He donated the money anyway, making it a no obligation on her part. (Of which was news to her after she arrived at his place.)

Before they can begin any real sexual acts she has to past a test with him. She's not allowed to cum without permission and she can't make a single noise while he blind folds her, ties her down and tortures her with a dildo that has a remote to it. She passes the test. She's ready to explode by the time his friend gets there and they play with her a bit.

Mitchell can't believe he didn't knock his best friend's teeth out when he sucked on Elise's nipple. He leaves the room to go talk to his friend and give Elise some time to enjoy her restraints. He realizes that he really likes Elise and doesn't want to share her with anyone, no matter how many times he's shared her in the past.

The relationship goes on like this for a few chapters. He's traning her because that's what he does. Train submissives. She's a bit mouthy, but for the most part she enjoys their play. Elise is finally settled enough that she wants to start explorig other options. So she wants to play in public, under his watchful eye of course. Mitchell instantly disagrees and she instantly begins to argue with him. Finally, frustrated, he gives into her demands and lets a known sadist Domme have her way with Elise for as long as he can take it. He's not really into pain, mostly sensation play, so it doesn't last very long. After getting her down from the cross and dashing for the door with her, he asks her later why she didn't use her safeword. Her response? Because she wasn't going to let the other woman win.

Mitchel realizes he has a bratty bottom on his hands. He'll never fully break her and he really doesn't want to. I can't give away anything else of the book because I don't want to tell the entire story here. All in all, I really did enjoy the set up of this book. The characters, how they ended up together. The f/f scene in the book was hot and the sex between Mitchell and Elise is hot. Mitchell isn't afraid to get up and make her a sandwich or get her a beverage if she needs it. He'll even cook a meal. I liked the fact that he wasn't your typically written about Dominant that just sits around, gets fat and demands service. That was a plus.

There was however an incident in the book that really ended up leaving me frustrated. It's the idea of respect and where that line is drawn and for me a bratty bottom might be a little obnoxious at times but blatant disrespect is another thing all together.
Play parties are thrown not just for fun and games but a way to show off. The Doms get to parade their well behaved subs around and the subs get to show off how great their Doms are. She showed everyone where she thinks he stands by arguing with him in public. Others notice and make comments. That's how she ended up getting what she wanted. A chance to play with another Dominant in public. Granted it went horribly and she "learned her lesson", but, personally, if this had been my sub and all this time I'd tolerated her mouth and stubborn nature, I feel like would be owed a little respect while in public. And if I didn't get it, she sure as hell wouldn't be sticking around there. Stepping off my soap box now.

The prose itself was good. I liked the characters all in all. If I take this story on a purly fantasy scenario it's doable for me. The rest of the book before and after excited me. I liked these two. I think Ms. Nash's writing will grow as she writes, she shows exceptional skill for the first book I've read of hers. I do plan to buy more books written by her, I just hope she learns the different between cute bratty and blatant disrespect.

Posted by Miranda Heart :: 7:23 PM :: 4 Comments:

Post / Read Comments

-------------------------------------