Warning: there might be some mild spoilers. I’ll try to be as vague as possible though.I never quite know what to expect when I pick up one of Tiffany Reisz’s books but I can honestly say that she managed to capture BDSM in a nutshell with this series. She writes about the good and bad, the ugly, the painful and definitely the beauty of BDSM.
"Will these books be comedies or tragedies? – “Both. Just like life.” Her words often resonate in me in the strangest way and I’m at a loss for words to explain that exact feeling. My expectations are continuously exceeded and the stories stay with me for a very long time - I simply could start reading the series all over again even though I just finished with the Mistress.
"It's a tightrope walk, a balancing act."Every single character is completely fleshed out so that I have absolutely no troubles imagining them as real people. People whom I wish I could meet and hang out with. And there’s truly a magnificent amount of characters that you can love, hate or crush on. It’s a rare gift to read a book where so many characters work together in such a beautiful way and I think that’s what makes this series so special.
"- you are like a fabric all woven together. I want to pull one thread and see you all unravel."I have many favorite characters but Nora will probably always hold the top spot. I never read about a character like her, she is completely unique in my eyes and I absolutely adore her.
"You have nothing to apologize for. You’ve lived your life without fear and without regrets and without giving a damn what anyone thought of you."Her snarky humor is definitely one of her best qualities but so is her ability to love others so effortlessly and considering the men in her life, that’s definitely saying a lot about her. There’s simply no other way but to love her, honestly, not loving Nora is a concept my brain doesn’t understand.
"And she would be my heart. And she would be my penance.”Søren is a good man, I never doubted that but no matter how hard I try, I can’t overcome my issues with him. I can easily see why so many people love him, his portrayal in The Mistress made that abundantly clear. And while many of his choices speak about a strong, loyal character, I just can’t overlook that one little piece of information that will keep me from loving him like many others do.
" Søren isn’t nice. But he’s good.” […]”He’s the best man of earth.”Priesthood is an essential part of him, a part that makes Søren the person he is but he took his vows and broke them. People make mistakes and so does the church, I will probably never agree with the churches view but Søren knew all that beforehand and it didn’t stop him from becoming a Priest. I’m simply not able overlook that but fortunately, it doesn’t take away from the story at all. The opposite actually – it makes me pause and think and even consider other views.
"Jeg elsker deg, min lille en, he breathed into her skin. “Du tilhører mig.”"Kingsley is the hardest and at the same time easiest character for me to understand. I make no damn sense but I think that’s just what makes him Kingsley. There are so many contradictions about him and yet at the same time, it’s the simply things in life he wants – like spending time with his loved ones. When it comes to Nora though, his feelings are like a rollercoaster; sometimes understandably so. I was very happy to see the direction his story took.
"I would have done the same for you.”Wesley. Sigh. That boy definitely stole my heart. He cares so deeply and even if it’s not always for the right reasons, I can’t help but stand in his corner. He is definitely naïve at times, especially when it comes to Nora’s life but that’s just part of his charm. And just like with Kingsley – I’m glad how his story played out and that he found his queen.
"He had no idea that the suits and the ties and the beige pumps and navy slacks her people wore during the day were the real costumes that they shed when they came out after dark."And then there are Grace, Laila, Griffin, Michael and all the other minor characters. Grace was definitely the biggest surprise – I never would’ve guessed she’d play such a part in this story and yet I enjoyed every second of it. Laila’s purpose in this story was not quite as surprising but very welcome nonetheless. She definitely knew what she wanted and just like her Tante Elle, she went after it. I’m still amazed how even the smallest part of these characters can move me in such a way.
"But I promise you this...I will give you the last laugh."The end…what can I say? Despite what many people say, there was no cliffhanger for me. It was pretty clear what had happened and neatly tied up. I may have rooted for different men over the course of this series but there was never a doubt in my mind about how this would end – at least not about the most essential part of it. The ending felt absolutely right though and that’s why I love this series so much – no matter how conflicted I feel about this or that, Tiffany Reisz makes it right.
"Søren laughed." And so did I.
ARC provided by Harlequin via NetGalley.