Team Liam

This review is going to be more of a rant about the characters, just forewarning you. I'm going to start by saying that I couldn't stop listening even though Hammer and Raine pissed me off to no end. This was a wonderfully written and narrated book. So let's pretend for a second that these are real people. Hammer is annoying and Raine is too. Hammer is such a crybaby. He's had SIX YEARS to claim her and has rebuffed her at every turn, even punishing her for trying to seduce him and then getting angry and violent when someone takes her from him and takes care of her in the aftermath. Then when he finally gives her everything she's ever wanted from him, he pushes her away and makes her cry. Then, he gets mad AGAIN that she's in the arms of another (better) man. No, buddy, you don't get to emotionally abuse a woman and then expect her to still be stuck up your ass. And Raine, for the love of God, you deserve so much better than a man who keeps you on a string and keeps you wanting just to turn you down at every point. UGH! I know they all end up together as a threesome at the end (obviously this isn't a spoiler since the Publisher's Summary of the remaining books tell it) but I wish she would just pick Liam and be done with Hammer.
Let's be real, I'm not going to act like I'm not going to finish the series, because I totally am. Just so I'm clear, I'd rather have a Dom like Liam instead of one like Hammer.

9 people found this helpful

she read my mind..

If you could sum up One Dom to Love in three words, what would they be?

in 3 words, I'd say "Oh yes, Sir!" Love this book, keeps you on your toes.. comparable to Anne Rice's Sleeping Beauty, only more modern.. this woman has talent with words and her mind is even better! ;) p.s. Both the men are equally appealing, only in different ways...

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

made me horny, I had awesome sex with my husband after listening to only a few chapters (and no, I'm not deprived of sex lol)

11 people found this helpful

first 1 start review NO MORE!!!

3 hours in and I was already so ready for the end of this story, then I find out it's a four part series and I would rather boil my eyeballs than listen to these horrible characters for 4 books!
first you have Hammer, who loves Raine but refuses to be with her, but he womt let anyone touch her except a sadistic prick and then he feels betrayed when Liam saves her?? I've read a lot of BDSM books and idk if there are new rules or something but the way he treats Raine is just awful, he forces her to take a beating from another guy even though he isnt her Dom, and doesnt even stop it, and he wont even let her be happy with someone else.
then you have raine, who claims to want to be submissive but fights everyone at every turn, thinks its showing how tough she is to take an nonconsensual beating from a prick, that doesnt do anything but get you bruised.
lastly you have Liam who does have good intentions but thinks hes saving raine by starting a relationship with her and breaking down her walls while lying to her about his intentions? how will that not hurt her?

NO NO NO NO NO MORE!!!!

4 people found this helpful

Okay...

Cliffhanger. Needs to be read in order. Book 1 of a series. Book 2 is "The Young and the Submissive."

Story takes place within a small group of acquaintances in a BDSM sex club.

On the positive side, the book is well-written. I am caught up in the character's stories and I want to know more. The passion between characters is palpable, and the pain they're feeling seems real.

On the other side, some aspects of this book were challenging. Two of the three male characters are truly awful people - they lack empathy, are self-centred to the point of being childish and mean, and are dismissive of the physical and emotional abuse they dish out. My skin crawled many times during this book when this horrible behaviour (that was not safe, sane or consensual) was downplayed with "red flag" real-life excuses similar to "I had my reasons." It was a concern that there was little or no consequences, and the actions were soon forgotten. So far, I am still engaged in the book because these characters aren't being rewarded (yet) for these behaviours. If readers have any triggers related to physical abuse, I'd suggest skipping this series.

The narration is good.

The consensual sexy times are hot, but there are also play scenes where the sexual enjoyment is not mutual.

4 people found this helpful

Nope

I know this is fiction and the author has the right to put their own twist on anything they choose which is fine. But the glaring inaccuracies in this book left me quite angry. Dom/Sub relationships do not work like this - none of it. Hammer (horrible name) is not a Dom. He's a jerk.
The basic premise was one that could work but at Chapter 8 I was revolted. Unacceptable behavior all around.
Do not waste a credit. There are SO MANY better books similar to this to spend your money on.
I did like Liam and the narrator did a good job with his accent but the actual words the author gave him to work with were all wrong.

2 people found this helpful

Weirdly bad

I'm surprised by how much I disliked this. I enjoy Ds stories, and there were some good sex scenes, but this felt off to me. I don't know if what bothered me about the book was either that the author isn't a very good writer or if maybe he's not as experienced with the lifestyle? I'm not sure.

Either way, what bothered me most was that the story just falls flat. I feel like there wasn't a lot of build up of dramatic (or for that matter sexual) tension that led to a climactic plot point. The story kept the same level of drama throughout, the characters weren't intriguing, and because of the lack of build up the sex scenes weren't as explosive as they could've been.

2 people found this helpful

She is quickly becoming one of my favorite artists

I love Shayla Black Books because she captures the true essence of the D/s experience. She does this without the disrespect of non consensual sex. I have become a true fan. and I never write book reviews!

2 people found this helpful

Not my favorite

I grabbed One Dom To Love by Shayla Black, Jenna Jacob & Isabella Pearl because the three authors would all be at a book signing I went to. I have read Shayla before, and I know she could write hot. Plus, I really like Christian Fox as a narrator, so I listened on the way up to the signing. It's been a while since I read a good BDSM book, so I was excited for this one. Unfortunately, I didn't love it the way I wanted to.

From the cover and blurb, I expected some hot menage scenes. There was none of that. It was a MAJOR love triangle. Raine has been in love with her boss, Macen Hammerman ('Hammer'), for years. He owns a BDSM club, and rescued Raine and took her in when she was 15. But she is all grown up now and wants to be seen as a woman. And she wants Macen. Macen is in love with her as well but refuses to act on it. He keeps all other men away from her, yet he won't be with her either

Macen's best friend and fellow Dom, Liam (with a sexy Irish accent) can see how much he loves her, and doesn't understand why he tortures himself and doesn't claim her, so he decides to push him into action and sets up a scene with Raine himself. What he didn't expect was to fall for her.

"You and I will spend some time together, just the two of us, until we share an understanding. Do you hear me, Raine? I was as clear as I could be yesterday when I told you that you were mine and I would not share you with another."

To me, Hammer was wimpy and I didn't see any Dom-like qualities. But Liam, he's a good Dom. The problem? Raine still loves Hammer, even though he plays this push/pull game with her. But boy, Liam can light a fire in her!

"Every kiss between them was fireworks and rocket launchers. God, he felt incredible. Hot, muscled, persuasive, determined. He kissed like a god. With one seductive whisper, he could distract her utterly. One touch, and she felt her defenses crumbling. But those lips could capture her soul. Yes, she loved Hammer, but…Liam set her on fire."

I can't quite put it into words, but this book didn't really make me fall in love with it. It felt a little traditional and old fashioned, kind of like one of those "bodice ripper" novels (they even used the word 'turgid' twice). After 4 hours of just not getting into it, I actually put it aside and listened to another book. I thought maybe I just wasn't in the mood, but the other book really captured me fast. Once I came back to this, I enjoyed the second half a bit more than the first, until it kind of had a cliffy end!
Likes:

•Very well written and you have no clue who wrote what.
•Great narration.
•Hot sex.
•I liked Liam and his Irish accent was to die for.

Dislikes:

•The writing seemed a bit old fashioned (TURGID???? Really?).
•Major love triangle and you don't know who to root for.
•Moved slow at the beginning but picked up at the end.
•Thought it was a menage and it isn't.
•The sex was pretty vanilla for a book that is billed as BDSM.

The Down & Dirty:
One Dom To Love has amazing ratings, but for me it was just OK. The beginning was slow, and the whole book felt a bit old fashioned. I didn't expect it to be a love triangle, but rather a menage. I also expected a bit more BDSM and there really wasn't much. It also didn't really end with this book, there is a mild cliffy. I rarely put aside a book but in this case I took a break and listened to another book and came back to it, which just shows you I wasn't totally hooked. Don't get me wrong, I liked it, but never fell near the 'love it' rating.

2 people found this helpful

I want slap this girl so bad

I love Liam I would die for a man to treat me like he does her and she can't stop with the ass hole Hammer grrrr I couldn't put the book down the sex between Liam and Rain had me holding my breath the way he talks to her while sex is panty melting

1 person found this helpful

OH WOW!!!! SO VERY HOT!!!! I'M HOOKED!!!!

I'm hooked! I'm hooked on this series, the writers and the narrator! This book was so deliciously hot and the story of being torn between two men has me riveted. I'm loving the different voices used by Christian For and of course the voice of Liam is amazing.

1 person found this helpful