I wasn't quite connecting with this one and I had to DNF with the possibility of picking up in the future. Thank you for the opportunity to read the book and I apologize for the inconvenience.

Anything that Kristen Ashley writes is on my auto-TBR List (and yes that is a thing!) and I always apply to review her titles, though this is the first time I have gotten approved and that had me MORE EXCITED than even GETTING MARRIED!

Now that I have gotten my fangirl-ing excitement out of the way (not really! BUT IT’S A KA BOOK, so the fangirl-ing would never be over!) I usually dig BDSM books, but I have only read Dominant Males-Submissive Females categories; but that could be because we don’t get a whole lot of books that is vice – versa! (Recommendations anyone?)

IF THIS IS YOUR FIRST KA BOOK – Do not read this review. GO INTO THIS BOOK BLIND.

IF YOU ARE A RETURNING KA FAN & ARE ON THE FENCE – Do not worry. Go ahead with the book. Trust me, she delivers.

Now on to the review:

But when I heard KA was writing a book about an Alpha-Sub Hero and a Dominatrix? I was not only intrigued but also a little apprehensive; but then it got through my mind that THIS IS KA BOOK and she definitely never disappoints!!

This is the start to a whole new series – Honey Series; and though this might be a bit of departure in terms of plot and content; old KA fans would find her signature blend of bluntness teamed with a whole lot of love and a brand-new set of characters to fall in love with!

Amelie was a Dominatrix; a good one and a well-known one in Bee’s Honey; a club that is as exclusive as is its clientele. But after seven years of playing, she is finally feeling unsatisfied, she wants something fulfilling, someone she can be herself with, in and out of the club; a man who gives in to her, but is also sure of himself without her!

Oliver aka Olly, is a KA Man and when I say a KA MAN, I mean all out confident, with a swagger and pretty much a Man’s Man – even looking at him through Amelie’s eyes, I had my doubts that this man could submit to a woman in the bedroom – and thus, my anxiety levels arose to pretty freaking much an all new height!

Their first interaction had me biting my nails in anticipation to how KA would handle her newest plot twist! But all my fears were in vain, not only were these two off the charts sizzling together, but they were also two wonderfully different yet relatable characters!

“Am I amusing you?” she whispered, the whisper holding a tremor that was not of fear but of anger. 

His face set hard and his two words were so firm, the boulders again came tumbling. “Absolutely not.” 

“Then can you explain your humor?” she asked. 

He shrugged. “Sure. You are un-fucking-believably beautiful. You’re also un-fucking-believably hot. But I wouldn’t guess with the acres that make all of you, every inch of it so damned sweet, you’re a walking wet dream, that when you get riled you’re also un-fuckingbelievably cute. And there is no way in fuck five minutes ago, you told me a gorgeous redhead was gonna lead me to a room and make me her pony, I would be cool with that. But standin’ here with you, I’m totally fuckin’ cool with that.”

While I would love to say that I went into this book open minded, I honestly did not – All I could keep thinking was how KA would write an Alpha-Sub? I love; basically adore Alpha Men, and this idea of an Alpha Sub made me anxious and almost nauseous.

But she did it – and it is her talent that made fall in love with this unconventional hero – he had the same arrogance and sassiness along with the unflinching loyalty that a KA hero is idolized for; but there was this beauty in his submission to a woman in the bedroom; and acceptance of that submission; that in the end it was who he was and I had no choice but to accept and love him the way he was!

“Marked you.” 

She drifted her hands down to his neck and stroked his jaw. “Yes, you did, Olivier.” “You wanted that.” It was not a question. It was a declaration. 

“Yes, Olly,” she whispered. His stare stayed locked on hers as he announced, “I’m yours, you can claim me, but get me now, Amélie, or we gotta have another conversation. You claim me, I claim you. I get my place. I get you make this decision. But I’m fuckin’ sayin’ it anyway. You’re mine.” 

She was his. 

No Domme allowed her sub to claim her. 

Not like that. 

But she already knew it. 

She actually knew it the first time she’d had him. 

He would be hers, and now he was. And she would be his."

There are a whole lot of sexy scenes as well (I don’t usually talk about the intimate scenes, but I am making an exception for it this time!)– they will push you to the edge of your comfort level, but they will also make you tingle for something beyond what’s normal – seriously, this is more erotically sensual than has been ever seen with any of the KA books before; but it is brilliantly done with the usual suave KA is so well known and loved for.

“You give me something, many somethings, many somethings that mean the world to me, and you do it constantly, Olly.” 

“You get me,” he said low and firm. 

“Ol—” 

Okay. Maybe she didn’t. “You know you give me more, Amélie. You know I’m only me with you.”

But beneath all the different tastes for intimacy that these characters may have; it is still easy to relate to them. Why? Because underneath it all, they are just two human beings who are trying to find their perfect fir in this imperfect world – and their tastes, though different, to ours, doesn’t make their journey to that HEA any less worthy!

THIS BOOK IS NOT FOR EVERYONE – I will be honest, at first even I didn’t believe that this book could be for me either; but take a plunge into this beautiful boundary defying romance from KA, that will have your erotic senses tingling, and not only will you fall in love with this new Alpha-Sub Hero, but you will highly anticipate the stories that you just know are coming!

That's the talent of this author; she takes a topic that tests your comfort level, yet ends up pitching it right out of the ball park! <3

Readers expecting the same Kristen Ashley found in the Rock Chick, Dream Man or Mountain series might be disappointed by The Deep End as this is a departure from her normal style. Readers really need to be fans of erotic romance to enjoy this book and this series. I enjoyed the book. It definitely had Kristen Ashley's "voice". I gave it only 4 stars because her heroes have become rather cut & paste / cookie cutter. Even so, it was still an engaging and enjoyable read.

*3.5 stars*

A different take on BDSM romance…

I’ve loved this author’s stories and pounced on this read with no hesitation. Was I surprised this was BDSM? Yes, but open to wherever she was going with it. And where it was going was a fast track to Passion Town…

Leigh and Oly met at club Honey Bee which was a melting pot for a diverse number of people and all the kink it could handle. I’m not sure if there is traditional BDSM, or maybe I just haven’t read a lot of this genre, but in this case they are a Domme and submissive – an alpha one at that. Role reversal (but maybe just in my mind) but a different take on a relationship with clear rules and boundaries. I really enjoyed Leigh who was strong with a velvet glove and a soft heart. Oly was definitely an alpha, open to exploring his needs in the playroom while never completely hiding his need to protect, especially her. Their path was full of surprises for them (and me) as they worked their way through obstacles in and out of the club…

I liked the story but trying to put my finger on why I didn’t enjoy this story more than I did is hard to do. The writing is good, the characters interesting and circumstances unusual enough to grab my attention in the first place. For me, it just didn’t come together in a way that struck an emotional chord, a must have when elevating a story from good to oh-my-gosh-can’t-put it down. The storyline and characters were strong enough though for me to look forward to more in this series.

This, unfortunately, was not a KA book that I was a fan of. And believe me when I say that it guts me to type that. Kristen Ashley is the QUEEN of romance in my eyes- always has been, always will be. But this one, I just could not get into it, at all.
A dominant submissive? No, just no. Not in any way, shape or form.
I just couldn't get on board with it at all.
Nothing about the story appealed to me, and I promise I read the entire thing trying in every way to give it a chance, but I just found nothing. Not even a spark.
I don't believe that I will be continuing with the series, because I don't think anything is going to change for me about this type of storyline, I just don't think it's for me.
I'm more into classic KA, and this for sure is not it.

Leave everything you know about Kristen Ashley books at the door. This is a new type of romance. It’s actually more erotica than the Unfinished Heroes series, but it definitely takes it’s queue from those alpha males and flips it on it’s head. Now the woman is the one calling the shots in the bedroom (or kitchen, stable, and BDSM club.) I liked all the characters, of course, but still felt there could have been more of Amelie and Olivier. The sex scenes are off the chart hot, but they tended to overshadow the character development. And we see a lot of side characters thrown in from both Amelie’s life and Olivier’s, but Kristen gives us hints for the next 2 (hopefully 3) couples. Don’t be afraid of an Alpha-sub. Even though Olivier may like to be told what to do in the bedroom, he is ALL normal Kristen Ashley Alpha male outside of that. Remember to respect all kink.

Did not finish the book as it was something that I didn't like. Writing overall was good though. If someone asked for a book like THE DEEP END, I would recommend it.

Okay, if you're a Kristen Ashley fan, you may or may not like her newest book/genre exploration. And that's okay! You are by no means required to like this new direction that she's taken. Don't worry, if that's the case, she's still writing her other books and series like normal too. There are plenty of words to go around.

If you ARE in the mood to try something new and on the kinkier side though, or this genre just appeals to you in general, I will say that this book surprised the heck out of me. I wasn't quite sure how this new direction was going to appeal to me, and it ended up being even kinkier than I thought it would too, but it was a gradual progression and I really enjoyed it by the end.

Let's start with the basic things you probably want to know, without giving any big spoilers. This book is a twist and about-face of the rich alpha male Dominant, because in this story it's the woman, Amelie, who carries the title, Domme, and who happens to be rolling in riches. And isn't that a nice change of pace? The Bee's Honey Club is a fancy and upscale establishment but that doesn't mean there aren't scholarships (sounds a little funny to say but this is contemporary romance book world and these things are what fun books are made of), enter the sub and hero of the story, Olivier. They meet, it's electric, it's complicated...it's entertaining.

The first chapter was a little slow, I won't lie. It was actually a lot of exposition about non-judgement and the to-each-their-own statements. It sort of felt like the author saying all the things she probably has always wanted to say or explain about her love of romance and reasons for joining the kinkier side of writing. After chapter 1 though, it quickly picked up and the story started really moving.

We also meet a lot of secondary characters and start to learn little important tid-bits about them that we hold on to for later books. As the first in a series, these are the characters that will eventually be taking center stage in later books. Sometimes it feels like this slows the main story down but those moments are very fleeting.

Most of the character growth that happens in this book is with Olivier. Once again, it's sort of nice to have the main female character being absolutely secure in who she is and what she wants. That doesn't mean that their aren't growing pains for them as a couple. It's an interesting relationship and dynamic that creates adversity for both Amelie and Olivier. And it creates a very engrossing love story for us, the reader.

And did I mention that it's kinky? It seems like such an inadequate and overused word here in my review, but it bears repeating and it's just so apt! I honestly did not see the direction that their sexual escapades were going in and I don't want to go slapping labels on things because that would give spoilers to those who don't want them and because all-in-all, as far as labels go, it's very mild (gosh I hope that makes sense). In true KA fashion though, the romance and romantic play was built gradually and giving top marks for entertainment.

I'm incredibly excited for the next book in the series. There are a number of different characters that have been set up to take the lead and I can't wait to see who's next.

WOW! This book totally exceeded my expectations. Holy Hotness wrapped in a bow. The Deep End delves into the world of BDSM, but with the twist that it is a Domme, Alpha/Sub character setting. This was my second book with this scenario and by far the best. I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about it, but was overwhelmed with my love of the story. I found myself enthralled in Amelie and Olivier’s tale. Kristen Ashley paints a very detailed world for her readers. It was like standing behind a two-way mirror watching this story unfold. I almost felt like a voyeur (very fitting for this book).

Olivier, oh how I wish that men like you existed. I loved this character so much. His personality, his demeanor. He is it for me. I’m head over heels for a fictional character and I don’t care who knows it.

The only thing I would have liked to see different is the way the males are written. Their speech was choppy, sort of caveman like. I found myself rereading sentences. It wasn’t enough to detour my love for Olivier, that’s for sure.

Ladies, you need to read The Deep End. I’m going to patiently wait for the next installment in this series. 4.5 STARS!

If there were two words that I thought didn’t go together they would be alpha and submissive. For some reason I could not wrap my mind around the idea of an alpha-sub. So when Kristen Ashley announced she was going to be writing a new series around them, I was a little skeptical. But I knew that if anyone could do it, it would be her. And I have to say, The Deep End was absolutely fantastic. I still got all the growly, possessiveness I love from a KA alpha male but I also got to see him submit in beautiful ways to his Mistress.

When we first met Amèlie, she’s discontent and restless in her life. She comes off as very standoffish. Not a typical heroine I’m used to from other KA works. She knows what she wants in life but has begun to give up on it. That’s when Oliver enters her life. Oliver is alpha, struggling with his desires and sexy as sin. From the beginning they have chemistry and a connection that is undeniable. And the scenes in this book are kinky, passionate and extremely sexy. If you are not into kink, then stay away from this one. KA pushes some boundaries that you do not see in her other books. The character development is decent, they aren’t as complex as I’ve seen her write but they aren’t one-dimensional either. They both have issues to work through and flaws that come out. She also introduces a great cast of secondary characters that I can’t wait to get to know more of.

This is only my second Domme book and overall, I think it was an enjoyable book. She made the alpha-sub thing work in a way that made it realistic to me. Is everything that happened my cup of tea? Nope but that didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the book. There was still the great alpha dialogue that always had me grinning and wishing I could bring a KA alpha to life for my own. I did struggle to like Amèlie, I prefer feisty and sassy heroines or shy ones that break out of their shell once in a while. I’m not sure how to handle one that’s really standoffish. Maybe if we got to see them interact more outside of the club and play, I’d have a better feel of who she is as a person. But I believe this is meant to be erotica and not contemporary romance so if that’s the case, then it makes sense that there’s more sex then dates.

My advice is, if you aren’t into kink stay away from this book. If you’re ok with it or if you’re a fan of KA and want to read it despite the kink, make sure you go into it with a wide open mind. This is not like her other books and it shouldn’t be. Kudos to her for stepping outside the box. I can’t see what else she has in store for us with this series.

The Deep End is the newest work from author Kristen Ashley and is a step outside of the norm for this author….but it’s a step I simply adored. This story is totally delectable!
The reasons I adore Ms. Ashley’s writing are many. She never leaves anything out. Whether it be a feeling, a description, a moment shared between characters, every word is written on purpose and leaves the reader wanting for nothing. Nothing is rushed or tossed aside. The Deep End is a shining example of that…especially in dealing with the dynamic between the two main characters.
Now, I will say, if you are not into BDSM stories, this is not a book for you. The relationship in this book between Amelie and Olivier is a complex, emotional, intense, and beautifully complicated one. It explores the true and deep connection between a Dom and a sub but in a most interesting and unmainstream way. Olivier is an Alpha sub…I’m sure you can imagine the dichotomy involved in what that means. I, personally, loved that aspect. It brings another side to the table beyond what we have been reading within the genre and it was a breath of fresh air.
Beyond the wide range of emotions and intense moments shared in this D/s relationship, I simply loved the way this book was written. The prose was beautiful. Amélie and Olivier are multifaceted characters with so much dimension to them and I have no doubt they will stay with me for some time. It’s all wrapped up into an amazing package. Few authors have the gift I feel Kristen Ashley has. She pulls out so many feelings from me when I read her books and it’s truly an experience.
Thank you, Ms. Ashley, for a wonderful story. I will be looking forward to more!

The Deep End: The Honey Series by Kristen Ashley

Erotic Romance. First standalone in a series that is related.

Throw your preconceived notions out the window. Your notions about female Dommes and male subs will be seriously challenged in The Deep End, a new erotic romance from Kristen Ashley featuring a very masculine, very alpha sub. Since Kristen Ashley is hands-down my favorite author, I knew she’d be able to pull that off somehow, and she did, spectacularly. There were other things about The Deep End that I wasn’t completely comfortable with, but the alpha sub aspect was never an issue.

WARNING: This is a long, but spoiler free review. If you like your reviews shorter, skip to the Likes & Dislikes and Down & Dirty at the bottom.

I highlighted about 80 quotes, so choosing the ones that illustrate my review and don’t give the story away is a challenge. There are so many fantastic KA quotes. And that’s the thing you need to remember. Kristen Ashley is a master story teller, and her amazing work is on display here, despite the fact that the story is very much a clear departure from what she has written in the past. I must say, I had a really hard time at the beginning. I even texted my friends saying “Oh no! This may be the first KA book I can’t get into!” But soon enough, I was into it and hooked.

Here was the main issue for me. The Deep End is third person. I am totally a first person girl, and the way KA usually does her first person is my absolute favorite. After just reading Sommersgate House, which was third person as well, I had the same exact disappointment, I just don’t connect as deeply in third person despite loving the story. Kristen Ashley isn’t new to third person, but to me, all her best books have the female voice in first person.

“You are un-fucking-believably beautiful. You’re also un-fucking-believably hot. But I wouldn’t guess with the acres that make all of you, every inch of it so damned sweet, you’re a walking wet dream, that when you get riled you’re also un-fucking-believably cute. And there is no way in fuck five minutes ago, you told me a gorgeous redhead was gonna lead me to a room and make me her pony, I would be cool with that. But standin’ here with you, I’m totally fuckin’ cool with that.”

As you can see from that quote, we have a Kristen Ashley alpha, and he is spectacular. He is a big, big man, a firefighter, and he is all man. But when it comes to bedroom games, he likes kink, and he likes to be dominated. But not once did he seem wimpy- submissive, just that he is holding back his alpha animal tendencies, and he is on the edge of losing it all the time. It’s delicious.

“Would you like to fuck my fist, Olivier?”
“Fuck yeah,” he replied immediately.
“Is that how you answer your Mistress?” she inquired.
“Fuck yeah, Mistress.”
She felt her lips quirk and pressed closer. His body stilled then continued quivering.
“Ask, Olivier, and ask nice. You want my answer to be yes,” she ordered.
The response came immediately.
“Please, Mistress Amélie, let me fuck your fist.”
She moved her hands from his balls, retraced her path along the crease of his thigh and smoothed it over his buttock, one thumb running along the side of the crevice in his ass.
His hips jerked again.
“Please, Amélie, I need to fuck your fuckin’ fist,” he gritted.
“Then perform for me, my steed,” she allowed.

Amélie is the character I had a little trouble with. The thing I love most in a Kristen Ashley book is not the alpha men, it’s the cool as hell women that I totally want to hang with. And for me, loving the heroine is the key to loving the book. I didn’t dislike her, I just never felt like I got to know her. (Though I did almost a full re-read for this review, and liked her much more the second time around.) First of all, third person always makes it more difficult to get to know a character because we aren’t in their head. Second, she is a Domme, so she has to be in control and kind of formal at all times. Third, she is French originally and holds her self more formally and uses French words. Fourth, she was born into class and money. Fifth, she rarely even used contractions, she spoke stiff and formal. Together it all made her seem rather cold and stand-offish. The glimpses of the real Amélie came later in the book, but they had to replace the feelings I already had, so it was an uphill battle.

Amélie is top Domme in an exclusive Pheonix sex club, The Bee’s Honey. In 7 years, she has never found a relationship that worked but she enjoyed her “toys” (male subs). The club requires several letters of recommendation from previous partners and is very expensive, but they offer scholarships to applicants that may fill a need. Amélie sees her friends falling for their toys, and she is ready for more than just play. She would love someone to spend her life with, but she likes a manly alpha that she can dominate in bed, a rarity she doesn’t think she will ever find.

“Through this, she knew all along she held that delicate, pulsating hope many women nurtured that there was someone out there. Someone you’d know you wanted to go to sleep next to every night. Argue with about whiskers in the sink. Plan vacations with. Have everything feel better when something terrible happened and his arms closed around you. Watch his features soften with delight when you told him you were carrying his child. Someone you could tie to a bed and make perform for you, forcing mind-scrambling orgasm after orgasm, him needing that in all the forms you could imagine, unashamedly gifting you with the trust you’d give them to him. And then the memory of each and every single one of those precious moments when time wore on and age made this no longer something you both could share. Until you both quit breathing.”

Olivier has had strange urges since he was a kid. He confided in a friend who set him straight then got him into the Honey where he heard about Amélie and he waited for her. Oliver was so fascinating. He was an alpha male in every sense of the word, so he was having quite a battle with himself and his sexual urges to be submissive. As soon as Amélie saw him, she knew he was what she had been looking for.

“He was colossal.
A mighty beast.
A magnificent beast.
Exquisite.”

She was looking for a wild, protective alpha who would heel in the bedroom.

“He was a brute, an incomparable steed.”

She took him into her special room at the club immediately. And holy hell, despite the fact that I had some difficulty picturing the positions and hooks in the floor that he was tied to, the scenes in the club, with people watching were totally hot, yet very intimate, because the amount of trust Olivier places in Amélie is so intimate. More than the first half of the book takes place at the club. They have sex immediately, and watching the trust build between them was mesmerizing. But despite them both wanting more, they don’t know how to make that happen. I loved that they were different in a scene and out. They were Olivier and Amélie in a scene, but I truly loved when they were just Olly & Leigh.

Before she could even make eye contact, he kissed her… She melted into him and gave him his kiss, giving herself something even better. Getting that kiss. When he lifted his head, his eyes flashed and his lips tipped up in a grin.
“Now you can bring on the Mistress if you want, gorgeous.”
She felt her own lips tip up. “You’re incorrigible.”
“And you fuckin’ love it.”

The sex scenes were very detailed and very graphic. And they were H-O-T!

“Fuck me, baby. Take my ass. Jack my junk and goddamned fuck me.” Before she could demand it, her training kicked in, and he finished in a way that was so . . . deliciously . . . Olivier, “Motherfucking please.”

While I was never really uncomfortable with the sex, there was one aspect of their play that I felt like it should make me uncomfortable, though when it comes to kink I try to be nonjudgmental. It’s just that he was her “steed”. Her room had a specially built stall and she had certain toys that made their play more into horse-play. I kind of felt like this was a little too much of a line for me personally, like “daddy” was in Knight. But I can get past stuff like that, especially because their romance started to take precedence over the sex.

My favorite parts were the light parts between the two of them. When he was being all alpha, then gives her permission to get all Dommy.

“You’re being very bossy, Olivier.”
“Good, that means you might paddle my balls later. Now, get your ass over here so I can kiss you and finish eating.”

Interestingly, I spoke with another blogger and one of my favorite things was one of her least favorite. I loved that there was a bit of an exciting side story and mystery. To me that was classic KA and it really held my interest. She wanted more about the center couple and found it distracting.

I think there will be lots of varying opinions on The Deep End. The central love story, and the struggles a female dominant and an alpha male submissive have to go through in life I’m sure are very real, and in this case they are exacerbated by the fact that she is wealthy and he isn’t. (Speaking of which, I loved his dad, and I wish we saw more of him and other secondary characters.) But I honestly had no major problems with the story. I just never fully warmed up to Amélie, because her warmth very rarely came out.

“You’ve got an explosive temper and—”
His head shot up. “And yours?” He gave a fake shudder that was actually quite impressive. “Ice-cold.”

My favorite part? Despite his bedroom proclivities, Olly is all protective, possessive alpha.



Likes:

I absolutely LOVED Olivier. He was totally alpha besides liking sub play in bed.
The vanilla scenes where he just takes her were my favorite, even though I like the kink too.
I totally get the alpha sub thing and had no problem with that aspect.
I loved the actual love story.
I really enjoyed seeing Olly get more comfortable with who he is.
It was SO hot!
So erotic and passionate.
So many amazing Kristen Ashley quotes.
Olly’s dad. I wish there were more of him (and other side characters).
The side mystery.
The epilogue.
Dislikes:

3rd person.
No matter how hard I tried, some positions he was strapped in just didn’t make sense in my mind.
I’m not a big fan of the animal thing…I can’t help but wonder if she fantasizes about horses?
It took a long time to warm up to Amelie. Her formal and standoffish ways never 100% warmed up for me (though re-reading helped a lot).
The first few chapters of world building were rough, and I was worried I wouldn’t like it.
I wish there was more of the couple out together, in the real world, interacting with others.
The Down and Dirty:

I’m kind of all over the place with this review, because there was so much I loved, but there were a few things that were hard to get past. And they weren’t the things I expected at all! I think the thing that really hurt the story for me was third person. I never fully immersed into the story and never fully warmed up to the kind of snooty and formal Amélie until I did a quick reread for this review. The beginning was slow building and it took a while to get in the groove of the third person, but once I did, I really fell in love, so give it a little time to warm up. This is erotic romance folks, erotic being the operative word. The sex comes first and foremost, and it’s a very different kind of kink than I have read about before. You know how some Doms like to treat their subs like pets? Well, same here, but he’s her noble steed. Though the male sub part didn’t really bother me (it was actually a lot hotter than I expected) I didn’t love the horse references, but I felt like I shouldn’t like it more than anything.

I completely LOVED Olly and I loved the idea of a big alpha sub. He has all the possessive, protective, grunty alpha tendencies of all of Kristen Ashley’s heroes, and there was even something alpha about him when he was strapped down and harnessed, like you were harnessing a beast that will lose control as soon as he is released. So hot. I loved watching this big manly man struggle with his nature and put such a deep trust in his woman.

I never doubted Kristen Ashley could pull off an alpha sub, and she did it beautifully. If you read The Will, I find that Amélie reminds me a bit of Josephine with her formal standoffish ways, but due to the 3rd person narration I never fully warmed up to Amélie the way I did Josephine. I still loved the story, and can’t wait for the Farthest Edge in June. I think I will listen to this one before the next comes out because I think this is one story that will get better with each read as you notice more and feel like you know Amélie better. The Deep End is at heart a beautiful love story with a lesson to be true to yourself, and I love that Kristen Ashley was true to herself and took a chance with something different.

Rating: 4-4.25 Stars, 5+ heat

I had to personally step away from this book, which is not my favorite thing to do. I found that this book wasn't to my liking. I do enjoy a BDSM themed book here and there, but the repetitive nature in this book turned me off very quickly. The use of a thesaurus was clearly over-utilized while writing this book, and that became old very quickly. The actual synopsis for the story really intrigued me because I had never read a submissive alpha before, so I was hoping this would be a very interesting book for me. It just didn't happen to work for me.

I have enjoyed a few books by this author in the past, but like I said, this one did not sit well with me writing-style wise. I enjoy this author's writing in general. I will be going back to her other books/series that I have previously enjoyed. Thank you for the opportunity to review this one. I didn't post my review online because, while I know I enjoy this author, I felt my personal thoughts on this book were not constructive and didn't have a place on any sites.

I love Kristen Ashley. Not in an “I want to collect your errant hair and skin cells” kind of creepy way, but in an “I’ve read every book you’ve ever written – most more than once” kind of way. And I know a lot of people have reported feeling nervous about her foray into a new genre. Well, I’m here to reassure you fellow Rock Chicks that concerns you have are completely unfounded, because this book is pure KA and has everything you love about her writing in it, just in a slightly different way.

This book revolves around Amelie, a Domme at a club called Honey. She’s feeling a bit dissatisfied with her life and is looking for the ever elusive more. She doesn’t want to just play anymore; she wants a life with someone outside the club. Enter Olivier – a sub that she hones in on and begins to play with. They soon discover that they could definitely have more, and try to work that out. The real issue is they both have insecurities they need to overcome in order to understand one another. Can they do that?

This book is different from KA’s other books because it has a woman in the central Alpha role – a role usually reserved for KA’s heroes. Here’s the thing – it’s not really all that different, and I think you’ll understand why when you read this book. Go there – you won’t regret it.

I realized when reading this book that what really attracts me to KA’s stories are the relationships between the H/h, not the tiny details like who ties who up or who ends up getting spanked. The relationship between the central characters in this book is the same its core as every other book I’ve come to love, and the emotions between the characters are just as mesmerizing.

So, what I’m saying here is that if you’re hesitant about this book, you really don’t need to be. It’s different to be sure, but not in a way that will be a turn off for a lot of the readers. I personally think it’s kind of badass to have such a strong female character that still manages to be vulnerable and relatable. 5 stars!

WOW, just WOW.
This book has left me speechless, in a very positive way. If I could, I would give it more than 5 stars.

Since I've read my first KA book I've been obsessed with her series, and I can assure you that I'm now addicted also to the Honey series!

I started this book with high expectation because, you know, Kristen Ashley.... But also conscious that lately I couldn't seem to appreciate BDSM books.
Well, I shouldn't have worried.
Kristen Ashley's unique style, her amazing way with words, and also her way to capture all the nuances of the BDSM world sucked me in and didn't let me go until the end of this book!

I loved The Deep End so so much!
The detailed scenes at the Honey club, with so much raw passion that I felt like I could combust. The sexual tension between Amélie and Olivier was outstanding, I read every sex scene avidly, as if I was there, a spectator to their encounters. Kristen Ashley did an amazing job describing the relationship between Amélie and Olivier, the balance between them as Amélie The Minstress/Olivier the Alpha-Sub and as Leigh/Olly.
I fell in love with both Amélie and Olivier, and I felt like I really got to know them by the end of the book. I felt for Olivier when he struggled against some internal doubts about his relationship with Amélie, I cried with Amélie when she had to face some difficulties, and not only because of Olivier.

And I can't forget that, as always, there were amazing side characters that made this book even better, if possible. I want to do a special shout out to Aryas, who reminded me of another special KA man from a previous series (Smith 💙).

So, my only suggestion is: go grab this book, immediately, and fall in love with Amélie, Oliver and all the Honey world. You won't regret it.

K.Ashley is back with The Deep End. It is different than her other books but still... her writing is flawless and mesmerising. Olivier is THE alpha sub, once again K.Ashley has created a character that will make us crave for more. but that is also different from her past Alpha heroes.

Promising start of a new BDSM series..

Reviews shared on Amazon, B & N, Goodreads and V's Reads: https://vsreads.com/2017/03/20/getting-trapped-in-the-deep-end-a-review/

Amelie is a well-respected Domme searching for an alpha submissive to play with. She’s intrigued by the newest “toy” at the Honey Club, a big, brooding man called Olivier. One look and she knows she must have him–at least for one night.

So she takes him, and gives him exactly what he’s been searching for: a worthy Mistress to submit to. This book is all about finding your way, even when it’s not what you expect. Olivier has long believed his desire to be a submissive renders him weak, and he’s struggled to build any lasting relationships as a result; he just can’t articulate his needs. He got some advice from a good friend who owns a kink club, and sought out Mistress Amelie, recognizing that her reputation was absolutely deserved. Still, Olivier cut corners in order to get his membership the the Honey, and that he has minimal experience in BDSM and kink put him at risk for abuse. Amelie isn’t that kind of Domme, but she does make assumptions that Olivier can’t quite handle.

These two get on like a house on fire, when they aren’t burning themselves to ashes. Amelie wants a partner, and Olivier wants a partner, but neither can see that they need to talk it out more, because their chemistry is so in sync. It took me a while to warm to Amelie, and it wasn’t because she’s hard. She’s just a super thinker. Like, she thinks and thinks and considers and mulls, and rambles. Being in her head didn’t connect for me, at first. Not until she started to think about other people besides her own self, her desires and her needs. She seemed one-dimensional, for about the first third of the book, but then she really put her focus on Olivier, and her friends, and I could see through her veneer and recognize she’s just a self-isolating character. That she’d been hurt badly, and struggled to open herself up to further vulnerability, until she began falling for Olivier.

Olivier is conflicted throughout most of the book. He thinks he needs to conform to a hetero-normative, masculine ideal. His emotional needs are also complicated by his fear of being “less than” due to having less money than his dear Amelie. I liked how his father really set him straight. I also liked how Olivier owned his mistakes, and his hot-temper, and made amends for how he goes off at times. Their language and thought patterns are so different, which made being in their headspaces very interesting.

As for sexytimes, whoa. There are lots and they are intense. Amelie is a creative Mistress, and she know how to ring Olivier’s bell. Over and over and over again. Olivier is a fun guy to observe, as he’s so open and in your face, and so absolutely grateful to Amelie for wringing him inside out and sideways. While I felt it started slow, I was turning the pages double-time by the end. There’s some background shenanigans that cause distress later–with a rogue Domme harming her “toys”. Because Amelie steps in she becomes a target. I liked how all this played out, and how it set up a few jumping off points for new books in this series. I expect new books will feature new couples, and I’d be eager to follow their stories, too. Amelie and Olivier cement a complete HEA, and their kinky ways are sure to please fans of erotic or BDSM romance.

4 Stars

The Queen of all Alphas finally entered the BDSM genre realm with her latest release, The Deep End. Welcome to the decadent world of the Bee's Honey Club and prepare yourself for Olivier and Amèlie’s wildly erotic ride.

I'm always excited when hearing there's a new series in the making and Kristen Ashley, my favorite author, now writing BDSM stories is like making all my literary dreams come true. Her romances are extremely steamy, I could only imagine what a full-blown D/s read would be like. Reading the synopsis piqued my curiosity and all these wicked thoughts flooded my mind…

A love story set in a sex club! Sign me up!

A hedonistic den where all dark desires are fulfilled;

Limits of sexual fantasies are boundless;

The promise of sizzling mouth-watering kinkery;

And gorgeous Alpha males submit to the salacious commands of their Mistresses...

Wait. What??

Okay, so the concept of an Alpha submitting to a Domme was nerve-wracking and screwed with my mind a little. It was inconceivable that KA, the author who spoiled me with so many beloved and incomparable heroes, would write about an Alpha-sub. (Not even sure what an “Alpha-sub” was for shit's sake – but I certainly do now). I LOVE the way her fictional men dominate both in and out of the bedroom. How can I possibly love a hero who sexually submits? It's their overly controlling nature that melts me into a big pile of goo and one of the countless reasons why I love getting lost within her stories.

Nervousness be damned, I trustingly laid my heart in KA's hands knowing full well that she would never - could never let me down. Delighted to say she hasn’t. Admittedly, the beginning of this read had a different feel than what I'm used to and it took some time for me to connect with Olivier and Amèlie. However, the vividly descriptive writing that I am familiar with surfaced as the story progressed. Once these characters revealed themselves, and their relationship evolved from sexual encounters and club scenes to feelings of love, I was all in. And note ~ it is a testament to Ashley's story-telling talents to pen an extremely different kind of tale, one that really tested my comfort level, while remaining true to her a style. That's why she's my queen of romance. Whether writing about badass bikers, anti-heroes, vampires & werewolves, ghosts that haunt the living, insanely hot PI's, brooding sexy cops or D/s erotica - I know down to my bones the very essence of a KA story that I relish will ultimately shine through. This time, she sprinkled a heavy dose of delicious kink into her goodness.

Olivier (Olly) is a KA hero through and through, who could be extremely dominant at times, despite his sexually submissive nature. He's all sorts of sexy, swoon-worthy manliness and I love him. A cocky and cheeky S.O.B who's insanely intense, temperamental, possessive, controlling and most importantly... ALL ALPHA-MALE. Amélie is undoubtedly his woman, and Olivier goes about claiming her in every way, in a very clear and dominant way, inside and out of the Honey Club.

Olivier is a mighty beast. Strong, passionate, devoted – he possesses some of the important qualities I look for in a storybook hero. But it was his internal conflict that fascinated me. He struggled with submitting, regardless of his deep-seated yearning to surrender control. I loved the way Amélie sensed his hesitations and as his Mistress, handled him with care by freely giving exactly what he desired during their scenes.

Amélie was both patient and forceful when opening up her world to Olly. She broke through the barriers while allowing him the time to find comfort with his sexual proclivities. Conversely, being a dominant herself, Amélie willingly accepted the man Olly needed to be when playtime was over. It was an essential part of their dynamic relationship that I needed to understand in order to connect with this couple.

Amélie's (Leigh-Leigh) character took me by surprise and not what I expected a Domme to be. Overly sophisticated, reserved and confident in her sexuality, she wielded her dominance and riding crop with finesse. However, she was burdened with insecurities. Tired of entertaining temporary "toys", Amélie wanted to share her life with a man who could own her heart and satisfy her desires. I adored the way Olivier recognized Amélie's vulnerabilities and affectionately tended to her needs as well. Together, this couple’s relationship grew sexually and emotionally, both giving and taking. They balanced each other beautifully. I savored every moment of their journey from building bonds of trust to discovering a shared deep-rooted connection from their play/love relationship.

Now with a new series, a new genre and taking a great departure from the norm, fans may be apprehensive fearing the unknown. After all, this is unchartered territory for Ms. Ashley. Having read The Deep End and expressing the same concerns, I would encourage both fans and those who enjoy BDSM reads to open their minds, take a faithful leap into this couple’s story, and judge it for themselves. I had my doubts, it was unfamiliar to me in the beginning, but happy to say I enjoyed it. I will warn that Olivier and Amèlie's sexual play was wildly kinky and outrageous at times. More than once I needed to take a step back, catch my breath and wrap my head around the scenes – they were extremely intense and scorching hot. A good start to what I believe will be a great series. I cannot wait to play with more sexy bees from the Honey.

I voluntarily reviewed an advance copy of this publication. Thank you NetGalley