Stacey Kennedy. knows how to make her reader turn the pages!

An uninhibited politician’s daughter falls for her loyal bodyguard behind closed doors in this scandalous novel from the USA Today bestselling author of Bound Beneath His Pain and Tied to His Betrayal.

As the chief of security for a prominent senator, Ryder Blackwood is stunned when an anonymous source sends him a compromising photo of his boss’s twenty-five-year-old daughter getting down and dirty in an underground sex club. If it gets out, the media firestorm could ruin her father. More troubling for Ryder is how arousing he finds the whole situation. He’s known Hadley Winters since she was a kid. And now she’s the woman in all his most private fantasies.

Wild behavior helps Hadley get through those painful, lonely nights, but she’s been waiting a long time for a man like Ryder to protect her from herself. Ryder is raw. He’s real. And he makes her feel safe. Now that they’ve both become pawns in a blackmailer’s dangerous game, there’s more at stake than her father’s political career. As the intimate threats tear apart a tender new love, Hadley is forced to trust Ryder with her life—and her heart.



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RESTRAINED UNDER HIS DUTY is actually the third book in this series but you won't feel lost if you haven't had the chance to read the first two. Now if you have been following the series however you are in for a treat as you will get the opportunity to check in with the rest of the Dominant Council.


I very enjoyed reading this book as the plot flowed nicely and I have already really like Ryder. There are also some really hot sex scenes involving bondage. I didn't really care for Hadley though. I found that a lot of the issues could be laid directly in her lap for not thinking things through. Even so, this was a fun book to read.


I think that my readers that enjoy really steamy books with a good plot will enjoy this book. I do want to put out a gentle warning however that this book does have very explicit sex scenes.



*** I received this book at no charge from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions expressed within are my own.

Awesome read!!! I have a new favorite author. Restrained Under His Duty kept me reading way late into the night. I thought both Hadley & Ryder were well written characters & was intrigued with how their relationship started years before.

The book had great action, an interesting story line, & steamy sexy time.

I am going to read the other books in the Dirty Little Secrets series ASAP

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

Danger, Intrigue and Totally HOT
Restrained Under His Duty is the third book in Stacey Kennedy’s series entitled Dirty Little Secrets, and it takes us into the erotic BDSM world of the Dominants’ Council, four men who are not only friends but also own the four sole sex clubs in the city. Though this is the third title the first two titles Do NOT need read though I highly recommend it because the main story is slowly unfolding in each installment.

The chemistry between Ryder and Hadley is off the charts hot even if it is a little forbidden in Ryder’s eyes, he tries to live by the rule that you don’t mix business with pleasure but the heart wants what it wants, and Ryder’s heart wants his boss’s daughter. Everything about her is what he craves and wants and it becomes impossible to not cross those boundaries and break every rule he set for himself. This story is filled with mystery intrigue and a little danger just enough to keep you flipping those pages, but at its core it love that keeps us engaged as we watch two people fight against what they really really want and that is each other until it all becomes too much and those self-imposed boundaries are crossed and once crossed it can’t be undone.

I love this series. I was looking forward to this one (and dying for the next one)...and as a book, it did not disappoint, but as a part of the series, I wanted more. The buildup in each story answers just enough to satisfy but leaves us craving so much more. Come on Nov I need Gabe’s Story.

Ryder is Hadley's protection. He has been attracted to her for a while but has resisted her to the point that she has tried to move on. In the process, she gets herself in quite a bit of trouble. I have been following this series since its inception and was very interested in seeing where Ryder was headed with his charge.

Hadley, in my opinion, has some growing up to do. I get that in seemingly unrequited love, one might be inspired to move on but she goes into something she is woefully unprepared for. It feels more like an attempt at getting attention more so than exploring other possibilities. Ryder was ok but there wasn't anything that stood out to me. He didn't really feel like a strong character. However, the love scenes were hot.

The plot was alright. The writing and pacing was good. Don't get me wrong, I didn't hate the story or anything, it was just about middle ground for me.

Safety: No others after they get together. Poor sexual decisions by the heroine. PM me if you want details. Neither are virgins. No rape, though there is an attempt. Yes to violence.

ARC received in exchange for an honest review.

Oh, Stacey Kennedy! You really know how to write and you do it so well! The third book in the Dirty Little Secrets Series, Restrained Under His Duty is SO GOOD!! Hadley is a politician’s daughter and has to walk the straight line. But, when her life is threatened, Ryder has to protect the innocent and keep her safe.

WOW! What a great book! Ryder is sexy and protective. He is also a DOM and knows how to treat a lady and keep her happy. Hadley loves the way Ryder makes her feel and she has been wanting that in her life for a long, long, time. Ryder is raw and has been attracted to Hadley for a long time. His protective streak is part of the attraction and part of his internal DOM personality and makes for a hero I adored and wanted for myself! Hadley’s reluctance pushes his buttons and brings out the best in him. LOVE THAT!

The intensity, internal struggle, and connection between the characters makes this worthwhile to read. While I did not like Hadley at first, I grew to see the pull she had on Ryder and started rooting for them to find their happy. I always enjoy the appearance of previous characters from the other stories in the series and was not disappointed with that in this book.

I absolutely LOVED this book and, as always, can’t wait for more from this author!

“Restrained Under His Duty” is book #3 in author Stacey Kennedy’s Dirty Little Secrets series. While each book in this series can be read as a standalone, elements of this story have been introduced in the preceding books, so reading the entire series is recommended for greater insight and enjoyment.

Right from the very start, the story pulled me in, and it never let me go. The push and pull between Ryder and Hadley was addicting, and the sexual chemistry between the pair had me craving more. With twists and turns sprinkled throughout, the storyline was completely enthralling. A perfect blend of sex, romance, and suspense, “Restrained Under His Duty” is a great addition to this series.

This is my favorite of this series so far! Ryder has to protect the senator and his daughter but falling for his daughter wasn't part of the plan! I can't wait to read the next one.

This was a story of hot sizzling sex, accompanied by political corruption, what a combination .
Great characters, non stop action and a peaceful ending after the storms. What more could you ask for in a story?

When you want a very hot and sexy book that will keep you enthralled to the last page, you need to read author Stacey Kennedy. I have never been disappointed in any of her books.

In this Dirty Little Secrets book #3, Ryder Blackwood must keep Hadley Winters safe from blackmailers. So, begins the story of this beautiful women who needs her private fetishes to deal with life and a security officer who at all costs is trying to ignore her hotness.

That's the short and sweet of it but...... there is much more to this story than meets the eye. Ryder has known Hadley since she was young. He cares for and respects her father and won't cross any line to damage his strict professional and personal lines. Once the reader understands this part of him they then pray that he'll let loose and just once let go of his very firm emotional control and give in to Hadley's needs and desires.

The seesawing sexual tension between these two main characters is 5 star hot and it should not be read in public if you don't want to share it. For me the authors love scenes are superb, not only well written but executed as well.

The plot to this story is complex and takes readers into many different directions as there are two plots happening simultaneous. Her ability to keep the reader focused at all times, keeps this part of the book solid.

I give it 5 Stars for superb execution and being ultra-hot.

Swoonworthy book! Steamy and awesomely written. Loved. 10 stars!

The Good, The Bad, and Everything In Between
-This is the third book in the series
-Works as a standalone
-Took me awhile to get into the story. This is all me, but I just could not muster the enthusiasm to stick with this book at first. I struggled to connect with either of them. When I realized that the only person objecting to a relationship with Hadley was Ryder himself, it didn’t quite work for me. Hadley’s issues only revealed themselves the deeper you went into the tale, which is fine but it felt fabricated to an extent, sort of a way to make up for the fact that the obstacle of Ryder’s guilt wasn’t that strong to begin with.
-Overarching storyline has some movement but it’s minimal. The real teaser is at the end of the story and I think the next installment has the real potential to give me some satisfaction regarding the overarching storyline, which is what has kept my interest in this series.
-There’s some more BDSM than previous entries, though this series is all about them settling down and getting out of the life. If that is something that intrigues you

The Bottom Line
It was good enough read. I think the story really picked up in the second half and finished stronger than it started for me. I’m curious about the next installment, so I would continue with this series.

**ARC provided by publisher via netgalley for review**

Restrained Under His Duty is a good entry in this series about friends (Micah, Darius, Ryder and Gabe) who are all rich (multi millionaires at the very least) but like keeping their private lives very private. This particular story features Ryder Blackwood, who owns a successful security firm, Blackwood Security, and has been protecting a powerful senator for years. The senator's daughter, Hadley, has had a crush on Ryder since she was a little girl. Now that she's 25, her feelings are stronger than ever, but, Ryder's rejection of anything between them is also stronger than ever.

That rejection has always eaten at Hadley, and for years she did everything she could think of to get Ryder to act upon the attraction she knew they both felt. She finally decided to move on by going to a sex club (that Ryder and his friends own) and gets taped doing something really compromising. Compromising because now an unknown person is blackmailing Hadley into convincing her father (for whom she works) to retire, or else the video of her and two masked men will be released. This is where it helps knowing someone who runs a security firm, someone who will do anything for her father (and for her).

I knew Ryder would finally give into his feelings for Hadley, but to be honest, I never thought that he and Hadley were a good fit. She's too immature for him, and I couldn't quite see their connection as being that strong. Yes, there's loyalty all mixed up in there, but it's loyalty Ryder feels for her father, not necessarily for Hadley. And there's love, but once again, it's love between Ryder and her father. I never saw Ryder or Hadley loving each other. Yes, lusting after each other, but not loving each other.

I do have to say their sex scenes are pretty hot. They're vaguely BDSM-ish, but not too heavy on the BDSM. More like vanilla with a little chocolate mixed in. Ryder is really experienced (obviously, considering he owns sex clubs) and a dom, but he's not controlling or overly kinky. He's stern and sexy for sure, but not all over the top DOM. Hadley, on the other hand, is experienced, but only because she's used sex as a form of therapy, a form of not dealing with her emotions and feelings. She's damaged, but more than that, she's really immature, and bratty, to be frank. I can't say that I like her very much. I do like Ryder, though, he's a solid alpha male without all the over the top growly caveman tendencies that can take away from a character. I wish he had been paired with someone of more substance and maturity, who would fit into his life better.

I like Restrained Under His Duty more than I like the previous book in this series (Tied to His Betrayal), it's more fleshed out, and a little more exciting. The action is pretty decent, and the ongoing mystery of who is targeting Ryder and his friends keeps me interested in these 4 men. Can't wait for Cuffed by His Charm, Gabe's story.

Hotness. Really enjoyed this book and this authors books. Great story telling.

Ryder is hired to provide protection to the Senator, but he doesn't count on needing protection from falling in love with the Senator's daughter.

This was a great read. I loved the connection between the characters. I look forward to reading even more books by Stacey Kennedy.

Restrained Under His Duty is the third in Stacey Kennedy's Dirty Little Secrets series but can be read and enjoyed as a stand-alone. This story nicely combines erotic romance with a spot of intrigue.
Fast paced and with plenty of plot twists, the story kept me interested throughout. Both security expert and bodyguard Ryder and Hadley, daughter of the US senator he is protecting are well developed and believable characters and I enjoyed watching them fall in love.

Ryder has been on my periphery in each book. He is the tough one in the group and I have been waiting for his story for a while. His is a bad boy wanting forbidden fruit and if you have read the other books you know what kind of bad boy he is! The best kind! This book reveals all sorts of plots and twists. It is a very hot one to be sure but it also has a great plot.

This is book 3 in the Dirty Little Secrets series and a reader may be able to enjoy the book as a standalone but some parts of the book they would be lost on as it pertains to an ongoing plot from the previous 2 books. It would be in your best interest to read them in order, not only for the whole story but also you would not want to miss out on the deliciousness of the other two stories. Honestly. The vivid writing was fantastic. The sexy scenes were extremely hot and the characters were complex, especially Ryder whose character has been built over 3 books now. I would definitely recommend this book and highly recommend the entire series.

It was completely ridiculous that the men would be being spied on all because of the senator. It was nice that the hunt for that spy took a backseat to the blackmailer (who they thought was the same person). The best part was when Ryder rescued Hadley.

This story had so much potential. Unfortunately for me, the characters had no chemistry. The story at times was completely unbelievable and fell too neatly and too quickly into place.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Avid Reader – ☆☆☆☆
M/F Romance
Triggers: Click HERE to see Avid Reader’s review on Goodreads for trigger warnings.

I have not read previous stories in this series. While this story does hint at other people from previous book, I didn't feel that I was missing anything.

This is more of a story about protecting those you have come to care about.

Ryder is a bodyguard/security for a well-known senator. He has worked for him several years and would do anything for him. When the daughter of the senator, Hadley, is blackmailed into getting her father to retire, Ryder steps in to help solve the situation.

Not only is Ryder attracted to Hadley, but it goes both ways. Their mutual attraction simmers almost the entire book.

With people attacking the senator, Hadley, Ryder and his friends, Ryder definitely has his hands full.

It's almost a race against time and the book is fast-paced and well developed. I liked how despite their attraction, they also were independent, not co-dependent.

I really enjoyed this story.


Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
This is the third book in the series, and I would recommend that you read them in order – there is a thread which runs through them all, and we are getting closer to figuring it all out.

This is a wonderful suspenseful book – not just has Hadley been kept in suspense over her feelings for Ryder, but there is murder afoot and a rapidly unravelling situation for Ryder and his team. When things get complicated, they will both be tested on what is exactly the right thing to do next. They both want each other, but that isn't always possible in their world of politics and deception.

Hot, tense, and very readable, I can't wait to see what happens next!


Lee'Anne – ☆☆☆☆☆
This is a 5-star SUPER hot read! This is the first book in the series that I’ve read and it’s definitely able to be read as a standalone.

Ryder has been security for a senator for years while building up his own security company. When it comes to protecting this senator, he handles the work personally because of Hadley, the senator’s daughter he’s had feelings for forever. The attraction between Hadley and Ryder is mutual; however, Ryder will not let anything happen for fear of it coming between his protecting the family. That doesn’t stop Hadley from trying to get Ryder’s attention though and when someone comes after Hadley to get to the senator, Ryder steps in and will do whatever it takes to protect Hadley… even if that requires making her his!

The need to know what happens next kept me up far past my bedtime finishing this one, I just couldn’t put it down. I love the way that the storyline flows, it has humor, suspense, and a TON of steam. I enjoyed every page and can’t wait to see what Stacey Kennedy releases next!