SEDUCED BY PAIN
At night I’m June, dominating with the whip, even as I crave the hot, searing blow of the cane, myself. I loathe this side of who I am, but I can’t deny it or escape it. And as my clients cry out for me, begging for mercy, I can't help but want June dead.

By day, I’m Alex Ryan, the good, successful Southern woman everyone thinks I am. I’ve compartmentalized my life to make it bearable, and to get what I want most: revenge. I can have a future with June dead, as soon as I confront the man that terrorized my past.

SAVED BY SIN
Cade Brannon is the local gun for hire, part of the seedy underworld of Dallas, but he may also be my savior. I want his help and he wants me. But Cade refuses to play by my rules and is forcing his way into every one of those compartments that I want to lock away. Now the parts of my life I’ve fought so hard to keep separate are bleeding together and it’s tearing me apart.

I just want to go back to being Alex Ryan. But at what cost am I willing to kill June?



* * * * *



I very much enjoy reading dark fantasy but when I started this book, my first thought was that this book was way too dark for my tastes. But then I got to know Alex. I started to care for her and the different parts of her personality and I wanted to see her accepting all the aspects of herself.


And then there was Cade. He saw all of Alex and accepted her. He tried to put her back together. His line of work might be dark but at his core, Cade is a very good man.


I do recommend KILLING JUNE to my readers but be warned it is a very dark love story complete with BSDM, drugs and other violence. If that doesn't phase you than this is a very good book. A story of redemption that is well worth reading.


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

My review will be forthcoming and found over at Library Journal.

I really wanted to love this one, but it was just okay for me. The beginning was great; the ending was rushed, but still good. I really can't remember a lot of the details in between though. I felt as though things just dragged on in the middle of the book and it lost some steam after all the hype of the beginning. I'd give the sex 5 stars though - the chemistry between Cade & Alex was off the charts hot.

Although this is dark erotica, it's not nearly as bad as some dark erotic/romance books, but it still has some parts that may not be suitable for everyone. There is a lot of BDSM and the first scene will be the most intense of them all, so if you can get past that, things are a little tamer from there.

Alex lives two lives. By day, she's a corporate businesswoman who still attends the monthly church service and potluck with her parents. By night, she's June, a dominatrix who also gets off on pain. She's tangled up with Robert, the local drug king, who was once a boy she loved in high school, but has slowly turned into her pimp and the reason why she is still June by night.

Alex doesn't have a split personality though, she just uses June as a way to get over some bad things of her past. She was sexually abused as a teen and afterwards she learns through Robert, that pain/BDMS is something she enjoys and it helps her cope with what happened as a kid. But she's ready to let go of that part of her life since it's taking a lot out of her, she just first has to get back at the guy who abused her as a child and Robert is her key to that, or so she thinks.

June is finishing up a session with a client when Cade and his goons bust into her loft. There's a standoff and things get a bit weird. But then because Cade interrupted her getting off with her client, he takes over. Not exactly normal or what you'd think she'd let some random stranger do, but oh boy do things get pretty intense there. Cade is one smoking hot guy it seems.

I won't go into too much details about what happens after that scene, but there's a lot of back-and-forth drama with Alex/Cade/Robert. I felt as though Robert was made out to be this really bad guy, but he was tame in comparison to some villains. Cade was still a bit of a mystery to me. I really didn't connect with him at all and I think that may be why I couldn't rate this one higher. This was more of Alex's story and how she 'killed June' with some other characters thrown in there for color. The romance part was severely lacking.

I was left with too many questions at the end and really wanted to see how they were adapting to life together now, what Alex was doing now for a job, if they ever had dinner with her parents, what really happened to Robert/was what implied actual truth, etc. I don't know what the next books in the series will be about or who the characters will be, so maybe some of this will be shown in the next ones, even if they're not the primary characters.

This isn't a bad book and I probably will read the next books in the series. It just wasn't as dark as touted and lacked some character development that I had hoped for.

By day Alex Ryan is a successful women, but at night she is June, a women who lives by the whip and does so to men who pay her to be a dominate as she dishes out pain. This all changes one night when Cade Brennan a hired enforcer comes for one of her clients. Cade likes June and she likes Cade. This begins a time when she must go into hiding because her boss, the one that she works for at night does not like and does not want her to be around him. There is a lot going on in this story, form her past that she must deal with to the future and if she can even have one. She has to get through the present first and when her boss at both her day job and night make her feel trapped she must deal with her emotions and how she must deal with them and somehow overcome them. she decides to leave her jobs both, and to be honest with her parents to what happened to her when she was younger this was a start and it was the beginning of her healing and hopefully to healthy relationships in the future. This was a very powerful story and the characters were very good throughout this book. Some very hard scenes so this is definitely a book for mature audience. Overall a good book.

Alexandra (Alex) Ryan is a woman with many secrets. By day, Alex is a hard working Acquisitions Manager for a large corporation. At night though, Alex becomes Ms. June, a dominatrix whose clients pay her top dollar for her services. Services that she herself needs in order to push back the darkness that rages inside her.

Cade Brannon is a jack of all trades and whose services are very much in demand with the Dallas Underworld. When his business intersects with June’s, he is intrigued and wants to know everything about her. He soon bullies his way into her life and begins to tear down her barriers when he learns her demons are being exploited by her so called best friend who’s also the local drug czar.

Alex is drawn to Cade and the safety he represents. She is ready to lay June to rest but there are people out there who want June to stay in business and will do whatever it takes to keep her in line.

Killing June wasn’t at all like I expected though I’m not complaining. This author’s debut dark romance is far more nuanced and layered than I suspected; highlighted by a cast of intriguing and flawed characters who live in the gray area between right and wrong. More than just a BDSM themed erotic romance; it is a journey of one woman’s self-discovery as she learns about forgiveness, salvation, and redemption. Bridges does address some heavy and dark subject matter so some readers may want to proceed with caution.

Heavily character driven, the arc itself is interesting-one woman with two distinct and opposite lifestyles must find away out- but the characters are the stars in here, even when it doesn’t serve the storyline best. Bridges set the stage as we are immediately introduced to the main players and we get a hint at what’s to come. Intriguing narrative popped me easily right into the story as a strong forceful voice and smooth pacing kept me hooked. Even though Bridges switches between Alex and June regularity, the transference is very smooth and organic.

Alex/June isn’t the victim of a split personality but rather the shame of enjoying pain with sex. Having discovered this as a teenager, Alex and her best friend Robert explored various kink clubs in their search for gratification. A series of assaults in Alex’s past fractures Alex, blurring the lines between consent and force and forcing Alex, in her mind, to create June. Alex uses June as a tool to deliver and receive punishment. She also uses her as a bargaining chip. Robert helps Alex find clients and takes a cut in exchange for helping her locate someone from her past. As time passes, Alex struggles to keep herself and June separate. Especially when she has victimized again and learns that Robert hasn’t been honest with her.

Bridges does well in her development of Alex and June and highlighting their contrasts and similarities. The psychology behind it all is fascinating. Alex is an intelligent, well liked business woman with two loving parents whom she goes to church with once a month. In contrast, Ms. June is a mysterious dominatrix who offers her clients the pain and pleasure of the whip for a steep price and her own gratification. Their contrasts seem extreme until you get to know them. The crossovers in their personalities slowly emerge and we see how much Alex’s past reflects on the decisions June makes.

Cade and Robert are both interesting characters though not as dark as the blurb leads you to believe. Both are deep into the criminal underground. Robert is the local drug czar and loan shark while Cade is a freelance enforcer. We meet them both in violence. Cade bursts in on June during a session as he has been paid to collect her client for an overdue debt. We soon learn Robert set it all up when June goes to confront him. Cade, though styled as an anti-hero, isn’t really a bad person though he is extremely comfortable in his lifestyle. He sees the maelstrom surrounding Alex and does everything he can to try and help her, even when he discovers the extent of her issues and learns the hard way you can’t force someone to change. Robert, in contrast, comes off somewhat sad and pathetic. You don’t doubt he loves Alex but his love has become corrupted and he has been controlling her through June. He’s like a little kid who has it all but is always unhappy.

Sexually, Alex and Cade are as explosive as unstable dynamite. Their chemistry is off the charts and Bridges makes sure to explore that chemistry while slowly developing their romance. Cade tries so hard to be what Alex needs and is more than able to satisfy her both physically and emotionally though he pushes her constantly in an effort to help her heal. I love that the BDSM is not made a flaw and interweaves with the romance flawlessly. It is an essential part of Alex’s sexuality and while her methods are suspect, her being a masochist is not.

The drama and suspense all boil together softly, increasing its roll till we reach the end and its climactic finale. I did feel it took way too long to get to the cusp of Alex’s issues. I knew what it was right off the bat. Also, Alex’s blackmail problem was more an annoyance and she could have nipped that in the bud from the onset. The longevity of the conflicts felt a bit manipulative to the storyline. The ending felt rushed but I did appreciate the thorough clean up of plotlines and settling of the romance. This is the first book of the series and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. I am looking forward to reading more from May Bridges in the future.

Grade: B

4.5 Stars
'Killing June' by May Bridges is the First book in the "Saved by Sin" series. This is the story of Alex (June) and Cade. This is not your everyday romance and has some dark tones to it. Cade isn't your usually white Knight but he is for Alex. Cade is allot of things and one is a gun for hire....he is also a very dominate and protective person. Alex is a professional business women by day with a job as she says has health insurance and a 401K plan. But by night her 'friend' Robert has her playing Ms. June a dominatrix who has business clients...although she doesn't actually has sex with them they are after her for sexual gratification. Alex has split her life into two where she is Alex and then Ms. June but that slowly starts coming to an end with her meeting Cade. Cade sees what Robert is doing to Alex even though it isn't clear at first to her and Robert is letting Ms. June go.
This was a hot exciting read for sure!
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Review by Sandi for Love Romance Books

I give this one 5 tiaras:

May Bridges has made an amazing book of a woman trying to learn how to understand and deal with who she is inside and out. This is a book about Alexandria and June learning how they are one in the same and how they make each other.
This book kept me so entwined that I could not put it down, it has highs and lows, steaminess and iciness, and it has yes’s and no’s! This book is sooooo good and it brings a BDSM and love story together with the everyday lives that people try to hang on to. It has the problems with the seedy underground and the problems with people learning and trying to blackmail.
And in the background you have the problems of people trying not to hurt each other and still trying to find love without getting literally killed over it!
This a sizzling, keep you on your toes AWESOME BOOK! I cannot wait to read more from Ms. Bridges!

Appearances, appearances...The synopsis of this book did not prepare me for how good it would be. I was completely hooked from the first sentence. The only reason I didn't read this in one sitting was because I started it too late at night and had to go to bed. This story is so complete from beginning to end and I fell in love with all of the characters, even Robert. Alex's pain is so palpable and I'm still reeling for her. Her journey towards healing is torturous but beautiful. Cade is the ultimate hero and perfect for her. The chemistry between them is some of the best I've read and I think it has to do with that thing Alex wouldn't let Cade do. My heart broke for Alex and I found myself in tears at times. This book is dark and definitely has triggers so proceed with caution. At the same time its a beautiful story of healing and redemption and an added bonus-it's sexxxy. I am so looking forward to the others in this series!

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

Not really crazy about this one. I found it to be extremely drawn out and almost repetitive throughout. It wasn't the writing style itself, but the characters I found to be extremely indecisive. I found it to be very annoying.

Note, I did receive an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I was hooked from beginning to end. The story is fast-paced with lots of suspense and drama. The characters are amazing and the sex is hot. I loved it!

SEDUCED BY PAIN
At night I’m June, dominating with the whip, even as I crave the hot, searing blow of the cane, myself. I loathe this side of who I am, but I can’t deny it or escape it. And as my clients cry out for me, begging for mercy, I can't help but want June dead.

By day, I’m Alex Ryan, the good, successful Southern woman everyone thinks I am. I’ve compartmentalized my life to make it bearable, and to get what I want most: revenge. I can have a future with June dead, as soon as I confront the man that terrorized my past.

SAVED BY SIN
Cade Brannon is the local gun for hire, part of the seedy underworld of Dallas, but he may also be my savior. I want his help and he wants me. But Cade refuses to play by my rules and is forcing his way into every one of those compartments that I want to lock away. Now the parts of my life I’ve fought so hard to keep separate are bleeding together and it’s tearing me apart.

I just want to go back to being Alex Ryan. But at what cost am I willing to kill June?




Review:




So I am going to be upfront and say I was a little hesitant about reading this book for review. Reading about Dominatrix is not really my thing, they just are not something I am interested in. I was very intrigued by the blurb and Alex trying to kill that side of herself. Needless to say, I still did not have a lot of hope I would like it.




Well, thank goodness I went out on a limb and read this. I loved the story! It was much more complex than I thought it would be. It is definitely sexy, but so emotional too .I don't know how many emotions I went through this while reading it. Now, there are trigger pieces in this that might not be good for all to read.




Geeze, I am not sure what all to say about the story without giving away plot points and ruining it for others. I will say this, if you want a well-rounded and a different twist to your BDSM romance then you should check this out.




4.5Stars

*I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this book provided by the publisher.*

Dark and sexy. Did I mention dark? I love the darker side of romance. June/Alex dominated the pages, (wink wink) but it's not just BDSM for the fun of it. There's an emotional current here that takes the story to a deeper level. I can't wait for the next book in this series. Like your romance dark? Then this one's for you!

Alexandria has two lives. During the day, she is Alex, a hard working business woman who feels successful and accomplished in her job. At night, she is June, a dominatrix who thrives on pain. She is a troubled and broken heroine, ashamed of herself. June is the embodiment of everything dark and toxic in her life. She feels her addiction to the rougher side of kink is a defect. She keeps very dark things hidden inside herself but let Robert, her questionable best friend, use her for money, selling her to his customers. He is a pimp and crime boss. Even though she feels betrayed, she doesn’t have the courage to cut him from her life. Her relationship with him is complicated, they are friends with benefits, but he manipulates her and has a hold on her.

Her encounter with Cade will give her an opportunity to let go of the past and start healing. She revels in Cade’s dominance and protectiveness. Their story is dark and twisted and should be approached that way. Cade is a drug dealer and loan shark, not really the definition of a good man. But he is the right guy for Alex.

Killing June is a story of revenge with dark and erotic themes. The combination of gritty and racy was intriguing, but I confess to mixed feelings. I expected more in terms of character and plot development, I found it hard to connect with the characters. Still, this author writes well and she definitely kept me hooked with her writing. Once I got into the story, I just had to know what would happen next!

I was captivated from the beginning of this dark and sexy book. Alex has compartmentalized herself into so many different versions of herself she is practically lost but all she really knows is she definitely wants and needs to kill June. Ms. June is the dominatrix who does not allow men to touch her though she craves the pain of the whip. June meets Cade while waiting for her client and the next night Cade and his associates break in and kidnap her client. Cade is intrigued and WOW just WOW! Fast paced and fully developed and hang on to keep up! From beginning to end, this one just kept getting better and was never predictable.

I definitely recommend it if you like them dark!

**Received this ARC for review from the publisher via NetGalley**

This is not my normal type of book but I thought I would give it a try. The story was good, but it was just not for me.

DNF'd at 63% (middle of Chapter 15)

This story has all the right ingredients for a sexy and suspenseful dark romance, it just didn't have the blend I was looking for. (But I'm sure it will hit the mark for other readers).

Fans of BDSM or darker contemporary erotica will love the chemistry between Alex and Cade. It's there from the start and only intensifies as the story progresses. Alpha males can really rub me the wrong way when it comes to their attitudes but there is definitely something charming about him that won me over. So the romance wasn't the problem.

Frankly, I just wanted a little more from the plot. Once you get past the exposition, I felt like the story just moseyed along. There was just so much untapped potential here!

You have Alex's mysterious past and her need for vengeance. And I'm all for a delayed reveal but I needed a little taste here and there to keep me interested. What happened to her?!

Robert's character definitely had my attention but I felt like he was a little under utilized. I think I needed a little more conflict from the villain instead of just "waiting it out" and avoiding his antagonism by our "heroes".

However, if you want a contemporary erotica romance that is more character focused than dramatic plotline: this is a good one for you to try. This story is more about Alex finding herself in some unorthodox situations and she is a fabulous character to explore. For me, I wanted more plot than that and was disappointed when the story didn't progress in that fashion.

4.5 Stars!

Wow! I really do love when a story exceeds my expectations. I'm not a huge fan of BDSM but I've never let that stop me from reading a book with it. I've learned I can still enjoy a story despite it. What I wasn't expecting, was to enjoy every bit of it. I'm not sure how this author did it. In fact, I think it was necessary to the story. After reading it, I can't imagine a better way to express June.

I hesitate to say more because I truly don't want to spoil the story. This book was intense and sinfully good. The characters are all anti hero/heroines and quite fascinating. There are triggers for some readers, so not completely safe. My only complaint was the ending felt just a bit rushed, but it ended as if it's a standalone. If you're willing to take a ride on the dark side, I highly recommend this book. ARC provided by NetGalley.

Alexandria is a woman with dark little secrets, secrets that have her delving into a world that she isn't too proud to be a part of, but she can't escape it. A friend put her in this position, and for a long time she thought he was doing right by her, but really all along he was using her and deceiving her... and now she wants revenge. But she can't do it alone, good thing she has a sexy man waiting in the wings dying to be her protector...

The moment Cade meets June (Alexandria) he is instantly addicted to her, the woman draws him in like a moth to a flame. He senses she has secrets, ones that she isn't so willing to share, but little by little he finds a way to lure them out of her. Once he learns all she has been living with he knows there is no way he can walk away from her, she needs help and he wants to be the man for the job... but she has all these pesky rules...good thing he is good a bending them!!

This dark and sensual read captured my attention from the first page and pulled me into Alex's gritty and suspenseful world. This was my first read from this author, and I have to say I am quite impressed with what I found, the characters are complex, relatable, well written...and oh so naughty! The story line is very engaging and full of unexpected twists and turns, it kept me on the edge of my seat the whole way through. Highly captivating read, you won't be able to put it down!!


I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this title.

This book is ridiculously hot. So, so, so very ridiculously hot. Even when it shouldn't be. Fast paced, well-written, and sexy. Highly recommended.

(Review will be posted on Amazon in July)

I really enjoyed the story. Well written and definitely worth a try!