WOW!! This was so good. It had my attention the ENTIRE time. Not only is this romance centered around amazing talent. there are also moments of great suspense that will make your heart beat fast.
So, expect tension, angst, steam, thrill, suspense, and so much more.
A bit of a slowburn, things start to heat up around the 50% mark. Up until then, it is TENSION baby!!
We also have a 15 year age gap!! Cassie is 25 (turning 26) and Chandler is 40. Student/Teacher.

This forbidden love will grasp you by the throat ;)

Cassie fell in love with the circus at a young age. She not only watched her parents participate, but the person she drew most of her inspiration from was Chandler. She instantly clung onto his control and worked her entire life up for the chance to work beside him.
Chandler is a silk aerialist and is beautiful at what he does. However, Chandler ends up getting hurt and his father thrust him into teaching silk aerial. This isn't something Chandler wants to do, so he is a bit of a grump.
Now at 25, Cassie gets on as a protege to Chandler. The two end up having this instant deep connection. Chandler desperately tries to fight his feelings because he knows his father would not approve. But the two inevitably give in and it's so hot... and now they must learn how to navigate the dangers Chandler's father has delved on them.
(insert suspense here)

The cliffhanger was brutal, I cannot wait to find out how these two are going to get through this next chapter.

*Thank you Netgalley for this audio ARC; however, this is my honest review*

Circus
Silk Aerialist
Shibari
Age Gap
Student/Mentor
Romantic Suspense

If these are your jam this book might be for you. I can't say for certain though because as interested in all of these things as I am/was this book was not really for me. We started off strong but then the mfc annoyed me with her talk of being "triggered" when she was clearly just using it as an excuse to not be confronted over something SHE ACTUALLY DID. The MMC was cool but his alternate voice was supposed to be gravely and seductive and it just wasn't. On top of that I feel like there was so much...I don't know what but also not enough facts. If this is going to be a long series then okay but I didn't even know it was a series until that cliffhanger. Now I basically feel like I learned nothing at all even though there were more than 14 listening hours in this book (617 pages).

The full cast idea was a solid one but the background sex noises were...not. Overall the narrators were good, I just wasn't feeling the extras or apparently this story.

Blah. I really hate not giving a 5 star review. Thank you to NetGalley and Liza Snow Romance for the opportunity to listen to and review this book.

I couldn't get into this book. I think it was a combination of the weird age gap and the cringe audio. This was the first time I read an audiobook that put in sound effects and kind of acted out the scenes. I was a bit cheesy at times. Also, the fact that they keep mentioning that she's loved him since she was little is pretty unsettling. I usually don't mind age-gap romances but this one kept pointing out the creepiness of her loving him when she was like 10.

Plot: 1
Writing: 1
World Building: .5
Characters: .5
Themes: .5
3.5/5

Spice: 2.5/5

What you can expect:
- Shibari
- Aerial/Silks
- Teacher/Student
- Age Gap
- Full cast of narrators! - the audiobook is almost a dramatization with a few extra soundbites
- Circus Backdrop
- Murder mystery
- Mafia

This contemporary NA romance was atmospheric with the backdrop of a circus and being surrounded by acrobats and fire.

I am not a big fan of Cassandra's narrator. I enjoyed every other aspect of the audiobook, which was so well done, but there's something about the way this narrator read that bothered me. There's a slight accent. I can't pinpoint it (Maybe midwest?) but it's there. The MMC's name is also Chandler....and for the life of me, I could not get Chandler from Friends out of my mind!! So all of the "oh chandlers" made me giggle. lolol I don't think this will bother most people though, and do really recommend the audiobook!

I think it's important to acknowledge that though there is shibari use in this story, the fact that aftercare was shrugged off (he still did it, just emphasized that he didn't care for it) should not be indicative to how BDSM should be done.

I did enjoy this one, it definitely got better as the story went on and ended on a minor cliffhanger. I enjoyed the circus backdrop to the story and the murder mystery that was really sutble at first and then punched us in the face towards the end. Maybe it was the narrator that distracted me from the story too much. I was definitely taken out of the story many times.

I'll definitely read the next book. There's just so much going on that I need to know what's going to happen.

The spice was sometimes spicy, sometimes vague. It's definitely not the main point of the story, which is nice. There's a lot of angst and I thought of giving it a 3/5 spice rating for the shibari but most of it is just too vague for me to consider it more explicit.

For the murder mystery with a side of plot fans, I think those who enjoyed books like Be Still My Heart by Emily McIntire and Sav R Miller will enjoy this one!

Big thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to listen to the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

this audiobook production is something else. I thought I was in love with the traditional audiobook duets where the narrators are reading back and forth their gender respective lines but Obidience was something else. Danny and Roo outdid themselves with narrating a full cast of characters. I swear I thought it more than two narrators. The voice change foe both of them was so good!! Danny did an amazing job as our French MMC, Chandler. Roo's voice was so different to what I have been conditioned to with other audiobooks. Her voice is soft and very feminine.

This whole audiobook is immersive. I 100% recommend it. It's got SFX including music and audience sounds when needed. If that doesn't convince you yet.... there's moans during the smex scenes👀 If I didn't know this was an audiobook for a book, I would have sworn I was listening to some spicy narration on Patreon or something.

Chandler and Cassandra's story is interesting. She grew up admiring Chandler and his circus acts. Though her parents were also involved in the circus, it was Chandler whom she wanted to followed. And follow in his steps, she did. In more ways than one. Being accepted in the academy gave her the opportunity to train with Chandler but also some other stuff involving a smex club and the art of Shibari *wink, wink, nudge, nudge*

But we can't have a suspenseful romance without some ✨️crazy drama.✨️ The underlying mafia and murdered mystery gave this story an unexpected twist. I can't wait to be able to read or listen to book 2!!

I really enjoyed this book although i do think it was quite drawn out at times. The slow burn was good and liked a lot of the tension between them. ive never read a book what included the circus or silks in any way so it was definitely a neat new theme to read about. I dont know if i was the biggest fan of the cliffhanger at the end but i understand that it was already a long book and youre trying to hook readers to continue the series.

There is nothing as exhilarating as being wrapped up in silk high in the air, I know this from first hand experience. Arial Arts are not easy but they sure are made to look that way. I appreciated the aerial portions of this book and how the author drew a connection between aerial silks which bind, pinch and can be painful to Japanese Shibari rope bondage. There are quite a few times I felt like I was bound and unable to escape but unlike Shibari you can get out of silks by yourself.

There is a huge mystery regarding Chandlers family and why they are dangerous and there is also some mystery surrounding how Cassandra's family died and why. She believes it was her Uncle who was responsible but there now seems to be some connection to Chandlers family.

There are many twists and turns and lies and secrets being held. Chandler doesn't share everything with Cass and Cass doesn't feel comfortable sharing everything with Chandler. Ultimately I think this decision cost them time, and ultimately led to the ending of this book.

This book ends on a cliffhanger and the 2nd book in the series is due to come out in October 2023.

This book was recorded with a full cast and sound effects which really brings the story to life even more than usual. The story is captivating and the narration is superb. I can't wait for the 2nd book!

AH!!! Now I have the anxious wait for book 2, which is 6 months away!

This book is so good! First the full cast narration is perfect, the background sounds being add on top of the narrators nailing their characters just made it even better.

Obedience follows Cassandra--a student and aerial silk performer, and Chandler--a professor and aerial silk performer whose Grandma was behind the circus.

There is tension, chemistry, a little BDSM, and secrets. Underneath it all is a mystery that both are involved in yet neither realizes how much.

Disclaimer: I stopped listening to the audiobook around ten chapters in and switched to the ebook. Typically, I really enjoy a full cast of narrators, but the voice of Cassandra really irked me. Unfortunately, she sounds far too young to be 25. To me, she sounded more like a high school student reading a textbook aloud than a graduate student. I enjoyed the rest of the cast, but I just couldn't get past how juvenile she sounds. I know there is a significant age gap here, but think they could have figured out a better way to emphasize it. That said, I enjoyed the story enough to finish it out in ebook form.

I was really drawn to the concept of this book, and the first 50-60% fulfilled my expectations. However, something shifted in the second half and the plot stopped holding my attention. I was completely captivated by the circus whimsy meets dark academia vibes in the beginning, and despite not being a giant fan of the age gap trope, I thought the tension between Chandler and Cassaundra was executed well. Around the halfway point, it stopped feeling like a romance. The plot became disjointed, there wasn't enough suspense, and the remaining spicy scenes felt almost fade to black in nature in that they promised more than they delivered. Overall, great concept, meh execution, but I'll probably give the second book a go anyway.

Obedience by Liza Snow is a thrilling audiobook experience from beginning to end but beware that cliffhanger that will leave one craving the next book while still recovering from this first one.

-Character development and pacing were handled excellently
-Dialogue was believable and flowed well
-The Circus setting was utilized excellently

Obedience Will be a wonderful reading experience for fans of slow burn , age gap romances featuring the student teacher dynamic .

So good. That cliff hanger! Cannot wait for the next book! Arielist, shibari, mystery, intrigue all in an age gap romance!

Obedience is the book I didn't know I needed to read. I have a soft spot for anything graphic audio - and this did not disappoint in that regard.

I can't say I have ever read a book that it set in the circus, it was definitely a bunch of hot people doing hot things as one would expect. It had all the necessary tropes including:
- Age Gap
- Professor-Student
- Slow Burn
- BDSM kinks.

Now, had I not listened to this, I probably would have put it down. It's tricky when you're being told this is what happens, this is how you feel, this is how they feel - it takes away the joy and the mystery to a read. The last half of the book turned into a little bit of a chore to get down, and I'm almost certain I probably won't pick up another book set in this world.

If you loved Fifty Shades of Grey, you'll probably eat this one right up. Otherwise, it might be best suited to those who heavily enjoy those certain tropes and can ignore that there is a story being told.

Book #1 of Ties That Bind series.
4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶 🌶

First of all, this is one of the best audiobook I've ever listened to. It was incredible. I really recommend this audiobook.

Circus
Age Gap
Forbidden Love
Professor/ Student
BDSM
Slow Burn
Mystery

Overall I enjoyed this book. The whole Circus setting was outside the books I normally pick up but I must say it was worth it, exploring something different.
Looking forward to book #2

Thank you to NetGalley and Liza Snow for sending me this Audiobook.

This book has a great premise. An age-gap romance between two acrobats who perform at a Cirque-du-Soleil-style circus. We've got hot, active people doing hot, active things, with a little bit of kink. However, this book does a lot of telling and not a lot of showing. I also didn't feel a connection with either of our characters.

The audiobook was well done with various voice actors and light sound effects which gave the story depth when listened to. Hopefully this book finds it's audience, it just wasn't me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Liza Snow for this advanced listener copy.

While I liked the general idea of this book I just didn’t really enjoy it as much as I hoped. I think the narration played a part in this. I feel like the two narrators weren’t quite right together. The age gap between the two lead characters also weirded me out. Usually I like a little forbidden love but it didn’t work here. Overall I didn’t hate it but I didn’t enjoy it.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️

•ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴛɪᴄ sᴜsᴘᴇɴsᴇ/ᴍʏsᴛᴇʀʏ
•sʟᴏᴡ ʙᴜʀɴ
•ᴀɢᴇ ɢᴀᴘ
•ғᴏʀʙɪᴅᴅᴇɴ ʟᴏᴠᴇ
•ᴘʀᴏғᴇssᴏʀ / sᴛᴜᴅᴇɴᴛ
•ʙᴅsᴍ
•ᴅᴜᴀʟ ᴘᴏᴠ

Look at those tropes- holy moly this one was intense. The audiobook was fantastic- thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book, it was a pleasure to listen to. The inclusion of audio clips and music along with the narration added to the atmosphere that surrounded this steamy, circus themed romantic suspense. The male narrator was ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The setting and premise of a school for performers leads readers to meet Chandler, famous aerialist who teaches at the school as his professional career is beginning to wane. Enter Cassandra, student silk aerialist who becomes the new protege for her longtime idol, none other than Chandler. They both fight their instalust for each other, knowing their role and place in the circus performance world could easily be jeopardized.

As more secrets and lies unfurl, the stakes become higher and higher. A mysterious death, ties with the mafia, and dark family connections create a dangerous game for both Chandler and Cassandra. This does end on a cliffhanger, so the next read will be automatic for me!

Some of the background information/family connections of both MC’s don’t add up, so hopefully it will be cleared in the next read.
The execution of the plot was left a tad wanting, so 3.5/5 rounded to 4 for Goodreads

I received this book for free for an honest review.

I can't believe how much I love his book. I've shared with all of my girlfriends. They will love it.

I was excited to read this book because it was something out of my comfort zone, but still had some mystery and romance to it. I was disappointed in the way the book hinted at family drama and background but never let the reader in on it. I understand books ending in a cliffhanger but to be left in the dark the entire book is a bummer and that is how this book made me feel.

I was fortunate enough to receive the audiobook copy and it was phenomenal especially the main male voice playing Chandler. The inclusion of music in places as well as other audio sounds was amazing! Very well done! However there is a huge problem with the audio in chapter 34 at the scene of the house fire. When Chandler is talking to the fireman both male audio clips are on top of one another. It is one of the most important points in the books and I thought maybe there was something wrong with my phone/Bluetooth/etc. so I listened to it multiple times in multiple sources and it is in fact the audio. Please try to get that fixed ASAP!

I will probably read the second book because I want to know what the heck is going on with this family but this is not a re-read for me.

this book is definitely not something i think i would normally have picked up and chosen on my own but i am still so glad that i got the chance to enjoy it. the story was extremely unique. I don’t think i’ve ever heard of or read anything that was anywhere similar to this. the entire idea was so original and i loved that! it was nice to read something that was completely unlike anything i’ve picked up before. the narrators were nice and i enjoyed listening to them. some of the sound effects were a little over the top and that is probably what threw me off. i’m sure that if i would have read instead of listened i would’ve rated it higher.

Cassandra has been wanting to be a silk acrobat since she was a kid and saw Chandler perform on the silks. At age 25 she was finally able to achieve her dream by studying silk acrobatics with Chandler. Cassandra and Chandlers family are intertwined and people are going to get hurt, even die before the secrets are uncovered. All the while Chandler and Cassandra become more intertwined through the silks, shibari, and even their emotions.

When I finished the book my first thought was NNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOO, because it ended on a semi cliffhanger and that is one of the few things I really don’t like in books. It makes me feel very incomplete and irritated. I really did enjoy the use of silks and shibari in the book. Shibari is very beautiful and many people misunderstand and vilify it. The characters are likeable and the story is interesting. I am invested in Cassandra and Chandlers story so now I’ve got to wait for the next book.

Possible trigger warning for some folks, there is an 15 year age gap between the characters, murder, faculty/student relationship, mugging/attack (not detailed), physical intimate male dominance during shibari.

The 14 hours of audio flew by. I listened to it at normal speed at the beginning so I understand the narrators cadence and tone of voice. I then sped it up to 1.75. I really liked the narrators and felt they really fit the characters part. Cassandra was young sounding and Chandler had a firm and older sound. The narrators did a good job conveying the story.