Owned by Fate releases 9/29
Synopsis:
Her mind rejects his world. But her body knows its master.
Journalist Caroline Preston arrives at Serve, New York City’s hottest BDSM club, with one goal—to hate it. If her brother wasn’t trying to turn the family’s respectable financial magazine into a publication that features “lifestyle” pieces for the wealthy and adventurous, she wouldn’t even be there, trying to write an article about a world she doesn’t understand. But then she sees him.
Jonah Briggs doesn’t leave his post for just anyone. As the owner of the club, his sole purpose is to ensure that his clientele get everything they need, but when he sees Caroline, his only thought is what he wants—to dominate the sexy little reporter and give the most exquisite pleasure she’s ever experienced.
Caroline has no intention of entering that particular lion’s den—not with her family’s reputation at stake—no matter how dark, sexy, and complex the lion in question may be. But with every encounter, she craves more, and with every slide of his lips, she realizes Jonah might just be the man to break down all her defenses…if she’ll let him.
My review:
Owned by Fate is the newest work from author Tessa Bailey. Being a huge fan of hers, I was over the moon to get an early copy of this book and as I sit here now typing this review I hope I can do it justice, because this is one of the best books I’ve read. Not just of Tessa’s, but of every book I’ve read.
Caroline Preston is in a bit of a sticky situation. She’s sitting in a BDSM club contemplating on how she will use this experience to save her family’s financial magazine and in turn keep her brother from making it into some guidebook of fun and interesting things to do for the rich and bored. She would rather be anywhere but here. This was a lifestyle she didn’t understand and, after her research she did that afternoon, doesn’t want to understand. But that attitude starts to shift the minute she meets him. Jonah. The handsome, sexually charged man standing next to her and looking at her like he was a starving man and she was his next meal. It didn’t matter, though, because not even sexy as sin Jonah could change her mind and her attitude towards the BDSM lifestyle. Or could he…
As owner of the most popular BDSM club in NYC, Jonah Briggs has certainly seen his share of gorgeous women walk through his doors…but none like the one sitting at his bar right now. It’s that woman that compels him to leave his seat in front of the club’s monitoring screens and wade through the crowd to get to her. He’s pretty sure he’s lost his mind, and the looks from the club’s regular patrons says he just may have. But Jonah always gets what he wants… and right now he wants her.
They are complete opposites. Caroline looks down on the BDSM world and Jonah thrives on it, both personally and financially. Two completely different views. But here’s the thing, sometimes attraction defies the boundaries you’re certain you would never cross….and when you take that chance and cross that line, it turns out to be the best decision you’ve ever made.
So here’s the thing. I was a bit tired of reading BDSM and in a funk. I had gone through a similar funk with paranormal. I really needed a palate cleansing. I figured it would come after I read Owned By Fate, since it is technically BDSM. Well, I should have known better. Tessa always puts her spin on anything she writes and it’s a thing of beauty. This was unlike any BDSM book I’ve read. It was refreshing in a way to have a heroine so dead set against the lifestyle and her refusal to acknowledge it’s something she would ever dabble in was also a bit of a new viewpoint. But because her research put her in very close contact with Jonah, she realizes too late that relenting may be in her near future. She didn’t want him to change her mind. She didn’t want to like it when he treated her like a sub….but damn if she did. And it scares the crap out of her. Jonah is also unlike any Dom I’ve read. He is a paradox in many ways and has so many facets to his personality. He is charming and endearing all while having his alpha male tendencies lying just underneath the surface. Dear God, he had me panting at some of the things he said to Caroline. He’s feels like he could be a real person, somewhere out there in the world. He feels attainable and so unlike the male characters in a lot of other erotic novels out there. He prefers the subway to a limo. He smells like candy instead of expensive cologne. He’s honest and understanding. He’s just….amazing.
Yes, of course the heat and passion are off the charts but in true Tessa fashion, she added that something extra to this story and that’s what made it so special. Caroline’s internal struggle with her feelings for Jonah warring with her insecurities in finding she liked aspects of the lifestyle she wanted to hate. Jonah understanding it and vowing to let her go since he couldn’t give up his club and lifestyle and didn’t want Caroline to resent him for turning her onto something she couldn’t accept. My God, there were a few chapters where my chest physically ached for them and I was sobbing my eyes out. I was so worried there was no answer for them and they would and up having to suffer apart. I suffered right along with them, by the way, and have the puffy, cried-out-eyes today to prove it. Now I won’t ruin the ending for you but I will say this: It. Was. Perfect.
There’s also another part to Jonah’s story but I don’t want to mention it here because I don’t want to ruin it….but it made me love him even more and you will love him more for it, too.
So, I hope I did my job here as a reviewer and that Owned By Fate is now on your list. You won’t be disappointed! Thank you Tessa, for giving me an emotional and beautiful reading journey (and don’t tell Matt, but Jonah is now my fave Tessa man!)
Five Loves
Book links:
Giveaway:
We have a gorgeously naughty handmade black leather, studded heart garter (that Jonah would die for) to give away to one lucky winner.
Enter to win in the rafflecopter below.
About the author:
Tessa lives in Brooklyn, New York with her husband and young daughter. When she isn’t writing or reading romance, Tessa enjoys a good argument and thirty-minute recipes.
Connect with Tessa:
Great review. All of Ms. Bailey’s books are so good, I can’t wait to read this one. 🙂