Beyond the Edge

I've spent the morning trying to figure out why I didn't find this extreme. Dildos, check. Butt plugs, check. Floggers, paddles, whips, check, check, check. Bondage, yep. Mild humiliation (very mild), absolutely. Cock cage and Ball stretcher, oh yes. Menage, you betcha. Sounds extreme, right? This is the conclusion I've come to: there was emotion and longing behind every action which made it less extreme and more engaging. Many times in BDSM there is a bit (or a lot) of emotional withdrawal, regardless of what the D/s relationship is outside of play. With James, Tate, and Sebastian I didn't feel the disconnect, even during the scenes where the Dom was clearly a Dom. Don't get me wrong, this isn't a sweet, sappy love story. It is totally a BDSM read with emotional elements. And that's why I think this book works.