The Dom Project by Heloise Belleau and Solace Ames
Released: December 23, 2013
BDSM
Carina Press

Reviewed by Mandi

Blurb: By day, Robin Lessing has a successful career as a university archivist. By night, she blogs about her less-than-successful search for Mr. Tall, Dark and Dominant. Living up to her handle "The Picky Submissive," she’s on the verge of giving up and settling for vanilla with a side of fuzzy handcuffs when she discovers her best friend and colleague has a kinky side, too.

Sexy, tattooed techie John Sun is an experienced Dom who never lacks for playmates, male or female. If he can’t satisfy Robin’s cravings, maybe no one can—after all, he knows her better than anyone. So he offers to help her master the art of submission for one month.

Robin eagerly agrees to John’s terms, even the pesky little rule forbidding any friendship-ruining sex. But rules are made to be broken, and once they begin their stimulating sessions, it’s not long before she’s ready to beg him for more—much more…

Not only is this a best friends to lovers story, it’s also a best friends fall in love through BDSM. Even better – it’s not dark and super angsty – it’s lighter and cute and fun. The BDSM scenes are plentiful, but it’s not heavy.

As the blurb states, Robin is a submissive who has had bad luck in finding a Dom partner. She is a proficient blogger who writes about her mishaps and desires. Through a set of coincidences, Robin and John learn that the other is into the BDSM lifestyle. John is a very good Dom who wants to help Robin, but also worried about their friendship. So they come up with a plan – he gives Robin a necklace, and when she wears it , they are in a strict D/s relationship (with no sex, as to not cross that boundary). And when she takes it off they are back to being just friends. It doesn’t take long though for them both to yearn for more than just a friendship.

What really stood out to me in this one is how much John and Robin truly care for each other. They approach their bdsm play maturely and both recognize that something more could come of their play but they don’t want to rush or force anything. They really are good friends and that comes shining throughout the whole book.

It also doesn’t hurt that John is super sexy:

People tended to remember John. There weren’t many built, six-foot-tall Asian men with full-sleeve tattoos and close-cropped hair ambling around campus in work shirts, black jeans and motorcycle boots.

John not only participates with women, but also men. I found this to be super sexy. I also really liked how he cares for his subs. He tends to them so well afterwards, not just making sure they are okay physically but taking care of their needs throughout the night.

Robin knows she deserves a Dom who is not an ass and is so happy to get her needs met by someone she cares for. I usually find myself getting tired of BDSM stories, but this one nicely surprised me.

Rating: B

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