Slow Seduction. Cecilia Tan

 

Slow Seduction. Cecilia Tan

Review from Jeannie Zelos Book reviews.

So we pick up the story with Karina determined to trace James, but with little to go on she’s clutching at straws. The LL grapevine says he’s in England ,so she jumps at the chance of a summer job in the art world in London. There she meets Damon, member of the English branch of the club in US that James took Karina to – and the one he abandoned her at. Not a happy memory for her, but she’s willing to re renter that world if it helps her find James. Damon clearly wants her for himself though – openly says so, and isn’t put off that she’s told him about James, and her mission to find him, without revealing anything other than his club name. He agrees to help her, convinced that he can change her mind about him in the meantime…so she enters a world of Submission, Service and Secrets.

Karina didn’t seem quite as sparky in this book, maybe its just that the magic is between her and James, and though she showed her mettle to Damon and clearly intrigued him, it wasn’t as fun as when she was with James. Damon- on the surface helping, but we know he only wants her to find James convinced he will leave her again, leaving the way open for him. He’s an odd man, very arrogant in ways, very in love with himself, and yet when it comes to Karina, like James he’s fallen for her magic, the spark that makes her so different form the obedient, placid ladies he’s used to. Then there’s Vannette who has a senior position in club management. She seemed very cold at first I thought, and yet when Karina needed help and advice she was there and spot on.

Through her search Karina meets lots of other characters too, some funny and quirky, some from James past, and more of the LL fans. They crop up in a number of different, minor plots that end up joining and being connected. Its like that six degrees of separation thing again 🙂 I thought it was really clever the way Cecilia has taken what seem like disparate events and characters, and yet woven them into a thread that winds round the journey, and brings it full circle. Once again there’s lots of erotic sensuality without actual sex, and after all the books where its sex every other page, its such a treat to get an author who’s clearly put a lot of thought into how to portray sensuality and passion, without just giving us constant, in your face, boring after a while sex. That’s what happens when we get the same thing, page after page after page, it gets dull, the reader switches off and it loses its edge. I really enjoyed that Cecilia has taken a different direction with this book. When she does do sex, then it becomes something to be treasured, something special and revered, a magic moment between two lovers, more than just another quick shag, and fits the novel perfectly.

The ending – wow, what a lot of surprises and revelations, and once again I’ve a truckload of questions I need answering. Of course, as has become almost obligatory in contemporary erotica, there’s a semi cliffhanger ending. Semi because thankfully Cecilia gives us a glimpse of what’s to come at the end, and its positive so it left me wanting more, wanting it now but at least feeling positive, and not that awful empty feeling so many cliffhanger endings give me. Part three should be out this autumn 🙂

Stars: four and a half again. Fabulous read.

ARC supplied by Netgalley