SYNOPSIS
“This is who I am. This is what I want. Now I need a man dangerous enough to give it to me.” Graduate student Vivienne Charles is afraid of her own desires—ashamed to admit that she fantasizes about being taken by force, by a man who will claim her completely and without mercy. When the magnetic, mysterious Jonah Marks learns her secret, he makes an offer that stuns her: they will remain near-strangers to each other, and meet in secret so that he can fulfill her fantasy. Their arrangement is twisted. The sex is incredible. And—despite their attempts to stay apart—soon their emotions are bound together as tightly as the rope around Vivienne’s wrists. But the secrets in their pasts threaten to turn their affair even darker... Reader Advisory: Asking for It deals explicitly with fantasies of non-consensual sex. Readers sensitive to portrayals of non-consensual sex should be advised.
REVIEW
FULL DISCLOSURE: I might be a little obsessed with this book. And by a little I mean completely. Asking for It was...incredible. I've read a lot of books. A few erotica, but mainly I love a book that can break my heart. A book that can overwhelm me. A book that can leave me feeling raw. A book that completely destroys me. Knowing my reading preferences, a friend of mine recommended this book to me. "Melissa I think you'd like this", she said. I was instantly intrigued by the blurb. I've heard about rape fantasies but I had not ever read a book about them or about characters that can only be sexually sated by them. I understand how, for some readers, this is a trigger for them. I can’t say that going into this read that I was 100% at ease with the subject matter, but my curiosity and the reviews from reader friends was all the encouragement I needed. I devoured it and it gave me everything. It overwhelmed me, left me raw, destroyed me. I loved it. The story follows Vivienne Charles, a graduate art student who can only have complete sexual satisfaction when she imagines herself being raped. Vivienne hates this part of herself and she is completely ashamed that this is the only way for her to enjoy sex. Her indignity runs so deep that she has only shared this part of herself with her therapist and ex-boyfriend Geordie. When Geordie carelessly reveals her darkest desires, Professor Jonah Marks overhears. Vivienne is sure that he will use this information to humiliate and embarrass her, but instead he surprises her by offering to help fulfill her sexual fantasies. Vivienne is intrigued by Jonah’s offer, but her shame runs so deeply and her fear of acting out something so brutal and enjoying it, leaves her wavering. Ultimately, she gives in to her most illicit desires and agrees to “play” with Jonah. Lilah Pace’s writing is fantastic. The story is so well written that the words seem to come effortlessly. There was no point at which I felt the story was hurried or calm. The pace was perfect and the setting oddly reflected the age and maturity of the characters brilliantly. I never felt that anyone was out of place or engaging in behaviors that were unlikely. Vivienne and Jonah are broken but so extraordinarily beautiful, individually and together. Jonah especially. I simply adore him. He is so powerful and aggressive, achingly solitary and absolute, yet I was able to feel and experience him as a loving, caring and attentive man as well. Despite the fact that story is told in Vivienne’s point of view, Lilah’s writing is so well crafted that I was able experience Jonah’s initial reservation and hesitation to his developing feelings that extended beyond the their sexual relationship. His reactions and emotions are beautifully portrayed and captivated me as the story advanced from heated and sexual to tranquil and passionate. Vivienne to me is strength. She has experienced things that should destroy people. Things that could, and possibly should, have left her so damaged and withdrawn. Yet she has very many people in her life – her best friends Carmen and Arturo and his fiancé Shay, her office secretary Kip, her therapist Doreen and her ex-boyfriend Geordie. She chooses to have relationships with them; healthy, intelligent, mutually beneficial relationships. So despite what horror she has lived through, she carries on. I loved being on her journey of self-actuality. Through her relationship with Jonah she is able to lessen some of the shame that she carries within herself and is able to put herself and her truths first. She is beginning to love herself and in turn, her fear diminishes and out of it she gives love as she receives it from others; freely and without blame. Simply stated, I loved it. I would recommend it to anyone who is brave enough to face the ugly and brutal to discover strength and beauty.
BUY LINKS
Asking for It (Book 1) Kindle | Nook | Amazon PB | Barnes & Noble PB Begging for It (Book 2) Kindle | Nook | Amazon PB | Barnes & Noble PB
ABOUT LILAH PACE
Lilah Pace is a pseudonym for a New York Times bestselling author, so she can’t give away too much about herself here, but she has lived everywhere from Italy to the United Kingdom before putting down roots in the American South. She’s addicted to Diet Coke, loves her dog, and daydreams about several British movie stars (though usually no more than two at a time). And while it took her a long while to get up the courage to write books, now she hopes she’ll never stop.