Asking for It

Trope: r*pe kinkSlow burn level: 20%Heroine has a sexual fantasy (r*pe) where she can only be gratified when thinking about it during sex. She doesn't want to have this fantasy and believes it seems from her own sexual assault. This has impacted her relationships.Hero overhears a conversation between heroine and her ex about her fantasy and offers to help her complete the fantasy.Heroine has a dysfunctional family. Hero has his own secrets, he is usually a stoic man who is confident.Cliff hangerA satisfying 'he did what?' kind of moment with hero standing up for heroine.Trigger Warnings: simulated sexual assault (consensual), past scene of sexual assault described in detail.

"“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"This is the book E L James wished she could have written. If 50 Shades disturbed feminists, I can't begin to imagine their reaction to this book. Trigger warning: It is about a dark fantasy, a carefully thought through and presented fantasy on the part of a woman who wishes to be taken by force and a man who wants to take a woman by force. So you can see why the feminists are going to be up and arms about it. Amazon will not allow me to use the actual word that the author uses.Thing is, back in the day, I understood "feminist" to mean a woman's right to choose to do and be whom ever she wanted to do and be. I committed to that definition and I am still committed to that definition many decades later. This definition has allowed women to explore many different aspects of life previously closed to them, including many aspects of sexuality. I remember reading what was possibly the first dark sexual fantasy novel that was published, Fear of Flying. The heroine fantasized all the way through that book about what she called a "zipless **** and yet when the moment came, she fought it off, terrified. Feminist hailed that book as a powerful statement of a woman taking ownership of her true self.Will they have the courage of their convictions to say the same thing of "Asking for It" because, in my opinion, this is a much better written. One of the reasons is because it is a complex story, not a series of accidents.Let me also state that I read this book with a certain amount of trepidation. I was sexually molested by a family member at around the same age as Our Heroine. As an adult, I was assaulted. So I know from first-hand experience. I feared flashbacks but I was curious. This author has clearly done research and homework.Let me start with why I only give it four stars. The writing is superlative and I really wanted to give it five stars except for the caricature nature of the characters in New Orleans. They are important people in the life of Our Heroine, but they are cardboard cutouts. The backstory is not developed enough. The crucial scene in the book, the one that causes Vivienne to develop her dark fantasy was not really believable to me. I really didn't understand why she would be so compliant. Nor did I understand how she was allowed to stay up so late with an older male non-family member in the first place.Other characters in the book are quite vivid. Everyone in Austin, TX is colorful. Even Austin is a character in this book. I've been to Austin and I do not have fond memories of it as I very severely sprained my left ankle there and was on crutches for three months. But now I want to go back and see those bats.While I am certain that feminists are going to scream " the R word" at the top of their lungs, I refuse to consider this to be a story about it. It is a story about two people agreeing to consensual sex in which they enact fantasies they discuss ahead of time. There is no abuse. Indeed, Our Hero goes a step beyond the agreement because after the fantasy is over he departs from the agreement to check on her well-being. What man who commits a sexual crime against a does that?This is a compelling story. I came to care about the characters. The relationship between Vivienne and her therapist, Doreen, was well done. There is a lot of sex, as one would imagine, but for a change it is not gratuitous as it is completely intrinsic to the plot and causes changes to the relationship between the main characters. One of the characters grows in the story. One of the characters stays firmly fixed in the place that character began. I wanted to slap that character up side the head, to tell you the truth.There is going to be a sequel released in September. I have already pre-ordered it. I am invested in Vivienne and Jonah.

I was completely riveted by this book the whole way through. For Vivienne, having fantasies of sexual coercion embarrasses her with endless shame, but it's what she wants more than anything and can't have it any other way. Jonah, a professor whom Vivienne meets one evening and incidentally crosses paths with again later, proposes an arrangement that allows them both to indulge in this fantasy. Jonah wants to be a participating partner just as much as Vivienne does. While they have shared a very intimate part of themselves when they engage in these acts, they shut the rest of themselves off to each other because love doesn't even factor into the equation. Keeping distance as strangers is what maintains this arrangement. It's simply about them acting out their deepest desires. Wow, the scenes of them acting out these performances portray just how realistic their role playing is in the moment, but it was hot, too. Jonah never intends to hurt Vivienne.There's some interesting points about this plot. For starters, is there something really wrong with Vivienne and Jonah to want this because they are both hard pressed to find other willing partners who would entertain such an idea? I never considered either of them to be abnormal or deranged in any way at all because they were consenting adults in every aspect. If anything, the fantasy only made me more curious about delving deeper into both of their psyches. They are both intelligent, professional people who have their own personal issues that empowers them when they do this act, they are just unaware of the other person's secrets. Vivienne actually sees a therapist, Doreen, and the scenes with Doreen are very insightful about Vivienne's character.The theme of duality is constantly in motion, Vivienne's complete trust and submission to Jonah's power and dominance. How Jonah is so forceful while in the moment, but very gentle and tender afterwards. They have no problems improvising in their roles, but struggle with basic conversation. The way they know something so deeply personal about one another that no one else knows, yet they know very little about the general things about the other. How Vivienne gives everything of herself except her heart and how Jonah demands complete submission but factors in safety and boundaries.Both Vivienne and Jonah captured my complete attention and tugged at my heart as more layers of themselves unraveled. Vivienne is very strong mentally, she is not whiny or overly demanding or dramatic at all, she has a real grace about her that is impossible not to be drawn into. She's also relatable and compassionate, she struggles a lot with her thoughts but is mature about confronting them, too. Jonah is very reserved and impassive overall, but puts in 100% effort at everything he does. He's not a jerk, but he's very masculine, direct and guarded. He doesn't cater to other people, but he will make slight concessions, especially for Vivienne. Control is very important to him, but not in an overbearing way, more like he values his privacy above all else.Trying to blend their fantasy world with reality winds up being more challenging than expected. Discovering more about each other personally as feelings slowly filter through begins to blur the lines of their roles vs their relationship. The complexity and depth of these characters is very well written. While the subject matter isn't necessarily for everyone, I would still suggest reading this unless there's a trigger because I was completely immersed in finding out how Vivienne and Jonah navigate outside of their role playing bubble and if they could both break out of their shells with one another. They are a very functional duo, but emotional communication doesn't come easy for them and knowing the truth about each other could be a game changer because of the impact. While it's impossible to compare whose past is more tragic or heartbreaking, I want to see them both liberated from those burdens. I am very anxious to read the next book.

This book handled a difficult subject well. I found the story engaging...the way Jonah and Viv meet and agree to fulfill each others fantasies felt believable. I didnt find the sex scenes troubling because they had consented to everything before and and had a safe word. I found Jonah very reserved but it fitted with what his character needed to do in the book. I found Viv's character a little annoying and some of the side characters felt a bit surplus to requirements. I flicked through some bits of the secondary story as it didnt feel relevant enough to the main story to bother with.I have read a few books where rape fantasies are explored and this was one of the better ones. I cant put my finger on why I haven't rated it 5 stars...there was just something missing in the main character and maybe the fact it was expensive for this kind of fiction.I'd recommend this book for readers who like a little darkness with their romance.

This is one of the best books I have read in a long time! It is so well written you actually feel for the characters. This is a twisted story but oh my God! The characters are absolutely superb! I am going straight from this to the next one, right now!! Oh and I don't normally buy books this expensive but wow, is this worth it? I'd pay more! Can only say one thing, if you like a well written, fabulous story, buy it!

I wasn't sure I wanted to read this having read a synopsis. However, the difficult subject matter was handled with great sensitivity. It's well written and the story flows well. Looking forward to see where this goes.

First of all, a book that has the Rape of Proserpina on it's cover immediately grabbed my attention and once I started reading, I couldn't put it down. I found it to be one of the most tastefully done representations of a consensual non-con relationship. The dichotomies in this book, holey cow - both erotic & wholesome, dangerous & caring.I am in love with both Vivienne & Jonah, and the way it ended...not necessarily a cliff-hanger but a how do they move forward - I can't wait to find out!

I didn't know what to make about a story featuring a heroine who had a rape fetish, but this novel works so well because of Jonah. His character is spot on/rock solid and makes it come together beautifully. (And the balance of the therapy sessions to explore her psychological mindset helped temper the very taboo subject matter).The black moment was a tad predictable and def one I saw coming, but I love how Jonah connected the dots and handled it. Any other character I don't think would have had the same chilling impact with his delivery, but as I said above - his character was beautifully rendered. I adore him entirely and the tragic backstory was a unique, compelling twist that I appreciated and reaaaaaally jerked the heart strings.Side note: I'd downloaded the sample of book two and it looks like I won't enjoy this one as much as the first, unfortunately. **SPOILER ALERT** because the heroine seems like she's become a seriously dislikeable bitch, twisting Jonah's arm with an ultimatum to continue their arrangement. Even though he's made it clear he doesn't want to continue to enact these fantasies now that he knows she is an actual victim of rape. Because of his background, the idea of touching her that way knowing its more than fantasy but based in a hard reality isn't something he's comfortable with, but instead of respecting his boundaries and his needs, she goes on to poke poke nudge nudge until she gets what she wants. SOOOOO not happy about that. I might still give book 2 a try, but reading that in the sample completely killed my excitement. :(