As a fan of BDSM and kink, I was excited when I got the chance to read Watch Me by Stacey Kennedy. It certainly didn’t let me down!
Disclaimer: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for review. This does not effect my review outcome.
Content Warnings:
Reference to sexual abuse, assault, date rape, suicide, emotional trauma.
I am grateful to Kennedy for putting the CW’s in the front of her book. More authors need to do this.
In the Phoenix club, there is only one rule; watch, don’t touch, until the powerful owner falls for his new star in this deliciously intriguing romance from USA Today bestselling author Stacey Kennedy.
It’s her choice to play his game. If she says yes, there will be more on the line than just her pleasure.
Zoey Parker has a three-step plan for revenge. First, gain entrance to the ultra-exclusive, upscale sex club, Phoenix. Second, act out her wildest fantasy in front of powerful old rivals, proving that they didn’t break her. Third, disappear and never return. The only kink in her plan? Rhys Harrington, the owner of Phoenix and the one man she needs to stay away from…
Rhys’ high-end clients pay extravagant amounts to watch his stars indulge their desires. Rhys’ only rule? Watch, don’t touch. But one look at Zoey and Rhys decides to participate in the show himself. And when an undeniable passion ignites between them, Rhys knows he wants more. Except Zoey is determined to run… and he is determined to find out why.
When Rhys discovers Zoey’s secret, he shocks her by offering his protection… and a no-strings-attached relationship. But Zoey knows there will be more on the line than just her pleasure. Because Rhys’ sizzling touch doesn’t only capture her body, it also commands her heart
To be completely honest, I was hesitant about how into this story I would be. The premise felt contrived when I started in but I was so glad to see I was wrong. I’ve read stories where an alpha male helps the sweet, battered and broken virgin overcome her hang ups and trauma and by the second sex scene she is miraculously cured by his amazing penis. Kennedy, thankfully, doesn’t do this at all.
Watch Me is a sexy romance that goes deeper – helping not only Zoey overcome her pain but also Rhys. I was very impressed at how well Kennedy wrote about the aftermath of traumatic experiences. Zoey’s fear was very real on the page – something I related to and could practically check off a list the number of issues so many of us who have had past sexual trauma deal with. It felt very real without making the pain she felt a fetish. At no point was Zoey’s past made into a kink or something to get off on. Instead all the sex is focused on consent, healing, and pleasure.
If someone wants to write a healing romance that includes a character recovering from past sexual abuse, I’d hold Watch Me up as the goal.
As for the billionaire love interest tropes – they were all on point. Fans of this subgenre of steamy romance will definitely enjoy this story – including a few twists I haven’t see in other work of the same flavor.
The only thing that left me cool was the timeline. It is acknowledged that Zoey and Rhys move fast, so it’s not expected for readers to ignore it. I think I would have enjoyed it more if the realism I experienced in the characters flowed into that part of the story as well. But this was a tiny matter that didn’t ruin it for me.
I am now a fan of the Phoenix series. The next book, Keep Me, focuses on my 2 favorite characters from Watch Me – Elise, a PI, and Archer, Phoenix’s security guy. I love hackers and PIs so they’re right up my alley plus the playful banter, enemies-to-lovers fun between them is sure to make for a fun follow up! (less)