By: Cerise DeLand
Publisher: Ellora's Cave
Published: October 1, 2012
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance
Content: M/F, BDSM, Bondage, Rope Play, Exhibitionism, Oral Sex
Length: Novella
Heat Level: Scorching
Reviewer: Toni
Date: June 18, 2014
Rancher Case Turner is a shibari master who prefers his partners submissive, silent and lush. When he meets an outspoken, curvy lawyer from Austin, he’s wild to capture the colorful creature he calls his butterfly. His cho. Yearning to tie her up nice and tight. And defying the rule of the single men in Bravado that they share desirable women, Case plans to keep Samantha Marlowe all for himself.
Sam has a big, bad aversion to Dominants, so resisting Case’s magnetism seems like a wise idea. Yet Case, who usually binds his women to him in erotic public exhibitions, lures her with sweet-talk and humor. Case becomes the lover Sam told herself she’d never have—kind and tender.
But Case wants to tie up her heart, as well as her body—and she’s ready to bolt. If Case puts his heart on the line as well, Sam might admit there’s no rope stronger than love to tie her down.
Book Two in the Knights in Black Leather series was not what I expected.
I have read my fair share of books that have had rope play in them, but never in my experience has so much detail and subject related words been used. It goes to show the amount of research Ms. DeLand must have done. The only thing I wish is that there was actually more rope play. The story really didn’t support an extensive amount of it, it seems like such a waste of some really good information.
I liked Tie Me Down, but I didn’t love it. Case was such an interesting man, that I wanted to know more about him and how he became a shibari master. Sam had a past I wanted to help her through, but it wasn’t brought fully to the surface. These two characters were so amazing, but we were only able to scratch the surface. I loved how Case made up his mind quickly about Sam and then fought hard for her. Sam has had such a hard time and he was so patient with her, it was beautiful. Case’s time and tenderness won Sam’s heart. He proved over and over that he was the man for her.
For a short novel, Tie Me Down had a good plot, great character interactions and solid romance. Ms. DeLand did a fantastic job portraying their passion, love and devotion. So the question is why don’t I love it?
Rarely do I go into a novella thinking I’m going to get a full blown, richly detailed epic novel. Tie Me Down could have been that story. Case seemed to have an amazing past that was filled with family, military service, shibari training and then political life. Sam’s past was the complete opposite; filled with loneliness, struggle, pain, fear and then strength and perseverance. We could have enjoyed Case helping Sam heal through his rope work and we could have been with Sam while she healed from her past traumatic experience.
I can’t recall two characters that I wanted 500 plus pages from. Ms. DeLand envisioned an exceptionally beautiful story but was likely limited by word count. The unfolding of their lives and their future would have been a work of art; an amazingly classic love story.
To tie things up (I really had to go there), Tie Me Down was still a very good story. While it could have supported a longer storyline, the story was complete and very touching. I fell completely in love with Case and Sam and even more enchanted with the town of Bravado and its community. I can only hope there is more of this Texas town in my future.
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