Book Review — The Deep End by Kristen Ashley

Olivier isn’t sure what he’s gotten himself into when he joins the Honey Club, only that a dark part of him hungers for the lifestyle offered by this exclusive club. Here, no boundary will be left untested…and one’s deepest fantasies will become an exquisite reality.

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• Buy THE DEEP END (Paperback)
• Buy THE DEEP END (Audiobook)

Holy hell, this book was HOT! Passionate, wildly sensual, and boundary pushing, but oh-so addictive! I have loved everything Kristen Ashley has written for years, and even though I absolutely adore her usual style, it was thrilling to see that this book had some very different elements than her usual! It was INTENSELY EROTIC in a way that was incredibly sexy but definitely made me uncomfortable at times, however it had a very beautiful love story at its heart. Please be VERY OPEN MINDED when you read this book. When I first saw the blurb, I was wary because an ‘alpha submissive’ isn’t the kind of hero I’d usually choose to read about but let me assure you that he really was ALPHA!! Olivier was heart-meltingly sweet, deeply protective, incredibly loyal and I fell completely in love with him. Not to mention that Amelie was perfect for him. I loved him. I loved them. I loved this book!

I’d like to think of myself as a pretty open-minded non-judgemental person (and reader). I have a few hard limits but generally my stance is that as long as the characters are consenting and happy, I don’t really judge their kinks. That being said, I also know what I like and I tend to seek that out in the books I read. I love ALPHA heroes — the kind that Kristen Ashley is famous for writing — and when I saw that this hero was an ‘alpha-sub’, I was both intrigued and wary. Would he really be a believable Alpha? Would I like him? Fall for him? How could he be both an Alpha and a sub — weren’t those kind of contradictory? Bear in mind that I’m not hugely versed in the BDSM world so this isn’t my specialty or anything. I just know what I know from various books and even then, I had yet to encounter an alpha-sub hero. However, what I did know was that Kristen Ashley has never let me down so if she felt this was a story worth writing, then I absolutely was on board to read it.

Here’s the blurb…

Enter a decadent sensual world where gorgeous alpha males are committed to fulfilling a woman’s every desire…

Olivier isn’t sure what he’s gotten himself into when he joins the Honey Club, only that a dark part of him hungers for the lifestyle offered by this exclusive club. Here, no boundary will be left untested…and one’s deepest fantasies will become an exquisite reality.

When Amélie invites Olivier to surrender, she gives the alpha submissive what he craves. Soon they both find themselves falling harder than they ever anticipated—but as their connection deepens, the truth about Olivier’s past could destroy everything…

I went into this book completely blind. I didn’t know anything other than the blurb. And let me tell you… from the very first MOMENT that Amelie and Olivier met, MY HEART DID NOT STOP RACING!!!!

He was colossal.
A mighty beast.
A magnificent beast.
Exquisite.
…
She was on the verge of speaking when he did.
His direct gaze appreciative, an arrogant smile curving his full lips, he asked, “How you doin’, sweetheart?”

This was a real private message that I sent to a friend of mine while I was reading:

“OMG. OMG. OMG. SHE DID IT!!!! She literally wrote an alpha sub. Seriously. HE IS EVERYTHING!!!!!!! The cheekiness. The cockiness. The submission. The undeniable power and manliness. All these things you’d think would be contradictory but actually they’re just making him UNBELIEVABLY HOT!!!!!”

It made me positively giddy with joy to read such a complex hero! I loved the way he cheekily toed the line between Alpha man and submissive. His actions showing submission just as much as they reinforced his alpha nature.

“Am I amusing you?” she whispered…
His face set hard and his two words were so firm, the boulders again came tumbling.
“Absolutely not.”
“Then can you explain your humor?” she asked.
He shrugged. “Sure. You are un-fucking-believably beautiful. You’re also un-fucking-believably hot. But I wouldn’t guess with the acres that make all of you, every inch of it so damned sweet, you’re a walking wet dream, that when you get riled you’re also un-fucking-believably cute. And there is no way in fuck five minutes ago, you told me a gorgeous redhead was gonna lead me to a room and make me her pony, I would be cool with that. But standing here with you, I’m totally fuckin’ cool with that.”
It took a great deal, and she expended every bit of effort she needed to accomplish it, but at his final two points, Amelie didn’t blink.
Instead, she decided to finish this part up.
Immediately.
“I must confirm you have no boundaries or rules.”
“Got no rules or boundaries, babe.”

In fact, in some ways, you could argue that Olivier is in fact one of the most Alpha males that KA has ever written because if you take an Alpha and strip him of everything that would classically make him an Alpha — put him in a position of absolute submission — for him to STILL radiate that kind of undeniable power, possession, love, loyalty and protectiveness even in submission, almost makes him the strongest alpha of all.

He dipped close. “And Leigh-Leigh, I’m an alpha-sub and operative part of that in every sense… is alpha. No way I’m gonna leave any woman, much less one who means something to me, alone with a visibly ticked-off dude.” He shook his head when she opened her mouth. “It’s just not gonna happen.” He grinned again. “Now I get you can take care of yourself, at least verbally, though I know for certain you swing a mean bat. But I don’t give a fuck. I understand where you were and where you needed me to be in these halls when dealing with that fucker. But that’s the way it is.”
He gathered her closer and summed it up succinctly.
“Paddle my balls on Friday, but that’s the way it is.”

Amelie was also a fantastically strong heroine. Despite the fact that she was a Domme, I think it’s really important to remember that she was also a woman. She was more than her sexuality (an important theme within this book) and while she loved and craved the sexual connection that she and Olivier shared in their play, she was also simply a woman falling deeply in love with a man who made her heart race.

It was the best kiss of her life, lying under, holding close, and connected intimately with a man whose last name she didn’t know.

I think one of my favorite things within this book was the very clear distinction between Amelie and Olivier inside and outside of the erotic scenes they engaged in. They performed roles within their play, but they were also people outside of it and that distinction was so perfectly portrayed in this book.

Olly was Olivier, her alpha-sub, she his Mistress.
But when not in the scene it was different.
It was Olly, the alpha, and Leigh, his woman.

This is easily the most erotic book Kristen Ashley has written but the important thing that I cannot stress enough is that even though there are incredibly detailed sex scenes (that literally go on for pages) each and every sexual encounter that Olivier and Amelie share serves a purpose in building their relationship. There is literally no ‘sex for sex’s sake’ in this book — every single scene drives the story forward by either solidifying their bond or building trust between them that allows them to fall in love with each other outside of just their encounters in the Club.

I also really loved Olivier’s struggle within this story. He wanted Amelie’s world and everything she could offer him, but he had his own reservations and it wasn’t easy for him to surrender despite how deeply he craved it. I loved the way she pushed him just far enough to bring him deeper into her world but never enough to break him. And, more than anything, I loved that he was intensely tuned into everything she was doing — and I don’t just mean physically. He wasn’t just the blind recipient. He completely understood what she was doing and he craved it all the more.

Before she could even make eye contact, he kissed her… She melted into him and gave him his kiss, giving herself something even better.
Getting that kiss.
When he lifted his head, his eyes flashed and his lips tipped up in a grin.
“Now you can bring on the Mistress if you want, gorgeous.”
Amelie felt her own lips tip up. “You’re incorrigible.”
“And you fuckin’ love it.”

And seriously THE FEEEEEEEEELS!!!

Fucking hell, she did it for him.
Christ.
She was perfect. 
And Olly knew in that moment that he’d do anything for her.
For as long as he had her.
Which he hoped like fuck was a very long time.

I really hope that whoever reads this book can see past the sex into the absolutely stunning love story that Amelie and Olly shared. The sex is absolutely HOT as hell. It’s erotic. Intense. WILD. But that alone wouldn’t be enough to make this book what it was. What made this book so special was AMELIE AND OLLY. It was them. The people. They were the heart and soul of the story and their romance was what I fell in love with.

“Something funny?” she asked.
“You’re cute when you’re bossy.”
She opened her mouth but he lifted his chin in a “shut up” gesture and kept going before she could get a word in.
“Cute but hot. When you’re workin’ me, it’s just hot, Amelie. So don’t get pissy.”

I’ve said this countless times before, but if you read KA enough, you’ll notice that she has almost her own dialect of English. It’s her own unique writing style that sets her apart from everyone else. It’s not only the dialogue, but her very descriptions that captures the actions and emotions of her characters in a way that puts you right there with them on every page.

In fact, I think what makes KA’s writing so amazing is her understanding of subtleties — how she gets, on such a deep level, how important even the tiniest difference in a breath, a look, a jaw clench, or touch is, and she isn’t afraid to take the time to describe a scene to you in every possible detail such that you end up feeling completely attune to the characters — and perfectly in sync with their thoughts, feelings, emotions, and experiences.

I do not think this book will be for every reader. In order to appreciate this book, I think you either have to have a very open mind or already be a fan of this subgenre. I will reassure you by saying that there is no cheating, no sharing, no stupidity, everything they did was fully consensual, and they were exclusive with each other, but some of the things they did may be shocking to some readers or even make them a little uncomfortable so I’d just like to urge every reader to be as non-judgemental as possible when reading. The way I looked at it was that, no matter how I personally felt about what they did, this was their love story, not mine, so as long as they were having a good time (which they clearly were), then I was happy. I just trusted KA, allowed myself to be a little scandalized, didn’t judge anything, and enjoyed the hell out of this book.

“You’re of course aware I should do something about you being so audaciously cheeky.”
Another darkness crossed his face. “What?”
“I shouldn’t allow you to be so cheeky with me.”
“Cheeky?”
“Impudent,” she explained.
The look fled. “You mean, in uppity, hot-chick speak, a wise-ass.”
Amelie couldn’t help it, she laughed softly.
“She’s got a pretty laugh, too, to go with that pretty accent,” he murmured and she saw his eyes on her lips… “Just sayin’, Mistress,” he stated her title like it was a nickname, something forbidden at the same time immensely alluring, “you don’t want me to be a wise-ass, best not invite me back to your barn. Think it’s a part of me you can’t get rid of by paddling my ass.”

This book is a full standalone — complete with epilogue — but it’s also the start of a new series of standalones. The next book will be about a different couple and I absolutely cannot wait to read it!

I’ve read and loved over 40 Kristen Ashley books. I adore her writing style, I always fall in love with her characters, and her stories never fail to make my heart race, but I was beyond thrilled to see her explore this new territory and deliver such a beautiful love story. This is Kristen Ashley as you’ve never read her before — and I loved every word!

Rating: 5 stars!! Erotic Contemporary Romance. Can standalone.

• Buy THE DEEP END (Kindle)
• Buy THE DEEP END (Paperback)
• Buy THE DEEP END (Audiobook)

NOTE: this book releases tomorrow at midnight so be sure to pre-order an eBook so that your copy downloads automatically for you the moment it’s released. You also have the option of getting a paperback (it’s GORGEOUS, I have one) but if you’re going to do that, pre-order your print copy now to lock in the special 45% OFF sale pricing!

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Series of standalones.