Be forewarned: This one is a two-parter. This is a complete deviation to previous books by Maya Banks but well-warranted considering the scope of Evangeline and Drake’s story. Mastered will leave you on the edge of a cliff impatient to bridge the gap and reach the other side where the two find their HEA. That being said there are good and bad elements to this departure from the norm with Ms. Banks.

Mastered is presented in third person POV mainly, but not entirely from Evangeline’s point of view. The story begins as Evangeline, known to her friends as Vangie is preparing for a night out at a prestigious nightclub. One of her best friends has managed to procure a VIP pass ensuring she’ll get in. The whole intent of the evening is to show Evangeline’s ex just what he crassly used and passed on… basically thumbing her nose at him.

From the very get go you learn that Evangeline has absolutely no clue just how beautiful she is, inside and out. Her very ingénue characteristics attract men and make her a challenge to capture even the smallest part of her. At the same time those qualities can cause a spike in spitefulness and jealousy in the women around her and she is totally clueless to it all. It’s that very cluelessness that had her blinded to the fact that her ex was only after what he couldn’t have and the minute he got it, he dumped her like hot potatoes and squashed her fragile esteem in the process.

From the moment she walked into his establishment, Drake Donovan knew she was a disaster waiting to happen. Heads were going to roll for whoever let this innocent pass. He followed her progress to the bar from his observation deck. So, he didn’t miss a thing as one of the other patrons accosted her. Immediately, he set his security force in gear and demanded they take the trash out (namely her ex) and deliver her to his office. He didn’t miss a thing… her bravado or her fear. The die was cast. He would have her. Not for a night, but to have and to hold for as long as he wished to possess her.

Mortified, Evangeline is led to the owner’s office. She wants nothing but to get away and cause no further problems. When confronted, though, as to why she is even there in the first place, Evangeline is compelled to tell the truth… a truth that has Drake seriously pissed and determined to show her that she is very much not a frigid ice princess. Within moments of meeting he has her spread across his desk as he goes down on her. Needless to say, he rocks her world and not just in a sexual manner. He is immediately demanding her obedience. He announces he’ll have her picked up the next night. Overwhelmed, she merely nods and leaves.

Lest you think I’ve given away the whole plot, know that this is just their meeting and takes up probably the first couple chapters. What ensues afterward is a bit of defiance, misunderstandings, a lot of self-recriminations, some pretty hot and steamy sex scenes and a bit of BDSM. You come to learn that Evangeline, or as Drake calls her, Angel is selfless, loyal and a total bulldog at defending those she cares about. First and foremost are her parents. She captures the hearts of all of his rough brotherhood and it’s clear they’ll do almost anything for her right from the start. She’s from a small town and moved to NY so that she can make more money to send home to her folks. She’s self-sacrificing to the max in her endeavor to support them.

Drake, on the other hand, is much more of a mystery. You know he’s a millionaire and that the manner in which he became one is very questionable. But, you have no real clue exactly how he made his millions or what exactly all of his business entails. He views himself as the god of his world. All of his actions reflect that attitude. At the same time, while he claims that he owns Angel and demands her obedience, he very much cossets and cares for her. His manner of showing it though has its set of wrinkles. Loving a very selfless woman who came from nothing has its own set of challenges. She is an enigma. Unlike all the women in his past she has no want or need for all the riches he wishes to shower her with. All she wants is him.

The end of Mastered leaves you with Drake committing an unthinkable act of cruelty. A very intentional act which he is motivated to do in order to protect not only himself and his empire but Angel herself. Knowing his remorse, though, you can’t help but know he’ll be moving heaven and earth to get his Angel back.

I read a number of the reviews posted for Mastered. They run the gamut. There are those that totally love it. There are those that DNF or absolutely hated it. As I said this one is a departure from the typical Banks’ repertoire. Some of the complaints had to do with the issue of safe, sane and consensual when it comes to the BDSM. The relationship detailed is one of slave and Master rather than submissive and Dominant. There is a subtle distinction. A slave has no safe word. It is expected that the Master will know the limits of the slave and never push them beyond their ability to endure. Also, in BDSM, a true Master may discipline disobedience and they may use painful methods, but they do not harm their slaves, again a subtle difference. Also of note, some of the BDSM and sex scenes presented are hot and steamy but not entirely realistic. One does not typically initiate someone to anal play with no real work up. So, it’s a little unrealistic that the hero initiated it the second time they were together and it ended up in such a mind-blowing experience for both. Possible, but not very probable. The same might apply for how rough the oral sex was for someone with absolutely no experience.

Another issue a number of people had is in regards to the instant trust. Within twenty-four hours of meeting Drake, you have Angel moving in with him and getting involved in a totally committed BDSM relationship. I’m going to be totally honest here. I’ve seen it happen. Not everyone has those filters that recognize a predator. Many of Drake’s actions are those of a predator. At the same time, his caring negates some of those issues. His high-handedly setting a bodyguard on Angel isn’t done so much as a form of control or imprisonment, but rather as a safety measure and to protect. Still even knowing that there is instant chemistry, love or lust at first sight and an overall sense of those you can trust with most people, I can definitely see why some would have an issue with this one. Reality is, sometimes it works and sometimes these people really need to get a clue.

Overall, the story works for me. I am able to suspend my belief and get into the meat of the story. I don’t expect it to be real. I would have liked a bit more backstory for both characters. I sure hope that the second part, Dominated gives us a better clue to their histories. It’s obvious that while some of the BDSM is factual it is more what I would call fantasy fodder than reality based. Some of the BDSM terms used interchangeably are in fact totally different things. Specifically, a flogger is an instrument with multiple flails usually made of leather that can be brushed over someone or used for impact. A crop has a flexible length and ends with a single leather slapper at one end. They are typically used when horseback riding. I have seen many authors use the terms interchangeably for the same instrument in a scene. You do not flog with a crop, nor do crop with a flogger.

All of that said, I enjoyed Mastered and I am looking forward to its conclusion in Dominated. Maya Banks remains one of my favorite authors. Unlike some, I don’t expect complete factuality or total believability in the stories I read. I only require them to be believable enough for me to let my imagination soar. They are after all fiction.

The Enforcers Series:

Mastered, Book 1
Dominated, Book 2… Coming May 3, 2016
Kept, Book 3… Coming November 1, 2016

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