Review: Emily’s Passion by AJ Storm

04 January of 2016 by Deb Markanton

Reviewer's Rating: 4

4.0Overall score

Touching, Beautiful, and Oh, So Steamy!

Emily’s Passion by AJ Storm

Contemporary Erotic Romance, BDSM

Released February 12, 2014

Bitten Press LLC

Reviewed by Deb

Emily Terbridge found herself widowed and alone. Her sexual desires hadn’t shut down because she’d gotten older, or survived breast cancer, in fact, she was more vibrant and alive now. With her maturity came the need to test the boundaries of her sexuality. She realized to do this, she needed to spend some time away from family and friends so she could explore her feelings and re-think herself.

She takes a much needed vacation and encounters Alan Cain, a retired businessman. The draw to him is instantaneous. She tries to fight her sexual attraction to him, but finds it’s hard to ignore the excitement he evokes in her just by being around him.
He’d been a Dom for many years and because of a D/s relationship that soured, he’d given up the lifestyle. When he meets Emily she brings out the Master in him, the Dom he thought he’d left behind. She’s a natural submissive and he discovers she’s curious about the BDSM lifestyle. He knows she’s holding back but perhaps he’s found a way into her heart. He offers her a chance to play, giving her an opportunity to explore with him her submissive side.

Emily is hesitant, can she trust him enough? Will their pasts get in the way? Or will Emily find her true passion?

Touching, Beautiful, and Oh, So Steamy!

I could not put this book down! The blurb had me intrigued so I thought I’d give it a try, expecting to be disappointed. Let’s face it, romantic heroines over the age of 50 aren’t exactly flooding the market. At least not in the kind of books I love; well-written romance, hot sex, a little or a lot of kink, dominant men and spunky women who know what they want. I feared Emily might be too conservative for my taste. Boy, was I wrong. Emily’s Passion is not only a poignant and beautiful story, it’s a refreshing read for those of us mature women, and it’s very hot indeed!

Ms. Storm begins the story with Emily reflecting on her life three months after her husband has passed away. I confess, I bawled like a baby through her walk down memory lane. But let me be clear, this is not a woe-is-me tale. It’s clear from the start that Emily is a strong woman. As she thinks back on her years with Doug, it’s with love and fondness, not regret or anger. As a matter of fact, their passion never waned, even through their years working full time and raising three children. They faced some tough-as-hell challenges when early menopause followed by a hysterectomy destroyed Emily’s libido and self-esteem. Soon afterward, when breast cancer and a double mastectomy made life seem hardly worth living, Doug never left her side. Every woman should have a Doug! A new e-reader and the discovery of erotic stories jump starts Emily’s libido. Despite her worry over feeling less of a woman, she and Doug resume the passion they once had, adding new avenues of exploration, including a bit of BDSM. When illness takes Doug, Emily refuses to hide away and mourn for the rest of her life. The way she sees it, she’s still young, even at 63. Her involvement in an online book chat group brings new friends into her life. Even though she’s never met any of them, they act as a support group to help her handle her loss. Besides, Doug would be the first person to tell her to get back out there and live.

I truly liked and admired Emily. She’s a tough cookie on the outside but she’s not afraid to show her vulnerability. She’s smart and spunky and hasn’t lost her sense of humor despite all that has clobbered her in the last decade. Throughout the year following Doug’s death, Emily reconnects with friends and continues to develop her online friendships. One man, in particular, has been especially attentive. Emily finds herself drawn to him but because of the horror stories of online relationships she keeps it casual. The more he reveals about himself the more curious she becomes, however, she’s just not ready to date yet. Deciding it’s time to get away and clear her head, Emily embarks solo on a trip she and Doug had planned to take. Before she can back out, she’s on her way to a group of quaint cabins near the beauty of Mt. Rushmore. Her plans to spend alone time reading and hiking suddenly change when she meets Alan her first night in the dining room. Tall, lean, and muscular, she guesses he’s a few years her senior. Sporting a silver white fu-Manchu mustache, leather jacket, and snug denim he is sexy as hell. When he introduces himself Emily is instantly attracted to his easy going yet dominant personality. Against her better judgment she feels completely comfortable around Alan, no red flags flying.

What follows is an unforgettable week of discovery for Emily. Not only is Alan a Dom, he instinctively anticipates Emily’s needs, helps her get beyond her fears about body image, and thoroughly enjoys her company. I loved everything about Alan. He is a true Dom in every way. And for a man of 69 he’s pretty damn hot. These two have instant and intense chemistry that translates into sizzling sex. Ms. Storm has done an amazing job of creating two charismatic characters who believably convey that sex can indeed be hot even after the age of 60.