Review: The Auction

The Auction by Claire Thompson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



What kind of woman would sell her body for one month to a random stranger for 35K? This would be a desperate woman who is down on her luck. Carly Abrams lost her job over a year ago and she's now unable to make rent in New York. With some mild experience through boyfriends and a few trips to BDSM clubs, she signs on to be auctioned off through Erotic Auctions. This elite BDSM auction house catering to wealthy patrons only takes experienced professionals. Carly is not qualified but she's determined to make it work.

This set up is interesting. It's definitely a BDSM fantasy with a Pretty Woman-esque flavour. Even the author, Ms. Thompson makes this reference. Are there really auction houses that cater to rich handsome men? Possibly, but this reader is not in that echelon and would never be able to confirm it. For a fantasy, this is a very good one which is quite enjoyable.

Ms. Thompson does an excellent job of portraying a new D/s relationship between a Dom and a submissive. The possible failures in communication are all too realistic. It's nice to see the point of view from both the Dom and the sub. The reader can see the Dom is not omniscient and can make mistakes. Now, this is an idealize situation which shows what a good Dom could do when he makes a mistake. This is a romanticized view and very appealing to most submissive leaning females. From a BDSM perspective, this story was spot on.

For example, the demonstration of a trigger is excellent in both how it could happen, why it could happen and how to recover and move on from one. This is rarely covered in BDSM fiction. For this not to be a lecture but a part of the book is well done. Some of the fetishes included in this story are also less common and all presented in an erotic and sensual way. This makes it more palpable for those who are just exploring the BDSM genre. For the more experienced BDSM reader, it's a delightful treat.

The characters, Carly and Adam are both designed with good thought. There are no "sexual" abuse traumas or "mental" health issues which is much appreciated. Instead, the reader is treated to ordinary people who make mistakes and survive. (Okay, Adam is not exactly ordinary, but there are rich men like him. Just none this reader is intimately familiar with on personal name basis.) The dynamic and ultimately the power exchange between the two is lovely to witness. I highly recommend this book to kinky readers who want a sensual read with good character and world building.

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