Review: Byte Me!

Byte Me! by Roberta Steele

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Kinky film noire translated into word form can be quite fun. Ms. Steele is a new to me author who shows potential for more kinky fun. Sam is an PI who receives a new client. This new client is snobby and looks down upon her. Still, it is a paying job. She just needs to provide proof of the client's business partner behaving against the interest of the company. As Sam investigates, she uncovers some discrepancies between what her client says and what the business partner is really doing.

Cornell is the business partner who comes across as trustworthy. He does have a secret but it has nothing to do with work. He's a dominant and enjoys sexually controlling women. When Cornell and Sam's path cross, Sam is in for a wild ride.

The characters in this story are easy to visualize. Cornell is a sexy rich man. Sam is hardworking and ethical woman. The antagonists in this story are clearly exposed as greedy people with no morals. It's fun to follow along as Sam finds out information which reveals the true facts. While this is going on, her exploration into an alternative sexual lifestyle throws her off kilter. The kink is light and enjoyable. Still, is she rooting for Cornell because he's sexy or because he is a good guy? The struggle Sam goes through on a personal level because of Cornell is a good conflict device and makes Sam more relatable.

From a plot perspective, this story is easy to understand and there are little surprises. All the issues raised are resolved neatly in the end with a happily ever after. Ms. Steele does a good job of balancing the detective work and erotic scenes so that neither one overwhelms the other. She also nicely shows how BDSM can be practiced by those who are supportive of the lifestyle as well as the abusers. The story did come across as a book with a focus on the BDSM and detective work on the side instead of a blend. For a more cohesive storyline, it would be interesting to focus on the mystery part and using the BDSM as an underlying enhancer. This way, it becomes an erotically hawt crime book with BDSM undertones. Basically, show the characters in BDSM relationship without saying it and making a point about BDSM being tantalizingly taboo.

This is an enjoyable read recommended for kinky readers who enjoy a bit of sexy sleuthing.

*I received this book as a review copy in return for an honest review

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