Review: No Holds Barred

No Holds Barred by Caitlyn Willows
My rating: 3 of 5 stars



When your lover is on the other side of the courtroom, is it possible to still remain lovers? This is a difficult time for Valerie. She is smart and a great public defender. She also happens to be a submissive to the prosecutor in a high profile case. Russell is an excellent prosecutor. He rarely ever loses a case. When he does lose one to his submissive, it could break their relationship.

This is a painful one to witness as a reader because two lovers are torn apart due to their job. This is a touchy subject and I felt badly for Valerie. Russell is not a jerk about it, but he did have a few communication glitches which really hurt Valerie. As if the conflict from jobs is not enough, add in a mystery, killing, rape and beatings. This story contains several subplots which keep a reader guessing. Ms. Willow does a nice job of bringing it all together for a satisfying conclusion.

The BDSM in this story is what I categorize as glitterkink. There is an exclusive BDSM club where Valerie and Russell have a membership. It is a who's who in politicians and civil servants. The BDSM element is added in to give it a spicy kick. Is it realistic? More romanticized and fantasies than reality. The D/s is light and the SM is almost non-existent. It is a bit iffy at times because BDSM is once again used as a device to hide sexual predators and abusers. As a contemporary romance novel, this portrayal of BDSM is not my cup of tea.

Overall, the story flows smoothly with good ups and downs. The chemistry between Russel and Valerie is evident and sweet. Recommended for kinky romance readers who like a bit a suspense with their love drama.

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