I enjoyed getting to know Simon and Chloe as individuals. Simon, a teacher and coach, carries the weight of a tragic past, having lost his father, while Chloe, a businesswoman, navigates a challenging relationship with her sister. However, I felt the story was lacking in moments beyond their relationship. Their interactions are almost entirely confined to the bedroom, which doesn't feel realistic. I would have appreciated more glimpses into their everyday lives. It was sexy as hell, but sometimes a girl needs a little more.

Received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review

Probably a 3.5 overall but GR doesn't do half stars. I enjoyed this premise...this idea that big sister's ex is what you've been thinking of and is just the man to show you the world you so desperately want to be a part of. The spice was spicing, that's for sure and there were several times when I felt like my heart was breaking based on the way Simon kept pushing Chloe away.

I will say that some of the spice that they engaged in didn't seem to be exactly what Chloe was into, but then she ended up enjoying it...so I was a bit confused about that. There were times it felt like Simon was pushing her unnecessarily just to see how far she'd go and she was never going to safe-word him which made me a bit uncomfortable.

Overall, I liked it and I'd be interested to read other books in the Luminous series.

I love this author, especially The Fireside Series. This book was a little outside of my comfort zone to be honest but I enjoyed the author's ability to draw me into the couple's relationship and believe in their chemistry and passion. Strong chemistry and emotion and two adults who enjoyed and loved each other.

After reading Dominate Me, Luminous #1, as well as this author's Fireside series, I was eager to read this second novel in the Luminous series, and it did not disappoint at all. When it comes to popular BDSM fiction, it certainly was a huge improvement over the dreadful Fifty Shades of Gray series and it gets 5 stars from this reviewer.

What I loved about Crave Me was pretty much everything. Chloe has harbored a secret crush on her sister's ex-finance, Simon, from the moment they first met, but at the time, he only had eyes for her sister. When Simon, a history teacher , hockey coach, and a Dominant, tried to introduce his kink well into their relationship, not only did it end that relationship, he was nearly charged with sexual abuse and assault. During the course of that relationship, he and Chloe became friends of a sort, but after the break-up, there was no contact between them.

A couple of years later, when Simon encounters Chloe at a masked ball fundraiser, he doesn't immediately recognize her, and when he does, after one hot kiss, she begs him to train her as a submissive. Fearing another charge of sexual abuse, he turns her down, only to hear her screaming his name in pain six months later, one night at Club Luminous, where he finds her tied to a St. Andrews cross and being roughly caned by a sexual sadist. She'd used his name as her safe word, only the Dom ignored it. After getting Chloe out of there and tending to her wounds, this time when she asks, he agrees to train her as a submissive for one month--and what a month it is.

I absolutely loved that Ms. Lynn gave Simon and Chloe a past and a backstory, something that is too often skipped over in BDSM romances. The fact that Chloe had harbored a secret love for Simon for years added a great deal of depth and emotion to what might have been an otherwise typical "introduction to BDSM" novel. The fact that the author also chose to tell their story using alternate narration gave us even more insight as to what each of these two characters were thinking and feeling. The fact that they had to keep their relationship under wraps from Chloe's family, who'd all come to hate Simon after the abuse allegations, added another complication and even more drama to an already dramatic story.

I was also thrilled to learn that Simon wasn't a billionaire--it was a nice change to learn he had a real job, and that should his kink become public, it would have would have ended his teaching career and destroyed his life. I liked that Simon was also so much more than the usual fictional Dom. He didn't play that role all the time--we even got to see him in his role as a school hockey coach, and he was able to slip into and out of his Dom role with ease, and as needed when he was training Chloe, and be forewarned, the training sessions with Chloe were off the charts hot.

Chloe was also not your average submissive. She was feisty, sassy, sarcastic and even occasionally tried to top from the bottom. It made her seem more real and more likable. It was also a nice change of pace that Simon didn't harbor a deep, dark, secret trauma in his past that explained his interest in BDSM. An interest in the BDSM lifestyle doesn't always have to be explained away by trauma, any more than you'd need to explain why some people prefer coffee to tea or chocolate ice cream to vanilla. Kudos to the author for realizing that.

If, like many, you first started reading this type of erotic fiction because of the popularity of Fifty Shades series, I'd highly recommend this series as a better written and more emotionally gripping alternative. While this novel is part a series, each novel works perfectly as a standalone, so that whether or not you start at the beginning, I think these stories and their characters will draw you in, and you'll become as addicted to this series as I did.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance reader copy of this book. The opinions expressed are my own.

4 1/2 stars extra 1/2 has he coached hockey.

Simon choose the wrong sister years ago and it ended badly for him. While he is attracted to Chloe he refuses to act on it. Chloe has had a crush on Simon for years ever since she saw him the night he met her sister. When she decides to try a BDSM lifestyle she approaches Simon to be her Dom. He refuses at first and then agrees for a one month training period. When that month is up, will Simon give her up or will they continue with their relationship .

I liked the emotional depth their relationship had and seeing how a BDSM relationship develops for a newbie.

Crave Me by Stacey Lynn is a sexy and erotic story that will captivate and entrance you from the first page until the last word. Stacey Lynn has this way in writing a steamy and erotic prose that will keep you coming back for more. The premise of this story had me hooked because it involves reading about a taboo relationship, entering into a D/s relationship with a sister’s ex , and the complex relationships involved in this story.
You know that old saying “ One should not covet thy sister’s ex” well, Chloe has always been in love with her sister’s ex Simon. But didn’t know how to get him to look at her for once. Chloe knew she wanted to explore her submissive nature and she knew Simon was all into that world. The reason her sister ended her relationship with Simon was she disapproved of D/s totally and called it “abuse”. But Chloe didn’t find it abuse and she totally trusted Simon so she approached him to train her in D/s and as a sub. At first Simon said no but then he agreed but it was a shaky start and all that could go wrong between them, did.
The thing is, this is a beautiful story between two consenting adults. Simon and Chloe had such awesome chemistry and the love that blossomed between them was beautiful to read. Oh and yes, there was some angst in this book and the angsty sex was hot. This is primal, intense yet full of heartbreak and seduction and also has a touch of forbidden to it. All wrapped into one story, one that you definitely need to read. Chloe is a woman who knows what she wants and she wants Simon. She is a good woman who knows a good man. Simon is a tough nut to crack, been thru a lot and yet he is an alpha male who knows Chloe is his. He fights his feelings until the very end and I have to say, this is one story that has an outcome that is beautiful to read.

Rating: 4.7 stars *****
"I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review***

This was an okay read for me. The BDSM scenes were okay as well. The romance was a bit meh for me, though.

What a great BDSM read! BDSM was the premise for this one and it was done true and true. Add in some drama and angst and hot damn!

Simon is refreshing. Has morals and knows how to treat a lady. What a gentleman!

Chloe is a strong and established woman with a bit of sass.

These two worked so well together! The story was well played out, no gaps, which made this easy and enjoyable to read. Of course there was some drama to give this one a punch. When you want something bad enough, you will find a way to have and keep. Some people will be hurt. Some will be damaged. But in the end the heart wins.

Chloe has had a crush on Simon for years and gets up the nerve to ask him to train her despite his history with her sister. Eventually he accepts her as a sub and things gets Hot!

The books is full of sex scene, the Characters are easy to follow. The story line is simple, but it goes with the plot. Over all a good sexy read.

A super hot book about a submissive pair. Chloe remembers Simon as her sister's past boyfriend. They broke up and her sister has made claims about Simon and Chloe is intrigued. She wants to be Simons submissive and he agrees only until she is trained.

If you're into BDSM then this is the book for you. Simon is the ultimate Dom and Chloe is a lovely, new submissive.

The moment the masked Chloe enters the club, Simon feels a strong pull to her. Chloe needs his guidance if she is to be the submissive she feels she meant to be.

Needless to some very steamy scenes. It was well written and characters were likable.

My, my. That was HOT! It jumps right into it and I was immediately excited for Simon and Chloe's story.

This was a super hot, awesome read with extremely likable characters. And by hot I mean crazy HOT with fantastic kink. I really liked Chloe and Simon, they had a great attraction and pull to one another. I loved the dilemma they were facing because of their past connection. I liked their character development and histories as well, not super in depth, just laid out nicely. I loved their chemistry and the battle they were both facing as they're in the middle of this very erotic dynamic. Their building feelings were awesome and I loved how in denial Simon was about them, it made for a great push and pull. Simon was so sweet and caring. I loved Chloe as well, she had spunk and was sassy. The two of them combined made for some fun, playful moments as well as some really passionate ones. Their was a good build happening as they grow together and experience ups and downs.

It was a great story, it moved along nicely at a quick pace that had me turning the page. It was definitely an entertaining read, not taxing at all. The sex scenes were extremely well written and very detailed… off the charts steamy doesn’t begin to cover it.

Super hot. Super erotic. Super passionate. A great story about two people coming together through a very sexual exploration and it made for a very entertaining read.

Crave Me is the sizzling second book in Stacey's Luminous series and I couldn't wait to read it. I absolutely adored Chloe who was drawn to her sister's ex. Simon lost her sister when he revealed his secret desire and that is part of what draws Chloe as she shares that desire. They come together after a tantalizing moment shared masked. Simon can't stop thinking about her and eventually he agrees to train her. What begins as training turns into something so much more. I loved their journey to that. They are total scorch together and I so enjoyed their story. I can't wait to read more in this series.

I give Crave Me 4 hearts!

If a romance novel has kink in it, I have to read it; I can’t resist. As such, there was no question that I would be reading Stacey Lynn’s Crave Me once I read its description. Yes, the fact that the hero once loved the heroine’s older sister gave me pause, but not enough to curb my interest. And I thoroughly enjoyed Crave Me, its kinky sex scenes and it hot romance between Chloe and Simon.
 
As I mentioned earlier, Simon once dates Chloe’s older sister. The two were in a serious relationship until Simon attempted to introduce the sister to his kink. At this point, the sister lost her marbles and accused Simon of being abusive and broke up with him - she also told people (including her parents) about Simon’s kinky tendencies. This hurt him badly since he was in love with her (I admit to being annoyed by this fact).
 
Chloe, of course, had a massive crush on Simon and years later makes a play for him at a charity event (she plays at being mysterious and wears a mask). Simon is horrified when he realizes that he is fooling around with his ex’s sister. He turns her down hard - until he sees her at his BDSM club being hurt by an incompetent dominant. At this point, he agrees to train her - temporarily.
 
Simon and Chloe agree to a finite BDSM arrangement where Simon will train her and help her find another dominant. They know that a permanent relationship is out of the question given Simon’s experience with Chloe’s family. Neither one expects that their kinky desires will mesh so well or that they will develop strong feelings for each other outside their kinky relationship (okay, this isn’t really true for Chloe who has feelings for Simon before they begin their kinky play). But they are good for each other and end up setting themselves up for a serious conflict with Chloe’s family.
 
So, Chloe’s family . . . Chloe’s sister is not a great nor a likeable person. She has no tolerance for kink, and she made sure that her parents knew about Simon’s proclivities when she ended their relationship. This means that her parents are dead set against Simon and Chloe being together - and it means that Chloe eventually has to have a very embarrassing conversation with them about kink, about consensual practices and about her sexual relationship with Simon. I admittedly found the conversation highly embarrassing although it was certainly necessary in order for Simon and Chloe to find their HEA. Chloe’s sister was not my favorite character, and I kind of wanted to punch Simon for getting involved with her in the first place.
 
While the familial conflict was my least favorite part of Crave Me, I thought the romance was captivating and well done. There is a great deal of sexual tension between Simon and Chloe - and Simon is not able to maintain the facade of being an uninvolved dominant for very long. Additionally, Simon is a very naughty and dirty-minded hero. The sex is hot and plentiful.
 
Crave Me is the second book in Stacey Lynn’s Luminous series which is set around the BDSM sex club named Luminous. I am a fan of both books and am looking forward to more. If you enjoy kinky romances filled with strong emotion, then Crave Me should fit the bill.

Chloe and Simon have a past and they haven't seen each other in a few years but that all changes at a masquerade gala. Chloe was always attracted to Simon, while he dated her older sister she developed a huge crush on him, and when they broke up with her sister claiming Simon was abusive that didn't change her feelings for him in fact it may have proven that he was the perfect man for her. You see there was one night where Simon wanted to show Cassie the kinkier side of him, which she agreed to, but when he did she was horrified and claimed abuse and broke up with him. This was devastating to Simon because he really had feelings for her but when she freaked out it changed him and now he only plays at Club Luminous.

Chloe has submissive tendencies and she is looking for a Dom that will train her thinking that Simon would be perfect she approaches him at a masquerade fundraising gala and lets just say things don't go as well as Chloe had hoped.

I have to say that I do not remember any teacher at my High School being as HOT as Simon, he had the whole sexy nerd thing going on in addition to his Dominating personality. Gotta say it was a HUGE TURN ON for Chloe and who could blame her. I loved that we were able to get a peek into Haley & Jensen, from Dominate Me, current relationship status. It's always fun to see the other couples interacting with the new ones.

This has been a spicy read and a great addition to the series, I cannot wait to see who gets their HEA next but I have to say that I am really hoping it's Bennett.

This is the second book in this series. Chloe has had a crush on Simon for a while but since he is her sister’s ex she could lose a lot by being with him. One night after she is injured at the club he offers to train her but with the chemistry they share, will a month be enough? This is a wonderful read with amazing characters and an excellent story. I was hooked from beginning to end on this emotional and steamy read. I loved it!

***ARC Provided by Carina Press***

Simon and Chloe were amazing. Stunning. And, their chemistry, goodness I needed a fan.

Let's talk about Simon. I am not even able to put my finger on it specifically, but he was perfect. So compelling, sexy, and attractive....as a reader you completely understand her attraction to him, why she would want to be involved with him, and why she would want something long-term with him.

Simon, of course, is resistant to this idea, to the idea of someone long term...until he starts to realize that he doesn't want her with anyone else, that he is training her for him. Whether he wants to admit this to himself or not, which he doesn't at first.

The real strength of this book is the writing. Stacey Lynn is a favorite of mine not only because she writes amazing erotic fiction, but because she does so with character and depth. You are reading about people, not just sex objects. And, while this works in some erotic fiction, it is nice to have a fully developed story line and characters.

I loved the depth added by the fact that Simon had dated Chloe's sister, and that things had ended badly, and the strength of character it showed when Simon decided to actually pursue Chloe, that he was willing to face her sister, and her family, and to tell his side of the story. And, without getting into detail, I loved the exploration of the different perspectives of the BDSM lifestyle and the soft rebuke of those who see it as abuse.

I definitely enjoyed this book and I recommend it.

Review to come shortly

3.5 stars

I enjoy reading about taboo relationships, and entering into a D/s relationship with a sister’s ex certainly fit the bill. The premise of this story hooked me from the start and I thought I was in store for one hell of a ride. But unfortunately after a while, the ride just sort of meandered before it finally drifted into the station.

Chloe knew she wanted to explore her submissive nature, and who better to do so with than someone she liked and trusted? Simon was Chloe’s sister’s ex-boyfriend, whose relationship ended when Simon’s introduction of kink into their relationship was not well received. Dubbing it as “abuse”, Chloe’s sister ended the romance. Unable to forget Simon and knowing that she needed Simon’s brand of dominance, Chloe approaches Simon to train her as a sub.

For Simon, once he begins to see Chloe as a sub, he can’t get her out of his mind. He is caring, compassionate, strict and the perfect Dom. The sex is scorching and intimate and quite frequent. But when Simon realizes how ideal Chloe is for him, he knows that their temporary arrangement needs to end as soon as possible before he gets too attached to a woman he can’t have. Her family will never accept their relationship. So, even as they fall deeper in love with one another, Simon steels himself to be able to hand her off to another Dom.

What. The. Hell.

This was not a Romeo and Juliet situation. These were two grown and consenting adults that were willing to throw away a relationship that they both desired and needed, simply to keep familial peace. This was martyrdom at its finest where a Dom was willing to train a sub to please him and need him, and then hand her off because it what was what was best for everyone. It was frustrating to me to read this about two characters I liked and I just wanted to smack some sense into them.

Crave Me was an entertaining book and completely erotic. But I don’t feel that it covered any new territory for me. Perhaps I thought more of the story would be about Simon not knowing who his sub really was and her identity being a secret, which would have added a twist. Instead this was a decent BDSM story with likeable characters and a lot of kink. But for me, it just didn’t bring anything new to the table.

This book was wicked hot. I'm in love with Lynn's characters and storylines. She is quickly becoming one of my go-to authors. I haven't read the other books in this series, but I will make sure to place them high on my to be read list!

Note, I did receive an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.