Brianna has obviously done a lot of research into eating disorders and that clearly shows in the execution of Lacey’s inner monologue. I really appreciated that the novel had some substance and was not a typical sub/dom trope.

I saw this steamy cover on NetGalley and was into it! Unfortunately, the story just wasn’t for me. I can see someone who’s into age gap and daddy BDSM would really enjoy the dynamic. 2.5 stars.

This was my first time reading a book by this authors so I didn’t know what to expect going into this and It was great! Although it touches on some sensitive topics, it was still a steamy read to take the edge off. I really enjoyed this. I would highly recommend this book!

I thought that this was a well written book that covers a sensitive topic realistically and takes you through their emotions and feelings, as well as being a sexy book with some brilliant characters.

The author has managed to capture anguish and romance in this story and combined them to make a really good story that was well written and thoroughly enjoyable. There was plenty of chemistry in the book and I enjoyed getting to know the different characters and seeing Lacey develop.

It is 4 stars from me for this one, highly recommended and will definitely be looking to read more from this author!

Life for Lacey is not easy. Every single day, in every moment of her life, she has this voice in her head shaming her. She can't stop it at all. Because of this voice, she's restricted herself to so much in life. Then she meets Stian, her new boss. With him, she ventures into a world she had no idea existed or could help shut down that voice. But the voice is always there, lurking in the shadows, waiting to strike.

I have so many conflicting feelings towards this novel. As I have mentioned before, I have friends who are basically experts at BDSM from what they share of their experiences. But I have never really read a novel that features BDSM in its entirety and it's why I'm so conflicted. One of the reasons why I'm so conflicted is that, in my brain, this act degrades women so much, and I saw that happening with Lacey and Stian. It wasn't something intentional. Stian just loves the control, loves the feeling of owning someone, owning Lacey. I know there's a fifteen-year difference in age, but at times, Lacey would feel so much more younger than that and it's why it was tough to understand what was going on between them. Overall, though, Stian did treat Lacey like a growing plant, giving her love, dedication, attention, which I loved to see. It was simply the other part that would put me off, especially with the kneeling aspect that comes with BDSM.

Then there's the part where Lacey loves these acts because that nasty Anorexia voice is contained in her brain and doesn't come out so easily. I was glad to see that the author didn't let Lacey being with Stian "fix" her Anorexia. I think I would have been mad if that had happened. I was also glad to see just how supportive Stian was in every single moment. He would ask Lacey about what was going on in her head, gave her space when she needed it, especially when it came to eating.

Guys, this book was kind of tough to read when it came to the Mental Health aspect. I've never suffered from Anorexia, but I have suffered from Major Depression Disorder, and there's always that voice in my head, telling me that going down the dark path is the best, to just end things. And I sympathized/empathized with Lacey so much. The Anorexia voice that was in Lacey's head has been in my head, shaming me, putting me down, telling me I'll never be good enough. Lacey's experience felt so real and I'm so happy the author did not shy away when it came to this aspect of Anorexia.

Overall, I was glad to read something so serious as this topic of Mental Health is and seeing it a new light I hadn't seen before. I enjoyed so much the emotional aspects of the story. I'm just not entirely sure if the dom/sub was needed? I understand, in a way, why and how it would work, but I think I could have been fine without that part in the story.

I think I went into this blind, but wow what an emotional rollercoaster!
Lacey, 25 is a recovering anorexic. She goes to therapy once a week and has a meal plan. The voice inside her head is inside a box threatening to break free and take over, but she has it under control. When her dad scores her a summer job before she continues her Masters, she can’t believe it’s this guy.
Stian, 39, Swedish and a sexy tattooed Viking in suits. He’s her new boss for the next two months and suddenly she wants him to have Control...maybe even fix her.
She likes working for him and feels better about herself. But the voice inside her head starts getting stronger when summer is over.

My heart was breaking for Lacey as she lashes out at her family, her Therapist and lies to them about what is going on with her.

This was a very good read and I understand the use of BDSM in this book. The chemistry was there.

I received this ebook copy from the publisher and NetGalley for an honest review.

This was a wonderful and sexy read. I really enjoyed this. I would highly recommend not only this book, but this author as well!

I enjoyed this book quite a bit. The handling of eating disorders is genuine and realistic which I appreciate. The romance between Stian and Lacey is really great and I liked a lot of the romance tropes this book contained.

I was surprised how much I liked this book. I think I was expecting to hate Stian at the beginning and then slowly warm up to him. Turns out I immediately took a liking to him and the way he was with Lacey. He seem to understand what she needed right away, and that made him happy to know he could help her but not take complete control of her. Lacey was pushing herself as she was guided to do, but I don't think she expected to fall for her boss quite so fast. He quieted her demon most days and she needed that from him. The love affair of these two was a slow burn, and the sex was a degree of heat like no other! This is my first Branna Hale book, and I'm intrigued now to read more of her work.

I was gifted a copy of this book from Netgally in return for my honest Feedback.

This one's for all the bdsm-daddy-dom lovers out there. The heroine is a recovering anorexic and the hero is a control freak dominant who somehow helps her out.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2847841126?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1

4 stars! Thank you so much for the opportunity to read and review. I love all of Brianna's books.

3.5/5 - They are both control freaks...

** TRIGGER WARNING ** this story deals with eating disorders.

Stian is great I like him a lot as the Hero. He’s controlling in all the appropriate ways. Lacey is a control freak unto herself. She controls when, how, and what she eats. Lacey was cool until the 70% point. I sympathized with her and The Who anorexia thing. Then she really went CRAZY! And that’s also when I stopped liking the book.

Lacey’s brand of crazy was a little over the top. And when they moved away from Stian’s office that’s when the story got hard to digest... which I’m sure is the point. Brianna Hale writes amazingly, I love her books. This one for some reason just started bugging me.

I also had issue with the whole “subspace” situation. I get the whole : “Your kink is not my kink but your kink is ok” belief — my problem is The was its talked about. “I’m going to put you in subspace” or Lacey falls into subspace from oral sex, WHAT?!

One other thing that bothers me that authors do sometimes is include a note to the reader. Usually this in the beginning of the book or sneakily slipped in at the end when they know they most likely covered some stuff that isn’t main stream or they aren’t 100% confident about. To me it’s the “please don’t review this book negatively because... “ This book has one and it’s concerning the BDSM and eating disorder. It’s almost laughable to call this book BDSM, at most it’s light, Ms. Hale can write kink but not in the book. In my opinion the kink terminology isn’t handled appropriately.

FYI:

Oral, manual, penetrative sex. Spanking, collaring, nipple torture, and leash. Also, kneeling, forced orgasm.

* I was provided an ARC by NetGalley for a honest review

I went into this book with a preconceived notion. The blurb, the cover, led me to think I knew exactly what I was going to get. But this book was so much more than that. With layer, upon layer, of emotion this story pulled me in until my gut was twisted, my heart felt wrenched out of my chest, and my cheeks were wet with tears. And I loved every freaking moment of it!

The angst of this story is not within the relationship between Lacey and her boss, Stian. Nor is it because he is fifteen years older than her. The angst revolves around a voice in Lacey’s head. A voice that abuses her on a constant loop, a voice she has pushed firmly into a box in her mind, a voice that refuses to stay there.

I’ve never read a book with a heroine that suffers from anorexia that has struck such a chord with me as this one did. I was expecting the author’s note to share her own experiences with the disease. To know that she researched this topic to such a degree and was then able to make me feel all of Lacey’s pain, simply amazes me.

“I wish I were one of your bonsai plants,” I whisper, not looking him. “I wish I could feel like there was one reason for me to be. One thing I had to do.” I wish I had someone who understands what I need and is there for the worst parts, as he is now. “I feel different when I’m around you. I like you very much and wish you could…”

I choke the words off because I’m not treading in dangerous waters now, I’m walking right into a deep, shark-infested ocean with stones in my pocket.”

If the above topic and my jabbering on about it turns you off, stop please, because there is a deep, rich, emotional relationship that develops within the pages of this book. And it is this relationship that takes center stage.

Stian was nothing like I expected. “Control Freak”? Perhaps a bit, but not in the way I imagined. He was never harsh (other than when he first met Lacey) or mean as many dominants seem to be in the books I’ve read. He was so careful and kind, gentle and loving with everything to do with Lacey. But he also knew she needed a place and time to get out of her head. Enter the lite BDSM, spanking, and Daddy Dom/Little Girl element.

I usually get aggravated with these elements, but not so in this case. It was laid out in such beautiful symmetry with the characters both in a place to accept it and the hero never crossing a line or even attempting to do so. It was done with love and care and I couldn’t get enough of it.

This book is so much more than sex, a hero in control, or Lacey’s disease. It digs deep into the characters with all the good and the bad that makes up their psyche, and then lays them out for the reader to see. It’s very fast paced, not long in length, and never repetitive. The chemistry between the hero and heroine absolutely sizzles across the pages, and there is no push and pull. Reading this book has been an absolutely beautiful experience!

Rounding up from 4.5 stars.

This is the first book by Brianna Hale that I have read. I will just come right out and say it, if you have issues with BDSM or DD/lg (although in this case it is "good girl") then this is not the book for you. If you are sensitive to or triggered by very frank description and discussion about eating disorders then this is definitely not the book for you. You have been warned.

Now BDSM and DD/lg are tropes I have read before with very mixed opinions but I feel like this is a book that really uses those themes very well. I was initially alarmed by just how fragile the young heroine in this story was portrayed but I was actually intrigued by the story of her struggle to recover. While this certainly isn't a traditional romance, it is a fascinating love story worth exploring.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

ARC received for review

Stian is bossy and Lacey is a wimp. Plus the whole story was just weird. I'm still not sure how I finished it. I guess I was waiting on her to grow up.

In my many hours perusing Instagram I came across a post with this cover and a blurb and instantly I was intrigued. Okay, I lie, I was more than intrigued. It might as well have been a Siren calling me to my death. I was mesmerized. I needed to read it. I went on a mad search looking for it. My sleuthing skills paid off because I discovered it on Netgalley and requested an ARC. Something I rarely do, and not expecting a response back. Color me surprised that I was chosen to read this book. I still had no idea what to expect other than the blurb. I am glad for that because by going in blind and seeing the way that the author wrote this story allowed me to truly appreciate this story in a way with no preconceived notions.

The age gap "daddy" is not a sub-genre that I normally read. Yet, if they were all written as exceptionally well as this one I might change my mind. I liked that the author played on the notion of "control" in this story. This had a different connotation to the word depending on the character. It also has a duality in BDSM with the idea that even though the Dominant wields the power, it is, in fact, the Submissive that truly has the power. For both Stian and Lacey, they have their own idea of needing to control something> without giving away spoilers, I will just say that it was beautiful and painful to watch as both grappled with needing it and having it be allusive in so many ways. My heart hurt at times as I watched as the helplessness of something was just out of reach and how they both tried so hard to have the hope that it wouldn't be this way forever. The steamy times in this book were very well done and I could definitely see the correlation of how this might help someone like Lacey. Yet, it is important to note that it wasn't a way to "fix" but rather give structure.

This author put a lot of work into creating a backdrop of the story, complete with history and traditions in order to enhance the storyline and the characters. She also talked about something not often read about in romance and portrayed it with such care and kindness. I, as a reader, appreciated that because I am familiar with it, not personally but with a family member. Adding in the secondary characters was much needed and showed that this was not just a plot device to add drama to the story. It made me appreciate the story that much more and made it feel as if this was truly a real couple conquering an obstacle in their journey of life.

Normally, I question the insane amount of time that I spend on IG. However, since it gave me this stunning book to add to my insane amount of books that I have read in 2019, I will say that time was well spent. Kudos to the author. I am a huge fan.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
Control Freak comes out June 27th. Be sure to grab a copy!

3.5-4 stars

I was delightfully surprised by Control Freak. I thought I was going to read the "same old" erotica short book, but that is not what I got. Told in dual POV, Control Freak follows the lives of Lucy, a recovering anorexic, and Stian, a museum owner with controlling tendencies. Lucy lands a job working for Stian as his assistant when things heat up between them.

Stian sounds sexy. A Scandinavian tattooed boss man who likes to be in control? Sign me up. He was portrayed as very mature and levelheaded. He didn't do anything dramatic or overbearing like men sometimes do in books like these. Stian is 39, while Lucy is a 24 YO virgin. Why do they always have to be virgins?? *eye roll* I mean I get it because it goes with the whole submissive aspect, but still.
I loved the culture entwined in the writing. Greek mythology, Nordic history, and Swedish language made an appearance throughout the book, which pleasantly surprised me and gave it a different side than what you normally see in erotica. Another thing that made Control Freak standout was the fact that Lucy was a recovering anorexic. This is a very heavy topic that I feel was handled with class. At first, I didn't know if I liked that the author included this in the story line, but after finishing it, I have decided that it makes the book stand out from your normal romance. It opens your eyes to the daily struggles that people with eating disorders go through. I loved how the author had Stian deal with the situation and the grace he showed Lucy. He showed her how to love herself and helped her gain confidence in herself. There is nothing more a man can do for a woman than to show her that she is enough, to help bring out her confidence, and to love her despite her flaws. I also appreciated that there wasn't insta-love. For being under 200 pages and an erotica, I had expected this, but was pleasantly surprised when their relationship was a normal span of time.

For being an erotica novel, there wasn't as many sex scenes as I thought there would be, but were tastefully scattered throughout the book. Every so often sex scenes can be overbearing and happen way to often, however, at times I was left with wanting more. I am not huge on "punishment" in BDSM, but the scenes were written pretty mildly, with some spanking and choking. There wasn't much variety to the sex, they mostly did the same things every time. As Control Freak went on, the idea of dom/sub got lost in the midst of everything that Lucy was going through. I would've liked to see that explored more as it was the premise of the book.

Control Freak was an amazing, quick read that I read in one sitting. If you are a fan of erotica, but want something different from what is out there, this book is for you. There are some light triggers, which are as follows: Eating disorders, depression, choking, spanking.

1.5 stars
This book was not really my thing. I Had a few issues with it and then I finally threw in the towel and gave up. I need more romance in my stories.

I really wish that they had had the note about it dealing with an eating disorder here like they do on Goodreads. Because if they had, I would not have requested it. Not because I have one, but because I don't enjoy reading about things like that and/or people healing from whatever ails them. It's just not my thing. To be fair, based on the synopsis, it wasn't my usual type from the beginning but I wanted to give it a shot because it was so short. Also note that this is a daddy dom thing. Which is something I will never understand. I can't be the only one thinking it's just not right to be having sex with someone you call daddy. I'm sorry, that's what I call my REAL father. Just saying.

At the risk of pissing lots of people off, I'll be honest about why this got 2 stars from me. I have a personality flaw. A big one if my mother is to be believed. I have no empathy. Like, at all. I am an analytical thinker, so emotional situations confuse me when I can't understand why somebody is all upset or they can't do something I think is so simple. In reality, I try hard to figure out the correct thing to say or do in these situations. In fiction, I don't want to have to. So because I could not understand Lacey's fight against her other self and why it was so hard for her, a lot of the book bored me and I just couldn't care.

That's not to say that whole book was bad. I actually rather liked a fair amount of it. In the beginning. Despite Stian being so much older than Lacey, I thought that they were absolutely perfect together. I can understand Lacey's desire to be told what to do and have somebody to give her life structure. She finds that in Stian. At first as her boss, but soon as her lover of a sort. I don't believe that Stian is your typical dom, but he handles Lacey perfectly. And for a few weeks both of them are extremely happy.

It's when their time working together comes to an end and Stian still wants to be with Lacey in a normal relationship that she spirals out of control. It's also where the story lost me. Lacey panics at this prospect and believing that she doesn't deserve it and can never have "normal", lets her anorexia take over again. So she ends up back in the ward and seemingly giving up on herself. Stian won't give up on her though and in the end, Lacey has made a ton of progress. It even had a rather sweet ending.

I will say that the author seems to have done her research on this subject. Not that I would know, but everything Lacey goes thru and what we see in the other patients is believable.

I guess in the end this just serves as another reminder why I should remain firmly entrenched in paranormal fiction.

Not my usual or preferred genre but I was entertained while reading this.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review*