Story of L

This book is for anyone who loves S/M with depth of emotion. It's an intense read, but the author does a good job of creating a well told story around the aspects of S/M. This book is an untraditional romance, but there is definately love involved between the characters. In a rare glimpse of the S/M scenes, that are intense enough to border on crossing the line into abuse, the author does a beautiful job crafting characters and scenes that instead have respect and sensitivity to them. A sense of both physical and emotional respect for everyone involved in the book and characters.


Liv called her hunger the Void, a bottomless pit of sexual desperation. She thought she knew it, and herself. Until a night with Cassandra silenced it. And brought out something in Liv she didn’t think possible: submission.

One taste of that, and Liv wanted more.

But Cassandra isn’t an easy dominant, and her demands aren’t simple. She expects Liv to earn her way into her good graces, too follow her every command and whim. How many hurdles must Liv jump before she can kneel before Cassandra? Before Cassandra will lay claim to her?

Just what will it take to become Cassandra’s “L?” And, if Liv achieves it, will the outcome be all she’s hoped for? Find out in a timeless tale, retold. Find out in Story of L.

Liv, mostly dominant, finds herself one night thoroughly owned and completely satisfied by Cassandra, famous Dom and wants for more. However, will she be able to fulfill all Cassandra's requests, or is there a limit called "to much"?
This is a book that brings you deeper BDSM concept than some "coquetting" with it that most romances offer. It gives you insights on Dom/sub rules, behavior, sexual "build-up" with non-sexual play, searching for much deeper satisfaction, the blissful content that being owned and submissive means to L.
Although not the topic and plot that will suit everyone, this is a good book, and I would gladly recommend it to anyone eager to learn more about the BDSM construct in every-day life.

3.5 rounded up to 4 stars. This is a short read. I'm guessing more a novella than a novel. Only took me a couple hours to finish. It's an intense and realistic glimpse into the BDSM world. Some scenes might offend people looking for some of the more vanilla aspects like in 50 shades.
The work this is loosely based on, The Story of O, angered me at the end. Happy to say this one gave me a much better feeling at the end. There's some hope here. It might even be possible we'll get a sequel sometime.

NetGalley ARC received for an unbiased review.

This is one of those books that you really need to know what you're getting into before buying. Same thing with rating this book. For me personally, I rate it 3 stars for how much I enjoyed it, however for the type of book it is I'd probably rate it 4 stars. What I mean by that is that this book is about as pure an S&M erotica book as you're going to get.

The book is basically about the character "L" and her learning to serve her new Master Cassandra. It's exactly as it sounds, lots of sex scenes in slave/master fashion. If that's not your thing, this book isn't for you. If you're interested in the lifestyle at all, then this is there perfect book for you.

The writing was a little choppy for me in general and there wasn't much substance between the two characters other than sex. Even the non-sex tasks are through L and another character. Again, fine for an erotica book but I still like my erotica books with a little more plot and chemistry between the two leads.

This was an extremely interesting read. I haven't read a lot of BDSM novels it figured I would try this one out. Im glad I did. The plot was intense and I often asked myself why Liv continued to jump through all of the hoops. But it was obvious that her feelings for Cassandra were way more than just desire. It was interesting to see another side of relationships through this book and I found the author's writing to be highly engaging. Thanks for a great read!!

Debra Hyde has written a erotic bdsm story that will either engross your imagination for hours. As you read you may blush a little, get a little excited, or be a little embarrassed at some of the scenes that play out in the story line. I would recommend this book for anyone who likes BDSM. The story is well written and it will make you want to finish it in one sitting to find out what happens.

Completely unexpected - that pretty much sums up my emotion upon finishing this amazing book. The fact that this book won a coveted literary award compelled me to give it a try despite its subject content. I am so glad for an open mind because this book was quite the adventure. I readily admit to my ignorance and intimidation when it comes to BDSM so I can't comment accurately about its authenticity to that lifestyle. Frankly, that isn't what this story is about, but it does play a rather interesting character in of itself as the catalyst for bringing Liv and Cassandra together. Don't get me wrong, there's some pretty intense play that made me fan myself multiple times. What I wasn't expecting is the marked intensity of Liv's transformation in becoming Cassandra's darling, and Cassandra's transformation into something so much more because of L's uncanny ability to fit Cassandra in ways that she never anticipated. The author delves deep into human emotion and interlaces it with sexuality and it's all intensified because of the BDSM lifestyle. It's truly some breathtaking writing that you rarely if ever find in the erotica genre, and I loved every word. I'm officially giving this 4.5 stars due to some grammatical and editing errors, but this is writing you can't miss. It certainly deserves literary awards. Who knew erotica could be so intelligent and thought provoking.

Story of L is, as you might expect, a lesbian retelling of The Story of O. It is the erotic tale of Liv, a woman who is surprised to discover ultimate satisfaction through an act of submission, and Cassandra, the woman who obtains her own satisfaction through the submission of others . . . but who does not easily offer up the pleasures of her dominance.

Before you get the wrong idea, however, this is not a sex-for-the-sake-of-sex slice of erotica. This is a story with some real depth to it, one that forces us to explore our own ideas of dominance and submission, even as Liv learns about hers. It is a story of a darkly passionate lesbian romance and BDSM wish-fulfillment, but definitely with a be-careful-what-you-wish-for theme.

Liv is a switch, a woman who prides herself on being both dominant and submissive. It is a tough role to play, both wielding the power and giving it up, and you get the sense early on that there is a choice to be made. It is the appearance of Cassandra, who pushes her to the edge (and beyond), that forces Liv to begin questioning her role, and to seek out a return to the deeper, perfect submission she experienced at Cassandra’s feet.

Cassandra is a dominant, but also an unrepentant romantic. She is looking for that perfect submissive, that one loyal slave whom she can love, and who can love her in turn. She is not content with a plaything who slips in and out of a collar, a woman who comes by to be whipped when it is convenient. No, Cassandra seeks nothing less than complete ownership over Liz’s life. Before ever allowing Liz to return to her place at her feet, Cassandra tests her newfound love, pushing her to explore precisely what it means to be submissive, and forcing her to make a series of sacrifices so that the two can better understand one another. Liv’s best friend, Quinn, serves as something of a focal point for the reader, keeping us at arm’s length from the power exchange, while cautioning Liv to be careful of just how deeply she should commit herself to Cassandra’s demands.

Story of L is a story about the intersection between fantasy and reality, and the ways in which one can accommodate the other. It is both a story of the honest demands of a true BDSM lifestyle, and the honest commitments of a lesbian relationship. You get the sense that Debra has truly done her homework, and that she has a true passion for the characters and the lifestyle. Physically and emotionally satisfying, this is definitely a story worth exploring.

Story of L recounts how Liv catches the eye of the infamous Domme Cassandra at a fetish club one evening. They meet while Liv is dealing with an urge that she refers to as the Void. What follows after is Liv's journey into submission to Cassandra and her transformation into L. Throughout the book, I'd say that Cassandra would definitely be described as difficult by most. She makes L jump through quite a few hurdles initially, but L is devoted and receives help at times from Cassandra's service submissive, Reese, and one of her friends, Quinn.

As someone involved in the kink lifestyle, I greatly enjoyed Story of L. This was a thoroughly interesting jaunt into the world of D/s with more realism than typically is afforded to such relationships. From Cassandra's first appearance, I was admittedly a bit put off by her demeanor and some of her demands, especially at such an early stage in their relationship. It didn't take long though to uncover how much of a romantic was buried close to the surface. I was extremely pleased with how intimate Cassandra and L's relationship truly was; I'm not a fan of cold, harsh Dommes who never drop that persona.

The story is well-written and moved at a fast pace with a good ratio of sex to plot. I do somewhat wish that more time was spent on Cassandra and L conversing together and building a bond. I didn't feel like the two of them really got to know about each other's lives. We were given some glimpses into L's work at the university and Cassandra's past as a Domme, but I would have enjoyed some more fleshing out of them both. Overall though, Story of L is an extremely enjoyable read that I'd strongly recommend to anyone interested in an accurate depiction of a D/s relationship.

I'm not super into works with BDSM, so I didn't finish this book. It started off okay, but there wasn't enough plot in between all the "action" to hold my interest. That said, I gave it a positive review, because I wasn't misled in the plot, it was just something I tried hoping I'd like it. If you heavy erotica with a tiny side of plot, absolutely go for it. I don't think you'll be sorry.

The interaction between Liv and Cassandra were enticing. The description of each scene was visual in reading each detail that I could picture everything that was happening. The dominant and submissive aspect had me on the edge wanting to read more.

***ARC provided by author/Netgalley for an honest review***

New to the LGBTQ genre of erotica romance, mainly of the F/F BDSM world, I was a little dishearten but still entertained. Story of L by Debra Hyde takes you in the world of lesbian BDSM with Liv & Cassandra. Having not dived into this genre prior, I was intrigued to pursue it and needless to say it broaden my horizon more in this sub-category.

Liv lives with a Void deep with in, clawing its' way out determined to cause her angst. The only way she has found to control and subdue it is to attend Hippolyte's, the kink club specially for woman to let loose. Liv feels like she is a switch, shifting from mistress-sub, but lately she has felt the calling to submit. She turns to her friends Tara & Quinn to help but on one particular night, the mysterious, all mighty Cassandra shows up and rocks her world!

Impressed with Liv, Cassandra calls upon Liv to be her darling; a sub who is hers and hers alone, to do her bidding. Knowing a little of the mistress, Liv is intrigued and submits for a night with the help of Cassandra's other sub, Reese. After one night, Liv never looks back to her previous life of switch and the Void she has felt in the past.. has vanished. However, there is much to be contemplated on if she can truly be happy on complete submission with Cassandra. Are the rumors she hears about her new mistress true? if so, can she give her her heart?

I have read Blind Seduction of Debra's work before and her writing is the same throughout... passionate, forcing you to feel the characters emotions and struggles through the authors eyes. Yes, I did enjoy the book somewhat, however, I feel like there was too much backstory/fluff. I skimmed a lot to get to the dialogue between Liv & characters. I liked to know about Liv's thoughts and emotions but it didn't need in my opinion to go on for 1.5 pages. In all that though, thanks to Debra I will keep reading this sub-genre, thank you for opening my eyes to whole other world in romance!

3 Stars

I am a very big fan of historical erotica, if that makes any sense. I avidly search out the classics and devour them. This had a similar title to The Story of O. A book I really enjoyed, but had an issue with the male gaze aspect of the novel. This book addressed my issues there. However this book raised some more issues for me. Mainly the issues I have with so many books that have a Female to Male transsexual character. First off the word is "transgender", not "transgendered". You don't say "girled" or "boyed", why would you use the past tense for transgender? That gets me EVERY time. Then there was the issue I had with a character that appeared to be one that was going to be important, but fettered off, Quinn. The way Quinn was described was almost enough to make me put the book down. You don't describe someone as having a "transgendered body". It is just rude and grammatically incorrect. Thankfully the author redeemed herself in my eyes when it came to her portrayal of transmen with her service submissive Reese. Huge fan of Reese!

The actual story wasn't as simple as the Story of O. There were more layers to the characters and to the plot than I am used to with erotica. The scene in L's bedroom alone would have made me love this book, I would say more, but I don't want to spoil it. It fit the world of D/s as I have always experienced it and how I want to experience it. I didn't like the permanent marking came so early in their relationship. That would have been a huge red flag if a Dom/Domme had asked that of me. The actual mark was described in such a gorgeous way that I liked the idea, but the timing was so sketchy. The second permanent mark made more sense, while not being my scene. I loved that marking idea and what it represented. The timing was also much better. 

Overall, the book was hot and intense in a very controlled way. The only major red flag was the permanent mark so early in the relationship. That is a huge plus for this book. The constant checking in and asking for consent (though it is not informed consent) really made this book so much better than the erotica I am used to finding. 



4 out of 5 stars. I would recommend this book.

This book had a fairly quick but in depth view of lesbian BDSM culture, a love story at heart that at first seemed a but removed but had surprisingly great character development. The only thing I wish the author had addressed L's hard limit of no men,it could have added to my understanding of her.

Steamy, that is the best way to describe this book. Cassandra will surprise you. Liv is definitely in need of what Cassandra has to offer and Reese, well Reese is just Reese. This was a surprisingly, hot book, that was hard to put down.

ARC provided by NetGalley for honest review.
So this is the first book of its kind that I have read. Because of that it was a bit harder for me to follow (written very well I am just not very knowledgeable on some of the lingo) That being said it was still a very good read. I enjoy the character development and story line. I really appreciate that the author was very knowledgeable about what she was writing. I will definitely read more books by Debra Hyde in the future.

This was such a sweet storyline. I was surprised by how much I actually like it. The love and respect between the couple was just so heart warming.

This book was interesting and informative. This is what 50 Shades of Grey should have been like! Most of the BDSM terminology was either explained, or could be understood through context, and the reader was shown just why some one might enjoy participating in these activities. Care was shown to get proper consent, map out how scenes should play and provide proper aftercare. I am not into BDSM in my own life, but I could really connect with the needs and feelings of the characters, and found the insight into that world more relatable than I anticipated.
The characters are all unique, and fall all along the LGBTQIA categories. I enjoyed the inclusion and acceptance of the trans characters, and while I personally found the main character a bit bi-phobic about her lover's past, her concerns and hard limits made sense for her own personality. The inclusion of the experience of aging out of a community, and the change experienced by different generations of women added depth to the development of the romance. I'm glad an older woman was still portrayed as a desirable, sexual person, with no mention of how she needed to look younger, or ignore her passions.
Overall, a fun read that gave me insight into a world I had knew little about.

This is a good book, a little out of my comfort zone but it is well written. I'm not sure what to say except you need to read it. I do recommend it.

Very sexy. A little wordy at points and way farther into the kink scene than some of the other books I've read about the BDSM scene. The connection between L and her Domme was believable and excellent, but there were some scenes, subplots and characters that were just over the top. Plus when it gets that deep into the life style it's harder for me to connect with. The electroshock scene was really hot though. Overall, intriguing but ultimately overdone.

This story has shown all the true meanings of love. Whether it be true love for another or ones self. I was truly moved by the self growth of L throughout the entore story of her going from Liv to L. She has truly grown so much between the beginning to the emd of the story. It was magnigicient. The way their friends and others are portrayed especially pertaining to the void, truly allowed you to see the true meaning of love for all in this story. I would love to read another if it ever becomes available continuing their story and love for one another.

This is a modern day Story of O with a Lesbian twist and consent from the submissive. This is a well written bdsm novel that brings you into the world of sex clubs and submission. This isn't 50 Shades of Grey, the scenes are not watered down for the masses. But this book isn't just scene after scene there is an actual plot, and quite a few well developed characters. This is a short book, you can fly through it in a few hours. I wasn't sure what to expect but this book surprised me in both the way it told its story and the sensitive way it treated the bdsm community.

Overall I enjoyed this book. For a short read the plot and the characters are well developed. The representation of BDSM is more realistic than some of the mainstream reads out there. The writing flows. Well worth reading.

Not sure what I expected from this author but I found myself yelling at the characters in this book.

I received an arc in exchange for an honest review. OMG. This book was awesome. I Loved every page. Characters were well written, and the plot was exciting. This is a definite must read book.

I liked this. It wasn't afraid to go where other books don't.

Firstly, this is the first full-length lesbian, bondage, dom/sub novel that I’ve read. It started out a bit slow and a bit stilted but soon the characters and situations were flowing easily. I did quite enjoy this book. Not overly descriptive. A very comfortable read.

I don't know what I was expecting when I read this book, but whatever it was, it delivered. The story of Cassandra and L is intriguing and reinforces the fact that you never know what's going on behind closed doors. It's a great peek into the D/s world without being campy or unrealistic. It was a quick, enjoyable read.

The sum total of my knowledge of BDSM came from the Fifty Shades trilogy. I thought this was really interesting and different from what I usually read. I liked it enough to read more of this author's work. I love age gap stories, and found this one hard to put down once I started. I also enjoyed the chemistry between the two main characters and found Reese to be fascinating as well.

Hyde’s quality of writing in this book was quite unexpected and undoubtedly a large contributing factor on her winning the coveted Lambda Literary Award for Lesbian Erotica. Hyde is able to weave a complex love story between Cassandra and Liv even as they begin dominant/slave relationship.

O.K. So the main question that comes to mind is where do I start?


The book is so well written, that you just couldn't put it down. It was also very educational. It may also offend some people so just be aware. Me? I really enjoyed it.


It's like the lesbian story of O, if you read O it was kind of disappointing at the end but this one actually leaves an opening for a possible sequel. What I really liked about this book was that it wasn't just a sex book for the sake of sex. It was an actual story. A plot and main characters which gives the book more depth. The two main characters are very well developed and you can sense the actual bond between them.


I'm not sure what attracted me to this book, but I'm glad for whatever it was. It is really worth your time. Find yourself a really comfi chair, a cup of coffee, you may want to consider a few extra accessories but they are optional (only kidding!!!!) and sit back, relax and enjoy. Happy reading.


This was given to me by Netgalley for an honest review


https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1984390328

https://www.amazon.co.uk/review/R23DDN2B81JYLC/ref=pe_1572281_66412651_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

I received this book as an ARC from Net Galley.
This book took me by surprise complex and equal parts sweet and sexy it was hard to put down from start to finish! much like O this story was all about Liv living the BDSM lifestyle thinking she is a top while at the same time not completely satisfied until she experiences Cassandra and what an experience it is. Its changes Liv in so many ways not the least of which is finding the One. The one who finally calls to the inner submissive that Liv never knew was there. This story was equal parts sweet and sexy and all wonderful!

Liv is at a club, Hippolyte’s every Saturday night . She is looking to fill the Void that pulls at her. A simple little scene at this female only BDSM club will not work for her. She is a switch, but not submissive or maybe she just doesn't know.. Liv has a friend, Quinn who will help her try to satisfy her cravings. One Saturday night, someone offers to help Quinn with Liv and she agrees. This new Domme is Cassandra, something of a legend in the BDSM community. For once the Void is quiet. After a few days, an invitation is sent to Liv. It is from Cassandra and she accepts. There's a chance for Liv to be one of Cassandra's Darlings. Will Cassandra be able to fill the Void, can Liv prove that she is willing to surrender everything? The Void Liv wants to fill is not all about sex, it is finding your home, a place where you are happy an there's no need to keep searching for a cure. I really liked this book. I found it full of real feelings and emotions. At the end Cassandra and Liv bare their souls and lay open their hearts for each other to see. There are really great characters in this book. I loved Quinn and Reese. I received this book from Net Galley. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy . All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I received this book as an ARC from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
I loved this story. It took me by surprise. At times, it moved too fast without the backstory, but it was sweet and sexy at the same time
This story was all about Liv living the BDSM lifestyle thinking she is a top. She feels hunger without always knowing what it is she is searching for until one night she experiences Cassandra. Cassandra calls out to Liv's submissiveness and brings out the side of Liv that she hungered for.
The story has a sexy HEA and was beautifully written.

I really enjoyed this book. I've read a lot of M/F and M/M BDSM based novels, so to read a F/F was a nice change. The story is based on two main characters Liv and Cassandra as well a character, they are both mature characters which I also found refreshing to read since I don't often find that in the books I read.

This book is a story about nontraditional love, two characters finding a love that suits them both perfectly and provides them both with everything they need and desire.

Liv classes herself as a switch within the scene, both able to be dominant and submissive. Once she comes in contact with Cassandra who manages to go beyond all of Liv's expectations, she finds herself craving a more submissive role. Cassandra is known as a hard dom, she'll push boundaries and get what she wants but there is a side to Cassandra that people don't often see. She is looking for the perfect submissive, someone both willing to love and bend to command.

This book was good, I liked the characters, I found the story easy and pleasing to read. The scenes were hot. .

I don't know what I was expecting when I read this book, but whatever it was, it delivered. The story of Cassandra and L is quite fascinating and reinforces the fact that you never know what's going on behind closed doors. It's a great peek into this world without being over done silly or unrealistic.The description of each scene was visual in reading each detail that I could picture everything that was happening. It was a quick, fun, and engaging read.
I got an ARC in return for an honest review on NetGallery.

This is very much a BDSM erotica with a lot of slave/master scenes, which I quite enjoyed about it. This is a good story about complete submission and I liked how L transformed from a switch to dedicated submissive. I didn't care for the term 'the Void' but I did understand the idea she was getting at with it, I just wish the term didn't bother me every time I read it. There's not a lot of Liv and Cassandra conversing and bonding but I could see the strength of their connection. I really enjoyed the lesbian take, which is something I haven't found a lot of in BDSM books.

I received an ARC of this book via #NetGalley.

I felt like this was a very solidly written BDSM story. It seemed more realistic than most. I didn’t realize that it was a solidly lesbian story, which I am personally not into, but I did still enjoy the story and thought it was quite well done. I took a star off the rating because I felt it could have used a bit more proof reading. I don’t know if it was intentional or not, but I did get confused in some areas when transgenders were referred in some places as female and others as male with pronouns. I do recommend this story to fans of BDSM erotica.

I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
Thanks NetGalley!

erotica, dom/sub/ bdsm, lesbianism;

definitely a sexy read. i'm a huge fan of erotica that touches down on submission and bdsm. i'd read others by this author

I've loved reading books by Debra Hyde for awhile and this one did not disappoint. While a quicker story than some, this is well developed and intense. A lot of emotion and not gratuitous sex scenes but things that really advance and add to the story.

This novel provides a glimpse into the world of submission and dominance , bondage, piercing, tattooing, and ownership, It may push the vanilla readers to look up terminology, grapics and piercing diagrams. In the midst of exploring a world of sex lies a love story. The fabled, older dom Cassandra and her submissive L. We follow the lovers as they meet at the H club full of sex and lust. Through L's journey to submissive and falling in love. This book is a must read for those who want to explore the other side of pleasure and pain. It can also be a guide for those seeking to be an excellent submissive. It is not a one and done novel, the reader will review it often and maybe incorporate some of the scenes into their bedroom. Happy reading and playing.

A very sexy quick read. My first book by this author. I enjoyed the writing style. Would definitely read another book from this at.

I have to admit that this book really was one that blew me away with how well it was written compared to most other BDSM erotica out there. I felt that it was real people telling me about what all had been going on in their lives. It didn't focus on the lifestyle that Liv and her friends enjoy as being abusive or too harsh. I felt like it gave it just the right amount of positive attention. I also liked that there was a representation of all different kinds of people such as transgendered Reese. Honestly, through the whole book, I think Reese was my favorite character. I really got into the story. The only downside was that I did notice in some places it switches to using just initials for everyone such as using C for Cassandra for about a page or two. That kind of bothered me and made that section a bit harder to read, but the rest was excellent!

I wasn’t too sure what to expect when I started reading this book, the author is new to me and the genera is not something I typically read (not ever to be exact). I don’t read the genera because it turns me off or I am against it I just usually pick up books around contemporary romance of the vanilla kind.

With that being said, I unexpectedly enjoyed/stayed interested in this book. The author does a wonderful job in her narratives, and her vocabulary, well let’s just say I had to look up a few new words that just added to this story (not bad words, just not your normal conversation vernacular-think almost Victorian). As other reviewers have noted, this is a Dominatrix/Submissive story line and yes it is a romance as well, in my opinion. I had no clue to the whole scene so if the author truly painted the story line as D/S works, well it definitely gave me a glimpse into this world, and not in a bad way.

I found the characters to be believable, and as Liv continued to submerge herself in the Sub life and falls in love with the true Cassandra, I was cheering for them both to the end to find piece for one and the true self for the other. Again this is not a usually vanilla love story, but I did fall in love with it and this author.

This is primary a Lesbian story line, and all the erotic scenes are of Liv and Cassandra, but there is one scene that involves Liv and a secondary character (but I don’t see ‘him’ as that), Reese. Reese is a female to male trans person, and even though the author doesn’t give a whole lot of background, how he is written into the story line is great-in fact I would like to learn more about him and how he became Cassandra’s right hand man (maybe a future book).

All in all I was pleasantly surprised I enjoyed this book as much as I did, it really gave me a glimpse into a world I know exist for other out there, and more power to them. I may even look to picking up a future story by this author, the tease at the end of this book for At Her Hand peeked my interest, oh my!

I received an ARC through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, but would have written the same opinion if I had come across this book on my own.

To see my Amazon review, it will be under CC-Didn’t expect that, when the book is published.

Thanks to netgallery.

This is about total power exchange, falls under SM. The story of liv is well written and gripping story. Story of dom becoming submissive.

3.75 rounded up. This was a solid read. Both main characters are like-able and we get some backstory for each of them. I probably have a bit of a crush on Cassandra. The secondary characters are also enjoyable. I wasn't totally invested in the beginning but as the story progressed I went all in. There was a lot of good info shared regarding the domme/sub lifestyle. There were a few times that I was a little bored by some of the internal thoughts/descriptions, but not enough to really affect my overall feelings about the book. The book ended with a satisfying conclusion.

(The cover on netgalley of the most recent edition in my opinion is much nicer than the one goodreads uses as the thumbnail. The original cover has two women who don't resemble either of the mains.)

-An ARC was given to me from the publisher through Netgalley for my honest review-

If you're a fan of the 50 Shades series, you'll want to add this to your list of evening books to curl up with. Not often do I encounter a good LGBTQ novel in which the characters are a mix of poor construction mumbling the author's personal views on society or just written as if it was a smut book, and in this case Hyde has kept her mind where any author should; on the story.

With complex and dynamic characters uncertain about their place in the world or who they perceive themselves to be, Story of L is something that whispers softly to its readers that it's okay to be scared of new things, but do decide if you're willing to take the next step.

4.5/5

This book is a true love story set in an unconventional relationship. I read a lot of BDSM erotica and erotic romance. This is one of the best. The entirety of the subject matter was written with honor and respect. The characters were believable. When they hurt, I hurt. When they experienced love, lust, joy — I felt like I experienced it as well.

I will be honest, I’ve never read a f/f romance, and certainly not one set in the BDSM/ leather realm. I was nervous (I’m not sure why m/m and m/m/f romances don’t bother me), maybe intimidation? Possibly it was my lack of familiarity in the relationship dynamics. I’m use to male D and female s, once I straightened myself out the love story and friendships read beautifully.

If you’re looking for genuine BDSM, power shift, dungeon and private residence scenes, this is the book. Exceptionally steamy and graphic sexual scenes, I totally recommend this book. Transgender explicit sex, yes! Complex characters, and even more complexity within their storylines look no further.

I can’t wait to read more. Thank you for the opportunity to read this book.

Wow! ‘Story of L’ was unlike any erotica book I’ve ever read.. I enjoyed every page, and couldn’t put it down. The writing was exquisite, the level of description the author went to, to describe scenarios and scenes was immense. You are taken on an amazing sensual journey, this isn’t the type of book I’d of wanted to read in a public space!
I also feel even if you have no experience or understanding of the sub/Dom world, you’ll thoroughly enjoy it and be dying to find out more.
The characters are very likeable and relatable, the storyline easy to follow.

I am not a fan of love stories, and am generally drawn thrillers, crime or erotica, but even I found myself rooting for the main characters to have a happy ever after!

I would definitely recommend this book to everyone who enjoys erotica, sub/Dom stories and lgbtq+.

I have only good things to say about this book. This book is a work of art. Clearly, it has a specific taste, for lack of a better word, but underneath the truly erotic scenes is a beautiful love story. I definitely received an education with this book, so I apologize if my review doesn't use proper language to describe this genre? But this author is one I will read again, for sure. I would love to hear more from this pairing, even if only as secondary characters in another book. I'm so glad I read this story.

This is about lesbians, trans men, bisexuality/pansexuality and BDSM (with practices like fisting and electrical play). The whole story is centered around L's journey to submission, if you're not up for this than it isn't the right book for you.

This is actually my first full lenght lesbian erotic novel, I could only find fanfictions and novellas before, I'm not sure if it's an underexplored genre or I just failed to look well enough (or both).

It starts with Liv headed to her favourite club, The Hippolyte, where she meets Cassandra. Well known in the BDSM scene, Cassandra is older and more experienced, that first meeting leaves both seeking each other.
It's obsessive and needy, the scenes are described by how the characters (mostly L) feel about them. Not a classic romance and not strictly erotic either.

I didn't fully like the writing style, I wished it was simpler and maybe used less french. I had to reread often, then google some terms, my e-reader's built in dictionary helped but some words weren't in it. English isn't my first language but reading a book has never been so complicated. It got easier after about the first third of the story though.

I was pretty confused at Quinn's pronoun changes, it kept switching even in the same sentence, beside that I only noticed small mistakes (like 1 instead of I). The cover I saw is the one with the tied hands, I probably wouldn't have picked it up with the other one. I know it's erotica but I can't take it seriously with a cover that looks like a bad sexy shop ad.

I loved this, but I'm not sure I'm capable to explain why in any coherent way.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley, for the chance to read an ARC of this book. This is my honest review.

A fun read different than what I normally go for. Wish the relationship was built on more than just physical chemistry.

So even though I can't claim that I know much about the BDSM scene, or that it's something that I'm really interested in exploring, I loved being able to step into the world of BDSM for a few hours via the Story of L. What a well written escape!

I won't recap the novel, since it's done well in both the synopsis and by other reviewers here. What I first noticed and enjoyed immensely about this novel is the way that Hyde took a few moments to describe and set each scene as it played out. I could picture the play rooms as we entered them, picture what each character was wearing, etc. When an author takes the time to truly set a scene and draw the reader in, it makes all the difference in the world!

The other thing I truly loved was that Hyde didn't just write a sex scene for the sake of the characters having sex. I really enjoyed watching Liv (better known as L), and Reese connect at first, testing each other out, then watching Cassandra and L connect and form what seemed to be a true bond. Even though I would characterize this as a BDSM novel, it wasn't about punishment and pain as my naïve mind though it would be, it was more about a true and deep dom/sub connection between L and Cassandra. And better than that, it also showed the true love between Reese and Cassandra. I'll say it again, this isn't just sex for the sake of sex - there's an actual story here, with an well-developed plot that left me wanting to read more.

It may not be the love story that you're used to, but it's a love story that will leave you rooting for the MC's at every turn. If you're at all interested in the BDSM or dom/sub scene, if you enjoy the ride of MC's falling for each other, or even if you just enjoy a well written novel with a side of smut, do yourself a favor and go pick this one up! Solid 4 stars!

*An ARC was given to me by the publisher for a honest review.*

This was hard for me to review. I liked the story of how L grew into her submission. And the writing was good. But the love between L and Cassandra seemed rushed. They barley had actual contact and when they did they realized they were in love. If you like BDSM, the scenes in this book are fabulous. They won’t disappoint. I voluntarily read an advanced reader copy

Story of L is not a typical romance, but rather a unique, intriguing and engaging love story that runs deep and tells the tale of a woman on a search for something. Without even realizing it, that elusive thing is satiated by a woman that is revered and respected in the lesbian BDSM community as very nearly an icon. She offers Liv the chance to become something more and they embark on a journey of discovery and deliverance.

This is such a hard book to review because its nuance and depth are difficult to put into words, but it is a fulfilling and engaging read that gripped me throughout.

Honestly, I had no idea what to expect with this book. Having read the synopsis, I was very intrigued. I definitely enjoyed this book and I believe the sexual scenes were written very tastefully.