Fairy Tales for the Smutty: A review of Cinderella and Prince Dom by Sydney St. Claire
As noted in yesterday’s post, I’ve got a second Hump Day Review for you today! This one is for Cinderella & Prince Dom, an erotic romance novella in the new “Once Upon a Dom” series by Sydney St. Claire.
I quite enjoyed this erotic romance – perhaps the first I’ve read where the erotic side of the genre is emphasized most thoroughly. The Cinderella character, Jaimie Newberry, has never experienced the joy of partnered orgasms, and her best friend, Lucy, is determined to help her meet her Prince Charming during a sexy weekend at Pleasure Manor.
Little does Jaimie know that she’s been partnered up with Bryce Langston, CEO of the company from which she’s just been fired on suspicion of embezzlement. Her prince is determined to discover the truth about Jaimie’s tarnished reputation – and have a little fun in the bedroom while he’s at it.
Combining a variety of standard erotica tropes, including the secret sex club, light BDSM power play between a (former) boss and employee, and a new member’s introduction into the Dom/sub lifestyle, St. Claire still manages to hold the reader’s attention with surprising details tucked into the tried-and-true setting.
The erotic weekend offers a number of hot sex scenes between Bryce and Jaimie as he helps her transition from mild to wild. Additionally, there are some believable reasons for her indulging in sex with a masked man, unlike many of the masquerade fantasies I’ve read!
The power play in this book works nicely, even after Bryce has made his decision about Jaimie’s role in his company’s fraud problems, and the couple’s brief discussions concerning control and who’s really in charge during a scene allows readers who might balk at BDSM a chance to reconsider their feelings on the subject.
For those interested in more hardcore scenes of bondage and domination, Cinderella’s story may not be quite kinky enough to satisfy, but I enjoyed the book’s moderate kink level as an introduction to a series that’s bound to get hotter the more it explores additional characters from the club. (Jaimie’s pal, Lucy, stars as Little Red Riding Hood in one sexy scene, hinting at the darker desires to come in the follow-up, Red & Her Big Bad Dom – slated for release this November.) With scenes involving soft restraints, riding crops and hand spanking submissive Cinderella, there’s just enough to whet your whistle and leave you begging for more.
Chili Pepper Rating: Jalapeño — hot enough to get your juices flowing
Character Development: Well done. Even the romantic element of this erotic romance felt natural, with two lovers wanting more after a long weekend of shared sexual thrills. Will Cinderella and her Dom end up happily ever after? Who knows, but at least they’ve enjoyed themselves along the way.
Erotic Comparisons: This book reminded me of the Fifty Shades of Alice in Wonderland trilogy, by Melinda DuChamp, due to its similar erotic take on a classic tale. Naturally, the Cinderella story lends itself to different explorations than Alice’s adventures, but the feeling of being “through the looking glass” remains the same for those experiencing a BDSM story for the first time.
