I don’t think this book was a personal fit for me, but there are some very positive reviews from others who really enjoyed this. I’m glad I got to read a book by D'Arnuk and I’m hoping the next book will be a better match for me.

This was one I couldn't get through. I ended up just skimming it. The character development just wasn't there for me and the story itself didn't catch my attention and keep it the way I want my books to do.

Arrested Pleasures by Nanisi Barrett D’Arnuck
• Erotica, f/f romance, BDSM, LGBTQ+

Rating: 3.5 stars

This is an erotic romance about Katherine Lowe, a travel writer, who falls asleep on a train traveling to Budapest. She misses her connecting stop and wakes up in the wrong city with her passport and documents stolen and drugs planted in her backpack. After being detained by authorities and thrown in jail, she meets attorney Jocelyn Buza who has been assigned to her case.
Unfortunately Katherine’s identity is in question as no one can verify her existence so instead of sitting in jail awaiting trial for months, she’s handed over into Jocelyn’s care. Katherine later discovers that Jocelyn is the mistress of her castle and gets an erotic awakening into the world of submission and BDSM by a cast of beautiful women.

Thoughts:
I enjoyed this book! The sex scenes are HOT and there were lovely dynamics between all the women and their budding friendships/relationships. There was a bit of a lull in the middle, but after all the erotic scenes in the first part of the book, it was a good breather. The romance was ok, but if you enjoy BDSM, erotic, f/f harem romance then you’ll love this story!

Interest: 3.5/5
Romance: 3/5
Heat: 5/5

Would I recommend: Yes


*** I was given a copy of this book for an honest review by the publisher through Net Galley ***

Katherine Lowe, a travel writer, misses her train stop and ends up in Rebinia where she is now facing a prison sentence because of some drugs that were found in her backpack and no trace of her documents. Enter Jocelyn Buza, the beautiful attorney assigned to her case and the woman that introduces Katherine to unthinkable pleasures and the her desire for submission.

The premise for this book was very interesting and I actually enjoyed it more that the previous book by this author.

I thought the story progressed at a good pace and while it had a good amount of BDSM it also had some heart felt moments.

I would recommend this book if you are into BDSM and a light romance story.

I received this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Wayyyyyy different than any other genres I normally read, I don’t normally read girl girl books without a guy present, but this was written to hold my attention... the bondage was a little harsher than most I’ve read but overall a good read, I liked Katherine and all the other girls in the house....

It’s not often I see my name in a novel and even more rare when it’s the main character of a lesfic novel. Jocelyn is a gorgeous woman who is duchess and a lawyer (some may say goddess) who might be Katherine’s last hope. After a night of drinking Katherine awakes on her train to find she’s missed her stop for Budapest and is in another country entirely. Things go downhill from there when the police find her missing bag but instead of her passport they find drugs. Arrested and feeling totally lost she is assigned Jocelyn Buza as her lawyer who somehow works a way for her to spend her two month waiting trial period at her estate. It’s not long before she discovers that Jocelyn is the mistress of her mansion.

I don’t really know how to categorise this novel in my head because while it starts with some pretty heavy BDSM (flogging, paddling, chains, cuffs, multiple partners, fisting, etc.) it ends up being a sweet romance, if that’s even possible. I found the first half firmly set in a BDSM erotic romance genre where all reality flies out the window and everything is about pain, pleasure, submission and sexual gratification. I’m okay with throwing my expectations of reality away but the second half brought them all back into a realistic setting. I would have preferred the novel to be one or the other (and either would be fine) but I didn’t feel they two halves mixed very well.

Book received from Netgalley and Bold Strokes Books for an honest review.

Moral of the story- never drink before you board a train to a European country because you will get robbed of your possessions, arrested for drug trafficking, and disappear off the face of the earth (good to know for my next trip)!

Seriously though, Katherine AKA travel review expert is in a shit storm of a mess. No contact with the outside world, no possessions, no identification, at the mercy of Jocelyn Buza, Attorney at Law, European Duchess, and Mistress. Her motto: “This house is a monarchy, and I am the queen. My word is law.”

This story had so many red flags-
- Being remanded into the custody of your lawyer who you do not know anything about
- Pulling up to her uber-chic mega-mansion full of women who “work” for her
- Bedrooms are assigned based on longevity of employment (weird)
- Everyone is touchy-feely with a kissing cousin harem type vibe (very weird)
- Learning you’re in an Eastern European BDSM Houses of bondage and sadistic sex (extremely weird- abort mission !!!!)

Katherine is so much smarter than this though, she has moments of clarity where the truth is so blatantly obvious. As she begins to learn about the girls of the manor, she realizes that Jocelyn takes advantage of situations and is conveniently there to provide solutions when you are shit out of luck.

“Was Jocelyn an angel of mercy always there at the right time? Or was she a predator of the devil, there at the point of conflict?”

It becomes increasingly apparent that Katherine is suffering from Stockholm syndrome as she begins to fall in love. The overwhelming surge of emotions has her questioning herself and her identity and she begins morphing into someone else entirely.

While I understand the lure of the BDSM-dominatrix-role play lifestyle and the appeal of sexual freedom it seemed a bit scary to hear someone say, “We do whatever she asks, we do not make her mad, we follow her blindly and never question anything.”

What irked me is the fact that this was “ok” because Jocelyn is a duchess and can buy her way out of any situation. This story sounds way too close to human trafficking by luring innocent women and charging them with crimes making them desperate to accept any offer that comes their way?

Thank you to Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley for providing me with an arc.

This review has been posted to my blog Jessica Reads It from 13th July 2020 and can be found here: https://jessicareadsit.wordpress.com/2020/07/13/arrested-pleasures-by-nanisi-barrett-darnuck/

I really should have never tried to read this one. I don’t mind a book that features some well written erocita but when it comes with a side order of BDSM I just can’t get past it. I know there are many who enjoy some, so that’s why I’m suggesting you read other reviews to get a better idea if this book is for you. Having said that I’ve had the pleasure reading other works by this author, so don’t let my aversion stop you from enjoying Ms Blake's book.
ARC via NetGalley/Bold Stroke Books

I received a free copy of Arrested Pleasures in exchange for an honest review. I have to say this was a very captivating plot, and I was quickly immersed in the story, and wondering how Katherine could be arrested and held without anyone being able to verify her existence. It quickly moved into a BDSM setting with her attorney and her "other" staff members. It was definitely a unique story line.

The second half of the book petered off, after Katherine was "released" and returned to Seattle. The remaining portion of the book was more like a travel advertisement for Seattle, and held little depth other then describing unique food and restaurants in Seattle, and sightseeing opportunities.

The ending also felt very rushed, and again went into all of the details of donating and packing Katherine's belongings and selling her vehicle, and trying to get out of her lease, etc. so she could move to Europe with her attorney. It was a little strange, and it almost felt like a different author wrote the second part of this novella.

3.25 Stars. I was really on the fence about reading this one. My interest was totally peeked but I knew there were going to be some issues that bothered me. I was leaning towards skipping this one but the good reviews and the fact I wanted to read this author, had me changing my mind a few days ago. In the end there were some issues that bothered me, but I do think this was a slightly above average, erotic-romance.

This book starts out with any traveler’s worse nightmare, having drugs planted on them in a foreign country. At least it’s one of my travel nightmares ever since I saw that Claire Danes’ and Kate Beckinsale movie that scared the crap out of me. This story takes a turn when Katherine (the MC) gets to stay with her lawyer at the ‘Palace of Kink and Pain’ while waiting for trial.

I guess I’ll go into a few of my issues first. For one, I did not like how the main character was literally thrown into a heavy kink scene. There was no communication at all about limits or anything important. While a safe word was set, the main was told she would be punished if she used it. That is like the exact opposite of what a safe word should be about.

While I was fine with all the poly aspects of the book, and actually liked the idea of basically a lesbian harem, I did not like seeing the main character Katherine having to do a scene with a woman that she did not like. Katherine only did it to please another woman that was there and not because she wanted too. It was a little too dubious consent-ish for my tastes.

There were a few other issues I had with the kink but I don’t want to over complain here. If you read Dee’s review she mentions the other issues I had since we seemed to have very similar opinions on this one. I do want to mention a story issue since I thought that the ending slowed way down. It was weird since the pace of the book before then was really nice so I was flying through the pages. Unfortunately, the ending became repetitive and was about mundane things that should have been discussed in a few paragraphs and not a whole chapter.

While I had plenty of issues, I did enjoy parts of this book. Besides the slowed down ending, I liked the feel of how D'Arnuk writes. She is a new author to me and I would read her again. I’m not sure if her BDSM fits my tastes but I’m already thinking about reading her mystery series. I also liked that the book was more of a HFN than a HEA. If D'Arnuk would have wrapped everything in a big bow and completely changed how some of the characters were, it would have been really unbelievable. The ending was more satisfactory this way.

This type of BDSM is a little more on the scale of pain kink. This won’t be everyone’s tastes so just be aware going into it. I don’t think this book was a personal fit for me, but there are some very positive reviews from others who really enjoyed this. I’m glad I got to read a book by D'Arnuk and I’m hoping the next book will be a better match for me.

Waking up on a train ride in Rebinia, Katherine found herself not only missing her original stop Austria but also her identification papers. Unable to prove her identity and with drugs found in her possessions, the authorities assigned Counselor Jocelyn Buza as her representative. While awaiting for trial the court granted her a reprieve and she was ordered to stay with Jocelyn.

Whisked away from jail, Katherine found herself not only in a castle, but in the company of 4 ladies all seemingly enamoured with Jocelyn. When Jocelyn was introduced as the Mistress of the house, Katherine, who had a seed of BDSM sowed in one of her earlier relationship was awakened to her desires of such.

Katherine was a willing Submissive and highly motivated to please Jocelyn but is she able to play second, third or maybe fourth fiddle to the alluring Jocelyn?

This is what the world of books and stories are all about. Where you have a glimpse of different ways of life, the people who live in it and what makes them tick. Roles are reversed and switched and will be a treat for those who are into the genre.

I just reviewed Arrested Pleasures by Nanisi Barrett D'Arnuck. #NetGalley

I’m sorry to say I had to give up on this book. I was expecting BDSM (I have read these books before) but this book made me squirm and some things just didn’t sit right for me.
I knew the story (started strong) but for me it just wasn’t happening or flowing. It was very samey but maybe if I stuck with it, something more interesting would happen than digging up vegetables. Dare I say it, there was too much sex which took over the storyline?!
Thank you for the opportunity to read this book, unfortunately it just wasn’t for me.

This is my first time reading this author and I enjoyed the book. The pace was smooth with a few twists and turns. I really didn't feel like a love connection was but the intimate scenes were well done. I will definitely read more from this author.

A New Favourite Book
Travel Writer Katherine is in trouble! She fell asleep on a train and her belongings were stolen. When taken to the authorities she is told there is no record of her anywhere and then she is arrested on drug charges and more. Her lawyer Jocelyn convinces the judge to allow Katherine to stay with her until proof of identity can be confirmed. As they work on her case, Katherine is drawn to the beautiful Jocelyn and learns there are many erotic secrets in her new home. When injustices are revealed can their bond survive or is all hope lost?

OMG, this book is HOT, HOT, HOT!!! There are such lovely BDSM and erotic scenes that will leave you in dire need, even if you explode just by reading this! I adored this book not only for the heat factor but also because it is so well written. It is a heartfelt tale with lots of angst, beautiful friendships, love, lust, heartbreak, betrayal, joy, tenderness and contentment. I loved how the words immersed me into the story and made me a part of it, instead of just a passive reader. I loved everything about this drama. It was full of emotions, making me truly concerned for and in love with these characters. My heart got so full of mushy goodness, warm fuzzies and awwws. I have actually read this book twice now and am even more in love with it than I was the first time. It is a story that will stay with me for a VERY long time to come! WELL DONE Ms Barrett and Bold Strokes Books!!! You have outdone yourselves with this book!

I liked it because it had romance and was erotic without going too far with it. I wasn't really sure there was love between them but it was okay

This book is going to be controversial, but I loved it. In a world of "she moved home when she inherited her grandmother's house", this is a premise I've never read before, and it's fantastic.

A few years ago I read All the Right Strings by this author, and really enjoyed it. I noticed that in the list of her books there are only two listed, this one and In Helen's Hands from a couple of months ago. Maybe her backlist was not published by Bold Strokes, or maybe she wants to be known as a BDSM author now.

This may be my first experience reading about a polyamorous "family" (harem), and combined with the BDSM elements, for me this book is one of a kind. Katherine eventually goes home and misses the rest of the family but especially Jocelyn.

I would have liked to see an epilogue that detailed how Katherine's return to "the life" played out, but otherwise this was a great book that is completely non-cookie cutter. I highly recommend it for anyone looking for something off the beaten path.

Exceptional story. Full of BDSM. Full or emotions and fear at least on the begining. Unusual set up, but I loved the outcome. I would still slap Regina more than once for what she did. Even good intentions do not give you right to put someone in position as that.
Definitively book that was hard to out down. Definitely book that was hot!

This book was hit and miss for me. I picked it up when a reader who knows I'm often in search of a book with a healthy portrayal of BDSM bought it to my attention.

I have no idea if the author is in the lifestyle or not, but many scenes seemed researched and not 'real' if that makes sense. But, hey, it's fiction so it doesn't have to be 'real', right? Right to wrong, very early on, this book hit on the one thing possible to really get my back up!

A safeword should make you feel safe, especially during such intense scenes as are in this book, yet the heroine is told if she uses it, she'll never be allowed back in the room. That's a definite no for me.

And what was with all the fisting? The scenes felt gratuitous, not real...and a little squirmy, if I'm to be honest.

I guess one could say, I struggled with the BDSM in this book. If you're into hardcore, dubious consent, very little aftercare, a domme who goes too far and a submissive too scared to safeword, then you'll love it.

As per the blurb, the heroine ends up in trouble. Rather than have to stayed lockup, the attorney (slash Mistress-slash-duchess) offers to take her in. Right there, I kept asking myself, "What kind of lawyer takes a 'charge' into their care and immediately has them all their knees and submitting to the rest of her harem?"

The reveal of how the heroine actually ended up in the Duchess/lawyer's care is appalling.

Unfortunately, those things overshadow the parts of the story I enjoyed, which I'm struggling to recall now. Of, I know, the trip to our leads (I can't remember her name) home town. I'm not familiar with much of the US, so I found those parts informative and well thought-out.

Copy provided by the publisher, Bold Strokes Books, via NetGalley.

An odd book, from an unusual writer (I noticed that she has scrubbed quite a few of her earlier books from the 'also by' in the front matter of this book). Anyway, Arrested Pleasures is quite good if you're looking for some kinky, leave your brain at the door erotica. Be warned, there is no consent, it's violent and the protagonist is told if she uses her safe word, she's finished.

There's a semblance of a creepy, "Hostel" style plot in that our leading lady has her passport stolen and drugs planted in her bag, leading to her arrest and imprisonment. However, even this isn't sustained well.
Not a work of art, but it has some good sex scenes.

Well hot damn! Well written and definitely erotic. The plot twists very nicely. Starts of pretty tame, but maybe a bit suspenseful with all the hallmarks of an international thriller. Then it goes into full on erotica followed by a big twist that maybe tamed it down a bit much depending on whether you wanted more of a spy type story or an acknowledgment of kink. Personally, I should have paid more attention to the title and the blurb, because it was all a bit much for me. If you’re into BDSM though, you’re in for a treat. There’s intrigue, sex and more sex and some rather sweet characters. Interesting contrast.