Bound

Mastered, 1

By: Lorelei James

Narrated by: Rachel Vivette, Luke Daniels

Length: 11 hrs and 41 mins

Publisher's summary

In the Mastered Series by New York Times bestselling author Lorelei James, a woman's desire to shatter her inhibitions leaves her unprepared for where that erotic journey will take her…Former small-town girl Amery Hardwick is living her dream as a graphic designer in Denver, Colorado. She's focused on building her business, which leaves little time for dating - not that she needs a romantic entanglement to fulfill her. When her friend signs up for a self-defense class as part of her recovery after an attack, Amery joins her for support. That's where she meets him. Ronin Black, owner of the dojo, is so drawn to Amery that he takes over her training - in public and in private. The enigmatic Ronin pushes Amery's boundaries from the start, and with each new tryst, Amery becomes addicted to the pleasure and to him. But when Amery senses Ronin is hiding something, she questions her total trust in him, despite the undeniable thrill of his possession…

©2014 LJLA, Inc. (P)2013 Brilliance Audio, all rights reserved.

I need some ice and ropes!

The ice to cool my overheated body and ropes to join in on the fun!

This book was amazing! Ok.. first, this I s not really dual narration which I loved because I hate dual narration... the book is read by Vivette until the very last chapter which is told from Ronin POV and read by Daniels...

The sexual chemistry between Ronin and Amstry is WOWAH..KAZAWA! Being a sensei and 8th degree black belt only add to Ronin's sex appeal... but the rope master kicked it up like 4 more degrees...The first scene in the dojo with Ronin and the pants was so cute and smexy at the same time...

Amstry was the perfect female for Ronin, strong and smart but somewhat submissive when she needed to be... great great...

I have to say Ronin was so secretive, I was a bit shocked like Amstry when only a small part of his background was reviled...

The smex was hot and tingly which double checked all my boxes, and the story kept me entertained... when it ended I was surprised and actually looked at my K. FIRE like it had brokenen down...

Well worth the credit...it's a bit pricey... but so worth it... there has to be a book 2, which from the last chapter implies will be from Ronin's POV...

Narration was great... I hope book 2 is read by Vivette... she was actually better than Daniels.. both narrators was still great though... Great book...great story, great drama... a credit well spent!

Satisfy Your Craving with Bound by Lorelei James

4.25 Stars Quick Descriptions: BDSM/Bondage- Alpha Male- Female learning to be strong- Erotic Romance- Hot sex scenes- Cliff Hanger Series- Silent Hero (The ending is a cliffhanger leading to the next book in the series but it leaves off in an appropriate spot.)

Bound is the inaugural book in Lorelei James' new series, Mastered.
If you haven't read Lorelei James’ Rough Riders series start immediately! I had read them years ago when they came out and loved them.

Ronin is a strong sexual alpha that keeps himself completely closed off from everyone. He’s very secretive and this causes the obvious issues within their relationship.
Amery is a slight doormat that wants to be a strong female. They both have ex's that did a number on them. Amery has the added benefit of having a strict religious upbringing. She struggles with the feeling of being 'dirty' and unworthy when it comes to certain things specifically sex.
Side cast: Amery's so called friends didn't seem like very good friends to me and more often than not pissed me right the hell off! They got mad if she suggested a change in venue for their night out and all but attacked her about Ronin. Not cool! However Ronin's friends were what you would expect from a strong silent hero.

BDSM/bondage has been done redone and done again. Reading Bound was a more refreshing version to an old tune. His big secret seemed obvious to me but I didn't expect the twist, very nice.

They stared at each other, the attraction between them getting stronger each time they were together "you think it’s a good idea for us to be alone in your penthouse?" "Yes, because the first time I fuck you I'll need more than an hour."

A nice build-up of sexual tension in the beginning then BAM they combust into a hot sexual meeting that curled my toes. There was the right amount of sex to keep you hot and bothered but not detract from the story.

"The other reason I like your hair down is that I've fantasized about having these silken tresses wrapped around my fist as I'm fucking you"

The ending is a bit of a letdown but I have some hope the story will redeem itself since there is a sequel Unwound. This kept it from being a higher rated read for me. It's hard for me to pinpoint what it was that frustrated me about the ending. Maybe the way she approached him about it, I'm just not sure and can't hash it out without giving away too much of the story.

Bottom line if you enjoy hot alpha-BDSM/bondage-romance books then this will satisfy your craving!

I listened to the Audible.com version. Narrator: 4 stars very well done!

I was spellBOUND!

I REEEAALLLLY enjoyed this book! Ronin Black was some kind of man indeed--mysterious, sexy, dominant, and I wanted to melt on demand when he would tap into that tender side. This was a great story that teeters on the edge of dom/sub but not in the way some other stories have portrayed this lifestyle. Amery is sassy and coming into her own after living a very vanilla life, when she meets Ronin, who rocks the living daylights out of her world!

Sometimes erotic romance novels don't have a really well developed plot, but, this was quite the opposite in my opinion. I couldn't stop listening. I was intrigued by both Ronin and Amery, and oddly, Rachel Vivette's interesting narration. She has a different type of voice and even the pace of her narration is different than most, but it really worked for both the female and male leads.

I'm so glad I got this book, it was my first Lorelei James purchase and I was thoroughly impressed; I'm starting book 2 as we speak...

Hot Bound

I can't believe I am writing this, but this is my first Lorelei James book. Amery is living in Denver while running her own graphic design business. She grew up in a small town and came from a very Christian family that caused her to grow up being ashamed of anything sexual. Her relationship with her parents now is strained at best, but she has started to live her life how she wants and not how they approve. After her friend gets attacked, Amery agrees to attend some self defense classes with her but instead of being an observer, she ends up being forced to participate. There she meets the sexy and mysterious owner of the Dojo, Ronin Black. Ronin and Amery are instantly drawn to each other, and feel a pull between them like they have never felt before. Ronin and Amery begin seeing each other, and Amery quickly figures out that there is so much more to Ronin than meets the eye. He has a darkness to him and desires that she has only scratched the surface of. Amery is introduced to Ronin's world of bondage, and gives herself over to him while opening up herself like never before. But Amery still feels as though Ronin is holding himself back from her and that he is hiding things from her. I really liked Ronin. I thought that he was extremely sexy, athletic, and very intriguing. I liked how raw and passionate he was, but that he could also be tender and gentle. There was so much more to him than meets the eye, and it really feels like we just barely scratch the surface with him in this book. I had a lot of issues with Amery first she let this man tie her up with scarves and a belt but when he uses rope she has a fit and the pointless arguments. Her friends Chazz and Emmylou I would have told them to but out sooner then she did, and she was too naïve for me she should have asked questions, but she didn't. Overall this was a good book I just had problems with Amery and her running dialogue in her head.

FABULOUS

What made the experience of listening to Bound the most enjoyable?

ALL THE SEXUAL ENCOUNTERS

What did you like best about this story?

LEARNING ABOUT THE DIFFERENT CULTURES, AND DIFFERENT TECHNIQUES OF MARTIAL ARTS

What does Rachel Vivette and Luke Daniels bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

FOR ME, NOTHING BECAUSE WHEN READ A BOOK, PHYSICALLY IN MY HAND AND ITS INTERESTING, MY MIND WILL AUTOMATICALLY GET DRAWN IN, AS IF I'M LOOKING AT A MOVIE

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

I WOULD HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THIS ONE QUESTION, SO MANY TITLES COME TO MIND

Any additional comments?

OMG!!!!!!!! GREAT GREAT GREAT

OH CLIFFHANGER!!!!

Jeesch! The cliffhanger is killing me!!! Great story and I can't wait for the next! Totally hot, ups and downs and great drama. I like this one but seriously wait for the next book to come out so you aren't going crazy.

A great beginning, excellent!

This is honestly one of the best books I have ever read in this genre, and i've read a lot, particularly with bdsm. It was tasteful,and the characters were likeable in a way I haven't seen in quite a while. At first, Amery seemed like the typical timid girl next door but as her backbone continues to grow, I found myself cheering her on as she clawed her way out of the binds of religion and into the binds of Ronin Black. Seeing the dualities of her personality was fascinating; she was strong yet timid too, ambitious and bold yet reserved and vigilant. Ronin was an enigmatic character for sure and although he seemed a little typical alpha male at first, he also surprised me in a refreshing way by breaking the alpha male mold. I found that I absolutely loved the Japanese background and how it's ingrained so deeply into Ronin's story, specifically his sexual inclinations (if you want to call them that rather than compulsions). The narration was spot-on and I was extremely impressed with the narrator's accent that she easily maneuvered into each sentence she spoke like it was effortless. It was seriously impressive and anyone that says otherwise wasn't paying enough attention. I will absolutely be back for more and can't wait to continue on with this series. The author perfectly captured the different sides to a woman and told us all that we don't have to be what anyone tells us to and that our freedom starts within our own minds. Ronin assisted Amery with seeing that in herself and it made for a beautiful beginning to the story.

Great Story

Loved this story!!!! I can't wait to listen to the next book in the series! Amazing!!

Great content, but performance ruins it.

The narrators are really stilted. The woman sounds like she is taking diction lessons as she reads, and her accents are really over the top. The man sounds almost as bad -- completely business like and passionless. This is a very hot story, so clear this narration does not serve the books well.

A Decent Book with A Splash of Kink

Would you consider the audio edition of Bound to be better than the print version?

I enjoyed the narrator's take on the voices, so I'm sure I'd actually enjoy the audio version better. I've read some mixed reviews for the narrator, but she did a pretty good job in my opinion.

Which character – as performed by Rachel Vivette and Luke Daniels – was your favorite?

You know, I have to be honest. I really didn't have a favorite character. This book is just so neutral to me that I have no opinion one way or another. The characters just seemed like vessels to move the story along while not really leaving a lasting impression on the reader. It's still a mildly fun ride, so I don't regret spending my credit here.

Any additional comments?

This book reminded me - a lot - of 50 Shades of Gray. What I can say about this is that, though the subject matter did seem similar (strong male lead with need for sexual control, docile female lead willing to meet those needs), the characters were far less flipping annoying in this book. Oh, the female lead didn't make me want to gouge my eyes out with a rolled up feminist magazine either, which was a major plus..

As for notable negatives -- There is a lot of sex in this book. I'm not a prude, I swear, but I would have loved to have more plot. Also, there is a lot of graphic language, and before you say "Well, duh", what I mean is that most books like this will use cutesy words to mask the nitty gritty. This book doesn't have a problem letting you know EXACTLY what is happening while using a colorful vocabulary. If that makes you uncomfortable, you'll want to skip this for sure.