• Sweet Persuasion

  • Sweet Series, Book 2
  • By: Maya Banks
  • Narrated by: Caroline Wintour
  • Length: 7 hrs and 56 mins
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (903 ratings)

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Sweet Persuasion  By  cover art

Sweet Persuasion

By: Maya Banks
Narrated by: Caroline Wintour
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Publisher's summary

For five years, Serena has run Fantasy Incorporated and has devoted her time to fulfilling her clients' fantasies, never her own - until now....

Her most secret desire is to give ownership of her body to a man. Someone who will command her, pleasure her, and have complete authority over her. So she seeks out Damon Roche, owner of an exclusive sex club and a man strong enough to make her do anything he wants. Anything. Together they'll journey into a world she's only dreamed of. She's given the opportunity to immerse herself in a different life while her normal one waits for her to return whenever she wishes.

Damon has no desire to let her go, however. Serena is the woman he's long searched for, and it's up to him to convince her to stay when the game is all over with. He wants their fantasy to become their reality and for Serena to remain his pampered, cherished submissive.

©2009 Maya Banks (P)2012 Tantor

Critic reviews

"Incredibly intense and complex characters, delicious conflict and explosive sex scenes that fairly melt the print off the pages, Sweet Persuasion will have Maya Banks fans, new and existing alike, lasciviously begging for more." ( Romantic Times)

What listeners say about Sweet Persuasion

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

What???

Unfortunately this book just didn’t work for me. (Clearly I’m in the minority here) Whenever I listen to a Maya Banks book I always expect lots of hot and steamy sex. Which doesn’t bother me as long as it’s done right. However, this one just didn’t feel right to me. Even though this was Serena’s fantasy and she was a consenting adult, I just didn’t relate to the sexual slavery and complete submission. Really? Who does that?

**Spoilers**

There were just too many creepy scenes for me. For example, when two men (strangers) held her down while Damon used her….it just screamed rape to me which is NOT SEXY. I also didn’t care for all the “public” displays, whether in the sex club, limo or at Damon’s house where a punishment was given (yuck). Just not my thing.
I’m a bit disappointed since I really enjoyed book 1 of the sweet series.

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20 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

OH SOOOOO SWEET BUT MUCH MUCH MORE

I love M.B.'s books and this one was is no exception - it had everything you would expect from one of her books namely passion, pleasure, plenty of hot sex all wrapped up in a great story with sensative characters.

Whilst I'm not into bdsm I get that some are, and this book treats it as part of a loving willing and giving partnership that is her fantasy - which is what the story is all about and how it backfires on her. She soon realises that it's not at all what she wants with heartbreaking consequences. This book was touching as the two lovers became drawn to each other and it took you along with them as their passions journeyed to it's final heartwarming conclusion.

Worth a credit? Oh that would be a big fat YES I 'm loving this series and I'm downloading the rest of them now. This could be a stand alone book but why miss a single book in this brilliant series.

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13 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

Reveals more about the author than intended.

I have tried to read one or two books by Maya Banks and have always walked away scratching my head over the high ratings. I bought this one on sale, again because of the ratings, but I don't get it. This woman cannot write her way out of a paper bag.

In this instance, the plot was constructed from a flimsy framework of abusive sexual slavery. There was never a instant when I thought, yes, that makes sense -- I can see a real person doing that. There was nothing sensual about it. It was sick sexual domination that we're supposed to accept as sexy because it was the woman's idea. The final insult is that the author tries to make us believe all of the abuse is acceptable because it is ultimately motivated by love. Perhaps if this is your first erotica novel, you might not know the difference. Perhaps that explains some of the ratings.

The H wants to live his life with a sexual slave, and he makes no apology about it. He hasn't been able to find a woman willing to live it 24/7 with him and has about given up when he meets a woman with a fantasy of being a sexual slave. There is a contract, but no discussion of cost. Ever. Are fantasy's like this free?

It's a hard knock life for a sexual slave, and after the initial excitement, the woman, Serena, decides that it's a little too hard core for her. But the guy is so persuasive that he continuously manipulates and breaks down her personality for his own gratification so that she doesn't know where fantasy leaves off and reality takes over. She's frightened and confused. When she acts on those feelings, she is stripped, beaten and forced to give oral sex to her "owner" in front of a dinner party so that he can exert his dominance and teach her a lesson and not be embarrassed in front of his friends..

But what made it worse was the ending.

Serena has a major meltdown, but instead of attributing it to the sexual abuse she is suffering, the author does to us what the abuser did to her, she twists the logic. Serena's business is about fulfilling fantasies. At the request of the parents of a terminally ill child, she creates a cruise ship fantasy (why a cruise ship for a child?) where the child is crowned princess complete with coronation -- (like a child would understand or care about a coronation.). When the child dies, which was the motivation of the fantasy after all, Serena has a breakdown because "all fantasy's are lies" and she couldn't give the child "the one thing she deserved, a long and happy life." She runs from her owner/lover, starves herself, decides to sell her business, and generally goes around the bend -- because, we are expected to believe -- a a child who is terminally ill, dies. And, this continues to be a major melodramatic plot point even after the parents of the child thank her repeatedly for making the last days of their child such joyful ones, in a scene at the grave site. But does Serena finally see the reality of the situation? No. She stubbornly clings to her certainty that she failed this child, and now her life has no meaning.

This is the first time I've read a story where the author is in denial about her own character. What makes more sense? Serena is an unstable narcissist with a God complex who thinks she should have power over life an death as part of a realistic business plan? Or are we witnessing the emotional degradation of a woman so severely abused that a her personality disintegrates, and she accepts sexual slavery? Serena says over and over again that she's lost herself. She's right, but apparently the author didn't have the guts to write this story the way it should have been written.

Instead, this is a sexy erotic novel, so of course she's not sexually abused, right?

If the motivations attributed to Serena were the norm, the Make a Wish Foundation would be out of business.

IMHO, this one was pure crap.

Also, Caroline Wintour is not a favorite.

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Mmmmm Mmmmmm Good

If you could sum up Sweet Persuasion in three words, what would they be?

Hot Hot Hot!!!!!

What was one of the most memorable moments of Sweet Persuasion?

It's all good.

Which character – as performed by Caroline Wintour – was your favorite?

Damon, wow what a man!!!

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I did listen to it all in one sitting!!

Any additional comments?

This book is very sexually explict, which when it's done right, and in my opinion it was very right, is good. If strong sexual content bothers you then it's not for you. Otherwise, it's well worth a credit or the purchase price. I loved the first book in this series. Liked this one even better and I'm looking foward to book 3!!!!!!!

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

nothing "sweet" about it

if your into sado masochism, male domination, inflicting and receiving pain and humiliation on another person for sexual fulfillment then this is the book for you. i found it simply pathetic as were all the characters. i have in the past really enjoyed Ms. Banks stories however i am rapidly changing my mind and am starting to wonder about where and how she is doing or obtaining her research?
I'm truly not a prude but for me this goes way beyond what is healthy.
really can't speak about the narration as the contents of the book so horrified me that i'm at a loss as to if she was any good. read at your own risk unless your into this kind of thing!

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Hated the punishment in this book....

Any additional comments?

An interesting story that definitely makes you want to know more about Damon but the public punishment scene just ruined it for me. However if you can hang on the future books work real hard to humanize Damon and your opinion of him will soften.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Not sure if I was going to like this

Even though I love every thing by Ms Banks, I was not going to read the series because of the bdsm and sharing with a "third" which I don't really get. I was drawn in by the reviews and I am glad I listened to this audio. This story was different in that there was love and respect between Damon/Serena even though I still don't get the bdsm. I also liked that Damon would not share Serena with another. Serena and her friends made me laugh throughout the book. Great Audio!!!

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Good Dom/sub story line.

After reading the first story I couldn't wait to read more about Damon! So glad I didn't have to wait to long to find out. He is sweet, attentive and powerful and he sounds like a magnificent Dom.
There were parts of the story where my comfort levels were breached but it made me realize this isn't really my thing. I enjoyed the first story because Grey wasn't looking for the full lifestyle as Damon is. Also Grey had a bit more masculine "grit" and "edge" and I think that is what drew me into him a bit more.

Great story but the "full lifestyle" is a little past my comfort level.

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    1 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

Not my cup of tea.

What disappointed you about Sweet Persuasion?

The lack of spine of the main female character.

Would you ever listen to anything by Maya Banks again?

yes. This is the 1st book by MB that I have not enjoyed. I was actually more interested in the sub-story in this book. Can't wait to read it. (yes, I will buy the actual book and read it instead of listening)

How could the performance have been better?

I feel like the narrator tried too hard.

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from Sweet Persuasion?

The feeding of food to each other. GRAB A FORK AND FEED YOURSELF!!!

Any additional comments?

I was actually more interested in the secondary story in this book. Can't wait to read it. (yes, I will buy the actual book and read it instead of listening if the narrator is the same as this book.)

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Too much dialog

Before I ordered this book, I couldn't remember why I stopped buying Maya's books. Now I remember, most of the dialog and details are unnecessary. The Author constantly feels the need to repeat character names incessantly, even when only two characters are talking she adds their names to the conversation to the point that is so annoying. The chatter between girlfriends is unnerving and go on for ever. It's a shame because the stories are good, but the way it's written doesn't allow for a natural flow. You are never given the chance to just loose your self in the story.

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