– by Donna Jay
Donna Jay’s latest, “Corporate Lines,” was another delightfully written and told erotic (light BDSM) romance between two women who met under some strange circumstances one evening. A circumstance that I thought was unique, in that, I’d never read anything like it before. So, that was refreshing! Jay wrote this story in a dual-POV format, where every chapter denoted each MC’s POV, albeit, told in a third-person narrative. I thought it was a good move to do so in light of the unique dynamic they were in. So knowing about their state of mind separately allowed me, as a reader, to be invested equally in both MCs’ stories.
What’s unique about this insta-attraction, “office“-ish romance was that it happened at the least likely of situation because, don’t know about you, but for me, my whole perspective has changed after reading this book, and from now on, I’ll be looking at office cleaners in a whole new perspective! Anyway, there’s also an ice-queen persona added into the mix, although, Jay didn’t use it as a proper trope in this story, only a passing thought, really. Might as well because in this story, Jay’s primary focus was the D/s dynamic between Simone and Nadia, both of whom, weren’t the typical D/s characters that we are (at least I am) used to reading about. I loved it that Jay portrayed their initial meet as a typical boss-meets-worker scenario. And then, we discovered that nothing was what it seemed, which made the story more interesting than it already was! Boss and office cleaner?
Anyway, Simone was quickly established as the head of the company, a known ice-queen, who was practically “married” to her job. Nadia, on the other hand, was the cleaner – not the bog-standard cleaner, mind… well, I’ll let you discover her yourself when you read it. But in any case, her “run-in” with Simone late in the evening whilst “cleaning” Simone’s office, will most definitely set your temp up, not to mention, leaving you gobsmacked (at least for me!) simply because it was totally unexpected. Yup, the nerve!! Heh! Jay, as usual, articulated their interaction with a sense of fun, wit and most definitely mischief…especially on Nadia’s part!
I loved Nadia’s character, especially upon discovering her back story. This is why I always enjoy Jay’s characters because they’re always more than meet the eye. If you’ve read any of her books, you’d prolly agree with me. Anyway, from moonlighting as a “cleaner,” to something else altogether (read it and find out! It’s a doozy!), not to mention, wait for it… KIDS!!! Yes, I believe this is the first time Jay included children in her stories and I must say, they were a delightful addition to the story, nevermind a D/s-themed erotic romance, to boot! No, it’s not what you think. I think the context in which Jay constructed these little humans around Nadia’s character (and later Simone’s) was not only a creative endeavour, but also an enrichment to the overall character of Nadia’s. Although there weren’t many scenes between Nadia and the kids, but Jay managed to create an adorably believable rapport between them. And later on, the same was felt with how Simone interacted with the kids, too. Refreshing and grounded in realism.
I enjoyed the initial push-pull between the two smitten women as Simone inevitably discovered Nadia’s truth and how they slowly manoeuvred their dynamic as a Dominant and a submissive. Jay’s forte in writing steamy but always fun, light-BDSM scenarios only kept the story development interesting as both Simone and Nadia’s relationship grew and deepened in ways that would led them toward contemplating being in each other’s lives. If Simone’s relationship past was any indication, Nadia’s demeanour and her Dominant persona in the privacy of their bedroom was something that Jay was mindful about, hence, depicted the D/s dynamic with sensitivity, which served well in light of discovering Simone’s past, which I thought was quite a troubling experience, indeed!
Jay being Jay, there’s always something up her sleeve in her stories because this one was no exception. Just when I least expected it, out came the twist! And I must say, it worked out quite well as far as Simone and Nadia’s character and relationship growth were concerned. All in all, the romance with a delightful bit of D/s, light-BDSM romance was written with heart and well-paced. I enjoyed all the other secondary characters who were in Simone and Nadia’s personal lives, respectively. When you read the story, you’d feel their journey, be it individually, or as a budding couple, working towards falling in love and establishing a long-term relationship, was portrayed with a fun, light-hearted sense of realism.
I’m a fan of Jay’s work because I find that in whatever storyline and/or character she creates, there’s always this sense of warmth and relatability as you delve into her portrayals and depictions of various situations, circumstances. And let’s not forget about her penchant for a bit of spice, heat, naughtiness, tongue-n-cheek-esque, but always fun, always delightful, and in the end, a feel-good effect. At least that’s been my experience reading Jay’s books, thusfar. Also, any lesfic hailed from Kiwiland, is always refreshing, especially when there are so few lesfic authors from the Land of Hobbits! Speaking of hobbits…well, nothing says “100% New Zealand” than Hobbiton, does it? Well played, Jay!
Anyway, if you’re in for some creatively crafted romance with some fun and sexy light-BDSM/erotic moments, you might wanna check this out! I had fun reading it from start to finish! I think it’s also a fun read for the holidays!! Heh! I think you’d agree when you read it, especially HOW this romance came to be!
**I was given, with much thanks and appreciation, an ARC of this book, by the author, in return for an honest review.
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