Review: Bound in Blood by Lizzy King

[breyfoglese]

Bound in Blood, by Lizzy King, is a beautifully written Gothic erotic thriller. The protagonist, Lenore, is content with her sleepy village town, except that people keep dying; unusual in a town where all illness has been eradicated and the elderly are taken to the Lord’s manor for a peaceful retirement long before they die. When her friend falls ill, she decides to investigate. In the process, she is captured by the Lord of the Manor himself, and falls prey to both his desires and her own. But when a chance to betray him and win her freedom arises, will she take it, or are the temptations of her new life too strong?

Bound in Blood is an erotica novel, and as such is focused more on intimacy than plot. However, the plot is not neglected; readers disappointed with the inanity of most erotic fiction will be pleasantly surprised by this book. Like other BDSM erotica, the protagonist is an innocent, submissive woman, but unlike much mainstream BDSM content, King clearly understands the subculture. The book even features a note at the beginning reinforcing the importance of enthusiastic consent in BDSM practice and distinguishing the novel from an actual how-to guide.

The novel itself is written in a lovely and compelling style; the sex scenes are coherent and descriptive, and Lenore’s confusion and shameful enjoyment of her new BDSM lifestyle is well realized. There are a handful of grammatical errors, but they do not detract from the elegant prose. The novel is not long, but it is well-written enough to feel complex and engaging despite being brief.

Additionally, an illustrated edition is available for a dollar more. I read the illustrated copy and would recommend picking it up; the price difference is hardly significant and the illustrations, delicately done in shades of mauve, add an extra emotional component to the scenes. Furthermore, a reader with no prior knowledge of BDSM practices may find some of the scenes easier to understand with images.

Overall, this novel deserves a very nearly perfect rating; I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars, with the caveat that there are some grammatical errors. Obviously, I would not recommend this book to anyone under eighteen, and I think readers should be aware of the content before reading it. However, for fans of erotic fiction, especially erotic fiction with a BDSM focus, Bound in Blood is a must-read. Even those who don’t always enjoy erotic fiction, like myself, may want to give it a try; Bound in Blood has many of the successes of the genre and almost none of the flaws.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions stated in this review are my honest views. Buy the book here https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XGLQ4DG or get the illustrated version: getindiebill.com/store/checkout/b285ddc ... 5118baff06