Fresh out of college and looking to escape her painful past in Atlanta, Stacy
Altman is in Detroit for an interview when a drop dead gorgeous doctor
literally runs right into her. Two years later, when the same man—wealthy surgeon
Jared Baker—plows through a door and collides with her again, this time
injuring her knee in the process, it seems that fate has plans for the unlikely
pair.
To atone for his carelessness, Dr. Baker decides to personally tend to his
newfound “Georgia Peach”. As her doctor, Jared instructs Stacy to rest up until
she can walk again… and as the firm, loving man she has long needed in her
life, he informs her that she can expect to be taken over his knee for a
spanking if she disregards her doctor’s orders.
Stacy soon lands a promotion and her life in
Detroit becomes everything she hoped it would be, but even after Jared asks her
to be his wife, it becomes more and more difficult for her to hide from the
trauma she hoped she had left behind in Georgia. Can Jared’s love prove to be
the sweet salvation she so desperately needs?
Publisher’s
Note: Sweet Salvation is an erotic romance novel that includes
spankings, anal play, graphic sexual scenes, and more. If such material offends
you, please don’t buy this book.
Questions: One of the reviews said "not much conflict". Sweet Salvation featured a young heroine whose parents were killed in a violent car crash with a drunk driver. At the young age of 21 she had to go alone to the police station to identify the body of her father. This traumatic event caused subsequent nightmares, and PTSD type of symptoms and panic. The story talks about her lonliness and how she has had to deal with her trauma alone, until she finds her man who through love and support and firm discipline, helps her move on past her trauma. Hm... no real conflict. How much conflict is too much in a spanking romance? Is there such a thing? I have been critiqued on the other end of the spectrum for having to much. What is the correct balance in your opinion?
#2: This question comes from another review. There is a scene where the heroine after a near miss sledding accident, decides it will be funny to kid around with her man and her 2 good friends by making a joke about being injured when she is not. A subsequent bare bottomed spanking ensues, on the sled hill although he makes sure no one sees except the 2 good friends who are both spankos and understand the DD dynamic. Too much? How do you feel about a public spanking?
#3 I have two sexy doctors in the book and it was suggested that a medical play scene would have fit right in. How do you feel about medical play? Are there things that are just too "yucky" for a romance? I'm a nurse so it tends to all make me go "ew" that too much like work, but I know all the mechanics. Would you like to see a medical scene in this type of book?
4 There is an unresolved relationship in this book between the H/h best friends. I plan a sequel. The main characters love story had resolution, how do you feel when secondary characters stories are still up in the air at the end? Angry? Curious? Eager to get the next book? Ticked off and swearing you won't buy it out of spite?
Excerpt:
“You got spanked over a flat
tire?”
“Well, not exactly for the tire.
I forget to charge my cell phone and on the way back from visiting my mom, I
had the flat.”
“Okay, not charging your phone
is bad, but I wouldn’t think that deserved a spanking. Was this a real spanking
or a sexy spanking?”
“It felt like a real one to me,
and Stacy, he made me stand in the corner afterward and think about it.
“Well, now I’m getting pissed. That
was overreacting, don’t you think?”
“Tell her the rest, cara.” Both of their heads whipped
around to see the guys, bare-chested in nothing but their swimming trunks,
lounging against the railing with arms crossed as they casually listened.
“How long have you two been
standing there?” Stacy demanded of Jared.
“Let’s see, it was about the
time you called me ‘annoying sometimes, but mostly really sexy.’ I definitely
heard about all of those ‘you knows.’” He smiled as she flushed crimson. “What
about you, Marc?”
He looked at Jared with a grin.
“I came in when your half-pint girlfriend called me Dr. Bossy Hunk Millionaire,
didn’t I? Thanks for that by the way, Stace.”
Jared chuckled.
Stacy buried her face in her
hands and mumbled, “Take me now, Jesus,” under her breath.
Marc said, “Don’t go until
Jessie explains, Stace. Tell her why else you earned that spanking, bella mia.”
“Do I have to?”
All three of them answered, “Yes!”
“Well… I was headed home from my
mother’s at about nine o’clock when I had a blowout on I-75. Already late for
my date with Marc, I had no way to call him so he wouldn’t worry, no way to
call roadside assistance either. I didn’t know how to change a tire, so when a
nice man offered, I let him.”
“Oh, no, Jess. Tell me you didn’t
get out of your car.”
“Okay, I won’t.”
“But she did. And that is why
your best friend, my naughty new girlfriend earned a well-deserved butt
roasting.”
“I’d have spanked you too, Jess.”
This came from Stacy.
“Me too,” added Jared.
“Me three,” added Jessie
ruefully. “I learned my lesson, believe me.”
Marc walked over and bent down,
sealing his lips to hers in a very soft-looking kiss. Very nice, Stacy thought, as she watched it all happen. She smiled,
happy for her friends.
Really good questions this week. I have not yet read Sweet Salvation, so I can answer only in general.
ReplyDeleteQ1: To have story, you have to have conflict of some sort. The conflict defines the story. There have to be stakes--something is at risk. In romance, often conflict is within the relationship itself. It can be internal (the character saying, is this relationship right for me? Or I'm not good enough for her). DD offers a natural, inherent potential for conflict in which the heroine is taken in hand--but resists or objects to it. However, most spanking fiction authors don't use the opportunity because of a desire to show the spanking is consensual and wanted by both.
Q2: I find the idea of a public spanking erotic. One of my early publishers (not LI) had me remove a public spanking scene out of one of my early books. I wish I'd kept it.
Q3: I've read a few medical play books and have learned that "medical play" tends to be spelled E-N-E-M-A. I personally do not find that sexy. Medical play is a separate fetish from spanking. It is a turn-on for some people, a big turnoff for others.
Q4 Leaving secondary characters' stories open at the end is a great way to segue into the next book. I would recommend that when you do this, you make sure readers know book 1 is first of a series.
Q2: I agree, erotic. My H made sure no kids or other people could, but the h didn't know for sure until after bwahahaha
DeleteQ3 Cara, damn straight. As a nurse, don't like given 'em and wouldn't like getting one. Not sexy, but to each his/her own.
Thanks for you comments!
1. I think that some writers think that new events in the story equal conflict and that is not always the case. I've read a few books where the author keeps throwing events at the H/h and it gets exhausting rather than havng conflict (internal and external).
ReplyDelete2. Public spanking is erotic in the right setting and depending on who the audience is. I think this might be one of those things that's more fun to read about than to experience in r/l.
3. I'm with Cara in the medical=enema=ewww.
4. I think that secondary characters are just that and as a reader it would seem unreasonable to get mad if their story was left unresolved. On another note, I have noticed in this genre and several others, people writing a series of books where each story is not completed in each book and readers are then left hanging until the next book is out (which they must purchase to find out the ending). I've read a few angry reviews about this sort of thing and I can't say that I blame the readers. But, what you describe here is not that sort of thing and I think it sounds reasonable and fun.
Q4: I agree and always make sure that my lead H/h have a resolution, as a reader it ticks me off if it's dragged out for 4-5 books before I find out. Why not just make 1 book, instead of little snippets?
DeleteThanks for having Sweet Salvation on the book club Celeste. It's always fun.
Good questions! I haven't read the book yet but I will still try to chime in...
ReplyDelete2. The idea of a public spanking is a big turn on for me, but even better than that is a threat of a spanking made in public. How delightfully embarrassing for the poor heroine. :)
3. I like medical play in books but I guess I like the softer variety - an embarrassing inspection and some temperature taking is my favorite. I'll read a book with an enema scene if the whole story sounds interesting, but I'll skim over those parts.
Sounds like a great book, Maddie, and I loved the excerpt!
Temperature taking, examination--can be fun in fiction.
DeleteMy reply went off into blog land somewhere so I am entering again. I fit pops up later that's why I have 2 replies.
DeleteQ2: I like the thought of the H threatening a spanking and seeing the reaction of the h and the others who overhear. What fun, for the reader, not so much the h.
Q3: Medical as a recipient makes me kind of squeamish, not sexy. As a nurse it doesn't bother me at all because I am not on the receiving end, of course. I do like the thought of a thorough exam and some devices like a TENS unit--very stimulating LOL But needles, insertions of tubes or catheters and the dreaded E word and a bit much for me. Not that there's anything wrong with it as long as its safe, too each their own as I say.
Thanks for participating Sue