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Velvet Glove by Emma Holly is a reprint issued by Black Lace. The original was published in the late 90’s but is nearly impossible to find, so I was very glad to see this available again in bookstores.
The story follows the journey of a young woman named Audrey who has just escaped from a very compelling but ultimately brutal BDSM relationship with a man named Sterling. She runs into the arms of Tommy, a young man who’s been in love with her seemingly forever and has so much pent-up desire for her that it’s surprisingly arousing—both for her and for the reader. But all too soon, she meets Patrick, another man who wants to master her. The difference is that while her first “master” was brutal and cold, Patrick is gentle and warm… but with a steely will underneath.
The power of Emma’s books is not in the basics of plot, but the evocative nature of her writing. Plot that sounds pat and common comes to life – Emma makes it her own. Her sex scenes are gorgeously written, with an excellent understanding of the little things that make an encounter more arousing. And her understanding of both the dominant and submissive mindset sets her apart from many Black Lace writers, who seem to think that wearing leather or beating the hell out of your partner is all it takes to make a hot BDSM scene. In short, Emma understands the mindfuck.
I’ve mentioned before how much I enjoy Emma’s erotica, but even I was surprised at how much I enjoyed Velvet Glove. Some of the scenes were mind-blowingly erotic, a full eleven on a scale of one to ten, and every scene was tightly written, adding to the story and then moving on.
A mutual maturbation scene had a sizzling quality I expect I’ll dream about for ages. Her first time with Patrick has an added spice that sent a shiver and pulse through me. Basically, this book had so many completely compelling sex scenes that I expect this book will be a regular on my bedside table for a long time to come.
You can read an excerpt (not the book’s best, by a long shot) from the book at Emma Holly’s site, and buy the book from Amazon.com.
