Review: "Dare to Submit" by Carly Phillips

Decklan Dare knows about the unexpected loss of loved ones and for this reason, he values control in all areas of his life. Amanda Collins enjoys the freedom she finds in casual encounters without the emotional connection a relationship brings. They meet and their physical attraction is mutual but both experience feelings that could run deeper – if they drop their guard and let each other in. Decklan is first to trust, but when he discovers the secret Amanda’s been hiding, will he forgive? Or will he rebuild every wall before she has a chance to explain?

Thank you to Netgalley and CP Publishing for allowing me to read and review an advanced copy of this book.

Honestly, when I read the first page of this book, I cringed.  The opening scene was set in a BDSM club, and automatically I thought, "Oh great, here we go again! What was I thinking requesting this title?  I told myself no more BDSM!"  Luckily I kept reading instead of giving up after the first chapter, because I was pleasantly surprised by "Dare to Submit".  The BDSM aspect in no way took over the plot - it was part of the story, but more like a footnote.  I instead found myself completely drawn into the drama between Decklan and Amanda, eagerly anticipating each interaction rather than dreading the distasteful spankings I've witnessed in other books.

Decklan and Amanda are easy to love.  They have everything I'm looking for when I want a heartfelt, romantic read, but they've also got that spiciness that keeps it all from being a bit too PG-rated for my taste.  Decklan is masculine, but not too domineering.  He's strong, but with a dose of vulnerability on the side.  Amanda has body image issues, but instead of constantly whining about her size, she's attempting to come to peace with her body and just be happy with herself.  Her struggles only endeared me more to her!

The sincere affection and chemistry between these two characters kept me turning the pages, but the smooth and polished writing is what helped "Dare to Submit" earn a relatively high rating from me.  It also convinced me to buy the others in the series as well.  Can't wait to read more from Carly Phillips!

My rating: 4 stars