Review: Beyond the Compound – Claire Thompson

After two months of intensive BDSM training at The Compound, Hailey Davenport is ready to be placed with a Master to whom she will promise complete sensual submission and obedience. Thinking her contract has been purchased by the kind, older gentleman at the auction, she is surprised to be whisked by private jet to the Malibu home of a reclusive movie star.

Ronan Wolfe is devastatingly handsome, wildly famous, hugely successful, and utterly miserable, trapped in a plastic world of Hollywood typecasting and more handlers than a prized race horse. Hailey, a quiet, self-contained yoga instructor from a small Vermont town, doesn’t own a TV or computer, and rarely goes to a movie. Ronan is shocked but pleased to realize her focus is entirely on their D/s connection—she knows him only as Master Ronan. Their relationship blossoms from the start, each of them eager to explore the intense world of erotic dominance and sensual surrender.

Their lives are turned upside down by invasive paparazzi determined to “out” the couple, no matter the cost. When their secret life is splashed across the internet, the strain on them both threatens to destroy not only their contractual arrangement as Dom and sub, but the very fabric of a new and tenuous love.

Series:
Release Date: October 3rd 2014
Publisher: Romance Unbound Publishing
Source: Manic Readers
Reviewer: Gwen
Rating:

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Reviewer’s Thoughts

Beyond The Compound by Claire Thompson was a great read for BDSM lovers.  The characters from Ronan an actor who doesn’t want his kink out for the public to know or have to deal with the backlash of a failed relationship acquired a consensual submissive slave that has been well trained by The Compound. The club is high quality and takes the secrecy and lifestyle seriously. Hailey is the submissive that is acquired who has been lacking in her pursuit for a Dom or Master she needs. Both Ronan and Hailey know going into the contract that this is for only the designated time and it is not for a long term relationship. Ronan has needs he needs to fulfill without them being leaked to the press. And Hailey needs a Master or Dom that can truly fill her needs, challenge her and help her past her limits and fears. The characters are well written and the dialogue is very good between the two. The author is great at showing emotions and feelings of both Ronan and Hailey and the conflict they face with Ronan’s career and his desires.  George and Mistress Miriam were also smaller characters that became endearing. They add to the book and do not distract from the plot or the conflict within the book.

The book evolves rather fast paced but not too quickly for a smaller novel and it is well written and descriptive when needed to make the book believable. As an avid reader of BDSM I liked the way that the author showed the strength of the Ronan the Master, but also his safety concerns regarding Hailey. The descriptions of any punishments received by Hailey were described well and did not go into territory I would find offensive or abusive. Hailey was shown as a well trained submissive but not where she is without mistakes or flaws, but still keeps a backbone and not someone who ever think that she is weak.  Claire Thompson was able to create a story and bring you into it and unlike other books I have read in the BDSM realm she was clear about the consensual aspect and does not make you question the aspects of that lifestyle.  The conflict and plot were a little predictable but I was not disappointed with the ending. They way that Ronan and Hailey are able to deal with the conflict and resolve their issues to move forward was something that I loved. So regardless of my predictions there were surprises and I was happy with the how the book ended. This is a book that I would recommend to others who read this genre.