Raised from childhood as an assassin, Claire finds her world knocked off kilter when Theo Kevonis, a rich, ex-Air Corp nobleman, rescues her from an airship crash. Being a soldier of a hostile nation she cannot reveal her identity, but Theo sinks his steely Dom fingers into her heart and soul, showing her the pleasures to be found in surrendering to his touch. Captivated, Claire cannot help but bind herself in lie after lie rather than risk losing the one man who’s ever loved her.
When her loathsome commander returns from the dead, her deceit is uncovered. Somehow, Claire must find a way to win back Theo's trust and destroy the man who threatens them both.
Publisher's Note: This book contains explicit sexual content, graphic language, and situations that some readers may find objectionable: anal play/intercourse, BDSM theme and elements, violence.
My Review:
Iron Dominance, the first installment in Cari Silverwood’s (CS) Steamwork Chronicles, begins with Claire, who is a frankenstruct, a being made of cloned parts The world is at war and Claire is an assassin. As she flies in an air ship, she receives the name of her next target. But just as her general tells her the first name, a crash brings her air ship down.
When Claire wakes up, she finds herself housed in Theo Kevonis’ home, a leader in the enemy’s side. Theo found the strewn air ship in his neighboring lands and found her among the rubble. Theo’s government protocol dictates all frankenstructs are to be euthanized, but upon seeing Claire, Theo can’t bring himself to kill the beautiful cloned part being.
Theo is captivated by Claire and Claire finds his Dom personality irresistible. They quickly embark on a relationship which is put to the test as the war that is waging outside their gates finds it’s way to them. But when Claire seems to be right in the middle of things, will Theo be able to save her - especially after Theo finds out who Claire really is?
What I liked about Iron Dominance:
1. Sex! The BDSM and sexual elements in Iron Dominance was amazing! Loved it! : )
2. Action! The non-stop action and fast moving plot made me read this book in one go. I just couldn’t wait to read what happened next.
3. Suspense. When I first started reading, I knew things just weren’t how they appeared. It would have been too easy for Claire to be free of her past life so easily. The suspense throughout the book led you to know Claire’s general was just going to come back in the worst possible moment. It was a great buildup!
What I didn’t like about Iron Dominance:
1. Quick Play. While I hate a book that beats around the bush and drags the plot around to the point of boredom, Iron Dominance takes the opposite route and seemed too rushed as barely minutes into Claire’s recovery, Theo already tells her what he intends to do with her. I wanted to think it was hottt, but poor Claire wasn’t fully recovered from her accident, and it came off as creepy.
2. Tease. There were several instances where it appeared we would be getting a ménage scene between Theo, Claire, and Theo’s trusted head of security, Dankyo. It was a let down when it didn’t come through. *sad julie*
There was so much promise to this book and I wanted MORE! Perhaps the next installment, Lust Plague, addresses this issue.
He took her hand in his, and kissed the palm—a simple possession of her hand. She wanted to pull away, and not, wanted that kiss again. The room vanished, and there remained only his hold on her hand, his gray eyes, the drumming of her heart.
“Claire?”
“Yes?” she asked huskily.
“May I have your permission to court you?”
A lightning strike might have had less effect. She stopped breathing and stared at him, knowing a complete dunce could see her reaction.
He ran a finger lightly from palm to wrist to arm. “If you don’t speak, I’ll take that as a yes.”
She swallowed past the dryness in her throat. “Why? I’m your prisoner, not your—”
“Lover?” He raised an eyebrow, and her cheeks heated. “I can’t free you yet, Claire. I don’t know enough about you. Let me into your world so I can decide what to do with you.”
She laughed bitterly. “You wouldn’t like my world at all. You’re mocking me. I’m a frankenstruct. You don’t court a frankenstruct!”
“I do what I like. You’re putting yourself down. I won’t have that. You are human, Claire, and I can see I have a job to do here in convincing you of this. Answer my question, please. May I court you?”
She stared. He has a job to do… For some reason that scared her more than anything else he’d said. She gathered her thoughts, acutely aware of how he still hung on to her hand.
“I can tell you about myself without you courting me.” She shivered, though no breeze touched the room.
“True.”
He agreed. The fluttering in her stomach subsided. Courting? She vaguely remembered notes about it. Do I dare ask?
“Um. What exactly do you mean by courting?” She had a hunch it wouldn’t be simple or innocent or confined to merely kissing and exchanging compliments. Where he’d drawn the line on her palm, she couldn’t stop feeling frissons of warmth—as if he’d dipped his finger in some unknown magic.
“Courting is a social ritual, where two people find out about each other. The boundaries vary.” Though his words were oh so factual, with his fingertip he traced delicious looping curves on her wrist. “In some countries it stops at talking and kissing. In others…the couple may go further.” He raised an eyebrow.
He was daring her—daring her to ask how far courting went here. In the face of his amused stare, her courage fled.
“Have you ever been kissed, Claire?”
She clenched her hands. Al she could think was Inkline. Inkline making her stand there, slapping her, the pain. Slowly she pulled everything back into place, shoved away the memory of humiliation, and focused on the quiet man who sat by her bed, stroking her hand and uncurling her fingers.
“Yes. I have.”
A line creased between his eyes. “But it’s not something you liked. I can see that.”
She looked to where June sat, except the machine blocked her view.
“June is discreet. Forget she’s there. Kissing should be pleasurable.” He slowly lowered his head and pressed his lips to her palm again, then to her wrist.
“Would you like me to show you?”
What a question! But he wasn’t making her do it. She had a choice. With Inkline and the other trainers, it had been a choice. With Inkline and the other trainers, it had been degrading and almost rape.
Kissing for pleasure was something lovers did, and for a flustering moment she imagined herself in Theo’s bed, their limbs entwined. Oh my.
Where had that come from? She’d seen two pleasure slaves demonstrate the sexual act, but she’d not actually done it, and…
She blinked. Moisture beaded on her brow. He hadn’t moved since he’d asked her his excruciating question. Serenity radiated from him, like he had all the time in the world to wait for her answer.
“Yes,” she whispered. Her heart fluttered like a lantern flame caught in a wild wind.
“Tell me if you want me to stop, Claire, and I will.”
He rose from the chair so he could reach her, and then he pressed those firm lips on her wrist again. He looked up at her in between each kiss as he advanced, inch by inch, up her arm. Tingles washed up and through her body like a slow, inevitable tide. They rose up her arm to her lips, lingering and swirling like the last shallow wave on the beach, over her nipples, her stomach… She could refuse him—she held tight on to that thought—then the tingling reached her groin. She closed her eyes at that, reveling in the awakening sensation.
He kissed her shoulder and came to her neck. She sighed, tilting her head on the pillow, letting those warm lips close in on her and move along the line of her jaw.
“Claire?” he murmured. “Do you still want this?”
Rating: 3.5 Kisses
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