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Love My Way by Bridget Midway

Love My WayGrade A-

This book blew me away. Just like LE Bryce, who sold me on something I thought I could never enjoy, Ms. Midway introduced me to BDSM, and what’s more, she made me like it. Well, the book. Not BDSM. Ms. Midway didn’t come to my house and say, “Love my book, bitch!” and then top me into submission. Love My Way did that on its own.

Before now, I’ve never read a BDSM story that I liked. I always found it vaguely incomprehensible and sort of disgusting that a sane, healthy, modern woman would want some man as her master. To my way of thinking, that attitude took us back two hundred years when we’ve fought so hard to get this far. I can say now, I just didn’t understand the Lifestyle.

At the beginning of Love My Way, Ananda Zelder, our heroine, is auditioning for a part on High Stepper, a dance show produced by Eagan Morton. I have to say, Eagan Morton became Simon Cowell to me, early on; you’ll find out why later. During her audition, Eagan’s an utter prick to her, even though she’s clearly the best one there. She stomps off, steamed over his treatment of her, but Carter, one of his assistants, catches up with her to apologize and gets her number in case he comes across a job for her.

Ananda is dirt poor and worried about getting thrown out of her crappy apartment. She dreams of becoming a dancer, but she just needs one break. Ananda is a strong heroine, and I immediately related to her because even though she admires Eagan’s work in entertainment, and okay, maybe she thinks he’s a hottie, she doesn’t melt over him. In fact she’s quite steadfast in her rage. It’s nice to see a woman who doesn’t melt into a pile of wet panties when some bastard Alpha crooks his finger. Ananda is real and she doesn’t take shit from anyone.

Well, just as she and her gay roommate are about to get evicted, Carter calls up. See, Eagan is in trouble. His last few projects have been flops, and he’s come out to the world as a dom, which means he isn’t as popular as he used to be. Making matters worse, his sub just left him, which undermines his confidence in ways I didn’t quite understand until later in the book. So Eagan needs a hit bad. His production team come up with the crazy idea to do a reality TV show of him seeking his new sub. They call it “Love My Way”. In my head it becomes Who Wants to be a Submissive and I imagine Regis Philbin hosting it.

Anyway, Carter calls Ananda to be a contestant. Since all the women will wear masks because Eagan doesn’t require physical beauty in a sub, she can pull it off. At first she thinks he’s crazy, no way does she want to go pretend to be subservient to some prick of a white man. In this I am in complete agreement with her. But everybody has their price, and Carter says the show will put her up in Eagan’s mansion while the show rolls and pay her living expenses besides. He says the exposure could really jumpstart her dance career.

Thus Ananda is persuaded.

Let me say, I couldn’t put this book down. Initially, that was because I thought this prick of a Dom was going to get his comeuppance, and ooh, I wanted to see Ananda take Eagan down a notch or two. But as Ms. Midway raised the stakes, I found myself caring less about revenge and taking everything in regarding the D/S lifestyle. Love My Way is meticulously researched, and she delves aspects of sexuality that I might have hesitated to shine a light on. I commend her for her bravery. In addition, Love My Way is racially charged as well, but not in a negative way.

The book is smoothly written with spare, elegant prose that complements the flow of the story. I will say, this book isn’t for the faint of heart. Loose Id puts a warning label on it with good reason. This isn’t pretend BDSM with light spankings and fur handcuffs. This is the real deal with convincing glimpses into the hearts and minds of people who find their satisfaction in such manner. If you think you can handle a strong black woman serving a white master out of love, not subjugation, then by all means run out and get Love My Way. It rocked my world.

~Annie

Please buy this wonderful book here.

This entry was posted on Thursday, April 5th, 2007 at 7:40 am and is filed under Books, Grade: A, Romance: Contempo, Reviews by Annie, Romance: Erotic. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

25 Responses to “Love My Way by Bridget Midway”

  1. Catherine
    Posted: Apr 5th, 2007 at 8:08 am
    1

    Wow, what a great review. I have always had a hard time getting into a story like this because I just couldn’t identify with why someone would be a sub. I like the fact that this story seems to still make the heroine strong even when the Alpha is around. I hate when they lose all justifiable anger just because the hero looked at her. Great review! I’ll have to check it out.

  2. Ann(ie)
    Posted: Apr 5th, 2007 at 8:12 am
    2

    Catherine, she most definitely retains her strength. In some ways (and I don’t know if I can say this as well as Ms. Midway showed it, but by subbing, Ananda actually tapped her inner strength. It has a lot more to do with faith and trust (on the sub’s part) versus care and tenderness (on the dom’s part) than I would have previously imagined. This book is beautifully layered.

  3. Roslyn
    Posted: Apr 5th, 2007 at 8:35 am
    3

    WooHoo, isn’t this book great. I was an ebook virgin before this, and always said I wouldn’t sit at a computer to read a book. I don’t even edit on the computer. But this book had me up until dawn reading it. Its awesome.

  4. dl
    Posted: Apr 5th, 2007 at 9:31 am
    4

    Loose ID has become my favorite e-book publisher. Like you, BDSM just dosen’t do it for me…might try this one.

  5. meardaba
    Posted: Apr 5th, 2007 at 10:51 am
    5

    Wow, this looks great! I can’t wait to get my next paycheque, and then go on a Loose ID shopping spree…

  6. shuzluva
    Posted: Apr 5th, 2007 at 11:15 am
    6

    Wow. Great review Annie! I may have to head on over to LooseID and purchase this. Even though I know I just swore to you and Bam that I’d be spending my time reading about Genghis Khan this sounds fantastic and I’m intrigued.

  7. Ann(ie)
    Posted: Apr 5th, 2007 at 11:51 am
    7

    It’s really good. It’s not a traditional romance, though. There’s a lot of kinky shit in this book (and it’s pretty damn hot). The author does a great job of making the reader understand why a strong woman like Ananda would choose to sub for Eagan. I also learned a lot about BDSM.

    I had never heard of subspace before reading this, but it sounds like a Zen, transcendent thing. I hadn’t realized there was so much of the spiritual in this lifestyle, how much it has to do with faith, not in God, but trusting in your Dom to push you, but never harm you. Great read, I really couldn’t put it down. I was annoyed when I had to stop reading long enough to make dinner.

  8. Teddy Pig
    Posted: Apr 5th, 2007 at 11:53 am
    8

    OK as the resident bad boy Leatherman I must duel you on this review woo woo woo…

    heheheheheheh

    OK leather gloves off I am reading as we speak.

  9. Teddy Pig
    Posted: Apr 5th, 2007 at 12:00 pm
    9

    subspace that’s what submariners work in right?….

    hehehehehe

  10. dillene
    Posted: Apr 5th, 2007 at 1:03 pm
    10

    Great- now I’m going to have that damn 80’s pop song stuck in my head all day.

  11. Bridget Midway
    Posted: Apr 5th, 2007 at 1:04 pm
    11

    Holy shit! What a kickass review! Thanks so much, Annie. There is a local BDSM group, Virginia Dommes and male submissives, that I hang out with for research. If it wasn’t for them, the realism would definitely be gone.

    It was so much fun to write this book. The hardest part was keeping the 12 contestants straight. *LOL* But once I got their “Flavor of Love”-type names down, it was a snap.

    So glad you enjoyed it! I’m thrilled. By the way, if anyone is interested in reading a lighter BDSM fare, you may want to try my other book, CORPORATE SEDUCTION, which is offered in ebook and in print through Midnight Showcase. You can check out an excerpt on my website along with some reviews.

    BridgeT
    www.BridgetMidway.com

  12. Bridget Midway
    Posted: Apr 5th, 2007 at 1:05 pm
    12

    Uh, you may not want to go on my My Space page then. I have the song on heavy rotation. *LOL*

    http://www.myspace.com/BridgetMidway

    BridgeT

  13. Ann(ie)
    Posted: Apr 5th, 2007 at 3:49 pm
    13

    You did a beautiful job with this book, Bridget. You’re up there with Bonnie Dee, Sara Dennis, Diana Bold, Shannon Stacey and Cece Stuart for authors who really should be famous, but aren’t yet. I’ll be saying “I told you so” when all of you hit it big.

  14. Kismet
    Posted: Apr 5th, 2007 at 5:14 pm
    14

    Great review on an awesome book; I thought this book was really hot, even though I’m not normally into BDSM. I buy a lot of ebooks, but this was one purchase that was really worth it. :)

  15. L.E. Bryce
    Posted: Apr 5th, 2007 at 8:30 pm
    15

    Way to go, Bridget!

  16. Bridget Midway
    Posted: Apr 6th, 2007 at 1:49 am
    16

    Wow, Annie! You put me in the league with some heavy-hitters, including you, L.E. Bryce! Thanks for the congrats! And thanks to everyone who bought or read the book and dug it.

    BridgeT
    www.BridgetMidway.com

  17. L.E. Bryce
    Posted: Apr 6th, 2007 at 3:45 pm
    17

    I’m a heavy hitter? Since when? I must have misplaced that memo.

  18. Devon
    Posted: Apr 6th, 2007 at 9:05 pm
    18

    Okay…now I’m definitely getting this.

  19. pingback:
    Posted: Apr 7th, 2007 at 6:44 am
    19
    THE NAUGHTY BITS » Bridget Midway: Love My Way

    […] This review is dedicated to Annie the most excellent romance reviewer. Although our views on this book will be completely different I respect her and her opinion. She rocks! […]

  20. Janeo
    Posted: Apr 7th, 2007 at 8:16 am
    20

    Very enjoyable ebook for me. I like the theme coupled in a romance.

    Janeo
    on da farm

  21. pingback:
    Posted: Apr 7th, 2007 at 9:43 am
    21
    Erotic E-Romance Recs » Blog Archive » Love My Way by Bridget Midway

    […] Contrasting Reviews - Dionne Galace loved it Love My Way and gave it an A-. Teddy Pig, however, had issues with several of the BDSM aspects in Love My Way and gave it a D. […]

  22. KL
    Posted: Apr 8th, 2007 at 11:01 pm
    22

    Annie –

    By the tenor of your review, I think you’d also really enjoy the movie “The Secretary,” which deals with a developing BDSM relationship with the same emphasis on trust and strength in unexpected places. It’s a movie I LOVE and never expected to, for the same reasons you didn’t expect to like “Love My Way”… which means I’ll be picking that up ASAP. ^_- Thanks so much for the eloquent and intriguing review!

  23. Rosie
    Posted: Apr 10th, 2007 at 5:15 am
    23

    Well, Annie you convinced me to give the book a shot. I read it yesterday and it was every bit as good as you said it was. The best part is that it has complete characters. Thanks for the good review.

  24. Ann(ie)
    Posted: Apr 10th, 2007 at 9:38 am
    24

    Wow, I’m glad so many people enjoyed this book. Sorry you weren’t one of them, Teddy, but as I’ve said more than once: beyond a certain amount of technical expertise, this is a subjective business.

  25. Bridget Midway
    Posted: Apr 16th, 2007 at 4:15 am
    25

    Thank you so much, Rosie! I’m absolutely thrilled that you enjoyed the book.

    And absolutely no heartburn over TeddyPig’s review. Like I said to him, I’d rather have people either really love it or hate it, nothing in between.

    I posted a couple of comments on some of the items he mentioned regarding the book and what turned him off. Everyone is going to be coming at this book from their own perspective, which is cool. I’ve had a Dom who enjoyed the book (and accused me of being in the BDSM closet. *LOL*) I’ve had submissives read and enjoy it, not feeling insulted at all. You can read our exchange here: http://www.teddypig.com/?p=40

    I don’t know what the sales for the book have been like but I’ve already posed an idea for a sequel to my editor. Cover your eyes, Teddy. It’ll still be a reality TV show backdrop.

    BridgeT
    www.BridgetMidway.com

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