Scan barcode
mxsallybend's review against another edition
4.0
Story of L is, as you might expect, a lesbian retelling of The Story of O. It is the erotic tale of Liv, a woman who is surprised to discover ultimate satisfaction through an act of submission, and Cassandra, the woman who obtains her own satisfaction through the submission of others . . . but who does not easily offer up the pleasures of her dominance.
Before you get the wrong idea, however, this is not a sex-for-the-sake-of-sex slice of erotica. This is a story with some real depth to it, one that forces us to explore our own ideas of dominance and submission, even as Liv learns about hers. It is a story of dark romance and wish-fulfillment, but definitely with a be-careful-what-you-wish-for theme.
Liv is a switch, a woman who prides herself on being both dominant and submissive. It is a tough role to play, both wielding the power and giving it up, and you get the sense early on that there is a choice to be made. It is the appearance of Cassandra, who pushes her to the edge (and beyond), that forces Liv to begin questioning her role, and to seek out a return to the deeper, perfect submission she experienced at Cassandra’s feet.
Cassandra is a dominant, but also an unrepentant romantic. She is looking for that perfect submissive, that one loyal slave whom she can love, and who can love her in turn. She is not content with a plaything who slips in and out of a collar, a woman who comes by to be whipped when it is convenient. No, Cassandra seeks nothing less than complete ownership over Liz’s life. Before ever allowing Liz to return to her place at her feet, Cassandra tests her newfound love, pushing her to explore precisely what it means to be submissive, and forcing her to make a series of sacrifices so that the two can better understand one another. Liv’s best friend, Quinn, serves as something of a focal point for the reader, keeping us at arm’s length from the power exchange, while cautioning Liv to be careful of just how deeply she should commit herself to Cassandra’s demands.
Story of L is a story about the intersection between fantasy and reality, and the ways in which one can accommodate the other. It is both a story of the honest demands of a true BDSM lifestyle, and the honest commitments of a lesbian relationship. You get the sense that Debra has truly done her homework, and that she has a true passion for the characters and the lifestyle. Physically and emotionally satisfying, this is definitely a story worth exploring.
As reviewed by Sally at Bending the Bookshelf
Before you get the wrong idea, however, this is not a sex-for-the-sake-of-sex slice of erotica. This is a story with some real depth to it, one that forces us to explore our own ideas of dominance and submission, even as Liv learns about hers. It is a story of dark romance and wish-fulfillment, but definitely with a be-careful-what-you-wish-for theme.
Liv is a switch, a woman who prides herself on being both dominant and submissive. It is a tough role to play, both wielding the power and giving it up, and you get the sense early on that there is a choice to be made. It is the appearance of Cassandra, who pushes her to the edge (and beyond), that forces Liv to begin questioning her role, and to seek out a return to the deeper, perfect submission she experienced at Cassandra’s feet.
Cassandra is a dominant, but also an unrepentant romantic. She is looking for that perfect submissive, that one loyal slave whom she can love, and who can love her in turn. She is not content with a plaything who slips in and out of a collar, a woman who comes by to be whipped when it is convenient. No, Cassandra seeks nothing less than complete ownership over Liz’s life. Before ever allowing Liz to return to her place at her feet, Cassandra tests her newfound love, pushing her to explore precisely what it means to be submissive, and forcing her to make a series of sacrifices so that the two can better understand one another. Liv’s best friend, Quinn, serves as something of a focal point for the reader, keeping us at arm’s length from the power exchange, while cautioning Liv to be careful of just how deeply she should commit herself to Cassandra’s demands.
Story of L is a story about the intersection between fantasy and reality, and the ways in which one can accommodate the other. It is both a story of the honest demands of a true BDSM lifestyle, and the honest commitments of a lesbian relationship. You get the sense that Debra has truly done her homework, and that she has a true passion for the characters and the lifestyle. Physically and emotionally satisfying, this is definitely a story worth exploring.
As reviewed by Sally at Bending the Bookshelf
crhbrault's review against another edition
5.0
Steamy! If I had just one word to describe this book, steamy is definitely it.
This lesbian-centric tale of a woman nicknamed “L” is definitely one you won’t want to put down, so set yourself some time with a bubble bath and beverage and settle in for a good storyline with a wide array of characters.
This lesbian-centric tale of a woman nicknamed “L” is definitely one you won’t want to put down, so set yourself some time with a bubble bath and beverage and settle in for a good storyline with a wide array of characters.
jugglingpup's review against another edition
4.0
To see more reviews check out MI Book Reviews.
I got an ARC in return for an honest review on NetGalley.
I am a very big fan of historical erotica, if that makes any sense. I avidly search out the classics and devour them. This had a similar title to The Story of O. A book I really enjoyed, but had an issue with the male gaze aspect of the novel. This book addressed my issues there. However this book raised some more issues for me. Mainly the issues I have with so many books that have a Female to Male transsexual character. First off the word is “transgender”, not “transgendered”. You don’t say “girled” or “boyed”, why would you use the past tense for transgender? That gets me EVERY time. Then there was the issue I had with a character that appeared to be one that was going to be important, but fettered off, Quinn. The way Quinn was described was almost enough to make me put the book down. You don’t describe someone as having a “transgendered body”. It is just rude and grammatically incorrect. Thankfully the author redeemed herself in my eyes when it came to her portrayal of trans men with her service submissive Reese. Huge fan of Reese!
The actual story wasn’t as simple as the Story of O. There were more layers to the characters and to the plot than I am used to with erotica. The scene in L’s bedroom alone would have made me love this book, I would say more, but I don’t want to spoil it. It fit the world of D/s as I have always experienced it and how I want to experience it. I didn’t like the permanent marking came so early in their relationship. That would have been a huge red flag if a Dom/Domme had asked that of me. The actual mark was described in such a gorgeous way that I liked the idea, but the timing was so sketchy. The second permanent mark made more sense, while not being my scene. I loved that marking idea and what it represented. The timing was also much better.
Overall, the book was hot and intense in a very controlled way. The only major red flag was the permanent mark so early in the relationship. That is a huge plus for this book. The constant checking in and asking for consent (though it is not informed consent) really made this book so much better than the erotica I am used to finding.
I got an ARC in return for an honest review on NetGalley.
I am a very big fan of historical erotica, if that makes any sense. I avidly search out the classics and devour them. This had a similar title to The Story of O. A book I really enjoyed, but had an issue with the male gaze aspect of the novel. This book addressed my issues there. However this book raised some more issues for me. Mainly the issues I have with so many books that have a Female to Male transsexual character. First off the word is “transgender”, not “transgendered”. You don’t say “girled” or “boyed”, why would you use the past tense for transgender? That gets me EVERY time. Then there was the issue I had with a character that appeared to be one that was going to be important, but fettered off, Quinn. The way Quinn was described was almost enough to make me put the book down. You don’t describe someone as having a “transgendered body”. It is just rude and grammatically incorrect. Thankfully the author redeemed herself in my eyes when it came to her portrayal of trans men with her service submissive Reese. Huge fan of Reese!
The actual story wasn’t as simple as the Story of O. There were more layers to the characters and to the plot than I am used to with erotica. The scene in L’s bedroom alone would have made me love this book, I would say more, but I don’t want to spoil it. It fit the world of D/s as I have always experienced it and how I want to experience it. I didn’t like the permanent marking came so early in their relationship. That would have been a huge red flag if a Dom/Domme had asked that of me. The actual mark was described in such a gorgeous way that I liked the idea, but the timing was so sketchy. The second permanent mark made more sense, while not being my scene. I loved that marking idea and what it represented. The timing was also much better.
Overall, the book was hot and intense in a very controlled way. The only major red flag was the permanent mark so early in the relationship. That is a huge plus for this book. The constant checking in and asking for consent (though it is not informed consent) really made this book so much better than the erotica I am used to finding.
mommasaystoread's review against another edition
3.0
I've heard great things about Story of L, so I finally dove in and checked it out. Now, I don't pretend to understand a BDSM relationship, and I can't say that I would even consider some of things Liv so readily accepted. I will say that Debra Hyde does know how to set a scene, but that fine attention to detail is sometimes detrimental to the story. There's a fine line between giving a good visual and dragging it out a little too far, and sometimes, this one went over the edge. The story is - well, it's erotica, plain and simple. It's one woman's journey to complete submission. However, I would not consider this a romance. Oh, it generates plenty of steam, but sexual attraction and steamy goodness is lust, not love, and I don't feel like this one ever got deep enough with these characters to call it love. The book is okay for what it is, but I prefer a better connection between the characters, something more than just attraction. Basically, I wanted some substance, something to show that these two women are as compatible outside a BDSM scene as they are in one. So, if you're looking for FF BDSM erotica, this is it, but if you want some real story, I can't say that I found that here. In the end, Story of L was worth the read, but it isn't something I would revisit.
juniper_reads_things's review against another edition
1.0
For context, I am trans non-binary and my pronouns are they/them.
I had so much hope for this book. Lesbian BDSM? Hell yeah. What more could I want out of a book?!
Several things, apparently. Trans-inclusive language is the major thing this book is lacking.
I realize that this book was published in 2017, and that some of the points I’m angry about are outdated language. I realize this author could not have had the resources that are on the internet now. But I also realize that I got a copy of this book thru Netgalley, so that implies to me that this book could be undergoing an editing process. My review contains the things I wish could be edited into this book. Primarily the use of trans inclusive language.
This book includes several trans people, however, this author does not use inclusive language. Hyde’s descriptive language of her trans characters also reads as if Hyde has never personally spoken with a trans person about their identity before. I realize that is a harsh thing to say, but I think it’s true. The first trans character we meet is Quinn, and frankly Hyde’s description doesn’t make sense. She writes that Quinn has a “transgendered identity”. The next sentence confuses me. It reads, “her bulky female bio body, despite its chromosomal baseline, only seemed to reinforce her identity.” I don’t know what to think of that sentence, so I ignored it.
The rest of the paragraph moved on to Liv’s gender identity, which is described as not quite male and not quite female, sort of being in the middle. This sentence angers me: “she didn’t feel undefined; being queer was enough, and she did not like having to fall into a strict dichotomy. It was like having her cake and eating it too.”
These sentences describes someone who doesn’t identify as male or female, which can mean genderqueer, agender, or at the very least, nonbinary. Gender nonconforming people are not “undefined”. We know who we are. We know what we are. Wanting to “not label yourself” is staying in the closet, not “having your cake and eating it too.” Not wanting to define your gender is fine, and identifying just as queer without wanting to do research about yourself and your identity are also fine. But “having your cake and eating it too” feels like transphobia. Because there are clear descriptions of genderqueer identities that you can find on the internet. Not wanting to label yourself as trans when you match a clear definition of trans is transphobia.
Then we move on to Cassandra who is frequently swings from straight circles to lesbian circles, implying that this woman enjoys male and female sex. Which, generally speaking, is bisexual. But then Hyde describes Cassandra as refusing to go for bi women. And then Liv is nervous that Cassandra won’t like her because Liv has had dick before. Guess what this is called? Biphobia.
And now we move on to the description of Reese. Reese is a trans man. Correct ways to refer to trans men include the phrase “assigned female at birth.” This phrase is trans affirming as it lets confused people know what you were born as while including what you identify as. I was assigned this at birth, but my brain does not match my body parts. Simple. Efficient. You know what’s happening. Trans non-inclusive language is this sentence: “his slender height, tall for the woman he had once been, average for the man he was now.” This is not inclusive language as it implies a “that was then, this is now.” As in, he was a woman before but now he’s decided to be a man. It feels condescending, like when someone refers to your correct pronouns as “your chosen pronouns.”
Trans people don’t choose their identities like you choose what to wear for the day. Trans people do not choose this life. It’s not a choice. It’s what we were born as. If I was born with the correct body, none of this would be a problem. But since my body came out wrong, I can fix it to match my identity.
Nobody chooses to be a gender like you choose wether or not you want chocolate syrup in your coffee or vanilla. It’s something we were born as.
Because of the transphobic and biphobic language, I chose not to finish this book.
**side note: I think it’s odd that the target audience (kinky queers) is not reading this book. I’ve only seen reviews about The Story of L written by cis/het women. Somehow, some way… this book isn’t hitting the target audience, which is disappointing but also one must ask themselves… why?
While that question could be read and interpreted as sarcastic or mean, I genuinely mean this question. Why and how are the lesbian queers not finding this book…?
So uh if you’re queer and you’ve read my review and also The Story of L, hit me up. Let’s talk about it! Lol**
I had so much hope for this book. Lesbian BDSM? Hell yeah. What more could I want out of a book?!
Several things, apparently. Trans-inclusive language is the major thing this book is lacking.
I realize that this book was published in 2017, and that some of the points I’m angry about are outdated language. I realize this author could not have had the resources that are on the internet now. But I also realize that I got a copy of this book thru Netgalley, so that implies to me that this book could be undergoing an editing process. My review contains the things I wish could be edited into this book. Primarily the use of trans inclusive language.
This book includes several trans people, however, this author does not use inclusive language. Hyde’s descriptive language of her trans characters also reads as if Hyde has never personally spoken with a trans person about their identity before. I realize that is a harsh thing to say, but I think it’s true. The first trans character we meet is Quinn, and frankly Hyde’s description doesn’t make sense. She writes that Quinn has a “transgendered identity”. The next sentence confuses me. It reads, “her bulky female bio body, despite its chromosomal baseline, only seemed to reinforce her identity.” I don’t know what to think of that sentence, so I ignored it.
The rest of the paragraph moved on to Liv’s gender identity, which is described as not quite male and not quite female, sort of being in the middle. This sentence angers me: “she didn’t feel undefined; being queer was enough, and she did not like having to fall into a strict dichotomy. It was like having her cake and eating it too.”
These sentences describes someone who doesn’t identify as male or female, which can mean genderqueer, agender, or at the very least, nonbinary. Gender nonconforming people are not “undefined”. We know who we are. We know what we are. Wanting to “not label yourself” is staying in the closet, not “having your cake and eating it too.” Not wanting to define your gender is fine, and identifying just as queer without wanting to do research about yourself and your identity are also fine. But “having your cake and eating it too” feels like transphobia. Because there are clear descriptions of genderqueer identities that you can find on the internet. Not wanting to label yourself as trans when you match a clear definition of trans is transphobia.
Then we move on to Cassandra who is frequently swings from straight circles to lesbian circles, implying that this woman enjoys male and female sex. Which, generally speaking, is bisexual. But then Hyde describes Cassandra as refusing to go for bi women. And then Liv is nervous that Cassandra won’t like her because Liv has had dick before. Guess what this is called? Biphobia.
And now we move on to the description of Reese. Reese is a trans man. Correct ways to refer to trans men include the phrase “assigned female at birth.” This phrase is trans affirming as it lets confused people know what you were born as while including what you identify as. I was assigned this at birth, but my brain does not match my body parts. Simple. Efficient. You know what’s happening. Trans non-inclusive language is this sentence: “his slender height, tall for the woman he had once been, average for the man he was now.” This is not inclusive language as it implies a “that was then, this is now.” As in, he was a woman before but now he’s decided to be a man. It feels condescending, like when someone refers to your correct pronouns as “your chosen pronouns.”
Trans people don’t choose their identities like you choose what to wear for the day. Trans people do not choose this life. It’s not a choice. It’s what we were born as. If I was born with the correct body, none of this would be a problem. But since my body came out wrong, I can fix it to match my identity.
Nobody chooses to be a gender like you choose wether or not you want chocolate syrup in your coffee or vanilla. It’s something we were born as.
Because of the transphobic and biphobic language, I chose not to finish this book.
**side note: I think it’s odd that the target audience (kinky queers) is not reading this book. I’ve only seen reviews about The Story of L written by cis/het women. Somehow, some way… this book isn’t hitting the target audience, which is disappointing but also one must ask themselves… why?
While that question could be read and interpreted as sarcastic or mean, I genuinely mean this question. Why and how are the lesbian queers not finding this book…?
So uh if you’re queer and you’ve read my review and also The Story of L, hit me up. Let’s talk about it! Lol**
lyzz's review against another edition
4.0
The Story of L is a dark romance/erotica by Debra Hyde about a lesbian named Liv, a submissive, and her relationship with Cassandra, a dominant. Liv and Cassandra meet at a BDSM club, Hippolyte’s where Cassandra dominates Liv. After meeting at the club, Cassandra’s personal assistant Reese reaches out to Liv to see if Liv is interested in pursuing a relationship with Cassandra. She is and must endure multiple trials to see if she is worthy of being Cassandra’s submissive.
What I liked about this book:
**I really enjoyed that this book featured power play that is inherent in a domination-submission relationship. This power element in these types of relationships are not always sexual and the author captured this well through Liv’s trials.
**The Story of L also did an excellent job showing some of the mental challenges and experience of submission in a thoughtful way. There was a lot of discussion of Liv’s void and what submission feels like.
**I found the story to be compelling and the pacing spot on. While Liv was going through her trials, you felt that sense of waiting along with. I read this book in two sittings – mostly because I wanted to see how the relationship unfolded and how the story ended.
**The sexual scenes were hawt!
**The ending felt appropriate for the story.
What I didn’t like about this book:
**I found the lack of discussion about consent during the first chapter (party at the BDSM club) to be very troubling. Before meeting Cassandra, Liv played with her friend and long-time play partner Quinn. They did a very intense scene that had no negotiation or indication that there was negotiation beforehand. This scene included audience participation. As they had a long-standing relationship, they may be aware of each other’s limits, preferences and needs. This could have been handled quickly by saying they had discussed the scene on text before the party.
** I was troubled by some of the language used about Reese. Reese is Cassandra’s personal assistant and is also a trans man. It was clear that the author was trying to honor the character’s gender but it came across poorly and transphobic. Some of the examples included a weird hyper-focus on how Reese’s body had changed during his transition. I’d really encourage future work to have members of the trans community review and give feedback on the writing if the author has trans characters.
Overall, this book has good pacing, a balanced view of the dominance and submissive relationship with hawt sexual scenes. I’d recommend it to individuals looking for a dark romance that features BDSM.
Thank you to Riverdale Avenue Books for providing this ebook in exchange for a fair and honest review.
What I liked about this book:
**I really enjoyed that this book featured power play that is inherent in a domination-submission relationship. This power element in these types of relationships are not always sexual and the author captured this well through Liv’s trials.
**The Story of L also did an excellent job showing some of the mental challenges and experience of submission in a thoughtful way. There was a lot of discussion of Liv’s void and what submission feels like.
**I found the story to be compelling and the pacing spot on. While Liv was going through her trials, you felt that sense of waiting along with. I read this book in two sittings – mostly because I wanted to see how the relationship unfolded and how the story ended.
**The sexual scenes were hawt!
**The ending felt appropriate for the story.
What I didn’t like about this book:
**I found the lack of discussion about consent during the first chapter (party at the BDSM club) to be very troubling. Before meeting Cassandra, Liv played with her friend and long-time play partner Quinn. They did a very intense scene that had no negotiation or indication that there was negotiation beforehand. This scene included audience participation. As they had a long-standing relationship, they may be aware of each other’s limits, preferences and needs. This could have been handled quickly by saying they had discussed the scene on text before the party.
** I was troubled by some of the language used about Reese. Reese is Cassandra’s personal assistant and is also a trans man. It was clear that the author was trying to honor the character’s gender but it came across poorly and transphobic. Some of the examples included a weird hyper-focus on how Reese’s body had changed during his transition. I’d really encourage future work to have members of the trans community review and give feedback on the writing if the author has trans characters.
Overall, this book has good pacing, a balanced view of the dominance and submissive relationship with hawt sexual scenes. I’d recommend it to individuals looking for a dark romance that features BDSM.
Thank you to Riverdale Avenue Books for providing this ebook in exchange for a fair and honest review.
readinggrrl's review against another edition
4.0
This is a modern day Story of O with a Lesbian twist and consent from the submissive. This is a well written bdsm novel that brings you into the world of sex clubs and submission. This isn't 50 Shades of Grey, the scenes are not watered down for the masses. But this book isn't just scene after scene there is an actual plot, and quite a few well developed characters. This is a short book, you can fly through it in a few hours. I wasn't sure what to expect but this book surprised me in both the way it told its story and the sensitive way it treated the bdsm community.
samplatinum's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
bookishdxni's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25