Book Review: Taking the Lead by Cecilia Tan

For folks who know me, I am not attracted in any fashion to the stereotypical romance or even the common man-in-charge idea. In fact, most romances leave me cold, so for any author who writes romance or any work of fiction with the maledom/femalesub orientation to keep me interested, that author has to have serious storytelling skills. Does Cecilia Tan have those skills in her new book, "Taking the Lead?" Let's find out. I will try not to include too many spoilers but just give you enough information to help you make a decision about whether or not to buy this novel. Note, though, that I will discuss some events and activities that might be considered edgy for some people – edgy beyond just BDSM, that is.

WARNING: There may be spoilers in my review so don't read further if you can't handle a few details being revealed.

"Taking the Lead" is book one in a three-book series called "The Secrets of a Rock Star." These are contemporary BDSM romances, written by an award-winning romance and BDSM author and publisher; that alone might make you want to check out the book, but my reasons are more personal. Cecilia Tan bought my first for-pay piece of fiction, and more recently she took a chance and published my "Beyond the Softness of His Fur" trilogy. I've met her in person a few times and even shared a hotel room with her at Frolicon several years back. I want to assure you all, though, that I'll treat this book as I would any I'm sent to review; I play no favorites.

Frolicon 2010

This book is told in first-person, from two viewpoints. Ricki Hamilton is the daughter and heir of a powerful Hollywood family. They aren't famous actors; they're the movers and shakers, the wealthy elite who actually run the industry and the social circles of Hollywood. After her grandfather's death, Ricki and her sister Gwen must fulfill several conditions of his will in order to inherit. The one that Ricki dislikes the most is running the secret sex club that her grandfather hosted in his basement. The letters "BDSM" are tossed around at the club, but there are some issues of consent and secrecy that may seem very unusual for folks into the Scene today. The world of kinky sex used to be secretive like this, and probably still is in some locations or for some people; it was also a world where consent wasn't as widely championed either. I'll get back to that issue later. Ricki agrees to the terms of the will because she wants to make movies, and she wants to be a force in popular media, but to do that, she'll need the family money.

The other main character is Axel Hawke, the lead singer for a band called "The Rough." He seems to be a confusing man at first, less in control of his life than many "alpha male" characters in current romances. I can say firsthand that people who are dominant in the bedroom – heck, even just in their personality – often just have to follow the lead of those with positions of authority above them. Unless you are old and have a ton of experience, you have to work your way up, regardless of personality or sexual orientation. Axel follows the lead of their band manager and publicist because it gets him what he wants: fame, and the possibility of more fame. For Axel, his dominance really seems to be 1) sexual in nature and 2) something I'd call "service topping." While he certainly can be aggressive and in-charge, it's also very clear that he cares right from the first moment we meet him. Given that alpha males are not my type, this made him more interesting to me, as well as more realistic.

One of the old tropes of romance is "hate at first sight," but Tan rejects this cliché. When Ricki and Axel meet in a limo on the way to the Grammys, they're both immediately attracted to one another, even though they both have other dates and are both cognizant of this fact. Even at the lowest point in their later relationship, hate, fear of the other, and anger toward the other, never really arise. Ricki has her own past and her own conflicted feelings about enjoying a more bottom role in the bedroom, but I never got that old "hate turns to love" or "fear turns to desire" vibe from this book. Because of this, their developing love feels both honest and possible, not just because you want to buy into the fantasy but because it makes sense.

There are several actions in the book that might offend some readers or simply turn them off. Without giving away too much plot, let me discuss these. Fairly early in the book there is a shaving scene that seemed a bit fast to me, but I can understand that in romance issues of negotiation can seem tedious to the reader. It is written in a very sensitive and sexy fashion, so unless sharps are a limit, I think most readers should be able to appreciate it.

There are two kidnappings in the book. The first is a misdirected publicity stunt that allows Axel and Ricki to explore their mutual attraction. It is fun and counts as "kidnapping" only by the loosest definition. At no time did it seem like anyone would cross the line. The partners were going with the flow, trying out new things, and checking in with each other.

The second kidnapping is after Ricki breaks up with Axel; it is an honest-to-goodness kidnapping that immediately turned me off, so much so that for the rest of the book I simply could not get aroused. The kidnapping seems motivated by a sudden, private reaction to being dumped, driven by what seems to be anger. Now, a safeword is clarified, and I believe we are supposed to understand that Ricki believes her use of that safeword will be respected, turning a real kidnapping into a hot scene. In the past I've planned and carried out a kidnapping for a submissive partner of mine. The big difference between that and this, the key difference for me, is that at that time he was my partner, he trusted me, and we had a relationship. That is not the case at this point in this book. Again, I know that issues of consent and negotiation aren't "hot" for a lot of romance readers, but it is a big deal to me personally.

Parental death and alcohol abuse are central to Ricki's background, and that might be uncomfortable for some readers. I think this background made Ricki more understandable, though. I also think the topics were addressed in a careful but not lingering fashion. I didn't get tired of the "downer" past before things were addressed in a way that allowed Ricki and the romance with Axel to develop.

Finally, yes, there is kink here, and there are explicit sexual descriptions. These aren't pornographic: they aren't gratuitous or focused on body parts, even when parts are named or briefly described. The focus of the sex is mental, emotional, physical, and connective. Some romance readers want to go to bed but not see under the covers. If you are one of those readers, don't get this book.

Now that I've mentioned these possible trigger subjects, I can say that the book is very well crafted. Dialogue feels natural, characters are complex, and they and their world change as the story progresses. There are some hints of what might happen in the next book, even though the trilogy novels will be free-standing, meaning the later ones won't require you to read the earlier ones. I felt invested enough in Ricki and Axel that I found myself talking out loud to them at times when I was reading. I even got turned on a few times by the intensity of the sex or the depth of their developing feelings. Good stories and sexy relationships can transcend the reader's orientation if the reader is willing to expand their range and the author is skilled enough.

Cecilia Tan has the storytelling skills to make this contemporary BDSM romance work. This is an intriguing start to her new series that focuses on The Rough (Axel's band) and their sex lives. If this book sounds good to you, follow the link below to get your own copy from Amazon. For other ways to buy it, check out the series page on Cecilia Tan's website.