Follow Me Under

In this erotica sequel, a budding influencer falls under a kinky billionaire's spell. Twenty-four-year-old Skye Manning, a Kansas transplant living in Boston, should be in heaven. Not only has she gone from being the assistant to spoiled hotel heiress Addison Ames to social media influencer on the rise, she's also attracted the attention--and much more--of billionaire Braden Black, Addison's ex. He introduces Skye to the fruits of his BDSM lifestyle. But Skye is aware her newfound career success is largely due to her relationship with Boston's most eligible bachelor: Without Braden, who is she really? More disturbing, pet store owner and Skye's new friend Betsy, who grew up with Addison, has recently revealed that a disturbing incident ended Braden and Addison's relationship years earlier--an event he refuses to discuss. Meanwhile, Skye signs a lucrative contract with a New York-based cosmetics empire as her sexual trysts with Braden intensify. Skye struggles with the idea of being Braden's submissive in and out of the bedroom even as her body and heart yearn for the dominant yet still mysterious billionaire. As the relationship grows to include glamorous private jet escapades and intricate rope play, Skye wonders if she will ever fully know her new boyfriend and if the constant questions she asks are worth the intense, fulfilling sex. Hardt has crafted another novel reminiscent of Fifty Shades of Grey, only with a much savvier protagonist and sex scenes that are, for the most part, consensually experienced and beautifully written (an early encounter involving a leather bustier is a particular standout). In addition, Skye's new duties as an influencer are better researched and developed than they were in the series' first book, and the hero becomes more compelling as she comes into her own. Yet at times both Skye and Braden push each other's boundaries in ways that feel inappropriate and unhealthy--issues that are never fully addressed but absolutely should be, even in a BDSM relationship. A follow-up that surpasses the original in sexy scenes and personal exploration.

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