Blurb: Seduced by the exquisite pleasures of the submissive lifestyle introduced to her by William Wolfe, April Ekdahl eagerly joins him on a luxurious holiday at his alpine mansion to test her boundaries with their intimate play.
But as she opens her mind to unfathomable new delights, April finds her heart aching as deep fractures in her prince’s façade are revealed. Despite the demons that still haunt her, William accepts her. But will he allow her to embrace his darkness in return?
From author L.B. Alexander comes Swan Peak, the sequel to the intensely alluring Swan Lake. If you like romance that will leave you breathless, dive in to this darkly passionate spin on a modern-day fairy tale.
Review: To read my review of the first book in the series, Swan Lake, click here. Swan Peak is a direct continuation of that book and cannot be read as a standalone.
Swan Peak is the sort of read that has you holding your breath, sitting on the edge of your seat, and occasionally, rocking back and forth like a mad woman. It is not for the faint of the heart. There is some serious sadomasochism here, though I'll admit that a good portion of the harsher stuff happens "off screen". Still, what is on the page is dark and dangerous and, well, sadistic.
This book is entirely consensual between our hero and heroine. April has entered into her relationship with William with open eyes, fully aware of who he is and what he's getting into. It's actually William who has no idea what he's getting into with April, who maybe isn't the innocent, little swan that he's cast her to be. William has some discoveries he'll be making about himself too.
The ballet aspect is a fun addition, but it plays more of a background role to the rest of the plot, so if your knowledge of ballet is limited you needn't worry that it'll impact your enjoyment of the read. The true strength of this book is Alexander's captivating writing style. Every bit of the character's thoughts, intentions, and feelings were conveyed so truthfully and artistically that I found myself, at times, more entrenched in their internal dilemmas than the actual sex scenes (which is very unlike me).
I read Swan Peak in a few hours, partially afraid that if I put it down I might not pick it up again--that's how strong the angst was at times!--but I am so glad that I finished because it's truly beautiful writing about two characters who are struggling to come to terms with their roles in the world of sadomasochism. This series will definitely be a favorite of those who want more accuracy from their BDSM novels and beautiful imagery in their reading.
Note: The heroine is in recovery from an eating disorder and is it mentioned a few times and comes up a lot in her internal dialogues.
Tropes covered in series: BDSM, Virgin Heroine, Billionaire.