The Secret Life of a Submissive: A True Story

This memoir of sadomasochism is riding the 50 Shades of Grey's wave; nevertheless, it manages to distinguish itself as more than a knock-off, and its humorous, down-to-earth approach helps. Sarah K is a recently divorced British romance/erotica writer and single mom who decides to dip her toe into the world of BDSM. The "dom" she meets, Max, is a handsome, charming, "James Bond with a whip". There are plenty of effective graphic sex scenes, which make great use of words like "swollen" and "throbbing", and equipment like "rope" and "ball gags", but in between these episodes, Sarah K's very normal personality asserts itself. She frets about her "pudgy white thighs", enlists the ladies at her local thrift store to help look for "slutty" clothes on a budget, and, at a dinner party in which the "subs" are fed from the "masters'" plates like dogs, is ravenously hungry and complains that the tidbits Max feeds her are "tiny". Still, Sarah and Max's relationship is surprisingly compelling, and the book reaches an poignant climax. A rewarding read for those interested. (Mar.)