Review: Guilty Pleasures by Kitty Thomas

Guilty Pleasures 
by Kitty Thomas

Publisher: Burlesque Press

Release Date:  December 14th 2010

Vivian Delaney leads a life of privilege, but behind closed doors she feels isolated and trapped in a gilded cage. Unable to achieve sexual pleasure with her husband, she finds herself in the capable hands of Anton, a massage therapist intent on awakening her to her full sexual potential. By any means necessary.

As their secret meetings progress, she falls farther down a rabbit hole where the line between rape and illicit affair grows increasingly blurred. Anton will accept nothing short of her complete surrender as he molds and shapes her to be sold to the highest bidder.
~ From Goodreads 

I was eagerly anticipating Ms. Thomas’ new book Guilty Pleasures. She is one of the best writers of erotica. I read the book in one night and was not disappointed. I was completely sucked into Vivian’s desperate housewife life. At first you don’t want to feel sorry for her as she is completely self absorbed and treats her husband horribly. All Michael wants is for his wife to be happy but she cannot see past her own inhibitions and selfishness to give him anything other than dead fish sex. But soon Vivian is going to get caught up in a world of sexual submission she has only briefly fantasized about.

Frustrated with his wife’s frigidity, Michael sends Vivian to see a sex therapist. During their first meeting Dr. Lindsay Smith concludes that Vivian is too uptight and may benefit from the help of a massage therapist. She is then sent to a spa called Dome which is run by a sexy Russian named, Anton.

“Relax my dear. Dr. Smith was correct. You are quite a closed-budded flower. We will open you.”

 He made it sound so sexual and wrong.

“Are you going to rape me?”

“No. I’m just going to make you come for me, Vivian. I’m going to make you purr my name."

(I would like the next massage appointment with Anton, please!!)

So begins Vivian’s sexual re-awakening at the capable hands of Anton. Through sexual blackmail, Vivian is coerced to make twice weekly visits to Anton and pay him for his “treatment”. After Michael learns of her expensive massage appointments he restricts access to her bank account and she is no longer able to pay Anton.  This of course is not a problem because Anton is willing to accept sex as payment. If she doesn’t agree he’ll show Michael all the video of their massage sessions. Even though Vivian is unhappy in her marriage to Michael she doesn’t want to give up the security he can give her and deep down she loves him. So she agrees and falls deeper into Anton’s trap.

Eventually she is taken to Anton’s mansion where she has no way to escape. Vivian is introduced to Gabe and learns that he, Lindsay and Anton will be her trainers. She is told that she will be trained to be a sexual slave and sold to the highest bidder. The mansion is full of other women and more trainers. Vivian has her own room, there’s a cafeteria, gym, library, dungeons and a pool. It reminded me of the Playboy mansion where everyone was there to party and have fun. Kitty’s story telling ability is amazing because at times I forgot that Anton’s mansion wasn’t a fun house but a real business turning women into sexual slaves.

Vivian’s training is intense and the scenes are wild and oh so HOT! You will fall in love with all the trainers. I thought the HEA was fabulous. Guilty Pleasures is definitely not for the faint of heart. Very intense BDSM but if you have a depraved mind like me, you’ll love it!

4.5 out of 5 Stars

*Originally Reviewed in December 2010 on Goodreads*