- Title: Swan Lake
- Author: LB Alexander
- Series: Swan Series, #1
- Genre: Romance, Erotic Fiction
- Publishing Date: December 4th, 2018
- Publishing Co.: Indie
- Length: 438 pages
- Format: Paperback, Kindle Unlimited
- Acquired: Given free print copy in exchange for an honest review
- Amazon Link: Swan Lake
The Swan is not as innocent as she appears…
Doubts and fears of her own making have kept April a prisoner of her mind for far too long. Her promising ballet career was halted after a violent attack, forcing her into a rehabilitation facility to cope with her crushing emotional pain. Now, eager for a fresh start, she battles to hide her daily struggles under an ill-fitting mask of control.
Until she meets William.
Older.
Mysterious.
Dangerous.
Underneath his intoxicating guidance, April explores exquisite freedoms that unlock a powerful side of herself she never knew existed. But the handsome billionaire has a dark side of his own, and may not be the modern-day prince the world believes him to be. Plagued by labels of both good and evil, will he be her salvation?
Or her ultimate undoing?
Final Judgment: 5 Stars out of 5
Trigger Warning: Mental health struggles, medication, BDSM, mature content. 18+
One man, one woman. William Wolfe – rich, handsome CEO of his own company. April Ekdahl – former ballerina, struggling with mental illness, his new assistant. Darkness swirls in both of them, and LB Alexander draws it out in the sexiest way possible.
From the very first page, this book was one I couldn’t put down. Immediately, my curiosity was piqued by April, this too-thin ballerina that had given up the dance for some reasons not quite mentioned. And her mental illness? Also only hinted at. Mystery surrounded her and I was drawn in not only by the strength of her character despite her struggles, but also by the struggles themselves. She felt real.
As for William Wolfe, who wouldn’t be drawn to learning more about the darkly handsome, potentially dangerous, rich and powerful boss of this seemingly-fragile girl? It looked to be a match diving for disaster. And I wanted a front row seat.
Not only were the characters compelling and complicated to get my brain whirring, but Alexander wrote her story with research and poise. Though I am not a psychiatrist, or even a psychologist, I did get my BS in Psychology, so I knew I little bit about April’s struggles with mental health and how those could play out in real life. Many authors tend to use mental illness as a cheap trick to add complexity or sheer rawness or a shock factor to their story. But Alexander weaved April’s character with brilliance, showing that her struggles were real for her, and accurately depicted them as sincere struggles. There was no romancing of her struggles. Which was a bit plus for me.
Additionally, there is BDSM within this spicy story, as can probably be divulged from the cover (hope I didn’t spoil it! If anything… Now you have something a little extra to look forward to 😉 ). And I would like to commend Alexander on her portrayal of the BDSM community here, as well. It is clear that she is knowledgeable of how the community works in reality, including safe words, dom and sub drop, among other things. It is refreshing to get an accurate and still enticingly sexy and seductive view of this kinkier romance. This is everything–and more–that 50 Shades of Grey tried to be and failed at.
Overall, amazing story. It will have you squirming in your seat as you turn page after page. Compelling characters, sexy romance, and dark mysteries to keep you entertained throughout. Keep out of the hands of any children, though.
The Book Dragon 