Review: Club Wonderland by Christine d'Abo

Club Wonderland: Gael Hernandez and Alice White

(Friends and Benefits #2)

Summary:

From Goodreads.com

Alice White isn’t used to being ignored. So when the object of her lust does just that, she’s bound and determined to get his attention. Her pursuit leads her to Wonderland, the kind of club she’s only read about, and suddenly Alice is craving something she never knew she needed.

Gael Hernandez wants to be the youngest partner at his prestigious law firm, and not even a certain tempting legal assistant can distract him from his goal of financially helping his family. Until she shows up at his favorite club and surprises him with an interest in being restrained. But the BDSM lifestyle is no game to him, and he won’t take things further until Alice is schooled into submission.

After a taste, Alice wants more. She offers to be Gael’s sub for one weekend, with nothing forbidden and no boundaries. In a few short days, he gives her the strength to be the person she’s always wanted to be. Now Alice just needs to convince Gael that he can dominate in the bedroom, and submit to love.

Review:

Club Wonderland by Christine d'Abo is the second book in the Friends and Benefits Series, I read the first book and really enjoyed it so I was happy when this book came up to request. I have always enjoyed d’Abo. I have to say, I preferred the first book in this series to this one. The character development in the first book was better, we had a better understanding of the characters and it was more humorous. Not that this book was even remotely bad, I definitely enjoyed it. The character development in this book wasn’t as good. We did learn some about Alice and her difficult relationship with her mother and her desire to please people. It was fun watching her explore her sexuality as well. Gael comes to us knowing what he likes and how he likes it, there is no exploration for him here, for him his exploration is more emotional. He’s never really had any emotional attachments to his subs and never really wanted one. Right now he has a lot at stake and Alice could blow all of that out of the water but I liked how he went for it anyway after a whole bunch of heming and hawing lol. Gael, while I did really like him he’s a great intense Dom but he is not as developed as Alice. He remains a bit of a mystery. There was also a bit of issue with the timing in this book. The beginning was a bit slow and the ending a bit rushed. Story was fun and since it is fairly short it did move along pretty quickly.