His Leading Lady by Jenny Nordbak is a contemporary romance that I picked up after reading Nordbak’s contribution to the Black Rose Auction anthology, which I loved. I wanted more, and I got exactly what I wanted with this book. His Leading Lady is a BDSM, fake dating romance that’s a unique take on a favorite trope with the explosive chemistry to match.
Alex Chase is a famous actor, known for his roles as the wholesome heartthrob. But now he’s been cast as the lead in a film adaptation of a famous book, and to play this character, he needs to learn how to be dominant. So he enlists the help of Elena, the best dominatrix in the business, to teach him how to truly do the role justice.
To keep the studio and the press off their backs, they agree to fake a relationship. While Alex has a dominant side just waiting to be set free, teaching him still won’t be easy. Rules and contracts dictate their entire arrangement, but those rules prove to be so much harder to follow than these two originally planned.
Jenny Nordbak develops the best characters. I am so attached to these two, and I can’t get enough. They feel so raw and real, and you just want to cheer them on through the page.
Alex struggles with the pitfalls most men fall into at one point or another, insecurity, handling said insecurity all wrong, and being friends with terrible men, but he manages to acknowledge the behavior and grow, which is sexy as hell.
Some of these characters were briefly mentioned in Irresistible Devil, which is set later on in the same universe, which was exactly what I was hoping for. I want to read a book about every single person in this world.
The premise of His Leading Lady is fascinating. It’s unique and playful — a fake dating trope with a kinky twist. The plot primarily surrounds Elena and Alex’s relationship and the complex dynamics between them. It moves fast, with an instant attraction and a month-long deadline for this relationship to play out.
This book is very kink forward from the very first page. Readers can tell that the author, a former dominatrix herself, knows exactly what she is talking about. It’s an intelligent discussion about kink, sexuality, and sexual dynamics wrapped in the pretty package of a love story.
There are, obviously, BDSM elements at play here, but in a completely unexpected way. She’s teaching him how to dominate her, and the whole concept is different from what we normally get in romance novels, and it’s undeniably hot.
Most of the book focuses on kink over penetrative sex, and it’s a refreshing reminder that sex is so much broader than traditional attitudes dictate. It explores the idea that human sexuality is not binary when it comes to dominance and submission.
Every page of this book (almost) is sexually charged. It’s a slow burn, in a way, and the tension and chemistry between Elena and Alex is palpable. I loved everything about His Leading Lady, and I can’t wait to read more by this author, who is quickly becoming an all-time favorite.
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