SueBee★bring me an alpha!★'s Reviews > Blyss

★★★★! Blyss, book 1 of 3. Heiress is kidnapped by master-manipulator Nick to be his, but training into submissiveness will be done by “stonewalled” Travis with the help of the aphrodisiac Blyss!

“You’re my forever. I’ve wanted you from the first moment I laid eyes on you. I’ve been watching your every move for years, strategically planning.”

Books in The Blyss Trilogy should be read in order:
Book 1: Blyss
Book 2: Blyssful Lies
Book 3: Blyssfully Undone

Blyss (book 1) starts off with heiress and Junior College student Julianna Oakley, Jules saying goodbye to her fiancé before heading home for the summer to spend time with her father. Losing her mother at a young age tied her to her father, but in her pre-teen years her father’s attention was replaced by his staff and security team and boarding school.

Story then skips forward to one night towards the end of her summer when Julianna wakes up to shouting and ends up kidnapped by the Blyss operation. The story goes onto follow Julianna as she learns of her fate and adjusts to a life in captivity. Here are the basics:

❤ The Blyss operation headed by master manipulator Nick Palcini has taken her to be trained into a submissive and kept as his “forever”. More on his obsession to unfold with story.

❤ Blyss is a revolutionary aphrodisiac; a drug cocktail carefully configured to achieve the outmost in turning the woman into submissive nymphomaniacs.

❤ Travis Jackson aka Stonewall Jackson is part of the Blyss operation and Nick’s right-hand man. He is tasked with training Julianna in the art of BDSM and becoming a compliant mate to Nick.

With Travis and Julianna spending time together a bond is formed. Julianna is torn between lust and hate. She knows that the drugs are partly responsible for attraction to Travis, but there is something more, deeper. Travis shows signs of being conflicted in his sudden need to protect his captive and charge.

But their connection does not go unnoticed and suspicion is cast. Travis and Julianna find themselves in a dangerous situation as loyalties are questioned and emotions and jealousy gets the upper hand. It’s a carefully organized game with hints of darker forces, a bigger purpose and long-spanning cause that will slowly unfold throughout their story…



Eight words to describe Julianna Oakley, Jules: Stubborn, naïve, independent, reflective, feisty, conflicted, impressionable and innocent.



What works in Travis Jackson aka Stonewall Jackson favor is that even though he is ruthless and part of the team that has kidnapped Julianna, in spending time with her he quickly develops and shows protectiveness with her. However this will likely put him in danger being torn between his loyalty to his boss, Nick, the team and task and the connection and attraction he feels towards Juliana.



What works in Nick Palcini favor is indeed his ruthlessness and determination to have Julianna and any cost and whoever stands in his way may God be with them…. If nothing else he would make for an excellent anti-hero.

Blyss is the unfolding of a mystery. It offers a little of everything; intrigue, deceit, mystery, villains, triangle, sexual tension, smut with hints of much more to come. It’s a well-written debut, which reads a good pace, but at times it was a little too “wordy”. Story ends with a worrisome cliffty be continued in, book 2, Blyssful Lies .

Interesting plot concept with potential! Two compelling and ruthless heroes! Sexual tension, danger and intrigue overload! An excellent debut by J.C. Cliff!

“I’ve been transported to some fucked-up sexual mad scientist’s lab. This can’t be real; there is no possible way these men can claim they’re sane.”

***
Travis’ rating: 4 stars
Nick’s rating: 4 stars
Juliana’s rating: 3.5 stars
Sexual tension rating: 4.5 stars
Sex scenes rating: 4.5 stars
Sex scenes frequency: 3.5 stars
Plot rating: 3.75 stars
Dialogue rating: 4 stars
Storytelling rating: 4 stars
Story ending rating: N/A
Book editing rating (5 = no edits spotted): N/A
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Overall rating: 4 stars

Would I recommend this series: Yes.
Would I re-read this series: Maybe later.
Would I read future books by this author: Yes.



ARC provided to me by author J.C. Cliff in exchange for an honest review.