Book Review - Lost & Bound by Pandora Spocks

Shasta Pyke (not her real name) has put her Hollywood starlet career in jeopardy with a high-profile scandal. Packed off to a remote wilderness lodge by her agent, she meets Blake Walker, a bush pilot with tragedy in his past and a hunger for a very specific kind of relationship he's never been able to find. What will happen between these two very different people, when events conspire to leave them alone together in the northern Ontario wilderness?

For one thing, Blake will test Shasta's boundaries, looking to see if she really might be the woman he's dreamed of. For another, Shasta will have to decide whether Blake can be trusted -- with her safety, and with her true self, long buried by a lifetime in the spotlight.

Lost & Bound is an erotic romance, so it gets very explicit at times, though the love story holds the spotlight much more than the sex scenes. I thought both were well done; the romance suckered me in more than the naughty bits only because I'm more into romance than dominance and submission. Both the leads shine, with fun, likeable personalities and emotionally meaningful backstories. We're sure they'll end up with each other somehow, but the different lives they come from make it a challenge and a mystery as to how. Pandora Spocks knows how to tease two characters together, building romantic heat and suspense while drawing us deeper and deeper into their lives and their inner worlds. She also knows how to paint a breathtaking picture of the characters' surroundings: gorgeous Canadian lakes and forests and rough-hewn cabins sometimes battered by storms.

I feel obligated to note that one scene crossed my boundaries. [Vague spoilers here:] Although Blake never forces Shasta to do anything, there's an early moment when he takes advantage of a situation in a way I found unfair and manipulative. She turns out to be entirely willing, but readers with strong notions of consent may find Blake out of their good graces until he proves himself as the novel moves along. [End spoilers]

Ultimately, this book brings together a very interesting set of dualities. Blake has a driving need to protect and dominate, yet he is also kind, sensitive, and determined to see Shasta flourish. Shasta is ambitious and strong-willed, yet she also yearns to find a place of safety where she can relinquish control. The play and weave of their personalities makes for great entertainment as they circle and feel one another out, then for sparks and heat as they connect with ever-greater passion.

I had a lot of fun reading this one, and look forward to seeing what else Pandora Spocks has up her sleeves ...

Disclaimers! First, I should acknowledge that I received this book as an Advance Reader's Copy from the author, who's a fellow member of the Alliance of Self-Published Authors. Second, BDSM is not my kink of choice, so I can't say I'm entirely qualified to judge the more erotic aspects of this book. They were certainly well-written enough; I just don't have an informed view on how they play through the eyes of someone who's really into the lifestyle and genre.