Title: Golden
Author: Joley Sue Burkhart
Genre: Erotica-BDSM
Publisher: Carina Press
Release Date: August 29
Source: Netgalley
Bred for him...and for his bed.Golden-eyed Jin has spent her life preparing to be the Emperor's consort. She knows her destiny is to serve the Emperor by indulging the dark desire that he has buried deep inside his heart-the desire to give pain.Only she can take the pain he yearns to give, and transform it into the most unimaginable pleasure. But to enjoy all the Emperor can give her, she must survive assassination attempts from those who would keep them apart.Seducing the Emperor is risky...but it's the only way to fulfill her destiny. (Netgalley.com)
I stumbled across this gem of a book at Netgalley, and to be honest, I wasn't sure what I was getting myself into. I was expecting something a little different, but I must say this book didn't disappoint me.
Golden is one of those rare novellas that is powerful from start to finish and leaves you thinking about it long after you've finished reading it. This is not for the faint of heart. It's about BDSM and one women's goal to capture the attention of the Emperor. This book is all about seduction and harem intrigue. I wouldn't say it's a romance more then it's about accepting who you are and knowing what you want and not being afraid to go after it-no matter what the cost.
What I loved most about is that I felt like I really knew Jin and understood where she was coming from. She's not especially likable, but such detail is given about her and what her life is like in the palace that I felt like I was living there with her. I loved that this book didn't sugar coat anything. I had this novella read in about an hour-it was just that good. I'm still not sure how to describe how powerful this read was for me, and I'm still wondering why it affected me the way it did. I'm normally one who needs more of a romance, but this story just worked for me
If you are looking for something a bit different, then give Golden a try. This was my first book by the author, but it won't be my last. I can't wait to make my way through her backlist.
