ARC REVIEW: Driven by Fate (Serve #5) by Tessa Bailey

Title/Series: Driven By Fate | Serve #5
Author: Tessa Bailey
Publisher: Entangled Brazen
Published: February 16th 2015
Format: eARC | Pages: 235
Genre: Adult, Erotica, BDSM, Romance
Source: Publisher
★★★ (3/5) Stars!

Tessa Bailey | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

The first rule is obey... and she already broke it. 

Francesca "Frankie" De Luca always pays her debts. Even when it means stepping inside Serve, the sensuous Manhattan club that caters to particular adult desires. For Frankie, it's a taste of something she's always wanted—and never received. Until a sharply dressed Brit orders her into his room, and instructs her to undress before delivering the carnal punishment she so desperately needs...

She wasn't the woman Porter Evans was expecting. Not this wild thing with the pale, silvery eyes. And such cheek. But she violates Porter's strict rules of control. Temptation is a dangerous thing indeed. Yet everything about Frankie cries out for schooling about the tantalizing interplay of pleasure and pain. So Porter offers Frankie a deal she can't refuse—and the only thing she owes him is submission...

I received a copy of this book, from the publisher, in exchange for an honest review. In no way did this sway either my review or my rating!

Ever since opening up the first book in the Serve series, also by Tessa Bailey, Owned by Fate, I have been crazy about it. It's intense, steamy and just the right amount of BDSM to not quite push me out of my comfort zone reading wise but just linger right there on the edge, well except maybe this one. The men are all true alphas, filled with dominance and yet not so tough that there doesn't seem to be a heart deep inside there waiting to be brought out by the right woman. And the women are feisty and independent in a lot of ways that don't give up total control too easily. It's been the perfect blend of give and take.

I was so excited to see that Frankie was getting a book of her own. She makes some brief appearances in the first couple of books in the series and she was very memorable. She's a tough cookie. We're talking New York, tom boyish, raised by a bunch of New York male cabbies, including her uncle, kind of tough. Full of attitude and pride. I had already admired her spunk and sense of determination before starting this book and in finishing it I like her so much more. I figured it would be interesting to say the least to see someone with a personality as strong willed as Frankie's allow herself to be dominated. Boy was it. She's become my favorite female in the series at this point.

On the other hand, normally someone like Porter would be my ideal guy, someone I'd be attracted to beyond all reason. He's British (my weakness...), very alpha, powerful, controlled, a bit dangerous and intimidating. I'd be falling at this guys feet! But there were too many times throughout this book that I just did not understand him. He seemed so contradictory and at times and not in a good way. It was just a bit too confusing to me. Plus his intensity was just too much. I mean he literally scared me at times with his very dark side. It had been mentioned in previous books that Porter did have this side to him and I think for me most of the time he was going way out of my comfort zone. By the end he went from being my ideal to someone I just sort of...tolerated to finish the book, which left me sad.

I did enjoy the storyline though which had everything to do with Frankie. The realness of her and her depth made up for everything I felt Porter was lacking. I still enjoyed parts of it even though it was my least favorite book in the series. I love Tessa Bailey's writing quite a bit so it leaves me feeling sad to say that. I guess I'd say read it if you don't mind having your limits pushed and going into a much darker side of BDSM.

Thank you Entangled Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book!