Review: Queen Takes King

Queen Takes King by Joely Sue Burkhart
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Adjusting to a totally different lifestyle, Shara can not only afford to feed herself, but wear a dress worth more than her entire year's salary as a janitor. From janitor to legendary Queen, Shara's life is better. She should be set. With two loving men at her side, increasing to another two, what more could she need? What she really wants is to revel in the love and blood. She wants to finally be able to breathe and be safe in her own home. Is it too much to ask, to live a quiet life?

Instead, Shara continues to add men to her collection of knights, dedicated to her preservation. The symbiotic relationship between Queen to knights is erotic, alluring and orgasmic. A new wrinkle to this lovely circle of lovers is finding a hurt "demon" trapped in a mountain for millenniums. Why does she need him? He seems like a complete pain in the butt.

What do I like about this book? Honestly, the struggle between the men and the pain Shara needs to suffer. She isn't handed easy powers. Each one comes with blood sacrifice. One could say Shara is a masochist with a taste for heavy pain. Then again, she unconsciously doles out heavy pain too - with a bit of chemical play. I used to not like blood play but dayum, it is so good in here.

I realize this series is not supposed to be kinky or BDSM, but I can not help but see it at every turn. Ms. Burkhart slips it in so smoothly. We have a Domme who is loving and caring one. She experiences pain before she hands it out to her lovers. Her lovers are primal and love rough play. The erotic power struggle between her Alpha knight and the dragon is so bloody hawt. I loved every fight and the forced submission. The domination games are needed and helps to bring the men in line. Shara's loving touch helps smooth away any hurt feelings.

Seriously, there is a plot going on and it is taking a little bit of time to get there. This story is more than an erotic feast. It is setting up all the good soldiers for the upcoming war. More is revealed about Vampire politics and it isn't looking good. The women are cruel and evil. The problem with living so long, people and others become disposable commodity. Hopefully with Shara, this won't happen. She is young though. Who knows if she will be able to continue to keep sharing herself with the men that have chosen her to follow.

This series keeps my attention riveted and I can not wait to read the next book. The characters are unique. The world building is slow and steady. The sex is hawt and intense. This book is highly recommended to kinky urban fantasy readers who like their alpha men tamed by a seductive Domme.

* I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.