The anthology starts with In A Dream by Leigh Caroline. While the plotline is somewhat intriguing, numerous editing mistakes detract from the story almost immediately. The story’s short length, poor pacing, and tell-don’t-show format don’t help matters. Ellie, the heroine, receives a package from a mysterious suitor containing a gold rose charm. Through a set of disturbing dreams and a chance encounter with a policeman who isn’t what he seems, Ellie learns she possesses magic. In her past life, she stood with the forces of Light and battled the Darkness. Nadine is Ellie’s hero and enigmatic suitor in this story. Nadine convinces Ellie she can get over her past lover and rediscover herself by letting Nadine top her. After some attempts, Ellie allows this. That’s where the story ends. This was a difficult and stilted read.

Saving Rebecca by Miranda Heart follows. Again, editing mistakes detract from the overall story, but not nearly as much as the first tale. Rebecca very much wishes to advance from her Mistress’s submissive to her 24/7 slave. The problem? As a teen, Rebecca was raped by a man. Her fear of the situation has dictated her decision to become a lesbian and adopt the submissive lifestyle. Before accepting Rebecca as her slave, Mistress Marla would like Rebecca to move beyond the horror she still holds tight within her. This involves the aid of a second dominant, Edward. The sex and the submissive scenes ring true, as does Rebecca’s mindset, though this is probably not a tale for those who just want a sprinkle of BDSM. Healing from a rape or an assault is a difficult topic to address and I felt Ms. Heart handled it quite well.

Karen, a dominant, meets David, a novice male submissive, in a fetish club in Piercing Screams by Colin Ladd. David agrees to be Karen’s pet for the weekend. Nipple clamps, whipping, public humiliation, forced confinement in a car trunk, body shaving, shackles, cock leashes, enemas, butt plugs, anal penetration, male-male mutual masturbation, scrotum tattooing, multiple forced piercings. Whew. I’m sure I neglected a few, but I think you get the gist of it. If any of this sounds icky to you, you may want to avoid the story, but you’d miss the most well-written, albeit disturbing, one in the anthology if you do so. I would hate to get further inside this author’s head. If anything, it serves as a warning to those entering blindly into the BDSM world.

The anthology ends with I Want That One by Paige Roberts. Set in a future time period where people are bought and sold as slaves in high-end boutiques, Lady Jane lusts after Armande’s employee, Will. Problem is, Will’s a free man. Jane has him kidnapped and proceeds to train him in the art of being a slave. The story’s not quite that shallow and Lady Jane’s also an accomplished hacker, not just a power-hungry, rule-thwarting mistress, but I can’t spoil the ending for you.

I did appreciate the foreword and definitions section of the book. The extra care taken to explain the BDSM terms and lifestyle to the uninitiated reflects well on the publisher. Overall, the three latter stories make up for the shortfalls of the first one, though if you’re looking for a romantic anthology to pick up, Femdom may or may not fit your bill. Proceed with caution.