The Deep End

At excruciating length, Ashley (Ride Steady) immerses readers in the flimsy world of Phoenix’s exclusive, no-boundaries Bee’s Honey club, where men explore erotic submission. After an extended and boring meet-cute, Amélie, a trained and experienced dominatrix, repeatedly tests alpha-submissive Olivier in the private rooms to see whether their sexual chemistry will persist outside of their relationship in the club. Risibly calling him her “chevalier” and “steed,” Amélie wastes no time exploring Olivier inside and out. Scene after scene in the club and at Amélie’s ranch might be enjoyable if readers felt invested in the characters, but little is revealed about their history, family, work, or motivations. Amélie has great wealth and hates that her job requires her to travel; beyond that, her actual career is vague. Working-class Olivier hangs out with a group of guys at a lower-end BDSM club; some of his buddies, whose connection is only clarified late in the book, will inevitably star in future installments. Endless scenes of naked bodies interrupted by scant and awkward conversation make for tedious reading and will limit Ashley’s ability to build a series whose readers care about the characters. Agent: Emily Sylvan Kim, Prospect Agency. (Mar.)