Erotica that delves into the realm of Dom/sub relationships can be tricky. In reality, these relationships are meant to be only fantasies of dominance and submission, with checks and balances in place to ensure the safety of all involved parties. In fiction, this line can understandably blur—which can be enticing for people who understand the real-world guardrails, though it can also be deceptive for newcomers. In ACCLAIM, Jean Thesquare’s debut novel, they spin a story that examines the line of consent in such relationships while still demonstrating how stories that explore these concepts can be sexy.

Protagonist Beatrix Winslow-Hale is herself a writer of erotica, and one who is getting steadily more recognized in mainstream circles. Alongside her best friend and sometimes-lover Manon, who’s making waves in Paris fashion, the two live a life of wealth and pleasure while ensuring their hands are always on the steering wheel. But it’s been ages since Beatrix has had someone in her bed, so she’s pursuing a new prize: Dorian Wolker, a billionaire who is accustomed to getting exactly what he wants. With Manon’s help, Beatrix reels him in bit by bit, ensuring that she maintains control over the dynamic he so craves. But when Dorian decides to test the limits of their contract, Beatrix’s world comes crashing down, and it will take every trick in Manon’s book to make sure he pays.

While this might be obvious from the description so far, note that ACCLAIM is a very explicit book by its very nature. However, this is not a wish-fulfillment story of a powerful woman brought to heel. This book explores the difficult and blurry line of consent in relationships where power is part of the play. When does a yes become a no? When does a game become something far less consensual? The final act of the book is both thought-provoking and gratifying in that regard.

This particular edition of the book does appear to have some editing issues, with different versions of the same paragraph occasionally adjacent to each other. This only happens two or three times, fortunately, and only once (in a scene too close to the end to reveal here) does it break the immersion at all. That aside, ACCLAIM is an excellent first novel for Thesquare—one that will interest enjoyers of erotic literature while having a meaningful conversation about the genre.

While Jean Thesquare’s ACCLAIM may seem to start as a sensual story of power and domination, it examines the line between submission and consent in a way that is sorely needed in the genre.

~ Kara Dennison for IndieReader