"A Very Sexy, Clever and Fun Twist on Alpha Males!"
Reviewed by Monique Daoust
Posted March 1, 2015
Romance Erotica Sensual | Romance
Ally Dennis is rather desperate for money. Her new blog
is still in the early stages, it's not bringing in enough
money, and she needs to repay her sister Geena, who is
helping her financially. Geena's business, a sex shop
called The Gee Spot, could go under if money doesn't come
in soon. One day, Ally gets a frenetic call from Geena
telling her to come to her store as quickly as she can:
Aussie underwear model turned actor Max Oberon is in The
Gee Spot. Max might finally get the respect he deserves
as an actor, but he needs help to get his part just
right, and it's not going to well. He's tried all the
other ways he could think of to try and act like a
submissive man, to no avail; asking for the help of a
professional seems like his last chance to solve his
problem. Ally is stunned when Max offers her a job as a
dominatrix; she has never even looked at most of the toys
in her sister's store! When Max says he'll pay her $10
000 for 5 days and nights' work, she cannot refuse that
kind of money. However a few little problems lie ahead:
Max is asking the help of a dominatrix because he hates
being told what to do, and Ally cannot give orders. Not
to mention that Ally is asked to blog about her time with
Max, who has no idea that Ally is really a journalist...
I was intrigued by the premise for HOW TO MASTER A
MILLIONAIRE, and Talia Hunter surpassed my expectations!
HOW TO MASTER A MILLIONAIRE is such a fun book! Ms.
Hunter provides a lot of background on both Ally and Max
as to what makes them tick, as well as they achieve
personal growth as they get to know each other. HOW TO
MASTER A MILLIONAIRE is a light, humorous book albeit
with serious undertones when Max and Ally come clean
about their issues with their submissive and dominant
sides. HOW TO MASTER A MILLIONAIRE is nicely written,
fast-paced, and I loved the overall playful tone, as well
as the interactions and the dialogues between Max and
Ally, especially when they are rehearsing Max's part in
the movie.
As is too often the case with this sort of trope, I'm
always apprehensive about the secret that's the elephant
in the room, and kudos to Ms. Hunter who handles it
cleverly: the resolution is neither convoluted nor too
easy; very well done! HOW TO MASTER A MILLIONAIRE is the
first book of a new series and I'm very much looking
forward to Geena's story, which will be next.
SUMMARY
When he scores the lead role in a feature film,
millionaire
model-turned-actor Max Oberon won’t let anything mess up
his
big break. But there’s a problem. His character’s
submissive
relationship is a big part of the movie, and Max can’t
seem
to make it convincing. Solution? Five days with a
dominatrix
should help him overcome his need for total control.
Ally’s life is one hot mess. A broke blogger, this story
could be her chance to get back on her feet. If Ally can
pass herself off as a dominatrix, she can publish a tell-
all
article and get the money she needs to keep from losing
everything. So what if she’s clueless about anything
kinky,
and her abusive ex left her with a self-confidence
problem?
Although Ally can’t give orders and Max hates taking
them,
together they discover new ways of commanding pleasure.
But
will Ally’s deception destroy their one chance at love?
ExcerptChapter OneAt first Ally thought there was nobody on the other end
of the phone. “Hello?” she repeated. “Ally, it’s Geena.” Her sister’s whisper was almost too
soft to hear. “Get down here now, okay?” “Geena, what is it? Why are you whispering?” Ally saved
her half written blog article with a sigh, and leaned
back in her chair, waiting for her sister to relate her
latest emergency. Geena had done Ally a huge favor when she let her move in
to the tiny room above her store, but since then Ally had
helped her deal with a multitude of different disasters.
These included locking herself out, getting her cash
register drawer stuck with her sleeve jammed inside it,
and Ally’s personal favorite, the time she discovered a
mouse in her store’s kitchenette. Catching it had taken
Ally most of the day, and then Geena had tried to insist
she kill it. Instead she bussed to Hyde Park with it
scrabbling inside a cardboard box before she let it go. “You’re looking for stories for your blog?” whispered
Geena. “Well hustle your butt. Max Oberon just walked
into my store.” “Max Oberon? The model?” She’d seen his name recently,
but Ally couldn’t remember what the story had been about.
She opened up Google. Geena’s voice was so low she had to strain to make it
out. “You gotta get an eyeful of what I’m seeing. Trust
me, sis. Story or not, you don’t want to miss out.” Max Ob… That was all she had to type before Google
brought up links, including pictures. A full body shot
wearing only a pair of black boxers, from his most famous
ad campaign popped up. Though she’d seen the picture many
times, his rippling abs were so mesmerizing it took a
moment to drag her focus down… mmmm. No, a little further
down to the snippet of current news underneath. Australian model Max Oberon has been cast in an upcoming
feature film... “Keep him there.” She hung up and threw the phone on her
bed. Even though the room was tiny, it took her several
minutes to find her camera under a heap of discarded
clothes. She stuffed it into her shoulder bag, and then
had to rummage through the mess again to find a pair of
shoes. No time to try to find something clean to wear,
and anyway who cared if her T-shirt was decorated with
some of last night’s spaghetti sauce? She wasn’t the one
who was going to be caught on camera looking at sex toys,
but the guy whose nearly naked body was plastered over
the side of entire buildings. No doubt he was so into
himself he wouldn’t notice if Ally was wearing a clown
suit. She took the rickety stairs two at a time. Why was
someone like Max Oberon in The Gee Spot, her sister’s sex
store in King’s Cross? Whatever the reason, it was
perfect timing. The blog she and her best friend had
started was still taking off and she hadn’t been able to
draw a salary, let alone pay Geena back the money she
owed her. Geena was struggling under the pressure of supporting
them both, and if Ally couldn’t start paying her back
soon, her sister might lose her store. Ally was desperate
to boost the blog’s readership so they could get the ad
dollars coming in. If she could snag exclusive pics of an
underwear-model-turned-movie-star buying a butt plug or
blow-up doll, it might get enough views to attract a big
advertising partnership. At the bottom of the stairs Ally took a second to
straighten her bag and make sure her camera was stashed
out of sight but ready, then she eased open the door to
the back of the store and sidled in. Cheesy music played out of the speaker in the corner. The
store always smelled nice, like candy. Ally took a deep
breath before remembering that Geena said it was the
flavored lubes that made it smell so good. Where was Max Oberon? The shelves were purposely
designed to block the view across the store and give
customers a sense of privacy while they browsed the
vibrators, or selected a strap-on. But when she rounded
the corner, she spotted someone at the counter talking to
Geena. Was it him? With his face turned away she couldn’t tell,
but his hair seemed the right color. He stood taller than
she would have guessed, with wide shoulders. Wow, nice
butt, perfectly cradled in dark denim. His jeans fit so
well, she’d bet they cost more than her computer. Yeah,
that had to be him. Slipping her hand in her bag, she fumbled for her camera.
She’d get a few shots of his back, and then when he
turned, she’d capture his look of surprise. Her camera snagged on something. She tugged it, still
scanning for the right spot to shoot from. Maybe she
could angle herself to get some blow-up dolls in the
shot. Or if she went that way, she could get in the row
of huge dildos sticking up like flowers in an X-rated
garden. Geena saw her and raised her voice, blowing Ally’s cover.
“Here’s just who you’re looking for. Ally would be
perfect!” The man turned. His light eyes, a contrast against his
tanned skin, made his gaze piercing, like they could see
right inside her. Whoever had made him hadn’t been shy
with the chisel — his cheeks were all sharp edges and
perfect angles. He was even more arresting in person than
in his photos, and that was really saying something.
She’d seen several near accidents caused by the
distraction of a new Max Oberon billboard going up next
to a busy intersection. Ally rearranged her expression into a mask that hid any
sign of nervousness, but her mouth went dry when he
stepped forward and put his hand out. “Hi Ally. I’m Max.” It didn’t seem fair that he could be
that gorgeous and have a voice to match. Deep and low
enough to sound intimate. Ally let her camera go and pulled her hand out of her
bag, trying to surreptitiously wipe off the perspiration
that was suddenly soaking her palm. “I want to book an appointment.” He took her small hand
into his big, firm one and squeezed it before letting go. “An appointment?” she managed. “You’re not available?” He said it in a growl, before
glancing at Geena, almost catching Ally’s sister with the
back of her hand pressed against her forehead, pretending
to swoon behind his back. Geena snatched her hand away and cleared her throat.
“Mr. Oberon here is looking for someone he can work with
to help him prepare for a movie role. I thought you’d be
perfect.” She winked at Ally, and then nodded with raised
eyebrows, silently telling her to play along. “What kind of role?” This was getting better. If there
was a story in this it’d be better than just snapping
some photos. Max opened his mouth, but Geena jumped in before he could
say anything. “He needs a dominatrix.” Living with her ex had taught her to keep her feelings
well hidden, but Ally struggled not to let her mask slip.
Geena was trying to pass her off to be a dominatrix? Ally
only had a vague idea what they did, but she was pretty
sure they wouldn’t be seen dead wearing scruffy shorts
and a dirty T-shirt. Not to mention that Geena was always
snickering about how clueless she was when it came to all
that stuff. Even though The Gee Spot was supposed to be a
new kind of tasteful, trendy adult store that appealed to
both women and men, Ally hadn’t even browsed the shelves. Max leaned against the counter and crossed his arms. The
action made his muscles flex and Ally couldn’t help but
take a moment to appreciate them. “I’ve got a role in a movie called Mastery. It’s the true
story of an L.A. police detective called Thomas Barnes.
You ever hear of him?” Ally shook her head. “He was an undercover policeman in the 50’s, until he
fell in love with a woman named Cora Jensen, and from
then on she controlled him. I need someone to rehearse
with who can play the role of Cora.” A strong woman who bossed men around? In other words, the
opposite of Ally. She nodded, trying not to get
distracted by Max’s dizzying good looks. She had to
remember everything so she could blog about it. She
couldn’t let her attention get absorbed by the way his T-
shirt strained across his chest, although she could
probably write a few thousand words on that subject
alone. Focus, Ally! “Cora ran a massive heroin distribution business,” Max
continued. “Thomas was supposed to infiltrate her
operation, but instead of doing his job, he taught her
how to cover her tracks so she wouldn’t be arrested. In
between pandering to her every whim.” “The perfect man,” murmured Geena. “In your opinion,” said Max in a dry tone. “Anyway, are
you interested?” Ally narrowed her eyes. A rich and gorgeous underwear
model had to troll through a sex store to find a woman to
rehearse with? No way. She folded her arms. “So, what’s
the catch?” He quirked one eyebrow. “The catch?” “You must know hundreds of women who’d give their right
eye to help you. Why go out looking?” “Because I want a professional.” His tone made it clear
he wasn’t used to being questioned. One thing that didn’t
come through in his photographs was his confidence. Or
was it arrogance? He lounged against the counter like it
was his store, like he could snap his fingers and expect
them to jump to obey him. “Why not an actress?” she asked. “I’ve tried it.” He shook his head. “It didn’t feel real
enough. At least, it didn’t help the underlying problem.” “Which is?” She made the question into a challenge that
bordered on rude, but it didn’t seem to put him off. In
fact, his lips softened slightly. Maybe he appreciated
her directness. “Thomas liked taking orders. I don’t, and I’m having
trouble faking it. I need someone who takes pleasure from
being obeyed, like Cora did. I’m hoping if I spend time
with a dominatrix, I’ll come to understand why Thomas
needed to please her.” He shifted his gorgeous butt
against the counter. “Also, I’ll be acting like I’m
completely devoted to the woman I hire, willing to
perform her every command. I want a professional, so
she’ll keep it on a strictly impersonal level. I don’t
want there to be any misunderstandings.” He meant that he didn’t want a woman falling for his act
and kidding herself it was real. If any other man had
implied something like that he’d sound conceited, but for
Max Oberon it seemed a sensible precaution. Sensible, but
in her case totally unnecessary. Barry had turned her off
relationships for life, so even though Max was hot enough
to melt off every pair of panties within a ten-mile
radius, Ally’s included, her heart was guarded with
barbed wire. And she’d never be deluded enough to imagine
the perfectly-groomed Max Oberon could be interested in
someone like her. “Ally’s totally professional,” said Geena. “She’d be
perfect for you.” Yeah, right. Ally was a good journalist, but a
professional dominatrix? She hadn’t had a decent haircut
in over a year and her fingernails were ragged. There was
no way Max would want Ally for the job, but she could
write an article around this conversation at least. How I
got rejected as Max Oberon’s dominatrix. She had to
remember every detail so she could be generous with the
descriptions. While he propositioned me, Max Oberon leaned his gorgeous
butt against the counter, his Levis bulging in all the
right places. His jaw was sculpted from stone and so
undeniably perfect it would make Michelangelo cry. The article would get an awful lot more clicks than her
last post. She could still nab some photos to go with it
if she was quick enough to snap them before he covered
his face and bolted. She snaked her hand into her bag and gave her camera
another tug. If only she hadn’t just stuffed it in with
all her other junk. What about using her phone — or had
she left that upstairs by mistake? Oh god, why was she
such a hot mess? She could scream at herself. Max didn’t miss where her hand had gone. His jaw
tightened and his voice held a dangerous challenge.
“Looking for something?” Stupid camera wasn’t going to come out anyway. She pulled
her hand free and flashed her empty palm. “I wanted a
breath mint, but I must have run out. You were saying?”
She raised her eyebrows. Her expression dared him to
doubt her, even while she was mentally cursing herself.
Geena had handed her an incredible story opportunity and
she was blowing it. “About the job?” His sharp blue eyes scanned her again, obviously making a
decision about whether to believe her or to walk out. She
lifted her chin to meet his silent challenge. The one
thing she could thank Barry for was her ability to put on
a confident face. She might feel like a seething mass of
insecurity on the inside, but she wouldn’t let him see
it. Max seemed to like that she didn’t shrink away from his
gaze. He didn’t walk out. Instead he said, “I want the
woman I hire to commit to five days and nights with me,
living together at a secret location. I’m offering ten
thousand dollars.” “Ten grand?” Her mouth dropped before she could stop it.
Ten grand would be enough to pay back Geena and save the
business her sister had worked so hard for. Ten grand
might even provide a little extra so Geena could… Wait a minute, what was she thinking? Nobody would pay
that much money unless they were expecting specialist
services. Sexual services. Ally wasn’t a hooker and she
wasn’t about to sell herself, not for any amount. Not
even to the gorgeous Max Oberon. And she wasn’t sure
she’d be up to this job anyway. Five months after
escaping from Barry, she was still rebuilding her self-
esteem and trying to recover her lost confidence. She
wasn’t ready to give anybody orders, let alone a man who
gave off a potent mix of testosterone and power. But think of the story she could write if she got the
job. The Diary of Max Oberon’s Secret Dominatrix. No, it
wouldn’t be one story, but a whole series. One article
for each day she spent with him, with all the juicy
details. She’d wait to start publishing them until after
the five days were up so she wouldn’t blow her cover.
Holy crap. The series could propel Liaison into the
stratosphere. Ally glanced at Geena. Her sister was wide-eyed, her face
showing the same shock that Ally felt. Geena glanced at
the shelf under the cash register where she kept her
unpaid bills. She couldn’t hide her feelings like Ally,
and her expression of desperate hope sent a stabbing pain
through Ally’s heart. When Ally had asked, Geena had sent her the money to come
home and cleared out the store’s upstairs stock room,
filling her own tiny apartment with boxes, so Ally had
somewhere to live. Ally was supposed to get a job to pay
her back, but after eleven disheartening and unsuccessful
job interviews, she’d decided to follow her dream and
start her own blog instead. She’d had no idea it would
take so long and cost so much to set up, and she’d dug
herself into a serious financial hole. Geena had saved
her by lending her the money she’d put aside to pay her
suppliers. Now those suppliers were getting serious about
recovering their debts, and Geena needed that money back
fast. She’d already received some threatening letters on
lawyer’s stationery, and Ally was terrified she could be
the cause of her sister losing her shop. Ally was no dominatrix, that was for sure. But could she
do it for her sister?
What do you think about this review?
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