Review: Willing Victim by Cara McKenna

Willing Victim
by Cara McKenna
eBook: Novella
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Available: August 6, 2010
Genre: Erotic Romance

For the past couple years Laurel’s been coasting, hiding in the backseat while her life drifts off course. Then one summer afternoon a tall, built bruiser named Flynn strides in and steers her straight into an infatuation she never saw coming.

Flynn introduces Laurel to things she’s never imagined—to the violent but exciting realm of the underground boxing circuit, to rough sex and even rougher role-playing, and to an attraction she craves even as it intimidates her. As Flynn invites her deeper into his world and his life, Laurel has to make a choice—let fear keep her holed up where it’s safe, or take a chance and fight for the man who makes her feel more alive than she’d dreamed possible.

Reviewed by: Sophia (FV)

I’ll admit that after reading the title and blurb of this book, with warning included, I was hesitant. I don’t necessarily have rape triggers but I have put down more than one book because of the way this topic of rape was handled. But after reading a review of Willing Victim by Jane over at Dear Author, I decided to take a step out of my comfort zone give this book a try.

Flynn is a big brutish looking guy who is a construction worker by day and spends his evenings fighting in an underground boxing circuit a few times a week. He seems far more dedicated to fighting than his day job. Laurel holds a degree in engineering but is working as a waitress in a place that caters tourists. She shares an apartment with two roommates and her life has no real direction and she’s not all that interested in getting it together.

When Laurel and Flynn meet for the first time Laurel finds herself very attracted to Flynn who exudes ‘tough guy from the wrong side of the tracks’ vibes. She’s turned on by this and the fact that he’s made no attempt to hit on her so she decides to take the bull by the horns and ask him out. Flynn shocks her by turning her down claiming he’s not her type, and in fact he’s not any woman’s type. Laurel immediately assumes he’s gay. He assures her he’s not and when she persists he gives her an address and tells her if she’s not scared off by what she sees, then she can ask him out again. He has invited her to one of his fights.

Intrigued Laurel goes to the fight and while there she meets Pam who tells Laurel about Flynn and his taste for rough sex and role play in the bedroom. She even goes so far as to invite Laurel back to Flynn’s place to watch her and Flynn while they ‘scratch each others kinky itch’. A little shocked and even more intrigued, Laurel accepts the invitation and is introduced into a dark sexual realm that tempts her to indulge in a fantasy world she hadn’t dreamed of.

The title Willing Victim is the key to why this novella worked for me. Although the role playing involving rape is quite graphic and the sex is very rough, the author is very careful with her characters in that all parties involved are fully aware going in what they are in for and the sex is one hundred percent consensual.

Flynn is comes off like a jerk on the surface but it’s hard not to respect his blunt honesty. As his character develops it’s clear he is in full control of his kink not the other way around, and he respects his partners completely. His world is about discipline and control and he incorporates this into his sex life as well. However, once his relationship with Laurel begins develops and moves beyond just sex, Flynn’s tough guy layers peal away just slightly. He still retains enough of what was so appealing about him in the first place making him such a likeable, charming character.

There is a level of trust that must exist in this type of relationship and although they have only met, Laurel seems to instinctively know she can trust Flynn. She does test him however:

This man could actually rape her, if he was so inclined—he was physically capable of it. She felt her throat constrict as if a fist had closed around it.

“Michael.”

His posture transformed in an instant. He sat down next to her on the bed, hands clasped between his knees, wary eyes on her face. “Too rough?”

“I’m not sure. I think mostly I just wanted to test the safe word. I think I needed to know you’d stop, if I asked you to.”

“Always.”

Mutual consent, trust and respect are all necessary for this sort of role playing to work and the author demonstrates that in such a way with these characters that she makes this story believable, real and yes romantic. While I’m not ready to ‘fly a new freak flag’ as KC at SmokinHotBooks would say, I can definitely say I’d be willing to trust Cara McKenna to take me outside my comfort zone again.

Favorite Quote: