Unraveled (The Mastered Series)

Are you a fan of Lorelei James, but not a reader of BDSM-themed books? Do you have concerns about reading UNRAVELED? I know I did. I love Lorelei's books, but I'm not a fan of BDSM --not at all. I've read a handful of BDSM books, all recommended by friends whose opinions I respect, but I've come to the conclusion it's just not for me. I can read "BDSM light", but I have my own hard limits--pain and humiliation being the most important. If your thoughts and feelings are similar to mine, I would like to reassure you that you have nothing to worry about with UNRAVELED. I was so relieved to find that most of my concerns were put to rest almost immediately by Knox and Shiori's negotiation prior to beginning their D/s relationship. It turns out that my hard limits and Knox's are nearly identical. Once I had this information, I could relax and enjoy getting to know Knox and Shiori. I already loved Knox from his appearances in the first two books in the Mastered series, BOUND and UNWOUND, but I wasn't as fond of Shiori. I'm happy to say that as their story unfolded and I learned more about her, I understood her and came to love her almost as much as I love Knox. Almost. Open and easy-going, Knox is a talker; the polar opposite of his friend, the taciturn Ronin Black. I loved Knox's relationships with his family and friends, that he wanted a family of his own, and that he was a little lost and searching to find his place. Some readers question whether an Alpha man can be a sexual submissive and still retain the qualities that make him an Alpha. For me, the answer is a resounding YES! The way Lorelei handled this subject, having Knox question his submissiveness, was a brilliant way for the reader to discover right along with him what it means for an Alpha man to be a submissive. For me, this worked beautifully to help me better understand their relationship. The chemistry and sexual tension between Knox and Shiori has been there since day one, and when these two finally get together...well, Lorelei James knows how to write some smoking hot sex scenes and there are plenty here to keep her readers satisfied. The level of emotion was very high for me with UNRAVELED; I was fully invested in Knox and there were a couple of times when I was devastated and truly hurt for him. It takes a special writer to make a reader feel that deeply for a character, but with Lorelei that seems to be the norm, not the exception. UNRAVELED is a must-read for ALL Lorelei James fans.

AMAZING. PEFECT. LOVED IT. I think Shiori and Knox were such a great couple. This series started out so great with Ronin and Amery and now we get Knox (Ob-Knox-ious) and Shiori (She Cat). They were the perfect blend of love/hate and just plain fighting. Knox was adorable. I loved him with his family and even with Shiori. He showed such a sweet side. He also showed his alpha sexy side too. She was the perfect blend of sweet, sassy, strong, vulnerable, and dominant. I was hooked and couldn't put the book down from the first sentence until the last word. I was so happy I reread the other 2-1/2 books first. I like to keep things in order. I was really looking forward to Deacon and Molly's story (which is next) but I was wrong. This book had to be next and I was so glad it was. Ms. James always surprises me, in a good way, and this book was no exception. I also love how she sneeks things/people in there that if you don't read her books, you might miss. I won't give anything away, but if you read her BTC series, you're in for a pleasant surprise. So much happened in this story and we get some more great characters that I now want stories for and we get to know the other ones better. So needless to say, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND not just this book but the whole series. I also recommend that you preorder the next book, Caged.

Shiori Hirano can’t believe that a man as beautiful as Knox can be that much of a jerk. Their rows at Black Arts have become legendary and she would love nothing better than to pin his arrogant face to the mat. Nothing except having him serve her on his knees. Watching him at Twisted, she senses a side of him that is waiting just under the surface and she wants to be the one that teaches him to embrace it. Knox Lofgren is the perfect alpha male. Ronin has left him in charge of the dojo while he is in Japan – along with Shiori. He has struggled to fight his attraction to her from day one and he’s biding his time until she admits that she wants him too. He never dreamed that he could want to call any woman “Mistress” but now that he has a taste of Shiori, he doesn’t want to be without her. Will what they have together be enough to keep her in Denver after Ronin returns or will she leave him behind with a hunger that only she can satisfy? Unraveled is the book that turns the tables on BDSM romance! Shiori is a woman in control and Knox is the chink in her armour. Together they create a bold new paradigm with a constant give and take of sexual tension and tender moments. The passion and emotional intensity are at levels that only Lorelei can evoke and that alone makes it worthy to be a part of this legendary series…

Honestly, I looove Lorelei and her books but the Mastered series was just "ok" for me. I didn't dislike them but they didn't quite get me riled up like her other series. They were a good read but Ronin's character kind of bugged me. Too overbearing and controlling. Not sexy in my eyes. However this book I found to be AMAZING and now I can't wait for more in this series now that the focus isn't on Ronin. I loved this storyline and the characters so much; I couldn't put the book down!! Knox was such a refreshing change from Ronin's character. I also loved that him and Shiori didn't play immature mind games w each other. They were honest and real and it totally drew me in and made me root for them. If you aren't blown away by this series, don't give up yet! Read this latest installment. You won't be disappointed. ;)

There has always been animosity between Shiori and Knox and to find out it's sexual is not too shocking. The shocking part is finding out the true sexual characters of these two. Shiori being a domme wasn't too shocking because she's pretty badass. In the beginning I had a hard time wrapping my thoughts around Knox being a submissive. Some aspects of their domme/sub relationship made me a little uncomfortable but then the author explains the hows and the whys and it all started falling into place. A man being a sub doesn't make him weak. I love Knox even more for this wonderful insight he has gained of himself. Once they work out all the kinks (no pun intended) their relationship is truly a thing of beauty. Even so, keeping that domme/sub relationship private when you work with each other during your regular job is difficult and that's where this story gets very, very interesting. I think the author did a fantastic job bringing understanding to the reader about these very intense personal choices. There was a sigh worthy feeling of completeness at the end of this book. Lorelei James has written another brilliant book in a truly excellent series. Oh, and thank you Ms. James for giving us a small glimpse of the delicious and complex Master Black and his wonderful wife, Amery. I can't wait for the next book in this series. Received a copy in exchange for an honest review.

As always Ms. James pulls us into the story, making us empathize with the main characters. Although UNRAVELED is the third book in the Mastered series and could be read as a stand-alone, don't deny yourself the pleasure of the other 2.5 books (BOUND, UNWOUND, SCHOOLED). Shiori is the sister of Ronin (male character in earlier Mastered series books). As a business executive she's used to wielding power in the boardroom; as a woman she also has to be in charge. When she meets Knox she's attracted to him physically but doesn't think the alpha male will ever agree to her taking the power in the bedroom. He doesn't see himself as a submissive male but he quickly learns he'll do anything to please her while still retaining his own identity in other aspects of his life. Both Shiori and Knox are more vulnerable than they wait to admit to themselves much less others; this made the characters more real to me.

I love this series because we are introduced to characters that are fully formed. They are realistic and we can sink into their stories and find both pleasure and relatability. This story is one that deals with some topics and themes that are not always explored in this genre of book. It was really nice to see! I can't express the love of this series more or how highly I recommend it!

You will fall in love with Knox and Shiori. The story is sweet , sexy and hot. Knox is sweet , blond tall viking guy and Shiori is a fire cracker in a small package. When they get together they explode . This is an excellent story. Lorelei James is a great author and I have not found anything she writes that I don't like. I recommend that you read this book and the whole series it is awesome. Enjoy