Ruby, the proprietress of Madame Rouge's Club for Gentlemen of Taste receives an unexpected visitor: Lady Perse, a matchmaker and society matron. She asks Ruby to help her find a suitable wife for her nephew Stephan Perth, Lord Duldon; the Earl has very particular sexual tastes. Duldon would like Lady Bliss Danser for his mistress, but he sees no way of that happening. Bliss and Duldon have known each since Bliss was a child and Duldon a teenager, and Bliss' father considers Duldon a good marriage prospect if his daughter is not betrothed by the end of the summer. Bliss does not really want to marry, or at least not Duldon, for reasons that are unclear to him and which he intends to uncover, because the Earl is determined to make Bliss his wife. I was anxiously awaiting BOUND BY BLISS, and Lavinia Kent does not disappoint. In the sumptuous third instalment in the Bound and Determined series, the hero, Duldon, has decided it's time he should marry and stop indulging in his favourite sexual games, but he suffers from a Madonna/whore complex. He hardly dares hope for a wife who would partake in his adventurous sexual games, and yet he wonders if there could be more to Bliss than the sweet and demure girl he sees at soirées.

I loved those two characters so much: Duldon is patient, caring, very gentlemanly and understanding in his pursuit of Bliss. He's into heavy BDSM (Bondage and Discipline; Dominance and Submission; Sadism and Masochism), he's very dominant; Bliss abhors being told what to do, she's very independent, bold and daring. She's a delightful, charming, and endearing character; she doesn't get pushed around while being prim and proper.

Ms. Kent's prose is luminous, as smooth and refined as silk, the story flows seamlessly, the dialogues between Duldon and Bliss are fascinating, intriguing, often amusing and always feel real. I loved how Bliss questioned Duldon about sexual matters with such honest curiosity. The author has a profound understanding of the alternative lifestyle, that BDSM does not equal bullying; she takes into account the era's mores, and she shows respect for her characters. The sex scenes are torrid, sensuous, sensual, and gorgeous. I also love the nice historical touches that Ms. Kent provides, such as Bliss' shoes. The Bound and Determined series is different, unusual and very classy, and BOUND BY BLISS lives up to the brilliance of the previous instalments: it is definitely a book not to be missed regardless of genres!

Book Summary

In Lavinia Kent’s luscious historical romance, a free spirit learns her true desires from a master of the heart, of the body—and of the sweetest discipline.
 
Lady Bliss Danser, daughter of the Duke of Mirth, is a scandal waiting to erupt. Which is why her highly conventional brother wants to saddle her with Stephan Perth, Earl of Duldon, the only man he thinks will marry her. Worse, Stephan keeps threatening to punish her, to teach her just how a woman should behave. His words may cause Bliss to tingle in the strangest places, but that doesn’t mean she likes the man himself.
 
Stephan has secretly desired Bliss for years, but he knows how close he is to losing his beloved. Careful not to rile her impetuous heart, he promises only to aid Bliss in her search for another fiancé. And if she’s determined to understand the male body first, he’s happy to comply in that regard as well. However, she must follow his rules or face the consequences. Slowly he takes Bliss to the darker, steamier side of his world . . . where she realizes that Stephan is everything she’s ever wanted.
 
Bound by Bliss is intended for mature audiences.