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Kat is searching for a release. A release from fears about her future and the shadows of her past that she just can't shake. A release from the husband she watched die. Finally, she thought she found it in BDSM. Until her long-term Dom tells her he is leaving the state, and the darkness begins to close in on her again. She doesn't know if her world is about to break all over again.

When Kat posts a message for a new Dom on her local BDSM group website, Marcus is the first to respond. Afraid to get too attached and be destroyed a third time, Kat and Marcus agree to keep things platonic. Unfortunately for them both, their bodies and hearts have other plans. Kat had no idea BDSM could also be her salvation. But can she hold out against this newfound need for Marcus, or will it be too much to resist his release?

Publisher's Note: This contemporary romance is intended for adults only and contains elements of BDSM, power exchange, emotional trauma, sensual scenes and a happily ever after. If any of these offend you, please do not purchase.

225 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 28, 2023

3 people are currently reading
11 people want to read

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Emmy Lou Hayes

23 books23 followers

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
Profile Image for Jenna Willis.
310 reviews12 followers
March 11, 2023
I was given this book as an ARC and I loved every second of this read! It’s one of the best BDSM books I’ve ever read. The story is heart wrenching but beautiful and the characters are phenomenal. Marcus is one of the best male characters I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know. And Kat, although her poor heart is broken she has so much spunk and life and is such a strong character. The entire book is so beautifully written. Definitely made it to my top 3 BDSM faves. Great job Emmy Lou!!
Profile Image for Anij.
1,238 reviews10 followers
April 7, 2023
“The bolt of electricity that shoots through my body catches me off guard.”

The best thing in this book is Marcus, hands down. I’m serious. This man is pretty much perfect in every way. I was blown away by how wonderful this guy is. Kind, intelligent, patient, hot, successful, confident, patient, empathetic, compassionate, funny, patient… I could go on and on… Yes, I know I said patient several times but it needed to be as he had it in spades. Oh, and he’s a Dom. All I can say is I truly envy Kat for finding him.

This story was great. The way Kat dealt with her loss and the grieving process was so very real. I love how she knew she wasn’t ready to move on and enter another emotional relationship right away and truly took her time until she was. Her feelings of guilt and self-anger were believable and heartbreaking. The chemistry between them was there from the start and despite knowing she needed to move on, he never pushed her past too hard.

The gradual development of their relationship was wonderful right up until the last two chapters. They make a huge breakthrough and then instead of following along to the end, instead it just basically stops, jumps ahead six months later, very briefly tells us what happened in between and then the end. The last two chapters were so short and abrupt I actually thought, since I had an arc copy, that perhaps some of the pages had been left out. I was so sure I downloaded an unlimited copy to see if the missing pages were there. They were not. The end was identical. So disappointing after such a fantastic book.

Despite the rushed and less than satisfying ending this is still a great book and I highly recommend it to anyone who’s comfortable with bdsm romances. To be honest, it’s mostly bdsm light as the scenes are fairly mild as far as the genre goes. I hope Emmy Lou has more books planned for the series and who knows, maybe one day she’ll go back and flesh out the end. I can hope. In the meantime, if anyone knows where I can find my own Marcus, please let me know.
47 reviews1 follower
March 20, 2023
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

This is the first book by Emmy Lou Hayes that I've read and I'd like to start off by saying that I liked the overall style and format of her writing. It helped to get a sense of the characters and I think that the story moved smoothly enough to keep pacing and such flowing naturally. It says it's book 2 in a series, but can be read as a standalone.

The main female character (Kat) has a backstory that was heartbreaking and I truly felt for her in the wake of her loss. I did find some of her behavior to be a little annoying at times, specifically once the "relationship" with Marcus (her dom and the main male character) began. There was a lot of pushing/pulling going on and some of it came off as drama for the sake of drama - though given that Kat was still going through the grieving process then it ultimately makes sense.

I liked Marcus as a main male character. He seemed to be a genuinely good guy and I liked the steady nature that he could offer Kat. I liked that he pushed her a bit to be out of her comfort zone, which she seemed to need, but I wasn't a big fan of the slight underlying ulterior motive that he seemed to have.

Overall, everything wrapped up nicely and I liked the book. I'd recommend it to others and have also looked into other books by the author.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
520 reviews6 followers
March 11, 2023
Kat is a widow with a masochistic streak. She is still very depressed over the sudden loss of her husband, and seeks release from the pain of her loss in BDSM activities – some on-line, and some in person at her local BDSM group.
She meets Marcus through her local BDSM group, and they develop a relationship that she insists has to be platonic because of the pain she is still suffering from the loss of her husband, and her inability to let go of her past and focus on the future. Marcus has the patience of a saint as he accepts her ground rules and gradually gets her to relax. There is a happy ending to all this but it comes after a lot of mental anguish for both of them. There are a couple of non-human characters that have an important role in the story – her dog Moose, who bonds easily with Marcus, and a bluebird who keeps reappearing and Kat sees the bluebird as a symbol that her late husband is giving her permission to let go of the past. Both Kat and Marcus are intelligent and really nice people – although she has so many issues to get through that it gets a little frustrating at times. I received a free copy of this book from Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Phyllica W.
602 reviews27 followers
March 22, 2023
Emotional turmoil. Past loves lost. He falls first. BDSM.

I am really struggling to write this review because I absolutely loved this book, so conveying my thoughts is proving to be difficult.
I immediately fell in love with Marcus and Kat and while I may not have experienced loss in the same manner that they have, their story jumped out and latched onto my heart.
It is exceptionally difficult to move on after having a partner that was your entire world but Emmy Lou Hayes really captured the difficulty, anguish and mental struggle that goes into moving forward in life. Using BDSM to heal past wounds and reaching release is very powerful and not spoken about enough.

"I bury my nose in her hair, taking in her scent and letting the warmth of her body spread through mine. I am one step closer to claiming her for my own and I smile at the thought."

Highly recommend!
The Release (His Submissive book 2) is a standalone story but should be read after The Capture (His Submissive Book 1) to fill in a few gaps.

THIS BOOK IS FOR MATURE 18+ AUDIENCES. PLEASE CHECK FOR POTENTIAL TRIGGERS
Profile Image for Kimberly.
789 reviews29 followers
March 10, 2023
I was given an ARC of this book for my honest review. Now that disclosure is out of the way, let’s get to the good stuff.

The book that I’m reviewing is called The Release by Emmy Lou Hayes. I can happily say this was an easy to read four stars. But you should check trigger warning in case BDSM isn’t your cup of tea. (☕️🫖🧋)

So the main protagonist is named Kat and she’s experiencing the worst heartbreak. She needs to find an outlet and finds herself in the BDSM scene. She finds that being a submissive to her Dom she can release (get it!?! 😉🤗) some of the darkness that clouds her.

But life happens and now she needs to put herself out there and has to find a replacement Dom as her current one leaves. Enter Marcus… neither think it should be anything more then a professional arrangement. But matters of the hearts tend to get in the way of what your mind believes. (❤️❤️❤️❤️)

Seriously give this book a read. I finished it in one sitting and enjoyed everything. I’m looking forward to reading more of Emmy Lou Hayes books. (😊📖)
Profile Image for Anne.
103 reviews3 followers
March 22, 2023
This story was more of a 3.5 for me, but I always round up. This book is considered a Book 2, but it can be read as a standalone.

This book follows the story of Kat, a woman who tragically lost her husband and her need to escape her grief. Kat finds that release through BDSM and that's how she ends up meeting Marcus, her new Dom.

I was new to BDSM in general and books about it before reading this book. I felt like this book gave me a look into the lifestyle and how it can work, instead of assuming I knew and leaving things behind closed doors, such as how she looked to find a new dom, that there could be platonic dom/sub relationships and some other things.

The first half of the book I struggled with getting into it. I'm not sure if it was before I recently lost someone so the grief that Kat was going through just spun me into emotions I wasn't prepared for or not. The second half of the story did pick up for me though and I enjoyed the wrap up.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Naj_ana_reads.
345 reviews16 followers
March 23, 2023
I had the opportunity to be an ARC reader for this book and I enjoyed it a lot. This book was a journey of Kat overcoming the stages of grief after losing her husband and how she found the help she needed with the BDSM community. After finding a Dom that give her the outlet, she needed she found herself having to put herself out there due to him moving out of state. This is where she finds Marcus. Marcus’s relationship with Kat was not exactly the dynamic that he was looking for, but he knew what he wanted when he met Kat and kept supporting her thru her struggles and helping her find the acceptance, she was needing to move on after her loss. Marcus was my favorite in the story. He was so supportive towards Kat. He respected her rules and expectations while at the same time help her find the “more” she was missing. This book had enough spice throughout the story while also building a connection between both characters. Thank you, Emmy Lou Haynes, for the opportunity to be part of the ARC team. Can't wait to read more of your books.
5,959 reviews35 followers
June 1, 2023
Our heroine is afraid of lose, so she avoids making connections. Our hero agrees to go along with that plan, but it turns out that is not really an option for either of them.

This is book two of the series, but it is written as a standalone. No prior reading required.

This is an erotic romance featuring D/s. The story is well written and easy to read. The characters are really well done and believable, which makes the story more compelling. The plot moves at a good pace and includes several twists and turns that keep things interesting. We also get a mix of angst and steam. Overall, I found this story to be highly engaging and very enjoyable. I look forward to more from this author.

Highly recommended.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout for review purposes.
Profile Image for Nate.
22.7k reviews19 followers
April 2, 2023
Kat is searching for a release. A release from fears about her future and the shadows of her past that she can't shake. A release from the husband she watched die. Finally, she thought she found it in BDSM. Until her long-term Dom tells her he is leaving the state, and the darkness begins to close in on her again. She doesn't know if her world is about to break all over again. When Kat posts a message for a new Dom on her local BDSM group website, Marcus is the first to respond. Afraid to get too attached and be destroyed a third time, Kat and Marcus agree to keep things platonic. Unfortunately for them both, their bodies and hearts have other plans. This was a great book. And am voluntarily leaving my review.
Profile Image for bookishwith_toshyasue.
259 reviews7 followers
March 10, 2023
*BDSM
*He falls first
*Dead Husband
*Slow-burn

The Release is the second book in the stand-alone series “His Submissive”. I enjoyed the h3ll out of this book! The push and pull between the two MC and the insight to the BDSM world was beautifully done. I love how Marcus is so tentative to her and in tune with her needs, even when she doesn’t think or know them herself. She fights him every step of the way because she is afraid of letting her dead husband down but he doesn’t push and he doesn’t give up on her even when she pushes him away. This book was so beautiful. I could not help but to fall for the characters, the situation, and the passion.
Profile Image for Teagan Braland.
35 reviews2 followers
March 25, 2023
The loss of a loved one is hard, but the loss of a soul mate is a whole other type of hurt. Learning to cope and move on after that can be hard.

Kat lost her husband unexpectedly and she entered the world of BDSM to cope with the loss and her feelings. When she has to search for a new DOM, she was gets more than what she thought. Can Marcus save her from herself? Will he be able to show her that her feelings are ok to have?

Emmy Lou knew what she was doing with these two characters and the emotional pull this book gives you is amazing.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for jacquetta pettigrew.
41 reviews
April 8, 2023
This was a fun read! A touch of dark, a touch of light and all the ups and downs of life in between! Kat and Marcus are made for each other! But Kat is holding on and needs to be free! She totally deserves happiness! Marcus is strong and ready to catch her when she falls! Does she let him? Is she too stubborn to see? Honestly this book is a great insight to the BDSM world in more realistic way. Emmy Lou truly wrote it well and I feel like she really knows her characters and they took the reigns here! Well done!

Emmy Lou Hayes
Profile Image for WaterLillyBooks.
162 reviews4 followers
March 13, 2023
I went into this book thinking that this would be a book about a budding relationship for a new D/s relationship. It was more of the MFC dealing with the demons of her past and not being able to move forward and using BDSM as a coping mechanism and giving the MMC mixed signals about what she wanted. It was to focused on her mental health for me. Light on spice in my opinion.
The MMC was accepting of her mixed signals and behaviors but I was annoyed after about midway through the book.
Writing was good, plot was decent but unexpected based on the blurb. Would read this author again.
Profile Image for Marybeth.
2,197 reviews19 followers
March 26, 2023
Kat is a recent widow and when her platonic dom moves out of town, she needs to find another dom to have an outlet for her emotions. She meets Marcus, but she finds that she is attracted to him and she feels guilty that she can find another man attractive. Marcus is attracted to her as well and he pushes for them to have more than just BDSM between them. Marcus is supportive while Kat works through her emotions. The two of them are a couple meant to be.

I received an advance copy of this book via Booksprout and this is my honest review.
Profile Image for Stacey.
201 reviews18 followers
March 28, 2023
This book was not what I was expecting. It was good, but, a lot of crying from the FMC who lost her husband. Kat lost her husband and has had a hard time moving on. She has found a release in the BDSM world. When her DOM Larry is going to move away she puts and ad on a group page and Marcus responds. Kat doesn’t want anything sexual with him S/m that he can provide her.

But, is Marcus going to be okay with being in this relationship with sex with her?

So much happens in this book. I felt like it was a bit rushed especially at the end. But, I did like it and I recommend it.
Profile Image for Dawn .
567 reviews5 followers
March 29, 2023
This was a great story of Love, Loss, and the rebirth of hope. There is some BDSM built into the story but I thought of it as more of Kat and Marcus establishing trust and growing a relationship. Kat is trying to overcome the loss of her great love. She needs a new Dom. She and Marcus connect. He is so patient with her. They have so much more in common than she initially knew. I really like this sweet story.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
902 reviews3 followers
March 27, 2023
Kat needed help with the guilt and the grief she was carrying. Marcus and Kat had lot in common and whilst the attraction was there, Kat wasn't ready for a new relationship. This book is so emotional as it's the grief of losing a soul mate. It was ao well written - my heart broke so many times. Really good read.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Chloé Desbiens.
21 reviews
March 28, 2023
This book was amazing and kept me locked in! I nearly missed starting my shift and returning from break because I was so invested in it! I didn't get a chance to completely finish the book but I plan on buying this book to read it from the beginning! I love how you saw the healing and the opening up again after you loose your husband! It has me crying and smiling at the same time! Tears of joy!
100% recommended reading this book!
1,572 reviews6 followers
March 30, 2023
A year ago, Kat woke to discover that her beloved husband was dead beside her. It has taken her a lot of therapy, and some selective BDSM to get to a functioning level. But now her Dom is moving away and she needs a new Dom. Marcus responds to her message but can he cope with a platonic BDSM relationship?

I really enjoyed watching the relationship between Kat and Marcus.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Wendy Livingstone.
18.9k reviews235 followers
April 22, 2023
This is the second book in this series, and this is Kat and Marcus’ story. Kat is dealing with loss, and Marcus is her new Dom, who is kind, patient, funny, and caring. The chemistry between these two is combustible and undeniable. This is a well written story which is an emotional roller coaster, with loss, grief, humor, guilt, turmoil, healing, and love, which leads to a heartwrenching page turner.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for SBee Reviews.
2,503 reviews76 followers
March 21, 2023
★ “Desire for me and loyalty to a man who is long dead, duel in her mind.” ★

—>>> A touching emotional journey for Kat in her search for a new Dom. Marcus tries his best to be there every step of the way, offering friendship, understanding, and patience, even when their attraction becomes overwhelming. A little bluebird guide sends a spiritual message.
3,970 reviews30 followers
March 23, 2023
The Release by Emmy Lou Hayes is a good, and enjoyable BDSM slow burn romance read. The story has a good story line, and the story is beautifully written read. The characters are good, and they have good chemistry.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Laiba Malik.
458 reviews
March 26, 2023
This is my first book by this author and she did not disappoint. This book was so good. Kat and Marcus' relationship was amazing. He kept helping and supporting her with her struggles. He even respected her boundaries.

Highly recommend!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
1 review
March 28, 2023
This book is a story about heartbreak and second chance love. The POV’s are easy to understand and the tension between the main characters is sizzling! You definitely want them to have their happily ever after….
It is based on the BDSM world and does have some very very naughty scenes

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Kirsty Hayes.
95 reviews2 followers
March 28, 2023
This book is very very naughty. Set in the world of BDSM we have a story about second chance love essentially. This book has heartbreak, healing a lot of sexual tension and some very naughty scenes.
The POV’s are easy to understand and is just a fun read all round.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
10.4k reviews121 followers
March 31, 2023
This is the third book I've read written by Emmy Lou Hayes; I can’t wait to read more of her books.

This is the second book in the His Sebmissive Series; it is a stand-alone book. The story is about Kat & Marcus; neither of them are ready for anything more than a good time.

I received a free copy of this book via booksprout and I’m voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Bobby L.
173 reviews5 followers
March 24, 2023
Emma had my attention the whole time with this book! These two characters have a chemistry from the start when they met and they start dating as well as a bdsm relationship. I loved this book and it’s pretty spicy 🥵…..As always read the trigger warnings!! I’ll be reading this book again!!
Profile Image for Donna Williams.
610 reviews23 followers
April 4, 2023
This book was absolutely amazing, it had the right amount of spice and definitely touched my kink level. Can’t wait to read more from this author.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for L.C. Son.
Author 18 books122 followers
March 21, 2023
Perfect Release!

I’ve never read such a sweet, heartfelt BDSM book. This is my first book by this author and I’m happy to have found her. Kat & Marcus felt like a real couple. So many layers & depth. Grief is hard but it was handled with care. Totally recommend!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews

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