Tamsen Parker

Tzipporah Berger is thirty-seven and single, which is practically unheard of in the Orthodox Jewish community she now calls home. Her increasing religiosity and need for kink may have broken up her first marriage, but she's decided it's time to try again. And the rabbi's wife has just the man in mind. Elan Klein is the neighborhood butcher whose intimidating size and gruff manner hint at a deliciously forceful personality. But BDSM isn't exactly something you discuss during an Orthodox courtship. Will a marriage to Elan solidify her place in the community that she loves and provide the domination and pain Tzipporah craves or will she forever have to rely on flights of fancy to satisfy her needs?

Craving Flight

Briar's Reviews

Tziporrah and Elan are another hit pair by Tamsen Parker!

To say this story is unique is an understatement! It's rare for me to read a book involving some heavy erotica mixed with religion, but yet again Tamsen blows readers's expectations out of the water. 

You can tell this is one of Tamsen's earlier novels - it's written beautifully, but it's not as awesome as her newer ones. Her skill has grown so much, that if you haven't read some of her newer readers, please pick it up after this book! This novel was fantastic, but her skill is continually growing. 

To pick apart this book, it's an emotional roller coaster full of romance, self doubt and change. In so few pages, Tamsen is able to weave some fantastic story telling to introduce us to a woman who seems so down on herself. She finds her religion, gets married and tries to live the life she wants to - yet it's just not that perfect. I felt so strongly for this woman, and at times I hated Elan with a passion. He slowly grows on you, but I still felt frustrated with some of his behaviour. I would love to see Tzipporah grow more, but in under 200 pages Tamsen did a fantastic job of growing her character.

BDSM is a big part of this novel (and it seems to have more sex scenes in it than most erotica books I've read, percentage wise anyways). The romance isn't as big of a focus as the BDSM and strange relationship the main couple have. That being said, I liked that it was so different and wasn't just focused on some heavy romance. While I was frustrated with some of the situations, that just showed up skilled Tamsen is as a writer. She made me feel so passionately for Tzipporah which many other writers struggle to do.

Overall, I liked this book! It's unique and made me think. Also, everytime Elan said "little bird" it killed me a little on the inside because it seems so cute!

Five out of five stars.

Becky

I have had this on my kindle forever. A novella about an orthodox  Jewish woman who is interested in BDSM is a unique prospect. I just wasn’t sure about it. Especially as I don’t have any knowledge of the orthodox Jewish community and their religion. I worried it would be too confusing navigating their religious beliefs within such a short story. Tamsen Parker did her research though and it’s written so well. 

Tzipporah wasn’t raised within the community so she came into it as a slight outsider. She’d lived within her community for a while but there was a certain sense of otherness which always occurs with someone who isn’t raised in that world. She marries Elan, the butcher in the community and a man from a very devout family. Their relationship seemed to have two halves. The emotional and the sexual. I thought there would be more doubts about the sexual side but the BDSM elements were fully embraced from the start. Elan rolled with it and full respect for him as he was a perfect dominant. They had the sexual chemistry. It was the emotional side they struggled with as both had many misunderstandings and didn’t speak enough. 

It was a surprisingly sweet story with some rather steamy sex scenes within. I enjoyed it immensely and I’m happy I had another win with an old book on my kindle. 

b.andherbooks

Tzipporah recently joined an Orthodox Jewish community, choosing to live her faith as closely to the rules as she can. She's also ready, five years after her divorce from her secular husband who also belittled her sexual needs, to find a husband. Her friend and the rabbi's wife leads her to consider the butcher, Elan, who is even more conservative than she is, and a widower. 

They suit, and are quickly married, and find they share more than just their faith in common. What follows is an erotic and inspiration exploration of a love that grows through both BDSM and mutual respect.

Absolutely beautiful and stunning. I've never read a book like this before. Highly recommend.

*I won a copy from the author*