Review: Yours to Take by Joely Sue Burkhart

Yours to Take 
(The Connaghers #3)
by Joely Sue Burkhart
ebook, 194 pages
Published May 8th 2012 by Samhain Publishing, Ltd.
ISBN13 9781609286804
Courtesy of Author

All fire and gunpowder need is a stray spark…
The Connaghers, Book 3
The day one of her old clients gunned down a cop, former defense attorney Vicki Connagher lost everything—her passion for justice, and her lover, Detective Elias Reyes. The dead cop’s partner.
Even though she’s following her dream to start her own fashion line, it’s tough with heartache as her only companion. Until she brings Jesse, a wandering street artist, in from a freak Texas snowstorm. His submissive flirting brings out dominant tendencies she never knew she possessed, yet she hesitates to let him take her as far and as hard as she wants to go.
Some homeless junkie in Vicki’s house? Not on Elias’s watch. Pride kept him away, but as long as Jesse is staying in Vicki’s downstairs shop, he’s staying with Vicki. On the couch, but it’s a start.
As the days go by, the three work out an uneasy alliance. But Vicki’s joy at having Elias back in her life is tempered with a growing desire to have it all. Elias in her bed, and Jesse under her command. The only question remaining is if her tough alpha cop is willing to embrace all that she is… 
Product Warnings: Explicit sex, BDSM, a tough alpha cop, a reluctant Domme, and a smoldering submissive street artist willing to do anything to belong to her.

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Crystal’s Thoughts:
Jealousy, passion, discovery and submission, Yours to Take was an erotic and emotional journey into the world of D/s, with three people trying to find their way in the crazy game of love. 


Vicki Connagher gave up everything; a high profile job and all the prestige that came with it, her swanky car and even her friends, when one of her clients murdered a cop. But the most painful thing that she lost was her boyfriend, Detective Elias Reyes. Now, starting over with a job she’s only dreamed of, Vicki is putting together her own fashion line and though her designs keep her busy it’s not enough to battle the loneliness she’s fought for months. So when she finds the young street artist, Jesse Inglemarre, in the snow outside of her shop Vicki finds herself inviting him in... 
Jesse has been in love with Vicki since she first befriended him months ago while she worked as an attorney, and when she disappeared he never forgot her. He’s even carried around a hand-made birthday card for her these last few months and finally gathers the courage to give it to her outside of her shop one evening. Jesse never expected her to invite him in but when she does he can’t turn her down, he would do anything for Vicki... 
There was always tension between Elias and Vicki when it came to their jobs but when Elias’ partnered was killed by the man Vicki let free he blamed her. After months of silence he still hasn’t quiet moved forward from that feeling but that doesn’t mean he is going to let another man take his place in Vicki’s bed. When Vicki calls him asking for the background on a street kid, Elias storms in and he’s not leaving until Jesse does. But Vicki refuses to rid of Jesse, even if that means losing Elias. Can Elias set aside his pride to be with Vicki and give her what she needs, which is Jesse, in order to be with her?


Yours to Take was very different from other BDSM stories that I have read, and that is a good thing! The story was raw and intense with many emotional twists and turns as well as ups and downs. And yes, it had some smokin’ hot sex too! 


Elias doesn’t like to share; he is possessive and very much an alpha male. He resents not being enough for Vicki and sees it as her not loving him enough. And though Vicki loves Elias their relationship is missing something for her and she finds that something in Jesse and realizes, with the help of her brother and some quirky friends, that she has a dominant personality while Jesse is a true submissive. Vicki is able to fulfill her need for control with Jesse by taking care of him and by Jesse depending on her. In turn, Jesse learns his own self worth and that he is not someone to just be used and abused. Though the relationships here were unconventional and not something I myself would likely partake in (Outside of my own fantasies, that is.), I found myself able to see and understand each side. I was also intrigued by how well the author worked through the issues of two very much heterosexual men getting down and dirty with each other. There were no male/male scenes here. It was strictly about Elias and Jesses separate love for Vicki. Yours to Take was no doubt a hot and sexy read but it was also an emotional journey of growth for each character as well as learning to accept the truth inside, even if it scares you.


I really liked how this was not, in any way, an easy relationship between the three characters and didn’t even end in one, which I think lent the story believability. And though this is the third book in the Connaghers series I didn’t feel like I was missing anything by jumping right in, the rest of the family did intrigued however and I plan on going back to read the first two books in the series now. Yours to Take was a great read that I very much enjoyed. 


*A recommended Ménage read!

Rating: 4 Wine Glasses