Exploits, by Poppet

Stefanie think she has met her prince charming when she meets Gary.  Unschooled in the ways of love, she quickly, and willingly, becomes his slave, dressing in the way he commands, acting in the way he directs, and surrendering all to him.  As Gary shapes her into something dark, she starts to see the dysfunctional aspect of their relationship.  The problem is, she is not sure it is a problem that needs to be fixed.

This book is explosive, and not for the faint of heart.  It is raw, gritty, and probably hits a lot closer to home than a lot of women would care to admit.  Just because a woman does not have bruises or scars does not mean she is not abused, as this book will clearly show.  Personally, I found the story a bit intoxicating, and frightening at the same time.  I have known men like Gary, and come perilously close to being in Stefanie's 3 inch high heeled shoes.  I felt a real connection with Stefanie's character, and found the writing to be incredibly believable.  Yes, the language and sexuality in this book are in your face.  But the story would not have been true to itself if it had been sugar coated and glossed over.

This is definitely a book intended for mature, adult readers, but I think it is important for younger adult women to hear this story.  I was 23 when I met a man much like Gary, and had no idea what he was doing was abusive.  If more women are made aware of how damaging exploitive relationships are, perhaps less women will end up damaged.  I loved the book, and would recommend it to every woman I know.


A review copy was provided courtesy of the publisher.