BlogHer Book Review
“Reflected in You” is the second novel in the erotic romance Crossfire Novel series by Sylvia Day that continues a steamy relationship begun in “Bared to You.” The title aptly gives a thematic hint to an ongoing obsessive relationship between Gideon and Eva. They are both physically beautiful, rich beyond the average reader’s imagination, and troubled similarly as individuals. No D/s here. Thus the Reflected in You title except that it will take the entire novel to understand the roots of this trouble.
This is a novel about passion and obsessive behavior. What happens sexually takes up a large portion of the book but it is really not what is driving the story. Therefore sex between the two is clearly consuming, while not riveting to read. It is not the sex act per se but more about a mental and physical obsession with another human being that does not allow you to “be” separate from them. This takes you into territory that could be considered controlling, deviant, manipulative and on and on involving things like blind trust. Yet both Gideon and Eva share these tendencies. And freeing oneself from this behavior is not the focus of the novel. Rather it is figuring out how two people who are consumed with each other can love each other and be together.
Sylvia Day has written this novel for mature audience where the sex is somewhere away from the far extremes of the bell curve of the romance genre. No whips, chains, weird objects just deep psychological baggage that gets in the way of intimacy. I thought that was an interesting twist. Is that why it is for mature audiences. Or is this a rating system. Don’t get me wrong. Her sex scenes are good. But that is not what the book is about. I am not sure that this novel would necessarily appeal more to a midlifer than someone just starting out.
This review was prepared for the BlogHer Book Club for which I was paid. The opinion however is solely my own. Can you relate to an all-consuming, mind-numbing obsession with another human being not your progeny?
Patricia says
Hi Sienna.
I have been looking for you (smile). Was over on your site (http://www.datingseniormen.com) making sure I had not missed anything.
Good question: Why aren’t we reading these books? I do not havea real numbers from the publishing industry on this. As best I can tell from an unofficial survey of both married and single midlifer friends (not in new marriages) that I have, no one is getting enough. If I were selecting my own reading material rather than reviewing material selected by the BlogHer Book Club, I probably would not have selected either this book or Diary of a Submissive. But both novels are well written and they remind me that where I am is not the norm.
So I agree with your point that there is no textbook on erotica and there is no need for one. As you stated, “Every loving couple who enjoys sex together enjoys it in their own unique way.”
Sienna Jae Fein says
The other side of your important question might be: Why are so many boomer women NOT reading these novels, but using every opportunity to fuss about how awful they are? I am one of the guilty. After reading only a few paragraphs of the Fifty Shades series, I dismissed it as so poorly written that I wouldn’t read another word. Am I sexually repressed, backward, ill at ease? I blog about, speak publicly about, and practice what I think is fun and fulfilling sex. I think of myself as an adventurous lover, but that doesn’t mean I’m not someone else’s prudish auntie.
Every loving couple who enjoys sex together enjoys it in their own unique way. Erotica as a textbook? Uh…why?