Overview: It's not what you show, it's what you hide...
Grace Cantrell is a self-destructive exhibitionist uncomfortable in her own skin. Jason Wright is a fine-art photographer living life from behind his lens .
When Grace agrees to be the centerpiece for Jason's next gallery show, she unlocks his creative muse and dark sexual cravings. As Grace and Jason come together in a fusion of passion and art, they find themselves slowly breaking out of their carefully constructed cages, forcing Grace to confront the ghosts of her past.
As Jason captures what he most wants on film, can he capture it in real life? And can Grace risk exposing more than just her skin?
Purchase Links: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, iTunes
Publishing Date: September 24, 2015
Stars: 4.5
My Review: 4.5 rare and beautiful things are always worth waiting for stars for Exhibition. This is the first novel in a few months that's been darkly erotic to this degree. This was much darker than I normally read but I'm still glad I read it as Nicolette Hugo did a good job at carving out the story appropriately even with the BDSM wickedness completely navigating the story line.
Grace and Jason are both emotionally messed up with their own vices that led them to the BDSM world. Grace gets off on exhibition but it is what she hides that is the most telling of her character. Jason peels back layers to really understand Grace, what she needs, what she desires, and what she can't handle. He's completely in control and is a master of attention to detail. He takes every sigh, moan, and twist of the body to know what the person cannot handle and what they need.
The two fall into an arrangement of sorts that leads to more than just physical release. They find companionship and head right towards a relationship without ever meaning to. Grace pushes back on Jason and surprises him. When he thinks he has her all figured out she responds in a way he hadn't anticipated which is sometimes for the better and sometimes for the worse. They both struggle to accept their growing feelings for each other and with accepting themselves as they are. It is easy to view yourself as unworthy and fucked up when the society standards are not how you live your life.
I found myself captivated thanks to the writing style. While I like fucked up books, think Spin/Ricochet/Ruin & Rule, this is a more BDSM focused novel that I normally wouldn't read. Having said that, I do like to dabble with these simply because they keep me interested and show me a different side to a very real co-culture.
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