ASX-TRA
by KL Thorn
A woman’s attempt to revitalize her marriage leads her on a voyage of self-discovery and danger in Thorn’s (ASX, 2016) sequel.
A romantic trip for Mollie LeVant and her husband, Jonathan, ends in tragedy when she receives serious injuries in a car accident. After she’s released from the hospital, she begins a long process of recovery. She resumes having Sunday dinners with Jonathan and other family members and works with a therapist to address her post-traumatic stress. She also hopes to recapture the intimacy that she and Jonathan cherish. In an attempt to stave off awkward sex, which she dubs “ASX,” they read the novel Fifty Shades of Grey and discover a passion for BDSM. Eager to enhance their revitalized sex life, Mollie continues her research on her own and discovers information about gatherings of BDSM enthusiasts called “munches.” She embarks on a double life, caring for her family by day and secretly exploring her sexual curiosities by night. While attending a munch she meets a man named Dallas who offers to help her explore her sexuality in depth. She’s intrigued but soon discovers that Dallas is a man of many secrets—and that being with him may put her life in danger. Thorn isn’t the first author to draw inspiration from E.L. James’ bestselling work. However, Thorn’s latest offers a fresh twist by exploring the psyche of a woman who brings an erotic story off the page and into real life. The author does a fine job showing how the novel takes root in Mollie’s imagination and provides her with the creative spark that she needs to reinvent her routine. The scenes in which Mollie explores her interest in the greater BDSM community are provocative, although her actions are occasionally inconsistent. For example, Mollie is so concerned about her privacy when she signs up for an account on a fetish website that she buys an untraceable cellphone, yet she gives out her real name when she later attends the munch. The supporting characters are well-drawn, however, and Dallas is effectively mysterious.
A twisty psychological thriller that will appeal to fans of erotic romance.