Well written sequel to "Carrie's Story", with intimate details of pony training and other fetish fun. It was told in the perspectives of the different major characters, which was a bit strange at times, and the ending just blew me away. I had to read the last few pages a few times to get it, and I'm not sure if I'm satisfied or disappointed. No spoilers here: read it yourself! ( )

It didn't end the way I expected..... ( )

Disclaimer: I received this book from LibraryThing's Early Reviewer program in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is a continuation of Carrie's Story and, while it keeps the storyline going, I enjoyed Carrie's Story much more.

Safe Word flips between two different point of views, Carrie's and Jonathan's. I typically find books written this way distracting in that they tend to pull you out of the story instead of bringing you deeper in. While I experienced the same thing with this book, it wasn't as defined as it had been in other books written this way.

Without giving too much of the storyline away, the situations and descriptions in the book are well written and allow the reader to visualize what is going on. I would recommend this to anyone who has read Carrie's Story. ( )

I received a free copy from the LibraryThing Early Reader giveaway.

I enjoyed reading from Carrie's point of view. I did not like reading from Jonathan's point of view. The book was a lot better written then most erotic stories I've encountered. I would recommend it to those who like reading this type of a book. ( )

I read very little erotic fiction, but the description of this one sounded interesting – a submissive woman is consensually auctioned off for a year of service – so I gave it a try. SAFE WORD is the sequel to CARRIE’S STORY (a book I have not read) but despite that, I at no time felt lost as to what had gone before, though I suspect that CARRIE’S STORY would have added some depth to the relationships in SAFE WORD.

Minor plot spoilers follow.

A young woman named Carrie, who is a devoted lifestyle submissive, has fallen in love with a man named Jonathan, whom she has served as a slave. He is a member of an international organization of wealthy individuals who lead lives filled with the elaborate rituals and sexual practices of BDSM. The pair agree that Jonathan will auction Carrie off to the highest bidder for a year’s term of service (and more advanced training as a slave and ponygirl), with the understanding that at the end of the year, they will meet again and see where to take their relationship. SAFE WORD is the recounting of what happened to Carrie and Jonathan during that year they were apart. Jonathan engaged in other relationships with both men and women, including a woman from his past (Kate, a professional dominatrix), who came to play an increasingly important role in Jonathan’s life. Carrie was purchased by the wealthy businessman Mr. Constant, and was trained as a ponygirl in Greece. At one point during the novel or another, all possible gender and sex roles are explored (male and female dominants, male and female submissives).

I recommend SAFE WORD with a few caveats. First, this is not a “beginner level” book about BDSM, nor is it the first book that a fan of, say, the FIFTY SHADES series, should read next. It involves a deep look at a fairly extreme form of lifestyle BDSM activities, including some dehumanizing activities that may not be to all readers' tastes. (I hasten to add that at no point does SAFE WORD involve violence or non-consensuality.) Second, I would say that enjoying SAFE WORD requires at least some level of interest in ponygirl play. That’s not the sole kind of erotic activity that goes on in the novel, but it’s an important one. If you aren’t at least curious about that, much of this book would not be of interest. And third, while it is undoubtedly an erotic novel that includes explicit sex scenes, it does not contain non-stop depictions of sex. There is, dare I say it, a plot. If that’s not of interest, SAFE WORD may not contain enough sex for your liking. With all that having been said, Molly Weatherfield is a strong writer. She has talent, and if you enjoy the topics of her prose, I think you’d find something to like here. Weatherfield’s ending to SAFE WORD – I will not spoil that for you – was an unexpected and, upon further reflection, a brave choice. This was not the ending I had expected. Some may find it disappointing, though I found Weatherfield’s choice refreshing.

Review copyright © 2013 J. Andrew Byers ( )