Character development is pretty good for it being a novella. I felt like I got to know Caroline and Edward pretty well especially their concerns. Even though Caroline writes Edward off, they actually have a lot more in common than they care to admit. I won’t explain what it is because it is a spoiler. I liked that Edward wasn’t this egotistical jerk and he truly did care about Caroline. I do believe he was attracted to her because he could have any woman he wanted, but her. Caroline isn’t one to back down from a challenge and speaks her mind. She’s courageous and thinks about the estate and the people she’s responsible for. We are introduced to several secondary characters including Edwards’ father, Anton. Anton is interesting and I won’t say anything else about him because it’s part of the plot.

Narrative is third person and while it keeps the reader interested, there are some informational gaps and sections need to be tightened. For example, Edward and Caroline are discussing involving Senator Garvin and she explains the merger Garvin is working on. In the next chapter Edward is confused as to why Garvin needs to be involved in the unmasking of Anton’s activities and Caroline explains it again. Furthermore, Edward is suppose to be racing against Caroline and during his initial training of her, there’s no conversation regarding his involvement in the race or where he placed afterwards. The real treat of Baron’s Training Temptation is the romance that develops between Edward and Caroline. I really enjoyed their scenes once everything started to come together especially when they both gave up control and learned to trust each other.

My favorite quotes:
“It doesn’t take med school to slap on a bandage.”

“Some days you could turn coal into diamonds.”

I’m not familiar with ponygirls and had to do some research on the subject. It’s interesting and I respect anyone into it, but it’s not for me (although if there’s a sequel I’d be inclined to read it). If you enjoy reading about animal role-play in the BDSM context or looking to expand your comfort level, then you’ll enjoy Diana Baron’s Training Temptation. ( )