This review may contain spoilers, so fair warning, upon reading the review.

Introduction
Highest Bidder is the fifth installment in the Salacious Players Club and its one that has been so well received by the romance community and after reading this one, I can definitely see why that is the case. This one is just so wonderful and I loved every single moment. I really adored the way that this one was written, and what the author used to develop this story. I will say that this one is a tie with Praise and I might even love it more than even the first one. And I really really enjoyed the first one the most out of this series. But there was something in this story that just seemed to work so well for me. But I will say that Sara Cate is such a talented author, she just writes the best stories and they are always so well fleshed out and I can guarantee that you will fall fast for this one here.

My Outlook
Highest Bidder is a story that I immediately was drawn into. First off it had one of my favorite themes in a book which is a "auction". There is something about starting off a story or even just having this element in a book that just really will pull me in right away. I just love everything about it. There is also something so sexy about this book. The hero of course, is rich and really really WEALTHY haha but he also works hard for it. Then we have our heroine, who is a poor waitress and living in her van. Now part of this is her choice, but you also see how when she meets our hero, how she begins to reevaluate life choices. What I really loved is how endearing these two are with each other. They have a connection to each other that is so explosive and even though they have some great chemistry, it takes time before anything really happens with them. The way that the author builds up their chemistry was superb in every way. We also see some great exploration of BDSM, but its lighter. Its not like some of the other books. But there are some light aspects to healing for it as well which I really loved seeing. We also see much more of "Madame" and I am really excited for her book. I have such high hopes for it. I do sometimes get nervous with dominatrix characters, but I trust Sara Cate to handle her correctly. I just want her to find love, she really deserves to find that happiness that all of her friends have found!

Now as to the secret of the heroine. This is dragged out, just warning you, and yeah it doesn't come out cleanly, but you know, the way that Sara Cate wrote it, just ended up working for me.

Overall View
I found Highest Bidder to be a spectacular read that just won my heart immediately. Its a story of trust, recovery, and captivating on one's heart! ( )

The age gap will have you gaping, because Ms. Cate does not do anything by halves. Had a bit of an issue with the final conflict, it felt a bit rushed but that’s just my personal preference.

I liked every single scene, the dirty talk, , the tension, the chemistry, the fact that Ronan was a pleasure dom, absolutely everything was.

I love to see my couples happy. Definitely recommend!! This whole series is nothing like I've ever read before. It's so good! ( )

⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶🌶🌶/4

If you've seen my previous reviews of this series you know I LOVE the Salacious Club and all of it's delightful and kinky owners & patrons. This book however, while still sexy, steamy, and full of cameos by some of our favorite other characters... this one was my lease favorite so far.

We've seen the ultra wealthy Ronan Kade around the club in the previous books, he's a sexy silver fox who loves the freedom of expression and desire a club like Salacious offers. Enter Daisy: a young new bartender / server with a secret. Sparks fly when Daisy loses a bet and ends up on the auction stage one night and Ronan is the Highest Bidder.

***Spoilers start here***

This is an age-gap romance (22 to 56), so at first glance both parties are a bit skeptical of their connection. But a connection they have, and it's electric and almost instantaneous when they get out of their own ways and give into their feelings. We get to explore a new sex club in Paris when they travel there for a spice filled holiday, and we see a give and take form in their relationship.

Ronan likes to give. He wants to provide safety, comfort, and especially pleasure. Daisy is a bit of a mess, still grieving the loss of her mother and unsure of her next steps, she thrives under Ronan's attentions and care. The dynamic between these two could easily be unequal, but it becomes clear that their feelings for each other override that the need from each other and Daisy sees through Ronan's walls. She understands that while he loves to take care of others, he also needs someone who wants to take care of him in return, and she wants to be that person.

And yet... when Daisy's secret is revealed it becomes clear that she's been so wrapped up in Ronan that she's avoided actually grieving her mother's death and is less than capable of taking care of herself, let alone being the one to take care of Ronan in return. This leads her to depend too much on Ronan, and he makes the hard decision to make her stand up on her own before he can give in to supporting her in other ways. It's a difficult choice, but inevitably one that needed to happen to ensure they end up on equal footing in the relationship.

**Doubling down on the spoilers here **

If that was the story arc, I would have been happier. Daisy does go off and finally get some therapy for her grief, she learns to take care of herself better, and is generally treating herself better. When she runs into Ronan a few months later, she's following her love of music and able to pay her own bills. She is finally on her own two feet. This could have been a good segue back into a relationship, he could have been there to support her musical dreams and they could have re-kindled the romance after they've both had some time to heal and grow as a couple.

BUT NO, instead... we get a pregnancy trope. In some ways it's exactly what Ronan needs. He tragically lost his first wife & son, and has been trying to fill a void ever since. He loves to provide love and care, and so giving him a family is the best gift Daisy could give him. But why that couldn't have happened willingly, with a discussion or a joint decision instead of a surprise... not my favorite way for that play out. I would have liked to see that decision happen in an epilogue after they were happy for a while and instead it was the thing that brought them back together.

It all ends up happily but at the same time, it had the feeling of Daisy giving up some of her dreams / not exploring her music enough at the expense of starting the family to be with Ronan. I think she ends up happy, but I wonder why it couldn't have been the both-and, instead of her gaining love at the expense of her own dreams.

**In Conclusion**

Did I enjoy this book? Yes. Was my favorite part all of the cameos of Madame Kink? Also yes. Am I waiting (im)patiently for her book next to make me fall in love with the Salacious crew once again? Also yes.

If you like age-gap romances with cinnamon roll daddy doms with pleasure kinks and bratty subs, this is for you. But if you like a little more independence from your FMCs, Daisy probably won't be your favorite.

**Note **

If you don't like large age gaps, daddy doms, or the pregnancy trope, there were very few refences to previous characters (other than Madame Kink) so this can most likely be skilled if you still want to read book 6. ( )