Review Delving Deep by Karen Nappa: Romantic suspense with a side dish of kink

Actually, I should share a Club Indigo review with you all first, because that's where Karen Nappa starts. However, I've recently read Delving Deep and I thought to share that review first.

Delving Deep is the first full book in a series with an overall ARC. So although this ends with a very satisfying HEA for the main characters, the story isn't finished. I personally like the concept, but I thought a fair warning the books are interconnected is warrant.

Also, although this book is the first full story, Karen Nappa has written a prequel Healing Jacob's Heart and you might like to read that one first (although it isn't needed to understand the family, it's a great way to get to know them and their dynamics)

Title

Delving Deep (The Quinn Quartet Book One)

Author(s)

Karen Nappa

Release Date

September 18th, 2020

Blurb

She is far too stubborn and feisty for his tastes. He is too controlling and domineering for hers. When they meet sparks fly but it could never work.

He wants a perfect submissive wife, who will be a help in daily life and a vixen between the sheets.

She wants an equal partner, not someone with his head stuck in the 1950s.

When they are thrown together to uncover a dangerous scandal in their small town, they will finally give in to their mutual attraction.

But will it last? Can he love a woman who challenges him at every turn? Can she love a man who demands her complete submission?

Author’s note: Although it isn’t necessary to read Healing Jacob’s Heart, The Quinn Quartet books are meant to be read in order because of the over-all story arc. Each individual book contains its own romance and Happily Ever After! This book contains elements of power exchange and is written for a mature audience.

Purchase Links

Amazon

Excerpts

Rated mild (PG)

The reporter opened her mouth, but he wouldn’t let her argue. Before she could say anything, he held a finger in the air, and thankfully she swallowed her reply. “Rest assured, Ms. Rose, there are no corrupt politicians in Meade County or Peaceful. We all want what's best for our community and its inhabitants."

She smiled without warmth and shook her head like he was completely deluded. “I see I can’t convince you.” She rose abruptly, and he shot to his feet as well. For a moment, they stood in such close proximity that he inhaled her scent, a mix of vanilla and citrus, and the air sizzled between them. Ms. Rose took a step back and took in a ragged breath. Is she as affected by me?

Creating space between them seemed to have boosted her equilibrium because now her dark brown eyes shot daggers at him. She’s got spunk, he had to give her that. “I’m convinced most if not all politicians have grease on their hands. I’m not sure what side you’re on, but I’m going to find out!”

Great, like his bulls in spring, this woman caught a scent, and she wasn’t going to back down. “All I care for is this county and its inhabitants. We need to boost the economy to get the young people to stay and bring in some new blood.” He made the universal stop sign to ward off her reaction and finished, “However, I do care about nature. So, I will be diligent of any harmful activities and make sure we have the proper environmental impact analyses done.”

Ms. Rose huffed out an irritated breath. “Although the new venture may create new jobs, what will it do to our endangered species like the black bear and the eastern hellbender? Think of that, Mr. Quinn!”

Rated sensual (R)

He shot to his feet and walked right into her personal space. “What are you doing here?” His tone was low and soft, but there was a menace in his voice she couldn’t miss. Before Delilah had time to answer, he continued, “Did you follow me? Are you snooping around hoping to get something compromising on me?”

“Of course, I didn’t follow you. Why should I?” Delilah was stunned, but she couldn’t prevent her eyes from roaming his figure, or her body from reacting to his presence. She hadn’t expected to run into anyone from her hometown let alone Commissioner Quinn here. Hot, good looking, Commissioner in a checkered shirt, dark jeans and cowboy boots. She didn’t know whether to laugh or to cry. She hadn’t driven one-hundred-and-forty miles to be discovered by an adversary.

I… her thoughts halted. Why is he here? Looking all yummy in a… wait… that’s how MasterQuoVadis would be dressed!

As the realization hit, her flight reflex took over, Delilah spun on her heels and stormed out of the room into the hallway. The bastard! Pounding footsteps came behind her. She risked a glance over her shoulder and regretted it right away. One gorgeous, pissed off Dom had followed her. She skidded around the corner. Oh, God! Wrong hallway! This one had a dead end. She turned around and pressed herself against the wall – cornered and trapped. Ross invaded her personal space again and glared at her. She was afraid and alone against one livid muscular dominant. She wouldn’t cower, though.

Delilah lifted her chin defiantly and raised her arm. Before her brain kicked in, she slapped his face. Hard!

His dark, angry stare pinned her, and it only made her more furious. She tried to hit him again. Before Delilah’s hand connected with his face a second time, he caught her wrist with ease and pinned her arm to the wall behind her. His mouth was a firm angry line, and for a moment, she stiffened with fear. Delilah didn’t do fear! Another surge of anger roared through her body. She lifted her other arm, but he caught it as quickly. Hands above her head, pressed against a wall by two-hundred-pounds of male muscle, she stared into his intent face. He smelled freshly showered, and his dominant hold on her did funny things to her insides. Her gaze dropped to his mouth, and she wanted to know what he tasted like, what those firm lips felt like.

Oh God, that was so wrong!

Delilah stared into his stormy grey eyes. Her head moved forward of its own accord. His head tilted slightly, and his gaze went from her lips to meet her gaze and back to her mouth. Their lips met halfway, but there was nothing tentative about their kiss. It was forceful and all-consuming, but not awkward like first kisses usually were. They kissed like they had done it a hundred times before – like they were meant for each other. She moaned and relaxed into the touch, allowing him to set the pace as their fingers intertwined. His thigh pressed between her legs, and she rubbed against him shamelessly, while they devoured each other's mouths.

Finally, the councilman pulled back, breathing hard, but without gentling his hold on her arms. “Why are we kissing?”

“I don’t know.” Delilah panted. “Don’t care.” She pressed her face forward. If her hands had been free, she would have grabbed the back of his head. “Kiss me more.”

Ross groaned. “We don’t like each other, but I’d love to fuck you.”

“I hate that I’d love to fuck you too,”

“We could hate-fuck.” He leaned forward to nibble on the junction between her neck and shoulder.

“Hate-fucking sounds g… good.” She made an appreciative sound and tilted her head to give him more access. “Oh, God…”

Rated steamy (X)

When he broke the kiss, he placed his palm flat on her forehead and gave a push. She flopped back on the bed, and the playful gesture made her giggle. Warmth spread through his body at the unexpected sound, and he vowed to make her giggle and laugh more. Delilah was too serious for such a delightful woman.

Until now, he’d seen her in crusader, angry and now playful mode, and he couldn’t wait to discover more sides of her – starting with the passionate woman underneath him.

“Don’t move.”

She melted into the covers. Ross loved her sweet, submissive side – another discovery. She possessed more facets to her than a rose had petals.

He used his muscular shoulders to move her legs even wider and took in a deep breath. Her smell was intoxicating. With his hands around her hips, he pulled her lower body against his mouth, and he nuzzled the neatly trimmed nest of black curls on the top of her mound. He couldn’t wait to shave her pussy bare and let her experience how it intensified everything.

Her labia were puffed and almost as dark as the hair on her pubis — the engorged flesh gave him a tantalizing view of the glistening, pink insides. Ross bit the inside of her thigh, eliciting a keening cry. The sound made his balls pull up, and he pressed his groin against the side of the bed. It was a long time since Ross had been this excited from touching a woman. With a flat tongue, he licked a pass from her perineum to the top of her slit, the tangy-sweet taste of her arousal coating his tongue. When she tried to move and couldn’t, her wetness increased. He repeated the move several times and her head thrashed from side to side.

Encouraged, he redoubled his efforts. Her clit was rock hard and poking out from the hood like a mini cock. The wet pink formed a gorgeous contrast with the dark colors around it. She wiggled her ass, and he squeezed her thighs in a warning. Ross kept licking, nibbling, and sucking on the small bit of flesh. He could easily get addicted to her taste and sounds, and he wanted to touch her for hours. His painfully hard and throbbing cock seemed to have other plans. Ignoring the insistent bugger for now, Ross enjoyed her quivers. When he let go of one hip and stroked his hand over her pussy her outer lips were dripping wet. He swiped two fingers into the wetness and pressed them inside her pussy. Her walls contracted around the intrusion. What will it feel like when I finally enter her? Ross used his other hand to squeeze the base of his cock through his jeans. Turned on like this, he might embarrass himself by coming in his pants if he didn’t calm the fuck down.

Rated steamy (X)

“You have such beautiful skin, so soft,” he mused, “and I bet you’re bursting to be touched elsewhere.”

Delilah arched her back, and he grinned evilly.

“You’re such a sadist,” she griped at him.

He cradled her face and whispered, “Hardly” before he lowered his head and took her mouth in a fierce, possessive kiss. Delilah tangled her tongue with his, loving the hint of spice from their dinner and the taste of virile male. Too soon for her liking, he pulled away, and when she tried to follow his mouth, her movement was halted by cuffs.

“What? When?” she exclaimed, exasperated. “You sneaky bast…” A sharp pinch on her nipples made her gasp. Fuck!

“I’d consider my tone and words if I were you,” he told her lazily while he plucked and pulled at her poor nipples with vicelike fingers. “Breathe, Flower, breathe through it.”

Delilah closed her eyes and concentrated on inhaling and expelling air from her lungs. He let go of her left nipple but kept manipulating the other. It felt like he pushed his nails into her flesh, but when his hands cradled her face again the bite on her nipple didn’t stop.

“Look at me.”

She gazed helplessly into intense grey eyes; his pupils dilated with lust making them appear even darker. “Good girl. Can you take it?”

Take what?

He must have caught on her confusion because he slipped his hands to her shoulders and tipped his head down. Delilah followed where he indicated at her breast. A beautiful, golden nipple clamp surrounded the dark brown bud, and she gasped. Her gasp turned in a moan when he lightly flicked the tip. Fuck, that was intense.

Ross let out a satisfied hum and loosened his hold on her. He took the other jewel, and she watched in fascinated horror as he clamped her right nipple as well.

“These won’t stay on for too long, since I’m guessing it’s the first time you’ve had your nipples clamped, and we’ll discuss what you think of them later.”

Ross leaned back and admired his work.

Author Bio

Karen Nappa writes Seasoned BDSM Romance with HEA. Their growing library including TRAPPED (a D/s story), and CHERISHED (an age-play story). Now, they’ve embarked on a new adventure in the Appalachian hills of Ohio – THE QUINN QUARTET.

Immersed in the D/s lifestyle themselves, they write realistic albeit romantic stories. When not dominated by their cats or their Master (in that order – even if it earns them a spanking!), they love going to Club Indigo and other places to discover the stories that are waiting to be written.

When not texting, skyping, or writing together, the American half likes to spin yarn and make quilts, while the Dutch "partner in crime" prefers to go for a run while listening to heavy metal.

April 11th, 2019, will be a date they will always remember. Not only was it the day their debut Trapped (Club Indigo 1) was released, it also was the day that the two halves of Karen Nappa met in person.

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Review

Delving Deep is a typical Karen Nappa, but it’s still different from Club Indigo. Family dynamics are different from club dynamics and where the characters at Club Indigo (obviously) know about each other’s BDSM preferences in the Quinn Quartet there’s more secrecy.

Ross and Delilah are both mature and normal people - no billionaire or aliens, no angsty teenagers.

The BDSM parts are tasteful and respectful to the lifestyle.

These books aren’t erotica, although steamy, but there’s an actual storyline and character development. Both Ross and Delilah grow and evolve and I loved their story.