REVIEW: Praise by Sara Cate

In Praise by Sara Cate, Charlotte “Charlie” Underwood honestly never imagined that she would end up falling head over heels for her ex-boyfriend’s father, but here we are. After she and Beau broke up, she was ready to swear off men altogether. Then she sort of accidentally met his father Emerson, a man almost twenty years her senior. He offered her a job as his secretary–a job Charlie very much needed–and things somehow slowly morphed from a working relationship with lots of unspoken attraction between them to something…more. And that more includes her eyes being opened up to a whole new world. One where Charlie can finally be free to be herself, feel stronger for it, all while pleasing the man she adores: Emerson.

‘When did I stop looking at him as too old? Too off-limits. Too…Beau’s dad? Because now I only see him as mine.’

Emerson is proud of opening up the Salacious Players’ Club with a few of his friends. It’s a place where they can indulge in their proclivities safely and discreetly. Unfortunately, not everyone is happy with the club–including his own son, Beau, with it causing a bit of a rift between them. So, when Charlotte finds her way to Emerson’s office, he’s wary of hiring her. The connection to Beau could cause problems. But he does need a secretary. And there’s something about Charlotte that makes him need to be near her as often as possible. The fact that she’s open minded about the club is a plus. Especially when it becomes clear that she fits in nicely with Emerson’s own desires and needs–not to mention his growing feelings for her.

“Baby, every second I’m around you, I’m thinking of all the dirty things I want to do to you, and you can rest assured I’m going to live out each and every one of those fantasies. Do you think you can handle that?”

Talk about intense chemistry and a no-win situation! Praise was an age gap, ex-boyfriend’s father, boss-employee erotic romance that scorched the pages while managing to include a huge amount of heart and tender emotions.

‘She’s too perfect to ignore and too forbidden to be mine.’

Praise was a prime example of erotic romance done well. Sure, there were plenty of sexy moments between Charlie and Emerson, including some at the sex club he co-owned, the Salacious Players’ Club. Dominance and submission as well as other types of BDSM and kink were discussed in detail. But through it all, author Sara Cate wove in true respect, genuine attraction, and an abundance of love and inclusion. And *that* is what grabbed my attention.

I’ll admit I’ve not read a lot of erotica with “praise” kink in it before. Or at least not in such depth. But it was perfect for Emerson and Charlie’s relationship–after their surprising meet cute (actually, meet sexy) that is. I thought the age gap would bother me where Emerson was about nineteen years older than Charlie but as they interacted and their personalities matched up, I didn’t even think about that. It was a tad weird/awkward at times about Charlie’s ex-boyfriend, Beau, being Emerson’s son. (There was no overlap or cheating) But honestly, Charlie was leaps and bounds above Beau when it came to maturity, so it seemed natural for her to fit in better with Emerson.

The diversity and inclusion of everyone not only at the Salacious Players’ Club but in Charlie and Emerson’s lives warmed my heart. The whole idea behind the creation of the club was so everyone would have a safe place to *truly* be themselves, no matter their gender or preferences. Women were equally as powerful as men there. And I thought that was another way Charlie began to empower herself, after already standing up for a family member who was being mistreated and then by ending her relationship with Beau after his gaslighting and putdowns.

Charlie also began to explore her own sexuality in a safe way, realizing what she responded to and what she liked. Emerson helped her on that path without pushing her. Instead, he was there for her every step of the way, even though it was intense and scared them both a bit with how big their feelings became in a short amount of time–although it took a while for them to give in.

QOTD: Are you a fan of the slow-burn story or do you like a romance that happens fast?

Book Info:

Publication: Published: February 14, 2023 | Sourcebooks Casablanca | Salacious Players’ Club #1

She’s a good girl, but she’s falling for the wrong man. Broken down by her emotionally neglectful ex, all Charlie Underwood wants is someone to tell her she’s good enough. Then she stumbles into a new job with a boss who brings her to her knees―literally. As an owner of the Salacious Players’ Club, Emerson Grant knows exactly what he wants and isn’t shy about his particular tastes. But when he mistakes Charlie for a candidate to be his new submissive instead of his son’s ex-girlfriend, he immediately tries to correct the situation. He offers Charlie a job as his secretary and nothing more… Yet now that Charlie has seen a glimpse of what can happen when she’s honest about what she wants, she makes it clear that all she wants is Emerson. He might be twice her age and her ex-boyfriend’s dad, but he’s also the only man who can give her everything she desires. How far will she go to hear his approval?