Perfectly Paired (Topped #3)

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was great to see a deeper look at the Som Dom. Tiff is perfect for him. I dont think anyone else could have pulled that thorn out of his paw. And what a grumpy lion he was! Understandable, but I still wanted to shove a ginger root up his behind a couple times. Men are so stubborn!

If there is one thing that kept this from getting that fifth star, it was the predictability of the plot. Fortunately, the great characters made up for the cookie cutter plot line. I called each point in the exact order it all happened by the end of chapter 3. It didnt take anything away from the story for me. I just couldnt justify 5 stars on a book so predictable. I did like it enough to read again sometime and definitely recommend it to fans of the series. Im still totally hooked in this universe. Thanks, Lexi for another wonderful installment.

PERFECTLY PAIRED Topped Book 3
Lexi Blake
Sebastian is Sommelier at Top. McKay-Taggart needs to train a wealthy young tech exec for membership at Sanctum so they want a D/s couple. Tiffany is an artist who waitresses at Top so she sees Sebastian with the customers, advising them on wine, and she wants HIM. This is chick lit, so our two wannabe lovers must pose as a D/s couple. She knows he lost both legs in the military and doesn’t care. She is late on their first day, so the spanking is disciplinary, not erotic. She sees herself as Androcles… Her thorny Dom is the lion. We learn a LOT about wines.

-Spinoff of M&M series holds its own. The Sanctum/Top series is an offshoot of the Masters & Mercenaries series by Ms. Blake and this is a particularly solid entry to it. I thought Sebastian and Tiffany had their own special challenges that gave a bit of a freshness to the tale and yet was still firmly rooted in the M&M verse.

-Sebastian and Tiffany are a great Beauty and the Beast type love story. Sebastian lost both his legs while serving in the military and he lost his family when he returned because of circumstances beyond his control. So hes dealing with alot of emotional baggage, but hes worked his way to Top(restaurant owned by the Taggart brothers from M&M)s master sommelier, as well as Master at Sanctum. Tiffany is part of the Top crew and she has loved Sebastian from afar, but shes done with that. When presented with a chance to be paired up with Sebastian as a D/s couple to train another new couple to BDSM, Tiffany is bound and determined (heh) to get her man. Yep, thats when romance happens.

-Sebastians physical challenges are not ignored or glossed over. Sebastian certainly has the Dom personality, but add to that his emotional Chinese Wall, and refusal to ask for help, and his character arc is strong. Ms. Blake delves into the physical challenges that he faces and integrates it seamlessly into this romance, which I appreciated. Subplots twist and change, but ultimately give a bit of external tension to this tortured love story and really helped to solidify Sebastians emotional growth.

-BDSM is there, mostly D/s. Theres enough BDSM (Ms. Blakes tend to stay in the safe, sane and consensual end of the spectrum) and there are enough love scenes to keep this longtime reader happy.

-Great cameos from the M&M crew. The cherry on top is seeing long time favorites pop in to make their presence known. God I love Ian Taggart. *sigh* ok back on track. These cameos are always a treat and they enhanced my overall enjoyment of this tale.

The Bottom Line 4 stars
I really enjoyed this entry in the series and if youre a Masters & Mercenaries fan, you should absolutely check it out. If not, what are you waiting for? Defintely recommend this series and its spinoffs to those who like a touch of BDSM and suspense with their contemporary romances.

**ARC provided by author via inkslinger PR for review**

Perfectly Paired will amaze you with its attention to detail. The story of a Don who feels he is less than a man due to the loss of his legs from his service to his country and a scatterbrained artist who floats through life. This is the story of Sebastian and Tiffany and how they find their HEA by allowing each other to need the imperfection of the other.

As always with a Lexi Blake book be prepared for an amazing story of dominance and submission that will entice and enthrall you. This is one you will not put down and will read in one sitting. I loved the interplay between Sebastian and Tiffany as they worked together to get what they needed out of each other. As always the submissive holds all the power.

This is one of the best books I have read about the aftercare and needs of an amputee. You do not feel pity for Sebastian but you do understand that all Tiffany wants to do is care for her man. Once Sebastian admits that she is the woman for him the story is one of the most romantic I have read because we get a glimpse into his fear of her leaving him and what it would do to him. The part of the story told from his perspective really got to me and was made sweet by his surrender. You will enjoy this book immensely. There are many familiar characters from Blake’s other books to make this an emotionally satisfying book.

Perfectly Paired took me some time to get into. It was a little slower and Sebastian’s stiff and serious personality rubbed me the wrong way. That being said, made his description, personality, and seriousness as a Dom, very consistent. I gradually warmed up to him as I learned more about him, his struggles, and his pleasures. Tiffany’ s bubbly and free spirit helped to give their interaction and story line a balance for me.
I’m always in favor of a damsel in distress needing to be saved and Lexi Blake delivered that nicely. I’m sorry to say this book wasn’t one of my favorites written by Lexi, but that is definitely not a reason to pass up Lexi Blake’s book. If you have been reading the “Masters and Mercenaries” books; then you know the family and friends involved, and you definitely won’t want to miss out on Tiffany and Sebastian’s story. Plus, the sex is off the charts hot, the banter between them and the family of characters, and the ins and outs of their every day lives can not be ignored. It’s a “Masters and Mercenaries” book! You have to read it!

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