Title: Good Neighbours: Janine
Author: Irene Clearmont
Publication Date: May 6, 2024
Genres: Erotica, Thriller
Protagonist Gender: Female/Male
Janine, part 1 of Good Neighbours, is a stellar example of what Irene Clearmont does so very, very well. This is a plot-driven erotic thriller peopled by well-developed characters who actually change and develop throughout the story. There's some mystery to it, a great deal of suspense, and equal parts anticipation, arousal, and satisfaction.
The story centers around a small suburban community with some unusual ties between owners. There's talk of turning the whole area into a gated community, so you can imagine the quality of the homes and properties involved. An amazingly (one might say suspiciously) cheap rental property brings Olivia and Greg to the community, but unbeknownst to them, they're being manipulated from the very start. They have been chosen, and nothing that happens to them, no matter how wild or scandalous, is an accident.
Simply put, the neighbourhood has plans for them.
In a story that's built upon female domination and cuckolding, Miss Irene carefully establishes the relationship dynamic of the couple before beginning to drive a wedge between them. For Olivia, what follows is a breathless detour into a life of hedonism and debauchery that seems like freedom compared to her marriage, while Greg finds himself led astray from his narrow-minded beliefs, tempted and blackmailed into a nightmare of submission. Their neighbours, Janine and Dirk, have the couple's fates clearly planned out, and their maid, Molly, will prove to be instrumental in enabling the transformation.
I'm cautious about delving too deep into spoiler territory, but the relationship between the characters is beautifully layered, and likely not what you may expect. There's a hierarchy of domination and submission here, with characters straddling dual (almost contradictory) roles. Janine's household is an interesting one, and her talent for training and punishment is just as delicious as the erotic aspects of the story.
There was one small reveal towards the end of the story that I saw coming, but likely only because I desperately wanted it to be coming. There's also a nice twist in the final chapter that promises another layer of mystery in the next book (tentatively scheduled for mid-June). A fabulous read that demands you become deeply invested, and which will leave you desperate to find out how it all ends.
Rating: ♀ ♀ ♀ ♀ ♀
My sincere thanks to the author for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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