The Ritual

The Ritual by Shantel Tessier

Published in 2021

Main Couple: Blakely and Ryat

The Story: Ryat’s life has been devoted to The Lords, the secret society that starts at the college he’s attendingfe. His next assignment is to bring fellow student Blakely into his world. Will she stay an assignment or will their connection grow into something real?

The Sex: Holy forking shirtballs! This was the dark romance novel that made me go: Maybe? I have no idea why the secret society situation made me suspend SO much disbelief. This book dips so many toes into dubcon* that it’s basically swimming. At one point, Ryat gives Blakely a vial of liquid and she just takes it. The he comes to her room (where he’s already put cameras) and roughly finger fucks her. Does she say no? No. But is she really consenting to what he does? Also no. This weird dynamic is present throughout most of the book when it comes to their sexual relationship. The airplane ride and the butt plugs. IYKYK.

Having said that…I kind of loved the 24 top/bottom relationship. Ryat is very attentive in so many ways. He’s really sex positive for Blakely. She has what she calls “forced sex fantasies” and her ex made her feel terrible because of it. Ryat is totally game. He asks about limits, BUT doesn’t flinch when the only one she gives in anal. You have more limits than that. You do. You can’t assume you know if you don’t communicate about it. It’s mostly annoying how “right” he gets it with how little they talk about it. Still, reading how right he is was soooo fun.

Favorite Lines:

“I see freedom in knowing that I belong to him.” Chapter 14 Loved that she realized this type of relationship fulfills something for her.

“I’ve never been one to kink shame. We all like something different. It takes some of us a little more to get off. Some of us have better imaginations than others when it comes to fantasies.” Chapter 19 Don’t make me like you!!!! But actually, this is exactly how we should view other people and their kinks.

“He did something that Matt refused to do. Ryat just listened to me. He didn’t judge me. He asked what I wanted, and then he gave me exactly that.” Chapter 23 I liked seeing both sides of the kink conversation. The person sharing the kink and the other person not judging.

“No two people love the same way. And everyone has a different opinion on what love actually is.” Chapter 58 Preach!!!!!

Least Favorite Lines:

Any time he called her “little one.”

“She was wasted, and in a sense, I took advantage of her in more ways than one. I’m not even sorry.” Chapter 10 Yeah. This is the part of dub con that makes me ick.

“Her arms and wrists hurt? She should be a man. Sometimes you get so hard it’s excruciating. It can bring you to your knees if you’re not careful.” Chapter 13 Only a fucking child talks about blue balls like they’re worse than the shit he’s putting her through.

“Our flight was over four hours. It gave me the opportunity to change her plug out twice. I needed to get her ready for me. As bad as I wanted to just ram my cock into it, I do want her to enjoy it.” Chapter 33 You’ve drugged her!!! She’s unconscious and you’re putting in butt plugs of increasing size. WTF!!!

Final Thoughts:

Oh gosh. I’m going to admit it. I liked this book. Until the epilogue. That conversation really through me off. It made we worry for the health of their marriage. Look, this secret society of white douchebags is not a good time. But it gave context for everything that happened. It made it a more believable situation for our characters to be in. I still think they needed to talk through the sex more. They weren’t identifying as kinksters, so I almost forgive them for having zero negotiation. However, Ryat talks about how he’s looked up almost every kink and fetish so he should’ve known better. I know I’m complaining a lot, but as far as “dark romance” goes, there’s a light at the end of the tunnel here.

Spice Level: 4/5

Kinks Explored: bondage, breath control, D/s, primal play, forced sex fantasy, exhibition, and voyeurism

Voices Heard: so many white people in the middle of nowhere PA

Did I like it? …I…did

*Dubious consent