Praise: An Ex-boyfriend's Dad Romance (Salacious Players' Club, 1)

New review - June 2025 Audiobook My original review still holds true, just going to add a little bit for the audiobook since I just took the leap to listen (to get ready for next gen releasing after the summer!) and I was super happy about it. I would give narration 4-4.5 stars but overall the story is still a 5 stars. I think Charlie/Charlotte was perfect, her performances were spot on and I could imagine her in my head, felt her personality come through the speakers. I wasn't as much of a fan of Emerson's narrator though (still good but not a 5/5 for me). Now I think if I had listened to this story first he would have been amazing but after reading I had a thought about how Emerson would speak/his ton/his register and it was a lower and more sultry sounding in my head if that makes sense haha and this narrator didn't fit into the mold. Again more of a personal preference, nothing against the author or narrator. I will say I thought this emotions were spot on and I could feel the tension and turmoil he dealt with in regard to Charlie and Beau. Still an amazing job and I am already planning to listen to the rest leading up to the 2nd gen release. *~*~*~*~* Original hardback review *~*~*~*~* I haven’t read a physical book in awhile and once I started Praise (I bought a special edition set which is gorgeous!) I could not put it down. I am not a fast reader, but I real the hardback in less than a full day. I am obsessed but I am using them as my reward system haha. So once I get enough things on my to-do list done I can open up the next book, because I know if I start reading it, I will be lost in this amazing world for a day or two and will not want to get up from my couch for anything haha. I loved the dynamics and how things went down in this story, and on top of everything the SPC is amazeballs. I have read a MM series about a similar type of club and I loved seeing the different kinks and how they contribute to the club and this again similar vein but amped up even further. I think I was instantly a fan of Charlotte/Charlie and her family (except her dad!) and her thought process and how she handled things. I would love to have her bravery one day ❤️ I really really loved Emerson, he tried his best but could not hold out on the awesomeness that was Charlotte haha. The way he had to have parts of her, glimpses, tastes, etc. was so addictive. I couldnt wait to see what happened next. You knew the plot, you knew there were be a blow-up because of who Emerson is to Charlotte, but that didnt detract from the great writing and storytelling this author did. I was excited to figure out who would be in which of the SPC books, and was happy to see a lot of familiar faces. I loved getting peaks at their kinks/dynamics and am super excited to jump into their stories. I know a lot of others will agree, I had no clue I had a praise kink until this book. I always hated when I was a kid/younger hearing good girl but adults, it made me feel like they were talking down to me, seeing me as less than. But with this writing, my eyes were opened. Now don’t get me wrong, I have read a lot of kinky MM books and RH, but for some reason, it took til the way this author did it for me to realize I loved it in MF books and would love it in real life. So much steam between these two, but the growing love was beautiful to watch. To see Charlie come into her own, realize what she wanted, and fight for it. Emerson needed to get his priorities straight, and when he really needed to step up and help our Charlie and her family, he didnt hesitate. I am glad Beau got out of the way, he was horrible until the very end. I cannot wait to see his growth once I get to his book haha. I am really looking forward to more scenes at the SPC and how this author gives us glimpses into these seduction, sensual, but overall connective and intricate kinks and relationships. There is a lot of give and take, and even if there is a D/S relationship, both are in charge so to speak. I cannot wait to jump into Eyes on Me next. I can already feel the heat for that one. I have a feeling that will have a lot of laughs and tension. Praise was definitely like a warm hug, so much ooey-gooey goodness ❤️ Easily 5/5, will recommend to all my friends who want a good kinky starter and its not just smut, there is amazing relationship building and character development along with the steamy and swoon worthy moments!

It’s a nice mix of storyline and spice. All though this book could be read as a stand alone, I’d definitely continue on. This series is worth the read, it doesn’t disappoint.

⭐4.5/5 Emerson Grant might be the only man I’d ever willingly say “yes, sir” to without hesitation. This audiobook, narrated in dual by Jack Calihan and Vivienne LaRue, was pure perfection. Their performances elevated the story in every possible way. I’ll admit, I went in a little hesitant because of all the hype, but the joke was on me. I couldn’t stop listening. The narrators brought out every layer of vulnerability, heat, and intensity, delivering a performance that was both deeply emotional and undeniably steamy. The way they balanced passion with tenderness made every moment feel immersive and real. Yes, Emerson is Charlotte’s ex-boyfriend’s dad. Yes, there’s a 19-year age gap. And no, I didn’t care one bit. Charlotte is 21, everything is fully consensual, and after everything she endured with her cheating ex and her terrible father, she deserved something that was entirely hers. Their connection felt bold, forbidden, and completely addictive. This story dives into themes of self-discovery and desire, set against a backdrop where characters feel safe exploring their boundaries, including a dom/sub dynamic and plenty of praise. It’s steamy, daring, and surprisingly heartfelt. Beautifully written and incredibly narrated, this audiobook exceeded all my expectations. I’d recommend it without hesitation! 📌Check TW

I used to read those bodice ripper books with Fabio on the cover back when I was in my late teens/early 20's. When 50 Shades came out, I jumped on the band wagon and "read" it (I put it in quotes because I mostly rolled my eyes, then skimmed it to a DNF). I hadn't read anything that was pure romance/smut since, but I'm part of some Facebook groups that are all about it so I decided to dip a toe and try Praise as my intro back. This made me realize why I don't like pure romance/smutty books. Don't get me wrong, open door smeggsy time in books is fine with me! Just not... this. The book wasn't that bad. It was well written and I did devour it in two, maybe three days because I wanted to see how it played out. I was hoping for more of the D/s relationship, more praise, more... just more and was disappointed in the lack of that. That was just a few things that bugged me and I don't think I'll move on with the series. And this is where: **𝑻𝑯𝑬𝑹𝑬 𝑴𝑰𝑮𝑯𝑻 𝑩𝑬 𝑺𝑷𝑶𝑰𝑳𝑬𝑹𝑺. 𝑺𝑲𝑰𝑷 𝑻𝑯𝑰𝑺 𝑷𝑨𝑹𝑻 𝑰𝑭 𝒀𝑶𝑼 𝑫𝑶𝑵'𝑻 𝑾𝑨𝑵𝑻 𝑻𝑶 𝑩𝑬 𝑺𝑷𝑶𝑰𝑳𝑬𝑫** Charlotte/AKA Charlie: I get that she has issues with her self-esteem. Her father left a year ago, her ex-boyfriend made her feel like she was worthless. As someone who has a narcissist for a mother and had very low self esteem, I get it. It was just so over-the-top for me. "Emmerson didn't say I look pretty. Does he hate me? Do I look a mess? I know I look a mess. OMG! WHY DIDN'T HE SAY I LOOK PRETTY!?" And when she was praised, her reaction to that was also over-the-top. "Oh! I'm all hot and bothered because I was called a Good Girl!" Ugh. And the way she met Emmerson... really? You're just going to... kneel on the floor because you "misunderstood" and then... THEN you're thinking "Well if he asks me to do {something naughty} I will because I need the 1k from the deposit. OH! And while I'm at it, let me blackmail him a little bit. You know, for $200 more, which ended up being 5k. And then... ok, I get being curious about certain lifestyles but to just go out, do a bunch of research (after you've been working for the dude, which, on her very first day she wears something sexy and proactive) and then bring it all up and that starts the D/s relationship? Nah. Beau: Charlottes ex boyfriend and Emmerson's son. First few interactions with him, he's a complete jerk. You get the vibe that he just talks down to her and you hope you never see him again, but... you do. His relationship with Emmerson is strained due to his club and lifestyle but then... it all changes so rapidly that I had whiplash. Not only that, but suddenly he's all apologetic to Charlie with how he treated her--sheepish, even--and she's like "Oh, it's cool. Whatevs. We're good." It was so incredibly hard to believe that arc. Emmerson: Ok. I get it. He's the super hot forty-year-old millionaire. Only... most times he didn't feel like he was forty, rather he came off as being younger and immature. I also feel like the author was trying 𝑡𝑜𝑜 hard to have him come off as the possessive Dom. Like, he'd get angry if a man so much as 𝑙𝑜𝑜𝑘𝑒𝑑 at Charlotte. And then there's the scene in the club with the auction. He orders Charlotte to enter it because he knows she has low self esteem and wanted her to go up there and see how much people wanted her but... they didn't. He literally had one dude (who I'm guessing he convinced) bidding on her. That's it. There were no other bids coming in. Just this guy and Emmerson. Then Emmerson wins, and decides to "punish" her for being self conscious on the stage, but.. it wasn't really punishment, rather more of a lame attempt at some BDSM stuff which required "after care" in the shower at home which I didn't understand because there really was no reason for it. And another thing that I didn't get was the timeline. At the start, the club is being built and small details ironed out for the opening which Charlotte is invited to go with Emmerson and take notes on things that need to be done, but then towards the end in Emmerson's POV, it's mentioned that the whole reason Beau hates him is 𝑏𝑒𝑐𝑎𝑢𝑠𝑒 of the club and this has been going on since he was a kid? That confused me, and no where did it make mention of other clubs being open with this one being the new venture. Drake: I feel like he was just tossed in to make Emmerson mad and then force him to "punish" Charlette for talking to him. He really didn't need to be a part of the story. Garett: He was ok. Another character thrown in for really no reason, like Drake. Possibly it was done for the companion novels about them. Sophie: Ok. THIS one really threw me. She literally could have been left out and the book would have gone on without a hitch. What bothered me the most is at the start, Charlotte, in her thoughts, makes some mention about Sophie "coming out" to her. Ok, cool. She's gay. No big deal, and that's what I ran with. Until Emmerson is in Charlottes room and sees a picture of her and Sophie at Disney and Sophie was a boy. I'm sorry, what? I can't even say that came out of left field. It was more like outer space, and an attempt for the author to be "inclusive". I'm still not sure if Sophie had the "change" and is actually a girl, or if they're a boy dressing up in girls clothes, waiting to have surgery. It made absolutely no sense to me what so ever. The Dad (I can't remember his name, maybe Jimmy?): Ok, so he's been gone for a year or so, ever since Sophie "came out". He's only mentioned a handful of times but then he suddenly shows up at the house because a friend of his was at the club and saw Charlie being auctioned off? So Sophie calls Emmerson because she was "terrified" and he shows up with Beau (of course because they're back to normal now) and he goes ape on dad then confesses his undying love for Charlotte, where she melts and it's all happily ever after. Again, that was something that came from outer space in what I know was just an attempt to wrap everything up, have Charlotte and Emmerson make up so there could be an HEA. The book wasn't horrible. The writing was good and I feel like there was an actual story about a D/s relationship somewhere. It just never manifested. Like I said, I read it in a few days. It was mostly a "brain break" from going through the editing on my own novel and to dip my toes into the "taboo/k!nky" romance genre. After reading this, I discovered that it's not my genre. I don't mind the k!nk, though there could have been a heck of a lot more of it. I feel like Praise just barely scratched the surface of it. And the sexy time, yeah, the first time Emmerson and Charlotte get it on was pretty hot because the tension was built up enough to make it that way. The next time was pretty decent. The time after that and the time after that and the time... yeah, I ended up skimming a lot of the smex toward the end. And lets not forget the fact that Emmerson would have a raging h@rdon all. The. Time. Thinking about Charlotte? There it is! Seeing her across is desk? Boom! She walks by and touches his arm? Yep. Got another one. It was so unbelievable and a bit eye roll worthy. So was his constantly thinking about how beautiful, how perfect, how you name it, she was, but of course, she couldn't see it. One thing I will say, which I was very thankful for, was they didn't end up having a million babies and getting married at the end.

1. Trigger Warnings: 1/1 point Oh my. While not as dark as I usually like my books, it still comes with a heavy (and I mean HEAVY) dose of k!nk and taboo that more than made up for it. We’re talking power dynamics, explicit BDSM elements, age-gap romance, praise and degradation, and a whole lot of boundary-pushing spice. If that combination makes you squirm in a good way, welcome to the club. Full point. 2. Characters: 1/1 point Emerson Grant makes me WISH I had daddy issues (and I might actually develop some if my amazing father ever finds this review… sorry, Dad). He’s her ex’s dad, her rich boss, the owner of a sex club, and a Dom in search of a Sub. So yeah. I’m into it. Charlotte is fresh out of one of those soul-sucking, identity-destroying relationships (you know the type… sadly, we’ve all been there). She’s trying to rediscover who she is when Emerson storms in and basically hands her the keys to her own liberation (along with a few other… toys.) Can you tell I’m a fan? Full points for characters. 3. Plot: 1/1 Point In most of the books I read, the smut complements the plot. In some books, I’m skimming the plot to get to the smut. In some books, the smut overtakes the plot. But the rarest and most beautiful form of smut is the kind of book where the smut IS the plot. It doesn’t take away from the plot. It doesn’t make you wish there was more conflict or story. It is the story all on its own. Sara Cate absolutely nailed this and I am OBSESSED. Full point for plot. 4. Smut: 1/1 point Let’s not play. You already know. The tension, the longing, the “I want you so bad but I can’t have you” moments... absolutely delicious. The actual smut? So FREAKING HOT. K!nky. Explicit. Plentiful. Varied. Every scene left me squirming. I need a cold shower just thinking about this book. Do not attempt to read this book in public. You have been warned. Full points for smut. LIKE, HOLY SMOKES. 5. Fun-to-read: 1/1 point I had fun reading this book. Lots of fun. And Mr. Smut also enjoyed it. Immensely. Many times. He says this is his new favorite book and he hasn’t even read it. Full point for fun to read. Overall: thats a total of 5 stars and I'm giving it 5 chili peppers because the spice WAS the plot. SO HOT I NEED A SAM’S CLUB-SIZED PACK OF BATTERIES BEFORE BOOK 2. 💀 AND GUESS WHAT?!? I’m literally hoisting Sara Cate onto my TikTok LIVE (@dr.smut.miami) on August 29 2025 at 7PM EST to talk all things her dark, twisted, sexy genius and The Good Girl Effect, her upcoming release. Bring your wine, your questions, and maybe… extra batteries.

Praise was such a fun read. It was incredibly spicy, but beneath all of that, I really enjoyed watching the relationship develop. The chemistry between the characters was undeniable, and I found myself invested in their journey from beginning to end. One thing I was hoping for, though, was a little more tension surrounding the age-gap relationship. Age-gap romances don’t bother me at all—in fact, I usually enjoy them—but because it was introduced as such a significant issue, I expected it to create more conflict before everything came together. It ended up feeling like less of an obstacle than I had anticipated, and I think a little more emotional build-up would have made the payoff even stronger. Overall, this was a steamy, engaging romance with characters I genuinely enjoyed getting to know. I’m looking forward to seeing where the series goes next, and I can’t wait to start Eyes on Me!

So addicting, couldn’t put it down. The storyline was good, very smutty. Cant wait to read more of this series and more from Sara Cate.

This book did not disappoint. It is full of laugh out loud moments and definitely full of fan yourself moments. Charlotte and Emerson are so good together. I loved the different rule titles to each chapter. Loved her sister Sophia. I can't wait to read everyone else's stories in this series. I even bought the Audible to this book because its sooooo good!

Geweldig boek de schrijfstijl is ook heel fijn in een keer uitgelezen🥰 zeker de moeite waard! Verschillende aspecten komen er aan bod en van allerlei enoties😂

I fell in love whit this book the first time i red, so i red it again and again. I think that topic in this are very peculiar but that Sara Cate were able to actually depict them very well.

Book has been delivered safely, very satisfied. No defects of any kind and no printing error.

This book was fantastic. One of the best I've read in a long time. Charlotte and Emerson are a match made in heaven. Chemistry off the charts. Seeing their relationship evolve through this book was beautiful. So well written that I fell in love with every character here. This is the first book I read from this author and can't wait to repeat.

Oh boy, the things this book had me feeling, this was a wild and spicy ride, the first time I gave a "ex's dad" book a chance and boy was it good. So first we have a girl who lacks some self love and has been in a relationship where her feelings had been completely ignored and for that she sees herself even less as worthy. But then she finally breaks up with her boyfriend and by picking up a deposit check... meets her exs dad From them on the story just gets into a nice rhythm as the characters get to know eachother as individuals and as the tension explodes, as lovers I enjoyed this book a lot and now I can't wait to read the rest of the books for this series