Terri Pray is an interesting new voice I keep running into across the genres of Fantasy, Dark Romance and BDSM Erotica. In all fairness, I should admit that I have edited Terri before, in a dark romance anthology called The Abyss, and what I learned from that experience is that she is remarkably responsive to suggestion. She doesn't just fix a misplaced comma by removing it; she views each tiny flaw as an opportunity, and therefore her work becomes significantly stronger with each editorial pass. I mention this because I do wish that I'd have gotten my hands on her manuscript before it went out, because there are a few little editorial weaknesses I could have pointed out to her that would have made this little story into a much stronger example of its kind.

A Small Lesson is a short story of Jack and Dani. The main dilemma is Danielle's as she ends her submissive relationship with Jack, who happens to be employed by her newspaper. Her problem is that she sees him daily at work, and the conflict she has is internal; she is fighting her submissive tendencies, and therefore this relationship.

This is written in a contemporary realistic style that does not delve deeply into character or situation, but focuses on establishing and displaying the unfolding scenario. It does not portray the characters as cartoon figures, but as individuals fighting through their own insecurities toward an uncertain goal. Significantly, it is about trust, which is appropriate because a key factor of the power exchange is both the mutual need and ability to trust and to be trusted. This is a good solid read and one which will burn high on the sensory-meter for romantic readers of BDSM fiction.

Reviewed By Maitresse

(c)2005