Title: Buttons & Shame
Author:  Penelope Sky
Publisher/Year:  Createspace Publishing 7/17/17
Length:  192 pages
Series:  Buttons #4

Overview

Tristan is one of my biggest clients. He always pays on time, and he always keeps his word.

But this time, he’s short on cash.

He needs the shipment now, so he offers me collateral.

He loans me his slave.

Adelina.

Now that Pearl and I are so close, I can’t condone this type of exchange. It’s wrong.

Inhumane.

But she wants me. I can tell.

And I definitely want her.

My Thoughts

You knew that there would have to be an interesting continuation to this story knowing how evolved Cane has become since Pearl came into their lives. He’s a much more ‘humane’ person for lack of a better word, and while he’s driven by power, money and sex, he’s opened his eyes to a new perspective on things.

What the summary doesn’t do justice with is the nature of how Cane crossed paths with Adelina in the first place. He saw her at the airport going to France, even before he met her at Tristan’s house, and there was an attraction, yet he knew something was wrong. It was fate of course that puts them together again, and when he tries to do the right thing by staying away, especially knowing what Pearl went through, his hands are tied and he’s forced to step in any way that he can.

Adelina was unfortunately in the wrong place at the wrong time with her friend and was quickly picked up and trafficked while on a trip with her friend. Her life is basically over, and she would sacrifice herself, but Tristan holds the fact that her friend is still in his possession and Adelina would do anything for her.

Cane makes a trade for Tristan’s slave, and gives Adelina a chance to have a slightly better life as a slave for him for 31 days. We all know that Cane is the kind of guy who will do what he can now to protect her, and keep her from going back to Tristan, yet there’s really no hope since he needs his money from Tristan, Adelina won’t run away because of her friend, and Crow can’t even help.

We know from the first three books that Pearl, Crow’s wife is on a mission to find a way to protect and free all women from human trafficking and this is just up her alley – to find a way to free Adelina. She can’t seem to get the response that she’s hoping for from Crow and Cane, so she takes matters into her own hands which causes problems of epic proportions. She goes to Tristan to make a deal, and he’s on the same level as Bones, so you can only imagine the rage that Crow will feel when he learns of all this. That’s where we are left off, rage, the fact that a slave still isn’t free, and a lot of hopelessness.

There’s something more innocent about this story – sweet, romantic and tender. While the other stories that i’ve read from Pene Sky have all had intense hot passion and heat, this one has more of a simmer and a slow burn. We know that Cane has carnal needs, and that he’s used to getting what he wants, however he has compassion for Adelina and won’t push her to do what she doesn’t want. Instead, he takes on the quest of making her want what he wants. It’s really a nice spin on things since it’s so very different from all the other books so far.

I”m curious to see how this plays out since everyone’s angry, afraid, uncertain, but you know that there has to be something to come out of it for someone. Biggest question is who will gain from this….i’m going to read on to find out. Enjoy!