Review: Personal Geography + Intimate Geography by Tamsen Parker

Personal Geography
Intimate Geography
Author: Tamsen Parker
Reviewer: VampBard
Rating: B+

What I’m Talking About:

Okay, ladies & gentlemen. These are some seriously smokin’ hot books. However, if you *just* pick up book 1, you’re going to kick yourself, or need to one-click as soon as you finish the first title. I read ‘em back-to-back, and I’m not ashamed to say I devoured them.

The Compass series, of which Personal Geography & Intimate Geography are the first two titles, is purported to tell all of Cris & India’s story. This is super important to me, because as I reached the end, it *felt* like the end of their story. I wouldn’t mind seeing them in other titles, just to catch-up, but I’m glad we got to HEA territory.

So, India is this powerhouse business chick that is identified as an ice queen in her business circles. She’s calm, cool, and collected in everything business. However, she needs a break from all the control she exerts in her every-day life. She’s a submissive. But, with her background—involving (at least) emotional abuse, she uses her bestie, Reyes, to broker her intimate encounters. With contracts in place, she takes off for long weekends to reset herself…as often as possible. These resets are purely physical, with no emotional commitment whatsoever.

And her weekend in Hawaii with Cris (no ‘h’) was to be no exception. Until it wasn’t. Little by little, Cris nudged his way under/over/through India’s defenses. After some seriously hot BDSM, with a majorly attentive Dom that just keeps getting better and better over time, India is forced to choose between her career and the man she knows she loves, but is afraid to tell about her feelings.

If we look at these powerful characters, Crispin is definitely the most stable of the two. He seems to have had wonderful role models, and had some decent relationships in his past. I fell for Cris during aftercare. It’s a weakness I have. The fact that he lives in Hawaii and that he surfs doesn’t hurt a bit, either. Heh Heh Heh. Initially, I thought this was going to be one of those billionaire stories, but it’s not. One of the things that I couldn’t wrap my head around was how Cris had all his money—how he could afford to fly in India as many times as he did. Airfare to Hawaii isn’t cheap. I’ve checked in the past. There were a couple little things about Cris’s whole situation that bothered me, but not enough to pry the title out of my hot little hands.

Reyes, the man that has been keeping India together since her college days, plays a prominent figure in India’s life. He’s always been there for her. He’s like an emotional Dom, soothing India when she’s on a ledge. Without family in her life, Rey has been India’s sole support. He brokers her contracts with Doms after researching them thoroughly. He’s the one she’s called for any form of emotional support for the longest time. And, Rey is a hard habit to break. What’s cool about this dude is he knows what’s best for India, whether she does or not. I think Rey is the anchor, or stability point, for several people…and I think that future titles will be based on other ‘lost’ people that Rey provides stability for.

Part of what drew me into the first two titles of The Compass series was India. I really identified with her from the first bit of narration. She’s powerful in business and a huge success. Because she controls everything in business, she needs a way to release some tension, and to have someone take care of her for a change. That’s the draw of a D/s relationship for someone like India. It’s a moment that she doesn’t need to control everything. Someone else is in-charge, and plans everything. However, the contract protects her from everything. There’s no reason or way she can become emotionally entangled. She thinks that she doesn’t want to become involved with someone. Cris changes things. She battles with herself, and tries to convince herself that she shouldn’t want to become involved with Cris. Sure that she doesn’t deserve to be loved, India battles her inner demons before finally resigning herself to the fact that she loves Crispin.

India goes through a lot of inner soul-searching through the second half of the first book, as well as the second book. All the things, India works her way through them. I think I connect with her the most during these soul-searching moments. Where she makes inner revelations that change her life and her outlook on life—as well as her perspective on her relationship with Cris. Whether it’s business or personal, India really has things under control. Even if she doesn’t realize it, by the end of the second title.

I really enjoyed getting to know India and Cris, as well as Reyes. I’m pretty excited to read subsequent titles in The Compass series. Ms. Parker has done a fabulous job weaving stories and creating in-depth characters her readers can love.

My Rating: B+ Liked It A Lot

About the Books:

Personal Geography: Powerhouse consultant India Burke is notorious for her razor-sharp mind, her incisive tongue, and for always being in control. But during her “lost weekends”–out-of-town, one-and-done, anonymous rendezvous solely for the purpose of kinky sex–she craves a submissive role. 

Cris Ardmore, India’s latest tryst, is a Dominant who calls an isolated Hawaiian paradise home. India’s expecting forty-eight hours of contractually defined sex, but instead of serving as just another BDSM Band-Aid, Cris wants to know the real India Burke. Despite her aversion to anything approaching intimacy, India is hooked by their incredible sexual chemistry. 

Intimate Geography: With tension ratcheting up in her professional life, India needs the release Cris offers more than ever, but her repeated visits come with their own risks. No matter how strong their attraction, India is determined to maintain her boundaries in order to keep her life whole after her first love blew it apart. She must choose between taking a chance and handing Cris the road map to her heart or locking down her borders before he does any more damage.

Fiercely protective of her heart, India Burke let down her defenses when Cris Ardmore went from another notch on her D/s playdate belt to everything she could never admit she wanted. 

But being disowned by your family and betrayed by your lover aren’t easy to get over, and India’s old fears of intimacy creep in against a backdrop of professional drama that forces her return to a place that never really felt like home. 

Though she proved her loyalty when it mattered most, love is about more than grand gestures and Cris wants all of her—which may be more than India is able to give. Can Cris and India navigate to a shared future or will they forever be off course?

Release Dates: Book 1 – December 1, 2014
Book 2 – March 2, 2015
Publisher: self-published
Series: The Compass Series #1 & 2
ISBN: B00PM6T3FA & B00RM9QJNO
Genre: Contemporary Erotic Romance
Format(s): paperback, e-book
Book Source: Author

Purchase Info:
Personal Geography (The Compass Series #1)
Intimate Geography (The Compass Series #2)