Review: Promise Me This by Christina Lee

Promise Me This (Between Breaths #4) by Christina Lee

A new love will test the boundaries of passion between a privileged boy next door and the tattooed, blue-haired girl who helps him embrace his wild side...
Nate has developed quite a playboy reputation around campus. It's not that he doesn't respect or trust women; he doesn't trust himself. The men in Nate’s family are prone to abusive behavior—a dirty secret that Nate’s been running from his entire life—so Nate doesn't do relationships. But he can’t help himself around one girl…
Jessie is strong, independent, and works at a tattoo parlor. Nate can’t resist getting close to her, even if it’s strictly a friendship. But it doesn't take long for Nate to admit that what he wants with Jessie is more than just friendly.
With Jessie, he can be himself and explore what he’s always felt was a terrifying darkness inside him. Even when Nate begins to crave her in a way that both shocks and horrifies him, Jessie still wants to know every part of him. Testing their boundaries together will take a trust that could render them inseparable… or tear them apart.

Publishes in US: October 7th 2014 by InterMix
Genre: NA contemp
Source: Netgalley
Series? Yes Between Breaths #4
Hold You Close (Between Breaths, #5) Expected publication: 2015

My Reviews of others:
Before You Break
All of You 
Whisper to Me 

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 WARNING: NEW ADULT. ABUSIVE TRIGGERS (parental) BDSM Type situations (handcuffs and "orders" during sex (all consensual). Read review at own discretion. 

    I wanted to read Promise Me This because I have loved the Between Breathes series. They are all friends so can be read separately, but I will admit I am a little fuzzy on a few of the characters but remember other pieces of stories. 

    I like that Nate is conscious of his past, and that those who are abused is more likely to be an abuser. But I think that at times he is being overly cautious. He has desires to be more wild in sex, but he restrains himself because of a negative encounter as well as his fear of losing control. It was a journey for him to realize the difference. He is more straight laced in day to day life, but has his reputation of being a player. He had his own limits such as no kissing, etc, and he doesn't do long term. 

    Jessie is more of the wild girl, blue haired and tattooed. She is fiesty and can hold her own. Nate likes this and they try to maintain a friendship where they are bantering back and forth and giving each other a hard time. One night when she admits to having been handcuffed and it stirs Nate's lust but again he is afraid. She calls him square and has heard rumors of his one night stand ways, but when she sees him pushing a girl against a sink, she thinks there is more there than she thought instead of money bags boy. 

    When they take a road trip for Jessie's photography project we get to see them open up to one another while they drove and then exploring some of their feelings and attractions for each other. Nate holds back so much, and Jessie realizes it, and helps him to realize that its ok to be rough and bed and do the role playing when both partners are consenting and it stays healthy--only in the right context. This one did push some of my buttons because I have been in an abusive relationship that actually started as a bdsm type arrangement. So I don't know if it was truly more explicit or if it came from a bit of my sensitives. 

   From the trip everything got pretty tense because of his fear, their mutual attraction and the back and forth. There were some pretty hot moments right along side some bravery, arguments, and trying to figure out how it will work for him. Nate really started standing up for himself and trying to be more open about what he went through. He also tries to get his mom to see the light and eventually had a stand off with both his dad and his brother Luke. 

    The ending was sweet and I am glad that things worked out in some ways. It was realistic though and nothing was easy about it and some of the secondary characters still were in a place that was not so bright. But Nate was able to realize the difference in his thinking and how it is okay and not to be with Jessie and how he thinks outside of the bedroom is what shows his beautiful and kind heart. 

Bottom Line: Steamy but also riddled with Nate having to come to terms with his passion and what he fears he could become.

My question to you, my lovely readers:
Any fantasies with handcuffs?