THE SILVER CHAIN by Primula Bond

THE SILVER CHAIN by Primula Bond
(U.S. link: http://amzn.com/B00BE8WVP4)
(U.K. link: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00BE8WVP4)
Advanced Reading Copy
To Be Published: July 4th 2013, Mischief

When Serena meets Gustav on one of her first nights in London, as she is roaming the Halloween streets with her camera, she is immediately intrigued by the mysterious man. She lets him take her out for a drink, but shortly after they sit down, she is called away and forgets her camera.
Gustav scrolls through the photographs on Serena's camera and is taken by the quality of the images. The next day he manages to contact her to meet him at his office to retrieve her equipment. When Serena arrives, she is surprised to find that Gustav owns a large gallery and is currently displaying some erotic photography. Gustav confesses he has seen the images on her camera, including some erotic photographs she herself has taken, and suggests an arrangement to her. He is sufficiently impressed with her work, to offer her a show in his gallery. In exchange she will 'bind' herself to him, until the last of her images is sold.


Serena comes from a traumatic background and has never felt wanted, so to be 'wanted' feels new to her, she is also very attracted to Gustav and she accepts even though she is not quite sure what to expect or what is expected of her. Serena is like an open book, there is no subterfuge, no double meaning, she is clarity.

Gustav is a dark and disillusioned man, who sees in Serena a bit of hope, light, a possibility. He can not trust, he has been severed from family through emotional game-playing, so he is very guarded. But he is also yearning for something real and pure.

The book is very beautifully written. Very descriptive and even intense at times, but not an easy read.

I found the erotica to  be sensual, but without passion or heat. I also had trouble feeling chemistry between the characters, perhaps, because in my view, Serena's character was too mature for 20, despite her traumatic  background. I am intrigued by the secondary characters in the book, by the roles they might have played in history, or have yet to play in the future.

I am giving the book 3 stars on Goodreads, because it is truly beautifully written and because I do like the storyline and I am curious to see where this leads......