Overcoming Abigail by Elliot Mabeuse

Overcoming Abigail

Elliot Mabeuse

Historical Romance/Erotica (BDSM, ménage, F/F)

Published in 2005

H/h - Dr. Lucien Trier/Abigail Du Pre

Setting: New Orleans, 1897.

Read in Sept, 2011.

My rating:

                                                                   [spoiler alert]

If there was a review anywhere telling me what’s inside this book, I wouldn’t have touched it with 100ft pole for sure. I knew there would be heavy BDSM, and though not a fan, I thought I can handle it. But, OMFG, I got wayyyyy more than I bargained for and now I need something to forget this book.

If you read the blurb you’ll know that it’s about a beautiful, virgin girl, Abigail. Her father ‘gave’ her to this Doctor in exchange for his extreme gambling debts. The Doctor, Lucien, is very wealthy and has kinky tastes when it comes to sex. The story is set in the late 19th century New Orleans, which is why I was also interested since I love HR erotica. Back to the story; it’s tough to find well-bred ladies with such taste so the Doctor had to do his ‘actions’ with whores which he didn’t like. He needed his ‘own’ whore. He wasn’t even sure he’d accept Abigail’s father’s plans (the man knew ‘why’ the Doctor wants his daughter, the scumbag!); until he saw Abigail and thought she’s perfect for his taste. Huh? So, there wasn’t much plot after that. Sex, sex, more sex (at least 2 in every chapter) throughout the book; all sorts of BDSM thing going on, some are downright uncomfortable. But, oh, the Doctor said ILU to Abigail after their 3rd sex scene and she was already enamored of him, in love possibly. Ermm? A virgin who knew nothing about sex, almost, wasn’t at all creeped out by his choices and just loved him? I would never believe it! Then the dialogue and the whole situation (the props and the dresses) didn’t at all sound/feel anything like the 19th century; too modern, especially the dialogue. I muddled through the first half somehow; when they weren’t overusing the BDSM props, I actually liked those sex scenes; they are pretty intense. I thought I’ll do ok. But, the 2nd half? Simply, utterly horrible. Not only some stuffs, if I knew they were there I would never read this book but also some sex scenes between the Doctor and Abigail felt like ‘semi-rapes’ to me. Most of the time he was rough with her. She’s sore from too much ‘attentions’, yet she wants him *odd stare from me* He doesn’t really bother about it and gets on with it again. I didn’t care much for his pretty sorry afterwards. In one scene, he whipped her for something she denied to do and f*cked her so roughly... and she was enjoying that... Oh my, I had headaches after that! All over the book, things the man made her do and then his ‘reasons’ behind them... I was agape more than once in disbelief!

I was also interested in this book because I wanted to read an erotica written by a male author. The whole book, IMO, showed that it’s written by a man. There are things, about the heroine, were so contradictory; about herself, her current ‘relationship’ with the Doctor which she thinks are ‘shameful’ and ‘perversions’ yet she can’t help being aroused. He calls her ‘whore’ and ‘slut’; she’s ashamed yet loves it when he calls her those. In the end, she did everything the Doctor made her do, some even though she didn’t want to do it. Or did she? I mean what kinda crap was that?!

The Doctor (and all his ‘friends’) needs to check his brains I think. His excuses on ‘whatever he’s doing to her is all about finding herself’ was lame and so totally convenient for his purpose. I mean she was a virgin for crying out loud! Did she even have a choice to understand the kind of ‘transformation’ he planned for her? Not really! I didn’t really care for him, knowing what he wanted to do to her; it started from the first night actually, when her father so clumsily dumped her into the Doctor’s house. That man was never seen again. The Doctor took a little time to introduce her to the heavier stuffs though. He in fact packed his ‘props’, including Abigail (was she anything else?), for a visit to St. Louis and the story (and their ‘actions’) continued in the ship after that. Anyway, what I didn’t think he’d propose to her. He gave no indication that marriage was on his mind. But, afterwards? Holy crap! You don’t wanna know what he asked her to do and the reasons behind it, nor would you wanna know about Abigail’s own thoughts (which are now as twisted as the Doctor himself) about this whole situation. For one of those ‘things’ the Doctor actually drugged her with something special (was it opium?), so that she doesn’t change her mind when the time comes. Nothing new for him since he uses drugs himself to ‘keep’ going with his ‘actions’. Oh but when it finally happened, the Doctor was jealous! And when that mess ended? They go to observe a ‘drama’ being played in the Doctor’s friend’s cabin. It seems like the Doctor and all his friends are from the same lot!

At this point, the author jumps quite a bit and the couple (I mean the Doctor and Abigail) is married now. The Doctor was out on a trip when Abigail makes ‘acquaintance’ with a bunch of wild debauchees to spend the lonely time. I’m not even gonna go into details but I ended up pitying the Doctor, really, because he finally kinda understood what he’d ‘created’ in his leisure time, after the party (more specifically ‘the orgy’) Abigail threw for his homecoming. In the end, he tells Abigail that they don’t need the rules and arrangements like this to love each-other. Oh joy! Good luck with that!

I could’ve gone into more details about some stuffs but I’d rather not because I’d inevitably end up ranting more. Then again, I’m not really up for it, the whole book made me tired. So, I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone, unless you’re totally comfortable with the kinky stuff I’ve mentioned in the ‘warning’ section. I wish someone, in their reviews, would mention those before I read it.

Now you know that I like to torture myself, since this book should’ve gone into my DNF after the 1st half. 2.5 stars; rated it even before I finished the book. *snorts*

PS: I think this book should’ve been titled ‘Overusing Abigail’! :p

*Update*

I've actually re-decided on the rating and notched it up a bit, just because of the 1st half sex scenes. Don’t ask me the whys and hows but erotica-wise, they were smokin’ hot no doubt. Maybe I’m just getting used to with Mr. Mabeuse’s writing, that’s all (yah, I don’t get the absurd urge to laugh reading about a man’s ‘tool’ anymore). lolz


Warning: Not for the people who aren’t comfortable with heavy BDSM, ‘backdoor lovin’, voyeurism, H/h sleeping with other people with the other’s consent, ménages and F/F actions.