Saffron is a freelance writer in need of work. When she is offered a job with Steele Publications, she figures she is killing two birds with one stone by landing a good-paying assignment plus living out her secret fantasy as a submissive.

Once her assignment begins, Saffron finds that it is not at all what she expected. She finds that she wants this to all be real. She wants to be her Master's true submissive, but she has a job to do that is turning out to be much more difficult and twisted than she imagined.

Melinda Barron has written a compelling story with realistic characters. I enjoyed Saffron's feistiness above everything else. I never knew what to expect from her, and the name her Master gave her was just perfect for her. He calls her enigma, because that is what she is to him and that is also what she was for me.

Transparent Illusions is written in the third person POV, from Saffron's perspective, and therefore, I never got an up-close and personal look at Francis, Saffron's Master. I always felt like I was right on the edge of discovering who he was and had a feeling that I was really going to enjoy getting to know him, but I seemed to be jerked back from him just before I got the information I needed. I did find him to be a fun character, but I would have liked to have known what makes him tick.

This book takes an unexpected twist towards the end. While it wasn't unpleasant, and there were clues that all was not as it seemed, I was still a little surprised at the abruptness of it. I found myself reading along, on the edge of my seat, waiting for Saffron's next antics, and then wham, I was hit with the twist. It felt a little rushed and out of place, and the story did seem to rush on a bit after that.

Despite the few things I mentioned above, I still very much enjoyed Transparent Illusions. Melinda Barron always captivates me with her writing voice. She certainly knows how to draw her readers in and build their anticipation to the max. I look forward to reading more from this author.

Reviewed by: Melissa C.