Maybe this pigeonholes me in some subtle way, but I have a confession to make. Before I read Thea’s Goal, I didn't know what a golem is. So I had to look it up. A golem is a mythological figure who is, like Adam, a creature made of mud. (Except Adam was given a soul.) The golem becomes a servant of its master. On its forehead is the word "emit" meaning truth. If you erase the "e," leaving the word "mit" which means death, it dies. It has certain properties, like the inability to talk, invisibility when it wants, and its life's work is to fulfill the wishes of its Master. It's not the sharpest pencil in the box, if you know what I mean, and it sometimes messes up. (If I could create one of these things to clean my house, I would.)

Our point of view character is Thea, a submissive archivist who has moved to Chicago for her new job. As we meet Thea, she is unwrapping an artifact --the golem--which was routed to her department by accident. She takes the figurine to give it to Nick in the "dating" department. Nick unwraps it as well and agrees to do some research on the figurine. Nick and Thea have a bit of repartee after which Thea realizes that even if she is attracted to him, he is not the Master she longs for. And she does quite a bit of active longing for her old Master who apparently simply tore up their D/s contract and moved on without any qualms. That's ok--Thea feels enough qualms for both of them.

When Thea returns to her new unpacked apartment, she realizes that someone has been cleaning it up. Someone she never sees. Someone who never leaves a trace of evidence of entry or egress. After her first date with Nick, the issues with this mystery trespasser escalate, including a sizzling fast paced scene that is as inexplicable as it is real. Then she takes her concerns to Nick who--while he is no Dom (at least not yet)--is measurably and confidently alpha, as well as significantly interested in Thea. And then it really gets interesting...

I've never been disappointed by a Bonnie Hamre book.

Nick is a low key hero with dominant tendencies which he hardly knows he has; and Thea is ripe for change and positive attention. The Golem brings a singular twist to an interesting fast-paced and somewhat unique story. I recommend Thea’s Goal.

Reviewed by Maîtresse
September 2006