Degrees of Restraint

By Mandi Strickland

He was never supposed to want her.

She was never supposed to want control.

When ambition places her under the direct influence of Adrian Vale, a man known for precision, authority, and an unwavering grip on his world, attraction becomes a liability neither of them can afford. What begins as professional tension soon ignites into something far more dangerous. A connection shaped by restraint, unspoken power, and rules neither of them knows how to follow.

Behind closed doors, desire demands definition. Boundaries are negotiated. Consent is tested. Control becomes both intoxicating and terrifying as they attempt to build something that exists only if both are willing to hold their ground.

But when corporate scrutiny threatens to expose what was never meant to exist, the balance shifts. What once felt thrilling now carries real consequences. Careers, reputations, and self identity hang in the balance.

Just as they believe they have found a way forward, the truth fractures everything.

One choice. One fight. One door closed for good.

Book One is a slow burn, psychologically charged romance that explores power, agency, and the cost of wanting more without losing yourself. Ending on a gut punching cliffhanger, it dares readers to ask the question that changes everything.

What happens when desire demands surrender, and she refuses to give it?

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0GHVRCRJP
• ISBN13: 9798244554748
• Release Date: January 2026
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 108 Pages
• Weight: 0.34 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 6.0" x 9.0"