MoodReads - Romance Book Discovery
The Stacks
DiscoverMy ShelvesReading Stats
Sign upLog in
MoodReads - Romantasy Book Discovery

because goodreads doesn't
have a spice filter

Discover

  • Discover Page
  • Reading Stacks
  • Tropes
  • Moods
  • Creatures
  • Spicy Books

Get MoodReads

  • so what is it.
  • iOS App
  • Browser Extension
  • MoodReads Premium
  • Gift a Subscription
  • For Creators
  • Share MoodReads

Go Deeper

  • FAQ
  • Roadmap
  • Request a Feature
  • vs Goodreads
  • vs StoryGraph
  • Who Built This?

The Serious Stuff

  • Values
  • Privacy
  • Terms
  • Support

get emails when something big happens. no spam, just news.

© 2026 MoodReads. Built by a romantasy reader for romantasy readers.

rattle the stars, bitches.

Cover of Mercy (Salacious Players Club, #4)

Mercy (Salacious Players Club, #4)

by Sara Cate

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️explicit·Salacious Players Club #4·✓ Series Complete
4.0 on MoodReads (1 rating)4.1 on Goodreads (82,935)

Rate this book

sign in to add to shelves, track reading status, and see your stats

Available on Kindle Unlimited
find similar →
ReportSpoiler settings

Ending

reveal ending

Why Read This?The one-sentence sell. What do you get for showing up to this book, even when it's hard?

A genuinely empowering femdom romance where both characters discover themselves through kink—Maggie finding her dominant side and Beau embracing submission. The emotional depth matches the heat, and the age gap adds real tension.

Synopsis

I don’t want to hurt him—I just want to punish him. ⁠ ⁠ It’s bad enough being the only female owner of the Salacious Players’ Club, but I’m also the only one without a kink, or so I thought. ⁠ ⁠ Imagine my surprise when the kink quiz suggests that I’m not so vanilla after all. ⁠ ⁠ In fact, I’m a lot more like Emerson Grant than I thought.⁠ Just one problem—I have no idea how to be a Domme.⁠ ⁠ That is, until the app matches me with someone willing to help me learn. ⁠ ⁠ He’s too young for me.⁠ Too stubborn. Too good looking. ⁠ And, oh yeah, my friend’s son.⁠ ⁠ Beau Grant is a brat. I’d hate that about him if I didn’t love punishing him so much. ⁠ Underneath all of that attitude is a man who is misunderstood, selfless, and in need of direction.⁠ ⁠ But if he wants mercy, he has to earn it. ⁠ ⁠ There are a million reasons why I should stay away, but I’m tired of doing what everyone thinks I should do.⁠ ⁠ I finally know what I want, and I’m ready to take what’s mine.⁠

book details below may contain spoilers. some hidden

At a Glance

Femdom done right in contemporary romance—Sara Cate flips the typical BDSM dynamic with a female Domme and male sub, and it never feels gimmicky. The age gap (Maggie is 12 years older, and Beau is her friend's son) creates genuine stakes beyond the kink. Book 4 in the Salacious Players Club series but reads standalone. Explicit erotica—if BDSM and power exchange aren't your thing, this one's not for you.

trope onetrope twotrope threetrope four

Book Details

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

Goodreads RatingThe crowd's verdict. Take it with salt, though. Some masterpieces are polarizing.

4.06 ★ (82.9k)

Page CountHow long the commitment is.

384 pages

PublishedWhen this hit shelves. Helpful for tracking vibes by era.

2022

Primary GenreWhat type of book this is. Romance? Fantasy? A 400-page therapy session disguised as a thriller?

Erotica

PairingWho's falling in love? The gender makeup of your main romance. Helps you find your specific flavor of love story.

M/F

POVWhose head are you in? First person = deep in the feels. Third = watching from above. Dual = emotional whiplash (affectionate).

Dual POV

Romance PacingHow long until they kiss? Slow burn = 300 pages of tension. Insta-love = page 12 and it's already chaos.

Medium Burn

CliffhangerEnding type: HEA = forever happy (you'll cry happy). HFN = happy for now (open to interpretation). Bittersweet = complicated feelings. Know what you're signing up for.

reveal ending

AudiobookCan you experience this book while driving? Washing dishes? Working out while emotionally destroyed? Check here.

AvailableCan you experience this book while driving? Washing dishes? Working out while emotionally destroyed? Check here.

Yes

FormatHow fancy is the audio? Standard = one narrator. Full cast = theater kids went off. GraphicAudio = a MoViE iN yOuR mInD.

Dual Narration (M+F)

NarratorThe voice in your ears.

Lucy Rivers, Gideon Frost

Narrator Count

Full Cast

TropesPlot devices and story situations that drive the romance. These are the circumstances that throw characters together or create conflict, not how they personally relate.

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal
workplace romanceforbidden loveboss/employeeage gap romancecaretaking romance
RomanceMagicActionAngstWorld
Theme Constellation

Mood & Vibe

MoodWhat you felt reading this. Swoony? Gutted? Deliciously unhinged? The emotional fingerprint.

steamyintenseemotionalseductivedarkhealing

Writing StyleHow the author writes - prose style, dialogue approach, and narrative voice. This is about craft and delivery, not emotional effect.

conversationalemotionalimmersiveraw

Story PacingDoes the story sprint or saunter? Fast = you'll miss sleep. Slow = you'll savor every word. Medium = balanced chaos.

medium

Emotional WeightHow much are you gonna cry? Light = fun feels. Moderate = real stakes. Heavy = bring tissues. Devastating = call your therapist.

moderate

Energy RequiredCan you read this on a Tuesday after work, or do you need a full Saturday and three cups of coffee? Low/Medium/High.

medium

VibesOne perfect sentence that captures the essence. Like: 'Fae politics meets forbidden romance with zero chill.'

morally complexforbidden desirekink exploration

Characters

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

FMC ArchetypeWho is she? The female main character's core identity/role. Assassin? Healer? General Badass?

career womanprotector

MMC ArchetypeWho is he? The male main character's core identity/role. Your exact flavor of book boyfriend.

soft cinnamon rolldark/tortured soul

Relationship DynamicsThe interpersonal dynamic between the main characters. How do they relate to each other? This is about character energy and connection style, not plot situations.

age gap romancehurt/comfortpower imbalanceforbidden love

Spice Details 🌶️

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal
🌶️
🌶️
🌶️
🌶️
🌶️
🌶️
🌶️
🌶️
🌶️
🌶️
Spice Level 5

Spice StyleNot just how much spice, but what kind. Emotional intimacy? Explicit but vanilla? Plot-driven heat? Know your flavor.

kink-heavy / BDSM focusdominant / submissiveemotional / lovingintense / passionate

Getting SteamyGentle kinks. Fun but nothing too crazy. The appetizer, so to speak.

marking hickeysrough but consensualbegging kinkpraise kinkteasing controlpossessive/protective

Bringing the HeatFor those who know exactly what they came for. This is where you find your exact brand of chaos. The good stuff.

BDSM elementspower exchangeimpact play (spanking/hitting)bondage/restraintpunishment dynamicsdomination/submission
Browse more books by spice level →
This stuff might hit different. No shame in needing to know what's coming. (10)▼
spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal
emotional abusetraumaviolencebdsm elementsdomination/submissionemotional vulnerabilitypower imbalancepunishmentsexual contentdrug use
Browse books by content warning →

World & Setting

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

World TypeWhat kind of world are you stepping into? High fantasy = full secondary world. Urban fantasy = magic in modern cities. Portal = starts here, goes there.

contemporary

Primary SettingWhere does the story physically take place? Court intrigue = palace. Dark academia = campus. Cozy witch vibes = small town. This is about location, not world rules.

workplace / office

Fantasy CreaturesWhat supernatural beings populate this world? Fae courts, vampire covens, dragon riders, or just regular humans doing their best.

humans only

Reading Context

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

Emotional PayoffWhat you get for showing up. The catharsis, the growth, the 'I'm a different person now' moment. This is why the hard books are worth it.

cathartic releasegrowth-focusedthe angst deliveredromantic fulfillment

Best Time of YearSeasonal mood rings for books. Summer romance reads different than winter gothic.

anytime

When & Where to ReadContext matters. Some books are Beach Trip energy, others are 3am Bedtime spiral-reads. Trust.

at nightlazy Sunday

Salacious Players Club

Praise (Salacious Players Club, #1)

#1 Praise (Salacious Players Club, #1)

Eyes on Me (Salacious Players Club, #2)

#2 Eyes on Me (Salacious Players Club, #2)

Give Me More (Salacious Players Club, #3)

#3 Give Me More (Salacious Players Club, #3)

Mercy (Salacious Players Club, #4)

#4 Mercy (Salacious Players Club, #4)

this page is just the start

  • import your Goodreads or StoryGraph TBR. we tag every book with spice, tropes, CWs, mood, all of it
  • tell us a vibe (“enemies to lovers fae, high spice”) and BookMatch finds the book
  • 4,000+ romantasy books searchable by 45 fields
  • book clubs, reading challenges, and a community of readers who get it
free account

Quick Facts

Spice LevelThe heat scale. 0=wholesome, 1=kisses, 2=fade-to-black, 3=tasteful spice, 4=explicit, 5=you need a cold shower. Know thyself.🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️explicit
PagesHow long the commitment is.384
PublishedWhen this hit shelves. Helpful for tracking vibes by era.2022
GoodreadsThe crowd's verdict. Take it with salt, though. Some masterpieces are polarizing.4.06 ★ (82.9k)
EndingEnding type: HEA = forever happy (you'll cry happy). HFN = happy for now (open to interpretation). Bittersweet = complicated feelings. Know what you're signing up for.reveal ending

SeriesThe series this book belongs to and where it falls in the reading order.

Salacious Players Club #4
Similar picks →

My Notes

Loading...

Short Takes

quick 280-character reactions for this book. drop a thought, rate the vibe, keep scrolling.

Sign in to share your take.

Loading...

Book Chat

live reactions, hot takes, screaming into the void about Mercy (Salacious Players Club, #4)

Similar Books

Cover of CredenceKU

Credence

Penelope Douglas

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️·first person
dark romanceforced proximityreverse harem / why choose
Cover of Double EdgedKU

Double Edged

Nyla K

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️·first person
dark romanceforbidden lovesecret relationship
Cover of DebtKU

Debt

Nina G. Jones

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️·dual POV
captive romancedark romancerevenge romance
Cover of HawkeKU

Hawke

Jescie Hall

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️·first person
forced proximitysecret relationshipneighbor romance
Cover of Learn My LessonKU

Learn My Lesson

Wicked Villains, #2

Katee Robert

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️·multi-POV·✓
captive romancecontract/transactional romancedark romance
Cover of Quintessentially Q (Monsters in the Dark, #2)KU

Quintessentially Q (Monsters in the Dark, #2)

Monsters in the Dark, #2

Pepper Winters

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️·dual POV
dark romancecaptive romancerescue romance
Cover of That Sik LuvKU

That Sik Luv

Jescie Hall

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️·first person·✓
dark romancestalker romancecaptive romance
Cover of Bloody HeartKU

Bloody Heart

Brutal Birthright, #4

Sophie Lark

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️·dual POV·✓
second chancemafia romancesecret baby