SAM

TITLE: SAM

AUTHOR: SEAN MICHAEL

Pages: 45

Date: 07/05/2014

Grade: 4-

Details: no. 7 Shibari Auction House

            Received from New Changeling Press

            Through Love Romances and More

Own / Kindle

The blurb:

"When he and Robin put themselves up for auction, hoping to find a Master who could give t hem both what they needed, Sam knew it was long shot. Now that they’re with Master Renard, though, he’s beginning to believe that the man is exactly what they were looking for.

Sam’s getting the firm hand he’s been desperately wanting and Robin is coming out of his shell, flourishing under Master Renard’s attentions.

Are they destined to find pleasure and happiness all together, or is this magical weekend going to end in tears?"

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My thoughts:

This is the seventh title in the Shibari Auction House series.

This title is the sequel to ‘Robin’ and starts where the earlier book ended. I would advise against reading this book unless you’ve read ‘Robin’ first.

As we read in ‘Robin’, Sam and his boyfriend Robin have auctioned themselves off for a week with a Master in the hopes of finding someone who can cater to both their needs. While Sam is cocky and hoping for a Master who will push his limits and inflict pain, Robin his timid and in need of a caring hand to build his confidence and show him he’s beautiful and worthy.

It seems that the two boys have hit the jackpot with Master Renard. He seems enamoured with them and to know exactly what both of them need and how to give it to them and stretch them beyond their boundaries at the same time.

The arrangement is only to last a week though. Is what appears to be an ideal set-up going to end when their time is up or are the ties they’re binding tight enough to keep them moving forward, together?

When I reviewed Robin in February I wasn’t too positive about the story. My main objection to it was that I felt it could have been so much more if it had been longer and the reader had gotten a bit more insight into the three characters.

‘Sam’ is the continuation of Robin and gives us more time with the two lovely boys and their dream Master. I can’t honestly say we got a lot more insight into any of these men’s characters or backgrounds. What we did get though was more time with three men who are beautiful together.

Sam and Robin are adorable in their need to look out for each other even while in the throes of passion. And I adored Robin’s journey. I liked the idea of Master Renard finding a way of showing the insecure young man that he is indeed beautiful and worth all the praise and love he receives. The moment when Robin is able to look at himself and appreciate what he sees was beautiful.

“That happiness was beautiful on him” – Robin

Of course the story is almost like a fairytale. Two young men meet their dream Master, who knows exactly what they need from the first moment and all three of them find more than they dared hope for with each other. But it was impossible to read about Robin and Sam and the love they have for each other and not think that it was exactly what they deserved. This story fitted the characters like a glove.

This is a very explicit love story. The sex scenes make up the bulk of the story and don’t leave anything to the imagination. Again, this was something that worked because of the sort of story this was. The sex between the three men established their relationship and pushed it forward.

On their own both ‘Robin’ and ‘Sam’ would have been mildly frustrating stories. Taken together they make a rather charming, very sexy and delightful read.

WHEN HE WOKE

TITLE: WHEN HE WOKE

AUTHOR: TAYLOR BROOKS

Pages: 117

Date: 02/05/2014

Grade: 3

Details: Received from the Siren

            Through Love Romances and More

Own / Kindle

The blurb:

“Matt Caynor's whole world turned upside down two years ago when a car accident left his partner, Aaron Mayburn, in a coma. For months he remained vigil by his bedside, hoping for a miracle the doctors told him would never come.

Steve Pierce met Matt three months ago and took an instant liking to him. After a whirlwind romance the two find themselves falling in love and planning for a future together until a phone call comes in from the hospital that changes everything.

When Aaron wakes from his coma, Matt is forced to let go of the man he's falling in love with to be with the one he thought he'd lost. With each passing day he finds himself walking a tightrope between gratitude and despair, not knowing that he might just be given everything he wants. If only he's brave enough to take it.”

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My thoughts:

It’s been two years since the accident that left Aaron in a coma the doctors say he would never come out of. For most of those two years Aaron’s partner Matt has been holding a vigil by his bedside while fighting the medical staff who urge him to turn life support off.

Three months ago Matt met Steve and from the very first moment something special existed between the two men. They’ve spent little time apart over those three months although Matt does occasionally disappear for a few hours without explaining why or where he goes.

When Aaron wakes up from his coma it is the miracle Matt has been waiting for. It is also the moment he has to say goodbye to Steve, the man who didn’t know Aaron existed, the man he’s fallen in love with and the man who now feels betrayed and abandoned.

Aaron’s awakening leaves three man less than happy. Matt is delighted to have the love of his life back while a part of him yearns for Steve. Steve is heartbroken and feels betrayed. And Aaron, while delighted to be back home with the man he loves, knows Matt is hiding something from him.

Something will have to give.

I’m not sure what to say about this book. I liked the idea behind the story. It must be a terrible dilemma for those who have partners in a coma; when do you allow yourself to move on even though the person you love is technically still alive? What do you then when you fall for someone while the person you’ll always love is in hospital, unable to respond to you? And if this book had gone a little bit deeper into that issue I would probably have ended up loving it.

As it is the story, while touching on Matt’s dilemma, seemed to almost gloss over it. In fact, the story seemed to gloss over almost everything except the sex. Please don’t get me wrong. I liked reading the sex scenes and they were hot. But I can’t help feeling that this was too weighty a theme to use as a vehicle for steamy encounters.

I also didn’t get any real insight into those three men. I felt there was very little to distinguish them from each other. Matt gets a bit more attention than the other two men and is therefore a bit easier to identify but not well enough for me to be able to picture him in my head.

Matt. I disliked him. First he kept secrets from Steve and when that spectacularly backfired and left both of them hurt he turned around and did the exact same thing to Aaron. In fact, this may be one of the few books were the happy ending didn’t feel right because I just couldn’t convince myself Matt deserved it.

I can’t help feeling that this novella would have made a great novel. If it had been longer, with more character background and growth, more time for situations to be created and resolved and more insight into Matt’s turmoil during the two years Aaron was in his coma this could have been one of those books that break your heart only to leave you uplifted and happy in the end. Instead this was an enjoyable and hot but rather superficial story. There was nothing wrong with the writing and it was a very easy read. I just didn’t like the disappointed feeling the book left me with.

UNCOVERING SATISFACTION

TITLE: UNCOVERING SATISFACTION

AUTHOR: DIANE LEYNE

Word Count: 44.823

Date: 24/03/2014

Grade: 3.5

Details: no. 3 Satisfaction, Texas

            Received from Siren through

            Love Romances and More

Own / Kindle

The blurb:

“Nicola "Nick" Marlow is an agent on leave after a devastating ending to her last undercover assignment when a friend asks her to come to Satisfaction to get to the bottom of a series of incidents that may just close the Whips and Spurs forever.

Micah Durrance owns the public saloon and private BDSM club and is getting desperate. His best friend, Sheriff Dace Lowe, is stumped too, and when a friend recommends Nick as a top-notch investigator they both jump at his offer.

Micah and Dace are surprised when Nick turns out to be Nicola, and shocked when she decides to go undercover as their sub. For real. Feelings escalate quickly as do the incidents as Nicola becomes a target. And what will happen when it’s all over? Is it all just a job to Nicola, or will her heart get broken when it’s time to leave?”

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My thoughts:

This book is the third title in the ‘Satisfaction, Texas’ series. I haven’t read the two previous titles but never felt as if I was missing vital information while reading this book. Having said that, there were clear references to previous books, story-lines and characters and it is possible that I would have gotten more out of this book if I had read it in order.

Nicola – Nick - Marlow is a top notch agent on extended leave after her last undercover operation ended in disaster leaving her feeling guilty and the victim of devastating nightmares. Going slowly crazy at home and with no chance of being redeployed in the near future, Nick jumps at the opportunity when her former partner offers her the chance to investigate a chain of incidents apparently aimed at the Whips and Spurs Saloon and BDSM club in Satisfaction, Texas.

Micah has thrown everything he is and owns into his public Saloon and private BDSM club. The acts of vandalism and string of incidents assaulting his business may close him down if they aren’t solved and stopped soon. His best friend Dace is the local Sherriff, but limited in what he can do. An official investigation into the incidents would reveal the true nature of the private club; something both men are determined to prevent.

When they’re offered Nick’s assistance they jump on the chance. They are surprised when Nick turns out to not only be a woman but also one they’re both attracted to. When Nick offers to become their submissive for the duration of the investigation they’re both shocked and delighted.

Nick takes to submission like a fish to water and what is more, all three of them soon develop feelings for each other they weren’t expecting. When Nicola sets herself up as an obvious target, danger becomes very real. And what will happen when the case is closed and Nick has to leave again?

Let me start with the things I really enjoyed in this book. I loved the idea of Satisfaction, Texas; a place where ménages are frequent and fully accepted. And I had great fun reading about Nicola’s journey into submission and the intricacies involved in a relationship between one sub and two Doms.

It was very nice to see Diane Leyne acknowledging other genre authors (Cherise Sinclair, Lexi Blake and Tymber Dalton) early on in this story. Naming those authors gave me a good idea of what Nicola’s level of (in)experience with BDSM was and made it easier to follow her thought processes.

And, finally, I really liked the idea behind the story. I loved that the person I thought was behind the attacks turned out to be innocent, although I wasn’t completely surprised by all the revelations when they came.

There were one or two things I was less happy about though. While I liked the idea behind the story I wasn’t completely happy with how it was executed. The writing felt choppy at times; the jumps from one scene to the next were occasionally too big and sudden. I would be fully engaged in the story only to be dragged out of it by a sudden change of scenery or perspective.

The erotic scenes between Nicola and her two men had the potential to be hot and fascinating but I couldn’t feel it. I read the descriptions but had a hard time engaging in what I was reading. In fact, I had a hard time connecting with any of the characters; they just never came completely alive for me.

To summarize I would say that this is a fun and borderline hot story. It was definitely a quick and easy read and a very pleasant way to spend a Sunday afternoon. It just didn’t quite live up to my hopes and expectations.

DIAL M FOR MENAGE

TITLE: DIAL M FOR MENAGE

AUTHOR: EMILY RYAN-DAVIS

Pages: 129

Date: 05/03/2014

Grade: 4+

Details: No. 2 Ménage on 34^th Street

             Received from Carina Press

             Through Love Romances and More

Own / Kindle

The blurb:

Katrina Holland began the New Year by waking up with two men in her bed. Introducing marine Hunter Croft into her marriage was passionate and explosive—for Katrina and her husband Liam. But now that the honeymoon period is over and they've returned to the real world, can this arrangement ever work?

Liam Holland thought he had it all—a beautiful wife, great home, and a solid career. Only one thing—one man—eluded him. When he saw an opportunity to grab Hunter, Liam reached out with both hands, determined not to let go. But as the first rush of passion fades, Liam must identify exactly how far he's willing to go to keep Hunter a part of their lives.

Hunter needs something only Liam and Kat can give him. But while he's willing to change some aspects of his life to be with the couple, he's a marine before all else. When a reassignment means relocation, he'll need to move on—with or without his two lovers.

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My thoughts:

Two months have passed since the events in ‘Ménage on 34^th Street’ that brought Katrina, Liam and Hunter together. Two months that brought them a level of happiness none of them thought achievable, but didn’t solve all the practical issues resulting from their unconventional relationship.

Hunter knows he is with the two people he wants to spend the rest of his life with but is also sure that this relationship will never be acceptable in the eyes of his superiors in the military. And his career is as important to him as Liam and Kat are.

Liam is still struggling with control issues. He can’t stop himself from keeping information that might distress or upset Kat and Hunter from them even while he knows that his secrets will cause trouble.

Kat can’t believe her luck now that she is with the two men who mean everything to her. She is all too aware of both Liam’s and Hunter’s issues though, and being the one in the middle, trying to hold it all together is emotionally draining.

Now that Hunter is about to receive his new posting it is time for this triad to put action to their words. Is Hunter really comfortable with having his two lovers close to his work environment and are Liam and Kat really prepared to leave their familiar surroundings behind in order to be with the man they have chosen as the one who completes them?  

I read ‘Ménage on 34^th Street’ in December and wrote the following words in my review:

“...by the time the story ends you know that these three people will be in a relationship that requires work and compromise on all sides, that things won’t always be easy or smooth for them...”

I also stated that I was delighted to see that a sequel was forthcoming and that I couldn’t wait to find out what would happen next to these characters.

I was right on both fronts. This story deals with all the issues connected to making a triad work. Traditional relationships can be tricky at times. Throwing a third person into the equation, with their own ego, history, and hang-ups, creates a whole host of extra potential pitfalls. All three characters involved have their own doubts and insecurities. And because all of them deal differently it causes tension. Liam’s reluctance to share what bothers him until he thinks he’s found the perfect solution drives both Hunter and Katrina crazy. Hunter’s need to keep his emotional life completely disconnected from his professional one, creates frustration for all three of them. Katrina is, at times, stuck in the middle; trying to read both her men and defuse situations before they become too big.

The road Kat, Liam and Hunter need to travel to come to a place where their future seems secure is hard and at times filled with fear and confusion. It is the way in which they confront their problems and refuse to stop talking to each other that sees them through and made this book such a very satisfying read.

“This is where my military training is going to serve us (...). If I didn’t learn anything else, I learned how to move beyond being part of a whole, to seeing the whole as an entity bigger than its pieces. The three of us, we’re bigger together than as individuals. We’re bound together and we’re not coming apart now.” – Hunter.

As they go along Liam, Kat and Hunter learn to trust each other as well as themselves. They discover that while they may each have their own hang-ups and insecurities, they are in complete agreement when it comes to their need to be and stay together and that it is those differences between them that make them so much stronger together.

“They were three separate people even when they were together, and being individuals meant they had different relationships with one another. Those one-on-one relationships made them a stronger whole.”

And it was that focus on the intricacies of the developing relationship that made this book so much more than ‘just’ another hot and fascinating read. Having said that, the story was most definitely hot and fascinating, especially Hunter’s slow but oh so sensual acceptance of his need for Liam.

This story ends in a most satisfying way. It was both the happy ending I was hoping for and completely credible. Of course that does leave me with one issue; it is quite possible that this is the last time I get to read about Liam, Kat and Hunter and that idea makes me a little bit sad.