Tag: bdsm element

Barb, A Zany Old Lady Review :Nowhere Ranch by Heidi Cullinan ~ Audiobook narrated by Iggy Toma

Rating: 5 stars out of 5   ★★★★★audiobook clipart bw

NowhereRanch-AudioCover smallerMonroe “Roe” Davis narrates this story of how he found his home— Nowhere Ranch in Nebraska. Representing Roe, and the balance of the cast of characters, narrator Iggy Toma did an outstanding job with this story.

Hired to tend the sheep on the farm of gentleman rancher Travis Loving, Roe works hard from sunrise to sundown. He learned sheep ranching during his childhood on his family farm in Iowa, a farm he hasn’t been back to in five years, not since his father made his opinion on Roe’s sexuality known. Wandering from place to place and never staying in any one location too long, he finds his way to Nowhere Ranch.

Roe never mixes business with pleasure though, and never cruises for men in his own back yard, so he travels several hours to hook up at a gay bar to satisfy his need to be dominated. Shocked when he runs into Travis there, he tries to wait him out so that he can find a hookup and get going. Forced into conversation, they find that their needs match. Dominant Travis would like nothing better than to hook up with a boy who will ask no questions and tell no tales. They determine that they can spend one night together, no strings attached, and Travis swears it will not affect how he treats Roe when they get back to the ranch.

The problem is, of course, that they are indeed suited to each other and neither can leave the other alone once they hook up again afterhours one night at the ranch. Slowly, Travis works his way through Roe’s defenses, using BDSM techniques to help Roe feel a measure of control over his life as he surrenders control to Travis.

One of my favorite quotes summarizes the plan they have to remain unaffected. As Travis tells Roe— “I don’t want a partner. I don’t want a husband. I want a boy. I want a little slut I can order what to do. I want you in boots and spurs and chaps and nothing else, sucking on my cock with a tail hanging out of your ass.”

And that plan suits both of them for a while, until their relationship begins to grow and both men realize they are developing feelings for each other. Eventually, Roe lets his best friend, Holly, in on his secrets, including the biggest secret of all— his family wants him back but they want him back so they can cure him of being a gay, perverted sinner. Not long after that, Roe realizes that his family of origin isn’t as important to him as the family he’s made at Nowhere Ranch with Travis and Holly.

Where the guys go, how Holly’s issues meld with theirs, how Roe’s family issues are resolved, or at least temporarily shelved, and what finally seals their relationship, all make for a highly complex, yet very enlightening, entertaining, and enriching reading experience.

I first read this story in early 2012 when I was new to M/M romance, and it may have even been one of the first BDSM stories I ever read. Though I appreciated it at the time, I have so much more respect now for the way the author introduced the men to the pleasures they would find together in BDSM, as well as for their emotional growth and the beauty of their relationship—from the stalwart, stoic Travis and the anxious, self-deprecating Roe—to the confident men who are secure in their love for each other and the family they have created together.

This story is not for those who want mild, simple romantic sex scenes. The sex is rough, with elements of BDSM including fisting, spanking, and pony play. But it’s done in a way that demonstrates the Dom’s respect for his sub, and the sub’s dependence on the solidity and safety of his Dom. I once heard this described as a classic among M/M BDSM novels, and I heartily agree.

The audio narration by Iggy Toma is outstanding and certainly added to my overall enjoyment of the story. I was able to appreciate every scene, every nuance of conversation, and stand back and enjoy the journey the men took together. Don’t hesitate to pick up the audiobook version of this one.

~~~~
The cover by Kanaxa on this 2015 version of Nowhere Ranch depicts a faded out photo of a cowboy in the foreground captured in a head-chest shot as he turns to the side, rope over his shoulder, one hand raised to the brim of his hat. This is superimposed over the silhouette of a lone cowboy standing with his back to the camera, overlooking a prairie. It’s very appealing and a nice depiction of the characters.

Audiosales Link:  Audible  |  iTunes

Book Details:

ebook, 2nd Edition
Published March 3rd 2015 by Heidi Cullinan (first published February 15th 2011)
original titleNowhere Ranch
ISBN139780996120302
edition languageEnglish
urlhttp://www.heidicullinan.com/books/nowhere-ranch
characters: Roe Davis, Travis Loving

Barb, A Zany Old Lady Review: The Harder They Fall by Lisa Henry and Heidi Belleau

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

The Harder They Fall coverTad, a spoiled and neglected rich kid, has been raised with money and privilege but not much else. His parents barely know he’s around, but keep his allowance coming—an allowance that Tad uses to show off what a big shot he is at the expense of others.

When Tad revisits the brothel where he humiliated a young, inexperienced whore the last time he was there, he asks for an older, more experienced man. He’s looking forward to another night of domination and dishing out humiliation—actions that make him feel good about himself.

He does get an older man, but instead of getting an old, washed-up whore like he requests, he gets “Daddy”, a big, strong, gorgeous, older man with a major domination streak. And Daddy doesn’t care what Tad wants—Daddy is going to give Tad what he needs. And what he needs is punishment—to be forced into obedience and subtly enlightened about his real and underlying issues. A little humiliation in front of the young whore he previously abused, an opportunity to be Daddy’s good boy—to be with someone who seems to actually care about him, and Tad suddenly isn’t interested in leaving.

Daddy-kink lovers, this one is for you! It’s an enjoyable M/M story, with subtle undertones that address Tad’s psych issues and the resolution a D/s relationship might bring him. I would definitely like to read more about these MCs.

Book Cover: Simple, but contains an element of the story.

Sales Links:  All Romance (ARe) | Amazon | Buy It Here

Book Details:

ebook, 68 pages
Published July 20th 2015 by Smashwords Edition (first published July 18th 2015)
original title: The Harder They Fall
ISBN139781626493247
edition languageEnglish

A Little Bit of Coffee and Kink with Building Bonds (Kiss of Leather 1) by Morticia Knight

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Building Bonds (Kiss of Leather 1) by Morticia Knight
Release Date: August 26, 2015

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Pride Publishing
Cover Artist: Posh Gosh

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Sales Links: Pride Publishing | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | iTunes | Kobo | Google Books

 

Blurb

Kyle’s a natural sub who builds dungeon furniture, yet has no interest in BDSM. It takes a hunky Dom to show him just what he’s been missing.

After Kyle’s partner of five years leaves him for another man on the night of their housewarming party, the shy early thirties carpenter needs to do a serious reassessment of his life in addition to raising some serious cash. With no one else to help him pay the lease on his Los Angeles condo, he worries how he’ll survive. His best friend sets up a meeting with one of the Doms and partners at Kiss of Leather, a gay BDSM Club being built as a premiere destination for those who want the best of the best.

Master Gavin not only wants the best – he demands it. When he meets Kyle, he assumes that part of the builder’s reticence to share anything personal with him must be due to his experiences with an abusive former Master. Not one to back down from a challenge, Gavin determines to break through the walls surrounding the beautiful man he can’t get out of his mind. He’s certain that once he convinces Kyle to sign an initial contract, Kyle might be the first sub to open up his heart.

Misunderstandings and accusations almost destroy everything between them before it has a chance to begin. However, the true obstacle becomes not only whether Kyle will embrace BDSM as a lifestyle, but whether he can handle a fulltime D/s relationship with a big bad scary Dom who’s as sexy as hell.

Pages or Words: 173 pages

Categories: BDSM, M/M Romance, Romance

Excerpt

“I don’t have to be naked, right? You’re sure I won’t have to be naked?” Kyle sucked in a gulp of air. “Of course, if everyone else is and I’m not…Oh God, they’ll all be staring at me. Maybe I should be naked.”
Gavin stepped from the shower and the sight of his stunning frame with his semi-erect cock swaying, rivulets of water trailing down his beautiful skin over his rock hard abs – it made him want to…
“Kyle. Did you hear what I said?”
“Huh?”
Gavin chuckled then advanced on him. He grabbed Kyle by his nape then pulled him in for a deep kiss. He broke their connection, except he kept his hand circled around Kyle’s neck, holding him there, safe.
“No one expects you to be naked, least of all me. You have a wonderful body that I hope you’ll someday allow others to see, but tonight isn’t about pushing your boundaries.”
“Are you kidding me? They’re not being pushed, they’re being trampled.”
“Kyle. Now would be a good time to remember that you need to address me properly at all times.”
“Oh. Sorry. Are you kidding me, Master?”
Gavin narrowed his eyes at him. “We’ll revisit the tone of your voice later. I don’t want to be late.”
Kyle’s eyes widened. He was such a mass of jangled nerves about going to the dungeon owned and run by Gavin’s friend, he hadn’t noticed how his words might’ve come across.
“I am sorry. I’m just a little freaked out, that’s all.”
Gavin placed another light kiss on his lips. “All right. I’ll let it go this time. I’ll also acknowledge that I might be on the verge of trampling your boundaries. But I think you can handle it and I believe you’ll do very, very well. Focus on your desire to make me proud and let everything else fall away.” Gavin stroked Kyle’s cheek with the back of his hand. “Your safewords always apply, no matter where we are, boy.”
Kyle took in another deep breath. “Okay. Thank you. That helped. I just don’t want to, I mean, of course I want to make you proud, but won’t people be expecting you to have someone more, uh, not only experienced, but either super pretty and twinky or hot and-“
“Stop it. Don’t say another word or there will be a punishment and it’ll involve the cock cage with the penis plug I showed you.”
Oh shit.
“Please. Not that.”
“Then remember how stunning I think you are and how angry it makes me that you would denigrate my beautiful boy.” Gavin pulled him close, nuzzling him behind his ear, placing soft kisses on his skin. “I want only you.”

About the Author

Author Morticia Knight spends most of her nights writing about men loving men forever after. If there happens to be some friendly bondage or floggings involved, she doesn’t begrudge her characters whatever their filthy little heart’s desire. Even though she’s been crafting her naughty tales for more years than she’d like to share – her adventures as a published author began in 2011. Once upon a time she was the lead singer in an indie rock band that toured the West Coast and charted on U.S. college radio. She currently resides on the northern Oregon coast and when she’s not fantasizing about hot men she takes walks along the ocean and annoys the local Karaoke bar patrons.

Where to find the author:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authormorticiaknight?fref=nf
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MorticiaKnight

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Tour Dates & Stops: August 11 – 17, 2015
11-Aug Decadent Delights, Vampires, Werewolves, and Fairies, Oh My, Two Chicks Obsessed With Books and Eye Candy, LeAnn’s Book Reviews
12-Aug BFD Book Blog, V’s Reads, My Fiction Nook, Divine Magazine
13-Aug Amanda C. Stone, Jessie G. Books, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Mikky’s World of Books, Charley Descoteaux
14-Aug Molly Lolly, Velvet Panic, Parker Williams, TTC Books and More, Love Bytes
17-Aug Prism Book Alliance, Happily Ever Chapter, Rainbow Gold Reviews, 3 Chicks After Dark, Wake Up Your Wild Side, The Jena Wade

Final

Giveaway

 

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: A signed paperback of Building Bonds, flogger keychain and a $25 Amazon gift card.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Link and prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions.
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A Little Afternoon Talking Trash With the Don of Doms and the Submission (Submit for Redemption, #1) by Robert Cage & Kathryn Sparrow

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TITLE: Submission (Submit for Redemption # 1) by
PUBLISHER: Storm Moon Press
RELEASE DATE: April 17, 2015
GENRE: BDSM Romance

BOOK LINKS:  Storm Moon Press  | Goodreads |  Amazon | Barnes and Noble  |  All Romance (ARe) 

Submission Banner

Talking Trash with the Don of the Doms!  A Special Guest Post!

Hi everybody! I’m Robert Cage, one of the co-authors (along with Kathryn Sparrow) of Submission: Submit for Redemption, Book One. Thanks for hosting us today.

In the excerpt above, masochistic Army Ranger Everett Palmer meets His Grace, Finny Bainbridge for the first time. Finny has just rescued Ev from a violent assault by one of the more sex-crazed and disturbed patrons of Cuffed Links, an illegally operated underground BDSM club in Kabul Afghanistan. Hopefully you get a sense that there’s a lot of electricity passing between these two MCs. It only gets more intense as Finny draws Everett further into his illicit world.

Finny is a somewhat mysterious figure for most of Book One. He’s hiding a lot, mostly from Everett. Wanting only to capture Everett and coerce a confession from him, Finny finds himself falling deeply, inexplicably in love with the younger captain, which both thrills him and knocks him off balance.

We were lucky enough to get a transcription of a telephone interview conducted by Good Reads UK reviewer extraordinaire, Jessie Cox. Her mission, which she generously and gamely accepted, was to interview His Grace from his eponymously-dubbed Greek isle, Phineas, on the morning of his departure, with Everett. Here’s the interview in its entirety, Brit to Brit.

Jessie: Good afternoon, Your Grace. Thanks for dropping by.

Finny: Thank you, Jessie. How do you do? And call me Finny, my friends all do. I don’t often find myself on the other end of an interrogation, as you know [laughs]. Please—go easy on me.

Jessie: I’ll try, but I warn you I have Habib’s number in my pocket as well as a set of thumbscrews in case you’re stubborn.

Finny: Ouch! You’re ruthless—but a woman after my own heart.

Jessie: Quite right. So, what was your relationship with your parents like?

Finny: Right into the fray, eh? You don’t pull punches. [Pauses] To quote the Coen Brother’s delightful film Raising Arizona, it wasn’t Ozzie and Harriet. I lost my mother when I was young, and even when she was alive I believe I saw her once a day for perhaps an hour, after tea. It’s made it hard to even picture her face in my mind or hear her voice at this point. Father was a complete nightmare. When he was around, there was always something wrong it seemed, usually involving me. We never really connected. I was much closer to Habib, my father’s valet and now mine. Father used to have Habib discipline me when I was younger but it wasn’t very effective—we would both usually end up in giggles or tears, sometimes both. Habib never needed to strike me in order to get my nose back in joint. One stern look from him and the wind would exit my sails faster than you could say Jack Robinson.

Jessie: What accomplishment are you most proud of?

Finny: If I can’t name Finding the Love of my Life, in Everett, I’d say… well, that’s a tough one. To be frank, I’m not proud of anything I’ve done. Quite the opposite. I guess it would be a toss-up between starting to weed out contract interrogation jobs that are just wrong. Funny how that’s happened. I used to be such a terrifying son-of-a-bitch. Now, anytime I’m faced with a potential subject all I can see is Everett’s face. Pain is something I’m finding it harder and harder to take pleasure in, unless it’s with Everett, and in a consensual context. It almost feels a violation of our contract to share that with anyone else. Frankly, it has me a bit worried, but maybe it’s a cue that I’m in the wrong line of work altogether. Wouldn’t father find that funny? I’m proud of finally dumping Hector Ventana. What a disaster that was—he only brought out the worst in me, entirely the opposite of Everett in every way. Hector, if you’re reading this, it serves you right. Why are you still obsessing over me? As the yanks say, get a life!

Jessie: What is your most prized possession?

Finny: That’s another thing. Prior to Ev, I wouldn’t know where to start with the list—I have many beautiful things. But now they don’t seem so precious in light of having someone I can truly give my heart to. Though of course I don’t own Ev, not by a long shot. I don’t think anyone owns Everett. And—that bothers me a bit. Old habits die hard, you know. But in answer to your question, I think it would have to be a pair of antique watch fobs that date back a few hundred years, one of which I recently gifted to Everett. Though oddly enough, mine seems to have gone missing as of late.

Jessie: What was losing your virginity like?

Finny: Liberating. Terrifying—amazing. It was after a fencing match at Eton. I’d had my eye on this young man for some months and it was one of those things where each time I’d glance at him, I’d find he was doing the same. And not just glancing, our eyes were exploring each other. Granted, I think this happened quite a bit at fencing events—it certainly didn’t hurt that our uniforms were tight and clingy and we were always bathed in perspiration. This particular match was actually played on my family estate, so I had a very good lay of the land, as they say. Still, I was feeling more and more trepidatious as to what I would say to him—how could I express my feelings and not drive him away, yet also let him know how amazing I thought he was? And how would I get away with making a move on my home turf with forty or so staff roaming in and out of all those rooms. Turns out I didn’t have to say anything. He was waiting in the back of the hall for me just as I thought I’d lost him forever. We made love in a large dusty old closet—banging up against a stock of masks and foils—appropriate, isn’t it? [Laughs]. I spent god knows how many years getting up the nerve to come out of the closet and I find myself breaking cherry inside of one. That should have been a lesson, a harbinger of what was to come. Still, it was magic. My whole view of the world just opened up and a lot—not all—of my constant anger just seemed to leave me. Similar to how I’m feeling now, actually.

Jessie: Let talk more about Ev, since you’ve gone in that direction. What’s the biggest obstacle that you find in connecting with him? I assume you have your disagreements, as all couples do.

Finny: Oh yes. Right now, I’d say it’s trying to get him to see the forest for the trees, as they say. Ev comes from a simpler, more black-and-white world. He has had the responsibility of having many men under his direction in the Rangers but the effects of his decisions were always localized within his squad. The decisions I make can have ramifications all over the world, whether I like it or not. And when your scope of influence expands that far, you eventually hurt people as well as help them. That’s not something he understands just yet. Just as he doesn’t yet understand that I truly know what’s best for him. Not everyone is happy with our union, but I can’t speak too freely about that. He’s going to have to trust me as the road ahead may be difficult for him. But he should understand that, if he’s to keep to our contract as a willing submissive to me.

Jessie: Would you ever marry Ev? If so, where would you take him on your Honeymoon?

Finny: I get very nervous even thinking about that possibility. Not because I don’t want it, but because I don’t feel I’m quite worthy of him. Not yet, anyhow. And as I mentioned before, we still have a lot of hurdles to traverse. But where to go? The island I would think, seeing that it holds so many fond memories for us.

Jessie: The island you’re on now?

Finny: It does have everything we need. There are times I don’t ever want to leave it. Would be wonderful sometimes to just… stop the clock.

Jessie: What do you think is your biggest strength and your biggest weakness?

Finny: When I find something I want, I get it, no matter the cost. My tenacity is well-known. My weakness is that I sometimes don’t consider the cost of those things until it becomes too late. And there is always a cost—something I’m having a hard time learning. Sometimes that cost is monetary, but most often it’s emotional and even spiritual on occasion. I think spiritual cost is what’s taken its toll most on me, as of late.

Jessie: What is something sexual you haven’t yet tried but would like to?

Finny: [Pauses for several minutes, apparently in deep thought] No one’s ever asked me that. Outside of a few blatantly illegal, outright deviant acts, I can’t think of a damn thing. When I owned Cuffed Links, prior to giving it to Hector, I’d push the envelope in a number of directions. I used to take such pride in that. Now it all seems meaningless, a waste of time. The act isn’t what does it for me anymore. It’s hard to believe I’m even saying something like this. [Very long pause] The way I see it now, unless you’re with someone who means something to you, you might as well be banging a hole in the wall, a well-lubricated one, but still…. Why waste your time?

Jessie: Wrapping up, when you look into your future what do you see?

Finny: Everett and only Everett. Without him, there is no future—for me, anyhow. He’s the one thing I can’t afford to lose. And I can’t help wondering if there’s not a cost hidden in there somewhere that I’ve yet to encounter…. But, I must take my leave of you. Everett has quite a big decision to make this morning and we’re due back in Kabul today. Wish me well and it was wonderful chatting.

Jessie: Same here. I wish nothing but the best, Finny. Thanks again.

Contact either Kathryn or myself on Twitter or by email. We live to hear from readers!

Robert: @robertcage2 on Twitter or Robert@robertcage.com.
Kathryn: @KSparrowAuthor on Twitter or Kathryn@kathrynsparrow.com

BLURB:

When Army Ranger Captain Everett Palmer enters gay BDSM club Cuffed Links, he is seeking brutal punishment for what he perceives to be an unforgivable failure: allowing an entire squad of men under his command to dieSFR_book1_500 while he worked to defuse a bomb at his base. Everett initially wants only pure pain, which professional interrogator and jaded British aristocrat Colonel Phineas Bainbridge is more than prepared to give. Their meeting, however, is not at all by chance.

Phineas has been contracted to coerce a false confession from Everett, implicating the captain in planting the bomb. Phineas has tortured many men in the past, but there is something different about Everett Palmer, a man whose sheer purity of soul causes the colonel to question his every selfish, devious act and legion of war crimes.

In Submit for Redemption: Book One – Submission, erotic romance and spiritual redemption come from the most unexpected places – from the seedy extremes of a smoke-laden, neon-drenched bondage den to the tropical, hedonistic pleasures of Phineas’ private Greek island.

On this unbidden psychosexual odyssey, Everett and Phineas find exactly what they don’t expect: a chance to redeem their troubled souls and fulfil their every romantic ideal. But the clock is ticking. The deeper Phineas falls in love with Everett, the harder it becomes to finish his assigned task. If he succeeds, the consequences may be far more explosive than he ever anticipated.

TAGS: Gay, BDSM, Contemporary, LGBT, M/M, Military, Romance
HEAT LEVEL (1 being no sexual content, 5 being erotica): 4
PAIRING: Male/Male
LENGTH: 99,300 Words

EXCERPT

(NSFW – You confirm that you are 18 years of age or older by clicking on the link to continue reading).

AUTHORS BIO:

Kathryn Sparrow has had stories spinning around in her head her whole life and finally decided it was time to write them down. After working twenty years in the Software Industry, she has left the engineering world to be a chauffeur mom (because she doesn’t really get to stay-at-home). She lives with her fantastic, geek husband and her two adorable, sometimes infuriating daughters, who are too smart for their Mommy’s own good. If she had spare time she would spend it knitting, crocheting, cross-stitching, and doing any other handicrafts that catch her fancy.

Email | Website |  Twitter | Goodreads | Storm Moon Press Author Page
Robert Cage has been writing BDSM novels and short stories for close to twenty years, publishing on the Web through various e-book publishers. From 1997 to 2010 he authored four novels and one collection of short fiction under another pseudonym. He has always striven to make his fiction “more story and character-focused than much of what he sees published in the BDSM world.”

Robert has just released his first novel, which he coauthored with writing partner Kathryn Sparrow in the male romance genre. Available now in both Kindle and print formats from Storm Moon Press, it is titled Submit for Redemption/Book One: Submission and is the first book in a multibook series planned by Robert and Kathryn. Robert is currently busy at work on Just Desserts, a novel that is a prequel to Submit for Redemption/Book One: Submission. He and Kathryn also plan to release Submit for Redemption/Book Two: Domination soon, also from Storm Moon Press.

In addition to writing fiction, Robert collects books, music, and films avidly, and also contributes to a number of online film sites as a movie reviewer.
Email | Twitter } Website

GIVEAWAY:

Enter tp win a $25.00 Amazon Gift Card. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Link and prizes provided by Indigo Marketing & Design
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A Sammy Review: How to Train Your Dom in Five Easy Steps by Josephine Myles

Rating: 3.75 stars out of 5
How To Train Your Dom coverEddie Powell is a painslut, quietly looking for more than just hot sex. That hasn’t worked so well with his last Doms – but when he spots Jeff White, a supposedly straight wannabe-Dom, he can’t resist a good challenge.
Jeff is newer to the scene, and between an embarrassing past experience and his lack of personal etiquette when it comes to meeting subs, he’s been struggling to find his way. He’s skeptical when Eddie approaches him and offers to train him, he isn’t gay after all. But he could use the help, and it’s just experimenting, right?
But even the most sound experiments can go awry, and no one factored chemistry or love into this equation.
“And you think you love him.”
 
“I do love him. Even if he doesn’t deserve it.”
 
“Deserving it has nothing to do with it. If you wait around for someone who truly deserves your love, you’ll be waiting forever. We’ve all got our flaws. You can be a good Dom and still have issues.”
Hm… well, my feelings toward this are a bit mixed.
I’ve stated it before, I do not actively seek out heavy BDSM practices in my books. I make an exception for this one based on the wonderful reviews it had gotten and a plot that sounded pretty yummy. And for the most part, I liked it.
I’m still a bit more on the side of vanilla when it comes to CBT (which, you know you’re in a helping profession when you originally think this means Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. The meaning in this book is quite different LOL). I could’ve taken it or left it. Plus, I have a hard time getting the image of all the contraptions combined with the rope work and such in my head, which can be a bit frustrating.
Beside that, though, I enjoyed the idea of the story. It’s something I’ve read quite a few times before. Straight boy experiments with gay boy and they fall madly in love. I thought adding the element of BDSM and a D/s relationship to this was quite interesting and gave it a whole other layer.
I also enjoy hearing a bit about the practices in general, as someone who isn’t involved in the scene, I’m always open to hearing about it and how people potentially view their roles. I got some interesting insight in this book, particularly in conversations between Eddie and Maddy. (I was a bit disturbed by the mom being called Mags though, I got them mixed up a bit and was like “wait, what?”)
I was really looking forward to the humiliation aspect of this, too. And the dirty talking. And it fell a bit flat for me in those realms – bummer 😦
Overall it was good, I just wish I had felt more connected to it.
The cover art by Lou Harper is pretty basic and in general just okay. I like the use of the basic font, but his tie looks like it’s floating and from a design standpoint, it seems like there wasn’t much that went into it. At least the guy is nice to look at.

Sales Links:  Samhain Publishing  |  All Romance (ARe) | Amazon | Buy It Here

Book Links:
G00dreads
Kindle Edition, 295 pages
Published September 23rd 2014 by Samhain Publishing, Ltd.
ASIN B00KT23WMW
edition language English

A Stella Review: For Real by Alexis Hall

Rating:  5 stars out of 5

For Real coverLaurence Dalziel is worn down and washed up, and for him, the BDSM scene is all played out. Six years on from his last relationship, he’s pushing forty and tired of going through the motions of submission.

Then he meets Toby Finch. Nineteen years old. Fearless, fierce, and vulnerable. Everything Laurie can’t remember being.

Toby doesn’t know who he wants to be or what he wants to do. But he knows, with all the certainty of youth, that he wants Laurie. He wants him on his knees. He wants to make him hurt, he wants to make him beg, he wants to make him fall in love.

The problem is, while Laurie will surrender his body, he won’t surrender his heart. Because Toby is too young, too intense, too easy to hurt. And what they have—no matter how right it feels—can’t last. It can’t mean anything.

It can’t be real.

Usually I don’t read books this long (this one is 437 beautiful pages), cause they always dragged at some point during the story. Not For Real by Alexis Hall. I was caught in the MCs’ lives till the end, there wasn’t one little moment of boredom. I didn’t want to put it down and I could have going on for another 400 pages. I felt everything Laurie and Toby felt, almost if I was there in their amazing world.

Of course I didn’t expect anything other than perfection from Alexis Hall. Recently I realized that he could simply write my favorite pie recipe and turn it in a masterpiece. He not “just can write”, there a lot of authors that can really write, he writes magically, everything is so poetic, even the smallest and stupid description of something you could have thought useless for the purpose of the story. The use of words in the descriptions and the reality of this story were two elements that made this book a winner to me. Even if the story flows easy, still I found it complex and that was what I appreciated more.

For Real is definitely not the usual BDSM story, the way in which the roles were defined plus everything was one continuous discovery. And not just for the young Toby, too young to know how to express himself in his desire of dominate Laurie. This was a dynamic I hadn’t read yet, at first it almost sounded strange to me but then I got it. I understood that the author gave me Toby and Laurie, two real characters, both full of flaws but true in their feelings. Their story was complicated, sweet and hot. Moreover I so appreciated to be able to know every little detail that went on in their minds.

As I said a complex book with a beautiful happy ending. I already know I’m going to reread it very soon because the positive, happy vibes it gave me are addictive. For Real deserves absolutely a spot on my fave shelf. Not a crumble less than 5 stars!

Cover art by Simoné. I love this artist style, it’s magical and dreamy. This cover is perfect and fitting in every detail. I especially love the colors and all that light coming from the windows. Just like the book, it’s real.

Sales Links:   Riptide Publishing  |  All Romance (ARe)  |  Amazon  |  Buy It Here

Book Details:
Published June 1st 2015 by Riptide Publishing
ebook, 437 pages
ISBN13 9781626492790
Edition Language English

Spires Universe:
Glitterland
Waiting For The Flood
For Real

What’s this “Spires” thing?

Author Alexis Hall: My feeling is that even contemporary-set romance stories to an extent take place in imagined worlds. So even though they’re not direct sequels to each other, my contemporary romances often have overlapping characters, ideas and settings. Spires is how I refer to this collection of thematically linked but otherwise standalone stories.

A Stella Review: The Dom Around The Corner (Escape #1) by Christine d’Abo

Rating:  3.75 stars out of 5

The Dom Around the Corner coverSimon is jaded. His bookstore is failing, his personal life is nonexistent, and he’s tired of the local scene. He’s desperate for a change, and hopes to find it at Escape, the hot new BDSM club in town.

What he finds there is Gavin. One look at the sexy submissive is all he needs to know that his trip to Escape was the right decision. And their night of no-holds-barred kinky sex feels like only the beginning . . . until his promising new sub vanishes with the dawn.

Then Gavin walks through the door of Simon’s bookstore—for business, not pleasure. To both of their surprise, he’s the consultant Simon hired to help save the store. As they work together, Simon realizes that he might have another shot at happiness, if only he can convince Gavin that he’s worth sticking around for.

The Dom Around The Corner is the first book in a new series by Christine d’Abo and the first I read by this author. I’m always curious about “new to me” writers and this one surprised me positively. I’m glad I picked this book to review. It was a winner to me for different reasons, apart from the BDSM theme which I enjoy a lot.

I’m a sucker for characters with baggage and bad luck in life, it makes them more real, just like me. In this book we meet Simon, a respected Dom, that is going through some hard times. His bookstore is having some trouble and he can’t come out of it.  He is still looking for a sub, the perfect one, the one Simon is searching for since forever, someone who fit in his life as a sub and as a life partner too. He is tired of the BDSM world around him, it is not what he wants anymore, to play for just a couple of hours. He makes a last attempt going to a new club and finally he finds Gavin.

Gavin has been without a Dom for three years. He’s still not ready to move on but he’s tired of being on pause with his life. He just needs someone who helps him relax and shut down his mind. He is soon attracted to the beautiful and powerful Dom but at the end of their first scenes together, scared of the possibility of something more, Gavin leaves Simon in a hurry. Destiny seems to put them on the same road again but can both of them put down their barriers and give their lives a second chance?

I loved Simon and Gavin, I found them so real in their worries and relationships. The book is also enriched by some second characters, as in Jocelyn, Simon’s cousin, a strong, helpful, stubborn young woman, the one to cheer Simon up; or Jared, the bartender matchmaker.

I liked the writing, the double POV helped me a lot at understanding both MCs and the dialogues were engaging. I think the author was really good at making me love Simon and Gavin (especially the young sub) choosing to focus the story in their present and not in Gavin’s hurtful past, which would have made the book definitely heavier.

The Dom Around The Corner has the right amount of everything I like to read about and I’d like to recommend it. I hope to see more of this new couple soon in the next book.

Cover art by L.C. Chase. Well done, the arrow recalls the story but it wasn’t eye catching to me cause I simply prefer another style.

Sales Links:   Riptide Publishing  –  – Amazon  Buy It Here on June 15th

Book Details:

ebook, Second Edition, 104 pages
Expected publication: June 15th 2015 by Riptide Publishing
original title Commanding Acquisitions (1-800-DOM-HELP, #2 )
ISBN 9781626493
Edition Language English
Escape series #1

Publisher’s note: This title is a heavily revised re-issue of a prior story, Commanding Acquisitions, originally released in 2010.

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RIPTIDE PUBLISHING

A BJ Review: Rorschach Blots by RoughDraftHero aka R. D. Hero

Rating:  5 stars out of 5

Rorschat Blasts coverSev won’t go back to the swim team. Sev won’t accept his best friend’s girlfriend. He will sit behind the art classroom and smoke his joint.

He definitely won’t analyze why he wants to spank his teacher.

Sev is a rather lackadaisical eighteen year-old high school senior. He’s hiding out in the art room smoking on campus when he happens to see his art teacher, Mr. Duarte (Caleb), spanking himself after hours. The sight really gets to him, sparks an inner dominance inside him, and he becomes fascinated and a bit obsessed with Caleb. Caleb is ten years older than Sev, but Sev doesn’t let that stop him from aggressively pursuing the man, finding out more about him, and trying to meet his needs.

This story of has flaws when it comes to things like typos and grammar mistakes, but I think that sort of adds to its charm in a way. Make it feel as if it really is written by that lazy high school senior, you know! It all felt so real and true to life. And when you look beyond that, the plot is well developed, the pacing just right, and the story deep and complex.

It had me totally engaged, and I found it nearly impossible to put down. I found it only because I was specifically searching for books about an older sub and younger Dom. If it hadn’t been recommended to me, I’d never had picked it up based on the cover and the much less than descriptive blurb. But I was very glad that I did.

Sev had plenty of awkward moments in this, because he’s totally inexperienced and discovering his dominant tendencies at the same time as he is also coming to accept his sexual preference. Even still, he has this certainty about what he wants that I loved. And he totally goes after it.

The way the characters and their relationship developed seemed just right, not rushed or too easy or overly dramatic. The emotions were believable and heartfelt, and the author did a nice job of painting for me the need to submit and/or dominate. The sexual tension was very much there and kept me reading into the night.

Both of these characters had issues, they both made mistakes, said the wrong thing A LOT, and danced around all over the place as they discovered themselves and each other. Sev’s youth caused a nervous awkwardness some of the time, but it was juxtaposed to periods of strength and insight that charmed me. Caleb’s had his neediness, brattiness and his co-dependence with John to worth through. But him and Sev’s back and forth dance around each other was perfect.

When I saw that -fin- after the last chapter, I wanted to scream NO!! It can’t end there. Then came an epilogue that was thoroughly satisfying and had me wanting to do a happy dance. I won’t spoil it, but I thought the ending was just exactly right.

I’ve never read anything quite like this and I’m so glad it was recommended to me. Its available on Smashwords, Kobo, and ARe, but not Amazon. Its free or name you own price, so you have nothing to lose. Give it a try.

The cover is a bit on the plain side, like the blurb. But look past that and read this story. I highly recommend it.

Sales Links:  *Free on Smashwords

Book Details:
Words: 54,380 complete
ebook, 163 pages
Published February 13th 2013 by Smashwords (first published January 1st 2012)
edition languageEnglish

In Our Book Spotlight: Two Sides of the Same Coin by Thianna Durston (excerpt and giveaway)

Two-Sides-of-the-Same-Coin_Durston

Two Sides of the Same Coin by Thianna Durston
Release Date: May 17, 2015

A Kindle Exclusive: Amazon Buy Link

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Publisher: Thianna Durston

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STRW Author BookSynopsis

Blake Loughton was pretty sure life was over at the age of forty. All he did was work, work, work, except for the few hours a week he spent online with a dominant who seemed to get him. When he met his dom in person quite by accident, it changed everything, especially when he fell in love with the man behind the online persona.

At thirty-four Dusty Brandon had been involved in his alternative lifestyle for ages, but hadn’t had a sub in years until he met Blake online. The more he knew him, the more he wanted to take things further. Getting through Blake’s barriers used all the knowledge he had, but getting his boy to move to Texas took even more.

Join Blake and Dusty on their journey from meeting online to the moment Sir collars his boy. A BDSM erotic romance sure to make everything worth it. Two men. Dominance, submission, kink, and love. The Blake/Dusty Chronicles: Two Sides of the Same Coin – an erotic romance you won’t want to miss.

Pages or Words: 90,000 words

Categories: BDSM, Contemporary, Gay Fiction, M/M Romance

STRW Spotlight Book Excerpt

PG Excerpt:
December 10th ~ Texas

Walking through the doorway Dusty Brandon held back the sigh that wanted to leave his lips as the conversation in the room stalled slightly. It had been that way ever since he came out years ago. His whole damned family never knew what to say when he was around. Except for his Uncle Larry who winked at him across the room.

“‘Bout time you got here!” Larry bellowed.

Grinning, he strode through the throngs of uncles, aunts, and cousins over to a man he loved. “Happy Holidays, Uncle,” he said, giving him a hug.

“Same to you. How’s business?” Larry asked as the conversations in the room began to pick up again.

“Good. Have several new deals in the works. Found out about a company in Seattle that might be worth lookin’ into. They would add a lot. And life’s good.”

It was just the quirk of an eyebrow that told him his uncle was not in the least convinced. “Sure it is. Any new man on the horizon?”

Grimacing, Dusty shook his head. “Naw. Last one was too taxing. Needed a break.”

With one of his smiles, the kind that let you know he was up to something, Larry picked up a couple glasses of champagne and handed him one. “Sell that to someone who’ll buy it,
Nephew. Now let’s celebrate the season. I hear Carilee has somethin’ to announce.”

Snorting, Dusty took a swig of the expensive champagne. “Probably that her daughter is expectin’. She loves rubbin’ that in Mama’s nose every chance she can get.”

Even worse, four pregnancies in the family were announced, meaning four of his cousins, all younger than he was, were expecting a child. “It could be worse,” Larry mused as they watched Dusty’s mother have to smile and congratulate another of her sisters on a new grandchild.

“How?” Dusty was gay. He had known it for years and when he came out, it was because he needed to do it. It never occurred to him how hard it would be on his own mother. As her only child, he had not understood just how important being a grandmother was to her and hearing her only son was gay had been hard enough. Having the other women in the family gloat over it every time their daughter or son announced a new baby downright pissed him off.

“You could have tried to hide who you are and got someone pregnant before you came out.”

Musing on that, Dusty nodded. “Don’t think that woulda’ worked. No girl would get me that excited.”

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STRW Author Bio and Contacts

Thianna loves to write strong stories with even stronger heroes. While all of her books have an erotic overtone, it is the story that is the most important to her. “The story should be able to stand on its own. The erotic elements are an add-on.”

She enjoys writing about couples with kink, paranormal couples, and straight out strangeness. But more on that later… You can find her at mm.thiannad.com.

She also writes m/f under the name Thianna D.

Where to find the author:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thiannaDismyname?fref=ts
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/ThiannaDurstonAuthor?fref=ts
Twitter: https://twitter.com/the_weremouse
Website: http://www.mm.thiannad.com

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Tour Dates & Stops: June 2, 2015
Parker Williams, The Hat Party, Bayou Book Junkie, Molly Lolly, My Fiction Nook, BFD Book Blog, Inked Rainbow Reads, Divine Magazine, MM Good Book Reviews, Wake Up Your Wild Side, Havan Fellows, 3 Chicks After Dark, Rainbow Gold Reviews, Michael Mandrake, It’s Raining Men, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Happily Ever Chapter, Up All Night, Read All Day, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, Vampires, Werewolves, and Fairies, Oh My, Mikky’s World of Books, Hearts on Fire

 

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 Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: E-book copy of ‘Two Sides of the Same Coin’.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Link and prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions.
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